the Brunette edit

Makeup Monday...Bite Lip Gloss

2012-09-25T05:48:00.001-07:00

Every once in a while, I come across a new makeup product that puts all my other products to shame. And while I am head over heels with this new product, it makes me wonder, "why has it taken so long for someone to invent this"...these are my feelings exactly in regards to Bite's Lip Laquer available at Sephora.

While lipstick is fabulous in that the color choices are extreme, I find it lacks moisture and the color never lasts. I purchased my first Bite Lip Gloss in Cienna- Hot Pink and was amazed at the richness of the color, the duration of its stay on my lips and finally, the high shine of the gloss without the necessary sticky feeling. I give this gloss two thumbs up/ 5 stars/ and plan on expanding my collection- up next- Bright Red Pink!

What I Love Wednesday...Vaca's, Sun, Jamaica, Turquoise Waters....

2012-09-12T05:03:00.001-07:00

Thanks to a Junior League Auction at this past years Winter Ball held at The Pierre, my boyfriend and I won (for a very undervalued price) a 5 night vacation at the Half Moon Rock Resort in Montego Bay, Jamaica. I have been dying to go to Jamaica for a while, having never been and for some reason my boyfriend was adamant about us not going....but the price was right and we booked our trip for labor day.

Ive been to several exotic beach locations and must say, Jamaica's waters may be the most beautiful of all.

view driving from the hotel to the property (only about 20 minutes, but not an accurate preview of what the hotel has in store)

Below:
The lobby in all its glory- and the will that Jackie Kennedy wrote on Half Moon Rock Stationary

The boy standing in front of our humble abode for the week- (upper right)- we had a "Hibiscus Suite" which overlooked the ocean

Yours truly staring out into the water- beautiful.!

Trend through Tuesday

2012-09-11T14:29:00.002-07:00

Neiman Marcus has been my one stop shop for over a decade now...thanks to my best friend in high school I discovered at an early age (14) that I would give up almost anything to own a Chanel of my own. Since Stanford Mall did not have a Chanel boutique (I wonder if they do now?) Neiman Marcus was where I wandered to examine the seasons latest and oogle over lambskin or caviar.

Recently Neiman's has been releasing a Trend List of its own each season and I must say I am quite impressed- for todays post I am going to choose my top pick- the item I HAVE to HAVE for each trend

Digital Prints | Mqueen. Must I say more. so yummmm for fall/winter just add sheer tights & Booties!
Mixed Greens | Malachite makes my heart melt. enough said.
Borrowed from the Boys | I am not really into the "boy" look considering I love frills and boys and cupcakes...BUT these fur lined boots I could totally rock
The Jacket | I have 3 of these Nanette Jackets and never stop getting compliments on them. Peplum perfection
The Leather Leg | Ive been tempted by leather pants for years now. I think this year I am finally going to pull the trigger
The Smoking Slipper | Leopar and brass. Obvs my first pick
Navy: The New Neutral | I absolutely die for black and navy though most people find it repulsive. This bag is a softer shade of navy and an absolute MUST have.
The Statement Handbag | Im offended this was not in the Neiman Marcus round up- I had to find it mysel fon their site. I dont care if its last season. This bag IS the ultimate statement bag.
Brooches | lets be honest. brooches are kind of not my generation, so lets stay classic. Gold. Pearls. So chanel

Makeup Monday...The Wrap Up

2012-09-10T17:19:00.003-07:00

I have been awful these past few months- blogging. Non existent. But with the start of a new school year, and fashion week in full force, I am finally feeling re-inspired, re-juvenated and re-committed. My goal- 5 posts a week, but I am starting off strong this week...

to get us back on schedule here is the schedule for the week:

Make-up Monday | featuring Sarah Potempa's Wrap Up
Trend through Tuesday | with the latest fashions for fall
What I Love Wednesday |a quick recap on my recent labor day Vaca!
Textile Thursday | with a spotlight on Hermes
Furnished Friday | still in search for the perfect addition to my foyeur
Style Saturday | how to combine warmth and layers without losing your look or your body shape!
City Sunday | spotlight on Soul

so back to todays post. The Wrap Up...its not a new invention...pretty sure I may have used a similar one but made of plastic in my ballet days.... BUT Sarah's makes the process that much easier and that much more effective- I am convinced her felt lined device adds extra oomph to the top knot. Never has a top knot looked so good. and did I mention its so easy.

the official "instructions"

Purchase your wrap up!

