The British Are Coming.

Prince Harry is coming to NYC today to visit the 9/11 memorial. Besides being English royalty, Harry has captured the elusive title of being the only hot male ginger in the world. In my book, that's something to salute to. Is it weird that I think that he looks like a better dressed, red-headed version of Jim Halpert? Weird.....

*Pic from people.com

The Great Inquisition.

This past weekend I was lucky enough to have some of my college friends make the trek down to the dirty south to visit my friend Brittany and I. It was a fabulous weekend and I miss them so much already. One of the highlights of the 3 days of mayhem was slightly understated. Caught in the rain after the Cardinals game, we sat around in a enclosed patio and drank for a while. Brittany got an idea to ask each other questions and have everyone go around and answer them. Not only was the Q & A sesh hilarious, I actually learned some things about my friends that I normally wouldn't have thought to seek out. It's interesting when you think you know someone so well only to realize that you don't know simple things about them. This got me thinking and there are several fun books you can buy to begin your own Inquisition of people you know. The Book of Fabulous Questions, and The Book of Questions both seem like great choices to get the party started. Crack open a bottle of booze, grab your friends and this book and let the good times roll.

Perfectly Pink.

Speaking of nails, I have been sporting a great color lately. I was perusing the color choices at Chanel not too long ago (Heatwave is the ultimate for summer) and I came across the perfect shade of Bubblegum/Barbie Pink. Melrose is the electric pink shade Chanel offered for it's limited edition Robertson Boulevard collection last summer....but I luckily got a straggler at my local counter. I feel very California cool/ pop-art when I wear this color and it's a great pop of color for Spring. Check out your Chanel counter to see if Melrose is available. If you can't find it, head to Chanel.com and pick up a bottle of LA Sunset...it's equally as fantastic.

You Want Sea Salt?

I have had 2 really awkard nail experiences in 2 days. #1) So I go to the nail salon to get a much overdue mani pedi (you know its bad when your dad calls you "Gypsy Feet") so I went to the nearest nail place I could find. Well you know its bad when you walk in and see the framed pictures of long acrylic nails with crazy lightning designs holding fake roses, aerosal cans or my personal favorite, the 1989 Zach Morris cell phone. Well I sit down and the nail technician puts my feet in the tub and starts going to town. Well once she gets to the dead skin shaving part she looks up at me and says "You want eyebrow wax?" I said no thanks thats ok. She looks down and mutters "You need it." She then asks if I want sea salt. Same awnser, same response. I'm sorry nail tech.....you are shaving the dead skin off my feet and have enough nerve to insult my eyebrows and sea salt choices?! Get some new tactis woman. #2) So no later than 24 hours later, my friend Kacie comes to visit me from out of town. I look down at her feet and what do I see? A crazy palm tree design planted on her big toe. She goes dont even ask I was bullied into by the lady at the nail place. What is going on here?!!! Did the nail people have a super secret conference and decide to start talking smack to their customers in foreign tounges so that they can get some more commision? I dont know what the deal is, but I know I'm not into it.

*pic from fruitoftheseas

Delicious Dish.

I'm honestly surprised it has taken me this long to divulge this recipe to you all, considering that I eat my body weight in quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) at least 3 times a week. Quinoa is a a great source of protein, and contains tons of calcium and iron to boot. This dish is sooo quick, easy and it's REALLY good for you, so you basically have no reason not to try it. Doesn't it just look so fresh and amazing?! Well friends, it is. 2 tips I have for you before tempting to make this.... 1) this recipe makes a lot. Make sure to coat the avacodo in lemon so it wont brown and put the rest in the fridge for later in the week. I know it will be hard, but dont eat it all at once. 2) When you put the lemon juice mixture on, dump half in and toss it before adding the rest.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed and
  
• 1 cup water
• 2 roma tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped
• 1/2 cup shredded fresh spinach
• 1/3 cup finely chopped red onion (1 small)
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Spinach leaves
• 2 ripe avocados, halved, seeded, peeled, and sliced**
• 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions

1. In a 1-1/2-quart saucepan combine quinoa and water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, about 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.

