Blogger: Dee-Dee Kanhai – “The Spice of Suburbia”
Here are some things that have me EXCITED. There are a variety of categories, so feel free to skip ahead if “makeup” or “music” doesn’t speak to you! I included some links as well, so enjoy!
The Empties
First off, I am starting with a list of beauty & health items I love SO MUCH I used them until they were EMPTY!
1. Laura Gellar “Quench + Tint” Moisturizing Foundation
Purchased: Light Medium
This stuff was recommended by a friend who always looks flawless, so I decided WHY NOT. I am a big fan of foundation and have been using Makeup Forever, literally forever! But, that is heavy coverage and this was so much lighter on my skin. Especially on hot days! I love that it gives me a dewier look, but not an “oily” look. It is buildable if you want full coverage, but I wear one light coat to even things out on a daily basis. It does the job without looking OVER-DONE. It is so light that you can even see my freckles through it! I got it from ULTA for $35 but a little bit goes a VERY long way!
2. NYC Lip Butter Gloss
Color: Madeleine
I found this specific color when looking for a NUDE that wasn’t PINK, I am not a fan of PINK LIP GLOSS. This right here is with me 24/7. This is my GO TO for any occasion. I wear it alone without any liner. It is a ONE STOP SHOP when it comes to gloss. Keeps my lips moisturized and I am thrilled that you can buy this anywhere. I get it at Target, CVS and of course NYX stores! They are less than $5 a tube. My favorite part, it goes on smooth – not sticky icky.
3. CVS Pharmacy Moisturizing Creme DRY SKIN THERAPY
16 oz Tub
Sometime last year I realized that I had these dry patches of skin on my face in a very specific area. I went to my doctor for something totally unrelated and mentioned this. She took a look and knew right away, she asked if I was using toothpaste with “baking soda” or some “whitening” formula, which I was! So, what was happening was, when I brushed my teeth the bubbly suds that escape the corners of your mouth (or mine at least) were running down my face. The dry patches were in these EXACT areas. Multiply that action, three times a day, and there you have it! I was creating this mess! She sent me to the drugstore and told me to pick up a “SENSITIVE SKIN FACE LOTION” and I was outraged by the prices, so I trusted my penny-pinching gut and went with the generic and I am on my 3rd TUB of this STUFF. Within a week, the dry patches were GONE. I also put it on my heels all winter and my elbows. So, bottom line, this is 100% a FAVORITE FIND from 2018. What are you waiting for GO NOW, it’s less than $10, but check for coupons. (lol)
And then she became a DOMESTICATED Goddess!
I will be the first to admit that housekeeping isn’t my thing…
But a few things came along to help me become the domesticated goddess I am today!
1. Shark Hard Floor Cleaning System 0.09 Gallon Steam Mop S6002
Lowes Home Improvement for $ 129.00
It was a match made in heaven. I live in a “green” home. I have low-flow water everywhere there is water in my house, energy saver appliances, and HVAC system, I believe recycling is not optional. I also believe heat is, but that is a story better told by those who come by my home during the winter months. So when we moved into this house, the cleaning products I grew up on, Ajax, Windex, and Clorox were replaced by homemade concoctions of lemon and water. Vinegar and eucalyptus oil. I wanted earth safe and animal-friendly. Sadly, I got mediocre results on my GRASS FLOORS (they’re Bamboo, I just like saying GRASS FLOORS…) My floors were never shiny and fresh feeling. I tried using “water only” and for the first year it was ok, but eventually I resorted to a capful of BLEACH and hot water. I know, shame on me. Once I got my pup, I knew I needed something a lot safer for his paws which put me on this mission!
I discovered the STEAM MOP! I watched countless YouTube Videos on cleaning BAMBOO floors and this came up! With chronic arthritis, I needed the most “lightweight” yet HIGHLY RATED mop on the market. This handy little device blew my mind. It is literally a mop that comes with 3 mop pads that are machine washable. You use a measuring cup (included as well) and water from the tap, pour it in, hit a button and BAM! You have STEAM. This uses NO chemicals, so it is safe (especially for my little one’s paws!) and if I am capable of toting it around, it is definitely light as a feather! I use it at least once a week, the floors look amazing all the time. They are STERILE which makes me HAPPY! If you have something really tough, you flip the mop with one swift motion and you get a direct blast of hot steam on the area. Easily flip the mop back over and it is gone. It comes with TWO different “heads” a bigger rectangular one, for the general floor area and then a triangular one for corners, edges and “hard to reach” areas. Game changer. Since this became a regular part of my life, I only call the housekeepers when I have BIG jobs! This has made my life a whole lot easier.
2. JBL Clip3 Bluetooth Speaker
Kohl’s $ 59.99 (got it with a 20% off coupon!)
