101 in 1001 #76: Read five biographies.

It's been awhile since a 101 in 1001 update...trust me, I've been checking them off, I just need to actually take the time to chronicle them! 

While I am clearly a huge bibliophile, I tend to pretty much confine myself to the fiction side of the bookstore. Fortunately, my years of friendship with Rabes have forced me to broaden my horizons, and I've found that reading non-fiction is actually so much more delightful than the stereotypical textbook experience I expect! 

That said...I shouldn't probably herald finishing five biographies in two years as a major achievement, especially considering how Rabes plows through them (remind me to take a snap of the bookshelves in the "Reagan Room" at their new house sometime...). With his carefully curated selections, I found four excellent options to dig in to, and stumbled on a fifth thanks to a recommendation from an old teacher. Without further ado: 

1. Traitor to His Class, H.W. Brands: Brands is one of Rabes's favorite writers, and with good reason. His comprehensive biography of Franklin Delano Roosevelt was a can't-put-down choice to start off with. I'm that nerd who marathoned "The Roosevelts" on PBS when it came out, so reading a biography on a subject I was fairly familiar with was a good way to start - it added so much extra color. Bonus: if you, like me, are a bit of a history nerd, check out Brands's Twitter, where he's retelling American history through haikus. I love it. 

2. Landslide: LBJ and Reagan at the Dawn of a New America, Jonathan Darman: This selection was a sort of different twist on a biography, telling the tale of the thousand days immediately following Kennedy's assassination through the lens of Lyndon Johnson's presidency and Ronald Reagan's political rise. The way these two very different leaders were juxtaposed against each other (historically and in the book) was new to me, and piqued my interest in an era of American politics I haven't really delved into with much fervor. 

3. The Greater Journey, David McCullough: Another favorite of Rabes (and his friend Solsma), McCullough's writing is rich in detail and vivid imagery. I downloaded The Greater Journey for our flight home from Paris in May of 2015 - a perfect pick, as it tells the tale of American expatriation to Paris from the 19th century forward. While I knew that numerous Americans had sought Paris out for cultural and artistic purposes, I didn't know it was also an epicenter of medical study. Expanding my knowledge of Americans in Paris beyond the Founding Fathers and Jazz Age luminaries added so much to my appreciation for the City of Light. 

4. The Heir Apparent, Jane Ridley: My first-ever true biography was on Queen Victoria, a terribly dry tome for AP Language in 11th grade that I slogged through halfheartedly on the dock at the cabin...a brutal and off-putting introduction to the art of biography. The Heir Apparent chronicles the life of Victoria's eldest son Edward (Bertie), the longest-waiting heir to the English throne until Prince Charles. This biography, due in large part to its subject matter, read more like a gossip blog than a school lesson...affairs, fashion, political intrigue and scandal abounded. Totally juicy...in a refined, restrained, English way! 

5. The Nine, Jeffrey Toobin: FINALLY, and oh my god did it take me a (needlessly) long time to get through this one: I've had The Nine for no joke nine months, thanks for your patience with me, Rabes! The Supreme Court in the latter half of the 20th century and early 21st century is the topic matter at hand, and I found myself totally absorbed in this one from about 20 pages in until the very end. Larger-than-life personalities like Sandra Day O'Connor and "the notorious RBG," the finer points and niceties of legal wrangling behind the scenes, even just the structure and machinations of day-to-day life on the Court...all covered in beautiful detail and with a wealth of insight into personalities of the Court justices and their supporting characters. Highly recommend for the lawyers in my life! 

BOOM. Checked that one off, although it took me so long to do it! (To be honest, I didn't count the THREE biographies of Kate Middleton and Queen Elizabeth II that I read last summer...shh!) Next on my list: Ron Chernow's Alexander Hamilton, duh, because I'm obsessed. 

For more 101 in 1001, head here. For biography recommendations, go to Rabes. I'm clearly unqualified in every way! 

101 in 1001 #9: Get a skin cancer check.

As I’ve mentioned recently, I’m really trying to focus on taking better care of my skin. Sun protection is so important, and it’s all too easy to get really excited about a fantastic tan and forget about the damage I’m doing to my skin in the process. I’m still religiously using my SPF lotion, and trying to be really good about applying and reapplying sunscreen every time I’m outdoors for extended periods. To see where I really stand on the skin front, though, I made an appointment at the beginning of the summer to see a dermatologist for skin mapping.

