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Must Haves: Books to Read

January 25, 2018

(this post contains affiliate links which may be monetized)

hey all!

since its the beginning of the year, i still feel like its ‘new year, new me’ the whole thing, and one of the things that i always wanna add to myself is to read more, and honestly, i tend to overdrive everything (which just means listening to audiobooks) which i actully love because i can put my aux in my phone in the car and just play the downloads off of my phone! it is an awesome way to get the reading in. i picked some books that sound good for me to read – and ones that i am looking forward to reading.

again, a note to all my readers – this post does not mean i own any of the above, or that i will buy any of the above. it just means that i like it visually and (unless noted) i do not own it; all that i will write about is stuff i hear from friends and other users of the product as well as the visual aspects of the product which i will mention in the comment below!

so here we go with the post,

#1: little fires everywhere by celeste ng

according to amazon :

“Little Fires Everywhere explores the weight of secrets, the nature of art and identity, and the ferocious pull of motherhood – and the danger of believing that following the rules can avert disaster.”

#2: this could hurt: a novel by jillian medoff

according to amazon:

“Jillian Medoff explores the inner workings of an American company in all its brilliant, insane, comforting, and terrifying glory. Authentic, razor-sharp, and achingly funny, This Could Hurt is a novel about work, loneliness, love, and loyalty; about sudden reversals and unexpected windfalls; a novel about life.”

#3: meet cute by jennifer armontrout

according to amazon:

“This incredibly talented group of authors brings us a collection of stories that are at turns romantic and witty, epic and everyday, heartbreaking and real.”

#4: andy warhol: the series by hilton als

according to into the gloss:

“Instead of watching another television series, why not read this instead? A script written for a potential series on Andy Warhol’s life by New Yorker staff writer Hilton Als, it’s as good as anything on TV, only you can fit it into your smallest carry-on.”

#5: green by sam graham-felsen

according to amazon:

“Infectiously funny about the highs and lows of adolescence, and sharply honest in the face of injustice, Sam Graham-Felsen’s debut is a wildly original take on the American dream.”

xoxo

kwe monogram

 

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Favorite LA Ice Cream

January 23, 2018

hey all!

it’s been a really long time since i’ve done another post on the LA guide, so i thought in the height of the california winter, i might as well write and post about ice cream today. so in my LA guide series, i decided to post a little about ice cream because ice cream is a huge part of my food chain and is so important to me.

here we go!! (in no certain order!!)

#1: carmela (locations in pasadena, LA, woodland hills and they travel in farmer’s market)

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carmela is a super interesting place because they have very interesting flavors, i have tasted everything from raspberry rose sorbet to brown butter sage ice cream to chocolate sorbet! i love seeing these unique flavors and they make super awesome ice cream!

my all time favorite flavors: pear champagne sorbet and matcha green tea ice cream!

#2: sweet rose creamery (5 locations around LA)

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one of the first ice cream places i went to on my more recent artisanal ice cream tour a few years ago! i am always blown away with their flavours and they always have AWESOME sorbet.

my favorite flavors here are: roasted apricot sorbet and mango sorbet

#3: jeni’s splendid ice cream (locations in los feliz, venice, larchmont and calabasas)

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of all the ice cream this is the place where my family and i are always going back to, just because they always have fantastic flavours, awesome service and just a cute store. we just have a slight obsession with it, and keep going back.

my favorite flavors here are: birch and marshmallow and intelligentsia black cat espresso

#4: fosselman’s ice cream (they have one location in alhambra)

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finally, fosselman’s is such a old and classic place. i remember going to fosselmans being very young and i have always loved it. the store is so classic inside and they have been a constant artisanal ice cream place which will be there before and after the trends!

my favorite flavors here are the: peach sorbet, green tea ice cream and the green apple sorbet

enjoy!

xoxo

kwe monogram

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My Experience with QVC’s “Try it, Love it” Box

January 21, 2018

(this post contains affiliate links which may be monetized)

hey guys!

do you remember my christmas gift post? i talked about one of my highlighted gifts – the QVC “TILI” – Try it Love it box – its much like birchbox without the subscription which is actually super awesome because it doesn’t lock you into anything.

