Spring Fling Updated

I bought a few of the items on my Spring Fling wish list and a few items that weren't on it, too!

Love Quotes hand knotted tassel scarf in dune

Worth every penny. This airy scarf is pricey, but I've already worn it several different ways and I've owned it less than a week.

J. Crew Factory cropped ruffle cardigan in frosted lilac

SIZE DOWN. I bought a size small and it's too big on me. During my last few trips to the J. Crew Factory, I've noticed that they are cutting their clothes extra generously. This irks me. I suppose it's because they want women to feel thin and buy more, but what about the rest of us who just want clothes that fit properly? I'm still figuring out how to style this.

J. Crew Factory braided tab belt

This is a well-priced spring and summer staple. The best about this belt is that you can virtually make it into any size.

J. Crew silk serenade dress in blue lagoon



Clearly the whole vanity sizing issue at J. Crew is driving me bananas, but this dress is surprisingly beautifully cut.

Kendra Scott Danielle earrings in white



Love the simple silhouette and the way these pop against my dark hair. Just beautiful!

Anya Hindmarch ballet bag



I bought this to use for yoga/errand running. It's the perfect size and so kitschy. I'm loving it!

P.S. I am still dying for the Lauren Moffatt dress, but I just can't justify the price tag. I cannot remember the last time I spent $400 on a dress. Here's to hoping it goes on sale!

21 years later

Last week my best friend from childhood got engaged.



We've known one another since we were five. Though we've spent more of our lives apart than together, our families have remained close over the years and she remains a very important person in my life to this day. Those schoolgirl days of telling tales and biting nails are gone, and my oldest friend is marrying the man of her dreams. I can't believe it.



Congratulations, CRJ! I am so happy for you.

What's in JGIWC's medicine cabinet?

This is always one of my favorite posts to do. If you've been with me for awhile, you know that I'm a recovering product junkie. It's taken a lot of time, money, experimenting and energy, but I think I finally found - wait for it - oh oh oh oh oh, the right stuff.



Top row, left to right:

Go Smile Flashlights In the past I've always stocked up on these at Super Saturday, but looking at the Go Smile Website, it doesn't look like they make this product anymore! It's touch-up for post professional whitening.

Dove deodorant A classic - perfect for ultra sensitive skin like mine.

Almay Moisturizing Eye Makeup Remover Pads This has been in my skin care regime the longest - since high school! I don't think there's anything better for removing eye makeup.

Almay Non-Oily Eye Makeup Remover Pads These are not nearly as effective for full makeup removal, but they are great for fixing mistakes.

Venus Pro Skin MoistureRich These are the blade refills with shave bars. My shower is all about simplicity. I cannot be bothered with shaving cream. These are so easy.

Middle row, left to right:

Supersmile Professional Whitening Toothpaste I'm a sucker for designer toothpaste! I load up on these at Super Saturday every year.

Bumble and bumble Surf Spray I don't have much to say about this one because I don't use this often.

Oscar Blandi Pronto Dry Shampoo Argh. I don't know why, but I have trouble spending money on dry shampoo. My mom had an extra so she gave me this. She and my sister use this... but they're blonde. I like this, but I think spray works better for brunettes. However, beggars cannot be choosers and I'm not one to look a gift horse in the mouth.

Ojon Shine Mist I use mostly Ojon products for my hair. They recently redid their product line and it looks like they discontinued this. I love their shampoos and conditioners. Plus, travel sized versions of their products are often offered as part of Sephora's rewards program, which is a great way to try new products at no cost. I use this right after I'm done straightening my hair. Gives it a nice sheen.

Ojon Hydrating Style Cream I think they redid this slightly in their new lineup. I don't use this all the time, but then again, I don't really use any styling product all the time with the exception of MoroccanOil. I like to switch it up. This is nice for smoothing.

MoroccanOil Oil Treatment I really believe in this product and I try to use it every time I wash my hair. Once in awhile I'll forget, but this makes a difference in the long run.

Victoria's Secret Hold Please Volume Shine Hairspray As a general rule of thumb, I love Victoria's Secret. It's one of my favorite stores. And when it comes to hair, I think those people know what the hell they're doing. They've perfected the messy-yet-beautiful look. I use this spray only when I'm curling my hair. I want to note that I don't curl my hair nearly as often as I straighten it. I absolutely love the way it looks curled - it makes me feel sexy - but the process is very methodical. I can straighten my hair in 15 minutes and be out the door. Curling it (I use the Sultra Bombshell - I loathe traditional curling irons) takes closer to 45 minutes. I am extremely particular about my curls; I go very slowly and curl in very small sections. I can't run out the door when I'm done because the curls are very tight at first and I look a little silly. Once the curls fall (about an hour later) my hair looks like loose ribbons. It's not perfect but it's polished, which is just the way I like it. Always worth all the effort. This spray smells like hookah (fruit-flavored tobacco) but it sure does get the job done. I use a lot of it and my curls stay in place. I wash with a good detox shampoo afterward (I like Ojon Full Detox Shampoo) to get all of the residue out.

