Fashion’s Living Canvas at the Hilton Anatole
Posted on | March 19, 2012
The Hilton Anatole and Team Motives Agency are pleased to announce Fashion’s Living Canvas, a refreshing alternative to your typical fashion show. Hosted by LeeAnne Locken and Steve Kemble, the even will take place on Tuesday, April 10, 2012. The Hilton Anatole’s Atrium II will become a stage for a very different kind of fashion show, where patrons can experience models transformed into works of art in front of their eyes, as they view radical makeup and hair transformations powered by Team Motives Agency professionals from 7PM – 8:30PM. Six local Texas designers will showcase their collections at this special runway event, as the models stride across a 180-foot runway underneath Rueben Margolin’s “Nebula” sculpture.
Showcasing native Texas talent, with an international flair, Fashion’s Living Canvas will feature clothing designs such as Society Language by Prashi Shah, IZAVEL by Isabel Varela, Melancholic Design by Jesse Thaxton, and Danh Ta, as well as jewelry designs by {Red-i} by Chelsea Bond and Haute in Hong Kong by Becca Jett. Master painter Sharon Hodges, a member of the DFW Face Painters Guild who was named the “First Place, Best All Around” at the 2005 Face and Body Art International Convention, will showcase her artistic interpretation of each designer’s final look. Fashion’s Living Canvas is expected to be one of Dallas’ premiere runway events of the year, and it will truly be an elegant event to see and be seen at.
All proceeds from VIP ticket sales will benefit The Fashionistas, a local non-profit who awards bi-annual scholarships to fashion students in Dallas. The event is open to the public and is complimentary. Light hors d’ouerves will be passed by the Hilton’s contemporary American bistro, Media Grill + Bar, and cash bars will be available for refreshments. The runway show will begin promptly at 8:30PM and there will be a live DJ for additional entertainment. Complimentary valet is also available at the Tower Entrance. Click here to get your tickets today at Eventbrite.
Spring Clean Your Make-up
Posted on | March 12, 2012
As we all Spring forward we are regularly reminded that this is a great time to change the batteries in the smoke detectors. It also is a great time to clean out your make-up bag and clean your brushes. Though some recommend you clean your brushes weekly, I doubt many of you actually follow this advice. At minimum let the twice annual time change be a reminder to not just clean your brushes but clean all your make-up as well.
The excess make-up and dirt on your make-up products can be transferred to your skin when you apply your make-up which makes cleaning your make-up a regular must-do. Though some products last longer than their “shelf-life” may indicate remember mascara should be used right away and if you have any that’s been sitting around, throw it out as it can dry out and become an irritant for your eyes.
Go thru each article of make-up you have and determine if you should keep it or toss it. If you decide to keep it, be sure to clean it out and wipe away any dust or excess make-up residue, Keep a pad of paper and pen handy so you can write down anything you need to purchase next time you are out shopping at Sephora, Neiman Marcus, CVS or where ever you purchase your beauty favorites. If you have staple products you use quickly be sure to check online sales and gift with purchase events to make the most of your beauty dollars.
Glamour Magazine Digital & Hardcopy Just $1
Posted on | March 11, 2012
Every once in awhile I get magazine promotions that seem worth passing on. Conde Nast is offering Glamour and Allure magazine subscriptions for just $1 an issue. And they will throw in a FREE Tote Set with your subscription. The thing I love about my Glamour subscription? It includes the digital version so I can flip thru it on my iPad and save all the pictures I love.
Get your subscription by clicking HERE.
REMINDER to Spring Forward
Posted on | March 10, 2012
Tonight’s the night to set your clocks forward. Yes, we lose a whole hour. The good news? We get an extra hour of light for the next six months. So if you have clocks and watches that don’t update themselves, add “change clocks” to today’s “to-do” list (or at the latest tomorrow) or you’ll be real sad Monday when you roll into work an hour late.
