Bra + Pockets = Genius

I really, REALLY wish I had invented this.  How ingenius is it to create a bra that has a pocket for small things like a credit card, mini iPod, a bit of cash, an iPhone (Really!!!).  Basically, it's for those times where you don't need much with you or don't want to carry a big purse, like a night out with the girls.

Original JoeyBra for a mere $19.99!  See the subtle pocket on the side?
I really can't imagine it fitting an iPhone but apparently it does!

Beauty Tips from Miss M - Perfect Liquid Eyeliner

Sometimes girls make the most random comments to each other in the ladies bathroom.  Mostly these comments are ones of admiration:  "I love your purse!",  "Your hair is so shiny, how did you get that way?",  "Great top, where is it from?", etc, etc.  The other day when I was in the ladies room at work, a co-worker commented on how perfectly straight my eyeliner was, which delighted me to no end.

See how thin that brush is?!

See, I wear liquid eyeliner on my top lash line, and not the type that's from the felt tip-ended pen.  My liquid eyeliner is the real deal L'oreal Lineur Intense Brush Tip which has a very fine brush.  Unlike a felt tip liner that does the work for you, you have to be ever so precise with the thin brush to get a an even line.  If done right, the results are much nicer than a felt tip liquid liner, more like an extension of your own lash line, which is natural yet sexy.  So...I am strangely proud of how after years and years of practice, my eyeliner technique finally gets me a super straight line almost every time.  I know this sounds like a weird thing to be proud of, but damnit, I only have so many talents and this is one of them!

Anyway, I thought I'd share my tips from my years of practice and encourage y'all to give liquid liner from a brush tip a try.  In my humble opinion, it's a much nicer option than the felt tip liner which can result in a thicker line thus a more obvious look.

Miss M's Tips for Perfect Liquid Lined Eyes:

1.  Start with a base.  I wear concealer, so I start with that around the eyes then I set the whole area with powder.  If you are doing eye shadow, now is the time to do it as well.

Note:   I know a lot beauty blogs will tell you to do your eye makeup first to avoid messing up the rest of your face, but I have always done foundation/powder/blush first, then eye makeup.  As long as you're careful, you'll be fine.  You can always touch up where needed.

2.  Once you are done your other makeup and eye shadow, you are ready to line the eyes.  Sweep off any excess liquid from the brush on the sides of the tube.  You don't want to end up with a heavy line, but one that is sleek, sophisticated and natural.

3.  Get close, really close, to the mirror, then stretch the outer corner of your eyelid the teensy-tiniest bit.  

4.  Steady your hand by resting on your cheekbone if you need to and line your eye from inner corner to outer edge, staying as close to your eyelashes as possible.

The point is to enhance your own natural lashline, so you want to have as little space between the liner and your lashes as possible.  Finish off the look with a coat of mascara (or coats of mascara if needed).

Ta da!  

Showing off my liquid eyeliner skills!

5.  If you mess up, you can dip the end of a Q-tip in a little bit of eye makeup remover to clean up any missteps or to take the whole thing off and start over.

6. Practice makes perfect!  If you don't succeed at first, don't give up!  If someone as un-coordinated as me can do this, you probably can too.

Choosing Sides

What do you think?  Left eye or right eye?

Remember the story of how Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes got her nickname?  The story goes that one of her boyfriends said the he thought her left eye was more beautiful than her right eye, thus her nickname was born (side note, has it really been 10 years since she passed away?).  This came to my mind when reading an article about how scientists have discovered that your left side is more appealing to others than your right side.  This is for a few reasons, including that your left side displays more intensity of emotion which the viewer finds aesthetically pleasing.

Their research, I'm sure was thorough, but it got me questioning whether this is true or not.  So, that meant spending some intense and purposeful mirror time to test their theory.  Is my left side really nicer than my right side?  Well, in fact, I did notice that I've subconciously parted my hair to display the left side of my face better.  Not sure when I made this choice, but it's been that way for a long time, which perhaps means my left side was more aesthetically pleasing to me the viewer in the mirror.  I found in several photographs as well where I tended to turn my face to the left...maybe to display my better side to the camera?  But, on the other hand, all my Lady in Charge profile pictures are of my lavender-shadowed right eyelid.

So what have I concluded in this brief, non-scientific study of my face?  Nothing except that I have spent wayyyy to much time in the mirror today!

RHOV Recap: Crazy Town

I'm a little late on the recap, but here it is!  Episode 5 of the Real Housewives of Canada was a lot of buildup to one event at the end of the show, AGAIN.  Kind of getting tired of this formula, but I must watch anyway!

