The Bridal Survival Kit

From weather woes to cake delivery delays and other last minute wedding hiccups, brides certainly have a lot to worry about. And there's no time to sweat the small stuff on your big day. The key is to be well-equipped with a “bridal survival” kit to combat any fashion or beauty crisis with a quick fix. Simply stock a cosmetic bag with these travel sized must-haves to get you through any disaster, stress free. And then make your MOH carry it around as part of her wedding day duties. That’s what she’s there for, right?

Dental Essentials
A bride's smile needs to be picture perfect at all times. And those delicious spinach hors d’oeurves could be dangerous. Pack a small travel toothbrush, toothpaste, floss and breath mints to keep your pout sparkling clean.

Cures for Common Ailments
Sure, you'll be floating on cloud 9 all day, but nervous jitters and being too busy schmoozing with your guests to eat can lead to headaches and upset stomachs. Be sure to have a pain reliever and antacid on hand.

Grooming Gear
Between your photographers, family and friends... all eyes are on you. And they still will be long after the wedding, thanks to Facebook! From hair to makeup, be prepared to do some touch-ups throughout the day. Don't be without your lipstick or gloss. Most makeup artists will give you the tube or a sample size so you can reapply after they work their magic. Throw in blotting papers to reduce shine on oily trouble zones, cover-up for any skin sneak-attacks, deodorant (a perfectly put together bride can’t have pit stains!), bobby pins to keep up-dos in place, a hair brush, hair spray, hand lotion, a nail file, and a small compact mirror.

The Fixers
An uncooperative zipper or busted heel can cause any bride to spiral into a state of panic. Safety pins, double sided tape, stain remover and super glue will keep wardrobe malfunctions under wraps.

To get started on your very own bridal survival kit —  select a great makeup or cosmetic bag like this pretty pink style from Target. Then hit up the drugstore and start stocking! If you don't have the time to craft your own bag o' bridal essentials, check out this adorable Wedding Day Survival Kit from Ms. & Mrs. It's packed with products for the big day and beyond. (PS - it makes a really cute bachelorette or bridal shower gift!) The Mindy Weiss Bridal Emergency Kit is also fun and functional. It has a fabulous built-in organizing system, and is perfect for travel... especially that long awaited honeymoon!

While these products can help you out in a pinch, don’t spend too much time focusing on the what-ifs and the what-could-go-wrongs. Your wedding day is a once in a life time event and it’s perfectly OK if everything doesn’t go exactly according to your grand plan. A broken stiletto heel never stopped a bride from boogying down. Who needs shoes when you have everything else you could ever want?

This post was originally written for WEtv.com. Click here to check it out!

The Breakfast of Champions

I love Trader Joe's for countless reasons -- yummy samples, those tiny cups of coffee, pop-up sponges, white bean hummus, pita bite crackers, cheap/delicious wine ... and especially that aisle of chocolate covered everything. Now, thanks to a tip from my friend Steph, Frozen Steelcut Oatmeal has skyrocketed to the top of my list of TJ faves.

Normally, oatmeal is nothing to freak out about. But this version my friends, is breakfast changing. Serious Eats even goes so far as to say, "Trader Joe's Steelcut Oatmeal Might Change Your Life." Woah.

As someone who only makes the instant kind, I'm not too familiar with the superior Steelcut. But it sounds like it's something that involves wearing an apron and possibly distilling your own oats. And most of us don't have that spare time to devote to oatmeal.

So here's the deal: Go to the freezer section of Trader Joe's. Look for a box labeled Frozen Steelcut Oatmeal. Put it in your cart.

It's just $1.59 for 2 servings -- which breaks down to an 80 cent breakfast that's healthy, filling and ready in about 3 minutes. It's sweetened with a touch of brown sugar and maple syrup. And you can doctor it up with walnuts, apples, dried cranberries ... whatever floats your breakfast boat.

Job Etiquette for Brides

Unless you work in a dark cave with no Internet or phone service, every bride-to-be becomes an expert at tackling her wedding to-do list on the sly during office hours. Thanks to the real stress of wedding planning, when your boss passes by your desk, he’ll assume that pained look on your face is because you’re hard at work on the memo you owe him (not from updating your budget spreadsheet). Scouring bridal blogs and comparing airfares to Greece for the honeymoon can easily pass for intently working on a job-related report. Plus, you know the guy that sits next to you checks sports scores all day long. What’s the difference?

While you’re convinced it’s multi-tasking at its finest, spending too much time in wedding world at the office can really hurt your career if you’re not careful.

Tip 1: Remember, you’re not getting paid to pick flowers
Taking advantage of your company’s resources for big day prep is a major no-no. If your boss knew she was paying you to obsessively Google “peony bouquets” all day, you would probably find yourself with lots of free time for researching…at home, sans benefits, office and paycheck.

Celebrity wedding planner and My Fair Wedding host, David Tutera says avoiding wedding-related tasks on the job will help your productivity and your sanity! “Taking a quick call or running an errand during lunch or on your own personal time is one thing, but everything else should be done after work or on the weekends. This differentiation will help you stay focused while you are at work, and probably give you a much needed break from planning every day anyway!”


Click here to get more tips from my article on WEtv.com!

New! The Savvy Source

Whether you're a lawyer or a writer, every gal can benefit from some good, solid career advice. And who better to hear it from, than ladies in similar (or sometimes cuter) shoes? So, today is the launch of a new feature, where rock star women working in the real world, share everything from their favorite afternoon snack to advice that's saved their booties from the wrath of clients, bosses and Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.

