Happy New Year!

Wow. 2009 is at a close and it was quite an eventful year. January 2009 kicked off with a job loss, followed in February by the hubby's job loss, we celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary on Valentine's Day and moved to Denver five weeks later. What a way to start the year! The hardships we dealt with affirmed my thought that God will provide and He has given us SO much this year. While it was not the best year, we have everything we could possibly want and opportunities are being presented after so patiently waiting for good things to happen. I have an amazing job, the hubby is making more money than he ever has, and we have had health, laughter and love for each other every step of the way. 


As usual, I have a few things I want to accomplish in 2010:


1. Maintain my 4.0 in school and finish with honors
2. Start my salt and sugar scrubs and put them on Etsy
3. Get rid of those remaining credit cards once and for ALL!!
4. Move to a different part of Denver
5. Go to the gym more often! This is a must!!!
6. Stop eating out so often
7. Go to a Laker AND Dodger game this spring/summer
8. Take an art class
9. Learn Photography
10. Start saving for the move to NYC in the next year


2009 was also a year of many new fashion looks, as well as some um...interesting choices. 

 Lady Gaga showed us that fashion is subjective

'Mad Men' inspired a new trend

Sci-Fi was more than a movie/book genre

The higher, the better

Want to take a trip down the fashion memory lane? Check out InStyle's 100 Best Dresses of the Decade

Finally, I will leave you with some of my favorite Songs of the DECADE!!!!

2000: Destiny's Child

2001: Mary J. Blige

2002: Shakira

2003: Beyonce

2004: Gwen Stefani 

2005: Rihanna

2006: Madonna 

2007: Rihanna and Jay-Z 

2008: Coldplay

2009: Alicia Keys and Jay-Z

Sources: InStyle, People StyleWatch 

Song of the Week

I have heard this song for a while on my Pandora, and I love it. The singer's stage name is September, a Swedish pop star who I guess has been pretty successful back in Europe. All I know is this song is perfect for time on the Elliptical machine.

Celebrity Style File- Beyonce

I should be writing a five page article that is due tomorrow, but I just cannot get into it right now. Instead, I threw on my iPod and thought about writing a blog for this week. I just watched the Thanksgiving special that was on for Beyonce "I am...Yours" and I was really thinking about how I love her style. She is just one of my personal fave celebrities who not only looks great but serves as a great role models for girls of all ages.

I don't know about you, but I don't have the paycheck of a celebrity. Instead, I need to find cute clothes in retail stores that the average person could afford. Here are a few of Beyonce's outfits that I like, as well as the less-expensive counterparts that anyone can find.

Forever 21 $27

Steve Madden $50

 

ModCloth $65

 

Target $15

Banana Republic $152

 

All Beyonce images may be found at Instyle

Song of the Week

I have loved this song since the minute I heard it. I have always been a fan of Alicia Keys and Jay Z, and add in that equation a song about New York City and I am in love! This song makes me want to pack up a U-Haul and get on my way already!

2009 American Music Awards

So I just sat through three hours of the American Music Awards, and I can sum it up in about one word:

Zzzzzzzzz

Janet Jackson opened the show, and I know she is way popular but this is the second award show she opened up in a matter of months. I can't help but think that if Michael Jackson hadn't passed away if she would still be out there with this much exposure. Her outfit was a MESS. She needs to fire her stylist...PRONTO.

Who is this you ask? No, it's not Lady Gaga although it appears they are sharing clothes out of the same closet. It's Bobby Trendy. Yea, no one else knows who he is. I happen to remember him from Anna Nicole's show on E! years ago. That's where he should have stayed.

Adam, Adam, Adam. There is nothing else to say about this guy! Aside from the shock value during his performance, I have no interest in him or his music. Lame! He should have stayed on Broadway with his theatrics. 

Can someone tell me where Shakira is? I LOVE her, but I am not a big fan of this new music or her performances. Please, Shakira we liked you the way you were. No need to morph into a raunchy pop star to get fans...you already have us!

One of my fave songs of the night were Kelly Clarkson. I am not into her new music after the last few CDs were overplayed beyond necessity. She sounded great live and the song was really nice. She needs to get a new dress though, this one is not flattering at all.

Want to see more pictures? Check out others at Socialite Life

 

Song of the Week

I am thinking of starting a Sunday posting of my fave songs of the week...Sound like a good idea? Since I am always listening to Pandora or XM there is such an awesome blend of songs from different genres! If you have any cool songs, let me know!

This week is Bad Romance by Lady Gaga...LOVE this song right now!

Loung-erie

The other day, the hubby and I went to the mall to window shop, get some ideas for Christmas gifts for each other and look at the decorations. I love the holiday season, and I am really excited to have my first white Christmas; however, I have this feeling Colorado will have a heat wave and there will be no snow. Weird, I know but that's just how my life goes.

