I am so behind in the times! I literally got instructed by some super chic 16-year-old (and I mean she was chic – she carried a Chanel bag and was dressed in head-to-toe Helmut Lang) last weekend on how cool Instagram is and that I need to join. So I did. And it’s amazing. Over FB + Twitter – I’m on Instagram now @ “pastriesnbacon”. Pictures are so much better than words. No wonder Facebook bought them for all that $$$.
Have you read the most awesome beauty blog, Into The Gloss by Emily Weiss? It is truly amazing. She interviews some of the world’s most beautiful women and there is a section called TOP SHELF, where the women divulge what beauty products they use. Mine is not half as interesting but I figured this would be fun to do:
Skincare regime: I don’t have one. I am really bad about sleeping with my makeup on and thank god I have asian genes because after all these years of falling asleep without washing my face and I’ve never had acne or skin issues. However, when I do decide to take care of my face, I wash it with the Erno Lazslo mud soap bar. Sometimes when I have extra time to fool around in the bathroom, I’ll use this Pacific Amore enzyme scrub to “polish” my face and my skin feels so smooth and radiant afterwards. Lately, I’m really into Embryolisse cream, which I bought from Amazon.com and I pat that on my face and leave to dry. I learned from a facialist never to RUB the moisturizer on your face because in her words, “you’re just pushing the cream around…you’re not letting it absorb”. I also have this rose water that I use as a toner every now and then and it is 100% rose water. It smells fantastic and feels great but it’s so freaking expensive I use it about once a month ha ha. I’m addicted to my Christophe Robin shampoo from France, which is called a “cleansing creme” on the jar. Unlike regular shampoo, you rub this creme onto the roots before showering, leave it on for 5 – 20 minutes, then lather with water. You don’t need conditioner and a little bit goes a long way and WAM, my hair feels so light and bouncy and glossy. My husband always mentions how good my hair looks when I use it. I also swear by Moroccan Oil to moisturize my hair after I wash it because my hair is known for getting its fair share of tangles. To comb it out, I use the Cricket comb. Last but not least is my secret weapon: a small bottle of Thieves Essential Oil, which I use for everything. Got a pimple? Use Thieves and it’s gone in a hour. Got a sore throat? Rub some Thieves along your gumline and sore throat be gone. Got a rash or a bug bite? Hello, Thieves!
I used to wear a ton of makeup but that was back in my early twenties and as I approach my 30s I am loving the fresh, clean and natural look. I normally don’t wear makeup but when I do, it’s basic and simple. BESIDES, LESS IS MORE. I alway start off with a primer I got from YSL…the name has completely rubbed off the packaging but it leaves my skin silky soft and ready for makeup. Koh Gen Do is a really awesome line I discovered at Barneys. I always use their makeup base to even out my skintone, and then I either use the Koh Gen Do foundation (mixed with moisturizer to keep it light) or the YSL Touche Eclat dotted around my face. For concealer, I alternate between Dior (which is great because it is soooo creamy and moisturizing) or the one by Koh Gen Do because it seriously banishes any evidence of bad sleep. For all you asians who have dark brown/black hair…you have to try the Shiseido Brow Pencil in Natural Black. First of all, it’s not a true black but more of a dark grey that blends SO WELL with our brows. And it has wonderful staying power. I also swear by the Bobbi Brown gel liner in black for making the eyes POP. And if I really want extra POP, I add a coat or two of Fresh mascara. Not pictured is a blush by Kevin Aucoin I’ve been using lately and it gives my cheeks just enough color to make me look like the sun kissed me.
And that’s it, my folks. Sure sounds like a lot but in reality, it’s not. Off to wash my face now…I’d be a fool if I didn’t after writing this!
Hi everyone. It’s been a very hectic two weeks but I’m feeling extremely blessed and fortunate to be busy and having fun. I was finally able to take a quick break this weekend and hang out in the garden watching my husband plant herbs and look who joined me…my furry BFF. Little girl is growing up fast and I love her more and more each day. I’m sure all you dog-lovers understand when I say our pooches teach us so much about life. Kihei has taught me to appreciate the little things we are blessed with each and every day and when things get tough and stressful, hang out in the sun, stretch out your legs and relax. It always makes me feel better 
Patricia Dente Haimes is beautiful, smart and stylish. She’s also the founder of Little BU, a line of “non-toxic, water-based, wash-off kids nail polish” for sophisticated young girls and women alike. This former New Yorker and current London resident spent 15 years as a beauty publicist working with high-profile companies like SmashBox Cosmetics, Estée Lauder and CHANEL and she is so sweet to partake in my “MEET” Q&A. So read on and get to know a little bit about Patricia.