A Different Kind of Garlic Pill
Posted on | March 9, 2012
Thought I would share a quick trick I learned from my grandmother yesterday. It’s amazing what a wealth of information our elders are and what we can learn when we take the time to listen. I was going to make my Aunt Kay’s garlic potato recipe [see below] and asked my grandma where she kept her garlic. She replied by opening the freezer.
Much to my surprise she handed me a pill bottle [which I admit I had wondered what type of medicine needed freezing] and said the garlic was inside. Upon opening the bottle I discovered the individual cloves had been separated and put inside for fresh keeping. They were not frozen solid but somehow soft and ready to use. Some of you may have heard of this technique but since I hadn’t, I thought I would share. What a great way to keep garlic fresh.
I will put this down as my W.I.L.T. for the day “What I Learned Today.” What did you learn today?
Aunt Kay’s Garlic Potatoes
4 Potatoes [peeled and cubed]
4 Cloves of Garlic [peeled and minced]
2 Tablespoons Oil [I prefer olive oil but in a pinch use vegetable oil]
1 Tablespoon black pepper [I prefer freshly ground but any pepper is fine]
Mix all ingredients in a microwave safe bowl
Cover and cook for 15 minutes
Salt as desired
This can easily be adjusted up or down based on the number of people you are feeding. Not an exact science so don’t worry if you put a little more or less, it will still taste yummy.
Hidden Treasure: Jeans that Fit
Posted on | March 8, 2012
As a child I had the same long legs as I do now but they were a bit more stick skinny and thus even harder to fit properly. Back then there wasn’t the option to get Gap long length jeans or discount designer lines at Target so most of the time my jeans were either too short or too big, The sheer torture of trying jeans on back then haunts me to this day. I attempt to avoid trying jeans on at any cost, I typically make a specific trip of “searching for jeans” only when I have rested, eaten and am in a good frame of mind.
Last month I went into Buffalo Exchange for my semi-annual wardrobe trade-in/new wardrobe treasure hunt. As I waited for more than three hours for them to complete my trade, a pair skinny jeans with a great wash beckoned my from a nearby rack. I don’t typically have good luck trying on jeans and I certainly wasn’t well-rested or fed so the ONLY reason I was inspired to try these jeans on is they were a measly $11. How could I pass that up? I added the jeans to my other 40 or so pieces to try on and headed to the dreaded dressing room.
The jeans were one of the first pieces I tried on and they not only fit but they fit great and were comfortable beyond belief. In fact, I was so wary I wore them as I tried on all the rest of my items, even dresses. By the end I had cut some pieces out of the buy pile but the jeans were going home with me. After a few times of wearing them I thought I should see if they were something I could buy more of. When I was up at New York Fashion Week I asked my friend to look at the tag and see where they were from. H&M.
This was a REALLY good sign. H&M was so well priced I thought if they still had this cut the price was sure to be great. I thought since there was an H&M on every other block I’d be able to pick some up. Little did I know I was about to come down with strep throat and be quarantined to my hotel room. Thankfully H&M came to Dallas last year so I consoled myself with the thought of being able to pick some up at home. Nearly a month later I finally made it to H&M and was thrilled to find they did still carry the jeans and they were priced at $39.95. Not as good as an $11 trade price at Buffalo Exchange but not bad all the same.
If you love stretchy, skinny jeans but don’t like how they can start stretching thru the day and become low-rise by lunch time try the H&M Regular, Slim Fit style. While it certainly isn’t a pair of mom-jeans they waist comes in more than the hips and fits that girlish figure many of us moms have developed.
Keeping Up With the Times
Posted on | March 7, 2012
I remember as a child [back in the pre-cell phone, pre-internet, pre-anything era] going to the airport to pick up some family friends at LAX only to discover their flight was hours late. Since the traffic in LA was horrific, even then, we decided to wait it out. I made it my goal to collect as many of those Smart Carte’s as I could because back then for each one you returned you got a quarter. Though I must have collected nearly 100 carts the amount of money I collected was under $20. I hadn’t had to pay for the cart to begin with (and was only about eight) so the refund was pure profit but for the people who paid a $3.00 rental the $0.25 wasn’t a great return. In fact, I don’t think they even do the return refund anymore. For the company though allowing people to rent their carts is a revenue source that just keeps on giving. With the increase in suitcases with wheels and people packing lighter to avoid “checked bag” fees it looks like Smart Carte has come up with another great product to meet travelers needs, rental chargers.
