Vegan Sorels

The weather sure ain't getting warmer and it may be time to trade my converse in for a pair of sensible winter boots. I've bee looking into getting Sorels and their customer service peeps were helpful enough to send me a listing of the boots that contain no animal products: Sorelli Tall Lace, The Sorellington series, and the Tivolli series.

Stella McCartney - New Vegas Store

Stella McCartney has just opened a new, fabulous store in Las Vegas. Check this shizz out!

The 2,900 square foot boutique includes all things Stella, but the most impressive is a crystal horse that hangs from the ceiling. The 8,000 Swarovski crystal sculpture was created by the designer in 2004 and named after her late mother's favorite Appaloosa, Lucky Spot. Someone actually made a short video of the crystal horse.

Norway Bans Fur on the Runway

NY Mag's The Cut is reporting that Norway has become the first country to ban fur from its runways during Oslo Fashion Week, which will be held from February 14 to 20. Amazing! Although, ... the animal lover in me doesn't see a real difference between fur and leather, and we all know leather isn't going anywhere. Even so, one furball saved it better than none!

The City's - Allie Crandall

Yikes, have you guys seen recent photos of Ms. Crandall? The blue dress image is particularly upsetting. I remember Kelly Cutrone asking Allie on the show if she was "OK". Hope she gets well soon. Recently, fashion e-commerce site Revolve took the unusual step of saying "We are working closely with both the model and her agent to get her to a healthier size. She won't be appearing in any of our new product batches or in any of our fashion editorial photos moving forward until the issue is adequately addressed." Read more over at Jezebel.

Kate Moss Might Open a Modelling School

Move over Tyra and Miss J, Miss Moss is thinkin' about opening a modelling school. “I think I could open a modeling school,” Moss told the UK’s Company magazine (as reported by the Telegraph). “In Britain’s Next Top Model they put the contestants through the torture of what modeling can be like. And it honestly can be humiliating.” Wow - she watches Top Model just like the rest of us! I'm in favour of the idea, but only if they make a reality TV show out of it. Otherwise, meh. Either way, this seems like a better idea than her forthcoming jam line, Kate’s Damson Jam.

Best Places to Shop/Dine/See in Boston

I just returned from a pre-Christmas vacation in Boston. It's a great town. Not too big and not too small. The shopping was pretty good. Not as good as NYC or Chicago but still very exciting for a Canadian gal.

Here's my list of must-visit shopping in Boston:
1. Newbury Street
2. Saks Fifth Avenue
3. Copley Place Mall
4. Harvard Square

As for vegan dining, here are the top spots:
1. The Other Side Cafe (amazing place, like a punk rock Cheers)
2. Crema Cafe (great sandwhiches + great coffee)
3. Clear Conscience Cafe (great coffee and comfy couches)

Attractions worth checking out:
1. MFA
2. Boston Bruins game
3. Harvard Museum of Natural History

Chanel Gondola

Merry Christmas everyone! Here's a snap of the colour I chose for my festive manicure: Chanel Gondola. It's a lovely dark berry red with pretty gold and red shimmer.

I got my nails done while on vacation in Boston at MiniLuxe after reading a great review from InStyle magazine. Very happy with the service and the place was immaculately clean. Like surgically clean. Which is what you want to see when trying out a new place in a foreign city.

Chanel Riva Nail Polish

I know, I know... I've been terrible at updating this blog lately, but exams are upon us so I'm back in full gear looking to procrastinate!

Check out this GORGEOUS Chanel polish in a dreamy blue color called Riva that debuted at the 2010-2011 cruise collection show in Saint-Tropez.

Holts at Yorkdale didnt have any yesterday, but I'm hoping I'll have time to hit Holts on Bloor shortly.

All Lacquered Up has a swatch, review and comparison here.

Stella McCartney - For Target Australia

Target has been on the brain a lot lately...

If only this celeb collaboration could have been for Canada instead of Australia. Why do they need fabulous frocks? They're just going to ruin them surfing and wrestling alligators...

Here are some shots from the new collection. You better believe, I'll be hunting eBay for this shizz.


More here and here.

Target coming to Canada

Oh yes friends, Target is coming to Canada!

