Bon Voyage!!

I am off to Maui and thought I would leave you with some images to take you away from wherever you currently are and don't want to be...

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Frolicking in the waves....

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Lounging with friends...

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Celebrating life, love and friends....

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Relaxing, taking it all in and breathing....

See ya'll Monday!

XOXO,
YBB

Song Of The Week: Kokomo

I must warn you that I am in complete and utter vacation mode, even though I still have to work until Wednesday evening.

The upcoming nuptials of Erin & Steve have set me into a tropical frame of mind. And really...when it comes to tropical music, the first song I ever sing is Kokomo by The Beach Boys. The video is equally awesome as there is a guest appearance by none other than Uncle Jesse (whom we knew could sing with his band the Rippers to Aunt Becki), but play the congo drums with The Beach Boys too?! Throw in some bikini clad babes and sandy beach scenes and you my friends, are transported as far from your current location as possible.

I also love this song because it reminds of when Tom Cruise was normal and kind of cool AKA the movie Cocktail. That soundtrack was one of the first CD's I ever owned and I played it ALL THE TIME. So I suggest picking up the entire album at $7.99 and planning your tropical escape, even if only to your bathtub :)

Any other good summer/beach songs I am missing? Let me know so I can add them to the mix please!

Dreaming of Sandy Beaches....

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In my mind, I am already there laying out (with SPF 70 on)...Cheers to your dream destination this weekend!

Forever Frugal Friday

This past weekend I saw Confessions of a Shopaholic and I have to say that it was quite a fun film. Her clothes are incredible (duh Patricia Fields), NYC looked fabulous (I am dying to go back) and her shoes...don't even get me started. Below are some of my favorite looks from the film.

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I mean can you imagine walking out of Henri Bendel's with that many bags? I could only dream...and all that yellow goodness!!! Yes please!

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Not unlike SATC, this movie was all about the belts. Cinching in the ever tiny Isla to look even tinier (if that is even possible?). I loved the plaid cape and the bright cobalt blue!

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This purple dress had me swooning in my seat. Could this dress be more perfect?

*sigh*

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This scene might have caused me to shriek and hold my breath for just a moment. The thought of being surrounded by that many fabulous shoes...O.M.G...

So this movie got me thinking...Miss Rebecca Bloomwood was in great financial debt because she couldn't say no, or resist the urge to shop, shop, shop. Her whole justification for why she shops (the smell, the feel, the satisfaction), I'm sure rings true for many women out there. Which is why, Forever Frugal Friday is so important to me. We should all be able to enjoy nice new things, without causing a major financial downfall for ourselves. So...

I encourage you all to be your own "Girl in the Green Scarf" and make some fantastic fashion decisions (wearing your own green scarf) and feel marvelous about your purchases!

Nifty Knockoffs - Sandal Style

These Cynthia Vincent Cree Sandals are sure to add a pop to any outfit you sport them with. However...if the turquoise is a bit loud for you (not to mention the price tag of $200) why not settle for these....

Wanted Frenge sandals instead? Equally fabulous, a little more subdued and at $35, a fraction of the cost.

My Two Best Friends...(For Now)

These two items are my staples for the next few days until I am feeling 100%. I am luckily not one to get sick very often, and wouldn't you just know that the week before I am scheduled to leave for Hawaii, I would wake up with a sore throat? I ran to my local Pavilion's and picked up the Tylenol Severe Cold Liquid (A DREAM!) and chased it down with my Naked Well Being Smoothie. Here's hoping my "cocktail" cures all!

PS ~ If you have a remedy I should try, please feel free to share it with me :)

Snack Attack

I totally get the munchies at work and have a snack drawer that needs to be replenished weekly, otherwise someone gets a little cranky (me). Last week while shopping at Gelson's (my super convenient, but pricey grocery store) at lunch, I was happy to see that the nuts above were on sale for $2.99 for 8 ounces. I threw them in my basket and headed back to work.

Upon closer examination at my desk, I realized that the container had 8 separate marks showing 1 ounce serving sizes. So know you no longer need to guess if your handful of nuts is accurate to the serving size, you can just shake to your desired quantity. Added bonus...this snack is healthy and tasty, tasty. You can pick up the Blue Diamond Sea Salt Almonds just about anywhere, but if you like to buy in bulk, Amazon.com has them priced pretty great.

Happy Snacking!

Musical Tuesday

If you need some good music to relieve the Tuesday back to work blues and live in LA, come check out Paul Freeman playing tonight at Dakota Lounge at 9:15 PM. His voice is amazing and is sure to send you happily home and ready to take on Wednesday!