Is your phone dying? Laptop need a boost? The company that brought you the Smart Carte brings you “The Charge Carte” Rapid Charger. A great product for a reasonable price and even more an excellent example of how a long trusted company is keeping up with the times, using a replicable business model to increase revenue.
Ashard Richley Trunk Show at Krimson & Klover
Posted on | March 6, 2012
Want a chance to see the designs of Ashard Richley, winner of Lifetime’s 24 Hour Catwalk, in person. And maybe pick up a fabulous new clutch for Spring? Pop into Krimson & Klover Wednesday between 6:30-8:30PM and be the first to get your hands on one.
Fashionably Outfitting My Kindle
Posted on | March 5, 2012
If you read yesterday’s post, you know I have made an “investment” in having a Kindle in my life. One I haven’t been disappointed with to date. As I am now on my “3rd Kindle” I made the decision Friday to find a padded case just to ensure it was extra protected for my next journey. I recently received my Staples Rewards Dollars and Office Max Perks Certificate so I thought certainly I’d be able to find something there, for FREE!!! Saturday morning I was headed to brunch when, to my surprise, the concierge stopped me on my way out of the building carrying a pink polka dot gift bag and said someone had dropped it off for me. What could it be?
The gift, a surprise from my dear friend Marie, full-time owner of SkinSpaMed and occasional Society Stylist “Style Correspondent,” was a fabulous Lanvin zippered travel-wallet.
And guess what??? It was just big enough for a Kindle. My Kindle is now “Fashionably Outfitted.” Thanks Marie!!!
Letting Go And Moving On: Valerie’s 3rd Kindle
Posted on | March 4, 2012
As I clicked on my new Kindle and began the re-sync process it prompted me to name it “Valerie’s 2nd Kindle.” The last time I had to replace my Kindle I thought this was very intuitive but this time I was a little disappointed it didn’t know that this was in fact my THIRD Kindle.
How had I come to replace “Valerie’s 2nd Kindle?” Well it was all after being inspired to “Let Go and Move On” by @TheSingleWoman. As I read thru an especially inspiring line of @TheSingleWoman tweets on Wednesday I saw a link to purchase her book on Amazon “The Single Woman’s Sassy Survival Guide: Letting Go and Moving On.”
“Letting go and moving on” has been a theme in my life this past year. In conjunction with “getting things done so I don’t have to think (read: worry) about them anymore.” I am often inspired by Tweets from @TheSingleWoman. I often find myself smiling and nodding while reading her tweets and though I haven’t been single for years I find her quotes to be quite inspiring. Though the brand is promoted as “The Single Woman” the message she presents is something that can reach not only women of any marital status but men as well.
One of the many hats I wear is that of “professional organizer.” I often find clients have trouble moving on until they are ready to let go of the past. In my business it is typically items of clothing that are being clung to but the memories behind those items are the driving factor in their current problems. Have you ever thought “I don’t wear this (fill in piece of clothing here) ever but gosh I really “invested” so much money in it I could never let it go.” How many items do you have in your wardrobe like that? How many people, activities or problems do you have in your life that can be described the same way? Often we find ourselves staying in a job, staying with a boyfriend or holding on to a friendship because “we’ve invested so much in it already.” Well I have to say some of the best things in my life have happened AFTER I have let go of something I had tied myself to. Letting go of the past truly does allow you to excel in your future.
I have to remind myself regularly to “cleanse” my life of unwanted clothes, items, draining responsibilities and untrue friends. I also look for ongoing encouragement in maintaining a “cleansed” life. I have found @TheSingleWoman tweets to bring regular encouragement and inspiration to simplify my life and pursue happiness rather than excess every day. In fact, it was this idea of “Letting Go and Moving On” that brought about the purchase of “Valerie’s 1st Kindle.” Last year when I purchased my first Kindle I was able to let go of hundreds of hard copy books taking up space in my house. I had so many I had enjoyed that I was keeping “just in case I wanted to read them again.” Knowing that I now could download them at any point on my Kindle allowed me to let them go, clearing out rows and rows of storage space.