Makeup Monday...Argan Oil

2012-07-16T05:54:00.000-07:00

So I totally have an obsession with beauty products, like many of you ladies out there and while I don't really trust Groupon for beauty advice, I was piqued when they were selling Argan Oil for a serious discount.

To be precise the advertisement stated the following:

Overview:

Pura D'or Pure and Organic oil rehabilitated the condition and appearance of hair, skin, and nails without a drop of chemical additives. The natural substance imbues hair with more moisture and shine than a polished stick of butter, softening the skin and helping to reduce the appearance of wrinkles, stretch marks, and scars. The healing and nourishing substance has also been used to alleviate the symptoms of eczema and psoriasis. Pura Dor Pure and Organic argan oil is imported via carrier dolphins from southwestern Morocco.

Intrigued by this 100% natural oil I went ahead and purchased 1 bottle and began using immediately. I was pleased that while an oil, once on my skin the product did not feel "oily". After 3 days of use I noticed my always dry cuticles were more nourished than ever and also noticed that the ashiness I had been experiencing with this summer weather was no longer noticeable.

I give this product a 10. Although much more expensive than a bottle of lotion (4 oz cost $25 with this groupon deal but typically it runs for $48/ bottle) Pura D'or Pure & Organic Argan Oil (4 fl. oz.) it seems to be more effective.

Has anyone else made the switch to Argan Pi

Wild for on Wednesday...Have to Have

2012-07-11T09:09:00.003-07:00

so I am going to go out on a limb and assume all of you have heard of Pinterest and more importantly have used Pinterest. Pinterest point blank is pretty fab. BUT, as much as I love Pinterest, I find it has not been so efficient when it comes to shopping. It is great for coming up with outfit ideas, but as far as making purchases....just not doing it for me.

Last week when I was in the Hamptons I had the pleasure of meeting Carla Holtze, the fabulous co-founder of Have to Have. Where have you been all my life Carla and furthermore, Have to Have, how have you gone under my radar for SO long???

Wow. This website is mind blowing. Its goal summarized briefly is to steam line online perusing, saving you money in the process. Similar to pinterest you save items you want into your folder, and even better, the site contacts you when that item goes on sale (similar to the Shopbop wishlist which I am obsessed with, except this reaches any online retailer you may choose to peruse). GENIUS.

GO CHECK IT OUT NOW.

Trend Tuesday....Light & Airy Dresses

2012-07-03T07:02:00.002-07:00

This past weekend I attended a charity event in the Hamptons and realized right as the driver was arriving to pick us up that I had packed all the wrong types of dresses (my leopard print mini was vetoed by all the boys in the house who said wearing animal print to the Nature Conservancy was taboo). What I really needed was a "light and airy" dress that looks absolutely dashing with wedges, since you know, must summer events are outside on the lawn, and heels just help aerate the lawn while making it impossible to walk.

These dresses are perfect for the hot summer months and simultaneously conservative enough to wear to more formal events. They key is to pick a dress that resembles a tunic/ caftan, then adds some fun jewelry, nude wedges, a clutch and you are set for the night.

Diane Von Furstenberg

Charlie Jade

Twelth St #1

Twelth St. High #2

Furnished Friday...what a roll or two can do.

2012-06-29T08:57:00.001-07:00

My bathroom is teeny tiny, so tiny that I cant even get a good angle of a before and after shot, but here is my attempt.

This little apartment of mine has been quite an experiment. Using what I am learning in school, reading online, in trade publications, talking to friends in the industry to figure out how to best utilize my teeny space to make a beautiful home.

