Lusting Lately

Apparently I am a gluton for punishment....why else would I try on these beautiful shoes at lunch?

I absolutely, positively ADORE these pink sparkly shoes...I mean SERIOUSLY these Manolo Blahnik Shiny Sequin Fuchsia Pumps looked fantastic on my feet. *sigh*

Equally incredible were the Christian Louboutin Pink Glitter Patent Slingback . I mean they are the definition of Barbie shoe! H-O-T!

Technically the damage was already done, I already had hearts in my eyes and a dazed look on my face. It wouldn't kill me to try on another fantastic pair like the Christian Louboutin Glitter Pump, which apparently are no longer available at Neiman Marcus online. Fun, glitzy, and a dream...and I could totally sport these puppies again and again.

That's all for now...I have punished myself enough just posting these lovelies here. Thank goodness it's the freakin' weekend and baby, I'm gonna have me some fun!

Wino Wednesday

I enjoyed this delectable Simi 2006 Chardonnay this past Friday night at my girlfriend Carrie's house. I had selected this wine because it had three words that always sell me on any chardonnay: pear, creamy, balanced. This chardonnay followed through with the claims on the label and was highly satisfying. Granted, half of my glass ended up on Carrie's couch and my clothes thanks to Waldo, somehow Carrie and I enjoyed the entire bottle. It is definitely one I will be purchasing again and adding to the list of must have bottles at home. Pavillions (Safeway/Vons) had it on sale for $11.99 and I have seen it priced for up to $15.99. A good wine for a good price!

SAG Awards Fashion

I was a little hungover yesterday from too much sake and wine the night before, and almost missed the SAG Awards. Luckily for me, I caught the show 10 minutes in and experienced mostly beautiful dresses and a few (one in particular) disasters. Here are the dresses I was swooning over...

photo by Jeff Vespa/WireImage.com

When I saw Vanessa Williams step out in her Escada gown to present an award, I oohed and ahhed because she looked stunning! This was my favorite look on the night, it is the perfect dress to me. Looking at it today, I still am in love.

photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage.com

I am not a huge fan of her hair, but I thought that Debra Messing looked incredible in this Oscar de la Renta number. This picture does not do the dress justice, it was sparkly and absolutely made Debra glow. I loved it because it was different that what anyone else was wearing and with her red hair - WOWZA!

photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage.com

Okay, I heart this girl Amanda Bynes (ask any of my friends She's the Man is one of my favorite movies!) and I love, love, love that she wore this bright stunner by Marchesa. Not only is it age appropriate but her hair and makeup was so incredibly fresh and vibrant she couldn't help but shine on red carpet.

photo by Steve Granitz/WireImage.com

Allison Janney looks classy and beautiful in this simple periwinkle dress. The dress design isn't that original but it fits her perfect and the color really popped which is why I loved it.

photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage.com

Here's a shocker, I loved the color of this dress (duh!) but it definitely wasn't my favorite. Perhaps it was her hair, but Kate Beckinsale (who always look amazing) wasn't owning this yellow dazzler. I love how sheer and feminine the dress is and would love to add it to my wardrobe, but there just is something missing....

And now for the absolutely, most dreadful, what was she thinking dress of the night....

photo by Steve Granitz/WireImage.com

Yikes and blech were the first words that came out of my mouth when I saw Jane Krakowski's pukey green mess. The beads at the neck, the color, the dress style, just too much. I gotta give it to her though because her smile would have you believing that she was wearing the best dress of the night. I know this one will be in the magazines for worst dressed of the night, and I gotta say, it was just bad.

So what were your favorites? Least favorites? All in all I think the night was a huge success for dresses and I loved all the color on the carpet.

Forever Frugal Friday

I recently purchased these Flat Bead earrings for our engagement photos last weekend (my next post is on them). At first I was hesitant and unsure, but with the dress I think they were a perfect combo. Plus I have worn them to work a few times and received many compliments!

The best part about cheap jewelry from Forever 21 is that as soon as it starts to tarnish you can toss it. If you wear them once and lose one, ehh, no biggie. The funniest part about my Forever 21 jewelry is that I get the MOST compliments from people on all my cheap jewelry, which keeps me coming back for more always!

Have a great weekend!

