Have you ever not worn something because you were afraid a guy wouldn't like it?

I had a conversation about this with a few of my more fashion-forward friends the other day. Should girls think twice before wearing something really trendy or artistic because guys might not get it? I had a hard time answering that question. Ultimately, I think girls should wear whatever makes them feel confident. Afterall, confidence is attractive. However, by doing so, the pool of guys that find your style appealing might be less than say, a girl who wears cute, but basic jeans and heels outfits.

Check out this Dolce and Gabbana suit Rihanna wore at the MET Costume Gala this summer. I actually think the outfit is pretty cool, but I can only imagine what the look on my boyfriend's face would be if I ever wore something like this. Then again, I'm not Rihanna.

I love Fergie and I'm all for individuality, but I am not comprehending this look she rocked recently in Paris at all. Call me crazy, but if I had just found out that my husband was banging a stripper, I'd be more inclinded to wear something a little more feminine.

I was still stumped after thinking more about this question, so I asked my boyfriend what he thought. He basically said that a girl should wear what she likes and what makes her feel good. Even if it's not appealing to all guys, she'll be more inclined to meet the right guy for her--someone who appreciates her for who she is. Good point.

What about you: Have you ever not worn something because you were afraid a guy wouldn't like it? And guys: What's one article of clothing you can't stand on girls? My boyfriend isn't a big fan of boyfriend jeans, but I wear them anyway!

Who's your guy's celebrity crush?

My boyfriend doesn't have one. Seriously, he doesn't. There have been times when I have practically begged him to tell me, and he can't name anyone. (But c'mon, I'm not naive enough to think he doesn't talk to his friends about who he thinks is hot). It makes me feel bad because I get all hot and bothered every time I see a movie with any of my celebrity crushes (And you know I have a lot). It's a good thing he didn't come to see New Moon with me because I almost couldn't contain myself every time Taylor Lautner took his shirt off. I'm pretty sure I embarrassed Liza with my audible, "Daaamn!" and "Oh-my-god-he's-so-hot" comments. Umm yeah, he's 17.

Of course, on occasion my boyfriend will comment about an actress being cute during a movie we're watching—that's only natural. It never bothers me IF I agree with him. I think we were watching Something's Gotta Give when he said Amanda Peet was pretty. I was totally cool with that because I love her. She has that kind of quirky-cool personality with enviable cute-pretty looks (some women are cute and some are pretty—she is both)—I think she's fabulous. But then, there have been times where he's commented on a blonde celeb (I don't remember who, I think I blocked it from my memory), and you know how I feel about blonde celebrities from this post. But, Megan Fox doesn't do it for him, and I'm very grateful for that. I can't stand the girl.


What about your boyfriend, husband or guy friends: Who do they go gaga for? Does it bother you?

Poppin' Bottles with Models

I don't remember the last time I went clubbing in New York, but we hit up a few clubs in Columbus to celebrate our birthday. I'm not really down with that scene—especially when the DJ is playing nonstop techno or is ruining every good song by spinning it into a funky fresh remix—but, we had a good time. 

Here we are, the Triple Threat, giving a shot at our best club pose. Foster's is the best, but that's only 'cause he's had the most practice. ;)

This poor girl was wiggedy wasted, y'all. Tore up from tha floor up. It was only about 11pm, and she kept falling over and trying to take a nap right in the middle of the club. Damn.

And of course, there were plenty of tricked out hoes on the scene. It's kind of a shame because a lot of them were pretty, but it's hard to see under a pound of makeup. Our group definitely stood out. I was surprised when a guy approached me and asked for my number. In a panic, I gave him Liza's—whoopsie! Sorry, Lize!

All in all, it was a fun night. Sometimes it's good to step out of your box a little, although I'll be perfectly happy if I don't make it back into a club until next Thanksgiving. What's your going out style: Clubs or bars?

How do you feel about where you are at this point in your life?

I celebrated my 29th birthday last night the best way I possibly could have--with pizza, a Dairy Queen ice cream cake (my favorite), Miller Lite and family. Surprisingly, I'm not too freaked out about getting older. I'm certainly not a spring chicken anymore, but I'm excited about all the things I have yet to experience.

With that being said, I'm not exactly where I had imagined I'd be at this point in my life. (Who is, though?) I never really thought I'd be married with kids at 29, but I did assume I'd be more financially stable and a few steps closer to landing my dream job--whatever that is. Honestly, sometimes I feel like a big ol' loser. La-who-za-herrr, as Ace Venture says.

But, I know I'm not a loser. (Right? Riiiight?!) One thing I've learned since I lost my job is that no matter where you are in life, it's all about confidence. I used to be so insecure when people asked me what I did for a living, that I could never give a straight answer. I'd ramble on and on with the hopes that something that came out of my mouth sounded midly impressive. I always felt like I needed to explain myself, but I no longer feel that way. I've learned to focus on the future, and to tell people about my dreams and ideas instead of dwelling on the past.