1. What’s a typical day’s worth of eats for you and how do you stay in shape?
I love starting my day with some plain oatmeal and dressing it up with a touch of brown sugar and fresh berries. Not only is it high in fibre and nutrients but it also is a low-calorie food that stabilizes your blood sugar to ward off cravings!
Throughout the day I make smart, healthy meal choices. I make one of my favourite salads which includes fennel, quinoa, avocado and chicken topped with a lemon and olive oil dressing. Super delicious!
I’m the world’s biggest consumer of chicken! When I’m not eating my poultry for dinner I like to mix up my meals with a range of mediterranean dishes whether Lebanese or Italian.
I’ve always had a love of exercising and keeping myself fit from the inside and outside. For cardio blasts you can usually find me in high-impact spin classes or cross-training sessions. For toning, I train with the Pilates reformer to create long, lean muscles.
2. What are your favorite go-to beauty products?
Being in the beauty industry for over 15 years, I’ve had the privilege to work with the formulator masterminds and test hundreds of products. Some of my go-to products include:
Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair to hydrate and keep my skin fresh day and night with its key ingredient of hyaluronic acid.
Liz Earle Naturally Active Cleanse & Polish is the ultimate cleanser to remove dirt, makeup and grime. It comes with a muslin cloth that sloughs away dead skin cells and polishes skin immediately – I can’t live without it!
I love to dress up my lips with different lip glosses. I rotate through many brands from Chanel to Clinique, but my latest fascination has been with an Australian brand, Lanolips. Their Lipointment with Colour SPF in Rose adds a perfect touch of colour!
3. Who are some of your favorite designers and what is a typical outfit for you?
I typically mix and match designer with high street brands. I buy simples pieces from J.Crew and mix them with statement pieces from Dolce & Gabbana, Chanel and Prada. I’m a curvy girl and these brands are extremely flattering.
4. Best investment piece ever made? Or an investment piece you want to purchase?
I have a stellar designer handbag collection. The best investment pieces is a black Chanel 2.55 shoulder bag with a gold strap. It’s the perfect piece to use wearing jeans and going out in the evening.
5. What are three things you cannot live without?
Three things I can’t live without include my Blackberry 9900 because it’s my calendar, correspondence, phone and of course clock! I’ve always been obsessed with the art of stationery and I never go without a mini notebook from Smythson in my bag – you never know when you need to jot down a fab idea. Flip cameras are becoming extinct, but I still like to use mine and capture every cute moment with my son.
Visit Little BU here.
Brilliant. Shop here.
It drove me crazy how to make our bookshelf more appealing to the eye until I came across an interview with Haus Interior’s Nina Freudenberger and her home displayed her books all color coded. Brilliant! What used to be a sloppy mess of disorderly reads has now turned into somewhat of an art piece.
A recurring theme in my home office is the “X”. It all started with the giant desk my father-in-law (bless his heart!) custom built me and my recent X addition is this fantastic cross lamp that adds a bold contemporary look to the space.
Well, it only took us four months to finally apply for our marriage license. We definitely slacked but managed to get off our lazy butts and send in the application + money for the license…and now it’s official! Next up…changing my name at the Social Security office, DMV, etc etc…not looking forward to the entire process but being married to my husband makes it totally worth it.
I admit, I’ve been slacking big time in the cooking department. Call me lazy because all we’ve been eating lately is pizza, takeout Mexican food and Thai delivered to the house. Sometimes, I just don’t want to do anything and cooking can be such a pain…especially the cleaning part. Hey, I’m only human! But this weekend we decided to treat ourselves to a delicious home-cooked meal, chill out with a giant glass of wine and just veg out to the NBA All Star game. Ah, bliss.
We poached thick cuts of fresh swordfish in olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper and whipped up a bed of parpadelle and spinach (cooked in the leftover juices and liquids from the poached fish.) Light, fresh and tasty.
How did you spend your Saturday night?
Beautiful packaging makes me smile. It shows a sense of pride and thoughtfulness that goes a long way in the world of retail. My brother and sister-in-law picked gave us this special gift from Tortoise General Store on Abbot Kinney. I just love the paper stock and twine rope they used.
Happy bday to my sister Look at our Chinese bowl cut bangs! WOW.