(Thanks to one of my BFF's, Franny for kindly offering to be my guinea pig.)

Franny, age 30, Account Supervisor at Siren PR

What's the best career advice you've been given?
Always be on your best game when it comes to work and represent yourself in an intelligent, professional and knowledgeable manner. So many times paths will cross in business, and you want those you meet to remember you and your company in the absolute best light. I can’t express how many times being friendly and buttoned up in one meeting or even by way of email has paid off – whether it’s being recognized internally, making my job easier in securing coverage for one of my clients or securing a new business opportunity.



Be passionate and knowledgeable about your field and the world! Read and take the opportunity to absorb information when sitting in on meetings, speaking to others about what they do, etc. It all will help set you apart from others and show you are interested in what you are doing.

 A positive attitude and good work ethic goes a long way. Take pride in your work and go that extra mile. It truly pays off. 



And, be on time. I'm big on that! It’s so easy and shows you take your job seriously, yet not enough people do it! It’s kind of a pet peeve of mine.

How did you learn a lesson the hard way?
If you are not an attorney you shouldn’t be signing lucrative contracts! 

The first year on my job I signed a contract without understanding the terms or running it by my client, or anyone else for that matter. Being that I am an attorney’s daughter and the fact that I’m now engaged to an attorney, I’m not sure where my head was during this incident. Lesson learned: Contracts should be signed by those paying them out – not be a first year PR girl.

Aruba: The Land of Sand, Rain, Sun and Chelsea Handler

To celebrate our one year anniversary, the husband and I jetted off to Aruba, a.k.a "One Happy Island". Everyone raves about Aruba -- the weather's always perfect, the restaurants are fab, and Joran van der Sloot is locked away in a Peruvian jail. What could be better?

But of course, when we landed in paradise, it was raining. No sweat! The palm trees need water. Duh. But as our cab got closer to the hotel, it started coming down in buckets. The roads literally filled up with feet of rain. Water looked like it would start seeping into Rocky Donker's van. (Yes, the cab driver's name is really that awesome.) Rocky said he'd never seen flooding like this in 40 years. Crap.

We made it to the resort, and spent the next two days watching the rain fall and eating nachos under a tiki hut. Being the nutcase that I am, I grew convinced that we were involved in some Aruban form of "Lost" and that I'd have to paddle boat to Venezuela (just 19 miles away) to escape. Luckily for my husband, my insanity stopped when the sun came out. And the next 5 days were filled with sun and afternoon pina coladas.

Every morning we parked it at the pool, where a man in a purple Speedo always sat approximately 3 chairs away from us. Everyday. Ugh. To distract myself from his thong, I read 2 of the Chelsea Handler books. If you do anything with your life, read these: My Horizontal Life and Are You There Vodka, It's Me Chelsea. I'd do anything to be her best friend. She drinks a lot though. Not sure I can keep up. And that says something.

Click over to see pics of the trip and Speedo Guy.

Must Watch Holiday Movies

Even though the turkey leftovers are long gone ... holiday season is in full effect. Malls are packed (I braved the masses yesterday and snagged some adorable chocolate brown Uggs), twinkling lights are up, and Christmas movie marathons have begun. Even if you've seen them 100 times, they're as much a part of your family traditions as keeping grandma away from the eggnog. Check out these must-watch flicks.

The Holiday

Couch, hot chocolate, Jude Law. What combo could be better? This sweet tale of house swapping over the holidays between two total strangers in LA and London leads to romantic rendezvous on two continents. Add it to your Netflix queue ASAP!

Home Alone

“Kevin!!!!“ Today, it would take about 2 seconds to track down a kid you left at home by accident. But this story about a family that leaves their 8 year old son all alone during a frantic rush to the airport is a must-watch Christmas movie. Clumsy burglars, dancing mannequins and sleigh rides down the stairs are funny no matter how many times you’ve seen it!

The Family Stone

True, it’s hard to see Sarah Jessica Parker play a rigid, polar-opposite-of-Carrie-Bradshaw kind of character, but the rest of the cast makes up for it.  Luke Wilson, Diane Keaton, Craig T. Nelson, Rachel McAdams, Claire Danes and Dermott Mulroney come together to tell the tale of a dysfunctional, loving family celebrating a Christmas filled with complications. Keep the tissue box close by.


Click here to read the rest of my article for WETv.com on must-see holiday flicks.

15 Reasons to be Thankful

1. Thanksgiving is a holiday that doesn't require matzo meal or atonement.
2. Today is one of the few days it's socially acceptable to unbutton your pants at the table. 
3. Your family. Even if they're crazy ... they're yours.
4. Airport pat downs. (Get groped or go home.)
5. The option to hide people on Facebook. 
6. Taylor Swift. Just kidding.
7. Season 11 of Dancing with the Stars is over! Finally!
8. US Troops.
9. Centerpieces of tiny pilgrims and/or elaborate squash arrangements. 
10. Being seated at the kids table even if you're pushing 30.
11. Pumpkin pies, lattes, cookies, muffins, breads, etc.
12. Getting to make fun of people that go to stores at 3:00am on Black Friday.
13. Justin Bieber haircuts.
14. Your mom finally understands how to text message.
15. Any awkward t-day family incident can be overcome with booze.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! What are you thankful for? 

Addendum: #16: Cheese.

