feliz weekend!

image: joie la la via mrs.lilien

the party animal’s guide to hiding a holiday hangover

 

how to host a new years eve cocktail party

 

15 money-saving tips in the kitchen

 

how to drink wine

 

the latin new year’s survival guide

 

10 easy cocktails for new year’s eve

 

one of the single best posts of 2012 (imho) courtesy of creature comforts

 

bar cart essentials with mrs. lilien

 

gotta go? presenting 18 of the best in-store bathrooms in nyc

 

mickey drexler defends j.crew, the internet from ny times

listening to: miguel bosé & ximena sariñana " aire soy"

feliz weekend!

image: apartment 34.com

win a patrón cocktail party

 

the lazy girl's detox: 7 ways to stay healthy

 

when is the best time to shop for the holidays?

 

floral centerpiece tutorial from tulipina!

 

modern microwaves for the 21^st century!

 

what are instagram and twitter fighting about, and why?

 

oh happy-happy day veuve clicquot is on pinterest

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.

listening to: tito el bambino ft marc anthony - por que les mientes

food and drink: euzkadi restaurant

euzkadi restaurant

 

chain of events went something like this…had a dear friend visiting from dominican republic, was craving paella, happened to glance at the savored app on my iphone and voila a reservation to euzkadi was made and it could not have worked out better.

 

inventive tapas:  datiles euzkai (dates filled w/cabrales, marcona almonds, wrapped in serrano ham) , pinxto de setas y jamon (mushrooms w/serrano ham and allioli) , albondigas de pato, (oasted duck meatballs in a sofrito duck demi-glace sauce ) coredero a la plancha (roasted lamb in a mushroom raisin demi-glace) a most memorable seafood paella and a luscious rioja.

 

with their tuesday pre-fixe menu (see below)  and flamenco performances, its pretty much given that i’ll be at the corner table on tuesday nights.

 

thanks to the reservation made thru savored online 30% was knocked off of the already reasonable bill. its all most civilized: no coupons or printouts needed; you just have to say you made your reservation thru savored.

check out a little dining secret below:

monday through thursday

special menu for two, including assorted cheese & meat platter, paella, dessert & bottle of wine or sangria

$50 cash only 5-7 pm

rumba flamenco on tuesdays 7:30pm

 

euzkadi restaurant

108 east 4^th street (btwn 1/2^nd avenue)

212-982-9788

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belleza - buxom stay-there eye shadow

buxom stay-there eye shadow

last sunday i was running late (shocker) and became rather flustered.  you see, i had the oh-so-important task of delivering a birthday girl to her surprise party. the aforementioned fiesta was quite the swanky affair.  so i had to put in some extra effort in my makeup, an almost impossible prospect under the circumstances. that was until literally and figuratively this little baby, buxom stay-there eye shadow –(in the shade of pug, a smoky pewter), feel out of my makeup cabinet-seriously, i was reaching for my concealer and like a life metaphor the jar tumbled off the shelf. i took it as a sign. and in only 4 minutes, i was able to execute a perfect smokey eye:  i slapped on eye primer, packed on the buxom shadow with a dense brush, lined my eyes on the inner and outer rims, used my finger to blend and pow, i was a new smokey eye-al discuido, was born! 

sephora.com

$18

 

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feliz weekend!

image: kris atomic 

how to feel like a beautiful woman 365 days each year

 

16 detoxing cleanse foods

 

hendrick’s presents an apocalyptic epiphany

 

10 tips for making the winter wake-ups easier

 

travel in style

 

every december issue gift guide ever (hysterically funny).

 

such a cute idea from creature comforts, a neighborly get well kit and a free downloadable printables.

 

not entirely sure how i feel about the new service that touts itself the netflix of nail polishes.

