The cutest video you'll ever see.

This is a video about a dog who has been trained to control the volume of his bark. It also happens to be the cutest video you'll ever see.

Have you entered my giveaway yet?

Wish List Wednesday!

Here are some the lovelies I've been lusting after this week...

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I've become a recent Bobbi Brown fan, after learning about their most excellent concealers. This makeup palette, with its mix of gorgeous eye shadows and glittering lip glosses, has been calling my name. (Pretty loudly, too.)

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 I am suddenly a fan of bib necklaces. Especially this one -- isn't it perfect for spring? Never mind that they may not be in style any more. Never mind that they're a bit faddish. *in my best Veruca Salt imitation* "I want it now!"

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I never got around to seeing this film in the theaters, but I can't wait until it is released in stores -- I'm dying to see it, and Darcy -- I mean -- Colin Firth. ;)

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I have been craving cupcakes from this store in Coral Gables called Buttercream. They make the most delicious cupcakes -- especially their red velvet flavor. Yummmm. Hm, I may have to pass by sometime soon...

What's on your wish list this Wednesday?

Giveaway!!! {Amazon $25 gift certificate}

***This contest is now closed -- please read comment #56. The deadline was April 5th, and a winner was selected on this date. For more information, please visit this post: http://www.anniecristina.com/2011/04/and-winner-of-amazon-giveaway-is.html***

I haven't done one of these in a while, so I figured it was time. And what better time to have a giveaway than now, when my blog's Facebook page has finally reached 100 "likes." Yay! Thank you to all of my readers for getting me there. :-)

This giveaway is extra special, because it's for one of my most favorite online stores: Amazon! The winner of this giveaway will get a $25 certificate, good for any purchase.

Here are the rules for my giveaway:

1.) Leave a comment telling me how you'd like to spend your certificate if you win. Don't forget to include your email address!

(1st entry -- mandatory!)

2.) Leave another comment if you are a follower of this blog. 

(2nd entry -- bonus entry!)

3.) Leave another comment if you tweet about this giveaway. Don't forget to "mention" me in your tweet -- my username is @AnnieCristina. 

(3rd entry -- bonus entry!)

4.) Leave another comment if you blog about this giveaway. Don't forget to include the link!

(4th entry -- bonus entry!)

5.) Leave another comment if you "like" my blog's Facebook page.

(5th entry -- bonus entry!)

Please remember that multiple entries means multiple comments! I will randomly select a winner next Tuesday, April 5th at 5:00 PM (EST). Good luck! :-)

Beauty Ritual: Makeup

This is probably my favorite Beauty Ritual post to write yet. I love makeup. I can't pass by a makeup counter anywhere without first taking a peek, and I can't leave the house without wearing at least a smidgen of makeup, even if I'm running late. (And if worse comes to worse, I'll even apply it in the car!) I'm forever trying new products and mixing and matching my tried and true favorites, and I've been doing it as long as I can remember.

Here are some of my very favorite makeup items. Any one of these products by itself is excellent, but when they are all combined, you get the perfect recipe for a camera-ready face.

Beauty Ritual: Makeup by AnnieCristina on Polyvore.com  

1. Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer To Go 0.5 oz Original                                                

After washing and moisturizing my face, I always like to apply this primer prior to putting on my makeup. It allows my makeup to glide on perfectly and stay on for hours. This is a must for special occasions.

2. Yves Saint Laurent TOUCHE ÉCLAT  

I recently discovered this product thanks to Birchbox's blog, and now I don't go a day without it. I apply it  around my eyes right before adding concealer. It brightens up my entire eye area and beautifully camouflages under eye circles.

3. Benefit Cosmetics Confessions of a Concealaholic                                                                          

This is the best set of concealers I've found out there. It contains four types of concealer: one for under your eye, one for your eyelid and brow bone, and two more for your face (for zits and such), plus two brighteners: one for your eyes and one for your face. It also contains two useful little dual-sided brushes for easy, portable use. Best of all, its price tag won't break the bank -- at under $40, it's a steal.

4. Benefit Cosmetics Play Sticks 

I use this "play stick" mostly on especially stubborn zits that refused to be properly concealed. I love this product so much, I keep one in my makeup bag and one in my purse.