As the rest of my apartment is finishing up, I realized what drove me most nuts was that my bathroom looked like a total rental. See below:

BORING

So I finally decided to do something about it. I have been obsessed with the Scalamandre Zebra print forever- I mean pinterest is full of bathrooms papered in the red, green, brown patterns and they all look amazing- the Kate Spade store as well as the Barney's Mens dressing rooms in NYC are covered with it as well. So without trying to be too original, I went ahead and purchased 2 rolls from Decorators Best. I forgot that the repeat is rather large meaning there would be a lot of waste, but the 2 rolls managed to cover exactly what I needed covered (I only ha about 4ft by 10ft of wall-space to cover). Here is what it looks like now. It makes me so happy, I think I could even live in my bathroom among those zebras.

Makeup Monday....Thickening Hair Products

2012-06-25T07:31:00.002-07:00

I am convinced that I was meant to live in the 70's when teased hair was all the rage. I am a big fan of the tease as evidenced by the millions of teasing comes that can be found about anywhere in my apartment. If I didn't have thin hair this probably wouldn't be an issue, but alas I do and therefore am forced to find ways to compensate.

About two years ago I discovered extensions (Great Lengths) which solved the problem but not completely. Recently several amazing products have come out which really help girls with "thin hair" problems like myself.

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One- When I worked at Wilhelmina (no, I am not a model- in the legal department) the models would rave about Viviscal, which is basically a daily supplement to be taken morning and evening. I have yet to use it although I have bought it ( I started using it but kept forgetting to take the pills - big whoops). I will report back once I learn how to be more responsible about taking pills.

Two-I use this thickening serum daily. I know it has made my scalp healthier, which in turn should make my hair healthier.

Three- this is my miracle product. I just spray it in before I blow dry my hair and its amazing what it does. Sometimes I feel like my hair is too thick. Trust me on this one.

Four- My very handy ace teasing come. You can purchase it at any drugstore, which I do rather frequently. Creates the perfect tease, no hairspray required although I do recommend some- Five.

Furnished Friday...Bar Carts

2012-06-22T11:38:00.001-07:00

So I am finally finishing up my apartment and realized I desperately needed a vintage brass bar cart. While perusing ebay.com I found this winner for $79 and then realized I could purchase it off amazon.com and not have to pay for shipping! I was a little skeptical of how it would look but surprisingly, the bar cart does not look like a $79 item. I would not suggest wheeling it around though....

Brass Bar Cart

Here are some other vintage brass bar carts that I wish I could have, if only I did not live in a studio alcove and if only it was appropriate to have a bar cart in every room.....

via ebay- just search brass bar cart!

Wild for on Wednesday....This Shoe

2012-06-20T09:24:00.000-07:00

I wake up every morning and have a ritual. Coffee then Bloglovin then bar method. Most of the time the blogs I read dont really provide me with inspiration on what to post on this blog, but today was different. Mrs Lilien's blog is absolutely amazing, she is a graphics genius in addition to her many other talents and today she included the shoe below in her orange crush roundup.

For those of you who may not have picked up on it yet- I am 100% obsessed with animal prints, and no- I am not from New Jersey. I must have this shoe. I dont know if I will ever wear it or what I will even wear it with, but the orange/turquoise/leopard combo is killer. Actually- its wild, and I am wild for it.

absolutely wild for...

Trend Tuesday...Off Shoulder

2012-06-19T09:16:00.000-07:00

I am a total fan of the "off shoulder" look. Its revealing...but only revealing enough, plus the collarbone is such a feminine part of the body and definitely worth revealing. The "off shoulder" shirt can be easily paired with a pair of jeans or a maxi skirt making it super versatile. Apparently, the people over at Essie agree because they named this yummy pink color "Off the Shoulder"...

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Makeup Monday....Moisturizer

2012-06-18T07:54:00.002-07:00

Living in New York City, the drastic season changes do not agree with my skin. Whether its winter or summer, I find myself in constant need of a super moisturizing moisturizer. Now that it's summer and bare legs are visibile to all- there is no where to hide that ashy skin....I have searched high and low, and here are my top finds:


Bliss \| Body Butter Aloe Vera Aveda \| Replenishing Kiss My Face \| Peaches & Cream

Furnished Friday...Neocon & the Merch Mart

2012-06-15T08:29:00.001-07:00

I recently came to the realization that becoming a lawyer was my fathers dream for me and made a tough decision to pursue my passion instead, enrolling in interior design school. The design industry is incredibly competitive and I have also learned very tight knit (everyone knows each other!)- it is a great industry and I am so excited to be a part of it soon, but I know its going to take a lot of hard work to make a name for myself- but it is a challenge I am willing to embrace. Besides being truly blessed to have had so much support from my family and friends, the boy and his family have been active in the industry themselves for the last four decades, making the transition that much easier for myself.

