Happy Holidays

Hello!!!! Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Be thankful for everything you have and have a beautiful holiday season with your loved ones. Last year one my New Year's Resolution was to start this blog, and I'm so proud I actually did it. This Year's Resolution write write write...as much as i can...whenever i can. Stay Tuned lots of good things are coming i can feel it....

HAPPY HOLIDAYS :) :) :)

The Song is You

Music. Think about where you would be if there was no music. How would you celebrate, how would you deal with your emotions, how would you get crazy and party, how would you fall in love? Sometimes when I hear specific songs I get this feeling down in my core to my gut that the song had to have been written for me and for what I am dealing with at that exact moment. I find it so fascinating that a different genre of music a different artist can change your whole entire mood and attitude. Music can transform you and move you to different times of your life, i know that certain songs for me take me back to specific moments and they will always hold their special place. I have to believe that everyone has felt this before, that powerful feeling that you cant help but just relive when you hear that special song. My all time favorite of course being Frank Sinatra I love every single song, but some in specific touch me so emotionally that unless you feel it, I don’t think it can be described to you. There’s music for falling in love, music for breaking up, and music for partying and letting go forgetting about everything. To say that you are only a fan of one or two specific genres to me is just depriving yourself of everything that can be good in music and life. Open yourself up listen to everything the old classics, the songs that everyone knows, and the ones that maybe only you and a couple of your friends know. Music has saved me so many times I just wanted to say thank you, i am grateful to have you in my life.

Some Ultimate Holiday Wishes

7. birthstone ring





1. I love wearing men's/unisex fragrances.



2. nothing sexier than christian louboutins









3. long formal dress 










4. crystal hair bow



5. luxe iphone case



6. yes i still want this purse...how many months later!





8. Italian Getaway

1.)Bleu by Chanel $59.00 - $79.00 saks.com
2.)Christian Louboutin Larissa Plato Suede Sandals $1,495.00 saks.com
3.)DSQUARED2 Choecelin Long Dress $1,135.00 shopbop.com
4.)Deepa Gurnani Rhinestone Double Bow Headband $84.00 shopbop.com

5.)Sahara Deco Air Jacket by Rachel Pally $54.95 powersupportusa.com

6.) Alexander Wang Rocco Purse $875.00 barneys.com

7.) Ruby Ring no price listed harrywinston.com

8.) http://www.touritalynow.com/

too marvelous for words

There are certain chefs that you know if you eat in one of their restaurants you are going to have an extraordinary meal. This causes me to search for their restaurants and locations every time im traveling to a new city. There are a couple of chefs that I do this with one favorite being Thomas Keller, owner of French Laundry (Napa), Bouchon (Vegas), Per Se (nyc), to name a few, all recommended by Anthony Bourdain (and i trust his opinion). Then there are the typical food network chefs such as bobby flay, emeril, and mario batali, which i have tried and can recomend all. But there is one chef/restaurateur right now that I am very excited about and his name is Daniel Boulud. November 16  Miami is going to be hit with the be the opening of Mr. Boulud's newest restaurants DB Bistro Moderne. If its anything like the two of his other restaurants that I have had the pleasure of eating at DBGB in nyc and DB Brassiere at the Wynn in las vegas, im pretty sure its going to become my next new favorite restaurant in my home town. If you love good food look him up and the next time that you’re in a city that has one of his restaurants go check it out, there is really nothing to loose (except $100-$300) hey! no one ever said good food was cheap. As for me, im saving up my money and im counting the days until I can enjoy my first meal at DB Bistro Moderne. Be sure to stay tuned for detailed post of what I ate.

I Couldn't Care Less

Ever since the weather in Miami has cooled down a little I can’t help but be in a more positive mood. Maybe it’s the weather, or maybe it’s all the good things that have been going on in my life, whichever of the two I'm not complaining because I've been very happy about it. I know I have my friends, my support team known as YOLO and others, to thank for this. Lately, it’s been the little things. Such as a picnic in the park, my favorite song playing on the radio when I turn my car on, relaxing, and just being happy. I’ve realized that in order to just let go and be happy you really need to stop caring about alot of the bullshit that goes on in every day to day life. Just let go, who cares?!??! In the words of one of my YOLO team members, "I don't care" "let me live the life I want". If you accept these words and truly start to live by them everyday you will see how much more free you will feel. So I've been a little busy and that's why I haven't written lately. Living life and having a little bit too much fun, being also not sure what I should and should not share with the blog world. But, I have the feeling the posts might start becoming a little bit more personal from here on out.

It's Nice to go Trav'ling

My life has felt so scattered for the past couple of weeks and this is because it has been back to back traveling and living out of suitcases, and though I know I should NEVER complain about being so fortunate to be able to do these things it has been putting a damper on my moods and my life. My mood, my family life, my friends, my personal and work life, and my weight have been completely whacked out because I have not been able to be stationary. In a way it’s nice to know that I crave and enjoy stability. I yearn for the weeks that I knew exactly what was happening with my life and my schedule, working, and taking care of my body and getting enough rest. Lately those days have been far and few in between. That’s why since I got home on Monday from Orlando I have decided that I am going back to those days. I am getting off the roller coaster that has been my life lately and I am becoming a normal person again. Basically, I am grounding myself and I mean this as much as I possibly can. With my group of friends (who are all single at the same time for the first time in about four years) it’s very hard to do this, but I am fighting the peer pressure. I need to get back to myself, for my sanity at least. This means no more vacations, no more crazy weekends away, except for of course the relatively normal weekend outings, I don’t want to hear anything about fancy dinners, unlimited champagne, festivals, crazy parties....nope Nothing. I love my friends, but i love me more, so ill see you on the weekend.

