The Skinny Confidential Book Launch Party + A Giveaway!

One or two of you may have heard of the fabulous Lauryn Evarts, the San Diego babe behind The Skinny Confidential. An entrepreneur, blogger and overall ray of sunshine, I'm inspired by her trademark honesty, her ability to tell as she sees it, and how much she freakin' hustles. And while I have to admit that we differ a bit in our approaches to healthy living, I follow and support her ultimate message: to promote a sexy, sassy lifestyle for women.

This past weekend BeSocial PR threw a party for Lauryn at the Rancho Valencia resort to support the launch of her new fitness, beauty and lifestyle guide book, The Skinny Confidential. I stopped by with a couple of friends before the UConn game (Go Huskies!) Saturday night and wow. This party was bonkers. After leaving our car with the complimentary valet (!), we walked into what felt like an outdoor wedding reception on their Croquet Lawn.

Lauryn was at the main table, looking like a princess in her whimsical white dress and flower crown, signing books and thanking everyone for coming. The sun was slowly setting, lighting up the whole party with the most magical glow. And Ottopilot, a band that counts one of Lauryn's cousins as a member, was playing slow jams that I momentarily confused with the radio because they sounded EXACTLY like John Mayer. In fact, I was so impressed with them, that I donated to their Kickstarter so I could get my hands on an album ASAP.

FYI: this was definitely the party to be at if you were a single guy: almost every flawless-looking fashion blogger and PR Rep in San Diego was in attendance, enjoying the tunes and the atmosphere. Not to mention the beverages: Suja and my new obsession, Bon Affair, were hosting a DIY Mimosa bar that I somehow managed to avoid (less than a week left of this diet!).

I'm lucky that I get to live in San Diego and am able to attend events like this, but I hate bragging about these beautiful days when so many of you got snow last weekend! So to cheer you up and get you through the last of your winter blues / motivate you into a new spring fitness routine, I bought a signed copy of The Skinny Confidential to giveaway!

But wait... there's more! ;) I'm also including a tool that I was introduced to back when we did biometrics testing: a brand new Omrom Fat Loss Monitor. I like using this instead of a scale when I'm trying to lose weight because it puts things in perspective (since muscle weighs more than fat). Plus, I'm throwing in a $25 Amex Gift Card (for you to use on a yoga class or some new gear) and few other fitness goodies (like some brand new Clif MoJo bars) for a total value of $100!

The giveaway ends Saturday, April 5th at 10am PST and I'll announce the winner that day. Good luck!

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Breast Cancer Awareness Month and a SkinAgain Giveaway!

Breast Cancer Awareness Month has taken on a whole new meaning for me this year now that I'm participating in the Susan G. Komen 3-Day 60 Mile Walk for the Cure here in San Diego in November. Now that I'm in involved with fundraising for Breast Cancer Research, I've been humbled by the number of stories that I have heard from friends, family, readers and co-workers about how breast cancer has affected their lives. And with each story, I am that much more aware of the desperate need for a cure.

When SkinAgain contacted me and asked me if I'd like to partner with them in support of Breast Cancer Awareness month, I immediately said yes for three reasons: 1. I love supporting local businesses and SkinAgain is located just up the coast from me in Carlsbad, 2. It's a female-founded, all natural, paraben- and cruelty-free company and 3. They're not only supporting breast cancer awareness this month by donating 5% of all proceeds to The Breast Cancer Society, Inc., they're also making products that can actually help women who are battling breast cancer.

The founder, Sherrie Berry, started the company after suffering from a chemical burn in her backyard. She was given a cream to help with the healing by a Swiss entrepreneur and soon realized that the product held exceptional potential for helping other women who suffered from burns. SkinAgain was born and its first product, the Rescue cream, does just that. Today, Rescue is the #1 leading product for post-cosmetic, post-hair removal and post-radiation procedures, as well as burns.

I'm excited to be giving away two full-size bottles of their Relief and Rescue products. Relief is the go-to for getting through these dry winters, when your skin gets itchy and red in the cold air. It can also help to control rosacea, something you might know a thing or two about if you've got Irish skin like me. Rescue is a a cure-all for everything from sunburns to post-wax or laser treatment to burning yourself on the oven while you frantically cook your Thanksgiving dinner. Together, these two creams work to protect your skin and are a must-have for your medicine cabinet! Oh and did I mention.... this is a $100 value?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Even if you don't win the giveaway, I encourage you to check out SkinAgain's other products like Youth, which diminishes darks spots and wrinkles, and Vanish, which works to reduce cellulite. And, throughout the month of October, you can use Promo Code: ILOVETATAS and receive 20% off your order! Plus, the first 30 customers who use this code will receive a pink jute tote bag as a thank you for helping SkinAgain to boost their donations efforts during Breast Cancer Awareness month. Save your skin, save the tatas and enjoy a discount while you do it!

Runner's Raffle: Medal Display and Spartan Race Entry!!!

I'm so excited to host my first raffle in support of my 3 Day 60-mile Susan G. Komen Walk for Breast Cancer this fall! Both my maternal great-grandmother and grandmother lost their battle with breast cancer before I really had a chance to get to know them and I've watched several friends and co-workers battle the disease. Supporting this cause is so important to me - so much so that I'm willing to essentially complete 2 full marathons in 3 days to raise money for it. And really, come on... who doesn't love boobies!?

Over the course of the next five months, I will be hosting several raffles in support of this cause. For my first raffle, I'm super amped to give one lucky winner a 2 prize combo pack: a race entry to ANY Spartan race in the country and a medal display (pictured above) for all of your racing medals! You don't have to donate to win, but I sure hope that you'll consider it. The combined cost of the two prizes in this package are over $150! For a small donation, even just $10, you'll have a better chance of winning while supporting a great cause.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The race closes in two weeks and the winner will be announced then. But if you don't win, don't worry! You still supported a great cause! For that, you deserve a 15% off code for any Spartan Race you decide to do. With races all over the country, including a few here in Southern California, the Spartan Race is a fun opportunity to cross-train, appreciate your running in a new way, and do a race that's a little different and more exciting. I hope that you'll check it out! And please be sure to check out Running on the Wall as well, as they were so generous to donate a new medal display for this cause!