The episode started as per normal with the ladies separately getting together to gossip about each other (Jody & Ronnie, Mary & Christina), and the lone neutral 'wife Reiko showing off her awesome cars and awesome model walk.  Mary and Ronnie continued to battle about their text war, and Christina decided to make the bold move to skip Ronnie's ladies tennis get together in order to back up Mary.  A brave choice but not with out consequences as we will see later on.

To both their credit, Mary and Ronnie did try to bury the hatchet over a glass of wine during this episode. Unfortunately, Ronnie showed up to the reconciliation loaded as all hell, and slurring her words.  It was a mish-mash of love and hate, as no sooner had the ladies decide to make a toast to their 17 year old friendship, the toast was interrupted by more bickering.  It was really one of the most bizarre things I've seen on this show.  What we did all learn is that these two have put their friendship through the ringer over the years and were't going to let some scathing text messages get in their way.  Or so they declared at that particular moment over that particular glass (bottle? bottles?) of wine.

Reiko modelling with some hot cars (via The Province)

The awesomeness of Reiko's life was on full display this episode, again.  Good thing she's smart enough to come across as humble and self-deprecating on television, cause otherwise it would be pretty damn annoying to all us regular, not-rich folks after a while.  Not only did Reiko get to enter 3, count them THREE, of her hot-ass cars in an exclusive looking car show (and says my brother, it actually is exclusive), but she got to model designer clothes in a photo shot promoting the car show.  I am pretty sure, after watching her practice walking the runway for the upcoming fashion show as well as model designer clothes, that Reiko is my girl crush.  She's attractive, smart, level-headed and carefree.  I am as surprised about this as you are, trust me.  I had Reiko pegged as the typical trophy wife from the press releases and previews before the show aired, but I guess looks really are deceiving!

After Reiko rocked the car show photo shoot, came the drama.  It all started with Mary's photo shoot for her scarf line (again, with the photo shoots, but Mary's was not as hot as Reiko's).  Basically, Mary's scarf line is some over priced knits and inexplicable yards of tulle that you can tie in bows or wrap around and around you.  I can't really see these pieces being stocked at Holt Renfrew anytime soon, but then again, I've been wrong before and I will probably be wrong again.

Once the photo shoot was over, Mary decide what better thing to do that invite the big 'ol happy RHOV family over to the rented penthouse where the shoot took place to celebrate her success.  She was imagining a tame affair, but boy was she wrong.  Jody immediately began pushing Mary's buttons and commenting about Christina's overt sexuality (which again, if she puts it out there herself, is kind of fair game don't you think?).  Jody tied one of Mary's precious scarves around Christina's eyes and began making dirty blindfold jokes.  Then Ronnie stepped up the drama at notch by calling Christina out for not coming to her tennis party.  Christina was straight up with her as to why she didn't come (cause she's on Team Mary), but seemed to waver a bit in delivering her pro- Mary stance.  Then Ronnie got into it with Mary again, asking why she would show her text messages to both Jody and Christina (to try to get them on her side.  DUH Ronnie! Have you never seen an episode of any of the Real Housewives?  Come on!).  Those were fighting words, and Mary, to her credit, was not backing down.  She tossed Ronnie out of the suite and the others followed suit, including....Christina!  And with no explanation at all, leaving Mary to lick her wounds on her own.  Little Miss C might not be so pro-Mary it seems?  Guess we'll hear more on that next episode, when Mary tries to down play her "crazy" reputation and Reiko walks the runway at the car show fashion presentation.  

Best line of the night is from Jody, commenting on Mary's "crazy" outburst (via Canada.com):

Going to the Chapel

Bridal Fashion Week 2012 is about to wrap up, and there were some very non-tradtional gowns displayed on the runways of NYC.  Red, black, high slits and transparent looks were all very popular, which is both surprising and refreshing.  Sometimes wedding wear can be pretty bland (Hello strapless princess gown? 2003 called and they want you back...), so some unique options so we all won't have to look like our cake topper in life size form is a relief.

Despite the fact that I am NOT getting married anytime soon (and honestly, sigh of relief for that...!), it's fun to daydream about what I might wear.  InStyle has a great recap of the best looks so far, but I thought I'd share mine as well.

I love the mermaid style cut of this gown and the veil is something I would imagine Megan from Mad Men would have worn to her wedding with Don.  (Oscar de la Renta)

Again the mermaid cut is a pretty but sexy choice.  I love the layered tulle at the bottom of the gown and the sheer top. (Reem Acra)

There is something very modern yet traditional about this gown.   The layers of tulle floating from the bodice create an etheral look but the rest of the gown is a simple cut. (Monique Lhuillier)

Wearing this bold red would be a bit out of my comfort zone, but being Indian, we traditionally wear red as brides.  This is a beautiful choice to mix both Indian and Western traditions.  Question: would one wear a veil and if so, what colour? (Vera Wang)

Miss M's Recipe for a GSD: Coconut Cream Soda

If you don't know, I'm a big fan of the GSD - Good, Stiff Drink.  I thought it would be fun to keep sharing some of my favourite drink recipes, as I started last week with my all time favourite Jameson and Seven.

