5 little luxuries

i have been following him on facebook and instagram for some time: most of the questions he asks his subjects are the same but the responses will change the way you see everyday people. the tome humans of new york will do the same for you.

my official autumn scent of is the havana candle.

the urban daddy app finally solves the problem of “where should we go eat/drink?” 

freebie art print that screams i love autumn.  cute, right?

you know the desperate feeling of knowing your phone battery is about to go but you have to tell your friend what corner exactly in the west village you will meet her (true story)

this free app sends a personalized message (through twitter, email, text message, or facebook) to the contacts of your choice right before you scream “nooooooooooooooooooo!” as the screen goes black…

5 little luxuries

i love spotify!!  the 9.99 monthly fee pays for itself!

 

spiked bangle set that looks a lot more expensive than the 7 bucks it actually cost.

 

i purchased this nifty tool that gives me the casual bun, faux bob and high bun.

 

jouer tinted moisturizer in glow  truly a time savior: moisturizer, luminizer and foundation all in one!

 

my morning routine now consists of hot water with a few drops of orange blossom water and it has made waking up a bit more glamorous.

5 little luxuries

image: zara

talk about a blast from the past. i met up with a friend who i consider an arbiter of style. when i got a whiff of her, i asked, in a conspirational whisper(knowing how secretive some of us are about their perfume) “what fragrance are you wearing? it can’t be? is it? is it loves baby soft?” it turns out she was wearing chloe. so the next day i went to sephora, tried it but alas it didn’t quite smell the same on me. so i followed my initial olfactory reaction instinct and purchased love’s baby soft. it takes me back to the 7^th grade (very likely one of the only great memories of that time) and i love, love, love the fresh, powdery scent.

 

am doing a semi cleanse (more on this later)and having this cashew milk as dinner replacement.

 

the simplest ingredients can create a diy obsession-worthy body scrub! i made mine using coconut oil, lime essential oil, lime rind and sugar and find myself showering over and over because i cant get enough of the scent and the glow it gives my skin.

 

i took a cue from erin’s (apartment 34) latest post and quickly purchased and anointed this my official summer sandal. gorge, right?

5 little luxuries

ummm,  do you notice the theme of my little luxuries this week…..

 

tickets to “scatter my ashes at bergdorf’s” can. not. wait. to. see it!

 

because I need more handsome, intelligent, brooding men in my life and apt.

 

went to the blue note jazz club to listen to michel camilo perform. was feeling so jazzy and sassy, i ordered french martinis. needless to say,i will be serving french martinis. at all my soirees this week.

 

am quite giddy because of this luxurious little purchase: tickets to book launch of let’s explore diabetes with owls by david sedaris! yes, i am going to listen to the david sedaris read live!!! can you tell i am excited about this? (if you can’t make it  he will be atmcnally jackson books – 52 prince st btwn lafayette/mulberry on friday, may 10)

 

inspired by my upcoming jarabe de palo concert i wanted a real bold lip color that signaled “fierce woman in front row”. thanks to this fushia flash i just may be pulled onto the stage!

5 little luxuries

spring is in the air. quite literally in nyc. we have been enjoying 65 degree weather and the world looks positively cheery. to celebrate this long awaited spring, a few my of little luxuries for the week….

 

a gorgeous plum pretty sugar robe in which to pad around the apt with the windows wide open. (am so impressed with the collection and their customer service that a proper review will be coming shortly).

 

a cadre of bamboo sugarcane candles from trapp to burn while enjoying the incoming breeze as i pad in my robe.. the scent is absolutely enveloping. i can’t explain it, the scent just makes me feel happy (hey,it’s a lot cheaper than anti-depressants)

 

a new spring-like throw to adorn the sofa as i sit in my robe, inhaling the scent of my trap candles while watching the breeze through the billow curtains.

 

billowy curtains allow enough light in and dance perfectly with the incoming breeze.

 

and finally the pièce de résistance to enjoy all of the above acquisitions…

 

how to make the best gin and tonic: a bottle of this and a package of these to make this

5 little luxuries

the hare with amber eyes: a hidden inheritance  by edmund de waal is currently on my nightstand book rotation. i recommended the title to a very esteemed english friend who responded,“thank you. i have read it already. my father loved it when he could still read” i think you will have the same response.

 

jonathan adler had me at happy chic. i swooped up the most darling double old fashioned glasses appropriately named elizabeth.

 

allow us to introduce you to sōsh, a free restaurant- and activity-recommending site and iphone app (already popular in san francisco) that just arrived in nyc.

really loving the free tempo app (from the makers of siri) it’s a calendar virtual assistant! you need directions to your meeting? done. here is a google map. it literally multi-tasks any calendar entry and invite. maps, related documents, dial in info, passwords. even sends out a pre-written “running late” messages

 

i became intrigued about the benefits of apple cider vinegar after reading this post and made a mental note to pick up a bottle. after stroll through whole foods i discovered the bragg organic apple cider vinegar all natural drink with honey and i am now hooked. its too soon to document any of the health claims but i feel myself releasing weight and my skin clearing (i know its wishful thinking but hey…) you better believe i will be documenting the results.