This is a great story. BUCKLE UP!
Over the course of FIVE years we have gone through SEVEN, no I am not exaggerating, S-E-V-E-N Bluetooth Speakers. Our first “investment” was the Brookstone, BIG BLUE PARTY. This speaker was purchased by my darling husband from SkyMall. Yes, you read that right – SKY MALL!
This is a story of how “in-flight entertainment” can so go horribly wrong.
This big heavy box arrived on our doorstep a week after seeing the $250+ debit from our bank account. I was already annoyed at the speaker before it arrived because A. he ordered it on our way HOME from a very expensive vacation and B. it was quite EXPENSIVE for a stupid speaker and C. HE ORDERED IT WHILE WE WERE MID-FLIGHT as if to test me!
He justified this purchase by talking about the amazing “sound quality” and boasted it being “40% LOUDER than ANY OTHER speaker on the market” at the time as if that is the stuff that turns women on! Although he would entice me with his sweet nothings he whispered of “chilly fall nights, cuddling by the fire pit, listening to 90’s hip hop”… So, maybe I was looking forward to THOSE moments.
Well, this speaker soon came to be HIS most prized possession. Not a day went by that my head wasn’t throbbing from the obnoxious sound of De Barge playing on FULL VOLUME while he showered and sang along. (Those high notes…) If Chloe used the speaker outside it needed to be “out of direct sunlight” and never when it was cloudy because “what if it drizzles?”
“BIG BLUE”, as he called her, needed to be fully charged 100% of the time – or else, heads would ROLL. And… remember those romantic nights by the fire pit we were going to have? Well, they happened, but they consisted of me YELLING at the TOP OF MY LUNGS and repeating everything because the MUSIC was SO LOUD! That speaker was the bain of my existence.
So, leave it to me.
One hot summer day, after cleaning the house, I say “I am going to enjoy my hammock with a little light music”. I slip into something comfortable, apply thirteen layers of SPF 70, and pour a glass of unsweetened tea over ice. I head for the door and think, you know what… Today I am going to enjoy this damn speaker. I go back in, and with my one free hand I reach for “BIG BLUE”.
BiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiizzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzapppppppp echoed, as I am thrown across the room.
EVERY-SINGLE-HAIR, EVERY HAIR, on my body is standing in FULL attention.
I am seeing the entire solar system, not just stars.
I am so confused.
My EARS are watering! (that’s NOT a TYPO!)
As I stand there blinking, I think “am I alive?” ALL the power is out in the house and the very detectable scent of melted electric surrounds me. My body is buzzing.
I realize, BIG BLUE electrocuted the FUCK out of me.
I am contemplating calling 911, but AM I EVEN ALIVE? And… the dog? the glass? My “ghost me” makes an executive decision, my dog is still in danger and I need to save him! So, I reach for my rubber dish gloves, because I am sure that I saw that somewhere, it would protect me from double electrocution.
I know the power is out but I am still frightened, I get up the courage to unplug that WHORE of a SPEAKER! I grab her and TOSS her into the trash without a second thought. She has won many battles but I WON THE WAR!
I go, turn the power back on. Clean the glass up. Googled “HOW TO KNOW IF YOU SHOULD CALL 911 AFTER ELECTROCUTION” and pour a new glass of tea. The vibrations in my body subside. FINALLY, I can relax. I lay in my hammock when what to my wandering eyes should appear?
Mr. SKY MALL yelling “WHY IS BIG BLUE IN THE GARBAGE?”
I am now, screaming, like a psycho “SO HELP ME GOD, IF YOU BRING THAT INTO MY HOUSE I WILL LEAVE, I WILL LEAVE – I MEAN IT!”
I see him grab it and bring it into the PORCH as if that is a “speaker safe space”, where it resides to this day. Dusty and unusable. WHY?
Brookstone announced the recall of 164,000 wireless speakers because of the risk of fire associated with their lithium-ion batteries.
The affected model is the Big Blue Party, a large indoor-outdoor speaker that was sold by major U.S. retailers and websites from December 2013 through August 2018 for about $200. Consumers should stop using the devices immediately.
Since then, he has purchased FIVE, I’ll say it again for the people in the back “FIVE” Bluetooth Speakers by “ALTEC LANSING” and they all die after a few weeks. (In my opinion, they are the speaker versions of Dollar Store iPhone chargers!)
I say all of that to tell you that my JBL Clip, is amazing. I can hook onto my Hammock, Dog Stroller, Purse, etc… it has been going strong for a good 6 months and the battery lasts forever! I am also not causing POWER GRIDS to go out when I charge it either.
