DIY? No I DIMS.

I have to admit that until the MAGIC Trade Show in Vegas, I had no idea what DIY meant.  Eric from P.S. I Made This kept referring to the acronym, and after giving it some thought, I finally figured it out.  DIY = Do It Yourself (which now makes total sense given she has instructional posts and videos on her blog where she takes expensive looking pieces and makes them herself on the dime--whew that was a long sentence).  I love this concept, but unfortunately, I'm not the craftiest of people...

Not to bring up touchy subjects, but I know we've all had our fair shair of DIY moments in the past.  Some good and some truly not so good.  If I recall, back in high school I took what was once I nice dress, ripped it up, made a few knots and turned it into something I can't believe I'm even talking about.  It was a gray jersey dress, but after my transformation, it became the bane of my existance.  Let's just say there is a very embarassing picture where I look 3 months pregnant with the dress on.  Talk about a little gem.  This is where I came up with this new acronym: DIMS.  "Do It Make-Shift." 

As I had mentioned in my Vegas Day 2 blog post, I attended one of P.S. I Made This's DIY tutorials.  I was left without the proper equipment due to vulture-like movements from the audience.  Instead of 2 strings of beads, 2 ribbons and a broach, I had 2 strings of beads, 1 ribbon and no broach.  Erica attempted to make something out of the few pieces some of us were left with, but honestly, what she came up with was lacking.  So, when I got home, I had a DIMS session of my own.  And here's what I made (yep there's a bow):

A nice little lady in the elevator on the way up to the condo complimented my necklace after I wore it to work that day.  At first, I thought she was being sarcastic, but when I told her I made it myself, she was in honest-to-goodness disbelief.  With this realization, she started to encourage me to make more and sell them for a profit.  Probably won't do that, but hey, at least someone thought it was neat!

DIMS-ing it,

Hannah

Chimas Brazilian Steakhouse ~ Beef, it's what's for dinner

Brazilian Steakhouses are typically known for, well, their meat.  But they are more than just a carnivore's delight.  They have extensive salad bars for people like me, who prefer seafood and greens to red meat.  So ultimately, they are a great place for anyone and everyone because they cater to all tastes.  I'm lucky enough to be living both near my parents and near a nice Brazilian Steakhouse located on Las Olas.  What do they have in common?  My parent's paid for dinner :).

The Brazilian Steakhouse on Las Olas is called Chimas, and it's popular for many of us down here in South Florida.  If you are ever down here, I seriously recommend you hit up this little gem.  Just remember that it's pretty expensive, so make sure you go hungry.  REALLY hungry. 

Ben, the fam, Swood and I went a few weeks ago after seeing Les Miz at the Broward Center of Performing Arts.  I decided to make a timeline/story out of Ben's meal, because when he's hungry, he will eat A LOT.  I figured it would give you a good idea as to how much food they have and how good it is (based on my minimal photography skills that is).

First up, the Appetizer/Salad Bar...(the have salads, smoked salmon, cheeses, soups, rice, beans, hearts of palm, waldorf salad, fruit, and so much more)

Let the meat feasting BEGIN.  (You get a little pog-like gadget on your table that let's the server know whether or not you want some meat.  It's a sit down buffet.)

Sorry Jodi...they come around with monster knives and big slabs-o-meat.

Meat #1 for Ben...

Meat #2 - Flank Steak

Meat #3, #4 (Swordfish) and #5 (Salmon)

Meat #6 (Bacon-Wrapped Chicken) and #7 (Sausage)

Seafood, gone...

Half the red meat, gone...

More salmon!?!>!>!?!?!?!?

Manivore. Carnivore.

More meat? No thanks.

Good eats, good meats,

Hannah

Fiesta Friday ~ Black Swan-Inspired Oscar Cocktail

Sarah sent me this little gem last week, and while I still have not had the chance to make it, it was too good of an opportunity to pass up sharing with everyone (plus it's an Oscar Cocktail and the Oscars are this Sunday)!  It's a "Black Swan-Inspired Oscar Cocktail" courtesy of People.com. Not only does the picture make this cocktail look delicious, but its ingredients are equally as tempting.  If I get the chance, I'm seriously contemplating buying white feathers and a black serving tray just to give off the same effect.  It would be epic.  I'm sure Ben's reading this now and is thrilled at the idea of watching the Oscars with a sexy martini in one hand and a white feather boa in the other. 