The mega retailer announced that they plan to open 200 stores in Canada beginning with six to 10 stores in 2014 and 2015, reports the Montreal Gazette. A Target spokesperson said the first location will be in the greater Toronto area.

More here and here.

The Wire Monopoly

How f-ing cool is this? Unfortunately, it's not for sale.

A British comedy publication has created a Monopoly board inspired by David Simon's HBO series “The Wire.”

A satirical article at thepoke.co.uk purports that Hasbro, the toy and game company, has joined forces with Mr. Simon’s series about the wide-reaching tentacles of drugs and corruption in urban Baltimore.

Kitten Heels

The NYT Style section is reporting kitten heels as a trend for fall. As I posted earlier, socks with heels are also a trend. Some brave souls are now rocking socks with kitten heels - as seen on the Marc Jacobs runway (right).

If you (like me) aren't that brave, Harper's Bazaar has a slide show of cute kitten heel options for fall here. And you can wear them sans socks!

Chanel Les Khaki Nail Polish

Chanel has new khaki-inspired nail polishes for fall. The military trend is hot, hot, hot - and this is right on point. It's chanel's fabulous take on the trend.

The three colors will be available starting Sept. 10. I can't wait to try these out at Holts!

Man Dancing in Dufferin Mall No Frills

This has absolutely nothing to do with style, but I had to post! I used to live near the Dufferin Mall and it was always a great source of comedy gold. More here.

Back to School Inspiration from Gossip Girl

I had to post this pic from the set of Gossip Girl. It kinda reminds me of a scene from Clueless. So bright and cheery! I looooove Blake Lively's hipster oxford's but I'm sure they're not vegan. Boo to that. Either way, it's cute inspiration for back to school. More here.

Free MoMA iPhone App

Oh yeah, this is undoubtedly the best news of the week! MoMA has a new iPhone App that allows you to browse over 32,000 works of art. You can also take multimedia tours, or learn about artists and art terms. And, it's all FREE, FREE, FREE! Amazing!

More here.

Mug Shot

Oh man, could this be any funnier? I think this tops the Gino Reda mug I bought last NHL Trade Deadline. I did not think that was possible! You can order the mugs here. Hat tip: Nylon Mag Blog.

Matt by Matt & Nat > Matt & Nat

NY Mag's The Cut is featuring Canada's own Matt & Nat in a post on "Hip Vegan Bags". Well, actually... they are featuring Matt by Matt & Nat, which has been infinitely better than the main Matt & Nat line for the last little while. Not sure what's up with that. Judge for yourself here.

Alice + Olivia Career Collection

Alice + Olivia has come out with a new line called "Career". According to LAT's All the Rage, "The line launches this fall (and is hitting stores now), is for the work-minded lady who may still wear the sparkly, short mini dresses from the Alice +Olivia line at night or on the weekend, but now has job interviews or perhaps even a job to see to during daylight hours."

Career is pretty straightforward – black blazers, pencil skirts, boot-cut pants, white blouses and fitted LBDs, but still with that slightly sexy, frilly vibe Bendet’s designs are known for. There are various pant styles -- skinny, cropped, slight flare, which all come only in black. Blazer styles range from traditional and tailored to military-inspired -- again all in black.

Apparently, Alice + Olivia designer, Stacey Bendet wanted to make sure us career gals didn't have to wear "frumpy brown suits" to work... I've never seen anyone wear a brown suit at my work - or, anywhere for that matter. Even so, that skirt and blazer look on the left is hella cute!

The "High Bun"

All the Rage is saying the "high bun" is going to be big this fall. I think it's a cute look, but it can easily look way too messy... I used to live in a sketchy part of Toronto and the, um, ladies of the night used to sport this look quite often.

The other risk is looking too wedding-ish or too ballerina-ish. The look on the right is probably as high as I would go, but people with a more daring sense of style will probably go higher!

The City's - Allie Crandall

I'm pretty sure the model in this campaign is Allie Crandall from The City. I don't think she looked very good on the show, but she clearly takes a nice picture. Models are weird like that sometimes.

Anyway she's selling a collaboration between designer Brian Lichtenberg and retailer Forever 21. It's a T-shirt line featuring Lichtenberg’s '80s-inspired hipster aesthetic and, of course, his penchant for using his own initials in his designs. I think it's pretty blah.

