I LOVE GREAT NEW YORK WEEKENDS!

I've realized that I just ADORE this city! When I leave it for a day too long, I miss it. When I'm discussing it with other city dwellers, I get super excited to tell them about all the amazing things we have here. When I think and dream about NYC, my dreams are always filled with great images and wonderful memories. There's just no other place like NYC.

I have lived in other cities, many of them also exciting and wonderful, but there's just no getting over New York...you may think you are beat down and tired,but then you leave and it haunts you,because you will always know how incredible it is here. This is not to say that everyone is meant to live here. I know many who get cranky about the crowded streets and say New Yorker's are nasty and whatever, but when someone leaves here by choice, another moves right in to start their fantastic adventure! Some people are just not city people and need more grass, a car to drive to work everyday...that's totally acceptable,but not for me. This city gives me energy everyday! I love hearing the sirens of the fire trucks, the smell of coffee and bacon streaming from the deli in the morning...I love the craziness on the subway in the morning, well, when I'm not waiting 30 min for a train, but I just love seeing all the different types of people. I've lived here for 4 years now and it just doesn't get old. Soon I'll move from Gramercy to who know where in the city,but it will be a whole new adventure and feel I'm sure.

Anyway, this weekend was wonderful! It was a sort of birthday weekend and my two very best friends from school came up to visit. It was amazing having them here, as usual and when they left it felt terrible and I'll miss them till I see them again in August.

The weekend started with drinks at a local bar with a bunch of my friends and my boyfriends friends all meeting up. Very calm and so good to see everyone! Saturday continued in style with a spa day for 13 friends. It was so nice to relax in a steam room and sauna! It was short, but worth it! Later that night we met up on the rooftop of 230 5th ave for a little drinkin...I'm just so lucky to have great people in my life! Ken bought a bottle of champagne to start off the evening and then a bottle of vodka to keep it going:) It was just perfect sitting there over looking the empire state building and the rest of this wonderful city! It was such a great night...It was the perfect birthday.

Sunday we went to 5 points for brunch...uhmmm...I have no words...just so good. Then we moved onto a little shopping then home to watch the world cup finals!!! whooo hooo!!!! I couldn't be happier about Italy's win!!! What an incredible end to a loooooong game! I called my house to congratulate my dad and there was music and I could hear my mom in the background singing the anthem...I swear it was like New Years over there!!! SoOOOOOOOO exciting!

Then Ken and I wrapped up the perfect weekend with an early birthday present...a magnificent box of chocolates from Maison du Chocolat, some pizza and seeing the movie, Cars....super cute!

Anyway, it was a great weekend! Everything went so smoothly and I had a wonderful time!

What happens when...

YOUR HARD DRIVE FAILS!

There are many things in life that mess with our heads...Men, food, doctors, body image...whatever.... but when your lifeline, your computer dies, what do you do? who do you call? It's not like you can just call you dentist and have your cavity filled or your doctor to get a prescription...this is SERIOUS! Your baby, your everything that holds everything, pictures, music, emails, letters, business documents, taxes...ALL GONE! All you passwords and cookies have to be reset, your settings and your order of documents...Seriously, besides a death or major illness, the loss of a hard drive is the worst thing in the world.

On Sunday night, my baby started flipping out...applications shutting down, wierd noises...you name it...Then it happened. The apple came up and the pinwheel started turning and nothing...silence, no movement. I started calmly restarting it and holding down the good old keys that always worked up until that moment...NOTHING. So I shut down and put it away.

The next morning I called Tekserve even before it opened by like 4 minutes and then proceeded to call every minute till someone finally answered only to get someone to tell me that i should just come in. So I went. I waited by the fishtank with all the other parents of sick laptops and computers... It was very sad. I was in a total zone...I was soaking wet, because I had walked there from my apt, not realizing it was raining because of this zone...So there I was dripping holding my baby... Finally they called my #...60. And a very nice girl proceeded to diagnose my computer. She told me the hard drive had failed. She showed me where exactly and told me it would cost $290 for a new hard drive and then $900 for data recovery. I started to tear up... my zone started to shake off and the tears came...I pulled it together enough to tell her that I had backed up most of my stuff so I wouldn't be needing the $900 service, but that the hard drive was a must.

I left defeated and sad and empty handed.

Yesterday was a bad day...bad things happen in 3's and it did to me too. I messed up a stock order, I pulled money from the wrong account, my computer died...bad day.

Luckily I have an amazing boyfriend who brought me sunflowers and cheered me up. I cooked dinner and we just relaxed together...Not gonna lie...a little sex on days like this is a wonderful thing:)

Today is a brighter day. I picked up my computer and it's feeling better and working...Tomorrow the tech guy, Ben (love ben), comes to load back on what I have saved and then the journey begins again...till it happens once more...and well, it will, but this time I will be prepared for the shock of it all.

Chinatown Brasserie

Last night Ken and I finally hit up Chinatown Brasserie...I've had my eye on it for a couple weeks now, ever since I passed it heading to brunch at 5 Points (ALSO AMAZING!). It's in the old Fez spot and well, I have some funny memories of that place, so I thought why the hell not check it out.
The place is really great inside! It has a long bar to the left with some smaller tables...very easy place to meet for happy hour! And...their frozen Mai Tai was very refreshing. Our table was near the center of the dining room and our server was excellent. We ordered som Dim Sum to start...Soup dumplings and pork buns... Fantastic! And then for the main course we had the peking duck with noodles and mushrooms...also wonderful! The desert was chocolate cake, of course...I always go for the chocolate cake. Yummy and warm and served with Creme Fraiche...
Overall I'd have to say it was a great dinner! The decor is warm and welcoming with some very pretty textiles and colors(the huge curtains are an amazing orange silk with Aqua velvet bottoms) and the staff was incredibly friendly and attentive. The only downside...we spent $120 on chinese food...yep, that's right, a meal that in chinatown would have been just as incredible and would have cost us $35 at most, cost us $120...

Check it out and have a drink at the bar and maybe order some dim sum... Otherwise, head to Joe's Shanghai...:)

Today's craving...

CHEESECAKE!!! I represent a company called New York New York Cheesecake and I swear they have the BEST cheesecake on earth! It's more than just creamy and sweet, it's incredible, melt-in-your mouth smooth and wonderful! Anyway, I talk about cheesecake ALL day long to editors, celeb publicists, producers...but I never actually get to sit around and eat the stuff. So today I sent my intern over to the store to grab some for the office. It really made my day!

Not to mention they just launched a Miss New york New York cheesecake contest where if you send in a pic of yourself in a bathingsuit and a note as to why you're the #1 fan of cheesecake, you could win $1000 cash...If I could do it I totally would! I mean, why the hell not!

My yesterday posted today...

There's something about when it rains in this city...New Yorkers get grumpy and well drivers who come in from out of town get sloppy. Actually, I think there should be a new rule that says NO non New Yorkers can enter the island of Manhattan when it's raining. This morning I woke up, attempted to take my dog out for his morning walk, but because of the rain drops on his head he dropped his ears, gave me "that" look and bolted for the door into my building...I then showered, dropped a big ass bottle of conditioner on my foot, slipped getting out of my shower because my phone was ringing ( I never just jump out...I always wipe my feet before putting them down on the rug...I hate wet rug!) and I almost bit it big time!

I had a 10:15Am doctor's app on the UES so when I left my apt at 9:45 I thought, cool I'll just jump in a cab... Picture me in long shorts, flip flops and a sweater...not the best outfit for today!
So I'm standing there in the rain, getting soaked when huge royal blue escalade heads right for me! No blinker, nothing just coming at me! So I move back a little and to the right and it starts backing up into me!!! I'm like "what the hell?!" This idiot was actually trying to park but was 10 ft from the curb, with no blinker on! So she yells out to me, "move your fat ass!" uhmmmmmmmm... If you know me, you know I have black out moments where I just lose it...this was one of those moments. I approached the car window, got up in her face and told her, "there are many things on me that have fat, but my ass is not one of them so fuck you." i then gave her the finger and I told her to go to hell and learn how to park., and that I would call the cops for trying to hit me." I think she got scared because she drove away and didn't come back...LA LOSER! OMG can you imagine! I do not spend 4 hours a week in spin class and another 2 running, so that some dumb ass bitch in an ugly car can tell me I have a fat ass! I DON'T THINK SO! Oh and she was an out-of-towner! Seriously, there should be a law!