5 little luxuries

image: target

another week, another five (imo) brilliant purchases…

a brass elephant for practically pennies.

a super inexpensive bikini for the oh-so-impromptu weekend getaway invite to one of my fave destinations in mexico

seized the 30% code (gapshop) and stocked up these ballet slippers

these curtains were the impetus to my spring cleaning project

thanks to copy cat chic I found the perfect sunburst mirror at an even more perfect price!


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5 little luxuries

my beloved niece, aka coquette is getting married in mexico in june! (side note: my niece’s upcoming nuptials inspired me to give birth to a new edition in the casa naranja media empire, casa naranja bodas. more on that later.). i have precisely 9 weeks to get impossibly fit! i am banking on the combat workout program, by the same people who bought you p90x and insanity so… here’s hoping...  anyhoos a few days into my challenge, i became a little self-conscious about jumping; so to maintain neighborly harmony, purchased this extra thick foam exercise mat. will keep you posted on the 60 day challenge results.

 

if you live in nyc and ride the subway you know it’s best not to think about who sat in the seat much less who pawed the poles and stairwells.  i briefly toyed with wearing gloves and a surgical mask but it created a host of vanity issues. with the motif citrus zest and ginger hand and face wipes i picked up at duane reade, i bring my own sunshine to an otherwise drab and germ infested commute.

 

you know that lip hue you strive for when you want to look like you are not wearing any makeup- that impossibly natural and dewy look ? the lip color you achieve when you have been outdoors and have coyly biten your lip? well guess what- it exists and it’s neutrogena revitalizing lip balm in sunny berry.

 

spring has arrived (well not really in nyc but) and so has my new fiery orange red lip color, and get this, the color is called french martini from face stockholm for j.crew. my two loves combined in a lip color.  now that s what i call a happy spring!

5 little luxuries

image: forever21

this michelle armas print is going up somewhere in my apt (don’t know where). dreamy, right?

 

i fancy myself a whimsical gal who believes in magic and blowing bubbles to put everything in perspective. so this unicorn ring holder seems like the perfect reminder of my life motto, “believe in magic!”

 

can this heart print pj set be any more darling? no, i don’t think so. and the price… well how can i say no?

 

i am all about elevating the kissing experience, even if it’s just smacking my lips together in self-approval. the newest tool in my lip arsenal is a cinnamon plumping lip oil which is proving to live up to its brand name: bite. i find myself biting my lip all day in the most flirty manner possible of course!

 

this is more of a necessity than a luxury but still… a totally free personal trainer. i no longer have any excuses (like my latest, oh i can’t go to the gym today since i haven’t shaved my legs).

5 little luxuries

image: etsy

an interesting combination of nemo (n’eastern blizzard of ’13) nyfw and valentine’s day preparations have descended upon me this weekend.

 

in the banal world of lash curlers, help has arrived: chanel recourbe cils de chanel precisioneyelash curler. i am partial to anything from the house of chanel. And this little luxury elevates one’s makeup bag with a certain je ne sais quoi.

 

i will be sporting impossibly kissable lips thanks to the  sucqu lip balm that you can only get in japan. (smooches to you tm!)

 

my clarisonic mia has just found its soul mate! i am quite fickle about skin care. i jump at any promise of smooth, exfoliated skin. -even a hint at results i would expect from microdermabrasion sends me into a tizzy. well let’s just say olay professional pro-x exfoliating cleanser exceeded my expectations.

 

i could not be more excited about being snowed in because i will be gorging my senses (not to mention the long list of comfort food)with my diana vreeland: the eye has to travel dvd.

 

say hello to my new little friend, ella the gold elephant! (i named her already). she will be adorning my bar cart area. will post pics when she is ensconced at home.

5 little luxuries

image: harper's happenings

i have been doing quite a bit of cooking at home lately. and experiencing first hand that most recipes which claim to be  “quick and easy”, “ready in 15 minutes” are not. this quirky mocubo one stop chopping cutting board is my definition of shaving a few minutes prep time.

my bestie harbored dreams of being a rapper. her grand opus is a composition that consisted of: “sneak attack (clap three times) hold me back…”  you can’t imagine the joy i felt when i had the opportunity to give her a commissioned rap that will incorporate her long ago shelved dream…

inspired by a post in glitterguide.com, i decided to host an oscars 2013 party and judging from rsvp responses such as “ohhh, i have a full length gown ive been itching to wear!!”, its going to be quite epic.

small plastic animals from target for this. and yes, i realize i am becoming that girl who is obsessed with diy projects. i hunt (no pun intended)for items  i need for my projects with the same intensity others might have in search for a $50 in-season chloe bag.

