Daire: Frenemies or Couple in the making?, Riana Thorpe v Chuck Bass, and Berena=Bad Idea

Gossip Girl- Monday January 31, 2011

Bravo Gossip Girl! You rebounded after last week's lack luster return.  I would have preferred if Daire at W Magazine lasted a little longer then half an episode and I am semi-shocked that Dan sabotaged Blaire, and am even more shocked that Blaire did a lot of dirty work to get this internship on her own! Bravo to 3 nights of camping out in Stefano's lobby and faxing her resume to over 300 fax machines in the building.  Did she really mention in her resume she's never worn a scrunchie? And do you think it was Blaire that poured her perfume in the boss lady's coffee?

On another note: Eric and Damien? Weird! And sad! Although Damien is kind of hot in a bad boy sort of way. 

As for the other young Van der Woodsen, there are more fish in the sea.  Serena- why do you need to have the guy that's been behind bars ultimately because of you for the last three years? Is it because she's never been rejected and he is just another conquest?  Jail has definitely made Ben rough... and the end of the episode is scary! And Damien using Eric to stay safe(?) or as a decoy is just plain mean!! Serena, just get it through your head that Berena is a bad idea!

Now I thought I didn't like Riana but the fact that she may be sleezier then Chuck and the female equivalent of a womanizer- a manizer if you will- is pretty kinky! As far as the dad hiring Nate's dad, that will definitely be bad dad news! Cheesiest line of the night goes to Nate's dad, "I'd rather live in a half way house then live with someone that only half trusts me..." I think Nate's dad can leave the show and maybe Jenny circa season 1 or 2 should come back- not to be confused with the other Jenny that wears the weird braided extension down to her hips with scary goth eye makeup....

Not really missing Vanessa? Anyone else? Is she going to come back? Do we care?

Daire (Blaire + Dan) have grown from frenemies, to friends with sexual tension, to ruthless interns at W, to frenemies, and now back to a potential Daire in bed???  This is juicy and I love it love it love it! What will Chuck think or will he be too busy with Miss Thorpe or just waiting at her door while she finishes with her previous customer?

Alright to wrap this up-- honorable mentions of the night:
-Serena's dress at the W party- wowzers!
-Blaire's hot pink shorts (already checked Twitter and W Mag tweeted they are from Organic by John Patrick). I want I want I want! And after seeing on twitter, I google'd Blaire's pink shorts Organic by John Patrick and low and behold check it out:
http://coolspotters.com/clothing/organic-by-john-patrick-high-waisted-shorts.
And omg the best part is that I just found them on sale at Barneys from $395.00 marked down to $159! Okay also to be noted, that my husband, who loves Wolford stockings (on woman.... don't worry!) said at the end, "I loved how Blaire wore those pink shorts with Wolford stockings.. they are kind of like the ones I got you." I said are you sure she had stockings on? Giovanni- you are right - the internet just proved it!  Yes you heard me, I said "You are right!"

 Giovanni- PS- if you are reading this, I just bought myself the shorts... I couldn't resist.... So if you don't know what you are getting me for V-Day yet, these are pink like roses :)

.... now back to tonight's episode.....

-What was Rufus thinking giving Ben a key to his loft? And Ben is going to be Dan's roomate? Weird! Scary! Bad news!
-Lilly needs to stop being the Devil and get it together!  Bribing Damien with cash after your kids already hate you for being a conniving sneaky face-saving secret-hider crazy woman was not the best idea!
-Missing Chuck Bass even though he's back on my Monday nights... he just is NOT getting enough screen time for me! Producers- give me more Chuck Bass!


xoxoxo,
Gossip Girl (Lauren)

PS- I'm really seeming to love blogging about TV.... does this mean TV is more interesting then my life? Hmm in general I would say no.... but maybe just Gossip Girl is :)

Addicted to my BBM, Social Networking, and being Connected

Saturday January 29, 2011

Good Evening.  I have some sad news... my blackberry literally just committed suicide, and I am unreachable except via email/ facebook/ twitter that I can check on my laptop... but come on now I'm not sitting at home all night in front of my computer screen!? Thoughts are running through my head like what BBMs, texts, missed calls am I getting right now that I will never know about!??? My contacts are not backed up and what if I can't retrieve them?! 

So this is how it all went down... my blackberry is almost always within a few feet from me... yes I am addicted... So I put it on the bathroom counter as I get in the shower.  I'm half way through conditioning when I hear a bang.  I pull open the shower curtain, look down and see my blackberry at the bottom of the toilet. It literally committed suicide!?

I never saw any signs of depression. It got so much love and attention... maybe it was feeling smothered!? I will never know the exact reason of why it jumped from safety on top of my little LV boxes that I use to fill cu-tips etc.. with where it was perched waiting for me to get out of the shower. 

I didn't even have to think about quickly reaching my hand into the toilet to fetch my poor drowning blackberry, pulled it out,  quickly ripped off its case, slid off the back cover, and pulled out the battery to empty the water out, patted it dry with a towel and tried to blow dry away the remaining moisture inside of it.  But to my complete dismay, there was no CPR or shock that could save it.  It is now sitting next to me dismantled, hoping that maybe the SIM card is still alive. 

