Vacation Time!

In a few minutes I am off to my vacation at Lake Powell (Utah). I wanted to wish everyone a happy, and safe, 4th of July! There will be no posts from me until the week of July 7th, so I'm not gone...just relaxing =)

Take care!

Ketchup: Great Food, Great Views

Last night I was in West Hollywood for an O.A.R. concert at the House of Blues on the Sunset Strip. While in the area my friend and I decided to get some pre-music food at local hotspot Ketchup. Made famous by various celebrities, as well as the location that Heidi celebrated her 21st birthday dinner with Spencer on an episode of The Hills, the restaurant provides a classy, yet down-to-earth environment.

Located on the second story of a modest L.A. building, the place is decorated in white with red accents. And of course Ketchup’s main ingredient — tomatoes—can be found everywhere from vases on the tables to paintings on the walls.


In addition to the crisp décor, the large window with a gorgeous view of the Hollywood Hills is sure to please customers. During a meal, one can’t help but gaze out at the unique California palaces and the hustle and bustle of Sunset.

And the food…delish! I ordered the mac n’ cheese, scrumptiously loaded with white truffle and Dungeness crab. The wedge salad was also a mouth-watering delight. Topped off with their famous “3 Some” fries (yup three different types of fries that come with five different ketchup flavors), and a fabulous vodka/champagne cocktail, the meal was a splendid experience.


I highly recommend Ketchup to anyone looking for a good meal and a great time!


(Photo credit: eonline)

Beauty Chat’s Birthday — Our Baby Turns 1!

"Look good, feel good, and speak on it!"

It is so rewarding that Beauty Chat has turned a year old! I am extremely lucky to be a part of such a wonderful blog. Over the past year I have had the privilege of being a contributing writer, and now the Managing Editor, and the excitement continues each and every day.


With over ten staff writers, all dedicated to blogging about various topics, there is a little something for everyone who visits our site. Our diversity is what allows us to entertain so many, hopefully that includes you. ;)


To reward all of our loyal readers, new and old, Beauty Chat is having an amazing anniversary giveaway. To learn all about it, head over to the blog where you can read about our milestone, as well as enter to win the fab freebies (which include Redpoint Beauty makeup and iQDerma skincare valued at approximately $350!).






(Photos courtesy of: Beauty Chat)

CoverGirl-Get ColourMatched

Despite the many brands and the various colors of eyeshadows on the market, I just can't seem to find a comparable highlight hue to CoverGirl's champagne. It's a shimmery shade that complements all other shadows. After picking up the "eye enhancer," as the product is called, I decided to check out CoverGirl's Web site.


I was surprised to see that they offer a service called ColourMatched. Basically you select your hair, eye, and skin color, then the shade that looks best on you: reds/pinks or blues/purples. After combining this data together, CoverGirl provides you with a list of items that are best-suited for your cosmetic needs.


After I filled out my makeup questionnaire, I was provided with matches, just right for me. To have CoverGirl help transform your appearance to flatter your features, head over to the site and plug in your assets.


And since we're talking CG, has anyone noticed how great Drew Barrymore is lookin'? She's lost a good amount of weight and seems to be much happier. But hey, that may be due to rumored husband-to-be Justin Long, too.



(Photo courtesy of: CoverGirl)

Rebecca & Drew Bebe Tank Dress with Convertible Color Blocking

Today I received a ingenious Rebecca & Drew dress as a gift! It's called the "Bebe Tank Dress with Convertible Color Blocking" and it's great. Adorned with zippers, one just under the bust for style and another a few inches above the knee for adjusting the length (both of which really just look like shinny stripes), this item provides two dresses in one.

While at the Beauty Chat/PlasticSurgery.com office the dress is work-appropriate and very fashionable. But when 5 o'clock rolls around and I am ready for a night out on the town, I can simply zip up the bottom for a shorter, bar-friendly little number. Retailing for $350, it's definitely a fashionable item that is worth every penny.

Rebecca & Drew is a fantastic company with great pieces for all occasions. The brand has been featured in numerous magazines including Lucky, InSyle, and many others. Head over to their site to check out all of their clothing!

*A special thanks to my rep over at Tractenberg & Co. It's always a joy to have such a wonderful person to deal with!*

(Photos courtesy of: Rebecca & Drew)

Lisa Kline on Hell's Kitchen

A few months ago I had the privilege of interviewing Lisa Kline on Beauty Chat, so as I am watching Hell's Kitchen, I am thrilled to see the boutique featured! Christina (a contestant) won a challenge and was awarded the personal shopping services of Lisa, herself.

