Cupcakes

This weekend my mom and I picked up cupcakes at Buttercream Cupcakes in Coral Gables.  The store front was tiny, but cute with pink walls and a good selection of cupcakes.

Unfortunately, we got stuck behind a ridiculous mother/daughter duo who were buying 3 dozen cupcakes.  They hemmed and hawed over which flavors to get like it was a life and death decision.  Then, they talked to the store clerk for 15 minutes about how great Pandora jewelry is.  They were in a huff because their Pandora jewelry lady told them that prices were going up Feb 15th.  I couldn't stop rolling my eyes.

Finally, once we ordered, I picked triple chocolate and my mom picked coconut chocolate. Generally, cupcakes are either hit or miss. The worst is when the cake batter is too dry.  I'm also not a fan if the frosting is too sugary.  Luckily, these little treats were actually pretty tasty for cupcakes.  I gobbled mine down.   I also have a key lime cupcake stored in my freezer for later.

There are about a bazillion cupcakes place around Miami, so I'll have to try out a few more stores.  Buttercream are known for being among the better stores stores, and I have to hand it to them, they did a good job.

Miami Half Marathon

Yesterday I spend the morning running the Miami Half Marathon.   My Uncle Ed came down from Chicago for the weekend, and he ran the full marathon.  A few of his running buddies were also in town for the event and my parents came down for the weekend so we made a party out of it.


I finished feeling good (although I don't look so hot in the photo).  The race started at 6:15 AM before the sunrise, and we ran in the dark across the bay until the sun peeked up over the ocean. There were a lot of spectators out cheering us on given that it was so early.  As a special treat, we passed some prostitutes when running on Ocean Drive in South Beach.  


Overall, a good time.

Ed Westwick.

I went to brunch on Sunday with my friend Eliza and my sister at Bubby's in Tribeca.  And as a special treat, we saw Ed Westwick from aka Chuck from Gossip Girl.  I'm not normally star struck, but let me tell you, he was very smoking hot.   He was the most delicious part of the meal.

Gucci Mane's Tattoo Gets Crazier...

This weekend at my friend Liz's wedding, I was sitting with a guest who started talking about how his love for rapper Gucci Mane. Since I posted about Gucci's ghetto-tastic ice cream tattoo on Friday, I needed to get the scoop on Gucci's deal. Apparently, his new tattoo is actually a snow cone. And, it get better! The word "Brr" is tattooed above the snow cone as a reference to cocaine.  Keeping it classy as always.

Supersize That Latte

Starbucks is introducing an even bigger drink size..dah dah dum...the TRENTA.  At 31 oz, it's the Starbucks equivalent of "supersize it."  Calorific much?  Apparently, when Starbucks released their new logo, they were also strategizing to morph into the next best thing since McDonalds.  


I have a sneaking suspicion they won't introduce the trenta size in the EU just yet.  I'm not sure whether Europeans would embrace it or breaking windows of Starbucks stores.  In my Zurich Starbucks, a tall skinny latte costs a whopping 6.30 CHF ($6.00).  That's nearly double the cost for the same drink in the US....and you thought your local American Starbucks was ripping you off.  The Swiss are practically being robbed.  I can't even imagine how the Zurich Starbucks will price a trenta.

What Flavor Ice Cream Do You Think He Picked?

Rapper Gucci Mane (yes, I have no idea who he is either, but this story is too good not to pass on) just got a giant ice cream tattoo on his face. And yes, those are bolts of thunder emerging from the ice cream. The tattoo is a celebration of his recent release from a mental health facility.  Someone needs to get him back there pronto!

Camille Grammer on Howard Stern

Apparently, Camille Grammer went on Howard Stern yesterday to reveal that her estranged husband Kelsey Grammer enjoys wearing women's clothes.  Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.


All in all, I have a hard time feeling bad for Camille.  She comes off as too much of a stone-cold crazy on the "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills."  I mean, the women had her two children via surrogate so she wouldn't ruin her figure.  That's a whole new level of disturbing.  And you never even see her with the kids on the show.  She's busy bitching to the tabloids that Kelsey won't speak with her so she's having a difficult time co-parenting their children.  Umm, since when she did ever parent them in the first place?  I thought she hired her four nannies to do that for her.


I will hand it to her though, her vengeful little games with Kelsey make for good gossip.

