Tarte Holiday Party!

Last night was the tarte holiday party! We did something a little different—we actually made our own delicious dinner at Rustico Cooking! We enjoyed some wine and then got down to business. We were split up and some of us made the appetizers and dessert, while others cooked the main course and side dishes. If I don’t say so myself, I helped create by far the best sausage, broccoli rabe & cheese (I’m definitely forgetting some of the ingredients) crepe ever! Additionally, we dined on chicken, squash, gnocchi and a mini cheesecake. Everything was so yummy! We also did our holiday gift exchange—Alison got me the best gift: Voluspa candles. They smell so divine and last forever!! Thanks again Alison!! -Candace

Blizzard 07

So for the past 2 days on the news here in NYC it's been nothing but coverage on the blizzard that's about to hit us. I was skeptical that it would even happen but as Maria and I made our coffee run this morning we were pelted with chunks of hail. Now it's snowing like crazy! If I was still in school I'd be hoping for a snow day and then spend the day sledding and drinking hot cocoa! Maybe the tarte girls will have an impromptu sledding break today?! -Erica

Brrrrrr...

I think the only thing that’s going to get me through the winter is my January vacation. Anyone who knows me well knows I am just not a cold weather person, so all I can think about when I’m bundled in layers of clothes, jackets and scarves is the beaches of the Dominican Republic! It’s about 40 days away – hopefully I don’t totally freeze by then! -Maria

Oh Christmas Tree...

I'm extra excited for Christmas this year because I'm putting up a tree for the first time in years!! I am starting from scratch but so far I've gotten some really beautiful ornaments and a super-sparkly tree topper. My monogrammed tree skirt is on its way - haha! I can't wait to pick the perfect tree this weekend - that is if my husband and I can settle our difference between a real or a fake one... -Heather

Mexico!

I just got back from Mexico for my brother-in-law’s wedding (congrats Vin & Jess!), which was SO much fun, even though it kinda threw me out of the holiday season. (On the way home, I had to listen to Christmas songs on my IPod to get myself back in the mood and prepare for the impending cold.) But what is it about taking one vacation that makes you immediately need to plan another? While we were drinking mojitos poolside, we got in a huge conversation about going to Italy in February…now I’m ready to book it today. And I might actually do it. -Alexis

Crave: Ibex Izzi Pants

I’m always on the hunt for the perfect pair of black workout pants. I’m pretty particular--they can’t be too tight so that you see every muscle (hee hee, yea right) or too lose that they’re falling down. And they need to be stylish (hey, pants that make me feel skinny are the best). I’ve seriously found a pair that I’m absolutely in love with—these Ibex Izzi Pants. They’re perfect for yoga, running errands or even just watching movies on a rainy day. They also have some great outdoor gear—I like to check out their buzz page to see all the latest goods. It’s official: I’m hooked. -Candace

full house

I just saw a commerical for the "Full House" complete series dvd collection. This will definitely be going on my Christmas list. I loved watching "Full House" going up and I'm sure I've seen every episode but who could resist watching them all over again! -Erica

winter travel plans

I just confirmed my holiday trip this year and am so excited I can not sit still! My boyfriend and I are traveling to New Zealand and Australia for an amazing tour of the best beaches and surf spots. I learned to surf this summer from my uncle and my cousins on the Oregon coast and now want to take on bigger and better waves. I asked Santa for a custom longboard this year, so we'll see if he thinks I've been naughty or nice! -Heather R

happy halloween!

Happy Halloween! I love the fun surrounding this holiday (alright, the candy is a perk too), although I didn’t dress up for work today. It’s ok though, because I’m dressing up for my friend’s Halloween party on Saturday and I can not wait! My friend Erin and I are surprising everyone at the party so I can’t get into detail about our costumes here, but they are truly outrageous! -Maria

spinach dip

I needed to satisfy a serious craving for spinach dip so last night the tarte girls and I went out to dinner at one of our favorite places - Houston's! Needless to say, the dip was amazing and the wine and ribs weren't too shabby either! -Heather

a bronx tale

“A Bronx Tale” is one of my husband’s favorite movies of all time, so I was so excited when I found out Chazz Palminteri is doing a limited run of the original one-man show on Broadway right now. Just in time for Phil’s birthday, too—we went on Friday night and it was amazing. He actually acts out 18 characters in the show—for 90 minutes, with no intermission—and the whole thing is just seamless. It was a good raucous New York audience too, which actually works in the case of this show. I’m so glad we were able to see it—highly recommended for anyone who happens to be in the area!
- alexis

