You only need two ingredients to make magic happen: good light and a sparkly dress.

Via Knightcat

At first you were like everyone else that I’ve met in my life. You weren’t exceptionally cute like the boys I had crushes on in middle school; neither were you exceptionally affectionate towards me like other boys were when they liked me. The thing is, when I first saw you I thought you were ordinary. Love at first sight is a myth, but one that I don’t care for because the reality is so much better anyway. I did not see anything special…until you opened your mouth and started talking. I think more than anything else, I was first drawn towards you by your way of speaking and what you spoke of. Many people challenge me intellectually, and I always challenge myself, but talking to you? It felt like a new experience, as if you were letting me in, challenging me but holding me in at the same time. It doesn’t make much sense, I know, but you were special to me because of your mind and eloquence.

I don’t think I fell for you, or I guess realized how much I liked you, until you were in the elevator together. There was that x-ray technician with his humongous equipment, a cafeteria cart and two service ladies, an empty gurney, and a whole of other people crowded in that elevator. I think that crowdedness didn’t allow for anything but the truth in that elevator. And the truth was I wanted so very badly to hold you. I wanted to hug you and wrap myself up in you, even in front of those complete strangers, even if we had only met 2 or 3 times before. Before you I didn’t realize that a body could so desperately need another, to have such a strong pull that rationality means nothing, and proximity everything.

You were the first person to make me believe in love, in romance, in magical happiness that allowed me to float for days, if not weeks. That hug on the grassy knoll made my knees literally go weak. Ecstatic is not even an appropriate word. Euphoria? Or temporary insanity?

You were my first heartbreak. My mind and body mourned for you for a whole fucking year. Even healed now, I wonder if I’m completely free of you. Extraordinary: the power you have over me, without even trying.

Thank you for perfect moments and the memories you made with me. The Little Prince; that tree swing; Treasure Island; sunny afternoons; the smell of grass; hummingbirds; the way my body seemed to melt right into your own. Thank you for the tough lessons and the pain. You’ve made me wise, all the more hopeful, a little smarter, and definitely fearless. From you I learned I needed to grow more, that I’m not yet who I want to be. You taught me that there’s so much more to life than academia. You taught my heart how to beat, how to bleed. You taught me how to fall, and for that I’ll always be grateful.

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!

*rolls on the floor laughing…takes a break to take the inhaler…and then resumes again*

Anyways, The movies supposed to be hitting Majestic at the start of Jan, must go watch this nonsense… Only for Jacob of course. Hehehe *sparkley eyed!*

Four days until Christmas! It’s so close now, I can almost taste it! Though I don’t have the satisfaction of having Christmas right now (darn!), that doesn’t hinder me from dreaming up more fun wasy to make the season festive. Today’s theme? “Read my lips…”

The Midas Touch

As mentioned in yesterday’s post, gold is totally the “it” metal for the holidays (check out BellaSugar for more inspiration). However, for those who are not ready to dive into the deep end of the metallic spectrum, a colored gloss with golden sparkles is the perfect solution. Try Chanel’s Levres Scintillantes Glossimer in 65 Sesame (a baby pink with gold sparkles) or 106 Myriade (clear bright red gloss with gold sparkles), right now on BeFlurt.com for $18.90. They’re pretty and fun shades to jazzy up any party look, especially during this time of the year!

Chanel Levres Scintillantes Glossimer in Sesame (left) and Myriade (right).

Closeup of the Chanel glosses - Sesame (left), Myriade (right).

Pretty in Bright Pink

I mentioned Rihanna’s hot pink lips in the last post, but the hot pink lip trend has been all over Hollywood this season, recently spotted on Eva Mendes, Katy Perry, Blake Lively, and Lauren Conrad. Don’t their lips look fun? I can almost hear Cyndi Lauper singing in my head…

To get in the action, all you need is a hot pink lipstick or lip gloss. And lucky you, BeFlurt’s got a number of options:

1.Chanel Cristalle Gloss in Sorbet: a sheer lightweight gloss in a bright, watermelon color ($17.50 on BeFlurt.com)

2. MAC Lipstick in Girl About Town: an electric pink matte lipstick for high-wattage color ($9.80 on BeFlurt.com)

3. MAC Slimshine Lipstick in (Gentle Shimmer) Frost: a bright pink that glides on sheer for a sweet look ($10.15 on BeFlurt.com)

4. Chanel Rouge Double Intensive Ultra Wear Lip Colour in Tourmaline: a bright pink long-lasting lip color–first apply the color, then seal with a clear coating ($23.80 on BeFlurt.com)

From left to right: Chanel Cristalle Gloss in Sorbet, MAC Lipstick in Girl About Town, MAC Slimshine Lipstick in Frost, and Chanel Rouge Double Intensive Ultra Wear Lip Colour in Tourmaline

Once again, limited quantities are available on BeFlurt.com for all the products mentioned, so don’t wait!

