january 2006

1/31/06


~It’s official Greg (my bf) has a problem: he’s a sneaker addict. No lie. In the past month he’s bought at least 4 pairs of sneakers (most of which are Nike dunk lows). Just this past weekend, we scoured the city looking for the Air Jordan Defining Moments. And we found them (despite Nike only making 11,000 pairs in the U.S. and him paying almost double the price)!! While I can’t say I have a love for sneakers, I do enjoy my own shoe escapades!! He scored his sneaks and I bought my Tamara Henriques rain boots!! So cliché, but I guess that’s why we make a perfect pair! -candace

1/30/06

~My favorite hobby by far is baking, so I especially look forward to any/ all occasions and holidays so that I can bake away! For the Superbowl this Sunday I think I’ll whip up some ‘Sure Fire, No Fire S'mores’ because…well, because I just really like s’mores! For Valentine’s Day I plan on cooking a whole meal (most likely something revolving around filet mignon) but for dessert I’m still choosing between crème brûlée, mini chocolate soufflés or mini heart shaped ice cream desserts. If I do the brûlée or soufflé I get to buy these cute pink ramekins, but if I make the heart shaped ice cream I get to buy this cute pink heart mold (both from Williams-Sonoma). Oh decisions, decisions… -maria


1/27/06

~A shocking fact: for someone so makeup-savvy, I am strikingly hair-impaired. Like, I can’t even master putting my hair back into a decent high pony with the bangs teased and pulled back (Erica’s specialty) —seriously, it’s a wonder I can put my hair in a braid. So when I want my hair to look good, I usually just shell out for a blowout —although that can get expensive after a while. So I am incredibly proud (like, 4-year-old who learns to tie his shoe proud) that I gave myself my first decent-looking blowout the other night. And it only involved one hour, a blowdryer, a round brush, a straightening iron, and 5 products!! OK—so I have a ways to go—but seriously, when I sprayed my Elnett hairspray (illegal but amazing aerosol spray stealthily imported from my last trip to London) to finish off my lovely new do, it was a fine hour indeed. -alexis


1/26/06

~So I’ve been looking for a kickboxing type class forever, but I can’t seem to find one that I like or that fits my schedule. Feeling totally defeated, I attempted to find a class one last time yesterday on Craig’s List and (finally!) I think I found one. It’s called Ki-Bo and it’s a blend of cardio kickboxing, self defense and strength training using your own body weight. Plus the instructor is a woman – who looks from the website like she can kick some serious butt – so I feel really confident that I may have finally found what I’ve been looking for! I’ll be attending my first class next week, so wish me luck and I’ll give everyone an update after the class! -maria


1/25/06

~Well, I'm finally ready to get back into running outside. I've never been an outdoors runner but I miss it!! So I picked up some heavy duty outdoor running clothes this weekend - I got the super warm spandex pants - that's right spandex! The ones only a hardcore runner can get away with (so I've got to pretend I'm one of them). I got a really cute blue windbreaker some special running gloves and a headband thing that keeps your ears warm. I'm legit now! All I have to do now is get out there - if only it would warm up just a little bit... -heather


1/24/06

~Phil & I went to the MoMA this weekend to check out the Pixar 20-year retrospective —it was so awesome. The museum was pretty chaotic and the exhibit was SO crowded, but honestly, it was worth it. You got to see all the steps they take when creating the characters for their movies—so much work goes into it, it’s absolutely insane. (The audio guide was great, too—really helped you understand what you’re looking at). Basically, we both came away from the exhibit thinking that Pixar is some kind of magical wonderland to work at. Also—the main highlight was the zoetrope (see pic) which dictionary.com defines as: An optical toy, in which figures made to revolve on the inside of a cylinder, and viewed through slits in its circumference, appear like a single figure passing through a series of natural motions as if animated or mechanically moved. (There’s no way I could improve on that explanation). Seriously one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen. -alexis

1/23/06

~Ok, enough with the rain already!! I know it’s only the start of winter here in NYC, but I’ve already had enough. I’m on the hunt for a good pair of rain boots. My one requirement is that they must have some sort of heel (I’m 5’2’’—I need all the height I can get). There are definitely some cute ones at the style bakery, though I’m really leaning towards these Tamara Henriques boots. Hmmm, or maybe the Pink Burberry ones at Neiman Marcus. Decisions, decisions… -candace



~I'm finally back after the long gone for my wedding and honeymoon! And finally we managed to move in our first place yesterday after 3 weeks weekend tough painting work! I can't wait to go shopping for some new furniture and new appliance, I really want to buy a nice king size bed so I don't need to flight for space with Terrence! -leonie





1/20/06





~I'm so happy to be all moved in to my new place. Now comes my favorite part..decorating! The bedding set I ordered from the pottery barn came in the other day and it's so bright and colorful. It's really going to look great in the room especially with the custom headboard I made. Tomorrow I'm going to make a trip out to Ikea to pick up a few more things and hopefully get some more ideas. I can't wait to start all little projects I have planned!

-erica


1/19/06

~I’ve been on a major cooking kick lately—I think the Italian wife-to-be in me is definitely starting to kick in. I actually had some time to relax this past weekend, so I made a ton of stuff—but new favorite is gnudi. They’re basically the filling of ravioli minus the pasta—literally denuded ravioli, hehe. They’re very messy but fun to make if you do it all from scratch (I used fresh spinach & grated the parm myself instead of using the pre-grated kind…definitely makes a difference!). They’re so filling, but so so good. This recipe looks like the one I used except I made a sage butter sauce—either should be delish though. -alexis

1/18/06

~This Sunday Larry and I are going to the Museum of Natural History to see the Darwin exhibit. I’m having flashbacks to Freshmen biology class when I think about it. Survival of the Fittest…that’s what I remember the most. I haven’t been to the Museum in a while. Every time I go I need to see the dinosaur exhibit, it reminds me of being a kid. And if I’m lucky..we’ll see an Imax film, too!-nicole

~My boyfriend and I officially decided that we are going to Vegas this summer – you have no idea how happy this makes me because I love Vegas! I already started looking up flight and hotel info on Jet Blue and I found a really awesome deal for the Bellagio and the Venetian. Now if I could just lose a good 30 pounds by August…-maria


1/17/06

~I had such a nice, long relaxing weekend in Pennsylvania! It was my boyfriend’s bday (Greg) and we celebrated over sushi and drinks at the Dancing Fish. As for his gift, I bought him these sweet Camel Suede Ferragamo shoes. He LOVES them! I’m heading over his way again this weekend to watch the Syracuse vs. Villanova basketball game—go Orange! -candace

1/13/06

~I'm so excited, this weekend I'm moving into the city! One of my best friends, Marisa and I got a great apartment on the upper east side. The neighborhood is so nice and there are so many great things to do... plus Heathers my neighbor! Project Runway parties will be a must!-erica


~Yay, I’m so glad it’s Friday! For a change we actually have nothing to do this weekend, which means my favorite kind of days…lazy, fixing up the house, reading the paper, cooking, just hanging out. Except we are doing ONE thing on Sunday—we signed up for a 3-hr ballroom dancing crash course. We get to try foxtrot, salsa, waltz & swing—since I’ve never done any of the above, this should be interesting. I have a sneaky suspicion that Phil is going to be one to watch. Anyway, I’m very impressed with his willingness to miss NFL playoffs to go prance around for three hours. That’s why I’m marrying the guy! -alexis