Shopping in NYC

10/15/07

~I had a great Saturday in NYC! I went to the Manhattan Vintage Clothing Show with my friend Corey. We saw some really amazing vintage clothes and both ended up getting great vintage jewlery (we even spotted Anna Sui shopping around). Since it was Corey's Birthday we had a yummy lunch at Cafeteria and finished the day with cupcakes at the famous Magnolia Bakery! -erica

Birthday Gifts

09/24/07

~Last week was my birthday and I got some really great gifts!! Greg gave me this grey Tod’s bag that I’ve been obsessing about for the past 2 months. And the wonderful girls here at tarte got me a gift certificate to my favorite place: Pottery Barn!! I’ve had my eye on this big, red trunk that can also double as a coffee table. I can’t wait to get it!! -candace

Waiting in Lines

09/12/07
~Last sunday my friend and I made the trek to Randall's Island for the Farm Aid benefit concert started by Dave Matthews which works to keep family farmers on their land. I'm a huge Dave fan and was so excited to see him perform along with Willie Nelson and Neil Young, BUT the show was so poorly coordinated that the bathroom lines exceed an hour! So basically the whole day was spent in line, either waiting for food and beverages, or waiting for the bathroom. And I know we weren't the only ones that felt this way so I need everyone to speak up and let the promoters know that the lines ruined the whole experience!! boo. -heather r

Locks of Love

09/04/07

~I made a major change this weekend… I cut 11” of my hair off!! And it was all for a good cause. I donated it all to Locks of Love, a charity that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children suffering from long-term medical hair loss. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do. So, in honor of my Nana, I went for it and now have a new Nicole Richie-inspired hairdo. Doing something nice for others not only makes you feel good but it also can make you look good! -erica

Prison Break Returns

08/29/07

~I’m anxiously awaiting the return of one of my favorite series of all time, Prison Break. I’m literally counting down the days until September 17th – it feels like an eternity since last season ended and I’ve been pining for a new episode ever since! Besides being a great show I look forward to having Monday night quality time with Rich – usually one of us has to compromise while the other watches sports (Rich) or reruns of Law & Order (me). This is one show that we are both really into and it’s become a fun tradition to make dinner and watch the show together every Monday night! -maria

Florida Feelings

08/23/07

~The countdown is on…for my mini vacation that is! Greg & I are heading to Naples, Florida on Friday morning! I really can’t wait to do absolutely nothing but sunbathe (with SPF protection, of course), read all of the delicious fall fashion magazines and run on the beach. We’re going on a sunset cruise in the Gulf of Mexico which will be beautiful. Then when we get back from our trip we’re back to unpacking, painting and decorating our new apartment. -candace

Movie Recommendation

08/20/07

~I went to see Superbad this weekend (along with half of the population of NYC) and loved it! I was a little nervous that it would be like Knocked Up - you know - kind of funny but nothing to write home about. Well, it was more like 40 Year Old Virgin! I can't wait until it comes out on DVD so I can constantly quote lines with everyone at work! -heather

Puppy Pictures

08/15/07

~Both Maria & Heather R subscribe to The Daily Puppy, which is an online magazine all about puppies! They always send me links to the cutest puppies and I want to subscribe but I fear I'd never get any work done! It's so hard to stop browsing through all the cute pictures, just try! -erica

Bachelorette Party

08/09/07


~I’m very excited—my best friend’s bachelorette party is this weekend, and because she’s a girl after my own heart, there won’t be any strippers or cheesy dance clubs…instead, we’re going to a quirky little cabaret bar in the West Village where everyone sings show tunes. This is probably some people’s idea of a nightmare, but for me, it’s pretty much paradise—anywhere I can sing Guys & Dolls at the top of my lungs without having people look at me funny is OK by me. -alexis

A Retail Steal

08/06/07

~Okay, so I'm really excited about my fabulous handbag find today! I was shopping around the clearance section at a department store near the office and saw this great soft brown leather bag. When I looked at the marked down price I thought it was pretty good deal, but then I realized there was an additional 30% off on top of that. So, I got this great bag for a steal!! -heather r

iPhone Favorites

07/31/07

~I am so happy; my very wonderful boyfriend won an iPhone and gave it to me on Friday! I’ve been playing with it all weekend to try to learn all the cool little features since I refuse to read a training manual. My favorite features so far are the visual voicemail and the texting conversations. My next task is to load all of my songs onto it so I can officially retire my iPod! -maria

