Christmas 2010

Every year I create a Christmas list for my family.  Some items are ridiculous and some practical.  So here is this years list for the most part:

 #1 The first item always goes to the most ridiculous item that I could only really hope and dream for.  So this year I am paying homage to the lady herself Coco Chanel.  I flipped for this necklace when I saw it in Devil Wears Prada and now I have seen it on a couple of TV shows.  

 #2 I love all things Michael Kors.  He is my favorite designer besides said woman above.  I love the bags, jewelry, clothes, etc.  His new watches are part of the new big style but still have a feminine feel to them.  I love the Silver Parker Glitz!

#3 Of course who doesn't love a great pair of flats.  I have been drooling over these ever since they came out.  The REVA is the best flat out there.  They do fit small, I take a 9.5 and I normally where a 8.5.  I think super cute and who doesn't love Tory Burch

 #4.  I am obsessed with all things Gossip Girl and Blair Waldorf.  So in perfect fashion I of course have chosen the Tiffany Key necklace that she received when she became a member of Hamilton House

 

#5 Who doesn't love a great hat and Scarf set.  Vera Bradley has come out with their new line of winter gear.  I used to collect all things Vera but fell out of love with the patterns.  But I love this one new pattern so why not sport it!

#6  I recently got an IPAD and need a cover for it.
The online company http://cesupplystore.com/ has great deals and great colors. 

#7  I collect Pandora charms and only have a bit of room left on my all silver bracelet.  So I love the doggie for my little GIGI, the clover to hopefully always bring me good luck and the seashell for living on the coast.

 #8  Every morning I wake up and walk the dog and the most annoying this getting my feet wet from the morning dew.  So I realize that some rain boots would be quite practical.  Target has a bunch and in really cute colors and designs.  I think about 20 in all.

#9 Since we spend about 1/3 of our life in bed it's time for me to get some new pillows.  Costco has the Charisma 2 pack on sale!  I can see the sweet dreams already!

 #10  And last but not least...The Victoria Secret Pillow Talk Pajamas Set.  I'm a tank and pants kinda girl and not only do they have cute patterns, you get a free set of slippers with them (code VS10SLEEP)! They also come in pant lengths, which is great considering I am only 5'3".

 

My Top Beauty Must Haves

I was going to start this week's post by listing all the things I am wanting Santa to bring me.  A list that I do every year to not only humor myself, but my family.  However, it's just not finished yet so there will be a slight delay on that.  I was however putting my list together on some beauty products that I need to pick up because if I don't have them I will die.  These are my go to products that will always be in my regimine.

MY TOP BEAUTY MUSTS:

Clinique 7 Day Scrub.  This gritty cleanser really makes your face feel awesome as soon as you wash it off.  Great after a lot of sun exposure and hot summers!

 I have tried just about every single type of lip plumper on the market.  I have spent large amounts of money testing products just so I don't have to get a needle injected.  I have found that this is the best plumper out there.  Physicians Formula Plump Potion in Clear.  It will sting a little the first couple of uses but hey, it's working!  And don't get the tinted versions, they don't work nearly as well as the clear.

An oldie but a goody!  The Maybeline Great Lash Mascara.  It's the same stuff your mom and probably your grandmother used and it stands the test of time because it's the best.

Everyone has a signature scent.  Now, I don't know how I came about this fragrance.  I believe I was in a perfume store with some friends and I asked the sales lady for something different and that nobody would copy.  She gave me Fred Hayman's Touch.  I have probably been wearing it for close to 8-10 years.  And through the years I think I have about 4-10 friends all wearing it.  So much for not copying...love you girls!

 

I was Christmas shopping with a friend (who is jewish..ironic I know) when we stopped in Bath and Body Works and she showed me the greatest tweezers I have ever used.  I have had them now for about 2 years and they stay as stiff and intact as the first day I got them.  To top it off they are super cheap, only $8.00.  Right now they are having Buy 2 get 1 FREE!  I think that is a stocking stuffer must!

I have signature scent and I also have a signature nail color.  My ladies at the nail salon (CK NAILS) know that this is my color and I very rarely change my mind.  Well at least in the fall and winter.  The color is Mrs. O'Leary BBQ by OPI.  Pretty random name, but a pretty FAB! color

Everyone always asks how do I get my hair to be so soft.  Well I have been using this product for about 10 years as well.  It's Redken's Anti-Snap.  I'm someone who is constantly abusing my hair with high heat between my blow dryer and my flat iron (which would be the one product I would trade for all of these on the list and even thought of an "ode to my flat iron" post but then I realized that was a little ridiculous).  The anti-snap does exactly what it is named for, to protect and it also smells FAB!





