Happy Birthday to my sweet Mema!

Today is my Mema's birthday - she is the epitome of style and class (she was a model in New York City in the 1940s) - and I think get my love of cooking and baking from her (passed down via my Mama of course).

Plus, we are birthday buddies!

Happy Birthday Mema! I love you!

30!

As a kid, having a birthday in the middle of the summer, near a holiday meant that most of my friends would not be in town for my birthday party.

As I got a little older and started traveling - I was usually not in town for my birthday. The first birthday I spent away from home was when I was 13 - I got to spend it in Denmark traveling with my Grandparents to visit my Aunt, Uncle & Cousins who were living there.

At Tivoli Gardens in 1995

In Australia in 2005 (with beautiful flowers send from my parents)

Fast forward - I've spent many, many birthdays away from family and friends - summer camp, Costa Rica, Australia (at least twice) - so I am pretty stoked to ring in my thirties with TD and my family. 

Since I get to be with my favorite people (and Prairie!) - there's nothing on my wishlist this year - other than Booze & Cake (pretty sure those are guaranteed with this crowd!)

Source: hauteindoorcouture.blogspot.com via Secameron on Pinterest

Source: eddieross.com via Secameron on Pinterest

So Happy Happy to me!

Two things I am loving right now...

Paperback Swap

I don't know why I waited so long to sign up for Paperback Swap - it is amazing. I was a voracious reader as a kid, all the way through college, but my pleasure reading took a serious back seat during grad school & postdoc years. Seriously, I probably read 10 books during those 7 years - keeping up with my weekly New Yorker was all I could handle.

Now, in an attempt to rejoin the literate public, I've made it a goal to turn off the internet at 9 pm and read before bed. Paperback Swap keeps me stocked with interesting reads and lets me pass along books that I don't want to keep. A win win.

Nike+ Running App

Somehow I went from someone who rarely (or reluctantly) works out to someone who actually enjoys and, dare I say, looks forward to it. Not entirely sure how that transformation happened - but two big contributors are having a workout buddy (TD) and DATA.

I am a scientist. I love data. So the ability to track my workouts quantitatively totally appeals to me - in fact I want to workout harder/longer just so I have more miles/minutes/calories. 

The Nike+ Running App is amazing - you carry or wear your iPhone during an outdoor or treadmill run and it keeps track of your route, pace, distance and time. And gives you helpful comments on your pace, how far you've gone and how much time is left. And its free. Amazing!

Minimalist packing - hair and beauty

These are my toiletries for 30 days...

Top Row - toothbrush, deodorant (not antiperspirant), bright lipstick, contact solution, earplugs, Dermatone (has SPF and can be used on lips, hands or face - very moisturizing), small container of baking soda

Middle Row - Dark Grey eye crayon and comb

Bottow row - Vitamin E cream (for eyes and face), Obagi C SPF 30sunscreen (in Clinique container - this is what I use on my face everyday), Contact lens case, comb, toothpaste

Very Bottom Row - Vitamins (multivitamin and fish oil)

In the last few years, I have gotten my beauty routine down to the bare minimum - this saves time, money and is much friendlier to my body as well as the planet. And it makes packing a cinch.

• I don't ever use soap on my face - No facial cleansers
• I stopped using shampoo - just baking soda twice a week or so
• My basic makeup routine is something on the eyes (mascara or eyeliner) and something on the lips (loving bright pink or red lipstick lately)
• I stopped using body lotion - just a salt scrub in the shower 

I swear, my hair and skin have never been happier. And I promise my hair doesn't smell (TD is ever vigilant about this). I'll have full posts soon on exactly what I have been doing & why - but what you see above is everything I packed for a month of travel (I do use soap on my body but everywhere I will be going will at least have bar soap).

So what do you think...Am I nuts or gross?