Moving Preparations

07/24/07

~Greg & I are preparing for our move! And that means there’s a lot of shopping to be done. You name it we need it! The main priorities: a queen sized bed and a sectional couch with a sofa bed. We’ve been on the hunt for this type of couch—we plan on having a lot of visitors! In addition to furniture, we need an entertainment system—Greg has his eye on a 52 inch Sony Bravia XBR LCD TV and several other amenities, including Wii or PlayStation. Oh, I can’t wait to move in and decorate. Just writing about it makes me excited! -candace

Cirque du Soleil Impressions

07/20/07

~Things haven’t settled down since I got back from Vegas…by the way we saw the Cirque du Soleil show Love (thank you for all of your recommendations!) and it was amazing! I think my next activity will be to take acrobatic lessons and learn to swing from the ropes they use in the show. I’m sure you have to be super strong, so I might not be able to do anything other than just hang there, but still it would be FUN! And one more thing, a quick shout out and congratulations to my boyfriend who’s starting a new job on Monday! Woooh! -heather r

Book Recommendation

07/17/07

~I was wandering in Barnes & Nobel this past weekend looking for a great book to read this summer. I ended up getting "I Know This Much is True" by Wally Lamb, its a book I've been meaning to read forever but I never seem to get to. Now I can't put it down, I was up until 3am this morning reading! I loved Wally Lamb's other book "She's Come Undone", so I should have realized I'd be quickly addicted to this book. I need to hurry up and finish before this Saturday when "Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows" comes out! I have a busy summer of reading and relaxing... -erica

Back to the Future

07/11/07

~Well, it's been an exhausting couple of weeks for sure! I'm so happy to be home for a few days (even if home isn't so relaxing these days because it involves a lot of moving-in chores...blagh). Anyway, at times like these when my brain is so overloaded it's about to explode, there's nothing that makes me happier than one of my old standby movies (it's like comfort food for your brain!). Back to the Future was on the other night and I just got riveted for the full 2 hours, even though I've seen it a million times. Is it not one of the best movies of all time? -alexis

4th of July Celebration

07/05/07

~Last night I went to the city version of a 4th of July BBQ. That means burgers and hot dogs on the George Forman and watching fireworks on the TV! Well, we would have walked to the river if it wasn't raining... Before dinner, we tried to play Trivial Pursuit but it was the Genius Edition and no one could answer any of the questions so we ended up playing Charades. It was actually really fun! We limited the categories to Movies, TV Shows and Bands and I was pretty good! I wish someone could see me acting out Groundhog Day - that was a sight not to be missed - hahaha! -heather

Waiting for the Domincan Republic

07/02/07

~I’m so excited; I just booked a trip to the Domincan Republic! Rich and I are going with one of my best friend and her boyfriend during the week of her birthday so it’s sure to be a really good time! The trip isn’t until January 2008 which is great because it gives me time to lose some weight – good thing Levi is around to help whip me into shape! -maria

The Great Apartment Hunt

06/25/07

~Apartment hunting in NYC during the hot summer is no fun—Greg & I have been all over the city in search of our home! I do believe we might’ve found a place—it’s a great size with a large living room and brand new bathroom. I can already see a fun bar and big screen TV. We both loved it (believe me it’s hard to please both of us). I thought we were never going to find a place. Fingers crossed--we should know by Friday if we can get it! -candace

Cirque du Soleil

06/19/07

~ We have a trade show to attend in Las Vegas in a couple weeks and while we’re there I want to see a Cirque du Soleil performance too. I’ve wanted to see one for a while, but never got around to getting tickets for Randall’s Island. I just checked out their official website and I didn’t realize that there were so many different shows playing at the same time throughout Vegas. I guess I’ll have to read all of the reviews, or to make it easy, I’ll take some suggestions….anyone??? -heather r

Movie Recommendation

06/13/07


~ I finally got to see the movie "Knocked Up" this weekend with friends, it was so funny! The director is the same guy who directed "40-Year Old Virgin", another of my favorite movies. I definitely recommend seeing it for a good laugh! -erica

Moving Day

06/11/07

~I can’t believe it crept up so quickly, but I’m moving 12 days!! We close on our apartment this Friday and the next 2 weeks are basically just a blur of packing, running around, and…eek…writing many checks. I’m not dreading the unpacking once we move—that part is fun to me. But why is packing such a nightmare? We spent all weekend boxing things up and if you look around the apartment it barely looks like we made a dent. So depressing. However, whenever I feel like all the nuisances will never end, I think of my new Jacuzzi soaking tub…and it’s all worth it. Yay!!! -alexis

