Archive for September, 2011

Longtime readers of TDO will know that I’m certainly no stranger to cleanses. I really enjoy drinking fresh juices (much to the dismay of my boyfriend every time I whip out a green juice for him to ‘try’) but I haven’t done one in a long time. Years ago when cleanses first became popular, I’d try them one after another in hopes of dropping weight. We all know that’s not what cleanses are meant for- but I’d be lying if I didn’t say that’s not what I was hoping for. During the past year, however, I’ve developed a much healthier relationship with food and fitness and can happily say that I no longer feel like I even want to lose weight. But I still jumped at the chance to try the Cooler Cleanse because with the right intentions, I find that a cleanse can actually be very beneficial. I feel lighter and more energetic after a cleanse and I enjoy drinking fresh rather than processed juices. And after the cleanse is over, I always feel very motivated to continue eating fresh, whole foods. (more…)

I’m so jealous of all of you that live in Manhattan because the new Sephora store in the Meatpacking District sounds beyond amazing.  All the great brands, the services offered, the location… I can’t wait until I visit at Christmas so I can see it in all its glory.  (And, uhm, drop some cash there…)  Another thing that’s fabulous about the new store is that it’s the only place you can pick up MAKEUP FOR EVER‘s new limited edition HIGHLINE Eye Shadow Palette ($45).

The palette is a celebration of NYC’s iconic West Side neighborhoods and it has four different shadows in it (one Diamond Shadow and three of their Eye Shadows).  I got my hands on a sample of the palette and I really like the color choices they made.  It’s a very unique palette, with bronze, beige, copper and purple shadows.  I especially like the copper shade because I don’t have any dupes of it already in my collection, which rarely happens.  It comes in the coolest packaging too, with an almost grainy image of the Highline on it.  Very hip and downtown.  Now I’m crossing my fingers for a special L.A. palette to come out soon.  Your move, MAKE UP FOR EVER…

Donatella Arpaia, that is. You may have visited one of her many numerous restaurants, seen her sitting next to Jeffrey Steingarten as one of the judges on Iron Chef America or recognize her as the winner of Meatball Madness, beating out chefs like Andrew Carmellini. She returns to the New York Food and Wine Festival September 29th to defend her title. We caught up with her before her meatball battle and next big project: the birth of her baby! Read on to see what pregnant chefs crave and her favorite munchies in New York City.

The Daily Obsession: Legend has it that you used to be a corporate lawyer before going into food. How did you decide to make the switch and why? Were you wrestled with indecision?

Donatella Arpaia: I grew up in the restaurant business and my father and brother are both restaurateurs so it’s in my DNA, but from early on I was encouraged to be a lawyer. I enjoyed the study of law but hated the practice of it. At the time I was living in a small studio above my brotherls restaurant, Cellini on 54th st. I was grabbing a bite at the bar when I saw my brother needed help because his hostess didn’t show up I got up and pitched in. That was it! I knew at that moment I needed to change directions. I struggled a bit because I studied so hard and a lot was invested in my education, but really, I had no doubt about the change of course I was about to embark on. I never looked back!

TDO: For many people, pursuing a career in food is a dream—what advice would you give to them for success?

DA: Food is a wonderful and exciting ride but many people have only a very limited idea of what the reality of this industry is like. It’s hard ! I recommend they work in area of food they are interested in to get a really good taste of the reality of this industry. You must be extremely committed and passionate to succeed. (more…)

With the Fall season rapidly approaching there is always excitement in the air just thinking about a whole new season’s worth of accessories. Yet while the shopping list is always growing, budgets are often shrinking…which leads us to a brand new obsession – ColourMe.com – a recently launched website dedicated entirely to easy-on-the-pocket accessories!