So, we went into Victoria's Secret to check out the goods, and I was admiring all of the PINK items: velour suits, t-shirts and loung-y pants. As we left, I was telling Rudolph that I especially loved the PINK line because it was practical, cute and comfy. Just as I finished describing the line to the guy who just looked at them, he said, "Yea, it's kinda like loung-erie" What kind of genius hubby do I have? That was brillant.

While I like lingerie, there is a time and a place for it. On the other hand, the PINK line allows me to be cozy, comfy, yet still cute for the rest of the day. Here are some cute goods I think should be under the tree come December 25th:

$32.50

$39.50

$39.50

$34.50 - $39.50

$54.50

You can check out everything else at Victoria's Secret PINK line here

Relaxing those Feet!

The other day, I was writing an article on foot detox spa treatments when I came across an AWESOME site for home pedicure soaks. Now, I told you before that I loved trying things made from natural products, and being flip flop queen I need to keep my feet looking good!

Going to the spa is not always easy or cheap, so doing your own foot spa treatments is perfect for those days you want to relax but not leave the house. I came across one recipe in particular that has simple items meant to leave skin feeling soft.

Skin Softening Soak

2 tablespoons Olive Oil

1/4 cup of Milk

1/4 cup of water

1/4 cup lemon juice

Mix all of these ingredients together and soak your feet as long as you want to! I will be trying this recipe tonight since it has been awhile since I have done any relaxing..

If you have tired feet (and I know what heels do to our feet) a great recipe is to mix sea salt with warm water and soak them. The salt will relax the feet to get rid of that achy feeling. You can find sea salt anywhere...Target, Sephora, even a drug store...Epsom Salt is found everywhere as well, and is especially used for relaxing muscle aches after a workout.

For a Foot Relaxing Soak

1/2 Sea Salt or Epsom Salt

Enough water to cover the feet

Mix warm water and the salt to create the soak and then relax the feet as long as you want. To use an Epsom salt bath after a workout, just mix one cup in a tub filled with water. 

Like to buy products? Here are some great products to try from my fave store Bath & Body Works:

Stress Relief- Tranquil Mint 

$15

Footloose & Fancy Fizz Bubbly Foot Bath

$15

These Boots are made for Walking

I have officially survived my first snowstorm here in Denver, but my shoes are not made for walking in the snow. I LOVE my Coach shoes…think Vans but with little silver ‘C’s all over them and fur on the inside. Yes, my uber-comfy shoes were perfect, until I had to run an errand in two feet of snow. Soaked is what they were, and sliding around is what I did.

Now, I am looking around for the perfect boots that can get me where I am going without broken bones, yet do not look like I raided a tire store and threw something on my feet. I was looking around at Target, and I found some cute rain galoshes. Now, my mother made me wear galoshes when I was in elementary school..when NO one wore them. I was mortified to be the only kid showing up to school dry. Lame, I know. So now that I am 20-something, I want to re-visit the galosh look.

Target $25

I am all about comfort. It probably explains why the shoes in constant rotation are either slippers or flip-flops, but now I see that where there is cold weather.. there are boots. Here are some other cute styles I like, yet still look pretty comfy..

Nine West $129

Car Shoe $610 (steep I know)

Chinese Laundry $ 99

Coach $478 (hint hint honey!)

Naughty Monkey $90

Yellow

My fave song of 2001... Love you doll! <3

Pumpkin Beauty Treatments

Tomorrow is Halloween, but unfortunately the hubby is working so there will be no fun had in this house! Halloween also happens to be the anniversary of our first date…in 2001. Yes, we have been inseparable for eight years and every year is better than the last.

Ok back to Halloween...so I am a big advocate of using natural products on my skin for beauty treatments.  Yes, I have been the one to slather honey and oatmeal on my face, created brown sugar scrubs for my skin and even thrown milk in my bath like Cleopatra. You know what I haven’t used? Pumpkin! Now I know pumpkin is beneficial for skin, containing vitamin A, vitamin C, and zinc. Pumpkin masks have long been used to moisturize and create the softest skin. So instead of trick-or-treating, you can bet I will be sitting at home with my own mask…made of pumpkin.

Here are some pumpkin skin treatments:

Facial Mask

2 teaspoons of canned or cooked, pureed pumpkin

½ teaspoon of honey (used to regenerate skin cells)

¼ teaspoon milk (moisturizes and soothes skin)

Combine all the ingredients and apply to the face, leaving on for 15 minutes. With the ingredients to the pumpkin pie mask, exfoliating and moisturizing is done in one simple treatment! Rinse off with warm water and apply moisturizer.

