~Happy New Year~ January 1, 2011 {1/1/11}

Happy New Year!!!

I'm not making any resolutions this year because I tend to break them by March right along with everyone else. Instead of resolutions, I am making a commitment to myself, my happiness, and my dreams. I am done working well past 5 o'clock and leaving no time or energy for my own interests. 

In 2011 work will remain at work and whatever doesn't get done...well there is always the next day. I have things to do ;-)

In 2011 I would love to recapture the fearless, adventuresome spirit I had as a little girl. Somewhere in life I lost that zeal and began playing it way too safe (i.e. boring). I am done playing by the rules - it's time to have some fun.

So here's to a fabulous and prosperous 2011. May all our dreams come true!!!

Photo

Tea & Cupcakes with Rae & Sophie

This afternoon I hung out with my good friend Rae Lewis-Thornton and her adorable dog Sophie. Rae is a MAJOR tea lover. She's very passionate about her tea and has launched a new addition to her booming bracelet business, tea bracelets.

Here's the tea bracelet, Rae made for yours truly:


The silver ball holds loose tea. Those are rose quartz beads. I'll
update you on the charm on the end.



I'm a coffee drinker and a tea novice. When I drink tea, it comes in bag form. Loose tea is where it's at and that's how real tea drinkers like it. Tea is big business and drinking it is quite an experience. The tea bracelets look lovely dangling on the side of a mug.

Whenever I visit Rae, cupcakes are a requirement. I stopped by Sprinkles (YUM!!!) and picked up some treats. Even Sophie got in on the cupcake fun!



Top: Vanilla, Milk Chocolate Vanilla
Bottom: Lemon Coconut, Red Velvet



Doggy cupcake for Sophie - I should have bought 2!



Sophie REALLY enjoyed her cupcake, lol! She's cupcake wasted!!!!!

Rae is going to give me a full Tea 101 lesson and I will share what I learn here with you guys. In the meantime, please check out her fabulous RLT Collection.

For more information:
Rae's blog

Keep up with Sophie on Twitter (Yep, Sophie the dog tweets. Follow her adventures!!)

It's Neko!!!!

Hello Everyone! Happy New Year's Eve!! Hope you all have a wonderful and safe night of celebrations.

I want to introduce you all to Neko, my Nookcolor. Neko this is everyone. 

Neko



Neko

I'm very happy with Neko. I love his vibrant color display and compact size. Earlier today I downloaded the January issue of Harper's Bazaar. Ya'll know how much I love my magazines and I can admit that I was not completely sold on reading a magazine on an e-reader but Neko has changed me. I didn't miss the feel of the glossy pages (okay maybe a little...) but overall, I really enjoyed reading a magazine in the digital format.

So in 2010 I am leaving behind my leaning tower of magazines and overcrowded bookcase shelves. 2011
is all about Neko =)

Ball Bag Drop

via elle.com

Dafne Balatsos' Stud Ball handbag. Closely resembles the Times Square New Year's Eve Ball, but much more sexy.

xx.

M

Sparkly New Year's Eve Nails!

4 Perfect-for-New-Year's-Eve Glittery Nail Polishes

Try this sparkly trend for the new year. I'm here to share the lacquers I love now.

This is a TotalBeauty.com nails article I recently waxed poetic about the possibility of wearing glittery eyeliner or eyeshadow for the holidays, which I totally did, BTW. And, I'll admit, it looked quite smashing, not nearly as tween-y as expected. But now it's time for glittery nails, here's how I'm getting them … Continue reading

Dear Mayor Bloomberg

Dear Mayor Bloomberg

It has been four days since the big blizzard. I walk through Manhattan and everything is beautiful and cleared up. Four days, and Brooklyn is still a mess. Why aren't you helping us in the boroughs? I know you are all about money, and keeping Broadway open, tourism etc. Great for the economy, but why are you messing with the people? Why can't you come help us in Brooklyn? Why must I walk over mountains to get anywhere. I understand one day late, maybe two, but four??? Garbage hasn't been picked up. Trash all over Brooklyn! Nothing, it is terrible, and J.R. Whittington The actor is pissed! I like you Mayor Bloomberg. I voted for you Mayor Bloomberg. Mr. Bloomberg, how about I leave thrash all over the front of your house, and big piles of snow all over your stoop, and I bet you won't be happy??? Think about it Mr. MAYOR!!! THIS IS RIDICULOUS!

Party Perfect Nails

via monicarosestylist

Styling down to every last detail...How will your nails look to ring in 2011?

xx.

M

Shopbop + Sephora Limited-Edition Sephora Collection Color Play 5-in-1 Launch Event

Shopbop, the premier online shopping destination, and Sephora, the premier make-up destination, have teamed up to create the limited-edition Sephora Collection Color Play 5-in-1. Inspired by runway looks from Shopbop's "Faces in Fashion" editorial look book, last night's launch event debuted the 5-in-1 palette make-up kit, which also includes a changeable, portable palette-plus-mirror compact for girls on the go. With timeless blush, lip, and eye colors, as well as a balanced mix of neutrals and bolds, this collaboration offers an extremely well rounded range of colors. With palettes that are named Nod to Mod, Angelic Boudoir, Black is the New Black, Boho Bombshell, and Classics Never Die, this kit provides you with all of your make-up needs. Sephora Collection Color Play 5-in-1 Fashion Edition goes on sale today here.

To learn more, see more, and to shop at Sephora, click here.

To learn more, see more, and to shop at Shopbop, click here.

