So long, Southampton!

Hi friends! Sorry I was out of touch yesterday—we were at the beach all day and by the time we got back to the house it was time to cook dinner and get ready for the night. Hard life, I know. It's so beautiful here—this break from the big bad city was very much needed. 

Here's our house—isn't it so cute? I've decided to save most of the pics from the trip for Photo Shoot Friday (perhaps I will break it up in two installments?), so you'll have to wait a few days to see 'em!

We're leaving soon and I'm so sad about it. I need to do something enjoyable tonight to try to ward off post-vacay blues. That's the worst. Hrm, maybe I'll see SATC2? Who's seen it? And what do you do to unwind from vacay and get ready for the upcoming week?

Grocery Shopping with Sexy Asians

Hola from Southampton! We got in early yesterday afternoon and hit up the grocery store right away to stock up on food and beer. 

Here's Melissa and her older sis,  Michelle. I don't know about you, but I NEVER look this hottt when I'm grocery shopping!

As everything was being rung up, I started getting nervous about all of the frivolous things I threw into the cart. But, we really NEEDED those Swedish Fish and bags of Pirate's Booty!

Hey, not too bad divided between seven people! I plan to eat the groceries for pretty much every single meal, so the small amount of cash I allotted for the trip should last me! 

We got quite a workout loading the bags of groceries into the car. Tiff hooked us up with this Ford Flex!

So after we unpacked our groceries, we busted out the wine, which lead to this random video. Here's Jenn showing you how to keep your chips from going stale! haha 

I hope everyone's having a FABULOUS weekend so far! Tell me: What will you be eating this weekend? And what are your groceries essentials when you're on vacay?

Photo Shoot Friday: Small Bites, Big Flavors

Recently my boyfriend encouraged me to take more pictures so that I don't continue to have "throw away posts" for Photo Shoot Friday. (Umm, I think he was talking about last week!) So, I brought the camera out with us last Sunday for date night numero dos—yes, two in one weekend. (Date Night one was recapped here.) 

We went to Macondo, a Latin American tapas restaurant on the Lower East Side. I've only been there once before, maybe a year or so ago—I can't believe it took me so long to go back!

To me, atmosphere is almost as important as the food. I love the cool, low-key vibe. 

We started with plantains topped with shrimp in a red sauce. I looove plantains—it's miraculous that I just had this one bite. Willpower WHAT?!

For my main meal, I got the black bean stew and topped it with citrus, cheese and tomatoes. Interesting combo, huh? It was delish!

Hola mis amigos! 

I'm typically a fan of anything smeared in a creamy orange sauce, but these potatoes were only a'ight. I just had one so I could save room for this:

I had a couple bites of one short ribs slider and plenty of fries. Hold up, let's get a closer look...

Mmm. I love flavorful bite-sized dishes—you don't need much to feel totally satisfied! 

Sometimes I look back at what my boyfriend and I eat together and wonder if it's normal. Did we totally pig out or what? I really can't tell. And it's hard to know exactly how much you've eaten where you're having bites here and there. I've been doing a pretty good job of ordering what I want when I go out to eat, but not stuffing myself to the point of discomfort—that's the worst. Progress people, progress!

Ohh and what's everyone doing over the long weekend? I'm hopping in a car to go to Southampton as we speak! (Eek, I'm the one driving!) Our house has Wireless—WooHoo!—so I'll be updating the blog with our fun adventures over the weekend. Check back in, ya hear? Whatever you're doing, be safe and have tons of fun! MWAH!

So what about you: Do you eat more when you're dining out with certain people? I definitely eat the most when I'm with my bf—sometimes I forget that I really CAN'T match him bite for bite! 

Being a freelancer sucks when you um, aren't FREE

I cannot tell you how much it pains me to tell someone NO when I'm called for a job. After all, I'm the YES girl remember? When I was at jury duty the other week, I had to turn down a reporting gig for a website I would loooove to work for. I was super-bummed, but I have a pal at the company, so when they told me "Don't worry, we'll call you again," I believed it. 

