The Evolution of Wooing, 1993 - 2013

1993: The world is a cold, heartless place, where, according to the letters, you actually meet and are rejected by chaps in person.

1994: A thing appears on your new office computer that says: “Meet me for coffee.” That thing is an e-mail, and the poetry of its four words—the magic of them!—opens your life forever to the wonder of words on a screen.

1995: Match.com goes live, and you bravely create a profile saying you are looking for a nice guy “with a sense of humor” and receive 1,270 responses. In the first hour.

1996: Best to gloss over the time you visited that chat room.

1997: Wi-Fi is invented, making it possible for you to meet your future second husband at Starbucks in 2009.

1998: You learn the hard way that the more you google a fella you “might be interested in,” the creepier you feel, and the creepier you feel, the pickier you grow, until finally, with the exception of JFK Jr., there’s not a man remaining in America you’d consider going out with.

2001: Auntie Eeee and her sister, Cande, solve the online-dating “cad, wanker, and brainless nincompoop” issue by launching GreatBoyfriends.com, where women recommend their ex-boyfriends to one another. Oprah says it’s the best idea she’s ever heard.

2003: You are courted on MySpace by the lead singer of a band. It is tender. It is sweet. When you fly to see him perform at a Fort Wayne, Indiana, softball field, you discover he’s 15.

2004: Mark Zuckerberg est arrivé. You really gotta love the little bastard.

2005: You excitedly upload to YouTube a video of you salsa dancing with a semifamous reality-show contestant, but since it’s an interminable four minutes long, nobody watches it.

2006: As Twitter debuts, eventually dooming dictators around the world, you stage a coup d’état of someone’s heart with these three simple steps: (1) You follow the attractive person on Twitter; (2) you retweet two or three of the attractive person’s tweets; and (3) you reply to one of his/her tweets with a lusty zinger. (How not to flirt: See Wikipedia, Anthony Weiner.)

2007: You squeal in the grip of the greatest ecstasy woman has ever known when you turn on your first iPhone.

2010: You discover that a tryst with your boyfriend is twice as hot when you’re Skyping with him while on a business trip as when he’s in your actual bed.

2013: Words are dead. You’re now back in the Lascaux Cave, communicating with images via Instagram, Vine, and Snapchat—and your love life is totally happening on Tinder.

Source: 

Ask E. Jean.  http://www.elle.com/life-love/ask-e-jean/e-jean-20-years-dating

Happy Xmas!

Oh Christmas in LA!

Will I ever get enough of the 80 degree Decembers and palm trees?  And the tan so golden - people lose their minds trying to guess my race/ethnicity. Priceless!

Hope all your dreams come true as well. XOXO

Another Fabulous Fashion District Find

Have I mentioned I love love LOVE Fashion District? :D  I don't visit it as often as I would like to.  However, every time I do, I inadvertently come back with another terrific find.  I should post them here more often.

Once again - perfection does exist...  even if you have to search for it for a few years...  It's even more satisfying for only $5.

UPDATE: Currently Craving: High Heeled High Tops

The 08/26/12 Currently Craving is the most viewed post on this blog.  So I know that you remember my search for the perfect high top sneakers.  I wanted them to go with leggings, skinnies, and, of course, with all my fabulous skirts that I wear all the time now, since the weather is always beautiful in sunny California.
Well... perfection does exist...  even if you have to search for it for a couple of years...

It was love at first sight, even though I had to wait for a couple of weeks to order them (since I just bought a tooth.  Yes, all the way down to da root!).

By the way, Currently Craving is now on Pinterest.

A Girl's Girl?

A girl's girl is someone who:

1) Is attractive without being threatening or overly sexy. In other words, she escapes the skank factor. This is a big one. Because most women want to better themselves with friends who will propel them into the next category, without constantly worrying if their spouses secretly lust over their gal pals.

2) Her house is just so. Do I even need to explain this one? No.

3) She wants babies, lots of babies. Or at least, she publicly pines over all things motherhood in a way that rivals only her husband's rabid love of SEC football. Because this, apparently, is the fruition of womanhood. And of course one child is never enough. One child forces her to ask the question, "So when are you going to have another one?"

4) She is smiley. In fact, the probability of being a girl's-girl increases with the size of and the frequency by which you flash your pearly whites. Think Julia Roberts toothiness. She played a prostitute in "Pretty Woman" and still audiences perceived her as wholesome as granny's apple pie every time she bared those mega-watt chompers.

5) She does not have a past. Or if she has an unsavory history, it is one that makes her look enduring in a June Carter, Lifetime movie sort of way.

6) She is good with correspondences: think thank you cards, holiday cards, birthday cards, scrapbook pages, etc...

7) She has a well-stocked purse. Need a tissue/nail file/safety pin/tampon/ironing board/tire iron/vintage off-white cameo pin? This girl has it all in her Kate Spade. Eat your heart out Mary Poppins.

8) She is better than all of your friends in at least one hobby. Bonus points if she is a) a militant jogger or triathlete, b) insane coupon-clipper, c) yoga instructor, d) culinary queen, or e) a combination of two of the above.

9) She looks effortless in ridiculous trends. Somehow she manages to be the one person on earth who doesn't look like bloated roadkill while wearing jeggings and faux-fur wrap.

10) Other girls like her, and she likes other girls. The majority of her friends are other women (mostly) like her. Because girl's-girls tend to attract one another.

Source: 

La Literati: A Girl's Girl http://christeenefraser.blogspot.com/2010/11/girls-girl.html

The Real Haute Style

According to the new book I am reading, all fashion is from France.

Plus, apparently "everybody's doin' it" - Fancy Skirt + T-shirt is a trend.

Source:
Lookbook.nu
Who What Wear  whowhatwear.com http://www.whowhatwear.com/fall-fashion-street-style-trend-fancy-skirts-plain-t-shirts-2013

RANDOM TIP: Balance

I know from experience that no matter what I eat, it all ends up in one place - my booty.  Which is why I had to balance the last post with this one.  Enjoy the "9 Butt Exercises For a Super Toned Tush".