5. Bare Escentuals bareMinerals SPF 15 Matte Foundation 

When my erstwhile clear face started breaking out a few years ago, I took to wearing liquid foundation on a daily basis. I was so desperate to cover up the acne that I didn't stop to think about the fact that this was only exacerbating the problem. Then I discovered bareMinerals. This powder foundation has been my saving grace. It provides even coverage that lasts, plus it doesn't clog my pores. I wear the matte foundation to keep my face shine-free, plus it just seems to last longer on my face than the original version.

6. Benefit Cosmetics Dandelion 

Yep, it's yet another Benefit product. (Can you tell I love this brand?) This is my go-to blush. I apply it on the apples of my cheeks right after applying my powder foundation. It gives me that healthy just-got-back-from-a-run glow, even if I just rolled out of bed. 

7. Urban Decay Naked Palette

I was lucky enough to pick this palette up last summer right before it became a cult classic and started selling out everywhere. And I'm still happy with it today, almost one year later. I use the lighter shades for day use, and the darker, smokier ones for nighttime. The shadows glide on like a dream, and the primer that comes with the palette helps them stay on all night. It also brings a dual-sided eyeliner in brown and black.

 8. d.j.v. beautenizer Fiberwig LX 

I am very, very picky with mascara. Most of them wind up running after just a few hours, making me look like a raccoon. Even the so-called "waterproof" versions don't work for me. This mascara is the best one I've found to date. It goes on smoothly and doesn't clump, and best of all, it lasts for ages. It won't come off until you want it to, plus it is a snap to remove -- if you run out of makeup remover, don't fret, because this mascara comes off with water alone. (A close runner-up for my favorite mascara is L'Oreal's Telescopic Explosion Waterproof Mascara. It's like a cheaper version of Fiberwig, only without the awesome staying power.)

9. Hourglass Prodigy Hydrating Lip Gloss 

I am a self-confessed lip gloss addict. I love them in all their shades and varieties, but this one has been my recent staple. The formula is long-lasting without being too sticky, like most other lip glosses (don't you hate when your hair gets stuck on your lip gloss? I know I do!). The "Eden" shade practically goes with every look, though all of their shades are gorgeous.

What are your favorite makeup products? Let me know in the comments!

P.S.) I'm thisclose to having 100 "likes" on my blog's Facebook page. When I reach 100, I just might host a giveaway. So make this gal's day -- go and "like" me! :D

What I'm reading now...

What I just finished reading...
I've been a huge Diane Ackerman fan ever since I came across her book A Natural History of the Senses years ago in my college bookstore and decided to pick it up. I usually read more fiction than nonfiction, but Ackerman's books, nonfiction though they may be, are pure page-turners. Every chapter is a delight. Reading her books is like sitting in the best Science class in the world. You learn amazing things about yourself and the world you inhabit. I recently picked up the e-book for Dawn Light, a book all about dawn and the way animals (ourselves included) are affected by the push and pull of the sun and moon. I found myself appreciating dawn more (which is saying something because I'm a notorious night owl), listening for the first trills of birdsong as I started up my coffeemaker and reveling in the first watery rays of sunlight. This is a truly great book, whether you're a morning person or not.

What I'm reading now...

This is probably my third or fourth time rereading Jane Eyre -- I got inspired by the recent film adaptation. It's been so long since I read this book, I think over 10 years, so it's been a pleasure sinking back into the story. There is so much I forget, so many little details and nuances that I am appreciating for what feels like the first time. And perhaps I am appreciating these details for the first time -- that's the beauty of reading, the experience changes every time you pick up a book, even if it's the same book, years later. I can't wait to finish it so that I can drag my boyf to see the film. ;)

What I want to read next...

My faculty book club selected this to be our next book. I kept hearing about this book a few years back, but never got the chance to pick it up. I'm looking forward to reading it.

What are you reading now?

Update: In which I discuss my see-saw week, opera, and hair.

