Update: It Sold and U2.....

Ever since I got back from all of my traveling, I have just been swamped the past few weeks with work and things going on in my personal life.

At the end of September, my husband, a few friends, and I made the drive to Baltimore to see U2 perform their 360 tour at FedEx Field. It was a-m-a-z-i-n-g!!!! I just love Bono. I'm not the hugest fan of the new album...I like only a few of the songs. But, the show was awesome and they played plenty of the U2 classics that we all know and love. I have seen them before and they are by far one of my favorite shows to see!

Here are some pics of frontman, Bono, rocking out.......I just love him!! We had general admissions tickets (which basically means standing on the field) which is just the best way to see a band like this.....

In other news, our house has finally SOLD!!!!!! I'm so freakin' excited! We close on November 19th on both our current house and our new house. I drove past our new house yesterday (it is new construction) and am just amazed at how much progress they are making in such a short period of time....all of the drywall is in and the cabinets and hardwood floor is sitting on the floor in their boxes waiting to be installed. So excited!

Now begins the lovely task of trying to packing up the current house......I HATE moving!!! Just HATE it!! And I'm not looking forward to the next 6 weeks....

In other news, one of my dearest friends (she was actually my maid of honor) lost her job last week. She works with autistic/spectrum disorder children and the specialized school where she worked has been having some economic issues of late. I feel so bad for her.....and she does such a wonderful thing and loves the children that she works with.....so please send your positive thoughts her way to help her find a new job:) Thanks!!!

I have a few product reviews coming up.....these are going to be a little different than my usual clothing hauls......I'm in the process of completely revamping my skincare/make-up routine so I'm going to be doing several posts on my progress.

Hope you all have a great day!

xoxo....

J.

I've been MIA......because

So I was here.......for two lovely and relaxing weeks........and now I'm going here.....love, love, LOVE Chicago...this trip is business during the week and then I am staying through the weekend to spend time with a dear friend.
So I'll be back with new fashion posts next week......until then, enjoy this lovely "fall-ish" weather!

xoxo,
J.

Falling into the GAP.....

When I was in high school, before discovering Abercrombie and Fitch, GAP was my go-to store. I was border line obsessed with it (a la JCrew now). In recent years...eh...not so much. I haven't really liked anything the Gap has offered for several years now. And with the exception of the odd tank top or pajama bottom, I never shopped there. But, then I heard about this new line of jeans and I started to see some things that I liked.

Yesterday, I paid my local GAP B&M a visit....I arrived to discover that the entire store was buy one get one (BOGO)...this promo did not include pants or jackets. I got my husband a ton of casual stuff...v neck cotton sweaters, layering tees, henleys, etc. And then I wandered over to the ladie's section. Here is what I tried on:

First up, GAP Boyfriend Jeans and Chambray boyfriend button down. I really liked this button down but I just don't think I will ever wear it so I left it. The fabric was really soft and it ran LARGE....I sized down to an XS which is just ridiculous! I am a very consistant size medium.

The boyfriend jeans were nice but I left them too. I've come to the conclusion that boyfriend jeans are just not meant for my body type....they are always huge in the waist and baggy in the butt...which I hate. I sized down in these jeans...I'm wearing a six here. Overall I feel like most of Gap's clothing this season is running big and long.

Next up, the Boyfriend Striped Sweater. I really really liked this sweater. I need a cami under it, it is pretty low cut as you can see in the picture. I didn't get the stripes...but I got a really pretty forest green and purple color. I opted for solids. I am wearing my normal size Medium here. I tried on a Small too and the size was not much different, the sweater was just a little shorter in the torso. I'm planning on wearing these with skinny jeans and boots this fall/winter so I prefer the slightly baggier shape to offset the skinny bottom. I would recommend these.

Lastly, I got a fleece zip up in a brown/oatmeal color. I have been on the hunt for a longer length zip up hoodie. I ordered the JCrew Sherpa lined hoodie but after getting this Gap version for $17.50 on promo...originally $39.50, the JCrew Sherpa hoodie is going back.

I think that this GAP hoodie is a really great alternative to the JCrew counterpart. However, there are some major differences. Firstly, the material is much thinner than the Sherpa lined hoodie. The fit is very similar...I think the GAP hoodie runs a little large but I'm okay with that...I'll be frying it in the dryer. For my purposes, which include wearing this to the gym and grocery store and layering it under my LLBean feather puffy vest this fall, the GAP version works great! I'm very happy to save myself fifty dollars and apply that to another JCrew item that I have been coveting.

I think that I might pick this up in another color...I'm thinking either the pink or orangey color....I have several knit colored dresses in grey, navy, and black and I think that the pop of color would look really cute early in the fall or on my beach vacation next week.

Well I'm all spray tanned and just have to pack for my weekend at the shore:) We have a beach house at the Jersey Shore so we are so excited to be down there for the last days of summer....have a great weekend everybody:)

J.

Some beats for pavement pounding......

AKA....Song recommendations for running:)

Sometimes you just don't feel like working out; and, if you are anything like me, music can be that motivator to get you through the mind games.

I've recently gotten back into running and have taken some time to update my ipod with some great tunes......