This week's recipe is from the fabulous Hotel Eldorado in Kelowna, BC.  I used to travel a lot for work, and the 'El was my absolute favourite place to stay while in Kelowna.  The rooms there are cozy and charming, the staff are wonderful and the food & drinks fabulous.  I highly recommend this lakeside hotel.

Anyway, during one of my visits to the 'El, I happened to need a GSD and stumbled upon the Coconut Cream Soda.  It's a great warm weather drink and reminds me of far off tropical places.

Coconut Cream Soda (courtesy of the Hotel Eldorado in Kelowna, BC)
1 shot Malibu Rum
8 ounces Cream Soda (pink)
Lime Slush

Fill a high ball glass half full with lime slush.  For the lime slush, you can either purchase through slush machines at 7/Eleven or through this Rachel Ray recipe.  The key to the lime slush is that it is more tart than sweet because the cream soda and Malibu will add a lot of sweetness already.

Pour in the rum and enough cream soda to fill the glass.  Stir slightly and enjoy!

This isn't an exact image, but this is kind of what the Coconut Cream Soda should look like.
Just more neon pink from the cream soda.

RHOV Recap: The Peacemaker

Tonight's episode of RHOV featured the sword swinging, martial arts champion, speedster Reiko trying to be the peacemaker.  Something tells me these ladies wouldn't get along with each other even if she threatened to beat them up, but she did have some small successes.  More on that later on.

Reiko Mackenzie in her hot ride.

The episode was generally pretty tame to start.  Reiko and Jody went racing in one of Reiko's hot cars at a track, which Jody was shocked to discover had a port-a-potty.  Best line of the night came early on from Reiko: "Apparently the Queen does not care for a plastic throne." HA!  Reiko is really growing on me.  She's funny, has interest other than creating nonsense drama and she could probably kick anyone's ass both on the street and in her hot ride.  Gotta give Jody props for trying to live up to Reiko's speed demon way, but she could not keep up.


Mary and Christina met up to discuss Christina's ill-fated coffee date with Jody, where she ended up in tears.  Mary as always was sweet and supportive, revealing that she was planning her own meet-up with Mean Queen Jody.  Christina again declared that she would not take being bullied by Jody any longer.   We will see how that works for her later.

Jody Claman dishing on lunch with Mary.

Jody and Mary's lunch started with Mary rattling off all the business and successes in her life, which was a bit awkward.  It got more awkward when Jody suggested that Mary sing jingles.  Yes, she suggested to a 6 time number one single (on the Canadian charts) artist to sing jingles.  Nice work Jody, but as we see later in the episode Mary decides to try to launch a new single instead.  Good move Mary.  The ladies also discussed Ronnie's continued text battle with Mary.  Ronnie is still pissed about how Mary did not stop her from over-drinking at past events and she felt Mary was being a bad friend.  Jody made an interesting point that perhaps Ronnie feels Mary owes her for being the shoulder Mary cried on after her latest break up.  I think there is probably a lot of truth in that and Ronnie pretty much confirmed this in the next scenes.

Next we saw Ronnie playing tennis with her niece (who for some reason looks up to Ronnie.  I guess we all have to have a standard to try to achieve to, right?), after which Ronnie decide why not make a RHOV tennis date and duke it out on the court?  Good idea Ronnie.  Give these ladies rackets and balls and let them figure out their differences that way.  Then we'll see who comes out on top.  Interestingly, Ronnie did talk about how she wasn't sure if her relationship with Mary was worth saving, but that being so close as friends can make tension that much more strong.  Good poin and I can say from my own experience, when you see your best friend put herself in such emotionally precarious situations time after time, it does take a toll on your friendship, especially if you are close.  When someone you love like a sister continually puts herself in a position to get hurt and looks to you to help deal with the aftermath, it does become tiring and make you wonder why you bother to help pick up the pieces when nothing you say will help prevent the situation from coming up again.

Anyway, I digress.  After Mary's Lebanese costume party, Mia's extravagant birthday bash and Reiko's gathering of the mommies and their little girls, came the big event:  Reiko's peacemaking dinner at Coast.  It seemed as if Christina was bulking up her emotional and physical strength in anticipation of this dinner, as earlier in the episode we saw her both doing kickboxing and going to therapy.   A nice well-rounded preparation sequence for a RHOV drama filled dinner, in my eyes!   Christina has obviously been doing her RH homework!