The Best of Everything

Today we say goodbye to September, and I'm so excited it almost feels like Christmas Eve. This is because tomorrow is the beginning of my favorite month of the whole year. October is here!!!! There are so many reasons why I love October its hard for me to pick my number one ultimate reason but I’m going to try and express my love for this month, and before you know it maybe you too will love October. First there is the slight, and I mean very slight, change in the weather. Living in Miami I don’t really get to experience the change of seasons but today when I woke up the weather was just a little bit lighter and breezier. Its feels so yummy and hopefully it will only continue to keep cooling off. There’s the return of pumpkin in my life. I will be eating and drinking everything and anything that has pumpkin in it for the next couples of months because before I know it, pumpkin will be gone again and ill have to wait a whole year. There are pumpkin spice lattes, there’s pumpkin yogurt from the TCBY down the street from my house, fresh pumpkin raviolis from Italian restaurants, pumpkin soup. Can you tell my excitement? So far I have only had the lattes so I really need every other restaurant to catch up already. Third there's the food & wine festival in Epcot, Walt Disney World, it's around the whole month of October (this year extended until Nov. 14)  I have been going to this event for the past I don’t even know how many years (like 8 probably). Also, this year I’m giving myself an even bigger treat and I’m going to the Food Network New York City Food & Wine Festival Grand Tasting http://www.nycwineandfoodfestival.com/2010/event_detail.php?id=89. This makes me so happy because not only will I be doing two of my favorite things, eating and drinking wine, ill get to experience the change of the season in beautiful new york city.

Now my most favorite reason why I love October....HALLOWEEN!!!!! Yes, Halloween is my favorite holiday, more than Thanksgiving and Christmas, I just love everything about it. There are two different types of people in this world; those that love to dress up and those that hate to dress up, and I LOVE to dress up. No matter how old I am when Halloween comes around I feel like a little kid again. My favorite part of Halloween though is dressing up my nephew and my niece and taking them trick or treating at a local outside mall. There’s nothing like that. So, for the next month except to see a huge smile on my face because I have so many things to be happy about. I truly am fortunate and blessed. Happy October :)

Mad About TV

This past week was premiere week for TV, and if there's something i love its TV. Fall is my ultimate favorite season of the year for many reasons, one of those reason is the return of great TV. Who needs to go to the movies when there is so much good TV? I want to talk about some of my favorites that returned and a couple new ones that are being added to my must tivo list. Before i get into that i want to share with everyone my #1 favorite new show, My Generation! wow did this show hit home for me. I too graduated in the year 2000 and i can hardly believe its been 10 years. Many many things have changed such as where i thought i would to be to where I am, happy things, sad things, and many other things in the middle. The show made me so emotional i cried 3 to 4 times during it, and this really came as a surprise to me. I knew it would tug at some heart strings and some personal issues but i did not think it would lead to that reaction. Needless to say i had to pour myself a glass of wine when the show was over to kind of put myself at ease. My favorite line of the whole episode was close to the end when the narrator says "the last 10 years were just the beginning" it just filled me up with so much hope i absolutely loved it and i absolutely loved everything about the show, i am so looking forward to Thursday nights.

Some of my favorite shows this week were Boardwalk Empire; i love everything about that time in history. Gossip Girl this week was so good (this made me happy because i was a little disappointed with its premiere), but what show in Paris with fabulous fashion wouldn't be good. How i met your mother, glee, better with you, modern family, and big bang theory are my top recommendations for anyone to start tivoing and start watching right now. Show I'm most looking forward to next week DEXTER!!!! My boy is finally back and i can not wait for the crazy darkness the show is going to enter into this season.

Labor Day

So this past weekend i went to Disney with my mom and my four year old nephew and i learned one very important lesson. I don't think I'm ready for kids anytime in the new future. WOW Disney with a four year old is hard! Besides this, Disney with a four year old is truly magical. There is nothing like seeing Disney though a child's eyes, the excitement is big enough to make anyone feel like a kid again. We had a very nice weekend at Walt Disney World's Polynesian Resort, a hotel I've been wanting to stay in for years. It was definitely worth the wait. We did all things a little kid dreams of, the kiddie rides, the character breakfast, swimming in the pool for hours. It was the break i needed from Miami. Here are some pictures i wanted to share.

Cupcake Pictures

I wanted to share some pictures from the cupcakes I baked :)

Ebay

10 of my items auction today! Check it out:
http://shop.ebay.com/xolilvox/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=25

come rain or come shine

This weekend I have one goal and one goal only...that is to bake cupcakes with really good frosting. How important is the frosting/icing to the cupcake? Its probably the most important part of the whole cupcake. Recently thanks to the Food Network's Cupcake Wars i have been a little bit mesmerized by cupcakes and i cant seem to get one in Miami that i really like. Yes ive tried Michas (a little too much for me). I don't like cupcakes are too sweet or too complicated i like the simple classics. Recently on the show The Best Thing I Ever Ate, they had a classics themed episode. One of the Food Network stars chose cupcakes as their classic from a bakery called Butter Lane. It struck a cord with me because the chef lady used French Buttercream Icing. Hmmm just saying that "French Buttercream Icing" it sounds so delicious. So I've found a recipe for this French Buttercream Icing and im making it this weekend come rain or come shine. The cupcakes i will be making from a box mix, sorry people im not the best baker. Baby steps... Cooking i can do, but baking i never seem to get it right. Here's all the info.

Best Thing I Ever Ate Link:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/the-best-thing-i-ever-ate/the-classics/index.html

ButterLane Website:
http://www.butterlane.com/about.html

We think of it as cupcakes for grownups.
At Butter Lane we offer both French and American buttercream icing. What's the difference? French buttercream is made with egg whites, butter and granulated sugar, while American buttercream is made with confectioners sugar and butter. The French is more like a meringue while the American is like the familiar icing we all know.