Here are some of my current favorites that can be found on my "Running" playlist:

Best Day of your Life -- Kellie Pickler
Good Girls Go Bad -- Cobra Starship
I Run to You -- Lady Antebellum
I Run for Life -- Melissa Etheridge
Love Story (Workout Mix) -- Taylor Swift
Eye of the Tiger -- Survivor (I put this on whenever I get frustrated or to push through the pain)
Fire Burning -- Sean Kingston
I Got a Feeling -- Black eyed Peas
Kids -- MGMT
Supermassive Black Hole -- Muse
Human (Deluxe Day&Age Version -- The Killers
Smooth Criminal -- Michael Jackson
Around the World -- Daft Punk
Electric Feel -- MGMT
Mo Money Mo Problems -- Mase, Puff Daddy, & Biggy Smalls
Best of You -- Foo Fighters
Just Dance -- Lady Gaga
Nighttiming -- Coconut Records
One More Time -- Daft Punk
Cath -- Death Cab for Cutie

Alot of these are "newer" songs....I get bored pretty easily so I download new music playlists pretty regularly.

Do you have any suggestions???

Leave some song suggestions in the comment section...I'm always looking for new ideas and I like all kinds of music!

J.

Fall Shoes.....

It is still 95 degrees here and humid as hell...but that doesn't stop me from wanting to shop for fall. The heat and humidity has deterred me from wool sweaters, etc. So I have been focusing my fall shopping efforts on my favorite thing ever -- SHOES!

I had to travel pretty far out into the suburbs for work this week and I happened to be passing my favorite TJMaxx. For some reason, this specific TJMaxx in my area always has the best shoes (I found 5 pairs of JCrew shoes on one trip back in the spring!) I've gotten countless pairs of Cole Haan, Michael Kors, Coach, etc shoes here over the past few years. So when I stopped in, I pleasantly pleased to discover several more casual and comfortable options to add to my fall wardrobe.

First up, these black suede wedges from Michael Kors. They were a steal at $59.99. I plan on wearing them this fall with skinny jeans and skirts/dresses with black tights. They are also very comfortable and make my *gigantic* feet look small-ish. I got these in a 9. (I am normally a 9.5 but I have narrowish skinny feet so if the toebox is wide, I normally go down .5 to one whole size.)


I love wedges and I'm guessing this wedge is about 3.5 to 4 inches high. But the shoes are super comfortable and have a very wide toebox because of the rounded toe. I love them!!!

Next up, these nude colored wedges from Me Too! I took these in a 9. They cost $39.99. These look pretty awesome with skinny jeans and I love the fact that the slight wedge (it is 1 inch) elongates my leg. These look really flattering with skinnies and they are very comfortable. I am slightly concerned with gold hardware being uncomfortable....I have funny toes..my toe nail sort of curves up a little bit and I have had problems with the Tory Burch Reva ballet flats in the past because of this. But for $39.99, I am willing to give these a chance.

Overall, I'm happy with my new shoe additions and wish it would start to get COOLER so that I could wear them!!!

Next up....GAP's awesome BOGO promo.

Cheers!

J.

I try to keep it light...but this just makes me so MAD!!!

So, I try to keep my blog posts light hearted. However, I just have to comment on this. I'm a born and raised Philadelphian, a die hard Eagles and Phillies fan, and I have spent the last 16 hours trying to figure out WTF Andy Reed (Eagles Head Coach) and management are thinking signing Michael Vick!!!

He orchestrated the abuse, torture, and killing of hundreds of dogs in his off-time spent running a dog fighting ring. He spent 18 months in prison; and, yes, he has paid his debt to the legal system. During all of the press conferences, the phrase "second chance" and "deserves a second chance" has been used over and over again!



So let me say my peace, I believe that people deserve a second chance. And Michael Vick is no exception. He paid his debt to the legal system. He filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Lost his career and the respect of his fans. This guy is pretty much a rock bottom! And he does deserve a second chance. However, he was only released on July 20th from his jail/house arrest time; and, already he has a multi-million dollar two year contract with another NFL team. I DO NOT AGREE WITH THIS!!! Maybe after he spent a year working with the SPCA, speaking about animal abuse, etc FULL TIME!!! Maybe after that I would be willing to say "the NFL should give him a second chance." But, not now, not so soon.......



This just makes me so mad! He better be the poster child for the Philadelphia Humane Society!!! I expect him to be speaking to school children about his mistakes and how NOT to be like him!

Not to mention, I don't really see what he has to offer to the team regarding skills seeing as we already have McNabb and a great back-up quarterback. Do we really need a third?


My husband and I have season tickets and for the first time, I'm really not looking forward to football season!



J.

Getting in Shape Series: Beginner Runner Training.....

So, it's time for an update on my running progress. I wrote a few weeks ago about my fear of running and my joining a running club....well I am pleased to report that things are going great. I had originally signed up for a half marathon on September 20th but with a business trip and vacation time scheduled, I felt this was maybe pushing myself a little too much. So I've signed up for a 1/2 in my area in Mid-November. This will give me plenty of time to train.

I found this awesome Beginner Half-Marathoner training program on the website -- http://www.marathonrookie.com/ This program does a great job of getting you into shape to run your first (in my case first-in-a-long-time) half marathon. They recommend being able to run for 30 minutes non-stop before starting.

Here it is:


This beginner half marathon training program assumes you have been running
consistently for at least 4-6 weeks and can run for at least thirty minutes without stopping
before beginning the program. Do not run more than two consecutive days when
following this schedule.

