Girl Crushes

We all know who my boy crushes are. We're all aware that I harbor inappropriate thoughts about Larry David. It's fine. And now that we're all cozy, I am more than comfortable enough with my sexuality to talk about the ladies I find lusty!





Sophia Bush

My ultimate girl crush. She is beautiful, cool, funny, outspoken, talented, just all-around amazing. I feel honored to share sorority letters with this girl. I am convinced that her and I are destined to meet and become friends. She writes an awesome blog and is just so smart and interesting. I look forward to the new season of One Tree Hill and seeing my hero Brooke Davis get the happy ending she so deserves.





Bethenny Frankel

We all know of my love for Bethenny! Who is funnier than her? She built a brand from the ground up and is such an inspiration to me. I fell for her on The Real Housewives of New York but the love only deepened with Bethenny Getting Married. I laughed, I cried, it was better than Cats.





Cheryl Hines

The quintessential shiksa! Truth be told is that I've loved Cheryl in everything she's been in, but she takes the cake as Larry David's patient wife on Curb Your Enthusiasm. She's married to my man and living my dream. Oh, and gorgeous.





Perrey Reeves

I would be remiss if I didn't mention Mrs. Ari. Oh, Mrs. Ari. How sexy is she? Seriously, that body... unbelievable. I want to look like that! Also married to my man and living my dream, but in a different way.



Who are your girl crushes?

Weekend Wrap-up

In my mind, Summer should be relaxing. And yet, that is the ONE thing this season hasn't been for me.

I've had another busy bee weekend. There are always places to go and people to see!



On Friday, I celebrated my best friends 25th birthday with a delicious dinner and lots of wine. I gave her two Kate Spade bangles to mark the special occasion.






On Saturday, I spent the day with my little sister. I took her to Red Door spa. We got facials and our makeup done. The customer service there is superb!






On Sunday, I had brunch with a gal pal at Maialino at the Gramercy Park Hotel. What a delightful little spot - perfect place to end the weekend.




I'm headed to the Hamptons next weekend where I feel like I'll finally get to relax. It's been a long Summer and I think I've earned it!

Friday Five

Gotta make this quick - I'm a busy bee! Five reasons I'm smiling today...

1. It's a gorgeous day in NYC! I had to stay in bed a few extra minutes this morning to warm up. It's beginning to look like Fall!

2. I've been sick for awhile, got the worst of it this week, and I'm finally starting to feel better.

3. I'm going back to the Martha Stewart show!

4. Between a birthday party, brunch and dinner dates, and a little Emmy soiree party, I'm seeing lots of my favorite people this weekend.

5. It's FRIDAY!

Wishes for a wonderful weekend.

Last Single Girl Standing

Yesterday, a friend emailed me to ask how I feel about being single while all (most) of my girlfriends are settling down.

How many cliches can I fit into one blog post?

I could tell you that I feel like I'm sitting on the starting line even when everyone else hit the ground running long ago... that I'm love's biggest cheerleader and my team is having a great season... that I'm trying to dance in the rainstorm while waiting for the sunshine... And those would all be true. And you could tell me that I'm only 25. That when you stop looking, it finds you. That when you're least expecting, it hits you like a ton of bricks. Come on. We've been around this Merry-Go-Round before.

How do I feel? Happy and sad, cheerful and dismal, curious and confused, patient and anxious. A million and one things. I could talk for days.

I am sitting here planning my parents' 30th anniversary party and I am reminded of my favorite couple - who met in 1977 under a tree at the University of Miami, who were from two different worlds and had the odds stacked against them, who made it work anyway and have two daughters that love them more than life itself and 30 years later, are just as happy together as they were on their wedding day - that love and life work in mysterious ways.

And I'm feeling pretty good about that.

In the land of corn and Vera Bradley

This past weekend, I traveled to the great state of Indiana with three of my sorority sisters. We went up to Lake Wawasee for a very relaxing few days filled with eating, drinking, and boating. I tried water skiing and tubing. We sang songs and took shots and laughed 'til we cried.



We may have Kappa in common, but we're four very different girls. One is smart as a whippersnapper and always has the answers to my questions. One is my favorite comedienne and brings a ray of sunshine to even my gloomiest days. One has an amazing outlook on life and inspires me with her constant positivity. And then there's me, the neurotic writer, in constant search of wisdom, laughter, and optimism. I hope I bring as much fun and good to all of their lives as they bring to mine.



I feel blessed to have such wonderful women in my life that I can travel with, share with, cry with, and dream with. This was such a great trip and I hope it was just the first of many.

To bow and accept the end of a love or a season

Everyone has a favorite poem. Whether it's something silly by Shel Silverstein or something solemn by Wallace Stevens, poetry is kind of this wonderfully whimsical medium of writing that is so ambiguous and abstract. For the most part there are truly no guidelines or rules, unless you're writing a haiku or something.