3. Pure Enrichment PureSpa Deluxe Ultrasonic Aroma Diffuser with Oil
HSN.com $ 52.00
So, I was very reluctant to use one of these Oil Diffusers because of the mixed research about it being harmful to pets, etc… Some oils I avoid, but others I love! I am happy to report that this has been a gem! First, I don’t run it all day. I use the oil very conservatively, a drop or two here and there – haven’t been any issues with my pup and I think this is a great home gadget that adds a little ZEN! This specific diffuser puts on a nice light show too! (Option without illumination is just a button if you’re no fun) It is an essential part of my “Goddess Bath” at night. This was a GIFT and I LOVE it!
Vegetarian est. 2016
Vegan-Cusp Vegetarian est. 2018
*** Listen, I am not trying to persuade anyone to change their lifestyle, just sharing my story… ***
So, I wasn’t eating anything with eyeballs anymore.
Honestly, when I look at my dog, I wonder how I could ever. I am a tree hugger, literally – I hug trees. I walk barefoot in the woods, love animals. I was meant to be meat-free. In the last year, I had my biggest revelation about my meatless lifestyle…
1. My Aunt who is now also a Vegan-Cusp Vegetarian for about 5 months, posted something on her Facebook page about it and within minutes her page was flooded with comments from friends that THEY no longer eat meat either! It was fascinating to me. I can honestly say, I don’t know many people who eat meat “regularly”. I know quite a few Pescatarians (Fish Meat Only), Vegans (No animal or animal by-products) and then the Poultry only eaters, not sure what they’re called.
2. Why VEGAN CUSP? FIRST! “Vegan-Cusp Vegetarian” is a term I coined myself and I am trying to make it a “thing”, do you think it’ll stick? Honestly, I am not ready or able to do away with certain items that were invested in over the span of my life. For instance, my handbags, luggage, accessories, and shoes. So, in order to be honest with myself and others, I tell the truth – I am not a VEGAN. I am still figuring things out.
I will share that I invested in my VERY FIRST VEGAN designer handbag as a gift to myself for my 40th Birthday! The Stella McCartney Falabella Shaggy Deer Fold Over Vegan Tote.
https://www.stellamccartney.com/us/stella-mccartney/tote_cod45208193nl.html
And WHY STELLA? https://www.stellamccartney.com/experience/en/sustainability/policies/
3. And… My weight. When I stopped eating meat, I gained weight. Why? I was substituting meat with carbs. I have learned this is the #1 reason why any VEGETARIAN gains weight. In the summer of 2018, I needed a necessary medical procedure for a flare-up of my Rheumatoid Arthritis. In order to get my inflammation under control, I needed to get steroid injections. My blood pressure was so high they couldn’t give me the injections I needed safely. The treatment I needed causes a spike in Blood Pressure, since mine was already in dangerous territory, I was left without options. This made me confront my weight gain head-on. I am predisposed to hypertension and have been medicated for it since adolescence. In my case, “losing weight” doesn’t change my blood pressure, medication does. HOWEVER, having extra weight on SURE DOESN’T HELP THE HEART! What started as an extra 10 pounds here, another 20 pounds there, eventually I went from healthy to overweight to “obese” (again).
You won’t catch me “bragging” about numbers today, I don’t know what I weigh. I don’t even own a scale. The truth is, losing weight isn’t the hardest part! I have done that before. The one thing I haven’t done is keep off the weight for more than a few years. I do not want to, nor can I afford to, play games with my health! I am 40 and I have a chronic illness. At any moment, I could need medical intervention and I need to be healthy so I never run into a situation like I did this past summer. So, yes, I have lost weight and it was entirely lifestyle changes.
I haven’t “dieted” in decades.
Well, You’re In a GREAT MOOD Today
What have I got to be HAPPY ABOUT? A-LOT!
1. I start EACH and every single day off with SiriusXMChannel 100 & 101. If you have a satellite radio, TRY IT. I guarantee you will not regret it. I grew up on Howard Stern and never stopped listening. It was below zero and I couldn’t wait to run outside and get into my car to listen to my “Sweet Loves” Howard and Robin. On the days the show is LIVE, I just listen to the replays or Sternthology (old shows) and it always boosts my mood. If you are concerned that you may have “aged out” of the Howard Stern “Fartman” humor, check out some of his recent videos on YouTube. He’s older, more mature and the show evolved as well. You can still get your fix of tasteless humor but hands-down, he has the best interviews and live performances. I can honestly say THIS is a show for everyone now.