I made it to my doctor, spent $200 because she doesn't take ANY insurance, not that I have any, but still... got home to pick up my dog an hour later to see he pooped all over the bathroom because well, he had to go... Ran to work and here I am...Super day so far...super! it can only get better or more strange...

*** The day got better...Ended it with a great gathering of friends, wine and yummy food...Even in the rain there is hope!

Desired handbags!!!!

I am in love with this designer...Begeren Catalina. These bags are really incredible and you can see just from the pics that they are very good quality. They are all made in Italy and the designs really fit your lifestyle...Prices range from $700-$1300 from what I can tell, so not too bad. The next time you are faced with "bag buying decision time" and you're face to face with a Kooba or Botkier, think of Begeren Catalina... You'll be so happy you did!

Is it a good idea or a bad idea?

Over the past few months I've been debating on getting some sort of method of transportation...Since a driver will just have to wait till my budget can fit it...hehe rrrright, I thought about purchasing a vespa. Wouldn't it be so nice to just jump on my pretty vespa, place my dog in the front basket and be on my way to work in the morning and to wherever in the afternoon? But I soon realized that parking it costs $150 a month in my garage and well...no. So now after spending a weekend bike riding I'm thinking maybe a shiny new bike is in order! I came across this bike on another fabulous website called outblush.com. It's so pretty and they actually come in many different colors and styles. The Bike is called the Electra Betty Cruiser and it's just fabulous! Oh! and believe it or not, but you can find the old school back pedal breaks on some of these bikes as well! LOVED THOSE! Anyway, check them out...

I'm still not 100% about the bike thing...drivers in NYC are just not bike friendly and I would fear the messenger gang trying to take me out on my pretty pink bike...I can just see it now..."bitter messenger knocks out girl on pink bike..." And my ass would be broadcast citywide as they show me face down, ass up on the asphalt...hmmmm...not pretty.

And there you have it!

I always knew that chocolate was the best thing ever...I just knew it! And here's why...not only does it taste amazing and smell heavenly, but it also makes you smarter. That's right, you heard me...it makes you SMARTER!

According to Reuters, after comsuming chocolate and then waiting 15 min "Composite scores for verbal and visual memory were significantly higher for milk chocolate than the other conditions," Raudenbush told Reuters. And consumption of milk and dark chocolate was associated with improved impulse control and reaction time."

I love milk chocolate! I love all kinds of chocolate and my now chocolate addiction is completely validated! I must eat chocolate to stay on top of my game...

check out the article:http://www.cnn.com/2006/HEALTH/05/24/chocolate.brain.reut/index.html

The Best of Best!

I just spent 3 days with an amazing group of people. They are the Players of the Marquis Jet players club...All I can say is WOW! For a company that went from two founders to a couple of friends helping, to a $400million company in 5 years with over 100 employees and offices around the country, they really know how to do it right! This was the trip to celebrate and congratulate the Best of Best within the company and I had the pleasure of attending with my very good friend Amy...a true player.

You have to realize something about these people...they are really in it for the benefit of EVERYONE involved in this business. Of course it's about money too...but I don't know of many companies that spend over $200k JUST to take their top 20 employees on an all expenses paid vacation to one of the MOST EXCLUSIVE hotels in the world and treat them like family and royalty. Most companies give out a bonus, a nice pat on the back and that's that. Marquis Jet does that too and some... This is a very special place to work and after spending 3 days with the founders and the top people, I can say with confidence that it is one of the leading companies and it would be an honor to work with them. All I can say is WOW!

Anyway, the trip was fabulous...beyond fabulous...to flying private and having a personal escort in a car to the plane door, to having a wonderful meal prepared for just you on the plane, to being able to sleep and just feel like you're still a functioning human when we arrived in the Bahamas was amazing! Everything was coordinated flawlessly...the Marquis Jet event staff is incredible!

We then ate like royalty...I've never seen so much fresh seafood in my life! And a night at NOBU was fantastic as well...loved everything!

And...the 3 spa treatments in 3 days wasn't too shabby either...I'm all massaged out! The hotel was the One and Only Ocean Club and the facilities were magnificent, the staff was the nicest I've ever experienced and the quality of everything was remarkable. I would LOVE to go back!

There's so much more to tell about...like the room, the incredible bed, the "pillow menu," the fresh chocolate covered strawberries and champagne every night, the Frette Robes, the custom havianas, the room that opened onto the water, the tub with amazing mosaic tiles for 3! SOOO much to just rave about! It just felt wonderful.

But, I'm happy to be back and seeing my boyfriend yesterday after almost 4 days apart was also wonderful! It was such a great feeling to come home to so much love...there's really nothing like it or better:)



pics will be posted soon!!!!!

How much is enough?

Last night my boyfriend and I had plans with another couple, his very good friends, and we were planning on going to Park Bistro. None of had ever tried it,but always passed by it so why not... We get there...it's closed for a private party. Whatever.
So we decided to try this new restaurant Porcao Churrascaria described as:
Porcão, the famous churrascaria from Rio de Janeiro comes to New York City, serving up its legendary Amazon-size chunks of dozens of kinds of grilled meat tableside. In this 11,000-square-foot space we expect there will also be an ample salad bar with dozens of offerings and sushi as in the Rio restaurants.

It was really incredible! The massive salad bar has entire wheels of parmagiano cheese with a bowl of honey next to it, wonderful salads and even some warm starters. After you eat your salad there are these little coaster sized circles on your table that you can turn over to green to have the servers start bringing the meat or to no to stop. Very fun and interactive! LOVED IT!

That's when I ran into problems...I never turned to red...I just kept going...Fillet Mignon, prime rib, flank steak, turkey wrapped in bacon, chicken, garlic top sirloin! Seriously, amazing!
And I thought I was ok...I really did...even when we decided to have desert!!! BAD IDEA! RED FLAGS ALL AROUND! I should have stopped there!

But I didn't, I kept going...

We got up from the table and I thought I might die. Got home and was in so much agony I couldn't get air! I couldn't tell if I was going to puke or my insides were going to just start falling out of my body! I ate way too much. I was in so much pain I couldn't think...If I was on my back I couldn't get oxygen. If I was on my side, I felt like I was going to throw up, if I was on my stomach...oh that was just very bad. Has this ever happended to anyone? I mean it was insane!

The lesson I learned...Stop eating when you even START to get full...!

As for the restaurant...it was great! So much fun and I love all the activity. The meat was great, the wine was excellent and well priced and the desert, well, it was wonderful. Great for groups of people and you'll pretty much always get a table, because the place is just HUGE!

Would have been perfect this week!

I found this adorable umbrella by Moschino that I think might just possibly be the sweetest thing. Think back to the floods of this week and how nice it would have been to be comfy and dry under this little beauty... I love the shape, which covers your shoulders so you're not getting dripped on and the polka dots just cheer up a rainy day:)
Combine it with a fabulous pair of black shiny rubber boots and you're all set for the trek to work! Gotta love New York in the rain:)

The Nude You...

I know that we all have deep insecurities and hate parts of our bodies and that we all have a few parts we secretly adore...so what if? What if there was a way to have a nude photo take of yourself for whoever, that really glorifies the amazing women you are! Fat, skinny, chubby, flat chested, but has a great ass...how much fun would it be to have an artist take some incredible pictures of you naked!

I absolutely LOVE the idea. Yes, I would be a little wierded out to start, but I think I could get into it, especially after seeing some of this woman's previous work... It's very inspiring!

If you can cook together it's meant to be...

This past weekend besides being just wonderful in that very busy, lot's of family, lot's of food kind of way, was very enlightening as well! My boyfriend and I cooked together for the first time. We decided that we would cook a full lunch. Our menu was as follows:

To start: Goat cheese pillows wrapped in Proscuitto Parma with Sundried tomotoes, with a pesto dressing.

The meal: Sausage stuffed mushrooms....AMAZING!
Potatoes with onions
Creamed spinach with mascarpone cheese
Fillet Mignon

The meal was very good, but I had so much fun cooking with him that it made the whole thing so much more enjoyable! It took us a very efficient 2 1/2 hours to complete our cooking. It was just so nice to be able to be in a space with someone who respects you in the kitchen and at the same time takes control of certain projects so that you don't feel like you have to do everything. I would strongly suggest cooking with your significant other...it's a good sign if you can finish cooking without wanting to throw things at them! I've had many experiences with people in my kitchen that I just wanted to throw garbage at...yes, you heard me...garbage. This was NOTHING like that!

