The Man Bag

A lot of men still think that it is not appropriate to carry a bag around... or a murse if you will (man purse).  Givenchy just released their Summer 2012 man bags and they are gorgeous! I'm totally for a man with good style who can rock a man purse to work/school.  The one in the picture is called NIGHTINGALE biker bag.  What do you think about man bags?

Low Fat Red Pepper Hummus... Yumm!!

I came across a great snack idea this weekend that I just had to share!! Mmmm homemade red pepper hummus! This spread is one of my favorites because it's a healthy/filling snack that tastes AMAZING!

Here's what you'll need: 

1 (16 ounce) can chickpeas

2 tablespoons tahini

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 -3 cloves garlic (pressed or crushed)

1/2 cup roasted red pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons cumin

1 teaspoon coriander

1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne

1/2 teaspoon salt

fresh ground pepper

How to make it: 

Step 1: Drain& rinse chick peas/garbanzos, reserving liquid.

Step 2: In small bowl, combine cumin, coriander, cayenne (use less if you don't want it very spicy! I like 1/2 table spoon!) & salt, mixing thoroughly.

Step 3: Put garbanzo beans/chick peas in bowl of food processor with chopping blade,& sprinkle the spice mixture over the top evenly.

Step 4: Add the tahini, lemon juice, garlic,& roasted red peppers, and blend until well mixed.

Step 5: Add the fresh ground pepper.

Step 6: Once the hummus gets smooth, add some of the reserved liquid from the chick peas/garbanzos while it is being processed, until it reaches the desired consistency.

And you're done! Humus can be served as a spread on things like tortilla chips and pitas, or even as a vegetable dip! Either way I'm sure this recipe will be a repeat! Enjoy!!

No Fashion Crimes Here!

I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE Kelly Osbourne's outfit on this week's Fashion Police! 

Where to get the look:
 

SHIRT: Opening Ceremony
TROUSERS: Tehm
TURBAN: Marc by Marc Jacobs
SHOES: Alexander McQueen
JEWELRY: Vintage Yves Saint Laurent 

 

For The Mamas...

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL THE BEAUTIFUL MAMAS!! 

Go Bananas For This!

So here is a recipe for a healthy banana bread and it is TO DIE!! Such a great way to use up bananas that have turned brown!

Here's what you'll need: 

• 1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, light or dark, firmly packed
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 medium to large bananas, cut into chunks; about 1 pound, before peeling (as weighed at the grocery store)
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups King Arthur Whole Wheat Flour
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (or dark chocolate!) 

Directions:

1) Preheat your oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" or 9" x 5" loaf pan.

2) In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until smooth. Add the vanilla, baking soda, salt, and bananas, beating until well combined. The mixture will be fairly smooth, with some scattered small chunks of banana.

3) Beat in the honey and eggs.

4) Add the flour, then the walnuts (or dark chocolate), stirring until smooth.

5) Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top. Let it rest at room temperature for 10 minutes.

6) Bake the bread for 50 minutes, then gently lay a piece of aluminum foil across the top, to prevent over-browning. Bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, then remove the bread from the oven; a long toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center should come out clean.

7) Allow the loaf to cool for 10 minutes; then remove it from the pan, and set it on a rack to cool completely.

DE-LISH!!!
http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/heavenly-healthy-banana-bread-recipe

Teenage Nightmare?

What do you think of Katy Perry's gothic chic look?  This picture was taken this week at an Awards show.

Showing Off The Bump... And More!

Major magazines like Elle, Vanity Fair and Vogue clearly love pregnant famous women!!   What do you think about celebrities taking nude pregnancy photos to put on magazine covers? 

Rainbow Bright

This is China Chow in a rainbow dress by Jeremy Scott.  For once, I'm speechless.  What are your thoughts? 

Gwen and Gavin

Who says all black is boring? Gwen Stefani in Georges Chakra Couture and Gavin Rossdale in Givenchy.  Love this couple!!