But yesterday as I was walking to the park to lay out (I know, you hate me), I got a call from a 323 number. Who do I know in California? Worried it might be a salesperson from my gym calling me yet again from a different phone number, I let it go to voicemail. Then I listened to the message:

Hi Ellen, this is Steve. I'm a producer at A&E (Ok ok, interesting...) and I'm calling you about a new show we're working on (Right right...). You were very highly recommended to us (Umm, obvi), and I was wondering if you could assist our wardrobe stylist with an upcoming taping. (Please please PLEASE don't be this weekend!) So if you're free this Friday through Sunday, give me a call and...I didn't hear anything after that. 

(Ok, so this pic is random, but I totally think people should start paying their freelancers with Starbucks gift cards!) If you recall from this post, I'm going to be in Southampton over the weekend. If I could afford to lose that $300 deposit, I might have considered canceling (Oh ok, no I wouldn't have), but it just wasn't realistic at such short notice. Plus, this trip is like five years overdue! But seriously, how much does that SUCK?! I was especially excited for the opportunity because I didn't have any connections at this company, which showed me that somehow my name is floating around the big bad city, and that's pretty awesome. I called Steve back to thank him and to tell him to please keep me in mind for future jobs. (I'm positive I came across waaay too eager...and desperate.) He said he'd "keep me on file." (On file? Really?) FAIL. 

Freelancing is the best thing in the world when: 1.) You're getting called regularly for jobs. 2.) You're available to do those jobs. I can't help but to think that by saying "no," I will lose a potential employer forever. It's so frustrating! 

Tell me: What's the thing you like the least about your job? And does anyone have any exciting work-related news to share? I promise I won't get jealous! ;)

Which Sex and The City Character are YOU?

This week in NYC it's been all about Sex and the City 2! The premiere, the after parties, parties after the after parties, and sadly I haven't been to a single event. Not that I expected to, but I've felt like a loser lately reading my friends' SATC Facebook status updates over the last few days: Just spotted SJP at (insert swanky hotel here)! or In a limo on my way to the premiere! Hellllo friends, remember me? I'm a great wing woman in case you have forgotten? 

An.Y.way, here's a group pic from the premiere. Lookin' good, ladies! I don't know about you, but I'm happy to see that SJP doesn't have a plant growing out of her head like she did at the London premiere for the first movie. (I believe the Brits call those little hats fascinators?) Her asymmetrical lemon colored dress allows her to stand out just enough without screaming LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME! 

So, if you had to guess, who do you think my favorite character is? I'll narrow it down for you...

Carrie has killer style and just an overall fabulous little Manhattan life (and she's a writer), but....

I'm SO Miranda! Are you surprised? She's funny, sarcastic, smart—LOVE her. I actually have a tank top that says, "I'm a Miranda!" I need to dig it up and rock it when I go to see the movie. Cheesy? Yes. Do I care? No. 

So tell me: Which SATC character are YOU and why? Are you excited for the movie? I've heard mixed reviews, but of course I'm going to see it anyway!

On-the-Fence Fashion

New trends are constantly coming out (er, or being recycled), and there's always a few I'm on the fence about. Like, I know they are totally approved by the Fashion Gods and that I'm supposed to like them, but sometimes I just don't quite get it. 

Trend #1: Cut-outs and shredding

Both Liza and Joyann are sporting this trend, but unfortunately you can't really see it. They look hottt in the pic though, which is why I decided to post it anyway. The shoulders on Liza's dress are cut out and the back of Joyann's dress looks something like this:

Ok, so I'm down with these looks—edgy, but subtle. (Photo: Cheap Monday tank from Shopbop.)

But this? No thank you. If this is in style, then I will gladly turn myself in to the Fashion Police right this second because I do not concur. I guess Amber Rose is still trying to help Kanye prove to the world that he likes girls instead of boys. Give it up, dude, no one believes you.

