Are you in denial about the season change?

I sure as heck am. I looked on Weather.com this morning, and even though it said the temps would be in the mid-50s, I chose to wear this:

As soon as I stepped out the door, I instantly regretted my outfit choice. There was not one person that was dressed like me. Not one. Everyone else was at least wearing pants and long-sleeve shirts or long(er) skirts with jean jackets. And I'm not just being paranoid here, but I'm pretty sure everyone in Manhattan noticed how underdressed for the weather I was. It's crazy how I could walk down the street with a purple mohawk and no one would bat an eyelash—but wear a short dress and sandals in the middle of fall and everyone's head is turning.  My American Apparel shirt dress looked a lot more like a shirt than a dress, so I really can't say I blame anyone for staring.

And if this neon toenail polish isn't a sign of season-change denial, I don't know what is. Besides the fact that I was freezing, the other thing that really sucked is that my short hemline was an open invitation for construction workers and random dudes to hollar at a sister. No thank you.

 

On the bright side, it was better than the time I got hit on for the sweatshirt I was wearing. Click here to see that story.

And, the dress I'm wearing is the American Apparel dress I grabbed, but then put back on the rack earlier this summer. Read about my shopping money meltdown here.

Who else is in denial about the dropping temps? How are you coping? Ahhh, I'm not ready to bust out the winter clothes yet!!!

Are you a vintage store shopper?

Whenever I compliment a friend on something she's wearing, and she tells me it's vintage, I just want to scream. I almost never find cool, one-of-a-kind pieces. Well, I also don't really try (I hate to shop), but that's besides the point. Last weekend I stopped by my friend, Lauren's, vintage boutique called Library in Charleston, SC.

Lauren told me that the reason she opened the store is because she's tired of wearing the same things as everyone else. I feel ya, sister! Lauren had the coolest displays, but sadly, I don't think my pathetic photography skills did them justice. (So just imagine everything you see being five times better!)I was immediately drawn to this rack of bright-colored dresses. There's no reason to look drab this fall--color is IN! It wasn't long before I found my favorite, I-want-to-buy-this-NOW dress.

This dress is simple, but very me. Plus, I love the vintage feel, and how you could wear it many different ways, dressed up or down.

I really liked the boots too, and we know from the post below that I need a new pair. However, we also know how sad my bank account is at the moment, so new boots are on hold for now.

Aren't these blue peep-toe shoes adorable? Lauren said she travels all over from New York to Arizona to find her pieces. What a fun job!

Click here to find out more about Library.

Tell me: Are you a vintage store shopper? Do you have the patience to scour rack after rack to find the perfect pieces? It's hard work, but worth it!

What do you wear to work?

For the past few months, I wore oversize T-shirts and mesh shorts to work because my "office" was only ten feet from my bedroom. So yesterday I was pretty pumped to put on real clothes and makeup and do my hair. (Well, I still didn't quite do my hair. I desperately need a haircut!)

It's pretty cool that I work in an industry that encourages--well, pretty much requires--me to wear clothes to work that reflect my own personal style. Wearing a suit is a no no, even for a job interview. I had fun selecting my outfit yesterday, but I have a feeling that excitement will fade by the end of the week. It's nice that I don't have to buy totally separate work clothes and going-out clothes, but it also kinda stinks because then my going-out clothes don't feel as special.

In this pic, I'm wearing:

-Tee: American Apparel
-Skirt: Zara
-Boots: Marc by Marc Jacobs (I've been wearing them in the fall/winter like crazy for the past 3 years, and the heels are about to fall off. I need to get them fixed!)
-Scarf: It was a present (Becca, where did you get it?)

I wasn't prepared for the cooler weather yesterday, so I threw on that dingy zip-up jacket because it happened to be in my purse. I so need a fitted denim jacket for fall! I know as the temps keep dropping, I'll wish I could work in my bed, under my cozy sheets like I did this one time. Ahh, that was nice.

So tell me: What do you wear to work? Do you wish you could wear something else??

What motivates you to work out?

I was just assigned a project for Glamour.com to gather quotes from women about what motivates them to workout, and it got me thinking about what my answer to the question would be.

The drive I have to be the best version of myself is the main thing that motivates me to workout. Whether it's with my body or career goals, I'm constantly striving to be better. I think this inner-competitiveness is healthy (who wants to be complacent?), but sometimes I know that I am a bit too hard on myself, especially when I start comparing myself to other women. So, I suppose it is vanity that motivates me, as embarrassing as it is to admit.

However, it's not just vanity. I have been working out for as long as I can remember (two swim practices a day starting at age 11), so I think I would just feel weird if I wasn't working out on a regular basis. Going for a nice run or spinning class in the morning starts my day off right. If I go more than a few days without exercising (which never happens unless I'm on vacation), my body just feels out of whack and lethargic.

Now that I'm working in an office five days a week, blogging and doing outside freelance work, I need to reorganize my routine so that I still make time to work out. I had planned to at least do my Physique57 video before work this am, but I had some emails to write and blogging to finish up, so it didn't quite happen. I did 3 sets of 10 pushups before I hopped in the shower, but after the way I ate in Charleston over the weekend, I don't think that's gonna cut it. I suppose I'll have to hit up the gym after work!