Source:
Women's Health www.wh.com http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/best-butt-exercises

Perfect Chocolate Cheese Fluff

I used to bake.  Now, since the weather is always perfect here in the heart of LA city, I stick with cool no-bake desserts.

3/4 cup low fat chocolate milk          

1 cup fat free cottage cheese

1/3 cup sugar free chocolate flavor syrup

1 pkg (4-serving size) chocolate fudge pudding mix

2 cups chocolate whipped topping

Pour milk into blender.  Add cottage cheese and syrup.  Blend until smooth.  Add pudding mix.  Blend again.  (This stage of the preparation will be over faster than you expect.  The mixture gets so thick that it pretty much stops moving.)

Scrap it out into a large bowl.  Stir in whipped topping.  Mix well. 

Spoon into serving glasses.  Garnish, if desired.

Makes 8 servings at 113 calories each without any garnish. 

Make sure to eat this dessert within a day or two – sadly, the fluffiness settles. 

Shopaholic Addiction Statistics

Another CreditDonkey survey yields un-surprising results.  

http://www.creditdonkey.com/shopping-addiction.html

Warning signs of shopaholism include feeling guilt or shame after shopping (which 36.7 percent of respondents have experienced), hiding purchases from their families (20.5 percent), and checking available credit at least once a week (26.7 percent). However, just 4.7 percent of respondents said they have been labeled “shopaholics."

Houston, we have a problem...

A recent study by CreditDonkey found that 41% of Americans have less than $500 in savings. And 76% of us are living paycheck to paycheck. 

Source:
LearnVe$t http://www.learnvest.com/2013/08/youll-never-believe-how-much-i-saved-and-how/
Credit Donkey  www.creditdonkey.com/no-emergency-savings.html

2013 Money Horoscope: Taurus

When people want to make safe and prudent financial policies, they come to you for advice. Your emphasis on preservation and certainty over risk pays off much in the same way that the proverbial tortoise beat the tail off that famous fable hare. The first half of the year will be a continuation of the fabulous feeling--sort of like discovering you have a doting, rich uncle--that’s been around since the prosperous planet Jupiter entered your house of earning and spending last June. 

Even with a handsome cash flow, don't let that feeling of abundance to tempt you into spending more than you should. More than ever, you must fatten your savings to protect you from the potential pain of leaner times. In 2013, things will slow down during February, July and December while the ruler of your financial life, Mercury, moves backward through the sky. But as long as you refrain from excessive indulgences, you can keep your balance sheet in the black.

Source: 

LearnVe$t http://www.learnvest.com/2012/12/the-financial-future-looks-bright-your-2013-money-horoscope/?gallery=609#pid-7135_aint-0

RANDOM QUOTE: Winnie The Pooh

Winnie The Pooh makes me think of my sister.  Maybe that's why everything Pooh always makes me happy.

RANDOM TIP: 25 Easy Tips, Strategies, and Ideas for Small Space Living

1. Install wall-mounted shelves above other furniture, and shelves above doorways.
2. If you don't love it or need it, get rid of it.
3. Remove doors for an open layout. Hang up curtains where needed for privacy.
4. Use the "One In, One Out" strategy.
5. Buy infrequently and with great care. Focus on high-quality and long-lasting pieces, even if you have to save up for them. Make sure they fit your space perfectly.
6. Buy a bed with storage capabilities, either drawers underneath or a one you can jack up or loft.
7. Use a pot rack.
8. Get rid of your microwave. Use the oven or stove top instead.
9. Hang cup hooks of different sizes everywhere. They're inexpensive, don't take up a ton of space, and keep things off the counters and floor.
10. Install vertical storage and built-ins.
11. Bring in natural light as much as possible.
12. Get small appliances and small pots and pans.
13. Go for a fairly neutral color scheme, involving shades of the same color (with a few pops), or...
14. Go for a bold color scheme because it provides some 'wow' and dark colors hide corner shadows. But more than bold or neutral, go for a cohesive colors scheme.
15. If a particular spot seems to attract clutter, devise a shelving or other type storage solution to contain it.
16. Choose upholstered and case goods with legs that give them floor clearance. Air (or negative space) provides the visual illusion of spaciousness.
17. Buy multi-functional furniture, like an ottoman with storage inside the base.
18. Rip your CDs to a secure and reliable hard-drive and sell off your albums.
19. Put anything you don't use daily in a storage container.
20. When you finish a book, immediately post it on Paperbackswap.com to get it out of the house.
21. Play with a room arrangement on paper until you figure out what works best.
22. Use the corners. Don't let the precious space go to waste.
23. If you're a collector, rotate your collections in order to keep visual clutter to a minimum.
24. Add an orchid or fresh flowers seasonally.
25. Use mirrors or any reflective surfaces to give the illusion of added space.

Source: Apartment Therapy www.apartmenttherapy.com/the-best-tips-strategies-and-i-115579

Hot Wheels

For 2012, the most stolen vehicles in the nation were (total thefts in parentheses):

1. Honda Accord (58,596)

2. Honda Civic (47,037)

3. Ford Pickup (Full Size) (26,770)

4. Chevrolet Pickup (Full Size) (23,745)

5. Toyota Camry (16,251)

6. Dodge Caravan (11,799)

7. Dodge Pickup (Full Size) (11,755)

8. Acura Integra (9,555)

9. Nissan Altima (9,169)

10. Nissan Maxima (6,947)

Source: 

National Insurance Crime Bureau https://www.nicb.org/theft_and_fraud_awareness/top-vehicles-stolen-by-state

Six Reasons to Wear White

1. What better way to show off those curves?
2. It toes the line between sultry and sweet.
3. It is hard to screw up.
4. It gives instant polish.
5. It’s like having your own personal spotlight.
6. Because black is for wusses. 

Source: Women's Health. March 2009.

From Lookbook.com

Is white a color?