Is Bristol Palin That Bad?

After a particularly cringe-worthy performance by Florence Henderson early on this season, I stopped watching Dancing with the Stars regularly. But since I don't live under a rock, I've heard that Bristol Palin has paso dobled her way into the finals with a little help from The Tea Party.

And to make the "conspiracy" around her even crazier, just this morning I saw on the news that a man in Wisconsin shot his TV during her performance. 

Ok, what is going on here? 

Aside from the fact that this dude needs anger management courses and a new TV ...  the spawn of Sarah Palin in sequins shouldn't make someone resort to armed weapons. I feel bad for his wife. Sounds like she'll be missing the finals.

No matter how people feel about Sarah P. -- I think we need to remember that Bristol is just an 18 year old single mom, trying to shimmy her way a trophy in the shape of a disco ball. So what if every single conservative in the country has DWTS phones ringing off the hook to keep her on? I'm sure when Sasha Obama is old enough to be on this show, she'll be topping the leader board too. (That will probably be Dancing with the Stars 400th season.)

Let's just give Bristol a break. Her mom is one of the most worshiped/hated/polarizing people in our country who probably made her fish for her own dinner as a child. And thanks to her baby, Bristol will be forever tied to a total d-bag. Let her have the freaking disco ball.

Savvy Style: Holiday Sparkle Under $100

Thanksgiving is right around the corner ... and you know what that means:

• All I Want for Christmas will now be playing everywhere you go, all the time, even in your head when it's not actually playing.
• A super shy co-worker will get wasted and either ride a mechanical bull or make out with their cube mate at your office holiday party.
• It's officially shopping season for cute, sparkly attire to wear to said holiday party (and the many other social occasions that will soon pack your calendar). 

So, where to begin? Accessories! Simply adding a fabulous belt or shimmery pair of earrings will add that extra something to a basic black dress. The belt's from Banana Republic and the earrings are from shopbop -- on sale too!

Click here for my WEtv.com photo gallery -- 10 style essentials to get you through holiday party hopping season, all for $100 or less. 

10 Tips to Shop Smarter

Penny pinching takes the fun out of every gal’s favorite pastime. Luckily, shopping for all the things you need, want and have to have can be budget friendly if you know how to do it right.  From the supermarket to your Saturday night wardrobe, it’s simple to shop and save. Just follow these tips. 

Be a Frugal Fashionista
A true trendsetter knows how to find the best for less. Thanks to stores like Target and H&M, you can drool over your favorite Zac Posen dress and buy it too! Click here to check out more of their designer collections. Also, sign up to receive newsletters and daily emails from your favorite shops and brands. You’ll be surprised by how many great deals pop up in your inbox, especially at the end of the season. 

Accessorize on the Cheap
And speaking of style steals … never splurge on trendy accessories.  (The headband with feathers you’re obsessed with now will definitely wind up in the “what was I thinking?” pile.) Forever 21 and Fred Flare (great sunglasses, FYI) all sell must-haves of the moment for fabulous prices.

Stay Connected
Is your wine rack in need of a little restocking? Follow your favorite local wine shops on Twitter and/or Facebook to get the inside scoop on up-to-the-minute specials, seasonal sales and tastings. This way you can go in with a game plan and walk out with a good bottle of vino that didn’t break the bank.  This tip applies to all of your favorite stores (even big national brands).  Everyone’s sharing secrets to saving in 140 characters or less.

Click here for 7 more money saving tips from my article on WEtv.com.

Work BFFs: The Dos and Don'ts

A day at the office is so much more enjoyable when you have a work BFF to share your ups, downs, and blueberry muffin with. You can count on them to come to the rescue when your skirt is tucked into your stockings, or to be a sounding board for your latest big idea before you take it to the boss. They keep you sane when you’re stressed and lend a sympathetic ear when you need it. But sometimes, even the best of office friendships can hurt your career if you don’t handle them the right way...

Click here to read the rest of the article I wrote for Nicole Williams (a fabulous website for young professional women -- covering career, style, money, beauty and more!).

Happy Birthday Adam

As if I haven't embarrassed my brother enough on this blog (click here to see more) ...

Happy birthday to the best brother in the world! To quote our mom's mortifying facebook post to him:

"I still see that precious face of a 2 year old who sometimes was mistaken for a girl because you were so gorgeous!"

 

Comfort Food Favorites

While I'm usually more inclined to spend a Sunday afternoon drinking mimosas and eating delicious things other people make ... I decided to roll up my sleeves and put the pots, pans and mixing bowls from my registry to good use.

Today's kitchen mission: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies and Chili (not to be eaten together, obvs.). After a few flour explosions and some onion-induced tears ... the house smells amazing, no one caught on fire, and we have a lovely home cooked dinner and dessert, perfect for a cozy Sunday night.

If you're feeling Martha Stewart-ish, here are the recipes:

The cookies are from YumSugar -- click here for the AMAZING recipe.

The chili is a recipe my grandma gave me from Cooking Light -- I found it online here.

A few chili tips: When you're slicing the jalapeno pepper, don't touch the seeds. Take it from one who knows, a burning  "jalapeno hand" is sort of a buzzkill. This recipe calls for spicy turkey sausage, but I use spicy chicken sausage instead because my grandma told me to. No other reason. Also -- measure out all the spices/dry ingredients and combine in a bowl. This way, when it's time to dump them in, it's all ready to go. This chili is the shiz. And it's even better the 2nd day. I'd take a picture, but honestly, chili is not very photogenic.