It's times like these where I realize how dependable I am on technology.  I mean not like I didn't know that I was, but I realize even more how dependent we all are. I was in the middle of multiple BBM convos, I was waiting to get a text back from Tonya if we are eating at DB Bistro or Zuma and at 9 or 10, and I was waiting for Giovanni to call me back to tell me he's on his way home from work.... Not to mention I prefer seeing facebook updates via my blackberry and I like to always keep everyone aware of what I'm doing via facebook or twitter when I'm on the go...

I remember getting my first phone when I was 15 and my first smart phone when I was 23.  I have never lost a phone or killed one.  I have had injuries and malfunctions where they have needed to be replaced but my contact data and calender and memo pads could always be transferred.  Luckily all my pictures I take I immediately upload onto Facebook.  My calender on the other hand has more things in it then you would want to even know - everything I have scheduled in the next year, reminders of to dos, my memo pad has many important notes, such as my 30 before 30 Bucket List. I just want to cry thinking about everything I may have lost.  I will now feel completely uneasy, antsy, anxious, lost until I get my new blackberry tomorrow morning, which will be a torch, in red I think. 

And if I did in fact lose all contacts and my calender, I will struggle to get back as much as I can in the weeks to come.  If you are my friend or family member that is reading this, please be proactive and help me out with an email/ facebook post or message/ or tagged tweet with your phone # and pin if applicable.

Well it is 8pm on Saturday night and it's time to pick myself up, fold this laundry sitting in front of me, dry my hair, pick out a dress for dinner tonight, and try to move on with life.


To all my fellow Blackbery or Iphone Addicts, I'm sure you can understand my pain.

Distraught,
Lauren

Obsessed with Bravolebrities: The Scoop on the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, NYC returning, and Announcement of Miami!

Friday January 28th

Anyone else obsessed with the uber successful Housewives Franchise?? I personally think Beverly Hills is by far the best yet!  However, with the announcement and confirmation of Miami coming soon, I hope that will be my new fave as its in my own 'hood!  I did a little online research yesterday and today and apparently they started filming back in March as a stand alone series, Miami Social Club, not to be confused with Miami Social which flopped.... Word on the street is that after they got done filming, Bravo decided to add it into the franchise.  When will they announce the premier date?  So who is on it? Editor of Venue Magazine, an NBA players wife and an NBA players ex wife, a PR expert, an expert charity planner, an art socialite, and a drag queen!?  The best part is that sources close to Bravo claim that this series will be classy.... hmm a classy drag queen? I'm sure it will be classier then NJ and Atlanta but then again that isn't too hard...  We shall see.  One thing is for sure, it will be a sexy show with great fashion and great events in the steamy weather that I love here in the south.

Now Back to the Beverly Hills Ladies as it's still their time to shine as they are in the midst of their reunion shows.  Here's my take on each lady:

Kyle: I love her long dark shiny hair and her signature big earrings! She's a great mother, she has a great marriage, but she is a little neurotic. Between the nasty fight between her and her sister and her and Camille's issues throughout the season, America has met her mischievous side.  Her husband, Mauricio, seems like a great dad and a great husband.... oh and he's hot !

Kim: Boring and Annoying.  Sorry Kyle I know it's your sister but I really do not enjoy watching her on tv.   I do hope she is getting help with her drinking problem.

Lisa: She speaks her mind, wears lots of pink, and works hard for her money while also taking time to  enjoy her life, like cutting roses in the back yard of her 17,000 sq ft mansion.  The whole Cedric thing was bizarre, and I think it's best that he's gone.  I can't believe her and her husband only knew each other for a few weeks before marriage but they seem very happy together.... and he seems like his hair is still in the 80s.

Camille: Who kisses other people's husbands on the lips? I think she loves drama and is actually insecure...UH OH- I just said the "taboo word..."  Her non housewives friends are weird.... especially the Medium... Despite that, no one can argue that she has a great body... and she certainly likes to show it off.  In regards to Kelsey, I feel truly bad for her as it seems he betrayed her and having another woman living in their NY apartment while they were still married is appalling.

Taylor: She is a gorgeous 39 year old, and I love her style.  Her lips may be a bit too big but she is still hot! She is truly a small town girl turned into a Beverly Hills woman whose "made it." But she may have sacrificed love to get there, and I am really not sure how her and Russel ever got together? I'm glad they are trying to work things out, but I think that requires him... umm... getting a PERSONALITY!

Adrienne: She has great shoes and is always made up to the nines, but Adrienne you don't need to have an up-do every day of the week! She always seems to be the voice of reason and very poised around the ladies.  But, I do think she should try and bicker less with her husband. I do love that her wedding gown is in the wall in the hall to her bathroom like a piece of art-- I so want to do this some day!

