Sep 30, 2010

The Best Flat Iron?

When asking celebrity hair stylist Chaz Dean if there were any flat irons he'd recommend using on her hair, he simply responded "No" (1:50 mark). He explained that it's the high heat that's so damaging and if the flat iron would burn our skin it'd also burn our hair.

Of course there are safer ways to use heat on our hair but I feel like most people are looking for a magic wand response. A magical flat iron they can use consistently without experiencing any damage... a conditioning treatment that makes their locks brand new again... a secret serum that grows hair out faster... our society is obsessed with quick fixes... but I think we get better results when we make the investment in learning how to care for our hair properly and yield the long term results we'd like.

*sidebar: Jeff Lewis (my favorite ocd interior designer/real estate guru) redesigned Chaz's California salon. It's really nice.



N♥tural Hair Tip

Curly Nikki shared her results with the Aussie Moist + Garnier Fructis Curl Sculpting Cream Gel and I'm happy to share mine too! Currently the Garnier Fructis Curl Sculpting Cream Gel is on sale at Target for $2.50 (5 oz) and worth a try. I've had mixed results with Garnier gel type products in the past but was eager to try this one out as it had a cream base. I co-washed with Aussie Moist (leaving a minimal amount in), applied the Garnier Fructis Curl Sculpting Gel, and sealed my ends with organic coconut oil.

*I want to point out that I no longer towel dry my hair but have started using an old t-shirt. This method cuts my drying time down by a million percent and leaves my hair just "slightly" damp. I love this method.


After applying the products I do my standard flat twists and allow my hair to air dry. Since I dry my hair with a t-shirt, air drying is done in under an hour.



I want to stress how SOFT my curls were using this product combo. The more my hair grows out the more in love I fall with my texture. I love that my curls are looser in the front because it creates this fake bob I'm obsessed with. I get to rock short hair on a daily basis and blow it out for a longer look whenever I like!

Sep 29, 2010

Custom Art

Back in June I blogged about Zofia Falconi, an amazingly talented, self-taught artist and ASU student. Her work is really good and I'm thrilled to share this beautiful custom piece that she did for me!



The inspiration photo
Zofia's Painting - 20 x 20 canvas

Zofia was a pleasure to work with and I'd highly recommend her to anyone that is interested in getting custom art done. If you'd like more information feel free to visit her site or send an email to zofia.falconi@gmail.com. Tell her that I sent you :)


Sep 28, 2010

TV Junkie: Monday Night

Dancing with the Stars (7p ABC)

Rick Fox opened the show this week and he didn't disappoint. Can I just take a moment to acknowledge (once again) how grown man fine he is!!! He could probably read the dictionary and I'd tune in but he's still showing folks that 6'8" doesn't have to look awkward dancing. Brandy did an alright job but I still think her performances are forgettable. Aside from being "Brandy" her dancing isn't really anything spectacular. Audrina put some more life into her quick step performance this week, but I enjoyed looking at her sickeningly superb abs over her dance skills. Jennifer Grey is still a pleasure to watch. Her body is AMAZING!!!! This is why you take care of yourself so you can make 20-somethings jealous when you're twice their age! Margaret Cho is so funny and I love her energy. She's someone that I'd actually want to hangout with in real life and she really improved this week. Kyle Massey is STILL my frontrunner favorite. I think he'll make it to the top. On top of him being so fabulous, his partner Lacey is one of my favorites from So You Think You Can Dance.

90210 (7p CW)

First off... Teddy got drunk and had a gay experience! Never saw that one coming. Annie's internship took a turn for the uber strange. I was convinced her boss was a swinger and trying to recruit Annie to get it in with her and her husband, but it turns out they want to pay her $20k for her eggs. Adriana's shit is about to hit the fan as she continued to pass off Javier's material as her own. Looking forward to seeing how that storyline develops. Ivy's houseguest Oscar is getting more annoying by the second... He's a constant cockblock in her relationship with Dixon (which still isn't believable) but I love his accent. Mr. Cannon is still a creep and Silver almost got herself caught up. Watching documentaries at your teacher's house isn't a good idea. Poor Naomi is dealing with the aftermath of being raped and having trouble sleeping. She's officially a pill popper.