In my writing track for my English major in college, part of the requirement was workshops in fiction, nonfiction, or poetry. I took fiction and poetry which is ironic because I write nonfiction now. I enjoyed fiction but poetry was torture. I am a terrible poet. All of my classmates were writing dark, gritty poetry about sex and death and being gay and I was writing poems about ice cream and puppies. It was a nightmare.

My favorite poem is called "Reluctance" and it's by my favorite poet, Robert Frost. It's one of his lesser known pieces, but you avid Golden Girl fans out there may recognize the title because it's the last line of the poem, and what Rose read out loud when Miles was discovered by con artist The Cheese Man and had to flee Miami.

Reading this poem has brought me comfort and light in many a moment of despair and darkness. I think of it tonight, as I try to gracefully bow and accept the past. I'm realizing that if I don't, I'll never make room for the future.

Regressing and Progressing

I recently sat down to break bread with a dear friend who is happy in love. We chatted about her plans to move in with her boyfriend and she asked me nonchalantly if I had any advice.

Many of you know this and many of you don't. I've lived with a boyfriend before. (And I live alone now, so... you do the math.)

I told her that my biggest piece of advice was to take time for herself. I never did this. I was with a man who didn't believe in girls (or boys, for that that matter) nights out. I didn't have much of a social life outside of my relationship, my sorority, and my few closest girlfriends. When I went out to dinner with my best friend, he came along. When I had the girls over to watch America's Next Top Model, he was nearby. I didn't quite realize it at the time, but I never really got the me time I so craved, which was ultimately one of the factors that led to our demise.

As Carrie Bradshaw once said, the universe may not play fair but at least it's got a hell of a sense of humor. I've got a whole lotta me time now.

I used to think that because I lived with someone and it didn't end the way I thought it would (engagement/marriage) that I screwed up. That I regressed by doing the domestic thing in the South first, and single gal in the city second. But I look back at who I was then, I try to crawl inside of that space in my mind, and I realize it's gone. I can no longer reconcile with the girl I once was. The experience nearly killed me at times, but overall it made me so much stronger. There is no doubt about it - I have progressed.

I've never liked doing things in order anyway.

And the winner is...

(Courtesy of random.org)

Min: 1
Max: 90
Result 22

And the winner is...

Chelsea Goldstein said...
Those are so pretty!

August 10, 2010 12:02 AM

Congratulations, old chum!

Thanks to all for playing!

Friday Five

Five things I'm excited about...

1. Roberta Roller Rabbit. An off-shoot of Roberta Freymann's ready-to-wear line, I have fallen in love with the pretty prints and simple lines of this collection. I gave a dear friend one of their printed pareos for her birthday. I have yet to treat myself to any of their goodies, but their elephant baby blanket is on my long wish list. (Yes, I would use it for myself!)

2. Syracuse, IN and Myrtle Beach, SC. I will be visiting these two places within the next 6 weeks and I've never been to either. Any recommendations for me?

3. Fall! I love Summer, but every August I find myself longing for boots, sweaters, and pumpkin spice lattes. I'm also looking forward to my sorority alumnae association and Junior League both starting up again. People say that Spring is the season of renewal but I have to disagree. This is also around the time I make my first Fall purchase of the year. I have a gift card to J. Crew and my eye on a pair of sparkle toe flats!

4. Labor Day Weekend. I will mark the end of the Summer in the Hamptons with my parents, sister, godmother, and a dear friend.

5. My apartment. I've added a few new additions to my humble abode recently, like the Jonathan Adler elephant needlepoint pillow (again, meant for babies but appropriate for JGIWCs). I've neglected it a bit in the past few weeks and I can't wait to get home, clean it up, and enjoy it!

Wishes for a wonderful weekend!

I make no apologies for...

...continually trying to be perfect even though I'm the furthest thing from it.

...loving to eat, having a sweet tooth, knocking back cocktails, and never exercising.

...having a creepy crush on Larry David.

...always saying what's on my mind.

...telling people how I really feel.

...biting off more than I can chew.

...being babied by my parents.

...spending too much money and not feeding my piggy bank enough.

...buying more clothes than my closet and dressers have space.

...slacking on doing laundry and making infrequent trips to the dry cleaner.

...never being the prettiest, smartest, or most fun girl in the room.

...being me.

I'm having a garden party and you're invited!

Down on your luck? Didn't win my last giveaway? Never fret my pets!

My pal and Panhellenic sister Laura is giving away pair of these gorgeous Garden Party earrings to one lucky JGIWC reader!



To enter this giveaway, simply leave a comment. Don't forget to check out Laura's Facebook Page and Stella & Dot site!

And the winner is...