If your favorite color is white,

• You are neat and immaculate in your appearance, in the presentation of your home and in your car, almost to the point of being fanatical.
• You have impeccable standards of cleanliness and hygiene and you expect others to adhere to your high standards.
• You are far-sighted, with a positive and optimistic nature.
• You are well-balanced, sensible, discreet and wise.
• You are cautious, practical and careful with money.
• You think carefully before acting - you are definitely not prone to impulsive behavior.
• You tend to have a great deal of self control.
• You are confident, poised and self-assured when at your most positive, but can also be very choosy and fastidious when the mood strikes.
• You can be very critical of yourself and others (in your need for perfection) - but you try to be fair and impartial as well.
• You are self-sufficient and a loner - you don't want or need help from anyone. However, you may also experience times of loneliness because of this trait.
• You may be wishing to create simplicity in your life - perhaps a wish to re-create your childhood, lost youth and happier times in your past life.
• You can be quite sexually prudish with your need for self-control and perfection.
• You hide your flaws from others to give an impression of perfection.
• You may appear to be shy, but you do have strong beliefs about most things and love the opportunity to air those beliefs.
• The challenge for you is to be open-minded and flexible and to communicate your needs and desires.

Strangely, all of the above is true about me.

Source: Empower yourself with color psychology.  http://www.empower-yourself-with-color-psychology.com/personality-color-white.html

Nina Garcia’s LOOKBOOK: What to Wear for Every Occasion

Lately, I've been somewhat obsessed with Project Runway.  I do not simply watch Season 12 episodes, but try to take in as many past seasons as possible.  The runway shows towards the end of each episode are priceless in more ways than one.  One of the judges on this show is Nina Garcia, a well-known fashion journalist and critic, who shares with me a birthday and with my mother a name.  Of course, Nina has written a book, a lookbook to be exact.  Hard to imagine a “lookbook” without pictures to look at, but here it goes.

“Nina Garcia’s LOOKBOOK: What to Wear for Every Occasion” is designed to be your bedroom dresser book (as opposed to a coffee table book).  Yes, keep it as close to your walk-in closet as possible, or better yet - keep it IN your closet.  It is a guide on…wait for it…. what to wear for every occasion! It is broken down into sections - work, dating, day, night, holidays, life events (are they not all life events?), weddings, and dream travel.

Most of them I skipped, of course.  I already know what she’s going to say in the “What to Wear on the Average Workday” chapter (page 22) – button-downs, trousers, suits, black pumps, trench coat...  At least we are allowed to look at this one as a challenge. 

I also skipped the whole dating and weddings sessions – I am pretty sure men like us best, when we are not wearing anything at all.  However, for some such chapters as “What to Wear After You’ve Been Cruelly Dumped” (page 76) or “What to Wear When Meeting Your Significant Other’s Children” (page 92) may prove to be useful.  I also didn’t bother with the chapters of “What to Wear When You Are Getting Your Hair Done” (page 105) and “What to Wear to Therapy” (page 120).  Seriously, Nina?  

Did not read “What to Wear to Meet a Potential Surrogate” (page 242) and “What to Wear to a Parent/Teacher Meeting” (page 253) for obvious reasons…  However, I did read such chapters as "What to Wear When Shopping" (page 100) and "What to Wear to Go Dancing" (page 168) out of sheer curiosity.  I mean, people do do the strangest things.  

In fact, the only chapters I found to be stimulating for me (I can’t even say “applicable”) were in the Holidays section.  The author included descriptions and history of some traditions, which were nice to learn about in a condensed format.  Another thing that I really like in the book were the quotations.  I treasure clever, meaningful sayings.  It truly is a talent to be able to express a novel in one short sentence.  So I will leave you with the one I absolutely adore.

“You can have anything you want in life if you dress for it.” – Edith Head

Source: Nina Garcia’s LOOKBOOK: What to Wear for Every Occasion.  Nina Garcia. 

RANDOM WORD: Clairvoyance

Noun

1. The supposed power to see objects or events that cannot be perceived by the senses. 
2. Acute intuitive insight or perceptiveness. 

Source: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/clairvoyance

Men's Health: January/February 2008

What we gonna right here is go back...way back...back in time...

I do believe that Woman's Health is the best health and fitness magazine for women out there, as I subscribe on and off.  Thus, it is only logical that the Men's Health must be the best health mag for men, right? So yes, I read Men's Health whenever (and wherever) I can get my hands on it.  This time I got my hands on the Jan/Feb 2008 issue.

• About 2% of population is born with an abnormal aortic valve, and this condition is passed on within families (pg 22).
• To prevent rust, apply a light coat of petroleum jelly to screws and lug nuts before tightening.  Removal will be easier, too.  (pg 30)
• When pumping gas, set the trigger speed to slow, not fast.  Fewer vapors will translate into more gas in your tank.  (pg 30)
• Make sure that your 3-day disaster preparedness stash contains food that you will actually want to eat. Also include 3 gallons of water per person (pg 32). 
• 30% of colon cancer cases are not linked to genetics (pg 34). 
• 33% of Americans feel that they are under extreme stress (pg 36)
• Alcohol can temporarily handicap your hearing.  When alcohol content increased to 0.08, hearing threshold decreases by an average of 15 decibels - the equivalent of stuffing cotton in your ears. (pg 36). 
• 53% of average person's worst memories are directly related to a romantic relationship (pg 37).
• 64% of women admit to "sexually teasing" a man (pg 37).
• Men are less likely than women to believe that past arguments predict future problems (pg 37).  Tease on, ladies, tease on.  ;)
• Women who watch X-rated films have better sex (pg 37).
• On page 38 we discover that "eating tomatoes may decrease your risk of colon cancer", "folate keeps your mind young", "black tea reduces the glycemic index of a meal", "amaranth is higher in fiber and protein than rice", and that 18% of all home cooked meals are prepared by men.  
• "Coffee can keep your arteries from clogging.  While analyzing the cholesterol levels of 10 coffee drinkers, Swiss scientists found that LDL particles soak up java's antioxidants.  As a result, the LDL is 20% less likely to become an oxidized form of the bad cholesterol that develops into artery-clogging plaque" (pg 40).  I've always said coffee is the ultimate health food. 
• The best combination for weight loss and building muscles = lifting weights + low-carb diet (pg 42).
• The performance of NFL players decreased by 33% after returning from an ACL injury (pg 44).
• The cost of running shoes does not always translate into their value (pg 44).  
• 17% decrease in muscle power after 4 weeks of inactivity (pg 46).
• Research shows that a hearty breakfast keeps you satisfied for a long time, leading to reduced calorie consumption through the rest of the day (pg 60). 
• A to-do list for making more effective to-do lists: 1. Put it in writing; 2. Make it specific and measurable; 3. Put a date on it; 4. Phrase it positively; 5. Make it realistic; 6. Keep entries short and separate.  (pg 131)
• 53% of men have checked their email standing at a urinal (pg 152). 