Food Poisoning

As I was curled up on the floor of my bathroom last night, cold and clammy and just dying...I thought to myself, how the hell can I make myself feel better?! Is there a cure for this? Am I dying? Seriously, I think food poisoning is the worst thing ever! It's not like a bad cold or infection where there are THINGS that can help...no no no...with food poisoning you just have to ride it out...Such a shame too, because I had a wonderful dinner last night with two great friends at an adorable Middle Eastern place and I really enjoyed myself...Sadly, I will NEVER be returning ...I think my stomach would murder me! UGH! the agony! AND I'm not being even a little bit dramatic!

Sometimes what you desire happens!

I write daily desires because well, I like the stuff or ideas and I think maybe one day I'll buy them for myself or someone else will like them and find pleasure in discovering them too...
The other day, well actually for the past 3 weeks I've been desiring my favorite flowers...peonies. I love these flowers! They are the perfect flowers...smell incredible, rich in color and just make me smile all the time. Every spring I get peony crazed and buy then on the street! Just yesterday I said something to my boyfriend about how much I love them and have to stop and grab some today on my way home from work...

So this morning a very nice man delivered to me the most incredible bunch of peonies with a note attached that says, "Happy Spring, love ..." Amazing! Lovely, Special!!!!

How great is he????!!!!

Monday's Desire...

I don't think we give it up for the 1940's enough...wouldn't you all agree....?
I was introduced to a product today that is just so fabulous that we should all shout a big thank you to the ladies of the 1940's who invented it! AND, a big thank you to Miss. Emily for bringing it to 2006! Such a fabulous way to be safe, but do it with style:)

PURSE HANGERS!
They hook onto your table and leave a very pretty coin shaped peice on top, which then stablizes the hook so you can place you bag on it...brilliant!

I hate putting my adorable, amazing bags on floor of some restaurant! I mean afterall these are beautiful bags...they should be seen right?! WHY hide them and still not know who's grabbing them from under our chairs....And we all the know the rule to NEVER, I repeat, NEVER hang your bag on the back of your chair!!!! So my answer is this...www.purse-hanger.com
love it! Everyone should have one...well, every lady, that is:)

Good friends...thank you for a wonderful weekend!

I got back early this morning from a fun weekend in Washington with my best friends from college. It's always amazing to me that warm fuzzy feeling I get when I go back there...It's like I see those girls and there's no bullshit, no wierd glances like I didn't do something, no snotty comments, no crap, because well, they haven't seen me in forever and it's still ok, because we're best friends and there are certain things that are just understood between best friends. You know what I'm talking about right?

I miss that feeling and when I leave, I can't wait to get my fix again. Maybe it's because it is so rare that I see them and so it's such a luxury that nothing bothers me when I'm there...but still...this morning when I got on my 9AM shuttle back to Manhattan I felt like I was missing something and that feeling is not going to go away till July, when I see them again.

Seriously, just being able to sit with your friend in silence and have total calm is amazing. I love not having to worry about what I say, because they certainly are not judging me. It's like you have these people who just are always there for you, not because you feel some sense of obligation to each other, but because you all really care.

I'm sure you all have friends like these...and I just don't think we appreciate them enough.

Mushy moment, I know...but I had such a wonderful weekend that I had to say a big thank you to the wonderful ladies down in D.C.!!!!!!

The Player's Club...

I got some VERY exciting news last night and I have to write about it! Marquis Jets has an anual trip they organize for a few of their select top earners, sales people, marketing people... This trip is the MOST DESIRED trip and it's pretty slim that you're going on it, even if you think you are...But, luckily one of my very best friends is a Marquis Jet superstar and she has so very graciously invited me to accompany her on this trip of trips! We fly down on one of their jets to The Ocean Club in Nassau Bahamas for 4 days of fabulous treatment and fun! I can't wait! This will be my first official flight on a private jet...I've walked on a few, but never actually flew on one, so this should be so exciting. I feel like a little kid!

Right now I have to start planning on what I'm going be wearing and what I need to bring with me...oh wait, that's right...NOTHING, because everything is there for us to use and enjoy:)

I still feel like it's a dream...I'm going to ride it for as long as it lasts:)

I will definitely update on how the trip went...I leave in 2 weeks!

Back to my roots...

For the past six months I've been blonde...I started as strawberry blonde, then went to bright blonde and then back to a combo...the color was amazing...I was always shocked at the quality of the color and how it was possible for someone like me to actually be blonde. The problem was I never really felt like myself. uhmm not to mention, I had to dye my roots every 3 weeks.... It's strange being a dark brunette your whole life and then one day you have a whole head of golden hair...felt like an out of body experience...Not to mention, so many things are different. People treat you diffferently, look at you differently...very interesting experiment.

I know for sure though now, that I can't handle it. I am not able to handle the things that go along with being blonde. I actually had a mentor metion to me that I should consider going back to dark because pitching new clients as a business owner might be easier as a brunette! Not so sure how true that is, but I can say that as a brunette we pitched it, we got it...as a blonde, well, we've lost a few. If they were women, it was a no go, if men, then yes. Very funny how that works isn't it? Says something about women though... Not to mention, I never felt sexy, which is very important to me, as I'm sure it is to most women.

I have blonde friends who are fabulous, sexy and stunning, and they work it! They are successful and confident! Maybe because they were born that way...but not me. I had my locks dyed back on monday and I felt so freakin amazing walking out with my dark hair! I walked differently, didn't have to worry if my eyebrows matched my hair, was looked at differently and most important, I have my confidence back! It feels so good!

I'm sure one day I'll think about going light again and god know, there were lot's of people telling me to stay light and that I looked great as a blonde, but ultimately, I'm a dark haired chic. Who knows...maybe in 6 months I'll go red! Red heads have a ton of fun too:) But you'll never see me mousy brown hair! I don't do weak colors! hehehe Don't know too many people who do! If you're going to look fabulous, have amazing hair!

The Desire to eat can be so strong!

I'm an eater...I'm a foodie...I'm whatever you want to call me in relation to loving food. Some might say "chubby," I say, "happily full." hehehe... I love to experiment with food, love the smell of it and absolutely adore going to new restaurants! Seriously, I'm actually surprised I'm not 300lbs considering how much my boyfriend and I eat out, because well, it's a lot! And when we find a place we love...oh watch out! We're there! It was Otto(still might be his fav), then it was the Turkish Kitchen(is STILL AMAZING), and now it's Landmarc...(I really have no words other than fabulous, fun, romantic, chic...ok so I have a few words)
So I say with much excitement that my desire for today is Del Posto! As I'm sure many of you know, this is Mario Batali's new place and it's generated quite the buzz...NO, this is not from some insanely driven PR effort, although I'm sure the crew handling it is doing a great job, I think this one speaks for itself. This is magnificently decorated, planned wonderfully, oh yeh...and cost a breezy $10 million dollars! Oh and the food is amazing as well...so I hear. I want to try it all!!!! Can't wait! IF any of you have been, please tell me what you ate and what you LOVED!

Ciao for now!

Taking you back...

I was recently introduced to this very fun collection of jewelry through a friend of a friend. You know how it is...someone knows someone amazing who has this incredible gift for making super fun stuff and they spread the word...

The line is called vadisturner and you really, well you just have to LOOK at it to put a smile on your face. It's not complicated stuff or very hard to make, but it lights up a room and makes you want to pop lot's of colorful gumballs in your mouth and blow REALLY big bubbles. It takes you back to night of scrabble with friends and family and rainy days of playing with lot's of yarn, trying to create something "pretty" as a kid:) It's not expensive, it wears well and it's ALWAYS a topic for conversation!

Today's Desire!

I'm very excited about this little craving...It's the Temperly London Sweet Pea Intarsia Dress. I've been following Temperly for a few years and I've always enjoyed the collections, but I never really started "stalking" the line till this past fashion week, when my show and Termperly went up against one another...We changed the timing of OUR show...Are you kidding!!!! Temperly is lovely and chic and has a serious cult following, not to mention the entire collection has been picked up by SAKS, which well it very cool.

Anyway, this dress is a little different. I love the Mayan inspired print and I also like that it has little sleeves. I love strapless and thin strapped dresses, but it's nice to see this every once in a while. God knows I would look awful in this, but a girl can dream right?!