10-Week Half Marathon Training Schedule

Week Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Total
1 3 Rest 3 3 Rest 4 Rest 13
2 3 Rest 4 3 Rest 5 Rest 15
3 3 Rest 4 3 Rest 6 Rest 16
4 3 Rest 5 3 Rest 8 Rest 19
5 3 Rest 5 3 Rest 10 Rest 21
6 4 Rest 5 4 Rest 11 Rest 24
7 4 Rest 6 4 Rest 12 Rest 26
8 4 Rest 5 4 Rest 9 Rest 22
9 3 Rest 4 3 Rest 8 Rest 18
10 3 Rest 3 Walk 2 Rest 13.1 Rest 21.1

http://www.marathonrookie/.

Note: The program was in an excel file so I can't make it show up lined up right. But click on this link to download it as a PDF file. Scroll down to the bottom for the workout chart and there are lots of other great tips for preparation, hydration, and nutrition as well.

This is a really good beginner program with the goal being FINISHING!!! There is no emphasis on building speed etc. However, if you do know that the course has alot of hills, I would recommend incorporating up and down hill workouts into your weekly runs. This helps build endurance, is great for the bootie/thigh jiggle, and makes certain your body is not "surprised" on race day. This program also has a taper build into it. Also, in week 10 the 13.1 miles is actually the half you signed up to run. Also, instead of starting on a Monday as this suggests, I get a calendar and count back from the race date to 10 weeks before so that I can stay on target with the workouts.

Wish me luck!

XOXO
J.

I'm a GEM.......(truly outrageous, truly, truly outrageous)....

(Just ignore that nod to my 80's childhood...I loved JEM!!!) Now down to business,



THANK YOU!!! to the lovely Joyce at Making the Best Joyce and the fabulous Zoet Moet at Le Chateau de Chiffon for giving me an award......(I love both of their blogs and highly highly recommend checking them out if you have not already!!!).







"This award is for the special bloggers who take the time not only to read my posts, but also leave comments, respond to comments, form blog friendships with and support others, answer blogger questions, etc. . . . the ones who are "a real gem" in the bloggy world! The bloggy world wouldn't be the same without you! The only rule for this award is to accept it, display it proudly on your blog for all the bloggy world to see your greatness, and/or pass it on to other bloggers as you see fit. So, to the following bloggers I say, "you're a gem to me" and here is your award!"

So I would like to nominate the following bloggers/blogs because everytime I visit I learn something new:


Dina at My Superfluities -- I love her bubbly personality, colorful outfits, and adorable kids!!


Summerilla at Sum Sunshine -- I love her candor and great fashion sense!!


ABC at A Bigger Closet -- She's just beautiful inside and out....and her JCrew clothing collection is to DIE for!!


FFM at Fabulous Florida Mommy -- I love her Polyvore sets, her inspiration wisdoms, and her adventures with her gaggle of boys!!!


Heidi at Head to Toe with Heidi -- Love her effortless style, musings on nail polish, and pics of the super cute Lucy!!


Beth at Mushroom -- I love her house, garden, decorating sense, recipes, and musings on her daily life!


Alexis at JCrew Aficionada -- It is through her blog that I found this amazing world of JCrew and blog friends to begin with....


There are so many of you whose blogs I love and learn from on a daily basis, these are just a few so take this award and pass it on!! I love our little blog community!

XOXO
J.

Dear Stupid 98 degree weather.....

Please go away!!! I'm over you.....time for FALL!!! Besides I have many new clothing reviews to picture and post but my upstairs (its a very old house) is about 8 billion degrees and that includes the room with my full length mirror. So go away....please:)

Love me some Skinny Jeans....

JCrew Matchstick/Toothpick jeans are my FAVORITE!! However, after last season, I am now the owner of 5 pairs of varying washes, lengths, etc. (Although I do not any Matchstick Cords and after seeing how fab other JCA's look in them, they are on my shopping list for this season!!) So yesterday, I made a trip to Nordstrom to check out "what was left" of the SALE....and of course everything I bought was NOT on sale.





I have 3 pairs of Seven for all Mankind jeans and I have always been told that Citizens for Humanity are very similar so I never really bothered with them. But, I was drawn to this dark pair of "Ava" straight leg jeans. I tried them on and it was LOVE!!! and I knew that I could not leave without them. I'm pleased to be branching out from the JCrew Matchstick jeans.....





I plan on taking some pics of my new jeans and posting them ASAP.....

Citizens for Humanity Ava Straight Leg Jeans.

I'm having dreams of these with tunic tops and my "new, as yet not ordered" purple ruffle jacket from Anthropologie being my fall uniform!!

J.

PS....Anthropologie....

However, I would consider paying full price for this:

And this:
And possibly even this:

Is it just me, or am I kind of loving the Anthro fall early arrivals a bit more than the JCrew new additions??? I dunno...it is early days yet....August will show.

J.

Dearest Anthropologie:

I love ya.....BUT, I will not pay $128.00 for this plaid shirt. It looks like a Nirvana Goodwill item circa 1994....

I ran 5 miles and didn't die!!!

Well "Stella got her groove back!"......I did it.....if you read my post from July 8th....you know about my frustration with getting back into running. Well I was successful and I overcame my fear, ran the 5 miles. I was slow as a turtle but all that matters is that I finished.

I am so motivated, I signed up for a half marathon on September 2oth!! right here in my area. That gives me exactly 10 weeks to get myself up to 13.1 miles.....I'm so glad that I have a new goal to work towards!!!