And here's some food for thought:
-Do you think Taylor and Kyle ever secretly get it on?
-Do you think Kelsey really cut off Camille in the bedroom ten years ago?
-I think Kyle has enough kids... I don't think she needs to have another... I think she should enjoy what she has and her husband and if she's feeling that maternal, get a puppy! Agree?
-Was anyone disappointed that Paris, Niki and the gang didn't appear on the show? Or quite the contrary?
-Is anyone else so sick of Camille and Kyle fighting? Enough is enough!  There fighting took over so much of the episodes and by the time it came up again in reunion part 1, I just wanted to go to sleep!
-These are definitely the richest housewives yet, and that makes them even more fun to watch! Does anyone wish they could raid their closets? I would raid Taylor's for dresses, Lisa and Adrienne for shoes, and Kyle's for her flowy tops and great earrings. 

So is anyone excited for the Real Housewives of New York to Return? I mean I will probably watch but not as religiously as Beverly Hills.  I do wish it was Miami premiering before New York returns. Bethenny was my favorite, which I guess is why she landed her own shows.  I am shocked the loony they call Kelly has returned!?? Jill can be really annoying, Ramona looks like a dear in the headlights and had her face pulled too tight and she needs to get some class! Speaking of class, the former countess, LuAnn, is on a high horse but maybe it was smoke and mirrors as she knew her marriage was falling apart.... Alex and her questionably straight husband are certainly entertaining and most definitely society climbers (but not as much Michaele and her hubbie from DC).  Sonja is definitely some comic relief, and I'm interested to see what the new girl, Cindy- the hair removal God, brings to the show!

Signing off,
Lauren

PS- Dear Bravo: If the cast of Miami doesn't work out for you, give me a call! I promise to bring great fashion, excitement, and there will never be a dull moment!

The Return of Gossip Girl: "The Rise of Elanor, Lilly's Antics, and a Multi Racial Upper East Side"

Tuesday January 25, 2011

Who else has has had that empty feeling the last several Monday nights? It's as if something has been missing, a void in the beginning of the work week, that only Chuck Bass, Serena, Blaire and the Upper East Side Crew could fill.  Well finally, yesterday, Monday nights returned to "normal" and it was back to "brain candy," as Barbara calls it.  Mindless, easy to watch TV.

In December, Gossip Girl ended with Lilly channeling the devil after Serena found out she put Ben, an innocent man in jail, only to dodge roomers that she had an affair with him.  All the while Lily was then inadvertently responsible for the downfall attempt of Serena-which ended with her in rehab- due to Juliette trying to get revenge on Serena because of Ben.  Lily is at the same time paying Juliette off for keeping quiet, and then goes behind Chuck's back to arrange the sale of Bass Industries- the Empire Hotel.

Monday's episode beings with the viewers thinking that Lily has turned pure evil.  She lies so easily when saying, "I don't want your father's legacy to die."  And then Eric finds out the Judge from Ben's case was put up in a hotel by Lily.  By the way at the end of the episode when Lily mentions to Rufus the sexual past the two share, are we to assume that she bribed the Judge with herself and not just her money.  It's almost as if the writers left it up to interpretation for us to believe whatever we want to believe.  By the end of the hour, the supposed buyer that was going to do the right thing with Bass Industries bales due to the families bickering.  Thorpe- a name that just sounds like a bad guy- is of course the one that reports the squabbles for his own best interest, so that he can do exactly what he tells Chuck at the beginning of the cocktail party in honor of Bass Industries Sale (weird within itself).  Did anyone else find it odd that it's season 4 before they introduce non white potential main characters onto the show.  No Blaire's minion doesn't count, and actually I'm not even sure what race she is anyways.  Now don't get me wrong, I have friends from all sorts of ethnicities, but the introduction of the Thorpe daughter father duo seemed a little forced as if the CW was told your show can't be all white rich kids.  They already added the token gay character, Eric, and now it was time to make the cast multi racial.

Who else loved that Elanor is an even bigger and better schemer then Blaire? When Blaire finally got into Indrid's hotel room or condo, the note on the mannequin from the mother proving victory was priceless!  I felt bad for Elanor that Blaire was so anti- Waldorf.  However the last scene they shared of the episode where Blaire's heart softens, and yes she does have a heart sometimes, was such a CW moment but I loved the cheesiness! As they pick out Blaire's future career as an editor for a top fashion magazine, it's almost as if they both think it will be as easy as buying a pair of Loubitons at Barneys.  However, if we've learned anything about Blaire in these four seasons, we know she gets what she wants, which is why the previews of her at W magazine the next episode with an internship are not at all surprising.  Dan being there too is a little more... What a moron for skipping that interview at the begininng of the episode, waiting for Serena! What a dumb move Lonely Boy! When will he learn that Serena only cares about herself and after all it's his step sister!  Don''t get me wrong, I do love Serena- but not to date!  Now what about Blaire and Dan? December's episode ended with some foreshadowing of a potential romance between the unlikely pair and then there's reference to the movie they went to over break and then they are off to see another movie.  Could the two have possibly hooked up?  Maybe the unlikely actually makes sense- they are both such intellects and maybe Dan needs a powerful woman like Blaire to take charge... and give him fashion advice.