Here are the ingredients for two drinks:

• 1/2 cup half and half
• 4 ounces white chocolate, roughly chopped
• 2 ounces vodka
• 2 ounces simple syrup
• 2 teaspoon chocolate syrup
• 1 tablespoon black sugar crystals

Then...

1. In a small saucepan, gently heat half and half.  Remove saucepan from heat when half and half is warm and start to whisk in white chocolate until melted.  Transfer the mixture to a bowl and refrigerate until cool.  Once cooled, stir in vodka and simple syrup.
2. Dip the rims of your martini glasses in water, then dip each in black sugar.  Put 1 teaspoon chocolate syrup in each martini glass.  Tilt the glass to form stripes.  Pour in martini mixture and serve.



Photo courtesy of People.com

Cheers!
Hannah

Cure for the Common Room-Decorating Syndrome

If you haven’t read this morning’s post, you should because this post is in reference to Room-Decorating Syndrome and how I may or may not have an online cure for it. My definition of Room-Decorating Syndrome is the obsessive compulsive tendency to think non-stop about how you are going to decorate a new (or old) space. Like I said this morning, I’m pretty sure we’ve all been exposed to it, if not diagnosed, and it can be overwhelmingly stressful and incredibly fun at the same time. So if you read this morning’s post, were inspired by Jayne’s creativity, and have a sudden urge to re-decorate, you’ve caught the disease! But have worry not because if you are craving a vintage chandelier, precious door knobs, a new desk or a modern wine rack, there’s an easily accessible medication available online. CSN Stores is a monstrously huge site that has everything from lights (did someone say chandeliers?!?!) to wall art…even plumbing appliances if you so desire. Check them out! You may find a useful little gem there for your place.

Love,
Hannah

Room-Decorating Syndrome (we've all been exposed to this one) ~ Guest Blogger: Jayne

One of the most exciting things about moving to a new place is thinking about how you want to decorate!  When I was moving into my studio in Las Olas, decorating was all I thought about for weeks, and when Ben and I moved in together a couple months ago, again, it's all I thought about.  I would literally dwell over the positioning of the couches, what color pillows would match the first rug we bought, and what color tablecloth would look best with our wall color.  It became obsessive, but it was so fun!  I would send Ben emails with room styles I thought were cool about twice a week.  I know I'm not the only one who suffers from room-decorating syndrome, I've heard a few anecdotes myself.  And last year in July, I was lucky enough to be there while Jayne started her move-in process into a chic studio in Boston.

Jayne's studio is the cutest thing ever.  Not only does she have vintage-looking brick walls, but the location is great!  She is right underneath an Italian restaurant...nom nom nom.  Plus, she has the best of both worlds.  A small town feel in the heart of Boston but a big city feel because you can walk everywhere from her place (including a delicious restaurant called Anchovies where their fries are amazingggg).  One of the best parts of her place is you can walk to the top floor of the building and get a great view overlooking the city.  Great for laying out, relaxing, reading and pretty much anything. 

While I was in Boston last July, Jayne was mid-moving in.  She had a lot of great ideas that over the next couple months came together perfectly!  I wasn't able to see the final look in person, but she sent me some pictures of a few little gems in her apartment that she can't get enough of (and I can't either).

Let's start off with a panoramic view of her kitchen.  Not sure if you could tell, but there is an awesome looking wine rack on the top right of the photo.  Yep, Jayne built this little gem.  I thought it was such a great idea and I'm pretty jealous of it.  OH, and it's not in this picture, but she has one of those cute chandeliers above the entrance in her apartment--a great addition to a vintage-inspired studio. 

Story of A real Girl Scout Cookie Monster...hold on to your Thin Mints

I could NOT believe it when I heard this story on the radio this morning.  It's the story of a real life Cookie Monster reeking havoc on her roommate.

Here's my summary of the reported story from NY Daily News and Naples News:
Hersha Howard allegedly went haywire on her roommate, Jasmin Wanke, this past Sunday because she thought Jasmin had eaten her Thin Mints Girl Scout Cookies.  I bet you want to read on don't you...