Have a great night all....and thank you sooo much for the support!

Should I jump on this trend......

Like many of you, I'm over my summer wardrobe and am looking forward to fall! I've started to do some research online regarding what are the it pieces for fall. With our new house purchase, I'm on a tight budget for my fall wardrobe. I went a little crazy last fall....thank you JCrew!....so I have all of the boots, skinny jeans, suiting, etc that I need. But I want to try to update with some inexpensive pieces like accessories and maybe a few tops. (And defintely a boyfriend blazer!....I love the current JCrew light gray boyfriend blazer they have posted in the New Arrivals section). One piece that keeps coming up again and again in my research is the plaid shirt......this is not the grungy shirt circa Nirvana 1994; rather, this is a more fitted tailored piece to be worn with skinny jeans and a great pair of boots. I love the fact that the shapes are body conscious.....I kind of want to LOVE this trend, but at the same time don't want to be emulating every 16 year old on the street! What are your thoughts on this trend??? Would you wear it??? Or is this best left for the tween/teen set???

Here are some examples:

The lovely Katie Holmes rocks this trend in NYC.
Plaid Shirt, Forever 21
Outfit ideas.....What are your thoughts on this trend? Yay or Nay!!!????

Getting my A** and mind back in shape.......

I'm not one for new year's resolutions.....I just don't see the point of swearing to eat better, work out, drink less, blah blah blah......seriously, maybe it is one of my character flaws but I just don't see the point. I mean, probably about .2% of the people who make resolutions actually stick to them right, that's my experience anyways! And here is the basis for my rationale, I think that you need a life changing event or some other thing that completely changes your consciousness, your way of thinking, to commit to make a life change. Whether that is an illness, a loss, a spiritual discovery....whatever, the point is it has to SOMETHING that kicks you in the butt, makes you recognize something within yourself, and says "it is time to change" and for most people, I don't think a champagne fueled January 1st does it for ya.

So for me, 30 is looming. What does this mean to end of my 20's....my second full year of marriage, getting a new house, having a new-ish job....and on more fronts as I take stock of my life, my first almost three decades, I think where am I now and where do I want to be. I've made changes in my personal life and professional life over the past year, but more on that in another post......I'm in a great place mentally but I am not happy with where I am physically....

In a way this is more about my mental state than about my physical state. So 10 years ago, when I was 19 and getting ready to turn 20, I was a division one athlete. Not only was I in the best physical shape of my life, but I also was in an amazing place mentally. I took such amazing pride in being able to decide spur of the moment to go out and effortlessly run 10 miles to clear my head. I learned amazing time management skills that I have carried into my career and personal life beyond college. But the most valuable experience for me was that if I put my mind to anything through sheer willpower I could succeed.

In my early 20's, through graduate school and my early career, I had copious amounts of time to dedicate to my physical needs. After college, I left rowing behind and turned my attentions to running.....distance running to be specific. From the time I was 22-26, I ran 3 marathons, numerous half marathons, and more 10Ks than I care to count. I enjoyed it, I loved it, I needed it!!! It was like a drug for me.

During training for my final marathon at 26, I suffered an injury, my first injury ever in all of my years of being an athlete. And, though I did finish the marathon training and run the marathon, my stupidity and stubborness sidelined me for 6 months. I DID NOTHING!!! And, all of my natural athletic ability seemed to fly completely out the window. I did recover, but I was just not in the same place mentally.....I couldn't push myself. I began to push myself in other ways, to advance in my career, to spend more time with my boyfriend (now husband), to buy a house, etc etc. And I found success in these areas....but my athletic endeavors where limited to 4 one hour trips to the gym a week spent on the cross aerobic, lifting weights or taking a class.

And after almost 3 years of this, something is just missing for me. I've know this for a long time. And turning thirty is the proverbial kick in the butt I needed to get myself back in the game. 30="my time to change".......

Now that I am ready to committ to my resolution, I determined that I needed something to motivate me because I knew that I could not do this alone. I had never gone from doing nothing to becoming an athlete again, I started as a pretty athletic kid who just stayed with it through high school and college until 26. So, I signed up with this trainer, who actually went to college with me, and her claim to fame is that she gets people to love running. The first several times I got on the treadmill, I was practically frozen with fear over the idea of "where I was then versus where I am now"....the thought of wheezing my way through 10 minutes on the treadmill scared me more than anything....I cannot even describe or explain it except to say that it was a profound fear of failure. But, at least I recognized that I could not do it alone.

So I have been working with my running trainer for about a month now and I am up to 3 leisurely miles on the treadmill with a few hills and speed sprints thrown in for good measure and I feel safe on the treadmill when she is there cheering me on. And sometimes, very faintly, in the back of my own head I hear that little voice from my athletic past cheering me on, a faint "push harder" "you can do it" amongst the voices of doubt screaming "this hurts" "I'm going to throw up". And after each minute logged on the treadmill, I get a little closer to rediscovering that piece of me I lost in 2006.

Tomorrow is my first day of RUNNING CLUB!!! Yes, I have finally gotten to the point where I feel comfortable enough going out and running in front of other people. I'm leaving my safe comfortable treadmill behind. I'm stepping into the wide open world where I'm going to have to push myself to finish the 5 mile run tomorrow. Physically it will be a stretch, but I know I will survive, but mentally I question if I can do it........

