What's In My Bag?

I've always loved those articles in magazines "what's in their bag," that give you a peak inside what a celebrity carries in their purse. Maybe it's creepy that I enjoy knowing what somewhere totes around all day, but I'm also the weirdo that loves knowing what's in someone's fridge. It says a lot about a person.

Purse: Who What Wear Mini Shopper

Snacks: RX Kids bar, these are the best purse size snack. I try to always have a bar or baggy of nuts in my car or purse. #alwayspacksnack I also often have tea bags in my purse and work bag. It's an easy way to cure the mid-day slump and cure my issue of always being cold. 

Brush: Conair mini brush. The one thing that is ALWAYS in my purse, and always gets transferred from day to evening bag too. A quick brush through your hair can really make you feel better.

Sunglasses: Cheaper than cheap from Forever 21. Despite the fact that I have a really good track record with sunglasses, I still can't bring myself to spend money on them. These were $3. 

Meds: Epi-pen, inhaler, Benadryl, allergies are fun! 

Gum: Extra Spearmint, each piece eaten in 1/3s cause I'm a freak. But hey, it makes a pack last almost 3 weeks, but the amount of gum wrappers I accumulate are uncanny. 

Lips: e.l.f Aqua Beauty Lip Stain in Dewy Berry and Rouge Radiance (creates this watercolor type lip stain that I love), Glossier coconut balm dotcom, MAC lipstick in twig, and Dior Addict Lip Glow (the coolest lip stain that enhances your natural lip color). 

Wallet: Mine is a discontinued style from SCOUT bags, but I love their stuff so much, find similar options here. 

This post idea originated back in the fall of 2014 when I was a senior in college. See my first "what's in my bag" here. Honestly not much has changed, at all. Same gum, similar wallet, cheap sunglasses, bright blue purse, and the same pink snakeskin hair brush is still going strong 4 years later. Is that gross?

What's in your bag?

Annie

Bites While you Watch: TV Binge Edition

'Tis the season for binge watching TV shows. I think it has to do with the weather change and the feeling of winter's arrival that suddenly makes you not want to leave the couch. I also attest binge watching to happening during the busier seasons of life. Anyone else? I used to be notorious for starting a new TV show during finals week. Scandal - finals week 2013, One Tree Hill - finals week 2014. Life is crazy, but sure I'll binge 5 hour long episodes in one night...

I've done two different installations of "Bites While You Watch" seen here and here. Today's install is all about what to eat while binging TV shows on Netflix. Because what is binge watching without snacks.

And yes this post is 100% inspired by my recent obsession with all things Riverdale. If you aren't watching it jump. on. board. 

Riverdale -- diner style milkshakes
My mouth instantly waters every-time they show the cast at Pop's sipping shakes. I'll take strawberry just like my #1 Jughead. 

Big Little Lies -- latte
With only 6 episodes, BLL is the ultimate/easiest binge watching show. Anyone else covet over the foamy lattes Jane, Madeleine and Celeste sip on at the ocean side cafe? Had me craving one during each episode. 

Gilmore Girls -- Chinese take-out, coffee and Mallomars
Basically just all the junk food + coffee. Rory and Lorelai are known for their outrageous eating habits of take out, burgers and copious amounts of coffee. Also Mallomars. They always remind me of Lorelai's birthday episode when Rory spells out Happy Birthday in Mallomars. 

This Is Us -- comfort food
Despite making you cry every episode, This Is Us also gives you the best warm fuzzy feelings the same way comfort food makes you feel. A cozy dinner like this is perfect for curling up on the couch with an episode of This is Us. 

Scandal -- red wine and popcorn
It's not an episode of Scandal if Olivia isn't pouring herself a glass of vino in her iconic long stemmed wine glasses. 

Binge, bite and enjoy!
Annie

What I'm Listening To...

If you've come within about 10 feet of me in the past two weeks you have probably heard me or seen me embarrassingly jamming out to Bakermat's "Baby." My obsession spurred from the current Old Navy commercial that is on TV right now. It only got worse when I took Kathleen's Barre3 class a couple weeks ago and the song was on her playlist. Cue internal dance break mid b3 combo work.

Bakermat's version is based off Thelma Houston's "Don't Leave Me This Way." Which the DJ just so happened to play at Claire's wedding this past weekend. Cue dance break round 2. Only this time it was not internal. It was a full on push the guests to the side/form a circle around Annie/watch me embarrassingly think I'm good at dancing and singing kind of dance break. I pray there was no picture proof captured by the photographer. I should really keep my jam outs to by myself in my car...