Lucky gal! And the other ladies on the show are jealous...and I would be too!

Here are some great items that are currently available at the fab LA-based shoppers' heaven:

Rory Beca: Rory-Ruffle Top

$265

American Retro: Amret-Mini Dress

$172.50

Lisa Kline Private Label: Primp Lisa Kline Mudflap Girl Logo Tee

$74

Be sure to head over to LisaKline.com for some incredible offers. Right now use the coupon code "stylehive" for 15% off your purchase (offer ends July 11). Also, spend over $100 and get free shipping.

(Photos Courtesy of: Lisa Kline)

MAC Tendertones

I am thrilled to announce that I was awarded a giveaway from The Daily Cookie! What was my awesome prize you ask? MAC's Tendertones in "hot 'n spicy!" Yay! I received the SPF 12 lip balm yesterday and am already addicted to it.

As compared to other lip glosses, sticks, and moisturizers, Tendertones provides great color and coverage--minus the thick and sometimes clumpy feel that is often experienced. And it has an amazing kiwi-strawberry smell and flavor!

Retailing for $14.50, this tinted lip balm will last you all summer and should be added to your cosmetics shopping list for sure.

(Photo Courtesy of: MAC)

Designer Sale at Saks Fifth Avenue

Just thought you may like to know...Saks Fifth Avenue is having a designer sale with discounts up to 60%. If you have been saving up for that perfect splurge, this is the time! Here are some fabulous finds that you may want to indulge in:

Badgley Mischka Platinum Label
Lace Shift Dress

$395 /Sale $158.01

BCBGMAXAZRIA
Chelsey Clutch

$278 /Sale-$129.33

Marc Jacobs
Patent Pumps

$590 /Sale $236.05

Juicy Couture
Stainless Steel Watch

$295 /Sale $177

Happy shopping!

(Photos courtesy of: Saks Fifth Avenue)

Charlotte Russe: For the Nautical Lady in You

I love anything nautical. From anchors and stripes, to the hue of navy, it all makes me want to stroll down a local Southern Cali beach or boardwalk. Above are a few pieces from Charlotte Russe that go together nicely to produce a sea-inspired look with a twist of femininity. And what's so great about this outfit, other than it's effortless beauty, you can get all of the items for less than $75!

Linen Grandpa Fedora: $12.99

Patent Buckle Flats: $22.99

Ribbon Babydoll Dress: $26.99

Head over to your local Charlotte Russe to pick up this look. Don't have one in your area? That's okay. Shop online!

I've Been Tagged...Again!

Jennifer over at Beauty in Real Life was kind enough to tag me. Here's the deal:

* Post rules at the beginning of the post.

* Answer all the questions.

* Tag 6 people, and go to their blog and leave a comment to inform them that they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog.

* Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer.

So here it goes. Cheers!

What were you doing ten years ago?

Well I was 14, so I was a high school freshman. Playing lots of travel ball (softball).

What are five things on your to-do list today?

Take a shower, read amazing blogs, watch the John Adams two part movie (originally aired on HBO), play with my puppy, and go to sleep!

Snacks you enjoy?

Sour candy of any sort.

Places you've lived?

I'm a SoCal girl so here it goes...Anaheim (yup the home of Disneyland and Gwen Stefani), Hacienda Heights (stomping ground of Fergie, and the city that she gives a shot out to on the track "Here I Come"), and Chino (yup the city that the bad boy came from on the TV show The OC).

What are 5 things you would do if you were a billionaire?

Donate my money to charities for animals, hunger, and the environment, go on vacations across the world, and buy homes on both coasts of the U.S.

People you want to know more about?

All of the bloggers that I've met recently =)

Now, I am tagging Bionic Beauty, Fashion Addict, For the Love of Beauty, hotbeautyhealth.com, Share My Fashion Addictions, and Yummy 411.

Have fun ladies!

What Could Bee Better Than Shopping for a Cause?

While reading one of my favorite blogs, For the Love of Beauty, I came across an alarming ordeal: honey bee populations are rapidly decreasing. This crisis is occurring due to Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). Scientists don't know why, but are trying to understand, this phenomenon, in which honey bees are leaving their hives and soon thereafter dying.

