Building my wardrobe for my European Vacation

I am about to embark on a vacation of a lifetime - a European Holiday for 2 weeks and 3 days. I don't think I have ever taken that long of a vacation in my adult life. This trip will be combining several of my favorite things including traveling, fashion, wine, amazing food, sun, friends, did I say wine?

Here is the itinerary:

LAX - Newark - Paris
Train to Bordeaux - two days tasting some of the most amazing wine of this region
Flight to Nice then car ride to St. Tropez - 6 days in the sun, sand and Club 55 (or as they say in France Cinq un Cinq)
Car ride from St. Tropez to Florence, Italy

....Ok, I get a chill when I say Italy....this is my FIRST time traveling to this country. I have been many places - China, South Korea, Hong Kong, Ireland, East Berlin before the wall was torn down - but I have never been to Italy. So I am thrilled to take this journey into this amazing country

3 Days in Florence where we will venture into Tuscany for more wine tasting - can anyone say Sassicaia?
Then, train down to the Italian Riviera where we will spend 3 days in Positano
Then up to Rome for one day in this ancient city and finally flight back to LA

So, I have this amazing trip planned and nothing to wear.


So, my job for the past few months has been to plan out my wardrobe. I am going to be limited to two bags - my travel partner and boyfriend likes to travel light and frankly I am OK not dealing with checked luggage - so I have to be smart and lay out my priorities.

I have been on a hunt for the following items:

1. Evening dresses
2. Summer dresses
3. Light and breezy tops and bottoms
4. Swimware
5. Beachbag
6. New Luggage
7. Great wedges

Honestly, I really just wanted to hire a personal shopper to do all of the legwork for me, but I did not want to spend the money and it has been somewhat fun to spend my nights surfing the web for some great finds. But in actuality, it has been frustrating and stressful pulling the right wardrobe together.

So for those of you who are planning similar trips or just looking for the right wardrobe for this coming summer, here are the hits and misses for the must have items:

1. ShopBop: still my favorite new online site. I have had some great luck finding fun and flirty dresses here for evening. I am not sure I feel the day dresses are worth the price, but for night, this is the site to visit.
2. BCBC Max Azria: after a long hot day of shopping on Robertson, and having no luck finding cute, comfortable and fitting sundresses, a friend and I stopped in to the BCBG store for our last shot at a good dress. And you know what, we got lucky and found some great items.
3. Nordstrom: My favorite place for shoes has some great, fun flirty tops - I just got a multi-colored item from Trina Turk.
4. Laurie Klein: I was in need of a new pair of white jeans and I found a great little stretchie pari at this great shop on Robertson.
5. Victoria's Secret: This is my little secret, I use to wear their dresses in High School (yes, my mom let me), and I have not bought any clothing there until this year. They have a great line-up of shorts, linen pants, bubble tops, bathing suits and bathing suit covers at GREAT prices.
6. JCrew: I just popped in there today to buy a few cardigans and tanks...they have a great variety of colors and prices for the summer.
7. Gypsy Style: This creative little company makes a variety of eco-friendly bags for just about every occasion including the beach, the farmers market, the weekend getaway and of course yoga.

I am still on the hunt for new luggage (that fits everything I need to bring), a great new print bathing suit and a fun print dress.

I am open to suggestions!

Happy packing!

The Strength of Women

As you may know, I am currently working on a project where I am interviewing individuals who have had amazing life changes on or around the age of 33. It has been an absolute pleasure to work on this project so far because I have been able to hear the invigorating and inspirational stories of women (this is open to men and women but I have only interview women so far) who have really found the strength and courage to take a "leap" of faith and go after their dreams. I find this so exciting because this is what makes life worth living...taking chances, being a player, paving your own path and living your desitiny. So many people don't listen to their inner voice telling them that they need/want/desire something different, something else, something more.

Unfortunately, so many people spend their lives sitting on the sidelines, going through the motions. Do they fell fulfilled, happy, content. Or are they just doing what they think they have to do?

What I hope this project will do is tell the story of ever day people who have decided to take life by the reigns and make it their own. I hope it will inspire and motivate to help people find the beauty and excitement in living! Not the fear, misery and unhappiness.

More to come on the year of "33".

David Cook WINS!

I cannot completely explain my obsession with David Cook. From my previous posts, I have mentioned that I am not a music buff nor would anyone accuse me of knowing the difference between good music and cheesy music. I tend to follow the top 20 - my first concert was New Kids on the Block and I am not ashamed to say that I also went to a Backstreet Boys concert 15 years after that NKOB concert. I like anything that lets me sing to the words and makes me want to get up and dance. The playlists on my (PRODUCT) RED nano range from Kelly Clarkson to Neil Diamond to Van Halen to the Indigo Girls. I am proud that I like what I like and I try not to conform or be something I am not. I guess that has always been something I am proud of, I stick to my true self.

And when David Cook sang Billie Jean on American Idol this year - my first year every watching it - I had a new favorite that I could not wait to add to my playlist. There has not been an artist since well since never that has betwitched me like David Cook. I find myself surfing right over to Youtube to catch his amazing array of performances from this year, amazed by his brilliance, blushing from a school girl crush and in shock that there is actually an American Idol conestant that has amazing creative talent and is actually a nice guy.

