Blinded By The Light

I have a story for all the engaged & married ladies out there. Last week, a met a woman in her early thirties.  She was an unassuming Plain Jane-type...except for the ring finger on her left hand.  She wearing the biggest damned rock I've ever laid eyes on.  I'm talking about a diamond the size of a PENNY.

So there I was, ogling this huge penny-sized diamond ring and glancing at my very lovely (but fairly averaged-sized) diamond...and I couldn't help but feel a tad bit jealous. 

That same day, I saw this picture of Kim Kardashian's 22 carat stunner...

Whoa baby! That b*tch shouldn't be allowed to have a perfect bod, flawless skin, amazing hair and that ring.

But I digress.

Whether we care to admit it ladies, most of us have experienced "bling jealousy" at least once in our lives. We don't make this jealousy obvious of course. But if we see another gal's big & sparkly engagement ring, we're silently sizing it up to our own.  All while squealing, "Oh my God, it's gooorgeous!!!"

It's so incredibly silly. We should keep in mind that at the end of the day, ring size has no merit.  Heck, I'd go as far as saying that an obnoxiously huge rock is BAD luck for a marriage. 

Remember Jennifer Lopez & Ben Affleck circa 2003?

And remember the 6.5 carat, gumball-sized pink diamond Ben gave her?  And remember when they got married...oh wait, they broke up.  Where's your gumball now JLo?  Nanny nanny boo boo!

Next example: Liz Taylor & Richard Burton.

 
How can we forget the gi-normous Krupp diamond he bought her? It's a whopping 33 carats!  Unfortunately, all those carats couldn't save their marriages.  Yup I said marriages.  They screwed each other over twice.  Nicely done.

So I leave you with the most gorgeous ring on Earth...

Mine!  It's not 22 carats or the size of a penny, but it's beautiful and was bought with love.  My ring is my most cherished possession, and I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. 

Well, maybe the Krupp.



Summer Time

A day without love is like a year without summer.  Here's to the unofficial start the season and all of my favorite seasonal delights.

The Show Stealer.

Like most women around the world, I was mesmerized by the Royal Wedding.  I thought it was practically perfect in every way. However, I found one aspect of the event somewhat confusing: Pippa Middleton's dress color.  Although it was a gorgeous ivory gown and she was gorgeous in it, why would the maid of honor even dare to compete with the bride?   Did Kate want her to wear white?  Bad move honey...Pippa's too hot!

Pippa's certainly not the first gal to attempt to steal the spotlight on a bride's special day. I've attended dozens of weddings these last few years and I'm always shocked to see a clueless female guest blatantly wearing ivory or white.  It makes me wonder, are these women just dense or downright deceitful?

This topic was recently mentioned on one of my favorite trashy TV shows, The Real Housewives of New York City.  "Characters" Ramona and Alex had the nerve to attend a Hamptons wedding dressed like this...

For shame!

And check out this pic I found...

Oh hell no!

And the worst of all...

What was this bride thinking?  

So what am I getting at?  Brides should be in white, never the bridesmaids. And wedding guests should use  their heads.  No white for you!

Confessions Of A Shopaholic

What girl doesn't love shopping?  I have to admit, it's my favorite past time besides writing. Although I like to check out different shops & retail chains, I never stray far from my top five favorite stores.  

1# TJ Maxx

This retail gem can be described in three words: Best. Deals. Ever!  Their merchandise is super current and super cheap.  Today at work, I saw a co-worker wearing a dress I purchased last weekend at TJ.  I asked where she got it and she told me Urban Outfitters.  Probably for double what I paid.  Oh yeah, top that!

#2 Target

I love me a place where I can buy toilet paper, bananas AND an adorable polka dot cardigan.  So convenient, it's dangerous...for my wallet.

#3 Bloomingdale's

My favorite luxury store for purchasing "investment" pieces.  I shop at Bloomies when I really want to treat myself.  My favorite items to buy there are handbags and costume jewelry.  Buying quality accessories is totally worth the extra money. I constantly wear items I bought over five years ago.  If that's not an investment, what is?  And don't say an education.  No woman has ever complimented my Bachelor's degree.  But they have complimented my Michael Kors bag.

 #4 Forever 21

I'm probably a little too old to be shopping at Forever 21, but whatever.  Maybe I'll stop when I turn 30. Wait that's 2 months away.  Maybe I'll stop when I have kids. 

Anyway, I love Forever because it's uber-trendy and of course uber-uber cheap.  How can anyone feel guilty buying a shirt that's the same price as a Starbucks coffee?  Not me.

