Cool Finds of the month, March 2009

Leaving it to the last day of the month, eh Elisa? Cutting it kind of close ;-)

Here's this month's Cool Finds post!






One for our pregnant friends: Christian Siriano, Season 4 winner of Project Runway, has designed a line of pregnancy clothing called (what else!) Fierce Mamas, and , you can find it at Moody Mamas. And for designer pregnancy threads without the hefty price tag, check out InStyle Belly. I bet you are feeling lucky to be sporting a bump right now!

How I miss my InStyle subscription! I'm waiting to move before I start a new one. Luckily, InStyle also has lots of great features online, too: like this Spring Trends for Your Shape guide!

Have you seen the new Bonnie collection by Coach? As usual, they are slightly overpriced and a little too small for my taste, but some of them are stunning! Like the jeweled tote, priced at *gasp* $1,000! (bit steep for cotton twill, no?)

You already know how much I love Sephora. My only gripe: too many chemicals, not enough natural brands. Not anymore! Sephora is carrying more and more natural brands, and not just "fake" ones (read: botanical-based but including no-nos like parabens or sodium lauryl sulphate), also fabulously natural ones like Pacifica, which makes fantastic soy candles and essential-oil based fragrances, for those of us allergic to synthetic fragrance. My favorite: Brazilian Mango and Grapefruit - yum.
(If you prefer not to have to read labels, check out Beautorium instead.)

A new magazine has hit... the web. VIVmag, like DuJour, cannot be found on the newsstand, but it can be read online (or downloaded on your computer). The cool part: It's an interactive magazine, which makes the articles much more interesting, like an article on fitness that includes animated exercise moves, or a cooking feature that's the dream of every at-home cook, because it contains a step-by-step video demonstration! Click here for a FREE trial membership.

If you love Rebecca Minkoff's handbags as much as I do, you'll be excited to hear about her new apparel line - drats, now I don't know if I should save for a Nikki or a Tuesday Trench Coat.

Let's talk about shoes: Kate Spade has a lovely, colorful spring collection; SheFinds helps us find great sandals under $100, and the new book (including photographs, sketches, and drawings!! can I get a "squee!"?) about the fabulous Salvatore Ferragamo just came out this month. As PopSugar said, let's put on our reading shoes ;-)

- Shauna from Is it 5 o'clock yet? shares her thoughts on the whole "growing up/getting old" thing.

- The Bloggess gives a great example of why PR people and anyone pitching to bloggers should first read their blogs. (Seriously, please do.)

- Savvy Auntie gives us some ideas to throw the little girls in our lives a Fancy Nancy-themed party.

- Always ready to expand our horizons when it comes to food, Jessie tells us how to make surprisingly delicious eggplant fries.

- The City Sage tells us what online tool is "the human equivalent of a ball of string!"

and last but not least, go here to see Kristen's results on JM's 30-day Shred! Awesome job, Kristen! Great motiovation to the reats of us to get off our... sofas, too ;-)


This end one of my favorite Cool Finds posts! I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed compiling it. As usual, if you want to suggest something to be included in the next installment of Cool Finds of The Month, e-mail me or send me a Tweet!

Cool Finds of the month, February 2009

Wow, I seem to be running late on everything this month (well, not everything, thank goodness - my baby dust deflector seems to be working ;-)). Someone might question whether I deserve a Swiss passport ;-)

Let's move on to what we are here for, shall we? Here are the Cool Finds Of The Month.



The beauty world seems to be having a midlife crisis: all of a sudden we see lines dedicated to iconic childhood characters, like Hello Kitty and Barbie. That's right, the MAC Hello Kitty collection debuted this month, and not only it includes makeup, but also designer Hello Kitty-inspired designer clothes, currently being auctioned off.

And what about the glamour girl of our childhood, Barbie? She, too, has inspired a makeup line. The latest of Stila's famous talking palettes is dedicated to Barbie, giving and excuse to those of us too old to play with Barbies to... you know, do that anyway. Oh, and just in case Barbie isn't happy with that, we should remind her of the fact that she'll soon be wearing Christian Louboutin heels, and that her 50th birthday celebration included a special fashion show (not too shabby!) during New York Fashion Week, and that Patricia Field also has a small Barbie-inspired accessory collection. Spoiled little thing.