Paradise Found™

No really, Origins has found paradise, and bottled it up for us to enjoy daily. This Balinese body cream is the essence of Bora Bora (not that I have been there). Fruity, luscious and delicous is all I can say to describe this lotion. I put in on in the morning and all day long get a nice subtle waft of the scent every once in a while.

The scent will take you away from you office, housework, (or wherever you are that you need to escape ASAP) and transport your mind to a tropical beach, pina colada in hand and calm waves lapping at your feet. Even if only momentarily (and in your mind), this lotion is well worth the seconds away from reality.

As and added bonus, this lotion is very thick and a little goes a long way, so don't stress too much about the $26 price tag...just remember it is cheaper than a ticket to Bora Bora!

Wino Wednesday

Okay, there are a few things that I really, really, love. Cupcakes are one, and chardonnay is another. That being said, when I walked into Cost Plus World Market this past summer and saw Cupcake Chardonnay, I thought it must be too good to be true.

Well, it is true, and good, and much, much more. YEAH! This chardonnay will run you $9.99 and leave your palate begging for more. It is just the right amount of fruity, buttery, lively and barely any acidity. And what's not to love about the label, it's yellow, it has the word "cupcake" in the title, and it is pretty enough to give as a gift alone.

This was another wine we sampled for the wedding that received almost all 5's (a couple 3's and no 0's). So I added it to the wedding wine list, which seems even more appropriate considering we are serving cupcakes at the wedding. So technically, our guest can double fist it with a cupcake in their hand, and some cupcake in their glass.

Life is good!

Best Bad Dresses of 27 Dresses

© Property of the respective studios / Sales

I literally giggled out loud as soon as I saw this dress, as we have selected a yellow strapless dress with a pink sash for the bridesmaid dresses. Now, luckily for my bridesmaids, this is NOT the yellow we decided upon, nor am I a fan of matching the gloves, and the shoes, and the accessories to the dress. However, I must admit this dress is very sunny and fun and secretly I kind of love it!

© Property of the respective studios / Sales

Now this pink and yellow stunner would be a great dress to wear to one of those 80's Prom parties (where you would for sure win the prize!). I am not gonna lie, when I saw this dress I instantly thought, I might love it if I was forced to wear a dress like this as a bridesmaid. I mean, you could literally dance around the room reciting, "I feel pretty, oh so pretty...". But for real, this is example of too much going on in one dress. Just pick one thing, instead of ruffles, chiffon, yellow, pink, and embroidery oh my!

© Property of the respective studios / Sales

Oh I do declare, this dress is mighty dreadful. However, my maid of honor Carrie and I got to thinking, that it would be kind of a lot of fun to participate in a Gone with the Wind themed wedding. The hoop skirt, the ruffles, the yellow! What's not to love? Now I personally have never seen a dress as extravagant as this in any wedding, but no matter how gaudy it is, it still has a little bit of sweet to it as well! And what better insurance than a matching parasol in case the rain comes out to play, or the sun gets a little to warm and you need a little shade!

WOWZA! Lucky for us all, there are SOO many cute bridesmaid dresses out there now, that hopefully a closet full of 27 awful bridesmaid dress isn't in your near future.

Monday Movie: 27 Dresses

Image courtesy of Yahoo Movies

I am super-duper excited to finally see 27 Dresses tonight with my two maids that live in Cali (sorry Kels!).

I love, a) Katherine Heigel, b) girly-girl movies, and c) hideously fabulous bridesmaid dresses. Perhaps tomorrow I will be inspired to share some lovely bridesmaid dresses that were NOT featured in the movie!

Forever Frugal Friday

This Ruffle Wrap Dress from Forever 21 is a stunning hue of blue, and might I add a great knock off of the Diane von Furstenberg 'Malloricita' Dress?


Now granted it is always nice to have a Diane von Furstenberg dress in your closet, but I gotta say that at $24.80, I don't care what the label says! This dress could definitely be a staple for my spring/summer wardrobe and at that price, anyone would be silly to pass it up!

Have a wonderful weekend!!!

Project Runway

It has been awhile since I have posted on Project Runway but last nights episode was very impressive and worth sharing.