So enjoy!

Interesting Factoid...

In today's WWD, there is an article on "Areas That Accessorize." I'd like to state with a HUGE amount of shock, that Manhattan, the one and only New York City, is NOT on the top 10 list!
The rankings are:
1. Washington-MD-VA-W.VA

2. Stamford- Norwalk CT

3. Chicago

4. San Francisco

5. Philadelphia

6. Nassau-Suffolk, NY

7. San Jose

8. Boston

9. Detroit

10. Minneapolis-Saint Paul-Wis

New York actually came in 15th and Los Angeles came in at 18th!


I have to admit I'm a little surprised, but when I really think about the facts...I guess it's not that shocking. But still...LET'S PICK IT UP PEOPLE!!!!
Next quarter...I want to at least be #9! I know enough people who love accessories, let's show them what we can do here in NYC!

Desire of the Day...

So I think I'm going to start posting something everyday that I desire:) It might be affordable or it might be, well...just plain insane, but whatever:)
Today's desire of the day comes to us from Lauren Moffatt, a fabulous handbag designer! HOW CUTE IS THIS!!!!?

I think this is a perfect summer clutch and it will glide into fall as well...it's all about versatility people! I have to say, I'm not the biggest clutch person in the world. I really cherish my bags and I like to have my hands free. But look at how cute this is! And I think it will fit more than just one of my chosen lip balms or glosses...don't you hate when you have a great little bag and all that fits is a tiny little tube of something...? YUCK! I need space!

Anyway, there you have it...my desire of the day!

Let's Ruffle a Few Feathers...

I didn't write this...A Marine who is currently in Iraq sent it to me...I don't agree or disagree with it...And well the part about kicking soccer out, well that's just insane...as might be the part about drilling for oil in Alaska...Someone actually wrote this...Maybe they didn't think it through completely or maybe they're just angry because they've been in Iraq or maybe they just want to piss everyone off...I don't really know. But read it and take from it what you will or won't. If nothing else, it will give you something to think about whether you think of points to refute the ideas or make you think about how this might be right...do with it what you will.

WOULDN'T IT BE GREAT TO TURN ON THE TV AND HEAR ANY U.S. PRESIDENT, DEMOCRAT OR REPUBLICAN GIVE THE FOLLOWING SPEECH?

My Fellow Americans: As you all know, the defeat of Iraq regime has been completed. Since congress does not want to spend any more money on this war, our mission in Iraq is complete. This morning I gave the order for a complete removal of all American forces from Iraq This action will be complete within 30 days. It is now to begin the reckoning.

Before me, I have two lists. One list contains the names of countries which have stood by our side during the Iraq conflict. This list is short The United Kingdom, Spain, Bulgaria, Australia, and Poland are some of the countries listed there.

The other list contains everyone not on the first list. Most of the world's nations are on that list. My press secretary will be distributing copies of both lists later this evening.

Let me start by saying that effective immediately, foreign aid to those nations on List 2 ceases immediately and indefinitely. The money saved during the first year alone will pretty much pay for the costs of the Iraqi war. The American people are no longer going to pour money into third world Hell-holes and watch those government leaders grow fat on corruption.

Need help with a famine? Wrestling with an epidemic? Call France. In the future, together with Congress, I will work to redirect this money toward solving the vexing social problems we still have at home. On that note, a word to terrorist organizations. Screw with us and we will hunt you down and eliminate you and all your friends from the face of the earth.

Thirsting for a gutsy country to terrorize? Try France, or maybe China. I am ordering the immediate severing of diplomatic relations with France, Germany, and Russia. Thanks for all your help, comrades. We are retiring from NATO as well. Bon chance, mes amis.

I have instructed the Mayor of New York City to begin towing the many UN diplomatic vehicles located in Manhattan with more than two unpaid parking tickets to sites where those vehicles will be stripped, shredded and crushed. I don't care about whatever treaty pertains to this You creeps have tens of thousands of unpaid tickets. Pay those tickets tomorrow or watch your precious Benzes, Beamers and limos be turned over to some of the finest chop shops in the world. I love New York.

A special note to our neighbors. Canada is on List 2. Since we are likely to be seeing a lot more of each other, you folks might want to try not pissing us off for a change.

Mexico is also on List 2. President Fox and his entire corrupt government really need an attitude adjustment. I will have a couple extra tank and infantry divisions sitting around. Guess where I am going to put em? Yep, border security. So start doing something with your oil.

Oh, by the way, the United States is abrogating the NAFTA
treaty - starting now.

We are tired of the one-way highway. Immediately, we'll be drilling for oil in Alaska - which will take care of this country's oil needs for decades to come. If you're an environmentalist who opposes this decision, I refer you to List 2 above: pick a country and move there. They care.

It is time for America to focus on its own welfare and its own citizens. Some will accuse us of isolationism. I answer them by saying, "darn tootin."

Nearly a century of trying to help folks live a decent life around the world has only earned us the undying enmity of just about everyone on the planet. It is time to eliminate hunger in America. It is time to eliminate homelessness in America. It is time to eliminate World Cup Soccer from America. To the nations on List 1, a final thought. Thanks guys. We owe you and we won't forget.

To the nations on List 2, a final thought: You might want to learn to speak Arabic.

God bless America. Thank you and good night.

If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you are reading it in English, thank a soldier.

My latest Hobby...

I currently represent a few jewelry designers who make some fabulous stuff! For example, www.jennifergrove.com Wonderful, easy-to-wear stuff that is not going to kill your wallet. And also knowing that the designer is possibly one of the sweetest people alive, doesn't hurt. It actually makes you want to buy more!

So the other day I wondered into a bead store and just picked up some great semi-precious stones. I started to formulate a necklace that I would make for my mom for Mother's Day and well, I got REALLY into! Then today, I went back to the store to make another friend of mine a necklace for her birthday. I purchased some smokey quartz, some jade and some awesome light purple stone, which I can't remember, but it's awesome! Then I made another friend a necklace and she LOVES it! Ithink I found my calling! hehehe Just kidding ,but it really is fun and some of the stuff I've made is super pretty.

Sadly I'm slightly unskilled in the earring making department...uhmmm I suck at it actually so that' s my next challenge and oh yes...I will succeed:)

For the love of shoes!

Anyone who knows me will tell you that I have a slight obsession with Shoes and handbags. Not just any shoes and bags, but very expensive shoes and bags. ( This is in addition to my hair and skin care addiction...yes, I have problems, but hey, I'm happy)

So it's that time of year again and I've been passing some very pretty shoes lately and it's all just getting to be too much...My hands start to shake, I can smell the leather and before I know it I'm knee deep in boxes and my credit card debt just jump another grand... I like them all! Laboutins, Blahniks, Choos, Ferragamo, Chanel, Prada, Marc Jacobs...all the way to the adorable shoes at banana Republic, jcrew, Bakers, and even Target! I LOVE SHOES! So you can imagine how hard it is for me to see all these fabulous sandles everywhere!

Today I broke down. My first mistake was heading into Sacco, where I was overwhelmed by slides and mules and thongs...I purchased a stunning pair of kitten heels and a pair of braided leather thongs by Bernado.( These are fantastic sandals! i buy a pair ever summer. They are chic and comfy and only run about $90)
I then went to Saks...hmmm...bad bad bad. The Laboutin section there is just too much to handle for me...They are all so pretty and I always find myself buying a pair. Today I bought a pair of red stunners...they might go back...Just a thought.
Then there was Jcrew...How cute are those espadrills with the ribbons and the patterned fronts!? I got a pair a little while back, but I decided they just didnt' do anything for me. SO I exchanged them for a VERY cute little bag and some pants. See! that was a smart purchase!

Now if only I can stay strong through my battle of the bag phase...it's coming, I know it is. Considering market week starts next week for all accessory company, the shit is going to hit the fan in my wallet. Basically all the spring bag samples are done with and fall is being pushed sooooo showrooms are clearing out samples of FABULOUS bags...and I know I'm going to be presented with some great options...now the trick is to say NO! I mean, a $1000 bag for $200 is a great deal, but I can't stop at one...and that's where I run into trouble.

Right now I'm sweating this Jimmy Choo bag, but alas I don't think it's going to happen unless by some miracle I become friends with the showroom and well, that's just not gonna happen...I'm not that cool:( hehehe maybe one day!

Waiting...