Bottom row, left to right:

Clinique Facial Soap with Dish This is an oldie but a goodie. Quite frankly, my face just feels the best after washing with this. I can't remember whether I use the Mild or the Extra Mild, but either way, I have very sensitive skin and I love this.

Clarins Super Restorative Wake Up Lotion Aside from the Clinique bar, I use all Clarins products for my skin. This product is intended for women in their 50s but I love putting this on first thing in the morning. It works like a toner without stinging. It's cooling and really wakes my skin up.

Clarins Multi Active Night Youth Recovery Cream I slather this on at night. It's rich without feeling heavy on my skin. And it's well-priced.

Clarins Special Eye Contour Balm Let's call a spade a spade. Eye cream is a pain in the ass, but if you want to take good care of yourself it's just not an option. I use this day and night and it annoys me but it's light and I know it's worth it.

Clarins One-Step Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser I use this on my face and neck before I spray tan. Gets the job done without scratching my skin. It smells incredible - like oranges. Makes this Florida girl happy.

Do we use any of the same products? If you have questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

April is the cruelest month

Having a very, very tough few weeks. Taking a little time to myself, but I promise to be back with some fun posts soon.

Thanks for understanding.

The Perfect LBD

I have done it. I have found the perfect LBD.



(But I could only find a photo of the dress in NAVY! Crikey!)

I am wearing the black version of this Theory dress today and let me tell you, it is perfection. Comfortable, flattering, and could easily be taken from day to night. Personally, I'd toss off the beige Chanel flats and novelty kate spade necklace and trade it for my black Christian Louboutin Proratas and a delicate eternity necklace. Small changes, big difference.

Theory is one of the few brands that I will pay full retail for. At $160, this is a relatively well priced, high quality dress that you can wear again and again (and again and again).

P.S. I bought mine at Saks, and I'll keep searching for this dress online for you. The style number is B0124613.

Her nose in a book and her head in the clouds

Here is my To Read list for 2011.



I loved I Heart New York and A Place of Yes. Currently I'm reading Naturally Thin and also loving it. I've already started reading the books with the asterisks next to them. Skinny is my friend Diana Spechler's new book. It's released at the end of this month and I'm so proud of her. I'd like to add more onto my list, but this is where it stands as of today. I just got a Barnes & Noble gift card. I have given my Nook to my little sister and now use Nook for iPad.

What's on your list?

A Place Of Yes

If you've been around for awhile, you know that I love Bethenny. She is my role model. She is so many things I want to be: funny, real, healthy, a New York Times bestselling author . . .

So naturally, when I heard she was doing a book signing at the Barnes & Noble in Union Square, I had to go.

The book signing was scheduled for 7, people started arriving at 2, and I wasn't able to get there until 6:30. Needless to say, I was very far back, but thrilled to see that such a crowd came to support Bethenny. I can only hope I have half as many people at my book signing some day.



This photo was the best I could do, but isn't it so perfect? I took it right as she walked into the signing, everyone cheering and her arms in the air. It was a great moment.

As for the book, I absolutely loved it. Her story is incredibly inspiring and I look to her when I'm down on my luck and think, "She did it and so can I." I recommend it to all women in their 20s and up. Sometimes we all need a reminder that positivity and perseverance really do pay off.

Heaven Health Me!

I've been thinking a lot lately about my "What the Health?" blog post. I had so much fun writing it, but I still honestly have so much more to say about the topic. I'm on my own journey to a healthy lifestyle, and the thing is, I need someone or something to hold me accountable. Then I had an idea. Why not create a JGIWC spin-off blog about my misadventures in healthy eating and exercise?

I wanted to call it 'What the Health?' but there's already a (very good) online magazine by the same name. My cousin, who has been a big influence on this whole project, suggested calling it Heaven Health Me! PERFECT!

So, while you can still find me here all the time, just as always, you can also now find me over there. I hope you'll join me - it's guaranteed to be raw (pun intended) and hilarious.

(P.S. If the above links don't work, try this one.)

Happy 3rd Birthday JGIWC

Last week, my blog turned 3.

It's hard to believe. I think about where I was when I started this three years ago... miserable, unfocused, down on my luck. So much has changed. Everything has changed.

I've been through and learned so much. I'm in the best place I've ever been - confident, content and inspired. But the road here was not easy - uneven and often bumpy. There is no heartbreak and no ecstasy like living in Manhattan in your 20s. None.

It's been so fun living my life with you. Thank you for allowing me to share my introspect and my idiosyncrasies.

Happy birthday to my baby, my JGIWC. You are always and forever the little blog that could.