This week started off on a (really, really, really) bad foot. Monday I went back to school after spring break and received some terrible news regarding a student. This was the same student who came to me just before spring break to tell me she had been abused by a relative. She told me this on the same day Japan was struck by the earthquake and subsequent tsunami, and let me tell you, receiving that news was like experiencing a little earthquake of my own. I did what teachers in Florida are legally obligated to do -- I reported the abuse. This was on the Friday right before spring break. I left school, had my week off, but thought about that student a lot during that time, hoping she was okay. Then on Monday I learned that my reporting that incident led to some serious consequences in that student's life. Some terrible, terrible consequences.

I can't help but feel guilty, like I am somehow to blame. But I know in my heart that I did the right thing. I wasn't just legally obligated to report the abuse, I was morally obligated. But still... It breaks my heart all the same.

I was so affected by this news on Monday, that it literally made me sick to my stomach, so much so, I wound up having to take Tuesday off. I think I just needed a "mental health" day. A little bit of time off. My emotions are hardwired to my stomach, you see. Thank God for Ricky -- he was there for me the whole time, listening to me ramble incoherently, letting me cry on him, and comforting me when it seemed like nothing and no one could ever comfort me again. (Yes, I know I have a flair for the dramatic. Sue me.) I was so depressed this week, I even considered looking for another job. And I freaking love my job. But Ricky talked me down from the ledge, and going back to work on Wednesday and teaching again got me back on my feet. It reminded me how much I love my job and encouraged me to stick it out.

But I sincerely hope nothing like that ever happens again. Of course I want my students to know I am there for them, no matter what. But if I must be honest, a small part of me wishes that student had chosen to tell someone else, preferably a family member. As if that would somehow change the end result -- who knows, maybe it wouldn't have. But still... I think I will always wonder. It makes me think of that quote: "The road to hell is paved with good intentions." *sigh*

So that was the beginning of my see-saw week. I'm happy to report the remainder of my week was much, much, much better. My students were sweet and pretty well behaved (for 9th graders). Ricky surprised me with tickets to the opera -- we're seeing Mozart's Don Giovanni next month. To get us inspired, we've been watching some of Mozart's operas on YouTube. And to my very great surprise, I've discovered I adore opera. Like a lot. I can't wait for April to get here!

Today so far has been an awesome day. I had a good day with my students, then a coffee date with an old friend, and a salon appointment after work. I had bitten off all of my nails earlier this week, I was so stressed, so I was badly in need of a manicure. I chose a sparkly silver shade for my nails, wanting a little pick-me-up. And then I decided to cut my hair on a whim.

It had been bugging me lately that my hair didn't have much of a style. It was just kind of long and blah and boring. So I decided to cut more layers in the front and go for some side bangs. And I loooooved the end result. I finally have an actual hairstyle! I also colored it a slightly darker shade of brown -- I wasn't much digging the reddish brown I had. Here is the end result:

Ricky and I don't have much plans for this weekend, just a lot of rest and relaxation. Just the way I like it. :-) What are your plans for this weekend? Whatever you do, I hope you have an amazing time!

"Give. Remember always to give. That is the thing that will make you grow." - Elizabeth Taylor

Ask most people what they know about Elizabeth Taylor and they might say she's the only person they know who had violet eyes. And it's true. She really did have violet eyes.

She was also incredibly beautiful. So beautiful, she was chosen to play Cleopatra. And she would star in many, many other films that showcased her talent as well as her beauty.

Something else most people seem to know about Elizabeth Taylor? That she was married. And not just once, or twice, or even three times, but eight times. (Granted, two of of those times were to the same man, Richard Burton. But still... eight times.) It's sad to say this is what I most often would hear about Elizabeth Taylor, whenever I heard about her at all.

But something you don't hear a lot -- enough, really -- about Elizabeth Taylor is that she wasn't just incredibly beautiful on the outside, but on the inside as well. So beautiful, she stubbornly stood by the side of her friend when very few others would.

She was so beautiful, that she donated much of her time and efforts to causes she believed in, like AIDS awareness. As Elizabeth Taylor herself once wrote: "Give. Remember always to give. That is the thing that will make you grow."

And if that's not beautiful, then I don't know what is.

Elizabeth Taylor

(February 27, 1932 – March 23, 2011)

[Photos via/Quote via]