The 83rd Academy Awards were on last night and I mainly watched it for the fashion...let's be honest, I don't really care who wins for visual effects and set design, although I was thrilled to see Christian Bale win for Best Supporting Actor and Natalie Portman for Best Actress. Both well-deserved.
We saw alot of red on the Red Carpet this year as well as nudes, lace, and less dramatic ballgowns compared to years past. For the most part I was impressed by everyone's' choice and as always there were the disappointments and the "what were they thinking" dresses.
Picks for Best Dressed
The color was stunning on her!
Does Gwyneth ever look bad?
One of the nude trends at its best
Always classy and a body to die for!
Picks for Worst Dressed
Tacky
I hated the neckline and the necklace
I mean...
It bothered me that she kept saying this was "built" for her
The last thing you want to do after work or going to the gym after work is to come home and make dinner. Not only are you starving at this point, but the thought of not being able to sink into your couch right away is even more exhausting. I am a huge fan of dinners that take under 20 minutes to prepare. Last night my boyfriend and I made skirt steak with caramelized onions, asparagus and a salad with lots of fresh veggies and sliced avocado.
I rubbed the skirt steak with spices and broiled it for about 5 minutes on each side (this depends on the thickness of the steak). While that was cooking we sauteed the onions and blanched the asparagus. The salad was topped with chopped red and green peppers, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers and avocado. Once the asparagus was finished we tossed it in olive oil and added salt and pepper. Give this a try one night after work!
Target is not just the home of smart bargains and everyday low prices anymore. For the last 5 years, it has been the outpost for some of the biggest brand name designers including Thakoon, Tucker and Proenza Schouler to name a few. On March 13, get your fingers in ultimate clicking condition or visit your nearest store if you can because Target is reviving this line of 17 designers with a collection of 34 dresses. I have my eye on the frocks below!
Hope everyone had a nice long weekend! I was in Florida spending some much needed time in the Sunshine State which gave me inspiration for this Spring. Orange is one of my favorite neutrals (yes, neutral); it is crisp and polished for work and playful for weekend wear. A refreshing spin on the neutral, it goes by the name of Tangerine, Citrus, Poppy, Coral and Persimmon. It brings a smile to my face just thinking about it.
Once again The 900 Shops will be celebrating Presidents' Day weekend with a rare three day shopping event where shoppers can splurge "TAX FREE" on Saturday, Sunday and Presidents' Day Monday. Participating retailers will offer a 9.75% discount (equivalent to Cook County sales tax) to all shoppers, including sale items!
Shop "TAX-FREE" at over 40 of your favorite stores including J.Crew, MaxMara, Club Monaco, Michael Kors, L'Occitane, Diesel, Galt Toys + Galt Baby, Karen Millen, Original Penguin, Intimacy Bra Fit Stylists, space519 and MANY MORE. Click below for a complete list of participating retailers.
As a Presidents' Day bonus, you can park at a special "Alexander Hamilton" rate - only $10 for the entire day. Parking tickets must be validated with any purchase.
Makeup has never been my strong suit but it is something I wish I could master. Over the years I have learned a few tricks of the trade that amplify every woman's natural beauty. Many brunettes are lucky enough to have dark features that naturally emphasize their eyelashes and eyebrows...it must have skipped a generation in my case.
A few years ago I started getting my eyebrows plucked instead of waxed to keep them looking fuller and more precisely shaped to my face. In addition, I began dying my eyebrows AND my eyelashes to decrease the amount of time I spend on them in the morning. (It's an amazing trick for the summertime when you want to look more natural on the weekends or at the beach without having mascara on.)
My other best kept secret is an eyelash curler. If I don't curl my eyelashes they stick straight out and no amount of mascara can give them that Minnie Mouse flutter look. For 10 seconds I use my hairdryer to heat the eyelash curler and then hold it against my eyelashes for 10 more seconds. (Make sure it's not too hot!) I immediately apply mascara and in just 20 seconds I have long, emphasized peepers!
WARNING: If you have an eyeball issue then you may not want to scroll down.
First off, Happy Valentine's Day! I could take or leave this Hallmark holiday which is why I am dedicating my Monday to the greatest TV game show ever created, Cash Cab. And the best part is that it is now in Chicago! Here are the details from NBC.