Stay tuned:)

J.

PS....since this entry is going to be a first in a series dedicated to health fitness and wellbeing.

I'm sad....

They have gone to live with my parents while our house is up for sale and I miss them sooo much..........





They really are like my children.....they just have fur. Even my DH admitted that he misses them.....sigh.

Gwynnie got GOOP....(in this case...POOP)

So I've posted about Gwynnie Paltrow's GOOP newsletter before...and like most things it is hit and miss. I like her recipes and some of her gardening/exercise tips but I find her GET/aka shopping newsletters are pretty ridiculous. So this arrived in my email today....a newsletter about going green...which I think is great. But then while scrolling through the "recommended" products, I saw this:This is the "PeapodStarting at $12,500 Peter Arnell, a dear friend, is a design genius. He created this new neighborhood electric vehicle (NEV) that runs entirely on electricity and emits no pollutants. It can be charged using a normal outlet and is the perfect way to get around short distances. You can sign up to pre-order the car online and then it will be delivered to your house. Expected to be available in October."

This looks pretty cool...however, in these trying economic times, I'm wondering who besides a celebrity is really able to afford $12500 for a NEV that can really only travel very locally. And additionally, I'm a little concerned about the "charging in a normal outlet"? What's that mean? I'm thinking I'll be on the front page of the local paper, wringing my hands, and crying about the $20K electric bill I recieved. I feel like a VESPA scooter, BIKE, or my own two feet would be a much more economical and environmentally conscious option than this new NEV. I dunno....it just seems like a product plug via GOOP.....I'm just sayin'. So thank you Gwynnie but you should stick with recipes!

J.

I'm still alive I swear.....

Really....I swear...I have several posts to go up this weekend including FINALLY the review of Skinny Bitch.....

Fergie.....you'll poke your eye out!!!!

Dear Fergie:

You may long for the days when you drove a mustang....but, you're rich! This is obvious you may say, you are multi-platinum selling recording artist. And, I'm pretty sure you have a clothing line...which brings me to my point......WTF....seriously, WTF, is this:

Ummm...where to start, the black jeans and boots (not pictured, I saw the performance this morning on the Today show...I think) are okay, even fashionable. But as we move above your waist, WTF is that girdle/S&M belt/brassiere that you are wearing??!!?!?! All you need is a pair of wings attached and you could be in a goth Victoria's secret fashion show. Your shirt....well, to be honest, while cute, it just doesn't go...not even a little...with the rest of the outfit!? I have a similar shirt and wear it with tailored shorts or under a business suit, and I always wear my bra under it. And, finally, yes, finally.....what in the sam-hill H-E-double hockey stick is that thing on your arm/fingers. I love Edward Scissorhands...Freddie Kreuger, not so much....but they wore this accessory well, you my dear, DO NOT!!!! Your arm looks like something out of a Tim Burton Halloween movie. So, dear Fergie, this brings me to my first and final point....your rich, GET A STYLIST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love ya!

J.

I haven't given up on 8 Hour Brunch....I Swear!!!!

So.....where have I been you may ask??? Well, the last two weeks with work have been insane I have worked 80-90 hours both weeks...so I'm burning the candle at both ends and literally running on caffeine.....ick!

And just as I was getting back to starting my blogging and writing my "Skinny Bitch" review, (it is half way done by the way), DH and I decided to go to a few open houses last weekend. Well, fast forward one week and I am on the phone with realtors, preparing our house for sale and negotiating a sale contingency contract. So hopefully, fingers crossed we will be the proud owners of a lovely new construction home this coming November!!! Yay!

Now for the ick part. So yesterday, I arrive home from one of my 14 hour days (4am to 6pm), and notice a strange smell in my current home. So I venture to the basement and almost pass out when I realize the entire front of the basement is FLOODED with WATER!!!!!!!!!!! After screaming, calling my DH, running upstairs and changing, I return to the basement to try to find out what is causing this mess. Basically, the cap blew off the exit sewar line....so yeah, my basement is full of not only water, but sewage....gross!!! And here is my question: who the hell thinks that capping a pipe with a piece of wood and cement is a good idea!!?? Seriously, who?? Because, that person who once owned my house, I'd like to meet them so that I can give them a piece of my mind and my plumbing bill!

So, this has been my last two weeks.....I cannot make any promises of posting this weekend because I have to spend the entire weekend decluttering the house and drying out the basement so that the house can be listed for sale next week.

So yeah, don't give up on 8 Hour Brunch!! I promise to be back bigger and better than ever in the very near future!

J.

Coming Posts.....

This weekend, look for a full review of the book "Skinny Bitch" and I'm going shopping today, so some clothing reviews! Have a great weekend everybody!!!

South Moon Under is having a Sweet PROMO.....

So another store I love: South Moon Under. The b&m locations are in the Baltimore, Philadelphia, and DC metro areas; however, they have a fabulous website, HERE. They offer free shipping on all orders over $125.00 and are having a promo for 20% off your $150.00+ order with the code SUMMER20. I find that they have a great selection of casual shoes, bathing suits, summer dresses, and tops. And I absolutely love their accessories!!! So check it out.....

JCrew Haul...SUMMER order part deux....

I really need to go on a shopping ban like so many of the other bloggers!!! But in the meantime, I continue to keep stimulating the economy with my JCrew purchases. So, here is the remainder of my SUMMER promo code haul.

