Electric Blogarella
Bring on the weekend …
I’m convinced the entire world is going to the opening of Bianca at the Delano tonight. So, with that being said, you’re probably rummaging through your closet right now, looking for something to wear. Something no one has photographed you in for at least two months now. You’re going to need a playlist for that uphill battle.
Might I suggest:
The Strokes “Machu Picchu”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZOYg2Qy7HM
Miike Snow “Animal”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVWeqAPQUXc&ob=av2e
Class Actress “Weekend”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XdTr23ABQk&ob=av2e
And my new constantly on repeat: Gotye “Somebody That I Used to Know”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9NF2edxy-M
Go ahead and add Destroyer “Kaputt” in there from last Thursday. I’m still not over that yet.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJSjspGcmMU
Just play ‘em loud.
Thanks to the awesome socks Jipsy, I wound up on Cultist today from my little romp at The Standard’s MAM Playlist Party. It just so happens I was wearing my new boots that night. See them for yourself, here. Thanks for the love, Jipsy!
Every now and then I take a break from the fashion and beauty bubble to be a part of the real world. Today’s real world experience: Mitzvah Day. What’s that, you ask? It’s a day of doing good deeds. This was my second year of heading up a Mitzvah Day project at Temple Beth Sholom. (Shhh, don’t tell anyone I’m not Jewish. I don’t want to get kicked out of the club.)
Just walking into the temple today you could have washed someone’s car, donated blood, made a scarf for someone in the hospital, made a pillow for troops overseas, potted a plant for an elderly person and so on and so on. This year’s group was 1,000 strong. That’s 1,000 people who gave up a portion of their Sunday to make the world a little happier. And this year, my little group helped make hats and cards for kids with cancer.
Here’s how it all went down in pics:
That’s me and my fellow Mitzvah Day partner in crime, Jamie. And yes, we totally cut up our tees the minute we got them. God knows we could not be seen in boy-shaped shirts.
The girls, our inspiration for taking on this type of project this year.
This year we opted for a kid-friendly project so we could start grooming these girls for future Mitzvah Day project leader-ness.
Never a dull moment with this crowd.
Nice save, Alec.
This is what it’s all about. The kids were actually really important to the production assembly line. They helped make 48 hand-decorated cards.
Armed with scissors, this was the collage portion of the assembly line.
These guys rocked it with awesome words of encouragement hand-written in every card.
Here’s the package-tie team. They rock a mean curly string.
And there you have it. Forty-eight bandana hats and hand-made cards ready to bring a smile to the faces of some well-deserving kids.
Moral of the story:You don’t have to wait until a church, temple, school or office tells you to do something nice. Just randomly give it swing and see what happens. Warm tingly sensations may ensue.
That’s Santigold.
At this point, if you live in Miami, have Internet access and a Facebook page, you know Absolut launched its sixth city-inspired flavor last night at the lawn at the Fontainebleau. We’ve made it! We’re a vodka! Absolut Miami. The colorful bottle packed a citrus punch with orange blossom and passion fruit, which is a much nicer flavor to give this city than many of us locals could have come up with. Fruity. Miami is a fruity city. We’re full of fruity people and well-ripened activities. But we’ll get to that.
Mojitos in hand, the crowd at the event got loud and happy when Santigold took the stage. Yeah, Santigold. Considering we live in a place bands just glaze right over when making touring schedules, you have to admit, this was kind of a big deal.
As she, her two back-up dancers and a funny-wigged DJ took the stage, the crowd started jumping up and down, mojitos in hand. But it’s all good. The drinks were free, so spilling was completely acceptable.
Santigold only played three songs, which was kind of a bummer. We wanted more. We all wanted more. But, in terms of free events, you really can’t complain. Oh wait, I just did.
Afterward, however, Miami got fruity again, as where Santigold once stood and performed, now white bathing suit-clad models took over, dancing in a giant box that looked like a prop from Hollywood Squares with neon pink lights. And the crowd like it. To go from Santigold to bathing suit and sarong-covered models, is well, only really acceptable in Miami. Especially when you add neon pink lights.
