Things that go together like cookies and cream:
- Reality TV and bad decision making
- Underwear and pants (generally speaking)
- Prince and the Revolution
- Fast food and deep-tissue massage
And yes, I just figured out that last one, and I think it may be the key to the universe’s riches — a business that combines a luxury spa with bougie-bouge fast food.
I know this ’cause I saw my high school friends Jen and Cindy last weekend for our yearly summertime spa catch-up, and this time we met at a fancy-schmancy outdoor mini-mall called the Marin Country Mart.
Oh, and side note, when you live in the Bay Area and you’re tasked with doing the planning for a get-together, you try to arrange for the festivities to happen on your side of whichever of the three Bay Area bridges is closest to you (Dumbarton, Bay Bridge or the Golden Gate). #bayareafunfacts
Anyway, the Marin Country Mart. It has turtles in a fountain, upscale restaurants, shopping, and a large parking lot where, over the years, I’ve weaved creative blankets of expletives at people who have rudely cut me off. (My 10-year-old Mazda looks out of place amidst the sea of Range Rovers and Teslas.)
It also just so happens to be heaven on earth, because it has a Shake Shack *and* an International Orange Spa.
I love going to spas, but the snack situation is almost always dire. There may be cucumber water, tea, fruit and, if you’re lucky, trail mix. International Orange has dried apricots and dark chocolate, which is OK I guess…but it’s nowhere near as satisfying as stuffing yourself silly with a salted caramel milkshake, cheeseburger and fries!
So, we had a long lunch at Shake Shack — which is like In-n-Out, but with super intense milkshakes — then walked over to International Orange for massages.
My 60-minute deep-tissue massage liquefied my bones. When it ended, I crawled into a lounge chair in the relaxation room, covered myself with a blanket, and fell asleep…
At the end of the day, we all made a blood vow to return and experience the magic of milkshakes and massages again, ASAP.
I’m serious, this is a highly recommended spa+cuisine combo!
New face base dynamic duo
While we’re on the topic of ultimate combos…
MAC Face and Body and Kevyn Aucoin Etherealist Super Natural Concealer are SO, SO GOOD together.
Super Natural is yet another makeup gem I unearthed while recently cleaning out my makeup drawers. It’s a medium-coverage liquid concealer with a demi-satin finish and comes in eight shades.
When I first tried it a while back, I remember loving how it looked on my skin, but I wasn’t a fan of the way it disappeared under my eyes.
But when I wear it on my cheeks on top of Face and Body, it’s a different story.
It stays put, and Etherealist’s subtle opalescence is close enough to Face and Body’s dewy finish that there isn’t an obvious line of demarcation between the concealer and the foundation, so you barely have to do any blending.
Etherealist practically erases my pores. It’s also super lightweight, and I can’t feel it on my skin.
When does foundation expire?
Oh, and speaking of foundation, Bebe (hi, girl!) recently asked in the comments when foundation expires. Well, experts usually say 12 months, and most bottles are marked with a 12-month expiration date (look for a small pic of a jar with numbers somewhere on the tube).
I tend to be a little “less strict” when it comes to my own personal use… Honestly, I’ll usually wait until a foundation starts to smell funny or the formula starts to separate…
I know, I know. I don’t endorse this, but I’m willing to take that risk. Of course, if a product looks, smells or feels “off” or causes me to break out, I’ll toss it immediately.
Everyone handles beauty product expiration dates differently, though. I have some friends who chuck their foundations precisely at the 12-month mark.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
P.S. Now I’m hungry for a burger and fries!
The pictures of Shake Shack have me drooling!
Hi Sarah,
I’m already plotting to go back! I need another salted caramel shake in my life!
Hi Karen,
We are not lucky enough to have In N Out Burger in Atlanta, and they did not exist yet when I lived in the Bay Area, but we do have Shake Shack, which I have been to. How would you rate the two different burgers? Is In N Out really similar to Shake Shack? I hope to try them someday, if I every travel west of the Mason Dixon line, since everyone seems to love them, and apparently it is a law that all celebrities must go to In N Out Burger immediately following an awards show! (seriously, do their burgers taste better while wearing formal wear?)
Hiya Daphne,
Hmmm… Let’s see. I like them both for different reasons.
The In-n-Out burger has a flavor that’s more distinct, and quite frankly, more addictive. It’s saltier and the tastes of the sauce has more punch, so it really comes through. I find that when an In-n-Out craving hits, it hits hard, because I crave that specific combo of the salt and sauce. It’s like a stepped up version of your typical fast food burger.
The Shake Shack burger tastes more like a gourmet burger from a nice restaurant. The flavor isn’t as distinct as In-n-Out, but the accoutrements — the quality of the meat, the crispness of the lettuce, the tomatoes, the taste of the bun — are better.
Oh, and I noticed that while both meals are filling, I felt less bloated after the Shake Shack burger, however, I probably wouldn’t get into my car at 10 p.m. in my pajamas to drive to Shake Shack when PMS cravings hit. I’d definitely be in line at In-n-Out. HA HA HA!
P.S. When you make it back to the Bay be sure to hit up the Napa Valley Burger Co in Sausalito. They serve an excellent burger too!
I can’t believe you had a burger at Shake Shack. I saw the pic and thought “OK, that’s Jen and Cindy’s; what kind of very healthy, veg meal did Karen find there?”. HAHA! I am just kidding… a bit. 🙂 It all looks so delish that I’m glad I looked after lunch.