#5 Endless.com

Obviously not a physical store, but I love this site.  They have an enormous selection of shoes and accessories.  And I don't have to get up off my ass or change out of my pjs to browse through them all! 



Babar Bazaar

I'm currently loving elephant-themed items.  This may seem very random, but I'm not alone in my fascination.  Just ask Thailand.  And Disney.  And ivory poachers.  Eh, maybe not them. I wouldn't get mixed up with a motley crew of poachers.  Just enjoy these cute elephant items.   

From the top: Topshop dress / Kate Spade belt / ModCloth ring / Pier One teapot

My Three Favorites

Having just returned from a weekend in New York City, I thought I'd devote this week's favorites to things I enjoyed about the trip.  Here goes...

#1. The Pod Hotel, located in Midtown.  It's decor is very Euro-trash meets futuristic.  We booked a room for the weekend based on the very cheap deal we found...totally overlooking it was so cheap because of the communal bathroom...eek!  Thankfully, a hotel employee took pity on a stupid newlywed couple that shall remain nameless, and we were upgraded to a room with our very own, very tiny bathroom.  Overall, the hotel was clean and the staff was accommodating.  Score!

#2. The Italian restaurant that was a mere hop, skip & jump away from the hotel, Pescatore.  Very affordable, and quite delicious.  Their flatbread appetizer was awesome, as was the polenta-crusted salmon.  I would go back in a heartbeat.

#3. Despite the rainy weather ALL weekend, we were able to enjoy a leisurely stroll in Battery Park.  I thought it was really lovely.  The lanterns (pictured above) are reminisent of Parisian streets. 

Fabulous Friday!

The hubby & I are headed to NYC for the weekend!  Even though the weather's supposed to be not so fabulous, I'm really looking forward to it.  Hoping to have some amazing meals, explore the city and most importantly, have a blast at Ciefan & Grace's wedding!!  Congrats to a beautiful couple!

Savory Scones

What's not to love about scones?  They're the perfect treat to pair with a lovely cup of English tea.  I enjoy all flavors of the ordinarily sweet snack, but my ultimate favorite type is Cheddar and dill.  They are so buttery and delicious, it's not even funny! The dill gives the scones a slight tangy flavor that goes perfectly with the sharpness of the Cheddar.  I followed this slightly altered version of the recipe by the Barefoot Contessa.  Enjoy!

Cheddar & Dill Scones

4 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons of kosher salt

3/4 pound cold unsalted butter, diced

4 extra-large eggs, beaten
1 cup cold half and half 

1/2 pound extra-sharp yellow Cheddar, shredded
4 tablespoons of dry dill
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water or milk, for egg wash

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the butter and mix on low speed until the butter is in small dime-sized pieces. In a separate bowl, mix the eggs & half and half.  Quickly add them to the flour/butter mixture. Combine until blended. Add the Cheddar and dill to the dough. Mix until they are almost incorporated.

Dump the dough onto a well-floured surface and knead it for 1 minute, until the Cheddar and dill are well distributed. Roll the dough 3/4-inch thick. Cut into 4-inch squares and then in half diagonally to make triangles. Brush the tops with egg wash. Bake on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper for 17-20 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown. 

When I Dress As A Frigid Bitch, I Try Not To Look So Constipated.

A preppy couple circa 1980's

The more classic preppy style of today.

Growing up, I was never what you would call a "preppy girl".  Something about that type of style always rubbed me the wrong way.  Maybe it's the WASP-ey, superior attitude associated with prepsters.  Maybe it's because I'd rather wear a garbage bag than hideous cable knit anything...barf. 

Even though preppy clothing isn't my favorite, I must admit it has dramatically improved over the years.  Nowadays designers have transformed preppy styles into classic pieces for the masses, not just for those who summer in the Hampton's.  Preppy pieces such as these are a great addition to your warm weather wardrobe.  See you at the country club, Buffy.

This Milly polo dress is so chic & perfect for work.

Sail away on Daddy's yacht with these adorable Tommy Hilfiger shorts.

Kate Spade gives super-preppy seersucker a chic makeover.

Madras shoes with a little sex appeal.  Nice job Ralph.

My Three Favorites

A thousand apologizes for my lack of posts last week...it was a doozy.  But nevertheless I still had three favorites, and here they are in no particular order:

All On The Line, the new-ish fashion reality show on the Sundance Channel.  I like how Joe Zee plays fairy godfather to give struggling designers a second chance to become super successful.

Making the first guac of the warm weather season.

"In all things it is better to hope than to despair."

I love this quote by Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe