Show your personality, one charm at a time

Not ready to make a bold statement with your work wardrobe? I found a perfect way to insert your personality into your corporate attire, without being too risky and having the CFO look at you like you're crazy for wearing skinny black pants, five-inch high-heeled booties, a jewel-blue silk t-shirt and boyfriend blazer...

Check out Jami Rodriguez for inexpensive, interesting, yet understated charm necklaces. Yes, Jami can create some outrageous and attention-grabbing accessories, but I am partial to her tiny charm necklaces, some of which incorporate taboo shapes, including skulls and tusks.

Pay tribute to your, ehem, extra-curricular college activities with Jami's Tiny Mushroom Necklace:

Or subtly show your passion for music with her Tiny Boombox Necklace:

What's on your Bucket List?

I don't know about you, but the holiday season always brings forth a boat-load of emotions not felt on a normal, non-November/December day. Not only are these feeling bubbling up and overflowing from my eyeballs, I'll often feel differing emotions at the same time. For example, I can be utterly content as I peer into the decorated windows at Lord and Taylor or Macy's, while feeling completely melancholy, yet excited at the exact. same. time. One minute I am happily decorating my tree, excited as I shop for the perfect Christmas Eve outfit (this year it's a black, wool tulip skirt, and short-sleeved green and black silk shirt with my classy, wedge motorcyclish type black boots), wistful as I remember all of the Christmas Eve dinners we spent with my Poppy who is now deceased, and sad just thinking that I am single during the holiday season for the second year in a row.

So feeling all of this, plus much more, has prompted me to revisit my Bucket List. I mean, I am examining my life via my emotions right now anyway, so why not check out the "Things to do Before I Die" list and see if I can cross off anything.

So here it is. Brie's Bucket List. The things I've done are in black - other ambitions are in white. I know some of these items are not exactly, ummm, I guess the word is moral (i.e. Have an affair), but I think they will all help build character and support my goal of having an interesting life.

So, I ask you, WHAT'S ON YOUR LIST?

Yet another reason I don't eat meat

This fish is fried, yet still alive! I have a pretty strong stomach when it comes to the grotesque, but this almost had me running down the hall to the ladies' room.

Josh Baskin would love this

Would you take the stairs?

How to dress like a guy, but look like a girl

Dude-inspired clothing and accessories for women is definitely hot right now. From boyfriend jeans and military jackets, to stealing a white tee from your main squeeze, all that smells like after shave is gold.

What they (magazine editors and the Rachel Bilson's of the world) do not tell you is that wearing clothing originally designed for men can, in fact, make you look, well, manly. Since we are not all cut from the same paper as Miranda Kerr and Jen Aniston and don't have personal stylists, we can look dowdy in our hip and trendy plaid shirts and converse sneaks.

Here a few tips to help you still look like a sexy woman when dressing like a man:
1. Don't go all man. Wear your boyfriend jeans with sexy pumps or throw on a boyfriend blazer with fitted, low v-neck t-shirt and funky necklace.
2. Yes, this style is lose-fitting. But it's not baggy. You shouldn't look like you are swimming in clothes. If you are, don’t wear the piece or find a great way to fit the clothes to your body. For example, if your man's plaid flannel tee is a large and you're more like a small, roll up the sleeves and throw on a skinny belt, some sexy legging, thigh high, flat, black boots, mascara and shimmery lip gloss. Oh, and don't forget to brush your hair. The look is "hipster chic", not "I need a shower".
3. Be confident about what you're wearing and don't let the look wear you.
4. If you're not sure about the "boyfriend" look, then ease into it. Buy one male-inspired piece at time and, for the love of Michael Kors, don't wear all your dude items at once (see number 1).
5. Follow your fashion instincts. If you think you're going a bit over the top, you probably are.
6. Don't forget to wear some make-up. Wearing your man's clothes isn't an excuse to not touch up your already lovely face. Go ahead and wear pink lip gloss when you're donning the military jacket. And please, (as I said in number 2) don't forget to brush your hair.
7. Accessories will save you from going full on dude. Invest in a great, long necklace, some geode earrings and a big, jade ring - and wear the hell out of them.