Trend #2: Clogs

To clog or not to clog? That's the recurring question every summer. MK Olsen looks like a bum most of time, but she knows her shit. (I looove her and Ashley's line Elizabeth and James!) Hrm...

I got an email the other day about these shoes, FitFlops. Apparently they are biochemically engineered to help sculpt your leg muscles, improve posture and reduce back pain—which I have from time to time. These could be worth trying—if I'm going to start cloggin', I suppose doing it with added health benefits is the way to go! 

 

Trend #3: Denim on Denim

I've been testing out this trend for a while now, and I'm still unsure about it. I always think it's cool when I first put it together, but looking back now...ICK! 

And this is what walked down the Louis Vuitton runway at Spring Fashion Week. I love the afro, but everything else confuses the hell out of me. Whyyyy?

So what are your thoughts on these three trends? What others are you on the fence about?

Bringing Sexy Back

Saturday my boyfriend and I planned a special date night because we hadn't seen each other in a week. It sucks when we're both that busy, but we always find a way to make it up to each other. So how do we bring the sexy back?

I wear high heels...

...and he takes me out to a nice sushi dinner. We went to Blue Ribbon in SoHo--it's one of my favorites! In addition to the usual suspects (california roll, tuna/salmon/egg/eel sushi pieces), we tried the Blue Ribbon roll.

It was pretty to look at (caviar, anyone?), but I didn't love it. Lobster doesn't have much flavor, and the shiso had an um, interesting taste. I don't know, maybe a sushi expert would have given it rave reviews, but it wasn't my cup of green tea!

My boyfriend and I went here on one of our first dates, so it was fun to recall that memory when we were still getting to know each other. (Actually, it's a bit of a blur--I drank waaaay too much in the beginning of our relationship!) He made a comment the other day about how I rarely wear heels anymore and I freaked. Nooo! I don't want to be THAT girl! So I put on high heels and gave myself a D.I.Y. mani. And I had planned to wear something a little sexier, but I didn't like anything in my closet, so I borrowed Liza's DVF jumper. It did the job.

**Ohh, I've got giveaway winner announcements! BerryFine won the Bumble and Bumble hair products and Mary Allen won Carmindy's Crazy Busy Beautiful book! Shoot me an email ladies with your mailing info! And I *pinky promise* I selected the winners at random. I gave everyone a number and had the bf pick 'em :) (Does anyone have any suggestions on a better way to do it??) An.Y.way...

So yeah, it doesn't take much for my bf and I to bring the sexy back into our relationship when things get a little crazy. High heels, sushi, vino and we're good! What about you: What special things do you (or have you done in the past) with your partner to keep the flame a burnin'? And how important do you think it is to fix up and make the effort to look good for each other?

How do you decide what you put your energy into?

As a freelancer, it's really important what I choose to spend my time and energy on. At times I want to say YES to everything, but some jobs just aren't worth it. Like, I'd rather write an article for FREE for a publication I really like and want to build a working relationship with, over writing a blog about baby nurseries for a parenting website for $50. What's worth it? What isn't? That's what I'm constantly asking myself.



So I told you that I recently took on a freelance PR/assistant gig. Well, I finished out one job and then on Friday I quit. I was the one doing the firing this time around and it felt pretty weird. I took the job for the potential networking opportunities and contacts it would bring (I certainly didn't do it for the money!), but after day one I realized it was something I just couldn't --and shouldn't--invest my energy into. It's really not in my best interest to tell you the details of what went down, but let's just say that I will no longer be able to watch The Devil Wears Prada with the same amount of enjoyment, which really is a shame.

I was kinda bummed that the gig didn't work out because I was excited to be able to tell people I was doing SOMETHING, something kinda cool, regarding work. Ohh well. Bragging rights certainly aren't worth destruction to my mental health!

So, it's back to the drawing board! On the bright side, I will now be able to regain focus on the blog. (Well, I might not be 100 percent back to normal until after Memorial Day weekend, but I'm getting there!) Ohh and it's not too late to enter the Bumble and Bumble contest giveaway--I've decided to wait until tonight to pick a winner! An.Y.way...

