Step into the new year!

We're almost there!!!! well at least in this part of the world. Another 11 hrs and........2011!!!!

This year for me was just about okay, I had my share of the good and bad, but I guess I could say I'm really really looking forward to a better, bigger year! :D

On that note, I hope you guys have a wonderful new year, whether you are having a cozy night in or are partying into the wee hours. Have a safe, super fun night and let's open our arms wide for 2010 + 1

:D

Winter Cheer!

Winter- Cold, dark, dry and dull. Whoops, No way Jose! I refuse to let it be that way. Let's try again. Winter- cosy, holidays, stylish coats, festive, family and friends, hot chocolate, Christmas gifts, sparkle and color! Aah, that's better :)

I am a summer person. I like long sunny days, peach iced tea and the beach. I also like color! During the winter months, we mostly tend to gravitate towards dark clothing, sit all huddled in blankets refusing (super lazy) to step out and often fall prey to the winter blues ( Oh, apparently winter blues is scientifically proven. Its called SAD- Seasonal Affective Disorder. Just wiki winter blues....ummm yes, I tend to over research/google stuff :s ). Hmmm, come to think of it, that could be a new year's resolution: STOP GOOGLING INANE THINGS!!! ;). Anyhow, I have now taken a vow not to feel all "blue" and love winter for what it is. I am cheerful, festive and colorful! and besides, I love Christmas :)

Color to me this winter has taken on the form of nail polish. Even if I feel a bit drab, or my festive spirit takes a tiny dip, I swipe on a beautiful nail color. Wearing glittery glamorous nails or deep luscious rich winter hues makes me feel happy. They brighten and dazzle up any outfit which I would say is much needed during this time. So here's my pick of some wonderful winter nail polish colors and trends.

Moisturize your hands well and swipe on some winter goodness!

I have always loved this color and have been wearing it for years. A beautiful deep maroon wine color.

Revlon- Vixen

Grey polishes are big this winter. A Pearly frost one would look

dazzling on your digits!

Essie- Steel-ing the Scene

Barry M Glitter Nail Paint. So so perfect for Christmas. Just remember to add a top coat!

Barry M- Red Glitter

Gorgeous matte colors that look so sophisticated. They have such a wintry feel about them.

Zoya Velvet Fall and Winter Nail polishes

Top left: Matte Velvet Loredana and Posh

Top right: Matte Velvet fall- Loredana

Bottom: Matte Velvet Winter - Veruschka, Savita and Harlow

Sparkle is so much fun during the holidays! Also a great winter color, Tease-y does it.

OPI Burlesque Holiday 2010 (swatches)

Gold looks absolutely glamorous. Why not add Glitz to your New year's outfit!

Chane Le Vernis- Gold Lame

Go dark. Real dark.

Ciate Nail polish- 3 am girl (inky navy blue)

Most people tend to go dark in winter, how about a nude/neutral? Looks super chic and nude in winter has made a comeback

OPI- Barefoot in Bareclona

A great way to spark your Christmas spirit if you haven't had your fill yet ;)

China glaze- Watermelon rind

"Blackberry Bling"

A trend seen on many celebrities and on the runway this winter. The "Blackberry Bling". You paint your thumbs a flashy color that's different from the rest of your nails, so they stand out as you type on well...yup, your Blackberry. Okay okay, I wont be biased, iPhone users can do this too! :P. Also simply known as an "accent" nail, if painted on any other digit, say the ring fingernail!

I'm a little safe when it comes to trends, sticking to what looks best on me and I guess with this one, I wouldn't mind a bit of a quirk :) Just be careful of what colors you pair together, it could either look great or end up looking plain tacky.

I always wear a nice bright red for Christmas. It makes me feel close to Santa. Or I could do a green this year and become his lil' helper! ;) Now for New years..hmmmm... which one should it be? Any suggestions? What are you all wearing?

photo credits: Google

Holiday Film Fest

In the week leading to Christmas, why not get cozy, sip a steaming cup of creamy hot chocolate or soothing herbal tea and catch one of your favorite Christmas movies. It's too cold to go outside and I often want to just spend my evenings curled up in a blanket watching a holiday favorite.