Annie

Beauty Bites

When it comes to beauty and skincare, I am not a "product person." I'm a drug store mascara, forget to wash my face, sometimes my teeth, never get facials kind of person. As I'm getting more into my 20's, I'm trying my best to change my old ways. Every article I read turns into some rant about how important your skin regimen is, or "what I would have told my 23 year old self" turns into a lesson on taking care of your skin. I don't want wrinkles by the time I'm 30, so looks like it is time to grow up. at

Like I said, I've really been trying to invest in better products, take more time with my skin regimen and care more about what I'm putting on my face and body. Below is a list of my current "beauty bites." While I'm still a girl on a budget, one product is a pantry staple and nothing is over $30. 

LAZY DRY SHAMPOO
I am new to the dry shampoo world. I always swore it didn't work for me. My hair gets greasy after 24 hours, and have always washed my hair everyday if I want it to look decent. Once I joined the working world, washing and drying my hair everyday became a long and daunting task. Enter dry shampoo. It took a few weeks to get my hair used to every other day washes, but with some trial and error I've found some dry shampoos that actually work and help prolong the washing process. My current obsession is Lazy Dry Shampoo. It's all natural ingredients and locally made in OKC! You apply the powder with a soft brush at night, then you wake up and voila, non-greasy hair! It comes in two versions for light and dark hair. Lazy Dry Shampoo can be ordered here. 

RODAN + FIELDS FOAMING TANNER
I get pale in the winter, like sickly pale. When spring hits I get eager to add some color to my washed out winter skin, but it's not that easy. It takes weeks in the summer to get a tan. With my roommate's bachelorette trip in Scottsdale this weekend, I am in desperate need for some base color before being fully exposed to the sun. My good friend Bailey recently started selling R+F and raved about this tanner. I love that is is a foam, making it so easier to apply. The color shows up almost instantly giving me the color I dreadfully need.  Shop from Bailey directly here. 

COCONUT OIL
You've probably seen a million articles about all the benefits and ways you can use coconut oil, well it's true. I've recently started using coconut oil outside of just cooking with and more for topical use. Coconut oil has replaced my old make up remover. I have a jar in my bathroom that I use every night to wipe away my make up. It works better than any bottle remover you can buy at the store.  I have really dry skin so something that gently removes my makeup and moisturizes at the same time is a win win. I also apply a little extra on my lips and sometimes use it on my cuticles and elbows. 

DIY LAVENDER BODY SCRUB
My other roommate gifted me some lavender body scrub for Valentine's Day. Made from just coconut oil, sugar and lavender oil. My dry skin was obsessed. It became my ritual to go to hot yoga, come home light a candle in the bathroom, and use my lavender body scrub in a long hot steamy shower. A little home spa action. I found my skin not needing as much lotion post-shower because the scrub helped get off dead skin and moisturize with the coconut oil base. I ran out fast, but plan on using this recipe to make more on my own!

Annie

Happy 4th Take A Bite

Four years later and I'm still annoying you with my recipes, grammatical errors and obsession with food. Take A Bite has gone through many phases of it's life as well as many phases of my life. From terrible Photoshop collages, to dim lit food pictures, from sophomore year of college, to graduation, to my first job, to my second and now we are here. Four years later and I'm prouder than ever of my sweet little TAB. 

Take A Bite has brought me incredible friends and incredible opportunities I wouldn't have had otherwise. It has allowed me to share my passions for cooking, baking, being creative and sharing with others. Nothing fills me up more than when someone tells me they tried one of my recipes. I write these posts, and sometimes wonder if anyone is reading them. Your comments, pictures, #takeabite hashtags etc. showing that you do, means everything. So thank you.

I didn't mean to get so gushy in this post... Let's eat instead! In typical Take A Bite I'm celebrating with Birthday Toast. I have a traditional breakfast every year on own birthday (Belgium waffles with strawberries and whipped cream), so I thought TAB deserved the same. I've been making this almond butter and sprinkle toast the past four years, from the Kappa house, to rent house, to OKC house. Make you some birthday toast and let's take a look back at some favorite bites.

My first post...omg.

Favorite posts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6

Most popular posts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6

I've written 198 recipes and 198 Bites of My Life. (my OCD loves that)

TAB's 1st, 2nd, and 3rd birthday. 

Here's to many more blog birthdays!

Annie