For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.For beautiful hair, let a child run his or her fingers through it once a day.For poise, walk with the knowledge you’ll never walk alone.People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed; Never throw out anybody.Remember, If you ever need a helping hand, you’ll find one at the end of your arm.As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair. The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides.The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole, but true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows, and the beauty of a woman with passing years only grows!Sam Levenson
I find it is only at Christmas that I can find certain unique items and here are some examples. Enjoy!
Just in time for the holidays. Stephanie Grace’s stunning interior is sure to draw in passersby, filled with the most lavish and high quality gifts. This is definitely a boutique you will want to check out. The holiday decorations at Stephanie Grace bring a touch of class and sophistication to any holiday table scape.
In addition to a luxury gift boutique, Stephanie Grace is also a full service event production firm that specializes in floral and event design as well as planning for both private and corporate clients. Stephanie Grace Designs services all of Southern California, as well as Palm Springs and the Vail/Beaver Creek area. Working with some of the top hotels and private clubs in the world, the accolades and notoriety have been tremendous and continue to grow and flourish with each imaginative event and personal client relationship.
Stephanie Grace has an outstanding reputation as a leading firm in the industry offering the discerning client an extensive and comprehensive range of services including innovative floral designs, creative event design and precision planning.
Wanting to meet the needs of her clients for all things “party,” Stephanie Grace decided it was time to open a chic gift, floral and home entertaining boutique. And what better place than Montana Avenue in Santa Monica!Here are a few of their amazing holiday products:
Below is the official press release for Anat B. but I want to stick in my two cents first. I love, love, love this store. Why? It is great fashion at affordable prices. Anat, the owner has a great eye for style and fills the store with modern, fun, clean, simple, elegant, fashion. Whether you are XS or XL a corporate executive or a stay at home Mom you will find something at Anat B. I take all my clients here.
If you go to the Montana Store, say hello to the manager, Cleo from me.
Love Brenda
OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE
Anat B. is the hottest store exploding onto the LA fashion scene right now. Since opening their Beverly Hills flagship store in 2005 they have expanded to three other upscale Los Angeles locations; Sherman Oaks, Montana Avenue in Santa Monica, and their newest location in the Century City Westfield Plaza.Anat B. has been getting national attention from E! News, the Today Show, and several style and fashion reality shows. They may be located in Los Angeles, but this is definitely not preventing anyone outside of LA from calling and placing orders to get their hands on the newest celebrity trends at the best prices.Anat B. brings you cutting edge fashions at cost-cutting prices. It’s no wonder why Anat B. has gained as much popularity as it has in just a few short years. Celebrities, fashionistas, and stylish travelers alike continue to flock back for the hottest looks at amazing prices.
From dramatic holiday dresses to great-fitting jeans, sexy tops, trendy shoes, perfect leggings, glamorous accessories… Anat B. has it.Anat B. is very popular with the celebrities, including Sharon Stone, Jessica Alba, Eva Longoria, Avril Lavigne, Vanessa Hudgens, Katie Holmes, Kimora Lee Simmons, Rihanna and many more… Nicky Hilton even pre-orders outfits from Anat B.!
ONEHOPE is a California wine company that donates 50 percent of its profits to partner nonprofits that support five distinct causes. These causes are breast cancer awareness (ONEHOPE Foundation For Breast Cancer Research), AIDS research and services (AIDS/LifeCycle), Autism research and services (ACT Today!), preservation and protection of US forests (American Forests) and support for the families of fallen US soldiers (Snowball Express). For more information and where to purchase ONEHOPE Wine near you, go to www.ONEHOPEwine.com .
Ladies and Gentleman,
We all need hope this holiday season with the state of the nation and the economy so take a little time out for some rest and relaxation with a glass of delicious ONE HOPE wine. Nothing better than getting a buzz, knowing that you are doing it for so many great causes. A glass of Merlot for me please!! Merry Christmas!
Designer fashions without designer prices.From the best closets in town, comes the most fun shopping in town. The Colleagues offers a wide selection of both contemporary and vintage fashions. One of a kind, one of a size, one of a color. A true treasure hunt of Designers such as Akris, Armani, Blass, Chanel, Dior, Dolce Gabbana, Gucci, Herrera, Kline, Lauren, Max Mara, Tracey, Oscar, Valentino, Versace and accessories which include belts, gloves, handbags, hats, scarves, furs, costume and fine jewelry, millinery, shoes, sweaters, vintage and ethnic clothes, men’s wear and decorative accessiores for the home at great prices.
Ladies, In my opinion, one of the best consignments stores in Los Angeles.
Worth a visit.
Please, only tell your friends who really appreciate fashion as I do not want this resource wasted on those who do not love fashion! Run by fashionable women for women that appreciate the art of style and all for a great cause.
www.thecolleagues.com
It’s raining cats and dogs! That’s what my mother used to say in her heavy Irish accent as it would pour and pour and pour down with rain in my native England. I was a young child but have never forgot about those cats and dogs!! And that is exactly what it has been doing here in Los Angeles today, raining incessantly. This time it is not cats and dogs, they are all taken care of by their loving owners, it is regular H2O and buckets of it.