Song Of The Week: Comfortable

Lil Wayne - Comfortable
Uploaded by PaquiTo-06_BrOwN_

(Sorry the video isn't too exciting, but at least you can enjoy the song)

Okay, I must confess that I am kind of obsessed with Lil Wayne. It might be because he is pretty much featured in every song on the radio right now. He has great beats, I love that he giggles in his rhymes and he might wear the tiniest skinny jeans you have ever seen. His collaboration with Babyface in Comfortable has been my fave lately. Babyface's smooth melodies makes me reminisce about the days of old 90210 when David Silver was playing keyboard at the summer concert series and sleeps with Ariel and Donna catches them....oh the good old days.

Happy Valentine's Day Weekend!

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If you have a chance check out this great video of affection at Sweet Nothings, if you don't finish with a smile then you should watch it again!

Here's hoping ya'll have a fantastic three day weekend full of love, friends and fun!

xoxo

Forever Frugal Firday: Ooh La La Edition

I don't care if anyone is going to see what you have on underneath your clothes, but sometimes it is just fun to wear some sexy lingerie. Makes you feel a little more frisky and there is nothing wrong with that. This combo of the Shimmer Satin Bra and panty is guaranteed to make you feel like a sexy pin up underneath it all.

I'll Bumble for You...

I was blessed with naturally blond hair that I have been lucky enough to never have to color (yet). However, with that naturally blond hair comes the naturally, super-duper fine hair that lays limp and lifeless. Round brushing and hairspray help out but I am pleased to share that Bumble & Bumble products seem to really get the job done. I have tried many different thickening/volume products with no luck. But these products below, always get the job done!

The thickening shampoo is by far my favorite shampoo out there. It is a staple in my shower and travel pack.

Some things are better in pairs and I couldn't agree more about the thickening conditioner. A little goes a LONG way in my hair. I usually just buy the travel size and it lasts about 3-4 months. It leaves no film or grease, just soft, shiny hair behind instead.

I do not use the thickening spray as often as I should, but when I do..Va-Va-Voom. Towel dry you hair just out of the shower, spritz some in at your roots and you are just a blow dry away from volume.

I use a lot of heat on my hair between the hair dryer, curling iron and straightener and the ends sometimes look a little dry. A little (seriously like the size of a pea) in between my hands and then applied just to the ends has my hair looking brand new again and smooth as silk (plus it smells good)!

My latest obsession however has got to be the Spray de Mode. This fine mist hairspray is perfect for spraying your bangs or prepping your back comb (AKA teasing). I also like to use it on Saturday mornings when I run errands and don't want product buildup for the night out.

Those are my goodies that I can't live without. Bumble & Bumble may be on the pricier side, but their products are sure to not disappoint.

Dandy Dress Deals

I am loving what ShopBop has got to offer in sale dresses lately!

This Tibi Daisy V-Neck Dress is a lovely hue of lavender and would be perfect for the spring days that are just ahead and is just $100.50! You could wear this for a wedding shower, a wedding, a date, brunch with the girls at the Beverly Hotel...the possibilities are endless really!

Brights not your thing? The Abaete Abigail Dress is gorgeous and one that you can keep in your closet for years to come. I first became a fan of Abaete's styles when I saw Rachel Bilson sporting a dress by them. Since then I have kept them in my radar (and wish list as they are a bit on the pricier side). The best part about the dress besides the glamorous belt…the not so glamorous price of $139.50.

Seen It: He's Just Not That Into You

I saw HJNTIY this weekend and LOVED it. It was very humorous; cringe-worthy at times and also had some sad moments that made it very realistic. Ginnifer Goodwin is adorable as Gigi, the lovable but overly enthusiastic (to put it nicely) girl looking for love. She was so cute, but most of the time I was cringing (like covering my face and looking away from the screen in embarrassment) was because of the silly stereotypical “girl” things she would say or do throughout the film. The rest of the characters all weaved in and out of her storyline and had their own issues to deal with.

I have to mention that I have never particularly found Justin Long attractive or had a love for him, but after seeing this flick he has definitely advanced on the list. This movie would be good to see with your girlfriends, husband, or mom. New boyfriend? Skip it and see a different one instead – you’ll thank me later!

Did any of you see it? What did you think?

Dream V-Day Outfit Contest

I received an email from Jackie encouraging me to share this fun little contest with all you YBB readers. Well any contest that allows me to create a dream outfit, and then a chance to actually win it, is a good contest! So, I have created my own ModCloth V-Day Wishlist centered around the dress above and Paris (my dream romantic city right now). I apologize for the short notice, but the winner will be chosen on the 12th or 13th so get going! Click here to get started.

Best of luck to everyone!

Song Of The Week: 1, 2, 3, 4

In honor of Valentine's Day, I present to you an adorably sweet and very easy listening song called 1, 2, 3, 4 (not to be confused with the Feist song equally awesome) by Plain White T's. Cute, catchy and fun to sing along with. Plus I think the video is extra cute as well. So whether you are saying I love you to your husband, wife, gf, bf, bff, mom, dad, dog, cat...just say it!

