FASHION, FOOD, & DECOR

I'd like to introduce you to the 3 loves of my life...Fashion, Food, and Decorating. I worship these 3 on a daily basis and would die without any of them in my life! The same way a guy obsesses about a certain sport and usually holds a high admiration for the best player of that particular sport, I feel the same when it comes to my 3 loves. So, without further blah, blah, blah, here are my top 3 players in Fashion, Food, and Decorating...

In the world of fashion there are so many amazing people to idolize and be inspired by, but for me there is one woman who I completely adore - Nina Garcia. She is a Latina of Colombian descent and her heritage is something she incorporates into her own personal style. Nina worked as the Fashion Director and later the Editor-at-Large for Elle Magazine before taking on her current role as the Fashion Director for Marie Claire. I first became intrigued by her during her first season on Project Runway. I thought her critiques were spot on and she was always impeccably dressed. Nina is the author of four best selling books, and her first book, "The Little Black Book of Style", is a MUST READ for every woman!

Be sure to check out Nina's website! www.NinaGarcia.com

Food....what else is there left to say? While I enjoy cooking and eating, I do often times have a love/hate relationship with food as I'm sure most women do. Fortunately there is a skinny little swimsuit model named Chrissy Teigen, who just happens to have an amazingly funny blog where she shares recipes. Now, why would I ever consider her to be one of my "top players" in the food sport? Because she is SKINNY and LOVES to eat! Oh, and I forgot to mention she has also somehow managed to snag thee very talented John Legend as her man! HELLOOOO! Obviously she's doing something right. I've made a few of the recipes she's blogged about, not only are they easy and delicious, they are also usually very heathly. Not bad for a swimsuit model ;)

Be sure to check out Chrissy's blog www.sodelushious.com

While I love me some food and fashion, I also have a deep passion for interior design. The captain of my decorating squad is Nate Berkus. He was first introduced to the world by none other than the queen herself, Oprah. Is there anything else left for me to say?? He made numerous appearances on her show before launching his own daytime talk show, which usually incorporates my 3 favorite things. Nate is an AMAZING decorator, with fabulous tips for everyone! His show is totally worth a space on my DVR and should be on yours too! Watch it once and I dare you not to watch it again!

For more home decor tips go to www.TheNateShow.com

KNOCKED UP IN STYLE

First things first, NO I am not pregnant! However, it seems like everyone around me is. Hence the continuous baby/mommy blogs. When a friend announces their pregnancy, the first thing I think of is what should her maternity wardrobe look like? The second thing I do is research. I've found Nordstrom.com has an amazing maternity selection that is reasonably priced and today I stumbled across this life saver called ASOS.  Listen up preggo's - this site will save your seemingly doomed maternity wardrobe!!! This site is a godsend for those of you who have lost hope in maintaining your own personal style, while your stomach continues to grow and grow and grow. They offer everything you will need from dresses, tops, pants, jackets, lingerie, and my least favorite - swimwear. You can also break down your search by color, price, and sleeve length. And the BEST part is FREE shipping! Here are a few of my favorite looks.....

*via www.Asos.com*

OOOCHIE GUCCI!

OMG! I literally just spent a ridiculous amount of time swooning over the newly launched childrens collection by GUCCI! I don't have any children of my own, but baby season has definitely arrived in my life. I have found myself pre-styling these little munchkins before they even arrive! So, naturally, the first thing that comes to mind when dressing a baby or child is GUCCI. The ad campaign features some of thee most adorable kids I've ever seen! I had a very difficult time deciding on which photos to post, I LOVE them all! *Warning: The photos below may increase your desire to have children immediately!*

This is what my future daughter will look like ;)

*Photos via www.gucci.com

CELEBRATE.REMEMBER.FIGHT BACK.

Every year my family and I participate in the Relay for Life. It is a wonderful opportunity for all of us to come together and celebrate our survivors, remember the loved ones we have lost, and fight back! Together we raise money for the American Cancer Society and walk towards a cure! Please sign up to join our team or donate to "We Are Family".  

  

   CLICK HERE TO JOIN OUR TEAM OR DONATE

                                                        

MY LOVE AFFAIR WITH P.R.L.

It all started back in 1999, I was working at a department store in the Polo Ralph Lauren shop. My title was "Ralph Lauren Specialist". As the "specialist" in the store's high profile department, I had the opportunity to work with and learn from a Polo Ralph Lauren Coordinator. She would come in once a month to work with me directly. She taught me all about the brand, the merchandise, and the standards Ralph Lauren held each of his shops and stores to. With that knowledge, I entered the world of PRL and fell head over heels....

Fast forward 3 years later and I landed a position with the company I loved so much! After working for the prestigious brand for 6 years, I had gained a true respect for the man who started with designing neckties to creating a complete lifestyle. From that point, I could no longer look at a man who didn't own a piece of RL and it would be my mission to introduce him to the brand.  I now say to all my male clients who hate shopping or can't style themselves, you can never go wrong with PRL! Here are a few of my Polo Ralph Lauren staples that every man should own....

Custom Fit Polo $98

Classic Cargo Short $69.50

Fleece Hoodie $145

Custom Fit Oxford $98

Flat Front Chino $79.50

Custom FIt Poplin $85

Striped Silk Tie $49.99

Cotton Half Zip Sweater $98

*photos via www.polo.com*

HISTORY OF RAP BY THE ROOTS, JIMMY FALLON, & J.T.

This one's for you Lindz!

CROWN ME PLEASE

You may remember Lauren Conrad as the fresh faced girl from MTV's reality shows Laguna Beach and The Hills. But after this weekend, you may remember her as the designer of some of your favorite fall pieces. Lauren's new contemporary line launches this Saturday and is called "Paper Crown". The line is comprised of on-trend basics like leather shorts, silk blouses in blush tones, slouchy blazers, tight cocktail dresses, tiered ruffled maxi dresses (a Conrad staple) and short, flouncy, belted dresses. I would describe Paper Crown as sweet and innocent, just like Lauren herself. Paper Crown will be sold at Nordstrom, Ron Herman, Fred Segal and Planet Blue, among several other department stores and specialty boutiques.

FRIENDS+BENEFITS+STYLE

If you've been watching TV, picked up a magazine lately, or have a girlfriend/wife, then you know all about the buzz surrounding the new movie "Friends with Benefits". The romantic comedy, (code for corny), stars the not-so-hard-to-look-at Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake. I must admit, if it wasn't for the fact that the movie itself was shot in NY and the stars are HOTTT together, I wouldn't have paid to see it. Oh wait, I didn't pay - thanks LINDZ! Anyway, it turned out to be a surprisingly funny, charming, and sexy movie! However, what I enjoyed the most was the FASHION! GUYS - if you get nothing else from this movie besides a bedtime "Thank You" from your girl for taking her to see it, take notes on J.T.'s wardrobe! He was effortlessly handsome and well groomed. A chino pant, button down shirt and tie, goes a looooooong way. A dark denim paired with a black polo shirt couldn't be a better outfit for a night in with your "friend with benefits". I mean, come on! J.T. made looking good so easy, I almost forgot he was the star of a horrible boy band. Oh, and let's not forget about his gorgeous co-star Mila Kunis! Her looks were fun, sexy, and professional - which unfortunately, most working women can't pull off as easily. As women we have to be very careful with what we wear to work, not too sexy, not too boring. Thankfully, Mila's character found the happy medium in the movie. Here are some of my favorite looks!

 Don't forget to check out their hilarious interview and gorgeous shoot in this month's issue of Elle!

          *photos via Elle.com*