1/12/06


~Tonight Larry and I are going to see Brian Stokes Mitchell perform. I’m so excited, we loved him in Man of La Mancha. He has the most amazing, deep, rich voice. I hope he sings some songs from the show!!!-nicole~So, now I'm addicted to Project Runway. I blame Erica and Alexis for talking about the show every thursday morning. Last night I turned on Bravo and was just in time for a PR marathon. That show is great! The designers are nutty but really talented - it all makes for great tv! Just what I needed, another show to watch!!-heather


1/11/06

~Hi all!!! I’m Candace and I just joined tarte last week!!! So fun and exciting! (and yes, I tend to overuse exclamation marks). The products are truly amazing and the girls are soooo sweet! You’ll most likely see me talking about random things, but hey, who doesn’t like random? For instance, I’m really craving rice pudding right now…this place; Rice to Riches near my apt is great!-candace



1/10/06


~Continuing on my theme of awesome Xmas gifts, I have to focus on an amazing one from Phil: The Muppet Show Season 1 DVDs. So far we’ve only watched the first 4 episodes but it’s so awesome (one of my favorite sketches so far? “Lydia the Tattooed Lady,”—so cute. There’s a “pop up” track you can turn on that gives you all kinds of little factoids about the episodes, the guests, and the Muppeteers. Since I’m a total Muppet freak, I’m addicted.-alexis

~What’s the worse thing you can do when you’re bored? Look through ebay…now I found about 3-4 pairs of shoes that I am obsessing over. But at around $599.99 each pair I just can’t afford it! I’m especially infatuated with a pair of Christian Louboutin jeweled stilettos. Must be strong… -maria

1/6/06

~This weekend is my friend's baby shower (I hope she doesn't read this or the surprise will be ruined!!). This is my first friend to have a baby in the area - I can't believe it and I can't wait until she has the baby! I'm dying to know if it's a boy or a girl. I think it's a girl, but we'll see! Just when the bridal showers were slowing down... -heather

~Can’t wait for the weekend! No major plans. My friend Kara is having a housewarming party in East Rockaway. I look forward to seeing my college friends there and just hanging out. It’s been so gloomy in New York this past week, I hope to finally see the sun! -nicole

1/5/06

~I haven’t written in so long…I think the holidays have totally worn me out, because I still haven’t bounced back from exhaustion. In any case, I did get some AMAZING gifts this year—I feel very lucky—but one of the highlights came from my little Secret Santa Maria. Proving exactly how well she knows me, she got me a 2 month subscription to a Cheese of the Month Club! Seriously, this is like my dream gift. Not to sound like Steve Urkel or anything…it’s just that cheese is totally my favorite food group and brings me to new heights of food euphoria. In conclusion, Maria is the best.-alexis

December 2005

12/21/05

~I just finished reading Memoirs of a Geisha and I can’t wait to see the movie. If you haven’t read the book I really highly recommend it before seeing the movie-the story is somewhat sad, but the story telling is so artistically written and really very vivid...it’s almost hard to believe it was written by a man!-maria

12/20/05

~So now that this whole Sudoku craze has swept the nation, I'm surprised to find myself strangely addicted to it. At first I saw all the numbers, thought it was some sort of math thing, and immediately dismissed it as sooo not my style (I'm a word-puzzle nerd, not a math-puzzle nerd). But it's actually a logic puzzle and totally addictive. I've even gotten Heather into it. If anyone is listening....stocking stuffer.-alexis

~So I seriously just finished one of the best books I've ever read, hands down. It's the follow up book to James Frey's A Million Little Pieces and is called My Friend Leonard . I highly recommend everyone read it...so inspiring and just awesome! Now, what to read next?? Suggestions?-lallie

12/15/05

~I can’t wait to get into the holiday spirit this weekend! On Friday night Larry and I are going to Nobu for dinner to get into the festive mood. Then we have two holiday parties on Saturday, one at my friend Liz’s and one at Dayna’s. I love this time of year when I get to see all of my friends!-nicole
12/12/05

~Erica is always making fun of me because all the candy I love best is very Grandma-like…Jordan almonds, spice drops, weird hard candies…if it seems like it would be in a dish at your grandma’s house, I’d probably love it. Anyway, she redeemed herself for mocking me by bringing me this yummy croccante from a bakery on Arthur Ave in the Bronx. It’s basically almond brittle sprinkled with non-pareils with a few Jordan almonds stuck in for good measure. Super Italian and super old lady. What a good Monday breakfast.-alexis

12/9/05

~Today New York got hit with some serious snow. I can’t believe it’s actually snowing this hard! I really wished I live in California because I’m more of a beach and palm tree girl, not a snow and insanely freezing rain kind of girl. But, it is nice to lay and bed, snuggle, and watch Law & Order reruns with Larry! Maybe that will be my Friday night!-nicole

~So I probably should have written about this yesterday because it would have been more relevant but QVC had a special one hour John Lennon jewelry show on Wednesday/Thursday AM and since I was soundly sleeping I missed it-but, alas, QVC's website has the entire collection! I've been on the phone with my mom (the original QVC queen) all morning trying to decide Christmas gifts. I love QVC!-lallie

12/8/05

~After nine long, intense months of steady practice and studying I'm finally a CERTIFIED YOGA INSTRUCTOR!! I graduated this past weekend. I didn't realize it until Sunday at graduation how amazing it felt to have accomplished this. I'll start teaching as soon as I get my insurance and few other small details. I'm so excited!-lallie

12/7/05

~Addendum to last Friday’s message about how I was soooooooo excited to go skating: NEVER. AGAIN. We did go, and it was lots of fun, but I never got my post-skating hot cocoa because I broke my wrist!!! I swerved to avoid someone, tilted back and broke the fall with my left hand. You see the result— note the unattractive swollen fingers!! Typing, as you can imagine, is a real joy. Oh well—glad it’s not my right!-alexis

~My family has finally started decorating for Christmas, most of the decorations are up around the house and we even have our tree. My dad and I are going to try and finish decorating it tonight, so we can surprise my mom when she comes back from her business trip.I love the way the house feels during Christmas. It's so warm and comfortable, especially by the fireplace!-erica

12/1/05

~I woke up with a terrible sinus headache this AM--so annoying--and I am now mainlining coffee & Dayquil Sinus to try and keep it at bay. Mostly because tonight I am supposed to go ice skating with my friends--including my best friend's sister, who is in from Chicago and I love her! So I've gotta feel good enough to impress everyone with my triple sowcow. (Heh--just kidding--I'll be lucky if I can stay up.)-alexis

November 2005

11/30/05

~I'm still enjoying celebrating Maria's birthday. Besides the delicious cupcakes, we went to Houston's last night for dinner to continue the celebration! As crazy as this sounds, Houston's is my favorite restaurant in the city (based on food only). I could eat there every night! My friend and I are going tomorrow night so I can get the ribs that I absolutely love!!-heather

11/29/05

~I had such a great birthday yesterday – calls from all of my friends and family, and Rich sent me flowers and a teddy bear, but what really made my day were the amazing strawberry shortcake cupcakes that Erica made for me! As I’m sure I mentioned several times I love just about anything pink, and pigs are my favorite animal so these were the perfect dessert for me! And I swear, these were created and hand made by Erica herself – she’s such a talented little cupcake! -maria

11/28/05

~Happy belated Thanksgiving, everyone!! Mine was so great-it was so nice to be home & relaxing for a long weekend. I had such a great time with my family-my grandpa made this DVD (complete with soundtrack) of old pictures from the 40s-50s of him and my grandma and my dad, aunt & uncle when they were young-it was so great. A huge hit with everyone...a hit only slightly bigger than the one Phil & I made with our homemade stuffing (recipe courtesy of Lallie’s mom, tweaked slightly by us...thanks Mrs H!). It was our first real foray into holiday cooking so I’m glad we did a good job. I love Thanksgiving. Oh, and also, Happy birthday Maria!!!!-alexis

11/22/05

~My grandfather from Scotland arrived yesterday for a 2 week visit! So happy to see him, he's really great! I love spending quality time with the family and am really looking forward to this weekend. I'm also looking forward to all the chocolate (especially Flakes) he brings over from the UK -it's so good!-heather

11/21/05

~Just saw Walk the Line on Friday night and I think I already want to see it again. I have loved Reese Witherspoon since Man in the Moon in 1991 and this just totally cemented it. Not to sound like every annoying review, but she really is completely transformative, as is Joaquin Phoenix. Their singing is amazing too and I’m totally buying the soundtrack now. You must go!-alexis

~So many people have been talking about James Frey's book, A Million Little Pieces and I even put my name on the list at the library for it. I saw a friend this weekend and she gave it to me so I don't have to wait anymore...must get through current book quickly so I can start reading this one. Can't wait!-lallie

11/15/05

~Tonight I’m going to a screening of The Squid and the Whale with Billy Baldwin. I’m so excited; I’ve heard such great things about the movie! Billy and I both went to Binghamton and he’s hosting the screening in TriBeCa, I can’t wait to meet him. I’ll let you know how the movie is!-nicole

11/14/05

~Went to a wedding at the NY Botanical Gardens on Saturday - it was absolutely beautiful there. Doesn't get any better than good food, good friends and unlimited drinks. -heather

~So I know Halloween has come and gone, but I didn’t get a chance to show you all the cutest girl in the entire world – my niece, Katelyn. Now for those of you who don’t know, she OBSESSED with Dora the Explorer so for months (literally) all she would talk about is ‘Dora, this’ and ‘Dora, that’ and ‘I’m going to be Dora for Halloween!’ So here is her absolutely adorable Dora costume! -maria

11/13/05

~So while Phil & his bro were out at a beer tasting festival on Saturday afternoon, I decided it would be a good time to do a little shopping-it’s been so long since I’ve spent the whole afternoon doing that!! I’ve been on a quest for brown boots pretty much since August and I think I found the perfect pair (alas, I can’t find a pic online). They’re great though—really comfy, casual chocolate brown suede boots with buckles up the side and a 2” heel. The only downside? The soles need a good scuffing, as evidenced by the fact that I walked into my building yesterday and promptly wiped out on the newly waxed floors. Ow.-alexis

~Well, it's been one heck of a year so far and over the weekend, a few friends and I decided we're going to take a New Year's trip to St. Thomas. A few of us were there over Labor Day and have decided it was so awesome and not that expensive so we're going back--hopefully there won't be too many newlyweds there!-lallie

11/10/05

~Tuesday afternoon Lallie and I went to the Buttercup Bakeshop to get the tarte girls an afternoon treat. We got coconut cake, red velvet cupcakes, vanilla cupcakes, vanilla and chocolate cupcakes, and chocolate peanut butter bars. Words can not describe how good it tasted. Everyone loved us! For you New York girls, and anyone who is visiting, Buttercup is a must!-nicole

11/7/05

~So, one more task down…we ordered bridesmaids dresses this weekend and I’m so excited!! Now I definitely can start planning the color scheme for the whole thing. The dresses are a really pretty smoky lilac color and I think they’ll look so nice with really autumnal bouquets. There are 5 different styles and I think everyone is going to look amazing in them. (As long as they don’t show me up, that’s ok with me…haha).-alexis

~This weekend wasn’t too eventful but last week I promised everyone I’d show pics from Halloween. Alas, here is this year’s cheerleading uniform…Not like it’s any different from other years!! HAHA!! -lallie

11/3/05

~I am so excited to have a weekend at home! After being in Binghamton two weekends ago, and then in Chicago last weekend, I can finally rest! On Friday night I’ll be going to the Park Avenue Café for dinner to celebrate my friend Cecilia’s birthday. On Saturday Larry and I will watch some football (aren’t I a great wife? hehe), and the rest of the weekend I plan to read, go to the gym, and cook. I can’t wait!-nicole

11/2/05

~Just got back from a long weekend in San Francisco and we had such a nice time!! I got to go to my friend’s beautiful wedding in Palo Alto, stay with my best friend from high school in her awesome apartment in the Noe Valley, and tour a few vineyards in Napa & Sonoma. Viansa, the first one we went to, had nice wines but even better food-Phil and I had so much fun just sampling all their sauces & condiments. So good. We decided we had to narrow it to 2, so we brought back the Cilantro Lime Aioli and Peach Chardonnay Vinegar. Looking forward to cooking this weekend!-alexis

~Well I hope everyone had a great Halloween and they didn't get too sick from eating too much candy! Everyone in the office has an on-going obsession with my crazy cat Molly, so for fun this Halloween I painted a Mollylumpkin. It's was a big hit in the neighborhood and I think Molly appreciated it too!-erica

11/1/05

~I did some major fall cleaning around the apartment this weekend - I was dreading it but I'm so glad I did it! It's amazing how much clutter can accumulate without even realizing it. And now I can fit my new tv stand I've been wanting to put in - yeah!-heather

october 2005

10/31/05 HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

~For some reason every Halloween my mind shifts directly to Christmas, specifically decorating for Christmas. I love hanging the lights and setting up little statues on the front lawn. This year, I found a new addition to my decorations stash- an 8 foot inflatable snow globe! I know, I know- it’s a bit much, but it looks so awesome!-maria

~I think I might have mentioned that I am a cheerleader every.single.year. for Halloween. I didn't fail this year either--Saturday I went to a very fun party and my cheering was a success! I'm going to another party tonight and will be wearing the same costume--will I ever retire this?? Probably not! Pictures to follow for sure later this week!-lallie

10/26/05

~I went on a major room cleaning kick this past weekend...I ended up donating so many old clothes and 15 pairs of shoes! Even better is I finally cashed in all the loose change I had stored around my room. I filled up a giant bucket full of change and took it to a Coinstar machine and I ended up making $81!! That's enough to get some new shoes to replace the ones I donated... remember to save your pennies ladies because it'll pay off!-erica

10/25/05

~For all of you who haven’t heard yet, this Friday at 11 am eastern time Maureen will host tarte’s second one-hour show on QVC! Live television is so thrilling and exciting (and admittedly a little scary) but we are all starting to get the hang of it- especially Maureen, she’s a natural now! I hope you all can tune in and watch! (ps-you can watch it live on qvc.com...perfect little break from work, hee hee)-maria