The marketing geniuses at Absolut know Miami just wants models in boxes, dancing the night away.
And that, along with passion fruit and orange blossom, is how we roll in this city. Free drinks, dancing models and for a few brief minutes, some really cool tunes.
Speaking of really cool tunes, I’m going to throw some suggestions for a playlist together for you to kick off your Friday night.
Give this a try:
Destroyer’s “Kaputt”
Metric’s “Gold, Guns, Girls”
Friends’ “I’m His Girl”
Future Islands “Balance”
and (because it’s been on constant repeat in my life)
Empire of the Sun’s “Walking on a Dream”
You may want to throw some Zola Jesus in there, too. You’ll find that happening live at Bardot on the 9th.
Need sheets? Yeah, me neither.
There are exactly 2.4 million discount shopping sites. I know this because I am subscribed to at least 2.2 of that million. My inbox is an enigma in and of itself. Here’s the ironic part: As much as I love shopping, I hardly ever open any of them. The exception is the one my friend (hold up, there’s a shout out coming) Marcella referred me to. (Side note: I honestly have more than three friends, but for some reason the only three who ever get mentioned on my blog are Maria, Marcella and Erin. I swear there’s more. Honest.) After listening to me rant about how I need new jeans, Marcella texted me a site called SmartBargains.com, who had Paige Denim for the grand total of $32. I’ve been on the site ever since: Hello, Nicole Miller sequin dress for $27.99. Anyone want to host NYE part deux?
SmartBargains.com isn’t your typical fashionista site. It has a plethora of home stuff, too. I like to think of it as the TJ Maxx of discounted shopping sites. You really have to scrounge around through the bad shoes, tacky purses and floral shower curtains to find what you are looking for, but when you do, chances are it’s going to be $15 — once you apply five to 10 different discount codes. And I’m fairly certain the free shipping promo never ends. Ever.
See for yourself. Sign up at Smartbargains.com. Be forewarned, though. You will get a daily e-mail enticing you to buy this, that, the other or an umbrella. But hey, you’ve already tolerated the other million you get daily. What’s one more?
Stick ‘em up.
Having a blog propels you to do lots of things. Sometimes, things you’d never normally do. At least that’s what I’m telling myself. So, once a week, I’m peer pressuring myself to test out the waters and try something out of my comfort zone. This week: Stick-on manicures. For some odd reason (I think it’s my work sked), I’ve gotten stuck on a Wednesday mani/pedi rotation, which means come Sunday, I’m all chipped out. Solution: manicure stickers, or, as Sally Hansen calls them Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips. I found these are my local Target over in the nail polish aisle. That’s about as close to real nail polish as they come, being found in the nail polish aisle. Options abound, from solid with glitter to lace, flowers, stripes and other tacky crap I’d never be caught dead in more. I went with flowers because I thought they were the lesser evil.
Ten days, eh?
As a Minx veteran, I was familiar with how the process goes. You peel this cover off, peel that cover off, stick, crease, pull and file. The whole process takes about 15 minutes (which is waaaay faster than trying to paint your own nails. Especially when left hand is trying to paint right hand. I mean, come on, who can do that?) The box claims these do-dads stay on for 10 days. I got about three hours out of my right hand. However, left hand is still going strong. I’m wondering if this, too, has to do with my lack of ambidexterity. Damn you, left hand. You totally don’t need nail polish remover to get them off. Just peel. It is, after all, a sticker. I actually reapplied four fingers on right hand (and if you’re savvy, you can use the opposite end of the one you just put on your first hand to do other hand, so you have extras).
Afterward, I washed two dogs, took a shower, did yoga twice and played with kid. Still kickin’, but the tips are starting to chip on thumbs. Thumbs, by the way, are super hard to get right. Apparently, having them does not make us a dominant species when it comes to putting stickers on your nails. That whole sentence alone should explain why. Try it, you’ll see what I mean.
Despite feeling slightly Jersey-fabulous, I’m going to take these out for an event tonight.
And yeah, I made another mani appointment for tomorrow. But if you’re in a naked nail lurch, give these a go. For $8, what do you have to lose?