TILI box :

so, they offer 3 full sized products and the rest trial products of different of their favorite items. in my  box i got a ‘julep konjac sponge‘, a ‘skinfix hand repair cream‘, a ‘becca jaclyn hill shimmering skin perfector‘, a ‘mini first aid beauty bouncy mask‘, ‘mini philosophy amazing grace shower gel‘, a ‘vita liberata body blur‘ and a mini ‘it cosmetics confidence in a cream‘.

so here we go on the review:

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full sized products:

#1: julep konjac sponge: this is the first product i used and i made a HUGE mistake, i threw out the package, and with the package, the instructions. i didn’t read the instructions so when i went to use it, i did not know what to do. but with that explantion, i did what i thought was right and used it as a sponge without soap, because it was soapy inside. it seemed to make my skin a bit softer and i found it much easier to deal with the little filled pores on my arms and legs.

#2: skinfix hand repair cream:  not sure if you guys will believe me, but i have incredibly soft hands. like no lie!! i don’t use hand lotion because i don’t really need it, however, i do rub the remaining sunscreen on my hands – and i use pretty moisturizing sunscreen. so i passed this product off to my dad because his hands were extremely dry this winter! i think he liked it, but i am not entirely sure!

#3: becca jaclyn hill shimmering skin perfector: this is an AWESOME highlighter,  i am obsessed with highlighter – its one of the three main products i use when i apply makeup, and i go crazy looking for the best and brightest highlighters that will match well with my complexion. i absolutely LOVE this highlighter, it looks great on my skin color and its super easy to apply and blend on my face.

sample size products:

#1: ‘mini first aid beauty bouncy mask:  i am a skincare obsessed person because i have pretty bad acne, not like cystic stuff or anything but like on my chin and my forehead it can get pretty bad. so because of this, i am mask obsessed, always looking for the best new stuff that i can throw on my face and wait 10 minutes to see what happens. so i was more excited about this mask than i should have been, i am not really old – i am 17 and don’t have too many wrinkles so i wouldn’t exactly say that i needed this mask but the smell was great and it was a great experience.

#2: ‘mini philosophy amazing grace shower gel: i am a philosophy fan, i just use a ton of philosophy products, so this wasn’t exactly a new product for me, but the scent was new – and exciting and was super exciting to try something new.

#3: a ‘vita liberata body blur:  this is also a product i wouldn’t really find myself using. i am an extremely pale individual and don’t love to fake the level of tan i am, so i  tried this product, but just as i thought, i didn’t love it.

#4: it cosmetics confidence in a cream: not to reiterate again, but not a product i would necessarily find myself using, just because i am still young. but i loved the moisturizing affect- and hey they say that you are never too young to use anti-aging stuff, so i guess i am getting ahead of it all!

so i am just gonna say this, many of the products didn’t exactly apply to me because i didn’t need them for whatever reason, so the box was interesting to try products that i didn’t think i needed, and i definitely turned myself onto a new highlighter which was really exciting! next i would actually like to try birchbox because i heard they actually (more or less) personalize it to your likes, and skin type and etc!

enjoy this post!

xoxo

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Winter Look: Vol. 2

January 18, 2018

(this post contains affiliate links which may be monetized)

hey all!

another thursday, another post! its almost the end of the week which is so exciting and i am super ready for the weekend because i have some fun things coming up, i will definitely share on my instagram – and on the blog at the end of the month! also because i won’t be blogging again before january 20th, i wanna say an official happy birthday to my sister!

once again, a note to all my readers – this post does not mean i own any of the above, or that i will buy any of the above. it just means that i like it visually and (unless noted) i do not own it; all that i will write about is stuff i hear from friends and other users of the product as well as the visual aspects of the product which i will mention in the comment below!

here we go!

WinterOutfit_Vol2

/bodysuit/

madewell velvet wrap bodysuit 

i love bodysuits and its just so perfect in this pink color, and even though velvet is on that kinda winter vibe (yes i know what i am saying) but the pink is a sorta springy vibe and it can easily move onto spring too! AND, its on sale right now for 33% off! what could be better?

/skirt/

topshop zip corduroy skirt

i’ve kinda been coveting this skirt for awhile because i love the lowkey ’70s vibe of the corduroy fabric, the front zipper and the little circle detail. i am totally into the lowkey ’70s coming back (by that i mean the miminalist vibes, i am no flower child), i just love this lowkey detail and its just so pretty and versitile.