Last but not least we have the Bare Minerals.  I haven't been known to have the greatest skin, however using this instead of a liquid foundation and powder seriously has done wonders for my skin.  If you haven't seen the infomercial on Sunday mornings or at 2am I highly suggest going to their site to look at the demo video.  I can't do it as much justice as the video can.  And I can honestly say it does exactly what they say it should.

All Things Charleston

So I decided I needed to get away this weekend to just relax and be foolish, so I went to one of my favorite cities in the world, Charleston, SC.  I don't know what it is about this city that makes me go Ga-Ga?  Could it be the old low-country feel with a bit of a modern city twist.  The shopping, restaurants and hotels all FAB!  Everything you look at is amazing, with all cute Carolina Boys (which I seriously cannot say "NO" to), great historical architecture and beautiful gardens.  I drove into the city at sunset which is one of the most wonderful things to set your eyes on.  Things like that make me LOVE living in South Carolina and could never see myself anywhere else! 

 FRIDAY:

I started the night out with a visit to a very good friend's brand new cigar shop Town Center Tobacco at the Shops at Oakland in Mt. Pleasant.  They just opened the doors and it is going to be "the place" to go in the city.  A great dinner at Langdon's, where I had the steak and it was FAB!  I pride myself on my knowledge of all things beef (thanks to my father's obsession and constant teachings) and this was one of the best Filet Mignon's I have ever had!  We decided to go downtown to my friend's other location on E. Bay St. called Charleston Tobacco and Wine! We had a great time enjoying Cigar Box Wine and I smoked a La Aroma de Cuba Edicion Especial.  I would say Friday was a good night!

SATURDAY:

Now the main purpose of my trip to Charleston was to see two of my Sigma Kappa Sorority Sisters and go to the Elon vs. Citadel football game.  At least that was the plan....  Now there is something that has to be known about Elon football games, you never make it into the game.  I think in my four years at Elon I may have attended 4 games and I had either left at halftime or came in at halftime.  Now it's not because they suck.  It's because students at Elon would rather tailgate then see sporting events.  Plain and simple!

So I went and picked up Bekah and we went and met Anne.  Both girls I adore.  Bekah is a traveling marketing rep for a golf club in Ireland (click here for her blog)  and Anne is working towards her Property Management license.  Three of us are so completely different (like colored sprinkles, Anne) but there is this lame sorority mystic bond that will make us pick up right where we had left off!  Next thing I know we are not in the stadium and two bottles of Champagne went down REAL quick.

Of course the topic of men is going to always come up in conversation and since the three of us ladies are single you can imagine all the laughs we were having about our dating history.  Just as I am sure we were commenting on how stupid boys are, two Citadel Cadets approach us and the "hot mess" they were became our entertainment for the next hour!

Nick (I have the longest Greek name ever) Pappageorgio and Keegan (I have a chipped tooth)

It all started with "hey do you have a cigarette and a key".  The key was to show Mr. Half Tooth Keegan how to shotgun his first beer.  His first attempt was not graceful and when he finished the beer ran all the way down his jacket.  Which we later learned about their uniforms that the jacket may only get washed about 2-3 times a year  (GROSS!) and we asked if they didn't believe in "no white after labor day faux pas".   Now when he went for beer number  two and still couldn't figure it out I knew this kid was hopelessly wasted and would probably fail out considering he is a Physics major and couldn't figure out how to balance a beer with a hole on the side..hmmmm?

Now the best thing about this situation was the fact that they thought we were 24 years old.  That was a great thing to hear considering I haven't been 24 in 7 years...After much convincing they asked our names and when Bekah told her name, Nick "the Greek" fell to his knees and started bowing to her like Wayne's World "We're not worthy routine".  We look at each other like what the hell is this kid doing.  So when asked he goes "her name is Mecca so I am praying to her, aren't you Muslim?"  ..pause...hmm...Bekah is a blonde protestant....exactly. 

Well they left to go relieve themselves and also left one of their hats.  Unfortunately, we didn't get to snag it in time to keep as a momento of my trip but they came back for it...dear lord.  But the kicker comes at the end of course.  Just as we are packing it up to head to the Mad River in downtown, Nick the Greek shoves his phone at me.  So I assume that he wanted to show me something...nope number pad was out.  I looked at this drunken, confused 20 year old and simple said, "oh honey, I'm not giving you my number."  Upset he turns to Bekah who is on the ground hysterical and just breaks the kids heart ...again.  Needless to say they peaced out REAL quick. 

