Are You #PenReady? You NEED an Olympus PEN E-PL3 Camera & I Have 1 To Give! {GIVEAWAY!}

I've been posting a lot of pictures over the past few months. I've been inspired by views and images, both grand and simple, and thanks to my new Olympus PEN E-PL3 camera, I've been able to capture these moments with beauty and ease.

visions of NYC thru the eye of my Olympus PEN E-PL3 cameraI'm the annoying photographer that keeps stopping you on the street to take pictures of the minutia of life. FDNY shield on the street, an old lock set on a brightly colored door, or one of the many fabulous window displays lining 5th Ave. But to me, those are the moments of a trip. The sights that are burned into your brain. The images that make up your experiences. 

While NYC is a {wanna-be} photographers DREAM, think about all the amazing photo opportunities afoot now that it's FALL! Changing leaves, apple picking, Halloween and the holidays... all things you NEED a new amazing camera to capture.

Well - YAY! I have one for you. 

The nice people at Olympus want you to love this camera as much as I do, so they giving one HipMamaB reader their very own PEN E-PL3!

Valued at (aprox) $599, this 12 MP camera gives you the benefit of being smaller, but with the chance to have more artistic control of your images (if you so want). 

Olympus PEN Lite key specifications:

• 12MP Live MOS sensor
• 120 Hz 'Fast AF' focus system with 35-point area AF
• Clip-on flash (included)
• Built-in autofocus illuminator light
• 460,000 dot tilting LCD screen (16:9 aspect ratio)
• Dual-core TruePic VI processor
• 1080i60 movies in AVCHD format
• Shadow tone adjustment control
• Revised and expanded Art Filter mode (with quick preview option)

Let's be honest. This camera is just, plain, RAD.

And I get to give one away! Wheeee!!!

Contest is now closed - winner will be announced shortly 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good Luck!

*disclosure: Olympus cameras gave me a PEN E-PL3 camera to have, and one to giveaway. Thoughts and feelings about the camera are my own.

Make-Up Monday: I'm Lovin' Votre Vu - French/American Cosmetics

Image taken with my Olympus PEN E-PL3 cameraFor the past few weeks, I've had the opportunity to play around with all kinds of goodies from Votre Vu: botanically infused, French handcrafted cosmetics. 

Currently, I'm loving everything about these products. They appeal my marketing sense with the catchy names such as eyebrow color called "Arch de Triumphe," and their "Eiffel Power" lengthening mascara. I'm also loving the colors; I've been rocking an Aubergine eye liner that really stays put and doesn't smudge, and a FAB "Love Me Deux" tinted moisturizer that adds hydration with a little coverage and concealer IN THE TIP OF the TUBE. Hello GENIUS!

Taken with my Olympus PEN E-PL3 camera

I was wondering how these products missed my radar, but after a little research I realized that here in the US it's available only online or through local Votre Vu representative. I highly reccommend searching them out!

Happy Shopping!

HipMamaB San Diego: THIS Sunday September 9th: Eat Your Greens to Give Some Green at Whole Foods #WFMSaladDay

"Wow Mom, I just want to buy all these vegetables and take them home and eat them all!" - Lucas, age 8

So, that was a total brag. But when Lucas said that to me while walking though a local farmer's market last Saturday, my pride SWELLED. Yay! I'm doing something right! I'm lucky, I know it. Not a lot of parents have kids that love arugula and broccolini. 

I'm also very lucky that our public school district, San Marcos Unified, has made healthy eating in our schools a priority and has instituted the USDA's new guidelines that requires meals to be healthier and served in smaller portions, with more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and with less sodium and no trans fat. Additionally, in order to encourage kids learn to eat healthier all the time, all students MUST have one serving of vegetable or fruit on their tray.

But doing this is not cheap. Many California districts are strapped for cash and sometimes just being able to offer free or reduced price meals is better than nothing. 

That's where Salad Bars 2 Schools comes in. One of the major programs of the Whole Kids Foundation (in partnership with the Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools initiative), is Whole Foods Market's ‘buy a salad, give a salad’ program that supports putting salad bars and other healthy eating programs in schools.  

This Sunday, September 9th, you can help support this program with the "Eat Your Greens to Give Some Greens" donation drive at your local Whole Foods in the Southern Pacific region (Southern California, Hawaii, Arizona & Las Vegas). 

It's easy to participate. Simply buy a salad or hot food item from the bar at Whole Foods this Sunday and a $1 per pound donation will be made based on total salad and hot food bar sales.

Hitting even closer to home, the donations will be tallied up and made for each metropolitan area - meaning the money raised locally will go to bring salad bars to schools in San Diego County. Schools such as the ones in the Encinitas Union and Oceanside districts or any other local schools/districts that apply for a grant online at www.SaladBars2Schools.com. 

So this Sunday take the day off cooking, at hit up a local Whole Foods salad/hot food bar for a delicious lunch or dinner. Locally, Whole Food locations include, Hillcrest, La Jolla and the new(ish) location in Encinitas. 

So, let's recap: 

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post for Whole Foods Market.

{Somewhat} Wordless Wednesday: I Love Make-Up

Images taken with my Olympus PEN E-PL3

One of the best parts of the post BlogHer experience is anxiously awaiting all the fun gifts that are coming in the mail from various brands I met with while in New York. I'm currently waiting on pins and needles a box of goodies from Avon and I can't wait to PLAY with some of the cool products I was introduced to at Romy's Pop-Up Beauty Party. 

I've been using the mark. "Juice Gems" lip gloss for weeks now, and it's FAB.U.LOUS. 

Sigh. I love make-up. 

#BAGGASM: The New Tiffany & Co. Leather Collection

Hello LOVE-AH. 

This just came over my Facebook stream and I flushed and groaned. 

SERIOUSLY? How stunning is this bag? Can't you just smell that fine leather through the image? 

My, oh my... Mama wants.  Alas, at $875, Mama probably won't be getting anytime soon. 

Sigh. 

TRT: Tiffany Reversable Tote: $875

Wide reversible tote in smooth leather with palladium-plated solid brass hardware. Detachable zipper pouch included. Leather tab closure. Double strap, 7" drop. 20"W x 5.5"D x 9.5"H. Made in Italy. More colors available.