(Courtesy of Random.org)

Comment 179

BroncoMom said...
Keeping my fingers crossed that I am the lucky lady who wins this fantastic giveaway.
BroncoMom.is.ann@gmail.com

August 7, 2010 3:23 PM

Congratulations!

Don't get discouraged if you didn't win - I'm holding another giveaway tomorrow!

Thanks for playing!

(Please note that if you leave more than one comment, I only count one as an entry.)

Friday Five makes a comeback!

Oh my gosh, it's been a while!

Five things that are making me smile...

1. I always try to create an air of mystery by not saying too much. I have had too many friends who tell me the same story three times because they don't have much else going on. I am NOT a fan of the overshare. I like a little suspense. That being said, it's come to my attention that some people think my life is ten times more exciting than it actually is. I just want to clarify that I am NOT hip or cool - but it does bring me joy to know that some of you think I am!

2. Catching up with a gal pal from high school over Google Chat, meeting an old college buddy for dinner, taking two girl trips in the next two months, looking at bridesmaid dresses, planning birthday parties, picking out presents... In short, my friends!

3. The Baby Fashionista finished her pre-college program at RISD and comes home this weekend! I can't wait to have my little bunny foo foo back.

4. THE BIG DUCK! The Big Duck is a tourist attraction in the Hamptons that my family and I just love. It's a duck shaped gift shop with a house shaped museum behind it. Here I am with my Big Duck mug.



5. The unknown. Fate. My future. Lately this has all been making me frown, but I'm determined to turn it upside down.

Wishes for a wonderful weekend, and don't forget to enter my giveaway!

Waiting for a star to fall

As long as we're on the subject of music...

"Waiting For a Star to Fall" by Boy Meets Girl came on the radio at work today. You know the one... the song that plays at the very end of Three Men and a Little Lady when Ted Danson catches the bouquet. This is a totally cheesy 80s ballad from a totally cheesy 90s movie and I love both. It instantly reinforces all that is good in life: love, friends, family and New York City.

It reminded that everything I've done and seen and experienced and worked for has brought me to today. And in spite of absolutely everything, today was a good day.

Today, I wrote my four thousandth Tweet and I just want to take a moment to thank all of my readers. From the bottom of my heart, I wouldn't be here without you. I wrote on here a long time ago that I wanted to dance in the rain while waiting for the sunshine, and I remind myself of that quote now while I am truly waiting for a star to fall. There will always be asses who ask asinine questions on Formspring and leave crude comments here, but they're not going to stop me. This is what I set out to do and Goddamnit, I'm gonna do it.

Stay tuned.

I'm dizzy from the shopping mall I searched for joy but I bought it all

When I'm having moments and days and weeks like this one, in which I feel utterly futile, I grasp blindly around me to find something, anything, that will lift and inspire me. I keep busy. I distract myself.

As a general rule, I don't like John Mayer. I used to, way back when he sang about running in the halls of his high school, but then he opened his mouth and never closed it, and a horrific stream of consciousness completely turned me off from him. But I LOVE this song. Something's Missing. It is dark and sexy and always resonates with me.

It played on my iPod last week mid-shuffle. I hadn't listened to it in a really long time. And I've been thinking about it and the hole in my heart and all of my questions and the lack of answers. One of my college English professors once said that a good writer is able to say a lot without saying very much at all. Lately I feel wordy and garrulous and I think I need to stop searching and let it come to me. Whatever it may be.

Something's missing. And I don't know how to fix it.

A Super Saturday, indeed!

Super Saturday is an annual charity event held in the Hamptons. It's fashion's biggest 'garage sale' - a few hundred designers come out and sell their wares at discounted prices. Every penny is donated to Ovarian Cancer Research Fund. Being that my parents are both in the fashion industry, they go every year and this year, they brought me along!



We ran into lots of celebs. Kelly Ripa, Rachel Zoe, and Kelly Rutherford to name a few.







You long-timers probably remember that I did a Super Saturday giveaway last year. It's a personal rule that I am never allowed to keep an entire gift bag for myself. Here's what I pulled together for all of you.



The giveaway includes:

Robin Ruth striped tote bag
DKNY Pure perfume
DKNY Red Delicious perfume
Lierac eye balm mask
John Frieda Frizz-Ease Heat Defeat
Bath & Body Works Orange Sapphire body lotion
Sally Hershberger Style Primer
Starbrite whitening toothpaste
Viva La Juicy perfume gel
Ramy Pure Water cleansing mousse facial cleanser
Tara Smith Basecoat Serum
L'Oreal Everstrong shampoo
L'Oreal Everstrong conditioner
Amrita Singh bangle
Blow beach blow texturizing mist
Talbots bathing suit pouch
MDSC detox duo
Physique 57 workout DVD
Valentines Day DVD

To enter, simply leave a comment on this post. I will draw a winner on Sunday, August 8.

Good luck!