I am so happy that this guy won American Idol....not because of the record deal and the media attention and the glory of saying he won....but because he deserved it. He was and is amazing...he made American Idol enjoyable and addictive...and now I have a new artist to get excited about. He has already found a place in my eclectic, crazy and weird iPod playlist.

It has been a while

Many apologies for the long delay since my last post....I have been busy working on my "33" project, but I I am missing talking about my favorite things! So here it goes...

Boycotting American Idol

I am officially done with American Idol....the fact that Carly was voted off this week and Brooke is still there is just wrong. I have NO clue why anyone likes Brooke, she is awful and annoying...Sorry, she has to go.

Carly rocked her song this week - I LOVE Jesus Christ Superstar - I think I got the chills and she looked great.

Brooke sucks!

Please stop the madness and vote her OFF!

I still love David Cook!!!

Get Inspi(RED) for Mother's Day

Ok, we are officially two weeks and three days away from Mother's Day 2008. Don't panic, there is time to get mom a great gift that means something more than just - hey, I am sorry I am sending this last minute bouquet of flowers. So, as everyone knows, I am a big fan of (RED). Not only is (RED) a cool organization backed by some cool individuals, but it is empowering all of us to make a difference by doing something we already do - shop. So, for this Mother's Day - Go (RED).

Here is what they have for your mom, sister, aunt, friend or whomever you want to say Happy Mother's Day to:

For the fashionista mom - Check out Emporio Armani's great line of products. My favorite is the very cool leather bracelet- comes in red for women and tan for men- co-designed by Julia Roberts. I bought my mom one for her birthday...this is a special gift that gives back. Mom can tell the story when you are out and about!

For the fitness mom: get her an Apple (PRODUCT) RED Nano or Shuffle! They are beautiful and perfect for summertime runs or sitting at the beach

For the laid back mom: Gap has some great new t's and flirty blouses in their (PRODUCT) RED lineup....and grab great tote for the perfect beach getaway.

For the cool mom: Get her a new pair of personalized kicks from Converse's (PRODUCT) RED lineup.

For the techno - mom: If she needs a new laptop or printer - Dell has a great new line of (PRODUCT) RED devices that look great and work great.

And everyone mom needs a card - so grab one of Hallmark's new Mother's Day cards from their (PRODUCT) RED line!

A perfect way to send your Mother's Day wishes!!! Go (RED)!

Thirty Time

I am officially kicking off the Thirty Time project I am starting with my very good friend Joanne Pavin! If you are a thirtysomething or know someone who is currently in a life transition and/or has gone through one in their thirties....let me know....I would love to interview you for the project.

Shopping Addict

I have recently become addicted to online shopping. I have been inspired by the clothes available today....the throwbacks to the 70's, metalics, wrap dresses, bubble dresses, beautiful material, just amazing stuff....My new favorite shopping site: shopbop.com! It has become an obsession for me!

American Idol and Other TV Obsessions

It has been a while since I blogged - I blame it on the travel, visitors and overall exhaustion! All good things though! So, I have to talk about my new obsession with various TV shows - some of which I swore I would never watch...I guess never say never!

So first up, American Idol. I always felt proud that I never got into this show...not once did I watch it...although I am big fans of Carrie Underwood and Kelly Clarkson....awesome voices - I own their CD's. But I refused to watch it....Until this year...until I got Tivo...and I can fastforward through the boring parts....so, I just have to give my view on the current season:

My favorite: Hands down - David Cook...he rocks! His version of Billie Jean had me at Hello!
Who I don't like: Brooke White - there is nothing good about her!!! she is SOOOOO annoying....WHY is she still on this show?
Who I think is awesome but not living up to her potential: Carly - she is amazing...but she tends to oversing her songs...and sometimes not pick the best song....I would love to see her go far, she just needs to chill a bit, go with the flow and enjoy her songs.
I was super annoyed with the guy with the dreads, but then he sang one of my favorite songs - Somewhere Over the Rainbow by Brother IZ - and I became somewhat of a fan!
David Archelleto...he is fine, but I hope he does not win.
And the country girl is cute...but does not get that into her songs...so she is lacking a bit.
And honestly, I tend to agree with what Simon says...does that make me bad? I think he is actually quite funny!
So, I will be watching until the very end! With my fingers crossed for David Cook...I really dont think there is anyone that can come close to him!

Onto my next obsession: How I Met Your Mother! I think this is just a cute, funny, warm and fuzzy show...And I am dying to see who the mother is. I LOVED the episode with the girl from Scrubs...the chemistry was right on...but who knows.

And of course, Bones....I dont know why more people do not watch this show...It has everything mystery, intrigue, intelligence, romance, fun characters....keeps me intrigued....I am so excited there are new episodes coming out this week!

I was very happy to watch Idol Gives Back last night - two of the idols were wearing Inspi(RED) shirts...very inspiring and motivating to go out and make a difference in this world!

