So just because I was indecisive about making a decision, the design gods decided to teach me a critical lesson – the wallpaper I’ve been admiring since the holidays has been discontinued. Yes, I said it. Discontinued!!!!!!!! Arrrrrrgggggggggggghhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!
It was cool, graphic, CHEAP and perfect for the powder room:
Why shatter a girl’s dreams? Back to the drawing board. I so hate when things get discontinued. I’d better make sure my fave blush is still around…
Filed under: Interior Design
OK, I am really behind on reading www.apartmenttherapy.com but decided to get caught up last night. Here are some wonderful back and white (or black and white accented) rooms I spied:
Sexy hotel room
Love the black doors. Would be so hot for my front door and dressing room!
The coffee table is the single sickest thing I’ve seen on Apartment Therapy. I am dying for this! Totally out of control with black sofa and ivory flokati.
Sparkly coffee table, pop art, and zebra print pillows? OMG!!!
Love the empty sprayed frames but I’d rather see high contrast with black!
Love the black pieces (and mirrored side table) surrounded by white walls and dancing on white floors.
OK, might need to bite this look for my guest bedroom headboard. Love it!
Love the black on white and the tufting! Feel like it’s missing some toss pillows though… Yes I am that girl. 
I love the layered textures in this room, esp. the armoire and screens.
OK, it’s not super black and white, but I love the camel + turquoise
Is this the sexiest traditional thing you’ve ever seen? Dying for the drinks tray, the white mirrored armoire, the chandelier, billowy drapes and the fact that the room lays atop black stained floors. Very Delano Hotel…
I am currently “toying” withthe idea of painting the guest bathroom black and applying some white moldings. We currently have grey rug, shower curtain, towels and accessories so I really think it could be hot. What do you think?
So, I will admit that I am not really a flats kind of girl. I have not worn oxfords, well… ever! And Jory and I just made fun of a high-level exec wearing some spiked Louboutins… but I SOOOOOOOOOO love these shoes:
At $995, they are pricey – so I am hoping they get knocked off soon!!!
Filed under: Fashion Shows
Chanel – colorful suits and frothy gowns in white and silver, Karl has done it again. I even love the huge Minnie-esque bows and buns. Kind of dying for the fab silver shoes taht accompany these looks.
Valentino – a shock of color, space age makeup tempred with greys and nudes
Armani Prive – Sharp suits and structured dresses it white and silver make it easy to see where Mr. Armani is going with this… “It’s all about the moon”
Christian Dior – John Galliano took the equestrian theme a little far in the early pieces of the collection, but the over the top dresses at the end were worthwhile
Givenchy – love the graphic pops of black and white with the jewel toned colors; you immedaitely know this collection is special
Filed under: My Shopping Finds
OK, so I love shopping in Phoenix. All for Last Chance, the greatest store ever because it’s where things go AFTER Nordstrom Rack. So it’s really cheap prices but still with Nordstrom quality stuff. We did an initial perusal on Friday after lunch. (We ate at this great burger spot called delux, which is consistently rated among the best burgers and beer in Phoenix.)
Friday did not result much Last Chance luck – now this MAY be because it was really crowded and I HATE crowds – but all I got was a few headbands and some bras. Note: Last Chance is one of the only stores you can regularly buy large cup size bras for an everyday low price of $5.97. We already knew we’d return another day, so this was just to check the place out.
Friday evening was a barrel of laughs at Rox’s local Applebee’s. While we arrived around 8:30 PM, it was obvious that everyone else at the bar had been there since happy hour began. There were the two really drunk guys, the girl with a bad weave basically BEGGING this guy to take her home, and an interesting non-couple of a boob revealing girl and her very butch non-GF. And it was all wildly amusing until said bad weaved girl decided to STARE into the side of my face for five LONG minutes (she realized that her guy was not going to work out) before saying to the non-couple, “I really like your chemistry…”
I would have loved to be a fly on the wall the next morning but Rox and I decided to pursue greener pastures, a.k.a. leave immediately, do not pass go do not collect $200, buy a case of Bud Light, 2 Tombstone pizzas, a bag of chips and some Fruit Roll-ups before hurrying back home where normal people and the adorable Wrigley live…
On Saturday, we headed to the new H&M in Scottsdale. I got a black and white puffy sleeved striped tee, white and navy striped tank dress, and black vest.
“Yacht” tank dress
Striped puffy sleeve top – looks WAY better on a body but I was just too lazy to do all that last night… promise to photograph it soon in “What I’m Rocking”
(My first black vest was a Goodwill find and I LOVED that thing. I rocked it with everything… Sadly, I lost it in a friendship divorce with my girl Selima. So I’ve been seeking a replacement for over a year. Sorry I was too lazy to photograph this – but I will soon!)