2. Transfer quinoa to a medium bowl. Add tomato, spinach, and onion; stir to combine. In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, oil, and salt. Add to quinoa mixture; toss to coat.

3. Place spinach leaves on 4 salad plates. Arrange avocado slices on spinach leaves. Spoon quinoa mixture over avocado slices. Sprinkle with some of the feta. Makes 4 main-dish servings.

4. ENOJY!!!

Nutrition Facts

• Servings Per Recipe 4 servings
• Calories 332,

Lash Lengthener.

At work the other day, I saw a piece on a prescription approved by the FDA to grow longer, thicker lashes. The product is called Latisse, and it's actually a medication that is used to treat Glaucoma, only re-packaged. Their claim is that lashes will be 106 % thicker and 25% longer after 16 weeks of use. You can get it from your doctor, but here is the tricky part...it's a whopping $150 bucks for a 1 month supply. So to get your full results you will have to shell out around $600......um no thanks Latisse. Good idea in theory, but I think I'll stick to the $3 pack of fake eyelashes I get at Walgreens. For any of you out there interested in learning more about this million dollar miracle-gro, visit Latisse.com.

L is For...

Lucky Magazine. There is no other publication on the market as wonderful as Lucky. I literally jump around like it's Christmas every month when I receive it in the mail. From the What I Want Now! sections, to the tab marking my favorite pieces...everything in this magazine is pure genius. I have been a loyal subscriber for about 8 years, and this publication has progressively gotten better and better. The June 2009 issue has a great section about summer's best dresses, and I am obsessed with this silky dress in black. It would be the easiest thing to throw on, and you can dress it up or down so many different ways. Plus, it is breezy, which helps on those sticky and sweaty summer nights.

Food For Thought.

My dad is a really inspirational guy. He's wise, encouraging and is equipped with great advice for any and all of life's little problems. When I left school in December and the job of my dreams wasn't waiting on my doorstep, he emailed me this video and told me to "Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish." How smart those words were as now I see myself headed down the path I ultimately want to take. As I make my way back up to Champaign this weekend to physically graduate (aka walk across a stage) I'm reminded of Papa Bear's encouragement and the assurance that everything does work out in the end. Steve Jobs gives perhaps the best commencement speech of all time here, and whenever you are feeling unsure about your life or career path, just take fifteen minutes out of your day and listen to his words. Don't waste your time living someone else's life, because who knows what will happen if you follow your dreams.

Trek Me Some of That.

I'm not a Star Trek fan. Never have been, never will be. Buuuut, if this ----> deliciousness is in the movie, maybe I'll see it. Have you ever seen a more polished straight man in your life? I mean, I think he straight. He's straight right? Anyways, the hair, the eyes, the suit. It's all working for Chris Pine right now. For more juicy pics and an interview with Chris go to GQ.com

Sing us a Song.

So this morning I write to you a polypy mess. I can barely speak and my throat is on fire. Why is your throat an inferno you might ask? Well friends, last night I went to THE concert of all concerts, Billy Joel and Elton John. Yes, they both performed together. Yes, it was the ultimate version of Champaign's famous Piano Man (minus the $2 Long Islands and copious amounts of friends). They sung all the hits, Billy made jokes and Elton wore a bedazzled jacket. Basically it was everything the crowd wanted and more. I woke up this morning and made a playlist of their jams and have been rockin out all day, even though I sound like Gollums sister. Here's said list (kind of long, but worth it). Enjoy.

Your Song
Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me
Saturday Night's Alright
Movin' Out
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
She's Always a Woman
Rocket Man
We Didn't Start the Fire
I'm Still Standing
Only the Good Die Young
It's Still Rock 'N Roll to Me
Levon
Captain Jack
Crocodile Rock
New York State of Mind
Bennie and the Jets
Piano Man

Greek Goodness.