10/24/05

~Had the best weekend, mostly because it was Phil’s birthday and I love coming up with fun gift ideas. This year there was a "five senses" theme, so every gift revolved around a different sense (dinner out for taste, a wine & cheese class for smell-also sort of taste, but I figured wine has a "bouquet", a winter coat for touch, and tickets to Avenue Q for sight and sound). I wrote a bunch of funny little poems, hid them, and he had to figure out what each gift was. He loved it and I think in the end his birthday was as fun for me as it was for him!-alexis

~Growing up we always had Chinese food on Sunday nights and last night I had the best Chinese dinner from this restaurant called Baumgart's in Englewood, NJ. SOOOO good!! It's an old diner and is so cute inside. Plus, the food is amazing! I even have leftovers for lunch today. I might just have a new Sunday night tradtition.-lallie

10/21/05

~This might be ridiculous but I just heard that Barbie & Ken are contemplating a reconciliation after their split two years ago! I was always a Barbie & Ken fan so this is a good thing. I still can't believe he cheated with Skipper! This is definitely something I will be following-hehe. So silly!-alexis

~A few years ago tarte participated in a charity event in North Carolina and I flew down to do a young girl's makeup for the affair. Her name is Sherilyn and she was in remission for leukemia and came back out last year, having to undergo lots and lots of treatments which eventually led to a bone marrow transplant. Now, she's working very hard to get better but she can't be outside and worst of all, she can't have a real Christmas tree this year so I'm hoping to help raise some money so we can send her a nice artificial tree so she can have a wonderful Christmas!-lallie

10/20/05

~While Lallie may have the ‘mind and soul’ treat for the day, Leonie covered the ‘body’ treat of the day – she brought us in white chocolate raspberry truffle cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory! If there is one thing you need to know about us tarte girls, its that NOTHING makes us happier then cheesecake from The Factory!-maria

~Today Lallie has a special treat for us-she is going to be leading a yoga class at lunch! I haven’t done yoga since college, so I’m really looking forward to it. All of the tarte girls will be doing it. I could use a little zen and relaxation!-nicole

10/19/05

~I haven't had any good Chinese food at a REALLY nice Chinese restaurant since I moved here. Thanks to the very kind and thoughtful tarte girls who surprised me last Friday with a celebration party for my marriage at Chin Chin I had the chance! I was so moved by their kindness. Even though I am very excited about the wedding at home (Hong Kong) in two weeks, I'm sure I going to miss them.-leonie

10/18/05

~This weekend I’m heading up to Binghamtonfor homecoming. I’m so excited for the beautiful autumn drive up Route 17. I can’t wait to see my friends, show Larry around campus, and have a relaxing weekend out of the City. Not to mention do some shopping and not pay hefty NYC prices!-nicole

10/17/05

~This re-imagined trailer for "The Shining" had me cracking up every time I thought about it this weekend. Whoever did this is amazing-love the musical cue, too. Just in time for Halloween!-alexis

~I went to the movies last night for the first time in months. I saw The Aristocrats--so freaking funny but I had absolutely no idea what it was about when I went in. If you see it (highly recommended), go in with an open mind but be prepared to laugh your pants off!-lallie

10/14/05

~So my next challenge is bridesmaids dresses, and with 7 very different, very picky girls-the word "challenge" is definitely correct. Initially I was leaning towards greens, but I haven’t seen anything yet that really fits the green I have in my head. So now I’m leaning towards purple,a nice deep amethyst. It’s very tarte, too-how fitting!-alexis

~With all this rain I've been a clothes changing fool because I keep getting wet on the way to work. When I left work last night to go to yoga class I left my yoga pants here at the office. So...I had to buy a new pair at the studio. I'd actually been eyeing these pants called Be Present for a while but just couldn't bring myself to buy them and now I had a reason. I bought them in aqua and I LOVE them. Plus, they work for just kicking around on the weekends instead of jeans or sweats!-lallie

10/13/05

~I have always hated cold weather and rainy days. These two things are both occuring these days and has made my commuter life even harder. Thanks to one of my vendors from Korea who brought me a barley tea at HBA I can be in a little better spirits. This tea has brightend up many days and has definitely kept me warm. This kind of tea is my all time favorite!-leonie

10/12/05

~We are having some major rainy days here in NY and I know everyone hates them but I've always loved them. There's something so soothing about rain and I can't resist jumping in a few puddles, but something I can't stand about the rain my are wet jeans! They are soaked and now I have to sit for the rest of the day at work waiting for them to dry out, I either need to start bringing an extra pair of pants on rainy days or invest in some cute rain boots! I think we know what option I'll be going with...-erica

10/11/05

~One of the most fun things to do in the wedding process so far has been registering. It’s like making the longest, craziest Christmas list ever, except you actually have a chance to get some of the things on your list. You might remember that a few months ago I was desperately craving the pink Kitchenaid mixer . Well, I put it on one of our registries and lo and behold, a certain redheaded someone decided it would make a lovely engagement present. And it has!!! I already made apple cinnamon pancakes and I love just looking at it on the kitchen counter. Yay!!-alexis

~So this might seem silly to blog about but everyone I know (including me) seems to be getting sick with this fall bug. I went to my local health food store (my fave) and found this immune support supplement. I've been taking it since Thursday and I can honestly say I haven't gotten any sicker!! For those of you who feel a little under the weather, it's worth trying.-lallie

10/6/05

~I had a great Rosh Hashanah. I spent it in Long Island with my grandmother. It was a nice bonding experience with her; she’s such a special lady! She also makes the best matzo ball soup of anyone I know. I tried to bring some back for Lallie (it's her fave!) but it was all eaten! We talked, looked at family pictures, and relaxed. I told her I’d be back again next year to spend the holiday with her.-nicole

10/5/05

~Last week was a crazy yet exciting week! On top of the regular workload & HBA show, we managed to see houses and then bought one in Newtown, PA, unexpectedly. We visited the town this Saturday and found out it's an amazing, cute and small town. We met an American couple who adopted their daughter from China 8 years ago , they told us there are at least 20-25 Chinese girls who were adopted from China in this town. We are so thrilled that we will be living in this town which is full of kind-heart people and can't wait to move in!-leonie

10/4/05

~I am so excited because Rich (my bf) got a brand new puppy over the weekend! Her name is Rory and she is a lab/ pointer mix – and she is the cutest puppy I have ever seen! He adopted her from North Shore Animal League, which I think is awesome because there are so many great dogs, cats, puppies and kittens (including a lot of hurricane rescues) who need a good home. If you’re in the market for a new pet I highly suggest that you check it out! -maria

~This weekend I went to the Fall for Dance Festival at the NY City Center. The Festival showcased 30 dance companies, 5 each night for 6 nights. It was such a great show - the dancers were sooo talented. And the best part - the tickets for every show - no matter where your seat was were $10 each. You can't beat that! I highly recommend it for next year. I'm going to go more than one night!-heather