The Ten Best Fashion Apps

NY Mag's The Cut has a totally awesome and very useful post on the 10 Best Fashion Apps. I don't have an iPhone, but I use my boyfriend's iPhone all the time. You can bet I'll be downloading these!

Here are the highlights:

Chicfeed
This bare-bones app pulls photos from some of the Internet's most respected style blogs, including the Sartorialist, Face Hunter, and Lookbook. Download it here!

Diane Von Furstenberg
DVF's app allows users to shop via a "Looks We Love" section or by thumbing through the collections. Download it here!

Gap StyleMixer
This innovative brand app allows you to mix and match Gap items with pieces already hanging in your closet. Create outfits using uploaded photos or use the "Mixer" to browse Gap products and create head-to-toe new looks. Download it here!

Glamour Ask a Stylist
Wang or Wu? Jeggings or jorts? Dr. Scholl's with socks or without? These are the types of pressing sartorial questions one might bounce off a trusted friend — or one of Glamour's on-call app stylists. A solid bet for the indecisive. Download it here!

iShoes
Scroll through more than 50,000 kicks in the shoe-porn Finder, or search the sea of shoes by style and designer. The app indicates which pairs are on sale and connects you straight to buy-it-now retailers. Download it here!

Lucky at Your Service
This free app uses GPS, e-commerce, and flesh-and-blood staffers to hunt down editor-approved clothing, shoes, accessories, and beauty products.Download it here!

Lustr Fashion Finder
This impressive sales and promo finder shows you exactly what's happening in real time near you, and draws up a list of upcoming events and promotions searchable by distance, neighborhood, and time remaining before sale end. Download it here!

ShopStyle: Mobile
This site's stylish and intuitive spinoff app aggregates clothing and accessories from more than 100 e-commerce sites (Asos, Bluefly, and Neiman Marcus among them). Poke around indiscriminately or filter by category, keyword, brand, store, price, color, size, and sale. Download it here!

Style.com
Instead of downloading a bunch of individual designer apps, peruse this hub of major ready-to-wear and couture collections (including menswear), dating back several years. Download it here!

Stylebook
Like most wardrobe-organizing apps, Stylebook ($3.99) lets you upload photos from your closet, tag and categorize everything you own, plan out what you'll wear in the coming month, and track how many times you've worn each piece.Download it here!

Gossip Girl Nail Polish

Nicole by OPI has a new line of Gossip Girl inspired shades. I think they're kind of... meh. Mostly because the girls of Gossip Girl would never be caught dead in Nicole by OPI. More here.

Introvert's Guide to Schmoozing

Canadian Business has an article on how to succeed as an introvert, when job expectations demand extrovert-type activities. I think everyone feels like an introvert sometimes, so this is super helpful. The biggest advice? Stay true to your nature and use those “quiet ways” to get ahead.

Are you an introvert? Find out here or here.

Vegan Shoes and Bags for Professional Women

Gotta Love Corporette, they've got a fab post on animal-friendly fashions for professional women. Here are some of the companies mentioned: Moo Shoes in NYC, VeganChic, UK-based Neon Collective, Neuaura, Beyond Skin, olsenHaus, and Charmone.

I've found that you actually don't need specialty stores all the time to get vegan goodies. Nine West makes a whole line of gorgeous purses, I wear flats by Soda to work a lot, and both of those brands are available at most malls. Not everything those companies make is vegan though, so you gotta read the labels!

Lady Gaga in Vanity Fair

Lady Gaga has done it again - she's totally re-invented her look for the cover of this month's Vanity Fair. I think it looks 70s-ish with a splash of wizard thrown in.

I once interviewed with a woman who looked like Lady Gaga, or really a lawyerly version of Lady Gaga. I managed to not mention how much I thought she looked like Lady Gaga in the interview. Phew...!

Punk Rock Pearls

New York magazine rounds up some alternative, dare I say... "punk rock" pearls.

I'm in love with this piece by Rachel Roy. Probably not appropriate for Bay Street though...

New Luxury Webstores

The NYT has a piece covering the newest luxury labels to hit the web. Included in their list are Marc Jacobs, Jimmy Choo, Hugo Boss, Vince, Lancôme, St. John, Theory, Kiehl’s, Lilly Pulitzer, Donna Karan and La Perla —better technology and a world-wide economic downturn have created web-believers out of these retailers.