The best article in this issue was "Six Women You Need To Meet" (pg 102). 

There are a couple of crazy things they put in in there tho:

• Apparently, making lists sets men apart from women.  Hello! Am I not making one right now?
• You can definitely tell stuff about a woman by her bra.  Hmmm....maybe what she is planning to wear it under? 
• Wear a cardigan. A cardigan on a men?  That's just plain wrong.  Plus, do you really want to channel a Kanye?

Source: Men's Health Magazine.  January/February 2008 www.menshealth.com

The Wardrobe Wakeup

Turns out new fashion books come out all the time.  Found a new one at the library – “The Wardrobe Wakeup: Your Guide to Looking Fabulous at Any Age” by Lois Joy Johnson printed in China in March 2013.  I don’t know if a library book can get any newer than that. 

The book is targeted towards women in their 50s-60s to help them update their closets to fit their new lifestyles, roles, and jobs.  It opens with the phrase: “Clothes are a necessity, fashion is an option, and style is your choice”.  That caught my attention, because I believe style is not a choice, but a sixth sense – you either got it or you don’t.   However, the book may not be super beneficial to someone like me, who has her own opinions regarding style, it does contain tons of great advice.  It will be useful to many ladies, not just the ones who have gone through some major changes in life.

• Top ten most comfortable items (pg. 119) – except that I only agree with like 3 of those.
• Open necklines and a tighter fit around torso – makes everyone look taller and slimmer (pg 123).
• Buy the best bag you can afford and don’t try to look richer, cooler, more successful, or fashionable with a faux, because you won’t (pg.125).
• Reject any item of clothing that feels physically or psychologically uncomfortable (pg. 132).
• Buy color in a dress or coat (pg. 142).  Yay! According to InStyle mag, bright-colored coats are “IT” for fall.
• Style is what you are, not what you wear (pg. 161.
• Fashion is an instant form of communication (pg. 164).
• The goal is to sell yourself past your age, beyond your experience, and class-A resume (pg. 167).
• Emergency Kit (pg. 207).  Who has room for that among all the junk that I am already lugging around in my handbag?
• Junk jewelry is fun and should be. You need to hit people over the head with one major faux can’t-take-my-eyes-off-it necklace, earrings, or giant cocktail ring. (pg. 212)
• Being responsible for your body pays off in health and fashion benefits (pg. 225).
• Accessories don’t all need to match but a team that works together is smart strategy (pg. 266).

RANDOM QUOTE: Unknown

Working On My Fitness

Like the song goes, I workout.  A lot.  I love lifting weights.  I love to challenge my muscles.  I love to feel my body.  And yes, I love to see the results too.  Thus, I am always looking for new exercises to try.  Gotta keep the booty tight!

According to Women's Health these are the best ones:
http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/best-workout-for-women

1. ABS: Mountain climber with hands on swiss ball
2. GLUTES: Hip raises
3. QUADS: Offset dumbbell lunge
4. HAMSTRINGS: Single leg dumbbell straight leg deadlift
5. CALVES: Single leg donkey calf raise
6. CHEST: Single arm dumbbell bench press
7. SHOULDERS: Scaption and shrug
8. TRICEPS: Swiss ball lying triceps extensions
9. BICEPS: Split stance dumbbell curl
10. FOREARMS: Plate pinch curl
11. UPPER BACK: Swiss ball L raise
12. LATS: Band-assisted chinup
13. LOWER BACK: McGill curlup

But the truth is - the best really are the ones you are not doing.  So when I don't have time, when I don't feel like going through a full workout, when... (fill in with any of the million excuses there are for not working out), my philosophy is "even a little is better than nothing".  Just do it!

RANDOM TIP: The Girl Code

www.elle.com/life-love/ask-e-jean/e-jean-girl-code

I love E. Jean.  Almost as much as I love Judge Judy.  Brilliant. 

• Never stay silent when a friend is falling for an asshole.
• Never favorite a best friend’s bon mot. Always retweet it.
• Never trust a girlfriend who dates a married man.
• Never refuse to write a recommendation for the offspring of a friend (no matter how big an idiot the kid is).
• Never steal your friend’s thunder at a dinner party—when she’s on, give her room! Pound the table! Bang your glass with a spoon! Laugh the loudest at her story!
• Never give your friend’s business four stars on Yelp. Always give five.
• Never agree when a friend says she’s flabby, baggy, saggy, lumpy, floppy, veiny, squishy, scrawny, etc., etc. Tell her to shut up. Tell her life is too short. Tell her to eat, drink, and be merry. And finally…
• Never treat other women disrespectfully: It gives men ideas.

Ladies, let's come up with a few more. 

www.elle.com/life-love/ask-e-jean/e-jean-girl-code

Let's Flavor Our Lives!

Oooh ma gooosh!  I’ve just read the cutest book ever, and I have to tell you all about it.  The book is “Like Water for Chocolate” by Laura Esquivel.   It is written in a way that is absolutely adorable.  I could not put it down from the second I started reading it at the dentist's office. There are really no words to accurately express the way it makes you feel - truly fullest range of emotions. I think everyone can relate to it one way or another.

The author calls it “a novel in monthly installments with recipes, romances, and home remedies”, but I would actually call it “the secrets of love and life as revealed by the kitchen”.  Really, she does give you advice on everything from how to do laundry to how to get rid of bed bugs.  So I highly recommend, if not for the delicious recipes and practical remedies, at least for the pleasure of experiencing how the words come together in this bankless river of gratifying enjoyment.

There is one touching passage that I really passion, and I want you all to share it.  