This look is all about the balance between masculine and feminine - balance is the operative word. Here are some suggested pieces that I think work deliciously well together:

 

 

Newest Obsession

To those of you who know me, it shouldn’t come as a surprise as I divulge my one kitschy obsession to be owls. Perhaps this fixation with all things hoot-tastic began in 2002, when, while recovering from de-wisdom-teething my mouth, I picked up Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and fell in love with his winged friend, Hedwig. Portrayed in Rowling’s books as undeniably intelligent and as loyal as the family retriever, owls have become designers’ best friend. Their feathery images are slapped on everything from notebook covers (hello Vera Bradley) to mini-dresses (French Connection, you know I’m talking about you). Betsey Johnson has been using the wise owl to inspire her funky jewelry for at least three years; I own a long, gold and black necklace with a large own pendant sporting googley eyes and recently purchased owl earrings from my favorite sample sale website, RueLaLa (thanks Sherry!). Marc Jacobs even created a small purse shaped like these pellet-creating birds. Home designers are also using owl images to inspire some of their designs. From owl-shaped lamps to jewelry trees sporting the outline of an owl, it seems like everyone is wising up and falling in love with these nocturnal birds of prey.

A very noticeable difference

Dear Readers,

When you first met me, more than a year ago, I was different than I am today. Perhaps the most noticeable (besides an extra 5 pounds that have taken up residence in my boobs, face and belly) was the gradual disappearance of bangs.

September 2008: Blonde bangs are going strong


Mid 2009: Slowly disappearing


After much consideration, I have decided that the bangs must return...

October 2009: And they're back!


Thoughts??

Scare of the week

With a diet comprising primarily fruits, vegetables, soymilk, Cheerios, whole wheat bread and hummus, it’s no wonder I like to indulge in candy corn, dark chocolate Hershey Kisses and Tasti-d-lite on occasion. While I beat myself up after devouring a fro-yo, I know that things could worse. A lot worse.

Take, for example, the blog This is Why You’re Fat. Its title and tagline (Where dreams become heart attacks) say it all, and its submissions are simply shocking. Snacking on a Strudel Circus Stack may sound like a delicious way to spend 10 minutes of your day, but just think of what “Nutella and strawberry jam sandwiched between two Toaster Strudel Pastries topped with icing, cherry pie filling, whipped cream, sprinkles and a drizzle of honey” can do to your arteries. That’s right – clog them.


If ordering the Fat Bastard Burger with triple beef, triple bacon, triple cheese and caramelized onions sounds like a dandy idea at first, just remember who it’s named after. Yup, this guy:

Please people, be good to your body and it will be good to you. Next time you see something called The Widowmaker on a menu, for the love of God, keep on browsing. One and a half pounds of ground beef, one package of bacon, one package of Italian sausage, a box of hot pockets, and a half of a package of fried onion strips between two pepperoni pizzas topped with Velveeta cheese and marinara sauce may wind up costing your other half 10 grand in funeral costs.

A Penn State Weekend

I spent my weekend with my sorority sisters at our lovely alma mater, Penn State. One sister flew in from California for the weekend. Another came from Florida. One Pi drove up from a Philadelphia suburb. A Texan flew up and a Connecticutian picked up Cali and I from my apartment in Manhattan. Four of us stayed at my 21-year-old brother's house, a few blocks from campus. Needless to say, insanity ensued when my group of nine met up with my brother and his friends for a weekend of football, debauchery, school spirit, Table Wars at The Phyrst, a giant co-ed sleepover, scary movie night, Pokey Sticks, and tailgating.

Beaver Stadium is one of my favorite places on Earth. Look how beautiful it is:

This picture of tailgaters outside the stadium doesn't do the art of tailgating justice:

Lollipops cure everything - even hangovers and car sickness:

I don't know what I would without these girls. Thanks for an awesome weekend, kids. Miss you all already! You too, brother! WE ARE!

Hello web-world: I'm back in the blog scene

After many months of blogging silence, I have decided to emerge. Liken my re-entrance to the online world to the birth of a vampire, waking up after three days of transformation...

Okay, that sounds crazy. Nothing particularly transformative has happened since May, at least nothing as drastic and vampiric as what I just wrote, but in a way my step back into the bloglight (yes, that is a bad pun on "spotlight") can count as a step in the right direction after months of aimless wandering and borderline bad decisions. This will all be explained in upcoming posts.

In the meantime, I'd like to share with you these amazing sunglasses:


Seeing these glasses prompted me to actually start blogging again...today. I have been storing up post subjects for weeks now, but nothing lit that fire under my Victoria's Secret clad ass like these glasses. They are hipster-chic, yet sophisticated and I fell in love with them.