/sneakers/

nike cortez sneakers

okay, i’ve said it enough, i am just obsessed with cortez – especially my own cortez (i have both the red and blue ones as well as the white and gold ones too)  they are just a classic shoe and have a perfect look and feel. i love pairing my cortez with almost everything, and especially to make an outfit more casual!

/purse/

marc jacobs snapshot crossbody bag

this little bag is a super cute like camera bag shape that is totally in right now. i actually love the lowkey guitar strap on the bag – its black, white and gold and i think the almost sparkly leather on the purse connects the whole vibe!

/necklace/

initial necklace 

finally! an awesome necklace is such an essential item, i love my moon and lola necklace but its a little expensive (by that i mean not like 1,000 dollars but over $100) but this one is only $45! its perfectly sparkly and comes in silver, gold and rose gold to pair with any outfit on any occassion!

enjoy my friends! xoxo

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Charcuterie Board Must Haves

January 16, 2018

hey all!

i know its a little late for a post now but i’ve actually been sick all day so its been pretty crazy, because in addition to being sick, its the last week of the semester for me, so that means all of the possibles tests, quizzes, presentations, essays and whatever else the teachers can assign before its too late. i get it, i understand, but its so hard on us, but its super hard on me because i am feeling cruddy, so let’s actually get to the post:

stress = more food and for me, at this point if i am gonna go crazy on the whole eating thing i might as well eat good food am i right? and good food for me is a charcuterie board. not only are they aesthetic, i mean cheese is pretty awesome, but they also taste fantastic, so that’s a perpetual win.

today my plan was to share my must-haves for my own charcuterie boards, without further ado…

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here’s what i love:

finally, i love to pair my board with an argula salad with lemon and parmesan!

enjoy my post – let me know what your favorite foods are too!

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My Workout Routine – Update Jan. 2018

January 14, 2018

hello my friends!

if you follow me on instagram / watch my instagram live stories / know me & see me on a regular basis you might know i have definitely been keeping up with my health as the new year started – just these two weeks! this is not only the food that i am eating that i am in on but also my workout routine, so in honor of that i wanted to share a few things about my workout routine!

here we go!

first of all, i listen to my playlist:

with my favorite new speaker! (that i shared in THIS post)

my current favorite workout clothes have been:

these leggings / this shirt

and NOW for my workout:

i love to walk and run:

what can i say, it helps me to get to my 10,000 steps, which i have done every day (except 1) since new years. i have been doing this awesome 40km challenge with lululemon – making myself walk/run at least 1.8 miles a day, and i’ve actually been doing at least 2 miles a day since then! before the new year (starting in about september i was doing about 1 – so it’s much better now). it makes me feel really good running and i finally feel like i am on an awesome routine that i really love.

roll out!: 

after running – or beginning to train to become a real runner my legs have been totally sore, and so i have been able to roll out every day due to the accessibility in my gym at my high school – and my roller at home too. i have been watching some roll out videos on how to do it right and consult my athletic trainer at my school too!

biking: 

i occasionally will ride the stationary bike. i am not a huge fan because of the uncomfortable seat – like seriously those are painful. other than getting over my fear of the seat, i have been continuing to do my videos and try it out like soul cycle style.

weight training: 

i have been using the machines at my school and doing 20-30 rep rounds on each machine and doing fun rotations where i’ll time myself and run music around.

and finally, i would like to share:

goals for new year fitness: 

  • getting into a yoga routine & finding a studio i enjoy
  • trying out new fitness classes
  • transitioning into running a 10k
  • training to be able walk/run a half marathon VERY SOON
  • practice hiking more
  • finally, continue my fitness journey when i go to college

enjoy friends!

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Winter Look : Vol. 1

January 11, 2018

(this post contains affiliate links which may be monetized)

hey all!

i know i typically do outfit collection posts with a few different outfits in it, but i got some awesome feedback from my instagram poll, and understand that you guys would like a little bit of more talking about the outfit itself, so i am so happy to share my first post like this!

since its still winter (and actually its been quite cold here in CA) i though i should go ahead with a cute winter look with either stuff i own, or stuff i’ve been coveting for awhile, so without further ado…

once again, a note to all my readers – this post does not mean i own any of the above, or that i will buy any of the above. it just means that i like it visually and (unless noted) i do not own it; all that i will write about is stuff i hear from friends and other users of the product as well as the visual aspects of the product which i will mention in the comment below!

here we go!

winteroutfitvol.1

/ top /

topshop velvet lettuce edge tee :

i love the velvet look for winter (even though it feels like this season is coming to an end). black is perfect with everything and the top actually matches the pants quite well, but if you’d rather have a long sleeve, you can opt for my favorite t-shirt this fall (CLICK HERE) and its currently just $10, comes in MANY colors and will be super cute with these pants.