“My grandmother had a very interesting theory; she said that each of us is born with a box of matches inside us but we can’t strike them all by ourselves; just as in the experiment, we need oxygen and a candle to help.  In this case, the oxygen, for example, would come from the breath of the person you love; the candle could be any kind of food, music, caress, word, or sound that engenders the explosion that lights one of the matches. For a moment we are dazzled by an intense emotion.  A pleasant warmth grows within us, fading slowly as time goes by, until a new explosion comes along to revive it.  Each person has to discover what will set off those explosions in order to live, since the combustion that occurs when one of them is ignited is what nourishes the soul. That fire, in short, is its food. If one doesn’t find out in time what will set off these explosions, the box of matches dampens, and not a single match will ever be lighted. 

If that happens, the soul flees from the body and goes to wander among the deepest shades, trying in vain to find food to nourish itself, unaware that only the body is left behind, cold and defenseless, is capable of providing that food.”

It's amazing how much there is in this book that is left up to the interpretation and imagination.
Life is truly magic.  Great books like this make you treasure it even more.

STYLE by Kate Spade

What is fashion? What is the definition of “fashion”? Is there a difference between "fashion" and "style"? What is style?  What is the definition of "style"? Fashion is what you see in the magazine or on runway.  Style is how you interpret fashion, how you make it applicable to life, how you translate it into your wardrobe.

The new book I dug up in my neighborhood library is “STYLE” by Kate Spade.  Theoretically, I have always liked Kate Spade design. And this book is up to par. It is organized in a very capricious manner with drawings instead of photos as most fashion books fashion.  It is written in blurbs and includes information that Kate must have deemed to be helpful (such as size charts, how to care for the cashmere that I will never be able to afford, etc.). Things of note are the facts and quotes at the bottom of pages.

Don't get me wrong – I will not be following Kate’s advice anytime soon.  I mean you will not catch me wearing any vegetable necklaces or packing candles into my carry-on.  However, I really like the way she talks about style and how she has appears to have a solid grasp on the concept.  Her husband appears to be not far behind either.  Below are the things that will give a feel for the book. 

It is as much about being seen as it is about seeing. 

Always gracious, sometime irreverent STYLE.

Sometimes what you can’t see is far more revealing.

Style is innate.

True style comes from opening yourself to the world around you – to the books and movies, to art, to music and travel, and especially to other people.

Your personality is uniquely expressed through your choice of accessories. It’s the easiest form of self-declaration. Pg. 68

Sunglasses have an amazing style quotient – there is something strong and mysterious about them.  Pg. 76

Hats is just the thing for adding wit and personality. Pg. 78

Style is:

• a sum of so many things – beginning with a sense of who you are and having a self-confidence.
• wearing what makes you happy.
• following your own rules.
• clarity.
• owning pieces you cannot wait to wear.
• a little like mercury: try to put your finger on it and it moves.
• becoming aware of what makes you feel most yourself out in the world. Pg 53

Other concepts in the book that I adore:

• Pre-set color combinations (although I do not agree with most of Kate’s suggestions)
• Finding your own classics
• Being your own style guru
• Stylish movies
• Wardrobe ABCs

RANDOM FACT: Beer vs Coffee

As you may already know, coffee is one of my biggest passions.  I like to collect facts that support my conviction that coffee is a health food.  Here is something I stumbled upon that proves one more time that coffee is good for you.

https://medium.com/what-i-learned-today/f7fcb3b786b1

And below is a super cool graphic summarization of it.  I found it very creative.  How many beers, girl? ;)

Perfect Closet = Style?

New book!  Yay!  "Style" by Lauren Conrad.

Honestly, this book is written for a style amateur.  To me most of her her advise was as second nature as common sense.  This is probably rooted in the fact that the author's target audience is a high school girl (judging by the fact that she is telling stories from her cheer-leading days).  Personally, I am already using (or purposefully ignoring) most of her tips.

The only pages that I actually have bookmarked are the makeup tips. I am constantly in search of a perfect cat eye.  I like my makeup to look more or less natural, but cat-eye always seems to be too dramatic.  So I experiment with all the ways and advices that I ever come across.  It is on page 122:

• Rest your elbow on something sturdy like a bathroom counter so that you only need to move your wrist (controlling the movement of your hand is the trick to mastering liquid eyeliner). 
• Place the brush or pen at the inner corner and drag it outward, stopping at the outer edge. Less pressure yields a thinner line - you can always go back and press harder for a thicker edge, so start small!
• Once you reach the outer corner, pause: Think of your face as a clock with vertical line from the center of your eye to your eyebrow as 12 and a horizontal line to your ear as 3.  You're gunning for 1:30.  Wing the liner out a little bit for the cat-eye look, stopping where your eye crease ends (roughly the length of an eyelash). 

Now all I have to do is practice!

Another page I have bookmarked is the travel section with a list of what to pack for a city vacation.  If I am going anywhere that is not "city", it is not a vacation.  Here is what she is packing for five days:

• 2 pairs of jeans (one should be in a clean, basic wash so you can wear them out at night)
• 3 evening/party tops (which can also work during the day)
• 1 nice blouse (for daytime) - is blouse not a top?
• 3 T-shirts
• 1 cardigan (cut slightly long)
• 1 blazer or cropped jacket (crisp but easy to move in)
• 1 dress (for going to dinner or out at night)
• 2 scarves (for warmth and splashes of color) - and hopefully fountains 
• 2 pairs of flats (colorful and comfortable)
• 1 pair of heels (for evening)
• 1 pair of sneakers (just in case)
• 1 lightweight satchel (you need to be able to carry this for hours - it may sound crazy, but consider a leather backpack as another good option)
• jewelry 
• undergarments 

Another section that more of us would benefit from is Chapter Eleven: Events and Parties.  Here she is giving tips on decoding the invitation (pg 205) and posing for photos (pg 210).

Happy reading!

Still Perfecting The Closet

Yes, you guessed it – I am reading a new book.  Good Housekeeping’s “The Complete Clutter Solution: Organize Your Home for Good” by C.J. Petersen.  Not that I have a clutter problem, but I am always looking for new ideas on how to best organize all my junk.  And now it is more crucial than ever due to the sheer lack of space.  Plus, it is my personal philosophy that stuff can never be too organized or too clean.  That said, my principal organizing principles are:

1. I am minimalist.
2. I like to hide things.
3. I do not decorate.

The book is conveniently divided into several sections by the areas of the home – bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, dining room, home office, etc.  Ironically, most of them combine into one in my royal flat. Another thing of note is that the book is ol’ skool.  I mean who has a landline anymore?  Below are some ideas that I found either handy (meaning I am already using them) or clever (meaning I will have to look into that).