If you want to share what motivates YOU for my Glamour project, please feel free to write me at firednfab@gmail.com by tomorrow at 6pm. I'd love to hear from you!

I got a full-time/part-time job!!!

Ok, that sounds confusing. I scored a one-month gig at the wedding magazine, The Knot, to help on a research project. It's a full-time/part-time job because I'll be in the office five days a week. This is going to be a HUGE change from working all alone in my apartment day in day out. I think I'm gonna like it!! I won't be reporting or writing, but I'm excited for this opportunity to meet new people, and of course, make a little money. By the end of the project, I should be able to tell you all the best wedding vendors in your area!

The Knot has an awesome website. Check it out here.

And I'm surprised I haven't asked this before, but tell me: What are your favorite magazines to read?

Do you have a lot of guy friends?

I'm back from Charleston! I had an absolute blast, and plan to post more about the amazing weekend and wedding later, but today I wanted to talk about guy friends. In Charleston, I spent time with some guy friends I hadn't seen in a while, and it really made me wish I had close guy pals here in NYC. All of the guy friends are either: a.) From high school b.) My friends' husbands.

As you get older, it becomes harder and harder to make new guy friends—at least, that has been my experience. It makes me kind of sad because I grew up with lots of guy friends, and always had my brother's friends hanging around the house. It was so much fun. The type of camaraderie you get from guys is something you really can't get from anyone else.


Here I am with my good high school buddy, Bull. I have great memories with him, mostly of just the two of us hanging out, making mixed CDs and going to the neighborhood hangouts to get a bite to eat. (And also not so great memories of the times I cried to him about the boys I liked that didn't like me). Luckily, he married one of my best friends, so I know he'll be in my life forever.

Here is a video of me, Liza, Michael (left), Bull, Lalla and her husband Diego (right) playing the "Name Game." Basically, the game is played by one person saying the name of a celebrity or other well-known person, and then the next person says a name that starts with the first letter of that person's last name. (ie. Julia Roberts, then Robert Downey Jr. etc. If you were to say a double-letter name, like Robert Redford, then you go back in the opposite direction.) Sounds simple enough, but it is a lot of fun!



Diego cracks me UP in this vid. The fist bumps, high-fives and just overall excitement during the game is awesome. Love the enthusiasm, Diego. It was also really cute how proud he was of Lalla every time she said an athlete's name. We suspect that Liza, on the other hand, made up a few names. Rick Owens? Do you still stand by that one, Lize? I suppose I could Google him to find out for sure. (Um, did anyone notice the LACK of drinking in this game?!)

So tell me: Do you have a lot of guy friends? Do you think it's harder to make them the older you get? WHY??

When you don't understand something, do you admit it?

You know when you're talking to someone and you can tell they don't understand or know what the heck you're talking about? I know that person, it used to be me. If someone was talking about an author or a political topic I was clueless about, I'd just nod my head and try to find a way to switch subjects. I still do this on occasion, but now I usually make it a point to 'fess up or ask questions when I'm lost. 

I experienced a good example of this about a year ago when I was in a room with a group of people learning how to use a new content management system. It was obvious that one girl wasn't quite catching on because every time I asked a question, she would quickly repeat part of what I said as if it were her own. For example, Me: "So can we use both formats on this system?" Her: "Yeah, both formats?" Like, it wasn't even a full question. She did it several times–it was pretty funny. I did feel badly for her though—she didn't learn what I had a while ago: Trying to disguise ignorance will only showcase it.

I can empathize though; I still struggle with insecurities about not feeling smart enough.

Click here to learn about the most random word I know. And here to see what I think about intellect snobs.

Tell me: Have you ever pretended to understand something even when you were totally clueless?

Photo Shoot Friday: Wedding Edition in Malaga, Spain

Hey guys! So I FINALLY have some wedding pics from my Spain trip to share. Sorry it has taken me so long, but my camera died so I had to harass people for their photos. So, I was still going back and forth on which dress to wear on the day of the wedding. so I decided to go with your popular vote. Drumroll please...

OK, so you can hardly even SEE the dress (I loved the pic though because of the fan), but I went with black. As much as people sometimes try to avoid wearing black because it's too boring, sometimes you just have to go with what makes you feel good. 

 By the third day of drinking like a fool, laying by the pool like a bum and eating cheese sandwiches for breakfast, I started to worry that I had come all this way to Spain to do what I could do in Panama City, FL. However, the wedding was such a cool experience that I instantly felt better for my 19 year-old behavior. The church was on top of a cliff—you had to ride in an old rickety elevator to get to it. I'm not going to lie, it was a bit scary, but look how beautiful the church is. 

Here is a picture of the courtyard where the cocktail hour was. It was amazing. The Spanish waiters looked so sharp with their slicked back hair and black button-up shirts. This was definitely one of the best cocktail hours I have ever been to. The scenery was beautiful, and the yummy food and drinks just kept coming and coming. (Mojito for me, please!) Sorry, I don't have pictures of the food. I know you're sad, I am too :(

We then went to find our seats at the outdoor reception. These cute little things are noise makers—and they even had the the guests' names on them! At one point during the dinner, "The Gambler" by Kenny Rogers came on, and all 250 guests clapped their noise makers with the music—it was AWESOME. It was like something you'd see out of a movie.