I watched a really funny, but fucking stupid movie last night called Waiting...It's definitley not winning an Oscar anytime soon, but "damn Gina!" that movie is so funny! I laughed my ass off! This movie is about a bunch of 20 something's that work in a restaurant called Shananigans...If you've EVER worked in a restaurant, you must see this movie! You will see all your past restaurant friends in these people...you will see your old manager, the hot asshole who you used to sweat, the douchebag who farts and spits on everything, the freak guy who stalked you, the angry bitchy girl who hates life, the slutty hostess who wants to nail the hot asshole you used to sweat, ahhh yes...the list goes on and on...SEE IT!

*** oh and did I mention Ryan Reynolds is in it...uhmmm yeh...he's hot.

Some more Crack...for your hair.

I know in the past I've told you that Pantene is the Crack of all shampoos...And I still agree with this, but about 3 days ago I gave into the urge to buy more Pantene product. I got this new Restorative collection conditioner for antifrizz....This stuff is fantastico!!! Seriously, amazing! I was deperate for something to tame my hair when I just do a half-assed blow dry...you know what I'm talking about...where you just dry the front two panels of hair and the rest goes to shit...Yeh so I use the stuff, do my half-assed blow out and run out the door. A half hour later my boyfriend asks me if I've had my hair blown out because it looks fantastic...THANK YOU PANTENE! This stuff makes you hair super smooth and sleek. It doesn't allow the air to frizz it out at all. LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!

The ultimate test will be a hot and humid Manhattan day!!!! But for now it's all about the Pantene Restorative:)

Life is good...

As crazy as this past weekend seemed--with tons of family members streaming through my house, with kids screaming and yelling about the eggs they found hidden in the bushes, and dogs running wild in the grass-- it was a fantastic time.
Saturday morning Ken and I got up together and took Oscar for a walk. I didn't realize it was 80degrees!!! By the time I got to my apt I was dying of heat and I think Oscar was in some sort of shock, because he would sprint for a few seconds and then stop dead in his tracks panting up a storm! I think he was testing to see how hot it really was! hehehe We then quickly picked up some flowers, wine, chocolate, showered and packed up. Ken picked us up at 2ish and we headed out for a weekend with the parents. I have to admit I was a little nervous at the thought of spending serious quality time with mom and dad...They are great people, but my dad can be a tad tough and moody...
We arrived and were immediately put to work getting the table ready, helping with cooking and organizing plates and stuff. We then sat around a bit drinking wine on the patio and eating lot's of yummy cheeses:) Not soon after we finished our last sips of wine my dad suggested we go for a walk...Actually, no...I suggested we walk down to the lake. (uhmm the lake is at the bottom of a not so big hill and that was it) So my dad decides we should go for a WALK. He come out of the house with walking sticks and his boots on...hmmm...I went into panic mode but there was nothing I could do...his mind was made up!
So we start down the hill...me in my flip flops kind of dragging along... At one point, about 15 into the walk I had an out of body experience where I saw my dad out in front in his boots, Ken in his Gucci loafers and Lacoste polo and me in my little skirt with flip flops, and it was just too funny! I mean seriously...we looked like such city people it was crazy!!!!! who hikes in Gucci loafers!!! hehehe we do!

Sunday, well Sunday was a crazy day. Started with church then shifted to serious family mode... Soon after, friends showed up and then it all went to hell with people everywhere! A great time was had by all:)

Arriving back in the city last night was wonderful! We were beaming while sitting in traffice coming uptown! God I love New York!

The Daily News...again...

"Tonight's the second night of Passover - so it's hard to believe that even the most hapless publicist would send out a press release offering up Bill Downs, "one of the world's foremost experts on diet and nutrition," to discuss "the unspoken dark side" of the Seder: "Flatulence, irritable bowels, heartburn ... are common Passover conditions," Downs' flack explains. "Instead of reflecting on the Jewish people's exodus from Egypt, we end up struggling to contain the exodus of gas." Sadly, I have been assured that this release is not a hoax."
From today's Daily News...

I have to say, once again the Daily News does not surprise me with this very uninteresting factoid. Do I give a shit that some idiot publicist wants to use Passover as a means to get press for her client. NO! Do I think she's an idiot....YES!
Now, I say this being a publicist myself...and I think it's insane, but the fact that the Daily News felt it was soooo newsworthy to expose this "crime," is even more insane to me...Am I wrong? Do people really need to be reading about this? I think publicists get enough shit on a daily basis, is it really neccessary to show all their mistakes??? I think not.

A New Jewelry Collection...love it!

I recently met with this woman to discuss her jewelry collection and I just think it's wonderful! She is so creative and has so much going for in terms of talent I have to share!
The site currently shows her feather collection, but coming VERY soon is a full collection of charms and skull earrings and more metalwork. It's just so fabulous! Can't wait to show it to you all!
She's not a full fledged client yet, but hopefully soon will be, so I'm super excited to show off her stuff:)
take a look:
http://www.ahjewelry.com/

Gen Art film festival

This past week and this week is the Gen Art film festival and I had the pleasure of attending one of the movies last night. The movie was called Shut up and Sing and it's probably one of the best films I've seen in a long time. It's a combo of My Big Fat Greek Wedding with Old School with a little drama...LOVED IT! I can't wait for it to be released and for everyone to see it! I laughed I cried it was better than CATS! IF you hear about it...GO SEE IT! oh! and Molly Shannon is in it...'nuff said...:)

NEW PRODUCT! NEW PRODUCT!

I'm sure many of you crazed skin care product junkies have heard about this company Earthen, but holy crap it's amazing! This weekend when I was in New Jersey I stopped into Saks and this wonderful lady, Hanna, who I've known since I was 7 was there, so I stopped by and said hi:) She mentioned this new line to me as we were talking about how bad the sun is for my skin (uhmm I'm tan and it's obvious I let the sun hit my face...bad bad bad) and she told me about this line. Well, she showed me this product called Instant Peel, which seemed cool but carried a price tag of $50 for 6 packets. I was a little skeptical about all of it...I don't usually spend a ton of money of stuff for my face...I used to spend a ton of money of la Mer and so on, but I realized that it's just not worth it and so I stopped.

Anyway, I've been through a ton of shit with my skin. Everything from Lazers to chemicals to my monthly facials...and well my skin looks really quite amazing now, considering how much it's been through ,but I'm always looking for a good scrub or moisturizer. So enter Instant Peel! You open up a little packet and start working it in with your fingers and the top layer of dead skin just peels off in your hands and your left with a fresh layer of skin! It's awesome and when I got out of the shower and looked at my skin it was quite remarkable! I would strongly rec this product for anyone who thinks they might need it. It's def worth the $50. Oh and there moisturizer is fantastic as well:)

Please tell me this is a joke!

My usual morning routine includes drinking some coffee, reading the Post and the Daily News and then finally making it to all the other online sites like, NY Times, CNN.com, BBC...whatever...
This morning, I'm skimming over the daily dish section of the Daily News and to my horror I start reading an entire article on how a woman's HIPS are the
"new cleavage." I thought it was some kind of sick joke...I mean seriously people, are you kidding me? I recognize that this entire article was to draw attention to April's issue of Esquire Magazine, but COME ON!!!! Have we as readers become that pathetic that we have to read articles about this shit in our morning paper!? Do the writers at the Daily News have such little respect for us? So confused! I realize I'm discussing this on my blog instead of just ignoring it, but I just couldn't believe my eyes.

Who gives a shit what the new cleavage is! Boobs are boobs and they will NEVER be "out." A nice butt is also, just that...a nice butt and it will always be sexy. Some freaks even think that toe cleavage and the instep is the hottest thing happening, but I don't care how nice your hips bones are or how pretty your ass crack seems...who cares! To actually write an article about how "boobs are out and hips are in," well, that's just dumb.

Don't get me wrong...I ADMIRE and am totally jealous of women with amazing hips bones that can have jeans resting on them with a cute top...awesome! But don't tell me it's the new cleavage! Next thing you know, you're going to have an anorexia problem nationwide amongst 10 year olds because media says hip bones coming out of you is cool... The new plastic surgery is going to be hip bone implants! And you know some girl with well, no real hip bones but thinks she has them, is going to start strutting around in super low jeans...and I just don't need to see that.(This already happened when retailers decided for us that super low jeans were the only way to go) Hey, I don't have the hip bones! Never have and probably never will...They are burried under some "softer" layers, and you can bet that I will NEVER wear my hips as the "new cleavage!"
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/gossip/story/406246p-343987c.html

Ahhh yes...Hump day

So it's snowing outside right now...so strange!