Reiko's goal of fixing Mary-Ronnie, Jody-Christina, Ronnie-Christina during dinner didn't start out so well.  First off, Mary bailed, but instead of calling former BFF Ronnie, she called new BFF Christina which did not sit well with Ronnie.  Then, Jody declared that Christina needed to address their last conversation in a "polite manner".  Um bossy, much?  Jody's daughter Mia came up in conversation next and Christina kindly owned up to and apologized about bringing up this in the first place.  Not exactly the attack on Jody she seemed to be gearing up for prior to dinner, but I guess there is always the option to "kill them with kindness".  Christina's apology seemed to clear the air a little bit, enough for Jody to declare that she "loves Christina and anyone that apologizes to her".  Hmm quick turn of opinion, a bit too quick don't you think?  I can't see this lasting long...

Currently Obsessed With: Cartier Juste Un Clou

Cartier is one of those timeless brands that reminds me of things like royalty, Elizabeth Taylor and the 1950s.  They are known for their classic Tank watches which are well-made and everyday wear, but they also recently re-launched the Juste Un Clou collection.  Essentially the collection is jewellry shaped as nails, as you can see from their website.  Sounds kind of a strange design choice for a brand such as Cartier, but I am obsessed with these quirky yet classic pieces.

Juste Un Clou translates to "just a nail" but the design is far from utilitarian, but rather fashionable.  My favourites from the collection:

Cartier Juste Un Clou bracelets.  I love how they come in different thicknesses.

Juste Un Clou Rings.  Really love the top right one, in white gold.

Girls, Girls, Girls

Like many of you, when I was in my twenties, Sex and the City was THE show that a single, fabulous girl could relate to.  The show was massively successful for both the realistic portrayal of female friendships as well as, let's face it, the fashion.  There was something so relatable about how Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda lived their lives, but something so un-relatable and fantasy-like about everything else on the show.  The clothes, accesories, fabulous apartments, amazing meals, jet-setting trips, etc.  I could go on and on about how different my life was from theirs, but in so many ways I could relate to their friendships with each other and their struggles with the opposite sex.

The ladies at brunch: bonding while looking fab-u-lous as always

Lately there has been a great deal of buzz about the next SATC...but not because of the similarities between the two shows, but how vastly different they are.  The show is also on HBO, and it is called "Girls".  The premise of the show is also around the lives 4 women, this time in their twenties, trying to make it in NYC.   The heartbreak, awkwardness and humour are brutually honest, a sharp contrast from the somewhat glossed over problems of the original fab four ladies from SATC:

The early reviews have been very good, so perhaps "Girls" will end up being this generation of twenty-something women's new SATC.   I can see how this show would be relatable for that generation.  Life is so different for them now from when I was in my early twenties...there seems to be a lot less hope for one's future, mostly because the economic freefall that so many corporations and countries have been enduring for the last 4 years.  There isn't a lot for many people of that age group to look forward to.  They seem to struggle to find stable work and there is overwhelming pressure ahead to undo the financial and economic damage of the generations before them.  That generation (and let's face it, mine) will be paying for the mistakes of their parent's generation for years to come.

Whew, gives you a warm and fuzzy feeling just thinking about it doesn't it?  Perhaps at least "Girls" will be good for some laughs, as it was co-created by Judd Apatow (Bridesmaids, Knocked Up, Anchorman 2).  The show premieres tonight on HBO.

Haters Gonna Hate

There is something so disheartening about women putting other women down about their looks.  We've heard a lot of this lately, especially about Ashley Judd and her mysteriously puffy face.  She recently spoke out about this - not to say she's going to lose weight, but to address the ridiculousness of the media firestorm that the changes in her face due to severe sinusitis caused.   Good on her for standing up for herself...but that doesn't mean people are listening.

Puffy face or not, she still is gorgeous not to mention ballsy.  Go get 'em girl!

Kelly Osbourne, as graceful and classy as one can be while working on the E! Network, recently backed up her initial claim that she would have no problem calling her nemesis Christina Aguilera fat to her face, having already so on TV.   On the heels of Ashley Judd's blog, this is pretty sad to see.  It's one thing to talk smack about someone's looks because that's your job (and not an honourable job by any means), but it's another thing to stand by it after having some time to think about it.  Totally and utterly immature on Kelly's part.   And I'm sorry, I don't care how many times Christina Aguilera called her fat (which is not right either), it doesn't make what Kelly Osbourne is saying now ok.  Stooping to someone else's level of nastiness does NOT make your own vitriolic behaviour acceptable.  Never.

There seems to be a lot of that going on lately...women hating on women.  We can try to analyze it all we want but the thought I keep coming back to, over and over is:

Rise above, take the criticism as fuel, and move on to better things.  Words to live by, don't you think?

I'll be getting off my soapbox now...!

Have a great weekend!
Miss M :)

RHOV Recap: No Regrets?