For this challenge the designers were paired up to create not one, but rather TWO outfits! The first outfit was to be an avant-garde (avant-garde as defined by Wordnet, is an adjective, meaning radically new or original) design based on the models hair style and the second outfit was to be a ready to wear version of the avant-garde design.

The clear winners of the competition are my favorite power couple Christian & Chris.

This gown was a force to be reckoned with. So dramatic and INCREDIBLE. I mean look at it, it is GORGEOUS and ready to grace the cover of ELLE magazine.

Their ready to look outfit was very simple, but tied in very nicely and if you ask me, they completed the task perfectly!

Equally awesome, was Jillian & Victorya's punk, equestrian look. The model was fierce and rocked the look tough. Their ready to wear look wasn't as great to me.

Rami and Sweet P's ready to wear look was my favorite for the episode and something I would TOTALLY sport. Cute, flirty and sexy all in one. Unfortunately for them, their avant-garde look was anything but.

Unfortunately for KIT, she will not get to live by Scarlett O'Hara's famous words, "I'll think about that tomorrow". As her and Ricky's Southern Belle look was not favored by the judges at all.

The best part for the contestants was that the winning looks were chosen for a Tresseme Ad...Ooh La La!

Engaging Dresses

So far my favorite is the Loverly Dress from Anthropologie. First of all the dress has the word "Love" in it (too perfect), I love the simplicity of the dress and the pop of the green ribbon. Now if I can just find it in the store to try on...

The Featherwing Dress from Anthropologie is equally adorable and the bright berry color is right up my alley.

The Waterleaf Dress is a lovely shade of blue which would help make my blue eyes really stand out. However, the deep navy blue sash is my favorite addition to this dress.

I wish, wish, wish that JCrew would carry a couple of the dresses they offer online, in the store. This Lydia Cotton Candy Dress is exactly what I am looking for. Plus it is yellow, which in case you haven't already noticed is my favorite color. However, as my good friend Lindsay Avery pointed out, it would most likely be too long on my short legs and would need some alterations, which takes time, and unfortunately I do not have much of that left before Sunday.

I love Theory's Alisse Air Dress because it is a dress I think I could have in my closet for years and years, and would still be cute and stylish no matter what event I wore it to. But I think the colors wouldn't really stand out in pictures and I want something a little more fun.

Trovata's Florence Belted Sweater Dress is definitely more in line for what I was thinking would be perfect for the photos. I love the purple color and the green belt adds a touch of preppiness that I have been envisioning all along for our pictures. As an added bonus, the style of this dress is available in tons of stores and in various colors, so I don't have to spend a millions to look like a million bucks.

So what do you think? What are your favorites? Absolute No-No's? I still have a few days to lock in a look!

Gossip, Mafia, Runway...Scandalicious

Oh my, after the gym tonight I have some serious TV watching ahead of me. Gossip Girl, Project Runway and Cashmere Mafia. Lots of great clothes, fantastic people and New York scenery! Can't wait! Don't forget to set your Tivo's!

Just an update to my earlier post about the YSL black and gold dress I was lusting for after the pilot episode of Cashmere Mafia. I finally found a picture although it isn't full length, you can still appreciate the beauty of it.




Fabulous!

Wino Wednesday

The other night, Elon and I were trying to find the perfect wine to go with our balsamic salmon we were having for dinner. We both wanted either a Syrah or a Zinfandel, as we thought the flavor would really compliment the salmon. While looking in the Syrah section we found the J Lohr Valdiguie Wildflower. Elon loves the J Lohr Cab so we thought, why not?

Interesting, is the best way I can describe this wine. To us it seemed VERY young and very tart. Now I use tart loosely because it was still tasty, but not like anything I have experienced before. It says to serve the wine slightly chilled which could have been part of the problem as we served it at room temperature. It was fruity and a lovely shade of red with nice legs but to me it resembled a cross Pinot Noir and a Cabernet which was NOT the taste we were going for. The good thing is that it didn't over power our dinner, which could make it a good red for any dinner table.

I don't think I will purchase this wine again, but not because it was bad, it just was not my style. If anyone else has tried this I would love to hear your take!

Wedding Inspiration

The ever crafty, and oh so creative Darci over at With This Ring, had me smiling from cheek to cheek at the inspiration board she created for her cousin and maid-of-honor. You would have thought I had personally emailed Miss (soon to be Mrs) Darci and asked her to create one for me.