French Butterceam Recipe:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/cda/recipe_print/0,1946,FOOD_9936_32891_RECIPE-PRINT-FULL-PAGE-FORMATTER,00.html

BlogLovin

Follow my blog with bloglovin

iPad Giveaway

So I made up my mind and I purchased the new generation Kindle. Sadly, so did everyone else in America and its back ordered until Sept. 4. In the meantime that doesn't mean I cant still think about the iPad. So, i found online that buzzsugar is doing a give away for one. All you have to do is guess who will be winning the  Emmy in their category and the entry with the most correct guesses wins the iPad. Now i probably lost because there are certain categories in which who i think should win never does. For example, best supporting actress Rose Bryne as Ellen Parson on Damages, in my opinion has been robbed the last three years. Damages would not be the same without Rose, someone give that girl an Emmy PLEASE. Register online and give it a shot, maybe you will be winning an iPad.

http://www.buzzsugar.com/iPad-Giveaway-2010-Primetime-Emmy-Awards-Ballot-10034744

The Happy Madness

Lusting. Obsessing. Wishing. Online Shopping. I love you but I hate you. Right now I currently have four active wish lists on four different sites. Its torture it really is. Nordstrom, Love21, Shopbop, and Victoria Secret. Shopbop is beyond perfection, I mean it has to be every girl's dream, or least mine. Their style, their selection of designers, their beautiful SKINNY models that EVERYTHING look good on. Their shoes, wow their shoes, someone please explain to me why no store in Miami carries the selection of shoes that shopbop carries, and trust me i have been to every, EVERY, store and nothing compares to the selection on shopbop. Exercising daily self control to not rack up my credit card bill is something I don't even want to talk about. IF only I had this dress, IF only I had these shoes. Don't judge me ( I am fully aware that I might have a little bit of a problem)! Not to mention that the daily reminders don't help, the daily emails from VS that they currently have free shipping, and $15 off an order. Come on STOP the insanity (jk i love it). Then there's the look books from shopbop, which are so perfect. Recently they had an outdoors one, I am not an outdoors person at all, but this look book makes me want to buy every plaid shirt, every oversized thick sweater, every outdoors looking boot/bootie, and every cargo pant and hit the outdoors hard. These are some of my current obsessions, in case you are interested:

Long Sleeve Dresses:

Platform Booties / Boots:

http://www.victoriassecret.com/ss/Satellite?ProductID=1265273309964&c=Page&cid=1265277356320&collAssetType=LBIProductSet&pagename=vsdWrapper

Neutral colored messenger bags:

Cargo Pants:

Dresses can be found on shopbop.com

First Link of Shoes on Victoriasecret.com

Next two shoes on shopbop.com

Messenger Bag on Nordstrom.com

Cargo Pants on bloomingdales.com

Happy Shoppings to all, for now I am only window shopping aka making wish list ;)

Kindle or iPad?

After many weeks of debating between the Kindle and the iPad, I have gone ahead and purchased the new generation Kindle (3rd one). At first my mind was set on the iPad, but after spending a whole week searching for one at every apple store/best buy in Miami I got a little frustrated. This product was released in what? March or April? Still the apple stores can’t keep them in stock. Because of this fact, I had some time to do plenty of online research on the kindle and the iPad. While on one of my favorite websites, www.geeksugar.com, I saw that Amazon was going to be releasing a new kindle. Now, I understand that they are completely different, and the kindle is as other blogs call it “a one trick pony”, but i mostly wanted the device for the “one trick” that the kindle does extremely well. I recently just completed the girl with the dragon tattoo and the whole time while reading I kept thinking how much better it would be if I was reading on an ereader. I wouldn’t have to deal with the annoying flap of the book, for starters. On a side note: if you haven’t read the trilogy start now!!!! You will thank me later when the first one makes it US premiere in December 2011. Back to the kindle vs. ipad debate. For me with all the research that I did, which was a lot of research and with some convincing arguments from my boyfriend and an online buddy of mine, I decided that the kindle at the present time fits my needs the best. The iPad is still highly coveted in my eyes and I still desperately want one, but I am going to wait until all the improvements are made. #1 it seriously needs a camera and with the technology that apple has the fact that they released the 1st generation without one honestly kind of really pisses me off. Come on apple!!!! You know the next one is going to have one, and I have a feeling its coming out real soon. But I’m curious what would you have decide on? The new lighter improved 3rd generation Kindle or the needs many improvements 1st generation iPad?

Cleaning Toms

I want to thank this blogger for posting about how to clean TOMS shoes. I took my to the national park in Costa Rica, Parque Manuel Antonio. Now they are super gross. Im trying this method tonight! Thank you again.

http://ktallred.blogspot.com/2009/04/toms-shoes-how-awesome-how-smelly-and.html

How to clean TOMS Shoes:

First, you'll want to wash them by themselves on the most gentle cycle you have in the washing machine. Add laundry detergent, whatever. Wash.
Second, you'll want to dry them on LOW or NO heat and you'll want to do that with a bunch of WET towels, or if you have a dryer rack (They're sold with all Sears appliances, just repping.) then dry them on there. I prefer the dryer rack option, but we don't have those here at college. I also use a dryer sheet.
SIDE NOTE: When you get them out of the dryer and put them back on your feet they may feel shrunk or the leather inside may have curled up. NOTHING to fear. Just wear them for like 10 minutes and they're back to normal, dear!

Have you ever had one of those days where you just want to quit? Of course you have, everyone does. Tuesday I was so exhausted, in absolutely no mood to go to the gym, but as I do most days I forced myself. JUST DO IT. I’m driving to the gym and I’m literally almost falling asleep at the wheel. I swear I almost turned the car around about 5 times. I finally make it, and the only reason why is because on Tuesdays at my gym (equinox merrick park) is my favorite class of the whole week. It’s really not working out; it’s a relaxing type of yoga class. But it’s great if you’re sore from past workouts and it motivates me to go and do spinning or some other type of cardio after the class is done. The teacher that does the class is probably the best part about the class, she’s great and she gets it. The week before there was a sub and I was already sitting there with my mat, so not to be rude I stayed and endured the sub's class, which of course did not compare to our amazing teacher. This week I decided I would not be fooled twice. I wait outside the class until I see who the teacher is going to be and low and behold it’s a sub again. I was so mad I really just wanted to get out of the gym and go home. I was not going to take that class again with a sub, because honestly it’s not the same its not even close. So I say to myself “No Vanessa, you’re here already do some cardio". I walk upstairs to get my headphones and guess what.... the buds to my headphones have fallen out and I can’t find them anywhere!!!! I don’t know if you believe in signs but do you need anymore sings from the universe telling you maybe today is just not your day. Feeling guilty from weekend eatings I don’t go home, and I force myself on the elliptical for the bear minimum of 30 minutes of cardio. With no music. It was the worst workout ever. This only shows me the next time I feel like turning around and going home to take a nap while I'm driving to the gym, I’m going to do it!