Tell me: How do you decide what you put your energy into? What's worth it and what isn't? And have you ever had a Devil Wears Prada moment at work?!

Do your food cravings change by the season?

Mine do. This winter I was allll about chili. My boyfriend and I made it quite a bit, and we actually still have some saved in the freezer! It's filling, yummy and just so satisfying during the colder months. (And well, I'm always looking for an excuse to eat tortilla chips!) Well now that the temps are rising, my ice cream cravings have kicked into full gear, and it's just down right dangerous.

After I finished my Glamour reporting in Union Square this afternoon, I had a hankering for something cold and creamy, so I popped into The Lite Choice just a block away for a cup of Dark Chocolate Truffle with mint chips. It was so good--I love their selection of toppings! (New Yawkers, check out these awesome giveaways they are doing right now!)

I had chilled out a bit (pun intended) on the ice cream and froyo treats a bit when the weather was cooler, but today I realized that it's not going to be quite as easy to resist once summer officially starts. Pretty soon, I know I'm going to want ice cream every.single.day. I don't think I'm strong enough to resist it--actually, I know I'm not--but I'm going to try to just get a small serving every time I do have it. I guess it's all about compromise and balance and the idea that everything is good in moderation. Yeah, yeah, blah blah blah. We'll have to wait and see how THAT goes!

So what about you: do your food cravings change by the season? What do you love to eat during the summer?

Lets.get.fired.UP!

Clap, clap, clap clap clap. I was a cheerleader for a YMCA basketball team when I was like 10, and that was my favorite little cheer. Why? Because it was the only one I could remember all of the words and moves to! An.Y.way. You know from this post that I love love LOVE getting little surprises in the mail, and LOOK what my friend Lorraine sent me yesterday!

It's hanging on my wall right above my desk—perfecto! It's so funny, when I first started the blog, some people thought the name meant that I was like FIRED UP about something. Angry? Pumped up? I'm not sure. But nope, I'm just straight up FIRED. 

But as you know by now, plenty of things do get me fired up. One being, that there seems to be so many people with fabulous jobs who just don't seem to deserve them. People with fancy titles who find sneaky ways to get other people to make them look good without even lifting a finger. Hate that. And most recently, I worked with a PR director of one of the fanciest hotels in NYC who was a complete mess—unprofessional, unorganized, un...everything. It just boggled my mind. I really try not to be bitter, but sometimes it's just so damn hard!

So what about you: What's getting you FIRED UP these days?

Photo Shoot Friday: Hemp Necklaces and Harry Potter

I've been really lame lately, and haven't been going out hardly at all. Actually, I don't think I even remember the last time I got drunk. WHOA! Last night I saw Alex and Simon from The New York Housewives out (which, ahem, you would know if you are a FnF fan on Facebook!), but I didn't even get to enjoy the party because I was working at it. I always wondered what it would be like to be the door girl with a clipboard—yeah, not as much fun as I thought it would be. (What? I'm not on the list? Oh no...that's not right. Damian's boyfriend's sister said that I...) 

So that explains why I've resorted to posting these senior year photos from Buzzfeed. Enjoy.

Hemp necklace, check. Gelled hair, check. Boxer briefs peeking out of jeans, check. Two-pack abs, check, check. Serious stare, check. Oh so profesh!

Ok, so I'm not going to lie, my senior year photos looked a little something like this, only I think I was in a swim suit. Ew. Mom, why didn't you stop me?!

Bi-polar is so trendy these days. 

This one time, at band camp, I stuck a flute in my...

Umm yeah...I got nothin'.

Harry Potter is so two years ago. Where the hell are the Edward Cullen senior photos?!

I think this might be my favorite.

Which one of these do you like best? And what did YOUR senior year photos look like?! 

What sacrifices have your parents made for you?