Anyway, so I'm sitting at my desk staring out the window onto Madison Ave. There are 4 buildings in front of me and i can see into all of them because I'm on the top floor of mine. Let me just give you an idea of what's going on this lovely hump day.

Directly across from me there are 3 guys all siting at a table with their feet up watching TV and smoking out a window. Ohhh! and intern just came in and they quickly took their feet down.

Below them there's a guy, alone in an office with his feet up as well (noticing a trend here) and well, he's VERY relaxed. He's doing something that he probably wouldn't be doing if he knew i was writing about him, but oh well...eeeeewww...

Then in the next building there's a floor with heavy velvet curtains...ahh yes, the whore house. I'm not kidding you...I went in there once with a friend because they advertise as a normal massage place, but I can say with confindence that is NOT a massage place...lot's of girls, lot's of guys and a strong smell of bleach... MANY MANY HAPPY ENDINGS!

One floor down there's a salon with a guy waving his hands like a bird with scissors...not going there EVER!

Below him is a SUBWAY, where I can see the angry workers...I bet they're giving me the evil eye because i never let them put olives on my 6 inch subs...

In the next building down there's a room full of people at a conference table and one guy standing in the window staring at me as I write this...I just waved.

So you see...Who needs a TV when you have Madison Ave....i could do NOTHING all day and be totally entertained by these people!

*** oh and some shit is going down on the cross street. There are a ton of fire trucks in front of the empire state building...probably, wait for it...wait for it...a bomb threat....(purely speculation...could just be some psycho trying to jump) I don't know...it's all just too exciting this very gloomy hump day.

Cheese it is!

According to the The Sun, one of my fav UK pubs...

CHEESE can boost your sex life, help beat stress and act as a painkiller, experts claimed yesterday.
It contains natural chemical phenylethylamine (PEA) which releases endorphins — or “happy hormones” — into the body, says a British Cheese Association study.
Cheese has ten times more PEA than chocolate.
The study says “a matchbox-sized bit of cheese a day helps boost calcium intake and provides happy hormones”.
http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2006150270,00.html

UHMMMM...ladies...I think that explains EVERYTHING! Who knew? Here's another excuse to indulge in mass cheese consumption. FABULOUS!

What's word on lip balm?

Over the past few years, in addition to developing a huge haircare "habit," I've also become a lip balm junky. And I say this in the most sincere way, because seriously...I find myself in a panic if I am without balm! It's getting insane!

A friend of mine once said the best product to use is just pure vaseline...so on her rec I keep a small container of it bedside and I LOVE it. It's really the best thing and it should be enough to just put some one at night and then let your lips recover during your sleep. But...I have bought into all the "hype" concerning lip treatment...My god...I have tried everything:

Kiehls- was the wonder balm a few years ago and my mom still swears by it.
Carmex- my friend tells me this is the devils balm! NEVER use it, because it dries out your lips and makes you like me, dependant on lip treatments
Soft lips- so pretty and dainty and damn good, but I just can't stick with it for some reason.
Blistex-someone told me to try this because it's not goopy, but shit, it's so slimy and well tastes terrible and i feel like I'm putting white paste on my lips
Aveeno lip treatment- This stuff was pretty cool until it started getting all seedy...very gross and had to be thrown out.
Bigelows My fav lip balm- I really like this stuff,but I'm almost done with the pot and I don't feel like it really helps you know?
Bigelows Rose Salve- The WORST. Dried out my lips so bad!
Burt's Bees Beesewax lip balm- I still have a stick on this in almost every bag I carry...it's a nice breath freshener when you need it:)
LUSH lip balms- Fantastic! A little thick but once it's on, you're all set for the day...

These are some of the balms I've used recently and if I insulted one your favorites, I'm so sorry, I'd totaly be willing to try it again!
I just think it's crazy that I have spent so much money on freakin lip balm!
Oh! and on my trip I used Chapstick's Ultra 30 balm...yuck~! I mean really people! It was so bitter in my mouth I wanted to spit, and well, I just don't do that.

And these are only the balms...I don't even want to get into the amount of lip gloss I own...not normal...hehehe...

One Great Trip

To say St. Maarten was wonderful would be a vast understatement, so all the words I would use to describe this trip are; relaxing (really though, not just surface relaxation...this was the real thing), heart warming, thrilling, full of new self discovery, warm and fuzzy, sand between your toes fabulous and much much more. This was one of the best trips I've ever taken and I sobbed my eyes out when it was time to leave. Yeh, I know it's silly, because i'll be back soon enough, but still, it hurt to leave this time so I'll admit there were tears:) There's really nothing better than having a total sense of security, the sun shining over the incredible blue water and drinking drinks that I have labeled pineapple coconut creamy heaven...better known as a Pina Colada.

So as the trip was ended and we dropped the car off at the dealer and arrived at the airport I kept thinking to myself, wow! this is going sooo smoothly...hmmm... uhmmm yeh...as we arrived there was HUGE line wrapping around the airport...the shuttle driver said, "no worries, that's for USAIR..." we were on AMerican and 3 hours early so I just assumed we were cool... NOPE. that line was the departures line to get to the gates. We waited 2 hours in line in the heat trying to get through two tiny fucking doors... I think the best were the assholes who thought they were too cool for school so they tried to cut this huge line...I saw 4 fights break out! I was dying laughing the whole time and then this little bitch tried to cut in front of me and that was about the breaking point. I seriously thought i was going rip her a new one...Ken had to hold me back. Luckily, i was not arrested for assault in the islands and we went through to the gates.

But then Uma Thurman and Andre balazs came and sat down next to us and things took a turn. All I can say is "damn Gina!" She is glorious! Seriously stunning in person. AND...so nice! We admired her for a bit before we got on the plane and then by luck sat almost next (row behind, but who's counting) to them on the flight home and they couldn't have been more sweet. At one point there was an entire plane load of people in line trying to talk to her and Ken and I were just trapped in a row by on coming traffic... All Uma could do was smile and sign autographs and answer questions. I also have to say, I noticed she might be preggers...Not my business, but it's a definite possibility... Seriously though...people have NO tact! There were two guys just standing over our shoulders staring at her. It was crazy!!!!!!! Who would EVER want to be a celeb?!!! Awful! but, it was fun to actually see the whole deal go down...sounds so wierd, but that's what we did for like 7 hours, because oh yes, we had an emergency landing in San Juan because the navigation system shut down... good bonding time with Uma and Andre:) Who by the way, are very much together...they were hugging and kissing and just so happy together.

So yeh, all in all I'd give this trip a 10...Boyfriend was amazing! I had some thoughts before we left about spending every waking second together, but it wasn't enough...being without him is strange now. I guess this is all a very good sign:)

Confessions of a product addict...the latest in my collection

Over the years I've tried almost every product on the market...be it for hair, face, nails, body, lips...trust me, I've tried it. Lately my quest have been to find the perfect hair products. It's tough because I dye my hair which means everything has to be color safe and gentle blah blah blah... AND I don't want to spend $50 a bottle...But I came across a some products that have been very good for my hair and so I'd like to share them.

Freeman's- Pure color fresh shine shampoo and conditioner are fantastic! Love the smell, the texture and most of all it leaves my hair super soft! And it's relatively inexpensive...in the $6 range depending on where you buy it.

Aussie 3 min treatment- Another great product. Don't love the smell so much. Kind of reminds me of my 3rd grade scratch n' sniff grape stuff and markers, but it really does the job. IF you just got your hair done and it's a little on the rough side, get this and use it for a week. If you can put it in and then wrap your head in some plastic wrap and put a towel on it...even better! You'll thank me!

Bain De Terre- the Shampoo and conditioners leave you hair feeling like silk! Seriously one of my favorite products, but it's not cheap, so I use sparingly... LOVE the smell of this. My stylist also uses this product and whenever I leave there my hair smell and shines something fierce!

Fructis serum for shine- uhmmm I swear by this product. I don't think I ever leave the house without it on my ends...It seals everything and adds a hint of shine just to make sure you know how fabulous you look...And is smells great. It mixes well with most products too. Just be careful, don't put too much on the top of your head...it is a serum after all...