To purchase Sephora Collection Color Play 5-in-1 Limited-Edition Palettes, click here.

Enter the Shopbop+Sephora Collection Faces of Fashion Sweepstakes here.

Thank you to Marisa at Bollare and Michelle at Shobop for making this event possible.

xx.

M

Inherited Style

Italian heiress Bianca Brandolini. Her outfit and style have some strikingly similarities to this and this, no?

xx.

M

Teena Marie

I had to peek in from my little holiday vacay to acknowledge the passing of soul legend, Teena Marie. May Lady Tee rest in peace. Thank you for the wonderful music!

Square Biz was the first Teena Marie song I ever heard. I was seven years old and Square Biz was on the radio every morning and it quickly became my favorite song. I sang it all the time and danced whenever I heard it. At seven I had no idea what she was singing about but I sang right along like I did, lol! I was a hip little second grader, rocking to the beat at the breakfast table.

Good soul music is timeless and brings back so many memories. Everybody get up and dance with me to one of my favorite Teena Marie songs! Celebrate her life and the legacy she leaves behind!!

Threadware Spring 2011 Debut Lookbook

What a concept...threads you can wear. Hense the name, Threadware. Bold graphic prints and flirtatious feminine details make for an artistic new line brought to us by the dynamic, NYC-based sister team of Rachel and Amy Gelender. Debuting in Spring of 2011, this contemporary collection is a compilation of supremely wearable, figure-flattering, day-to-night silhouettes.

To learn more, see more, and to shop for Threadware, click here.

xx.

M

Merry Christmas

via Zink Magazine, Christmas 2010 Edition

Happy Holiday!

To learn more, see more, and to subscribe to Zink Magazine, click here.

xx.

Belles&Rebelles

Lux Holiday

It has been a whirlwind year and working with Lady Lux has been a real treat. It was an honor to be chosen as one of their premier bloggers to be interviewed about my favorite holiday memories and traditions. Check out the entire article here and have a very Merry Christmas Eve!

What I wore: Tunic by Pucci, Shoes by Pour La Victoire

Check out Lady Lux here.

Check out Lady Lux's Blogger Holiday Article here.

Check out another feature of Belles&Rebelles on Lady Lux here.

Check out Belles&Rebelles' Feature of Lady Lux here.

Check out Belles&Rebelles' 2010 Resort Lookbook,featuring the outfit posted above, here.

xx.

M

Bows of Holly

What I wore: Faux Fur Vest by Wildlife Inspired, Bow Tights by Chantal Thomass (Purchased in Paris, France), Headband by Deepa Gurnam, Shoes by YSL

Photography by Peter Curti

Hair and Make-Up by Emanuel Garcia

Styling and Modeling by Megan Averbuch

Just received this edited photo from this shoot.

To learn more, see more, and to contact Photographer Peter Curti, click here.

To learn more, see more, and to contact Make-Up Artist Emanuel Garcia, click here.

xx.

M

Juicy Couture

The perfect holiday treat.

xx.

M

Blown-Out Candles

Blown-Out Candles (graphite) by Hanna Liden

Exhibition A features really dope art.

To purchase Blown-Out Candles (graphite) by Hanna Liden, click here.

To learn more about the artist, Hanna Liden, click here.

To learn more, see more, and to purchase art at Exhibition A, click here.

xx.

M

France Luxe Giveaway

Available at only the finest and most high end department stores, spas, and boutique, France Luxe accessories are the perfect way to glam up your look. Their traditional and exotic shaped hair ornaments are handcrafted in a small village outside of Geneva, Switzerland with unique luxury materials and a meticulous attention to detail. Production processes for each piece takes up to a week, as France Luxe continues a more than one hundred year old manufacturing tradition of hair ornament fabrication. The extensive time and resources certainly show, and every one of their pretty and glittery accessories has the ability to completely jazz up any outfit this holiday season (and every season thereafter).

Win one of these three France Luxe Headwraps (your choice)!

Glammed Up Headwrap

Silver and Gold Sleek Braided Metal Headwraps

To Enter the France Luxe Headwrap Giveaway:

1. Leave a comment here on Blogger specifying which one of these France Luxe Headwraps you would like to own (Winner gets to choose whichever one they want!).

2. Add Belles&Rebelles and France Luxe on Twitter (Access Belles&Rebelles on Twitter here and France Luxe here) and tweet at us designating which Headwrap you'd like, saying "I want the @FranceLuxeHair [Glammed Up-or-Sleek Braided] Headwrap!" (If you're already following us, just the tweet will do)

3

Leave a comment about which of the France Luxe Hair Headwraps you'd like once you've joined us at our Facebook Fan Page (see/add our Facebook Fan Page here). Make sure you join France Luxe on Facebook as well (see/add France Luxe's Facebook page here).

4. Or, lastly, j

ust click the "like" button for this post once you've joined us at our Facebook Fan Page

(here)

If you choose to do all of the above, you will be entered in the raffle four times (each action will guarantee you one raffle entry). The winner will be chosen at the conclusion of the holiday weekend, on Monday, December 27, 2010.

(Contest deadline is Sunday, December 26, 2010 at midnight USA EST Time. Winner will be announced and notified on Monday, December 27, 2010.)

Get your comments, tweets, and Facebook "thumb-ups" in ASAP for the chance to secure yourself a chance to win a great accessory! Good luck!

To learn more, see more, and to shop for France Luxe, click here.

Big thanks to Jessica Piha over at France Luxe for making this giveaway possible!

xx.

M

Monday Morning Wood

Who isn't aroused by those shoes?

xx.

M