Jersey fabulous or just plain fabulous?
Emma Stone in Lanvin.
Last night’s Golden Globes sent a storm of celebs down the red carpet in fabulous frocks and daring makeup. My favorite look of the evening, however, was Emma Stone. Her eyes were completely on par with her dress. And what a dress it was. It’s a bit risky to play up such dramatic makeup with such a powerful dress, but the team at Chanel helped Stone pull it off.
It’s all about the eyes.
Stone is a Revlon brand ambassador, which means she, of course, was wearing a smattering of Revlon products. The artist behind the look was Chanel’s Rachel Goodwin, who created the look with pewter and gunmetal shades.
For the eyes, here’s what she used:
Chanel Intense Eye Pencil in Noir and Intense Mascara in Noir. Revlon ColorStay 16H Eyeshadow Quad in Precocious.
Noted are the nude-ish lips paired with the bold eye, because one over-emphasized feature goes a long way, baby.
This is definitely something to try out the next time a dramatic makeup situation presents itself.
Honorable mention: Angelina Jolie’s red lips. Stunning.
If anyone has the lips for a bold, red pucker it’s …
One look, four patterns.
Yesterday, I stepped out of my comfort zone. I’m usually a solids kind of person. But I mixed it up with a mess of patterns. Normally, if I do wear a pattern, it’s just one. And a bold one at that. Mixing and matching a bunch of little patterns together can be risky. You can easily come off like a vagrant wearing every last scrap of clothing you own. Or, you can look like an art teacher who went to Woodstock version 1.0. But, if you do it right, it’s possible to make the look work. I don’t know what got into me when I paired my big, boho mama skirt (FYI if I could LIVE in these hippie dippy schmattas, I totally would.) with a pattern tank and threw on my DVF leopard tote. I also had on my Zingara animal-print halter bikini, which was peeking out of the top of my tank. This whole mix and match fiesta was really fun. I’ll be sure to do it again. Hopefully, the pairing will go as well as this one.
Here are a few pieces I think would also work together for a pattern parade.
Pair this Forever 21 print top (which you’d better dry clean after because you know it will die in the wash) ….
With these pattern Milla pants from J Brand.
Cap off with this red scarf from Theodora & Callum for a mish mosh of patterns that work well together.
I’m not so sure how fab this whole things is, but it’s touting my new concept.
After a chat with my Mom, where I explained to her my new office attire was a bathing suit and my new office was the beach or a pool (I live in a tropical environ, so part of my New Year’s resolution was to enjoy it as much as possible and since I have to work, why not meld the two?), she threw out a saying “the life of Riley.” And then she was floored neither I, nor my husband, had any clue what it meant. I chalked it up to a generation gap. But after she said it, she suggested I dedicate Friday (my favorite day of the week) posts to the good life. And I think it’s not a half-bad idea. So here it is, my first Life of Riley Friday post. Thanks, mom.
The Life of Riley, by the way and according to Wikipedia, was an American radio sitch comedy in the ’40s. (Technically, that should even be a generation gap for my mom). In 1949 it became a film and in the ’50s (still not my mom’s time), it was a TV show. It references the concept of a charmed life.
And that’s what I’ll be highlighting now on Fridays. Thoughts, products, concepts, etc … that play up the charmed life you’re either living or wishing you lived.
Today’s highlight:
I’ve seen two of them in the past few days. At first, I wasn’t sure what had just zipped past me, but I was fairly aware it was a car with the iconic Gucci red and green stripes down the side. Turns out, that’s exactly what it was. Designer collaborations are absolutely everywhere, including cars. Fiat’s site calls it “turning the runway into a racetrack.” Yeah, it’s kind of fabulous. Yes, I wished I owned one. The convertible even has the stripes on its top. The interior, too. Unfortunately, the little g logos are everywhere inside, and not just relegated to the tires and gear shift. To be honest, that’s a little gauche for my taste (says the girl who carries the LV-logoed Neverfull). But otherwise, it fits very well into The Life of Riley. The striped seat belts are, well, perfection. So there, you have it. Things I wished I owned. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a poolside date with the sun.