Halo- The smell of these products are unbeatable...That's how Halo and I met...I smelled someone's hair and asked them what they used. But, that's not all...Halo is an amazing expensive product. It really repairs hurting hairs...I swear...I've seen what it can do.

Pantene- The crack of hair products...Soooo bad for you , but soooo good at the same time. My stylist tells me over and over again not to use these products, but do I listen? NO! That softness, sleekness and shine are unbeatable! AND FOR THAT PRICE! Still hate the smell, but alas, what can I do...I'm addicted.

That's all for right now...next month will be another story...

This might just explain it all...thank you Susan Miller!!!

"Someone you are dealing with now will reveal his or her true character and intent, so March should be quite an eye-opener. You've been working under a great deal of uncertainty lately, but that phase is due to end. Although you may not necessarily like all that you hear now, at least you'll know where you stand. After March is over, you'll be able to plot your course with much a greater sense of certainty."
Damn Mercury in retrograde! hehehe always messes me up!

To say anything more about the situation would be...well, it would just be tacky...and I'd like to think I'm better than that. Good luck to everyone with a new blog!

Moments of weakness...that pass.

Sometimes I think owning my own company is more of a pain in the ass than anything else, but then at then end of the day when I do my team meeting and recap I'm just so overwhelmed by a feeling of pride in the people who work with me and that they are so capable and amazing! Vanessa had dinner last night with a, editor at Vogue and they started talking about Spread and the editor was so funny because she thought we were some medium sized firm that had been in the business for years. V just laughed and said, well, if you call 3 girls and a guy in a fabulous pink room medium sized then we're you're team! hehe oh well, it's just good to know that everything I've worked so hard for over the past 2 years is paying off and we can be proud of it. Maybe one day I'll look back on these times of hurrying to get pitches done and just flying by the seat of my pants in new business meetings fondly, and laugh about how sometimes we "just made it happen." Sometimes I'm just floored at what we do and how we get by every month, but hey! I guess this is what it's all about right? That, and I have serious problems with authority...hehehe

Something to look forward to:)

After a stressful weak of dealing with being deathly ill, working on a million new business items and pitching business like my life depended on, meeting with people who all want something from me and fighting with friends, which always sucks, I'm happy to announce I'm getting the hell out of this city for a fabulous week of rest and relaxation in the sun in amazing St. Maarten. This is just another one of those magical places where the smell of the air can take away any stress you might be feeling. It will also be the first full week my boyfriend and I spend together in one place with no outs:) hehehe It should be a fun trip, with I'm sure many new discoveries:)

Sushi Samba rocks!

So this past Saturday night a few of us decided to try the tasting menu at the fabulous Sushi Samba! With boyfriends in tow, along with some fantastic out of towners, we embarked on a night of sushi and sake:)

We started the first course with some amazing calamari, salad and beef skewers! I've never seen calamari disappear so fast and I have to confess, but I was responsible for the dent in one of them...SOOOOO GOOD!!! The next course was 2 huge round trays of sushi and sashimi! Some tasty eel, salmon, shrimp tempura rolls, spicy tuna rolls and all the wasabi you can dream of! The third course was this incredible chillean sea bass and chicken teriyaki with these purple mashed potatoes! Simply delightful! The final round was desert...this cake type thing that people seemed to like and then this great chocolate banana cake with ice cream...uhmmm yeh...I ate one...oh yes i did:) YUMMY!!!

I have to say, as much as I don't usually enjoy the "group dining" experience, i really had fun this time...maybe it was the crowd or the delicious sake, I don't know...but i do know it was fun and worth every penny:)

Valentine's Spa day...

This is all hypothetical...
boyfriend and girlfriend go to a spa for a couples spa day...this should be relaxing right? well... the first step is to change into robes and get naked...Boyfriend is slightly too large for robe so entire package is hanging out...They go into a candle lit room that resembles an embalming room, fully equiped with draining tub, two tables, some chocolate and fruit. Soon after two small asian ladies in matching floral speedos enter and demand everyone get naked and lie face up on the two tables...I don't know about you, but that's just a little personal... So there they are laughing hysterically, very uncomfortable...NOT ROMANTIC! Then the torture begins...the asian squad starts furiously scrubbing the shit out of them with loofa gloves! Ok, still naked, face up next to eachother...now being scrubbed to death. Following the skin peeling, they are both lubed up and rubbed down. As sexy as this might be, it wasn't and the whole naked part...not getting any better. The final "treatment" would be a squirting of milk that covers the whole body, to be followed by a hosing down. As the experiment comes to a close they are told to sit up, face each other and exit the room...STILL NAKED! I would not recommed this as a first date...OMG!

Seven Funeral Sunday

Seven pairs of shoes, pumps, sneakers and the alike, who all specialized in making a snob look a bit snobbier, died on Sunday at their home in Manhattan.

The cause was long walks, cement and overuse, said their loving owner, Snob.

"Each pair of those lovely shoes will be missed", said a close neighbor that lives at Nine West," each one of them had a special place in the hearts and feet of the fashion-forward."

Snob's collection was seven less until recently, when four brand new pairs of stunning shoes were added to her Collection late Monday.

While those shoes can never be replaced, the dearly departed are survived by an overwhelming majority of kitten heels, stilettos, boots, and the casual pair of sneakers.

One of the best places on earth! well...for a snob, that is...

This Christmas my family decided to spent some time out in a little town of 3000 called Telluride. Telluride is a little slice of heaven located between a circle of mountains. It has everything anyone could ever want and more! My mornings consisted of getting up at 8:30AM...this is only because the time is set back 2 hours so in reality my time was 10:30am. From there I would eat a calm breakfast, call Dial-a-ride, a free car service for the ENTIRE area, to come pick me up and take me to the Peaks, which is an INCREDIBLE spa located at the base of the mountain. Once at the Peaks I would go into the ladies locker room, grab my warming boots and have one of the attendants bring out my skis...oh yes, they have someone to do everything for you there. And to top it all off, THEY'RE NICE! So nice that it took me two days to understand why there was someone always trying to help me take off my coat or get me hot chocolate! Being a New Yorker, I was like, "WHAT! Why are you touching my shit!" hehehe:)

Following all those little steps I would step into my boots and skis and just ski out of the spa onto a perfectly groomed slope. I have to say it was the best thing ever! Following my day of skiing, which included many stops at "beaches" along the way to lie out in the sun, i would softly ski back into the spa and head to the steam room, sauna and pool. Did I mention there was an amazing slide into the pool! SOOOOOO fun!

Besides the incredible skiing, celeb watching (day 1 sat down to try on boots and bumped heads with Tom Cruise who was sitting right next to me getting his fitted as well) (yes, he's short, but has killer smile), eating and drinking on the mountain, the town of Telluride is a fantasy land for anyone who loves cozy bars and fun shopping.

All in all, I have to say Telluride is wonderful and if you can stomach the 8 hours it takes to get there with propjobs and all..DO IT! You'll love every second of it!

Kind of reminds me of a Michael Jackson-type disorder, no?

In a recent girlie get together, a friend mentioned an asinine conversation that she had with a group of her guy friends. Apparently, these guy friends (who are by no stretch of the imagination "catches" themselves, physically or otherwise) told my friend that they would not date a girl/woman who weighed more than 120 pounds.

For now, I will pass on commenting on the absurdity of this restriction. These are the men who will end up alone at 55, having been dumped by the 26-year-olds who ran off with a substantial portion of their earnings after they traded in their wives of 15 years for said 26-year-olds because the wives exceeded their weight requirements after bearing several children. Not interested anyways.

However, a great tidbit came out of this encounter. I relayed the story to a date (who obviously does cavort with females breaking that enormous 120-pound barrier), who responded by saying, "Personally, I question the sexuality and masculinity of a guy who doesn't desire curves, and instead desires a boyish figure."*

Word.

*Please note, I mean no disrepect to the short ladies out there, who can in fact be curvy indeed, and still weigh less than 120 pounds. However, myself and a substantial number of my friends run at and even far above the 5'6'' mark.

Wiser words have never been spoken

I love it when others are completely genius. Here is a page from Sie's blog that was so spot on, I had to share.

Long distance dating is not dating. It's a lay over.

Wiser words have never been spoken.

Why is it?

Not loving NYC today.... Why is it?

• one grapefruit from the corner bodgea costs $2.50
• there are ATM's on every corner (often more than one), but not when you are 30 minutes late for work and need cab fare.

New York Moments...how we love them!