I. Kitchen

• “Every item in the kitchen should be stored near where it’s going to be used, in place that makes sense”(pg 9).
• Towel bars – can be slide out or pull out, under or over sink, in the kitchen or in the bathroom.  I like this idea because the bars allow the towels to dry freely.  (pg 19)
• Tray dividers – can be used for lids, muffin pans, cookie sheets, cutting boards, etc. (pg 19)
• Accessory tree – basically shelves on a pole, like the tension rod in the bathroom (pg 25).   If you think about it, you can stick one just about anywhere.  And even add towel bars to it.
• Refrigerator rules – containerize and assign shelf space (pg 30).  In my book, every single item in your home should have its own designated spot. 
• Pantry – organize by level (pg 32).

II. Bedroom

• Here, my biggest storage challenge is efficient clothes storage.  The book states – “hang less” (pg 42).  However, that is exactly my problem – the lack of hanging space.  Most of my clothes are too nice not to hang them.  Surely, I fold all my sweaters and jeans, but even they get horrifically wrinkled (Yes, I iron my jeans).
• On the other hand, the book also states – “figure out what can stay and what needs to go” (pg 47).  My problem is that I already purged when I moved.  What’s left is either super nice or super new.
• The book does not devote any kind of serious attention to storage of shoes.  Big problem.  Big BIG problem.

III. Bathroom

• Sink-top caddy (pg 88).
• “Make sure everything you store is contained in some way” (pg 89).  It’s true.  All the cleaning supplies under sink are just randomly sitting there, and that is starting to drive me bonkers.
• Jewelry in muffin trays (pg 90).  Probably mini-muffin tray?
• Flatware caddy for make up (brushes, mascaras, etc.) (pg 90).
• Magnetic plates to stores metal objects (nail clippers, tweezers, etc.) (pg 94).
• Tank top storage (pg 95) – I will take just about anything for the top of the tank, because all the lint that collects there is practically impossible to get rid of.

IV. Family and Living Rooms

• Minimal furniture – smaller in number, smaller in size (pg 101) – leaves less space for the clutter to collect.
• Ladder shelves (pg 114) – I just think they are kind of cool.  You can even have a ladder desk!
• Another BIG problem – the book does not address how to best store magazines.  Don’t even ask.

V. Other spaces (basement, garage, attic, entryway, laundry, and whatever else you got in your mansion)

• Color code (pg 148).
• Trace the outline of the tools on the peg board to mark exactly where they belong (pg 152).
• “Use a large carton and pitch into it everything that takes up space but isn’t earning it” (pg 159).  I call mine “a donation box”.
• I’ll give you one tip for the home office – paper less.  PAPERLESS solves the need for file folders, file cabinets, paper clips, staples, even pens. 

Regardless of what your space looks like, the most important point to remember when selecting an organizing system is that it has to work for you.  It has to feel natural and comfortably fit your life. Do not force organization upon yourself (or yourself into an organizational system).  Sometimes “artistic clutter” is what works best or what is aesthetically pleasing to you.  Just make it a system.

OMG!  I even cleaned the top of refrigerator this weekend! Oh the life of a hustla, the life of a gambler!

Source:

"Good Housekeeping The Complete Clutter Solution: Organize Your Home for Good" by C.J. Petersen

RANDOM FACT: Cholesterol

According to American Hearth Association, almost 50% of adults over 20 have high cholesterol.  Shockingly, I am one of them.  Not that I just found that out.  Actually, the last couple of checkups have shown it to be higher than desirable.  But the scariest thing is that it keeps going up.  Particularly, my LDL (bad) level is crazy out of control. So of course, I am concerned – not ready to die yet.  Per my research the risk factors of high cholesterol are:

• Smoking (I never have).
• Obesity (my BMI is under 20).
• Poor diet (until now I thought I was a health freak – I eat very little fat and very little overall).
•  Lack of exercise (I work out 5-6 times a week).
• High blood pressure (last time I checked, my blood pressure was 103/98).
•  Alcohol (I only drink in Vegas ha ha ha).
• Certain medications (I am not on any prescription medication).
• Your age (I am not over 55 yet).
• Family history (No history of heart attacks in our family).

Ultimately, cholesterol deposits in your arteries will result in their hardening and narrowing preventing blood flood to the heart, which eventually will lead to a heart attack and stroke.

As I was under impression that I was already eating super healthy, I purposefully tracked my cholesterol intake for two weeks.  The recommended amount is less than 300 grams a day for a 2,000-calorie diet, if you do not have heart disease.  I did not change the way I was eating during those two weeks, and I was averaging around 250 grams of dietary cholesterol a day.  What da what?  Is it possible that my high cholesterol is hereditary?

Since it does not look like I have any other options for lowering my cholesterol than through diet, I decided to figure out a way to do it.  According to my research, there are three ways that you can affect your levels:

1. Soluble fiber – removes cholesterol from your body (use your imagination).
2. Plant sterols – block body from absorbing cholesterol that you eat.
3. Polyunsaturated fats – directly lower LDL levels.

Basically, I need to eat more whole grains (oatmeal) and beans, fruits and vegetables, omega-3s (fish and nuts), soy (tofu), and olive oil. And cut down on animal protein (even chicken breast has about 45 mgs of cholesterol - see nutritional info below) and dairy. Yup, the future holds a lot of label-reading for me.

Please visit your doctor.  You too could have high cholesterol, even though you may not look like it.