My boyfriend attends Neocon every year for his own company and on behalf of his dad's company and I have had the pleasure of accompanying him as well. This year I chose to fly in on Tuesday night (missing the first two days of the convention) but did not miss the opportunity to hear Ian Schrager speak. We spent the morning walking around the extensive Merchandise Mart, which consisted of me swooning over the textiles on display. I am 100% smitten with Romo and thoroughly enjoyed their showroom, but I also discovered a new (to me) line, that I cant believe has flown below my radar for so long- Elitis. I am a total lover of dramatic wall effects- such as painting walls a dark color, or covering them with rich, textured wallpaper and both Romo and Elitis have plenty of wallpapers for me to choose from.

SCHUMACHER | The Schumacher Display Window- I love chinoiserie, I absolutely do, and would love to do a chinoiserie room or home for a future client, but it is totally not my style. I will admit it is 100% beautiful and i just love how the patterns mix and match beautifully.

ROMO | This fabric is so me. Neutral greys+ animal print+ luxurious fabric (velvet) I would love to upholster a headboard in this grey fabric- a really dramatic oversized headboard, and then make accent pillows out of the lighter fabric. AMAZE

ELITIS | How amazing is this textured wallpaper- In my future home I plan on using this in the office - the boy would totally appreciate it, its so masculine and sexy.

ELITIS- animal print. I just love it. This cognac colored Big Croco wallpaper was a million times better in person, although this photograph does a pretty good job of capturing its fabulousness. I'd love to wallpaper a guest bedroom in my miami home in this fabric and then contrast it with white leather furniture and really clean white linens with khaki embroidery.

ROMO- another fabulous Romo print but totally different from the first one I showed. I am thinking I need to buy myself a home in the Hamptons to fully make justice of these prints. Any takers?

ELITIS | so I am definitely not a mother yet, actually very far from it, but I am already designing my future girls bedrooms. I love pink- its my favorite color, but I now how fickle little girls can be and how fast they grow up, so I dont want to create a super girly/young room- I definitely want to create a girly room, but one they can grow with and this poppy wallpaper is a great option.

a not so great image of Ian Schrager speaking...

Travel Thursday....Chicago, IL

2012-06-14T12:17:00.000-07:00

So while Chicago may not be exactly the sexiest or most exotic location, the boy and I visit often (monthly about) as his family is still in Chicago and it is probably the easiest two hour flight (thank you Southwest for providing service from LGA to Midway!). Since I sometimes feel like I split my life between Chicago and NYC, I think this architecturally fabulous city deserves its own post.

While the boy has been out here since Saturday, I flew in Tuesday night so as to catch the last day of Neocon (click on the link to discover what Neocon is- and wait until tomorrow for some updates on what I saw at Neocon!).

In the last three years of visiting Chicago religiously I have compiled a list of to do's, to see's, and to stay's for friends and family visiting the windy city. This list is by no means comprehensive but is definitely a starting point and has enough to keep you busy for a long weekend.

I had the pleasure of hearing Ian Schrager speak yesterday at Neocon. It was all very appropriate especially considering he just opened his first Chicago Hotel- the Public, photographed above. The Public Hotel also houses The Pump room, the sexy and always lively bar, a great place to check out even if you choose not to stay at the hotel. Although, what I find most interesting is Schrager's public statement that he plans on keeping rates at the hotel affordable- around $200.