Happy holidays, and happy shopping!

<3 Cristina

Worn 12-21-09

I bought this headband when I was visiting Cher (there will be a post about how long it took me to figure out how to wear it soon).

I didn’t really know what else to wear with it, so my outfit isn’t really well thought out. Meatloafy also REALLY wanted to be in the pics, so she’s in a few!

Sweater: Mexx
Tank: Express
Skirt: GAP
Tights: Hue
Shoes: Charlotte Russe
Headband: Aldo

I love this headband. Everyone at my work really liked it to. It took me a little while to figure out how to wear it though. My ears kinda stick out, so I had to wear it over the tops of my ears, otherwise they stuck out from behind my hair and I looked like an off elephant.

I like how the skirt has a little flair to it, which I feel adds to the flapper feel of the outfit. I had a totally different shirt on, but ended up switching right before I left. I still am not sure why. My other shirt was a two button off-white cardigan over the tank. It kinda looked the same. Eh. Oh well.

I have no idea to wear tomorrow though. I might rewear my ugly Christmas sweater outfit. Which I still need to post… Hmmm…

and snowed.  and snowed.  and more is predicted this week.  but don’t listen to people who tell you that there’s nothing to do when it snows.  i perfected the fine art of the snow angel!

hallelujah!

so what does it take?  a perfect fall…

as illustrated by eric's graceful fall into the snow

followed by…

strong and intentional flapping of the appendages. thank god for pilates...

and then, the tricky part.  the dismount…one must spring from the ground without creating any disturbances in the already formed snow angel.  this is the tough part.  but it helps if you make a face like this…

perfect joe!

and that, my friends, is how you stay sane when you’re snowed in for 36 hours!  well, relatively sane…

Remember those cute sparkly rubber sandals we all used to wear as kids growing up in the 90’s? They seem to me making quite a comeback with the fashionistas of todays society. There’s no question as to why they’re making comeback, only as to why it didn’t happen sooner? I suppose it’s a postive that they’re not revived every two years like a certain someone (tie-dye), but it does make them much harder to come across.

If you’re like me, you probably did a years worth of searching in children’s shops, gave up, and resorted to the more expensive version made by Melissa. Not that that’s a bad thing. Melissa certainly know what they’re doing. Not only do they make the classic jelly style we love (in adult sizes too!) but they have a huge range of other styles made with the very same rubbery material. They even smell like bubble gum! I highly suggest you feast your eyes on the website. You’ll know exactly what I’m talking about. www.melissaaustralia.com.au/.

I just bought two pairs!
S2 M.L.

Renderman’s been in the kitchen, baking up a fresh batch of awesomesauce casserole…

ROBLOX has updated the Sparkles effect and has added a new Smoke particle system!

Some possible uses for smoke in your levels:

• Jet fighter exhaust
• Smoldering tire fires
• Hot chocolate steam
• Signal flares
• Smoke grenades
• Kitchen catastrophes
• Acursed zombie hazetrails
• Ghosts
• Tail pipes of race cars and trucks
• BBQs
• Fog machines for spooky levels

Smoke has a lot of properties that you can play with to create different effects. Here’s a rundown of some of the more interesting ones:

Color – Quite simple. The color of the smoke.

Enabled – If checked, the smoke is “on”. If unchecked, the smoke is “off”. This can be a useful property for scripters.

Opacity – The “thickness” of the smoke. 0 is clear, 1 is completely solid.

RiseVelocity – The velocity of the particles along the Y-axis (up/down). 0 means the smoke hovers and is good for fog. A high number would be good for a signal fire. A negative number can be used to create spooky mist effect.

Size – The size of the particles. Huge particles will slow down old computers.

for sarah, who officially finished her first semester of law school today.  hip, hip, hooray!  hip, hip, hooray!  hip, hip, hooray!

my future's so bright i gotta wear shades (and chanel)

i'm just a girl...with an amazing career and pristine public image

being beautiful and famous is so tiring...

where's my cabana boy and my frosty beverage?

images from nytimes magazine

things you should know about me…

i love getting mail/penning letters/staring at my beautiful stationery collection.  and i love sugar paper out of l.a.

cute coasters!

for you, from me!

i also love champagne.  especially the cheap stuff.  if it costs less than $6 per bottle, i’m in heaven.  so when megan emailed us that she’d made brunch reservations for our adventure in nyc this weekend i was excited to see that paradou is known for their brunch and their unlimited mimosas.  here are their rules for imbibing the bubbly beverage:

** on sundays, by new york state law, we are not allowed to serve alcohol before noon.

** we reserve the right, and are legally obligated, to stop serving any patrons we feel have had too much.

** in order to be fair and ensure that everyone has adequate time, we ask you to limit your stay to 2 hours.  plenty of time to enjoy numerous champagne cocktails.

cheers!

i know that our family is not known for being the tipsy type.  but might i suggest draining a few bottles so that we can sit down to this cozy table?  drink it up at this is glamorous…

Bring in 2010 the right way.

