My Favorite Brands RN — The Brand Next Door

Okay, people, this is going to be my last post until Raz and I return from our honeymoon mid-July. BTW, OMG I'M GETTING MARRIED WHAT.

Crazy major life moments aside, I have been obsessed with all these things to the point that I thought they were worth sharing. I will probs do little roundups like these from time to time - they will likely be random and run the gamut from books to fashion to beauty to BBQ.

First thing's first - Roy Choi is the realist. I first started thinking he was awesome when he appeared as one of Anthony Bourdain's local tour guides on No Reservations. Then I watched him guest judge Top Chef. When I heard he was essentially a protege of Tony's and he was writing a book, I got it for Raz for Christmas. Raz didn't read it on my schedule, so a couple weeks ago, I decided to.

Because my time and attention span are now terribly limited, I have a hard time getting into books the way I used to - to the point that I devour them, get lost in them. L.A. Son did that for me. It goes back and forth between Roy's life and his recipes. I love its conversational tone. I love the language. I love the fun takes on classic recipes from a bunch of different cultures. Go get it. Experience it. Eat it up.

I fully plan to take Raz to LA in March for his birthday to hit all five of Roy's restos. I believe in us.

Roy's my boi!

I've mentioned A Kitchen Box before, and it just keeps getting better and better. I tweeted at them how cool it would be if they sent a BBQ box. They responded "Funny you should mention that..." and a few days later, their June GRILL BOX arrived! Great minds?

Letterpress recipes are standard. Cedar grilling planks included for all of Raz's failed salmon-fishing attempts and eventual Costco fish purchase.

If you could just smell the hazelnut rub and black garlic salt. We were licking and dipping our fingers more than we should. Good thing we're getting married so it's cool to double dip.

EVERYTHING A Kitchen Box curates is quality. Raz waits for me to get home to open them each month and he probably shouldn't because I try to shove him out of the way and open them myself until he firmly reminds me it's his present, not mine, and then tortures me as he slowly, painstakingly unpacks each item and examines it. Torture.

Can't wait for next month's box!

Outside the kitchen, I've finally found the solution to two of my problems: my mascara promiscuity and second-day hair.

My BFF CWoo told me about the Dry Bar Detox Dry Shampoo when I was visiting her in SF the other weekend. Okay, I was going through her medicine cabinet and sampling her products like I always do and she was like "Yeah, I really like that one!" I tested it and loved it, too. It smells awesome (like - really good - similar to Oribe products) and - the kicker - doesn't make me smell my hair oils AT. ALL. That's been my main frustration with dry shampoos - I hate smelling my hair oils. And I can't deal with gummy-feeling dry shampoos either. My hair is fine and I always wear it up when it's dirty, but this stuff might just make me attempt to wear it dirty and down...maybe for half a day. TBD.

In my perpetual hunt for the perfect mascara, I asked the lady at Sephora when we were hunting down the dry shampoo what her favorite separating, volumizing, non-clumping mascara of the moment was. She led me straight to this YSL Mascara Volume Effet Faux Clis Babydoll. It's been really amazing. Great, small brush, minimal clumping and excellent volume. I have experienced a tiny bit of smudging, but nothing my typical "wardrobing" (layering mascaras) can't fix. Besides, gold tube. Totally luxe. Sold.

Gimme gimme gimme. Even got my mom hooked.

I truly believe your phone is one of your best accessories - especially mine since it's pretty much stuck to my hand. I'm like that kid on Little Giants who put tar on his hands to be able to hold onto the football, only minus the tar...and the football. #realtalk.

Enter Kidogo Kidogo.

Kidogo Kidogo ("little by little" in Swahili) is a great one-for-one company with the goal of helping to lift the financial barrier between women in Tanzania and mobile technology. Only 36% of women in Tanzania have access to mobile technology and the biggest cause of that is the initial investment in hardware. More than just communication devices, cell phones are used as flash lights, calculators, watches, cameras and radios. Women in Tanzania who have them report feeling safer than women who don't. That part really gets me. We all deserve to feel safe.

Because cell phones in Tanzania are pre-paid and credits are sold at small bodegas, Kidogo Kidogo has created a way for us to contribute to helping solve the dearth in mobile access. Their iPhone cases are designed by African artist Sarah Markes and feature iconic African wildlife - when we buy a case, Kidogo Kidogo buys a phone (or phone credits) to give to a Tanzanian woman who couldn't otherwise afford one. Now that's something I can get behind.