Episode 3 of the Real Housewives of Vancouver began with Christina dealing with the aftermath of her 30th birthday party.  If you don't remember, it was like Housewives gone wild.  Or more specifically, housewife gone wild, because it was Christina alone getting down and dirty in some skimpy underwear and a t-shirt with "Golddigger" written across the front.  And courtesy of Ronnie, who was the only other 'wife left, this magic moment was captured for all to see.  Don't you love "friends" who set you up for regretting your drunken antics by recording and sharing the evidence?

When the episode began, we found Christina looking absolutely the most normal we've seen her so far...hungover on the morning after her birthday.  See, these housewives are "real" after all!  Anyway, the memories of the night soon came flooding back, and later in the episode, Jody would take her to task for her lack of discretion.  But more on that later...

Speaking of mean Queen Jody, she and Reiko dished about the birthday party over a spa date.  Nothing too exciting or shocking was said, but what stood out is that Jody stays young through whale sperm facials.  That's right, she puts whale sperm on her face.  And apparently, Reiko is game for this as long as keeps her looking as young as mean Queen Jody.  Because who doesn't want to model themselves over an over the hill, nosy, uppity muffin maker?    I actually kind of like Reiko - she still has some down to earth elements in her but you know you can't walk all over her like you could some of the other housewives (ahem, Mary!).  It's too bad she's so connected to the dark side (aka Jody & Ronnie), but maybe she'll see the light and move over to Team Mary?  One can only hope.

Ronnie giving Mary and her scarves the kiss-off

Meanwhile, Ronnie continued to build her case as Mary's best frenemy by showing up half-drunk at Mary's meeting about her new scarf line.  Besides the obvious comments that one could make about another person making more scarves (seriously, those things are everywhere!  Mary, where's the profit in that?), Ronnie was clearly unsupportive of and uninterested in Mary's new venture.  And I'm not quite sure why if Mary saw this coming, she didn't try to prevent Ronnie from coming to the studio.  Mary, being sweet is great if you are 14, but guess what, you're 48!  You gotta grow a backbone soon, girl!  Ronnie is running all over your life right now.

The episode continued on showing more of Jody's day to day as a caterer and boutique owner.  This featured a lot of her daughter Mia, who judging by the previews for the rest of the seaon, will continue to be a thorn in Christina's side.   There is something between them for sure, we just haven't seen the details yet.  Speaking of Christina, she and Mary met for drinks and through their conversation we discovered that Ronnie is blaming Mary for her over-drinking at Christina's party as well as at the studio scarf line meeting.   And not even doing it face to face - they are in a full on text message battle about this.  Is that not a sign of an alcoholic?  I wonder if we will see Ronnie go back to rehab...apparently she was there for real, though last episode it felt like she was joking about this.

In any case, whether she's drunk, bitter or both, Ronnie continued her reign of terror by not only showing her children Christina's drunken birthday party photos (!!!!), but when one of them asked if Christina might mind if she forwarded them on, her reply was that why would someone pose for said pictures if they didn't want them forwarded?  Clearly, logic AND friendship are not Ronnie's strong points.  Not to mention parenting.  Who shows their children things like that?  Honestly, Ronnie's flippant behaviour about the photos is not surprising, but disgusting nonetheless.  To describe Ronnie as a "person" after seeing that exchange with her kids would be stretching the definition of someone who actually has a soul.


So, with pictures forwarded on, both Ronnie and Reiko shared with us their workout routines.  Ronnie isn't much to mess with, but Reiko?  Umm wow!  All I can say is she may look pretty, but this girl could kick anyone's ass.   Including mine.  Note to self:  only say nice things about Reiko on this blog.

We saw more of Jody and her daughter Mia, which begs the question who really cares this much about Mia?  Can we skip the mother daughter passive agressive moments?  Please.  We also saw more of Ronnie's home as she tourned Reiko and Jody around her massive estates before she started renovations.  This included a peek into her husband's man cave that includes a rock climbing wall and nearly naked photos of Ronnie.  Classy joint, huh?

The girls then dished more about Christina's pictures, and Jody got on her high horse AGAIN.  Big surprise.  She also declared that she needed to confront Christina about that behaviour.  I'm sorry, but is Jody secretly Christina's mom??  What gives her the right to confront someone that is not even a friend about anything?  Seriously Jody, don't you have a life of your own? Despite this being obvious to everyone, Ronnie of course encouraged Jody to take Christina to task about the birthday blowout, being the master puppeteer that she is.  What would an episode of the RHOV be if Ronnie wasn't orchastrating more drama?

Anyway, the showdown with Jody and Christina finally happened and it was fairly anti-climatic.  I really wished there was some wig pulling a la Real Housewives of Atlanta, but then again it's only Episode 3.  A girl can dream right?

