POCKET LINT.

NYC (& BEYOND): The Best Things To Pine Over As 2011 Comes To a Close

I know that right now I should be waxing poetic about a holiday season in the city.  And, since I relocated back to NYC about a month ago, I have been romanced by the crisp weather, the smell of pine wafting from Christmas trees for sale in bushels on the sidewalk, meandering walks with hot apple cider through Prospect Park and a close proximity to Bergen Bagels.  But here's what I'm really obsessed with: boots!

What??  You can take the girl out of LA or NY, but you can't take LA, NYC and 30+ years of fashion grooming out of the girl!

Here are the boots I want badly right now and yet may have to forgo in exchange for ... a couch:

These Isabel Marant Dicker Boots (above!) are AMAZING and the taller version is beautiful too.  My pal Z. says they're comfy too.  So comfy I could slip them off her feet and steal them maybe?  I wonder.  But she's kind of quick.

These Rag & Bone Newbury mofos are must-have (only for me they're S.O.L.) and I know they'll still be perfect come springtime.  And there are even versions on sale right now.  Boo hoo.  Where is Santa when you need him and you're a JEW?  I could steal them off the tootsies of my friend C.C.R., but we don't wear the same size.

But, hey.  I'm an artist (ahem), right?  My suffering sans these boots is only fodder for my deeply introspective writing about ... more boots.  And beauty products.

Still, I can at least drown my sorrows in vegan brownies from 'sNice nearby and the adorable monogrammed Lucky Bee cards by sent to me (sweetly) by one of my editors for the holidays, pictured above.  You know how you're supposed to write letters to people you're upset with and then never send them?  Maybe I should use my new cards to write notes to the boots about how I feel abandoned.

Dear boots. How could you?  Sigh.

Anyhoo, happy holidays!  May you get all the boots (and love and other truly good stuff!) that your heart desires.  And may you then send them to me.

xo - N.

LA (AND BEYOND): SHAMELESS SELF PROMOTION [Biggest Loser/Natural Haircare]

Most of you know me as a die hard Bachelor/Bachelorette fan (starting next week BTW).  What you may not realize is that I'm also obsessed with The Biggest Loser.  Yup.

Well, this week for my SELF blog "Fit Like Us", I test drove special ergonomically designed kettlebells by "BL" trainer Bob Harper.

First of all, I still can't walk and may never master stairs again.  Second of all, don't you just love the above picture, where sweet Bob looks all tough guy?  Third, I now have new found sympathy for the contestants on "The Ranch."

Also, check out this elle.com story about new haircare line Free Your Mane.  It's all natural, but it's actually result-oriented and designed to hydrate.  Magnifique!

Bye, chickadees!

xo - N.

LA (AND BEYOND): SHAMELESS SELF PROMOTION [Supermodels/Angels]

Rumor has it that "talking to an angel is like trying to catch a falling star.”  Still, I didn’t find the task quite so challenging at the exclusive Victoria’s Secret “Bombshell Summer” kick-off event on Wednesday afternoon.

Standing next to a supermodel?  Now, that’s daunting.  In fact, a picture exists of Miranda Kerr above and me, but I'm hoping it will never see the light of day (for the love of all things good!).

Anyway, I took the self-esteem lumps for Style.com, chatting up the fresh-faced, Balenciaga-clad VS “Angel” (a.k.a. Mrs. Orlando Bloom) between manicures, hand massages and makeovers at LA’s notorious SkyBar.

Read all about it and Victoria's Secret events - that you can attend - all over the country in the next few weeks!

xo - N.

 

LA (AND BEYOND): SHAMELESS SELF PROMOTION [Fitness & More]

Hi Peeples.  So, in case you're interested, I just started writing a new blog called "Fit Like Us" for SELF Magazine, as a "reluctant" exerciser.  (A.k.a. someone move me from this couch cause I ain't moving myself).

I'll be blogging every other weekday, with gung ho fitness expert Bari Lieberman taking the other days.  Get it?  There's CONTRAST.

Do please check it regularly and feel free to comment, retweet and all that jazz!  I promise to be (mostly) honest about my fitness attempts.  I say "mostly" because I don't want to actually scare anyone.

Also, check out my Vital Juice story from last week about this natural solid perfume company, oWp.  Solid perfumes are totally a new trend.  But then so are desserts in jars.  So not everything is worth it's salt.  But this is kinda cute.

xo - N.

NYC (AND BEYOND): SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION & A FREE TRIP [VALENTINE'S GETAWAYS}

First of all, you all should totally read this story, if only to put your name in the hat to win a free trip to Malpais, Costa Rica.