Further pushing me to share my fashion ideas and New York city adventures were these shoes:


I saw them in a store window while walking up Madison Avenue last night with my dear friend Stephanie (we strolled from Bowery and Houston to my apartment on 88th and First). How someone can love wooden sunglasses AND Swarovski crystal encrusted pumps at the same time, is a mystery to me. And I am the person that loves them both.

Anyway, join me again, dear friends and fellow bloggers, in my search for the perfect outfit, New York City adventures, my future husband, and, in a very big way, myself.

Do you belong in New York City?

I do. For now at least. See my result below or take the quiz yourself to see if you are a true-blue lover of N.Y. to the C-I-T-Y.:

DO YOU BELONG IN NYC?
Yes, but sometimes you wish there were a better option.
You do love New York, and you fit in here better than you have anywhere else. You're committed to the city, and you take advantage of all of its amazing food, culture, nightlife and arts. But you have nagging doubts about this relationship. Spend your whole life here? Not sure about that. Sometimes you wonder about that farm in your fantasies or even just a smaller city. But in reality, you know there's nowhere better.

I know it's been a while...

...and I apologize for my month-long absence and will fill you in on what has transpired since early May, but for now, you have to watch this video. It's been years since Zack Morris has made a new appearance on network television, and I know most of you readers had a crush on either Zack or Slater (or both), so I thought I would share this with you...

Sixth Sense

It's not exactly as stylish as an iPhone, but this device is infinitely more useful...

V.D.I.Friday

Van Damme It's Friday!

Bob and James breakin' it down

For the tap-enthusiasts in us all:

I'm famous!

Okay, I'm not really famous, but I am in the most recent edition of New York Magazine! I went to a photo shoot for New York newbies at Chelsea Piers a few weeks ago. The feature story, called "Arrivals" interviewed 160 people who followed their dream to move to New York - I was one of them. Here is a photograph of the shoot, which was fully of energy, excitement, camaraderie and hope, that I couldn't help but leave feeling recharged and more in love with the city. While there, I spoke with some amazing people. I chatted for nearly an hour with one couple, a music duo who, after traveling the country for 15 years, decided to settle in the East Village. They bought their studio apartment a few months ago and are living amid boxes of records and countless instruments, and they love it. A man named David just finished writing a book about Jewish delis, and Brian thought he was just visiting a friend in Brooklyn for a few days; he has been here for four months. My story isn't as glamorous, but still, I'm living the dream.

CNN breaking news?!?

As a way to stay informed about the world's big news stories, I get CNN Breaking News headlines e-mailed to my work e-mail address. Most headlines fed to my brieann.szatkowski@company-Brie-works-for.com address are journalistically considered "breaking news" and about things that could possibly impact my day as a PR/communications professional. However, occasionally I receive e-mails from CNN and just roll my eyes. For example, here is a "breaking news" headline I received at 2:15 a.m. EDT: Just in case the image's text is too small for your eyes - the headline is "Ashton Kutcher is first to reach 1 million Twitter followers in contest with CNN." I understand the whole "social media breakthrough" that is Twitter, but come on. Is Ashton's milestone really something that should be considered "breaking news?" Because he reached the 1 million mark as part of a contest, does this mean he has really accomplished something noteworthy? Was this contest stupid? Discuss.

And we're officially fans

I love live music. There is nothing that gets me off my ass and on my feet more than a rockin' band, especially if I am familiar with the songs or know one/some of the musicians. While I would not call myself a music snob (I listen to a huge variety of music genres and am an equal opportunity listener), I would also not call myself a "fan" of many bands. I like many bands, but to label myself as a "fan," I have to personally be committed to that band's success, believe in the talent of the members and have a desire to see that band go far. Saying that I am a fan of XYZ band is saying a lot.

With this in mind, I want to officially declare myself a fan of Nine Circles. The Jersey-based band is booking gigs throughout New York and New Jersey, and its calendar is filling up fast.

Last night, Jackie and I headed downtown to Crash Mansion to see our new fave band rock out in the basement venue. After throwing back some shots with bassist Steve Morris, and chatting for a minute with guitarist Tom Spears, Jackie and I assumed our standard position - right next to the stage - and rocked to Nine Circles' tunes. The band's next album comes out on May 19.