Even though I have seen a few of them way too many times to even count, it brings back childhood memories, family time and gets you feeling super Christmassy! ( I create my own words :P ) Today, I watched Four Christmases.

Here's a list of Christmas flicks you can enjoy this week. Take your pick!

Home Alone (1990)

Love Actually (2003)

The Santa Clause (1994)

Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)

The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)

Elf (2003)

Tim Burton's The nightmare before Christmas (1993)

A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)

Dr. Seuss How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)

Frosty the Snowman (1969)

Bad Santa (2003)

Santa Claus: The movie (1985)

A Christmas Carol (1951)

While you were sleeping (1995)

Which Christmas movie is your all time fav? The one you could watch over and over and over again ;)

Photo credit: Sunsentinel.com and Google

Scenti-ful

I'm like a moth to a flame when it comes to beautiful packaging. I am one of those people that slowly and carefully unwrap gifts. Even as a kid I could never tear open a birthday or Christmas gift. I like to admire the packaging, feel the gift wrap and patiently unravel the mystery. A bottle of perfume gives me that same high. I slowly take it out of its packaging. Carefully arranging and setting it on the dresser, admiring and wondering how much thought and passion must have gone into creating this bottle of brilliance!

More often than not, perfumes come in gorgeous, scintillating designs. They add drama, intrigue and so much more to the already wonderful scent. I love a great fragrance and when it comes in a gorgeous packaging, my eyes light up and my heart flutters. I promise you I'm not exaggerating. Just using it makes me feel special and beautiful. I like collecting perfume bottles and have many a times bought certain ones just because they look pretty :)

Above pictured are some perfumes with interesting designs and beautiful packaging. A few I already have, but can think of so many more I'd love to buy. Wouldn't they look so pretty sitting on the dresser? Shiny jewels of brilliance!

What's your favorite perfume and which ones do you think look beautiful?

Cupcakes make me happy

The bf made my day. Rather the weekend. I'm in my happiest element when I'm surrounded by food I love. So we did exactly that, ate some great Italian on Sunday. Yummy fettuccine with vegetables and scrumptious chicken pizza. We headed out to the mall to take in the Christmas festivities and browsed through stores and marveled at the sparkly decorations.

No. I didn't shop. I didn't really need to buy anything. Wait, is that even possible? Sadly so it is, especially when you've put a self imposed shopping ban on yourself. Now one would wonder, who would dare to put a shopping ban on themselves during Christmas and New year's? Well, I HAD to. Simple reason, my sister just bought me a suitcase full of goodies from the US- clothes, shoes, accessories, gadgets..the works! ;) I just am w..a..i..t..i..n..g for her to come to Delhi with her goody bag. She's my Santa! :D

Weekend highlight: Cupcakes by the bf :). I was 'acting' all mopey and childish because I couldn't shop so off he went and surprised me with cupcakes! He knows me so well :D

Chocolate Devil cupcakes. Nom nom nom!

How pretty is this Swarovski crystal tree!

Tis the season to be jolly!

Christmas just brings back such fond memories of childhood. Even though in India, especially Delhi, Christmas is widely celebrated and everyone gets into the festive spirit, I miss and have most memories of my childhood Christmas in the US. Being brought up in Texas, I remember as a child how much I loved Christmas. Decorating the tree, making gingerbread houses at school, marshmallow wars, leaving cookies and milk for Santa, stuffed stockings, sipping hot chocolate by the fire place, making fake snow snowmen ( yes, Texas had it's disadvantages). One of my fondest memory is going for a drive after dinner with dad to check out whose house had the best Christmas decorations. It was so much fun. We would oooh and aaah at the marvelous sights.

I absolutely love this time of the year and can't wait to head out to the stores this weekend for some Christmas ogling! :D

Pumpkin spice and all things nice!