Chicago's food scene seems to be ever expanding and while I am always open to trying new spots, some of my favorites are so delicious and can be found no where so I highly suggest you dont skip out on them. Yolk is this great, inexpensive brunch spot that is always crowded unfortunately. If you go early or just drop by to put your name in, its not as painful. My absolute, most favorite restaurant in Chicago, RL does take reservations (Thank you opentable.com), just make sure to book them WAY in advance. RL is the ONLY Ralph Lauren restaurant and staying true to the RL mantra, it will not leave you disappointed. The decor is exactly what you would expect - it mimics the wood panelling and buttery leathers you find at any RL store. The food manages to surpass the decor and I dont even know how that is possible because I give the decor a 10 (insider tip: lobster bisque, dover sole, steak salad). For dinner Table 52 is quite the little romantic spot. As the story goes, Oprah cut some deal with her chef basically stating that if he stayed with her for a certain number of years, she would help him open his own restaurant. Table 52 is quaint and the food is delicate and delicious.

The best time to visit Chicago is by far in the summer. While the temperature heats up there is always a cool breeze. The city is architecturally divine and the river cruise is the best way to really see the architecture and learn the stories behind the buildings. The city is very walkable but from personal experience I only suggest doing one museum a day- all of the museums are enormous and have so much to see, its simply too exhausting to try to jam it all in one day.
Photos courtesy of http://www.citypass.com & http://www.panoramio.com/photo/66068

Wild for on Wednesday...Teux Deux

2012-06-13T14:11:00.000-07:00

I am pretty sure I have mentioned more times than I have posted that I am terribly OCD. Last week I posted about two new discoveries that have made my life more efficient and today I am going to highlight yet another discovery, an additional app for $2.99 that has totally changed my world- Teuxdeux.com.

Teux Deux as described on the site is " is a simple, designy to-do app... If you like making to-do lists, you will love TeuxDeux. The idea was to build a bare-bones, but visually compelling and highly usable to-do app: Use the free browser-based TeuxDeux at work/home and then take your to-dos on the road with the iPhone app."

Below I have screen shotted what the Teux Deux checklist looks like on my computer- it has a very similar interface on the iphone app and is equally easy to use on your iphone as at your computer- genius! When I am at my computer I keep my Teux Deux list open in a new tab next to my gmail- there is even a really nifty column for "Someday" which as you can see below is filled with restaurants in NYC I am looking to check out soon.

The app is $2.99 and worth EVERY PENNY. Unfortunately, for those of you who may not be iphone users yet - this app may not be suited for you, but you can still create an account!

PS. How cute is the name - To DO but in french. I love.

Trend Tuesday...Arm Party

2012-06-12T13:24:00.000-07:00

So yesterday in reviewing the 10594854 blogs I read daily, I paused and actually commented on A Piece of Toast's blog post. The ladies most definitely nailed it, picking out some of the best dainty gold bracelets, but they were missing one designer that I am absolutely obsessing over these days- Jennifer Fisher.

Ive been a big fan of layering multiple bracelets ( I wear my Love Bracelet, Alhambra bracelet, and two Jennifer Fisher bracelets religiously) and then add additional bracelets as my mood depends on it- sometimes my AU shovel bracelet, and sometimes my FK wraps. Jennifer Fisher has been making some pretty stunning pieces for a while, but I have been noticing she has been getting a lot of press recently, and well deserved too.

1. Evil Eye

2. Hamsa

3. Peak Cuff

4. Letter Bracelet

5. Skull Bracelet

City Sunday... Gramercy Park

2012-06-10T07:34:00.000-07:00

The old saying goes "the grass is greener on the other side" and that probably explains best, why after a year of living in the coveted neighborhood of Gramercy Park, I have yet to step foot inside the park.

As Wikipedia explains: "The approximately 2 acre (0.8 hectare) park is one of only two private parks in New York City; only people residing around the park who pay an annual fee have a key,[8] and the public is not generally allowed in." (FYI- I do not have to pay a fee, any building that sits along the park is granted 2 sets of keys, for residence seeking their own set, they pay an annual $350 fee.)

When I found my apartment listed on Craiglist, I knew I absolutely had to have it. I imagined many a day where I would spend the afternoon leisurly reading on my kindle or perhaps playing with my puppy on the lush manicured lawns, but as soon as I moved in I quickly learned dogs are not allowed inside the park. And, while I could of course still read inside the park, I have not. It's basically the age old concept that now that I have free acceess to the park, it no longer interests me. Plus- the view from outside the gates isn't so bad.