Six years ago, I sat my dad down at our house in Kentucky to ask him a very important question: Can I move to New York? He fired several questions my way, and I reassured him that I would bust my ass and make things HAPPEN. I was nervous as hell as I watched him think it over, and then...he said yes! He saw the desperation in my eyes and knew there was no other answer. Well, I think the main reason he said yes was because he wanted Liza and I to be together (she had already moved here), but still. Thanks, Dad, for helping me make my dreams come true!

When I first moved to NYC, I lived in a one bedroom apartment with Liza and one other roommate—talk about getting the true New York experience! I had a paying internship at a music PR company and Liza was freelancing at Lucky magazine, but I'd be lying if I said we didn't have to hit Dad up for money...often. I hated doing it—especially because financially I knew it wasn't easy for him to help me—but I just kept telling him that one day it would all be worth it.

Well, Dad's gone, but now I'm singing the same old tune to my mom. Of course I'm much more independent than I was back then, but I do on occasion need a little help. It's actually quite embarrassing for me to admit this at 29 years-old, especially when what I want more than anything in the WORLD is to be secure and successful on some level. And my unemployment certainly hasn't been easy on my mom—she's been there for me every step of the way. I can't even count how many times I have called her crying over the last year! 

Without my parents support, I never could have had the luxury to chase my dreams. Having people believe in you and invest in you, even if it means putting their needs second is just an amazing feeling. It actually makes me feel quite spoiled. I cannot WAIT for the day when I can look back and say, See it was worth it!

Tell me: What sacrifices have your parents made for you?

What's the food diary of your life?

Ok, so I'm doing something I've never done before—I'm straight up jacking an idea I saw on someone else's blog. But that someone happens to be my bloggy friend, Kelly, so I don't think she will be too upset with me! So here it is, the food diary of my life.

Milk. When I was a baby, I was OBSESSED with milk. My mom said I'd chug down my bottle and then chuck it out of my crib when I was ready for more. This lead to my love of cereal...

Cereal. I could have cereal for EVERY meal. Oatmeal is cheaper, which is why I've been eating it so much lately, but nothing is better than a big bowl of cereal. One time when I was like six, my grandmother let me eat four bowls of Special K for dinner. I couldn't believe it! It was easily one of the best nights of my child LIFE.

Peas. I despised peas as a kid, and my parents wouldn't let me leave the dinner table until I ate them. I made a big dramatic scene about it, too. I'd put just a few on my fork, hold my nose and scrunch my face up in disgust as I swallowed 'em down. I always snuck some into my napkin too, but I'm pretty sure I got busted every time. Looking back, I don't know what the big deal was—peas don't really taste like anything. 

Eggs. This was the first thing I learned how to cook, and still to this day it's one of the only things I can make! Shameful. I had this dish at Balthazaar several months ago—I wish I could make my eggs look this fancy!

Ice cream. By now you know that my love for ice cream runs DEEP. My first job was at Graeter's, so that might explain something there. I actually didn't eat much of the ice cream while I worked, but one time my boss totally caught me shoveling spoonfuls of Double Chocolate Chip into my mouth! It was soooo embarrassing! I quickly put the spoon down, wiped my mouth and went back to work. We both acted like it never happened! 

Ohh, and a funny ice cream story about Liza: When she was little, my mom gave her a scoop of low-fat vanilla (Oh no she di'n't!). After one little taste, she exclaimed, "WHAT THE HECK KIND OF ICE CREAM IS THIS?!?" Bless her little heart—she knew something wasn't right. The Collis girls don't mess around when it comes to ice cream!

Sushi. Leah, one of my best friends from college, introduced me to it junior year when the food court in the student union started serving it. I'd always get a California roll and dunk the hell out of it in that yummy orange sauce. I didn't like it much at the time, but I thought it was the cool thing to eat, so I went with it. Now, I LOVE sushi. When my boyfriend and I first started dating, we ate it as much as possible—like pretty much every time we went out to eat! I've tried some more adventurous rolls with him, but my favorite ones are super-basic: California, spicy tuna and cucumber. Mmm.

