Love is in the air! Ok, so I am a newlywed, but I still think people are bound to heat things up during the summer. And what better way to show you got lots of love in your heart than to wear it! I’m not asking you to “wear your heart on your sleeve”, as they say. I am referring to fabulous print Suchi is wearing today, how can you not LOVE it?

If its made it in to “Gossip Girl”, its made it in my book. After all, the show has been a hit with younger and older generations and has really brought Chic back to television. Tory Burch has been dressing the girls on the set for some time now- what a great advertisement for her amazing designs. We do a good job giving some exposure as well, since Celeste looks fabulous in a Tory’s cute tank.

During the 1820’s the empire waist dresses were mostly worn is white to show high social status, since poor people could only afford off white fabrics. Well, its not 1800’s (thank goodness for that, they also didn’t bathe too often back then), and today Lauren looks fab in this coral BCBG empire waist flock.

There is something about a belted waist and a V-shaped neck that screams Marilyn Monroe. Well, Gabriella is doing a great job looking like the all time icon in a beautiful DKNY dress with a pleated design..

Roberto Rodriguez was inspired by a book on Christian Dior that his mother gave him when he was a child. Fortunately for us, he decided to follow the steps of his idol and became one of the hottest couture designers today. Not in the mood for couture? (or plan to buy a house instead?) No worries, his ready to wear collection is just as hot. Ava is wearing a top that will make everyone’s jaws drop. Is it just me, or does Couture seem over rated? Sure it’s gorgeous as can be, but 10,000 bucks for a dress? Please let me know where I can source this silk made of gold…

How many times have you heard a man say that the first thing they notice on the opposite sex is hair? (We’re speaking of a non-perverted male). Even though I like feeling like a girl and be completely pampered at a salon for a day, my wallet cries during the process. Although a necessity, hair treatments are expensive but should be taken care of frequently. Untreated hair with countless split ends and dull colors is not healthy for your scalp and I’m sure it won’t make you shine in the inside either. To turn that smile upside down, I read a few articles about creating your own, homemade hair treatments with ingredients that are sitting in your kitchen! I’ve compiled a few that caught my attention:

Rosemary Leaves & Olive Oil (Styletips.com)

• 1/2 cup of dried rosemary leaves
• 1/2 cup olive oil

I tried this yesterday and it was AMAZING! Combine both ingredients and heat in a small saucepan until warm all the way. Stir occasionally. Remove from the heat and take the leaves out of the oil. Then coat your scalp and ends of your hair with the oil and wrap it with a towel (or saran wrap if no one is around to laugh at you). Leave it in for 13-15mins. Then wash your hair thoroughly — I had to wash it twice to get it all out. It’s fast, it’s cheap and your hair stays smooth and healthy! (Image: styletips101.com)

Hot Oil Treatment (natural-skin-care-info.com)

• 1/2 cup sweet almond oil
• 1/4 cup apricot kernel oil
• 1/4 cup olive oil

Wash your hair and towel dry. Warm a small amount of the oil mixture in the microwave. Apply the oil to your hair. Take your time and comb it through the hair making sure that it is well coated. Cover the hair with a shower cap. Leave it in for 20 to 25 minutes. Then wash it out with a gentle shampoo. Not only does your hair look healthier, but it will also clean your scalp.

All hair to vinegar!

According to hairstyle.com, vinegar removes build-up and residue from the hair shaft and closes the cuticles. Vinegar restore natural pH and prevents an itchy scalp. Although plain white vinegar works fine, apple cider vinegar seems to be the preferred vinegar. As your hair is drying you will smell vinegar but once your hair dries there will be no smell.

Brighten up your hair day

Hairstyle.com also tells us that lemon juice makes your naturally brighter in the sun. Squeeze lemon juice and mix it with a third amount of water. Then pour it into a plastic spray bottle and treat your hair with it before going outside on a sunny day. This is a good solution to an all-natural highlights.

Other great oils: (from pioneerthinking.com)

Coconut oil - is one of the oils which helps in the lubrication of the hair. The ingredients in coconut oil, such as magnesium, potassium, and calcium happens to provide to the best for your hair. It is a great solution to fix your damaged hair due to its ability to strengthen it.

Jojoba oil -  can be used for dry hair as it helps to moisturize your hair properly. It helps to soften your hair and can be used to detangle it before shampooing.