Delivery is also important. When I say, "I started a blog and I LOVE it!" people can see my passion for it. I think that's more respectable than someone who makes six figures, but doesn't even enjoy what he does. (At least that's what I'm choosing to tell myself). One thing I learned from a woman I used to work with is that you gotta "fake it to make it." She was so confident (or at least she knew how to pretend to be), and she made everything she did sound amaaazing. She even knew how to make writing a note on a Post-It sound important! It was unreal. The more you believe in yourself, the more others will, too.

So I guess the moral of this post is that it's not where you are, but where you're going. I have moments where I forget that, but I think it's a good way to think. What about you: How do you feel about where you are at this point in your life?

Pre-Thanksgiving dinner. Everyone is sober, I promise.

OK, so I just got back from seeing New Moon, and now I need to get ready for my little  birthday party, so sadly, I won't have time to do Photo Shoot Friday. I have another vid for ya though, so we'll just call today Video Shoot Friday.   

The Bean Bitch makes another cameo (and a drunker one at that, whoa). It was time for me to stop recording when she started doing the cabbage patch dance. Umm, yeah. 

                                                 

Just watching this again makes me realize how lucky I am to have such an amazing family. Not everyone has what I do, and I'm incredibly thankful. What were you particularly thankful for this Thanksgiving? And did my family remind you or yours at all??

Meet the Bean Bitch

Hey guys! I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! I have to admit that I am a bit hungover, so I thought I'd post this funny video from yesterday until I recover enough to do Photo Shoot Friday. 

Here's my mom stirring the green beans. She doesn't drink often, so this is what happens when she does. 

                                          

Isn't she the cutest? She said her "bean bitch" comment was inspired by this "laundry bitch" post I did a while back, haha. I think my mom could be a YouTube phenomenon—we need to blow this up—stat!

I'm not in the mood to address the fact that I turned 29 today, so we'll get to that later. Right now, we're going to see New Moon, and tonight we're celebrating with family at a neighborhood restaurant called Pizza Plus. God, I love the suburbs. 

Stay tuned today for more fun vids and Photo Shoot Friday!!!

Tell me: How was your Thanksgiving? Did anyone else have a Bean Bitch moment?

What's your airport style?

Hey guys! I landed in Columbus safe and sound, and I just wanted to check in before I hit the bottle. 'Cause you know I'm gonna hit it...hard. It's always interesting to see people's traveling attire. I could tell a distinct difference in style between the New York and Columbus airports, that's for sure. I only have clothing requirement for traveling: comfy. 

Here I am in an American Apparel hoodie and leggings. Not too shabby for waking up at 5am, eh? (Liza and I woke up early to go running in the park, woohoo!)

Here's Liza with the luggage. Can anyone guess which suitcase belongs to who? Umm yeah, Liza brought everything she owns. Her cute lumberjack jacket is from J.Crew, jeans are Uniqlo, boots are DKNY and her purse is Marc by Marc Jacobs. Oh and the cutest accessory of all is her neck pillow—she didn't want to take that thing off!

What airport style are you rockin' these days? And what are the best and worst outfits you saw today?

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

Heya! Liza and I are heading out to the airport right now, but I just wanted to give you guys a quick shout. We're going to Columbus, Ohio to spend the holiday with my mom's side of the family, and I am SO freakin' excited. I haven't been with my family for Thanksgiving in three years.

And not to worry—I'm bringing my laptop with me! I'll be blogging every day, so definitely check back in to see what I'm up to. (Liza just asked me in a not-so-enthusiastic tone, "Are you going to be blogging every day on the trip? You know it, sister!) My family is kinda kooky, in an awesome way, so I'm sure I'll have some good stories to share.


Oh, that raises a good question: Which family member do you predict will get the drunkest today? It's hard for me to say—I know it's going to be a close race between all the guys!

I did a little pre-birthday shopping. Got a problem with that?

I received some birthday money from relatives this week (Um, am I too old to be getting birthday money?), so I thought it couldn't hurt to buy a few new things. In the past, I have spent birthday money on bills or rent, and while I just might kick myself for spending the money on myself this time, it felt really nice to get a few new pieces. (I give you full permission to throw this back in my face the next time I cry and bitch about how broke I am). 

I got the plaid shirt at GAP and the fur vest at American Eagle. I like mixing casual and dressy pieces—I haven't tried this on together yet, but I think it just might be my birthday outfit! I was tempted to get this denim vest Jenn wrote about on her blog, but I didn't want to have to call her every time we were supposed to hang out to make sure she wasn't wearing it, too. 

GAP is having a buy one, get one FREE sweater sale! I got this for myself and one for my mom's Christmas present. The sweater is a lot prettier in person AND it has pockets!

