Date Night

2 week countdown until Valentine's Day!! Woo-hoo!!

I'm really looking forward to vday this year. Last year, Wil and I had a lot going on so we pretty much overlooked it - a sin - i know. Valentine's day is a pretty important holiday in my book. A lot of people think its so commercialized and its just a day for people to spend money on chocolates and flowers. But I disagree, how wonderful is it to have a day dedicated to being romantic, getting surprised, sending candy grams in school...Yes, people should be romantic all the time, but its still nice to have a day dedicated to PDA.

I love Valentine's day so much that i usually skip sending christmas cards and send valentine's greetings instead. Why be one of hundreds of christmas cards that get thrown out when you can be the one valentine's card that goes on the fridge?

This year, Wil and I are heading back to New Jersey. Not only am i excited to be home, but my mom and dad said they didn't mind watching Gabriel while Wil and I go on a date. I can't wait. Its so rare that Wil and I get to go out on our own. I'm really really looking forward to it.

I can't wait to dress up!! Have you planned your Valentine's day outfit? I have no clue yet what i'm wearing but here's sophisticated but fun outfit i created.

valentine's day by kleano featuring chains jewelry

ドレス
79,800 JPY - mirabella.jp
Stella mccartney dresses »

fancy fur coat
$140 - usa.frenchconnection.com
Fancy coats »

"I Love You" Hearts in Shop All at Dylan's Candy Bar
$22 - dylanscandybar.com
Dylan's Candy Bar »

Women's Christian Louboutin Patent Pointed-Toe Pump
$695 - neimanmarcus.com
Patent shoes »

Y-Mail Metallic Leather Clutch in Silver or Gold
$445 - ysl.com
Silver handbags »

ABS Pave Goldtone Chain Link Bracelet - Max and Chloe
$125 - maxandchloe.com
Chains jewelry »

David Yurman Albion Rose Quartz Earrings
bagborroworsteal.com
Rose quartz jewelry »

Ted Baker Sammy Pearls Long Single Strand Necklace
$29 - asos.com
Strand necklace »

3-D Hearts Set of 4 - Red : Target
$20 - target.com

Secrets of Cartier - History of Cartier - Bazaar.com
harpersbazaar.com
Cartier bracelets »

Cartier Bracelet
cartier.com
Cartier bracelets »

Oh Henri

It has been a LONG time since I've gone shopping with a girlfriend.

Nowadays if I do go to the mall, its a very superficial trip. Instead of scouring the racks and meticulously looking through each aisle, its just picking the stores that have enough space to push a stroller through. That's if I'm lucky. Normally, its just me running in and out of the mall to get what i have to get - no more perusing.

You can imagine how happy i was to go to the mall with my friend and stylist, Alba, last month. It was meant to be a quick trip to return something but there was no way in hell i was going to pass this opportunity up to shop around like a normal girl with no stroller in towe.

We walked past a store - i literally did a double take and insisted we go inside. It was a Henri Bendel Store. Oh my God. Its a candy store for the accessory junkie - and their marketing team knows it too. The shelves on the side walls have large clear vases full of colorful round lollipops, spiral lollipops.... Of course that's not what i was in there for. Imagine colorful tables, shelves, displays of posh looking passport covers, beautiful clutches with gold clasps, adorable journals, enameled bangles, chandelier earrings, make up cases, handbags, and my love...scarves.

The combination of the white and brown stripes that the designer is known for, along with the colorful pop art was hypnotizing.

As much as I'd take everything in that store home with me, if I had to choose one item, it would probably be one of their artsy scarves. I love scarves - of course I don't have an hermes one yet, but I'll take a Henri Bendel one anyday.

Here are some of my favorites - don't you just adore them?? They can all be found on the Henri Bendel website. www.henribendel.com

'Runway Girl Scarf" $125"Bendel Bow Print Scarf" $98 (with their signature stripe)"Girl Takes Off" Limited Edition Scarf $125

"Lady with Bow Scarf" $125

Just Because

My favorite type of flowers, "Just Because" flowers.

the kind that doesn't warrant a reason, no holiday, no "i'm sorry."

just something to remind you that you're loved and appreciated.