my love for you

THE MAGNIFICENCE THAT IS GLEE! O-M-G! Let me share a little bit of the reasons why I am oh so in love, so infatuated/obsessed with all that is Glee. Now I have to be honest when I first heard about Glee I was…a hater (so embarrassed). I wanted nothing to do with Glee, I felt it was going to be another show that tried to be like high school musical (which I am so not a fan of). Boy was I mistaken. It all started when I was watching the golden globes this past spring, the cast of Glee caught my attention like no show had done since Mad Men won their first globe three years ago. How genuinely happy and humble these young people looked while they were being interviews, doing press, and receiving their award kind of made me want to fall in love with them. Still I was so caught up watching other TV (mostly junk) it kept slipping my mind to put glee on my season pass manager on TiVo. Until I go to my boyfriend's sister graduation, and her room mate has the latest episode of glee on their TiVo, with not much else to do, we saw Glee. I have never turned back!!! It is beyond amazing, yes its in high school but the topics they do each episode are topics that any person can familiarize with, doesn’t matter if you are 16 or 86. You’ve been there, you associate yourself with the Glee club members, and who doesn’t love an underdog?!?!? Don’t let Glee fool you though, these beautiful high schoolers have never really been underdogs. The show is a hit, beyond a hit it’s a gold mind. Every song glee re-makes shoots up to the top of the itunes list. Rumors are there’s a tour being planned for next summer, and this person right here plans to be dancing front and center. It’s a phenomenon and I am sad I wasn’t a fan from day one. But I am more than a fan now, and this fan is beyond ecstatic fox is replaying the show from the beginning every Thursday this summer. I get to fall in love with Glee from the beginning like I always should have.

How Old am I?

My birthday is about two and half weeks away and the month of June is being kind of an emotional one for me. As I get to the tail end of my 20s I can’t help but think that nothing has turned out how I thought it would. I can’t really place my finger on what it is. Truthfully, I never really thought I would be married by now, and I definitely never thought I would have had children before I was 30 but something is missing. Maybe its a lack of change I feel like I need something to force some type of change in my life. Though, I have had ALOT of change in last couple of years. Hmm, this is what I mean, I cant exactly place my finger on it, maybe its just aging. For some reason I am very emotional about turning twenty-eight. I have been thinking all week about what can possibly make me feel better about this situation, but I have yet to find the solution. Life is hard, and when you’re young you don’t want to believe it, but it is. I remember when older people would say to me "what id give to be twenty-two again" or "if I only knew then what I know now" we’ve all heard them. When I was young(er) I use to think “ok crazy person leave me alone”, but it is so TRUE. I don’t want to be twenty-two, that is for sure, I love my age. There is something so beautiful about aging and realizing what is truly important to you, what makes you genuinely happy, and evolving into a real adult. Though, I have to admit I do kind of wish I knew when I was twenty-two what I know now. YES, I do.

How Insensitive

Do you ever catch your self mentally censoring what comes out of your mouth? Lately i have found myself doing this more and more. Today a thought came to my mind ... what if i stop and say whatever the hell i want to whomever i please. What a free way to live life. Some people really deserve some things to be said to them, but most of the time i try to put my trust in the universe and hope that they will either learn it on their on or it will come back to them somehow. Every day i encounter so many rude, entitled people. And aren't the people that have this entitlement the worse type of people? Well I'm getting stronger every day, and I'm forewarning that I'm sorry if one of these days i just stop censoring myself because the older i get the less i care about what people think.

The Good Life

What is it that makes the majority of all girls i know obsessed with the entire Real Housewives Franchise on Bravo. How many are there now? New York, New Jersey, OC, Atlanta, and coming soon Miami, Washington and Hollywood, I've heard all rumored. WOW. Pretty soon bravo is going to have to give them their own channel. The Real Housewives Channel. I would love it, not only would i love it but i would be hooked 24 hrs a day. What is it about these woman that has us so enthralled? Is it their lifestyles? their beautiful houses and beautiful cars? Their husbands that pretty much put up with all their ridiculous behavior and outlandish antics. Is it the summers in the Hamptons, the private yachts on St. Martin. I could go on. The white range rovers? $4,000 + designer purses and shoes? The luxury to wake up one morning and say hey today ill start a clothing company, and I'm going to name is V by Vanessa (joke), basically I'm going to copy all my favorite designers and call the designs my own. (if you watch I'm pretty sure you can figure out who from Atlanta is doing this) It seems like these woman live the life and of course anyone would love to watch and envision that life for themselves one day. But as my momma always taught me the grass might look greener on the other side but it probably isn't. And who knows whats going on behind those closed doors. Poor Tamara and her psycho husband.  Nonetheless these woman are extraordinary to watch i love every second of it and i can not wait for more.

On a side note when you watch the show you see the same old game that woman have been playing with each other for years. The cliques, the we like you we don't like you, the sides. It's sad that woman have to gang up on each other this way. If we supported each other more and were nicer to each other i cant even imagine the things we would accomplish. I've experienced this is my life and i saw it my mom's and i hear about it from other friends, ay woman when will you learn that we are not the enemy.

April Played a Fiddle

A whole month and a day since my last entry, some would think that I have abandoned the blog world. The truth is simply that April was a hectic busy month. The month started off with a chaotic yet entertaining trip to Bimini. After that it was New York City and then finished up with a trip to Tallahassee for a graduation. I know...it’s a hard knock life, but hey someone’s got to do it. I seriously feel like I have not had one second to breathe at home.