My boyfriend bought me a cool purple dress from American Apparel as a little pre-birthday present, but it was a bit too snug, so I had to return it. (Actually, it was a lot too snug—mucho back fat was a grande problemo). I exchanged it for this white tee and a pair of black leggings. The scarf is from GAP—I went a little nuts in that store! I could see myself wearing this with my denim button-up shirt and black skinny jeans with either boots or Converse. It's so funny, when I first moved to NYC, I was all about getting the trendiest clothes I could find. Now that I'm more in-tune with my own personal style (it's a work in progress), I know that basics work better for me. 

OK, so I definitely didn't need these pajama pants, but most of the ones I own have holes in them, and I thought it would be really nice to wake up on my 29th birthday in a fresh pair of PJs. (Eek, I'm still trying to find a better way to justify the purchase!)

I really hope you like what I bought because you'll be seeing these pieces over and over again in pictures. I haven't been shopping in so long, that it seriously put me in the BEST mood ever. I told sales clerks to have a HAPPY THANKSGIVING! a little too cheerfully, and I even caught myself smiling at several strangers on the street. I just hope I don't come crashing down from this high tomorrow and sink into a deep buyer's remorse stupor. That would suck.

Stores like GAP and American Eagle have really stepped up their game. If you had told me they would be my go-to places a year ago, I wouldn't have believed you. What are your favorite places to shop? And how many crazy people out there are going shopping on Black Friday?! Not this girl. 

What's your favorite food to eat on Thanksgiving?

I'm a "sides" person: sweet potato casserole, corn pudding, green beans and stuffing. Lord have mercy, I love stufing. I really don't give a shit about the actual turkey. (Umm, is it a coincidence that it is probably one the healthiest things you could eat on Thanksgiving?) This year though, I have made a vow to load up on salad and veggies, and just have small portions of everything else. We'll see how that turns out!

I spent last Thanksgiving with my boyfriend's friends--Brits who don't actually celebrate the holiday, but get just as excited about it as I do. (Well, almost). Look at this nice spread--pretty impressive, right?!

I made the corn pudding and sweet potato casserole--both were a big hit. The sweet potatoes are my favorite, so I decided to share my Aunt Elaine's recipe with you--it is SO.GOOD. If anyone wants the corn pudding one as well, let me know!

-6 c. mashed sweet potato (2 lg. cans yams- drain liquid very well)
-1 1/2 - 2 c. granulated sugar
-1 tsp. salt
-1 stick butter, melted
-2/3 c. 2% milk
-2 tsp.vanilla

Topping:
-3 c. light brown sugar
-3 c. chopped pecans
-1 c. flour
-2 sticks butter, melted

Beat eggs some then add sugar. Add remaining ingredients. (You can do this ahead and refrigerate if you want.) Then bring to room temp. For the topping, toss pecans with br. sugar, flour and butter. Sprinkle on top of sweet potato mixture. Bake @ 350 for 35 min. The pan or glass casserole dish should be 12x8 or even a 9x13.

As you can see, we don't skimp on the butter or sugar in our family! That's some Paula Dean shit right there, y'all. It's sooo yummy though--worth every single calorie!

Tell me: What's your favorite food at Thanksgiving? And what are you cooking up in your kitchen?

Have you ever written someone a love letter?

I was looking through some things on my boyfriend's bookshelf tonight (no, I wasn't snooping), and found the "love letter" I wrote him this year for his birthday. I remember watching him read it, and then re-read it, and just knowing by the expression on his face that it was probably the best thing I'd ever given him. (Er, except for those Armani shades--right, honey?!)

I'll admit, this wasn't the first mushy note I've ever written someone, but it certainly was the most meaningful. I wrote a guy I dated in college (we'll call him Guy #2 because I haven't mentioned him yet) a letter when I realized things just weren't going to work out. (I think he figured that out far before I did!) I remember saying something about how I needed a guy who would "fight for me," and I knew he couldn't do that. I know, I know, Velveeta. Sheesh, what was I thinking? I wasn't. That letter was so freakin' long, I'm pretty sure I had to put at least three stamps on the envelope!

Cards and letters are my absolute favorite things in the world. (Yes, even more than clothes and pizza). I used to say I wanted to write greeting cards for a living, and hell, I still might. So tell me: Have you ever written someone a love letter? Has someone written one for YOU? How did it make you feel?

What motivates you to exercise when it's cold outside?

When it's cold outside, my motivation to workout goes from about an eight to a Homer Simpson. And it sucks. This morning I had planned to get up super-early to squeeze in a run before yoga, and it just didn't happen. Well, I did make it to yoga, but just barely. I was so warm and snugly in my bed that I didn't even feel guilty about taking that extra hour of sleep. However, now I'm really wishing I had dragged my booty outta bed. Umm helllo, Ellen, Thanksgiving is in two days! Ugh, going into the holidays (and my 29th birthday!) feeling like a fatass is not ideal.