5 little luxuries

image: a cozy kitchen

nyc’s dramatic weather this week has provided the perfect opportunity to spend time at home. wanting to "cocoon" in winter is affording time for simple pleasures like trying recipes, decorating and of course one needs to have lots of vino tinto on hand.

 

to style the bookcase i’ll be purchasing, gold pig bookends set of 2

 

turning a plain ikea lack side table into a "custom greek key" piece.

 

at almost $32 a lb, the pancetta i purchased from whole foods for this carbonara mac and cheese recipe qualifies as a luxury, wouldn’t you agree. and yes, in hindsight it is quite a lot of money for “bacon”, but it was oh-so good….

 

in my state of hibernation, i am obsessed about adorning my walls, this no paint art project is the perfect combination of clever, crafty and chic!

 

don’t get me wrong I’m in no hurry to bid winter adieu (i l-o-v-e winter-I’m the girl who goes to ski resorts and doesn’t ski. i am all about après ski activities). but this clutchreminded me that a)spring is right around the corner b) you can never go wrong with a clutch and c) a great (read: inexpensive) alternative to the clare vivier pieces that are all the rage.

5 little luxuries

image: barnes and noble 

love, love, love pretty peg for couches and beds. not quite sure which piece of furniture i will be upgrading but just had to acquire.

tickets for la madre and the tia to enjoy the bésame mucho production at repertorio español. latinas sing latinas an anthology of songs by female latin american composers of el ayer are sure to get the ladies humming and reminiscing…. ($13 off all tickets this weekend!use discount code: REP2013)

at the rate i am going i will need to rent the apt next door just to display the amounts of art work and prints i purchase. alas there was no way i could not not add this beaut to my “gallery.” allow me to introduce you to the pagoda print

 

i love the notion of being in the company of good men…homer and aristotle cast marble bookends

 

after adding the carla bruni station to my pandora i am inspired to organize an impromptu cocktail party. the mix is THAT good! 

5 little luxuries

image: gap

starting the year off right with a new statement ring from baublebar.

 

i still have cans of paint in my second bedroom from when i moved in a  year ago (but who’s counting). in a fit of inspired organization, read leisurely perusing of so haute (one of my fave design sites), i stumbled upon a most simple and stylish solution for the leftover paint: airtight food storage jars!!

 

soooo i don’t need to regale you with my eternal quest for skin luminosity (read here, here and here), but when i read a review for olay cc cream which promises “instant skin perfecting coverage,” well, let’s just say my reaction was pretty immediate-i purchased!. i have been using it for 3 days now and all i can say is i am stockpiling before i write a formal review on our site.

 

one of my most luxurious purchases to date: tkts to see les misérables with two of my favorite girls!

 

i needed something (aside from an 18 year single malt scotch) to get me thru the cold, dark january nights and a pink butterfly flannel pj set does the trick! (act quickly they are on sale for 19.99!)

5 little luxuries

i have a feeling that 2013 will be a great year with the help of danielle laporte’s  desire map!!

how amazing is this chunky gold link bracelet? i know what you’ re thinking, “another chunky bracelet?!?” suspend judgment-this beaut will set you back $1!!!

erin stutland is one of my fave workout/life coach/magical manifesters period! she is constantly inspiring me and her “almost new year plans” post really resonated with me. i plan to go out on the town with her dream generator worksheet. it has thought provoking questions about everything from what you want to let go to what you want to call in. naturally, I had to immediately order notebooks to document all of my soul searching.

i have hit the cheek-glow jackpot! i purchased benefit’s sugarlicious lip & cheek kit earlier this week and the compliments have been fast and furious!

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5 little luxuries

the perfect indulgence to counteract  the season's continuous cycle of drinking, noshing, and lack of sleep: yogi detox, herbal tea supplement tea. considering my schedule for the past 10 days, i ordered in bulk. the yogi messages cleanse my soul as well..

 

it’s the bff’s bday week! this year we decided to do something different and dialed down from a month of celebrations to just a week. with every year that passes, i have a deeper appreciation and reverence for my bff, so i am giving her bubbles that reflect my lofty sentiments: pol roger 'cuvee sir winston churchill' champagne 1999. pol roger, which has a long and honorable association with the british aristocracy, was the favorite champagne of sir winston churchill (so devoted was he to the house of roger that they created a champagne in his honor). hey, if it was good enough for the winstonmeister….. it's what is being popped at besties candle blowing soiree.