10/3/05

~Hey everyone-just wanted to tell you to check Maureen out on QVC’s Pink Ribbon Beauty show today (4-5PM EST)!! She’ll be selling our adorable Ladies Night kits (in 2 different colors) and 50% of the proceeds are going to the Young Survival Coalition. If you’re at work (like the rest of us tarte girls are) you can watch the show live on QVC.com! They think of everything.-alexis

~My brother's band, Washington Lane, was in a Battle of the Bands contest last night AND HE WON!! It was a unanimous decision on the judges part and they won $600 (and I think the opp to tour with the All American Rejects!). We're still waiting on all the details but I'm so, so happy for him!-lallie

September 2005

9/29/05

~I fear that I will become one of those boring people who has nothing to talk about besides her wedding (although, admittedly...it’s easy to fall into that trap!), so instead, I’ll talk about one of my favorite time-waster sites, AstrologyZone. Susan Miller’s monthly horoscopes are amazing...eerily accurate-like check this out from my September horoscope: "You and your partner will feel very close, and you may just whisper, "Let's make it official," to your main squeeze." Thankfully, though, there was no cheesy whispering involved with our proposal.-alexis

9/28/05

~Thanks to my handy Daily Candy newsletters I found a awesome new Knitting store called Suss Design. It's a new shop opened by Swedish knitting enthusiast Suss Cousins, that she created in to make boring old knitting.. fun and modern. They carry a ton of funky yarn, knitting accessories, and even have classes where you can learn to make trendy items like wrap sweaters. Maybe when I get some free time this winter I'll start a local knitting class and knit up some cool creations!-erica

9/27/05

~I went to the NY Times small business conference yesterday and really enjoyed it. I usually fall asleep at those things but this one was so informative and had such great speakers. There was one woman from an advertising firm called T3 that was really inspirational and the keynote speaker was Paul Orfalea, the founder of Kinko's. He was such a great speaker, I'm now reading his book about how he started Kinko's. You know someone has to be really interesting if they get me away from books like Shopaholic takes Manhattan and Something Borrowed!!-heather

~It’s not even October yet, but I’ve already been thinking about Halloween costumes! I think with my newly dark, long hair and pale skin I could be a dead ringer for Morticia Addams-certainly not something to be proud of, but at least I don’t have to worry about wearing a wig! Now if only I can get Rich to dress up as Gomez...-maria

9/26/05

~I had the BEST BIRTHDAY EVER!! I can barely see I'm so exhausted but it was such a great weekend that I don't even care! My sister came to spend the day with me and that was so awesome! My birthday bbq went off without a hitch and was so much fun (will hopefully post some pics soon) and Erica made me a lovely almond poppy seed cake that was delish! Click here for the recipe--it's so worth it!-lallie

9/23/05

~So our engagement party last night was a smashing success. If I’d had the presence of mind to download photos onto my computer last night, I’d have posted some here-I’ll try to next week. Suffice it to say, it was one of the best nights I’ve had pretty much...ever. Having all my closest friends in one room, talking to each other, having a great time with good music & good snacks-it was just awesome. And of course, I cried about it, because when I’m happy, I just can’t contain myself. (Those pics? We will NOT be posting them.)-alexis

~So excited about the upcoming weekend! It's my birthday weekend and it's packed with fun activities. Tonight I'm taking it easy and getting and getting a pedicure with my neighbor. Tomorrow is my PARTY and then Sunday (my actual bday) is the Hoboken Arts & Music Festival! I can't wait for it all!-lallie

9/22/05

~Tonight is Lex's engagement party so the tarte office is in a whirlwind of excitement discussing our outfits and who's going to do whose makeup! They picked a new place for the party so we'll fill everyone in tomorrow about it...let's hope we have just right amount of celebratory champagne and not too much!-heather

~This past Sunday was our Mid-Autumn Festival - also called moon cake festival. I was so happy that I could celebrate with my mom and Terrence. The moon cake was so good, I got to learn how to make it for next year!-leonie

9/21/05

~Tonight Maria, Richard (Maria's bf), & I are going to Little Italy for the 78th Annual Feast of San Gennaro! It's basically a two week long big Italian party, where you can taste some of the best Italian food in the city and experience Little Italy. Maria has never been before so it should be a lot of fun showing her New York's version of Italy.-erica

9/20/05

~It’s so one of those days. I could barely get up, the weather is gross, and I accidentally dumped half a bottle of perfume down my arm. Like, literally—or at least whatever didn’t end up on me ended up on my bathroom floor, so Phil’s in for a treat when he gets home. If anything, though, it reminded me why I love Petite Cherie so much. I may reek of pears, peaches & grass, but it’s still a yummy scent.-alexis

~Despite how everyone else feels about this time of year, it sort of makes me depressed that in two months it will be cold!! The one thing that I'm excited about are all the tv premieres of my favorite shows. Last night was my all time fave night with Las Vegas and Medium both in their season openers. So good!! Can't wait to be bundled up on the couch in the snow watching them(because I never leave my house in winter!).-lallie

9/16/05

~I know it sounds bad to say this, but I’m really looking forward to Fall. The rest of the Tarte girls would not be happy with me for saying that, but it’s true. I want to wear warm sweaters knit with cashmere and angora. I want to drink hot apple cider, and spend Friday nights watching a movie, snuggling under a throw blanket on the couch (with Larry of course J) while watching a movie.. .-nicole

9/15/05

~I had an impromptu dinner date with Alisa & Nicole last night! We decided to go to Blue Fin in Times Square, because their sushi is so good. I've never tried sushi before (something about raw fish creeps me out!) But Alisa made me try some of her spicy tuna roll and I must say it wasn't as bad as I thought, just a little mushy. I'll definitely give it another try soon!-erica

9/14/05

~I went to a great restaurant on Friday night - Park Avenue Cafe - it's pretty fancy and I normally wouldn't go there for a regular old Friday night but they have this great special where you get an appetizer, entree and dessert and you pay your age. It was delicious, I highly recommend it. Be careful with drinks though, they are so expensive there and doubled our bill!! The special goes until 12/31/05 so eat up!-heather

~I haven't been able to really get into any TV series in the past couple of years (except The Sopranos and SATC, of course) but now I am OBSESSED with Prison Break. Every episode is so thrilling and interesting, you are literally always on the edge of your seat. Wentworth Miller (a.k.a. Michael Scofield) from PB is my new official celeb crush - I highly suggest tuning in for the close up shots alone!-maria

9/13/05

~For those of you familiar with Fantasy Football (your boyfriends are probably obsessed) there's a new league in town-Fantasy Fashion League. Could this be more perfect!? And it's New York Fashion Week so I'm doubly excited about this little activity. We've (the tarte office) decided to create a league of our own (hehe) and join in the fun. We have to pick our league name and then do the draft and be part of the whole thing. If anyone knows anything about this or is already playing--please feel free to write about it on the forum!-lallie

~I am so overwhelmed with stuff to do right now. There are SO many things I have to look at, check out, places to visit, things to try on, etc—it’s all exciting, though, so I have to really remind myself of the whole "one step at a time" mantra (very tricky for me!). Luckily we found our place so I even have a date: Oct 7, 2006!! That’s going to be my wedding anniversary-how crazy is that?? (I should mention, incidentally, that it’s also Heather’s birthday which is NO LESS IMPORTANT. Hee hee.) Anyway, expect me to be posting a lot of links and asking for opinions. In the meantime, I’m going to try to do some actual work!-alexis