A few other things I wanted to point out:
-Did anyone else hate Lily's silver moon suit looking dress? I thought it was fugly and unflattering.
-Does Nate's dad really think he's too cool for school? A middle aged out of shape guy that just got out of jail thinks he can pick up hot bodies running through Central Park?  Interesting at the end that he is toasting with Thorpe.  I smell trouble.
-Even though it was not directly Serena's fault that Ben went to jail, does she really have such magical man power that two minutes of out of jail, he went to go hang out with the girl that he was serving time for due to a crime he never commited.  Or could it be that for all those years he's thought about her and after wasting part of his young adulthood in a cell over a girl he didn't let himself have, that now is ready to have her in every room of the house?
-Did anyone miss Juliette?  What about Vanessa?  Jenny?


xoxo,
Gossip Girl

Ferraris, Glitter, and the Donald

Sunday January 23, 2011

Is it just me or does anyone else get anxiety Sunday night? The weekends always seem to fly by even if they were a 3 day weekend, like I had this week.  And then Sunday night hits, and everything I have to do this week sinks in, and I just wish I could have another Sunday.  This past weekend was a mini vacation as I got to stay at the Breakers in Palm Beach since Giovanni had meetings there.  I took Friday off of work and headed up Thursday night.  We went to Jeff Fisher's private Ferrari Collection Viewing Party, mingling with mostly a much older crowd and of course a very wealthy one.  Many of the cars there were in the millions and collectors items.  It is truly crazy to fathom that a car could cost as much as mansion on the ocean.

We then went to Dolce de Palma for a late dinner, since the small passed apps and the wine didn't quite fill us up.  Annie's new roomate, Kristen manages this restaurant, which her brother owns.  It's a smallish hidden gem, but maybe not so hidden as there was a Ferrari and some other nice cars parked out front.  I had the shrimp and calamari entree, and it was very good! I highly recommend.


Friday was glorious- ordered room service in bed, laid out on the beach for a couple hours, and then the sunny skies escaped, so I got a thai chicken salad, some magazines and headed up to the room for some r & r and to get ready for Giovanni's big night, Ferrari of Palm Beach's Opening Party.

Giovanni started as the General Manager at Ferrari and Maserati of Palm Beach a few months ago.  Ferrari of Palm Beach has been sharing a building with Maserati for the last year, while the gorgeous new state of the art dealership that Ferrari has now moved into was built. Friday night was the first time anyone would be stepping into this beautiful building and the cocktail party was THE party of Palm Beach that weekend.  Below are a few pictures before the party started.

There were people in from all over the country and all over Florida in attendance.  Millionaires and multimillionaires made up more then half of the crowd.  Billionaires were on hand as well, including the Donald himself! He was invited, his people RSVPd, and he flew in from NY and came straight from the airport to the party, complete with his TV crew, filming the 2nd season of "My Fabulous World of Golf." I even got a chance to briefly speak to him and shook his hand.  He is certainly tall in real life and has a presence!  With his height and his hair, you couldn't miss him walking into the party!  Everyone wanted to be on the coveted guest list, people starting lining up well before the doors opened, and in total 700 fabulous people walked through those doors.  Everyone waited in line to be checked off the guest list and luckily almost everyone that showed up was on it.  Once the party ended, no one wanted to go home, and a large group was still there even an hour after the party was over and the alcohol was put away and the bartenders and wait staff had cleaned up. 

Besides Donald's cameras, there was actual press as well, and the party was on the news the next day!  Guests drank champagne, snacked on ceviche, tomato mozzarella skewers, and canollis.

The age of the crowd was mostly 40s-60s I would say, but there were a good amount of successful 20 something and 30 somethings  there as well that either own Ferraris or will soon.  From a distance you couldn't tell the difference between the 27 year old and the 50 year old woman.  I was impressed that almost everyone was dressed to the nines, guys in full suits or at least blazers, and the woman mostly dawned dresses- ranging from wrap dresses to bandage dresses to sequins.  I was debating on 2 dresses myself- a metallic Herve Leger bandage dress, which I almost went with but it just felt weird putting it on when it wasn't dark out yet, so I ended up going with a bright blue fitted non traditional DVF dress- a silk, wool, spandex blend with a waisted belt and sky high nude pumps.  The outfit recieved many compliments, but my feet were killing by the end of the night! Sometimes, or a lot of the time, beauty is pain and we all must suffer for fashion. 

As guests said farewell to the beautiful cars and the beautiful people, they snatched up the gift bags at the end of the night with the Ferrari of Palm Beach hats like they were free diamonds (as if this crowd needed anything free).  Guests kept trying to go back for more, pretending they hadn't yet gotten a bag!  It was quite amusing and of course complimentary to the dealership. The event went swimmingly well and if you are wondering what types of cars were there,  stop in and see for yourself.

Paint this image in your head if you weren't at the event... the showroom filled with Ferraris, another 20 on lifts in Service department, and another 40 or so parked out front- some that were the dealerships and others that guests rolled up in.

Finally, I had two more great Italian dinners at Bice, pronounced "bee-chay" not bice-rhyming with nice, like I initially thought lol) and at Renato's.  Bice had great food, great service, and a happening bar area.  Renatos had a beautiful outside terrace and the food was great as well.  Anyone else have any restaurant recommendations for next time I'm up in Palm Beach?