I decided to do some research on the Haagen-Dazs Help the Honey Bees Web site (which is the cutest site I have EVER seen) and learned these interesting facts:

• One out of every three bites of food an average American eats is directly attributed to honey bee pollination.


• Honey bees are responsible for the pollination of more than 100 crops, including fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, and provide 80 percent of the country's pollination services.
  
• The honey bee is responsible for $15 billion in U.S. agricultural crops each year.

Please help! Support local farmers and beekeepers, plant seeds, donate to CCD research, and buy products that support this cause.

Burt's Bees is currently featuring Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) Beeswax Lip Balm. When you purchase this product for $3, five percent of the proceeds will go to researching a solution to this bee dilemma. They are also holding a contest, which you can read all about here.

(Photos courtesy of: Burt's Bees and Printfection.com)

Happy Birthday Joshua Jackson!

Today Joshua Jackson turns 30, and it seems like just yesterday he was a high school freshman sleeping with his teacher. Okay, maybe that was on Dawson's Creek and not in real life, but whatever!

I have seen a few commercials for an upcoming FOX Television series that Jackson will be on this fall called "Fringe." According to IMBd, this series will be: "A television drama centered around a female FBI agent who is forced to work with an institutionalized scientists in order to rationalize a brewing storm of unexplained phenomena."

Sounds entertaining!

(Photo courtesy of: BuzzSugar)

Awesome Contests!

Hello there readers! If you're like me, you love winning cool stuff. So, here are some great giveaways that I have come across while reading my favorite blogs:

• Beauty in Real Life is having a lippie extravaganza


• Enter Canadian Beauty's Summer Giveaway to win L'Oreal Infallible gloss


• Check out Makeup Loves Me for a Sally Hansen Lip Lab Giveaway


• Win Estee Lauder's Latest Fragrance Sensuous presented by TheMakeupGirl


• Fall in love with Tendertones thanks to The Daily Cookie


• Johnson's Melt Away Stress Giveaway can be found on Beauty411


• A Mom in Red High Heels is hosting a Girly Galore Boutique contest


• Lady Language has an ongoing $50 Gift Certificate Prize every Monday

And it looks like I won a SpinLash from Girl-Woman-Beauty-Brains-Blog! Be sure to visit their blog weekly for their Manic Monday giveaways, if you're not already reading their wonderful posts daily!

Lindsay Lohan and Lily Allen New BFFs?

Last night Lindsay Lohan was spotted dining out in LA with Lily Allen. The British singer is reportedly in town working on her second album (YAY!). Hopefully this new-found friendship doesn't get in the way of the record making process.

Lohan's far too close "friend," Samantha Ronson, was also in attendance. Allen and Ronson know each other through Samantha's brother, Mark, who worked with Allen on a track from her last album.

This dinner date of sorts seems a bit odd as Allen hasn't always been a fan of Lohan's. According to My Park Magazine, Allen blogged about an encounter with Lohan on her Myspace page saying: "We went to this club called Les Deux and that was really fun until Lindsay Lohan arrived and had us thrown off our table. I know she's a huge star and all and famous people deserve to sit down especially when they've been working so hard."

All of this comes a week after Allen's appearance at the Glamour Awards. She was presented with an Editor's Special Award for her music, as well as style, while wearing a dress with a bleeding Bambi print. She was so intoxicated at the end of the night that she had to be carried out of the event.

I can handle a drunk in public incident, it happens to the best of us. However, I hope, for Allen and her fans' sake, that this Lohan deal is only a phase.

(Photos courtesy of: My Park Magazine)

You, too, can have Carrie's Manolos

Browsing through shoes for my last post (see below), I came across a Daily News article regarding the stunning Manolos seen in the recent SATC Movie. Apparently these blue satin shoes, which were made specifically for the flick, are going to be available to the public on June 9 for $885. However, they will only be at the Manolo Blahnik store in New York. If only I had an extra G and lived in New York...

While on the topic, let's discuss the Extreme Dior Gladiator Platforms. I, personally, think they are atrocious. It seems like I am alone in this feeling though. From what I've come across, most bloggers think they're fantastic.

What's your opinion? Are you going to go with the Manolos, or do Dior?

