Stupid Nail Polish Names - stop humiliating me!

Lord knows I live for my mani/pedis. I missed a week while away on business and I could-not-function as I began to resemble Amy Winehouse (you get the picture). And while color selection is a carefully strategized task for me, the names of these colors are starting to get too annoying (OPI’s Shreck collection?) It’s like when you go to Cold Stone Creamery and you’re forced to order something called the “Gotta Have It Hunka Chunka Burnin’ Fudge”….seriously people? I just want an f-ing sundae!

Well this humiliation is starting to creep into my Sunday manicures.

Manicure lady: “What color you chose?”

Me: “Um…Iris I Was Thinner”

Thank GOD I’m not the only one who misses the days of “Pompei Purple!” Someone has created a blog called “Stupid Nail Polish Names” and if you think “Miso Happy With This Color” is bad/offensive to the lady doing your nails, you ain’t seen nothing yet.

xx

L

iPod Addition: Two Door Cinema Club "Tourist History"

Baaaah! Ok, I need you to just do as I ask and don't ask questions. Log onto iTunes IMMEDIATELY and download this album for $7.99 - as Perez says, it's amazeballs! Two Door Cinema Club are an indy/electropop (sold) band from Ireland and their sound is deeeelish! Critics are saying they sound like a new Phoenix which I wholeheartedly disagree with (but I get the comparison and if it means you'll buy it, then whatev!) If you only trust me with one $0.99 iTunes download, go with "Undercover Martyn" but seriously, ev-er-y song is so good. Already stalking when I can find them live, whose coming?

xx

L

French Lession: The Art of Casual

I've been SO MIA lateley having just started my job thus neglecting my blogging duties. Now that I'm back from Lions week in Cannes, France I'm newly inspired and have tons of material to share! While there is just too much to say about the trip itself, the French have reinforced a very important lession: The Art of Casual.

Those who know me well know that I love love love to dress up! I'm perpetually just a bit over dressed everwhere I go and see really nothing wrong with it. This is one of the many reasons I love living in New York City, you can never be too dressed up! Unfortunately not everyone shares this sentiment and this is most evident when I am in an airport.

While there's nothing more I love more in the world than travel, domestic airports drive me insane! You see throngs of people who quite literally look as though they've rolled out of bed. Sweat pants, neck pillows, gym clothes (most looking like they've never seen the inside of a gym at all!) What happened to the days when travel was a luxury and you got dressed for it? It wasn't until I landed in France that I realized this was a very American trend. The moms in the Paris airport looked perfectly chic. Pressed ankle pants, ballet flats, crisp oxford - pushing a stroller. Perfection! The whole week served to perpetuate this Parisianne steriotype. The French truely have mastered the art of casual without wearing stretch pants and Sketcher Shape-Ups. I think should all attempt to find this delicate balance in our daily lives. My biggest aging fear is becomming a mom that wears sweat pants to the grocery store and neglects my make-up and hair. I know I just feeeel so much more productive and healthier when I'm put together. I've gotten to the point that I can barely function without a fresh manicure and dry cleaned clothes. It's a habit and an important one - for myself at least.

Ok, ok - no more America bashing! I'll leave you with one of my favorite quotes:

"I don't understand how a woman can leave the house without fixing herself up a little - if only out of politeness. And then, you never know, maybe that's the day she has a date with destiny. And it's best to be as pretty as possible for destiny." - Coco Chanel

xx

L

iPod Addition: "Broken Bells" - Broken Bells

It's been kind of a waste land of album releases these past few weeks and no, I still don't like the new LCD Soundsystem - get over it!

Thank heavens for the insanley genius collaboration that IS Broken Bells. It's made up of James Mercer of The Shins and Danger Mouse of Gnarles Barkley. And the sound - a completely literal combination of The Shins and Gnarles Barkley. Mercer's voice is unmistakenly Shins, you can't avoid it. But it has a super funky vibe that is oh so Gnarles. If you only trust me with one $0.99 iTunes download, go with "The High Road" or "Vaporize."

xx

L

Best tv show ever created - SKINS

I haven't posted in a really really long time because my life has been taken over by the most perfectly genius television show ever created - Skins. It's a British teen drama that follows kids in their version of high school while they deal with relationships, disfunctional families, drugs and death. It's basically an extremely cooler, better written and edgier version of Gossip Girl (didn't think it was possible, did you?) I literally haven't been able to tear myself away from my Netflix instant cue for weeks. Each character has so much depth and you truely fall in love with each of them individually. Trust me on this one, do the Netflix free trial and watch the first few episodes, your life will never be the same.

Cheers! (a cool UK goodbye!)

L