The above is followed, quite expectedly, with an obsession with pink. Bergdorf Goodman shows us the prettiest pink things we can't afford now in it's current Color Story.

Craving more bright colors? If you, like me, are sick of the snow and cold, brighten up your day and accessorize for spring with Accessories & Beyond new colorful leather bracelets, available at Fragments, starting at $30.


Need a special outfit for your little princess? Look no futher. Alice + Olivia's new girls line is now available at Neiman Marcus, and if the Eloise dress (pictured here) isn't enough to make you melt into a puddle you have a black, black heart.



If you already love your MasterCard, I bet you'd love it even more if it got a little facelift... especially if it was done by Roberto Cavalli. The Italian designer, in association with MasterCard and a number of luxury retailers, has designed a new credit card for the fashion-obsessed. Together with the gorgeous python-print card you get VIP services at Cavalli boutiques, and some pretty exclusive perks. Salivating yet? You can apply here.

Last but not least: for those of us not so much into yellow (like yours truly), luckily coral is another hot hue for spring and summer. And here's a fabulous coral-inspired giveaway sponsored by Benefit and Banana Republic: Coralista Fashionista Sweepstakes (bad name, good contest!)

- KidCity staffers share the best chocolate treats in their Chocoholics Choice Awards.

- Whether you love crafts or like me, despise them, you must check out Craftastrophe. If you thought your craft efforts were a little less than awesome, you'll definitely feel better after seeing some of the... ehm... inventive crafts posted.

- Racked give us the scoop on the McQ line for Target (and the launch party - making me regret not going!)

- Bakerella showed us how to make a chocolate praline box... out of of cake.

- Six Revisions shared their list of 10 Features That Would Make Twitter Better.


That's it for this month! I hope you enjoyed this post. If you want to suggest something to be included in the next installment of Cool Finds of The Month, e-mail me or send me a Tweet!

Cool finds of the month: January 2009

Here it is again! It's back. There may be no sales in the new edition, but there are some cool things from the web and the blogosphere. Enjoy!




We used to think that fashion and technology were two separate things. Now we know better. And here's the latest example: World-renowned designer Vivienne Tam and HP created the perfect fusion of fashion and technology for the HP Vivienne Tam Special Edition notebook. This gorgeous "digital clutch" is now finally available on HP Direct, starting at $699.99 (U.S.).

Looking for affordable edgy, unique accessories? Check out Love Madds. Madeline Rhodes' pieces are pretty without being boring, girly but with a bit of an edge. And best of all, they are very affordable. I dare you to get just one!

Private sale websites have become increasingly popular, because of the possibility to buy designer and brand items at more affordable prices. The latest addition is RedTagCrazy, where you can score apparel and accessories from popular labels and get $5 off you first purchase, which will already be discounted at 50-80% retail prices. RedTagCrazy says it best on their website: "Quantities are limited, time is limited, and our attention span is limited - so stay awake."

Being single in New York was never as celebrated as it has been since Sex and The City started airing, and now there's a great post-SATC chance for celebration: New York City's Hotel Giraffe offers a Single & Fabulous package for you and friends to celebrate Valentine's Day with brunch, Bloomingdale's discounts, makeup sessions at MAC, and VIP passes to nightclub Marquee.

With more and more people using Wii Fit to get back into regular exercise, it was just a mater of time before someone came up with more gadgets to use in conjunction with it. Riiflex is a not-yet-produced-but-already-promoted dumbbell-like weight to click onto the Wii Remote to add weight to strength training exercises. It may work or not, but you have to admit it's an interesting idea.

Don't buy this for your Valentine, unless you are trying to send a message: the Kissometer is a device that works much like a breathalyzer, except it will rate your "kissability" based on your breath, and gives you one of five possible answers: Kiss me, Possible, Maybe, Risky, and Never.



- A Classic Housewife in a Modern World tells us about blog branding.