(Photos courtesy of: NewYorkDailyNews.com & ThisNext.com)

Chinese Laundry: Divaa

Yesterday I headed into a local shoe shop to discover their large selection of Chinese Laundry inventory. I am attending an LA event tomorrow, The Luxe Life (which I will be blogging about here and on Beauty Chat), and need to have a stunning outfit. So when I spotted the Divaas, I overlooked them as they were not fitting for the outfit I plan on wearing tomorrow evening. But now I can't stop thinking about the precious wedges!

I think I will go back and purchase them because, aside from the shopping extravaganza that I will be covering as part of the press tomorrow, I can certainly wear them for any other occasion.

These bad boys come in brown patent and retail for $84 (pictured above). And while browsing Chinese Laundry's site, I also came across these fabu platforms (below). These show stoppers, entitled Babe, come in patent or leather and in various colors. I personally prefer leather, and black.

Help me decide. Which ones do you like better?

(Photos courtesy of" ChineseLaundry.com)

More Stila News

After sharing the Stila sales with you (my readers) in a previous post, I decided to purchase some items myself. About two weeks ago I attended a Shecky's Girls Night Out event in Los Angeles with my fellow Beauty Chat contributors and received a Stila coupon code, good for 20% off my purchase, as well as free shipping.

With my discount I bought an illuminating powder foundation refillable compact that I desperately needed. I recently purchased the powder but they were all out of the containers to put the powder in, so now I'm set to easily take my compact with me wherever I go.

I also got a convertible eye color in the stone shade, which is dual-ended and works as an eyeliner, eyeshadow, and smudging tool. This stuff is awesome! It goes on smooth allowing for an easy smudge. I just wish I would have bought more of this product.

And lastly, I had to have the Pon Pon Gerba lip glaze because the color is perfect. However, it doesn't look like that shade is available anymore. If it's discontinued, I don't know what I'm going to do when I'm all out.

What are your favorite Stila products?

(Photo courtesy of: Stila.com)

The Haute Ladies of the MTV Movie Awards

Yesterday I was all about the men of the 2008 MTV Movie Awards, but today I want to share some stunning looks sported by the ladies. Here are my picks for top dresses:

#3. I was loving Lindsay's dress, shoes, and hair. She had the complete package!

#2. Despite the fact that the shoes were hideous, the dress made up for it. Sarah Jessica Parker definitely dazzled throughout the night.

#1. My favorite glam gal was Paris Hilton. The dress is incredible and the hair style just add to the overall look.

There were many other fabulous females walkin' the "gold carpet" in style. Who was your favorite of the night?

(Photos courtesy of: Getty Images/Frazer Harrison)

Visit Ulta for the Smashbox Try Me Kit

Flipping through my recent Ulta ad, I came across some sweet savings: the Smashbox Try Me Kit for $29. This collection consists of travel size items, including:

• Photo Finish Foundation Primer “Try Me” size



• Photo Op Under Eye Brightener mini tube



• Brow Tech and Cream Eye Liner Palette



• Double-Ended Eye Liner Brush #9 and Brow Brush #12



• Lip Enhancing Gloss Sheer Color



• Instructional DVD

In addition to this beauty lovers' deal that will save you a pretty penny, Ulta is also offering 20% off any one item with the promo code 94210, AND free standard shipping on orders over $25. There are also numerous buy 2, get 2 free offers.

If you've ever wanted to try Smashbox products (which are cruelty free), this is an ideal time! Be sure to get this kit by Saturday, June 7, when the sale ends.

The colors look amazing, don't they?


(Photo Credit: Ulta.com)

MTV Movie Awards: Hottie Recap

Watching the MTV Movie Awards right now and I must say that there are many hotties. Ladies, here's some eye candy to look at. Enjoy!

James Franco and Seth Rogan--Look for them in the upcoming movie "Pineapple Express."

Brody Jenner of MTV's "The Hills" is always lookin' good.

I'm probably the only woman who isn't all about Johhny Depp. However, the way his current appearance is all cleaned up definitely changed my mind.

Adam Sandler received the MTV version of a lifetime achievement award. I give him an award for aging oh so well.

Chris Martin of Coldplay is a rocker with sex appeal. Gweneth Paltrow is a lucky gal.

Transformers won best film at this year's MTV awards. Even though Josh Duhamel (pictured first below) and Shia LaBouef (second) weren't there to accept the award, I wanted to add a picture of both of them...just because they're so darn hot!

Just a side note...Transformers 2 starts filming tomorrow!

(Photos courtesty of: MTV.com)