I love the use of colors (yellow & pink), the macaroons, the yellow shoes, and the vase of flowers with fruit (all ideas I have been thinking about for my own wedding). This little board of hers has me all excited for my upcoming nuptials and has me putting all my thoughts into action.

Head on over to her blog, for more fabulous wedding ideas! And if you have any great wedding ideas, please share!

Berry Good Blush

My mom and I are always on the hunt for the latest and greatest makeup options for our fair skin. Well, my mom is quite a fan of QVC, and was lucky enough to view the introduction to the Laura Geller Blush - N - Brighten in Berry. She picked up her phone, and ordered one for herself and one for my sister.

While I was in Seattle for the holidays, I tried it out and I must say that I am hooked! It gives your cheeks the most natural, pretty, pink glow to them, and the color lasts all day! I tried to "trick" my mom into letting me take it back to LA with me, but she also loves it and there was no way that was gonna happen. I rushed to my local Sephora and was saddened to hear that they didn't carry Laura Geller products in the store, but they were available online.

There are five different color options to fit any skin tone and trust me when I say, this is one product you won't want to leave home without.

Forever Frugal Friday

I am always very hesitant to buy cheap shoes because often times, I end up paying for it with a lot of pain. However, these Tropez Riding Boots are just too cute, and too perfect of a price to pass up. I have been on the hunt for affordable flat brown boots to wear with dresses and jeans, and I think these puppies fit the bill (literally) just right.


If you want something a little flashier for your Friday night, these Shelley Heel Pumps would looks so cute with a black dress and black tights or a tunic with black leggings. I love the crisscross straps and the touch of gold. I am not sure what the comfort level is, but the micro suede has to be more comfortable than leather I would imagine.

Whether you feel like riding up to the bar in the Tropez Boots or shimming around the dance floor in the Shelley Pumps, you'll look like a million bucks.

Perfectly Pink Pout

I have found it! Bobbi Brown's 'Pink Raspberry' Glitter Lip Gloss is the perfect pink lip gloss for spring and summer. It is much sheerer than it looks in the tube, but when applied to your lips is the perfect pink to draw attention to your pout.

Wino Wednesday

I promise this will be my last posting on champagne or sparkling wine for awhile. I got a little carried away with the celebrating, and ended up with one too many headaches. I have concluded it is time to go back to wine and beer and save the cheer for a little later.

I think I have finally found it! My favorite champagne! Moet & Chandon's
Nectar Imperial is incredible, and the bottle is sexy and distinguished just like a REAL champagne should be.

Elon and I wandered into the Torrance Bevmo since we had an hour to spare, and were ecstatic to see that they were hosting a champagne tasting for $10. I couldn't fork over the cash fast enough upon seeing the selections. They were all the real deal. I'm talking, real champagne from France. Not a sparkling wine in sight. The tasting included 8 champagnes and this was far and away the BEST one there.

Don't let the name fool you, while it is a sweeter champagne, it is not overly sweet and the flavor just kept going, and going... A fellow taster shouted an enthusiastic, "WOW" upon tasting and I couldn't have put it better myself. Tiny bubbles-check, pretty color-check, lively flavor-check, pretty bottle-check, a case in my house-on the to do list :)

Since it is REAL champagne it is on the pricier side, but well worth it. I want to introduce everyone I know to it because it is such a treat. I am almost 100% sure that this will be the bottle at our sweetheart table come May.

Go ahead, pick up a bottle to save at home for that unexpected celebration to come!

Paper, Plastic or Fashion?

That's right, the brown and plastic grocery store bags are SO last year. The new timeless trend, is bringing your own grocery bag to the store. I personally enjoy the Trader Joe's reusable bags (as an added bonus for being green, TJ's enters you in a drawing for $25 of free groceries just for bringing your own bag!), but really there are many other selections out there for you to choose from (Coco+Kelley loves Baggu).

I however, have my eye on a new bag, the Beau Soleil Beau Bag . Not only is it functional, but also fashionable (not often do these two go together!). Plus it clearly spells out how to become more "green" to those who perhaps have been living under a rock these past couple of years. Reduce, Renew, Recycle. It's just that simple, and this bag allows you to do all of the above, whilst being fashionable.