Has She Ever Heard of Sweat?

Here's Kim Kardashian leaving Bobby's Boot Camp Gym after an hour long work out.  Can someone please explain to me how she looks like this after working out of an hour?    Normal people do not look like after leaving the gym.

Caped Crusader - Part Deux

I'm still obsessed with capes, and this fur-topped APC version is the ULTIMATE.

Bhati Beads

I watched a CNBC TV special "Business Model:  Inside the SI Swim Suit Edition" (clearly they have limited TV options at European hotels), and the show featured Bhati Beads.  They've been around for years, but I still like the idea.   You can stack different styles and colors.  Not good the winter, but nice to think about for the summer/beach time.

While we're on the subject of planes...

How cute is this!

Airlines Inspecting Planes for Cracks

Given the fact that I'm boarding an 8 hour flight tonight, this is not very comforting...


Airlines ordered to inspect Boeing jets for cracks

Schedule for Today

I have a crazy day today...

8:00 AM (CET):  Arrive at office

4:00 PM (CET):  Leave office for Airport

5:05 PM (CET):  Board flight to London

Fly for 2 hours…

6:05 PM (GMT):  Land at Heathrow

8:00 PM (GMT):  Board flight for JFK

Fly for 8 hours…

5:00 AM (CET)/11:00 PM (EST):  Land at JFK

7:00 AM (CET):  Collapse into bed

Nicole Kidman Used Botox? What?

Nicole Kidman finally admitted to using Botox.  Thank you Captain Obvious.  Honestly, who did she think she was fooling?  I'm a full time supporter of Botox, but that girl needed to fire her dermatolgist ages ago.

Foreclosures Galore

Wow. According to CNN, 1 million homes were repossed in 2010.  In total, 2.9 million foreclosure notices were filed over the year.  Nevada led the nation in the rate of foreclosures with one out of 11 households receiving at least one filing.

Guess the US is still in big trouble.  This data gives me the itch to start saving big time.

Retro Bikini Style

I feel like I'm seeing retro bikinis everywhere.  Are they making a comeback this season?



Michael Kors




Chloe




Nanette Lepore




DVF



Sura Jewelry

A few weeks back, I had dinner with friends in Miami, and they introduced me to a girl who both designs and imports jewelry from Turkey. 


I just spent some time browsing her website, Sura Jewelry, and some of the stuff is pretty cool.  I'm partial to the cuffs, but was also impressed by a few rings and necklaces.  She primarily sells line through sample sales and small shops, but you can also find select pieces online at Shop Terrene.

Why Even Z-List Celebrities Need a Stylist

Someone needs to tell Kerry Katona to iron her clothes before she leaves the house.  Here she is arriving at the London premiere of "Morning Glory" looking like a hot mess.


If you have no idea who she is, don't fret, you're not missing out.  She's a one time winner of "I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here."  She is currently starring in a reality tv show that chronicles the train wreck that is her life.

Damn You Auto Correct

I laughed pretty when I read some of these.  I even started laughing out loud in front of my boss.  I know some are fake, but they're still entertaining. 

http://damnyouautocorrect.com/

Texture Restaurant

I'm eager to try the restaurant Texture in London.  Gordon Ramsey recently highlighted it as his favorite restaurant in London.  Although Gordon Ramsey seems like a dick,  he probably does has good taste in food.


The chef's shtick is that all dishes are on the menu created without the use of any butter or cream.  I'm pretty sure this doesn't necessarily make the food healthy, but the concept is interesting.

41 Places to Go in 201

Check out the New York Times' 41 Places to Go in 2011. 


I don't think I'll be making it to # 36 Kosovo or # 34 Iraqi Kurdistan anytime soon, but I've always wanted to visit #19 Hyderabad, India and I wouldn't mind a trip to #3 Koi Samui, Thailand (minus the sex tourism).


Skiing in #18 Erzurum, Turkey also sounds cool.  It's probably stupid to go all to the way to Turkey to ski when I can see the Alps out of the window of my office in Zurich, but I then I can say I went to one of the 41 places to go in 2011.  I'm trying to convince my friend Amanda to do a ski trip this Spring, and Erzurum is on her list to complete.  No way out of it now Amanda!


Miami and London are there too.  Come visit me if you want to cross those off! That means you Chada.

