February Wish List!

Tomorrow is the first day of February. What better way to welcome it back with none other than my materialism and greed?! After all, it is known to be the "love" month....and here is a bunch of shit that I love. ;)

Bobbi Brown Beach Body Scrub

That's a lot of B's. Just sayin'. This smells fantastic and the thought of sloughing away all of that Winter skin motivates me and makes me happy.

Nuxe Lip Balm

This has been on my list forever but I always find something else to spend $20 on. After hearing yet another rave review, I think it's time to finally fork it over.

Burberry Bucket Brit Bucket Bag

It's classic. It will never go out of style. Buy it in February, have it for life!

Gap Fit n' Flare Dress

I confess. I put this on my wish list but I couldn't wait and purchased it today. lol

Hey! 35% off AND free shipping?? There's no waiting on that! I plan to wear this to a friend's birthday brunch in May. Weather permitting, of course. 

MAC Lipstick in "Impassioned"

Anyone watch Hart of Dixie, the television show by chance? For those that do, I have an obsession to find the lipstick shades Lemon and AnnaBeth sport all the time. I think I found it!

Tom Ford "Whitney" Sunglasses

I can hear my mother right now....."Vaness. ANOTHER paid of sunglasses??  How many pairs do you need?! Why don't you save your money?!?! It's ridiculous already!"

Yes ma, I need another pair. And if you saw how good they looked on my face, you'd agree!! 

Quick info on the difference between my mother and I:

My mom only needs ONE watch. ONE wallet. ONE anything! Her daughter? Not so much.

Rose and I could never win the lottery and do damage on 5th Avenue like a rich mother and daughter duo would. IIIIIIIII could do hella damage and Rose would yell the whole time.

She says she doesn't know where my need for material things come from.

I blame the internet. :)

Burberry Penrose Wallet

Ya know....to go with the bag! Or any other bag for that matter.....

Tory Burch Caspe High Top Sneaker

Damn Tory! People don't pay this much for Jordans!

Ugh....but they're so cute. And mentally, I've planned like, 10 outfits with these already. 

Nixon Watercolor Watch

I saw it. I loved it. I hated it. I looked at it again.....I LOVE IT!

Perfect for Spring. Very feminine and pretty. Yeah, it's one of those either you love it or hate it items. Took me a minute to decide. 

Raspberry Peach Macaron  Candle by BBW

Smells like a bakery. I love bakeries.

Marc Jacobs "Dot" Perfume

Got a sample of this in the mail and I was ALL about it!!!  I have the "Honey" perfume and that is equally as good. The packaging alone begs to be displayed. Perfect Valentines day too!

Kendra Scott Magenta Sky Earrings

For my love of neon.....

Tretorn Skerry Rain Boots

I just bought the cutest old school yellow rain jacket  (you'll see that in an upcoming blog) and these are just the perfect thing to compliment my  "Rainy day, Paddington Bear Chic" look!

 If you love it too, love on yourself and shop away or pass it on to your significant other as a very strong and annoying hint! Happy Valentines Day to YOU! (And me) xo

Blog Love

Obviously, I'm a new blogger. I have lots to learn and I'm figuring it out step by step and I'd like to highlight some of the fabulous blogs that inspire me to get creative and stay fashionable!

So while you're reading me tonight,  (thank you for that!), why not check these ladies out also.

I love them and I know you're sure too also.

Ain't nothing wrong with a little blog lovin'.

AND Tomorrow is Friday! Boom.

http://makeupbytiffanyd.blogspot.com/

http://www.walkinwonderland.com/

http://www.brooklynblonde.com/

http://www.forallthingslovely.com/

http://cupcakesandcashmere.com/

http://pinkpeonies.com/

http://www.thesweetestthingblog.com/

http://www.thesweetestthingblog.com/

http://seersuckerandsaddles.blogspot.com/

http://kellygolightly.com/

http://www.heartofablonde.com/

http://www.hellofashionblog.com/

http://atlantic-pacific.blogspot.com/

http://stylepantry.com/

http://www.stylemepretty.com/living/

Neon Lips

I am pink obsessed in general. I adore the color in almost anything. Especially when it comes to my makeup. It seems to be the color I gravitate towards mostly. I slowly started trying different shades, becoming more bold in my choices and before I knew it, I was a full fledged neon junkie! Here are my top six go to's:

GET YOURS! LEFT TO RIGHT:

Nars - "Carthage"

MAC sheen supreme - "Zen Rose"

Nars - "Schiap"

YSL - Rouge Pur Couture #"27"

MAC - "Candy "Yum Yum" - my current favorite thanks to my sister in law!

