It’s Not Easy Being a Supermodel!

I had the pleasure of meeting my very good friend, Dita from Dita’s Darlings for lunch last Friday.  We had such a wonderful time together, we didn’t even notice the time fly by! As always, Dita arrived with her camera in tow and took some pictures of your truly.  And though her model was still feeling under the weather that day, her pictures turned out lovely!  Not to mention, I had the best time playing “supermodel” for a day! She definitely has the “magic touch”!  

  

The New Elves in Town!

My little brother Joshua sent this to me!! So cute!

Click here to “elf yourself ” too! 

Fave Five Friday: Best of the Blogosphere

This week for my weekly Fave Five Friday, I decided to highlight some of my favorite blogs/ bloggers. There are many amazing blogs I follow, but these bloggers I’ve chosen are in a league of their own.  They have perfected the art of blogging and have brought their pages to life with insightful anecdotes, hilarious commentary and incredible photography. Though their subject matters range extensively, I am inspired by their creativity, beauty and insight.  These fabulous women have not only inspired me to pursue my  own blogging adventure, but have exposed me to so many wonderful new things.  So without further ado, here’s are my fave five blogs (in no particular order) this weeek:

1) Cupcakes &  Cashmere:  Since I stumbled upon Emily’s blog Cupcakes & Cashmere, I have been an avid follower. I live vicariously through her glamorous West Coast lifestyle and killer wardobe. She’s the epitome of the modern “twentysomething” girl: fabulous, career-minded with a flair of Martha Stewart. 

Chicken Noodle Soup with a Christmas Rant on the Side

I must admit that this Holiday Season is simply not doing a thing for me.  Don’t get me wrong, I love the holidays as much as the next person.  But for some reason, this year I can’t seem to get in the holiday spirit.  Perhaps part of the reason for feeling this way is because they kinda crept up a bit too quickly, my shopping list is insane (again!)  and I don’t have any fancy holiday parties to attend.   So with all that being said, I’m in a bit of a holiday slump.   I’ve also been hit hard with a bad cold, so all my plans to decorate my Christmas tree this week have been zapped!  The only red and green I’m seeing are the cherry-flavored cough drops (the only good thing about being sick) and the green bottle of Nyquil sitting on my nightstand. 

I hope to be in better spirits by the end of this week so I can finally decorate my Christmas tree.  Hopefully, that will be the secret cure for these Christmas blues. 

Is anyone else in a bit of a holiday slump?  Or am I the only Grinch this year? 

Recipe: Funnel Cake

This weekend  I had the weirdest craving for funnel cake.  But the fact that we had our first snowfall  – and no carnivals were in sight – did not stop me in my quest for this favorite summertime treat.  So, I did what any modern girl would do …I did a Google search for an easy-to-make recipe.  And the best part – I already had all of my ingredients at home.  I was chowing down in no time!    

“When they ask you, say you’re one of them, O.K.?”

Check out my  Books & Bubbly review for Uwen Akpan’s short story collection Say You’re One of Them. The collection was recently featured as the Oprah’s Book Club selection and has received much critical acclaim since its June 2008 release. 

Click here to read my review of Akpan’s “Say You’re One of Them”.

Fave Five Friday: {Riviera Maya Edition}

We had an amazing trip to Riviera Maya!  The weather was perfect and we were able to do a little bit of everything during our short stay.  It was nice to get away and enjoy some fresh air and time away from the hectic life here in the states!  Here are my fave five from our trip to Mexico: 

1) The natural pool: This was probably our favorite hangout spot on the enormous resort complex. Not only was it far enough away from all the crowds at the pools and lagoon style beach, the water came directly from the ocean and provided a beautiful view.  Trust me! It was peaceful as it sounds!  

 We even had a surprise visitor! 

Dear Santa…

 I hope it is not too soon to be writing. I promise that I have been a good girl this year….well, at least I tried. For Christmas , I really would like one (or all) of these items below! If not, I understand.  Just make sure you pass the list on to Kleber when you’re done.  XOXO -  Maddy

 1)  A Digital SLR Camera: I’m starting to outgrow the quality of my point & shoot camera pictures. The pictures are ok if you’re on the run or out with your friends for a night out. However, if you want to take some memorable shots, point and shoots simply don’t cut it. I’m ready to take my picture taking skills to a whole new level, and a basic SLR model will do the trick !

Nikon D40 Digital SLR Camera

2) Comfy House Slippers:   I was nice enough to buy my hubby a pair of UGG house slippers last year for Christmas.  Unfortunately, he hasn’t had the chance to enjoy them very much since I’ve pretty much hijacked them for myself.  Nothing feels better than slipping into the fuzzy goodness after a long day at work. I’m hoping Santa brings me my own pair this year( in the pretty pink color would be nice!).

UGG Pearle Slipper

3) Tall Riding Boots that Actually Fit!: Who doesn’t love the look of the tall riding boot?  But if you’re a curvy gal like me or if you’re skinny girl with muscular calves, you’re probably having a hard time finding the perfect riding boot to fit your sexy calves. Though the prices can be pretty steep, I’ve found a few retailers such as JCrew, Naturalizers and Eddie Bauer (see below) that carry extended calf sizes.  And since riding boots will be in style for years to come, they are definitely worth the investement.

Eddie Bauer Tall Harness Boots – Extended Calf

4) Something Sparkly: Every girl can use a little sparkle, especially around the holidays! Classic diamond studs are the perfect amount of bling for any occassion.  Perfect to wear to the office or for a night on the town.  However if Santa can’t afford the real deal, there are tons of faux fixes out there to choose from.  And no one will be able to tell the difference!

Diamond Solitaire Stud Earrings

5) Automatic Car Starter:  I may be into all the “fu fu la”, but I’m really a practical girl at heart.  And nothing would make me happier this Christmas than an automatic car starter for my 10 year old car.  Living in New Jersey, winter driving is a dreaded must. But sitting in your freezing car for the 20 minutes that it might take to defrost it is completely unnecessary!  In my opinion, coming into a cozy, warm car in the dead winter would make the ultimate luxury gift !  

Viper Remote Car System

Be Back Soon…

My swimsuit is packed and I’m ready to leave all my worries (i.e. holiday shopping lists) behind!   Hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend!

See you all next week!!

 

Soldier of Love in 2010

I am ridiculousy happy in learning that Sade will be releasing a new album on  February 8, 2010 after an almost decade long hiatus!   I’m crossing my fingers that she’ll be going on tour with this album and I will finally be able to buy tickets for my ”dream concert”! Click here to watch her perform a breathtaking live version of  “Is It a Crime”.

Is there any concert that you ‘ve been dying to see?