The Rise and Fall of the Cupcake

For the past few years it seemed as if everywhere I looked there were cupcakes – cupcake stores, cupcake trucks, cupcake fundraisers and cupcake wedding cakes – CUPCAKE OVERLOAD!  As much as I love cupcakes, I am excited to report that two other sweet treats are starting to rise in popularity, thus giving cupcakes a run for their money – French Macaroons and Cake Pops.  Pictured above are pistachio and raspberry French macaroons from Financier.  These treats were a perfect gift from roommate. Not only are they delicious, but they are Christmas colors and packaged beautifully.  Also pictured above is a cake pop from Starbucks.  This particular one is chocolate cake covered with a hard layer of white chocolate and peppermint sprinklings.  Yum!

Alyssa 

A Classic Touch

As an exceptionally pale human being with dark hair, I’ve been told plenty of times to try red lipstick. Although I’ve always envied women with my skin and hair tones who indulge in this classic look, I’ve always hesitated in trying it myself. When I was in high school I fell in love with MAC’s lipgloss color “underage,” and ever since I’ve only craved nude colored lip glosses and sticks (to be fair, I did believe I was Bridget Bardot for a little while). So in an effort to get in touch with a new type of beauty, I decided to invest in a bright red lipstick by Sephora (The Red). The results were insane, in a matter of ten seconds I instantly felt classically beautiful. I mean I even contemplated breaking out my cheetah jacket and putting on every piece of diamond jewelry I own. Every woman should try red lipstick, believe me, you won’t be disappointed!

Alexa

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Alyssa and Alexa

Merry Christmas!

Merry belated Christmas to all!  We recognize that we are a bit late, but with all the eating, opening of presents and spending valued time with friends and family, we have not had an opportunity to post to our blog.  We apologize for the delay – Merry Christmas!!

Alyssa and Alexa

Singing the Blues

I personally believe that every woman should always have their nails polished. As a college student I’ve learned that doing my nails is much more affordable than a routine manicure. This past summer I purchased a travel sized manicure set complete with nail filers, clippers and cuticle pushers. Every week I take off my previous color and soak my nails until they are ready to be cut and filed. I then have the difficult task of choosing a color. I’ve always been loyal to Essie and O.P.I polishes, and recently I have worn nothing but dark hues. On my way out of Forever 21 a few weeks ago, an odd colored blue nail polish caught my eye. While I was hesitant to try a new nail polish brand, I felt as though I could not resist this color. There is something about this blue that reminds me of storm clouds. I believe that there is beauty in everything and sometimes we need to search for it in the darkness, and that is exactly what I did with my new favorite Periwinkle nail color.

Alexa 

Day McQueenin'....

As a fashion student / enthusiast, I am all too familiar with the concept of unattainable items that dreams are made of. Every day dream I’ve indulged in since the age of twelve has me adorned in the classic Chanel ballet flat. I’ve also envisioned myself stumbling upon a ball (where many princes are attending!) all the while dressed in a dreamlike Haute Hippie ensemble. The point is that there are certain pieces we fashionistas dream about, but never believe that we will actually own. Last week a daydream came some what true when I visited the Nordstrom website. Hidden in the inventory of the new Juniors items was a scarf that all too well resembles the God like Alexander McQueen Scarf. I will never endorse knock-off’s, so why did I purchase this accessory? The scull graphic is very clearly not McQueen rather its a playful twist on the classic Jolly Roger. At this stage in my life, my wallet, and my imagination are more suited for this playful take on a classic item. So while it may not be my dream item, I can certainly say that I am planning some far better adventures in this scarf than my day dreams could have ever thought possible.

Alexa

The Last 24 [in pictures]

Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree

Dinner at Trattoria Trecolori with Mike, Victoria and Chris.

Mike and I had an amazing weekend playing host and hostess to Victoria and Chris.  On Friday night we had dinner at Harry’s Italian Pizza Bar and then drinks at Stella.  On Saturday we saw the play, Memphis (which was phenomenal and I highly recommend it), and then went to Rockefeller Center, the NBC building, Time Square and Aspen Social Club.  The night concluded with dinner and lots of Vino at Trattoria Trecolori.  We were sad to see Vic and Chris leave but we are looking forward to spending more time with them in the coming months as they prepare for their wedding in April 2012.

Alyssa

A Christmassy Twist on Classic Brownies

In a few short hours one of my very best friends and her fiancé will be visiting NYC from Baltimore for the weekend.  We have all kinds of fun things planned, including going to see Memphis, Rockefeller Center, pizza and beer.  Since they are staying at a hotel, I wanted to make sure they have something to snack on.  Therefore, last night I baked a box of Duncan Hines’ Chewy Fudgy Brownies.  In effort to make them more Christmassy, I added crushed up candy canes to the top.  After baking for 25 minutes I took the pan out of the oven and sprinkled the pieces on top.  Then, I baked for an additional 5 minutes.  After cooling, I divided the brownies into two batches and placed them in holiday tins – one for my guests and one for me and Mike.  I’m looking forward to the fun and delicious weekend ahead!