After we ate our meal, a flamenco dancer put on a performance, and man was she GOOD. She shook her hips Shakira style; I loved it.

 And here we have the beautiful bride and groom, Claire and Jonathan. They were so sweet together the whole night, and it truly looked like they were having a blast. I love that.

This was the first destination wedding I'd ever been to. Have you been to one? What was it like?

The most economical bridesmaid dress EVER.

This morning I'm heading to Charleston, SC for Becca's wedding. I originally thought this was the ninth wedding I've been a bridesmaid in, but I'm only counting eight at the moment (I can't keep them all straight!) I'm sooo excited to celebrate her big day and to spend time with close friends. Ok, I'm looking forward to the partying, too. 

One of the things I love most about Becca is how laid back she is.  So laid back in fact, that she's letting us wear the same exact dress we wore in her sister Molly's wedding last October. (Her wedding party is the same). Becca, my bank account thanks you. 

Here I am with Liza dancing up a storm at Molly's wedding. Molly wanted us to feel great in our dresses so she let us choose the style we wanted. (Love that idea). Becca's colors are brown and pink, so instead of the green sashes, we are wearing this belt:

 Liza went to a fabric and crafts store in the Fashion District to get these pretty flowers and raw silk material. Even though I am absolutely terrible at any type of D.I.Y. project, I definitely think I need to hop on the bandwagon. It is the future. 

(FYI, I have new daily posts set up for while I'm out of town, so keep checking back!)

Click here if you missed Becca's bachelorette party in NYC!

Tell me: Have you been a bridesmaid before? What were the dresses like?

All I have to say is....HOL-Y SHIT.

Omg you guys, my friend Jess just informed me of the FUNNIEST thing I have heard it quite a long time. Possibly ever. Click here to listen to two hilarious voice messages some tool (major understatement) left on this poor girl's phone. There are so many things I could say about this, but I just don't know where to begin. (Well, I suppose we could begin with the fact that he felt compelled to tell her upfront how great he is in bed. Or the fact he gave her a DEADLINE on when to call him back...)

One time a guy called me every day for a week straight and I never once returned any of his messages. They were pretty pathetic, but nothing in comparison to this. Single ladies, beware!!!

Tell me: Have you ever received a crazy voice message from a guy? I'd love to hear your funny stories!!!

What are your thoughts on cohabitation?

This morning I had my annual "girl doctor" appointment, and when I came through the doors with my infamous red purse and super-stuffed overnight bag hanging off my shoulders, the receptionist said, "Wow, going somewhere?"

I didn't want to give her an invitation into my personal life, but I also didn't want to lie, so I said, "No, I just came back from my boyfriend's place." She responds, "Tell him to give you a drawer!" So much for not getting personal. The truth is, my boyfriend has offered me a drawer, and we've talked about possibly moving in together, but honestly, until it's really time to make those steps, I'm happy with how things are. We hang out a few times a week, which works great for us because it keeps things fun and exciting. I feel like we still have so much more to experience together.

And after almost three and a half years together, I finally got the keys to his apartment. I don't know why, but I didn't really want them or feel like I needed them until recently. (I'm still getting used to the extra keys on my chain!) 

The last thing I want to do is to sound judgmental and preachy, but I do think there is something to be said for taking things slow. I think too many times girls use things like getting the apartment keys or their own drawer as an indicator to where the relationship is going. Just chill out and have fun, and if you have confidence in the relationship, the rest will come. 

This is just my humble opinion. I know that as an almost 29 year-old woman living in the 21st century, I am probably pretty alone on this one. All of my friends that are currently in wonderful, happy marriages lived together before sealing the deal. I think I may be the weird one here. Go ahead, call me old fashioned—I've been called worse ;)

If you missed the funny story about my read purse, click here. 

I'm really curious to know: What are your thoughts on cohabitation?

What's the worst pick up line you've ever heard?

The other day I was on the subway minding my own business wearing this sweatshirt:

  

 All of a sudden I hear a guy shout, "Hey lifeguard, how much?" I—not totally 100% sure he's talking to me—ignore him. Then again, "How much?!" Uggghh. I look over and say "how much what?" "For the sweatshirt," he says. He tried to keep the conversation ABOUT MY SWEATSHIRT going, but I quickly shut him down with the "Are you serious right now?" expression on my face. I know it's not easy for a guy to strike up a conversation with a girl, but come. on. I think I would have preferred something cliche like "Heaven's missing an angel" instead of the lame lines he was spitting. 

Now I don't know if this is my lucky (more like unlucky) sweatshirt or what, but later on that day, a guy said to me, "Could you save me if I was drowning?" I looked at him out of the side of my eye and kept walking. But then he said, "No? It's not going to work this time?" in a confident way that showed me he knew how ridiculous he sounded. I have to give him props for calling himself out. 

I don't know what it is with guys hitting on me when I'm looking like a total scrub. Check out a similar story here. 