On Sunday, after fulfilling a jonesing for pot roast (courtesy of a morning of Food Network watching) at a local diner, Rox and I headed back to Last Chance. The Cowboys were playing, so Rox assumed the stores would be pretty empty. (Apparently nearly half of Arizona folks are Cowboys fans b/c well, the Cards haven’t always been around.) And she was right.
We started off at the $1 t-shirt and tank top bins. I managed to stalk a family for a shopping cart – carts are VERY rare so the only way you get one is to ask someone else for theirs when they leave. I found some cat eye shades; tried on loads of shoes; scored some cool jackets; dug through the bra bins for 36H or 34I bras (yes you are reading those letters and numbers correctly) for my 19-year-old sister. I even convinced Rox to get a few great items she otherwise would not have gotten…
This is what I got for less than $210:
Black peep toe boots with zipper detail for $25.99
Burgundy knee high pointed toe boots with ruching for $25.99 – sorry for the sketchy photo. I was really lazy last night…
Purple pointed toe boots that “make love to your feet” (seriously, that is what the label says) for $18.99. P.S. All boots were 35% off. That is how they were so cheap.
Yellow vintage style sandals for $18.99
Black cat eye sunglasses (and a case for Jamison’s Ray Bans) for $2.97
Bronze Via Spiga trench coat (same style as my leopard print) for $19.97 – photographed in my library
Funky green Member’s Only nylon bomber jacket for $19.97
Gold linen Michael Michael Kors jacket for $34.97
Others… Spanx shorts for $7.97, Nordstrom playlist CD (good cocktail party music), Loads of bras – 36G (for me) and 36H (for Britt) at 35% off of $5.97 each
Talk about good shopping karma. And the line wasn’t even too long. After that, we drove down to Tucson to visit my Ganny, Aunt, Uncle and Cousin Mike. My Ganny and I had a long conversation regarding her amazing and giant collection of vintage jewels and furs and that I should get them b/c I am the only one that would use them. (Likely to cause a stir in my family…) Ganny forced Rox to try on two of her wigs, leading us to all agree that Rox really ought to go blonde!!! (I was about 19 before I realized that my Ganny’s natural hair color was not honey blonde.)
It was great to hang with my friend and do a little shopping – all in 70 degree weather!
So this week’s girl crush is a gorgeous French ingenue. Not one that I find to be particularly sexy, but she has style and that ever so important, je ne sais quoi.
In her famous Oscar dress
In another Oscar dress
Love the gorgeous lacy capelet and ribbon detail
In a movie poster for “Public Enemies”
Gorgeous in lingerie
In a Dior ad
On the cover of “Madame Figaro”
Lounging on a classic French chaise
Beautifully editorial in great froufri gown
Beauty shot with big hair
Lounging on the bed in leather bustier
So here are my faves from this weekend’s SAG awards:
Anna Kendrick – strapless purple full length gown
Christina Hendricks – one shoulder body con dress on a curvey gal
Diane Kruger – one shoulder mustard colored gown with sweeping train
Katrina Bowden – fab white fluffy cocktail dress with black ribbon sash
Lea Michele – in deep V floor sweeping gown
Marion Cotillard – in white froufri cocktail dress
Filed under: My Shopping Finds
So, of course Christmas was only one month away BUT I am already thinking of all the things I want in 2010:
A new, really affordable laptop – just found out that a friend can build it for me for very, very cheap 
Gas logs for our family room fireplace – cuz it is really where we chill and it is very CHILLY (not so great for chillaxing)
Black crystal chandelier for my dressing room – b/c it is the most critical element my dressing room is missing
Great upholstered headboard for my guest room, much like the one above (except in grey)
Replaement battery for my Roomba Discovery
Chrome shelving unit for storage in my laundry room – DONE!
Mirrored Dresser for my master bedroom
Hardwood Floors for my family room
As for my fashion wants, there is not a TON I want right now, which may be a good thing b/c the above items are gonna cost me. I really do want a Marc Jacobs bag and a DVF dress before the end of Q2 2010… And my girl Amy is dying for brocade swing jacket:
Filed under: Blow Your Paycheck Friday
So, I love this time of year – new collections are hitting the stores. I saw these awesome new Jimmy Choos at www.saksfifthavenue.com:
Glittery peep toe Mary Janes – hello lover!!!!
Rhinestones and feathers on a strappy sandal? Oh yeah!
Filed under: Random
So, I know that I dedicate this blog to lifestyle items but I MUST spend a moment to share with you some big news. My favorite professor ever, who fought for freedom in South Africa and was friends with Nelson Mandela, has recently passed away. His name was Dennis Brutus, and you would certainly find him very fascinating: http://globalvoicesonline.org/2010/01/06/south-africa-a-glowing-tribute-to-dennis-brutus/.
He told a story like no other and even encouraged me to intern at an organization with which he worked closely: Jubilee USA, part of the Jubilee 2000 movement to cancel African debt. I will always miss him and the times we fondly shared while I was Professor Emeritus at the University of Pittsburgh. The world is not the same place without him.