The guys:


The girls:


And me:

Free panini night

Last night, Jackie and I spent a delightful hour at Vero, a restaurant and wine bar on 53rd Street at Second Avenue. A few weeks ago we learned that every Monday night, Vero will feed you for free if you order a cocktail, beer or glass of wine! Always in the mood for wine and desperate for a free meal, Jackie and I followed our source (Shecky's) to the popular midtown bar and were pleasantly surprised. Vero is a cross between an intimate bar and hoppin' restaurant. The clientele reminded us of, well, us - middle class, young New Yorkers. Jackie's "Sexy Sangria" and my glass of Shiraz were delicious and moderately priced ($11 each), but as we were each awarded a free panini with our beverage purchase, we were more than happy to part with less than $15 (including tax and tip). Our pressed sandwiches provided the perfect balance between bread, cheese, vegetables and (in Jackie's case) meat; and they tasted like more.

Another instance of spontaneous dancing

Did you know?

David, from The Geek Whisperer, posted a video that Jackie sent around via e-mail yesterday afternoon. I have seen similar videos before and they always seem to surprise and excite me. Check it out here...

Newest obsession

For us city girls, running from the subway to Starbucks to work to lunch to the gym in what seems like a monsoon is commonplace and something with which we must quickly learn to deal. While tiny, fashionable umbrellas are easy to find and a staple in most young women's totes and hobos, galoshes, even the Burberry and Coach designs, are still monstrous, hard to carry and leave something to be desired. But Shuella is making unglamorous and bulky galoshes something of the past. This company makes thin, waterproof galoshes that slip over your shoes to keep this season's Prada wedge safe from rain and subway scum.

Visit http://www.shuella.com to purchase a pair of these inexpensive (they are currently on sale for $35) and compact shoe umbrellas.

Newest obsession

How unbelievably awesome are these tights? They are not quite fishnets and not quite tights. I got them on sale for $10 at www.urbanoutfitters.com and paired them with a red shift dress, black vest and long chain necklace.

Real Housewives of NJ??

Thanks to a tip from my friend Laur, I found out that the next season of the addictive and trashy (hellooo Real Housewives of Atlanta) reality show series "The Real Housewives of..." on Bravo is set in... NEW JERSEY! I am so excited for the premiere, which occurs on Tuesday May 12 at 11 PM ET. There is a special sneak peak on Tuesday April 7 at 11 PM ET. The description cracks me up... "The hair is big, but the drama is bigger in the newest installment of the "Real Housewives" franchise, The Real Housewives of New Jersey."

For me, the Real Housewives of Orange County is and always will be the best. The New York season is ok so far. The Countess Luann is pretty entertaining with her high-and-mighty routine. The Atlanta season was like a joke. Kim and all the other ladies were so pitiful, even in comparison to the other seasons which display materialism and pettiness at their best. I watch the marathons while at the gym and I am so excited to see my home state in all its glory!

A bad week: Natasha Richardson still in critical condition

Can you believe that Natasha Richardson might die? While her medical status has yet to be confirmed, reports are surfacing that Ms. Richardson is brain dead from a seemingly minor ski accident where she appeared fine immediately after falling. She is currently in Lenox Hill Hospital (which is directly across from my UES subway stop at 77th Street and Lexington Avenue). I hope she pulls through, but the more I read, the less hopeful I am.

Update: Ms. Richardson died this evening in Manhattan. Her tragic death was a huge shock for friends and family.

A tribute to Fred

Hayley and I go way back. So far back, actually, that I think Hayley has spent about 12 hours of her life not knowing me. She was born two years and 10 days after I was, and, as my parents were best friends with her parents, I met her before she even turned one-day-old. Hayley and I grew up next door to each other and were best friends from the moment we met. And when her mother and my mother gave birth to boys only six weeks apart, Tyler is Hayley’s little bro and Brett is mine, we were thrilled to add them to our ever growing mob of upper-High Bridge children.

In the 1980's, Hayley’s Nana and Papa (High Bridgeans Jackie and Steve) opened an ice cream parlor, which was later expanded into a diner-like restaurant, in our tiny town about two miles from our homes. I can’t remember NOT eating ice cream from Gronsky’s Milkhouse. As soon as we each turned 14, Hayley and I began working at the Milkhouse. As official Gronsky Girls, we scooped hundreds of ice cream cones for little league ball-players from the ball parks down the street, families of four and families of 10, local teenage hooligans and even a Madonna-look-alike.