Signing off on this Sunday night... time to get a little more r and r and get a good night sleep before my 5:30 AM wake up call for Bootcamp.

xoxoxo,
Lauren

My Top 3 Miami Restaurants Right Now! Zuma, Prime 112, and Sugarcane

Wednesday January 19, 2011

In Miami, it's more then just good food if you want to make my top 3 restaurants.  Location, Atmosphere, the Scene, the crowd, and the decor all come into play.

Prime 112 is an oldie but goodie, located in South Beach's highly sought after neighborhood SoFi (for those of you that don't no the lingo- that means South of Fifth)!  365 days a year, 7 nights a week, this place is packed all night! Even with a reservation, expect to wait an hour - and that's with constantly bugging the hostess.  Somehow Prime 112 enthusiasts seem not to care because the scene at the crowded bar and the bacon they serve- so much cooler then nuts keeps us content.  Last week when I was there, I even had a guy who was eating dinner at the bar by himself insist that my friend, Missy and I, have some of his Signature salad because it was huge, to die for, and we just had to.  We kept saying no, but before we knew it we were sharing a strangers salads- don't worry he served us before eating off of it, and we got our own plates.  Everyone in here is dressed to impress- it's a mix of locals, Europeans, and some tourists- but mostly only those cool enough to fit in.  Celebrities and star athletes are the norm.  I remember one night for my friend Dave's B-Day, Mark Walberg, Ludacris, a comedian whose name I'm at a loss for, and 4 NBA stars were all there.  Another time for Giovanni's B-Day, an ex NFL guy at the table next to us, kept sending over rounds of tequila shots after tequila shots after tequila shots for the guys at the table--- and this was before dinner even came!  I highly recommend sharing here- even main courses.  I usually split a fillet with a girlfriend or my husband if he's not sharing the 48 oz Porter House with another hungry man (PS in the future that could feed 4 even though the menu says 2).

If you like sauce with your steak, the Prime 112 sauce is delicious.  One of my favorite apps is their signature diver sea scallops with slow braised short rib, truffled mash and pinot noir sauce.  They also often have great special appetizers, such as the Hawaiian poke tuna I had last week.  It was the best $45 appetizer I ever had, and no there is no sarcasm-- it was amazing and we easily shared it between 3 people.  It is essential to save room for the great sides- all family style- and let me tell you leftover Prime 112 vegies make for delicious frittatas or omelets the next day.  I love the broccoli rab and mixed mushrooms.  I've heard the cauliflower with cheddar gratin and the truffle mac are to die for, but unfortunately I'm lactose intolerant, but hey less calories for me!  My last word of advise at Prime 112 is to sit in the main dining room- don't let them try to move you across the street or outside. Here - you want to be inside.  However, if you have a large group that you want to be able to hear, have a baby with you, or want a quiet night, then you will enjoy sitting in the lounge in the Prime Hotel next door as it has more of a chic chill vibe going on.

Zuma is a new favorite! It just opened this summer, and lucky me I can walk there in less then 2 minutes.  Its located in NoBri (North of Brickell) at the Epic Hotel.  It's the restaurants first US outpost- the others are in Dubai, London, Istanbul, and Hong Kong.  This place is crawling with people that want to be seen and people you want to see.  Giselle and Tom Brady stood at the bar across from my table in the lounge one night before sitting in the back of the restaurant.  We walked out at the same time, and I was able to snag a picture:

Another night, I sat next to Vera Wang.  Besides celebrities, you will find a well dressed sexy chic crowd - ages ranging across the whole spectrum.  The best waitress there or maybe in all of Miami is Eva! I have now eaten here 8 times since its opening- 7 for dinner and one for lunch, and I can't get enough.  Again, I love that this place is all about sharing, and the food comes from 3 areas of the restaurant- the sushi bar, the kitchen, and the robata grill.  If you want a twist on edamame, try their stir fried ones - you won't be able to stop eating them! Their cocktail list is extensive, but I think my favorite is a glass of Reisling with this Asian fusion food.  If you like sake though, there is a great list here as well.  Heck- no one says you need to limit dinner drinking to one type of alcohol.

The spicy yellow tail roll with serano peppers and the sliced seared tuna with chili daikon and ponzu sauce is a great way to start, but by start please note that because food is coming out from 3 places, there is no "order," the food just comes when it is ready and is usually spaced pretty nicely. The rice hotpot with wild mushrooms and Japanese vegetables is so amazing you won't even be able to handle it!  The sweet corn and the zucchini skewers are also great, pair that with either the rib eye or the skirt steak and you will be one satisfied customer!  If you save room for desert, the green tea and banana cake is out of this world, and if you want to just cleanse your pallet, the sorbets come out with an array of fruit and flowers and leaves sticking out  in a little box with ice- so pretty you may just want to stare before taking a bite.  And if you are like me, and like to end a meal with tea, the jasmine green Tea is sensational.  And lastly, in regards of where to sit, I like the lounge a lot- almost better then the full dining room.  They recently opened an outdoor area, but most of the tables are small and awkward- but it's nice because it's on the water so again depends if you are aiming for a more chill dinner or if you want to be part of the scene.

