Curly Girls, this is for you...

...and for everyone else, enjoy my awkward middle school life.

When I was just a babe I had some curls on my noggin (thanks, Mom) and as I got older those went away and I rocked some straight hair (thanks, Dad). A little thing called puberty happened and the curls returned (hi, Mom).

In elementary school my mom was lucky to get a brush through my hair. On the mornings my mom left before my dad that poor guy was stuck with a screaming 6 year old in a chair, tears rolling down her face because let’s face it, boys don’t know how to brush hair! Lucky for me my dad would just quit and send me to school with some knotty hair in a ponytail, but that’s what I wanted anyways.

Middle school was the age of the straightener. I got my first CHI from my hairstylist (at wholesale so I felt super awesome) and I got to straightening! Ladies, I know this was such an awkward time for you too. A trip down memory lane shall we?

• I rocked every single jean skirt American Eagle had to offer
• Phat Farms? Adidas? Anyone? Ew, why?
• The tales of my mouth are for another time but let’s stick with the facts: a few grand have been invested into my mouth…this is inclusive of braces. So yes, braces.
• Boys were just deciding that girls may be a good idea and our hormones were like what?
• Puberty. Acne. Training bras.
• Speaking of Puberty…huge hair change for this gal. That straight hair went to a curly/wavy mixture. A mixture composed of tighter curls on the top ranging to pin straight underneath.

During this time my mom—the curly headed goddess—took me under her wing and showed me the way.

I quickly learned to ditch the straightener. Every now and then is fine, but ladies if you have the natural wave, FLAUNT IT.

Here are a few things I have gathered over the years to keep your waves/curls lookin’ pristine and healthy:

• Buy a diffuser. A diffuser is the best thing to ever happen to my head.
• A curl CREAM, not gel (eww, crunchy much?)…keeps your hair soft, bouncy and shiny.
• In addition to the cream try different brands of mouse. Be careful here though; try to find one with low alcohol content because it can dry the hell out of your hair. Throw the mouse on after your cream and before you diffuse.
• Comb your hair in the shower! Or when you’re just out…basically just run a wide-tooth comb through it when it’s wet, NEVER DRY. Holy crap, if I had a dollar for every soul I have seen with massive frizz I would be $$$$$$$$$$. Anytime you brush your curls when its dry it pulls them, breaks them and frizzes them. Just don’t do it.
• Let your hair be dirty on the weekend—or at least one day—that's how long I make it. Curly/wavy hair usually struggles on the moisture front and can tend to be dry and course. Letting your natural oil set in there for a tad is a major help.

I have some products for you that I have found success with. There is the “I’m in college and have a tiny budget” combo and a “cool, it’s summer and I am making $$$$ so I’m going to splurge” option.


College/Small Budget

Not Your Mother's Kinky Moves!

This stuff is gurrr-ate. Squeeze about a nickel or quarter (depending on how much hair you have) into your palms. Rub your hands together and then distribute in your wet hair. Do a little scrunch action to activate your curl. Can be found at Walmart for about $5, holla.

Dove's Amplifying Mousse

The cool thing about Dove is that there is a small info-graphic on the bottle that indicates the hold of the mousse. This one is smack in the middle and considered "flexible". Flexible means it will hold your curl but without the crunch...and that is key. After your cream has set in for about 5-10 minutes, mousse it up...well don't go crazy. Too much mousse can dry your hair. But you'll get the hang of it. You can find this guy at Wally World as well, yay America.

Treat ya self

Kevin Murphy's Motion Lotion

I could go on for DAYS about how much I love this stuff. I have been using it for about a year now and I don't plan on stopping. It's not $5 but it's that great...so if you come across some of this heavenly cream, do not hesitate to purchase. I'm from Austin so when I am home I buy mine from my closest Milk+Honey Salon. Otherwise check out KM's site and see where you can get yours.

Kevin Murphy's Body Builder

Ok...so I love KM, sue me. But honestly, this stuff is rockin'. Pair it with the Motion Lotion and you are golden. Learn more about it here. I will say, its a little different than your typical mousse. Use less than normal.

Shout out to all my girls with a little wave and a little curl (cheeeeesy, you love it though).

xo
Gab

dessert...I mean healthy oatmeal smoothie

I have recently discovered a heavenly smoothie that really starts my day off on the right foot. I like to make it when I wake up with a little bit more of an appetite than usual or when I cannot get my sweet tooth under control. This bad boy is PACKED with protein and complex carbs that will be sure to hold you until your lunch hour. 

I present to you, the oatmeal smoothie.