- Allison Worthington, beloved author of the popular blog Mrs. Fussypants and Editor in Chief of Blissfully Domestic, has another winner on her hands: Worthington Wire pulls all the latest news in many different fields and topic, including but not limited to: Politics, Pop culture, Healthy Living, Recipes and much more. Follow Allison's updates on Twitter @WorthyWire

- Marie Denee tells us about a vintage store catering to plus-size and full-figured women.

- WhoWhatWear tells us how to update old favorites.

- On Running in Heels, Alison Stewart tells us which jeans to pick for different looks, and how to accessorize them.

- Sue at Happy Meals and Happy Hour shares a helpful video for those of us who want to exercise at home.


That's it for this month! I hope you enjoyed this post. If you want to suggest something to be included in the next installment of Cool Finds of The Month, e-mail me or send me a Tweet!

Sharing the fabulous: Interview with Jean Vouté Pratt, of Style Observer

I'm like a shy guy: pretty girls make me nervous. Maybe because often they will look you up and down (what Becky Bloomwood refers to as the "Manhattan once-over") and on a low-self-esteem day, it's all I can do not to hit the ground running. Jean Vouté Pratt, the fabulous woman behind the popular fashion blog Style Observer, is nothing like that. She is as nice and friendly as she is gorgeous – translation: very.

I had the chance to meet Jean and her lovely husband for coffee, and when I asked her if I could interview her for my blog, she gracefully accepted. (My reply? A very professional "Yay!") If you know and love Style Observer (and why wouldn't you?) you'll love this, so get reading!

Hi Jean!

I'm really excited to have you on my blog, so before I start babbling, let's get right down to it:

Mother of two, happily married, but also business woman and renown fashion expert. You are an inspiration! How do you do it all?

Since I work from home now, it's easier to manage my time. I can work into the night if I have to. I make it clear to myself and anyone else that my boys come FIRST. So, I work around their needs – which sometimes means I'm up until 2 A.M.



I have been a fan of Style Observer since I first found it, last year. You never seem to miss a beat! Like the recent "Splurge vs. Steal" post, a really fitting topic in the current economic climate. These days people are more careful what they spend their money on. What do you think are the things one should splurge on, and get the best available? Is it the shoes? Handbags? The perfect pair of jeans? Special occasion clothing?

Everyone is feeling it [recession] right now! So, we're all looking to save money. I don't think many people are splurging on big items right now. If you want to invest in items right now, it should be the classics: handbags, shoes, trench coat... pieces that you will use for years.


I love the most recent posts where you show how to dress for your body shape! We all want to highlight our best features and... well, hide our flaws a bit :-) I have enjoyed the "universal" tips a lot too, like when you showed us how the perfect pair of black pants can get you out of a "what to wear?" conundrum. Are there other "key" pieces you think every woman should own?

Absolutely! Every woman should own: a crisp white shirt, a pair of black pumps, a black skirt, a festive top - in a color that suits them, a pair of well constructed jeans, a great white tee, a trench coat, a pair of brown boots, a tote bag, and a clutch. These are your "go to" pieces that will never let you down.


I noticed you included pieces from the Anya Hindmarch for Target line in some of your posts. What do you think of the partnerships between designers and popular store chains? Target's Go Designers, Vera Wang for Kohls and so on. Do you own any items from these collections?

Yes, I have an Anya Hindmarch shoulder bag and clutch form Target. I love when designers partner-up. I want their designs at reasonable prices, just like the next girl. I have no problem carrying a Target bag to fashion week, as long as it's chic and good looking. Anya Hindmarch did a phenomenal job with her design for Target – it translated really well! I'm usually really hopeful when I hear a designer is doing a collection for Target or H&M etc – BUT I'm usually disappointed with what comes out. Except for Anya.



You seem to enjoy casual clothing as much as dressing up. What is your favorite item in your closet?

I love to dress up sometimes, but I need to be able to hang around with my boys most of the time. Casual clothes are a huge part of my life . I have a pair of motorcycle boots that I have had for almost 15 years, and they are perfect! They are my everyday boots that I can wear into the city or running around with my kids.


You and your blog work as inspiration for many women out there. Who is your inspiration?