The article has this quote, which is sooo true:
“The classic luxury brand Web site is basically a Flash site with lots of beautiful imagery, but no one ever goes to it.”
Ever tried to visit Chanel online? Don't bother...

Stella McCartney - Lace-covered pumps

I've been online shopping most of today - it's a lot easier than working on our new condo.

Anyway, Net-a-Porter.com just made my week. OMG - Are these new Stella Pumps to die for or what? There goes my "tuition bonus"...

How to Get Over a Mistake at Work

Corporette has a totally useful article on how to recover after a mistake at work. Everyone makes mistakes, but for Type-As mistakes can feel like the worst thing in the world.

This is a big issue for so many successful people — even the Harvard Business Review recently had an article on it.

The basic lesson? The best thing to do is to accept mistakes, learn from them, and move on.

What Courtney Wore Today

Courtney Love new has a style blog. It just started on Tuesday, but there is already 20 pages of content. Amazing!

You better believe that I'll be following this feed.

Wow - Alice + Olivia Designer Stacey Bendet is a fur-wearing Vegan

Alice + Olivia designer Stacey Bendet, who launched M.A.C.'s alice+olivia collection at Beauty Bar, arrived in a head-turning red number topped with a Mongolian Lamb vest, one of her own pieces. The designer admitted to NY Mag's The Cut that she has somewhat mixed feelings about the fur pieces she makes. "I'm vegan, actually," she said. "I don't eat [animals], I don't put meat in my body. So every once in a while I think it's okay to wear it. But I made it — I'm probably going to hell."

Wow, I'm speechless.

Body Language at Work

I read a poker book on body language a few years ago and have been interested in the subject ever since. Forbes Woman has a great post about common body language mistakes people often make at work. Here are some of the more common behaviours we might not be aware we are doing:

--Tilting your head--a sign of listening that can be misinterpreted as one of submission or even flirting.

--Folding your hands on your lap--hiding your hands under a conference table or desk, for example, signals untrustworthiness; a cue from ancient times, when men would reveal their palms to show they were unarmed.

--Crossing your legs--a sign of resistance.

--Excessive smiling--an indication that you lack gravitas and seriousness.

--Folding your arms in front of you--translates to insecurity or defensiveness.

--Playing with or tugging at your hair, jewelry or clothes--can signal distress or, again, be misinterpreted as flirting.

Rise of the 'Zombie Banks'

The Financial Post ran an article called "Central Banks Warned Low Rates May Create 'Zombie Banks'".

Awesome! The article reminded me of a day in first year contract law when a student asked if a contract can ever come back after it has been rescinded. The Professor responded sternly "no, there are no zombie contracts." This prompted one of my friends to say - in their best zombie voice, with arms outstretched - "you promised me braaaaaaaaaaaaaaaains." Hilarity ensued.

Wait, I just googled "zombie bank" in an effort to find a sweet image for this post and discovered "zombie bank" is actually a thing. Investopedia defines zombie bank as "a bank or financial institution with negative net worth. Although zombie banks typically have a net worth below zero, they continue to operate as a result of government backings or bailouts that allow these banks to meet debt obligations and avoid bankruptcy. Zombie banks often have a large amount of nonperforming assets on their balance sheets which make future earnings very unpredictable.

Free WIFI at Startbucks

Big news for those of us who like to study/work at Starbucks. Starting July 1, at over 750 Starbucks locations, the company is offering free unlimited WIFI. That's sweeter than a pumkin spice latte. More here.

Warm Weather Wear

The WSJ has a useful article on how to dress smartly in hot weather. It's pretty straight-forward stuff, but still good to keep in mind. Here are the highlights:

Do:

• Wear a collar (in a shirt or jacket) if you need to convey authority.
• Choose high-quality clothes that will hold up to the work day without wrinkling or stretching.
• Cover all the body parts you'd cover in traditional business attire.
• Use color and pattern to jazz up your summer wardrobe.
• Wear business clothes in summery fabrics—for instance, cotton pants and blazers

Don't:

• Wear shorts to the office.
• Wear halters, flip flops, strapless or spaghetti-string tops or other revealing leisure clothes.
• Wear mules or other shoes that impede graceful movement.
• Wear Capri pants, miniskirts or other clothes you can't bend down in.
• Dress like you're heading for a round of golf or other sport. Unless you are.