I need to get more outside runs in before it starts snowing because I really don't enjoy running in Central Park when the ground is icy. There are plenty of die-hard New Yorkers who run in inclement weather, but I am not one of them. I don't want this morning to set the precedent for the rest of the winter. Maybe I should take up a new class (pole dancing, or zumba, perhaps?) to switch things up. Hmm...

So what do you guys do to stay motivated to exercise when the temps start dropping? I need help!! Oh, and on a similar note, check out this slideshow I did for Glamour.com!

Drunk dialing: Do you still do it?

I don't care how old you are, if you're single, you are still drunk dialing. Don't even deny it because I won't believe it if you do. Drunk dialing was the basis of one of my "relationships" in college. If we didn't hang out that night, we'd call each other wasted so that we could confess just how much we liked each other, after of course, disclosing several times how drunk we were. The next day, we'd act like nothing happened and then the cycle would repeat itself all over again. Fun times.

After that relationship, I continued to drunk dial. (Don't worry Mom, I'm not talking about booty calls--if you even know what that is, haha). I don't even think I actually liked doing it, but it became such a habit that I did it all the time. I'm pretty sure I got drunk just so I'd have an excuse to call the guys I had crushes on. How pathetic is that?!

So after I had been dating my boyfriend for about a month, I went on a trip to Destin, Florida with a group of friends from college. Our first night there was a wild one, but I wanted to let him know that I was thinking about him instead of smooching other boys. (Hey, the relationship was new). So what did I do? You guessed it! When he answered his phone at 3am, he did not seem too enthused to hear my voice. "Heeeey! What r u doiiiinng?! I'm having sooo much fuuuun! Why are you sleeeeping? It's only...Oh, OK, talk to you tomooorrrow." Click. I soon found out that my boyfriend doesn't do the whole drunk dialing thing, and after that night, I didn't either.

So tell me friends: Do you still drunk dial? When was the last time you did it and what went down? SPILL.IT.

Do you get phone anxiety?

My contract at The Knot was extended again, and while fact-checking isn't the most exciting work in the world, I'm happy for now to have something that pays the bills. The job requires me to be on the phone a lot talking to different wedding vendors all over the U.S. Some people are nice, while others are downright rude, and go out of their way to make me feel like a sketchy salesperson who is trying to sell them a vacuum cleaner. (Hey lady, it's not my fault you haven't heard of one of the most popular wedding magazines in the world). I'm really not a fan of talking on the phone, but I have no choice but to suck it up and hope my friendly southern accent charms the pants off everyone I speak to.

This is an old-school pic from my first visit to London. I was obsessed with the red telephone booths! Too bad you can't see the sexy nude pics in the background--they are hilarious. I digress. So although I don't enjoy it, I do think I'm pretty good at talking to people on the phone. I get a tad nervous each time I wait for the person on the other line to pick up, but once I start talking, the anxiety goes away.

One great thing about my last job is that I had to do so many crazy ass things, it gave me the confidence to feel like I could do anything. One time I had to call 60 people in Barbados with Rihanna's last name to see if they knew anything about how she was coping with the Chris Brown beat down incident. It was pretty insane--especially because I had to deal with a bit of a language barrier. Their accents were so thick, I could hardly understand what they were saying, and I'm pretty sure I was the first Southern girl they'd ever talked to, too. There were a lot of "Huhs?" and "Can you please repeat that agains" throughout the conversations--it was funny! The experience helped me overcome my phone anxiety though, and I ended up getting some good scoop, too!

How about everyone else: Do you get phone anxiety? Does your job require you to be on the phone a lot? (Everyone of the male species should answer YES to this question. Otherwise, why would you TEXT instead of calling so much?!)

How would you feel if your boyfriend's ex contacted him?

Over the weekend my boyfriend told me that his ex-girlfriend had written him an email. He said it was just a casual "Hi, how are you?" type of thing, and offered to show it to me, but I didn't really care to see it. (Although now I'm kinda of wishing I had!) This didn't upset me at all, and it was cool that he told me.

If I ever meet this chick, I should actually shake her hand. I've heard some crazy stories about her, which totally makes me look like an angel--even when I am doing a little nagging. Guys who date crazy beeotches assume all girls are that way until they meet someone cool and wonderful like moi. (Am I right or am I right?)

Now I'm wondering if it would have bothered me if the email had been flirtatious or inappropriate in any way. I can't say for sure, but I really don't think it would have phased me. It would take a lot more than an email to make me jealous!

So tell me: How would you feel if your boyfriend/girlfriend/husband/wife received an email from an ex? Has it ever happened to you? I want the deets--spill it!!

What pops up when you Google your name?

I Googled my name the other day just for the hell of it to see what would pop up. The first things I saw were pretty standard--my Facebook and Twitter account, as well as a couple articles I'd written. There's one really embarrassing quote I gave a friend for a dating article she wrote that starts off, "When I met Mr. Right..." So, I'm pretty sure I never said those exact words, but I did give the friend liberty to change my words around if she neeed to, and apparently, she needed to. But that's fine--I can handle people thinking I'm a little "Velveeta," as my friend Joyann says.

