Pink Elephants on Parade

Ingredients:

    * 1 part white cranberry juice

    * 1 part berry vodka

    * 1/2 part raspberry liqueur (Chambord)

    * 1/2 part Limoncello

Mix all ingredients in a shaker full of ice. Shake well and pour into chilled martini glasses.

Don’t own a shaker? Pick up the Accoutrements Pink Elephant Cocktail Shaker from Amazon.com and get your party started!

The Best Spiked Eggnog

    * 4 parts eggnog (we like Hood Lite)

    * 1 part spiced rum (we like Captain Morgan’s)

Mix eggnog and rum in a glass, top with whipped cream and sprinkle with nutmeg.

For those extra cold days, heat the eggnog before adding the rum-

Not that’s a holiday spirit!

Fashionable Reading, Blow by Blow

The loss of fashion legend Alexander McQueen was an enormous tragedy, but one of the biggest tragedies of his life was the suicide of his muse Isabella Blow in 2007. Now her biography, Isabella Blow: A Life in Fashion by Lauren Goldstein Crowe gives a look back on her life, her passion, and the spark she created that made her a fashion icon.

 

For those who don’t know, Isabella was the key muse for milliner Philip Treacy and designer Alexander McQueen. Great minds could not help but be attracted to her electricity and verve and she prompted them to create their best work. She was eager to wear shocking things long before Lady Gaga, and maintained a wicked sense of humor right up until her passing.

Valentino says of the book, “To tell the story—the times, the impact, the inspiration, the misery, the dreams, the fantasy, the allure of Isabella—you would think you’d need 100 writers; but Lauren Goldstein Crowe has been able to tell us all this in one very good book.”

Isabella Blow: A Life in Fashion is available at Amazon.com

Va-Va-Vinyl

Who doesn’t love a little nod to the past? Vintage posters in our kitchens, vintage dresses in our closets but nothing can take you back quite like a little bit of vinyl. That’s right, vinyl records. The needle drops and sound crackles out of your speakers and it just takes you away. Now I wasn’t from the time when vinyl was king but it doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy a little throwback now and then. When I left home, I took my dad’s collection of original records and his stereo. Now, nothing can get me to groove like Tower of Power or dance like Michael Jackson. Yes, the original Thriller album was part of his collection!

What’s even better is that so many places still sell old records, and for amazing prices too! Goodwill is always the best place to find some forgotten treasures but you can also check out places like Gimme Gimme Records in New York City or Repo Records in Philadelphia. Stores like Best Buy actually sell new record players but you can find some great pieces up on Ebay too.

Throw a record on while you’re cooking dinner or dance off some stress before crashing in front of the TV. Maybe your man will even dance it out with you! No matter what sound is flowing, that vintage vibe will get you every time!

HOT APPLE RUM CIDER

2 qts. unsweetened apple cider

2 tbsp. lemon juice

1 tbsp. caramel

2 sticks cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp. whole cloves

1 1/4 c. dark rum or brandy

Combine ingredients in a large saucepan; cook over medium heat until thoroughly heated, stirring frequently. Reduce heat; simmer 15 minutes. Remove and discard cinnamon sticks and cloves, using a slotted spoon. Stir in rum. Cook over medium heat until thoroughly heated (do not boil). Pour into mugs.

 

Top with whipped cream and garnish with cinnamon, nutmeg or drizzle with caramel.

*Don’t forget the cider doughnuts*

A-Muse-ing Collection

What will I be doing over the holiday breaks? Well I plan to be glued to the screen watching one of my favorite style icons in 7, yes 7, of her amazing movies, of course! If you don’t own it by now, you need to put the Audrey Hepburn Couture Muse Collection on the top of your wish list. 

The Audrey Hepburn Couture Muse Collection- Available at Amazon.com

 Titles included in this limited edition gift set are:

    * Breakfast at Tiffany’s

    * Sabrina

    * War and Peace

    * Roman Holiday

    * Paris When it Sizzles

    * My Fair Lady

    * Funny Face 

This incredible DVD compilation not only houses her most beloved films in a unique collector’s package but for the fashionista in you, comes with 10 designer cards highlighting some of the greatest fashion moments in her career. It is simply a must have!

Protein Packs a Punch

Surely you remember my October article about my new obsession- Boxing!  But what’s the best way to enhance any workout and get you over the plateau? Protein my friends, protein!

Now if you’re like most women, you’re thinking ‘yeah okay if I want to be the size of a moose I’ll drink that stuff’ but not true! Protein is a great way to revitalize your muscles after a tough workout and we all know that if you increase the muscle, you decrease the fat.

Try these 2 easy recipes:

·      Summer is Sweet Shake: Blend vanilla flavored whey protein powder (found at your area GNC). with ice, skim milk, and a little Hershey’s Syrup Lite and you have a calorie conscious chocolate milkshake! 

·      Baby It’s Cold (Running) Outside: Skip the ice and blend vanilla whey protein with apple juice. Don’t even bother making it unless you are going to top it off with some cinnamon-

Mmmmmmmm- protein perfection!

Cheers!

 

Gaga for Gaga!

So recently I was a bad blogger and went on a mini hiatus. I’d like to think I have a good excuse though in that I was using any spare moment of my time to create something FAB!

 

My Gagavision kicked in and led me to create this spunky blazer and broken glass glasses for Gagaween, yes, this year the term ‘Halloween’ was replaced with ‘Gagaween’ and I’m slightly obsessed!

That’s not all though, the obsession spread to my friend Stacy who wanted to get her Gaga on as well. For her I created similar classes, a caplet, and Gaga’s infamous kinky crown from the “Bad Romance” video. We topped it off with blond wigs and our dueling Gaga outfits were homemade Gagaween perfection!

~We let our mermaid friend, Andi, from Tights and Bites in on the festivities too~

 

Rock the Vote, No, Rock the Boat

I was a late bloomer when it came to educating myself about politics and the political process. I used to just get so frustrated with politicians that I abstained from taking any interest in them. In recent years however, I have developed my own sense of political affiliation and I know what platform and agendas I believe in. With today being mid-term elections, I am not out to sway you any which way, I am merely a cautionary voice saying "Think before you vote!" Well maybe I'm shouting a little but it's because I am so passionate about it!

If there is one thing I can say, with the utmost conviction, it's that voting is absolutely nothing to be taken lightly. I have made choices not to vote for certain titles in the past. Yes that's right, in certain arenas I have not voted. It's not because I don't think voting is important, actually it's exactly the opposite. To me, voting is so important, that it is critical to know EXACTLY what and who it is you are voting for. You are choosing someone to represent you and your community. What kind of person am I to choose someone on my, and your, behalf that I don't know enough about and give him a job representing us?!
When I have abstained from voting for positions in the past, it is mainly when I don't agree with both candidates, or it has been because I personally don't know enough about a candidates stance on the issues to make a decision I can live with and that I would want you to live with too.

Personally I have never been one to "vote across party lines"  and I think most people find they don't fit into just one political party. That being said, I also don't believe in voting for "the lesser of 2 evils". This is a notion I have heard many times and that, to me, is not America. I think that because so many veterans have fought to protect our way of life, we can honor them by not allowing ourselves to compromise. We deserve people who will represent us with dignity and represent us and our communities best interests ALWAYS and we should NEVER settle for less. So no matter what you do today, who you vote for, or who you don't vote for, rock the boat a little America!