Additionally, when we entered high school, we waitressed in the restaurant every Sunday morning. Each week, we alternated being “head waitress,” who would have to come in at 6:00 a.m., and “assistant waitress,” who arrived an hour and half later. Every Sunday morning, she or I would arrive at the Milkhouse at 6:00 a.m. to find her Nana and Papa already there, warming up the grill, making the first batches of coffee, organizing newspapers and cooking the famous Gronsky home fries. And Every Sunday morning, when we pushed the squeaky door open, Hayley and I would see Fred the truck driver/meat man/bus driver sitting at the end of the counter with baseball cap on his head and a mug of hot coffee in between his hands. Fred was an awesome guy and was one of the few older men we actually liked. He would chat with us all morning as we put out milk for coffee, refilled the sugar packets and helped Jackie cook before the cook, her son Todd, took his place behind the griddle. Fred always remembered what you talked about the week before and would follow up on our stories and tales of being high schoolers and, later on, college students. He was an early morning fixture in the Milkhouse and both Hayley and I found comfort in his presence and the easy conversations we held. Fred was also one of the only Gronsky’s Milkhouse patrons to never mix up me and Hayley (apparently, we look like twins) so he got extra respect from us.

Fred died early this morning. He had a heart attack while driving a dump truck and crashed into the side of a building in Flemington, N.J. Needless to say, Gronsky patrons are mourning his death, as are Hayley and I. Actually, we are more than a little upset. He will be missed, especially by his fellow Gronsky customers and employees. Rest in peace, Fred.

Rest in Peace

This morning I got some very sad news. One of my favorite customers at my family's restaurant, Gronsky's Milkhouse, passed away his morning. He had a heart attack while driving a dump truck and crashed. I just saw him this Sunday when I was in New Jersey visitng my family. We all called him Fred the Meat Man because, well, he sold meat. It is not an overly imaginative name, but we give little nicknames to people because we often do not recognize or remember last names and its so much easier to subscribe descriptive monikers. Anyway, Fred was such a nice man. He would always ask about everything going on in my life and he would be so happy about everyones accomplishments. I will miss him a lot and will be dissapointed that he will not be there when I return home.

In other sad news (sorry to be such a downer today - I will try to post something fun later), my uncle Todd's beloved dog Winston passed away a couple of weeks ago. He was a very loving, friendly, and cute dog. His friend Bradford, who is pictured in the photo below with Winston (with the dark brown fur), misses him alot. I hope everyone else's day is not as depressing!

Summer pressures = healthy improvements

In exactly two months, Jackie and I will be rappelling down waterfalls, scaling up a volcano and kayaking through mangroves in beautiful Costa Rica. And month after our Costa Rican adventure, we will be sunning ourselves like iguanas on rocks in the Hamptons. These summer activities are synonymous with skimpy clothes and bathing suits, which is enough of a motivating factor for any woman to want to lose a few pounds.


It is with this in mind that I registered for Self Magazine's 2009 Self Challenge. This program allows you to track your eating habits and workouts online for free. There are also tools and resources to help you lose those L-Bs and tighten those abs and gluts. While my vegetarian and active lifestyle is generally very healthy, I've recently accumulated a few extra pounds on my 5' 3" frame and would love to get rid of them ASAP. The food and exercise logs are key for me as they allow myself to really examine what I eat and how efficient my activities are in burning those kcals. I've only been enrolled in the Self Challenge for a week, and I am already making minor changes to my lifestyle. For example, I have recently added more strength training to my workouts and I have started eating more during the day and less in the evening. I'll keep you updated on my progress and will let you know when (positive thinking here!) I reach my goal (drop a dress size/lose 5-7 pounds).

Marc Jacobs bags rock my world

A yeah, like the cheese reader forwarded me a link to this divine Marc by Marc Jacobs bag! The color is perfect for spring and summer and the adjustable strap lets you change your look quickly and easily. You can get this bag, and many other gorgeous Marc bags, at luxury department stores, think Neiman Marcus, Barney's and Saks, or Marc Jacobs retail stores.

P.S. Keep the links and fashion suggestions coming!

Britney's Circus

Last night, Hayley and I (with my mother and her uncle) attended the Britney concert at the Prudential Center in Newark. The show was, in a word, AWESOME! Britney looked fantastic, her dance moves were classic Britney, as were her costumes. It took her a few songs to get used to being on stage - she looked and acted very nervous in the beginning - but she quickly became comfortable and really got into the show. My mom took a lot of video and here are a few for your viewing pleasure...