Derby Digs

So the Kentucky Derby just passed and all I can think about is how I wish women wore more of those funky hats all year round! Here are some of my favorites that have graced the Derby! Which ones are your favs?

Fake Your Summer Glow

I'm often asked... "Were you at the beach this weekend?".  Sadly, almost always the answer is no.  It has taken a while but it's finally gotten through to me how bad a lot of sun exposure is for your skin.  I refuse to give up the tan look so after much searching I have finally found a self tanner that looks natural!  Victoria’s Secret’s Beach Sexy line is awesome for a glowing tan.  

Tip: Make sure to EXFOLIATE before you spray your first coat - it will last a lot longer!

Pastel Lips and Neon Nails

Pastels and neon!!! Cannot get enough of these this season! I'm usually a little wary about wearing a bold lipstick color, but I am definitely LOVING the pastel lips look especially paired up with neon nails.  You could wear something simple (all black even) and your nails and lips will just POP!

My favorite pastel lipstick is the one shown above: M.A.C. Girl About TownNeon 

Neon orange nails: CND Electric Orange 

www.mac.com

www.cnd.com

Fancy Whiskey

This weekend's drink recipe is something I don't usually drink, but when you live in Texas you kind of have no choice! It's called a Fancy Whiskey Cocktail and it can be compared to a Manhattan... but fancier!

Here's what you'll need:

• 2 oz blended whiskey
• 1/2 oz superfine sugar
• /2 oz triple sec
• dash of bitters
• lemon twist for garnish

How To Make:

1. Pour the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice cubes.
2. Shake well.
3. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass
4. Garnish with the lemon twist 

You're fancy, huh? 

Congrats Mama!

Credit: Jamie McCarthy/WireImage.com

It's official... the Simpson has exploded! Jessica Simpson gave birth to a baby girl, Maxwell Drew Johnson, this morning in L.A.  This is her first child with fiance Eric Johnson and they are thrilled! Can't wait to see the baby pics! What an appropriate delivery day... Fashion Star tonight at 8:30pm Central on NBC.

Kim's Krazy for Kanye

So I was doing my regular celebrity gossip searching when I came across this picture! On the left is Kim K and her new boyfriend Kanye West wearing matching Jordan sneakers.  On the right you see Kim wearing KW (Kanye West) earings!  What do you think of these looks?

 

DIY: Caviar Couture

I came across this really fun and EASY idea to spice up your nails (perfect for wedding/prom season!).  Super simple, super fun, with super savings!!  When I tell you it's easy, I mean paint your nails like usual, put beads on the desired finger and you're done!

Here's What You'll Need:

• Base Coat
• Nail Polish (I like O.P.I.'s Alpine Snow)
• Small tube of beads (try Michael's Arts and Crafts, or even the Dollar Store!)
• Top Coat

Step 1: Apply base coat to nails and let dry.

Step 2: Apply nail polish color to all nails.

Step 3: Grab your tube of beads and pour a small pile into a small bowl.  Place your finger(s) into the bowl and gently press the beads into your nail polish (this should hold the beads in place and don't worry if they fall off, you can always repeat this step until your entire nail is covered).

Step 4: Apply top coat

Told you that was easy ;)

Pretty In Pastels

Pastels are HUGE this season, so naturally I was on a hunt for some new pieces to pretty up my wardrobe.  I came across the new pastel collection at Aldo Accessories and they are to die!! Here are some of my fav pieces.  Which ones are your favs?

http://www.aldoshoes.com/us/whatsnew/accessories/womens

Celebrate The Little Things

Well said! I'm grabbing mine tonight!

PINK Loves The Blue Jays

Finally! I have been waiting for years for Victoria's Secret PINK to add the Toronto Blue Jays to their MLB Collections.  I love baseball and the Blue Jays are who I grew up watching.  My favs are the white and blue tank and the grey shorts! LET'S GO BLUE JAYS!!

Which Watch?

1.          2.

3.                      4.
5.                          6.

I'm having trouble choosing my next staple watch.  I am still very much in love with my gold MK 5305 watch, but I think it is now time to update for Summer! I am loving this season's trends of pastels and bright colors.  Here are my Top 6 choices... which one's your fav?