I've been on the lookout for the perfect muted coral lipstick. Most seem orangey or come out too pale and I leave the makeup counters disappointed. However, I seem to have found a shade that perfectly suits me and inspired me to create colors I think would look beautiful when put together with this beautiful autumn color. It reminds me of fall, Sunday brunches and pumpkin spice lattes. I created this inspiration set at Polyvore. The lipstick is called Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupte Pearle - 102: Coral Sun. Isn't the packaging gorgeous as well. I'm like a moth to a flame when it comes to beautiful packaging and presentation! :)

The taste that gets you started up! :)

It's getting really cold and all I can think of is sitting in a fluffy cozy blanket with my woollies on watching tv or reading while sipping warm satisfying drinks to soothe the winter woes. I love coffee in winter, especially the creamy, froth mustache giving kinds ;). While growing up my cousin and sister would always make a certain type of coffee I had labelled as 'special coffee'. We would all sit huddled together and chat away while one of us "whisked" away the coffee, sometimes taking turns every 5 minutes. Here's my recipe for making this "special" coffee simply known as beaten coffee. I think the process of making it just adds that 'special' touch making it such a simple yet yummy winter drink. Enjoy! :)

Classic Beaten Coffee

Things You'll Need:

• 2 teaspoons instant coffee powder
• 2 teaspoons of sugar
• 1 teaspoons of water

1 cup milk

A pinch of cocoa/chocolate powder (optional)

In a cup put in the ingredients together; coffee, sugar and water.

Take a table spoon and start whisking the ingredients vigorously in a clockwise direction

In about 3, to 4 minutes you will see the mixture turning into a brown paste like consistency. keep on "beating" the coffee till it turns into a golden brownish frothy fluffy paste. This usually take around 15-20 mins for the best results. If it's dry, add a drop or two of water accordingly

Boil some milk and pour it into your favorite cup

Now add a dollop of this coffee froth paste into the cup and stir gently. swirling it slowly till it tuns into a creamy frothy coffee

you can add a dash of cocoa powder on top if you like

mmmmmm winter goodness!

Pic: Google images

"There's no place like home" Click click click!

Since morning I've been humming a current favorite song and it inspired me to write about a color I was obsessed with as a kid (Although I will admit, I still am). My fascination for this shiny, gorgeous color started with my childhood love for the movie, 'The Wizard of Oz'. I think I must have watched it well over 30 times! I remember begging my mom to buy me Dorothy's red ruby slippers. I felt a pair of those beautiful glistening jewels would make my every step magical.

After much fuss, I did land myself a pair of Dorothy lookalike red sequined ballet slippers and wore them every day! I wore them to school, to the playground, at home. Boy, I must have looked tacky, but those little red glitter shoes made me happy, special and safe! Right, I said safe. Whenever I would feel unsure of myself in a surrounding I wasn't to familiar with or a little scared, I remember clicking my shoes and muttering under my breath, "There's no place like home!" It did calm my nerves and yes, I had a highly over active imaginative brain :)

It's nearing Christmas as well, so what a wonderful color to begin the holiday spirit. I've posted some pictures of things I would love or look beautiful in this gem of a color.

An ode to my inner Dorothy!

These gorgeous Christian Louboutin glittered platform pumps in Ruby red. The 21st century version of Dorothy's ballet slippers ;) Absolute love!

Mac Ruby Woo. Lush. Rich. Glamour!

China Glaze in Ruby Pumps. This color is super shiny with the most brilliant ruby red sparkles. It's especially perfect for the holidays. Get glittery goodness in 2 to 3 applications. The name just beckons me :)

A gleaming red glitter dog collar for a little "Toto" (Dorothy's dog) I hope to get ;)

I'm not really fond of heart shapes, but this gorgeous red heart resin necklace caught my eye. It just seems like it's about to burst with juicy ruby goodness. I could make an exception in this case and happily wear it :)

The Chanel J12 Limted Edition. The dial is set with 84 diamonds and 12 rubies, the bezel is set with 36 rubies, and the crown features a cabochon ruby. Mamma Mia!

How can anyone think of red, ruby or cherry and not remember Valentino. One of my favorite designers. I've always had a vision of a gown, if red, had to be from the absolutely wonderful man himself, Valentino. Timeless, elegant, feminine and luxurious. I am in complete awe of this man's craftsmanship. How beautiful are his designs from the Valentino Retrospective collection!

I could certainly polish off these edible ruby glitter cookies in no time! Yummmm!

P.s. The song I was humming all day long is Kaiser Chiefs- Ruby:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qObzgUfCl28

Enjoy! :)