Pizza. It's cheap and yummy and I LOVE it. My bf and I shared this pizza at a casual restaurant in Park Slope last weekend. Shoot, I'm forgetting the name of the place! (New Yorkers, it's on Seventh Ave near 10th Street.) It's not the healthiest thing in the world, but I usually eat it by the slice with veggies on top, so it's not so bad. 

Wow, now I'm officially starving! Your turn: What's the food diary of YOUR life?

Do you have workout ADD?

I do sometimes and it SUCKS. I hate when I watch the clock at the gym when I KNOW I should be too busy working up a sweat to even think about what time it is! The other day I went to a spinning and yoga class back to back. (I've been doing double workouts on days I have the time because my schedule has been so sporadic lately.) In both classes I just watched the seconds tick, tick, tick on by. The spinning instructor was partially to blame though. She played the WORST music ever—it was a random techno mix, and I hate techno. Umm hello, teach, is a little Rihanna too much to ask for?! I just couldn't get motivated, so I left class ten minutes early to do some glute work before yoga.

I'm pretty good at concentrating on exercises that concern my ass, so for those 10 minutes, I was focused. But then it was time to get my downward facing dog on, and I was back to being distracted. Just as I'd start thinking about my To-Do list and what I was going to have for dinner, the teacher would say, "Don't let your mind drift. Bring it back to what you are doing in this very moment." Damn, the bitch is a mind reader! Well, she probably caught me glancing at the clock every five minutes. She also told us to "find our inner juiciness" and that "deeper doesn't mean better." Who the hell can concentrate with commentary like THAT?!

So yep, I'm diagnosing myself with workout ADD. Who else gets it? Is there a cure?

Karma's a bitch, BITCH!

In this post I told you about the miserable bloke (he's English) who FIRED my ass. Well, I found out yesterday that HE recently got fired. This, my friends, is what I call karma. And of course, instead of being civil and taking the high road, he threw a little bitchfest and wrote a bitter email to the entire office. I'm not surprised. 

So yesterday a reader (Hi Ashley!) commented about what I said about wanting to "strangle" recent grads who land jobs right out of school. 

While it might not be fun seeing people get jobs before you at least there are jobs to get! I believe in job karma, and hatin' on people for landing gigs before you is bad ju-ju. 

I believe in job karma, too. Did I actually want to strangle anyone? No. Was I a teensy bit jealous? Yes. It IS hard seeing people all around me land jobs and get promotions when I've been struggling (and busting my ass!) for a year. Sure. But I can honestly say that I am happy for other people's successes—even if the news initially is hard to hear. And Ashley's right, it does give me hope that there ARE jobs out there...somewhere! 

So no, I don't think the karma police will be knocking on my door any time soon. What about you: Do you believe in karma? Has it ever come back to bite you?

Things That Should Be Illegal: Take 3

1. A grandmother getting jiggy with her grandson. When I read about this story online, all I could think was, Please don't be from Kentucky, please don't be from Kentucky! Phew, Indiana.

2. Cell phones in yoga class. You know from this post what a competitive yogi I can be. It takes me a LONG time to finally relax and reach a place of zen, so when a cell phone goes off in the middle of class, I want to beat a bitch UP. Especially when the owner just keeps letting it ring and ring because they're too embarrassed to claim it. 

3. Lauren Conrad. She's a cute girl with a cute style. PERIOD. There is nothing more here. Nothing. Why does she have an "empire" built around her name? Every time I read an interview she's done, I just want to cry. She's so terribly boring, and every sentence out of her mouth is a cliche worse than the one before. 

4. PDA. I saw a teenage couple swapping spit at a restaurant with their entire family there at the table. It was disgusting. And they were so SERIOUS about it—looking into each other's eyes and shit. Honey, you know he did the same thing the night before with your best friend, right? 