I am always on the hunt for the ultimate skin/makeup products. Ideally, they would be as natural as possible while still maintaining great color and longevity. Korres gets an A+ in all three categories. This Greek based company uses mostly all natural ingredients such as wild rose and guava, which makes this makeup actually good for your skin! All their products seem great, but the one I can't stop using is the Lip Butter in Pomegranate. It gives your lips just the right amount of shine and color and you can pinch it into your cheeks for a quick glow too. My next Korres purchase will definetly be the Jasmine Eye Makeup remover.

Pick up some Korres for yourself at Sephora.com

Chelsea Convert.

My friends have been loyal followers for quite some time now, but I never really jumped on the Chelsea Handler bandwagon. She just reminded me of an older, drunker version of the mean girl that bullied others in high school. All that has changed since reading her book, Are you there Vodka? It's me Chelsea. What a brilliant comedic writer. I literally laughed out loud the entire time. She reminds me of an older, and slightly creepier version of my friends. Each chapter got better and better. From the tales of her dining naked in the dark, to berating her dad on vacation in Costa Rica, Chelsea delivers. I am now proud to say that I am a full fledged Chelsea convert, and have been watching her show whenever I can. For all of you who arent privy to the genius that is Chelsea Handler, the very witty Chelsea Lately show is at 10pm Central time on the E! network.

Come On Pam.

In the opening credits of this week's episode of The Office, a certain Miss Pam Beasley is caught rocking her hair in a topsytail. The heinousness of this situation has already been documented on The Flavor Report, so we wont go there again, but this is reason #546567 that Jim should not marry Pam. I know I'm the only person alive who thinks he can do better, but the topsytail cannot be forgiven. Case Closed.

BTW the dance off /Dirty Dancing reenactment between Andy and Kelly = priceless.

Kamali Kool.

The other day, I was perusing my daily New York Times, and came across a good article in the Style Section. Norma Kamali is a great designer who has been around for a while, so I thought it a little odd for the recent journalistic shout out. However, the article was good and I particularly liked the bit about her being mobbed to sign receipts of fans purchasing her consumer friendly Wal-Mart line. Speaking of her Wal-Mart line, I am really digging the Batwing cardigan in the Activewear section. I may have to bite the bullet and buy one therefore totally abandoning my stance on how Wal-Mart is destroying the world. Whatever, fashion before politics people.

Car Candle

Cleaning your car out can be very therapeutic. I like to get all my crap out of it, and then give it a good once over. Shampooing the seats, vacuuming the the floors, a good scrub down...you know the works. After getting my ride all squeaky clean, I felt like the cherry on top of my automobile sundae would be to get a new car air freshener to complete the transformation. I headed to the Yankee Candle store to find the perfect scent. I tend to not want my car to reek of a fatty waffle cone, so I was looking for something understated. And low and behold....I found the perfect match. My all time favorite scent lavender/vanilla is now available in a car gel form. If you want to stray from the token pine tree freshener I definitely recommend this one. Head to your local Yankee Candle Company store or buy one here at Yankee.com

Guzzling.

Pinot Noir. Since living in Italy I have become a huge fan of red wine. And among those reds, Pinot Noir is the ultimate. It is so good that I woke up this morning with a full glass next to my face. Yep, true story. Not that proud of it, but it happened so let's move on. This vino is so good it has become a necessity of sorts in my life. Water, air, pinot. Being on the 22 year old budget, the best place to find a good cheap wine is World Market. My 2 personal favs are Vero and Mirassou...both strong and very flavorful. Check them out here, or become a wino of your own and go pick up a bottle.

This is For You Jackie.

I feel like a crackhead for even admitting that I have seen this movie, but my friend Jackie has sent me texts, emails and voicemails recounting our awful and bizarre experience with this film and it is necessary to share with you all.