Hair is just as important as fashion, if not more. Don’t neglect your hair, try these simple recipes to make your hair shine! After all, homemade recipes are always the best

Love always,
Mia

I was so excited about coming to Vegas. I couldn’t wait to gamble and see some shows. But the real treat was the amazing food we had. The first restaurant was called Okada at the Wynn hotel. Even the tap water was good, and it had amazing atmosphere! As you enjoy this amazing food, you have a waterfall right in the middle of the restaurant, so you feel really cool and relaxed. The service was amazing as well. Next was lunch at the Bellagio. You have got to try the Chinese chicken salad with homemade wontons. Delicious! The last and definitely the best was IL Mulino at Caesars Palace Forum Shops. First of all the restaurant is in the best mall I have ever been to. As soon as you walk in there is a Marc Jacobs store. You could really do some damage here. We make it up to the third floor where the restaurant is located. We have a reservation, and we are seated immediately. As soon as we sit down, we are served fresh parmasen cheese just like in Italy. Then they give us marinated zucchini and salami the taste like beef for our bread. And to top it off we are served pruschetto compliments of the chef. We got all this before we even ordered. Amazing! Our main course was grilled seasoned Langostinos and mushroom ravioli with champagne and black truffle. I have never had anything that delicious in my life! The top I am wearing today is my favorite designer, Diane Von Furstenberg. I believe every womans closet should be full of her clothes.

Since the job market has been so crazy this year and I work freelance, I thought that maybe getting a steady job would do me some good.  So in efforts to find something good, I am interviewing today with a marketing company.  As I did research on them, I saw that they had some notable accounts and events they handled, but still seemed to be a quirky artistic company that dealt with more independent projects.  I had heard about this job through a friend of mine that dropped my name to her friend who worked there, so I had no idea what they were looking for.

When I got the call to come in for an interview and immediately jumped at the opportunity because it seemed like something that could pay the bills and still be interesting.  I wore this shirt that has little kisses on it by Diane von Furstenberg that was an automatic buy when I saw it.  I love this shirt because although it has the fun kisses on it, it still holds the classic DVF femininity and it could not be more perfect for this place.  Paired with a pair of striped Kenneth Cole pants that are so great because they aren’t like regular work pant material that marks all your “stuff” (you know what I mean…underwear, jiggles, and, dare I say it, cellulite. Ugh) these pants are a thicker material that kind of holds everything in place, so that when you are work, you can think about work.  With my hair and makeup lightly done and resume in hand, I was off.  Fingers crossed hopefully this is a good one!

“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.”  Thomas Edison

cheers…

Bon Chic Bon Genre!!! That would be Good Style, Good Class in French- the representation of the acronym BCBG. Of course, sometimes we are a bit nervous to follow a trend (Foam shoes that look like they belong to a farmer? Now, now, don’t pretend like you don’t own a pair of Crocs..), but some things are just what we need to be able to express ourselves. You think stripes and polka dots don’t mix? Think again, and check out this unique and fresh combo from BCBG that Suchi is wearing. Bon Chic, indeed! A good brand doesn’t always mean clean cut lines– BCBG also likes to keep it natural with raw edges (like the dress on Gabriella) to bring out the wild woman in all of us. Don’t forget the brand’s love for color blocks, like the ones on Ava’s dress.

Drew Barrymore loves the cute and sophisticated designs of Tibi. And why wouldn’t she? This husband and wife run brand has the feminine touch every girl needs. Today, Lauren looks as adorable as can be in a Tibi baby doll dress.

I am really hoping I’m not the only one who’s considered the “mom” jeans ( Who can blame Jessica Simpson for trying?). They seem to really keep everything…you know-together. You don’t have to worry about bending over to pick something up and make people crave a muffin. They just nicely pull your belly tight and even out your sides. Ok, so maybe we are not so hot about the idea of looking like our mom’s at a hippie concert, but we don’t have to look like a groupie of The Beatles (I so would have been one, my “Beatles” bumper sticker says it all) to feel comfortable. Check out NYDJ jeans that Celeste is sporting today. They do the job AND make you look fabulous.

Out of eagerness to sell his shoes, (but little money) Kenneth Cole created a “production” company, since the only people who got permission to park a truck in mid Manhattan were those filming a full motion picture. He just wanted to sell shoes but had no money to rent a showroom. So, there he was, across from the Hilton, in his friend’s trailer which he fully furnished, filming “The birth of a shoe company”. Sure, there might not always have been film in the camera but he did sell 40,000 pairs of shoes in two days. Thanks to Mr. Cole’s innovative desire we now have fabulous designs like the super cute striped trousers Suchi is wearing.