9/9/05

~So tired today-what an exhausting week (but in a good way). We’re going to look at three reception halls tomorrow-hopefully I’ll have a good idea of what’s going on after that. I can’t focus on much right now , so I leave you with these fine videos of my favorite internet cat. Have a good weekend!-lex

~Growing up my family always had a lot of animals (7 and counting now!) so I have a huge soft spot when it comes to animals in need. Due to Hurricane Katrina many animals and pets need rescuing and the Humane Society is doing everything they can to help. So when a friend told me about their "Be Kind" Cause Collar in which the profits go to animal resuce efforts, I jumped at the chance to help and bought them for all my pets!-lallie

9/8/05

~Ok so my blog is just destined to be boring because I am not planning a wedding or newly engaged! But all this wedding talk has spread a kind of 'wedding fever' through the office so I've been doing a little browsing of my own. I found this website for antique engagement rings - not that I would ever condone buying an engagement ring on line - but it's a good place to look at different antique rings, even if you aren't getting married any time soon!-maria

~Last night Larry totally surprised me by coming home early and making us dinner! He made spaghetti pie. I never had that before, but it was really good. He used fresh tomatoes, basil, gooey mozzarella, and the genoa salami for that extra burst of flavor. We opened a bottle of Cana cabernet (so yummy!) and had the best dinner. He can cook for me any time!-nicole

August 2005

8/31/05

~This is the first September in 18 years that I won’t have school! Right about now I’d be getting all my supplies and working feverishly to try and finish all the homework I was supposed to do over the summer. It’s such a relief to not be in school anymore but it’s also kind of sad to not be going back and seeing all the friends I missed and hearing what they did for the summer. Thank goodness I have tarte! We might throw our own "back to school" party!-erica

~I have always had high respect for my mom and all mothers in the world -- now I'm have to raising children that respect is even moreso because I totally understand being someone's parent is never easy. Please don't think I am pregnant (hehe), I just suddenly have two teenagers to take care (my two cousins who just moved from Hong Kong are now living with us under my guidance). Good practice for learning to be a good mom though!-leonie

8/30/05

~I had such a sweet (read: cheesy) date day with Rich this weekend. We went to New Roc City in New Rochelle – where I live – and played mini golf, went to the arcade, checked out the ice skating rink, saw ‘Red Eye’ and topped it all off with dinner and drinks. We also decided to take up ice skating again – well, I’ll take it up again since he’s a hockey pro already… The weather was beautiful and the whole day was perfect – just a little reminder to kick back, relax and embrace your inner child every once in a while! -maria

8/29/05

~This weekend was a total old school blast….My best friend was here visiting and we went out Saturday night…I have to admit I succumbed to the LA socialite scene and busted out the Daisy Duke trend by wearing my cutoff’s from (no joke) 9th grade! I had so much fun in them that I’m seriously considering buying a new (and improved-hehe) pair. All in all, a most fun weekend!! Nothing beats old friends, recycled clothes, and knowing you can still wear the same size as high school. -lallie

~After a totally uneventuful, hot weekend, followed by the humidity that’s supposed to happen this week…I am seriously over summer. I know I’m just reiterating my craving, but I WANT FALL!! The September magazines are making me want all the clothes too…particularly the totally unaffordable Sigerson Morrison boots Rachel Bilson is wearing in the new Lucky and the Mulberry Phoebe bag in pink. I will take donations, if anyone thinks I’m a worthy cause. Hee hee hee. -alexis

8/25/05

~Last night I had a good ol’ fashioned girls night. We went to for tapas to Secretes in the East Village. You have to go! We had the most amazing lobster ceviche, chicken stuffed with monchango cheese, and cucumber spaghetti with pickled tropical fruit. All that food coupled with great Spanish red wine and five close friends was an awesome evening. I can’t wait for the next girls night!-nicole

8/24/05

~It's hard to believe I love playing computer games (well, one in particular), but I'm currently addicted to a new game (at least new game to me) that Terrence got from his friend called Sim City. It's basically this game where you can create your own dream city and house and anything you want...so much fun! Looks like I have a new weekend activity!-leonie

~I had a great Saturday thanks to Maria and her awesome friend Barbara! Who was able to score me FREE tickets to see the AmsterJam concert, hosted by Heineken on Randall's Island. Aside from it being a steamy hot day, everything was great... and I got see some cool bands like Garbage, Fat Joe, Wyclef Jean, and 311 but I must say that Snoop Dogg and the Red Hot Chili Peppers stole the show. Thanks Maria & Barbara!!-erica

8/23/05

~Went to a college friend's wedding in Lexington, Kentucky this weekend -it was very different than the typical NY weddings that I've been to but it was a lot of fun!! Kentucky is beautiful and - the people sure can party! We were drinking bourbon until the wee hours of the morning. Needless to say, I'm still pretty shot!!-heather

8/22/05

~I played in my first official poker tournament on Friday night-i.e., one outside of one of my friend’s apartments and in an actual poker club. I was a little intimidated at first since I was one of two girls playing with 50 guys, but that actually ended up working to my advantage, since they all assumed I had no idea what I was doing. WRONG! I stayed in the tournament longer than my boyfriend, his friend, AND the other girl and ended up making the top 20. Which means no cash prize, but I still felt awesome afterwards.-alexis

~I attempted to do a little fall shopping this weekend (because I had more than $5 in the bank) and whatdoya know--I found NOTHING. All I bought was a necklace! I think my next purchase will be a new bag--I love this Juicy one and since I already own a Juicy bag I know that they are reliable... Maybe that's what I'll shop for this coming weekend!-lallie

8/19/05

~I'm so excited! I just found out that my big sister from college is coming here tonight! This is good because I already had plans to go see my neighbor's band, Never The Nines, play at Kenny's Castaway...so we have something to do! Now, what to do for dinner?? Having her here also means I can get a head start on some fall shopping-yeah!-lallie

8/18/05

~So I got my wish! Terrence saw my craving and promised to take me Cartier this weekend to try on the Trinity rings -- if they look good on us, they will be our wedding bands, YAY!!! Now I know next time when I like something, I'll have to put it on our craving page right away!-leonie
~Larry just called and surprised me with Neil Diamond tickets! Wasn’t that sweet? We’ll be in one of the corporate boxes at Madison Square Garden. I can’t wait to hear Neil croon!-nicole

8/17/05

~On the advice of Erica and Maureen, I started reading the Harry Potter series. I loved watching the movies, but they totally don't compare to the books! I've read the first 4 in a week, and am now obsessively reading the 5th. Nothings better then getting lost in another world for a few hours...even if that world is filled with witches and wizards!-maria

~Went to see Murderball Friday night on Alexis’s recommendation. (She usually has weird movie taste, but she forced us all to watch the preview for this and it looked cool). I have to say, it was really awesome-so inspirational and not depressing the way you might expect it to be. The guys in the movie are so tough, you kind of forget they have any disability at all, which is pretty amazing.-heather