Fur. This is a movie recounting the life of famed photographer Diane Arbus, and starring Nicole Kidman. Sounds like it would be ok right? Absolutely not. When we were studying in Italy, our photography teacher (who was a couple sandwiches short of a picnic) told us we would be watching a beautiful American film about photography. Obviously we were pumped because we had no TV, and it would be in English. Well friends, here is a breif synopsis of said cinematic masterpiece. Nicole Kidman becomes a photographer. She creeps around in her apartment building. She finds a man covered in fur. No seriously, head to toe fur....like a real life beast. She sleeps with Beast. Shaves Beast. Beast is Robert Downey Jr. The End.

Our teacher cried because the film was so "moving". We cried because we wasted 2 hours and our only movie watching experience on this garbage. If you don't believe me, I have posted a picture (thanks Jack) of RDJ pre shave.

K is For...

Kooba. These bags are beyond amazing. They are constructed beautifully, mostly out of leather that feels like buttah, and come in the most unique designs and shapes. I already have one Kooba and have basically compiled a month's worth of outfits around it. My newest Kooba conquest is the Tess bag in Sky Blue. Wouldn't you just DIE for this bag? If you happen to have $600 extra bucks lying around, go ahead a buy it at Nordstrom.com.... you deserve it!

Nostalgia.

House Parties.
Back in the day the recipe for a rocking Saturday night was so simple. Obnoxiously strong drinks (with cheap vodka), bumpin jams, a deck of cards, and all the people you love crammed in one room = amazing house party. I know this scenario sounds conspicuously like a bar setting, but nothing and I mean NOTHING beats a good house party with your high school friends. The best part about a house party is that the fun options are unlimited. Everyone you want to hang with can get in, the music never sucks because you are the DJ and you save $ on cabs because everyone crashes there. Seriously name me a bar where you can drink all you want for free, play beer pong, walk around barefoot, drunkenly swim and pass out wherever you please at 5am. ummmm that's because you can't. House Parties are off the chain....

*I am craving a good fiesta de la casa and may just have to throw one myself.

Fo Faux or Fo Sho

Well friends, the ever reliable TMZ is reporting that Tupac is indeed alive and living the good life in New Orleans. Apparently Pac was spotted clubbing and downing drinks in the Big Easy last weekend. I mean judging from the pic, I would say it is Pac fo sho. But if I was the person who was unconspicously taking these pics I would have just upped the ante, slipped him a roofie and drug him down the the local precinct for a quickie DNA test. Honestly, if this really is Tupac he is a the sneakiest OG alive and has alluded the world for over a decade. So whats the verdict here? Probably just a crazy good look alike.

Green Scheme.

This new program by Origins is amazing and absolutely necessary for all people to take advantage of. Now you can bring your empty cosmetic tubes, bottles and jars, etc. - regardless of brand - to your nearest Origins retail store or department store counter nationwide. All returned packaging will be sent back to a central location where products will be recycled or used for energy recovery. I have been keeping a bag under the sink in my bathroom and just collecting things along the way to drop off in bulk. And as if being totally awesome and saving the Earth isn't enough incentive, Origins will treat you to a FREE sample of your choice of one of Origins skincare products. I would recommend picking up the dynamic duo aka A Perfect World and Youthtopia moisturizer. Those lines and crows feet will be here before we know it, best to try and eliminate them now... To learn more about the program or recycling in general you can go to Origins webpage.

April Showers.

Some very wise and witty person once came up with the saying April showers brings May flowers. Well with this weather that we’ve been having, I expect the entire metro east to spontaneously combust into fields of flowers this week. Anyways, speaking of May flowers my Aunt has quite the green thumb and always makes the most beautiful bouquets from her garden. She is like the British version of Martha Stewart without the incarceration record. Yesterday she gave me the most beautiful spring bouquet of daffodils and lilacs. Not only are the colors amazing to look at….the smell is un-be-leviable! If you are looking to do a little something for yourself/ spruce up your place, fresh flowers are def the way to go.

*Pic from gifts.com