Anyway, for those of you visiting NYC- I highly suggest you stay at the Gramercy Park Hotel, across the street from me and alongside the park. As a guest of the GPH you not only have access to my favorite bar- the Rose Bar (insider tip- Lychee Rose Martini), my favorite Italian Restaurant- Maialino (insider tip - Suckling Pig) , but you also have unlimited access to the park, perhaps the most coveted perk.

Image Credit

Style Saturday...Colored Denim

2012-06-09T08:36:00.002-07:00

I most certainly like to dress well and fashionably, but I also don't love drawing attention to myself by what I am wearing- so it took me a little while to warm up to this colored denim trend. Obviously when I finally convinced myself to buy a pair, I opted for the most eye catching color- red.

I absolutely love the pair I bought made by Current Elliot (yet another shopbop success!)- an additional perk- Current Elliot is all about the vanity sizing, so I ended up buying a pair one size smaller than what I usually wear, who doesn't love that?

Anyway- in my personal opinion, the bright color of the pants needs to be the focus of the outfit so I am a bit disturbed when people pair colored denim with bright catchy prints - I am sure there is a way of doing it well, I just dont think the majority of us know how to pull it off, so I prefer to stick to the basics.

While white and black tops are obviously very easy to match with anything, I have pulled several white and black tops that are by no means boring. I am currently obsessing with Helmet Lang - the brand never ceases to surprise me with their ability to create beautiful and well fitted pieces that are unique yet still a "staple" for ones closet.

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What I love Wednesday...Doxie + Deja Vu

2012-06-06T10:13:00.000-07:00

As many of us bloggers are - I too am a huge hoarder of magazines and even worse- a huge hoarder of all the pages I rip out of magazines that I find inspirational. I have been doing this for about 3 years now and since I subscribe to too many magazines you can just imagine the stacks of "rip outs" that I have accumulated.

Additionally, being the OCD person I am, I like to be perfectly organized and thus my apple computer is my best friend. It therefore naturally follows that I like everything to be stored on my computer (not on the hardrive but in a cloud- Dropbox is my preferred cloud application in case you are wondering!)- including all types of documents I receive in the mail (a paperless world is my dream).

While I once tried scanning everything with my printer- my scanner was too slow and the process was too painful, and so the search began for a more efficient way of storing all the papers I had accumulated.

After intense research and even some wasted money on useless equipment (shame on you Brookstone- your handheld scanner was the least user friendly piece of technology of the decade) I have finally figured it out- the solution is simple- DOXIE.

I purchased the "cheaper" version for $149 from Amazon.com without realizing that if you purchase directly from Doxie.com students receive a $30 discount.

Buy me here and your world will change

Regardless- I could not be happier. It took about 5 minutes to set up my Doxie and once I accomplished this easy task,I began to scan away. Each scan takes only a few seconds and the quality is perfect. Doxie has even partnered with various cloud apps such as googledocs and CloudApp making it even easier to ensure that all scanned items are stored safely.

While Doxie is great for 8 by 11 sized documents and can even scan smaller items such as business cards, I found this great app - Deja Vu to download for my iphone that allows me to snap a picture, organize it by writing a quick memo, and then storing it. So far I have found this incredibly useful for all the business cards I had accumulated, for snapping nail polishes (so that I can remember which colors I like!) and for snapping pics of items I like :)

I am feeling very accomplished and organized these days....and very open to hearing input on other items app to continue my quest for a paperless and organized world.

Trend Tuesday...Maxi Dresses

2012-06-05T07:27:00.000-07:00

You know the saying..."Great Minds think alike" well it really holds true, considering that my best friend Kayln just recently featured Maxi's on her blog. I meant to post this weeks ago but somehow failed to do so, it all turned out for the best, because some of these fab dresses have gone on sale since then!

My favorite part of summer, besides the weather, is probably the ease in getting dressed, and maxis are my #1 staple. They are so effortless and yet make one look so composed. I am a big fan of wearing them with strappy metallic sandals during the day and then punching it up a notch with either a wedge or my beloved YSL Tribute sandal for the evening.

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and I just spotted this darling magenta maxi this morning- it definitely deserves a mention- its available on pre-order at Intermix. Sure the style is simple, but the color is amazing and the fit incredibly flattering- I would add some turquoise jewelry to really make it pop.