One thing that really isn't cool though, is that there is a dog kennel owner in the U.K. named Mary Ellen Collis (pictured above) who was recently found guilty for abandoning 100 St. Bernards while she vacationed in Tenerife. I found that on the second page of my Google search. Supposedly, her partner encouraged the vacay because she was so stressed about her dire financial situation. (Um, is she dating Michael Vick?!) Right. So the next time I'm struggling to pay rent, I'll just flee to Spain so I can get my tan-on and forget about all my worries and responsibilities--that makes perfect sense.

I'm ashamed to have the same last name as this woman! Click here to read the article. Be prepared though, the pictures of the neglected pooches will seriously break your heart.

What about you guys: What pops up when you Google your name? And while we're at it: Is Googling someone before a date a Do or a Don't? (I'd never ever do that, but I know people in New York who do!)

My new haircut: REVEALED!

Hey guys! So I just got back from my hair appointment, and I'm happy to report that I like what's staring back at me in the mirror. Phew. I showed Valentino the picture of Lily and he went straight to work. Even though I had complete faith in his abilities (Bumble and Bumble is no joke), I got butterflies in my stomach as soon as he took his razor to my hair. Valentino must have sensed my nervousness because he instantly reassured, "Don't worry, the cut will be fabulous." I felt better after that, although I kept repeating to myself over and over, "It's just hair, it can grow back," as big chunks of hair fall to the ground. 

Here you can see just how much was cut. I love the edgy layers—I hope I can recreate it myself!

So it doesn't look so different in this pic, but considering the biggest hair risk I've ever taken is a half-inch trim, it is a big step. When I brushed it out a bit, the bangs just kinda fell to the side and blended in with the rest of my hair, which I'm happy about. Some of the shorter pieces freaked me out at first, but I'm getting more used to it by the minute! Ideally, I'd like a mix between the first picture and this one—I need to play around with it more.

What's the verdict—do you like my new 'do? Should I take a bigger risk next time?!

Which celeb hairstyle do you covet?

So remember this post when I told you I had set a record for the amount of time I'd gone without a haircut? Well it's now been over three months, and I just can't take it anymore. I know I might regret spending the money later, but since I've been getting my $38 hair cuts all year long, I'm going to treat myself by going to a fancy salon, Bumble and Bumble. The reason I'm going to the nice place is because for the first time in my LIFE I'm getting a new style!

When I came across this picture of Lily Allen, I knew it was the cut I wanted. Isn't she so cute?I'm going to leave it in the hands of the hair dresser, Valentino. If for some reason he doesn't think this would work for my hair, I'll let him make adjustments. I've never had bangs before, so this should be interesting! Somehow I have a feeling the cut won't look as drastic as I'm imagining, but I hope it at least looks a little different--I might not feel this daring ever again!

I'm going to try to snap a few pics inside the salon, even though I can already imagine how many stank eyes will be shot in my direction when the flash goes off. I will definitely have to play that by ear, but either way, I will post a picture of my new 'do later today.

So what to you guys think: Do you like this style for me? (The only answer at this point is YES). Is anyone else thinking about trying a new cut? Which celeb hairstyle would you kill for?

Photo Shoot Friday: Mexican Stew, Coronas and an OMFG cute pooch

Why hello there, friends! It's Friday and thank GOD for that. I'm so over this week--I just want Thanksgiving to be here, um, yesterday.

So last night it was Tiffany's birthday, and since she wanted to be super low-key about it, we went over to her friend (and now my friend) Camille's house for dinner. I'm feeling a little lazy at the moment, so I'm not sure how much more writing I can muster up. Let's just play it by ear, K?

I got Tiff's pooch, Rocky, in one hand and a Corona in the other. It doesn't get much better. Who's cuter: Me or Rocks? Actually, don't answer that!!

Look at Camille's amaaazing apartment. She lives in Park Slope (which is in Brooklyn for those who may not know). Liza and I have been thinking about moving to Brooklyn for a while, and after being at Camille's ridiculously awesome apartment last night, I want to make it happen more than ever! (Yeah, so it's twice the size of mine and cheaper!)

Here's the birthday girl with her main squeeze. Everyone was feeling icky after a long day at work, and wasn't thrilled about all the picture taking I wanted to do, but I finally got Tiff to smile for one!

So the highlight of the night was Camille's Mexican stew. It was SO.GOOD. And pretty healthy. She listed off all the ingredients, but I wasn't paying attention. Boo. From what I remember though, it was ground beef, beans, jalapenos (I think) and...and...I don't know! Camille, can you help me out here? I added a little cheese and a dollop of sour cream on top, just for a little color ;)

Rocky licked our feet as we chowed down on the stew. We were too distracted to really care though. Tiff is taking him on her photo shoot in Miami this weekend, which explains his sweet haircut. He might even be included in the shoot, but as far as I'm concerned, it doesn't get any better than Photo Shoot Friday!