 

a handy list i hope you won’t need this season: holiday stain removal tips

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! 

wonder capes

leslie tessler

ever since my first pair of wonderwoman underoos (just to put a song in your head for the next week..”underoos fun to wear yeah! something super new in underwear”) i have adored capes. a custom cape inspired by the vibes of buenos aires and the beat of new york city was just a fantasy until now. leslie tessler has brought my dreams to life. from delicious fabric choices, to exquisite  buttons, to styling that effortlessly evokes the south american soul and the chic sophisticatation of madison avenue… i could write a sonnet about this cape. well i  probably couldn’t write a sonnet but i can write a damn fine haiku…

cape of luxury

south american splendor

your warmth surrounds me

 

leslietessler.com

$295-$425

 

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venezuelan brass and spanish cinema

venezuelan brass ensemble

carnegie hall is celebrating the music and artists of latin america with the voices from latin america festival. and rightly so, we are a people and culture to be celebrated J!  with tickets starting at only $10 you cannot not go to hear the venezuelan brass ensemblefor an evening that promises to be epic. need proof: see their performance of leonard bernstein’s “mambo” from west side story here or, better yet, george gershwin’s “i got rhythm” here.

carnegie hall

stern auditorium/perelman stage

friday, december 7^th at 8pm

purchase tickets here

 

spanish cinema now 2012

 

 

one of the film society's longestrunning and most popular programs returns with another comprehensive look at the best from the past year in new spanish cinema

 

spanish cinema now 2012

walter reade theater

film society lincoln center

165 west 65th street, new york, ny 

from dec 7th to 16th @ various times

 

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the bottomless brunch at zengo

zengo

mark your calendars! the richard sandoval empire just got a little more regal. coming to zengo in january 2013 ( a mere few weeks away)  a $35 bottomless brunch!

$35 gets you unlimited small plates and free-flowing brunch cocktails.

zengo nyc

622 third ave at 40th st

tel. 212.808.8110

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belleza - dream lumi™ touch highlighting concealer

dream lumi™ touch highlighting concealer

while on my weekly pilgrimage to duane reade,  i stumbled on this treasure of a concealer! initially i purchased on a whim to compare to the ysl touche éclat and i am elated to report that the similarities are astounding  at almost 1/5th of the price!!  trust me i am not looking back. it is the ultimate magic wand - a true highlighter and a concealer. as a latina, i get frustrated searching for (read spend lots of $$) the perfect shade of skin makeup w/yellow undertones and dream lumi seems to have heard my cries and delivered. maybe its maybelline indeed!

$6.99

available at all major drug stores

 

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feliz weekend!

image: here 

9 stylish pieces for holiday outfits

did you watch lifetime’s “liz and dick?” i was only able to watch bits but this review not only had me crying from laughing so hard, i am incited to attempt to watch again (i am pretty sure it will be on at least 10 more times in the next weeks….)  i smell a campy classic. 

16 cool new gadgets to add to your wishlist.

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.

feliz weekend!

image: apartment therapy

10 ways to keep the holiday blues away

for the aspirational hostess: secrets of a French hostess

 

hors d'oeuvre hour: where to get the best appetizers in the city

 

10 ways to make holiday travel a little more fabulous

 

4 oatmeal recipes that will change your life

 

10 ways to tell if you’re in desperate need of a mental detox

 

party planning 101: 5 things to do in the last 30 minutes

feliz weekend!

Image credit: Lanola Stone

why zara probably wont expand in the us any time soon: the midwest and sizing

13 tricks for the perfect party—procrastinator-approved!

waxing over rugby: a farewell to ralph’s youth-oriented, collegiate collection

snailed it: turn your emails into handwritten notes

creating a ‘bedroom’ in a studio apt with ikea panels

set the table: 10 budget dinnerware sets

tory burch’s ex factor

how to build an easy holiday tabletop

10 documentaries that will make you a better person

sweet portraits of dogs least likely to be adopted

top secret new york restaurants

it’s the most wonderful time of the year…..the c.wonder gift guide is out!

j.crew look-alikes!

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

feliz weekend!

5 photo apps allow you to shoot, edit, share in a snap

5 ways to transform your skin naturally

oprah’s favorite things 2012

handy tips for the upcoming holiday season: 4 decorative napkin folding ideas

this is how new york bounces back!

10 ways to prevent and treat the flu

4 ways to rock a turtleneck this season

five ways to make your boobs look better

amazon is opening a new york photo studio for fashion. Umm interesting.

9 things we bet you didn’t know about nars

indoor workout for a small space

tips for getting the perfect paint color each time

10 dream jobs that you had no idea existed.

the iconic diane von furstenberg

have totally been there…. party planning vent: what’s so hard about RSVPing?

support affected medical shelters and centers from new jersey to haiti, host a blanket drive, or get pumped to donate at a blood bank. find out where you’re most needed atvolunteermatch.org.