Gift Guide: The Definitive Best Beauty Gifts to Give


Because these gifts are sure to impress just about anyone... (more…)
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Gift Guide: The Definitive Best Beauty Gifts to Give

My essentials for Gemma’s 15th birthday (and her cancer treatment)


(more…)
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My essentials for Gemma’s 15th birthday (and her cancer treatment)

4 (super easy!) things you can do to help the planet


Because we all need to help save our planet, and these are four easy (and also fun) ways to do
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4 (super easy!) things you can do to help the planet

Two Lip Products That You Need in Your Life


You guys know I’m picky about lip gloss, but I recently tried two new (to me) products and had to
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Two Lip Products That You Need in Your Life

12.22.2009
Gift Idea: Anti road rage (for yourself)

So I’ll be the first to admit that I have a wee bit of a temper.  Along with this, often comes road rage and now that I’ve been driving again (after not driving for almost 5 years), I’ve been getting reaallllly frustrated.  First of all, I’m a phenomenal driver…no matter what any of my friends or family might tell you.  Second of all, my biggest complaint about LA drivers is that they are completely inconsiderate.  Examples, you say?  OK.  Let’s start with today- I stopped at my bank and went right to the area for “compact cars.”  Now I’m no car expert but a Cadillac Escalade is in no way, shape or form a COMPACT CAR.  I sat and watched this Ed Hardy-wearing douche bag pull into the compact spot and just nearly miss cars on BOTH sides.  Now most people would’ve just murmured “asshole” and kept driving.  No, not me…not today.  I waited and watched him open his driver side door and figure out that he couldn’t, in fact, get out because he was THAT close to the car next to him.  He saw me laughing at him…which is probably when I should’ve driven away but no, not me…not today.  I continued to sit there and watch as he pulled out a bit and rearranged himself so that now he was about half an inch away from the car on his right side so that he could now open his driver side door enough to slip through.  The best part?  There were plenty of regular-sized spaces just a few rows down but this particular ass bag was just THAT lazy and obviously didn’t want to walk.  As he squeezed through the crack, all I could think about was “if that was my car, I would cut this guy…” and then I rolled my window down, laughed, and said “that’s a really nice ‘compact car’ you’ve got there” and then drove away.

I laughed to myself and thought “my GOD, I am crazy” and was reminded of these little printed notes (above) that I used to keep in my car during High School when finding a parking spot was like war.  My friends and I used to get so many laughs out of leaving these little sarcastic notes on the cars of other high school students who were either stupid, bad drivers or just didn’t give a shit.  Well now I’m brining them back and I had to share.  Print them out and don’t let these a-holes get away with being an inconsiderate driver!

haa, Happy Holidays, right?

12.22.2009
Gift Idea: Victoria’s Secret The Lacie Panties (for your cousin in college)

So I’ve been trying to think of a fun yet useful gift for my little (or I guess not so little) cousin who’s a sophomore in college.  Besides booze and condoms, I came up with the one thing I could never get enough of…underwear.  These Victoria’s Secret The Lacie panties are kiiiind of a knock off of Cosabella but hey, who has money in college anyway?  They’re super comfy and very sexy…the perfect equation for any college girl.  Get any three for $30 now.

12.21.2009
Gift Idea: Borba products (for your eco-chic mom or aunt)

So laundry detergent seems like an odd gift, I know, but when paired with Borba Age Defying Aqua-Less Crystalline and Borba Skin Balance Gummi Bear Boosters, it’s really the whole package for any eco-friendly mom or Aunt.  You may remember my rave about the Gummi Bear Boosters from a past post and I really can’t say enough about the Fabric Fusion 2-in-1 Eco Laundry Wash – a 99% natural detergent that washes clothing with a botanical-based surfactant system, which includes elastin fiber to refine and soften your clothes and skin.  I’m wrapping up these three items for my crazy aunt that is obsessed with being all eco-friendly yet is still impecably chic.

12.18.2009
Gift Idea: Conair Infiniti Cord-Keeper Styler (for your neat-freak friend)

So since I started living by myself, I’ve suddenly become very aware of how much space I have…and I LOVE every inch of it.  When I found out about this fabulous blow dryer from Conair, I knew it would make the perfect gift for your neat-freak friend.  The cord in this super cute blow dryer retracts into the handle with just the touch of a button for convenient and tidy storage.  And, of course, it still has allthe great benefits of a great blow dryer- 1875 watts of power and a high torque DC motor (god, I sound like I’m talking about a car) for maximum drying power and speedier styling.  And yes, of course it also has Ionic technology to help smooth the cuticle layer of your hair.  Get the Infiniti Cord-Keeper Styler for anyone on your holiday list who loves her hair and tidyness.




12.17.2009
My take on MTV’s “Jersey Shore”

So as an Italian East Coast native, I feel as though it is my duty to comment on the crazy insanity that is MTV’s Jersey Shore.  Ah, where to even begin…first off, if you haven’t already seen the show, please go to MTV.com immediately and watch the past 3 episodes.  Second of all, if you HAVE seen the show, you should immediately go to THIS link and watch Snooki’s YouTube channel before she was “famous.”  I think my personal favorite is “Snook took the night” where she fake raps along to some ghetto club song that involves the lyrics “hey, hey, hey, hey, hey I don’t care what bitches say.”  Right.

Anywho, in my opinion, makes this show so popular is the fact that most of the country hasn’t ever seen, let along spoken to, an actual real, live guido.  I, on the other hand, grew up around them and am one with them in their natural habitat (New Jersey, Staten Island, parts of Westchester County, Long Island, tanning salons, Seaside, etc.).  I have fond memories from the one and only time I visited Seaside, NJ (aka SLEAZside)…it can really only be described in one word- entertaining.  Guidos live in their own little guido world where the threat of skin cancer doesn’t exist and trucker hats are still cool.  Thinking about making a visit?  Run through my checklist and you’ll be ready to “vibe” with all the juiced up meat heads and orange-skinned broads.  Good luck to you.

Step 1: Get your guido name and write it down…because once you’re a guido, you’re going to forget it

Step 2: Brush up on your Jersey Shore lingo

Step 3: Stock up on gigantic claw clips and start practicing your pouf (btw- is anyone else predicting that Snooki launches her own claw clip line?)

Xo,

Jamie aka “the Opportunity”

P.S- to all the Italians that are “offended” and leaving MTV death threats, I will say to you what my Neopolitan grandmother would say to you- “heeey, relax.”  And to Domino’s “pizza,” seriously?

12.17.2009
John Frieda makeovers at TOPSHOP in New York City!

So one major benefit about living in New York City?  Easy access to TOPSHOP.  Now, thanks to the amazing people at John Frieda, you can get a mid-day makeover in Topshop’s dressing room!  TOPSHOP teamed up with Serge Normant at John Frieda Salon, Joeur cosmetics and nail specialists M2M to create the ultimate army of fashion and beauty experts – and they are readily available NOW until December 21st! (Daily 1-7PM).  All treatments are FREE but guests are encouraged to make a $5 donation to the Lower East Side Girls Club.

GIVEAWAY! Don’t live in NYC?  Yeah, I miss it too.  Don’t worry- I’m giving away FOUR sets of product from John Frieda’s Luxurious Volume collection – including Shampoo, Conditioner, Root Booster, Mouse and Hairspray!  Leave a comment below to win!  I’ll select four winners at random by next Monday, December 21st.