/ bag /

gucci mini sylvie leather shoulder bag :

of course, this bag is a whole lot out of my price range, but it has highkey been on my wishlist because its SO CUTE! i absolutely love the little pops of green, red and blue, and actually think the bag will match well because its mostly black. other than that, the bag has an adorable shape, and actually seems bigger than i thought!

/ shoes /

converse all stars unisex high tops :

i loved my hightops two years ago, and at that point i opted for just some adidas superstars instead of converse (because i am basic) but since then i have become a sneaker addict (guys its bad, but i wear sneakers almost every day so give me a break) and i have circled back to hightops because i LOVE their shape! also either white or black would go so well with this look.

/ pants /

topshop monica checkered peg trousers :

i have been in LOVE with these pants for awhile now, and the only thing that is stopping me is that i wear plaid every day to school so i was worried it might be too much plaid (if thats even a thing) but honestly these pants are adorable and could be an awesome statement for winter into spring.

enjoy & happy shopping!

kwe monogram

 

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Must Haves: Stationery Goods

January 9, 2018

(this post contains affiliate links which may be monetized)

hey all!

with the new year in full swing, and the always goal of almost everyone i know to get organized (and while its planner and new calendar season because it’s finally 2018!) that means its TOTALLY stationery season – and what could be better than that! well today, for this new year, instead of calling them ‘wishlists’ or ‘favorites’ they will be MUCH more on brand, being called ‘must haves’ instead! i am so excited to grow the M&MH brand for this new year of 2018!

as always, a note to all my readers – ‘must haves’ does not mean i own any of the above, or that i will buy any of the above. it just means that i like it visually and (unless noted) i do not own it; all that i will write about is stuff i hear from friends and other users of the product as well as the visual aspects of the product which i will mention in the comment below!

here we go!

#1: shinola sketchbook

you might have seen my new sketchbook in my ‘what i got for christmas 2017’ because i got it monogrammed, but these shinola notebooks are beautiful in every color and are totally versatile whether you write, make to-do lists or create a bullet journal.

#2: ban.do mark it stamp

these are such cool little tools/ stamps with ink already in them, they would be perfect for any pre-built planner as well, but they would be awesome in my bullet journal as a little tool – which would require less drawing or stickers.

#3: sugar paper ‘my post to yours’ notecard set

these notecards are beautiful for any little message, the scalloped edges are beautiful and i absolutely love every time i get to see the sugar paper supply because their cards are always so beautiful.

#4: rosanna ‘take note’ pencil bag

 i have been coveting this guy for awhile, but since i carry so many pens it makes so much more sense to carry a huge pencil case, otherwise the price is nice and the design details on it are super cute.

#5: rifle paper thank you card set

as always, rifle paper makes amazing cards especially this design with the floral, and i also love the gold envelopes.

#6: ban.do ‘be nice’ notebook

i have to say that i am not a huge fan of spiral notebooks but the ban.do notebooks are always beautiful, with the most adorable designs – especially this ‘be nice’ notebook because the type is so cute on the front.

#7: rifle paper travel journal 

lastly, i wanted to share this freakin’ adorable travel journal. i am not much of a notebook writer, besides in my bullet journal, but i absolutely love the journaling on a trip, because it allows me to – when i get to go to bed, to wind down from a crazy day and clear my head to make me sleep better.

enjoy my friends!

xoxo

kwe monogram

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My 2018 Resolutions

January 7, 2018

hey all!

gee i have made these awhile ago, but i hadn’t had the time yet to share them with you! it has kinda become a tradition here on macarons and must haves to share my resolutions every year – it kinda keeps me together, forcing me to at least keep them – or try to keep them.

so why not just start!:

#1: try new things

i am a wuss. i have a serious fear to go to start programs/other stuff like that because i don’t think i will find someone who i know, and that kinda scares me. but i actually learned through my experience as a tournament of roses student ambassador (even though a few of my classmates did it with me!) some of my events were with people i didn’t know, and i actually meshed with them really well because we had things in common! i actually found it much easier than i previously thought, so that is one thing i would love to try doing!