First up, the Slub Cotton Pleated Front tank, $29.50, Item # 14948, Pewter, Size Small. Overall, I have to say that I really like this item. The fit is good....Just for reference I'm 5'9 and wear a size 6/8 in JCrew. This top (like many of JCrew's tanks this season) seems to run huge. So while a small works well on my larger frame, I think some of you petite gals may swim in this. I like the color, the material (love slub cotton) and the detailing. The shape is flowy yet body conscious so it is very flattering. This is a definite keep for me!




Next up, the Sorbet Strip Cardigan, $79.50 on sale for $29.99, Item 13899 Size Medium, Bark Pewter color. I really love the color combination of this cardigan. This cardigan is the same style as the Summerweight V-neck Cardigan which I have in navy. I'm not the biggest fan of the fabric...it looks nice enough and is very light weight but after the first 2 hours of wear the sleeves have stretched out. It needs to be washed every time it is worn and that is a pain in the neck. Additionally, the cardigan I recieved has some mis-stitching along the neckline and a snag on the right side. However, at $23.99 I may exchange this and keep it. I really like how it looks with khaki or grey shorts and the Slub Cotton pleated tank in pewter which I have on under it in the picture. I'm unsure, I may return it because there are many other sale items I like better.





Next up, the Soft Tee Ruffle Top, $39.50, Item # 16068, Color: Fresh Melon, Size Small. Again, this runs HUGE!!! I would actually like to try the XS just for reference. (It actually hangs lower in the front, I have the straps pulled back a bit). It feels great, it is the same material as the Cascading Ruffles Tank, which many of us JCA's own and love. However, this tank is kind of funny....I'm unsure how I feel about having a ruffle across my boobs!?!?! It seems a little odd, yet doesn't really look bad. This is a top I'm going to have to experiment with....I want to see how it looks with a cardigan or blazer over top. Overall I like the idea, but am unsure if I will keep it because I don't know how much I will wear it.

The last item in my haul is the Desert-sky cotton petal cami, $88.00, Item # 15657, Size 6, Color: Lemon Twist. I AM IN LOVE WITH THIS TANK!!! It is very versatile. The material is a very substantial cotton. The top is fully lined and not see through at all. It looks great with khaki shorts, jeans, capris, and under my khaki suiting. The color combination is just beautiful and will look fabulous with my weekly summer Mystic Tan:) The shape of the tank is very straight. I think that anyone who likes to have a defined waist line may not like this tank, but I am kind of straight up and down so it works for me. I think that this cami is worth the price as I will wear it almost weekly throughout the summer. A truly diverse piece that I am defintely looking forward to wearing!

What do you think of my haul? Should I keep/return the items? Anybody have any styling ideas?

J.

You Can Always Count on JCrew for Summer Suiting....

Confession time: I love JCrew suiting. It is extremely conservative and very expensive but I just LOVE it! I hold a special place in my heart for their summer suiting and I wait with anticipation for the April/May catalogues and website updates to peruse the Suiting section and plan my summer purchases. So this year, blah!, I was so not impressed.....until, the Chambray Suiting popped up. It is only available online/JCrew Catalogue so I waited for a decent promotion (besides free shipping) to order it! And when the SUMMER promo email came through, I filled up my shopping basket and clicked "Complete Order." And I am so glad that I did, I LOVE this suiting.

I have two other JCrew 3 piece (jacket, pants, dress) khaki suits from previous seasons. I have no idea what they are called...but one is navy and the other stone colored. They are both similarly cut and very classic Khaki suiting...ie NO STRETCH! However, I love them and wear them every week during the hot summer months.

The STRETCH Chambray Suiting fills a void that I have in my work wardrobe. This suiting is extremely light weight, perfect for the stifling summer heat; but, the stretch helps it to hold its shape. The dress is very flattering, I like the thicker straps (my other JCrew suiting dresses have very thin straps). Also, the wide panel under the bust looks really great with a waist cinching belt.

Here are some pics....if you have any questions, let me know!!!

Pictured: Stretch Chambray Trouser, $148.00, Item #14981, Stretch Chambray Blazer, $168.00, Item #14979. Pictured: Stretch Chambray Isabel Dress, $158.00, Item # 14983.

And....just for fun!!! Here's a close-up of my leopard print ColeHann peep-toes (Spring 2007) and my Essie Mini-Shorts polished toenails!!

Any questions, let me know!!!

J.

Coming up.....

Review of the JCrew Chambray Suiting!! I'm lovin it.

Your Sex is on Fire.......

I have a confession to make....despite being almost 30 years old, I Love, LOve, LOVe, LOVE the Kings of Leon.

DH suprised me with tickets to the concert. Here are some pics...please excuse the grainy quality...darned iPhone. Just for fun!

And lastly, a grainy pic of ME enjoying the concert! woo hoo!

J.

Movie Reviews...The New Captain Kirk is HOT!!!!

So, the DH and I love to go to the movies. We've seen several of the early Summer Blockbusters. We have seen Star Trek, Terminator Salvation, and Angels and Demons in the past week! Kind of a masculine movie selection, I know. So here is a brief female perspective on these flix. (PS...If only DH knew that my true motivation for seeing all of these movies was to sucker him into going to see The Twilight Saga: New Moon with me this Fall...LOL...he doesn't have a CLUE!)