Clinique Chubby Stick-  "Pudgy Peony"

After I conquered my pink lip, I thought....why not other neon colors??  Now I'll delve into reds and my current obsession orange! The brighter, the better. Obviously, you could wear these colors all year long if you wanted to, but I'm gonna hold off on the orange until Spring has sprung.  I just feel a little funny wearing bright orange lips to the movies while still dressing like an Eskimo! I'll hit em' with  *WOW* soon enough! ;)

GET YOURS! LEFT TO RIGHT:

MAC - "Candy "Yum Yum"  

MAC - " Lady Danger" 

(If you don't wanna go "all in" with orange, try this shade. It's a bright red with a hint of orange. Perfect for dabbling....)

MAC - "Morange" - you are fearless!

Can't wait to see everyone's neon lips in the warmer months.....tag me in your pix!

Music Mondays

I hate Mondays. I love Music.  To counter that hate, I figured I'd share some of the music I'm loving with you all and maybe we can give Monday the middle finger together, locked and loaded with a few new tunes! Hope you discover something you enjoy.

Bad Bad Hats - "It Hurts"

Agnes Obel- "Aventine"

Jay-Z & Kanye West - "Who Gon' Stop Me"

Bastille- "Pompeii" 

Coastal Cities - "Holiday" (remix)

Jhene Aiko - "The Worst"

Britney Spears - "Perfume"

Iggy Azalea - "Work"

The Black Keys - "Lonely Boy"

ZZ Ward - "Got It Bad"

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis - "White Walls"

Floating Around The Web.....

How are we all doing with our 2014 resolutions, hopes and dreams? Still going strong? Congratulations! Don't stop kicking ass. Not going so well? Need a little motivation? Guess what.....it's still January. Tomorrow morning you are granted a fresh, clean, brand new start! You've got 11 months *and change* mind you, to do or start anything you wish. Better late than never, right?? 2014 is still yours.... it's glittering and waiting for you. xo

But don't we, though?? Can a girl just get some funds?!

I dream of palm trees, white sand, warm blue water and balmy nights. Soon!

I love this saying so much. I think we are all surrounded by needy, weak, people who feel the need to bring other people down or attempt to make themselves seem so much more than they are by shouting from the rooftops their "successes" but really, all anyone can hear are their raging insecurities. Here's a little advice; how about you shut the f*ck up, work hard in silence for once and let your true success be your noise. Amen to that.

And with that being said, I'm off to watch the rest of the Grammy's and go to bed because tomorrow is Monday. This bee needs that money, honey! 

Have a great week everyone!

Retail Therapy!

I equate Saturdays with sleeping in, going out to eat (on those Saturdays that allow), running errands (you thought I was gonna say running as in jogging right? yeah.....no. You so cray!)  and shopping! I'm at work and going through the usual grind during the week so Saturday is when I like to give my ATM a little exercise! If you're in the market for a purchase this weekend, you might like to check out some of these items just down below! Enjoy your day, sugar plums. xo 

1. Chevron and Ikat Mini Appetizer-Plates. Perfect for my girl's nights.

2. Chrome Garden Stool. I have the perfect little nook for this. I recommend these to everyone no matter how spacious or "quaint" - for a lack of a better word-  your digs are! They come in a variety of colors, designs and prices. Garden stools can be used as a night stand, side table, bunched together as a coffee table, a free standing shelf, a display piece or serve as additional seating.

3. Golden ceramic Golden Ice Cream This reminds me of a ceramic ice cream cone my mom made a long, long time ago. I loved it when I was a kid because it was glossy and brown like a real chocolate ice cream. When I got older, she gave it to me. This one could be a chic long lost cousin. 

4. I adore all things acrylic and these CB2 Barstools are no exception. I plan to put these in my kitchen to transform my picture window (with so much potential!) into a chic breakfast bar. Blog on that to follow this Spring!

5. Grocery Notepad . Super cute.

6. I have this "thing" about new beginnings and variety and I'll apply the two any chance I can. For instance, my bathroom. I have a black and white theme right now but I'm already into Spring in my mind. Spring means new beginnings and brightening things up. In honor of that, I have this Shower Curtain in my closet awaiting its big reveal and I'm gonna need his little brother Bath Rug to complete the look.

7. My walk in closet (the smaller second bedroom in my apartment that I converted into a wardrobe/accessory room....sorry John!.......*actually not sorry* lol) needs a major overhaul. Another project that's at the top of the list in 2014. This Vanity Mirror is vintage and glamorous. How can you not feel like the fairest of them all while gazing into this every day?!