7 Foods That Shouldn't Cross your Lips

But I love microwave popcorn!  What am I going to snack on now?


7 Foods That Should Never Cross Your Lips:

• Which foods should you avoid?
• 1. Canned Tomatoes
• 2. Corn-Fed Beef
• 3. Microwave Popcorn
• 4. Nonorganic Potatoes
• 5. Farmed Salmon
• 6. Milk Produced with Artificial Hormones
• 7. Conventional Apples

Grüezi from Zurich

Photos taken while out and about in Zurich....This is St. Peterskirche (St. Peter's Church).  It's the oldest church in Zürich, and it boasts the largest clock face in Europe.  The photo definitely doesn't do it justice.

A Fun Way to Waste Your Money

I love Fortnum and Mason in London.  It's the ultimate gourmet food store.  Think Harry and David times 10.  They also carry random stuff like ridiculously expensive china and crystal vases that .005% of the population can afford (and .00001% of the population would actually use).

They're also famous for their picnic baskets.  I've always wanted to get one.  I need to position myself with a company that sends them for Christmas gifts.  I have 11 months to work on it.  

They're totally overpriced and frivolous, but that's what makes them so British. Can you believe the one below is 100 GBP.  Crazy Brits.

Is Khloe Pregnant?

Rumor has it that Khloe Kardashian is pregnant.  I first read about it yesterday in the New York Post, but I didn't find a recent picture of her until this afternoon.

She doesn't look preggers to me, but it's still early.  What do we think? Is she or isn't she?

I'm Still Not Getting the iPhone

I got really excited this afternoon because I read that Verizon is finally getting the iPhone.  And even better, it's rumored to be launching as soon as the end of the month.

My company has an exclusive contract with Verizon so I've been blocked from having an Iphone for years now.  I'm still the dorkus with a blackberry.  Even my sister jumped on the bandwagon ages ago.

Then, CNN had to come along and use a big pin to burst my bubble! The phone will be CDMA only so it can't be used abroad!  Argh!  Thwarted again by Verizon.

No Thanks

These are just wrong.  If you bought them on sale at saks.com,  I strongly advise you to return them...pronto.

Love,

Your Stylist

NYC for $100

Since I'm going to NYC this weekend for a wedding, it seemed fit to post the New York Times article "A New York City Weekend for $100."  $100 in NYC?  


Some suggestions in the article are just weird...
-Suggesting Couchsurfing.com to find a place to stay
-Hopping the Staten Island Ferry for an freebie view the Statue of Liberty 


But I will hand it to them, other things are pretty creative...
-Enjoying the Doughnut Plant for breakfast (P.S. after seeing the photo, I seriously want a donut right now)
-Following a walking tour led by the Lower East Side Business Improvement District’s free podcast
-Visiting out pay-what-you-wish museums like the Guggenheim and the Metropolitan Museum of Art


Now, let's not kid ourselves here folks, I probably won't do any of these activities this weekend.  But I'll still tuck this away for future reference.

Giant Rhino

I found a giant rhino in a toy store in Zurich.  I asked a girl from work to take a photo.  Unfortunately, she cut off most of the rhino's body, but you still get the idea. The price for the Rhino was around 400 CHF ($400). Clearly, this is a toy store geared towards absentee father Swiss bankers with big wallets.

The Immortal Life Of Henrietta Lacks

I just finished reading The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks and was blown out of the water.  My mom recommended the book, and I couldn't put it down.  Now I'm passing along the recommendation to you.

In 1951, Henrietta Lacks, a thirty year-old black woman, died of cervical cancer. Shortly before her death, doctor and researcher George Gey took a biopsy of her tumor and, for the first time in history, was able to culture a line of immortal cells. The cancer cells single handedly launched a medical revolution, and they are responsible for most of the medical breakthroughs over the last 50 years including the polio vaccine, the hepatitis B vaccine, chemotherapy drugs, and AIDs research.

The book tells two stories.  The first is the story of these cells and their medical miracles.  The second is the story of Henrietta family who didn’t find out about the cells until more than 20 years after her death.

The King's Speech

I've heard great things about The King's Speech from multiple people.  I probably won't make it to the movie theater this week, but if you have time, check out the film and tell me what you think.