5. College grads who get jobs right after school. A recent Columbia grad told me she's starting a marketing job with American Express in August. I wanted to STRANGLE her. It took me over a YEAR to land my first job out of school, and now, well, we all know what my situation is...

6. Celebs who renew their vows...over...and over. Mariah and Nick, Tori and Dean...just stop it. The only thing this proves is that you're total media whores.

7. Not paying the bus fare. It drives me CRAZY when someone steps on the bus knowing full well they don't have a cent on their metro card or in their wallet. Yet, they keep swiping their metro card with a confused looked, as if they just don't understand why it's not working. Then finally the driver gets fed up and lets them sit down. That is a FREE bus ride, and I consider that to be stealing. Stealing is illegal. 

8. For someone to spill your coffee on the floor...and then offer you a SIP of his. This happened to me the other day. Yes, the dude offered me a sip of his coffee. No thanks, you toothless bastard. You can practically catch an STD from just looking at someone these days—I'm not going to chance it. Not even for coffee. 

9. Canceling plans on someone AN HOUR before you're supposed to meet. Don't do this. It's not cool. It's selfish. Especially in New York where it can take almost an hour to get somewhere! 

10. Recording a song if you don't in fact have ANY musical abilities. Luann, are you serious? Momma, I know you're going through a hard time and you want to be all cool and hippity hop, but this is not good for your image. At all.

So tell me: Do you agree with anything on this list? What else should be illegal??

WHO LOVES YOU?!

I do, I do! I love you SOOOO much in fact, that I'm going to give away some of the Bumble and Bumble hair products I got at this event. 

There's a styling spray, masque, shine cream and conditioner, which all together retails around $100! I realized I hadn't even touched these products when Liza and I cleaned the apartment last weekend. And while they are totally fabulous, they just aren't quite right for my hair type. Plus, you know I'm always looking for ways to show my favorite people a little love :) 

For a chance to win:

1. Become a fan of Fired 'n' Fabulous on Facebook (Ahem—if you haven't already!)

2. Tell me how you'd spend $100 if someone gave it to you

3. Spill it: Your most hideous hairstyle you had growing up

4. Virtual pinky promise me you will tell at least one new person about FnF 

Yes, I'm making you WORK for it! Just a little. Ohh and Elizabeth, you never emailed me with your address so I can send you the Crazy Busy Beautiful book. (If your name is Elizabeth and you're not sure whether or not I'm talking about you, click here.) If I don't hear from you by Monday, May 24, then I'm going to pick another winner. And that's also when I'll choose the winner for these goodies!

XOXO

E

Photo Shoot Friday: Food Porn and a Rooftop View

OK, so the writing on this post is going to be minimal. I've been a little bonkers with this freelance PR gig I recently took on, and I just don't have the time or brainpower to come up with clever commentary at the moment. Not that the pics really need any. (Please ignore any typos. My bf already pointed out like three from the last post!) And oh, apparently food blog pics are called FOOD PORN. Works for me!

An editor friend invited me over to her Upper West Side apartment the other week, and I was blown AWAY by it. This is pretty much what I aspire to have...one day.

We all know what a fabulous photographer I am! I managed to only get half of the two-wall bookshelf.

People say that the "magic" happens in the bedroom, but I say it's the kitchen! Plus, you can make magic IN the kitchen. Ya dig?

We went outside to eat on the patio, but I'm an idiot and accidentally deleted the beautiful pic I had taken of it. Damn.

I loaded my plate with the healthy stuff first....

...and then I got to the good stuff! I rarely eat pasta anymore (not sure why?) It was de-LISH.

Fried cheese anyone? Yes, PLEASE!

My plate looked like this. Plus seconds of pasta and cheese.

We finished off the night with key lime pie, (more) vino and coffee. Yummm.

Oh, and this view. Isn't it ridiculous?

Until this night, I always said that I'd take an awesome wardrobe over an awesome apartment any day, but now I'm rethinking that. What would you choose: Apartment or wardrobe? And what's everyone having for dinner tonight? All this damn FOOD PORN is making me hungry!