Bon appetit!

From Halloweens Past...

Last night at 3AM, I was awoken from a deep sleep by screaming pirates walking past my apartment. After their AHOY! nearly gave me a heart attack, I peeked out my window and saw quite a scene below. Lady Gaga was stumbling home. Lois and Clark were having a heated debate in the alley behind my patio. There were men in tights everywhere. Halloween was in full effect.

Since I couldn't fall back to sleep with the parade of lunatics outside, I started thinking about my favorite Halloweens. In college, it wasn't October 31st without a white tank top and felt letters ironed on, vodka tonics, and at least 14 visitors staying at our house.

Coyote Ugly, 2000

Snazzy 70s dudes with a Beachwood Fire Fighter, 2001

My 70s Themed B-day Party, 2001

Partying like it's 1999, really. My arms were stained red for two days from that boa.

Pets with Stuffed Animals: Creepy or Cute?

This photo gallery featuring people's pets with stuffed animals sounds great in theory ... until you open the link. 

1) What IS the creature in picture 17? A baby deer? A gremlin? It's sending chills through my spine. I haven't been this frightened since my fear-of-alien-abduction phase in 2nd grade.

2) Why do so many people have rodents as pets?

3) And why do they let them roam free ? "Oh, honey the guinea pig's in the cookie jar again. Spartacus, get out of there!"

4) The overweight hamster in photo 12 is definitely up to no good...

5) Rats have fingers? Whaaaaaat? And what kind of lunatic tucks them into a bed? That's only cute if the rat is a cartoon in a Disney movie with a squeaky voice and tiny shoes.

Anyhoo, there are a few cute ones like this little guy. Enjoy!

Googling Crushes

The scenario I'm about to describe is like a finding a needle in a haystack ... but it happens:

Your new love interest is not (gasp) on Facebook.

Yes, even in today's social media obsessed society, there are still some guys (few and far between) that want nothing to do with status updates, friend requests, and pictures of people's babies wearing knitted pumpkin hats.

Princess Dresses

Girls of all ages are fascinated by princesses. We like to play "princess" when we're kids, and spend big bucks on princess ball gowns when we get married. My love of all things princess really kicked into high gear as a small child, when I realized I could dress my younger brother up as one. I was older, so he had to do what I said. No one could pull off a tiara and sparkly pink veil (or custom headdress - depending on my mood) better than him.

So naturally, when WEtv.com asked me to create a photo gallery of potential dresses for Kate Middleton's wedding to Prince William (if he ever gets his act together and pops the question), I was super excited. Click here for the full gallery. And check out this gorgeous gown I featured from Something White -- a charming bridal boutique in Cleveland. 

And for your viewing pleasure, my little "princess' -- in his "going out" clothes. I couldn't find a princess pic. Please don't hate me Adam. xoxo

One Year Ago Today...

What good is a blog if you can't use it to wish your hubby a happy anniversary?

Thank you for always being the designated Swifferer, personal coffee delivery service, and all around wonderful person. (And for bringing Friday Night Lights into my life).

Happy 1 Year Anniversary! xoxo

Enviro-bragging

My friend Leah posted a Facebook status update that said:

"Enviro-bragging: bc of composting, gardening/csa, recyling, and general consciousness, we've switched to the tiny can as the trash can. Feels good!"

Say what??? I recycle and buy tomatoes at the Farmer's Market. But this post made me think, what else should I be doing? What's CSA? How tiny is that trash can? Why am I single handedly destroying the planet with every bottle of water I purchase? I promptly emailed Leah for a crash course in composting, worms that eat your leftovers, and conserving electricity without adopting an Amish lifestyle.

Leah shared these awesome tips: 
Composting: We have a regular big old compost bin (which requires a little yard space) as well as a vermiculture bin (worms) which is really small and you can even make yourself and keep under then sink or in an out of the way cool/dark corner. All of our non-processed, non-protein food waste goes to one or the other of those (there are some more restrictions for the wormies).

Garden: This is where the compost eventually goes. We use the "worm tea" as a fertilizer, along with marigolds as a pesticide. I need to try some more natural pesticides though because we got a little crushed by all of the crazy bug plagues this summer.

Recycling: We're pretty religious about this, and while I am subconsciously convinced that DC has some dark pit that they throw all of our recycling in, I still keep at it. I also cracked down on my office because they weren't recycling, which is something other people might want to do too (although they should expect some level of harassment...) 

The 20 Minute Workout Revelation

Today I was determined to go to the gym. I walked home from work on a mission. Quickly change into workout gear, and then bop around on the elliptical to my iPod that may or may not include Justin Bieber. But upon arrival home, I talked myself out of that plan. Obvi.

However, I decided that being lazy and eating Pop Chips out of the bag (delicious as they are) would simply not be an option. So, I put on Exercise TV (it's free if you have Comcast) and found a new workout, Kickbox. The best part? It promises to burn fat and sculpt in just 20 minutes. Done and done.

I'm pretty sure I was one jumping jack away from falling through my living room floor into my neighbor's apartment, but all in all - it was a fun, fast-paced, lunge and high kick-filled workout.

The teacher said I was doing "AWESOME", although for all she knows, I could have been sitting on couch sipping a glass of Chardonnay in my workout clothes. I especially liked when she said to "bring energy to your glutes".  Eating a burrito would probably accomplish that too...