That's kind of all I need to say, right?

Here's a story I wrote for AOL's My Daily (or is it now Huffington Post Media Network?) about girlfriend getaways for Valentine's blues.

I'm married and I don't even like Valentine's Day.  Maybe I should go to Costa Rica?  Pura Vida, man.

xo - N.

MY BIRTHDAY!!!!! AND, OKAY, A LANVIN FOR H & M INVITE.

It's my birthday!!!!

That's it.  That's today's whole post.  What?  That's not ENOUGH for you?

Fine.

Well, take a gander at the invite I received a couple weeks ago to the pre-launch party, celebrating Lanvin for H & M at the Vegas Flagship store (check out the collection here).

Obviously, I was excited to receive this box.  I mean any number of fabulous, amazing things could have been inside!  Turns out it was an invitation, sadly to a party in a city where I don't live.  Alas!  I could have shopped early!

Underneath the invitation itself was a little gift though.  It's a large flower pin.

I have to be honest: I sort of have no idea how I would wear this in my universe, but it's still a fun novelty.

Meanwhile, I'll have to camp out and shop like the regular people.  Birthday month and all!

Okay, now go plan my elaborate gift and original song before my birthday ends.  Go!  Go!

xo - N.

LA/SF/NYC/EVERYWHERE: CHEAP EATS (& STUFF)

So, I was having lunch at Toast with some PR buds and some very interesting factoids came up.  You guys know I'm a fan of Lifebooker for beauty discounts.

Did you know that in addition to Groupon, you can sign up at BlackboardEats.com and get discounts on meals at restaurants all over town.  And not just lamo places.  Real spots. One girl said she got 30%-off at Street last week.  They even offer suggestions on what to eat and reviews.

Yup.

I just signed up.  I mean, for reals.  So, if you aren't quite sure, I'll try to keep you posted on any meal discount successes!

xo - N.

P.S. Speaking of discounts, starting today on Gilt HOME, D.L. & Co. goods are more than 50%-off (and I am obsessed with these, but they are usually SO out of the price range) and Gilt is having a sale on H2Pro flat irons too.

It's true what George Bush said.  The Internets are a crazy thing.

xo - N.

LA (AND BEYOND): PROP ME UP, PROP ME DOWN [ELECTION DAY!]

Let me tell you a little story about "a friend" of mine.

Okay, fine, you got me.  This story is about me:

Once I lived in a small town and my favorite color was yellow.  There was an election.  I didn't vote.  And then they outlawed yellow and I never got to wear it again.

THE END.

Okay fine.  That's not really about me.  In fact, I look terrible in most shades of yellow.  But Andre always says his jokes work better when he claims they're about real people, so I thought I'd try that too. This more of a parable, I guess, and a terrible one at that.

In other words: VOTE.

Also, celebrate because--party affiliation not even a factor--we don't have to see Meg Whitman's face 450 times a day anymore.  Seriously, it should be illegal to put yourself on TV THAT much.  Even Ryan Seacrest has more shame.

Happy Democratic Process, people!

xo - N.

P.S.  If you don't know your polling station, you can look it up here by your name on the League of Women Voter's website.  Now you have no excuse not to vote.  So get on it.

 

LA (THE RANCH): THE SHOW WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT NOW [BIGGEST LOSER]

Okay, I have a problem.  I mean, beyond the usual insanity that rules my twisted mind.

Basically, I am a Biggest Loser lover.

That's not the problem.  You're so impatient!  Jeez.

The problem is that usually I like to watch the weight loss show, while inhaling massive amounts of junk food with Andre on the couch.  But he's starting production on a movie tomorrow and that means I'm solo in my viewing.

Apparently, he has more "important" things to do than watch reality TV.  So hoity-toity, that boy.

Anyhoo--I need to know that there are other LINT viewers out there that share my obsession, so I can dish weekly about the episodes.

C'mon guys.  Don't make me go it alone.  I think Jillian and I are about to have a break through.

xo - N.

LA (SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION): FITNESS AT HOME

You guys all know I'm a fitness nut.  Okay.  Fine.  You know I'm not.

But I did write this story about the latest and greatest in home fitness (DVDS, Wii games, MP3s etc.) on Huffington Post.

And now I'm off to participate in a triathlon for the weekend.  And by that I mean, I'll probably eat a lot of soup dumplings at Din Tai Fung and not really get off my tush.

That's sort of like exercise, right?

xo - N.