The conversation started with Christina calling out Mia for her past misbehaviour.  See what I mean?  Those two have some major past history that will come out over the course of the series.  Anyway, that immediately set Jody off in mama bear mode, declaring if anything further was said about her daughter she would not hesitate to serve Christina with a lawsuit...which is the preferred method of rich people shutting down a fight, no?  The argument continued with Jody cutting down Christina further about her birthday booty shaking, but Christina held her own in firing back.  It was good to see Christina stand up to Jody, but after Jody stormed off, she lost her cool, saying "I hate that she can make me feel so small."

What I find funny is that Christina has said nothing about Ronnie passing the photos on.  Do these ladies not see the real mastermind of any drama on this show is Ronnie?  Jody defintely needs to be cut down more than a few notches, but I really want to see someone put Ronnie in her place.  I have a feeling this won't happen until the reunion when they have all seen the full season, but we can only hope.  Stay tuned for a recap of Episode 4 next week!

Miss M's Recipe for a Good Stiff, Drink

When I was younger, drinking was for getting drunk.  Now that I'm a mature and wise adult (ha!), I drink to enjoy the taste of my drink.  Not exclusively though, I do still drink to get drunk once in a while...I am human after all!

Anyway, now that you all think I'm a lush (I'm not! seriously!), I thought I'd start sharing some of my favourite drink recipes with you.  The first one is a simple one, but very refreshing and a good way to get a taste for whiskey if you can't drink it on its own yet (which I can't!  no shame.).  I first tried it while in Ireland and that was nearly 2 years ago, but I still find myself drinking this over any other option.  It's simple to make too!

Jameson & Seven:

1 Shot Jameson Whiskey (or other Irish whiskey like Bushmills or Powers)

1 wedge of lime

7Up (not Sprite!)

Ice

Fill a tall glass with ice and pour the Jameson shot over.  Top off with as much 7up as you like and garnish with the lime.  You can also substitute the 7up with ginger ale (not my favourite but others do like it).  

Enjoy!

Un-Pretty

We live in a world where beauty is like currency:  the more you have, the more people admire you, give you the benefit of the doubt and bestow on you opportunities.  Sad, but it's true and most intelligent adults already know this.   That's why I feel it's so bizzare that a reporter from the UK named Samantha Brick felt compelled to write about the woes of being pretty.  You can read her full article here, but essentially she has felt being too pretty has a downside:  women don't want to befriend her, have her as a bridesmaid or give her promotions.

My initial reaction to this was (in the words of Rod Tidwell from Jerry Maguire): "boo, fucking hoo!"  Woman, if you are gorgeous or think you are, own it, live it and get over any downsides to it.  We are all dealt a certain hand and life is about appreciating the good things you have, instead of bitching about them or blaming others for your problems.  Perhaps the fact that she doesn't get on well with other women has more to do with her personality than her looks?  I would put money on that!  

Bottom line is this lady is just an opportunist.  She's making money off furthering the myth that women are naturally jealous and catty towards each other.  And there is nothing less pretty than someone who is manipulative and creates drama.

Ladies, it's a tough world out there.  Us chicks need to stick together! 

Chicks, let's stick together!

The Hunt Is Over

My search for the perfect cross-body bag has spanned months upon months.  I've looked high and low for the right style, shape and colour.  I've purchased other bags in absence of finding a great cross-body.  I've lusted after many options only to shy away from a purchase because it just wasn't the "one".  

Finally, ladies and gentlemen, the search is over.  Free shipping and a sale at Neiman Marcus gave me the push I needed to end the search for the perfect cross-body bag to call my own:

MARC BY Marc Jacobs Crossbody - Preppy Leather Sia in Cherry

Isn't she cute?  I love the simple shape but that it's a bold colour.  Looking forward to getting my hot little hands on this bag in a few days ($10 priority shipping!  gotta love it...).

RHOV Recap: Bitches, Bullies and Botox

The Real Housewives of Vancouver premiered a few hours ago and the ladies did not disappoint.  There was high fashion, excessive drinking and a healthy dose of drama...three things we have grown to love about this reality show franchise.  I promised I'd recap, so here goes the longggg recap of Episodes 1 and 2.

We started off with the standard for any RH series premiere:  getting to know the ladies and seeing the excessive wealth in which they live.  Generally speaking, the Housewives are known for being "fake" wealthy, but I think these ladies are mostly true to the actual balances in their bank accounts.  Or at least 2 of them are.  Ronnie has 5 houses in one of the wealthiest postal codes in Canada, West Vancouver.  Five!  Reiko has an amazing car collection and lives in an uppity neighbourhood in Vancouver with her husband and 2 daughters (Ashanti like the singer and Alizee like the liquor).  I thought it was hilarious that she refused to divulge the "rough" suburb of Vancouver that she grew up in.  C'mon Reiko, it's Vancouver, how bad are the suburbs here for goodness sake?  It's not freaking Compton, I can tell you that!  