I let go of old books and downloaded new books…that were very lightweight and easy to travel with. And surprise, surprise??? I have yet to download a single one of those books I was holding on to for years. What I have done? I’ve been able to carry 50 or more books at a time with me in my purse, I have been able to download new books while relaxing on the beach in Cannes, I have been able to access books at my fingertips from my iphone, computer, ipad or Kindle and recently I discovered the ability to “loan” books electronically to friends. A great example of how “letting go” allowed me to “move on” to even better things.
So back to the story of my third Kindle and “The Single Woman’s Sassy Survival Guide: Letting Go and Moving On.” Though the title does reference the single woman the book has been billed as a great guide for anyone looking to “let go and move on.” I (like I am sure many of her followers have been) was inspired to go and download the book.
I picked up my Kindle, which I had neglected for the last few weeks and attempted to turn it on. The screen had a picture on it but nothing happened. I plugged it in, thinking it might need a bit of a charge. After an hour or so I was thrilled to see my book list come back to life. I unplugged it and attempted to go to the Kindle store to buy the book. Uh oh. The “charging” (aka plugged in) icon was still displayed but the device was no longer plugged in. The screen was frozen and after many reboot attempts deemed dead. Again.
This was not my first Kindle to die. In fact the first time my Kindle died I implemented part 2 of my “letting go and moving on”…. “getting things done so I don’t have to think (read: worry) about them anymore.” Anytime I have an electronic item die I apply my “now I know” theory and assume any future version has the potential for problems as well. In an effort to not procrastinate but rather address the current and potentially future issue(s) head on I “fixed” the Kindle issue the first time. I called Amazon to implement the warrant and they offered to replace it at no charge but it was projected to take more than a week and I was leaving for Europe. Though it annoyed me to have to pay the restocking fee I thought the chance of this happening again would be great and given my travel schedule the likelihood of it happening before a planned trip was even greater. I decided to take the 10% loss on restocking (though it went against everything in me) and went to Best Buy, bought a replacement same day AND paid for a $24.99 immediate replacement fee.
Though there was a minimal financial outlay that probably wasn’t “fair” (given the first Kindle was only four months old) the assurance it gave me to resolve a future problem was worth the investment. I was able to have the new Kindle for my trip to Europe and if I hadn’t purchase the new one from Best Buy, and bought the replacement warranty, I would once again be waiting for my replacement and wouldn’t have a new one for my next three weeks on the road. I made a decision that I enjoy reading and it was important to me to have my Kindle available, especially when I am be travelling. This week I face the replacement issue again and didn’t have to stress over at all. The $24.99 was well worth the investment as I stopped by the store Friday to replace it. It took a few minutes of searching area store to find the exact one I had but with just a short wait my exchange was done and I had a new Kindle with another year warranty. I also have reduced my daily schedule down so I have time for the unexpected. For instance I was able to stop by Best Buy and pick up my new Kindle an errand I certainly wasn’t planning on.
What does this whole experience have to do with moving on? So many things. Letting go and moving on means making space in your life for your future rather than cluttering up your life with your past. One of the biggest things I have learned in recent years in to not procrastinate, to plan for the future, to protect the things valuable to me and make time in my life for the unexpected. This scenario was the epitome of all of these things. Though your situation is most likely different you can apply this same lesson in your life? Are there things that are important to you that you aren’t making time for, or taking care of or planning for, for the future?
One of my favorite quotes from @TheSingleWoman? “Figure out what makes you happy- then hold a yard sale for everything that doesn’t.” What should you send to the “yard sale” in your life??? Need some inspiration? Follow @TheSingleWoman on Twitter or download her book, “The Single Woman’s Sassy Survival Guide: Letting Go and Moving On” on Amazon. That’s what I’m about to do.