Perez Hilton filmed an introduction, which played before Britney's first song, "Circus:"


Britney getting "In the Zone:"


One of my favorite songs, "Everytime:"


"Slave for You" was so hot:


And she closed with "Womanizer:"


Thanks, mom, for taking so many great videos!

The concert was worth every penny of the $500 my mom and I paid for tickets! And if you think that was a lot, the girl sitting next to me flew all the way from Melbourne, Australia just to attend the concert! Crazy? Maybe a bit extreme, but I'd probably do the same thing.

She Rocks

A new favorite!

I'm moving to California!

Okay, so I'm not, really, moving to California. However, after reading this article, I am tempted to pick up and move to, what I think is, the nation's strangest state.

Democratic State Assembly member Tom Ammiano thinks mariguana could be the answer to California's economic misery. According to the article, "Can Marijuana Help Rescue California's Economy?," Ammiano introduced legislation that would legalize pot and allow the state to regulate and tax its sale. Pot is California's biggest cash crop, responsible for $14 billion in annual sales. The state's tax collectors estimate the bill would bring in about $1.3 billion in revenue each year.

Will marijuana actually be legalized in California? I highly doubt it will happen this time around. But one can only hope. That state is a financial disaster.

Jersey and music and shopping, oh my!

This week has been full of events we just couldn’t seem to say “No” to.

Let’s start with Saturday…
Hoboken’s official St. Patty’s Day parade and bar crawl. We met up with a couple of Jackie’s high school friends and roamed around the streets of Hoboken before deciding to pay the ridiculous $20 cover charge for Hennessy’s Public House, an Irish bar near the PATH train station. We danced around for about an hour, bought a $6 Bud Light (in a green bottle, of course), and caught a free t-shirt some ancient bartender threw into the crowd. When you do the calculation, we really each paid $26 for ONE beer. Yea, I know, it’s pretty silly—but we had to experience a Hoboken bar during the city’s annual St. Patrick’s Day celebration.

After finishing our overpriced beer, we went a few parties along Washington Street, Hoboken’s main drag. At one party, where we met up with Brie’s friend from grad school, we hung out on the balcony that overlooked Washington, hooted and hollered at some bag pipers and got them to serenade us with their Irish tunes. Not only did they put on an impromptu performance for those of us on the balcony and 800 block of Washington, but, per our request, they entered the party (at which we only knew two people, who didn’t even live there), formed a circle in the living room and played for the entire party!

Furthermore, we were probably the only two people in all of Hoboken who stayed sober that day. We walked around, enjoyed the 60 degree weather, had lunch at Pita Grill (which we highly recommend) did a little shopping, and ate some delicious Tasti D-lite (with rainbow sprinkles of course!). Yes, we were berated by some of our friends for not pounding down the lager, but it was worth it to remain in a sober state.

Because of the drunk antics of 99.9% of Hoboken’s crowd this “St. Patty’s Day,” next year’s parade/festivities might be cancelled. Supposedly, a girl and a guy were having sex in a window as the parade went by and some jerk spit in a fireman’s face! That’s classy Hobokenites. However, we had quite the time experiencing Hoboken sober and chatting about the ridiculousness which occurred all around us.

And Sunday:
David (the Geek Whisperer) and the two of us spent a lovely Sunday afternoon wandering around Midtown and planning for our upcoming trip to Costa Rica. We munched on fruit and David sipped on a chocolate shake from the Shake Shack, while spreading out our Costa information in Madison Square Park and chatting about our possible itinerary. That evening, the three of us met up with Dan, someone Jackie knows from high school, for a diner dinner before heading to a Southside Johnny concert at B.B. King Blues Club & Grill.
The show was ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. David said that it was the most fun at a concert he ever had and we might have to agree! The two of us are used to being the only peeps rocking out and dancing around during live musical performances, but this wasn’t the case at B.B. Kings. The dance floor was filled with Southside Johnny lovers, all of them dancing and singing along to his awesome tunes. We were, by far, the youngest people there (most of the other concert goers were old enough to be our parents and grandparents), but we didn’t feel like we stood out at all.

The performance was killer, but the encore was even better! Steven Van Zandt (Little Steven) of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band (and founding member of the Asbury Jukes in the mid-70’s) joined Johnny on stage and the two had an impromptu jam sesh. Johnny has an amazing stage presence and really engages the audience, often taking requests and chatting with fans in between songs.