Tell me: What's the worst pick up line you've heard? The best?

Is Shaq really the best—at everything?

Of course not, but don't tell him that. He'll argue the contrary until he has you believing that he is. I know people that have this larger-than-life confidence—writers who claim they are the best in their field (um, no you're not). And while it can be irritating, there is something to be learned here. The more you tell yourself something, the more you will believe it—and other people will, too.

In last week's issue of TIME magazine I read about Shaq Vs., where he challenges people in their areas of expertise. The outcomes? Shaq always win. According to him, he beat Michael Phelps in swimming. Right. To prove he's not all brawn and no brains, Shaq challenged TIME writer, Joel Stein to an essay writing contest about Twitter. (Shaq is the 10th most popular writer on Twitter, while Joel is way behind at 180th). 

Umm, who's proud of me for blogging about Shaquille O'Neal?! I'm kind of loving my newfound interest in sports. (Confession: If I hadn't looked Shaq up on Wikipedia for this post, I would have thought he still played for the L.A. Lakers. He's a Cleveland Cavaliers man now. Oops!)

Check out Shaq and Joel's essays here. 

Who do you think won? And who should Shaq challenge next? I think he should battle Foster is trash-talking!!!

 

Fake Finger Nails and Girl Talk

Last night was the best girls' night I've had in a very long time. Thea hosted a Gossip Girl/Nail Party at her place for me and a couple of our good pals, Robin and Kateri. We all used to work together back in the day, but now we've all gone our separate ways. 

Thea had a delicious spread. I ate more than I wanted to, but I passed on the cheese and didn't totally pig out, which I suppose is a small victory in itself. Kateri was nice enough to do my nails—she did an awesome job!! Check 'em out:

Aren't they purty? If you recall this post, you know that there is no way in hell those are my real nails. I used a nail kit called Kiss Nails (another FREE gift from a previous job), and I love them! They look about as real as fake nails possibly can.

I totally recommend trying these nails; they're cheap, pretty and good quality. (I've seen them at CVS, fyi). I know they won't be popping off any time soon—the glue is so strong, when Kateri's finger stuck to my nail, it seriously felt like we wouldn't be able to detach it! Normally, this time of year I would be rocking OPI's Russian Navy, but since I'm in a wedding this weekend, I thought this would be a better choice. It's fun to mix it up sometimes, although I'm having a hard time getting used to the long nails—it's a struggle to type at the moment! 

Here I am with Robin and Thea showing off our nails. Poor Kateri was so busy doing mine (and painting my toes!), she didn't get a chance to do her own. Sorry Klo! 

Here we are thugging it out for the camera. Guess who's idea that was? It was such a good night! We had so much catching up to do that we didn't zone in on Gossip Girl as much as we normally would have, but that's OK.

What's a girls' night in typically like for you and your friends?

An important message from the FIP boyz

Remember this awesome video I posted last week? Well, the guys popped off their Raybans to send you this very important message:


 

Ha, you didn't really think they'd go and get all serious on you all of a sudden, did you? I love these guys—no wonder their "Party in the USA" vid got over a million views!

What song do you think they should do next? (Don't say "I Gotta Feeling" by BEP—that one's MINE!)

What do you have a soft spot for?

I have a major soft spot for people who are by themselves in public places like restaurants and movie theaters. This past Thursday night, Luke and I were eating dinner in a casual, diner-style restaurant where I saw a guy about our age reading the newspaper and eating a burger and fries by himself. I just stared at him thinking, I hope he's not lonely. I hope he has lots of friends and family. I hope he gets good, home-cooked meals from time to time. I'm fully aware that just because he's by himself does not mean he's a friendless loser, but for some reason my imagination just automatically goes there. This particular guy seemed totally content to be relaxing with a burger after a long day at work (it was about 9pm), but some people truly do look lonely when they're by themselves, and that's when my heart just melts.

The ironic thing about this is that I do things on my own quite a bit and I like it. I would hate for someone to feel sorry for me. However, now that I'm working from home and rarely have any contact with the outside world during the day, it's getting harder and harder to for me to enjoy my own company. Now, if more of my friends could just lose their jobs, I'd be SET! Juuust kidding.

Tell me: What do you have a soft spot for?

What's your favorite Sunday brunch?

An egg white ham and cheese omelette with whole wheat toast used to be my brunch meal of choice, but recently oatmeal has taken it's place. I used to always go back and forth about whether I was in the mood for something savory or sweet (even though I knew I'd end up getting the omelette), but with oatmeal I never feel that way. I can look at other people's fluffy blueberry pancakes and eggs benedict dishes without regretting my choice. Today Luke and I hit up Brown Cafe on the Lower East Side, both of us with intentions of getting oatmeal. Well, here's what I got:

I started off my meal with my favorite beverage, a skim latte. Skim lattes usually all taste the same to me, but this one was really good. I think the big mug may have given it bonus points.

I ordered my oatmeal with strawberries and raisins, maple syrup on the side. I'm aware that too much sugar can quickly turn it into an unhealthy meal, so I drizzled just a little syrup on top. Luke was too tempted by the egg dishes on the menu, so he passed on the oatmeal and got:

Baked eggs with wild boar sausage, rustic bread, potatoes and mixed greens. Yumm. I had a bite of the eggs and bread, it was delicious!