At the same time I have been tormented over this whole ordeal that I am going through with my lease. OMG, this is the third time that I will be turning in a lease, and the fourth time I will be entering into a new one, and never in my life has it been this hard. The news speaks about this country being in a recession and car companies going out of business, one would think they would be so desperate to make a deal. I have one thing to say about that, it’s a LIE. BULLSHIT (sorry), but it's the truth. These car dealerships do not care to make a deal or be cooperative. They only care about taking you for all you are worth. Thank God I started looking early; I don’t need to turn my car in until June 7. Not that this really matters because I have no miles left in my lease, so essentially I can't even drive my car. The monthly payments that these dealers are asking for, wow, you would think I was trying to lease a Bentley or a Range Rover. It’s so discouraging I almost want to give up and just walk to work every day. Only possible if I lived in NYC, but I live in Miami and a car here is absolutely necessary. I will stay strong, at least I have time on my side, and I will not pay a ludicrous monthly payment. As a warning to all car salesmen out there call me sweetie or hunny one more time and I might file a sexual harassment suit. Basically, this whole car thing is the only thing I have been thinking about the past two weeks but I do see a small light at the end of the tunnel and hopefully it will be over soon…for the next 3.

I Am Loved

I have known this for a very long time, but more than ever this weekend I have learned once again that the most important things in life are Family and Old Friends. Where would I be with out my family? That’s a scary question and I think the answer is living a very sad and lonely life. Like I'm sure any other family we are not perfect, we fight. But we make up very fast as though nothing ever happened. I love holidays and this Easter was just as special as any other because I had my family to spend it with. I just want to put it out there in the universe how truly thankful I am for them I know I don’t show it every single day so it’s important that every once in a while I do show it and say it.

Old Friends. I don’t mean new friends that you just made that are fun...you know for a good time. I mean those friends that have been with you through years and years through your worst and your best. I am fortunate enough to have a few very special friends like that in my life and I want to say thank you to them for everything. For cheering me up and making me happy when I needed it the most. For calling me out, when I've needed to be called out on. And for telling me how it is, because who else is going to tell me? I love and I appreciate you very much.

I am in a very content mood today, not too happy and not somber, just content. Happy to have what I have and to be where I am and excited/scared to see what the future brings. I know, though, that no matter what that future is, scary or good, I have my family and my old friends, and not everyone can say that. So I am very lucky and very blessed.

where do you go?

I have a serious problem. I lose every single eyeliner and lip gloss that I purchase. Does this happen to anyone else? Please comfort me and tell me this happens to you. It’s just not normal. I use to buy Chanel eye liners at $30 a pop, until I would use them once and then they would magically be sucked into the ground to never be seen again. Where do they go i just don’t get it? Now i buy cover girl eyeliners, i seriously go into CVS and buy about 5 eyeliners and within 2 weeks they are all gone. I put them in my purses and my make up bags hoping they will be there when i need them but they aren’t. They literally unzip themselves out of my purses and walk themselves out of my life. You don’t understand how many times i have been getting ready, doing my makeup, when i realize i cant find not one eyeliner in my room or in any of my purses and I'm pretty sure i just purchased a bundle the week before. I must be dropping them all over Miami because there is really no other explanation for this. Eyeliner to me basically makes your face. Eyeliner, some blush, add lip gloss and you’re good to go. Lip gloss, i have about every single flavor chap stick, but when my lips are chapped and i need that lip gloss i cant find it, its gone, again i need to go to CVS and buy more lip gloss. Why does this happen to me? I know they are somewhere in my room or in my purse or my car but i can’t see them and i can’t find them. They hide from me, or they get sucked up into the ground. I know I’m not the only one this happens to... (at least tell me I’m not).

food is my happiness

The weekend of food. I was lucky enough to try three new restaurants this past weekend, one was not so good, and two were absolutely delicious.

The last Thursday of every month an Indian restaurant, The Indian Palate, in Coral Gables, Florida has a bollywood night. Very very fun, but the food, the food not so good. I love Indian food, I think it’s a culture that really knows how to use flavor and spice. I had never tried a traditional Indian buffet and I must I will most likely not be trying one again. The night though and the experience as a whole was very different from the usual, and very fun. The bollywood theme makes for a great ambiance, there’s a DJ playing hits such as songs from slumdog millionaire, a big movie theatre size projection screen playing bollywood movies, a belly dancer, and a henna artist. The belly dancer was exquisite it was all very entertaining, everything was beautiful. I would like to give this restaurant maybe one more chance, but I will be ordering ala carte no buffet. If you are looking for a very good place to try Indian food for the first time, or for the 100th timego to Guru on Miami Beach.

It does get better, much much better, and that better is Sugarcane. One of the newest hotspots to open in the wynwood Miami area, same neighborhood as Joey's another one of my absolute favorites. But wow sugarcane, the food was amazing. I loved everything I tried, and I tried alot. The menu is mostly made of tapa size plates perfect for sharing and allowing the eater to taste more of what the restaurant has to offer. From palmia tequila cocktails, to the torrejas (french toast desert) I was blown away. Walking into sugarcane and reading the menu was as exciting to me as being 8 years waiting for Santa to come on Christmas morning. You must try it, and you must must get the goat cheese croquettes, and the bacon wrapped dates, my two favorite things that I ate.

I finished the weekend with an exquisite brunch at yet another new wynwood restaurant. Morgan’s, decorated to look at an adorable purple house you would think to see in key west. It is the perfect place for a Sunday brunch. All types of sangrias, red wine, white wine, and rose. Mimosas and bellinis by the pitcher do you really need another reason to try this place. Don’t be discouraged by the wait, I was a party of three and they told us it would be an hour but it was more around 20 minutes. This is not your average greenstreet brunch. This is crab so big it looks like jumbo lobster benedict, cheese plates with the best fig marmalade,  real maple syrup sides of bacon, and light as air french toast drenched with cinnamon sugar butter. Next Sunday go to Morgan’s you can thank me later.