The Big C (1030p Showtime)

Cathy is getting it in with the painter at her school (Idris Elba) and I never understood the sex appeal this man oozed... but again, the accent!!! My god... and it's real! Even better. I love this show and think it has a great cast. Their natural chemistry and flow works for me. An interesting (and entertaining) look at what life with cancer is like.

Big Sister in my Head

When I was younger I was obsessed with Lil Kim. It wasn't so much about her lyrics, but just the fact that she was cute, petite and full of energy! I loved her and wanted her to be my big sister. Maybe it was the fact we were both vivacious cancers, but I was team Kim all the way in the 90s.




Nevertheless, I was very disappointed to see her transformation over the years. There were times I thought that she had f*cked up her face beyond recognition... but when I came across recent photos of Kim at her salon opening I rejoiced!!! Somehow she worked a bit of magic and got her cute look and cute face back. I'm thrilled... and can I just add that her body looks great!



Sep 24, 2010

TV Junkie: Thursday Nights

Thursday night = TV overload...

Vampire Diaries (7p CW)

This is one of my favorite shows!!! I'm all about the vampires... and guess what? They've added werewolves too. While the Salvatore brothers are the mysterious, sexy vampires in Mystic Falls, The Lockwood family is starting to ooze HOT werewolf sex appeal. The Lockwood family uncle has come back on the scene and boy oh boy, this guy looks good. I'm obsessed with vampires but I'm torn because while vampires have this bite your bottom lip kind of appeal to me, the bodies on werewolves BLOW.MY.MIND! Well, that is until the full moon hits and they transform. I'll take a neck bite over a hairy beast any day... but pre-transformation? I'll have to stick with werewolves... I'm a sucker for a thick neck and they don't get thicker than werewolves. Umm... I apologize for that tangent but if you're into vampires you'll like this show.


Nikita (8p CW)

If you love sitting on the edge of your seat in anticipation of what's to come next Nikita (featuring knockout Maggie Q) is the show for you. I'm so infatuated with her look I could probably watch her read the dictionary... but lucky for everyone she does most of her own stunts in this fast paced, action packed show. She's a former assassin that goes rogue and has a vendetta for her old company. Watch as she foils all their plots.


Grey's Anatomy (8p ABC)

I haven't watch in a few seasons but I caught the season 8 premiere last night. I was quickly sucked back into the world of Seattle Grace Hospital and all their craziness. Can I just say that I love this show and I actually missed it. When all that drama went down with Burke (I don't know their real names lol) it bugged me and I stopped watching. This show is the epitome of the greatness that can occur when you have an exceptional ensemble cast working together. It took some time, but I'm back!


Ones to Watch:

Project Runway (9p Lifetime) - I preferred this show on Bravo, but I have a weakness for Tim Gunn and all his big words!

Jersey Shore (10p MTV) - This show is now mainstream enough that it doesn't have to be classified as a 'guilty pleasure'... I mean, "The Situation" is on this season of Dancing With the Stars lol...

Watch What Happens Live (830p Bravo) - Andy Cohen hosts this weekly live talk show on Bravo. They dish on all the latest in reality TV news going on with the Bravo network and please believe they have tons of it. Home to all of the "Real Housewives" shows they're never short of drama and special guests.

Sep 23, 2010

City Living

There's a price to pay for living the coveted city life and it comes in the form of limited space. With just 210 sq ft to call his own, Kevin managed to squeeze every inch of function out of his Upper West Side pad.

This is a great idea for those living in studios or any student wanting to make their space more unique.















Sep 22, 2010

Savings 101

Recently I read a comment on twitter that stated if you were 30 years old and didn't have at least $1,000 in your savings acct you should kill yourself. Of course they weren't implying that you should literally die, but it got me thinking - - at the age of 26 how much $ should I have saved up for a rainy day?

The economy is still all over the place and as people try to just make it to next month, saving money isn't a priority. Never fear... I found some helpful advice in the way of financial guru Suze Orman. Starting to save doesn't have to be overwhelming. All you need is $500 and you'll be on your way.