 We had a great time warming up at the Mad River an old church converted into a sports bar.  We had some dinner at a FAB! place called Pearlz Oyster Bar (more champagne) and then headed to Charleston Tobacco and Wine.  I showed the girls how to smoke a cigar, drank probably another couple bottles of champagne (I think onto bottle 5) and listened to a great musician.  The ambiance was incredible.  I had old friends, a comfy seat, great champagne, great smoke (Butera) and a great night.

The comfy couches!

It was sad leaving my favorite city on Sunday.  As I drove through the low country I thought why don't I do this more often it's only a hour and half drive,  The girls and I have decided to make it more frequent that we see each other then 7-9 years.  Just wondering if next time will top this visit..for some reason I think how could it not, it's my favorite place!

Christmas Shopping Early

Now that Halloween is over it is unbelievable how everyone is Christmas crazy already.  Now I am one of those people where if I see something I put it under my memos in my phone and then when it gets to at least the end of November I start ordering or looking at my list from the whole year.  Well this year I found a great product and I add to act on it right away cause they were having a 20% off sale.

Secrets of the Islands

I was in a local restaurant and I had always seen it in the ladies bathroom.  Well my friend told me to try it out.  FAB!  Some how this antibacterial salt scrub concoction is the greatest thing since sliced bread.  You use it like soap and it leaves your hands SUPER soft.  It can also be used as a body scrub.  However, there was a tip to use a beer coozie around the glass in the shower in case you drop it.

This is definite on my FAB! list and I like the coconut flavor.  Great pricing and if you join their fan page on facebook they post discounts.  Great Christmas idea for every woman you know.   Guess my aunts and cousin's know what they are getting now....SURPRISE!

Do any of you have any great finds?

J-E-T-S!! Jets! Jets! Jets!

I have a very exciting weekend planned!  My dad (Big Nick) is going to be celebrating his 60th birthday in November.  For a year I have been wondering what am I gonna get the man who has everything?  It used to be cigars...and then he decided to ruin the perfect go-to-gift by opening his own cigar store.  Then it was golf stuff...until he finally owned everything there is.  And I have tried wine but really that is more a Father's Day gift.  So I finally came up with the perfect gift and I think it will be hard to top it....I am flying Big Nick and I up to the dirty Jerz to see our favorite sports team the NY Jets take on the Green Bay Packers...on Halloween...in the NEW stadium....with a 5-1 record!!!!!

This is where my secret lover will realize how FAB! I am....

I love you Mark Sanchez!!!!

Here is a farther view from our seats SECTION 307 ROW 1

Even my little Gigi is excited for us.  She wanted to show her spirit!

She's got her game face on!

So, when I told Big Nick about the surprise his first reaction was "We're not going to Green Bay are we?"  I was complete speechless.  Why would we go to Green Bay when we are from NJ?  It's gonna be like old times when he would take me to the Jets/Buffalo game.  We had season tickets when I was growing up and that was my designated game every year!!

We will be with some other big Jets fan tailgating starting at 10 am.  On the menu...Bloddy Mary's, Filet Mignon Beef Tips with Fettuccine Alfredo.  That was Big Nick's request.  Please say a prayer for his arteries!  I will follow up this blog with a picture from the game.  I was just too excited to wait!  J-E-T-S!  Jets! Jets! Jets!  Do I smell SUPERBOWL??????


UPDATE:  The JETS SUCK!  I take back my statement about Superbowl.  0-9...REALLY!!!!!!!!!!!  However, even though the game was HORRIBLE, the tailgate rocked and my Aunt and Cousin came as a surprise. 

Revised Menu:  Champagne, Woodchuck Cider, Stripper Bass, Clams, Lollipop Lamb Chops, Beef Ribs and NE Clam Chowder...YUMMY!

What's the big deal, it's just a cigar!

So I have been working like a mad woman the past couple of weeks and decided that I needed a break!  I had one of my cigar reps in town, her name is Jaime as well.  It was raining and humid as can be but we were determined, so off to the Liberty Tap Room we went.  Us ladies decided to go have a couple, okay a lot of Mirassou Pinot Noir, some seared Tuna, Spicy Eggrolls and a couple of Rocky Patel Cigars.  We then decided to dub ourselves "Two Smokin Jamie's"...like I said there was a lot of WINE!

The Culprit to My Hangover

Two Smoking Jamie's

And I see nothing wrong with women smoking cigars.  In fact I think its way beyond FAB! and it's not like its a new concept.  However it still gets me when random men will just come up to you because they really can not believe your are actually smoking a cigar...get over it!  We came to the conclusion that this concept is more of  "I'm too afraid to smoke a cigar, yet that girl is doing it".  What do you all think...are men infatuated with women smoking cigars because they think it's intriguing, sexy, odd or are they jealous because they don't have the cojones to smoke one themselves?