Collier County Sheriff's Office

Apparently, Hersha attacked the sleeping Jasmin at around 1 in the morning.  She barged into the room and started yelling something about missing Thin Mints (tragedy...they only come around once a year).  Hersha accused Jasmin of stealing/eating them and Jasmin responded by saying she gave the cookies to Hersha's children because they were hungry.  The two roommates started arguing, then things turned ugly.  All 400 pounds of Hersha jumped Jasmin and hit her in the face, and the fight continued until Jasmin's husband broke them up (I'm sure he was surprised when he found out the fight was over a box of chocolate cookies). 

While Jasmin's husband may have thought the fight was over, Hersha sure didn't.  Reports claim that Hersha proceeded to grab a pair of scissors and chased Jasmin around the house.  After the scissors, she grabbed a board and hit Jasmin.  The two then moved to the kitchen where Hersha lunged at Jasmin again, bit her breast and hit her several more times.  In came Jasmin's husband who broke up the fight again, and he held onto Hersha until police arrived.  Thank goodness because who knows what else would have happened...

What a scene to walk in on I'm sure.  I just hope none of you have a cookie-hoarding roommate like Hersha around, and if so, keep you hands out of the cookie jar just to be safe. 

In the end, Hersha was charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon--all that over some Thin Mints.  My suggestion to Hersha for next time: buy a lottttt of boxes of Thin Mints because they freeze well.  Then you won't have to feel bad when you're roommate sneaks one or two. 

Good thing I'm more of a Samoas fan,
Hannah

For more on the story, visit NY Daily News and Naples News.

MAGIC in Vegas - Day 3

Ah, our third and final day in Vegas, and we were exhausted.  Lots of talking, buying and walking.  Instead of going back to the Women's WWD MAGIC floor, we decided to go to the POOL Trade Show at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center.  What made POOL different was it was more of an Urban feel.  New designers usually show at POOL where they featured plenty of T-Shirt designs and jewelry.  I went straight for the jewelry and bought 5 different vintage pieces I'll be selling on Hannah Zier.  I love them and want them for myself, but I have to think of you first!

Here was what I wore on Day 3.  A seemingly simple outfit that I actually got complimented on!  Several different people commented on how they liked my color combo, and at first, I though people were just referring to liking the song "Black and Yellow".  But after 3 comments, I thought, hmmm maybe it is a pretty neat combo!  Sorry, side note of self promotion there....

Entrance of the POOL Trade Show...no pictures inside.

MAGIC in Vegas - Day 2

Starting off Day 2 in my black, cotton, 3/4 sleeve dress (wear this one on the reg).  I added a turquoise blue bow headband to give my outfit some color.

Not so normal (well, maybe for me it's normal--amy i know you're laughing because I never do real smiles in pictures...)

normal face

When we got to the WWD MAGIC Trade Show for Day 2, we did lots and lots of clothing shopping.  I purchased some really cute things for when my website goes live!  Product starts coming in over the next few months, so I can't get images of them yet.  But once product starts coming in, I start photographing them and popping them up on the web!  I've been working on the website layout for the past few days...lots to do, but I'm enjoying every minute of it :).

Mid-day, Katty and I went to another blogger seminar at Teen Vogue.  This time, it was a DIY Tutorial held by Erica, who writes for P.S. I Made This.  We all made these pearly-looking slash Mardi Gras bead necklaces with brooches on them.  By "we" I mean everyone who didn't wait in line like Katty and me.  It was pretty hilarious actually.  No one was there for her whole speech, and then as soon as the free stuff started appearing, people swarmed!  While we didn't make full necklaces, we did get the beads and ribbon.  The brooches apparently were in high demand.  Have no fear though, I decided to make a necklace out of my own from one ribbon and two strings of pearly beads...I'll post about it soon!

Here is a photo of the DIY table.  Yes, that girl has bright pink hair.  Her makeup was mildly entertaining also.  I wish I was that brave.