8. My go to tool in the kitchen is the Spatula. It does everything and having only one is just silly. Especially when they come in all of these fun colors. There goes that variety thing we talked about....

9. Ming Boxes. I'd love to see one of these on my coffee table. I'm constantly rearranging.

10. Geometric Pattern Pillows for the couches.

11.  Do I need another set of Glasses? Nope. Do I want them anyway? Yeap. Aren't the etched polka dots just delightful? I love delightful things. They delight me. :)

12. Bodum French Press I happen to have their iced coffee press and its fantastic! This is shiny and gold and contemporary looking and makes strong coffee. I LOVE me some strong coffee. No further explanation needed. AND it comes in chrome. whhhhaaaaaaaattttt?

Happy shopping! 

 

Winter Dinner

Happy Friday Y'all! I don't know about anyone else, but I've had it with this cold. I have a case of the winter blues....and apparently so does my appetite. Wednesday morning, I had a package of ground chicken on my counter thawing. I figured....chicken tacos. By Wednesday night, I was ravenous, freezing and exhausted. The thought of cold, poopy lettuce and soggy tomatoes on a hard shell sprinkled with pathetic chunks of lukewarm meat made my heart and my tummy sad.

 I did what any modern girl strapped with internet access did - PINTEREST! I found a few chicken meatball recipes that inspired me to chuck the tacos back to Mexico and make something warm and more substantial that could hold up to this cold weather while still being  figure-friendly-ish. Yes, friendly-ish. It was either that or Friendly's! And we all know how that goes.....

V.V.'s Fusilli pasta with chicken meatballs 

Now, before you read the recipe below.....here's a disclaimer: 
This ain't Top Chef, this ain't The Food Network....this is Real Housewives of Queens baybeh!
I don't always have exact measurements and a perfectly calculated way of cooking. I do it like my mama did it. You get in the kitchen, master the "eyeball everything" method, taste as you go and let it take a natural course.


The Meatballs
1 package of ground chicken (About 1 lb)
Season the meat with salt, pepper & a sprinkle of Adobo
Approximately 1 cup and a half of seasoned bread crumbs - eyeball it!
1 small yellow onion  - diced
1 egg
Handful of Parmesan cheese
Sprinkle of Parsley- if you have none on hand, it's OK because the breadcrumbs are seasoned.
Sprinkle of garlic powder
Mix it all together with your hands (here's where you wanna take off any jewelry if you're wearing any - I'll be damned if chicken guts are gonna cloud my diamond!)  in a bowl until all your ingredients are fully incorporated.

* Neat little trick my mom taught me - have a small bowl of water next to you when forming your meatballs. Every now and again, wet the palms of your hands with a splash of water; it helps the meat not stick to your hands and you get a nice round ball every time. 
That Rose.....she's the best.

Grab a baking sheet, spray with non-stick spray. I like to use the olive oil flavored Pam.
Take a cookie dough scooper and scoop into medium size little balls. Brush the tops of the meatballs with a drop of olive oil and tomato sauce (I use jar sauce - making my own sauce from scratch is on the bucket list - maybe this Summer?) for a bit of color. Pop them in the oven at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or so.

The Pasta
Boil the fusilli pasta (or any pasta of your choice).
I put salt in for a bit of taste and a drop of olive oil in the water to help the pasta not stick together.
Drain your pasta and place the pasta back in it's original pot. Turn the heat on low, drizzle in some olive oil, fresh garlic, salt, pepper and another sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.
Toss in spinach or kale (I had both so I used both) or cherry tomatoes or mushrooms...any veggie you have on hand that you want to add. Obviously veggies aren't a must. I think it gives the dish a nice bright color and makes your meal healthier.

Plating
My husband often works later hours so half the time I eat on my own while his waits patiently on the stove until he comes home. Whether John and I eat together, or not, I ALWAYS make sure to serve us or myself, prettily. Pretty plates, pretty glassware.....nice presentation. For me, it's important to treat yourself well. I like to surround myself with pretty things. It makes me happy, it lifts my spirits and it's visually appealing. I am also obsessed with housewares and decor so that could be another reason why I have multiple sets of dishes and like to change it up all the time. Currently, I am obsessed with this set  from Crate&Barrel and this is what's front runner in my kitchen right now. It was blush... I HAD to have it.

And there you have it. I curled up on my couch with my DVR and my blanket and went to town.
It was so delicious and filling, I ended up only eating half and taking the other half to work for lunch. It was just what my winter heart had been craving. Take THAT Friendly's!