Jay Godfrey

Makeup Monday...Cuticle Cream

2012-06-04T17:41:00.003-07:00

Ive been a longtime fan of Aveda products (I am particularly obsessed with their hand cream (called hand relief- its non greasy and incredibly moisturizing- the only hand cream that gets me through NYC winters. I keep the 1.4 ouncer in every single handbag I own) but somehow failed to register that they also make an amazing cuticle cream.

Despite weekly mani's being an absolute "must-do" my cuticles seem to get dry regardless. I have quite possibly tried every cuticle oil/cream out there and had yet to be satisfied until last week, when I was trying out a new mani/pedi place that only offers Aveda products. My main problem is all the others I have tried are toooo oily and thus messy, but this Aveda one does the trick and for only $10 bucks its a no-brainer....

Buy me here!

What I love Wednesday...Amazon

2012-05-30T13:40:00.000-07:00

I have a serious obsession with Amazon.com - I wish I was kidding but I am not. I think its perhaps the greatest website ever second only to maybe shopbop.com. I became obsessed with Amazon while in college when I realized I could buy textbooks (new and used!) for much cheaper than what they sold at the bookstore. This led to some serious scheming on my part, which I wont divulge.

As Amazon grew, so did the selection online. Amazon has essentially turned into an online Costco- but with way chicer goods. I have bought nearly everything possible from Amazon- for example my most recent 10 items-

Trademark Games Full Size Premium Bocce Set with Easy Carry (for the Hamptons)
Fred Cool Shooters Shot Glass Mold
JET Flatback Crystal Rhinestones 144 SWAROVSKI 20ss (for a craft project I am super excited to share with y'all!)
Domicilium Decoratus
Fulcrum 30010-301 LED Battery-Operated Stick-On Tap Light, 3 Pack
Bling Crystal White Bow Pearl Case Cover for Iphone 4 & 4s Made w/ Swarovski Elements
Jewel Setter for Rhinestones
Tully's Coffee French Roast, 24-Count K-Cup for Keurig Brewers
2 of KIND Minis Variety Pack, 12-Count
Charmin Ultra Soft, Toilet Paper Mega Rolls, 6-Count (dont judge- the Duane Reade on the corner simply does not provide TP that satisfies the "softness" test.

By far my most favorite purchase of this recent list is #6- my new iphone case. I had been living on the wild side aka case-less for quite some time and had not even considered purchasing a case, but when I stumbled upon this artwork I knew it had to be mine. While the reactions have been mixed- one friend said "I thought you were kidding" and another said "thats the ugliest thing I have ever seen" some friends are so smitten they have one coming their way. I dont really care what they think though, its just another testament to how wonderful Amazon.com is.

I bet you are jealous...

Furnished Friday...Headboards

2012-05-25T09:10:00.002-07:00

Creating bedroom spaces is probably my favorite in the design process- while it is probably the least challenging, I find that you can be the most creative in terms of patterns in the bedroom since a headboard for example is a lot easier to reupholster than a sofa.

While my european mom insists that the bedroom is not a place to socialize and therefore pays little attention to the decor in the bedroom, I take a totally opposite stance.

Due to the fact that we spend a third of our lives in bed (or at least we should, 8 hours a day of beauty sleep really should be a requirement) there is no reason to skimp. My bed is my sanctuary and although I may spend most of the time in my bedroom sleeping, I really do believe that being surrounded by beautiful things makes my dreams that much more euphoric.

I am a total advocate for statement headboards. Rather than perceiving a headboard as furniture, I believe it to be a piece of art and therefore essential to a beautiful bedroom.

I am dying to use #1 in a master bedroom- when I live in a home where there is room for King Sized Bed. #2 is perfect for a girls room. #3 I want in a guest bedroom. #4 I have currently in my NYC apartment, and #5 I want two of in twin size to place in a guest bedroom.

2012-05-23T14:56:00.002-07:00

Au79

1 | Double Finger Shovel Ring

2 | Cuff Shovel Ring

3| Large Logo Tag Necklace

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http://www.socialmiami.com/articles/au79_Jewelry.asp