With trips to Spain and England and lovely meals like this, I'm sure no one is feeling sorry for me and my current unemployment self. I don't blame you. I can't tell you how appreciative I am for everything, regardless of the annoying complaining I do from time to time.

Anyway, tell me: What's your favorite brunch meal? Do you go out or cook at home?

I did my football homework PLUS extra credit!!!

Per Foster's orders, I learned the basic fundamentals of football today. Instead of researching teams in the New York area, I decided to start with Kentucky football. I thought that was a smart choice because whenever I meet new people, they ask if I'm a UK fan and my response is always, "Uhhh...yeah...kinda...of course!" Not only did I learn about how the game is played (I seriously didn't know the basic rules), but I also now know a few of the key players:

Quarterback: Hartline
Runningback: Lock (He scored the first touchdown! Interesting factoid: He originally came to UK on a track scholarship.)
Linebacker: Johnson

Not bad, right? For extra credit, I met friends at the Village Pourhouse in the East Village to watch the game. I don't remember the last time I actually watched a football and tried to follow what was going on!

The saying, "No question is a dumb question" didn't apply to the riduclously basic questions I was asking, but I was with a great group of people that were more than happy to be my teacher. This is my friend Blair. She gave me a great explanation of what the job of a linebacker is: "A linebacker sacks people, and is like the quarterback of defense. He plays in the middle and organzies people." Quarterback of defense...I like that, and I will be using that phrase again :)

My friend Carla was in from out of town, so I left the Kentucky game a bit early and met her a few blocks away at Blind Pig to watch the end of the Clemson game.

I hadn't seen Carla in waaay too long, so we really didn't watch much of the game because we were to busy catching cup! Look at her cute beer koozie, isn't it awesome?!

I must have been a good luck charm today because both the Wildcats and Tigers won! Foster, what do you think, do I get an A for this assignment?

Who else did their football homework? And what games were you watching this weekend?

Photo Shoot Friday: Family Life in the Big Apple

As I walked around the Upper East Side and Central Park today, I couldn't help but to wonder what it would be like to raise a family in Manhattan. At the moment, when I close my eyes and try to picture another city I could see myself living in, I come up blank. However, I had the most wonderful childhood growing up in the beautiful suburbs of Kentucky, so it's hard to imagine my future children not having a similar experience. 

 This is a playground in Central Park, near the Metropolitan museum. Notice the lack of kids on it? Kids are easy creatures to amuse—throw a few swing sets and slides in the middle of a grassy lawn and they're good to go. I'm not so sure the money invested in this futuristic-looking playground was worth it. 

 When I saw this cute little girl, I wondered whether or not my children would go to a private school where tidy, crisp uniforms were required—or, a public school where they could rock cute little Lacoste shirts and colorful mix-matched socks if they so desired.

 I breathed a sigh of relief when I came across this playground where the kids were hanging upside down, and actually looked like they were having fun. There was a row of nannies sitting on a bench (typical), and I wanted to take a pic, but I noticed them staring at me so I decided against it. I was already feeling like a child predator snapping pics of the kids, so I didn't want to push it. 

I walked by this private school, and while I don't doubt the educational system is nothing short of fantastic, it looked pretty darn stuffy. You should have seen the long line of moms waiting to pick up their kids. Half of them had a Starbucks cup in one hand and a tennis racquet in the other—just coming from a private session from their hot instructor named Pierre, no doubt. 

 I caught these two doggies checking each other out—it was so cute! Having a dog in this crazy city is not incredibly practical—unless of course, I lived in a sweet apartment like this:

 I just love this charming—and spacious—apartment. Maybe one day (you know, when I'm not still living paycheck to paycheck!)

Tell me: What do you think it would be like to raise a family in the Big Apple? Do you think it would be Gossip Girl-esque or do you think it's possible to be somewhat "normal?"

Three disturbing things I experienced at the gym yesterday.

I always try to go to spinning on Thursdays at my gym (NYSC) because the instructor's eccentric personality (he does jazz hands periodically throughout class) is fun and motivating. Yesterday's class wasn't as enjoyable as usual because the girl next to me had the worst b.o. EVER. I tried to get into the music and block it out of my mind, but every few mintues I would get a whiff that was just too strong to ignore. That brings me to #1: People who go to the gym sans deodorant. Why?

Yes, Teen Spirit is the deodorant I'm currently rocking under my pits. If I had my choice, I'd always wear Secret, but I got like 10 of these in the mail at a previous job, so I'm not going to spend money on deodorant until they're gone! If you recall this story, you know how excited I get about FREE things.

#2: People who take the elevator a the gym. I saw three young, perfectly healthy looking girls waiting for the elevator...to go DOWN. Up or down, I don't understand why anyone would take the elevator at the gym (I use every opportunity I can to take stairs for a little extra exercise), but especially going down. Does anyone understand the logic in this?