1. First up, the new Star Trek.

Most important point of this movie, the NEW Captain Kirk is way HOTTER than the original! But seriously, all of the CGI techie stuff makes this an amazing movie. I mean space actually looks real, (not that I've been there!) This movie is quite funny.....Scotty is simply hysterical, if not a little bit stereotypical. The original Spock makes an appearance via a worm hole time warp....kind of cliche, I know. This movie does Science Fiction the way I like it best: amazing special effects, a tight story line, minimal character development, and lots of humor. I would highly recommend this for a date night movie.

2. Next up, Terminator Salvation:

Meh...I wasn't really impressed. This movie dragged horribly at certain points, easily 30 minutes could have been edited out. Christian Bale's rendering of John Connor is eerily reminiscent of Batman. He spends a good portion of the movie using his gravely Batman voice....I mean if I closed my eyes, it totally could have been Batman. I was waiting for Heath Ledger's Joker to make an appearance, that would have made this a BETTER movie! Overall, it wasn't horrible, but it wasn't great! There were too many back stories that were never developed. (According to DH this movie is the first in a new Terminator Trilogy so those other back stories will likely be explained. That is all well and good, but I believe that each movie should be able to stand on it's own...like the Bourne movies!).

3. Lastly, Angels and Demons:

I really enjoyed this movie! I thought that it followed the book fairly closely. Unlike the DaVinci Code, which I felt focused very heavily on the religious aspects, Angels and Demons is more about the mystery, and the religious aspect only serves to compliment this. They did an amazing job recreating the inside of the Vatican. Ewan McGregor was great as the Irish secretary of the late Pope (Father What-a- Shame). Overall I really liked this movie and I would highly recommend it!

Note: These are not meant to be thorough reviews, as many of these movies just came out and most people have not seen them yet, I didn't want to offer too many plot spoilers!

Have you seen any of these? What are your thoughts?

J.

Got GOOP.....Gwynnie hits the mark....

So GOOP.....in case you are unfamiliar, this is Gwynnie Paltrow's weekly e-newsletter. (You can check out the newsletter archives or sign up HERE.)

GOOP and I have sort of a love/hate relationship. I find some of the newsletters downright ridiculous (ie. The $1000 dollar party dress every woman needs to own). But, I have had a lot of success with her recipes.

Her latest newsletter included a recipe for an absolutely amazing Eggplant Parmesan recipe that the DH and I tested over this Memorial Day weekend.

SERVES: 4

TIME: 1 hour
4 small eggplants (about 2 1/2" in diameter) or 3 regular eggplants
Coarse salt
1 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
Olive oil
2/3 cup of your favorite tomato sauce*
1 large ball fresh mozzarella (about 4 1/2 ounces)
Small handful of basil leaves, roughly torn
3/4 cup finely grated parmesan (about 2 ounces)
Slice the eggplants into about 1/3" discs. Sprinkle slices with a small pinch of coarse salt on each side and place in a single layer between two clean kitchen towels. Place a cookie sheet on top and weigh down with something heavy (a few cans of beans or tomatoes will do). Let the eggplant sit for 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Lightly dredge the eggplant slices in the flour. Heat 1/4" of olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. When a pinch of flour sizzles on contact, add the eggplant slices in a single layer, turn the heat to medium-high and cook for about one and a half minutes on each side or until dark golden brown. Drain the eggplant on paper towels and repeat in batches until all of your eggplant is cooked, adding more oil as necessary.
In a 13" x 9" baking dish, arrange as many slices of eggplant as can fit snugly in a single layer. Top each slice with a small spoonful of tomato sauce, a few small pieces of torn mozzarella, a bit of basil and a dusting of parmesan. Continue the layers, evenly distributing all the ingredients, until everything is used up.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the cheese is melting and bubbling and the house smells divine.
*For my simple homemade, never-fail tomato sauce that's always in my fridge...In a large saucepan, slowly cook six cloves of thinly sliced garlic in a couple tablespoons of olive oil for five minutes over low heat. Add two large, fresh basil leaves and stir for a minute. Add two 28-ounce cans of whole, peeled tomatoes along with their juice and two more whole basil leaves. Bring the sauce to a boil, turn down the heat, season with salt and pepper and let it bubble away on low heat for 45 minutes. Cool and refrigerate.


I used some homemade marinara sauce that we had frozen. I added some shredded TriBlend Italian Cheese -- DH loves cheese.

This is a very nice alternative to some Eggplant Parm recipes that can be quite time consuming and the leftovers taste great! DH loved it and I would give this a double thumbs up!

J.

A Girl Can Never Have Enough T-Shirts.....or Knit Dresses

So....I'm continuing on my perfect knit dress crusade. I just recieved this email from one of my favorite websites EVA!!!

Tee-Zone.com is offering 20% off every order with the code HOTHOT now thought 5/26 + plus free shipping & returns on orders over $75.

Tee-Zone.com is my secret for finding all of my favorite/staple t-shirts and knit dresses. They carry every brand you can image including, Splendid, James Perse, 3 Dots, LAMade, and many many more! So check it out......

J.

The Quest for the Perfect Summer Knit Dress......

So, per usual, I am contradicting myself. In the last post, I said "I would not pay $78 - $118for a knit dress I could probably get at Target".....well, then I saw this on the Anthropologie website:

Anthropologie's Quite Fetching Dress, $98.00, Item # 933109.