My parents! They grew up in the Bronx together, and worked their "bottoms" off to build a great marriage, family, and business. It's truly an American Dream story. I've learned such different things from each of them that I use in business everyday. My Mom taught me to trust my "gut" instincts, and my father taught me to "never give up". They both taught me that family comes first- no matter what. I always refer back to that.


You recently answered a reader's question about how to update her "business casual" style. This reader had no problem defining her style, but I know plenty of people who are still struggling to find their own. Can you offer some tips?

What do you like? When you see other girls' styles, what catches your eye and why? What do you feel comfortable in? What impression do you want the world to get when they see you? A good tip would be to try on, try on, try on, and play a little with looks. Take someone you really trust with you to a store and ask what looks good etc. Cut out pictures of looks that you like and pin them on your closet wall.


Your posts on Style Observer are really helpful and insightful. Do you offer personal stylist services?

I'm about to start offering some services. A closet consultation, where I will help the girls go through what they have and pull outfits together. Also, I will be available to go on shopping trips for advice on looks etc. I'll probably try to figure out a way to do a Skype call for girls who are not in the NY area. Style Observer is about to expand offering more to the readers. Stay tuned for that!


Thank you Jean, for all the fantastic tips! Thank you also for fitting this chat into your busy life.

Thanks Elisa, I had fun answering your questions!


Jean blogs about fashion on Style Observer, where she breaks down current trends and helps readers put fashion and real life together. If you have a style question for Jean that you'd like addressed on her blog, e-mail her at Questions@StyleObserver.com

Slow-start routine.

This morning I read a post on a lovely blog, The Inspired Room. Have you ever heard a more perfect title for a home-decor blog? I don't think I have. The last post on the blog is titled "The Five Minute
Jump Start the Day Routine" and it outlines the 5-minute routine Melissa goes through every day to start her day on the right foot: make the bed, open the shades, turn off the porch lights, unload the dishwasher. She does this every morning, no fail. No wonder she has a blog about keeping house and I have one about... well, not keeping house.

It's not like I don't have any aspirations as far as my house goes! I do love decorating, the clothes hanging in my closet are organized by color and my shoes are all in clearly labeled fabric shoe boxes. Also, my spices are organized in alphabetical order. But that's more or less where it ends. I'm a messy organizing freak, which means I get all excited at the idea of alphabetizing and organizing minutiae but loading the dishwasher and vacuuming is about as much housework as I can tolerate in one go. (I am awesome at emergency cleaning, though.)

Here's how my ideal Jumpstart morning routine goes:
- I get up at 5.30
- by the time the alarm clock goes off for the rest of the family, I have already exercised and showered
- I get Sarah ready for school and make everybody breakfast
- I clean up the kitchen and start the dishwasher
and most importantly, in this scenario I don't go near the computer until Stella is down for her nap, around lunch time.

Now, you have to remember that's all in my head. Here's how the real morning routine goes:
- 6.30am, alarm clock goes off, I wake up and find Stella in my bed. Try to remember how she ended up there. Oh, yeah, that was the 5th time she woke up. Ok.
- get Sarah up, make her breakfast, keep saying "get dressed, brush your teeth, comb your hair, (etc)" until she gets through the morning routine and is ready to go. See her off.
- drink water. Sit at pc, check e-mail while I wait for Stella to wake up.
- make Stella breakfast, cuddle, have breakfast, tweet, blog or read fave blogs.
- sooner or later, load dishwasher.

Yeah, I know what you are thinking. So close.

Oy, I'm in a sorority

Just kidding :-)
This is actually more fun... and more useful.

I hesitate to discuss my weight issues on my blog, but hey, it is MY blog, so heck, I should be able to share stuff. Without oversharing ;-)

My weight has been an issue ever since my first pregnancy. And the yo-yo dieting that followed (once Sarah had been weaned) didn't help things, I'm sure. I did manage to get almost to my goal weight several years ago by following The Fat Flush Plan (cheesy title, but good program), but a family crisis kind of threw me, and as usual when there are changes in my life, I throw my routines and my needs out the window and just put everyone else first (mommy complex).
The same thing happened when we moved here: Stella was just a baby, Sarah was having a hard time at the new school, my husband was working long hours at his new job... Just recently I started feeling like everyone else was sorted out and comfortable, and it was time to take care of ME (finally!)