Forget to Remember

I came up with the best blogging idea while i was falling asleep. Now i cant remember it for the life of me. Mental Note: Keep a notebook and pen on my night table so I don’t forget!!! I’m really sad about this :(

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Is St. Patty's even a real holiday? or is it just another excuse for people to go out drinking and get wasted. I’ve never been a huge fan of st. patty's, its not like you know...Halloween! Either way ill probably have a beer at one point tonight.

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Two Things

I am beyond excited that I am going to my very first fashion show tonight!!! Thanks to my very close friend Rebecca we will be attending the Gen Art Fresh Faces in Fashion Show tonight. Woo Hoo. To make this even better (as if it can get better) Whitney Port, yes Whitney from The City, will be closing the show. Rumor has it that the cameras from The City will be in attendance taping the whole thing. I’m so excited (did i say that already). Yes i watch The City. And let’s get one thing clear its older sister, The Hills, in my opinion went down the drain once LC left but The City. The City is something else. And any girl that has ever dreamed of living in the big city working in fashion can’t help but to watch The City, and pretend/hope that for a second that can be you. My favorite character, and i say character because I’m convinced the show is scripted, is Olivia. How I love Olivia, from her apartment, to her style and composure, to her hair, and to everything she puts on her body. The girl is my obsession. I LOVE HER.

http://www.genart.org/freshfacesinfashion/2010/miami

Speaking of OBSESSION, if you love food, and you love to share your love for food and restaurants with others you must watch this past Monday March 8, 2010 episode of Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations on the travel channel, titled “obsession”. The show centered on chef's (mostly all with restaurants in NYC) that are obsessed with one item in particular. There was the cheese guy (Picholine, and Artisanal NYC) who made me sooooo hungry its a miracle i did not run to whole foods and buy one of each of their cheeses from the cheese section (a little piece of heaven). Then there was the Fish Guy (ESCA, NYC) who catches his own fish and then serves it. The man is a chef/owner of a very successful NYC restaurant and he’s out there on his boat catching his own fish for his restaurant, so authentic. He also interviews three friends who created a blog together (egullet.com) but with time all separated, and now each has their own respective blog. Their disagreements over lets say the BEST burger in NYC led them to almost kill each other. Really cool to hear the story and hear why they think people HAVE to blog about food. It isn’t just to love food and be happy with it, but you want everyone to know about what you found that you love and you want everyone else to love it too. i understand this feeling.

http://www.travelchannel.com/TV_Shows/Anthony_Bourdain/Episodes_Travel_Guides/Episode_Obsessed?fbid=N5afdTqmm9w

Cape Cod Room

Recently a friend and I ventured out to try one of Miami's newest restaurants. The Cape Cod Room, New England Dining...at The Bath Club. We made reservations on open table and headed out very excited with our tummy’s rumbling. The bath club is needless to say very beautiful, one of my favorite condo buildings on the beach, especially the mini villas/townhouses in the back on the sand. The restaurant is equally as beautiful. Makes you feel like you are definitely in New England, I’ve never been but I assume that’s what it would look like. You walk in and the aroma of seafood takes over all your senses, then you realize how beautifully it’s designed, the colors are ocean blue and dark brown. One of my FAVORITE color combinations. So I already love it. The manager let us know that our table was not ready and we would need to either wait or go to the bar and order a drink. Normally this would be no problem if the restaurant was full, I would completely understand. But the restaurant was not full it was about 75% empty. There were empty tables everywhere big tables, small tables. I was confused, especially with reservations how does an empty restaurant make you wait.

On a side not, this is one of my biggest pet peeves!!!! I hate restaurants that make you wait over 10-15 minutes with a reservation. This is one of the reasons why I love Joes, and in my opinion why Joe's is so successful, besides of course the super fresh stone crabs. You go to Joe's with the mentally that you will be ordering drinks at the bar or an appetizer because you will be waiting anywhere from an hour to two hours, and if you get called before that time you feel happy and lucky. You don’t feel as though the restaurant is pretentious and making it seem like they are just too busy and/or too good for your business. You know what you are getting yourself into. Unlike it neighbors down the street the prime/devito's family where in my experience a reservation means nothing. No i will not wait an hour with a reservation to eat at your restaurant i don’t care how trendy or how much of a hot spot you are, you’re food isn’t even that good. (It’s true)

Back to Cape Cod Room, once sat I must say the service was EXCELLENT!!!! Our waiter greeted us right away brought us our bottle of wine. Which was a bottle of Muscadet Sevre et Maine, Sur Lie, Domaine des Trois Toits, Vertou, FRANCE. At a very reasonable price of $32, picked of course by my friend Maggie who has a very extensive knowledge of wine, every wine she’s ever picked has been so delicious, so something I would not have thought to order, and so something that goes so perfect with our food. We ordered tons of food, that I will not get into too much, if you are interested in going and want to know what I ate just comment and ill let you know. I will tell you that the most memorable thing we ate, which was absolutely amazing were the lobster rolls. Twin miniature LOBSTER rolls; dressed-to-order Maine lobster salad on griddled brioche. This is listed as an appetizer but large enough to share or large enough for one person as their meal. It was so delicious and mouth watering. I’m very tempted to return just for the lobster roll.