Body Scrub

½ cup canned pumpkin

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

½ cup brown sugar

Combine all of the ingredients and apply to the entire body, scrubbing gently in circular motions and paying special attention to the knees and elbows. Rinse off with warm water and apply a body cream

Winter Skin Tips

Okay so being it is now my first winter out here…oh wait, it’s only October, my skin is no longer enjoying all the dewy effects that the coastal air of Southern California once gave it. No, my skin is dry and so un-flattering that it prompted me to write this entry. I figured that researching on the internet about skin tips for winter would help me make my skin happy to be on my body.

#1 Moisturize

We all do it, but when you subject your face to cold winter air, you need to do it A LOT. I have tried various moisturizers since I moved to Denver, and there is only one that is doing the job. Juice Beauty Mineral Sheer Moisturizer is made up of organic ingredients and stays moisturizing my skin long after I apply it. I found it at Sephora, but don’t ask me how much because I just put stuff in my shopping basket when I am there, and then tell the darling hubby to pay for it.

#2 Drink Water

This is a hard one for me. Many dermatologists say the amount of water you drink has no bearing on your skin. But I disagree! My skin looks horrid when I do not drink water, so I am trying to drink at least 64 ounce each day…flavored with Crystal Light. I know, plain water is better but my theory is, if I like it I will drink more of it.

I also use grape water to hydrate my skin before applying lotion or foundation. Caudalie Grape Water is refreshing on my skin and puts life back into it before I head out the door. This too may be found at Sephora.

#3 Avoid Hot Showers or Baths

When it is 20 degrees outside, the last thing I want to do is take a tepid bath or shower. No, I break this rule and take a hot bath, complete with bubbles, salts or fizzes. Unfortunately, the minute I step out of the water, the moisture in my skin stays behind. Apply a thick body butter or cream when you get out of the shower to lock in moisture and keep skin fresh year-round. My fave of the moment? Victoria’s Secret Body Butter.

Fall Beauty Trend- 2009

Since it is my first Fall in Denver, I am thoroughly getting to enjoy cooler weather and the gorgeous fall leaves on the trees. I am missing LA on the other hand though, because I am used to September and October being 100 + degrees and hitting Disneyland for their annual Halloween decor. Still, I am paying more attention to fall clothing and beauty trends, since now I can actually wear them instead of my usual summer clothes until Christmas.

I love nail polish, so I find this color to be very interesting! InStyle Magazine shared that Jade (?!) is the new color for Fall 2009, and many celebrities have been seen wearing it to premieres and red carpet events. The Jade Collection by Chanel is out for a limited time, at $25 dollars a bottle.

Source: InStyle

Live from New York...It's Saturday Night!

Last night was SNL's premiere episode for Season 35, with host Megan Fox and musical guests U2.There were some entertaining skits from my faves Will Forte and Fred Armisen, but the most talk is revolving around new girl on the job- Jenny Slate. Slate, in a skit with Kristen Wiig, dropped the F-bomb during a back and forth dialogue filled with "freakins" but instead she let the F-word slip. In her defense, with a skit so filled with the "almost word" I would have found it hard to not let it slip too! Those on the West Coast might have missed it, as they bleeped it out for that feed. Being in Denver, I was watching it live and had to rewind because I thought I heard wrong. Nope.

If you missed it, you can catch it here: SNL Premiere

U2 was good as usual, but I found Bono's breaking into a somewhat-rap kinda weird. I also wish they would have played my favorite song from their new album, "Magnificent". All in all, SNL did ok but I am looking forward to the disaster that is Lady Gaga, next week as the musical guest.

While the rest of the episode could have used some help, leave it to Andy Samberg to create a funny SNL Digital Short:

Video Recaps | Full Episodes | Webisodes

Emmy Night 2009

What better way to start off my new blog than to talk about the Emmy Awards? My personal faves were Mad Men for Drama and 30 Rock for Comedy, and they both happened to win.

Here is the complete list of winners in case you missed it: Emmy Award Winners 2009

While Neil Patrick Harris did a somewhat good job hosting, I can't say that it was all that entertaining.There was the typical song and dance opening, which I don't understand why it needs to be on almost every award show. There were no surprises this year, I am sad Jon Hamm did not win Best Actor in a Drama for the second year in a row, but maybe Breaking Bad is really that good. Dresses from the ladies were colorful, my favorites being of course the gorgeous January Jones in Versace, Kate Walsh in J. Mendel and Jennifer Love Hewitt in Max Azria.

My not-so fave? Leighton Meester. She looked like a hot mess with her baggy Bottega Veneta dress and moppy hair. I was also slightly disappointed in Christina Hendricks fashion choice, seeing as she has a body for a much more colorful and youthful dress.

 

Source: E!, CBS