Cupcakes from Sugar Sweet Sunshine! I tried the chocolate one with pink icing and the pumpkin. Yumm. It's making me rethink my thoughts on the NYC cupcakes I wrote about in this post.

I'm working a bit this weekend and staying pretty low-key. I do have one exciting thing in store, which involves me getting a makeover of sorts, but you'll have to check back tomorrow to find out what it is! What's everyone else up to?

Who's going to see New Moon this weekend?

When I walked past this theatre in Park Slope last night, there was a line around the block for the midnight showing of New Moon. No surprise there--the movie is expected to pull in 85 million this weekend alone!

I'm excited to see it, but I think I'm going to wait until the insanity dies down just a bit and see it next week when I'm in Ohio for Thanksgiving. I'm sure by then though, everyone will be seeing it for the third time, so it's probably wishful thinking that I'll dodge the crazed Twilight fans!

There are a lot of new editions in the movie, and judging by this eye candy, I have a feeling I'm thoroughly going to enjoy it. Those are some rock hard bodies, y'all. Woo weee. Actually, I'm more excited to see Taylor Lautner strip down. Didn't he gain like thirty pounds--in muscle? Sex-zy. (Actually, I think I'm even MORE excited to see Dakota Fanning. Is that weird?!)

I just rememered that after I lost my job, I applied for a small role in the movie from an ad I saw on Craigslist. They wanted a Spanish-looking girl. (I'm Greek, close enough). I can do a pretty good Jenny from tha block, but no one ever got to see those skillz. A girl called me to ask a few follow-up questions, and that was the last I heard. Sigh.

So tell me: Who's going to see New Moon this weekend? And if you've already seen it, what did you think? I've heard mixed reviews, but I've already decided I'm going to like it!

Eco-friendly jewelry and healthy margaritas

You may remember my new friend Arielle from this post (aka the peacock from Halloween). After she lost her job when the recession hit, she took the opportunity to start her own business in NYC, Be Well with Arielle, Health Counseling and JeWELLry. Last night I went to her launch party, and it was amazing. She is now officially a business woman--I love the sound of THAT!

Ok, so once again my little camera didn't quite capture everything as clearly as I would have liked, however someone put a bug in my ear that I'm getting a new one for my birthday next week, so that will solve my blurry picture problem soon! (I promise birthday fairy, I will take better care of this one!!!)

Arielle was swarmed with people every time I looked in her direction, but when I finally caught her eye, she came over and said a big friendly hello. She seemed so excited and appreciative for the wonderful turn out, it was so cute.

It took me forever to fight my way up to the jewelry display. Everyone was going crazy for these necklaces, and I can't say I blame them. They are so cool!

Isn't this bright blue one pretty? It would be the perfect touch to any cocktail dress. Helllo, holiday season! All the pieces are made from recycled metals, vintage chains and reclaimed crystals, so not only will you look fabulous wearing them, but you'll feel great, too!

The food was provided by Chelsea Catering, and it was de-lish. Seriously, y'all. Anyone who saw Jenn and I standing by the food table most likely assumed we were having a guac eating contest. We couldn't get enough! The margs were tasty too, and "healthy." I believe they were mixed with some sort of organic juices, but now I can't recall the name. Oops. (Um yeah, I had a few too many!)

I'm not sure what was in that dip, but it made the fresh veggies taste even better. For dessert, cookies from This Chic Bakes were passed out. These healthy treats are yummy, and surprisingly, the green tea/lemon cookie was my favorite!

Now this is just a hunch, but I don't think ponytail guy and his buddy were actually invited to the party or had intentions of buying any jewelry for their girlfriends. They seemed pretty into the free food and booze!

I thought this sign was pretty funny. Just as Jenn walked out of the restroom, her name was being called out over a microphone to announce that she won a pretty ring from Arielle's line!

Jenn doesn't like to be in the spotlight, (which is why, of course, I put her on my blog so much) so it was funny watching her walk up to collect her gift.

Check out Arielle's website here. I love that she's combining fashion with wellness! She's taking me on a grocery shopping tour soon to help me make healthier choices, and I absolutely cannot WAIT!

What food shopping questions should I ask her? What would YOU want to know?

Have you ever worn an outfit inspired from something you saw in a magazine?

Yesterday morning the most amazing thing happened on my way to work. I was running a bit late, so I hauled ass off the subway and started walgging (you know when you're walking so fast, you're practically jogging? That's "walgging") to the office. I saw a photo shoot happening up ahead, and as I rushed passed, I saw MY SISTER crouched down styling the model's outfit. I got so excited, I stopped and started waving like a lunatic; I could hardly contain myself. Liza was equally excited to see me, and when she came over we hugged and started jumping up and down. I have no idea why. We see each other every single day in the apartment. I guess it was just neat seeing each other unexpectedly, and at a photo shoot Liza was doing on the streets of New York, no less! In that moment for some reason, in our own small way, I felt like we both had made it. 