Make way for "Cash Cab," Chicago. The Windy City version of the New York-originated, Discovery Channel show debuts Monday night.
Here's how it works: The game show is filmed inside a taxi cab where the driver/host asks unsuspecting customers trivia questions for $50-$100 per correct answer. Chicago's version stars The Second City cast member Beth Melewski as host.
How do you know you're in Melewski's unmarked cab? Disco lights inside and a slew of questions quizzing about politics, technology, science and more. Sample questions could include names of founding fathers and which state two of three African Americans were elected to the U.S. Senate. (Ahem, the second question should be easy.)
If you answered correct, you score the cash and get a little closer to your destination. If you get three questions wrong, you not only don't win any money, you're booted out of the cab.
And Melewski's really driving that cab.
She told the Sun-Times she had to pass taxi certification tests, "the hardest thing" she says she ever studied for. Melewski took three months off her Second City gig to film 40 episodes, she told the Sun-Times. She's back at the improv theater to perform “The Absolute Best Friggin’ Time of Your Life” until the beginning of April.
My fingers are too frozen to type anything interesting. It is -4 in Chicago without the wind chill. Right now, I am dreaming of a tropical island where it's so hot, the only relief is to swim in the ocean. Dreaming of being here:
My co-worker and friend, Juliann sits a mere four feet from me. We know almost everything about one another after 3 years of working together and in that time we have traded our knowledge about all things GIRL. She tends to lean towards the finer things in life which has somehow made a bigger dent in my wallet. I can't complain though because she knows her stuff!
Claudio Riaz Make Up Brushes
This past Saturday, I met the man of my dreams. I met him in Barney’s and he completely won me over with his Instant Smoke Brush. Actually, all of his make up brushes took my heart by storm and I was instantly his.
As a self professed product junkie, I learned at a young age you cannot do the right make-up look without the right tools. In fact, you can’t do any look without them. Claudio Riaz has perfected the brush so even the tomboy next door can transform herself into a goddess. He transformed my friend’s eyes in about 5 minutes with 3 simple brushes: Instant Liner Brush, Instant Smoke Brush, and the Brow Brush.
The Instant Smoke Brush is perfect to dip in any shadow and sweep across your lid. Voila! Your eyes are sexy & flawless! This used to take me about 15 minutes with about 3 brushes and 3 different eye shadows. It works great over eye-liner or alone. Of Course, theInstant Smoke Brush is patent-pending and made of pure sable.
After meeting him and seeing what he can do, I fell in love and took home his Instant Smoke Brush. I never thought the man of my dreams would be able to create sexy flawless eyes in a flash!!
Superbowl Sunday is the second largest eating day next to Thanksgiving. Americans apparently LOVE holidays focused around food! One of my friends was having a party yesterday and I couldn't show up empty handed so I decided to make Pizza Dip with Garlic Bread sticks. It was a recipe I had been eager to try and what better occasion than Superbowl! Pictures just don't do it justice.
Cheesy Pepperoni Pizza Dip 3/4 cup chopped pepperoni
1 can (15 oz) pizza sauce
4 green onions, finely chopped
1 can (2-1/4 oz) sliced black olives, drained
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1-1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 package (3 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 package (8 oz) refrigerated breadstick dough
1 Tablespoon butter, melted
2 teaspoons minced parsley
In a heavy pot, over medium heat, combine pepperoni, sliced olives, green onions, oregano and pizza sauce. Cook until heated through, about 5-7 minutes. Add cream cheese and mozzarella cheese. Stir until melted and mixture is well combined. Turn heat to low while preparing the breadsticks. Stir occasionally. Remove breadsticks from tube and cook according to package directions. If you are really fancy, clever and an over-achiever, you could make these from scratch. When breadsticks are finished baking, brush with melted butter and sprinkle with parsley.
Whenever I have something like a wedding shower, work party, or something that requires me to look somewhat conservative, my go-to is the "wrap dress." It should be a staple in every woman's wardrobe and can easily be accessorized with fun jewelry, worn with tights or bare-legged, and have short or long sleeves. Here are some of my picks below:
