Anyway, like I said, it's about my favorite stuff right now. Maybe it's some stuff that's been around for a while, or it's something that's been a favorite of mine for a long time, but I just thought I'd spice things up and share something a little different with you.
1. Black eyeshadow and thick, long lashes. Yeah, they're fake, so what. But this eye look makes me feel sexy no matter what the rest of me looks like (which more often than not is complete crap).
2. Cupcakes will forever and always be a favorite sweet treat of mine, especially if they're pretty.
3. Disgustingly hot stilettos, especially sparkly ones. I like all the flash and trash.
4. References to birds and wings. I love bird/wing jewelry, shirts, tattoos, whatever. And I have one tattoo that says, "she flies with her own wings," and my other tattoo has a bird feather as a part of it.
5. Really cute flat shoes. When I work, I'm on my feet for 10 hours usually so I don't really do well with stilettos for work anymore. Cute flats make me (and my feet) happy.
6. Books. I love to read, whether it's fact or fiction. The most recent book I've read was "Firefly Lane" by Kristin Hannah, which is a great story about lifelong friendship between two women.
7. I went to school for photography, and though I don't do much with it anymore, I still have a huge love and appreciation for the art. Sarah Beth & Paul Boekell are two of the most amazingly talented photographers on Earth, and they happen to be friends of mine - you should go check them out.
8. I love hot tea and tea rooms and tea sandwiches and all that goes with a dainty little handpainted teacup.
9. I adore sequins so much it's lame. They're very 'in' right now, and if done the right way, can be super chic.
10. I know I mentioned wings and birds in general earlier, but owls are a particular favorite of mine in addition to just the concept of flying and having wings and whatnot. Maybe it's something about the 'wise old owl' thing.
11. I'm so in love with the Eiffel Tower (and France in general) that it's a little absurd. When my father was in the Army and stationed in Germany, he went to Paris for a weekend and took all kinds of pictures only to discover upon developing them that he'd forgotten to take the lens cap off his camera. Next summer for his 69th birthday, I'm taking him to Paris so we can take new pictures together.
12. Red lipstick is my forever favorite. If I'm feeling ugly or just in a bad mood, all I have to do is put on red lipstick and I'm super confident and feel sexy and like I'm ready to take on the world.
13. Birdcage veils are NOT just for brides. Simple as that.
14. Juicy Couture's Viva La Juicy perfume smells so amazing and I get a ton of compliments when I wear it.
15. I don't care how lame you think I am for this, but Lady Gaga is one of my biggest heroes. Yes, she makes great music. Yes, it's fascinating to see what she wears next. But there are two other things I love about her: 1. She has worked so hard to make everyone feel like it's okay to be different and that they're not freaks. That's the kind of role model kids struggling with bullying and whatnot need to be looking up to. 2. She uses her influence for good, like working so hard to try to get Don't Ask Don't Tell to be repealed. With that level of exposure and copious amounts of money, she can truly influence a lot of people and more celebrities with those gifts should use them to their advantage and do some good.
16. Anything with pearls, especially oversize pearl earrings.
17. I mentioned this a few weeks ago, and I'll mention it again: I'm in love with asparagus right now.
18. I refuse to let go of my love of a Little Black Dress. This Valentino one is pretty exquisite.
19. Modest Mouse's album "Good News For People Who Love Bad News" has been around for a while. I bought it when it first came out and the best part is, I can still listen to every single song over and over again. I recommend "Ocean Breathes Salty," "Bukowski," and "Float On" (where my foot tattoo is from.
20. "Black Swan" was jaw-dropping, startling, thought-provoking, dark, and beautiful all at the same time, and Natalie Portman was at her very, very best in it.
21. Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are probably the most adorable puppies I've ever seen, aside from my little Coco (who is half-Cavalier, half-Bichon). I really, really think Coco needs a little Cavalier sister.
22. Fruity, beachy drinks. Because I live close to the beach, you know? And you don't. So be jealous.
23. Jewelry boxes with organizational dividers because let me tell you, I have a crap load of jewelry.
24. The bold, rich colors of peacock feathers. Greens and teals are my favorite colors, aside from black.
25. Cereal and almond milk. Right now I'm loving Frosted Flakes, but somehow I always come back to Cinnamon Toast Crunch.
26. Ingrid Michaelson's music is pure genius. Check out her song, "Keep Breathing". It's been a favorite of mine for about four years.