1. Burberry Leather Watch with Check Face in light mauve
2. Marc by Marc Jacobs MBM1005 in white
3. Betsey Johnson's Leopard Print Patent Leather Strap BJ 00032-03
4. Coach Boyfriend Rubber Strap Watch Style: w914 in bright blue
5. Kate Spade New York Carousel Bangle Watch in turquiose
6. Marc by Marc Jacobs Puink Leather Strap Watch MBM1203

Get Braided

Can somebody learn how to do this and do it for me... like NOW?!?  Braids are definitely not an every day thing for me, but there are some days where I just get the craving for a funky hair style.  I came across this look on Pininterest and like I said... I want it.... NOW!! Check back for some more funky braided looks perfect for Spring/Summer.

Spring Scents: Michael Kors Suede Perfume

As the seasons change, so does my taste in perfume.  I came across the newest edition to the Michael Kors perfume line. The fragrance is called "Suede" and I'm absolutely in love!!  The scent has a mixture of mandarin, water lilly, jasmine with a bit of musk.  The perfect perfume on those Spring days where you're feeling a little more feisty.  A must-have for me!  What are your favorite spring scents?

DIY: The Matte French Manicure

What You'll Need:

Base Coat
Black Nail Polish (I'm an O.P.I. girl so I use Black Onyx!)
Top Coat
Matte Finish Top Coat
Scotch Tape

Step 1: Apply a base coat on your nails, and wait for it to dry completely.
Step 2: Apply two coats of your black nail polish to the entire nail.
Step 3: Apply a top coat to the entire nail, and wait for it to dry.
Step 4: When nails are completely dry (like totally dry!!) apply scotch tape across the tips of your nails. They won’t fit exactly to your nail, and that won’t matter as long as you put them on slowly and evenly.
Step 5: Apply a thin coat of matte finish on your nails.
Step 6: Wait 5-10 minutes (so nails are pretty much dry), and remove the scotch tape. Let Dry.

Voila! You're done! The great things about this look is that you can experiment with different colors.  A real cool twist on your typical french mani while saving you money!

 

So Vintage

My favorite Vogue cover of all time.  1950's one cigarette two lights.  AMAZING!!

Le Doggie Couture

I'm definitely one of those crazy people you see dressing their little 5 pound morkie (maltese/yorkie) in the cutest little outfits.  I truly believe that some dogs actually enjoy having their own style!  I'm thinking of getting my little guy some new outfits, and came across this great site "Le Doggy Couture".  Here are some of my favorite doggy couture looks...  Which ones are your fav??

http://www.ledoggiecouture.com

New Episode of Fashion Star Tomorrow

 

Can't wait for tomorrow's brand new episode of Fashion Star!! If you haven't already had a chance to watch it... DO IT NOW! The show is hosted by Elle Macpherson and has 3 fashion mentors: Jessica Simpson, Nicole Richie and John Varvatos.  Each week the 14 contestants are given a theme to work and they have to create a look for potential buyers: H&M, Macy's and Saks Fifth Avenue.  But wait, it gets even better!! The pieces that the buyers buy are available to buy online at the end of the show and in stores the next day!! Finally, something you can get your hands on ASAP! The show airs every Tuesday at 8:30pm Central on NBC.

Bikini Godess

Victoria's Secret may be known for their sexy lingerie, but I love their swimwear even more!! I tend to look for the bra tops with most supprt but this bikini has got to be my favorite.  They also have tons of cute one pieces and bikinis on sale! Which one is your fav?

http://www.victoriassecret.com/swimwear/new-arrivals?pageAt=all

Blazers For The Girls

I am a blazer addict! I love how you can pair a nice blazer with skinny jeans, shorts, skirts or dresses and right away you get the look of a career woman ready to take over the world!  I'm OBSESSED with this neon pink blazer by Naven that Kim Kardashian wore recently.  TO DIE!! 
http://www.shopnaven.com/