Sugarcane comes to us from the owners of Sushi Samba.  It's located in the hip new area, Midtown, which is right between the art districts, Wynwood and the Design District. The atmosphere is excellent here inside and out- I would actually say outside is the best with lanterns and high bushes hiding the outside world.
 
Concept of sharing and the food coming from 3 places is just like Zuma's.  Some of my favorites include home fries with a fried egg on top, orange soy brussel sprouts, and their sushi is just like Sushi Samba with creative maki rolls.  The crowd is people who have moved on from South Beach and want to get away from the tourists- mid 20s to late 30s is the majority age group here.  Everyone is trendy of course... I mean we are still in Miami after all, but it is not as showy and you can tell people are here to hang for the night mostly and not going to a club after.

So there you go - 3 different neighborhoods, 3 great scenes, 3 great menus, and 3 great atmospheres.  Would love to hear your comments if you agree or disagree.  If you haven't tried one or all of these places, I suggest you make a reservation!


Now that you are all drooling, go get something to eat!

xoxoxo
Lauren

PS- Who is so excited for the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills Finale tomorrow?  I have an event in Palm Beach so will have to watch not on real time but cannot wait!! The preview of Kyle looking like she is going to kill someone in the limo is ummm woahhhhh!


PPS-Who is a Chuck Bass lover??? I have been dying every Monday since last month waiting for the return of Gossip Girl! Shout out to Tiffany for seeing him in NYC the other day.  Apparantly he still lives next door to her.  Anyways, I am beyond excited for GG to return as I miss my Monday night drug!  Who else is!??

St. Barths Top 3- Le Ti St. Barths, Boating, and Do Brazil

Tuesday January 18, 2011

Welcome to my 3rd blog! My husband was asking last night what I was going to write about tonight, and of course I already have a list of topics marinating, but he suggested St. Barths, and within one second, I thought perfect.  St. Barths is such fabulosity that it deserves to have its 3 mini topics all be about itself!  My first time there was my honeymoon last April/May.  I highly recommend it! Do we have any Bravolebrity fans reading this? Well if so, "Betheny from Real Housewives of New York" and "Bethenny Getting Married? and soon to be "Betheny Ever After" actually stayed at the same hotel as me on her honeymoon just days after we did!  Le Guanahani is extremely romantic and located on a cove so the beach actually has ocean on two sides of it and gorgeous little villas make up the small hotel.  There is more staff then patrons and you definitely get your exercise walking around this place! Lots of open space and beautiful gardens and hills but only about 60 rooms total, and that is actually big for St. Barths!

St. Barths is part of France, and you feel as if you are in Europe in the middle of Ocean.  Because of its exclusivity, commercial planes cannot fly into the small airport- so you either have to take a ferry from St. Maarten or a puddle jumper- we tried both- each has its pluses and minuses.  The people their tend to be very well off, and there is no poverty like you see on most islands.  It is a relatively small island but has lots of little towns- all a few minutes apart with different beaches and shopping and restaurants.  A car is a must-- the roads are very narrow and people drive fast... I recommend a Smart convertible.

The food is Aaaamazing! Yes I purposely had to draw out the A.  And it looks pricey even before you start doing the conversions from euros to $s in your head, but it is well worth it!  One of our favorite spots if you want to combine a night out with fine dining is Le Ti St. Barths.  The night we went, all the wait staff was dressed in doctors and nurses uniforms.  Apparently there is always a theme, and some how it worked in a crazy way with out being cheesy.  And later in the night, after the fashion show during dinner, the host even asked Giovanni if he minded if they dressed me up, so next thing I know I'm in a nurses uniform dancing on the tables with half the crowd with Stereo Love pumping through the room (a few months before it became popular in the US).

Boating is also a MUST.  We did a full day private boat charter and a half day.  There are some beaches only reachable by boat and you can see all the celebrities homes from the water.  It's as if you are in a whole other world that is almost completely uninhabited as you speed through the open ocean.  We also went to a fabulous restaurant only reachable by boat on a deserted island.  The only thing on the whole island was this restaurant serving the most delicious locally caught fish.  Your boat pulls up and anchors in the vicinity, and then a little dingy boat shuttles people back and forth to the dock of the restaurant. 

Do Brazil is another favorite- went there for not just dinner, but returned for lunch.  They had this mixed seafood in a light curry sauce that was to dye for- pair that with a mojito and a lobster salad and you are in heaven!  This restaurant in Shell Beach is practically built like an adult tree house right in the sand. 

So there you have it! If you go boating, visit Le Ti St. Barths for some dinner and dancing on tables, and have lunch at Do Brazil, then you are on your way to an amazing vacation!

Other perks- celebrity sitings, Louis Vuitton is cheaper then the US even with exchange rate because it is part of France and in France LV is cheapest since its from there,  in the beginning of May all boutiques have major sales- think a $5K Missoni dress for just a few hundred euros, and I could go on but I think you are already drooling.  Oh and the weather is amazing- sunny and hot ( it maybe rains 1 day the whole year.)  I cannot wait to get back there, and if you haven't been yet, I suggest you think about it!