MAGIC in Vegas - Day 1

As promised, I am going to write a little about my trip to the MAGIC Trade Event in Vegas last week.  Four comfy nights, three long days, two sore feet and one memorable trip where I learned a lot, bought a lot and promoted my blog like it was my second job.  

The purpose of this trip for me was to start purchasing product for our online women's fashion website: hannahzier.com.  I went to Vegas with the mindset of finding clothing that fits a comfortable lifestyle with a splash of uniqueness.  I love a comfortable, cute, sexy and simple outfit that has a statement making piece, color or design.  Whether it be a burst of color, an intricate print, a dazzling hairpiece or a bold piece of jewelry (I could go on of course), I think there is always a way to make an outfit stand out in a subtle way--nothing too flashy (although I admit I had my moments back in the day...trucker hats, ripped shirts and, unfortunately, a pleather skirt with an asymmetrical angle at the bottom).

You've heard it before...if you look good you're feeling good, but to me it's more than just that.  To feel good, my outfit has to literally feel good.  If I'm looking good, you bet your bottom dollar that (tomorrowwww) I'm wearing something comfortable.  And by default, I'll be feeling good :).  

So, yeah.  That's how I took on the WWD MAGIC Trade Event in Vegas.  I was on the hunt for clothing for the comfortably sexy girl in all of us.  Honestly, I'm not the biggest fashionista, but I like to think I have a style of my own--comfort (getting repetitive I know, but that's my point).  I can never find a site that caters to just this...so that's what Hannah Zier is set out to do.  Oh, and I love to mix and match.  I get one pair of shorts here, a top there, and can interchange them with several other pieces in my closet.  I like to have items that are multi-functional (I have a pair of black shorts I wear with everything...love them).  That's another thing I hope Hannah Zier will give you.  Pieces you can use more than once, with different things and year after year.  Certain garments and looks can go out of style, but if you combine a piece with something new, it's a new fashion statement in itself.  Ehk!  Okay, I'm done I swear...maybe not, but I will think of things as I go I'm sure. 

I rambled a lot up there but in sum, I want to give you:

1) comfortable, sexy and simple looks

2) statement making pieces

3) multi-functionality

Here's a snapshot of Day 1 for you:

The view outside our hotel room at The Luxor.

On our way to WWD MAGIC!  Wearing one of my favorite pashminas (courtesy of Kelsey and Patrick Robertson's Wedding in Sea Island, GA...wish I had a blog then because I would be all over that weekend)

Bamboo Noah's, not your typical fast food restaurant

Let’s play the word association game.  When you say fast food restaurant, what comes to mind?  For me, its burgers, fries, drippy grease, mayo, sesame seed buns, dark meat chicken nuggets and the potential for food contamination. 

But like I say in the title, Bamboo Noah's is not your typical fast food restaurant.  It takes the term fast food literally—they make their food fast.  And unlike other fast food restaurants, their food is fresh, clean and incredibly healthy.  Their menu is made up of a wide variety of options including salads, soups, wraps, grill and wok dishes, a few desserts and an array of healthy sides.  Plus, several items on their menu are vegan-friendly!

Some things I know and have heard are delicious include:

• Grilled angus skirt steak (my dad’s go to)
• Grilled balsamic chicken breast
• Sweet & sour mango chicken
• Hummus w/ pita
• Sweet potato fries (love when you find a restaurant that actually makes these!)
• Steamed veggies
• Edamame (hard to go wrong there I guess)
• Raw veggie wrap
• Grilled chicken Caesar wrap
• Chicken chili soup
• Crepes
• Cookies
• Brownies

In addition to delicious food, their service is great!  Last time I was in, I ordered a crepe to go.  A few minutes later they informed me they did not have any crepes that day.  So what did they do?  They gave me two brownies and a cookie instead—three for one!

They are located on Pine Island Rd, 1 block north of I-595.  So if you’re ever heading down I-595 and want to get a quick eat from a restaurant right off the highway, I suggest trying Bamboo Noah's.  You’re body will thank you!

All I had was my cellphone at the time, so here are some rando pics from Bamboo Noahs when I went there for lunch a while back.

Love,

Hannah

Tell me Morpheus, the glazed doughnut or the bagel with schmear?