We should also mention that B.B. King Blues Club & Grill is a superb venue. It’s small and intimate with great acoustics and a rad line-up of performances, including a weekly Saturday “Beatles Brunch” which we are dying to attend!

Can’t forget about Wednesday’s Girls Night Out:
On Wednesday night, we left our (non-existent) boys at home to attend Shecky’s Girls Night Out, a giant sample sale with nearly 100 vendors! It was heaven. The tickets are free to www.sheckys.com visitors, or you can pay $30 and get a goodie bag filled with $100 worth of swag. Needless to say, we obviously had to get the goodie bag!

We spent nearly four hours wandering around Terminal Shops, visiting vendors, sipping on free cocktails, snacking on chocolate fondue, and rummaging through unique jewelry and clothes. We spent a bit of money (we are two girls who love fashion), but we got some killer jewelry, dresses (never anything we can wear to work—we are also two girls who love to play!), and unique Indian tunics (incredibly beautiful!). Below are pictures of some of the amazing things we purchased and links to the websites.
Get this dress, and many others, at www.vfishdesigns.com.
More Indian tunics for sale at www.lishkarausa.com. They will fit each piece to your body, and, if you are in the NYC-area, will hand deliver to your home.

XOXOXO,
Jackie and Brie

Sad news

Just kidding! There is nothing sad about tonight's BRITNEY CONCERT!

If U Seek Amy

NEW video from Britney! Her new controversial song now has a new controversial video! Can't wait to see her TOMORROW.

P.S. Will be posting more soon. Have been extremely busy with school/work/job searching.

Newest obsessions

I just received the ultimate compliment. A co-worker came up to me and simply said, "I want your closet. Can I visit you and just look at your clothes and shoes?" Today is a great day.

Just in case you are interested, some of my newest purchases include the following lovely pieces from Urban Outfitters:

The Mexican army is not a'head' of the drug game

Five human heads were found yesterday in ice chests left beside a road near Guadalajara, Mexico. They appear to be the latest indication of drug cartels fighting for supremacy in the Central Mexican state of Jalisco.
To make matters worse, the Mexican army, which has taken a lead role in attempting to thwart narcotraffickers, is hurting; nearly 150,000 soldiers have deserted the army in the last six years. The deserters left their post in search of higher paid jobs.

Why can't we all just get along?

50 YEARS OF RESISTANCE 1959-2009

While wondering the streets of NYC during my extremely late lunch break today, I happened to walk through hundreds of pro-Tibetan protesters. With slogans such as “U-N-O we want justice, “Tibet 50 years of resistance,” “China out of Tibet now!” ringing loud in the air, the protesters marched through the city streets, a majority wearing t-shirts saying “Tibet 50 years of occupations, genocide, agony” and carrying Tibetan flags. A majority among them began a fast for 50 hours, 50 minutes and 50 seconds to mark the completion of a half-century of the Tibetan uprising against China.

Today, March 10, marks the 50th anniversary of the Tibetan Uprising of 1959, which sent the His Holiness the Dalai Lama into exile. It also marks one year since protests swept across the Tibetan plateau in 2008, prompting a brutal crackdown.

Tibet was an ancient country with unique culture, history, and identity when it was invaded by the People’s Liberation Army half a century ago. Tibet has changed dramatically since. The invasion not only claimed more than 86,000 lives, cost its people the freedom to practice their culture, religion, and language, but has also seen Tibetan culture eradicated completely.

In September 2006, my alma mater hosted His Holiness himself as part of the Distinguished Speakers Series. UB designated one full day as a “special day of learning” and regular classes were suspended, allowing students and faculty to participate in learning opportunities and take advantage of the free tickets to his speech. As a focus for his visit, he chose the theme “Promoting peace across boarders through education,” which has been one of his own personal missions in life. The Dalai Lama had an unmistakable aura about him, an impression one gets of great serenity and good will. He is also utterly simple, a man of great warmth, and good humor—I must say His Holiness is quite the funny man (with a great laugh).

The Dalai Lama has devoted his life to the defense of human rights and the promotion of peace and mutual understanding among the peoples and counties of the world. He travels extensively, seeking to advance the causes of peace, human rights, and religious understanding.

In a statement made today, the Holiness himself stated, “Our aspiration that all Tibetans be brought under a single autonomous administration is in keeping with the very objective of the principle of national regional autonomy. It also fulfils the fundamental requirements of the Tibetan and Chinese peoples.”

