Coming Soon

Exposed closets

Top: Song of style, Cath in the city / Bottom right: Kyle Richards

I've been thinking of giving my closet a little facelift. Lately, I've been toying with the idea of an exposed closet. For me, this would involve: removing my closet door, fresh paint, new shelves. I'm honestly not 100% sure how I feel about seeing all of my belongings out in the open all the time, but I think it's pretty cute. What do you think?

How I'm Getting Ready For 2013

I love the fresh start of a new year. There are still a couple days left of 2012 and I am blissfully preparing to end this chapter and begin a new one on a high note. Maybe you will find some inspiration in my list...

♥ Detoxifying my body with a cleanse (2012 toxins BEGONE!)
♥ De-clutter: Clean out my handbags, get rid of make-up that has seen better days, organize all of my paperwork
♥ Stock up on all of my vitamins/supplements to ensure a clean and healthy start
♥ Make a list of all the places I'd like to visit, things I want to accomplish, items I'd love to own. Create a vision in my mind of who I want to be.
♥ Last minute beauty: Eyebrows shaped, fresh cut/color, a manicure

And more: giving my e-mail account a deep clean (delete, delete, delete!), clean sheets, creating new meal plans for myself.

Out with the old, in with the new; I wish you a happy 2013.

Tom Ford

Rare and exotic ingredients, including soja seed extract, Brazilian murumuru butter and chamomilla flower oil, create an ultra-creamy texture with an incredibly smooth application.

I want Tom Ford lipstick in every color, please. :)

Holiday Gifts for the Beauty Babe

Clarisonic Skin Cleansing System - Drybar giftcard - Anastasia Beauty Express For Brows and Eyes
MAC Perfectly Plush Brush Set - Beautyblender sponges

This year, give the gift of a beauty essential any girl would love: a blowout that makes her feel rejuvenated, her skin perfectly clean and smooth, billion dollar brows, and the right make-up brushes to polish her look (obsessed with the beautyblender lately!)

SINY

more photos here

It breaks my heart in a million pieces to see the devastation Hurricane Sandy has left on my hometown.
Staten Island is where I was born and raised and I have lived in this same house my whole life. My mom was actually pregnant with me when they moved in. I've always been proud of where I come from, despite it being the Forgotten Borough.

I guess I never really thought something like this would happen where I live. It is very eery, very painful to see.
90% of the Island was without power. Treasures that took entire lives to build now garbage out on the street. Homes completely destroyed. Families left homeless. Hours-long gas lines. Many lives lost- more than the media is sharing. Constant sirens. A Mayor who wanted to keep the NYC marathon on schedule, despite the race starting in SI neighborhoods that suffered the worst.

This 3:54 video is well-said and a must-watch:

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

I am so inspired by the outpouring of kindness and generosity I've seen across the Island. For ways you can donate specifically to the people of Staten Island, please visit here and here.

This storm was a haunting reminder- we are all a part of something much bigger than ourselves. Mother Nature is no respecter of persons. What she does to one person, she will do to any one of us.

I am thankful my house and loved ones are all okay. Today, I am lucky.

Dry Skin Care

Overnight my usually combination skin has become full-blown DRY. It usually does this time of year.
It's very important for me to keep it looking radiant and flake-free.

Luckily for me I LOVE to moisturize. Right now, I have been using a slew of Philosophy products, and I love Benefit's Triple Performing Facial Emulsion.

Other little things I do to keep my skin nourished:
♥ Sleep with a humidifier in my bedroom
♥ Use a hydrating face mask infused with vitamins
♥ Drink 8-10 glasses of water a day

The A List: Fall

one - two - three - four - five

I've been neglecting you, baby blog.
This time of year is my favorite and most nostalgic. My mind has been full of apple picking, pumpkins, mini-trips to sleepy towns, cool air, and every promise of Fall.

My Fall style always revolves around leather, tall booties, black cherry lips and nails, an array of blazers, and a touch of army green.

End of Summer

The last beach days of the season, lemon soda, fireworks in Coney Island, and a wedding in Central Park mark the end of this Summer.

And now? The quest for several new pairs of boots for Fall.

Incase you were wondering...

where I've been :)

It's been pretty quiet around here the past 2 weeks, though I was still going through my blogroll daily and reading along with your posts.

Last week I was in a lot of pain, sat in the ER for 9 hours to find out I have a 4cm ovarian cyst. Although the doctors told me it was normal, as a woman, this news still scared me. Two days later and double the intense pain, another ultrasound showed the cyst was leaking. "Still normal", but still left me feeling uneasy.

Right now I'm feeling okay, but I'm on a mission to shrink and heal this completely with natural and homeopathic treatment. I also wanted to remind you how important your health is. I think we all forget sometimes. It should be #1! Stress less. Never let any sort of pain go unnoticed. Eat cleaner. Have regular OB/GYN check-ups.

Wishing you a great Thrusday!