Category Archives for My Picks

Three Things

Three things currently on my radar:

gwyneth-paltrow-its-all-good-cookbook

1. It’s All Good, the latest cookbook from Gwyneth Paltrow. Gwyneth gets a lot of flack for espousing a gluten-free, largely meat-free diet and coming off as a bit out of touch. Personally, I share a similar food ethos to Mrs. Paltrow. After being vegetarian for more than ten years, I started eating meat again and realized it makes me feel sluggish. I still indulge in a steak very rarely, but I think it’s important to take stock of your diet on a regular basis. I can’t wait to see her new cookbook in its entirety (Self has a preview, and that salmon recipe is on the top of my to-make list).

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2. The work of Michelle Armas. My great friend Fem invited me to a gallery opening featuring Armas’ work a few weeks ago, and I was truly blown away. I had seen her work on various blogs and such (she has quite a fashionable following) but in person, her work is just extraordinary. Full of color and vibrancy, the pieces are unique without being overtly trendy. She is also a truly nice person who couldn’t have been more gracious as everyone gushed over her paintings at the opening.

3. The Vogue Voices series, which recently profiled Alexander Wang (designer of his eponymous line, and newly-appointed creative director of Balenciaga). I find it fascinating to go inside the mind of someone so creative, even if just for a moment.

Daily Happy

Three things currently on my radar:

1.) Jenna Lyons, the Creative Director of J. Crew, always looks fantastic – mostly, I think, because she bucks trends and instead wears ensemble that are purely her. Her outfit choice for the 2012 Met Ball was no exception – a denim shirt + pink satin skirt combo looked feminine, sophisticated and purely Jenna. 770 Behind the Line: the (un) official J. Crew blog has the back story on Jenna’s outfit. It’s definitely worth a read.

2.) The Runway to Win Collection, a project by fashion designers in support of President Barack Obama’s re-election campaign. Regardless of your political proclivities, these pieces are pretty great. I especially love the Alexander Wang hoodie and the Thakoon scarf. Proceeds, obviously, go toward Obama’s campaign, so I understand this isn’t for everyone – but I do think it’s great when fashion and poltics collide. (Vogue editor Anna Wintour and fashionista Sarah Jessica Parker have also recently pledged their support for the Prez, in case you missed it.) But no matter who you cast your vote for come November, educate yourself. Don’t go into the voting booth blind – do your research, find out the issues that matter to you (gay marriage? taxes? education?) and go from there.

3.) Lastly, these wise words, from Mr. Bill Cosby: Decide that you want it more than you’re afraid of it. What a wonderful mantra.

Daily Happy

Three things currently on my radar:

1. Blood, Bones and Butter by Gabrielle Hamilton, the best book I have read in a very long time. If you love to cook (or love to eat), you must read this book. It is so beautifully-written/ funny/ poignant that I could read it again and again and again. I recently started the 50 Shades of Grey trilogy, which is exactly as I thought it would be. An easy read, and very racy. I think it took me an hour to get through 250 pages. Perfect for the beach.

2. The Thakoon for Nars nail polishes. I have been hunting for these great shades for months – finally, they made their way to the local Blue Mercury. My boyfriend surprised me with the yellow shade last week. Nice pop of color and perfect for summer! Looks great on a pedicure.

3. These delicious (and healthful) gummi bears from Bissingers Naturals. The blueberry flavor is always in our beach cooler and these make for a wonderful mid-day snack.

Daily Happy

Some things that are making me happy lately:

This very cute article from Gawker about achieving the “perfect” beach body. (Or not.)

I am pretty much obsessed with the One Direction song, “What Makes you Beautiful.” Genius, it is not. But catchy? Oh, it is very catchy and these boys (I Wikipedia’d them. They are most certainly boys, not men, and much too young for me to even be blogging about, let alone YouTube-ing) are very cute (Cute, not “hot,” not “handsome.” I’m not a pedophile, geeze lay off me) and seem to be decently talented (read: I have their posters on my wall and am in line to become President of the fan club.)

I will leave you with this little gem:

Happy Friday.

♥

My Picks: Beauty Necessities

I am somewhat of a beauty product hoarder – I love trying new products, which often results in a plethora of different types of the same things. For example, I currently have at least five bottles of various types of hair oil. Necessary? Probably not. Below, some of my recent product purchases, which will be sure to fall into my normal rotation.

1. Ole Henriksen Feel the Difference Perfecting Mask – This mask is AMAZING. I really can’t describe it any other way. I don’t know if it’s made any significant changes to my skin, but I do know that it feels amazing to slather it on after a long work week and relax for a solid thirty minutes. It cools your skin so that, even once it’s removed, you can still feel it tingling. I wear makeup every single day so it I find it mandatory to do a mask at least once or twice a week – just to ensure that everything comes off of my skin. This one is all-natural and can be found at Sephora.
2. Aveda Blue Oil Balancing Concentrate – I don’t know what I’d do without this. It is my little miracle-worker. The rollerball applicator allows you to place this calming oil on various pressure points (I usually apply it on the back of my neck and inside my wrists) where it helps to dissolve tension and raise energy levels with peppermint and blue chamomile extract. I keep it on in my office at work and apply it throughout the day.
3. Chanel nail polish in June and Distraction - Perfect pops of color, and not too trendy.
4. Lancôme GÉNIFIQUE Youth Activating Cream Serum – This serum is great to apply before your night cream, and is said to increase skin’s absorption. It’s somewhat pricey, but a little goes a long way.
5. Smashbox Artificial Light Illuminating Powder – I dab a little bit of this under my eyes and around my nose (the areas that tend to get most red) to make myself look more awake in the mornings. It lasts all day, no need to reapply.

On my product wish list?
Rodin Olio Lusso products. I have heard so much about this amazing line, and would love to try out the luxury face oil sometime soon.

My picks: Sleek naturals

I love the look of eclectic pieces in a home – modern furniture, contemporary art, and pieces mixed in from travels or vintage stores can work really well together, when given the correct placement. Below, some of my current favorite pieces of home decor that would be sure to offer any room a sense of eclectic glamour.

1. 1980′s Italian chandeliers, 1st Dibs
2. Sam Orlando glass mirror, 1st Dibs
3. Gold leaf on lacquer chest, Dylan Egon for reGeneration
4. C-back Occasional Chair, Cuff Home

Daily Happy: Prada SS12 illustrations

Okay, this might be the cutest thing ever….graphic designer and artist Vahram Muratyan has created a virtual road trip that highlights pieces from Prada’s 2012 Spring/Summer Mens and Womens accessories collection. These illustrations are so much fun and perfectly highlight the 1950′s vibe of Prada’s auto-influenced collection.

Visit Prada’s official website to see all of the amazing moving illustrations.