Let the Training Begin

06/06/07

~I began my training for the 1/2 marathon last night - it was brutal. I ran about 2 miles and went home. That's not a good sign considering that the race is 13.1 miles and it's 8 weeks away!! I'm hoping that Heather R and Candace will motivate me to step it up! I just put together a nice excel spreadsheet to track my training - and I'm making myself stick to it!! I bet it would be easier if I could think of a good reward for finishing the race - like a new pair of shoes or a spa day, perhaps? Hmmm, I'll have to think about that.. :) -heather

GREAT News!

06/01/07

~I have great news—Greg got a job in NY!! After 5 ½ years of living apart and many cities/states of separation, we’re finally going to be together again! So, the next few weekends will be filled with apartment hunting in Manhattan. Oh, the joy—I can’t wait (the tears are still flowing!). -candace

Memorial Day Tidings

05/25/07

~Happy Memorial Day Weekend! -xoxo the tartelettes

Road Runners

05/21/07


~Three of us tarte girls signed up for the New York Road Runners 2007 NYC Half Marathon presented by Nike on August 5th. Tomorrow we will find out if we made the lottery, and then the training begins. I really hope that we all are chosen from the lottery…or else I might loose my motivation to run! Today is the last day to sign up, so click on the link below to sign up; after all, it’s ONLY 13 miles! Go Team Tarte! -heather r

Adopt a Pet

05/18/07


~Lately I haven’t been able to volunteer as much at the New Rochelle Humane Society as I’d like to, so I’m really excited about volunteering to man the Society’s table at the Mamaroneck Historic Harbor Street Fair on June 3rd. we’ll have one of the dogs with us, as well as some information on the shelter and other animals that are available for adoption. I hope that it makes an impact and some of the animals will finally find a home! -maria

Dance Recital

05/14/07


~This past weekend Greg & I took the journey home to Boston to visit my mom and grandma for Mother’s Day. In addition to hanging out with the folks, we attended my little and older cousins’ dance recital. While this was Greg’s first recital it was my first time sitting in the audience and not dancing or teaching. In fact, when the opening routine started I actually had a tear in my eye—it was so very nostalgic! I really wasn’t expecting it. Nonetheless, it was a great show—my older cousin is the primary dance teacher & director, while her daughter who is 4 danced alongside of my 5-year-old twin cousins. They seriously stole the show in their cute costumes and hip-shaking moves, though my older cousins who are 10 and 16 were the true entertainers. Yes, dancing is definitely a family affair! -candace

San Francisco & Shopping

05/11/07

~Maureen and I just got back from our business trip to San Francisco yesterday…so I’m a little out of it today. The trip was good though, especially since we had a little downtime to do some shopping. I don’t know what it is about getting out of your own city—all the stores in SF were the same, but all of a sudden it was like a new world of shopping! I think we both did a little damage (I’m wearing some of the spoils today) but I redeemed myself by picking up a pair of Phil’s favorite summer shoes at J.Crew. So it wasn’t completely selfish. -alexis

Wishing for Summer

05/09/07

~Everyone warned me about the post-wedding blues that set in after the wedding and honeymoon are over. I have to say, I'm not feeling them - probably because I was a total stress ball the week before the wedding - what with trying to finish everything I needed to do for work for the 2.5 weeks I was out of the office and assembling 100 favors 3 days before. Oh and I almost forgot the debacle with my dress not fitting correctly the week of the bid day! So I can safely say that what I feel most is relief that I can watch tv without thinking there is something else I should be doing and that I can eat a cheeseburger without thinking about fitting into a dress!! Plus I've begun an apartment search so that will pretty much keep me busy well into the summer. Summer... that's another great thing to look forward to! -heather

Benefit Walk

05/02/07

~I'm really excited because on Saturday I will be participating in the NYC Revlon BCA Run/Walk through Central Park! I'll be walking with my mom, my roommate, her mom and dad plus a whole bunch of other friends! It was probably a bad idea to skip my training session with Levi on Tuesday so I'm really going to have to prep in our session on Friday! Wish me luck! -erica

april 2007

04/27/07

~All this gross rain is giving me a sinus headache and makes me want to hide under the covers all day. On the other hand, it’s also getting me that much more excited for my upcoming vacation to Mexico!! Words cannot express how much I’m looking forward to six days of doing absolutely nothing. I am also a big fan of the “eat whatever you want” vacation method, especially when it means mounds of quesadillas and salty margaritas. Which is why I look forward to having Levi kick my butt for the next 3 weeks…so I can prematurely undo the damage! -alexis