Before I disclose this highly privileged information I would like to share with you the person who inspired my search fpr this garment. Donna Karen, a woman of timeless, classic style but lets face it girls, not always the most affordable style. Love her style. Do not always love the price tag.
Several years ago she designed collection of neon colored raincoats complete with the reflective bands as trim. I thought to myself I have seen this somewhere before….and low and behold it came to me that it was Gomez, the security guard at my son’s school. When I went to pick up my son, I asked Gomez where he got his brightly colored designer inspired raincoat. He gave me the name of the uniform catalogue and a strange look as I raved about his fabulous raingear not sure if I was being serious.
For those who know me, when it comes to great personal style I am deadly serious! It is sold as a security guards raincoat and I cannot begin to tell you the amount of compliments and smiles I have received wearing this coat. Wear it with black slacks and turtleneck underneath, a great attitude and I guarantee you willl have a super day despite the rain.
Where to get it: www.chiefsupply.com
Style# 1870C Neese 48″ rain jacket
Price $16.99
Size I recommend nothing smaller than a Medium. I am 5′7″ and I get size large
Please enjoy, and buy a few extras for friends and family and put a couple in the car. Your friends will love you for it!
So, I was off to my weekly dinner last night to meet my dear and talented friend of many years John Hayles. John has been a couturier in the entertainment industry for nearly half a century making the most exquisite clothes for movie stars such as Madonna, Marilyn Monroe, and Nicole Kidman to name a few. Needless to say, John is ‘old school’. Before I met John I had to take a last minute and unplanned trip out of Los Angeles to meet my twin sister Sandy who was helping me fix a computer that had to be repaired by Monday. Needless to say I did not have a moment to make myself look ‘the part’ to meet my friend. I tried to justify my sloppy appearance to myself. Everything from the neck down was fine, it was everything from the neck up that needed work! I thought, ‘Oh well, I’ll go with the au natural look which consisted of absolutely no makeup and though I hate to admit it in our youth conscious society an abundance of grey roots. As I was saying goodbye to my twin sister, Sandy she abruptly said in a very judgmental tone, ‘You’re not meeting John looking like that are you!” Twins are allowed to talk to each other like that you know. I said, ‘Yes I am’, she said ‘No you’re not’ in a way only one twin can talk to another. She went to her car pulled out her makeup bag and sat in the passenger seat of my car and proceeded to give me some tips on how I should quickly apply my makeup and poof up my hair telling me that I need to soften my look. Being the flexible person that I have trained myself to be I took her direction and even if I do say so myself the results were pretty good. So why this blog? Well, today was the semi annual concert for my kids at the Roxy on Sunset Blvd. They were playing on the same stage that The Who and Led Zeppelin have played on in decades past. I decided to carry over my new look and I can’t begin to tell you the amount of compliments I got. People I have known for years were amazed at my makeover performed by my twin sister and they were most generous with their comments. So the moral of the story is that even a makeover expert (me) can benefit from a new look once in a while. And getting a new look can definitely give you a new outlook girls! So ask someone you love and trust to give you a makeover, it’s fun and challenges you to look at yourself in a whole new way. It never fails to amaze the sense of well being and confidence you get from knowing that you look great. And thank you to my darling twin sister. Guess who is who in the photo above?
Im always on the hunt for the most fabulous functional versatile pieces of clothing, shoes, jewelry, accessories, basically anything that can make us look good and therefore feel good and of course, always at the right price. And you just never know how, when or where these great pieces are going to show up. With that in mind I have a love of baskets, dont ask me why, maybe it reminds me of lazy summer days at the beach or bike riding though lavendar fields of Tuscany, (not that Ive ever done that). My perfect basket has to be the right size, made of the right grass with a sturdy trim, for me that would tan leather handles and has to be freestanding, it cannot fall over when it is empty. Not easy to find ladies, but I found it…… and much much more a couple of weekends ago while fruit and vegetable shopping one sunny Sunday morning at the Farmer Market in Pacific Palisades, California. The stall, nestled between two vegetable stands was filled with baskets in all the colors of the rainbow, every shape and size you can imagine and of course at the most consumer friendly prices. Andrea Drexelius, the delightful owner of ‘The French Basteteer’ is a mere extension of her beautiful french baskets and totes, friendly, helpful and full of tips for making the correct choice. Girls, if you cant get to Pacific Palisades Farmers Market just go to her website www.thefrenchbasketeer.com and you will find a spectacular selection of beautiful baskets for a multitude of purposes in a fun and easy to navigate website. Have fun!
The Big Buddha Rose bag is bigger and the Buddha Mia bag is smaller with a detatchable shoulder strap. I prefer the bigger but if you cant find it go for the gold with the small one and put that $2,500 into your saving account…..Sorry Valentino, I have to look after the girls that connnot afford your fabulous clothes but please know Im one of your biggest fans.
Honestly. the best color is black, it looks the most expensive.
Looks fabulous on your shoulder and carries lots of stuff.
Guaranteed lots of compliments and who doesn’t love that.