We all know Morpheus' epic blue pill vs red pill line in The Matrix.  "You take the blue pill, the story ends. You wake up in your bed and you believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill, you stay in wonderland. And, I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes."  Good luck choosing, Keanu.  Really? Trust someone you don't know to take a magic colored pill?  Red vs Blue?  Not much of a difference to the naked eye except color.  Keanu's decision between the Red and Blue pill is just as hard as figuring out which is the "healthier" option when it comes to two foods that both seem equally bad for you.  Or one of those trick questions where you have two foods in front of you, you have to pick the one you think is healthier, but lo-and-behold you're wrong.  In this month's issue, Shape takes on the role of Morpheus, telling us which food item is the better choice.  I'm trusting Shape knows what's up.

Here are 10 food comparisons from their "What's Healthier" article (read their article for details...but if you're not interested in the details and just want a straight up answer, read on):

1. Glazed Doughnut or Bagel with Cream Cheese?  It's the glazed doughnut believe it or not!
2. French Toast or Pancakes? See you flat and round, hello fluffy and square.
3. Potato Skins (with bacon) or Chicken Fingers? Pass the fingers, I don't want any skin.
4. Nuts or Dried Fruit? Nuts! (shout out to my nut bowl).
5. Smoothie or Cereal with Fruit?  Cereal it is!  But you can go for a smoothie if you make it with yogurt, fruit or nonfat milk.
6. Bloody Mary or Mimosa?  Gosh, both so good, but Bloody Mary comes out on top. Zing Zang it.
7. Turkey Sandwich or Tuna? Turkey!  Tuna can have too much mayo, ew.
8. Chicken Caesar Salad or Grilled Chicken Sandwich? The sandwich...Caesar dressing has all the fat and cals, plus croutons and cheese...stay away!
9. Chicken Thighs or Pork Chop? This one surprised me.  It's the pork.
10. Soft Pretzel or Hotdog?  Yay!  It's the Soft Pretzel...just dust off some of that extra marble sized salt and it's even better for you.

Interesting, right?  My belly thanks you, Shape.

Love,
Keanu

Fiesta Friday ~ Bandre Punch

This was our attempt to be creative last weekend...instead of classing it up with Mimosas or Bellinis we took a different route. That's how we came up with--Bandre Punch.  It's like a poor man's Bellini I guess you can call it.  And if you are on the cheap for the weekend (and not in the mood to purchase Chambord) this is a great little gem to cheers to.  We came up with the name Bandre Punch because it's made with Andre and Berry Punch (delicious by itself might I add), so put the name kind of fell into place.

What's it like? It's not as acidic as a Mimosa or as glamorous as a Bellini.  But it is lightly sweet and pink and pretty to look at.

To take part in all the fun, follow these easy steps:

Fill champagne glass with Andre and add Minute Maid Berry Punch like you would add orange juice for a Mimosa.

Pretty in Pink...

Cheers,

Hannah

Seasons 52, everthing under 475 calories? Yes, please.

If you were to ask any of your girlfriends whether they’d like to go to a restaurant where everything on the menu is under 475 calories, there would be no discussion.  How could you say no?  But ask a group of guys?  Mehhh, that’s a different story.  A dish under 475 calories can sound bland, cardboard-y and sound like it is made up of only green colored foods, but at Seasons 52 that is not the case. 

A couple weeks ago, Ben and I were planning on going to P.F. Changs for dinner one night, when I suggested we go to Seasons 52 instead (since I had a gift card for the restaurant and a cheaper meal at a pricier restaurant is always a thumbs up to me!).  I actually didn’t have a difficult time convincing Ben to go to a restaurant with lower calories dishes, but either way I’m sure he would have rather gone to P.F. Changs.  Well, he may have wanted to go to P.F. Changs before dinner, but after? He was definitely happy with our choice!   We both agreed that it was some of the best and freshest food we’ve had in a while while eating out.  Oh, and another good thing about the food is how we felt after eating.  Instead of leaving Seasons 52 feeling disgustingly full, we felt pleasantly satisfied.  I hope that makes sense…think of the full feeling you get after fried rice and orange chicken (the kind that leaves grease stains on the bottom of a chinese take-out box) and compare that to a fresh made chicken salad…the later feels much better.  But, we didn't have boring salads, we had gourmet dishes!  nom nom nom...