Which brings me to: I really need to start exercising and maybe plan my eating better (I don't really want to say "go on a diet"), and I realize the Holidays are upon us, but hey, no time like the present, right?

So I joined the Sisterhood. Because really, a support network goes a long way when you are embarking upon something new, especially something you are dreading a bit. And let's face it, doing stuff together just makes it more fun!

So here I am. Goal: skinny jeans :-)

Ah, the joys of life as a reporter

No doubt you have heard of The Great Interview Experiment, which is possibly the most brilliant blog post/initiative I've seen this year - not to mention a lot of fun! You get to feel like a celebrity, make new friends, find great new blogs.

Today I finally got around to doing my part to contribute to the experiment (shout out to my new pal Ry!). And that'show I found My Mumbling Thoughts. Sam is an American living in London, so she is an expat like me. That alone may not be enough to foster bonding between two complete strangers, however I found it peculiar that she left home at the same age I did, on an inverted path: I went from Europe to the US, she went from the US to Europe. And then I read her post on how she really felt about the move. And it sounded so much like something I would have written, that I started feeling like it was kismet (actually, I thought "Oh dear God there's two of us!!"). You go read her blog and decide for yourselves - I found it to be addictive after a couple of posts, like a good book after a couple of chapters.

But wait! Don't go now! You haven't read the interview yet. Here it is:

First of all, how is the packing going? The last post I read on your blog you were kind of having a hard time there. But you are excited about the move, right?
Packing is such a pain in the ass. We were lucky when my mom was in the military, because they provided movers for us to pack away all of our accumulating crap; but now that I have to do it myself I find the task to be so annoying and frustrating. It is moving along, however, slowly but surely, and will get finished only because I know it has to be done. And yes, I'm extremely excited about this move. I cannot wait until we move out of this crap pile of bricks and I can put all of its problems behind me.

Let's talk about your blog. Your blog archives go back to June 2005. Is this your first blog? What has kept you blogging for over three years?
I did have a blog before this one called, In America, when I used Blogger, but ditched it and moved over to My Mumbling Thoughts when I thought I had been compromised at work. I simply moved all of my archives over from In America, though, to My Mumbling Thoughts where I've been ever since, and it feels like I never made the change. The only thing I can think of that has kept me blogging for over three years, though, is that I've always felt like I had to write. I go through stints where I'll only blog one time for an entire month, but that doesn't mean that the need still isn't there. I always find myself back behind the screen and clicking away at the keyboard eventually.

You mentioned in one of your posts that you are a deeply shy person but you mask it with banter and sarcasm. Do you think blogging helps you deal with stuff?
Blogging TOTALLY helps me deal with stuff. It's not only a fantastic way to exercise your writing skills, but it's also deeply therapeutic. I always feel so much better after I've punched out a post when I'm feeling depressed or pissed off or confused. Being able to sort through your thoughts like that and then go back over and re-read how you were feeling at a precise time is, at least for me, a kind of control. It's a great release and a brilliant way to get some of those toxins out of your system, so to speak.

Nowadays, it seems that blogging can sometimes turn into a bit of a pissing contest. I think you know what I mean, because I got the idea from your interview with Miss Grace that you "think that the 'blog hierarchy' is a load of wank". Man, I love that line. Tell us more about this, don't be shy ;-)
I think that blogging is one of the best things that I've stumbled on for a long time. I also believe that there are some amazing bloggers out there who have broken down so many different barriers in the blogosphere and have opened numerous doors and windows for other up-coming bloggers. However, I also think that there are some people out there who are in it for the wrong reasons, and only have a blog for the popularity, or to try and promote themselves to get a book deal, or make up a load of crap and bullshit their readers, which isn't what blogging is meant to be. So occasionally, when I do find bloggers out there who appear to be one of the "favorites" for no good reason at all, I can't help but think that the blog hierarchy is a load of wank.