There is absolutely nothing I love more for hot summer days and nights than a sassy knit dress. I saw this and instantly saw myself sipping mojitos on the deck of my beach house or hitting the town for dinner and drinks. I'm thinking it would look fabulous with silver flat sandals or nude wedges. Also, I love the draping in the front and the back has a deep V detail, which in my world means this baby is totally reversible, so it is really two different looks for the price of one!!! (Oh how I rationalize!!!...quite the talent I have.)

What are your thoughts? I'm so very tempted by this....more so than with any of the current JCrew knit dresses.

J.

New Arrival Wish List......(There is NOT much)...*sigh*...

So I spent some time this weekend perusing the new arrivals on the JCrew site and these are my "wish" items:

First up the Sunbleached Crinkle Flower Tee, Item # 19095, $42.50. I think I would get a lot of use out of this tee. I have to wear suits for work and I'm a huge fan of wearing t-shirts under summer suits. It keeps the look casual and fun while still maintaining the business dress code.

Next up, Soft Tee Ruffle Top, $39.50, Item # 16068. I'm not sure which color. This is one of those JCrew items that could be really fab or really bad! I have the Cascading Ruffles Tank and I absolutely love it! So I would be willing to give this a try.

I love this Desert-sky cotton Petal Cami, $88.00, Item # 15657. I would wear this under the Chambray suiting that I just ordered or with shorts or white jeans. I think this will be a really versatile piece for the summer.

To be really honest, I'm not that thrilled with the new arrivals this month. Some of the pieces are cute but very similar to items that I already have. I like a few of the knit dresses but I'm unwilling to pay $78-$118 for an item that I can find a comparable version of at Target.

I have an order coming that includes my Chambray suiting so I will be sure to post a review later this week.....

Thoughts??

J.

Oh my, Oh my, Oh my....my first AWARD!!!!

Wow what a day, not only do I realize that I have followers and comments but now I have an AWARD!!!! Oh my god, I'm so excited......

Drum Roll Please......Thank you FFM!!! You rock as always and I have loved your blog since discovering it in November 2008. Her blog is Fabulous Florida Mommy.

The Rules of the award, as I am told, are as follows:

1) Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award, and his or her blog link.

2) Pass the award to other blogs that you’ve newly discovered. Contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

UPDATE:

Here are my choice for my "newly discovered" blog awards:

Lollipop26 and her blog Lollipop26. I just discovered this blog yesterday. I have been a fan of Lollipop26's YouTube channel videos for a few months now and finally took the time to check out her blog. She offers tutorials on everything from hair straightners and connical curling irons to hair extensions and make-up. Check her out.....

Simply Me and her blog Simply Said by Simply Me. I love her music selections and daily musings on her life. Take a look.....

And lastly, JTS and her blog J'Adore These Stores. I love her clothing reviews and I can always count on her to post the weekly store email discounts.

Check them out and Enjoy......

J.

"What is 8 Hour Brunch" you may ask????

Let me tell you.....

So, I have this amazing group of girlfriends, the core group is me, H, and L. And we have others who come and go. And when we were single, we were always together....happy hour, brunch, summers at the beach, crappy waitressing/bartending gigs......but, this little thing called LIFE intervened and as we got new jobs, bought houses, got married, and widened our circle's of friends, we found that sometimes 4-6-7-8 weeks would go by before we saw each other. We all finally decided that was just not acceptable so we started having a standing date for Sunday Brunch. The first few brunches were rather mundane affairs consisting of a quick catch up/gossip session over Eggs Benedict; very often cut too short my our other obligations. Well about two years ago, for no reason in particular one of our Sunday Brunch meetups turned into our first 8 Hour Brunch Session.....and so much fun was had by all that we have been doing this monthly ever since.

So now you are probably wondering...."What the heck do you do at brunch for 8 Hours?".....so here is the standard itinerary........

11am -- meet up in the City at chosen brunch spot....spend 2-3 hours chatting, noshing, and drinking.
2pm-- hit the High Street....otherwise known as SHOPPING!!!! Let me tell you, I have justified some outrageous purchases thanks to my girlfriends and a few mimosas:)
5pm -- head to a Wine Bar for tapas and a few cocktails.
7pm -- wrap it up and hop the train home.

So now you may be asking "What does this brunch schedule have to do with a blog?".......the answer to that is quite simple, this time is not about where we are, what we do, but mostly WHO you are with. And it is also taking time out of our busy schedules to nourish our friendships and have girl time. I think every strong independent woman needs this support system. I'm starting this blog because I have found so many interesting blogs and bloggers through the JCA (Thank you Alexis!!!) community. At brunch we talk about such a huge variety of topics from relationships, diet, exercise, fashion (JCrew!!!), children, pretty much if you name it, we've covered it! And my goal for this blog is to post about topics that I find interesting, put them out in the blogosphere, and get anyone and everyone's thoughts.....so with that...Ladies, I welcome you to:

8 HOUR BRUNCH!!!!

J.

I'm so excited and.....I just can't hide it!

So I started my blog last month and you can see that I haven't updated it since....But I checked back today and was so excited to discover that I have FOLLOWERS!!!! and COMMENTS!!!! I almost passed out....I'm so excited. Thank you all! So now, I'm committed to making my blog a priority. I'm going to start putting up some posts this weekend! So thanks guys for giving me the *kick* I needed.........



J.

Hello....

So I'm starting my blog...probably won't get into it until the weekend but check back:)