I know that I don't deserve a medal for working out for a mere 20 minutes, but all I'm sayin' is that it's better than doing nothing...

What are your favorite quick workouts? Any good tips for staying motivated when you reeaaaallly don't want to go to the gym?

Time Estimation Disorder

"heyyyyyy, soooo sorry, got stuck in a meeting. Be there in five." 

Personally, I'm a huge fan/offender of using extra letters to convey emotions via text or email -- stress, angst, happiness, excitement when a friend signs into g-chat, etc. But overuse of "Y"aside, the ease of being constantly connected to our friends makes this tardy text all too familiar. We've all come down with T.E.D., Time Estimation Disorder. (teddddddd)

In a nutshell, as this very true to life article explains, thanks to technology and the ability to document our lateness every step of the way, we're all a lot more casual about keeping people waiting. Well, except yours truly. No matter how hard I try, I am always on time. It's so uncool.

PS: The extra letters tactic is not good for work. For example: "Hiiiiii, let's meet at 4 for my review." Write like a 4th grader and you can kiss that raise goodbye, sister.

Headband Love

Headbands add pizazz to plain outfits, disguise bad hair days and let your personal style sneak into a buttoned up work dress code. Here are some looks I love.

"Rachel" Swarovski Crystal Bridal or Holiday Headband 
This sparkly style can be dressed up or down!
Price: $115 (clearly, this price tag is special occasion worthy)
Where to Buy: Bethany Lorelle

Cone Shaped Beaded Headband
This gives a babyish bow an edge!
Price: $4.80 (Forever 21 is an awesome place to get trendy accessories)
Where to Buy: Forever 21

Tasha Fluttering Flower Headband
Flowers add a sweet, feminine touch.
Price: $18.90 (on sale!)
Where to Buy: Nordstrom

Juicy Couture Pave Heart Stretch Headband
I "heart" this double strand look. Plus the gold/silver mix matches any accessory!
Price: $30.00
Where to Buy: Bloomingdales

Devil Headband
The devil look is really "hot" right now. No it's not, I'm totally kidding. But for five bucks, this is great for a last minute Halloween costume.
Where to Buy: Old Navy

Think Pink

From wedding bouquet trends to nicknames women secretly call their exes (who can forget "the lawn gnome") ... one of my favorite things about writing is that I'm always learning something new. This month, I wrote a series of articles for WEtv.com's breast cancer awareness section. Not to sound all preach-y, but if you're a woman, or know a woman (therefore this means everyone), these articles are a must-read/share:

Know Your Risk Factors: 
From gender to genetics -- even how much you drink (sure makes you rethink those happy hours) -- can impact your risk of getting breast cancer. I had the privilege of speaking to Dr. Julia Smith, the Director of the NYU Cancer Institute Breast Cancer Screening and Prevention Program who shared some really interesting facts and advice. You know when you wish you could somehow hug someone over the phone that you haven't even met? This is how I feel about Dr. Smith.

Facebook Faux Pas

Two years ago, I wrote an article about the reasons we're all obsessed with Facebook. I guarantee many of those reasons still ring true today (like ease of keeping tabs on old crushes, seeing the latest pics of friend's babies/weddings, and living vicariously through other people's vacations to Greece). However, some Facebookers make me never want to log onto the site again.

These are the "friends" that give away season finales of TV shows via status update. This is not something to LMAO, or even LOL about.

Here's what happens: You're happily scrolling through your Newsfeed, scoping out some new mobile uploads, "liking" posts here and there... and then - bam! With no warning, you read a status update that ruins months of investment in a TV series.

This just happened to me. (I promise I will not ruin anything, so keep reading). I've spent the last two months watching the The Great Food Truck Race on Food Network. I DVRed the season finale and planned to watch sometime this week. Would the Nom Nom truck continue to dominate the competition? Or would the underdog, Grill 'Em All swoop in and win the big cash prize? Well, now, I don't have to watch to find out. Someone posted it on Facebook. Really dude? Who watches TV in real time... aside from my grandma?

When you sign up for a Facebook account, there are a few DON'Ts you should adhere to:

1) Don't write status updates about how often you go to the gym. (If I have to read about one more sit-up, I'm going to vom.)
2) Don't tag pictures of people when they have a double chin. Not nice.
3) Don't post a status update that you're out of town unless you want to get robbed.
4) Don't play Farmville.
5) Don't post random videos of puppies set to music (MOM...). 
6) And DON'T give away the end of season finales or show episodes.Unless it's Keeping up with the Kardashians. Those always end with the whole family telling Kourtney to leave Scott, no matter what.

What are the worst Facebook offenses you've seen? Fill me in...

The Tim Riggins Fan Club

I haven't had time for blogging in awhile, mainly because my evenings at home have been consumed with watching Friday Night Lights a.k.a. The Best Show Ever. I'm sure many of you have been watching for years, but I'm new to the party. Thanks to Netflix, Dillon, TX feels like my home away from home these days. And Tim Riggins is like the boyfriend I never had ... with a serious drinking/crying problem ... who my parents would hate. Don't worry, my husband is concerned fully aware about my new crush. And I'm definitely not alone. One of my friends, who shall remain nameless, proclaimed she would take a bullet for Tim. Another friend said she would move just so she could put a trailer in her yard for him. (You have to watch season four to understand this reference.)