This is not one of those weeks for me.

After a particularly excruciating weekend, I’ve come to realize a few things. First of all, Patron doesn’t sit well with an entire bottle of white wine. Secondly, if you go to an NHL hockey game on a Sunday, do not expect anything to get done that evening. Finally, and most relevantly, I need some serious guidelines when I go out.

Hence, this week I’m providing a survival kit for New Year’s Eve, the blurriest and biggest party night of the year. Here are 10 things everyone must have to ensure the biggest, baddest, awesomest, most memorable (with the help of that digital camera, of course) night.

10. Tacky 2010 glasses
I was mourning the end of these bad boys at the end of the year, but someone figured out how to make them for 2010. Score.

9. Champagne
This one is a given. Please upgrade your champagne choice from “the cheapest thing in the store.” Bad champagne = bad, bad hangover. I speak from experience. Trust.

8. Anything sequined or with sparkles
This is the one night of the year that you can dress up like Lady Gaga going to a disco and get away with it. Abuse the power. Buy those ridiculous sparkly heels you’ve been eying in Bloomingdale’s. And pair them with some leather leggings.

7. The buddy system
USE IT. Seriously, whether you’re staying local for NYE or hitting up the city, have a friend (or twelve) with you. No one likes being lost in some random Montreal club seconds before midnight. Especially when there’s a creepy mustachioed man standing next to you, looking for someone to smooch.

6. Snow tires on your car
Again, speaking from experience. Are you driving to some location that is not next door to you? Get those snow tires on that piece. Unless you’re south of the Mason-Dixen, then you should be in the clear. The past two New Years it has been blizzarding the entire night. Apologies to my friends who had to put up with me driving in the first place, and then suffer post traumatic stress from the skidding and near-death icy experiences.

(Note: I’m sure I don’t need to say this, but if you abuse #9, leave your car in that parking lot and get a cab. Snow tires will not help you if you’re elbow deep in Moet.)

5. A dude. Any dude.
You must make out on New Year’s Eve at midnight. Seriously. Another no-brainer.

4. Greasy food
You wanna have a successful resolution this year? Try, “Eat lots of greasy diner food,” because you will. Lots of it. Better get it all ready before you head out for the night (stock up on frozen pizzas or at least put Domino’s into your phonebook); you’re going to need it for the inevitable next day hangover. And the night of. And the entire week after.

3. That gross sweater your grandma got you
To keep you warm. And to accidentally lose.

2. A camera
With a strap. You don’t want to start 2010 with a busted camera after you “put your hands up,” “nodding your head like yeah, moving your hips like yeah” and fling that thing across the room. Plus, you look hot and there should be 128 pictures on Facebook come January 1 showing that to the world.

1. Knocking Live Video App
Even better than a camera. I know, I know, I’m a huge iPhone nerd, despite my former Crackberry addiction, but this ridiculously amazing app allows you to shoot video and share it with your friends live and in real time. So if for some reason your bestie starts macking it with Justin Timberlake (or some Larry King lookalike), simply whip out your iPhone and share it with the world. Seriously? Streaming video for all your New Year’s Eve shenanigans? Take that, blackout!

Someone sent me this video a few years ago. It’s for Adidas’ Adicolor campaign. They are videos for different colors. This one’s for Pink. I’ve watched it dozens of times and still get a little disturbed when I do. It’s one of those videos where you’re like WTF? but you don’t really care what the answer is and continue to watch it, then pass it along to anyone who hasn’t already seen it.

adidas pink video

Ever day-dreamed of tapping out an online blog where you could write about all of your favorite things? What about having that blog lead to fame, glamor, worldwide travel and your own line of shoes? Dallas’s own Jane Aldridge has done just that.

If you’ve ever done a little clicking around online looking for fashion inspiration, you’ve surely already come across the 17-year old’s blog, Sea of Shoes, where she posts photos of her own styling ideas, inspirational fashion spreads, and of course, her unbelievable shoe collection.

Jane’s blog has paved the way for some pretty amazing things that most of us will only keep day-dreaming about. It has led to her own shoe collaboration with Urban Outfitters.