 

love, love, love the marriage of multi-tasking and dewy skin. benefit’s fine one one is just that love child: a cheek and lip product that contains three stripes of sheer color – coral, watermelon and shimmering pale pink – which blend together for a soft pink or deeper cherry hue. part blush, part highlighter and even lip color. birchbox put together this most helpful video!

 

if you follow my quest (well documented on the blog) for dewy skin you will know that this is a must have in the arsenal evian mineral spray two sprays to set makeup and you are off to the incandescent convention. 

 

over the years i have been gifted with an array of gorgeous studs however I lose earrings at an alarming rate. so alas i am afraid to wear in fear that these heirlooms  will meet the fate of “that sock” in the dryer. instead i stock up on stunt studs and no one is the wiser.

5 little luxuries

this is one of those things I never thought I need until I saw it:  pluggabugg, the super cute, anti dust plug for idevices

 

calling all ladies deathly afraid of cats (i am talking to you brenda!)  i hope this hypnotic gift will remedy the jitters.

 

my apt décor is a work in progress. the bedroom lighting fixture was inspired by this postand while i am quite happy with the look i decided to enhance it with a ceiling rose (to feed my “i come from a long line of medici’s” fantasies.)

 

i believe myself to be a candle and home fragrance connoisseur. i hold this truth to be evident given the number of candles i burn in each room of my apt at any given moment.  and now that I’ve purchased the perfect candle snuffer, its official:  self anoint myself an expert.

 

i finally discovered the trick to get that “omg your skin is so luminescent it looks like you swallowed a light bulb!” completely by accident !when i ran out of my usual moisturizer, i mixed the sample of decleor instant radiance moisturizer  i had been meaning to try with my jouer luminizing moisture tint and tad-ta, gorgeous, dewy skin! 

5 little luxuries

image: etsy.com 

i absolutely love christmas! and the day right after thanksgiving is my cue to put up the tree. scentsicles because i cant get enough of the scent of fir and pine trees!

 

facelift for cashmere sweaters.

 

a watercolor rendition of the breakfast at tiffanys cocktail party. can you say absolutely darling?

 

is there any greater luxury than self care? no, i didn’t think so. drinking warm water with freshly squeezed lemon first thing in the am may not seem indulgent but the benefits are so great that i found the perfect accessory: a lemon squeezer that brightens up this otherwise the mundane task.

 

don’t you hate those people who look good in virtually every pair of sunglasses made for man? well, i know someone like that ~cough, cough brenda~ in any case, having a face that just loves frames means she has amassed quite the collection over the years. this sunglass case is the perfect stocking stuffer for her.

5 little luxuries

this week’s  most important luxury acquisition is a free app to prepare for black friday!

 

it doesn’t feel like the holidays are in full swing for me until i have viewed “a charlie brown thanksgiving”  (every year i trip over myself remembering) to a) find the date and time its playing and b) record because god forbid i am actually home on a weeknight at 8pm.  but i digress i had finally had the brilliant idea to actually buy a copy and watch it again and again and again (you know to feed my sense of nostalgia and childhood…. 

 

the silhouette of a narciso rodriguez sheath dress is perfect for the upcoming holiday season of events.

 

i cannot preach enough about the appropriateness of mustela for all phases of life! so much in fact, i will be dedicating an entire post on how i initiate all the young ones in my life to live luxuriously by making their first gift a mustela gift basket shortly!  but back to me, and how mustela wipes, body oil and fragrance  transforms the experience of my evening bath ritual.

 

in the spirit of disclosing a little more about myself i am going to share a few things: i don’t always wash my makeup off at night (so bad i know), i am very ambitious and well intended but rarely succeed when setting my alarm clock at 6am, and my eyes light up when i see a perfectly chilled bottle of amstel light. i found an antidote for my rushed mornings in the form of a silk pillowcase. which eliminates creases and wrinkles.

 

according to astrology we are entering the month of sagittarius (my bff’s sign! actually a few of my favorite people on the planet are sag’s but i digress…) this month is known for being the month of miracles so i am just helping co-create my miracles and supersizing them with a little assistance from this tome leveraging the universe  i authored by the creator of notes from the universe

5 little luxuries

i have been devoted to deb perelman of smitten kitchen for ever so long (she of the hilarious, spit out your drink, slap your knee silly fame).  I can’t decide what i like better:  her anecdotes or her recipes…   and when i learned that she was publishing a cookbook, well let’s  say i didn’t hesitate to order, and suspect, i may be transporting the book endlessly from kitchen to sofa.

 

i just could not not order cat ring.

 

buttons to give my trench a little umpphhh. (am thinking of having it re-lined in purple so you may see purchase soon).

 

i’ve learned that decorating is a work in progress and it’s the little details, like those in thisimprinted doorknob, you know,that really elevate (i just love saying that) a room.

 

inspired by a recent how-to i came across featuring elizabeth arden 8 hour cream in 10 ways, i naturally ordered a tube.