But let's get real gals ... the cast of this show, Riggins specifically, will remind you of the days when you bought Tiger Beat so you could hang up pictures of Dylan McKay all over your bedroom door. Except now you're old enough to buy anti-wrinkle cream. Whatever...

Man Spanx: Do or Don't?

Here are two words I'd imagine most men have zero interest in hearing or experiencing: Men's Shapewear.

Yep. That's the polite way to say "man girdle". And those bad boys are selling like hotcakes. Companies from Spanx to Insta Slim are literally banking on beer bellies.

Guys don't care if it means wearing something that could double as a wetsuit under their button down. "Compression shirts" (eek!) are the quickest way to tackle a gut without doing a single sit up.

Personally, I think this sounds like the clothing alternative to gastric bypass surgery. If he eats more than 6 peanuts at a time, could he explode? And it must get hot in there. I definitely wouldn't want to be around someone trying to rip that sucker off at the end of the day.

Unless of course, you're this happy guy:

Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth

I'm writing this post for 2 reasons.
1) To push the nauseating grilled cheese picture below further down the page.
2) Because I have discovered something magical ... that comes in the form of small chocolate peppermint candy.

While I was waiting in line at CVS the other day, a bag of York Pieces caught my eye. Apparently, some very smart candy executives realized that sometimes you just don't want a whole peppermint patty. So they made them tiny and told you that it's okay to eat a serving size of 50. This is genius.

Plus, the resealable bag is perfect for on the go. You can pop peppermint pieces all day long -- on your walk to work, during important meetings, when you're picking up dry cleaning and walking the dog. Who cares if you're the girl with bright blue stained fingertips. They're delish (especially when you freeze them).

What are your favorite sweet snacks?

Don't Say Cheese!

Why would anyone want to eat a bazillion calorie sandwich that looks like it's stuffed with octopus tentacles? Denny's, your Fried Cheese Melt (mozzarella sticks and American cheese between two pieces of sourdough bread) is really giving the Double Down a run for it's money. I need a celery stick, ASAP.

The Beast is Back...

A few weeks ago, my husband and I decided to throw a theme party ... but without the pressure to dress in costume. After a little bit of brainstorming, we came up with an idea that I really think has the potential to sweep the masses ... a high school drink happy hour. Come on  - you know if it was socially acceptable to sip a hot pink wine cooler or swig a 40 out of a brown paper bag (it's very efficient!), you would.

Preparing for this party was interesting to say the least. We strolled into several liquor stores asking for Mad Dog 20/20 and perhaps a nice chilled Strawberry Hill Boone's. The responses varied from horror, to laughter, to a very frank, "Only homeless people drink that S*%!". Apparently malt liquor is so 1998. Therefore, our high school drink party had to go on without a few important, life defining beverages. 

From Franzia to cases of Milwaukee's Beast - err - Best, our guests arrived armed with booze fit for a party at someone's parents house. People got "iced" left and right, jell-o shots were passed, a 90s mix was blasting, flip cup lasted until 2am .... and no one got grounded.  

Our friend Ben Mundel (hi Mundel!) brought the most delicious sweet tea flavored vodka and lemonade combo. Definitely a bit too upscale for high school, but a real crowd pleaser nonetheless.

The only thing to note if you do plan one of these shindigs --  although people think it's funny to see Mike's Hard Lemonade, no one actually wants to drink it. I am reminded of that every morning when I open the fridge...

The Best Round Brush

My round brush broke in half last week. Any woman who likes her hair frizz-free knows how traumatic that can be, especially when faced with hot, humid110 degree weather. So, rather than go with the "I just stuck my finger in a socket look", I beelined it to the nearest salon (Axis for my DC friends) to combat my hair emergency. Even though I bought the first brush I could find, I'm in love. I don't care if I sound like an infomercial. It smooths, it straightens, and it adds volume to my roots. If you're in the market, pick one up:


Olivia Garden Ceramic + Ion Mega 65

You Know You're Old When...

Friday night. Georgetown. Prepster Central. After a fun dinner celebrating my friend's 30th b-day at Hook, we went to Saloun, a dive bar next door packed with collar-popping dudes wearing khaki pants covered in embroidered whales.

Mid beer sip, a tall, skinny guy that barely looked old enough to drive frantically tapped me on the shoulder and said, "Yo, I need your ID to pass back to my friend."

I haven't passed back my ID in at least eight years. And I certainly had no reason to start those shenanigans up again. (Oh, the days of showing an ID of someone that clearly wasn't you and offering up a Blockbuster card as a 2nd form of identification.)

After I stared at him for a few seconds trying to process this request, I said with a little bit of embarrassment, "I'm kind of old. I don't think it would work to pass back my ID."

He asked, "How old?"

"29."

His eyes widened. He motioned to my friends and exclaimed, "Really??? Are the rest of them that old?"

In a very serious tone, I replied, "Yes, some are even older. The two blond girls are 30."

Gasp.

At this point, his bewilderment was getting old. It was as if he saw the freaking Golden Girls at the bar.

Then my young friend asked me to help him find someone else that would offer their ID to help get his 18 year old cousin into the bar. I decided to go with the grandmotherly vibe. I took him by the arm, and walked him over to a table of drunk girls who were probably a better fit.

So what if 29 sounds old. At least someone thought I looked young enough to "pass back an ID".

Mix Up Your Mani

Summer is the perfect time to experiment with super bright or pale pastel nail polish. Just keep nails short and square shaped to avoid looking like an extra on the set of Working Girl. According to my go-to beauty sources (my friends), these pretty polishes are hands down the best of the season.

