home away from home

Mondays are so difficult recently. I stretch out the weekend running, hanging out with friends, cleaning, shopping (browsing, browsing). Monday morning I get into the office and it takes awhile to get focused. Every week I think, "Maybe this will be the week that I find and commit to the Florida job!". Until then I deal with sharing an office with four others.

I have never been lucky to have an office of my own. However, I have always tried to create my own little corner of the world. Pictures, flowers, lamps, music, whatever it takes to brighten up my little space. I spend a lot of time at my desk and in the office, it is very much my home away from home. I dream of the day when I can create an organized, creative space and be excited to go there every morning. For now I will give it my all in D.C. My view of the Washington Monument isn't that bad I should say;)

The first picture is my little corner, where I spend hour after hour on proposals, floor plans, calls, contracts, menus, etc. etc. The second photo is my dream photo. I came upon this adorable office and had to share!

xoxo

Sunday Soirees - Back to School

Wow! I have already seen kids in the morning with their backpacks on, walking to school. College campuses are full, high school cafeterias are full and every store around is packed with back to school necessities. I know I do not have class to attend, but it would be so fun to throw a Back to School Party! Reminisce about your days of packing lunch, decorating your locker, homecoming dance dress shopping.

Invitations would be sent out on Lined Paper looking invites. I would pass out gift bags with a cute pencil case (French of course!) A Red Tube of Lipstick Pen, because you must write in style, a pretty pink journal, for to-do lists

The table would be set looking like a chalkboard and name cards would be red apples. Instead of the usual schoolroom map, I would have a fun US map set up to learn your capitals on.

Passed Hors D'oeuvres would be mini tea sandwiches in shapes of kid characters (um, Hello Kitty!). These make me think of open up your lunch box and having a note from mom and a neatly made sandwich for the first day of school. For dinner I would serve an adult cafeteria style dinner: Parmesan Tater Tots, Chicken Fingers, Crudite of Haricot Vert Heirloom Tomatoes and Truffled Ranch Dressing and for dessert there would be ice cream. Remember the fun sundae cups that kids would bring into class for parties? There were chocolate and vanilla or strawberry and vanilla and they were served with a little wooden spoon. I would serve an updated ice cream like salted caramel, in a cute paper cup with a personalized spoon.

Oh how I wish I was packing up my backpack tonight for school. Making sure I had a new box of crayons, new notebook, new pencils, everything was so new! Happy back to school shopping! Maybe I should go get a new "backpack" for school? ;)

xoxo

Happy Thoughts on Hump Day

I woke up with too much on my mind (that seems to be a standard recently, sigh). I found this picture that my lovely friend Meg sent me and it made me smile. I want to dive into the photo and be in Paris eating Frites, wearing a striped shirt and a beret and indulging in everything Fabulous. I hope you have a Happy Wednesday! It's the middle of the work week, I LOVE!

in 29 days...

Back to School time always makes me think of my Birthday! Oh I just love birthdays! In 29 days I will be turning 28. Wasn't I just turning 18 yesterday??? I think I was asking for a hot pink fur trimmed jacket on my 18th birthday, haha.

This year will be an interesting year. I feel like I have a lot of "adult" decisions in front of me and I am a little stressed and tired of thinking of them. Today I started dreaming about what I would love for my birthday. Just in case anybody is reading... hint hint...here are a few ideas on my mental birthday list. Some things like the dream job, a winning million dollar lottery ticket and front row seats to see Oprah didn't make it in the collage, but they are still an option!

1. Purse from JCrew

2. Key necklace from Tiffany's. "key to my heart" LOVE THEM!

3. Name necklace. Every since Carrie on SATC wore hers I have wanted one. In my mind they will forever be fabulous. Rebecca/Becca, I'll take one forever!

4. Tranquil Space anything. Gift certificate, t shirt, water bottle, the place makes me peaceful

5. A Cupcake ...had to add that

6. Laughter and a smile for the day...had to add that since I was feeling super stressed today

7. New Camera. My poor little power shot is in poor shape. It is time to upgrade, in pink of course!

8. Anything from Jonathan Adler's new fabulous BARBIE line, preferably a pillow, not to be choosy;)

Too add to my list I will be dreaming of: an internship with Colin Cowie, an unlimited year long trip around the world, a pink pair of Louboutin's, private dance lessons from Beyonce, yoga classes from Kimberly Wilson and cooking classes with Giada and to top off the birthday I would like to add a romantic dinner with Beau in Amsterdam in a cafe by the canals. I thought the last one would be fun and hey Beau celebrates his big day on the 19th so why not a joint adventure to his home country :)

A girl can dream. Hey, it's soon to be my birthday!

xoxo

Sunday Soirees - Mariana & Blake's Welcome Party

So if there is one thing that gets me so excited, it's a soiree! A party, an event, a celebration, a wedding, an extravagant affair, a dinner party, any and all of them. I decided since recently I have been in a current rut with my day job (I am in the business but dream of bigger and better) and the big job hunt, I would start a weekly post my party dreams. Sunday Soirees is my posting of party ideas, dinner parties I wish I could plan, inspirations for others.