#3: A 60-something year-old woman greeted her trainer with a smooch on the lips. Ewww. That's just nasty; no one wants to see that. The 20-something year-old trainer didn't seemed phased one bit. I can't decide which part of this equation is more disturbing.

Despite these unpleasant experiences, I was feeling pretty good about my gym attire. I got this cute tee at the Serena Williams Nike event the other day. Vicious, ambitious, delicious. That's me, alright! Uh huh. This is a big improvement from the gym outfit I wrote about in this post. Wouldn't you say?

Tell me: Has anyone had any oh. no. she/he di'n't! moments at the gym recently??

Skinny Bitch Food Diary: Take 2

My friend Alison in ATL has always had a great figure, but she recently moved into "skinny bitch" territory when she came to visit Liza and me in New York this spring. She had lost a noticeable amount of weight, and she was irritatingly perfect and controlled with everything she put into her mouth. (JK, Al! Actually, it was more inspiring that irritating!) 

As you read, you'll find out why this gorgeous gal has a not-so-gorgeous boot on her foot. Doesn't she look cute, though? Oh, and I should probably add that Alison is a vegetarian. Here's her document of one day of eating:

5 AM Wake Up Call: 

I have physical therapy on Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 7am, hence the ungodly hour. Before heading to PT, I had a bowl of my new found fave Trader Joe’s High Fiber Fruit & Nut Multigrain Medley w/ Light Plain soy milk. At only 100 calories a cup, it is surprisingly filling although I have to laugh that I’m buying High Fiber cereal. Isn’t that something reserved for 80 year olds?

Vitamins:

Okay, so don’t think I'm psycho, but after being told that I had a fracture in my foot that may or may not need surgery I was willing to try anything. (I ended up having the surgery). So, I headed up to Whole Foods and spoke to Joe, the holistic, kosher nutritionist/herbalist—an all around interesting man—to learn which vitamins help bone growth. Here’s a picture of my vitamin routine: Liquid Calcium, Green’s Wild Berry Superfood (It is an acquired taste, but one 8-oz glass is equal to 5 servings of fruits and veggies), Multivitamin, Flax Seed Oil, and Vitamin D.

(I'm lovin' the pics, Al!!) 

10 AM Snack:

I’m heading into a meeting I know is going to test my patience so I quickly eat a banana before the meeting really gets going.  The second I get hungry my patience level is that of a two year old!

1 PM Lunch:

After putting on what felt like ten lbs. in my first month at Emory, I learned quickly that buying my lunch on campus was not a good idea for my wallet or waistline.  I now plan ahead and pack my lunch every day unless I have a lunch meeting.  Today, I brought one of my staple lunches: a Quorn “Chicken” Pattie, a small can of baby peas, and a kiwi.  For any other veggies out there, Quorn has been my saving grace when in comes to getting protein it is the beats out any other soy, tofu, etc. “chicken” products out there.

4 PM:

So sad. I’m starving and stuck in a meeting yet again.  I forgot the apple I brought for just this occasion on my desk as I “ran", okay still limped, to my meeting.  

 Dinner:

Finally home at 8:30 after running to meet the real estate agent to sign the lease on my new apartment J and forcing my now starving self to go to the gym (There was no excuse as I had to pass it on my way home and my clothes were in the back seat). I quickly made broccoli sautéed in olive oil and a Quorn Naked Cutlet (I’m telling you they are addicting).  Admittedly, I needed a grain thrown in to truly make this a meal, but I was too tired to even wait for instant rice to cook. I am no cook, and I usually fall in my front door starving at the end of the day. So I try to keep easy, quick dinners on hand – 5-10 minutes tops! Craving something sweet, I treated myself to a Jell-O Sugar Free Dark Chocolate treat. 

Thanks, Alison, you skinny bitch, you. Side note: Luke expressed some concern for my recent crudeness and constant usage of the word "bitch." People, if you haven't noticed, 9 times out of 10, it is a COMPLIMENT. The minute I stop calling you a bitch, is when you should worry ;)

So what do you guys think of Alison's day of eating? Check out Courtenay's food diary here if you missed it. Who are you more like?? I'm a mix of both!

 

What every girl SHOULD know about football.

To say my brother, Foster, is a sports fanatic would be an understatement. He knows everything about every sport and player. If licking toe jam was a sport, he'd be an expert on it, too. Even though I'm pretty athletic and grew up in a sporty family, I don't follow sports much—especially *gasp* during football season. So to help a sister out (and all of my lovely FnF readers) here is Foster's tutorial in Football 101. Follow his words of wisdom and be prepared to impress your boyfriend, guy pals or the next cute group of guys you come across at a sports bar!

 

Football is upon us, and I am here to help you take advantage of most men's favorite sporting season. Whether it's NFL or NCAA, there are a few basic things a sports novice should know. At the very least, know the Division 1 college or NFL teams in your area. Things you should know about them should include: whether they are good or not and who they play next. I would also recommend that you know one offensive player and one defensive player. The offensive player should be a skill player.  That means he is an offensive player that will either run, catch, or throw the ball. Any defensive player will do, but I personally like when a girl knows about the guys that get a lot of tackles, sacks (tackling the quarterback) and interceptions.