Read like a billionaire

For those of you looking for ways to productively spend your summer, check out J.P. Morgan’s summer reading list, which after 11 straight years has come to be known as the billionaires’ book club. More here.

This summer’s books include: On the Brink: Inside the Race to Stop the Collapse of the Global Financial System by Henry M. Paulson, Jr.; Life is What You Make It: Find Your Own Path to Fulfillment by Peter Buffett; The Facebook Effect: The Inside Story of the Company That is Connecting the World by David Kirkpatrick; Written in Water: Messages of Hope for Earth’s Most Precious Resource by Irena Salina; Mark Twain: Man in White by Michael Shelden; BlackBerry: The Inside Story of Research in Motion by Rod McQueen; The Principles of Thai Cookery by Chef McDang; Pops: A Life of Louis Armstrong by Terry Teachout; Henri Cartier-Bresson: The Modern Century by Peter Galassi; Fine Wines: The Best Vintages Since 1900 by Michel Dovaz.

Oh yeah, I haven't read any of these yet. Since we moved, I've been spending every weekend at places like Bed, Bath, and Beyond. Ha!

Snoop Dogg tried to rent Liechtenstein

Oh man, I've always found Liechtenstein hilarious for some reason. The only times it's ever really come up are (1) a case in international law class, (2) when Switzerland accidentally invaded them, and (3) when my friend Jeff told me that he's been there and they have a Hooters.

Naturally, I'm happy to report (4) Snoop Dogg tried to rent the entire country for one of his video shoots. Even funnier, it probably would have worked, if he had just given them enough time.

We're back!

Hi, friends! I've been woefully neglient updating this blog lately. I started my summer job in May and it's been super busy since. I'm really digging the firm, but I also dig this blog so I'm going to try to keep this thing going. :)

Star Trek star Patrick Stewart Knighted

The Borg, everyone's favourite fictional pseudo-race of cybernetic organisms, weren't quick enough to stop thie Queen of England on Wednesday.

Patrick Stewart, the actor who plays Jean-Luc Picard on Star Trek TNG was was knighted at Buckingham Palace. More from the BBC.

Business Lunch Etiquette

I'm re-posting this older corporette.com piece on business lunch etiquette. I've been doing quite a bit of business lunching lately, so I've got the topic on the mind. Here are the highlights - for the full article click here.

1. As soon as everyone at the table is seated, that napkin goes in your lap. If you need to get up at some point, the napkin should be folded and placed on your chair. (Not the table — no one likes to look at a dirty napkin.) At the very end of the meal, when everyone is finished eating, you should fold you napkin and put it beneath your plate, to the left.

2. Your water glass is to your right. Your bread dish is to your left. If you get confused, put your hands in your lap and touch the index finger of your left hand to your left thumb, and do the same with your right — your left hand should form a “b” (for BREAD) and your right hand should form a “d” (for DRINK).

3. If you are the host (or assisting the host, as it with many mid-level people), it’s good manners to make sure things are passed: butter, cream, salt & pepper. Pass the salt & pepper as a unit. Even if someone only asks for salt.

4. If you’re confused about which silverware to use, use the piece of silverware farthest away from the plate. When you’re done eating, the silverware should be laid on the plate diagonally in the upper-righthand corner, to signify to the waiter that you’re done.

5. Pay attention to what other people are ordering. Don’t be the girl on the diet who won’t have an appetizer even though everyone else is. Also, don’t be that jerky guy to order an appetizer even though no one else did, and then sit there smacking your lips about how amazing the bisque is, when no one else GOT the bisque because we all thought it would be a nice, quick lunch.

6. When in doubt, cut your food with fork and knife. Huge piece of lettuce? Cut it. The rule with fries is that if you’re eating the rest of your meal with a knife and fork, fries should also be eaten with the fork. (E.g., steak frites.) If you’re eating the rest of your meal with your hands, however, fries should be eaten with your hands. (E.g., burger.)

