50 SHADES

Are you reading 50 Shades of Grey? If so, you'll totally appreciate this!

RED CARPET ARRIVALS AT THE MET

Tonight was New York's annual Met Gala- "the Superbowl of fashion," some have coined it. It's the perfect opportunity for Hollywood's biggest celebrities to take fashion risks. Here are some of my favorite looks from the night.  

How fun would it be to wear one of these fabulous dresses?

Such a Twiggy moment! Who else could pull off this 60's look? Chloe Sevigny in Miu Miu 

Ivanka Trump in Peter Pilatto. She's never looked better and I love the new bangs.

Scarlett Johansson in Dolce and Gabbana. While not a surprising choice, she still looks stunning.

This dress is so structural and striking! Carey Mulligan in Prada

Claire Danes in J. Mendel (love her retro hair) 

Kate Bosworth vamps it up in Prada. I think she always mixes up her look and gets it right each time.

Gwyneth is all legs in icy blue Prada. 

Always one of my favorites on the red carpet- Rooney Mara in Givenchy 

Cameron Diaz looking glam in Stella McCartney

A few looks that fell flat

Beyonce in Givenchy. I really want to love this, but I think it's so over-the-top that it's not even elegant.

This looks like a costume Effie Trinket would have worn- Elizabeth Banks in Mary Katrantzou

I love Valentino, but I can't stand how ghostly Lily Collins looks in this gown.

I think Kirsten Dunst instantly ages herself in this blah Rodarte pick.

GMD

Another GMD (aka Girl's Monthly Dinner) yesterday. To change it up a bit, instead of dinner, Lindsay and I hosted an afternoon high tea at her place. I was so impressed with the baking skills of each of my girlfriends. Tea with the girls, Chinese food for dinner, and a new episode of Mad Men, made for the perfect Sunday.

The spread

Mini smoked salmon tea sandwiches

Lemon poppyseed scones

Chocolate dipped strawberries

Jam filled butter cookies

Snowcap butter cookies

STRIKE A POSE

How many times have you seen a god-awful picture of yourself and wished you could have a re-take? Check out my latest Make It Better article for the correct way to pose. For those of you whom are parents, I've also included tips on taking family and child photos.

EAT, SEE, BAKE...

EAT

at Nellcote in Chicago's West Loop. Located in the former Marché space, Nellcote could be one of the most beautiful restaurants in Chicago. With a flour mill on site, you can imagine how good the pizza and pasta were. Everything was reasonably priced, the ambiance was stellar, and the food was delish. While the service was a bit off, I'll give them a break since we went during opening week. This would even be a fun place to grab drinks before heading to another spot on restaurant-filled Randolph Street.

Obsessed with these chairs and the touch of orange on the backs

Crudité and dip

Assortment of homemade breads

Pesto pizza with fresh mozzarella and roasted tomatoes

Crispy skate wing with braised radishes

Mashed potatoes w/ shaved black truffles

SEE
21 Jump Street. I thought this movie would be stupid, but it was absolutely hilarious. Co-written and starring Jonah Hill, I laughed out loud numerous times. The perfect movie for when you want something light.

BAKE
the most simple, hearty breakfast cookie. These have replaced my afternoon Luna bar. I've made these for the past few weeks and my co-workers and I are addicted. It's a one-bowl recipe and can be modified depending on what you like. Packed with peanut butter and bananas, the cookies are healthy, yummy, and make a perfect on-the-go breakfast or mid-day snack. I wish they looked a little prettier, but at least they taste great.

Breakfast Cookies (adapted from here)

Ingredients

Nonstick cooking spray

½ cup mashed banana (about 1 large)

½ cup chunky natural peanut butter (I used Jif)

1/3 cup honey or agave nectar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup rolled oats

½ cup Gold Medal® whole wheat flour

¼ cup nonfat dry milk powder

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon baking soda

1 cup dried cranberries or raisins

Handful of dried apricots, chopped

½ c walnuts, chopped

½ c almonds, chopped or slivered

Optional: chia seeds or flax seed

1 
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly coat two cookie sheets with cooking spray; set aside. In a large bowl, stir together banana, peanut butter, honey, and vanilla. In a small bowl, combine oats, flour, milk powder, cinnamon, and baking soda. Stir the oat mixture into the banana mixture until combined. Stir in dried cranberries, apricots, nuts, and optional chia/flax seeds.

                        

2 
Using a ¼-cup measure, drop mounds of dough 3 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets. With a thin metal or small plastic spatula dipped in water, flatten and spread each mound of dough to a 2¾-inch round, about ½ inch thick.

                        

3 
Bake, one sheet at a time, for 14 to 16 minutes or until browned. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Store in an airtight container or plastic bag for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months; thaw before serving.

A NEW REAL HOUSEWIVES CAST

While Lindsay Lohan can be quite a mess, I couldn't get enough of this clip from last night's SNL. Amazing!

OSCARS 2012

The best part of the Academy Awards is undoubtedly the fashion. Below are my picks for most glam!

Rooney Mara in Givenchy and Michelle Williams in Louis Vuitton. Both flawless head to toe!

Angelina Jolie in Atelier Versace and Brad Pitt in Tom Ford (although Angie needs to put on some lbs)

Shailene Woodley in Valentino Couture. The detail in this dress is beautiful.

Milla Jovovich in Elie Saab Haute Couture

Cameron Diaz in Gucci

SPRING FEVER

The other day I had the opportunity to attend Neiman Marcus Northbrooks's Spring Preview Fashion and Beauty Event. Models strutted their stuff in the upcoming season's hottest looks. A few trends you can expect to see this spring include yellow as the new neutral, floral prints, neon, chunky bangles, pattern, pastels, faded jeans, and anoraks. 

After the fashion show, I previewed the latest makeup and skincare being offered during this week's Beauty Event. From February 23rd to March 4th, when you spend $100 in cosmetics or fragrance, you'll receive an adorable tote filled with an assortment of fabulous samples. A few of my favorites offered in the gift tote include Tom Ford's newest fragrance Neroli Portofino and La Mer's Reparative Body Lotion. In addition to the tote, customers will receive a bonus gift from their preferred brand. This is the week to stock up on any makeup or perfume you need, because who doesn't love a gift with purchase?

FRIENDSHIP

I read this interesting article today and it got me thinking about friendship. 

What do you look for in a friend? What do you do when the relationship changes or dissolves? How do you "break-up" with a friend?

   

                    

DREAMBOAT

This is hilarious and oh SO true!