This week I put together an inspiration board for my friend Mariana's Mexican wedding welcome party. Mariana is a great DC friend of mine. She is getting married on the Mexican Riviera Maya in February. She is planning a welcome party the first evening and had mentioned a traditional Mexican theme, how fun! I saw these Papel Picado banners in Martha Stewart Wedding this season and I think they are a MUST for her. I love the idea of the new "little white dresses" for the bride with a bright pink lipstick. Mini tacos and mini margaritas, lots of candles, bright flowers and a mariachi band. More ideas to come for the beautiful reception at the resort. It is going to be an amazing weekend for the couple, for their friends and family. How fun, a Mexican wedding fiesta!

xoxo

That's Bananas

OK, it is a guilty pleasure of mine, The Rachel Zoe Project. Monday, it's back! Bravo, 10pm. The stylist to the stars is crazy to watch. This pixie like woman with big hair and tons of jewelry, an addiction to Starbucks and fabulous clothes. How can you not love it! The fact that her assistant Taylor gets paid to organize thousands of dollars of designer dresses and sort through ridiculous accessories, and complain, is beyond me. I love it. Every thing about Rachel is well "bananas"! Maybe I will start using that phrase. I have been following her on Twitter and am even more excited to start watching the new season.

Check out Rachel's latest interview in her studio. The place is amazing, the rows of shoes, a dream!!!!! The picture above is a shoot from W magazine of Rachel laying on the floor in the center of the shoes. Sigh, I dream of a big closet I can lay in.

dreaming of a new fall wardrobe~ xoxo~ Becca

makeup essentials

It was a rainy day here in D.C. today. After a long run and doing loads of laundry I felt so lazy and stayed at home the rest of the day. I started doing a lot of little projects I had been wanting to get done for awhile, one of them being cleaning out my bedroom dresser drawers and my makeup. Oh how I love makeup! I have a train case full of makeup. The funny thing is that every day when I get ready in the morning I open the case and I see the bright green shadows and the sparkles and the blues, and recently I go to the same items. Today I decided to throw out a lot of stuff. Seriously, was I ever going to wear the Clinique lilac colored eyeshadow that I bought at the bookstore at Syracuse, no and I probably shouldn't since its at least 6 years old!

During my whole clean out process I realized, wow, I have a lot of essentials. I have a lot of "I can't live without this product" products. You know how in magazines celebrities will always be asked, "What is the one beauty product you couldn't live without? one!". Ummmmm, I have about 10. I wish I could say I was one of those girls that really just swipes a little mascara on, lip gloss, blush and I'm out the door, but I would TOTALLLY be lying. Recently when I was getting ready Beau asked me, "Don't you ever get sick of putting all that stuff on?". haha, no. I mean I guess so, but now I think it is essential. So here you go. My daily products, the ones I can't live without, what is in my make up bag....

1. Laura Mercier Face Primer

2. Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer Oil Free

3. Bobbi Brown Concealer Kit (yes, I use the powder after the creamy concealer, it totally helps it not crease and stay)

4. Bobbi Brown Blush in Peony - The color is really bright pink in the container. I was a bit

scared of it, but it is the perfect pink, not bright.

5. MAC Blot Face Powder

6. Guerlain Terracotta Bronzer - You can buy this in the U.S., completely. However I bought at the Guerlain store in Paris and I always remember it was such a process. They called for it sent it up this little side elevator, all for a bronzer. Maybe that is why I love it so much!

Good memories, no, really its great!

7. Cover Girl Lash Blast Waterproof in Black - I have tried out a lot of mascaras. This is my favorite. Why spend so much money on designer mascara when you should get a new one every few months? Yep, this is one product I do actually throw away often and get a new one because my eyes get so sensitive.

8. F.Y....Eye by Benefit - Obsessed. I put this on before my eye shadow and my eye shadow will

not crease! A complete must.

9. NARS Bellissima Eye Duo Shadows or Pandora (when I want a smokey look)

10. Bobbi Brown Eye Long Wear Cream Shadow in Galaxy

11. Bobbi Brown Long Wear Gel Eyeliner and Slanted Brush (from Target) - I use to be a pencil girl but now I am addicted to the gel liner with brush. Maybe this is my can't live without.

12. Shu Uemura Eye Lash Curler

13. Clinique Long Last Soft Shine Lipstick in Bamboo Pink - I have been wearing this since college but I still totally love it and always go back to it.

14. Lip gloss Lip gloss Lip gloss - I can't really say which one, I have a bag of lip glosses on my dresser. Bobbi Brown, Dior, Mark, Covergirl, Bonne Belle, everything. Getting a new lip gloss is so addicting to me, a must, a gloss.

That's me, that is my face. I think I might cut down the products in the hot humid Florida weather, but for now, this is what is in my bag. Anybody have any favorites, send them along!

xoxo