7. Here’s the proper way to use a fork and knife. While there are several different ways to hold and use a knife and fork correctly, the most common method used in the United States is as follows:
• When you eat, your fork is held in your right hand, like a pencil. (For all of your lefties out there, the fork is still held in the right hand.) The tines (your prongs on the fork) face up.
• When you cut your food, switch hands. Fork goes in the left hand, knife goes in the right to cut. Using your index finger, point your fork with tines down to pierce your food.
• Switch the fork back in the right hand to eat.

8. Proper etiquette is not always what you might think: olives with pits should be placed in your mouth, and the pit should be removed with your hand and laid on the side of your plate.

9. Blackberries should be kept under the table at all times. You should excuse yourself from the table to use a cell phone.

10. All of the above goes out the window if the most senior person at the table is doing things differently. Unless they’re the adorably-batty-head-of-the-company-in-name-only, follow them.

Jessica Biel Poses for New Mark Townsend

Wow, this picture is H-O-T! I love the blue eye make-up. Hollywood hair-guru Mark Townsend is launching is new beauty site - marktbeauty.com. This picture is the "cover" of the new online magazine. More here.

Candy maker issues chocolate bonds

The CBC has a funny story about how British confectioner Hotel Chocolat hopes to raise the equivalent of $7.3 million by issuing bonds in which the payments are made not in money but in chocolate.

The U.K. chocolatier is taking advantage of low interest rates to fund its expansion plans. Under the scheme, 100,000 of its Tasting Club members — who already pay for home deliveries — will be offered the opportunity to put up between 2,000 and 4,000 British pounds ($3,000 and $6,000 Cdn) for a three-year "chocolate bond." The less expensive bond earns the buyer a delivery of 18 pounds ($27 Cdn) worth of chocolate every two months, the equivalent of a 6.72 per cent yield. A larger investment earns 7.29 per cent, because the same shipment will come monthly.

I look forward to reading their candy-coated prospectus.

Too Many Friends on Facebook?

Last year, the Economist ran an article saying that basically primates can really only have meaningful friendships with 100-200 people maximum, beyond that our brains can't compute.

It appears Facebook thinks the threshold is MUCH higher. According to a recent NYT article, some Facebook high rollers have hit 5,000 friends at which point Zuckerberg et al step in and say "no more."

Wow, the most I`ve ever seen like 1,000 or so from kids who went to camp a lot.

Topshop now in Canada!

Topshop, the ultra-trendy British chain store, has finally arrived in Canada. Topshop, which has 300 stores in the UK and 100 internationally, opens its shop-in-a-shop at Jonathan + Olivia on June 19.

Since opening two years ago, the ultra-cool Jonathan + Olivia has developed a following for its stock of such fashion-insider labels as Alexander Wang, Isabel Marant and Surface To Air. The store is located at Ossington Ave. and Queen St. W. More here.

Viral Nike Ad Is One of the Most-Watched Viral Videos of All Time

The World Cup is around the corner. In anticipation, Nike released this promo. Nike’s three-minute “Write the Future” epic, starring soccer superstars Didier Drogba, Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo, set a new record for most views of a viral video ad in its debut week, according to web video analytics company Visible Measures. The current count for this new video on YouTube is 9.4 million. Wowza! More here.

Toronto is the 16th most Liveable City

Toronto is among four Canadian cities that made the top 25 in the world for quality of living.

The Mercer Quality of Living survey looked at 221 cities and compared how they ranked on factors such as crime, health, education, transportation, recreation, housing and environment. The list is often used by multinational companies to determine appropriate compensation and incentives for executives asked to relocate.

Vancouver shared the fourth spot with Auckland, New Zealand. Ottawa ranked 14th, Toronto placed 16th while Montreal came in at number 21. In case you were wondering, Baghdad remains at the bottom of the quality of life list, at No. 221.

More here.

Protein - Meatless Mondays

Chris Elam at the Huff Post has a great post about just how much protein people consume. Wow, the kids are alright! Turns out that whole "am I getting enough protein?" question really isn't a problem for most people. Here's a run down of the protein content of some common foods. The bottom line? When it comes to protein...we don't need animal protein all the time.