Designer this, designer that, designer car.
Current faves.
There are two things in life that should always be red: sports cars and lips. I know this is very ’50s of me, but I love lipstick. Bold, red lipstick. Nothing says a perfect pout like a pair of beautifully lined rouge lips. And the last thing I’d ever do is swipe gloss over the top of that lipstick. For me, red lips should be marvelous and matte. Finding the right lipstick to make that happen, however, is a chore in and of itself. Reds fade to bright or hot pink, bleed into your lip line and they make for a mess if you don’t locked down the exact shade and texture. When I came across Chanel’s Rouge Allure Velvet ($32.50), I got that little tingle of excitement that I might be able to give my old standby Clinique red I’ve been rationing for eons now (it was a limited-edition run from a Grammy gift bag) a break. And guess what? I was right. The texture of this lipstick is just like the name implies: velvet. Mix that with a matte texture and the geniuses at Chanel are on to something, yet again. The pigments in this lipstick lock on to lips and stay for color that doesn’t budge. And, unlike so many unbudging colors, this one doesn’t crust up or over. It’s as smooth as velvet. I opted for #39 La Somptueuse. It’s red hinging on the darker side for a hue that is as classic as a little red Corvette. I’ve test driven the color twice now and both times I came home with as much lipstick as I left with, which is always a good sign. After two trial runs, I’m ready to make this lipstick part of my regular rotation.
As much as I love lipstick, however, I’m also a gloss kind of girl for day. Something lighter on the lips is just how I like to roll when the sun is up. My latest obsession is Clinique’s Dual Ended Almost Lipstick & Long Last Glosswear with SPF 15 in Black Honey ($21). First of all, Clinique has this whole Black Honey color down pat. It’s the perfect hint of color without being too dark. You wouldn’t think so by just glancing at the product in the tube, but go ahead, give it a shot. The texture of the Almost Lipstick, which you apply first (and lives on one end of the tube) is smooth and not at all sticky. The Long Last Glosswear goes on like a typical gloss and rivals silk with its texture. I’ve slung this in my bag for three days now, making it an instant staple for casual lips when I’m out and about. Unfortunately, this gloss is limited-edition and very hard to find. Seems I’ll be giving this one Grammy gift bag status, too. Apparently, rationing lip products is my unavoidable forte.
More at http://www.dailycandy.com/miami/article/117617/Miami-Events-and-Diversions.
Fancy a game of ping-pong? Wanna meet Patti Smith? Need something to wear to meet Patti Smith? Craving a burger? Need to work off the calories from that burger with some yoga? It’s time for you to read DailyCandy’s Weekend Guide, my friend. Find it all here. I’m so excited about Fly Boutique in MiMo. I can’t wait to rummage through the vintage finds. And this whole Prana Passport thing is completely genius. To new old clothes and yoga traveling. Cheers.
Dear Weather Channel, might this be some kind of error?
I conceded defeat and turned the heat on about an hour and a half ago — because it’s cold. And its going to get legit cold later. Whenever the temps dip below 70 in Miami, madness sets in. At yoga this morning, the room was heated to 80 degrees. People walked in wearing scarves. Boots. So when the temperature actually starts doing weird stuff, like being, well, all cold and 37 and stuff, we Floridians don’t know what to do with ourselves. Honestly, I was wearing a bikini on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. I’m tan for the first time in a long, long time and it’s all tucked under wooly socks and thermal pants. Something is clearly wrong here. Nevertheless, that small Midwestern portion of me, the one who barely remembers what it feels like when its so cold out your little toe goes numb and feels like its seconds away from falling off, still gets a kick out of Miami’s reaction to 50 degrees. These are some of the best status updates I came across today.
Read them, fellow Miamians, as you sip hot coco and curse whatever Arctic blast is keeping us from inhabiting the beach.
Marcella Novela My fireplace has been on since I woke up this morning, so cozy!! I’m kind of loving this cold weather…
Erin Chainani I am NOT NOT NOT turning on the heat tonight. I refuse. My Minnesota genes won’t let me admit this is cold.