Jane Aldridge, Sea of Shoes blogger with shoes from her Urban Outfitters line. Photo: designershoespro.com

On top of that, Jane was recently recommended by Vogue to attend the Crillion Ball in Paris, where she wore Chanel Haute Couture, scoring a tour of Coco Chanel’s apartment after her fitting, and rubbed elbows with international debutantes.

Ever daydreamed about this??

Jane Aldridge in Chanel Haute Couture Photo: Sea of Shoes

Having a Ball! Photo: Sea of Shoes

Jane’s mother, Judy Aldridge, a fashion designer and vintage aficionado, attends, photographs and records events and inspiration on her own blog, Atlantis Home, and it’s very clear to see where Jane got much of her fabulous styling ability:

Judy Aldridge on her blog, Atlantis Home Photo: Atlantis Home

Judy in Coco Chanel's apartment in Paris. Photo: Atlantis Home

Last night Jane and Judy Aldridge hosted a festive event at Guess by Marciano benefiting Cook Children’s Medical Center in the Dallas Galleria. It was a sparkling event with hors d’oeuvres and cocktails, makeup touch ups and hair by Toni and Guy, lots of glamorous goodies to try on, and a swag bag containing a Swarovski crystal bejeweled December issue of Harper’s Bazaar!

Sparking Marciano! Dallas Galleria

Enjoying the Marciano event.

Swag!! Swarovski crystal bejeweled Harper's Bazaar magazine with Twilight cover!

Judy Aldridge, me, Jane Aldridge at Guess by Marciano in the Dallas Galleria

I enjoyed meeting and talking with Judy and Jane…we compared a few shopping and blogging notes. If these ladies are any indication of where a day-dream can lead, I’m definitely going to keep doing it!

they might not be chanel.  but dare i say that they’re the chanel ballet flat’s cooler, hipper, 20-something cousin?  i dare.

bee-utiful!

marc jacobs you crazy genius!

image from netaporter.com

I got a call at 1:30 in the morning a few nights ago from Soulie. She was my roommate’s summer subletter. After 2 weeks and a joint spaz attack, we declared each other soulmates. For the rest of the summer, that joke only proved to be a true label because underneath all of our differences (and trust, there are so many), we are the same person. We have a pact that if we’re both still single by the time we’re 40, we’re going to give up on men altogether; buy a place together in the South of France, adopt some children, buy some dogs and horses, walk to the market in the mornings for fresh pastries and coffee…the fantasy gets more elaborate but I think you understand. Even though Soulie and I have only known each other for half a year, she’s a very important person in my life. There are many stories to be told when it comes to Soulie, but today’s post is not about her, or why she called. Rather, it’s because she called that I was awake at 3 in the morning, and hence this exchange.

To: Trouble. Sent Dec 6, 2009 3:04:26 AM
You’ve had quite an impact on my life, and you still do. I wish I was a stronger person. Somehow I’ve always let you turn life inside-out. Now I finally get it.

To: Jane. Received Dec 6, 2009 9:06:37 AM
What do you finally get.

I still haven’t replied, not because I’m trying to be mysterious or irrational, but because after that 3 am text, I have lost the urge to talk to Trouble. I have no desire to reveal what I finally got because for the first time I don’t care to. I think the shock and numbness has worn off.

Here’s what I am thinking. I’m thinking Trouble is wrong for me. He’s all wrong for me. Sure, he was sparkly, but now I see that those sparkles were just suaveness. And I need more. This suave (and I should never forget, taken) guy has made me more unhappy than not. I finally get that it was I who made myself upset; I was the one who not only allowed myself to crumple, but to stay down on the floor for too long. Trouble was the beginning of a very ugly part of myself. And I am finally done. Here are my realities, fueled by ideas.

I’m not as much of a pink-enthusiast as I once was, but winter holidays are far too suited to this hue to resist decking the halls with it. Click below for an overdose of pink Xmas cheer – credits after the cut.

C L I C K  ★ B E L O W !

Credits, top to bottom, linked when possible. Opening images: Jeremy_dennis@flickr, huberific@flickr, opinicus@flickr. Below-cut images: AKAcreativity@flickr, andreasingarella@flickr, artcreations@flickr, barbfiorillo@flickr, beginasyouare@flickr, CupcakeDD@flickr, holiday_jenny@flickr x 2, huberific@flick x 2, jazzejunqueinc@flickr, Jeremy_dennis@flickr, lillysoflondonish@flickr, dr_loplop@flickr, naiadsspring@flickr x 2, opinicus@flickr, sjnewton@flickr, treasuredheirlooms@flickr, and twinkleshabbystar@flickr.

H A P P Y ★  H O L I D A Y S !

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