(Look at this pic. Doesn't this look like the face of a guy who is serious about his sports?!)

To find out if a team is good or not, pick up a local paper or go to a sports info site on the web. I recommend foxsports.com because it isn't as overwhelming as many of the others. If you need detailed help navigating your way around the paper or internet, write a comment here, and I will be sure to help ya out. Find the name of the city your team plays in and see what their record (wins and losses) is. If you are touching up on your NCAA/COLLEGE FOOTBALL, you need to go to the rankings. There are many different rankings, but for the next few weeks, the AP POLL is the most important one. If the team you are looking for is not among them, just glance over the top 10 or so. Chances are, your team will play one of them at some point. Clicking on any of the teams will take you to some sort of homepage for that particular team. From that page you should be able to see who they played last and who they play next..  You can probably find out who the best players are as well.

It is not important for a girl to memorize sports trivia and stats, so if you think you need to, you are mistaken. Fact is, most guys want a girl to know something relevant. It doesn't need to be very in-depth. I always thought I wanted to marry a girl that loved sports. WRONG!!!  If a girl loves sports like I do, then work would be my only breath from the relationship. Sports guys just want a girl who knows a lil' bit about what's going on, and can understand why we wanna know every detail.

      

Your goal by Saturday morning should be to know: who your local NFL or DIV 1 COLLEGE team play; are they good thus far; one offensive player and one defensive player. Yeah, you have homework, but its really easy!

Thaaanks, Fos! I'm gonna get on that homework—stat! I'll report back to impress you with my new fountain of sports knowledge. Btw, I read the cover article on Lebron James in this month's issue of Vanity Fair. Betcha didn't read that one yet. Proud of me???

Write your sports comments and questions for Foster here!

Baby Phat Fashion Show

I went to my first Baby Phat fashion show about three years ago, and it was awesome. Everyone was there—50 Cent, JANET JACKSON, Lil' Kim, and many more I can't remember. I was in hip-hop heaven! The fashion was a bit over-the-top, but fun, and had a creative edge. This year, however, I had a different experience. The biggest star there was Kim Kardashian (love her, but still), and the person that got me most excited was Reverend Run's son, Diggy. He's da bomb, as I used to say back in the day. What is he, like twelve? A girl I was with insisted that this guy with long braids, baseball cap, tattoos all over and sunglasses was Lil' Wayne, but it wasn't. Trust me, I would KNOW if I saw Lil Wayne and it was not him. Fail.

Lisa Rinna was among many of the C-listers there. My hairdresser in KY (Hi Ron!) once told me I looked like her. I don't think so, but I'll take that as a compliment—pre-plastic surgery of course. I have to give it to her though, she has one bangin' bod for a 46 year-old. 

The clothes were cute, but I was a bit underwhelmed. Kimora played it too safe, which is out of character for her. Here is a video of the models coming out at the end of the show. I had nosebleed seats, but still managed to get decent footage. It was kind of awkward how the girl messed up at the end—I think the backs of their shirts spelled PHAT. FYI, the bald girl with huge boobs wearing a purple dress and sunglasses in the front row is Kanye West's fake girlfriend, Amber Rose. You can see her a couple times if you look closely. (In case you care.)

Don't you love how random hard-bodied male models were thrown into the mix? No complaints here. I liked the black cut-out ruffled swim suit and black shredded jeans best. Not that I have the bod to wear either of those things, but they were cool! 

At the end of the show, Kimora came out with her adorable daughters, Ming and Aoki Lee and newborn son, Kenzo.

       

It was interesting that Kimora's ex-husband, hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons was sitting right next to Kimora's new babby daddy, Djimon Hounsou. They were cordial to each other and posed for a few pics together, which was nice.

It was a cool experience all in all, but I must admit I'll be glad when Fashion Week is over. It's fun, but a little exhausting (even though I haven't been to that many events). And I never thought I'd say this, but I'm getting a bit tired of writing about celebrities, which has been the majority of my posts lately. I know that people love reading about celebs, so I'm hesitant to go back to the "old Ellen," but I started this blog for myself first, and I'm going to stay true to what I want to write about. Sometimes I'm a crying mess, sometimes pissed, and sometimes I'm just....broccoli. But that's me. 

On a very random side note—and I'm not quite sure why I'm sharing this—I am currently working (just got a new assignment from Glamour, yay!) in my bed, watching Two Weeks Notice. I found it in my pile of VHS tapes; apparently, Liza and I never returned it to Blockbuster. Oops! It's a pretty cute movie. I love Hugh Grant's charm and Sandra Bullock is so funny. (She just said "twisty bobcat pretzel" like four times in a row. Does anyone who has seen the movie know what I'm talking about? No? Umm, ok, forget I mentioned it.)

I got up early with Liza and went running, and now I'm feeling a bit guilty for working in bed, but it's a gloomy day here in NYC, and I never do it, so I'm allowing myself this little treat today. So sorry, babbling again!

Tell me, what did you think of the Baby Phat show? And will you still have love for me even when I'm not writing about celebrities?

I worked out with Serena Williams today. Whaaat?