You come across kind of badass on your blog, but I actually got a different impression, you seem really sweet to me. And on your blog you called yourself "a human mood ring", which I think is very poignant. Do you think your persona on your blog reflects who you are in real life?
Do I come off as a kind of badass? Sweet! Nah, I really am a nice person (really!), and I think that my blog is an honest representation of who I am, but it's the raw and uncut version of me. Rather than spending weeks or months getting to know me face-to-face and all of the different layers, my blog just gets right down to business.

Now, let's get down to the travel section. You currently live in the UK, where you attend University. What is the best thing about living in London? What do you miss from home that cannot be sent in a care package?
Aside from the fact that it's LONDON, and I love everything about this city, I would have to say that I love the public transportation here (it's kind of weird, I know). Honestly, we have nothing like it back home, and I am a huge fan, despite it's flaws (but hey, nothing's perfect). If not that, then I'd definitely say Ribena and Brown Sauce. I cannot live without either of those things always being in my cupboard. And the one thing I miss from back home (aside from my family and friends), would be my car (I guess I'm all about transportation). I love my car so much, it's unhealthy.

I think Alias was one of the best shows of all times - I love that you look to Sidney Bristow for inspiration. Who else do you look to for inspiration?
I know it's standard and cliché, but my mother is a huge inspiration. If I could even be half the woman she is, I'd be a lucky gal. I also love Audrey Hepburn, Kristen Bell (from Veronica Mars), Sarah Jessica Parker, Jenny Lewis (from Rilo Kiley) and Scarlett O'Hara. They're all pint-sized pistols that I admire very much.

I don't think it's cliché, I think it's awesome that you feel that way about your mom. I think any mom would love to hear that!

Thank you Sam for taking the time to answer our questions! Good luck at the new place :-)

Now there, off you go to read Sam's blog! Think I'm bossy? You haven't seen anything yet ;-)

Here's some cool stuff for you. Wanna buy me something pretty?

BlogNosh: no, I'm not going to start including my blogroll in my "cool finds" posts, silly! BlogNosh makes the cut because it's a blog of blogs. Or rather, it's kind of like a "best of" of the blogosphere, except it only publishes great posts that have already been archived. So if you find yourself wishing that new bloggers and visitors could see some of your favorite old posts (from your own blog or someone else's), look no further - just submit your entries to the BlogNosh editorial team, you'll get a heads-up when they are about to be published. So you have time to doll yourself up (and your blog) for the new visitors.

Amazon.com's Universal Wishlist feature: can I get a Halleluja, brothers and sisters? Because I LOVE the Amazon wishlist thing and I have been waiting for years for them to come up with a way to add stuff from stores they don't have a contract with. Finally!!! Now just add the link to your Links folder and click on it when you find something you like. Then just add the price of the item and any comments... et voilà! There you have it. So now people only have to check one wishlist to buy you the right present. Which means I can stop doing this. (Oh, don't look so shocked. I told you I'm an organizing freak. And maybe a control freak. And a bit spoiled, too.)

This is for you, Harry Potter fans: J.K. Rowling's new book, The Tales of Beedle the Bard, is now available for pre-order on Amazon, including the beautiful Collector's Edition - I have never read the Harry Potter books (I can hear a collective gasp - they are on my list!!) but the Collector's Edition is so beautiful that I am tempted to give in and order it! Both editions will be released on December 4.

The Human calendar: many of you are probably already familiar with this, but for those who aren't check it out. I think it's kind of dorky but also cool at the same time: a calendar to add to your blog where the day, month and year are written on piece of paper shown by people. No, seriously, this description just doesn't do it: go see it!

If you are one of those who have a drawer full of takeout menus but keep adding more, you will love this: SeamlessWeb is a website that allows you to order your food online. They have over 2,000 delivery and takeout restaurants in New York and other major cities across the US (plus London, UK). They also started adding places in the NY Metro area (yay!). All you have to do is input your name and address and you'll be shown a list of restaurants in the area that will deliver to your address. When you click on a restaurant's name you can view the menu and prices, the delivery time and reviews from from previous customers.
I am kind of picky about food and rarely order in, but I have to say that this is a really cool idea!