My Bridal Shower

For the first official post, I thought I would Christen my blog with my bridal shower. As you may have read, I am a newlywed -got married October 3rd, 2013. I had my bridal shower at the end of August and I must say, to my recollection, it was the "prettiest" day of my life. 
No disrespect to the wedding day, naturally! (Hi honey! xo) 

Nothing can compare to looking great and feeling great while surrounded by champagne, confections, your best girls, their best fashions and all those pretty boxes. 
My mom was my matron of honor. She let my Type A / Control Freak personality take over and plan the ENTIRE thing. To her dismay and to my bridesmaids' dismay but they knew it just wasn't going to go any other way. I had a vision that needed to be executed and I was the executor! Mom funded my craziness. (Thanks, ma. Love you!)

It truly was the best day it was the party of my dreams. While it was five months ago, it was very special to me and I'd like to share it with you. The end result? A fashion theme (what else?!) laced with sparkles and my favorite two colors, blush and gray. 

So without further ado, here are some of my favorite shots (taken by my awesome best friend Diana and her fancy-schmancy camera. Thanks girl!) and moments from my special day. 
Hope you enjoy!

Blush and gray napkin bows at each place setting. 

Prop sticks for random posing and "Diamonds" adorned the tables.

Each table was a different name brand. It's been done before, but my original idea

 was nixed last minute. This worked out anyway. AND I took every bag from my private stash. 

I knew those bags would come in handy.....

This was a view of the room. It was a gorgeous restaurant in Brooklyn 

that my friend Michelle put me on to. Very chic, very stylish and up my alley. 

For those who are curious or looking for a great venue with great food: 

Ponte Vecchio Restaurant

8810 4th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11209

We had small acrylic boxes filled with candies, sugar and goodies on all the tables 

for everyone to indulge. Alongside were these adorable cellophane candy bags 

that I personalized to say "Sugar is always in fashion". 

Because.....isn't it?? ;)

I got these bags from For Your Party

Upon arrival, everyone was greeted with a V.V.Bellini.

I ordered these diamond drink markers that doubled as place cards

 from  Etsy.com

Eat. Drink. Be Fabulous.

Also purchased from For Your Party

I loved my dress. I found it at Macy's. Ivory lace peplum.

I scored it at such a great price - I'm embarrassed to divulge the price!

Jessica Simpson nude patent pumps. I kept it classic and simple. 

The real question is....do you wear an occasion dress again??

Can you? Should you?? Please weigh in!

Thanks to Pinterest, I had to engage in the ombre trend.

Because it was the dogs day of August, I decided not to go with a traditional cake

 for dessert. Instead, everyone got to make their own individual ice cream sundaes.

It was different, it was refreshing and it was fun!

I had a mini cake made at a local bakery that I displayed for picture purposes.....

and because I ADORE cake! Hot or not, it ain't a party without cake.....FOR ME! xo

Cheers!

My beautiful friends. 

Gifts galore baybeh! Let me tell you....that was FUN!

Notice the dress form on the table. That is not a prop. That is Elizabeth. 

She is a dress form. (Well, half of her in this picture. She has a pretty wood pedestal base)

She is alive and well and living in my walk in closet as we speak.....er.....type.

The one and only. My mom, Rose. But you can call her Rosie now that we're friends. :)

 My everything. There are no words.

Strike a pose with glitter lips!

More of my beautiful friends.

The hubster to be surprised me with flowers. He's a good boy.

Have you met John? John, world. World, John.

Ummmmm John? How are we going to get all of this home?!

The mama bears and their cubs.

BY COINCIDENCE his mom wore blush and gray. She only found out after

 the purchase of her ensemble what the theme colors would be. It was fate.

The man who changed my life and put me on a path 

 I thought I never wanted until he gave it all to me. xoxo

And because of his last name......V.V. was born!

Outfit change!! It was a fashion themed party and I am a fash addict....

There couldn't be just one outfit, my little honeybees!

Blush pink blazer, gray sequined top and destructed jeans for a relaxed, 

glamorous yet edgy vibe.

My adorable flower girl Casey helped me open all of goodies.

She stole the show, actually.

Today is her mom's birthday, btw. Happy Birthday Jessica! xo

Thanks for making such a cute kid!

a VERY talented and special friend made this for John and I.

My new last name. (My old last name is Medina for anyone who cares)

The Bridal Party

I opted not to do the traditional hat. I hate those.

My bridesmaid Danielle made me a ribbon bouquet instead.

I still have it. It was so pretty.

Hey Suzy girl!

The favors were (the candy & cookies) and these super cute white heart sunglasses

 that I thought were fun and fit my theme beautifully. 

Love, which is the reason we were all there, and fabulousness!

Get yours here: Private Island Party

The End. <3