Yep, you read that right. Well, we didn't exactly hit the gym together and stop for protein shakes afterwards at Jamba Juice, but we did do pushups and jumping squats about four feet from each other. A physical trainer acquaintance of mine, Lacey, invited me to a Nike event this afternoon where we learned some of Serena's go-to workout moves. 

                                                         

She was realllly sore from her recent matches at the U.S. Open, so she couldn't do the exercises full-out, but she was a good sport! Here's Serena warming up with some knee raises!

                          

  

Next were jumping jacks! Then, I put the camera down for a few minutes to actually do some of the workout! I did the crawling pushups (bend over at the hips, crawl your hands forward, do a pushup and crawl them back) and squat jumps—probably two of the hardest moves. I took a break (how convenient) and grabbed my camera when I saw Serena start to bust out in a little dance!

  

Sean Paul came on and she did this little ditty for the crowd—the woman's got rhythm! I was disappointed with Serena's recent behavior on the court. It would be an understatement to say that the way she treated that ref was inappropriate; however, we're all human. She seemed like a pretty nice, cool gal to me!

What do you think of Serena's outburst? Are you still hatin' or are you over it?

Who's your favorite Gossip Girl?

Who watched last night's season premiere of Gossip Girl? It was gooood. I love how Chuck and Blair are being open with their feelings. I know that will last 2.2 nano seconds, but it was a nice change from the usual drama and game playing. I was thinking how much it sucked that I hadn't met anyone from the cast until I remembered that I did have one brief moment with Chace Crawford in December 2007.

 I was at Jingle Ball, a yearly holiday concert at Madison Square Garden that always has an all-star line up. That year it was: Rihanna, Katy Perry, Fall Out Boy, Chris Brown and Lady Gaga. Chace was just kind of wandering around backstage, minding his own business until I approached him for a pic. He was really nice and obliged my request—until later when he found out I was a reporter. When I started asking him questions, he wasn't rude, but he got flustered and said he couldn't answer anything. I didn't hold it against him—it was right at the time he just started getting popular, and I think he just didn't know how to handle the situation. My friend Jackie and I were both there reporting and all the celebs were initially really nice to us because they thought we were young(er) fans!

I can see why—look at Jackie's baby face. Lucky bitch. That night, we also approached Pete Wentz. I came up with a cheesy ice breaker like, "Hey Pete, why'd you have to go and copy my style?!" (He was wearing a purple hoodie too). It actually made him laugh—a little—but later in the night when I approached him again, he totalllly dissed me and acted like we never had that little bonding moment. Ouch. I'm going to blame it on the pain killers; he had a broken foot at the time and seemed a little loopy!

And check this out—Jenny was wearing a dress from my friend, Marsha's line, Thayer. Love it!

Who are your fave Gossip Girl characters and WHY? I'm team Blair/Chuck allll the way!!!

Behind-the-scenes at the VMAs!

Hey guys! You might remember that I told you that Tiffany was styling the All American Rejects for the VMAs. Well, here is her recap of the experience. Both she and the guys KILLED. IT. (!!!)

Last week was absolute bonkers! I found out last Friday that I was being booked to dress the All American Rejects for the VMAs, which naturally I was sooooo excited about. The boys are so nice to work with, and the different personalities makes it really fun to dress them. So, with the Labor Day holiday weekend, Venice Film Festival, Toronto Film Festival, and the VMAs being right in the middle of Fashion Week— to say that it was a challenge to get everything together would be putting it mildly. As I said they all have very different personalities, and I really like to let that shine. I ultimately want to make them look their best version of themselves. Fittings were spread over two days and the boys had to fly to Virginia to play a show, and then fly back on Sunday for the VMAs. And I thought my schedule was crazytown! Tyson walked in the Y3 fashion show yesterday so I had to meet him backstage to change him into his red carpet look—a raspberry Topshop suit —so him! Then it was off to the VMAs! Being backsage at Radio City was cool. We shared a dressing room with Walle and Steve Perry from Aerosmith. Then across the hall was Lady Gaga. Wowzers! I saw her in the red carpet look she came in—one of the many zaney looks she had that night; it looked like she could barely move in it. It was certainly eye catching, but I wouldn't recommend it for the fashion faint of heart. After the boys walked the carpet, they came backstage to chill for a moment before they were seated. 

Well, of course we were watching the monitor backstage when Kanye had his "Clearly I am complete void of any sense of tact and am a complete jerk" moment. Poor Taylor. She looked like she might cry. The boys were shocked too. (Check out the video below to see what Tyson had to say about it. LOVE the glitter, Ty!) 

Anyway, then the guys had their performance, which they killed! Tyson's idea of wearing glitter ALL OVER was genius, and it looked really cool. Aside from the fact that I had glitter all over me by the time I left, I loved it. Although I totally think the boys should have been nominated, overall it was a winning night. I was exhausted, but elated that it all worked out, and AAR rocked it!

Great recap, Tiff! OMG, I am still sooo jealous—I love the All American Rejects!!

What were your favorite and least favorite VMA moments? I loooved the MJ tribute—I started tearing up when Janet was on stage. So sad :( I think we all know what my least favorite moment was. Kanye certainly wasn't nearly as cool as the first time I saw him.