Happy Holidays!!!!

Happy Holidays Everyone!!!! A Life of Style will return the week of January 4, 2010.


Merry Christmas, Feliz Navidad, Happy Kwaanza.

Enjoy the holiday season and see you next year!

A Life of Style & The Kreativ Blogger Award

I'm WAY behind on my blogging game and I will get better. I promise.

I am a major Twitter addict. It's my favorite social networking site. My tweeps (people I follow) are some of the most creative, positive, and motivating in Twitterland. One of my favorite stylish Tweeps, The Style Master, nominated me for a Kreativ Blogger award last month (Hush! I said I was behind on my blogging game. #dontjudgeme)

Thanks Style Master for the award!!!

When a blogger receives the Kreativ Blogger award they have to:

1. List 7 things that you don’t already know about me.

2. Name 7 other blogs to receive this award.

3. Leave a comment on each of the blogs I nominated.

4. Thank the person who gave you the award.

7 things you MAY NOT know about me:

1. I listen to all genres of music. If my iPod is on shuffle you'll get a mix of Jay-Z, Hector Lavoe, vintage Diana Ross, Vivaldi, Michael Jackson, Pearl Jam, Snoop, Bebel Gilberto, Ryan Leslie... You get the point. I love music. Good music that is.

2. After every yoga class, I fall asleep. Not just a short nap but a deep sleep. So much for reaching my zen, lol!

3. As much as I love makeup, I'm no expert at application. I usually have my face done at a MAC or Nars counter for special events.

4. There's a good chance I'm the only Chicagoan with zero home town love or loyalty. Honestly Chicago does nothing for me *Kanye shrug*

5. I sometimes google old boyfriends and cackle with delight at how pathetic their lives are.

6. Last month I thought an apartment in my building was being broken into and I was impressed with how quickly I reacted. I grabbed a basket of magazines and tipped it over in front of the door. I grabbed my purse, cell phone, and Minnie Mouse blanket and hid inside my walk-in closet. I called 911 and was told that someone already called. Luckily it wasn't a break-in just a domestic dispute. While I was in the closet, I envisioned myself going all Charlie's Angels on the robbers. A flying kick here, a throat punch there. Yeah, 100% bad ass! Lol!

7. I'm a perfectionist and a control freak. Some see those traits as flaws, I think they're personality quirks that keep me on my toes always striving for the best.

Okay, I'm giving awarding the Kreativ Blogger Award to:

Haute & Hair (@TrendySocialte) - My BFF. This chica knows hair!

ChiTown Fashionista (@ShoeLovaDotCom) - Fellow Chicago blogger just as fashion obsessed as I am.

The Art of Accessories (@TheAofA) - Great blog about accesorizing to compliment your personal style.

Haute Travels (@HauteTravels) -The best mix of beauty, fashion, and travel in a blog.

LuxeTips (@LuxeTips) - Tips on living the luxe life written by a luxe mom on the go.

Mischo Beauty (@MischoBeauty) - Great site for beauty, skin, and hair information.

Fatback & Sushi (@RuralGlamour) - A quirky lifestyle blog with a unique twist.

The Windy City Winter Blues

It is officially winter in the wonderful Windy City aka Chicago. Frigid air, snow, and freezing rain brings on the winter blues. I get a bad case every year. Every time, I put on my many layers of clothing and top it all off with my heavy down coat, a little piece of my soul dies. I'm totally kidding but I do get a little annoyed. Despite the bone chilling cold, life must go on. There are still doctor's appointments, salon visits, job interviews and other social committments to attend. I find that the key to battling the winter blues is a creating a comfortable and warm home environment.

My comfortable warm home environment consists of my heat being on 70+, my favorite blanket (soon to be replaced by a pink Snuggie or a KN Kozy), a good book, a stack of magazines, or a DVD. I enjoy all of these while curled up on my sofa and sipping hot chocolate. My favorite is Mexican Hot Chocolate which I plan to make sans a mix one day.

Here's a recipe for Mexican Hot Chocolate from Epicurious:

Ingredients:

2 cups reduced-fat (2 percent) evaporated milk
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup chocolate liqueur
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ancho chili powder
10 cinnamon sticks
1 dried red chile
2 1/2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, broken into pieces
1/4 cup heavy whipping

Preparation:

Whisk evaporated milk, whole milk, liqueur, vanilla, sugar, cocoa, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and chili powder in a heavy saucepan. Add 2 of the cinnamon sticks and chile and cook gently over medium-low heat until warm. Add chocolate and cook, whisking until melted. Gently bring to a high simmer; reduce heat and simmer until liquid thickens and reduces slightly, whisking often, 10 minutes. Combine heavy cream with remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and beat until peaks form. Ladle 1/3 cup hot cocoa into each of 8 teacups; top with 1 tablespoon whipped cream and garnish with a cinnamon stick

If that's too much work, just order the Mexican Hot Cocoa mix from Moonstruck Chocolate. Enjoy in your favorite large mug, grab the latest issue of Vogue or Harper's Bazaar, and shut the cold city out.

picture courtesy of Epicurious.com

A Life of Style: I'm Cocoa Buttery

My nemesis, winter has arrived to spread bitter cold and icy air all over the city of Chicago.

Gotta love Midwest living...

This winter I am fighting dry skin with cocoa butter. Palmer's Cocoa Butter is a long time favorite product. I slather it on while my skin is slightly damp and rub it in very well. Then I breathe in all that warm cocoa buttery scent. Aaaahhh...

Next I spray on CVS Pharmacy Cocoa Butter Dry Oil Spray. This helps seal the moisture in and is a great way to layer all that wonderful cocoa loveliness.

My skin stays smooth and moisturized throughout the whole day.

Stay Cocoa Butterlicious!

(p.s. pay no attention to my cluttered bathroom shelves. I'm a product junkie.)

A Life of Style: What The Pink Slip Fashionista Wore

Soooo.... I have officially been unemployed for one year. I am bored and well past ready to go back to work. Major cubicle withdrawals and missing office camaraderie. I just need someone to HIRE ME but first I need the phone to ring for an interview, but that's another post.

Despite the fact that I'm not working, I still get dressed everyday. Blue jeans have become my everyday go to wardrobe staple. I have over sixty pairs so I can rotate quite often. I find that jeans are very easy to create various looks, just change the top and accessories. Perhaps I've gotten a little lazy with my style - who could blame me? Despite that, I think I manage to look very cute and never frumpy or boring.

Viva la blue jeans!!!


out of work fashonista by citydiva19 featuring Gucci bags
'>That's today's outfit. I have some errands to run and I'm meeting a friend for lunch in an hour.