Healthful links:

High Cholesterol

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/high-blood-cholesterol/DS00178
Dangers of High Cholesterol
http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/features/high-cholesterol-dangers

10 Surprising Facts about Cholesterol

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/11/24/moh.healthmag.cholesterol.surprises/index.html

Top 10 Cholesterol Fighting Foods

http://www.prevention.com/food/food-remedies/10-best-cholesterol-lowering-foods

15 Surprising Ways to Improve Your Cholesterol

http://www.prevention.com/health/health-concerns/15-ways-improve-your-cholesterol

RANDOM TIP: “What You Wear Can Change Your Life”

“What You Wear Can Change Your Life” by Trinny Woodall and Susannah Constantine

Yes, you guessed it – I visited by neighborhood library again.  The reason I checked this one out is that I completely agree with these ladies.  What you wear can most definitely change your life.  Our whole lives are built on perceptions.  Often first impressions shape the rest of your relations with a particular person.  Thus, as we all know, you always have to look fab, because you never know when and where you will meet Mr. Right (or Mr. WillDoForNow).

This time they are addressing not only what is right for your shape and size, but also such style essentials as beauty, accessories and the organization of your closet.  The ones below were the most notable points for me.

1. If you are having a crisis of confidence, an easy way to feel desirable is to invest in sexy and supportive bras and underwear (pg. 24). The less money you have to invest in your clothing, the most money you should invest in decent undergarments. Basically, the underwear creates the canvas for the clothes.  If it is unflattering, it is not going to matter what you put over it.  And do not forget - “only supermodels look good in bikini briefs”. The only types of underwear that stay are G-strings (gives VPL freedom) and low-waisted boy shorts (great for jeans) (pg. 100).

2. These two have some weird beef with color.  I try not to overthink colors – they all look good on me.  However, generally I gravitate towards warmer colors – all shades of red, pinks, yellows.  My current obsession is orange.  I definitely do not wear enough blues, and, of course, I hate green.

• “People who understand color look more interesting, more in control, more confident, more self-assured, and more attractive”. 
• “Black is an absence of color”. 

3. Accessories:  Fine boned are more suited for delicate accessories; big boned can pull off bold accessories.

4. Intelligent storage.  They have a lot of good tips. But that’s where the intelligence comes in – you have to organize in a way that makes sense to you and fits your life.

5. The only thing I got out of this book about make-up is “long-lasting lipstick is a crime”.  Whole-heartedly agree.

The book also has some great tips for looking your best in photos.  So please visit your local library.  :)

More fabulous randomness:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/carolkinseygoman/2011/02/13/seven-seconds-to-make-a-first-impression/
http://www.livescience.com/10429-impressions-difficult-change-study.html

Craig's List Wisdom?

So here is another of his pearls.

LA Dating Cliche - m4w - 36 (LA)You know what I love most about reading dating profiles in LA? They're predictable. Now, I know you ladies might not be aware because you're probably not checking out a lot of women seeking men profiles, so let me try to enlighten you in the two minutes worth of attention I have here before you roll your eyes, do one good hair flip and move on...
It starts like this: I'm not your typical LA type. I am from, or spent significant time in, New York. I moved here for the sunshine and my career. I like some combination of the following: hiking, yoga, Runyon Canyon, social cause X, reading Sedaris/Palahniuk/Murakami, listening to Arcade Fire/Mumford and Sons/The XX, farmer's markets, Whole Paycheck Foods, and Wes Anderson movies.

Now, since EVERYONE has written the same thing, it's hard for me to see exactly how you're not the typical LA girl. And let me continue, just to see if the shoe really does fit.
You've traveled a lot because, after all, your parents' generation didn't work so hard for you to get barefoot and pregnant at 22 and you now feel that "seeing the world" has given you more life experience and credibility. Maybe you've even ventured into "third world" territory, which you can now wax poetic about over $20 martinis.

You think voting Democrat somehow shows you're a compassionate humanitarian, thinking that the difference between them and Republicans is chocolate-vanilla, when even a cursory analysis will reveal more of a dark chocolate/light chocolate contrast. You say that you love animals, despite the fact you claim "ownership" of them, give them human names, and often dress them in human clothing. Really, you've just anthropomorphized them and they are merely filling the childless void in your lives. 

Despite your proclaimed activism in the cause of social issues, you have an unnerving amount of products produced by Apple -- one of the most egregious operators of evil, pseudo-enslavement of peoples in developing nations. Also, just one of the little social events you've been to in the last month could've financed a permanent system of potable water for an entire village.

Your idea of unconventional is so... conventional. And contrived. Look, you can buy a nice faux bohemian lifestyle, you can buy a "green" eco-friendly car so you feel less guilty about those plane flights back to the East Coast, but you can't buy self-awareness. And that is what you lack the most.

Trust me, no one is happier than me that freedom of speech is a constitution right.  But does the constitution also grant one the right to judge and be hurtful to others? Doesn't it also grant others the right to be themselves? Even if all that means is to be fake or to follow the herd?

Moreover, why does one feel so compelled to voice his opinions?  Is that because he is of such high opinion of himself, that he believes that everyone is interested in his opinions? Hopefully, it is only because he's been hurt by the world too much, and this is his defense mechanism.  

Finally, why would anyone want to burn LA?  I am in love with this fabulous city!

Craig's List Wisdom: What does it really mean "to be yourself"?

I have a confession to make.  I am a Craig's List junkie.  I roam mostly the "missed connections" section though. I think I am secretly hoping that someone is looking for me.  My Prince Charming on a white horse, I suppose.  Better yet a white Aston Martin.    ;-D  

Most ads, of course, are pure rubbish that is synthesized in the minds of the herb-smoking 90% of LA population. However, once in a while one comes across a curious post that makes your brain cells wiggle around a little.  And it goes like this:

Where is My Mind? - m4w - 36 (LA)I've recently heard a spate of declarations such as, "I just need to find out who I am." Or "I need to find myself." And even, "I don't even know who I am yet." All of which did honestly remind me of myself 10 or 15 years ago. But I think the question of who you are, or who I am, takes on a different meaning now than it did then. So, let me dissect this question.I ask, who are you?

Almost immediately I will get a list of likes and dislikes. I hear virtues and beliefs spouted forth; a firing away of occupations, skills, accomplishments, life events. Okay, so I now know some things you like, some you dislike, a few of the major beliefs you hold, and some of the things you've done. Now, again I ask, who are YOU? What is the YOU that you set off to find?

