CARTOON

Hey Guys,

Just wanted to share an illustration that Mark's cousin Jaime sent us.  She is a writer for Eat. Geek. Play and an illustrator out of Los Angeles.  We were so flattered when she reached out and illustrated us for her tumblr page, check her out here: jamierosaurus.

The Spring Couple. We love it Jaime! 

- A&M

CONTAGIOUS CONFIDENCE

"Confidence is silent. Insecurities are loud" - Kushandwizdom

As I was walking down the hallway to class last week I passed 2 students and a staff member walking in the opposite direction as me. I kept looking up and was going to give them a pleasant morning smile, but every single one of them walked by with their heads down. I know it can be awkward when you are walking down a long hallway and someone else is walking toward you and you don't know where to look or how long to smile for, but I think it's much better to keep your head held high and just smile at the people passing by you.  I don't know why I was so bothered by the fact that no one looked up. I didn't know any of them, but it's always nice when a stranger passing by smiles and says hello. I feel that people nowadays either are socially awkward, are too consumed by their cellphones, or just lack confidence and don't want to be noticed by others.

I know this may sound creepy, but I enjoy people watching and just observing the behaviours of others, and the individuals that I remember the most are those that walk around with confidence.  I think confidence can leave a lasting impression on anyone and is a difficult thing to master. To me confidence is accepting your flaws, embracing your failures and loving who you are. It's not something you are given, but something you build overtime and no one can take it away but yourself.

-A

OOTD - SPRING LAYERING

Hello Everyone!

PHOTO: Winnipeg 6 Day forecast - Yes we are still in the negative but it is better than -50. I'm not complaining.

Spring has finally sprung in Winnipeg (let's not talk about the possibility of flurries this weekend)! Having lived in Winnipeg most of my life, this winter tops the worst it has ever been.  But let's not be such Debbie Downers, the bright side to living in the Prairies is enjoying all the seasons nature has to offer.  

Moreover, Spring and Fall are definitely the two seasons I look forward to every year. Why you ask? Well for the sheer fact that you can layer!  I am a firm believer in investment pieces, which are classic staple pieces that are a little more in price point, but are justified by its sheer practicality and use - Ashley can vouch for me on this.  I like to mix and match not only investment pieces, but pieces that can carry me through season to season.  This post is dedicated to what I would typically wear on a spring day out to run errands or meet up with friends for some beers.

An awesome investment piece I have used over the years is a jean jacket by Levi's, it truly transforms any outfit.  My style tip is to get one that is tailored to your body type. Levi's are coming out with new designs of their classic jean jacket only this time with slimmer fits, great for you hipsters out there. I chose this "U" neck t-shirt from JOE FRESH to layer underneath the jean jacket, inexpensive and a subtle change from the "crew neck" or "v-neck".  For bottoms, slim fit chinos have been in my spring lineup for many seasons now. These chinos are from TOPMAN and I style them rolled up.  I know you guys are wondering why I chose these shoes, and the reason being that Double Monk strap shoes are such a classic style and dates back to the British Aristocrats from the 70s. This shoe from ALDO features brown suede exterior and a crepe sole, perfect for a spring shoe (did I mention it is on SALE)! These shoes could easily be worn with dark denim jeans.  I usually wear these as is with no socks (think Parisian)! These shoes take a simple outfit and adds an unexpected twist.  

One thing that I do skimp on are accessories.  I like to keep it simple and practical.  Every man needs a good time piece.  I would highly suggest this Casio watch in gold, it pairs off with many outfits including this one.   Digital watches have been very trendy lately and has been featured in GQ on many occasions.  Since it does get quite sunny in Winnipeg during the spring I usually wear this Boston Red Sox Baseball cap.

To recap, spring doesn't need to be such a drab, try layering your outfits!  Invest in pieces that will last.  Tailored items are key for a professional and well put together look.  Tell us what your person style story is in the comment section below.  

PHOTO: Boston Red Sox Baseball Cap - Foot Locker,  Slim Fit Trucker Jean Jacket - Urban Outfitters, U Neck T-shirt - JOE FRESH, Slim Fit Chinos - TOPMAN, Gold Timepiece - American Apparel, Double Monk Straps - ALDO

-M

THE FIVE LOVE LANGUAGES

I don't think Mark and I knew what we were getting ourselves into when we decided to pursue a long distance relationship. There wasn't much time for us to figure things out because I was originally wait listed for school, and found out the second week of July that I was officially accepted.  I had two weeks to get approved for a loan, move my entire life, find a place to live, figure out how I was going to get around because I wasn't bringing a car, and at this point we had only been dating for 6 or 7 months. Although we are both terrified of the unknown we were determined to try to make our relationship work. We have definitely had our ups and downs and continually work on effective communication because most of our "fights" revolve around a lack of communication or just miscommunication. I think a lot of our miscommunication comes from not understanding each other fully.

I recently started reading this short book called, "The Five Love Languages" by Gary Chapman and it has given me new insight on how others communicate their love. Both Mark and I have different love languages and I now understand why Mark does and does not do certain things.

The book describes five different love languages which are:

1. Words of Affirmation
2. Quality Time
3. Receiving Gifts
4. Acts of Service
5. Physical Touch

I express my love through acts of service but appreciate it when someone displays their love for me with quality time. Mark on the other hand, expresses love through acts of service, but prefers to receive love through words of affirmation (you always have to tell him he looks good ;) I still get upset with him when we are Facetiming and he's on his phone because I truly appreciate when he spends quality time with me. I think I use to unintentionally equate how much quality time he spends with me to how much he loves me, but I now know how unfair that is because he simply expresses love in a different way.