Alyssa

Hidden Gems

Costume jewelry is one of the greatest trends that I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. While my style is constantly changing, one thing that stays the same is my desire to add feminine touches to every outfit. It is so easy to buy bold, chunky jewelry these days on an intern’s budget. The problem with the mass selection and the low prices, however, is that it’s easy to get stuck dressing like Amber from the movie Clueless. An always classic outfit is jeans and a black t-shirt paired with one statement piece, heels or flats, you can never go wrong with this look. Potential fashion victim fears aside, I have decided to round up my favorite pieces of costume jewelry and share them with the world. Happy Accessorizing!

Alexa

The Last 48 [in pictures]

Admiring the window display at Bloomingdales after an amazing dinner with my wonderful boyfriend, Mike, at Brio

Checking out the baked goods at Chelsea Market



An impromptu visit to a Holiday Bazaar in Columbus Circle



Adorable Christmas cards seen at Chelsea Market

Another great find at Chelsea Market

I couldn’t resist!  Great summer earings find. 

An interesting take on holiday décor at the Columbus Circle mall

Barbie cake at Chelsea Market

Double chocolate pepermint pancakes

Alyssa

One Man's Trash is another Man's Treasure

After hastily signing a lease for my apartment in August 2009, I realized that I did not own any home goods. In an effort to save money, I decided to try shopping at a second hand store. To my surprise, once I got past the junk, there really were a few treasures. Mainly, the china and ceramic pieces stood out to me. I opted to purchase a beautiful set of plates that just happened to share the same colors as my sorority – olive green and white.

Recently, I toyed with the idea of purchasing more of the same plates. However, to my dismay, when I returned to the store there were none left. Then, I took to the internet. Through my searching I learned that I didn’t purchase an ordinary dinnerware, rather I purchased several pieces that were created by a very well known company – J&G Meakin. According to Wikipedia, during the 19th century J&G was known for creating cheap china. In 1970 the frim was taken over by the Wedgwood Group. 30 years later production under the name Meakin ceased, and the name Eagle Pottery was then adopted. However, in 2004 Eagle Pottery closed and all works were demolished in 2005. Locating replacement pieces has now become increasingly difficult. I have however; found a website that advertises a dinner plate for $15. It boggles my mind to think that I paid 25 cents for each plate only 2 years ago.

Lesson learned – one man’s trash really is another man’s treasure!

Alyssa

Dancing on Glitter

My favorite shoe silhouette is the ballet flat. While most girls my age were shopping for their first pair of heels, I was drooling over the latest Tory Burch flats. I believe that these shoes are seasonless.  Yes, my feet are freezing if I wear them in the snow, but the blue shade my feet portray usually matches the patent leather of the shoes. Last weekend I stopped into Target, and as always I checked the inventory in the shoe aisle. I was so excited to find these little flats with an even smaller price tag of $19.99. I love the elastic that rims the outside, but perhaps their best feature is the fact that they are covered, not sprinkled, but covered in glitter. While these shoes also come in gold, I picked the black because a girl can never have enough pairs of black shoes. I plan on wearing these shoes every day, and if I ever get lost, all I have to do is click my heels together and repeat "there's no place like home," it worked for Dorothy didn't it?

Alexa

At Home Hibachi

Lately I’ve been toying with the idea of a detox/cleanse. However, after reading the guidelines, I’ve decided its best that I wait until after the holidays. While I’m not ready to fully commit now, I have decided to incorporate more healthy eating patterns into my everyday routine and eliminate some of the not-so-healthy ones.

Thus, yesterday I decided to grill red peppers and mushrooms. To do so, first place a cast iron grill on top of the stove (such as this one seen here: http://www.emerilstore.com/prodinfo.asp?number=40EW708). Then, place clean sliced vegetables on top. Drizzle olive oil and let sit for several minutes. Once the peppers start to turn black, turn over. The mushrooms will cook much faster so be sure to keep an eye on them. Don’t be alarmed when you see peppers turn black. The black burnt pieced can easily be peeled off before consumption. Once grilled to your liking, simply place in a plate and add more olive oil and fresh ground pepper. Nutritious and delicious!

Alyssa

Daily Dose of Inspiration

Last December my mother bought me a countdown calendar with 365 days of fashion. The calendar is full of fashion regrets, timeless items and celebrity choices. I saved a select few of the dates for a rainy day, and as another year draws to a close, this is the perfect time to share some quotes that ooze inspiration. Below are my top three favorite fashion quotes:

Alexa

2011 Jams

Do you listen to Super Bass on repeat at the gym? Change the radio station every time Adele comes on? Tell us here! Vote for your favorite songs of 2011.

http://www.ranker.com/list/the-best-song-of-2011/andrewpugliese?limit=all&format=GRID

Alexa and Andrew

Meet my new accessory

One accessory in my wardrobe that I neglect to invest in is sunglasses. I understand the need for them, but rarely do I find a pair that makes my heart melt. Recently however, I fell in love.  Ladies and gentlemen please meet my D&G cat eye sunglasses! The plastic frames are bright blue and the inside design is the exact image that a kaleidoscope creates. When I wear them I feel transported back in time, like I could be meeting Holly Golightly for lunch.  These days, I refuse to leave the house without my cat eyes and a spritz of Bond No. 9’s Chinatown perfume.

Alexa