Colour Me. not only offers everything from wallets & handbags to jewelry, watches & scarves easily making it a one-stop shop for all of your accessory needs, but the e-tailer has completely set themselves apart by uniquely merchandising their entire assortment by color. Mixing & matching is easy as pie with the Matchmaker tool & constant promotions make the already accessible prices perfect for gift giving and stocking up for future seasons. Check out some of our favorites below! (more…)

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I’m a sucker for a well done smoky eye, so I’m constantly trying to find new shades or palettes that let me play around with creating them.  Dior’s new 3 Couleurs Smoky Ready-To-Wear Smoky Eyes Palettes are the perfect addition to my all smoky eye wardrobe.  The palettes come in six different color combinations and each have three shadows inside, which are labeled to allow you to know where to apply the shades.  In each palette, you have the base shade, and then a shade for a soft smoky eye and a shade for a couture smoky eye.  (As a side note, I love the idea that when I’m going out, my eye makeup could be called “couture smoky.”  How chic!)  I tried out Smoky Black, Smoky Brown, and Smoky Navy, and they’re all gorgeous.  The shades are highly pigmented and so smooth – they blend like a dream, which is important when you’re dealing with darker shades because otherwise a smoky eye can quickly turn tragic.  (Has anyone seen “Jerseylicious?”  That show totally proves my point.  And as someone who grew up in NJ, I feel the need to defend my home state.  No one looks like that or dresses like that there.  No one!)

The palettes also have a really cool feature on them.  To open, you push the top back and the shadows spring into view, along with a mirror that pops up and stays up the entire time the palette is open.  I’m embarrassed to say how long it took me to figure this out, but it’s one of my favorite features of the palettes because it’s just so cool.  All palettes should work this way!

The palettes are definitely a splurge at $48 apiece, but as I am often able to tell myself when shopping, every now and then, we all deserve something that’ll make us happy when we use it and these palettes definitely do that for me.  Smoky eyes for everyone!

Layering is a necessity as the weather transitions from warm to cool. We’ve been looking to the Dawn Baker Essentials collection for…well, essentials! Dawn Baker (a triple-threat – Emmy-nominated costume designer, stylist and boutique owner) created chic, must-have pieces that will work year-round. We’ve picked two of our favorites below!

While the weather still has some warmth, choose the Long Sleeve Raglan Sweater in Linen/Cotton. Skimming your body, the shape is open, slouchy and casually sexy. It’s light and airy enough to throw on over a swimsuit or tank top, yet cozy enough to keep warmth when there’s a bit of a chill to the air.  When the days turn even colder, we’d turn to the Cashmere version of the same style. Ultra soft and enveloping, it’s perfect to keep you warm. We’d totally throw it on with a favorite pair of jeans and a cute pair of booties for the weekend.

To view more styles and to shop, visit dawn-baker.com.

San Francisco-based jewelry designer, Erin Hakansson‘s style found its footing when she moved to London, shortly after graduating from college. While living there, she focused on classic, quality pieces of fashion that she could make her own with modern twists. Gaining inspiration from travels that include Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, Madrid, Stockholm, and her current favorite, Florence, Erin focuses on creating elegant pieces that accentuate and highlight the style a woman already has. Find out what she’s obsessing over currently! (more…)

Continuing their tradition of making me love every single thing they come up with, Benefit’s new addition to their popular fragrance collection, Ring My Bella, doesn’t just have a cute name, it has a delicious fruity floral scent that I adore.

I’ve said it a million times, but I always find it kind of bizarre how I rarely like straight floral scents, but any time a few fruity notes are mixed in as well, I inevitably fall in love.  It’s just a combo that works for me.  Ring My Bella is an interesting mix of notes – it has summer daisy layered with Egyptian jasmine, white patchouli, vanilla tincture and white musk (among other things) and the result is a seductively warm scent that’s complex enough for evening, but light enough for work too.  It’s so pretty and feminine and perfect for the transition into cooler weather.  (Which better happen soon because Los Angeles is still ridiculously hot and I’ve had enough.  I want to wear my new boots!)

It also has the cutest packaging ever, housed inside a slim box that looks like a lingerie store.  Even one of the guys I work with picked it up off my desk and said, “Wow, this is cool!”  How often does that happen?  Definitely a winner!