Meridien Picadilly

I spent this weekend in London at the Meridien Piccadilly hotel.  The hotel used to be seriously awful.  The decorating was 1980s Grandma style at it's finest.  But the hotel has been undergoing renovations over the last two years, and they've done a good job sprucing the place up.  I snapped a shot of my room.

I'm a huge fan of hotels with white duvets that they get changed everyday.  In my book, cleanliness is next to godliness.  I give it a 7 out of 10.  I'd recommend it if you're going to London.

I Wish My Father Were a Russian Oligarch

My friend just returned from a weekend of skiing at Courchevel in France.   He was totally blow out of the water by the Russians there.  They are in a league of their own.  Apparently, everybody who's anybody was wearing the hottest new thing:  diamond encrusted skis. Seriously.  People were wearing these.


A collaboration between the Frecnh ski house Lacroix and Parisian jewler Philippe Tournaire has produced the Lacroix Utlime.  These sporty babies feature a white gold inscription encrusted with four differently shaped diamonds. The striking pair is available only from Tournaire’s store on the Place Vendôme in Paris.


The price is a cool $50k.  But don't fret folks, included in the cost is a season pass to Courcheval.   Don't forget to pick up a pair for yourself before jetting off to St. Mortiz on your private jet!

Turtle Power

It's a turtle on wheels!

This cute turtke is Tzvika.  She's a female living in the Ramat Gan Safari near Tel Aviv.  A few months ago she was injured by a lawn mover and suffered damage to her shell and her spine that affected her ability to use her rear legs.  Vets attached the wheels to elevate her shell and to enable her to walk.

I love it.

Shiny Suits Should Have Been Banned in the 80s

Ewww.  David Hasselhoff needs to get a new stylist pronto.

Olivia Palmero Needs to Eat

This photo was published in the New York Post's Celebrity photos for Jan 6th, 2011.

Umm, excuse me, but since when is Olivia Palmero a celebrity?  The City was canceled two seasons ago.  Just saying.

P.S.  Can someone please feed her some crackers ASAP.

New Dress for Me!

I just ordered this Rachel Pally dress on Shop Bop.  I was supposed to be looking for a dress for my friend's wedding, and instead, I bought this.

Surprisingly, I have no buyers remorse. Lately, I've been loving long dresses. Very Miami in the winter.

Wedding Dress Shopping

I'm shopping for a dress for friend's wedding in NYC on Jan 15th.  Since the wedding is in NYC, I have to be a little more chic than usual. This is no Miami wedding.

Unfortunately, I'm in London right now and I'm flying directly to NYC for the wedding, so I can't order anything online, but since I'm obsessed with online shopping I still like to look around.

I'm liking this Red Valentino dress.  You can buy it on shopbop.  It's not really wedding appropriate, but I like it all the same. I have a small suspicion the netting might look a little cheap, but I like the concept.  I'm all about the Rockstar look lately.

Tomorrow, I'm going to hunt around at Harrods and Harvey Nichols.  I keep you posted on my finds.

Beyonce's Studded Leggings

I used to be totally anti-leggings.  I thought they were way too "Lindsay Lohan."  But after Lindsay went to jail/rehab and faded from the public limelight, I decided it was time to give them a go.  A few months ago I started wearing them, and I haven't looked back since. They are God's gift to women seeking comfort.  A girl at work even admired them so much when she saw me wearing mine with Uggs, that she ran out to buy a pair.  Can we say fashion icon in the making?  Let's just go ahead and ignore the fact that I'm two years late on the trend.

Regardless, naturally, I was totally obsessed when I saw Beyonce wearing these rockin' studded leggings.  She's all about "rocker-chic" in her leather motorcycle jacker and Bob Dylan shades. Good choice Beyonce.  I officially approve.

I need to get me a pair ASAP.

I'm back!

After a three month break from blogging, I'm back.  I'm serious about sticking with it so expect frequent updates from yours truly.  I need a fun hobby to keep things exciting, so I'm making a New Year's resolution to stick with my blogging.  I seriously love it.

Currently, I'm blogging from London in the lounge of the Meridien Picadilly Hotel lounge. I'm drinking cheap, and better yet, free red wine and googling movie times at the Leicester Square Cinemas.

I dying to see Black Swan after my mom and sister gave it rave reviews, but the film's UK release isn't until February 11, 2011.  Damn you Darren Aronofsky!

Check in often my little lovers.  I missed you all!