Skin cancer has been a problem on both sides of my family…two of my grandparents had bad issues with it, so I’ve seen firsthand how damaging the impact of melanoma can be. Fortunately, my sainted mother was absolutely religious about sunscreen when we were children, and I never fell victim to the tanning-bed trend in high school or college. I thought I was in pretty good shape going into the appointment, but it never hurts to be careful!

I went to the dermatologist I saw in high school for skin problems (oh, the glory days) and they seemed surprised to see someone my age coming in for a skin cancer check. At first I felt like kind of an idiot, but the doctor was quick to correct me: while it’s uncommon for people my age to come in, the sooner abnormalities are identified, the better chance there is that care can be provided in a non-invasive manner. She gave me major credit for it, which I naturally loved, and told me to spread the word…so here’s my PSA: get thyself to a dermatologist and have your skin checked out sooner than later!

The process itself was incredibly simple: I stripped down to my underwear, and the doctor checked me over from scalp to toes for irregular moles, extensive freckling, and other weird issues. The level of detailed attention to places like the bottoms of my feet and my hairline cracked me up…I was definitely not expecting such intense scrutiny there, but it makes sense…those spots don’t really get regular sunscreen and are often exposed to the sun, after all.

After checking me over and mapping one or two spots to watch, she gave me the all-clear and complimented my mama bear on her sunscreen diligence…apparently all those hard-fought battles to douse us in Coppertone SPF 30 paid off in skin that’s minimally freckled/wrinkled and looks great for someone my age. I’m in the clear for the next two to three years, at which point a follow-up is recommended to ensure nothing major has changed.

Friends, I can’t recommend this highly enough. If, like me, your insurance covers preventive care, this should be fully covered, and it took all of fifteen minutes. I’m enjoying the peace of mind of knowing I’m doing things right for my skin, and it’s just reinforced that time invested in care now will pay off in spades later.

More 101 in 1001 here, and more info on skin cancer screenings/skin mapping here.

101 in 1001 #8, #13: Little Life Changes

I have the worst tendency to get really lazy with my appearance when it gets hot out, and when I'm terribly busy. Given that this summer has been the most brutal combination of both, my daily routine has pretty much become "shower, go to work with wet hair and nothing but moisturizer on my face, apply mascara and concealer at my desk and pull my hair up, call it a day." 

That's so terrible, but it does have a few tangible benefits. My hair, given a break from constant heat styling, is growing way faster than usual and looks way better when I do take the time to do something with it. My skin, offered a vacation from constant makeup, is clearer and healthier than it's been in a long time. Noticing that, I've been extra-focused on taking care of things at a basic level...good skincare, hair care and dental care. 

So incredibly basic, but after my scary teeth-smashing over the Fourth of July, I've been hyper-focused on taking care of my teeth and gums. I escaped having to have a root canal primarily because I have really healthy teeth, and especially with several of my front teeth being partially fake, I want to keep my real teeth looking as white and good as possible. I floss once daily, right before bed and after brushing, based on these American Dental Association guidelines (yes, I know I'm a nerd).

In addition to flossing, I use whitening toothpaste, mouthwash twice a day, brush my teeth after lunch (I KNOW, I KNOW, NERD), and use a Whitestrip once a week. Call me crazy, but having just paid the residual bills for extensive dental work, I'd rather invest the time and care now than pay a ton more down the line for more care. 

I'm also hyper-aware of skin care after encountering several family members and friends with melanoma or associated skin cancer scares. Thanks to my mom's Italian heritage, I've been blessed with the kind of olive-toned skin that tans 99% of the time in the summer, and I rarely burn as a result. That said, I've had one or two bad ones in the last few years...

...and knowing that even tanning easily and rarely burning still increases cancer risk, I wanted to be more careful about my skin this summer. (See this list of skin cancer myths, from the American Society for Dermatologists.) Even spending much of my week indoors, I go out enough to want to do something to protect my skin. So I started using Lubriderm Daily Moisture with SPF 15 every morning...it takes legit two minutes to apply, and it's improved the texture and health of my skin along with providing a little sun protection. My face lotion already has SPF in it, so I'm covered there for daily wear. 