27. The new robin's egg blue and lavender shades of nail polish that are hot for Spring. I'm obsessed, though it's hard for me to give up the gunmetals and grays of Fall. The bottom image is the Ultra Lavande shade from Lancome's Spring collection.
28. Baroque-style picture frames are my very favorite.
29. Super yummy-smelling candles. I love to have candles burning all the time.
30. I will forever adore Lancome and have a warm spot in my heart for the company that started my career. Some of the best times of my life were spent working at Lancome counters and makeup artistry events, and I'm eternally grateful for that.
31. Beautiful cake stands (that don't just have to be used for cakes).
32. Netflix (especially the Instant options that can be viewed on my laptop or PS3) is one of the best creations ever thought up. I'm a humongous, gigantic, ridiculous movie buff and I watch movies every chance I get. I love Indie flicks in particular and I'm also very adamant about seeing all the movies nominated each year for Golden Globes and Oscars.
33. Betty White manages to be insanely funny and radiantly beautiful well into her 80s. That's impressive to me. My darling friend Jeremy got me a Betty calendar for Christmas and she's particularly used to schedule in visits from family and friends.
34. I love anchors, and this one looks almost just like what I want one of my next tattoos to be (in honor of my friend Shelby).
37. My husband has turned me into a fan of baseball. The only problem: he loves the Phillies, and I love the Cubs (unfortunately).
38. Forence + The Machine is one of the best things to come from England since the Beatles and Coldplay. Her voice is unreal, and the lyrics are unforgettable. Even if you think Twilight stuff is lame-o, you should check out "Heavy In Your Arms," - it's a beautiful, haunting song that I can listen to over and over.
39. I adore houndstooth clothing, accessories, and furniture. This happens to be from the Alexander McQueen runway, whose designs I also happen to love.
40. Big, lush, peonies are my favorite flower.
41. I love tattooos, and the idea of getting a non-cheesy friendship tattoo is exceptionally appealing to me.
42. The beach. And I live oh-so-close to it. And you don't, which I'll point out again should make you jealous.
43. The new Dali Museum in St. Pete. I refuse to go until Nikki is down here and can go with me, and I'm so anxious for it I could burst.
44. "Only Prettier" by Miranda Lambert pretty much sums me up. And the video is so darn cute.
45. Philosophy shower 3-in-1 shampoo, shower gel, and bubble baths smell so good I could quite literally drink them, especially the Seniorita Margarita (which actually smells like it has tequila in it). The recipes on the front are tried and true (by myself, of course) and totally delicious. I got two new ones for Christmas from my in-laws: Pomegranate Martini and Peach Bellini, but they're from the Mocktails line so the recipes on the bottle aren't quite as fun. They smell super yummy though!
46. I'm a big supporter of gay rights. I'm a heterosexual woman married to a man, but some of my very dearest friends are gay and the fact that they can't get married like I did breaks my heart. Some of the gay couples I know would last a hell of a lot longer than the 50% of the population whose marriages end in divorce. When they propose to their lover, they shouldn't have to ask, "Will you civil union me?" Denying gay people the right to get married would be like saying redheads shouldn't be allowed to get married. They're born that way, so it's just plain unfair. Thankfully, DADT being repealed was a huge win for the gay community, and I hope more things like that happen in 2011.
47. Trench coats are such a classic, sexy look, but I'm kind of bored with the old-school tan ones. I like the ones I keep seeing for Spring in bright, fresh colors and the ones with unexpected details like studs, flowers, and bows are adorable, too.
48. The Unconditional Surrender sculpture in Sarasota rocks my world. It's based off "The Kiss," the photograph Alfred Eisenstaedt took after WWII of a sailor kissing a nurse in Time's Square. That iconic picture is one of my favorites in all of photography, and getting to see the sculpture in person for the first time the other day was absolutely awe-inspiring and breathtaking. Visit Sarasota if you ever get the chance to see it for yourself.
49. You shouldn't be surprised by this, but Lush is one of my favorite stores ever. They hand-make all natural bath and body products that are mostly vegan-friendly.
50. Last but not least, love is one of my favorite things. Yes, it's cheesy as hell, I know this. But I love love. I love being in love. And I love the different ways love can manifest itself - love for your friends, family, pets, whatever, whoever. The Beatles got it right when they said: "All you need is love."