Kelly Taylor landed in miami and it is a balmy 50+ degrees. yikes.
Cheryl Kate Hohweiler what is this crazy cold weather, this is some NYC sh*t -wowzers! #sonotprepared
Wendy Doscher-Smith I’m so cold I just tried the Elvis “Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwich” cocoa.
Yes, that Patti Smith.
You may get as excited as Michael Stipe when I share this little bit. On Sunday, Jan. 8, Patti Smith is going to be at Book & Books in Coral Gables to talk about and sign copies of her latest memoir, “Woolgathering.” The book is a collection of her childhood musings combined with her life story. It’s a re-release with a hefty dose of new material, like omitted writings, illustrations and pics. And you get to meet Smith in person. Yes, the “Godmother of Punk” will be there in the flesh. Bring a pen and your best bra. The signings start at 4 p.m.
Curb alert.
While we were out galavanting on NYE, we ran into fellow blogger Hadley Henriette. Total side note: girl has style like none other. She mentioned she publicly disagreed with our when-to-take-down-the-tree post. So we took a little trip over to her blog, “Field Day” and took a look-see for ourselves. Now that’s a lovely tree, Hadley. But she plans to leave it up until at least Valentine’s Day. This also spawned a conversation with the other New Year’s Eve-bies I was hanging with, and it turns out Erin’s mom was infamous for keeping her tree up well into April. Yes, April. When I was a kid, that thing hit the curb the day after Christmas and the ornaments were packed up and put away just as quickly. Mine actually took a trip back to the big bag in the garage today—remember, it’s eco-chic. Since this seems to be a heated topic, I have to ask, how long do you let your Christmas tree linger? Are you a put-it-away-the-day after kind of crew? Or are you pine needle preserver well into the new year? And how do you keep it alive for that long? Let’s discuss.
That’s me, ringing it in with my better half.
In Miami Beach, on New Year’s Eve, the locals know better than to park their midnight kiss at a club. That scene is for all the New Yorkers who sucked up every last beach chair at SoHo House Friday afternoon. Instead, the permanent fixtures opt for a good, raging house party hosted by someone bold enough to subject their dwelling to the carnage of merriment. FYI, that’s not me. I have off-white carpets, thank you very much. But I was lucky enough to get invited to two posh house soirees hosted by two of Miami’s most lovely ladies.
The first of which is my gal pal Marcella. And here’s what I learned at her fete: If you have art that looks like food, label it so it doesn’t get eaten by some drunkard with a hankering for cake. Kind of like this:
Mmmm, cake.
Or not.
Over at Casa Tettamanti, my bestie Maria tapped into her inner Martha Stewart. She lists the secrets to her own success here on her The Wordy Girl blog. But she left a few things out. Like, if you have a Greek mama, and she makes cheese pies, have her make an army of them, especially if you’ve invited me. Oh, gluttony.
This is the worst pic of the most delicious pastry — yes, with a bite taken out. Note, I will be squeezing in extra yoga classes all week to work off the exorbitant number of these little treats I took in last night. Totally worth it.
Also clutch: Sparklers. Yes. It really is as simple as sparklers. As soon as they hit the tables, they lit up the night and pics were snapped left and right. Kind of like this one:
Lights, camera, action.
So while all of New York was holding court at Liv and LeBron was busy getting engaged at The Shelborne, we locals were acting a fool and playing with sparklers in Miami’s backyards. Sure, at some point we wound up at Soho House, because, let’s face it, all roads lead to Soho. But it was the house parties that are forever imprinted in our memories for the last night of 2011. And for those who were bold enough to host, your first day of 2012 was most likely loaded with a monstrous mess detailing the fun you had the hours prior. We’re sorry we crushed gum into your carpet, Maria. (PS that was not me or anyone in my car, by the way.) And now we know that’s not a real cake, Marcella. But thanks for letting us trash your pads and party like rockstars one last time before we bid farewell to 2011.
Say, is that Alexis you’re wearing? I thought so.