Au Revoir and 'till next time,
L

A Girl's Obsession with Louboutins, Long Walks, and Icon Brickell

Monday January 17, 2010

Hello Followers!
I think I may stick with this 3 Topics a Blog thing... It's a reflection of me and my randomness and I like to tie together unrelated things.  So lets start with those red bottom shoes.  Every fashionista dreams of her first glorious pair of Louboutins:

For me, my first pair finally came to me this Christmas.  My theory is "go big or go home," so as you can see by the picture I went with a rocker chic, v-throat bootie, with a 6 inch heel, platform, and spikes.  These shoes are a major WOW and make me 5'7.  Is there such thing as a shoe-gasm? If so, these would do it!  For years I wanted to be part of the red bottom club, and now I finally am, but the search wasn't easy.  Before Christmas, Christian Louboutin store, Saks, and Jeffreys in NY were sold out of just about all black Louboutins in a 37 1/2.  Same story at Neiman Marcus at the King of Prussia Mall, but finally Saks in Philadelphia and the sales guy, Larry, came to the rescue with a few styles in my size.  So far I've rocked these bad boys on Christmas Day... I wanted to make it a very Rocker Christmas, New Years Eve with my Black Swan-esque Alice and Olivia dress, and Saturday night with grey skinny j-brands, a simple white tank and a black vest with metal decor going down the side.  These shoes bring lots of attention, and I'm not going to lie and pretend I don't like it, because you don't buy shoes like this if you don't want to be noticed.  So why such the obsession with these shoes that could cost someone's month rent or a weeks paycheck?  It's like the Ferrari of shoes- all about living the dream- and the sexiness and status they hold.  I'm already contemplating my next pair- a double platform 6 inch heel nude peep patent leather pump.  Nude pumps give the allusion of longer legs... For now my Sam Edelman nude pumps will do.

So Saturday night I was rocking these rocker chic Louboutins at Chase and Jenny's party at the Icon Brickell and between being there the other night, walking past it every day, and Annie looking at apartments there, I got the Icon on my mind.

The Icon Brickell is something you either don't understand because you are too uptight and boring OR because you are comfortable enough with yourself to recognize this isn't your style OR you love it because it is so ridiculous and unsuspecting.  First you have to get through the hundreds of pillars that are shaped as heads.  I love how all the faces are different and some have those eyes that are glaring through you.  Walk into the dark lobby and wanabees may be scared and turn away as the coolness factor is exuding.

If you make it to the elevators, you may have thought that you really did just go crazy and that you were seeing seats that look like heads.... oh wait you were!  Anyways you now suddenly feel like you are in an insane asylum with sparkly white everywhere!  And as you tour around the  asylum and make your way to the pool area, you may never want to leave....

The back of Icon Brickell faces Brickell Key, one of my favorite places to walk around, and if you know me, you know I love to walk.  Some people love running, but not me, I loathe running.  In fact the other night while walking on Brickell Key, there must have been 75 runners that sprinted past me.  I literally felt like the broken down car in the slow lane as cars sped past me beeping in annoyance.  However, it doesn't bother me, because I am just fine with my walking and if you are a walker- you should be too!  To me walking is like therapy- a way to escape or let my imagination run wild, all while getting in some exercise and extra toning thanks to my shape ups.  And Yes they do work and they've given me some extra compliments on my legs when I've flaunted them around in those Louboutins. Walking when the sun comes up is pretty amazing too, especially when you live and walk around the water... it's as if the city is awaking and it's so peaceful and beautiful to watch.  See one of the pictures I snapped on my blackberry this AM:

So there you go, I tied in Louboutins, Long Walks and the Icon Brickell together.  And to summarize, the person who gets the Icon Brickell admires or owns Loubitons and also probably walks like me- of course you have to mix that with yoga, pilates, spinning, and Boot Camp.... more exercise blogging to come in the future....

Ciao!
L

Friends, Quinoa, and Puppies

Sunday January 16, 2011


Hello "You Out There." Thank you for visiting my first blog.  I don't know why I've waited 27 years to write one.  I constantly blog my life, keeping friends and family up to date on what I'm doing, thinking, my latest fashion must haves and obsessions, new restaurants I'm loving or hating, what I'm cooking, etc.... via facebook and twitter.   My friends often make fun of my long and often posts or tweets, and they know they can always count on me to be the paparazzi documenting our lives through pictures.  I have an odd saying, "If I don't have a picture of the night, it didn't happen." I love to capture memories and relive them for days and years to come.  I love to share my pictures and my life with friends, family, and whoever is interested.  So don't worry, pictures will be included in upcoming blogs! My "rambling" is even evident in my record-length bbms and texts that I bombard my friends and husband with.  What can I say? I like to write, have my voice heard, and tell my story-- almost like an autobiography that continues every day....hence the name of this Blog "Lauren's AutoBLOGraphy."  The idea to blog all started at brunch today at Olivers in South Beach with my friend Annie who just moved here from LA, originally from Boston, and Giovanni, my husband. I was giving usual commentary like "what is that girl wearing? Did she forget her pants or forget to look in the mirror?" and on the beach, "Don't you wonder where those boats are going when you look out far into the ocean... it's almost as if they are going to fall off the "edge" of the ocean and go into another world...." I'm always thinking, always pondering, always commenting- whether aloud or to myself, so why not put it out there? 

