love affairs • week of 06.20.11

along with teacup tuesday, i've decided to add another element to my blog: my weekly obsessions. this concept is a common theme among bloggers, usually in the form of 'friday faves' or a weekly roundup. i'm not solely dedicating my love affairs to products or tangible items, in fact, this series will include five things, people, or concepts i adore on any given week. that being said, here are this week's love affairs:

5 • roku xd streaming player

photo via amazon.com

after quite a bit of research, friend inquiries, and careful consideration, brian and i bought a roku. a roku is a little box that you connect to your tv and stream tv shows and movies from roku's database. along with hulu plus, netflix, and amazon on demand (the most popular), there are also weather channels and news outlets. since we're not really tv-people, we decided a roku was the best decision for us. and upon purchasing hulu plus, we're really ready to rock. click here for more information or to buy a roku player.

4 • garnet hill artful ballet flats in sand metallic rosette

about a week after moving into our new home in charlotte, my mom sent me a package of goodies. some of it was mail, but there were a few items i am SO excited about. exhibit a: these adorable leather flats. aren't they precious? even nala approves! 

i have a soft spot for little rosettes and neutral colors, and these combine the two perfectly (along with a hint of shimmer!). to purchase a pair for yourself, click here.

3 • pure ice nail polish in taupe drawer

photo via walmart.com

i'm in love with this nail polish. it's a dusty rose pink with coral undertones... my perfect shade for summer. i loved it so much that i gave myself a mani-pedi with the same color! taupe drawer seems like an odd and unappealing name for nail polish, but i think the color is just beautiful. and the price is most definitely right! i think pure ice nail polishes are in the $1-2 range at walmart. it's fairly opaque so i used only one coat on my nails (two coats on my toes for a little darker shade). the color i have seems quite a bit darker than in the photo... i'm not sure why!


2 • clear american pineapple coconut sparkling water

photo via walmart.com

alright, i'm not a huge fan of walmart. however, brian and i went this weekend out of pure necessity. while not even close to necessary, this sparkling water is one of the best purchases i have ever made there. it's a tropical beach in a bottle. and mixed with light rum it would be THE most delicious skinny piña colada.

the only drawback: aspartame. c'mon clear american, people will still drink it if it's a little less sweet, a little more calories, and sans aspartame. at least i would. but for now, i've got to keep this love affair in check, since it's not the healthiest choice. click here for more information and nutrition facts.

1 • mane 'n tail and body shampoo

photo via manentail.com

i'll be honest, i was a little nervous to try this shampoo. i've known about it for years, but it wasn't until i heard a few rave reviews that i knew i had to try it. i'm so impressed with this product! i've used it a few times this week, and i'm already sold. i have really fine, thin hair (or as a hairdresser once said to me: "no, you have skinny hair. skinny is the new thin, it just sounds better... skinny jeans, skinny cocktails, skinny hair." so i suppose i have really fine, skinny hair). not many products are able to add body without weighing my hair down. so i tend to avoid mousses, hairsprays, and finishing creams because they make my hair even more oily and lackluster. cue: mane 'n tail and body shampoo. over the course of the day, my hair did get a little oily, but if it means thicker hair, i'll take it! my hair felt twice as thick, no joke. if you have skinny hair, this is the product for you! i found a 32-ounce bottle at CVS for less than $8, but i think it's worth it's weight in gold.