Done and Done.

Cashmere Mafia

Cashmere Mafia premiered yesterday on ABC, and I gotta say, I am already a fan! This show is a combination of Desperate Housewives, Sex and the City, and Gossip Girl. The characters are all likable, the clothes will make you green with envy, and the scenery of New York is beautiful....need I say more?

All of the women's wardrobes are AMAZING but my favorites so far are Mia (Lucy Liu), and Caitlin (Bonnie Somerville). ABC is has launched The Lookbook , where you can see exactly what the characters were wearing in each episode. The black and gold YSL dress that Mia wore to her engagement party (Episode 1) is going to be my new daily eye candy.

Cashmere Mafia begins airing at it's normal time slot this Wednesday the 9Th at 10:00 PM on ABC. I don't have Tivo/DVR and would normally be concerned about the conflict in time with Project Runway but luckily I get the EST feed at 7:00 PM so I am all clear.

Did any of you watch it and if so what do you think?

Forever Frugal Friday

I know it has been awhile, but this Quilted Duffle Bag was tote-ally worth the wait (I know awful pun!). I saw this bag in person at the Forever 21 store at Alderwood Mall in Seattle and instantly fell in love and had to have it. Unfortunately, it was the day after Christmas and the 25 people in line ahead of me persuaded Elon to promptly say, "Let's get the hell outta here, they have this store in LA". So, tomorrow this bag will be mine for weekend getaways or slumber parties.

Have a wonderful weekend, and if you have some where to go, get thee to your closest Forever 21 and get there in style with this bag!

Corky Items

Uh-oh...somehow I ended up on their mailing list again. The beautiful, dreamy Pottery Barn Catalog was waiting in my mailbox for me yesterday. Now this catalog has many, many, many items that I love, love, love (more on that later), but these fun, corky (quirky + cork = corky)items are number one on my list of items I want for my birthday and house.

Being a lover of wine and a saver of corks from my bottles, I can't think of a more fun/perfect item for my house. The Cork Candlepot is fern scented and monogrammable (perhaps with my new initials).

Equally great are the Cork Wine Accessories which can really dress up any bottle of wine.

I especially love how any of these items would make a great gift for a beach lover, naturalist, your boss, friend, wife, husband, really anybody! I am thinking I will pick some of these up for grooms gifts. Whatever the occasion, these will make your home little corkier, which is never a bad thing!

Wish Away....

Lollia's entire Wish collection might be my new favorite scent for 2008. I was introduced to this collection via my best friend Carrie at a cute little boutique in Plymouth (yes, the Plymouth the Pilgrims landed on). I was complaining about how dry my hands were and luckily for us,the store had many testers of all the Lollia products. As soon as I rubbed the lotion into my hands the love affair began.


Carrie said the scent reminded her of the beach, and I had to agree, but not in that suntan lotion sort of way...more like when you first step off the plane in Hawaii (deep breathe in). Not too sweet, not too floral and not like any other scent I have experienced before. Best of all, I have finally found a scent that Elon and I both adore. I purchased a bottle of the Eau de Parfum for my Mom at Anthropologie for $46 bucks and may just have to sneak back for another bottle... just for me!

Happy New Year!

source

I know I am a day late (recovering from the night before took a little longer than planned), but still yeah to 2008!

I am excited for 2008 for many reasons, but mostly because I am getting married!!! As always resolutions have been thought out and will be put into action starting today!!!

1) Eat more healthy and work out more often. I eat pretty healthy but there is definitely some room for improvement and lets be honest, the gym twice a week is helping but to look fab in my dress I need to do like Emeril and kick it up a notch!

2) Along with eating more healthy I also want to learn how to cook. I realized this past year just how much I enjoy it, and would love to learn more. So taking a cue from Jackie's Joy I plan to cook one new recipe a week. Whether it is from my new fabulous cookbook I got for Christmas or those wonderful recipe blogs out there (YKYFW).

3)Get organized! I love being organized and yet some how, some way manage to not be as organized as I would like to be, so no more excuses, I am just gonna do it! Plus it gives me a GREAT excuse to buy some goodies at The Container Store!

I hope all of your New Years were wonderful and stress free and that the year ahead brings lots of joy, luck and happiness!