http://www.thecapecodroom.com/

A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening

I’m i a loser? I ask myself this question because something has changed within myself, especially when it comes to what I like to do with my time or lack of time that I have to myself. The 27th year of my life has more than any other year been a year of change, especially a change in priorities, likes, and dislikes. One example being that I prefer staying home with my tato (the best dog in the world) cuddled in my bed with a full tivo and a full glass of red wine. The red wine doesn’t always have to make an appearance but it more than likely does. I’m sorry but i don’t really want to go partying on a week night...for that matter on the weekends, most of the time, neither. I dont want to sit at some lounge/club/bar/anything to get wasted and talk about the same crap. I want to spend the few hours a day i have doing something i enjoy and that im comfortable doing. The days of going out till 1, 2, 3, 4am are over and there is nothing anyone can do or say to change my mind. Heck, even 12am is too late. I know…I am old. I’m old and i might be a loser but boy do i love it. My boyfriend makes fun of me for watching too much TV, and should i have to apologize? Why? It’s what i like to do. Monday night there was nothing more enjoyable that I would have wanted to do besides what I was doing. I was home with my close friends and family laughing our buts off at Mr. retard bachelor Jake. I loved every single second of it. Sadly there is not even that much time to watch everything i would love to watch. Between work, the gym, cooking and eating dinner, and my social life on the weekends i really don’t even have as much time as i would like. Truthfully i turn on my tivo around 9 or 10pm and only watch until i pass out which lately has been getting earlier and earlier. This must be another sign of old age. I use to stay up way pass 12am now once my eyes see 12am on my blackberry something automatically shuts off inside of me and i have no control over keeping my eyelids open. So sad. Tonight i am very excited for my tv line up, survivor (one of my all time favorites) and the bravo housewives finale and premiere. I hope tato is ready :)

Poor Me

In case you have been wondering where my thoughts have been this week...they've been in purgatory. Not quite hell, but purgatory. In a place of temporary punishment where i hope i never have to return too. Ok, maybe I am being a big baby, but this week more than ever i have realized how truly spoiled my day to day life is. I live in one my favorite areas of miami, close to everything. I have a starbucks across the street providing for my very convenient morning coffees and pastries. I work in two offices one about 20 blocks down sunset (7 minute drive) and the other literally two stop lights from my house (3 minute drive). I can wake up 15 minutes (at most) before i have to be at work and make it there on time. NOT this week! I have been sitting in 45 minutes to an hour traffic from my house to Doral, a location in miami where i hope never to return to. (Lets pause right here for one moment and say a little prayer that i will pass my continuing education exam tomorrow and be freed of this torture.) Tomorrow, Friday!!!! Its finally here, on monday i really thought it was all over and i would not make it. But its over tomorrow its friday. Not only is the reason that its friday on its own a reason to celebrate but my morning drives to doral are over!!!!!  As well as my drives home in rush hour traffic at 6pm!!!! Once this test is over pass or fail (hopefully pass, knock on wood) i will drive myself to the nearest bar and start happy hour a little bit earlier this week, because no one and i mean NO ONE needs a drink more than i do. I have literally sat through 45 hours of continuing education so that i may continue on with my real estate career. So basically my livelihood is on the line tomorrow and there is no option but to pass. Next week i have a big week of compensating ahead of me. Im talking about double gym sessions for the 0 times i have gone this week, posts every day for the ones i have not written, drinks with my friends, and everything else that i have missed out during my week in purgatory. I really feel for those of you who have this commute every day, i now understand.

KICKBALL

kickball kickball kickball!!!! oh has it been too long. Tonight it begins. And by "it" i mean the complete debauchery of a bunch of 21+ miami kids. Oh kickball, does anybody even really care about the game? Well if you play in the grove league YES. A little too much, lets hope that everyone brigns the competition down a couple notches this time around and remembers that we are out there to have fun. That is probably not going to happen, since the same 8 teams have been playing in this leauge since ive been around which is around three years, and every year it gets more and more ruthless. None the less twice a year (fall & winter) the 8 grove teams sign up for around 3 months of crazy friday nights. Where you can wake up the next day not remembering anything that occured after 9pm. Not knowing where your car, your phone, your camera, your friends, or your sanity and dignity are. Kind of makes you feel like you're right back at that kegger party in college. I am for one very excited to get out there tonight see those old familiar faces and try to give the league champs a run for their title.


if you want to play (the league is always full, but hey you can try to get in) go to:
www.kickball.com/flgrove

My Problem with the Bachelor

I must say i am a bachelor-aholic. I thoroughly, in the past, have enjoyed watching every season of the bachelor / bachlorette franchise. It is one acitivity that bonds my mother and myself, every monday night during the seasons we have parties invite our friends over, cook, drink wine and have a very delightful evening with abc. But i must say that i am very very disappointed with this season choice of  a "bachelor" Mr. Jake Pevelka. I was routing for Reid to become the next bachelor, and if not Ried then Kimpton. Heck, even Wes would have been a funner better bachelor to watch than this dud Jake. Even though i was so deeply disappointed with the choice of Jake i must watch the bachelor its so bad yet so good at the same time and i could not deny myself of it. So my mom and i gave a jake a chance and wow did he let us down. The season has been a bust, beside the highlight of Rozlyn. And my favorite Alli (hopefully new bachelorette) there was nothing good about this season. Now we are left with the spoiler and obviously was really does end up happening Vienna winning the bachelor's heart. I can not tell you how much it bothers me when girls like Vienna win in life. I know it sounds horrible for me to say such a thing, and i should not judge or wish bad agaisnt anyone. But i have met so many Vienna's in my life and i can not stand Vienna types. Every day in this country good guy types (like i suppose our buddy jake is) fall for manipulating, mischievous, controlling crazy girls like Vienna. I dont get it. IF Vienna, was lets say a "10" then i can tell you well her looks are blinding him, the girl is drop dead gorgeous, but the girl is far from it. When you put up Vienna next to Tenley and Gia and Alli 3 girls in my opinion who are very beautiful and probably way out of dud jake's league in every day real life circumstances you have to think this show is completely rigged. What man is going to choose vienna over these 3 quality pretty girls. Yes, Gia has a past (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HB99qJz2Dlg) but at least its her job and shes getting paid. The girl is pretty and she has a sick body why shouldnt she be a model. I like her, she comes off sincere, down to earth, and as an all around likeable girl. In my opinion Vienna past (http://www.hollywoodlife.com/2010/01/22/jake-pavelka-vienna-girardi-naked-calender/) is much worse. Not to mentnion all the rumors out there on the internet of what she did to her poor ex husband. Jake is done but what im trying to say is this, men open your eyes, stop falling for girls like Vienna, and KICK them to curb!