As for days when I will be outside (dreaming of floating in Iceland's Blue Lagoon, obviously)? I've been using this SPF 30 Sun Bum screen all summer. It was an impulse purchase before our Kentucky Derby party in May, primarily because I liked the bottle, but it turns out it's organic, vegan, and smells like a piña colada...well worth the higher price tag in my book, as I don't use full sunscreen often enough to worry too much about the cost. 

Like I said, trivial things that have made a great difference this summer. Now if I could just get myself out of bed early enough to actually do my hair on the regular.....

More 101 in 1001 here...and plenty more coming up in the next few weeks! 

101 in 1001 #17: Take a yoga class.

Just plowing through the 101 in 1001 list lately, and I love it! This morning when my alarm went off, I was tempted to pull my usual move as of late and hit snooze...repeatedly...for like an hour. Instead, as I opened my phone to start blearily scrolling through Instagram, Hannah texted me to confirm that we were on for our 6:30 am date for Sunrise Yoga through the Lake Harriet Yoga Project! As cozy as my bed was, and as unappealing as getting out of it seemed, I rallied, grabbed a mat, threw on a sweatshirt and headed down to the Lake Harriet Bandshell for my first outdoor yoga class ever. 

Oh my god, so worth it. 

The Lake Harriet Yoga Project hosts daily morning yoga from late May through early September at the gorgeous Lake Harriet Bandshell, one of my favorite summer concert spots. Classes are suited to beginners but can be tailored to any skill level, and the best part? They're free. Free and taught by some of the best instructors around the Twin Cities! Doesn't get better than that, if you ask me. 

While it was definitely chilly at only 60 degrees, and while we saw more clouds than sunrise, it was such a lovely way to start off the day. The instructor's calm presence and ability to project set the stage for about a hundred of us early-bird crazies to run through a fairly basic morning flow. 

Particular favorites, apart from savasana at the end (duh)? Excellent warrior series that left my quads shaking, nailing the one-foot-and-lean balance in a dancer sequence for more than 30 seconds, and a super fun "Breath of Joy" exercise that involved three quick inhales and a forceful exhale, repeatedly. It sounds corny, but going through the Breath of Joy flow while listening to birds chirping and watching the sailboats bobbing in the lake genuinely left me feeling joyful...even though my toes were cold. 

Already planning a return trip as soon as possible...who knows, maybe tomorrow! 

For more information on the Lake Harriet Yoga Project, check out info here or like them on Facebook. And if you want to join me for more activities, look no further than my 101 in 1001, obviously. Namaste, campers! 

101 in 1001 #24: Try Rent The Runway for a special event!

Some weekends are just so fantastic it takes me until Tuesday to feel human again. This weekend was one of them...totally one for the record books in SO many ways. I spent Friday evening at Greg's cabin with friends: midnight swimming, drinking games, and soaking up the sun on Saturday morning. Saturday evening, however, I got to attend the Minnesota Orchestra's Diamond Anniversary Symphony Ball, and it was a complete 180 from Friday! 

Um, hi. Rhapsody in Blue was a HUGE part of my senior year of high school - I worked on it for solo piano for almost the entire year and have loved it forever. The event, celebrating 60 years of the Minnesota Orchestra, was a 1920s-themed Art Deco dream, and I couldn't have been more excited to attend. 

As the ball was black-tie, I went all-out and tried out Rent the Runway for the first time. After selecting a couple of different styles, I settled on this one-shoulder Carmen Marc Valvo beauty. Just the right combination of classic and elegant, with a little flair and a lot of room to have fun with accessories. If I'm being honest, I spent at least an hour playing dress-up and accessorizing once my gowns arrived on Thursday! With free backup size options and a second choice dress for only $32.50, it's a steal of a deal to get access to gowns that are definitely not a part of my regular budget. 

I had my hair and makeup done on Saturday before the event...I hadn't had an updo done since my senior prom, and had never had my makeup done. While the makeup was so much fun...red lipstick! Fake eyelashes! CONTOURING on a Kardashian-level!...the updo was a catastrophic failure. About ten minutes before my date for the evening arrived, I freaked out, pulled about forty bobby pins out of my hair, and completely re-did it myself. See the before-and-after below...and feel free to tell me that I should quit my corporate job and go be an updo-doer, clearly. 

So much better, right? I threw in a vaguely Art-Deco headband and some serious earrings and a bracelet from J.Crew, and called myself black-tie ready with the addition of a pair of murderous 4-inch heels. Our agenda for the night prior to the gala involved bison tartare, duck sliders, and the insane creamed spinach at Spoon and Stable...because I hadn't been to Spoon and Stable for about a month and was starting to approach withdrawal levels. 