Donna Karan also knew what it took to have a successful business when she opened her first store in 1997. Within the last ten years she opened up 70 stores all around the globe. I’d call that success! She believed that every design she creates begins and ends with the body. Well, judging from Gabriella, the skirt she is wearing definitely represents Ms. Karan’s vision. (And her curves look amazing!).

Diane Von Furstenberg- one of the main leading ladies in the fashion world today, created the wrap dress and now has brought back the cute prints and florals we all love so much. Prints like the one Celeste is wearing today, have made their way into closets of Lindsay Lohan (sorry, I know there is not too much credibility there..) and Heidi Klum among many others who adore the designer’s creative inspirations.

Known for his minimalism and simplicity, Helmut Lang created a brand that is unbelievably desirable. Although, Mr. Lang himself is no longer part of the label, the company continues to pleasantly surprise us with amazing collections. Today, Lauren looks fabulous in Helmut Lang’s grey pants, that are already making me crave them.

Flowy designs, sheer fabrics and a free spirit- everything Rebecca Taylor’s collection possesses. Honestly, she rarely disappoints me, there is not one creation of hers I wouldn’t love to own. Sarah Jessica Parker loved her designs so much, she called Rebecca herself, which the designer though was joke. (I don’t think Ms. Parker is much of a prank caller!). Ava does a fabulous job showing off a hot piece of Rebecca Taylor’s collection-a black silk top with beautiful rosettes..

I’m sitting in my third airport of the day: Chicago O’ Hare. Let me just catch you up so you understand my level of exhaustion.

My red dress was too perfect for leaving a lasting impression. Upon arrival to our final dinner, we indulged in a buffet of Italian cuisine common in the region. It was delicious to say the least. A waiter working behind the buffet took a real liking to me. Don’t get excited. He was 50-something, overweight, and balding…but kind nonetheless! He kept calling me over to the drink counter and making me free drinks. It started with a bottle of Prosecco that he generously offered to me and no one else which was strange…and then he started making me cocktails. Such service and I don’t even know why. There were so many gorgeous girls around. Why me? Does he think I’m a fish? I couldn’t possibly have drunk everything he handed off to me. I’d be dead!

I casually handed them off to my friends and classmates. We all benefited from his generosity!
All the students were in their finest: Salvatore Ferragamo loafers, Versace dresses, DKNY mini-dresses, Armani dress shirts, and the like. We looked quite classy for a “group of Americans” who are generally not known for the fashion sense…but we disproved that theory. Hell, we looked better than most of the Italians.

After dancing and enjoying our classmates company one last time, we were offered the option of remaining inside the club instead of having to exit and wait in line. Thank goodness! Last time I had to wait in line it was a nightmare! Hundreds, if not a thousand, of people waiting like cattle. Glad I didn’t have to experience that again!

My friends and I danced all night. We walked around and checked out all the Italian men one last time. I don’t know why tonight felt so special, but it did. We felt like movie stars. People were following us around the club, inviting us on yachts, offering to buy us drinks, asking for our phone numbers, and all sorts of crazy stuff. At one point I found my friend and I surrounded by 10 eager Italian men. They would speak broken English to me and I’d reply in nearly perfect Italian. They, including my friends, were impressed to say the least!

I like my guys aggressive. It was before the club closer that a tall and handsome Italian emerged though the ten eager Italians. He grabbed my hand and led me away from them saying in perfect Italian-accented English, “Oh, those Italian men are all the same aren’t they?”

He led me to the side where we looked back to see the ten Italian men looking disappointed. He reached out his hand, “Luca.” I LOVE that name. I met a Luca in Firenze, but he was a jerk!

We talked for the better part of the night. When the club closed, he walked me slowly back to my hostel. It was then that his friends passed and he smiled joyously, “Yes, it is love! We are in love.” I laughed sheepishly and then he looked at me again. He kissed me. Ha! I got my final Italian kiss just as my friends joked! He said, “It is with great sadness that I must see you go.” Little does he know, this isn’t goodbye. It’s never goodbye. Italy is my second home.

A smile still glued to my face, I entered my dorm room to see eager roommates wanting to know everything. I smiled, “What time is it?”

“We have 15 minutes to be changed and downstairs ready for the bus.”