• ½ cup unsweetened almond milk

• 1 banana

• 1 generous tablespoon of all natural almond butter

• Some cinnamon (really add how much you want here, cinnamon has so many health benefits)

• 1/3 cup of rolled oats (I use Quaker)

Add all of the above ingredients into your blender. Blend until smooth-ish. Some people enjoy oatmeal smoothies without ice…I simply cannot do that. I add about 6-8 ice cubes and then blend until it hits that nice smoothie consistency.

**Note: you can do up to a ½ cup of rolled oats; it’s really up to you. The more you add the thicker it will be. I suggest starting with less and then working up to more.

via.

Sadly I have not snapped a picture of my smoothie but mine mostly resembles this.

I encourage you to be Martha Stewart-esque and throw some extra cinnamon on top for presentation because, why the hell not?!

xo

Gab

Blog Lovin'

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Hidden Gem

Rochester isn't always a glamorous place, especially when you’re a student at a university that makes you feel like you run 11 week long marathons three times a year. The winter is a time that that marathon is even more difficult, the thought of getting out of your cozy bed and having to drudge through the Lake Affect snow is just inconceivable.

I was excited when I found out that I would be staying in Rochester this summer for my internship for a few reasons, but mainly I could not wait to experience the season every Western New York-er LIVES for—summer.

When I first got to this strange Yankee-town I had been made fun of by my friends for not understanding why it is that people thrust themselves into the sun for some tanning at 70 degrees. As a Texan, I was still accustomed to the light zip-up jacket…because let’s be honest, 70 with a little wind can be chilly! Well three winters in and I GET IT. Sunny and 70 is optimal weather to throw your bathing suit on and lay your pasty winter-y white skin out.

Note: If you haven’t experienced a Western New York Winter, you should know that finally reaching a day where it’s the combination of warm and sunny is a long and treacherous road, sometimes winter doesn't like to fully go away until May.

So yesterday, as beautiful as a day as it was, we headed to Ontario Beach Park after work. It’s a miniature beach-y area on Lake Ontario just about 20 minutes away from where I live. It’s one of Rochester’s many hidden gems, especially one in which the weather Gods need to come together in order to form the perfect combination of sun and warmth to fully enjoy.

Watching the pup play in the sand and enjoying one of Rochester’s finer moments was an awesome way to spend a random Tuesday night. I expect a lot more of these week-day trips to come!

Meet Olive. She's wondrous. We can talk more about her later!....and I guess the man in the white hat too ;)

Getting my toes wet

I knew that starting this blog after being a dedicated reader and follower to many, that it would be difficult to start my own...

In my head I have all these grand ideas and plans as to how to make this baby go. But, after thinking about it, ok not thinking, just realizing...every single blog I have read has always started out with baby steps. So, baby steps it is!

I have recently turned a new leaf in my everyday existence and that is JUICE. Yes, juice. I am now the poster-child as to why everyone should drink their green juice or at least not be afraid to try it.

My background with juicing is as follows:

• Summer 2012 I was watching my diet and consistently working out.
• DUN DUN DUN, I am cursed with Mono in the fall of 2012.
• During this blissful exhausting period of my life I begin to stuff my face with carbs in order to barely function during the school day.
• Winter 2012, bye Mono.
• Through the many wonders of the world wide web, I discover this thing called the Blue Print Cleanse.
• I went home for spring break (February 2013) and my mom's co-worker had been RAVING about this cleanse her and her husband had just did and how great they felt afterwards yada yada yada....are we surprised? It's the Blue Print Cleanse.
• I am SOLD! This was my answer to getting back on track with good habits, out with the yucky post-mono habits and in with a new and freshly cleansed system.
• March 2013...DONE & DONE. I took on the cleanse....

And the rest is history. Ladies & probably only ladies at this point, that is how I got myself wrapped up into the juice life, I hope to never look back.

No fear, you can plan to learn a lot about the BPC and juicing right here on this part of the interweb with me, Gab. It is something that has become just as a part of me as the hair on my head.

xo
Gab

My Turn

Howdy Future Friends,

My name is Gabrielle (Gab/Gabbie) and I am a third year Media Arts Technology Major at the Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, NY. I have tried so many times to successfully blog and I want to give it a go one more time. So a little bit about myself...

I was born and raised in Texas...first in Houston and then we headed to Austin where my family still resides. My whole life I have been driven, especially academically. I have always been an independent soul and my mother (bless her heart) always feared that I would one day spread my wings and fly far away from her nest. My senior year of high school I applied to one school (what the hell was I thinking...seriously?!? only one) and I got in. After graduation I prepared myself mentally for my next adventure of moving across the country where I knew no one...to start the next chapter of my life.

I LOVE NY ...and Texas. My heart is split between two of the best states in this country but I love every minute of it.

So here I am...again... trying to blog and let others have a sneak peak into my life. I am hoping this blog will help me to take more pictures and document the things I do.


xo
Gab