Pretty in Pink
OPI Dutch Tulips

Fresh & Fabulous
Essie Mint Candy Apple

Orange You Glad it's Summer?
Essie Vermillionaire









Feeling Blue?
Essie Lapis of Luxury









Rock Your Red
Essie Dramatic Drachmas
(I just tried this - the perfect summer red!)




What  are your favorite summer colors?

Awkward Conference Calls

I work in an industry where conference calls are as frequent as Lindsay Lohan's arrests. After a particularly horrible seven person call today, I decided that the only way to shake the lingering awkwardness, was to write about these phone faux pas.

Dead Silence. 
My call today got off to a rocky start. The first group of us to dial in sat in complete silence for about 8 minutes waiting for the final caller. I think we all knew that small talk would prove a worse alternative, so there was an unspoken decision (clearly) for total quiet. After a few minutes, someone had the heart to at least say, "I'm sure we're all multitasking here...". If by multitasking you mean, debating whether or not to poke my eyes out, then yes.

Awkward Small Talk
A little welcome banter is a nice way to kick off a conference call. 30 seconds is ample time to chit chat it up about the weather and your respective cities. Once you've established that "Topeka is beautiful this time of year", you should hope that all parties are present so you can get down to business.

Small Talk Gone Wrong
Don't get too personal with co-workers during the welcome banter. If it seems questionable, don't ask.
You: "Jim, how's your wife doing?"
Jim: "I'm not sure, why don't you ask her personal trainer, Kip."
You: "Oh, great ... so anyways, I think we need a new strategy for our web initiative."

Picture Perfect

Do you ever flip through your favorite catalogs and wonder if people actually live in homes that look like that? I definitely don't have 16 clear vases filled with fresh green apples on my dining room table. There's no room in my "guest" bathroom for a basket full of perfectly rolled fluffy monogrammed towels. And when I set the table for dinner, I certainly don't tuck a sprig of fresh thyme in each cloth napkin ... or use cloth napkins.

However, my friend Lauren sent me the funniest blog the other day, Catalog Living, featuring "Gary and Elaine", a fictional couple that live in all of our favorite catalogs. They're the people that would obviously have a dish of oversized moss balls chilling on their book case, and a tray of figs perfectly placed under the coffee table with a random straw hat. Because that's normal... 

Check out Catalog Living. And then buy a set of totally necessary wood fish for your living room.

Beat the Heat

Chances are, no matter where you live, it's pretty f-ing hot. So rather than complaining about it, I'm going to use it as an excuse to eat frozen desserts all weekend long. Check out my favorite ice-cream(ish) spots in DC.

Mr. Yogato: Without fail, I wind up with the song Mr. Roboto in my head for hours following every visit here. This tiny spot on 17th street is bursting with deliciousness and fun. (Think Pinkberry but better.) Aside from having an old school Nintendo and Boggle, they offer discounts for doing crazy things, such as:

• Reenact the entire 47-second Michael Jackson Thriller dance for 20% off. 
• Dress up like 80's tennis legend Bjorn Borg and receive 25% off. Sing "I'm Too Sexy" by RSF in his Swedish accent to bump it up to 50%.

And I discovered last night that they have a dark chocolate flavor which is a must-try. 

Dolcezza: So, great news. Gelato is half the fat of regular ice cream. Both the gelato and sorbet at Dolcezza (I go to the location on Connecticut) are deeee-lish. Try half red raspberry sorbet, half chocolate in a cup. And also ask for at least 45 samples before selecting your final flavor.

Rita's: Philly people are obsessed with Rita's water ices. There are a bunch of locations in DC. Straight up lemonade Italian Ice is my go-to choice.

Thomas Sweet: If you can brave the heat and decide to do some shopping in Georgetown, treat yourself to a blend-in at Thomas Sweet. Peppermint Patties blend really well, FYI.

Where are you heading this weekend?

Road Trippin' In Style

This is what happens when you book the cheapest car you can find online. Your husband drives up in something called "The Cube", complete with a mini shag carpet on the dashboard. Because who doesn't need a mini shag carpet on their dashboard? Apparently Nissan tried to make this car representative of a mobile device. If mobile devices look like cartoon milk trucks, then they got it right. Regardless, I am psyched to be taking The Cube out on the road for 4th of July vaca. Have a great long weekend everyone!

Does This Email Make Me Look Fat?

The other night I was out to dinner with some of my friends. As to be expected, we spent most of the night analyzing (what women do best) ... life, guys, marriage, dating, jobs, and unfortunately for all parties involved - the naked guy that didn't realize there was a rooftop restaurant across the street from his wide open window. But that's neither here nor there. Point is, girls nights are a must for many reasons ... especially to reap the benefits of the sincerest form of flattery, the BFF confidence boost. Most guys will never gush about your outfit and compliment your new bangs in the same way your friends will.

But, even though you've been told your skinny jeans have never looked better, the most confident, take-charge gal can't help but feel totally insecure when faced with the preliminary email chain that goes along with dating a new guy. I remember this very unfondly, actually. One of the many perks of marriage, aside from living with someone who agrees to watch The City with me, is that I no longer have the anguish that comes along with said email chain. Because these emails are when you prove how smart, witty, adorable, charming and funny you are ... one bad typo, and it's all downhill, sister.