04/23/07

~As a continuation of my last blog, I have been looking into tennis lessons and actually bought a new racket over the weekend. I played at the outdoor courts near my house and have a very sore right arm, and slight tan, to show for it. My next task is to set up my first lesson so that I’m not hitting the ball like I would a baseball. I’m really not as uncoordinated as I looked! -heather r



04/20/07

~I am so excited because me and 12 of my sorority sisters from college are going to Atlantic City for the weekend! As I'm sure you know coordinating dinner for 4 friends can sometimes be impossible so the fact that 13 of us are going is practically a miracle. Nothing's better then a weekend of going out, gambling and Gamma Girls...now let's just hope some of us win! -maria

04/18/07

~So yesterday I celebrated my 24th Birthday! The tarte girls celebrated with me and we enjoyed a lovely dessert of fruit salad and whipped cream (yum!). I also received my coveted Tory Burch Ballet Flats that I've been craving!! They are lime green and SO CUTE. I can't wait for the weather to get a little nicer so I can wear them! Next year I'm craving a pony! :-) -erica

04/16/07

~Heather’s wedding was so much fun! First and foremost, the bride looked beautiful—a true Barbie. The weather turned out being perfect and the ceremony left a few of us tartelettes teary-eyed. All of the food was delicious. From the mini cheese raviolis and the beef medallions to the mini cream puffs, let’s not even discuss how much I devoured! After filling my belly, it was on to the dance floor where we tore it up (there may even exist a video of Alexis & me working our moves). What a great way to kick-off the wedding season for me—I have at least 1 a month now! -candace

04/13/07

~I can’t believe it’s finally time for Heather’s wedding (especially because it means mine was already 6 months ago!). Even though I got the privilege of seeing her in her dress already (at her fitting), I’m excited to see her walk down the aisle! Then I will be in withdrawal for 2 weeks while my officemate is in Hawaii. In the meantime, the rest of us tartelettes are scrambling to find cute little jackets and wraps to go over our dresses because no one was anticipating the 40-something degree weather. So much for my strapless dress & bare legs! -alexis

04/11/07

~Tomorrow will officially be one month before I leave for my 16 day expedition around Europe with my boyfriend. We’ll fly in to Rome, make our way towards Florence, then on to Venice. After a few relaxing days in Italy, the overnight train will take us to beautiful Paris where we will spend 2 lovely nights. After we’ve soaked up all that Paris has to offer, we’ll board another overnighter and head to Barcelona, and finally to Madrid where we will spend 3 nights relaxing before we fly back home. Yes, just thinking about it makes me feel more at ease. I think I can safely say that in all the vacations I have ever taken, I have never needed one more than I do now. -julia

04/09/07

~With spring upon us and summer fast approaching, it’s time for me to change my dark brown locks to a fun and flirty dark blonde. I won’t be going platinum or anything, although I have always wondered what it would be like…just some highlights and low lights to go with my new tan! The celebs hair that I’m going after is Drew Barrymore’s new ‘do, and I’ll have it just in time for Heather P’s wedding this weekend too! -heather r
04/06/07

~As you’re reading this I am at QVC preparing for our 1 hour show today, Friday April 6th, at 4 pm (EST). We all get so excited about the shows, but I’m especially excited about this one because we have a few special guests (you have to tune in to see!). Then we’ll be back on Saturday at 7 pm (EST) with a new kit that is a personal favorite of mine. Now I know why everyone loves watching QVC – the new items and the amazing values are something that just can’t be beat! -maria

04/04/07

~It been a week since I've come back from Miami and my sunkissed glow is fading fast! Luckily Maureen introduced to Comondynes self-tanning wipes form QVC awhile ago. Now I'm totally addicted to them! They really give me a natural tan that's not too orange or fake looking. I even asked my Mom for a new supply for my Birthday! -erica

04/02/07

~Any Season 6 American Idol fans out there? Me too! Seriously, what’s going on this season? Please, don’t vote for the worst anymore!! Every week I just wait for Sanjaya to get the boot. It’s painful to watch. My top 2 picks: Blake (I really want him to win!) and Melinda Dolittle (she never disappoints). I’m keeping my fingers crossed for my boy, Blake! -candace