My Funny Valentine

Happy Early Valentine's Day...OH! and President's Day! No posts till monday. Leaving to my happiest place on Earth later on today and wont be back till Monday. Ill take pictures of interesting things, and good food to share with everyone on my returns. i <3 mickey, minnie, donald, daisy, goofy, pluto, all princess, and everything disney!!!! <3 <3 <3

Popsugaring & Shopboping

Two of my favorite activities ever popsugaring & shopboping, by placing "ing" after almost any word you can transform your word into a verb, putting action to whatever you are doing. Well two of my favorite activities ever are popsugaring & shopboping.

I absolutely love popsugar, and everything that comes with it, fabsugar, buzzsugar, yumsugar, petsugar, celebstyle, shopstyle. Don’t even get me started i can spend hours+ on the whole sugar community. The people behind this website have struck online gold in my opinion. One site that you can go to for the most up the date, and not just the usual, stuff in the pop world, tv world, food world and the list goes on. They have also come up with the little brain child of shopstyle. Oh WOW shopstyle, the worst thing (sarcasm) ever to be invented especially if you have a teeny tiny shopping problem as i do. This website lets you choose your favorite designers, you create your own wishlist from a combined layout of almost every website out there, fantasy outfits and looks for anything that comes to your mind in the looks category. Not to mention MY FAVORITE tool shopstyle sale alerts. You can actually look up for example a very cute dvf dress, set your size and this site will send you an email if that particular dress goes on sale on any website online. This can be applied to shoes, purses, tops, skirts, and purses basically anything you desire for any one or multiple brands. It’s so perfect and so horrible at the same exact time. Below a preview of a shopstyle dream look to a dream destiantion:

Now to shopboping, oh how i love shopbop. How i look forward to my morning emails from shopbop with the look books. They are perfect they make me want every single item in the look books; they make me want to travel to where ever the look destination is or do whatever the theme of the look book is. No doubt my favorite thing about shopbop is their wish list and their <3s (loves). You place a <3 next to your favorite designers and shopbop has a whole section titled <3, where you can find all of your favs. This doesn’t really work for me though since everything on the site is my <3 in my dream world shop bop is my closet. end of story. Whoever invited this "wish list" application has really helped me in my shopping addiction. You do all the online shopping your little heart desires and you place it all on a wish list, even items that are way beyond your price point i mean it COULD go on 75% sale, with out any guilt of actually spending the money. Weekly i check on my wish lists discarding on impulse add ons and keeping what i REALLY need (i don’t really need anything). In conclusion, wish lists give you the illusion of the shopping without the actual credit card debt. I love it.

JB Kitchen & Bar...All to myself

There are many websites that i am member of which send me newsletters about things that are going on and opening in my city, Miami. Some that i take seriously and like to try most of the places they write about are daily candy, thrillist and eater Miami. I LOVE NEW RESTAURANTS. Here in Miami sometimes you have to act fast when a new restaurant is opening, here today and gone tomorrow. Doesn’t necessarily mean the restaurant wasn’t good, most of the times it is, just means there are so many choices some just can’t survive. These websites have a tendency to send out newsletters about restaurants before they have even officially opened. Second time this happens to me. First was at the cherry on top in the grove, daily candy posted about it, restaurant did not open until about a month after the posting by then it was forgotten.

Last night a friend and I head out to try a new Miami restaurant called JB Kitchen & Bar. I call before inquiring if a reservation was needed, and confirming it was open, it was...no reservation needed. We arrive around 9pm (normal eating time in Miami, if not early) and there is solely one other table with people eating and us. This other table finishes and leaves soon after we are seated leaving just my friend and i all to ourselves in this very beautifully decorated restaurant. All in all i must say that i recommend this place for anyone who is interested to give it a try. Large selection of different varieties of food, something i love...large selection of appetizers, side dishes, salads, and main entrees. Not to mention the appetizers and side dishes are definitely large enough to share.

We started with the rock shrimp with spicy peanut dipping sauce, and the tuna tiradito. The food came extremely quick since we were the only ones eating in the restaurant. The shrimp had been fried right on the spot very good and very fresh. The only complaint is that i like rock shrimp slathered with the sauce, the dipping sauce was something new, not my favorite way to eat this dish but nonetheless very tasty. Tuna tiradito was something new for me i had never eaten this dish, very similar to tuna tataki but the tuna is cut a little thicker. It was enjoyed. As our meal we shared mussels and a side dish of lobster mac & cheese, which had a very fair amount of lobster. The worst is when you order this and there is hardly any lobster. We rounded off this whole meal with a nice bottle of Malbec, very reasonably priced at $8 a glass and $24 a bottle, we had the bottle. $24 for a bottle of wine at a decent restaurant in Miami, that’s kind of unheard of, got to take advantage when you can.

We headed to green street, my friends and i most favorite place in all of the world haha, for one last night cap and to finish off our gossip session before we headed home.

All in all JB Kitchen & Bar will officially be opened on Friday February 12, 2010 and they are having complimentary happy hour the week of between 6pm and 8pm so check it out. Let’s hope this one sticks around for longer than 6 months.

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kind of an introduction

Hello blog world. My name is Vanessa Ferrer and I am 27 years old. WOW that sounds old!!!!! I live in beautiful sunny Miami, Fl, where there is never a dull moment, or maybe sometimes there is. I am that type of person that always has an opinion on everything and is always being asked for advice on certain things. Most of these inquiries come regarding food and clothing. My head is constantly filled most of the time with useless information especially on one of those two topics, information that i have not yet figured out how to spread to the masses. Which is why i have decided to publish this blog, this is just the tool i need to spread my knowledge to the masses. I am pretty obsessed with food, wine, restaurants, new cuisines, cooking and will share through this blog all the many many things i enjoy. Clothes, shoes, and handbags is another love of mine that seems to be taking over most of any money that I make. What can i say i just can not help myself. I will basically use this bog to express my current, past, and future obsessions with the world. What i love and what i think many others should love as well. In between there will be little entries about my life, my family, my love life most probably, my friends, frustrations, and how can i forget... my travels!!!!