Orman suggests starting off by keeping $400 in your savings acct as well as $100 in your checking. Easy enough. The logic behind this is that most car repairs won't cost you over $500 and as long as you keep at least $100 in your checking you'll always be able to cover everyday things that pop up. Yes, this is only the tip of the iceberg but everyone needs to start somewhere.

It's nice to know that no matter what life throws at you, you'll always have at least $500 to your name :)



Sep 21, 2010

TV Junkie: Monday Nights

Though I'm far from a couch potato it's safe to say I have a healthy appreciation for TV. Fall TV is back in effect and I'm officially glued to the tube dishing on all my favorite shows.

Dancing with The Stars (7p ABC)

Can I just say how excited I was for this season of DWTS. There are no obvious frontrunners unlike previous seasons. Nobody is coming into the competition already a seasoned dancer/performer (i.e. Nicole Scherzinger, etc) and thank God for that. Kicking off the season 11 premiere was 'The Hills' hottie Audrina Patridge. On MTV Audrina always struck me as a bit of a "lights are on... nobody is home" type of person and her dancing ability was more of the same. She's a pretty girl and definitely has the body for ballroom dancing but she lacks the passion and fire behind her movements.

Giving an amazing 1st performance was Kyle Massey (That's so Raven, Cory in the House). I didn't know what to expect but the stage presence he exuded was off the charts. He's definitely leading the pack and one of my favorites. I've never voted for anyone on a reality tv show before but he made me pick up the phone!

Rick Fox
was another one that oozed grown man sex appeal on the dance floor. He didn't have to much but look good lol... but in all fairness he did work all 6 foo 7 inches of his body. Brandy also did a nice job. It was a clean, safe performance.... kinda boring, but you know it's the first episode. Bristol Palin was playing the shy girl role and acting like she didn't know how to move her hips, but I'm hoping she can break out of her shell. She doesn't come from a performance background at all so I hope she can catch up to the others.

Mike 'The Situation" Sorrentino
only had 5 days to rehearse and it showed. He gave it a nice try and let's just say that his smile and twinkle in his eye was nice. Jennifer Grey also did a wonderful job. I still wish she hadn't gotten the nose job (she looked better in Dirty Dancing to me) but I loved the grace she displayed on the floor.

90210 (7p CW)

Mr. Cannon, the creepy teacher with the nice accent, is getting a bit too creepy for me. I hope Silver doesn't get raped next. Naomi is still a mess, but has her money... finally! Her sister is still a raging bitch but Ryan is making progress b/c he got her to sign the paternity papers. Dixon and Ivy's relationship is still not believable to me, but Oscar trying to throw a monkey wrench into things is even more far fetched. He's supposed to be a college guy and he's banging her mom (a bit over the top) and he's going after her too? That storyline is a mess. Annie was making progress with Liam but his bad boy ways can't seem to die down... and Evan Ross is making an appearance as a guy Annie spill coffee but guess what... he also seems to be related to Liam!!! Too much for me to handle... and why are there no black girls on this show and all the black guys belong to white families? Did anyone else notice this?



Ones to Watch:

World of Jenks (9p MTV) -
Jenks is a 24yo documentary film maker that follows the lives of various people each episode. This is a show that I've been enjoying so far and recommend to those that like reality TV with a touching story.

Gossip Girl (8p CW) - Another one of my favorite shows. I've been a fan since the beginning and am very wrapped up in the lives of "Manhattan's Elite".

There seems to be a ton of new shows for Fall and these are 2 that I've been hearing great things about. If anyone watched their premiere's last night let me know what you thought.

1) Lone Star (8p Fox)
2) The Event (8p NBC)

Sep 20, 2010

Dreaming of Paris



Sleep masks are my key to a good night's sleep and when I recently saw Kim Kardashian rocking this uber cute "Dreaming of Paris" mask, I knew I had to have it. Designed by Mary Green, the satin mask retails for $22 and features a luxurious lace trim. You can use this gorgeous mask to get your beauty sleep.... or for other things that happen in your boudoir.


TV Junkie

Sep 19, 2010

You lost me...