So, the easy answer is that each individual is the sum of all of those parts. BUT. . . but if I like what you like, believe what you believe, and do what you do, we'd all agree that I am not you. I am still me, and you are still you. None of which helps to further define who YOU actually are.

I find it rather amusing that so many people spend so much time trying to "be who they are." You hear this all the time. "I just wanna be myself!" So, people will go to extreme lengths to "be who they are." Hair color, piercings, designer clothes, customized cars, tattoos, music tastes, group association -- all of this to help you just be you, apparently. But you still can't define who YOU are. We'll all agree that even if I look like you and talk like you and act like you. . . I'm still me. We just can't seem to define what ME is. But it's definitely not YOU.

"Just be yourself" -- as if it's a concrete thing, like a rock or a table. Or maybe it's a puzzle that one feels they have to solve, putting all the pieces together into a whole picture. But where did the pieces come from? Are we discovering these pieces randomly on the ground as we wander through this world? No, the pieces are simply things you've been told. You're beautiful. You're smart. You're capable. You're going to be X when you grow up. 

Your parents have told you who you are, or more aptly, who they want/expect you to be, since day one. And coming out a blank slate, you've assimilated that into your identity. Your teachers added on to that, assessing your skills. You're good at math. You have such an aptitude for language. You're going to be a beauty queen. None of these things are inherently true but you've been told, thus you act accordingly.

If only I was smart. Who says you're not? The term has been ascribed to you by others, based on a comparison between you and your peers, usually assessed through a series of tests or benchmarks. The interpretation of the results is entirely presumptive. If you were the only person in the world, you wouldn't even think to ask whether or not you were smart. Nobody would have brought it into question. You either build a fire or you don't. You either climb a mountain or you don't. But to internalize a permanent identity trait based on possibilities and probabilities requires others to put the idea in your head.

The simple fact is, there are no universal truths as to the formation of the self. It is purely a human invention. Any definitions or limits we place on the concept of a self are of our own creation. The universe, or the principles of physics, or the patterns of motion do not acknowledge our self. There is no interaction between our identity and the world around us, only perceived interaction within our own consciousness. Your feet move upon the ground, your mass moves the particles in the air, but whether you envision yourself as a bear or a dinosaur is completely irrelevant to the world around you. The vision of yourself in your own mind is entirely illusory.

If the self is but an illusion, that creates a myriad of problems for a civilization. If we simply wander as individual self-images, each in our own cocoons, then communication and cooperation become difficult. So, to foster a productive and progressive society, there arises the need for a collective illusion -- a set of common values and beliefs that can support the illusion of the individual selves. This also serves to alleviate the anxiety that is created by being adrift on an endless, formless sea.

Now, if a society is going to build a grand illusion that all its members can believe, it is best to do so with positive ideals. "Land of the free, home of the brave," for example, as opposed to "land of the enslaved, home of the cowardly." So, every culture will try to engender positive self-images, even though, again, these are entirely equivocal and arbitrary. And, as these self-images are based on comparison, the unfortunate tact is to say "we're number one." I have yet to go to a country where a political rally was held where people chanted "we're number two."

Just as our image was built by parents, friends, and teachers, now the politicians and media will attempt to add their pieces to our puzzle by adding collective adjectives on to our identities. We are the smartest. We are the most productive. We are the good guys. We are the fairest, the most just. Of course, none of these statements are inherently true, but the notion in play is that constant reinforcement will produce belief. Then, later down the line, the reverse can be used as motivation when you want people to do something. Aren't we the smartest? Aren't we the good guys? Aren't we number one? Well, now that you've egos have been constructed, they will want to defend against any attacks. History is full of people doing the most horrible, egregious acts in order to defend their own self-image, not matter how contradictory those acts are.

The advertising industry and, indeed, practically every consumer-based economy thrives on this principle of positive and negative reinforcement on self-image. There are two basic ways to get people to buy your product. You can use the positive model -- because you are good/right/smart/beautiful, you will want this. Or you can use the negative model -- if you don't want this, you will not be good/right/smart/beautiful. It really is as simple as that because of the deep-seeded anxiety that comes about from not being able to clearly define our own consciousness, our own self.

When people are faced with ideas that contradict their own beliefs they experience cognitive dissonance, which produces great anxiety arising from the fact that we don't actually know much about ourselves or the world around us. So, no matter how convincing the evidence, people err on the side of protecting their own self-image. A lifetime of reinforcement from parents, from teachers, from friends, from political leaders, from religious leaders, from television, movies, music, books -- it doesn't stand a chance against one or two statements that go against all of that. The ego has fortified itself with defenses and the brain will simply tune out any messages that substantially contradict foundational beliefs.

Throughout the entire course of human history, people have subscribed to ideas, actions, and ways of life that are subjective, relative, and utterly devoid of any empirical meaning. People would rather believe a lie that makes them comfortable than to accept a truth that makes them uneasy. After all, we've been conditioned to view unease as a bad thing, something that is undesirable, even though what is desirable is, for the most part, just another chunk of the grand illusion.

I might as well get this out of the way so as to not terribly disappoint anyone. I have no grand answer awaiting anyone. But maybe, stripping oneself of all such trappings above, in the diamond mind behind your eye, in the quiet of a darkened room, you will begin to get a glimpse of who YOU really are.

How do you define "being yourself"? 

What does it mean to you? 

Is it a constitutional right? One of the granted freedoms?

Is that what "the Catcher in the Rye" was doing? Just being himself?

I'd like to think I am a bitch because I don't compromise my standards.  But there do my standards come from?  How much power do I really have over defining them?

How do you define yourself?

AdSense

Have I told you my sister is a genius? Besides that, she pins the coolest things on the Pinterest.  For example, take her Common AdSense.

But she is the creative type.  I am so not.  I tend to err more on the practical side of life.  Though I do love beautiful ads in my "dirty" magazines or on the enormous billboards of my fabulous city, etc.  The one ad campaign I absolutely adore is Kenneth Cole Reaction.  Very clever.  Very bold.  Very effective. 

http://kennethcole.tumblr.com/

RANDOM QUOTE: Bob Marley

So excuse me, if I refuse to settle for anything other than perfect.  :P