Anyway, Liza told me my outfit was cute and when I looked at it later, I realized it was actually something she had inspired! She did a shoot for the November issue of Women's Health on how to layer clothing. It's probably one of my favorite shoots she's done so far. One of the outfits was a magenta top with a black and white stripe top peeking out at the sleeves (p. 49 for anyone who has a copy of the issue!). OK, so my outfit looks nothing like what that model is wearing, but that's where I stole the idea from! Check it out here. 

I never, ever try to copy things I see in magazines, so I was pretty proud of myself on this one. What about you: Have you ever worn an outfit inspired from something you saw in a magazine?

Were you in a sorority?

I was. Some people are surprised by this, and I must say, I take that as a compliment. 'Cause ya know, mainstream anything is just so not cool in New York. Obviously, I'm kidding. You know I don't give a shit about what's "cool" and what isn't. My love for The Jonas Brothers and Miley Cyrus runs deep, and I'm not ashamed to admit it. But I suppose it is a compliment in the sense that I'm not so easy to categorize. I've always considered myself a "mixed breed."

Rush can be a nightmare for some (the process is a bit ridiculous), but I have to admit that I loved it. I got lucky and didn't get cut from any of the sororities at Clemson, so I got to choose. (I have no idea why. Maybe they needed an actual Greek girl to meet some sort of quota?) So what did I pick?

Say it with me now: "Delta, Delta, Delta--Can I help ya, help ya, help ya?" Oh yeah, I've heard that once or twice. This SNL skit is hilarious. While getting into my sorority of choice was a big confidence booster (and something I very much needed my freshman year of college), I can't say my actual experience was amazing. I made wonderful friends, two who I know will be best friends for life, but it was kinda like high school all over again. The South Carolina girls kept their cliques tight, so there wasn't much room for me; I gave up trying after a while. My group: Courtenay, Leah, Mary, Whitney and Lauren were the outsiders, and that was cool. While everyone else was trying to decide which KA they would hook up with that night to increase their chances of being invited to the next semi-formal, we were together laughing our asses off. Whether we were taking ten too many Red-headed Slut shots or eating a hungover lunch at Ruby Tuesday, we always had a blast.

We were kinda like the misfits in House Bunny, haha! You'd think that a Kentucky girl would fit in better at a South Carolina school, but I really didn't. It was partly my fault--I didn't embrace the culture very much. I didn't wear pearls around my neck or ribbons in my hair, or even bother learning how to shag dance. And I most certainly had no interest in the southern boys with shaggy hair who knew just how to "Yes ma'am" and "No sir" any parent to death. (To be fair, they didn't want any of THIS either). So I'm not really sure why I picked the most southern sorority on campus? I just went with my gut, and I'm glad I did. Really.

I'm starting to sound a bit bitter about my sorority experience, and I don't like it. I don't want to be like the chubby kid from high school who just can't let it go. The majority of the girls really were super-nice. And cool. There were a handful of bitches, who I later realized were just insanely insecure, but it was nothing like you see in the movies. Movies paint a very bad picture of sororities--it's not all sex and partying and semi-naked pillow fights. I actually participated in a lot of great philanthropies as a Tri-Delt. Check out my friend, Autumn's, blog here to see her thoughts on sorority life.

Greek life is something most people have an opinoin on, whether it's good, bad or indifferent. So tell me: Were you in a sorority or fraternity? What was your experience like?

If you lost your job, would you keep mum about it?

I know some people who have been laid off that try to keep it a secret. Why? A little bit of it might be embarrassment, but it's mainly because they don't want other people/potential future employers to see them as disposable. Makes sense. So why in the hell did I decide to start a blog called FIRED 'n' Fabulous? What the eff, man?!

Actually, I don't think I have shared my pink slip story yet. It wasn't like when The Donald tells contestants on The Apprentice to get out of his face because they suck at life. Umm, not quite.

I was a freelance reporter at a tabloid magazine, and when I took the job I knew straight up that that there was a good chance I would get the boot; they told me that from the jump. I didn't have any previous tabloid experience, but I figured if I busted my ass hard enough, everything would be OK.

I instantly got positive feedback from the editors on staff, and while I was worried about losing my job, I pushed the thought to the back of my mind. After I had been at the magazine about three months, I got called into my boss's office. I rushed in with a pad of paper and a pen, assuming I was going to be sent out on an assignment to stalk Jon Gosselin's house again or drive to a faraway courthouse to pick up divorce papers that documented a celebrity's infidelities.