We were so wrapped up in eating our food that I forgot to take pictures, but lucky for me, they happen to have photos of the dishes Ben and I ordered up on their site.  Thanks, Seasons 52.

Here’s what we ate:

Caramelized sea scallops grilled and served with sun-dried tomato pearl pasta and roasted asparagus- to die for!  The scallops were grilled to perfection—not the slightest bit dry and incredibly tender in the inside.  The asparagus was crunchy too!  I’m not a fan of overcooked veggies, it’s always a big disappointment when that happens.  And that pearl pasta was like a glorified cous cous.  This picture by the way is pretty much exactly what the plate looked like.  The only thing we didn’t have were dried pearl pasta pieces scattered on our table or the raw asparagus.  The wine was there, obviously.





Spicy Chipotle Shrimp Flatbread with grilled pineapple, feta cheese and roasted poblano peppers.  A-freaking-mazing.  Spicy enough, light enough and super crispy.

While we didn’t order their dessert, I have tried them in the past with my family.  They call them mini indulgences or dessert in a shot glass pretty much.   Such cute little gems and that satisfy the sweet tooth just enough!

Love,

Hannah

Betseyville Wristlet Bag ~ Pale Pink and Glamorously Gold

I love spending time at Marshalls, TJ Maxx and Home Goods just browsing the isles for great deals.  Although sometimes it takes a little bit of work, you can find some great little gems there!  Take this Betseville Wristlet bag I recently bought.  Originally around $60, but I got it for just $20 at Marshalls!  I love the shiney, pale pink fabric and gold trimming.  Plus it can hold a lot more than it looks.



Maxinista,

Hannah

Question: What do milk and cookies, brownies and heath toffee have in common?

Answer: They fit in my bowl :).

Almost every day, we have ice cream or froyo after dinner.  And every day we wish we had brownies to go in our ice cream.  So, we decided to take action and make brownies.  Not your typical fudgy brownies...heath toffee chunk covered fudgy brownies!  Nom nom nom...delish.

Here was the situation (without the abs...funny how the term "situation" now puts an image of a jersey shore character in your head--at least mine):

We bought boxed brownie mix and followed the directions.  Since we were using a nonstick pan, we set the timer to just 20 minutes (it says 3 minutes less for nonstick pans, which is clutch because they come out nice and gooey).

5 minutes before the timer went off (15 minutes in the oven), we took out our brownies and showered them with heath toffee chunks. 

Then we popped our brownies back into the oven for the remainding 5 minutes.  What came next was a work of tastebud art...

But what are heath toffee chunk covered brownies without a little ice cream?  We warmed up a heath toffee brownie and put it on a few nice scoops of Ben and Jerry's Milk and Cookies Ice Cream. 

Now that's what I call a satisfying dessert.  Next time your in a dessert rut, bake up this little gem and you'll have a great recipe for the books!

Sweet, sweet lovin,
Hannah

No Apple? No Fresh Blog Juice.

I know I said I would try to write after each day we were at the Magic show, but there's been a slight change.  If you couldn't catch on my from my absurdly cheesy blog post title, I'm mac-less.  So no Apple, no fresh blog juice from the day.  But why would it matter whether or not I have my mac you ask?  Well, I took a bunch of pictures and I would like to write with them...and we only have an HP computer...which doesn't have photoshop or iPhoto...which means I can't crop, edit, resize, etc the pictures the way I'd like to.  But have no feer fellow readers, I will be posting content.  Although it won't be updates on my daily events, it will be posts that I have already written up and saved in my Blogger files.  Thank goodness for drafts!

Oh, and if anything, it will give you something to look forward to.  It will kind of be like a compilation of what I learned, did and saw while here :). 

Love,
Hannah

Happy Valentine's Day ~ Love Little Gems :)

I purchased these little gems at target a while back.  I thought they were so cute!  The container read "8 valentine's day cards for kids", but why only kids?  Adults need valentines too, so Happy Valentine's Day from LLG <3

Love,
Hannah

Lights. Camera. FASHION!