I’m with you on the foundation. I’m not sure how long mine lasts but I finish the tube. And, if it seemed off, that’s pretty much the only time I’d chuck it.
I’m glad you enjoyed your spa day!
Just my opinion but there is no rhyme or reason for expiration dates. They aren’t really regulated nor are based on the most up to date research and evidence. I do believe the FDA requires you put expiration dates for sunscreens but there is nothing for general makeup. The dates are arbitrary and pushed by the multi billion dollar makeup industry. Why? So you purchase more makeup. Now I’m not saying keep makeup for 30 yrs. And yes mascara should be replaced in 3 to 6 months and if you use it regularly, you will use it up in that time or it will certainly dry out by then. And natural and cream products have shorter lifespans. But I have been reading those “suggested” expiration dates for 20 + yrs and those times get shorter and shorter. I’ve seen 6 to 12 mo for eyeshadow. Really and you’re charging what for it? Why? Is there new technology and research? Are they using different ingredients? Maybe, maybe not. But companys push out more and more stuff and increasingly more expensive makeup fully knowing if they slap a 12 mo sticker you’ll freak and go buy more makeup. Those dates aren’t created and pushed by scientists but rather beauty companies whose number one goal is to make $$$$ My rule of thumb is if it smells or changes consistency, separates etc, toss. Of course regularly clean beauty tools. Store in cool, dry place. Declutter unwanted items periodically. And yes, yes if I ever have an eye infection , get rid of items I used. But in general, those dates are as useless too me as product claims. Common sense to me is about how it looks, feels and smells and the ingredient list. Bc a beauty company can and does claim a lot with and WITHOUT much of anything to back it up!!! JS
I totally agree with you. Liquid and cream products tend to go quicker because you need water/moisture for bacteria to flourish. But the quick expiration dates on powdered products always puzzled me. It’s not like this stuff is prescription medicine. Yes the active ingredients in skincare can become less effective with exposure to air but the rest of it seems so arbitrary to me.
I tend to go with the smell test, too, with all makeup.
*sigh* I miss the artistry of Kevyn Aucoin.
*sigh* I miss Shake Shack. I haven’t had their milk shakes but I’ve had their “concrete,” which are tailored geographically, e.g., in Philly they have cannoli in the mix. As for why they call it “concrete,” I overheard someone ask that and the man behind the counter said with a flourish, “Because of THIS!!” and he dramatically turned the cup upside down and nothing spilled out.
Milkshakes and massages sounds like my perfect day! We have no In-n-Out here in the Midwest, but I think there is a Shake Shack that opened recently. I’ll have to check it out. Those fries look yummy! I swear sometimes the crinkly fries taste better. 🙂
I need cheese fries stat!
I’ve only had one massage in my life and that was before my wedding day and I didn’t enjoy it and the massage therapist made, what I thought was an inappropriate comment, about my allover tan.
So I haven’t been back. But reading about your bone-liquifying massage and nap after makes me want one of my own. So I’ll scout out a good place to try, try again. 🙂
A few months ago a Shake Shack opened in the mall nearby. I’ve been wanting to go. Dear Husband was out for business last night at dinner so I was going to walk over and try it out. But I was afraid I’d overdo it. Then I read the Yelp reviews and decided to pass entirely on it. The overriding reason for bad reviews was about how unclean the place was, from the touch screens for ordering, to the tables, etc. If there’s anything I can’t stand in an eatery, it’s the lack of sanitation. A lot of reviews also said the food was just average. Guess I’ll wait until Dear Husband has time to go with and we can share something, so I don’t feel totally disgusted with myself for over eating.
That spa looks nice. I’m weird but I just don’t enjoy spas at all.
Need to check out that KA concealer. I’ve been on the hunt for a new one since my bottle of MAC Pro Longwear Concealer started to smell funky. Oddly when I went to replace it the MAC girl said I just needed to shake it up. I explained it was several years old and she still didn’t get why I wanted a new one. Lol. Yeah, I keep foundations and concealers until they start to smell funky. But I got the sense that the MAC girl kept hers until they were used up.
Ooooh that spa looks amazing! I love how you can just wander into that relaxation room and take a nap after. I would totally do that as I have been knowing to fall asleep during a massage!
Boulder, CO, is getting its first Shake Shack this fall, and I will be in line on the first day . . there’s nothing quite like a great burger! But of all burgers, our hometown stand from high school (Ft. Atkinson, WI) days still takes the prize . . they were cooked in lard, had ooozy grilled onions, the perfect dill pickle slice, and my parents could always tell when I’d been there! And with a Pepsi, and sometimes fries, it wove the fabric which binds me together today, but not in a bad way.
I haven’t had soft drinks for years, and unwanted fries (Five Guys) are taken home to be eaten next day for breakfast with an egg , but the burger craving is fulfilled usually once a month,
and after reading your post, I’m about ready! When I had my last cat, we’d drive through McDonald’s and share a quarter-pounder with cheese, and hey, she lasted 22 years!
I bet dear Tabs probably shared a bite or two of some of your faves . . am I right?
Thanks for the memories,
L
❤️
A Shake Shack opens here soon! I’ll have to try!
“A Blood Oath!” Wow! Also, forget the burgers, their shakes are amazing!
Shake Shack is my absolute fave burger place, and I’m a burger connoisseur!! Just thinking about those grass fed burgers makes my mouth water. I need to go sometime soon. I went back in June, but I need to go again. Glad you guys had a great time at your spa day Karen!!
I had forgotten about the new Shake Shack! I have to go! (There’s no line right?) The Palo Alto one had a huge line when it first opened.