So this afternoon I was walking down 2nd ave near 81st street...I was soooo happy it stopped raining for like 10 seconds, and i was just kind of looking around. I walked about one block down and decided to get in a cab. As I'm half way into the taxi this guy comes up behind me and says, "I saw you from inside my store and I just knew i had to meet you." I was like, "what?" He kept going with, "I just want to have a drink with you...please can I have your phone number or here, take mine." And the only thing I could say was, "Sorry, but I'm in love."

Only in New York kids, only in New York...:)

Snoop Dogg Takes a Bite

Hip-hop star Snoop Dogg is so hungry for fame, he's now launched his own brand of hot dog.
The foot-long Snoop Doggs - yes, a foot long - come specially packaged in rapper wrappers.

"Imagine a long, skinny hot dog just like Snoop," his brother and business manager Bing Worthington said.

Snoop Doggs are set to hit US supermarkets in January.

Talk about dog eat dog...

So Sorry to all who heard...

A couple weeks ago at a fabulous birthday dinner at Asia de Cuba I made a statement saying that maybe fabulash isn't the best mascara out there because when I ran out I started dipping the fabulash brush into my benefit bad lash mascara and it was wonderful. Well, I finally got my ass to CVS and purchased a new tube of fabulash and well...NOTHING COMPARES!!!! It's hands down the BEST mascara on the market! I'm so sorry I ever said anything bad and that I cheated on such a loyal and true product:)

Very exciting news...

Per a wonderful dinner discussion last week, I'm very excited to announce that He's Just Not That Into You is being produced by one of our favorites...Drew Barrymore!!!! WHOOOO HOOO!!!!

I'm feeling a group trip to the movies for this one might be in order :)

http://movies.yahoo.com/mv/news/fs/20051114/113199318200.html

to all Nip/Tuck fans...we have a problem...

Did anyone see this week's episode of Nip/tuck? If you did, you know what I'm about to say... oh yes, they developed a face cream that prevents aging by incorporating CUM into the cream...oh wait, no that's right, the ENTIRE cream is composed of CUM along with a splash of lavendar to give it a more feminine feel...RRRRRrrrrright...because that's going to do it for me...oh honey, could you wait a second before you spluge on my face i need to appy a little lavendar to make me feel better about it.... OK NO! I'm sure the guys over at Nip/Tuck are loving this right now, along with every man across the world. Here's a show that actually encourages men to cum on their wives, girlfriends, or one night stand's faces!!!! How is it that men can make a quick $50 jacking off into a cup and now turn around and sell it for more than double that as freakin face cream!!!! once again, I'm speachless...

I think women should start bottling breast milk and selling to men with a statement that it boosts your sex drive and penis size. Watch those suckers drink that shit...maybe add a little beer flavor...

What's ok and what's not ok...

So over the past couple weeks I've noticed that some of my peripheral friends have become, let's say, grouchy... Not grumpy where in the offending party simply states, "yo I'm in a bad mood," but more like creates such a tense environment that all you want to do is run away. What can you do for these people? I'm at a total loss, because this kind of behavior is completely unacceptable to me. I would NEVER just be grumpy for the sake of being so and then make my friend feel bad for living. How can these people allow themselves to treat others this way! for example, the other night i was talking to a friend about men...what else is new right? Anyway, this friend is ready for a boyfriend but is having some difficulty finding one in the city. So she starts asking me about the great guy I'm dating and then as soon as i finish she prompts me to ask her, "so how are you doing?" To this she responds, "not good." I'm thinking, shit what's wrong? what happened? So I tell her everything will be ok and that I'm sorry. to this she responds with, "wrong answer." UHMMM WHAT!!!!!!! ??? what does that mean? What do you say to that? I was so irritated I hung up! it was like I was set up in the conversation to feel bad about the fact that things are good in my life.

Anyway, any words of wisdom concerning this fall grump that some seem to be in, would be much appreciated. I'm at a total loss...

Cheer the fuck up people! It's almost turkey time!

Tunnel Vision \ ten-l vi-zhen \

Tunnel Vision (n).

• An extremely narrow point of view, where much treasured girlfriends are momentarily out of the line of sight due to new or longstanding relationship with a man.
• A condition that, after a break-up or brush off from significant other, may cause severe loneliness, isolation and/or detachment from past friendships.

OK, I admit, we’ve all fallen victim to this once…and hopefully learned from it and know never to do it again. So, if you’re someone that currently finds themselves at the mercy of this plight, just a “friendly reminder” to start taking a look at your balancing skills.

I hate to quote grandma’s old needlepoint sampler on this, but it still rings true…

“Men may come and go, but friends are forever”

Guilt-Ridden Rave: Global Warming

Yes, I feel guilty, but can you blame me? It’s been 70 degrees and sunny… in November. I haven’t even done “the changing of the cloth” yet. My winter clothes are still packed neatly and stored, while by cute skirts and tops are enjoying hanging on the hanger well past their time. Global warming has certainly showed us what happens when we ignore our precious resources. With all the hurricanes, tornadoes, and summer weather we should wake up to what’s happening to our environment. I should be wearing a scarf, but just this one time, I’m going to have a guilt-ridden rave and say, I secretly love it. Now stop reading this, go outside for a run and then change into a cute outfit. Tomorrow, I’ll be back to my environmentally friendly self.

A Shoe and Dress Match Made In Heaven...or Strawberries.

Being Fabulash is not easy. I have found the most precious, stunning cocktail dress only to be hampered by lack of shoe options to match said dress. I was on a mission to find that perfect shoe yesterday. I hit every store on my walk down 5th Avenue. I would find a brown shoe, but no, too dark. A gold shoe, but alas, to shiny. A bronze shoe, only to discover the salesman completely disagreed with that option based on the length of my dress. I moved on. Store to store. I even went to the basement of Daffy's (gasp!). As I moved between the cramped aisles of shoes and oversized women carrying tons of cheap clothes, I thought I saw a gem! What is this? Dior! In Daffy's! It wasn't a perfect shoe and dress match made in heaven, but for Dior...I could make that work. I excitedly grabbed the shoe, relief swept over me and then, upon closer inspection to my dismay this wasn't a Dior...it was DONI? That's it. I threw the shoe down, ran as fast as I could out of that hellhole and reminded myself why I don't go there in the first place. Doni. I continued on in the face of defeat. I came across a Strawberries and thought, "what the hell? I've already sunk pretty low on this one." So, I went in only to find the exact bronze shoe that the salesman talked me out of at Nine West, but for half the price. It's an adorable peek-a-boo toe wedge in deep bronze. IT WAS A SHOE SHOPPING SIGN! Without any hesitation, I grabbed the shoes and bought them. I grinned as I walked out of the store. It may have took me two hours only to buy the exact shoe I saw first, but I knew my efforts weren't in vain. I now have the perfect shoe accessory for my perfect little dress.

Sigh.

So have you ever noticed...

...when you're out on a date with a guy who's not really your typical style, and you're unsure about the attraction...

...you happen to go to a bar or restaurant where suddenly you're surrounded by about twenty guys who are exactly your type and also gorgeous?

And that it never happens when you're out for a night with the girls?

Yeah, I thought so.

Endless Agony- The Periles of Work Travel

I love to hear excited young executives tell me how they want to travel more and can't wait to take business trips. I was once one of these bright-eyed travel bound twentysomethings. But after years of endless agony, schelping, missed connections, delays, bad hotels and long days, I have a new position on business travel. It's called "Only If you haven't done it enough." People who say they want to travel for work simply just haven't done it enough. I write this as I sit on the damp, cold floor of the Seattle airport. Another delay. Rain, fog...it doesn't really matter. What matters is that I'm stuck and I'm tired. Oh, and there is zero eye candy to pass the time. I'm over-caffeinated, over-worked and just plain OVER this.

On the bright side, I did score some fabulous Indie finds, heard some good music and met some fabulous filmmakers in the 32 hour stint in the blustery Northwest.

While work travel can take you to exotic cities, expensive restaurants and amazing parties, in the end, you sometimes can only remember the endless agony of it all.

Here's a quick checklist to make it all slightly more bearable:

1. The newest issue of InStyle
2. Travel pillow and eye mask (my I suggest the "wake me when it's over" line on uncommongoods.com)
3. Sex & The City DVD's
4. Starbucks
5. US Weekly
6. iPOD
7. Hoodie
and pills....