Hopping on a plane this afternoon/night and heading to Vegas, baby!  Every February Vegas hosts the largest fashion trade event known as MAGIC.  Buyers and sellers from all around the world gather in Vegas to, well, buy and sell!  This year a few of us girls from the office are going and cannot wait to see what’s out there.  This really is an opportunity of a lifetime, and we plan to take advantage of it as much as we can.

Find out more about the trade event here: MAGIC

I’m hoping to keep blogging throughout the week, giving you updates on each day at the trade show.  If not, I apologize!  I will make up for it when I return.  Check back for updates though…I’m hoping my new iPad will help me out J.

And cut,

Hannah

Whitney Eve ~ From The Hills to The City to My Closet

Whitney Eve was first introduced as the sweet girl working next to Lauren Conrad on the Hills.  She then left the Hills and went cross country to NYC in her MTV show The City.  From hit TV shows to hit clothing lines, Whitney Even is now wowing the world with her self-titled line "Whitney Eve."  Just this past week, she made her next big move.  From big city lights to sunshine, her pink halter dress with black lace trim and a black bow has made its way to Lauderdale by the Sea :).

You all know I love bows (which Whitney Eve uses a lot...major love right there) and sales and now you know I'm a big fan of all things flowy (especially skirts and dresses).  This past week I did a little retaily therapy and came across her pink halter dress on Piperlime.com.  It's flowy, has bows and was on sale.  Had to get this little gem obviously.  Originally $205, the dress was marked down to $113.  I actually loved the dress before I saw the pricetag, but once I saw the red line, I loved the dress even more.  So I instantly pulled out my Amex and made the purchase.  Things only got better (for me).  On Thursday, I got an email updating me on the status of my order.  Did a little clicky-click and checked where my shipment was.  I was thrilled to find out it was on a FedEx truck headed to Fort Lauderdale!

Then something caught my eye.  The price of the dress was no longer $113.  It was $83!?!?  I put two and two together and realized, WOW the dress went on sale even more about two days after I ordered it.  (This is like the iPad situation...it would happen to me).  I decided to take initiative because I wanted the $83 dress instead of the $113 of course.  So I picked up the phone, dialed Piperlime and vuala, they gave me a refund!  I was literally THRILLED...a dress originally $205 that I bought for just $83? 

Here's are the dress images from the web:

Do you see why this dress is so me!?

As soon as I got home, I went to the front desk to get my dress.  That night, I tried it on and had the toughest time taking it back off.  Not because it was too tight.  Not because my head's too big (it is).  But because I was in loooove with it.  The only downfall is that it's pretty see-through, but nothing some black tights or a slip won't fix!  Ben took a pic of me in it, and I feel super awkward making serious faces so thumbs up guys.

"Bows" and Arrows,

Hannah

Charming Charlie Part 3

This is one of the first headbands I bought at Charming Charlie, and I've worn it on at least 5 different occasions.  It's also one of the ones I was able to find a month later to get Jayne!  The best thing about this headband aside from its flower shape and sequins is the fact that it's black.  Black matches with everything, so it looks great with plenty of outfits!

And I'm thinking a close-up is needed...thanks, Ben

Love,
Hannah

Fiesta Friday ~ Champagne and Chambord

I've actually only had this Champagne and Chambord Cocktail once, but I have been meaning to get it again!  The first and only time I had it was when we went to Boston for the 4th of July for a mini Boston 2010 reunion.  Jayne and I bought a bottle of Chambord raspberry liquor and found a cocktail recipe that only called for champagne and Chambord.  Easy enough for us!  Good thing Amy and Jayne are coming back down here early in March.  Not only am I excited about suggesting this sweet cocktail, but it's also the first time the three of us have hung out together since GRADUATION over a year and a half ago!  :)

Here's a picture of Jayne and I on the 4th of July last year, sipping on our Champagne and Chambord concoction.  Note the really awesome fireworks straws (Target of course).

Here's how to enjoy this little gem:
1. Get a bottle of Chambord raspberry liquor (great with plenty of other drinks too)
2. Get a bottle of Champagne
3. Pour 1/2 ounce of Chambord into a champagne glass and top it off with your Champagne.

Cheers,
Hannah