…speaking of Chinese bowl cut bangs, look at this matching hair cut my mom and I shared! Yikes!
Love is being able to share your happiness with a special someone.
Amangiri Resort in Arizona…need I say more?
For all you ladies who are going the DIY route for your wedding or elopement, I urge you to try making your own wedding bouquet. There is something charming and pretty about a bouquet that’s not overly done by the florist. I was inspired by a wedding in the French countryside where the bride picked a few poppies near the church and tied the stems together with a piece of lace fabric given to her by her mother. It was incredibly sweet and let’s not forget, inexpensive!
The morning of our elopement I went to Whole Foods for coffee and flowers. They didn’t have a large selection of blooms but these brightly hued dahlias stood out to me. I liked that their stems were clean as I planned on wrapping the flowers with a piece of lace from an old Gryphon jacket I had (I’m resourceful ha ha!) Using a step-by-step tutorial from Flower Girl NYC, I cut the stems a little shorter and tied them tightly together with the lace. I wanted it to look casual and non-fussy.
Here is what they looked like on our special day. I am so glad I made this little bouquet…even if it was for an elopement. Jill Thomas, our photographer, captured this beautifully in the 3pm warm sunlight that we were so blessed with that day.
Photos are coming in from our elopement. Shot by the amazingly talented Jill Thomas. We wed at Santa Barbara City Hall, which is a beautiful Spanish building flanked by lush trees and plants. I wore a Marchesa Notte dress and J.Crew sandals
It was just us and the photographer…no friends, no family (we did get their blessings, though!), no dogs (wahhh!) Chris and I wanted it to be simple and sweet; a celebration of our union. The best part of eloping is that you’re not in debt afterward, it’s super low-stress and it’s just so darn romantic.
www.intothegloss.com
www.melissaclark.net
www.thecoveteur.com
I, along with the rest of America, have developed quite an obsession with Tim Tebow. If you weren’t watching the Broncos/Patriots game yesterday, there better be a good reason. Even if you don’t like watching football, you’ve got to LOVE watching Tebow and the Broncos somehow pull through in the 4th quarter. So popular is this quarterback sensation that there was even a Tebow skit on SNL this past weekend.
But what a bummer that the Broncos lost. I was really rooting for them.
I was so bummed I decided to make banana muffins.
Which turned out absolutely delicious…
Banana Muffins recipe (makes 6)
I appreciate clean white space punctuated by subtle pops of color.
There are many reasons why I love this time of year: the holidays, sleeping in when it’s cold and I’m buried beneath layers and layers of blankets, making a fire at home, jumping into the hot tub when it’s freeeeezing at night and Sunday football. I LOVE football season. It’s a tradition at our house now to spend Sundays on the couch in our robes with laptops and dogs by our side while we watch the games and share a cup of coffee and yummy snacks. In other words, it’s a great excuse to be lazy
Thought I’d whip up a good breakfast this morning. Eggs + cream + spinach + sausage + cheese + leftover avocado sauce from a Mexican meal we had a couple nights ago. Cook on the stovetop as you would any omelette, but finish it off in the oven set at 425 degrees. I used convection bake for a quicker blast of heat and left it in there for about 4 minutes.
…and this thing We spend Sundays snuggling on the couch together.
I am so lucky to have some of THE best clients to work with.
Look what one of my clients sent me today! A beautiful silver frame from Tiffany’s and a lovely heartfelt note thanking me for all my work. Sorry for not showing the frame…we know it’s all about the Tiffany’s blue anyway
Sorry if you have to find out this way, but we planned on telling people when we saw them…not via text, not over the phone and certainly not over Facebook.
We eloped. Last month. And it was fabulous.
Pictures to follow soon!
I. Am. Happy.
Happy hump day! I kicked off the morning with kale / cucumber / ginger / lemon juice and am feeling sooooo good. I can’t believe I ever ditched juicing; I forget how good it is for you! I clocked in about 9 hours of sleep last night (shocker) after listening to this meditation CD that was recommended by my yoga teacher. All I remember is laying in bed listening to the CD and then it was 7:30am. No asthma attack in the middle of the night either yay!
This is turning out to be my favorite breakfast. Almond milk (I’ve ditched the soy) + Ezekiel almond cereal + banana + raisins. Washed it down with some leftover Starbucks coffee.
Something healthy! I can’t feel like all that hard work on the reformer went to nothing so I whipped up a bowl of mung beans, quinoa, avocado, sea salt, lemon and olive oil. Feeling light and feeling right!