You are probably wondering why the title of the blog is "Friends, Quinoa, and Puppies."  Well, don't worry, I'm getting to that.  One of the things I love most about Miami is the open-ness of people and the ease of meeting people.  For example, I just met Jenny at work last month in between presentations I was doing.  I was resting before my next hour talk and she was early and new to the company.  She had just moved here to Brickell and it brought memories of when I first moved here and then when I moved back again this year....for good!  She seemed like a cool girl, and I always like meeting new people.  This led to a lunch and then I invited her to my "Welcome Annie to Miami Party" last weekend where she came with her boyfriend, and the two were a big hit.  So not only did I make a new friend but many of my other friends did as well.  The other thing about Miami is that it is always such a small world.  For example, Betsey, who I met through Tonya who I know through Mike who is a Doctor who got his MBA with me... Yes he is an over achiever who loves education and new challenges... in fact he just complted a marathon last weekend and closed on a new condo today.  Well Betsy came with a friend, Anette, who I had never met, who then hit it off with Annie.  Then my friend Pilar from UM MBA brought a friend Victoria who just so happens is good friends with a former boss who was going to meet her later that night and that led to me reconnecting with her, and Victoria happened to go to high school with Betsys or Betsys friend... to be honest it's sometimes hard to keep up with all of the connections :).  Then Jill and Mike realized they had a mutual friend that is also a friend of mine.  It just goes on and on- everyone connects some how... it's like the six degrees of seperation, but in Miami there is only one degree.  So last night, Jenny and Chase had a party and invited Giovanni, Annie, and I along with Barbara and Mike.  And by the way I met Barbara at Tonya's baby shower back in July and she knows Tonya because her boyfriend, Mike and her went to school together.  Of course last night we met more new people, and I hit it off with Courtney who lives down the street and is finishing Law School and her boyfriend Ari knows my friend Lauren and her husband Michael.  Lauren works with me too and we both used to be shoe buyers before coming to the pant world.  We used to just say "hi" at work as we don't have much direct contact, and then we hit it off at a group work dinner one night.  So Lauren and Michael had loaned Ari and Courtney a dog leash a few days before as they were dog sitting their friend dog who was also at the party and some how it came up that they knew Jenny.  From there we then went to one of Giovanni's new client's friends party and I met Kellys friend, Naman, along with some great, interesting, ambitious girls visiting from DC.  There were also two girls there visiting from Princeton, NJ, Giovanni's home town.  Go figure.

This weekend, we are also dog sitting, Noodle and Nala, the most adorable dogs ever for Barbara as she is traveling for the night for business with Mike- yes they work together- he owns his own outdoor advertising company.  They are so adorable and I love the unconditional love they provide.  However when I saw all the little notes Barbara left, the rules, the emergency numbers, etc..., I laughed for a minute, and then I thought, you know these are her kids, and I'm sure I would be the same way.  It was endearing and I somewhat envied her orgnazinedness- something I often lack!  They are like her babies and are so much fun and you can't help but smile when you are with them.

And lastly, I'm on a new kick, Quinoa..... it's a nice substitute for rice and pasta.  I had it first last weekend and now again tonight.  It's a staple in the diet of Incas, high in fiber, high in protein, gluten free, and lower in carbs then rice.  Interestingly enough Carla, Jenny's friend, was talking about Quinoa last night.  It has a very different consistency and doesn't have much flavor to it but add veggies to it and some white wine or soy sauce and spices, and it's delicious and really makes the meal.  Tonight we had it with sauteed scallops and shrimp along with a side of corn salad, made with blackened corn, roasted red peppers, cilantro and onions.  On a somewhat unrelated note, it also came to me this weekend, I hadn't used my slow cooker in a while, and with my busy schedule and my husbands, it's hard when we both work a lot to always prepare nice dinners at night because of the lack of time, so I am cooking while I sleep tonight and have a turkey chili that will cook on low for 8 hours and will be great for for dinner tomorrow night and leftovers for lunches.


Well that's all for now.  Hope you enjoyed my first blog.  Maybe you related to the first degree of separation in Miami or you wish you had that in the city you were in.  Maybe you will try Quinoa now, and lastly if you have a dog I'm sure you are smiling right now and if you don't, I'm sure you are like me and wish you had one but are unfortunately too busy with life right now.


xoxo
Lauren


PS- Upcoming Blog Topics that I'm already brainstorming include:
"A Girl's Obsession with Loubitons- The Genius Behind the Red Bottoms"
"Why It's Fun to Dress Rocker Chic"
"Brunch Blogging"
"Icon Brickell- Love it or Hate It?"
"The Great Escape I call The Standard"
"Zuma-Licious"
"Bravolebrities and the RHOB"
"Yoga Girl Becomes Pilates Fan"

and more!!