Last week's episode of Entourage consisted of an appearance by Christina Aguilera and once again I was blown away by her pipes and reminded of how nice it was to see a pop star that could actually sing. She performed the song "You Lost Me" from her latest album Bionic - - and if the song sounds familiar you probably heard her performing it everywhere this summer. Definitely a beautiful song.

For the full song:



And her performing it:



and if you're like me and obsessed with knowing the lyrics, here you go:

Christina Aguilera - You Lost Me

I am done, smoking gun
We've lost it all, the love is gone
She has won, now it's no fun
We've lost it all, the love is gone

And we had magic
And this is tragic
You couldn't keep your hands to yourself

I feel like our world's been infected
And somehow you left me neglected
We've found our lives been changed
Babe, you lost me

And we tried, oh how we cried
We lost ourselves, the love has died
And though we tried you can't deny
We're left as shells, we lost the fight

And we had magic
And this is tragic
You couldn't keep your hands to yourself

I feel like our world's been infected
And somehow you left me neglected
We've found our lives been changed
Babe, you lost me

Now I know you're sorry and we were sweet
But you chose lust when you deceived me
And you'll regret it, but it's too late
How can I ever trust you again?

I feel like our world's been infected
And somehow you left me neglected
We've found our lives been changed
Babe, you lost me


Sep 18, 2010

DLS: Magazines Galore...

I admit it - - I'm a magazine junkie! There's something about those glossy pages that scream my name, making it nearly impossible to pass them up as I check out in the grocery store.

You'd think I'd just get a subscription, but nope... I actually like browsing the covers, flipping thru the pages and buying them each month.

I love reading the articles, finding inspiration in the stories, escaping in the photos, and finding cool things to add to my vision board.

Despite things gravitating towards more of an online nature, no laptop, iPad or Blackberry can replace the joy I get from real, print media!


Sep 17, 2010

Reality Check: Teach Tony Danza

Before he was "The Boss" or making a name for himself on "Taxi", Toni Danza earned his degree in History Education from The University of Dubuque. This Fall viewers will be able to see what would've happened if Danza took a different path as he put his degree to use.

Previously filmed during the 2009-2010 school year, cameras followed Danza's every move as he took the reigns as a full time teacher at Philadelphia’s Northeast High School.

In the world of reality TV it's not common to find celebrities doing something with a purpose. I'm excited to see someone strip themselves of their "celebrity status" and get back to the basics.

Teach Tony Danza
premieres on Friday Oct.1st @ 10/9c on A&E. This is a show you won't want to miss, so mark your calendars and get ready to watch.

Sep 16, 2010

Abortion: Personal Decision NOT a Legal Debate

I don't mind conservative viewpoints. I think they're a bit out of touch with the world we currently live in, but very rarely does a conservative opinion get underneath my skin the way that Carl Paladino (R - New York) managed to do.

While being interviewed on the CNN show Rick's List yesterday, he began to spout off his views on abortion and instantly my skin was crawling (around the 3:00 min mark in the video below).

When asked if he believed in abortion in the instances of rape or incest he said no. He thought that a woman should be forced to have the baby and give the child up for adoption. When I hear things like this... an archaic view point where the woman has no right to decide what will happen with her body, it pisses me off to no end.




Imagine if his wife, sister or daughter were raped and forced to carry a child that they did not want. Only to give birth and give it up for adoption. Not only do you have an even more emotionally scarred woman, but you've brought another emotionally glitched out kid into the world.

I believe that the matter of abortion should be decided by the woman. Now, if a woman wants to carry the child that is up to her... but under no circumstances should her rights be taken away.


Sep 15, 2010

Wonderful in White

The idea of making a 300 sq ft studio livable sends me into a panic... However, Emily from Chicago managed to work wonders with her small space. Her home was featured on Apartment Therapy and the fresh, white palette caught my eye.








Sep 14, 2010

Bedtime Stories

Putting their Japanese spin on a childhood favorite, Point Architects is hoping to forever change bedtime stories with the creation of their Uroko House Book Igloo. Part igloo, part bookshelf, this structure is sure to be every child's favorite escape. They're able to access their favorite books from either side and the extra storage is a great space saver for parents. I imagine many awesome bedtime stories and sweet dreams will be taking place inside this gem.






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