Oct 29, 2009

Halloween for the Cheap

I'm all about being recession savvy and having fun while saving $. Halloween weekend is going to be full of things to do and I just stumbled upon a great deal.

The Shrine will be hosting their Halloween Soul party on Friday night featuring the amazingly talented DJ Mick Boogie. I've been listening to Mick Boogie's mixtapes for years now and can personally assure everyone that he is the business! With an RSVP to the event, you'll guarantee yourself complimentary cover before 1030p ... and if you read my blog about my experience there last weekend, you'll be sure to do a nice amount of pre-drinking before you get to the club.

As with most holiday weekends, be sure to take extra precautions while out on the roads. It's easier to determine who your designated driver will be before the night gets started... and by designated driver I mean someone that is not going to drink ANYTHING... not the person that seems to be the least drunk at the end of the night.

Hope everyone has a fun weekend!!!

xoxo

Gen Art - Fresh Faces in Fashion

Saturday night I had the pleasure of attending the Gen Art "Fresh Faces in Fashion" event held at Millennium Park. The event featured various up and coming designers in the Chicago area and thanks to M.Richards Public Relations, I was able to register as Press. My view from the Photography pit was amazing. I don't know what I would've done if I was left to fend for myself in the standing section. 5'2" people don't belong down there lol.

My favorite designer of the night was Red Doll by Tatyana. Her designs were flirty and fun while maintaining a distinct hint of sophistication. My close 2nd was JLee Silver. I loved Other designers that made a great impression were JLee Silver, Imaginary People, C/FAN and Kristin Hassan.

check out my videos from the show!!





Red Doll by Tatyana






*The Designer - Red Doll by Tatyana*




Kristin Hassan




*The Designers - Kristin Hassan*


Imaginary People




*The Designers - Imaginary People*




JLee Silver


*The Designers - JLee Silver*



C/FAN






*The Designer - C/FAN*



Oct 28, 2009

Fashion 911 - #EpicFail

After coming down with strep throat and taking a day off work, I made my way back into the office today. Usually I could have tried working from home, but my computer decided to tap out of life last night and is officially out of commission (again... for like the 5th time this year). I swear I'm accepting donations towards the "Upgrade my life and get a MacBook" fund.

I woke up this morning not necessarily feeling any better, but able to function at 70% and tough it out in the office (I'm not contagious). I don't know if my fashion sense is totally warped right now or what, but for some reason I rationalized in my head that my rainbow bright on acid ensemble was really working. Boy oh boy was I wrong. I'd definitely be the subject of someone's #EpicFail twit pic if I was walking the streets in this get up.

Separately, all the pieces I'm wearing work... but when put together it's a cluster f*ck of confusion. I have on super cute OTK gray boots, electric blue tights, a bright yellow skirt, a mustard yellow sweater and a hot headband with the same electric blue as the tights. Now, in my defense I could've SWORE the sweater and skirt matched when I was getting dressed this morning... but when I saw them under the office lights I knew I was in for a rough day. I feel like the orphaned Punky Brewster!!! Someone needs to step in and play Capt. Save 'Em on my wardrobe because I really need the help. I think if I separated my "going out" clothes on one side of my closet from my "work" clothes it'd make things a lot easier. Right now, I work for a publishing company and our dress code is non-existent. Of course this makes my heart soar... but I look and feel so tragic today that I'm nominating myself for What Not to Wear asap. I'd take a picture of myself but even I have lines that I won't cross. lol...

I'm looking forward to heading back home in a bit and crawling back into my pjs and the bed. Hope everyone else is having a fashionable hump day!

xoxo

Oct 27, 2009

Zara Store Opening

International retail giant Zara will be opening their Michigan Ave store on Thursday night (10/29). The RSVP list is now closed so I hope you were able to get your name on there as this is sure to be an event you don't want to miss.

In addition to viewing top Zara looks styled by fashion insiders, music will be provided by DJ Paul Sevigny with Gerard Estadella capturing photos of the nights festivities.

I look forward to seeing everyone there!

xoxo


What:
Zara Store Opening : Michigan Ave
When: Thursday 10/29/09
Where: 700 N. Michigan Ave.
Time: 7p-10p

Hair Update - 5 months into my transition

When I was snapping pics of myself before heading to the Bacardi event last week I really had to pause and take notice of how my hair is transitioning. It makes me happy...

I've been transitioning back to my natural hair (no relaxers) since May/June '09. So far I'm 5 months into my transition and can finally see the progress my hair has been making! In addition to the growth, I'm starting to notice the different effects the changing season is having on my natural locks.

Whereas my hair would dry within an hour during the summer, the winter has caused my drying time to increase to a painstaking 4 hours or more!!! It really took me by surprise when I went all day and my hair was still moist. The madness... I've also learned that sleeping with my hair wet is a surefire way to cause unnecessary frizz. It may sound excessive, but I pretty much have to hop in the shower and twist my hair around 8p in order for it to be dry by the time I go to sleep and manageable the next morning. On the bright side, I'm loving the thickness that's sprouting from my roots!!! I get excited about the day it's long enough to have crazy, full Tracee Ellis Ross hair.