During a tough week, these hit home. Thank you to my loving husband.

You know me so well. I love you.

Sole Mio

Shoe haul!

Momma needed some trendy shoes that were cute without sacrificing comfortability.

Considering its so hard to find shoes my size for my tiny feet, i was really lucky.

I didn't find one, but 2 pairs of shoes.

I'm always carrying gabe around so since he's usually the focal point on top,

i like to look cute on the bottom :)

Flats are really the go to shoes for moms. They're easy to slip on and cute. I'm always rocking my gold ones so i've been looking around for silver/pewter colored one. I found these by Adrienne Vittadini. Really love the rhinestone brooch on top.

Adrienne Vittadini pewter flats

Now these are the shoes I was really proud to find. Finding boots for me is like finding a needle in a haystack. Not only is it hard to find my size, i like to find non-traditional colors (think camel, auburn, grey, taupe). I also care a lot about the heel height. I don't want to topple over while i'm holding the baby. And calf width is important, i never really thought about this until i tried a pair of boots a few months back and couldn't zip the darn thing up my leg.

I've also been wanting over the knee boots for a while so when i was able to find these elements in this one boot by Sam Edelmann, I was floored. (grey boots pictured in middle)

Sam Edelmann Boutique over the knee grey boots


i'm singing, "O Sole Mio......" I'm happy :)

Paper Hearts

Working on homemade Valentine's cards from Baby Gabe.

Of course his contribution to making the cards is zilch at this point -but next year you can bet he's going to get down and dirty with the glue and paper hearts. Love spending time with him and watching him grow and learn.

Its so rewarding sitting there teaching him something and watching him copy me or repeat it the next day on his own. I say this all the time but he's growing up so fast. So, as much as it would've been fun to have him work on these cards with me, i'm ok with him sitting there watching me make these cards while he plays with his Discovery toys "Go Go Caterpillar." I'm savoring his baby days as much as I can.

Eye Appeal

I'm not very adventurous when it comes to my eye shadow color. I find ones i like and I usually stick to it everday. Especially being a mom, you have a timeframe of like 5 minutes to do your makeup. My version of smokey eye or night makeup is the same as my day makeup but darker.

I saw a beautiful palette at Sephora by Urban Decay, called the Naked palette - its a collection of 12 gorgeous neutral colors that are anything but basic. After walking around the store and finally deciding to make the splurge, i realized that they were all out. Don't you hate that - when you see the sample but then realize all the stock in the back of it is gone. So everytime i would go to Sephora/Ulta/makeup stores i would look for this palette and it was always empty! Of course the more i couldn't find it, the more i wanted it. The cherry on top was a sign I saw around the holidays where it said something to to effect of, "sorry, we're working as fast as we can to produce more of this popular palette." aggghhh - i needed it!!!!

Well, ta-da! My girlfriend found a small stash of them at an Ulta near her - they just got the shipment in and the salepeople were even saying they couldn't keep them on the shelves. She grabbed one for me and here it is!!! (Thanks Ann!)

Urban Decay - Naked Palette $44

How could you go wrong with these colors? i love the champagnes/taupes/browns/blacks/smokey grey. So perfect for a tan skin tone. ;)

PS - you even get eyeliner and concealer as an added bonus.

Be-dazzled

I'm sure Jennifer Lopez is one of the biggest trending topics at the moment. The new season of American Idol just started this week and Lopez looks stunning to say the least. Her skin is flawless, her hair impeccable, and I want every outfit she wore during the show. Honestly, I've lost interest in this popular show years back, but I did watch it to see her as a judge. I've always loved her glam look. She didn't disappoint in her 2011 Golden Globes look. She wore a beautiful dress by designer Zuhair Murad. Many fashion stylists are criticizing her saying her rhinestone clad cape looked frumpy and that other than the cape her dress looked cheap. I personally loved it.