As soon as I walked into the office, I was told to shut the door behind me. Uh-oh. I knew what was happening and as I heard the words "this just isn't working out," I wanted to crawl across the editor's desk and put him in chokehold until he screamed uncle. Obviously, I didn't. I kept my cool, said a few words, extended my hand and left.

I'm not going to get into everything that happened after that right now, but let me just say that it was not a fun experience. The whole situation just sucked, even though I knew from the beginning that being a tabloid reporter truly wasn't my destiny. Yikes, that was not a pleasant memory to relive. An.y.way.

Tell me: If you lost your job, would you keep mum about it? Is it ridiculous that I'm sharing my unemployed status with the world?

How healthy is your salad REALLY?

So I must admit I've gotten a wee bit too excited about the sudden abundance of cash I have in my checking account (just got paid, bitches!), and I know it's not going to last as long as I need it to. So why I ate out for both breakfast and lunch today is beyond me. Mind you, I didn't spend that much—$5 at Starbucks this am and an $8 salad for lunch. But still—that is not cool. My sorry ass is going to be crying all the way from the bank if I don't get it in check and get back to eating the groceries I've already got at home. I digress. Let me tell you about my salad.

Remember this post when I got way.too.excited about having a salad for lunch? Well, this isn't quite as awesome, but I'm going to tell you about it anyway. My salad contained: cucumbers, chickpeas, carrots, cashews, an egg, peppers, corn, onion apples and just a drizzle of balsamic vinaigrette. Pretty healthy, right? At least I think so. I liked the salad, but I wasn't in love with it. I'm still working on "readjusting" my taste buds. Of course, every bite that had a cashew in it was delicious, but every other bite was just a'ight. 

My buddy George made me laugh when he wrote a comment the other week about how his favorite salad came with a huge hunk of garlic bread all the fixins. Sweet. I forget what the exact ingredients were, but I do remember thinking that it sounded like the calorie count was more than what the average person should eat over two days, let alone one meal. 

So what about you: Are you and "Ellen" salad eater or a "George" salad eater? (I used to be a "George" salad eater. In college, I chose to believe that my Carolina Chicken salad from Ruby Tuesday was healthy. Um yeah, I drenched it with Ranch dressing, and later found out it was over 1,000 calories. Scar-y).

What do you nag your boyfriend about?

Ok, so this might come as a surprise to some of you, but no, I am not perfect. I'd like to think that I am a pretty laid back girlfriend though. I'm independent and I don't keep tabs on my boyfriend's whereabouts at all times or get pissy when he stays out until 4am pounding beers with the boys (unless his hangover the next day ruins plans we had together, of course).

However, the one thing I do from time to time "nag" my boyfriend about is his health. While I'm not perfect in that arena, a healthy lifestyle is very important to me, and sometimes it's frustrating when he doesn't make it more of a priority. One month, he'll hit the gym hard and the next, he doesn't even step foot inside one. Don't get me wrong, my boyfriend doesn't sit around stuffing Cheetos into his mouth all day (although I think he's had one too many steak dinners lately)--he works hard. Honestly, I don't know how much I'd be at the gym if I clocked in the number of hours at the office that he does. But still.

So last night when he suggested we get salads for dinner, I was pumped! We went to Cafe Gitane in Nolita because the salads are yummy and reasonably priced.

We didn't get off to the healthiest start with this avocado and olive oil spread over toast, but the waitress highly recommended it, so we had to try it, right? It was worth every.last.calorie. YUM.

I got the mixed green salad with chicken. It came with two small pieces of cheese toast--I had one. I don't know what magic ingredient is in that cheese spread, but it is seriously delicious.

So yeah, my boyfriend decided to forgo the salad and get the Hachi Parmentier, which is like a shepherd's pie--ground beef with cheese and mashed potatos on top. There was a side salad, but it was barely touched--apparently the lettuce was frozen or something. I don't know about that! We were having such a good time talking and being out together, I honestly didn't care that he didn't make a healthier choice.

And guess who picked up the tab? Moi. And unlike this date, I didn't even have a gift certificate. I got two big paychecks in the mail yesterday, so I was more than happy to pay. It was a nice feeling.

The restaurant has a cool, old school diner type feel. Check out this bright yellow cash register!

I admit I don't always go about encouraging my boyfriend to be healthier the right way. Sometimes, after going a few weeks without bringing it up, I'll ask, "Have you been taking care of yourself lately?" (Which reads: Did you have a burrito for lunch and are your tennis shoes collecting dust sitting in the corner of your apartment?) I should lead by example. If we're both hungover, I should get my ass up and cook a nice hearty breakfast instead of doing a Domino's pizza delivery dance. (Umm yeah, you do not want to know what that looks like). I should also plan fun activities for us to do together, but I just get lazy. But after all, those who sweat together, stay together, right?!

So tell me: What do you nag your boyfriend about? And guys, am I being too harsh here? Do you have any advice on how I can handle the situation better?