Once you hit send, you end up spending the bulk of your day in a cold sweat hitting refresh on the "inbox" link in Outlook, waiting for a reply. You may even venture into Crazy Town (population 1), and call the IT guy at work to see if the server is down. And the longer time goes by with no reply, the more you doubt your jokes. They must have read as creepy, not cute. Does he think you love dogs too much??? Why on earth did you tell him your grandma makes tiny outfits for troll dolls?? And clearly you should never have used so many emoticons. That has to be why he's not writing back. The wink! ;) It was just too much!)

Point is, emailing a new dude makes you feel like you're out in public wearing a shirt that's 2 sizes too small. Totally exposed. And kinda pudgy. But, take it from someone that doubted many emails (and who does in fact have a wonderful grandma that makes tiny outfits for troll dolls) ... there's definitely someone out there who will get excited when your name shows up in their inbox ... emoticons and all.

Soccer Fan?

Be honest with yourself, before The World Cup, when was the last time you gave soccer a second thought? (Aside from associating it with David Beckham underwear ads.) Now, you've become the girl who posts status updates about it every 12 seconds. But when all the hoopla is over, will you go back to your soccer-less life as if it never happened, still not really knowing what FIFA stands for? Go ahead, Google it girlfriend...

Later football, it was fun.

Best Websites for Women

As if stalking celebrities on Perez wasn't enough to keep you distracted at work ... Forbes came out with a list of the Top 100 Websites for Women. (I was super excited to see that I contribute to a couple of them - Lemondrop and Nicole Williams.)

Here are a few of my other faves from the list, check them out for some fun Friday reading!

Corporette - great tag line sums it up well: "a fashion and lifestyle blog for overachieving chicks"
Dooce - witty, clever, awesome photography
Jezebel - great for your daily dose of snarkiness
Martha Stewart - everything is just so pretty on there ... I'm this close to planting an herb garden and spending my free time making paper crafts.
Smitten blog by Glamour - great mix of celeb scoop and real life advice

What's on your must-read list?

Hats Off!

Perusing Etsy.com is a great way to discover up and coming, cool designers. And very often, you'll stumble upon something, uh, really one-of-a-kind. Like "The Utterly Unique Little Deer Hat." I don't know about you, but the chances of me spending $450 so I can sport a headband topped with a creepy deer that's been shot twice in the ass with arrows are slim to none. But I commend any fashion risk taker that has the guts to wear this to dinner.

New Music Video from Cahn & Yang

Mostly I write about bad dates, beauty products, and weddings (in no particular order). But tonight I'm sharing a music video from someone who I like to consider my brother from another mother ... Greg Cahn, of the awesomely talented group Cahn & Yang. Check it out. Sing along. Impress your friends by playing it at your next BBQ. All I know is that this video makes me want to hop around in a desert in skinny jeans. Love it.

Start-up Success: Design Divas

Check out part 2 of the web reality show I'm producing for Marriott -- featuring 2 fabulous women entrepreneurs, creators of Coverplay. Their product is part of Marriott's Tots Travel Too program, which helps make travel simpler and less stressful for families with babies and toddlers. (Here's part 1 in case you missed it.)

If you're into fashion and design - you'll love this webisode. And you'll be super jealous of Amy and Allison because shopping is actually part of their job.

New Arrivals Part 2: Design Divas
How do you make a big idea stand out from the rest? From trend research to choosing fabrics, The Coverplay ladies share style secrets and take you behind the scenes in their design process.

Diet Deliciousness

After a weekend full of bad (yet so good) food choices (beer, burgers, Mr. Yogato with chocolate chips and Cap'n Crunch ... you know how that goes) my husband and I firmly decide to go on a steamed kale only diet. Clearly, this has never gone into full effect, but just talking about it makes us feel healthier. Luckily, we've mastered eating well during the week to counter some of the diet damage over the weekend.

Here are a few of my low-fat, low-cal faves -- so good, you don't even feel like you're trying to be healthy.



Sweet Leaf Diet Sweet Tea: 0 calories ... this tasty tea kicks Diet Peach Snapple to the curb. I'm just sayin'...








Light Laughing Cow: If I was stranded on a desert island, this might be one of the 3 things I choose to take with me. (Okay, maybe not, but it's up there..) One wedge is just 35 calories and 1.5 grams of fat. Swap cream cheese for this on a whole wheat English muffin for breakfast. They have a blog, btw. Who knew?

Cool Whip Graham Cracker Sandwiches: Best. Dessert. Ever. Really. Take 1/2 of a low-fat graham cracker and top with 1-2 tablespoons of fat free or sugar free cool whip. I like to sprinkle on a few chocolate chips (and by a few, I mean 40 which kind of defeats the purpose). Top with the other half of the graham cracker, wrap in foil and freeze. Voila, you have a homemade, low-fat chipwich.


What are some of your best kept diet secrets?

Summer Style: Work/Weekend Wear

If you're in the market for a summer dress, this little frock from Anthropologie is perfect for work, weekend or a even a low key night out. I actually just picked one up myself! At only $88 (hey, these days a dress under $100 - sometimes $300 - is hard to come by), you'll rock it all season long. Here are a few things to pair it with (apparently, everything I like is gold....):
 

for DAY: flip flops or gladiators, hoop earrings (try Gorjana style below)
for WORK: espadrilles or wedges (try the gold Michael Kors espadrille below, $139.95), thin beaded necklace, short sleeve cardigan
for NIGHT: belt it (try the Ralph Lauren belt below, $42)