I would wear that cape with a simple corset, skinny jeans, and louboutin heels for a date night out.

I found a great article from one my favorite blogs:
From http://psimadethis.com/

Being that i'm a DIY person, this was perfect to help create my look.

Here's an excerpt:

"To create your own version of the caplet, use one yard of sheer silk chiffon, rhinestones or sequins, Gem Tac glue, and a sharp pair of fabric scissors. Round off 2 opposing corners to achieve a lovely draping. Measure the length in between your shoulders and mark on the fabric for cutting. Use scissors to create a slit for the neckline. Before gluing your choice of sparkle, line the underneath surface with waxed freezer paper to keep from gluing down to the surface. After sparkles are glued, wait until it’s completely dry to wear. Get creative with your embellishments! Style your caplet over any dress and PS- you will impress!"

(photo from psimadethis blog)

Outfit idea for Valentine's day dinner? Maybe :)

Serendipity

Serendipity - by definition from http://www.thefreedictionary.com/

1. The faculty of making fortunate discoveries by accident.
2. The fact or occurrence of such discoveries.
3. An instance of making such a discovery.

Life is all about making discoveries. Going down different paths of life opens doors for different opportunities. I completely believe that everything happens for a reason. Circumstances and situations push us to go down certain paths and towards a certain destiny. Its up to you to find happiness in that destiny. Don't take anything for granted. Appreciate life and where its brought you.

I'm so fortunate to be where I am today. Of course, I have a supporting family with a beautiful baby boy. I have so many friends in different states that I never thought I would meet had i not moved around a bit. It always bring me joy to see my different groups of friends together.

One of my fondest memories was from March 2009. My closest girlfriends from Minneapolis came to visit NYC so I could show them around for a few days. Not only did I play tourist with them, but my closest friends from NJ came too! It was such a blast. The weather, although gloomy, was surprisingly warm and we had so much fun wandering the streets of midtown, enjoying the hustle and bustle of the city. There's an energy within those streets that you cannot find anywhere else in the world. I remember passing through Rockerfeller Center, Radio City, St. Patricks Cathedral, Tiffany's on 5th, Magnolia's Cupcakes, Central Park...so many great landmarks all shared with many great friends.

As much as I had fun, i didn't truly appreciate it until we were all sitting in the famous Serendipity cafe. There they all were, friends from different states, in my favorite city in the world, all laughing, bonding, having fun all while sharing their famous "Frozen Hot Chocolate." I literally took a step back to soak it in. I was lucky, I am lucky.

Well, although i'm faraway in Atlanta, yesterday, i was able to recreate a piece of that in my mind. I took my first spoonful of Starbucks "Signature frozen hot chocolate." It was divine to say the least. I'm happy :)

Real Housewife

The new year came bearing gifts. My cable now included the Bravo channel which i was so happy about. There are so many great shows on this channel some of which are the Real Housewives series - the current ones are "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" and "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills." I honestly didnt think I'd like these shows but they're my secret addiction. I don't know, maybe because I can relate since I'm a housewife myself.....with less money. :) i can finally tell people i know who Nene Leeks is.

My real infatuation though can be spotted in the Beverly Hills series. Kyle, a Demi Moore lookalike, can be seen with these gorgeous emerald teardrop earrings. All I can say is STUNNING. After doing some research I found out that Angelina Jolie wore something similar for an awards ceremony. I want them!! If and when i get them, don't be surprised if you find me wearing them everywhere - cleaning the house, at the grocery store, out for dinner. Now that's a real housewife.

Ciao!!

Tuesday Shoesday

Its been awhile since i've posted a Tuesday Shoesday, so here it is.

I'm planning to head to the beautiful, yet rainy city of San Francisco in March - i'm so excited but i was told to prepare for the rain. Of course I'm itching to buy cute rain boots. This is what i came across - why do i tease myself????