2. I drink Kombucha. A lot of KOMBUCHA! As someone who doesn’t drink alcohol (see above auto-immune disease) or smoke (again, for medical reasons I cannot, but I am 100% pro-legalization!) I am a pretty sure that KOMBUCHA in all its fermented probiotic enzyme glory – gets me buzzed. I drink that shit like it is water. I love, love, LOVE it. I get it on TAP at the local Green Life Market, so I can use my recyclable bottle and straw on the daily and I buy several brands depending on SALES!
3. YOUTUBE!!!
I have found a few families I LOVE to watch on YouTube, aside from my own of course! Didn’t know I had a family FULL of entertainers? Check them out!!!
My niece Latoya keeps me laughing with videos about her hectic life as a YouTuber, Mom, and Wife. SHE JUST ANNOUNCED SHE IS PREGNANT AGAIN! Baby #3! There is always some kind of excitement with her around! The Ali Family travels and they invite you into their life, check them out!
https://www.youtube.com/user/latoyaforeverTV
https://www.youtube.com/user/latoyaforever
Also… My cousin Jillian takes you into her life…. An entertainer and family woman. Lives home renovations. Check it out!
https://www.youtube.com/user/AskAuntieJillian
Taina Licciardo-Toivola is a Minimalist Vegan Mom of 10 who has homeschooled all of her kids for 17 years, they each play multiple instruments, are intelligent and helpful. They live in an amazing house! I find it FASCINATING to see how a family that size works and plays together!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-PepfX4nM19zhdgEn3o5kg
Emma Ellingsen is a GORGEOUS young lady from Norway who talks about her life as a trans-teen, answers questions, has great fashion sense and does amazing makeup! She speaks English (perfectly), so it is a great watch for anyone who loves fashion and makeup!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpdmlPZMeDCqhGqzM4Zd1ww
Weed ‘Em and Reap is a couple who quit the 9-5 life and bought some land in Phoenix, AZ to raise their children, some animals and attempt to grow food, plants, and trees in the HEAT of Arizona! I enjoy watching this couple manage their life and kids – while keeping their farm up and running! Great lessons in following your heart!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf4zEY4qO8OSK5P3sP9MMEQ
The Skin Deep is one of the YouTube Channels that I contribute to through Patreon. I know. (lol) I really believe in what they do! No frills. Just chills. This is a channel that you can literally click on ANY thumbnail see HUMANITY. The best of it, the worst of it. It brings people together to have unique, sometimes awkward and usually challenging conversations about life and relationships. The first video I watched on this channel is below, and you can go from there…
This is what I watch when I am trying to ZONE OUT and relax. I could watch this channel for hours. It is a cooking channel, but not ANY ordinary cooking show. You will witness a woman in India, cooking over an open fire in her village. She is said to be 106 years old. There isn’t much commentary, which I love. Just the sounds of her food cooking. I am so amazed at the way she cooks, the techniques and “tools”. She doesn’t sit much but crouches over the flame with smoke billowing in her face. She serves the food on giant banana leaves and everyone comes and eats Family Style, with their hands. Indian people believe you should use ALL of your senses when you eat, enjoy all of the textures, aroma, sight, sound, and taste. It is so fascinating to me. I hope you take a look!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtS7ZrJ_rtk
Music… I love LIVE music… but I’m socially awkward and never leave home! So, once again, YouTube!
Here are the three live performances by singers that were introduced to me last year. I know, I am late on these ladies! If you haven’t heard these LIVE, you NEED TO! ENJOY!
1. Brandi Carlile, I found from a list Obama had of his favorite songs and then, of course, I heard her on Howard Stern and was BLOWN away! A voice, OMG!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJux02lrMeI
2. This kid has it all, she is a Canadian (Toronto) girl, with a great unique voice. She is performing at GovBall and my 40-year-old ass is going to Randall’s Island to see her! Lol
3. Alice Phoebe Lou is just stunning. I heard a song by her in a yoga class and then I was hooked!
Finally… A peek into my spending! Here are the last three things I purchased:
1. Doggie Pajamas that say Namasté in Bed: Petco $ 14.99
2. Crystals from an Etsy shop named: I Love Lotus $ 32.25
3. Tee Shirts, Pins and Stickers that say #CORY2020 $ 157.00
With that said… that is everything that is fit for print! I hope you enjoy, try out something or give them a look or listen… Let me know what you think in the comments!
Dee-Dee Kanhai, aka “The Spice of Suburbia”, was a big city girl for 25 years who was transplanted to the Suburbs of Northern New Jersey. This relocation led to her “undoing” and with that, the discovery of her true self. Besides being a wife and mother to a teenage daughter and toy Chihuahua, Dee-Dee works in finance and owns a small Etsy Shop @LoveTheUndoing, where she sells heart-made jewelry, crystals, and other whimsical crafts. Dee-Dee is a student of life, teacher of meditation, practicing yogi and a mystical moon child.