Broccoli -- 4 grams in 1 cup
Brown Rice -- 5 grams in 1 cup
Refried beans -- 7 grams in ½ cup
Soymilk -- 7 grams in 1 cup
Peas -- 8 grams in 1 cup
Tofu -- 11 grams in 5 oz
Oat Bran -- 16 grams in 1 cup
Lentils -- 18 grams in 1 cup
Chickpeas -- 18 grams in 1 cup

Image: A model of a protein from Streptomyces avermitilis, a source of antibiotics. Origami/photo: Robert J. Lang / Talia Chetrit

Money-Saving Tips For Wedding Guests

Wedding season is upon us! With that in mind, Forbes Woman has a video interview with the Editor of The Knot explaining how to save money, while still being a fabulous guest. Very useful information like book your hotels and flights as soon as you get the "save the date" to save money. Also, make sure you "step up" your gifts - the first gift (say, the engagement gift) is smaller than the second (say, the bridal shower), and the actual wedding gift should be the largest.

Law & Order: Bye Bye NYC but Hello Los Angeles

The NYT reports that NBC confirmed on Friday that another cherished New York brand was moving to Los Angeles. The network canceled the original “Law & Order” series after keeping it on the air for 20 years. In its place, NBC is ordering a new drama, “Law & Order: Los Angeles,” moving the franchise to a place where there are presumably more murders to investigate.

I'm still pretty heartbroken about this. I love Law & Order -- I mean, the intro song for the show is the ringtone on my phone. I get some funny looks, but I feel like Dick Wolf deserves at least my ringtone for all the awesomeness that he has spawned. Anyway, I hope that Cyrus Lupo (Jeremy Sisto's character) magically gets transferred to the Law & Order: Los Angeles show.

Nars Lip Glosses

Nars is pairing with Sephora to produce a new line of lip glosses inspired by the brand’s most popular blushes. Five Nars blushes — Albatross, Angelika, Oasis, Super Orgasm, and Luster — will be available in gloss form in Sephora stores starting July 29. I think Oasis looks good. You can bet I'll be buying these when they come out! More here.

Star Wars Pancake Molds

Williams Sonoma has struck inter-galactic gold with these. A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, a Jedi Kitchen Master created an epic breakfast to unleash the power of his Jedi Padawan. Using the Force, he created three pancake molds in honor of his favorite galactic heroes and villains: Yoda, Darth Vader and a stormtrooper. More here.

Tea Submarine

I'm not much of a tea drinker, but if I was, this would be the coolest thing in a while. It's a tiny yellow plastic submarine that's actually a tea strainer. I feel like sound effects would also be necessary when using this goodie. More here.

Food Fight Breaks Out in Ukrainian Parliament

Lowering the Bar picked up a hilarious story about a food fight breaking out in the Ukrainian Parliament. During a recent battle over whether Russia's lease on the naval base at Sevastopol would be extended, opposition lawmakers set off smoke bombs in the chamber and threw eggs at Speaker Volodymyr Lytvyn. Lytvyn took shelter under an umbrella and kept working as the eggs continued to fly.

Sending a Message That You Don’t Care

Christine Pearson writes in the NYT that misusing electronic devices at work can send the wrong message. She and her colleagues and I have gathered data on incivility from more than 9,000 managers and workers across the United States. The verdict?

Chances are that if you ignore your colleagues while jabbering on your cellphone, keep others waiting for an appointment while you check your e-mail or send something electronically that should be delivered in person, some people will see you as inconsiderate.

Makes sense. She advises keeping your own use of electronic devices at a minimum when interacting with others. If you have an urgent need to use one, let others know.

Essie Resort

I don't usually try wild nail polishes, but Essie's latest resort collection might just sway me. Chanel's resort show featured models with blue toes, if Karl says it's "ok" - it must be ok, right?

Lapis of Luxury is a moody, periwinkle blue with a subtle sheen, while Turquoise & Caicos is a light leafy green. My manicurist says people are requesting the green like crazy, but I think I'll try the blue first. What do you think?

Countess LuAnn de Lesseps - New Single

Oh the Countess has struck gold again with this hilarious new song! Last night on Bravo's live show Watch What Happens, Real Housewives' the Countess performed a snippet of her new song (unfinished) "Chic, C'est la Vie," which she describes as "spoken word over a Saint-Tropez beat." Oh man, this is awesomely bad. Click through to Jezebel to watch the video here.