8/15/05

~We had such a fun family birthday party at my aunt’s house yesterday. I don’t know what it was, but I just felt like such a kid this weekend. Being at home, driving around and going to the beach, just relaxing, sucking helium out of balloons and eating 3 different kinds of cake yesterday-it was such a nice day. My best friend was even in from San Francisco and got to stop by and see my whole extended family, most of whom haven’t seen her since we were seniors in high school! It was just one of those days you wish would last all week long.-alexis

~I'm having one of those days where I really want to go on vacation. I got this email this morning about different destinations and now I am completely obsessed with Santorini, Greece! I've always wanted to go there but now I'm going to try and make it official. This resort, Perivolas, looks absolutely amazing. Better start saving now (for a trip in March).-lallie

8/11/05

~This weekend Phil and I are taking my parents to the Brian Wilson concert at Jones Beach for my dad's birthday. I'm excited--we've gotten really into his album "Smile",which was actually mostly recorded in 1967 but only finished in 2004. There's something eerie & sad about it, but there are some funny songs too ("Vege-Tables"= awesome) and of course a bit of the classic Beach Boys sound too. Definitely worth checking out.-alexis

~I’m back in the Big City! No more honeymooning for me. My Seabourn cruise was AMAZING; they spoiled us rotten! We had the best time cruising the Italian and French Riviera! We went to Sardinia, Sorrento, Palermo, Capri, Nice, and Monte Carlo. I thought New York was high fashion, but it has nothing on the Rivera! After the cruise we spent a couple of days in Nice going to the beach, eating the freshest seafood, and shopping. Larry is ready to move to Nice, I’m trying to convince him that we should move to Capri!-nicole

8/10/05

~That's it I'm moving to Mexico! I've had Mexican food three times this past week and I'm not complaining. I love it, yesterday the whole office enjoyed a lunch feast from Chipotle, Heather, Maria and I are totally addicted to their guacamole. Then last night for dinner I went to a local Mexican restaurant with my girls and had some great food and really strong margaritas!-erica
~One of my friends just got her dream job at Boeing. She got an amazing relocation package for this new job in Seattle and I was invited to go with her next month for a few days. What a nice offer!! I've never been to Seattle before but have been longing to visit there forever and now I finally have the chance. I hope we will have time to go to Vancouver as well.-leonie

8/9/05

~Today is our lovely intern, Amanda's, last day. We have LOVED having her this summer. Such a huge help--not sure what we'll do without her! So much has gotten done this summer. She's so sweet she even brought in a Junior's Cheesecake for all of us! We need to get her a gift for all of her hard work.-lallie

~I found a new author that I LOVE - Elizabeth Berg. I've read at least 5 of her books and have loved all of them. I especially liked the last one I read - Range of Motion. Some other good ones are Open House, Joy School and Durable Goods - to name a few!!-heather

8/4/05

~I’m supposed to go to Coney Island tomorrow night for my sister’s birthday-I hope it doesn’t storm! I’ve never been there before and I’ve been dying to go forever. I really, really want to ride on the Cyclone! I have a thing for wooden roller coasters. Actually, I have a thing for any roller coaster. Roller coasters, hot dogs, cotton candy, and beer-aka a perfect summer Friday.-alexis

~It’s hot - not just any kind of hot, the kind of hot where you feel like passing out just from standing by an open window. So what’s better to calm the fire then some good ol’ ice cream?! Then I got to thinking - where is the perfect ice cream place in NYC, and I think I found it. Dylan’s Candy Bar is a massive 2 story candy store (think Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) right across from Bloomie’s. It has more candy (current and nostalgic) and ice cream then anyone could dream of, and even a bright party room painted in candy colored stripes. And if you’re not in NYC you can check out the Dylan’s near you -there are also stores in Upstate New York, Texas and Florida. Enjoy!-maria

8/3/05

~It's so strange being a commuter... And now that all of my old classmates from home have graduated and are getting jobs, I run into so many people at the train station. This week alone I've seen 5 old classmates from grammar-school and high school and its getting very awkward! It's so hard to explain how I work for a makeup company but I'm not wearing any makeup..Thankfully I've started putting our cheekstain and (new and available very soon!) mascara on in the car just in case!!-erica

~This past week has been so crazy for me! I've been busy at work and then going home to try and pack boxes for the move! I am so ready for a nice spa treatment after the move this weekend. Hopefully this will be a treat from Terrence!!-leonie

8/2/05

~Our talented little Erica is so kindly blinging out my phone! So, soon my phone will look like these. Mine will be decked out in clear, light pink and dark pink Swarovski Crystals - I can’t wait! God I love cute, shiny things!-maria

~I got a digital camera for my one year anniversary with my bf. So awesome!! I've been taking pictures constantly since Saturday!! It even does movies too so I recorded a birthday message for my mom and sent it to her. It's so fun!!-heather

8/1/05

~I've been a little obsessed with pageants since I was a little girl. I dreamt about being Miss America (my mom would never let me be one of those pageant girls!) and now I dream of judging a pageant. I was watching this documentary this morning (seen it like three times before) called Living Dolls that's all about the life of little girls in pageants. So interesting (and a bit sad I'll admit) but it almost made me late! Hopefully, one day you'll see me as a judge on Miss America!!-lallie

~So Lallie, Alisa and I spent this Saturday working at the annual Super Saturday sale in East Hampton, a fundraiser for Ovarian Cancer Research. Basically it’s a GIANT outdoor designer sale with steeply slashed prices and all the proceeds go to charity, which is great. We had so much fun, sold out of all our tarte goodies, and even picked up some cute stuff for ourselves (wearing my new Chip & Pepper jeans right now).-alexis

July 2005

7/29/05

~This week has been a crazy but really great one. Since Tuesday we've all been so busy and yesterday Maureen took the whole office out for a little Mexican fiesta and margaritas! It was such a nice treat. Go tarte!-lallie

7/28/05

~The whirl wind events of our QVC one hour debut are winding down. The whole day was so exciting, not only because we did so well but it was really fun to be behind the scenes of a tv show. Being backstage, seeing all the sets, meeting the host, prepping the models and hanging out in the green-room was so surreal. Plus a big big cheer for our gorgeous Lallie, who modeled like a pro!-erica

~So Maureen introduced all the pale girls in the office (including myself!) to my new favorite product-Comodynes tan towel. This easy to use little towel looks like a wet one and gave me a really natural looking tan in about 3 hours. It was so simple I thought it would be too good to be true! I highly recommend it for those fair skinned girls who burn up in the sun.-maria
7/25/05

~I had one of the best weekends of the summer. Had a bunch of my closest friends out to my parents house on Long Island and we just spent the whole weekend lying out, talking, playing games, and eating amazing food (courtesy of mom). The highlight was definitely playing "Celebrity" (sort of charades-like guessing game) on Saturday night. Truly, you haven’t lived until you’ve seen me pantomime Fozzie Bear or Anton Chekhov.-alexis

~This happens to me about once every three months--I get the travel itch and fantsize about going somewhere in Europe. Today I'm all about Santorini, the island in Greece. I've seen it on TV and read about it so much...beautiful! I hope my tax return gets here soon!-lallie

7/22/05

~Nice to have a break from the humidity! As a light breeze comes in from the window behind my monitor, I can't help but daydream about chillin at the beach sipping a margarita. I think today I will daydream about being here -telly