It's interesting how we each have our own unique love language and encourage every couple to read the book. I bought this book used for $1.94 from a site called Dealoz. It's a 'search engine' that searches online markets and bookstores for new and used books and gives you the best prices. I've bought a lot of my textbooks from this site and haven't had a problem thus far.

Let us know what you're love language is <3

-A

NATURAL SKIN CARE PRODUCTS

Have you ever wondered what happens to the cream you apply on your body? It doesn't magically disappear, so where does it go? It gets absorbed into your body. Let's think about this for a minute, most of us have heard of nicotine patches, right. You apply a patch to your skin and the medication is absorbed into the body then into the bloodstream and distributed to other parts of your body. A similar things happens with products that you apply to your skin. Your skin absorbs approximately 60% of what it is exposed to (ie. air/pollution, location, water etc.) so why do we nourish our skin with things such as: Sodium Polyacrylate, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Dimethiconol, Fragrance, Phenoxyethanol, Blue 1? I bet you don't even know what these are or why they are in your body lotion. These are just a few examples of ingredients use in a lotion commonly bought in stores. If I don't know what an ingredient is or the effects it will have on my body I try to avoid it.  Instead I try nourish and cleanse my skin with natural products.  

Face
I started using Juice Beauty 3 months ago and have noticed a drastic difference in my skin. I break out a lot less, my skin is less oily and my acne scars are slowly disappearing. Their products consist of natural organic fruit, vegetables, leaf extracts and oils and leave out the harsh chemicals. I am currently using their Blemish Clearing line and the Stem Cellular Eye Treatment which has actually reduced the wrinkles under my eyes. The product is really expensive but I highly recommend the Blemish Clearing Cleanser and the Green Apple Blemish Clearing Peel. I gave my mom a sample of the face peel and we both noticed her skin was smoother and clearer after one application. 

Body Cleansers 
1. Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps 18-1 Hemp Almond Pure Castile Soap 
This stuff really cleans your skin while nourishing it at the same time. It's the only product that I have found that truly removes deodorant from my underarms leaving them fresh and clean :P You can also use this product as shampoo but the water in Chicago is hard and leaves a film coating on my hair, but this doesn't happen in Winnipeg since the water is softer. 

2.  Arbonne "Awaken" Sea Salt Scrub (if anyone is in Winnipeg I can give you the name of my friend who sells this product - it makes your skin so soft)


Body Moisturizers 
1. Macadamia Oil
After I jump out of the shower I apply cold pressed macadamia oil. I like using this oil because it absorbs quickly into the skin without feeling greasy and my skin still feels moisturized the next day. Macadamia oil is suppose to have anti-aging properties by promoting the production of  of palmitoleic acid naturally found in the skin. It also has anti-inflammatory properties and can help sooth irritated or sunburnt skin. 

2. Coconut oil
I don't use this often on my skin because it's very greasy and takes a long time to be absorbed. I only use this before bed when my feet are really dry and cover them with cotton socks to help keep the moisture in.

3. Dr. Bronner's Magic All-One Lip Balm
This is my favourite organic lip balm! My favourite flavours are "lemon lime" and "orange ginger." I have really chapped lips and this is the only product that has worked for me. In the past, I have tried Blister, Carmex, Burt's Bees, Coconut Oil, Vaseline and nothing has worked as well as Dr. Bronner's lip balm.

I encourage all of you to read the ingredients of your favourite products and find a more natural option, that in my opinion is more beneficial to your body. A lot of store bought products have added chemicals that aren't necessarily nourishing your body.

-A

TURNTABLE

Hi!

So I have exciting news to share with you guys.  I GOT A VINTAGE TURNTABLE!  I told Ashley's parents a couple weeks ago that I was looking for one and low and behold Ashley's dad lent us his to use!  Really a dream come true.

At a young age I have always been fascinated with turntables.  I can remember going on outings to music stores with my dad and rummaging in bins of vinyls finding just the right album my dad wanted - it was something that we did together.  Unfortunately, our turntable broke and the repair bill was too expensive so ended up getting rid of it.  I told myself that one day when I was able to get one that I would enjoy vinyls once again... that day has finally come!  In such a modern world with iPods and MP3 players I find the turntable so classic.  There is just something about placing the needle, watching the vinyl spin and enjoy such a unique grainy sound.

Here are the specifics of the turn table:

• DUAL 505 semi automatic belt driven turntable dating from the 1970s
• Made in Germany
• Original Ortofon cartridge

I definitely wanted to do this turntable justice and make sure it was top notch before I started using it.  Unlike today's CD player where everything is built in turntables need a separate receiver and speakers, both of which I did not have.  Luckily I was able to reach out to a local store called, Royal Trading that specializes in vintage turntables.  Len and his team were able to look at the turntable immediately and suggested a receiver and speaker system that fit within my limited budget.  If you're in the Winnipeg area and are looking for a vintage turntable system I would HIGHLY recommend Royal Trading as they have an exhaustive selection of turntable system with varying pricing.

Having such a limited budget Len was so kind to sell me;

• Vintage overhauled SANSUI G SERIES receiver
• 2 x overhauled LEAK Speakers

As I am writing this post and enjoying the BEE GEES LP nothing can take this smirk off my face. I am ecstatic to have it playing in my room and cannot wait for Ashley to come home and enjoy it too.

If you guys have any LPs that you listen to that you think would be an awesome addition to my collection please comment in the comment section below!

Photos:
Top R - Turntable setup,  housed within a LACK side table from IKEA, Top L - Sansui G series receiver (yes fully functional and the lights work!), Middle R - Aerial view of the LEAK speakers (awesome contrasting birch and silver details), Middle L - Value village LP haul (and yes... I was able to score DJ Jazzy Jeff and Fresh Prince LP) Bottom - Detail shot of the DUAL 505 Turntable at work

-M