Birthday Weekend - YAHOO!

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I am a very lucky girl, as this week (and weekend ahead) has proven that I can (if only for this week) have my cake and eat it too! I have been spoiled with fabulous gifts, wonderful words, delish dinners and a night out on the town tomorrow. Thank you to all for birthday wishes! I feel truly blessed!

If you were looking for a reason to go out and party hardy...you can use my birthday as an excuse (j/k!). Here's hoping ya'll have an incredibly amazing weekend surrounded by friends and loved ones!

XOXO

Forever Frugal Friday: Office to Drinks with the Girls

Here's an outfit for your that cost only $35.40 (plus some heels and a blazer that you already own), that takes you straight from the office to the bar, for drinks with the ladies.

The Jolene Tulip Skirt is a simple black skirt with a little more pizazz to it and sure to flatter all body types. Pair it with the simple Ribbed Macramé Trim Tank and Painted Beads Necklace and you have an outfit that you won't disappoint. Plus all three pieces can be mixed and matched with items you already have hanging in your closet. In hard economic times like these, making whats old, new again is key and simple to do with the right pieces.

Cheers!

Instant Radiance = Instant Disappointment

I celebrated my 29th birthday this week (OUCH), and have been on a mission for the last few months to find the perfect product that will make my skin glowy and dewey like the days when I was 25.

I stepped into Sephora with an open mind and a pocket full of change. The thing I love about Sephora is that the employees are so helpful! If you need a sample they will gladly make one for you. In this visit, the Kinerase representative was in the store, and let me just say that she had the most flawless skin I had ever seen. Basically, I was ready to buy whatever she was selling. I described my search and she suggested the Kinerase Instant Radiance Facial Peel. For $80, I got a 3 month supply that was guaranteed to give me glowing results. The rep even went as far to say that if I didn't see results in three days to return the product to Sephora.

You can imagine my excitement to try this product out. So I began the five day treatment and was less then pleased with the results. Now, I am not one to quit without giving a product a fair chance, so I tried peel again in January and had my co-worker give me her honest opinion everyday. Again, nothing...so I took the Kinerase Instant Radiance Facial Peel back to Sephora ready to plead my case. Turns out wasn't necessary at all, as they gladly took it back and offered me store credit.

My ultimate verdict is to skip it. For $80 you can get a facial and probably achieve results that you are looking for and have a nice pamper session as well.

So the search continues....

Cynthia Vincent 12th Street Resort ’09 Collection

With my ticket purchased and my vacation request in at work, now comes the fun part (besides the actual vacation)…packing! I will be heading to Maui for what is sure to be an amazing wedding.

A few weeks ago, I was browsing the cute boutiques in Manhattan Beach with Cassie when we stumbled upon the amazing Strapless Long Dress with Jute by Cynthia Vincent dress below. We both fell in love instantly and as I continued to browse the store, realized that it was as if Cynthia Vincent heard a rumor I was heading to Hawaii and designed an entire collection that would fit my every Hawaiian need or desire. It is not very often that I find myself LOVING a designer’s entire collection, but Cynthia got the job done and done. My favorite pieces are below, and with any hope will go down a bit (a lot actually) before I board that jet.

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I love the simplicity of this collection. She chose a fantastic color palette and then jazzed up the dresses with the details. Dainty ribbon accents, twisted rope details and a pretty little belt to accentuate the waist.

The prints in this collection are glamorous and not to be confused with the likes of a typical Hawaiian print. The yellow dress has cute little fishes as the print and both of the black dresses would look hot in Hawaii or anywhere else you might need a little tropical love.

I must say, that when I heard Neon's were coming back, I got a bit nervous remembering my favorite kulats and hyper color t-shirts. However, the neon's this time are around are done right. Flirty, sassy and sexy and you are sure not to blend in with the crowd.

Now, if I can only find a way to make all these items mine……

Song Of The Week: Poker Face

Lady Gaga - New Music - More Music Videos

Trust me when I say, that every girl should own (if they don't already) the Lady Gaga CD. It is such a fun, rockin', exciting CD. Lots of dance music, a few slow (but catchy) tunes, and fantastic workout music.

My current fave is Poker Face, the beginning might throw you off at first but as soon as she gets to the chorus you are hooked. I currently have this song on repeat as it is just too hard to not be pumped or jazzed when this song is on (preferably at a high volume). Lady Gaga kind of fascinates me. Expect her to be around for while longer. If you are tired of listening to Just Dance, try out Poker Face or Summerboy or The Fame (currently heard on the ANTM promos). You will not be disappointed!