I think I'm going to experiment with some more conditioners and head over to Whole Foods and see what kind of oils/butters they have...

Any transitioning ladies out there? What have you all been experiencing with the fall/winter weather?

Clothing Intervention

"Are you familiar with our return policy"

This has been rattled off so many times at the counters of Forever21 that I barely hear it anymore. However, as someone that shops there more than I'd like to admit, their return policy is emblazoned in my mind - - pretty much keep the tags on stuff until you wear it because w/o that little price tag and a receipt (and w/in 21 days) you're screwed.

Last week while at the store I witnessed a group of older women ( picture stylish grandmothers in their late 60's) having issues at the counter trying to make a return. The ladies pleading that they had "just bought the jewelery yesterday" but were told that all jewelry sales were final... and that w/o a price tag or receipt they wouldn't be able to even exchange it. I let out a soft chuckle because these ladies were obviously out of their element. They had wandered far away from the cushy comforts of Neiman Marcus and Saks and made their way to the land of teenage and 20-something clothing stores.

The next day I read an article in the RedEye by Jason Steele about dressing your age. This made me start wondering about the 60 yo grandmothers in Forever21. Did they get the memo that they shouldn't be shopping there. I mean, I'm 25 right now and sometimes I feel on the fence about going in there... but will someone tap me on the shoulder when the time comes to let go of that store? I don't want to be confused by ridiculous return policies, immature and impatient sales people and those obnoxiously bright yellow bags. The majority of my friends are the same age so realistically we should all kick the habit at the same time, but who knows.

Any thoughts on when it's time to let go of stores like Forever21?

Oct 26, 2009

Sticker Shock: My Sat night @ The Shrine

How much of your hard earned cash are you willing to part with all in the name of having a good time on a Saturday night? If outrageous cover and overpriced drinks don't scare you, make your way to The Shrine for what's sure to be an enjoyable Saturday night. Situated at 2109 S. Wabash St., The Shrine is the newest addition to the growing South Loop night life.

After the high I was riding from the Bacardi event on Thursday I wasn't in the mood to fork over tons of cash for a regular club on a regular night (no special guests/events). When I went this past Saturday I had the pleasure of going with my friend who works there so I didn't have to pay the cover... and thank God for that. Ladies can expect to pay $20 while men are being taxed a bit higher at $30. If you're used to paying cover and it's not a big deal, pay it because you can expect to have a good time.

The decor is nice, the club spacious, the air quality top notch (you won't sweat your hair out just standing around) and if DJ Timbuck2 is there (Tues/Sat) you can rest assured that your ears will be delighted (just an fyi - - he starts his set about 1am on Sat nights).

All my drinkers please be put on notice: The drinks, while good, are overpriced. I paid $13 cash for a Patron Margarita and was charged $16.80 (charged on my card) for the same Patron Margarita a few hrs later. Of course this bugged me out but I already had a nice buzz going on so I just paid for the drink. I made sure to make mental note to always pay cash in the future. If you're going to party @ The Shrine it'd be advisable for you to pre-drink. You'll run up a hefty tab trying to "get it in" at this spot.

Between the cover ($20/women, $30/men) 2 drinks ($25-$30) and the inevitable munchies you'll get after the club ($10-$15) you should be prepared to spend over $60. Most Chicagoans are used to dropping cash to have fun so it doesn't bother them, but my girlfriend told me of one couple that was in line and rationalized that the $50 cover for the two of them would be better spent on groceries. It's nice to see people operating with their thinking caps on.

On another note, I must warn everyone that the crowd on Saturday night is mixed. You will see the ( I don't know another word to use other than "ghetto" or "slightly hood") Gucci Mane loving, always have their shades on the in the club folks right along with the urban professionals. This wasn't really a problem because everyone seemed to have a dose of "act right" before they stepped out and things stayed calm... but I'm always hesitant to party with the Madison/Pulaski types. I just never know if some shit is about to pop off... but I digress.

If you're in search of something to do on a Saturday night, definitely put The Shrine on your list... just know what you're getting yourself into with the cover charge and drink prices. Some surprises are just no fun.


SIDE BAR: Don't be scared away by the plethora of constantly patrolling cops (the Harold Ickes projects used to be across the street) because the area is up and coming and relatively safe.

Bacardi Flavor Exchange

The rainy weather wasn't enough to stop me from heading out to the West Loop on Thursday night. The promise of free drinks, free fun, and free drinks (did I already mention that? lol) lured me to the Randolph Studios for Bacardi's Flavor Exchange. After a slightly wet wait in line, guests were told to sign a release form and then given access to the event.