Valentino lace bow rain boots

Bergdorf Goodman $745

Snow Day

(image from www.weheartit.com)

I have to admit i was laughing prior to today. The state of Georgia had a "winter weather alert" for today. Everyone's facebook status's and tweets were talking about stocking up and getting ready for the "big storm." I even heard there was a line just to park at the grocery stores yesterday because everyone was panicking to get food. When i checked the weather to see what was expected, it said 3-4" of snow was expected.....I literally thought this was a joke. 3-4" in MN or NJ is nothing!! we drive in 3-4". Here, before the storm even came, they announced that school was closed and that flights for today were cancelled. Don't get me wrong. I understand that the south is not used to this type of weather and isn't equipped to handle snow removal, but its just funny in comparison.

Anyway, i woke up this morning to winter white outside, while the snow on my deck railing only shows about 3" of snow, its still nice to think of it as a snow day. Luckily its Wil's weekend so he, I and Gabe are spending quality time at home lounging around in our pjs. Perfect day for hot chocolate :)

I love the feeling of being in our home watching our baby play. Gabe is so cute crawling around the house. As i was cooking he crawled into the kitchen, crawled by my legs and sat down. It was such a priceless moment for me. I love snow days in with my family.

Here's to many hot chocolate happiness days.

You Light Up My Life

Gabriel Viggo 7 months - December 29, 2010

The joy I feel everytime I see Gabe's smile is indescribable. He's grown so much from being this helpless little being to a little baby boy crawling all over the place flaunting his smile to the world. He's such a cutie pie. Whenever there's a camera in front of him and you say cheese, he'll flash his big toothless grin. This is him all decked out for my dad's birthday and my mom's retirement celebration. It was just an intimate dinner with our immediate family. Gabe was absolutely adorable in his little button down shirt, vest and tie. He had matching pants but they were a bit big so he rocked his jeans instead. Its ok - its the modern look right?

(Gabe's 3 piece suit is by Nautica. His jeans are from Old Navy.)

A Meaningful Existence

(image from weheartit.com)

Its a new year and of course I find myself writing my new years resolution list. Every year I say i'm going to stick to them and every year i forget what they are by February. This year I want it to be different. I really want to make moves and I don't want to just talk about them. I want to follow through with them. I found a great article from:

http://www.ameaningfulexistence.com/2011/01/04/5-surefire-ways-to-stick-to-your-new-year-resolutions/

with 5 Surefire ways to stick to your new years resolutions

1) are you trying to change a symptom instead of a root cause?

For example, a lot of people say they want to lose weight. But what caused you to gain weight in the first place? were you unhappy and ate to make yourself feel a temporary happiness? Figure out the root cause of what you're trying to change

2) you must write your resolutions down

This is so important for new years resolutions, for any type of goals in your life, or even for your every day to do list. Write them down so you can visually see what you want to do.

3) don't set goals because everyone is doing it

Set goals because you really want to achieve them and not just because its the New Year and everyone else is doing it

4) program your subconscious mind

You want to wake up thinking about your goal, you want to sleep thinking about your goal - read your goals everyday so you don't forget what you're striving to achieve. Its so easy to get caught up in everyday life and forget about where we want to be. Remember what you want and go for it. Don't get stuck in a rut that you were in last year.

5) increase your desire to reach your goals

There are days we are more motivated than others. Help increase your desire on those days you're less motivated. Think of how your life would be once those goals are achieved. How would your life change? Would you be happier? Keep that in mind to help you stay focused and on track for this year.

Happy New Year!!

From my family to yours, happy new year!! I wish you nothing but love, happiness, health and wealth this new year.

(Wil's in a sweater from Calvin Klein, pants by Kirklands, white button down by Van Heusen, and red tie by Nautica. Gabe is in a shirt, vest and tie by Nautica. I'm in a dress and jacket from Zara.)