He also stated, "I always say that we should hope for the best, and prepare for the worst. Whether we look at it from the global perspective or in the context of events in China, there are reasons for us to hope for a quick resolution of the issue of Tibet. However, we must also prepare ourselves in case the Tibetan struggle goes on for a long time. For this, we must focus primarily on the education of our children and the nurturing of professionals in vatious fiends. We should also raise awareness about the environments and health, and improve understanding and practice of non-violent methods among the general Tibetan population."

I applaud His Holiness for his culmination of an effort over years to reduce the ignorance and intolerance that divide nations and people.

Boat made of plastic bottles

You would have to be crazy to want to sail a catamaran across the Pacific Ocean. But that is exactly what adventurer and environmental activist, David de Rothschild, is going to do in April...and in a boat made of recycled plastic bottles. Except for the metal masts, everything on the 60-foot vessel is made from recycled plastic. The boat, named the Plastiki, is expected to leave from San Francisco, stop in Hawaii, Tuvalu and Fiji and finally dock in Sydney more than 100 after leaving the U.S.

The Michael Kors bag that saved my life

Isn't this Rebecca Minkoff oversized clutch just about the most beautiful thing you have ever seen? And it has a chain strap which you can use if you're tired of clutching the clutch. I'm in love.

Also, I am seriously beginning to think that I need to:
a) Win the lottery
b) Get a higher paid job
c) Move to a borough where the rents are cheaper
d) Marry/Find a rich man to subsidize my serious addiction to expensive handbags. Did you see that in my previous post I did not include a handbag in my bargain look? That's because I'm a handbag snob. I rarely buy cheap bags, it's just my thing. Cheap shoes...bring them on! Inexpensive jewelry...I don't even want a natural diamond engagment ring, bring on the lab-created rock. Bargain accessories...that's what street vendors are for. But cheap handbags...well, they make me so sad.

Let me tell you a little story...

Last year, around this time, I was broke. I was attending graduate school full-time and was paid a living stipend, which, frankly, was not nearly enough to keep me outfitted in that year's trends. With some strict budgeting, I was just about able to keep myself from drowning in debt. Near the end of the winter, I saw this beautiful Michael Kors bag in Marshalls. I wanted that bag more than anything in the entire world. I couldn't sleep at night because I spent hours trying to find a way to buy this bag.

I told my dearest mother about the new love of my life and we visited it one day. I picked it off the shelf and just carried it around the store for hours until I had to place it back in its temporary home. The next day, my mother called me and said she had a surprise. I just knew it was that bag, I just knew it! But it wasn't. It was some ugly, black, functional, fake-leather bag that was a fraction of the cost. I cried non-stop all weekend. My boyfriend at the time (who I lived with) and my work friends thought I was crazy, but, you see, it wasn't just about not having that bag. It was what that bag represented. The ugly, black, functional, fake-leather bag was about settling for something less than ideal, something I didn't really want. I carried the ugly, black, functional, fake-leather bag for a week. It was the worst week of my life. I felt defeated and ugly, just like that stupid bag. My mood was the bleakest it had ever been, and I seriously contemplated lying down on the NJ Transit train tracks, or at least throwing the bag in front of a moving train.

My lovely mother picked up on my dwindling will to live and bought me the Michael Kors tote a few weeks later. I had never been so happy in my entire life.

Fashion and Wal-Mart do mix

If you read any popular newspapers (or their corresponding websites) I'm sure you know by now that retail sales are sliding for stores across the country, everywhere but at Wal-Mart. I have been boycotting Wal-Mart for the best few years, mostly because I hate the retail giant for being awful to its employees and the world community in general. However, just because I'm not a Wal-Mart shopper, doesn't mean I can't do some research to benefit those of you in search for inexpensive, yet stylish clothes and accessories. Yes, Wal-Mart does have some pretty decent options for the budget-consious fashionistas out there. I mean, if it's good enough for Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen (who have a children's clothing and accessories line here), the it's good enough for all of you! Here's a look I threw together quickly, to illustrate Wal-Mart's possibilities.



Cute, right? And you can get all this for less than $100! Just because we are all anxious about the economy, doesn't mean our style has to suffer. Just be on the lookout for deals elsewhere and be creative with what shoes you pair with what dress. Now's the time to take some chances and mix it up.