I didn’t even have time to wash my face. I threw my clothes on (jean shorts, white tank, vintage scarf, and gunmetal gray high fashion windbreaker), checked for anything unpacked, and threw my suitcase down those 106 stairs, I was on the bus at 3:30am sharp. This is how my morning went: 2 hour bus ride, Genoa airport, flight from Genoa to Roma, 2 hour lay over, flight from Roma to Chicago, a lot of turbulence, and a screaming 17 month old baby. Now, as if I’m not feeling enough like an exhausted rock star…5-hour flight back to Los Angeles!

CALIFORNIA, HERE WE COME!

I am on my second day in Vegas, and I am having a great time. Always wanted to see the Phantom and finally last night I went to see Phantom of the Opera. I wore my A.B.S. dress I got from 365Hangers with my brown satin heels, the same way I wore it when 365 shot me in it 2 months ago. The only thing different was my hair. I just got it done, so the texture was a little off to wear it big, so I tied a black lace scarf instead. It looked awesome!

Today I am going to Cirque Du Soleil, and I am going to wear a multi print mini dress from Diane Von Furstenberg, with some black patten leather heels. And my hair the same. I was going to wear my Vera Wang heels, but I need a more comfortable heel tonight so no VW .

So I won $125 in 5 minutes on slots and later got ripped off by the taxi here last night. This is Vegas!

Some may not care about fashion, make up, or what colors are currently in the trend, but everyone has hair! Whether it’s short or long, brown or blonde, a 5-min styling in the morning can make you feel more beautiful and confident, hence, uplift your day. You’re supposed to get a trim every 6-8 weeks, which means I’m way overdue!

Getting a haircut is kind of like an adventure — you don’t really know what you expect at the end of the session. You may have the best vision in mind, but once its cut you either end up with an “oh no” or a “oh la la”. I’ve had countless of cuts where I wanted to press the undo button, and since then I’ve learned to always bring a visual with me when I am describing the cut that I want.

Here are some styles that I found during my research for the perfect cut:

Medium-dos:

These are some hot dos in my opinion. All three create a fun, modern looks that would go great for any occassion. I’m not a blonde or a light haired brunette, but I can imagine these cuts looking great for Asian hair as well. What I like most about these cuts are the layers that create a wild look, and bangs that often your face. I need a cut that I can still do updos with, so medium length and these styles are perfect for that.

Long dos:

I’ve always been a fan of long hair, and if I were to keep it long as it is now and just get a trim, I’m thinking of going for either the left or the right style. The bangs cut in the middle is an awesome style, but I’m not too sure if it would fit my facial features. Highlights are always a do-do, it adds a lot of shine into your hair and also makes it look healthy (if done right). I would recommend a fun, flirty hair style in the summer and a shorter cut for the winter, they tend to look awesome with a cozy turtle neck sweater. Oh, and another reason why I want to get it cut shorter? So that I don’t shed all over my boyfriend’s floor

Let me know what you think and share your ideas with me!

Love always,
Mia

Friday, the last day of the regular work week and today, luckily is going to be an easy day ahead of me.  All I had to do was make sure to wrap up the whole party that we hosted yesterday, make sure everyone was paid, and that the mansion was restored to the owner’s standards.  All the loose ends I needed to tie up before I could finish this job seemed as if it was not going to take the entire day to do.

With that in mind, I woke up around 9am to see if I could finish everything early and start my weekend as soon as possible.  At the mansion I had all types of crews working on wrapping out the house, a cleaning, crew, movers, lighting, I am talking everyone.  The owner of the house watched over as all these people work diligently to return his house back to normal, which for anyone can be quite stressful.  He had attended the festivities of the night prior and was impressed at the transformation of his home but, was also concerned if his house would ever be the same.

Of course, this is where I come in, as the bumper and the person to blame if something goes wrong.  I assured him that everyone had his house in their best interest and that every person on these crews is a professional.  The house was back to normal by lunch time and I decided to pick up some sushi on the way home.  As I sat down to eat my friend Sarai called me to see if I wanted to go out tonight to a bar or something, since it was Friday and we were both free.  Of course, I jumped at the idea and as soon as I finished my lunch I picked out what I could wear tonight.   I had this super hot studded shirt by Celcilia De Bucourt that I have not worn yet and tonight may be the night to rock it.  This top is the epitome of sexy with a completely exposed back and soft design.  I love the way the studs weigh down the shirt so that it stays in place on my body.  I figured that I would wear it with these wide leg American Rag jeans so that it can balance out the shirt.    So now what better thing to do with my extra time than to take a power nap to be ready for tonight!

“Men for the sake of getting a living forget to live.”

cheers…