The top floor featured the "China Room" and Bacardi stations where you could create your own drinks!!! Now, some may have seen this as a lazy way to provide guests with alcohol, but I was thrilled to make my own custom creations!!! I topped off the Bacardi DragonBerry with Mango and Pineapple juice... literally having it sing to my soul. Seriously, this was some good stuff. In addition to multiple Nintendo Wii games set up throughout the event, there was the ActionBooth photo lounge. This was one of the highlights of the event as I'd never seen a photo set up like this before. I had a blast getting the coveted action shot with my friends. (check out the China Room ActionBooth photos here)

The lower level was a "Hip Hop" blast from the past full of old school favorites like Nintendo's Double Dribble and Double Dutch. I saw quite a few women kick off their stilettos and act like a kid again jumping rope... and even one that kept her shoes on and had an unfortunate slip. Bacardi Limon was set up with an old school twist - - a sno cone station. It was a really yummy, refreshing treat. Adding liquor to childhood favorites is a sure way tot make you smile. Another ActionBooth photo lounge was set up downstairs and gave partygoers an opportunity to capture the moment. (check out the Hip Hop Room ActionBooth photos here)

It's rare that you can have amazingly fun nights in Chicago without spending a dime. While the crowd was definitely mixed (there were a few too many guys wearing sunglasses... looking very Madison/Pulaski...) I think it was set up nicely. The entry was swift, the coat check effective, bars fully stocked, games a plenty, dj's on point, and the ActionBooth photo a pleasant surprise!! The next time an event like this comes into town please don't hesitate to send your rsvp... you definitely don't want to be left out in the cold (or rain).

Oct 22, 2009

Bacardi Flavor Exchange

Just got home from the Bacardi Flavor Exchange and had an awesome time. This pic sums it up!!!! I'll post more pics and a recap tomorrow... G'night Blog World.

xoxo

Gluteus to the Maximus!

Main Entry: bootylicious
Part of Speech: adj
Definition: sexually attractive, esp. in the buttocks
Etymology: booty + delicious
Usage: slang


For those that aren't blessed with any junk in the trunk, Bubbles Bodywear is coming to save the day. The company features everything from butt booster bands and "double-o panties" to booty bras and padded swim trunks for men. Everyone wants to have a big ass nowadays and Bubbles Bodywear is on the forefront of making that happen.

You should really check out the website because some of the photos are guaranteed to make you laugh!!!

Need to bring yourself up to speed with the Bubbles Booty Speak?

Butt Lifter Glossary

Double-O: Panties, briefs and full body shapers with holes cut out of the back that help push the cheeks "up" and "out" of the panty creating a perky, lifted effect. A collection invented by Bubbles Bodywear.

Pick-Me-Up: Great for those who like the Double-O but would feel more comfortable with more coverage over the rear. Similar to the Double-O, this buttock lifter "perkifies" the cheeks without padding. A thin layer of fabric covers each cheek.

Butt Boosters: Garter-style butt lifter. Works like a push-up bra for your booty, providing a little lift. Great for those who want no shaping at or over the hip.

Moisturize your situation & Preserve your sexy

That's a line I got from Puffy back when he was promoting Proactive a few years ago. I tried Proactive but found it to be very harsh on my skin. I guess I've never had an acne problem so I may have not been the target demographic for it... but I do get occasional breakouts and yes, they drive me insane (like they do everyone). While living in Arizona I discovered the Acne Free system and it was amazing! It cleared up my skin and never caused it to dry out. Please believe it saved my skin many a time.

Recently after a string of nights where I was either too tired or lazy to wash my face before I went to sleep, my skin started to spazz out a bit. Actually, now that I think of it, it may have had something to do with going natural and the oil from my hair touching my cheeks more. Anyways, I headed to Target last night and picked up some Acne Free and thank God for it - - After 1 use I could already feel my skin getting its mind right!

"Acne" seems to be a topic that many people are embarrassed to openly speak about. I think that your skin is very important - - and keeping it 100, your face is the first thing people notice. Let's not pretend that full blown acne, a couple of blemishes or a pimple here and there don't affect you. I am a firm believer that you don't have to live with something you're not happy with. I'm not sure how many of my readers are going thru skin issues, but this is definitely a product you should try. In addition to clearing up your face, you can use it on your chest and back! Talk about getting the most bang for your buck! It retails at about $19.99 for the kit (don't be cheap and just get the step 1 cleanser... the product works best when all 3 steps are used together) and can be found at Target, Walmart, CVS, Walgreens, and most grocery stores.

Oct 21, 2009

Hair Candy

I had my last relaxer in May 09 and started transitioning in June 09. Along my 5 month journey I've learned how to care for my hair and what it likes (coconut oil, twists) and what turned out to be epic fails (braid outs, sleeping before it's dry).

For the Fall, I was on the hunt for a new look that would offer me the fullness I wanted, but not take so much time in the morning. This dream style came in the form of the classic twist n curl. It offers protection from the weather as well as the big hair that I love so much! Once I figured out that this style was for me I knew that I was still missing something. Like a necklace or earrings can add the finishing touches to a outfit you're wearing, a headband or hair pin can be the pièce de résistance.

A fun way for me, and other naturals, to spice up their wild curls is by adding a funky hair accessory. I've become hooked on decorative headbands and pins which can mostly be found at stores like Forever 21 for under $10. If your pockets are deep, head over to places like Bebe where you can find things to make your hair sparkle... but expect to have that price tag be a bit steeper (usually over $35 for a single headband).



A'Gaci





Forever 21

**I'm actually wearing this one today!! Check out the pic at the top**


Bebe


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