Once we finished up at S&S, we found ourselves with a bit too much time before we headed over to the ball, so we tried out a new-to-me spot in the Ivy Hotel, Monello! Nothing like a giant glass of Jacques Chaput to make me feel incredibly fancy. (Please also note below that I am managing to wear red lipstick without getting any of it on my teeth. Extremely proud of that one, right there.)

Before I get too far into the post, I should probably introduce the tie-wearing half of our black tie event, my partner in all things opera and orchestra, Michael. Not only did he drive in from Fargo day-of for the event, he bought a super-hot Hugo Boss tux for it. Not going to lie, it made me really glad I had gone the Rent the Runway route just to keep up with his Bond-levels of suave.

Having totally enjoyed the pre-ball portion of the night...our server at Spoon and Stable knew him from high school!...we headed over to Orchestra Hall in time to grab champagne, peruse the crazy auction items, and head into the concert portion of the evening! 

Nothing prettier than Orchestra Hall all dressed up. We ran into some of Michael's friends from law school and joined them for the live auction, need campaign, and concert portion of the evening. Highlights: an adorable seven-year-old wannabe conductor, and the auctioned-off chance to conduct the orchestra in "Stars and Stripes Forever," which was won by a new board member who made my evening with his highly creative take on conducting. I also died and went to heaven over hearing "Rhapsody in Blue." Pianist Andrew Staub's cadenzas were outstanding. Pieces by Ravel (heavy on gong, naturally) and "Diamonds are Forever" (because, diamond anniversary, duh) rounded out a stellar evening of music. 

And then it was party time! Orchestra Hall was dressed to the nines. There were speakeasies serving signature cocktails scattered across the levels sponsored by J.Carver Distillery and featuring bartenders from some of the Twin Cities' best watering holes. Food by Be Events completely hit the spot at 10pm, especially the macarons, which approached Gerard Mulot levels of perfection. The Wolverines Big Band provided a soundtrack of Sinatra and swing classics, and the entire atrium was decorated just gorgeously. 

...Oh yeah, and there were aerialists pouring champagne...AERIALISTS. It was deliciously over-the-top and so much fun. 

We went through the buffet backwards, chatted with a few lovely people, and enjoyed several Bee's Knees, a gin-honey-lemon concoction originally popularized during Prohibition. Michael had zero qualms photographing me mid-appetizer...

...but I am innovative OBVIOUSLY and turned that shit black and white. Duh. Because everything is instantly un-trashified if it's in black and white. 

Attempts to get him back failed miserably, because he's annoyingly photogenic and chews with good manners. Damn it. 

We ended up spending the tail end of the evening backstage in the green room, as Michael's friends had an in, and I refrained from being at all embarrassing about it. Primarily because I was otherwise occupied rapping "Hamilton" and discussing Anthropologie with new friend Berit, an utter doll. We did take one nice picture before heading out...

Boom. Thanks, Rent the Runway. We ended the night by first closing down Constantine, the bar in the basement of the Ivy. Please note: red lipstick STILL INTACT despite hours of cocktails and dining, aka I am basically destined for makeup greatness now. 

We parted ways with Michael's friends after making a few Lakeville connections and I, being a moderately tipsy genius, decided we could totally handle the 20-minute walk home. I made it two blocks and freaked out because my heels were excruciating. Thank goodness Michael was up for closing down the Local with shots of Jameson, a spilled Guinness and a signature "Lizzie orders that virgin drink that tastes like a Creamsicle and adds a double vodka," and a suavely-loosened tie...

Best of all, he's the kind of guy who can tell when your homicidal heels are actually killing you and calls an Uber and carries them home for you so you can hold up your train, all without judgment of one of my most déclassé moments ever. Straight up winning. 

Already planning on using Rent the Runway for July's Como Zoo gala, August's Ordway season opening gala, and September's Minnesota Opera Ball...because apparently 27 is that magical age when all of a sudden you get to go to ALL THE FANCY THINGS. So excited! So happy! So sure that someday when I get to heaven, it'll include an open bar and have a black tie dress code. 

And maybe a champagne aerialist for good measure. To check out the rest of my 101 in 1001, and maybe hop on the bandwagon to do some of it with me, head here!