#2: keep a healthy attitude (both physically and mentally!)

we all get down sometimes and its easy to get down on yourself, because you didn’t get that opportunity, or you didn’t succeed like the way you expected or wanted to do. this year i would love to keep a healthy attitude. by this, i mean mentally, keeping positive about myself, the things i cannot change and the circumstances in which i find myself in, and physically i would like to stay on a good path. i have found a great workout routine and by reading many bloggers i have learned about intuitive eating and i would definitely love to think this way about eating because i believe its a healthier attitude than i have about food now.

#3: get mad organized

its not like i am not organized, i live and die by my bullet journal: i plan my weeks like crazy, by the hour and day, i live by my workout schedule, and i also just love my google calendar. its not like i forget things (as often as i used to) but man you should walk in and see my room. my makeup counter is almost always a mess (because i literally run out of my house still putting on my makeup), i literally have clothes sprawled around my room (i usually just pick them up on saturday mornings) and my desk is full of letters and nice notes from friends and all of my school books. this year, as i plan to move out to college, i would like to get all of my stuff organized before i leave so when i come back

#4: reduce stress/anxiety & be calmer!!

this impossible goal is the thing i actually would love to change the most. i have totally realized this year has been so much harder because of stress and like after school all i have wanted to is sleep/watch netflix but it’s really not okay and since i have been running and exercising and eating better for my body my stress has actually gone down but then school gets harder and all i wanna do is eat sour patch kids which makes me feel worse because all of that sugar! this year i really wanna attempt meditation and use the app headspace because i believe it would be so helpful for me especially with all of the stress of senior year

enjoy all!

xoxo,

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M&MH in 2018

January 4, 2018

hey all!

since we are in january 2018, and as i mentioned in my last post, 2018 will be a busy year, i kinda wanted to talk about my blog plans for 2018.

2018 is a huge deal for me because i think that 2017 was a big time to grow for me and especially for the blog. i seriously got into a swing of things – and after i truly found my blog aesthetic (which was in the summer) i actually totally fell in LOVE with my blog and decided to go all in with every post, no matter how long it takes me, because i am more interested in my blog looking beautiful 24/7 than posting more often.

so here we go:

#1: continue making beautiful content

i believe that i make some beautiful content, whether if it is my posts (my physical articles), graphics or images, just keeping my content stunning and following my aesthetic. of course, this may mean that in busy times, blog posts will either go down to 1-2 times/week instead of three (or even four!) but i promise the content will be high-quality content that will keep you coming back into the whole new year!

#2: more outfit posts

i love putting together outfits, and shockingly enough (for a fashion blogger) i do not have that many clothes – because i wear a uniform from monday-friday – and when i am not wearing a uniform i am wearing pajamas, leggings or gym shorts. but when i get dressed up for brunch, parties, events and such and such i look cute and dress up, but for some reason i am too scared to ask other people to take pictures of me because i am afraid they wil judge, or not really understand what they are supposed to do. so lets make 2018 a year of outfit posts!

#3: working on blog photos

as i mentioned before, i am kinda afraid to ask people to take my picture. i almost always do well with graphics because i am a total graphic nerd and that’s my strong suit, but photos are harder for me. i believe i have a pretty good eye, but i have extremely shaky hands and not fantastic equipment – which makes for a terrible combination. but this year, i plan to go out of my way to help myself, and make my photos better. i will be taking many digital classes and learning how i can do better.

#4: continuing into my personal style

macarons and must-haves used to be a preppy fashion blog, but i wouldn’t exactly call myself a ‘prepster’ anymore. i don’t go for specifically lilly pulitzer, vineyard vines and  sperry topsiders yet i will still go for a colorful shift dress every so often, so look for my ever-changing style to be shared more often for you all.

#5: more lifestyle/health/fitness content as i strengthen my own health

like always resolutions somehow always include health, whether its how i eat, how i exercise or how i grapple with both, and this year i will be unveiling my resolutions on january 7th (this sunday!) so you can check out then, but since june 2017 i have been a little more health conscious, whether its about food or exercise i have been in it, recognizing bad behaviors, and reprimanding them and celebrating the good/healthy behaviours. this year i would love to share personal health journey stuff as i become more excercise conscious as opposed to being food conscious!

let me know what you are looking forward to this year – and if you are excited for anything on M&MH in 2018!

thanks for reading!

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