As for the others...well Jody owns a boutique with over priced and over the top clothing in West Vancouver.  And a muffin catering company that makes $40,000 a day (?).  Mary probably doesn't collect a lot of royalties from being a former Canadian pop star (seriously Mary, don't put that at the top of your resume) and Christina...well she claims she makes lots of money off her 2 divorces but I beg to differ.  I could have sworn that orange dress is from BCBG, and not the real BCBG...the outlet.  A true gold digger would be sporting at least some Eurotrash brand like Roberto Cavalli!

Oh Mary.  Sometimes your enemies are disguised as your friends!

After we all stopped wagging our tongues at the embarrassement of "riches" in which the ladies live, a girls trip was quickly arranged (Whistler, Nita Lake Lodge) by self proclaimed "Queen" Jody, who seriously needs to stop wearing tacky furs and tiaras.  What was that purple thing? Really Jody, less is more my dear.  Anyway when everyone got together, the claws came out so quickly I wasn't even prepared for it.  What was stranger is that these ladies really are very loosely connected, put together as a group only because they are cast on the show together.  But that actually seemed to fuel the drama even more.

It all started over lovely dinner in the private cellar at Araxi (great restaurant by the way).  Somehow we got onto the topic of Mary's recent breakup and the unfortunate fact that she's still sleeping with her ex while he's sleeping with the woman he cheated on her with that he is now in a relationship with.  Um?!?  I actually think Mary seems really sweet, so when Jody's claws came out, it was hard to watch.  Even harder to stomach was that her so called best friend Ronnie didn't even stand up for her and seemed to relish that someone else other than her was dishing out the tough love.  Mary was understandably pretty pissed about this.

Ronnie:  best friend or secret foe?

The next day, the conversation continued over lunch and Ronnie continued to sit back while Jody skewered Mary about her relationships.  Again, painful to watch and not a single person stood up for Mary.  Not cool.  I can't say for sure, but this seems like one of the few times in housewives history where everyone sat back as someone got ganged up on.  Most of the time people jump in on the bullying action or on a rare occassion start defending the "victim", but absolutely nothing from these ladies.  Not a single peep.   Jody, in her defense, didn't save all her snarkiness for Mary.  She let a few comments fly Christina's way, namely about Christina spending so much time in the bedroom that she can't breathe fresh air without choking.  Some would say this is fair game, given how Christina claims that she's not a fan of monogamy.   But Christina took offense, and felt bullied.  Maybe Jody was mortally offended that Christina ordered a round of drinks called "Trophy Wife" without asking her if she wanted to be called a "Trophy Wife"?

Episode two started with the aftermath of the Whistler trip and a bonding of the single ladies, Christina and Mary, over mean mean "Queen Jody", and planning of Christina's 30th birthday party.  The two of them went shopping for dog accessories, and later over a drink decided that they would each have to confront Jody for her actions.  And when better to do it then at Christina's birthday? 

The middle chunk of the episode was basically more lunch dates re-hashing the Whistler trip, as well as Reiko and Ronnie both being separately stood up by Christina, who it seems was insecure about turning 30.  But that quickly faded when her gay bff Kevin surprised her with a round of Botox.   Because that's what friends are for, right?  Cheering us up with injectables when we are feeling old and depressed.  

Christina, post birthday Botox.

As we continued on to Christina's birthday, Mary got up the nerve to confront Jody at the party.  When she did, it really got her nowhere, except that Jody again recommended that she go to therapy instead of purchasing more handbags to fill the emotional void one has when they are single.  I have to say, that was the best line of the night.  When Christina (finally) showed up for her party and confronted Jody, she was also told to go to therapy.  When a person does nothing but recommend you go to therapy when you confront them about their hurtful actions, something tells me that person is the one that needs to go to therapy.  Or in Jody's case, shock therapy to stop her from wearing all those effing crazy princess/queen get-ups.  

Jody seemed to either get bored with the party or the fact that everyone was paying attention to Christina, and exited the party soon after, with Mary and Reiko not far behind.  After they left, things got a little wild...!  We ended the episode with Christina in her underwear and a tee-shirt from Ronnie that said "Golddigger" across the front while Ronnie gleefully took pictures and videos of her parading around nearly naked and in various compromising positions.  Jody may be the "Queen", but it is clear that Ronnie is the shit-disturber and the real ringleader.  Bring on Episode 3!

Fashion 101: Stripes

My friends and I have been joking over the last few months that all we buy are stripes.  Striped tees, striped tanks, striped sweaters, striped cardigans.  Stripes are everywhere these days it seems, so it really isn't hard to find something to add to the collection.