7/21/05

~I can’t believe I’m a married woman! The wedding was great and we had such a fabulous time on the first part of our honeymoon. We went to the Grand Hotel in Mackinac Island, MI. We had the best time!!! We ate, we drank, rode horses, played some golf, rode bikes, read books and danced the night away! Everyone treated us like royalty because we were on our honeymoon. I can’t wait for the second part of my honeymoon!! Details to follow for sure!-nicole

7/20/05

~A new yarn shop opened up in my town called, Purls of Yarn. I just picked up a class schedule and I can't wait to get knitting again. They have refresher courses, which sound perfect for me and even Stitch n' Bitch nights to just hang out. I need to drag some of my friends along so they can learn and stop making me knit things for them! -erica

~ This may sound weird to others, but I am actively planning our honeymoon instead of the wedding. We are down to two choices - Australia where we can enjoy the sunshine and beaches in (brrr-cold) December or Japan where we (more specifically me) can shop like crazy and eat such good food! I wish we hadenough money and time to go to both places!-leonie

7/19/05

~I saw Wedding Crashers last night...shockingly good. Vince Vaughn is so funny--loved him in Old School too. It was such a great Monday night event and now I'm thinking I might have to convince my boyfriend that this is the new movie night!!-heather

~Well since I will always be a sorority girl at heart, I have to love these very chic looking accessories by Tag and Tom. These two sorority sisters from Duke designed a line of necklaces, bracelets, earrings and belts all from bold colored pearls and ribbons (instead of clasps). What’s better- a portion of the proceeds from any pink jewelry sold goes to breast cancer research. See, sorority girls can do more then shop and talk about each other behind their backs!-maria

7/18/05

~So I made my official magazine debut this week! I’m featured in a story about people’s skin care routines in the August issue of Harper’s Bazaar. Nothing too earth-shattering, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t excited, I’ve never seen myself in a mag before! I know, I’m such a dork. Also, the other 2 ladies mentioned in the article, Ji Baek & Lily Garfield, own boutiques that also sell tarte (Rescue Beauty Lounge & the Cos Bar)! Yay! Total tarte domination.-alexis

7/15/05

~Since I've been sick this week I've been on a major tea kick (I'm a tea addict but this week it's been out of control). I've been drinking all sorts but my particular fave is called Provence Rooibus. It's native to South Africa and comes from their red bush. All teas contain antioxidants but the red teas are particularly loaded. The only downfall, it's decaf--but it hasn't stopped me from drinking it all day! And I swear I feel better!!-lallie

7/14/05

~I've just about had it with this 'Brangelina' mess. Love Angelina: she's great, she's amazing and all that - and of course I love Brad: hot, and yea well that's about it, but I am so tired of the drama. And not for nothing, but if any of its true I think he is a total (insert bad word here) for cheating on Jennifer Aniston. You want to be a dad so bad? Try being a good husband first, thanks.-maria

~Now that Maria is done ranting about celebs...One of my favorite websites to visit is PINK is the new BLOG, it's a great place to catch up the latest celebrity gossip and hijinks. The pictures and captions are always so funny and it's updated everyday!-erica

7/13/05

~I got to make the long journey out to QVC yesterday with Maureen and Maria. QVC is such an interesting place, it's so funny to see someone on TV and then turn around and see them walking down the hallway. But the best part of the day was when all the meetings were over and we went to pig out at the Cheesecake Factory!-erica

~I am so excited that I'm moving in two weeks! We are moving to a much bigger apartment with tons more space which means I get to buy new furniture! I can't wait to have a new couch to sit on--what a great excuse for shopping!-leonie

7/12/05

~I'm reading such a good book for my book club meeting on Thursday. It's a new one called A Long Way Down =, by Nick Hornby. He's the same guy who wrote About A Boy (one of my favorites!). I can't put it down!-heather

7/11/05

~So the booze cruise got canceled because of the crazy tropical storm happening on Fri...sad! But it was just as well since my sinuses went crazy on Friday and I felt SO sick by the end of the day. Luckily I was better in time for Nicole’s wedding yesterday...which was SO nice! The food was amazing (the Thai cashew chicken, yum) and Nicole looked like a little china doll. Maria made fun of me for crying but I can’t help it-I’m such a dork when it comes to weddings. I’ll probably pass out at my own. Anyway, congratulations Nicole & Larry!-alexis

~I saw Mr. and Mrs. Smith over the weekend. Despite the tabloids and all the hoopla around the supposed scandal, it's a really good movie. Highly entertaining and fun to see with a date. I went into it with low expectations but ended up enjoying it a lot! A definite "go-see". -lallie

7/08/05

~Going on a booze cruise tonight on Long Island with my boyfriend’s family. Despite the dregs of the tropical storm that we’re getting in New York, I’m excited-last year’s was awesome. (Really, rain or shine, who can resist a well-mixed rum punch?)-alexis

~Since yesterday was chocolate day I decided to break out of my normal "I hate chocolate" mode (I know-shocking) and try some. Let me tell you all--I officially love Lindt's Pistachio Bar. No one in our office can believe it since I'm always so anti-chocolate but this one was good enough to make me a convert-for now at least!-lallie

7/07/05

~I took my mom to Manayunk this past weekend. It's a cute little village in Philadelphia and has become my favorite place to go in my spare time. They have the best boutiques and restaurants. We had dinner at Manayunk Brewery & Restaurant and I've started eating there everytime I visit Manayunk. I love their Chicken & Shrimp Christopher (an odd name but a wonderful dish with garlic, fresh herbs, onions and tomatoes)!-leonie

~Maria, being the good friend that she is, kindly informed me that today June 7th is Chocolate Day! So it's ok for all of us to go out and eat some yummy chocolate, which is of course well deserved. Check out some other strange candy holidays here.-erica

7/06/05

~I just heard that Cold Stone Creamery discontinued their cake batter ice cream - I'm beside myself. It was the best ice cream on the planet and if I'd known they were going to discontinue it, I would have stocked up with 20 "Gotta-Have-Its" in my freezer! Woe is me. Good thing their Sweet Cream flavor is pretty heavenly, I guess I can satisfy myself with that-for now.-heather

~I’ve been craving some authentic gelato for weeks and finally, this past weekend, the wait was over. My friend and I took our friend Patty to dinner for her birthday to this little Italian trattoria in Bronxville. The food and wine were soooo good, but it was all about the nutella gelato. Luckily there’s Capogiro, a gelato maker who sells online and delivers straight to your door so my craving will never go unanswered for so long again! I order it for barbecues, dinner parties or just because-it’s the perfect summer treat!-maria

7/05/05

~Saw the best movie this weekend-anyone reading this has to go check it out immediately. It’s called Mad Hot Ballroom and it’s a documentary about 3 groups of fifth-graders in New York who compete in a ballroom dance competition. I can’t even do it justice verbally—just go to the site, check out the trailer and then go see it. So, so good.-alexis

~So I was back in Myrtle Beach this weekend and I found the best, best wedge sandals at White House/Black Market. It's sort of a hidden secret but I've been on a serious hunt for metallic wedges for the longest time and I walked right in and bought them. Now, I can't stop wearing them!-lallie