Stripes can be hard to wear.  Remember the "horizontal stripes make you look fat" rule?  Well it is true in some cases, but depending on how you wear them, horizontal stripes can be slimming and they look much less "Beetlejuice" or "jailbird" than vertical stripes can be:

Beetlejuice striped leggings from Asos.  Not so cute.

There is a key to wearing horiztonal stripes successfully:  the width of the stripe.  If you go too skinny, you might emphasize any extra pounds you wish weren't there.  If you go too wide, you risk looking wider than you actually are.

Debra Messing is not a wide woman, but these stripes sure make her look "hip-ier" than normal.

Amber Riley from Glee.  She's what most would consider plus size, but she looks geat in this striped dress.  If the stripes were any thinner, she would not look as svelte.

Stripes can be whimsical, sexy, classic or casual.  As long as the stripes are proportional to your body size, anyone can pull off horizontal stripes.

DIY: Low Back Bra

Low back dresses and tees seem to be everywhere right now.  Ever time I pick one up, I wonder what I could wear underneath.  Should I go Carrie Bradshaw and let my (pretty) bra show?  That's an option, but you gotta have the right look to pull it off.

Carrie B. showing her bra off in style.

Instead of going the visible bra route, there is also the low back bra.  Or, if you are feeling crafty, I found a way to transform a regular bra into a low back one through a blog called Tights and Tea:

You do need a sewing machine, but we all have a crafty friend or auntie or someone who can help out with the sewing part.  Even for a non sewer like me, this seems fairly simple.  Instead of buying a new bra, update an old one with some adjustments for a low back.  Check out the full instructions at Tights and Tees, and more fun crafts through my Pinterest board "She's Crafty!".

Spell It Out

As if it weren't obvious already, Christian Louboutin has created a pair of his famous red-soled, sky high heels that spell out exactly what he means for us to think of when we see his shoes:

Kind of tacky, no???

Yes, Christian Louboutin heels are all about S-E-X.  Eff-me shoes if you will. File that under obvious.  Also, file that under Kardashian, cause you know one of those girls are gonna rock a pair of these as soon as they can.  I put my money on the wild-child Khloe.

Lady in Charge?

I haven't been blogging much lately because there has been so much on my mind.  Plus I'm in some discomfort after a car accident (I'm ok, but have a mild case of whiplash that is resulting in some sleepless nights, hence really not feeling like myself).  I've been a bit of a homebody lately, which inevitably leads to thinking about the state of one's life.  Or for me it does anyway.  I've always been the type to analyze (and sometimes over-analyze).

I've been thinking a lot about what is truly next for me.  I've been doing a great job of letting go of stresses in my life and taking the control back, whether it is in my personal or professional life.  I'm actually pretty proud of myself for being so "go with the flow" as that is a quality that normally does not come natural to me.  It's a great feeling and I'm glad I'm in this state of mind now, but that doesn't mean that I don't wonder what life will bring me next.  I had a plan at the start of the year to quit my job and go back to school in the fall.  I'm not sure if that will happen this year because of some unforeseen life events.  To top it off, I'm not having much luck in the romance department, so right now I feel more than a little bit lost about "what is next".

When it comes down to it, when you are single, you are really in charge of your own life.  There is something very empowering about being single, when you think of it that way. Nothing is holding you back, nothing is in the way of doing what YOU want to do and every day is a possible adventure.  Pretty cool to imagine life that way.

But, I like feeling grounded most of the time so this is becoming harder and harder for me.  I'm trying to build the life that I want to live, but sometimes the harder you push to make things happen the way you think they should happen, the more events come up that make you wonder if the universe is trying to push you in a different direction.

I realize that this makes me sound like someone who can't make a decision...and maybe I am.  I'm afraid to make the "wrong" decision and screw everything up.  But, I guess if I don't make any decision at all, life will never change the way I want it to, and I'll end up living a life carved out only by the things that happen to me, not the things I make happen for myself.

So what do I really do next?  I think it's time to really map things out and decide what I want...then just go for it!  If I fail, at least I have tried.  And if I succeed?  Well, I will probably wonder why I didn't take that risk a long time ago.  Wish me luck!

Mint Condition to Aqua-Mint

Deciding that I'm going fun with my nails this spring inspired me to jump on a blue/green nail polish from L'Oreal that I found in the drugstore the other day.  It's called "Club Prive" and it's the perfect shade of aqua-mint:

I'm not actually sure if "aqua-mint" is a word, but it's the only way I can describe this blue/green shade.  Hmm I may have invented a word!  Anyway...it truly is a gorgeous shade that has a bit of warm undertone so it doesn't wash out my skin tone.  I've had some compliments on it, including from my co-worker who literally stopped mid-sentence to say "I love your nail polish!".