Enjoy some TV today!

GO (RED) - Great products for the Spring and Upcoming Holidays!

I was recently at a media showroom event to show off the latest product line-up from (PRODUCT) RED and their partners.....some of our favorite brands had some great new products to show off.....line-ups that are currently in stores for Spring and products that will be hitting shelves in the summer and fall.....Here are some of the highlights from the event:

Hallmark - who would have thought you could help fight AIDS in Africa by sending a greeting card to your friend, you brother, your husband, whomever....but you can....Hallmark has a FULL line-up of greeting cards, sound cards and my favorite - MOTHER'S DAY CARDS AND GRADUATION CARDS - for the upcoming holidays. In addition to the cards, Hallmark has numberous gives including journals, gift card sets....and flowers that can be sent straight to mom on her upcoming day. Check it out at http://www.hallmark.com/.

Gap - The Gap showcased a fun new line-up of great shirts, blouses, totes, sweaters and scarves....their fall line takes clothing design a step further by giving us a geography lesson - each item was designed with the inspirations of a specific country in Africa...watch out for them in your local Gap stores soon!

Converse - I an a Converse convert...not only have I gone to http://www.converse.com/ to Make My Own Converse (PRODUCT) RED shoes.....but now we have a new line to choose from - one designed from a variety if artists! Definitely a great way to feel like you are a star!

Other products on my wish list - the Emporio Armani (PRODUCT) RED Julie Robert's bracelet and a Dell (PRODUCT) RED laptop. I am already sporting an Apple (PRODUCT) RED Nano....

Go check out the products and make a difference by doing something you do every day...shop!!! http://www.joinred.com/.

The Cheese Store Bevery Hills

My new favorite place in Beverly Hills is the Cheese Store. Located right on Beverly and south of Little Santa Monica, this quant little store has everything you want and need in cheese, wine and everything else perfect for your next cocktail party or lazy Saturday afternoon. Check it out next time you are in the area! http://www.cheesestorebh.com/

Another Great Restaurant in NYC - STK and Il Voce

I just returned from a great week in NYC where I spent most of my time meeting with variour reporters and catching-up with old friends. And of course, I continued to enjoy some amazing cuisine in NYC.

The first new restaurant was a recommendation that came from one of my favorite NYC residents...Il Voce was the name and it was supposed to be amazing! And thankfully it was. We arrived a little early, but the restaurant was running a little behind. So we rand down the street for a drink - the bar was too packed to sit - and within 30 minutes we had our table. The GM was so gratious that he gave us a free glass of wine for our wait - any one we chose including the pricey Barollos and Piedmonts. We tried one of each course including an appetizer, pasta and fish. The appetizer and the pasta were fabulous, and the fish was pretty good. We also received an amazing desert on the house....we were thrilled the meal and plan to go back soon! In addition to the food being right on, the staff was very accomodating - making us feel right at home.

On to STK - I LOVED this restaurant. This is my new favorite steak place in NY - although BLT Prime will alwayst be one of the tops. The first thing that struck me about STK was the vibe - I loved it. The restaurant can be found in the meat packing district inhabiting a beautiful, cavernous space that boasts a burning fireplace in the lounge area with comfortable, sociabile seating surrounding the lounge. I felt immediately like I was in the place to be in NYC. My dinner companion and I waited about 30 minutes for our table - this seems to be the trend in NYC these days - and the place quickly filled up. Once we got our table, we immediately scoured the menu and picked out the must have items at a steak place. The wedge salad, small filet, mac and cheese, spinach and home fries. Awesome, everything was delicious - all in a fun and entertaining environment.

One interesting note - at both restaurants our tablemates at the right started talking to us - on both occasions. When did it become hip to converse with your table mates at restaurants? At Il Voce, it was an interesting pair that offered up some of their Barolo...but at STK...it was actually an annoying pair....but I guess they were being friendly.

Check these two places out at:http://www.avocerestaurant.com/ and http://www.stkhouse.com/.

Project Runway Finale - Not so happy

As I mentioned in a previous post, I love Project Runway. TV in general does not interest me too much - except for reruns of Friends, SATC and my favorite show Bones - but Project Runway was one show I could get excited about, anxiously awaiting the next installment each week to see what amazing clothes the various designers would come up with. Honestly, I could do without the drama of the show - just the inspiration for the designs and the final runway gets my heart pumping.

I was disappointed with the fourth season's final installment. I guess my take of who should be the Great American Designer is someone who makes clothes that American women would want to wear. Jillian was my favorite for most of the show - especially with the trio of '70's inspired clothes she and her team made out of fashion don'ts. I loved ever piece. I WANTED her final piece she did with the black coat and the gold dress. Everyone that knows me knows that I love gold and silver pieces. So, I thought she was the ideal winner to go on and make clothes we - the American Woman - would want to wear. Christian - who did win - had amazing clothes and as everyone said - has amazing talent - but really, who is going to wear his clothest? Besides Victoria Beckham - which again - who really dresses like that.

Than Rami came in with a really fabulous show - I loved his pieces as well - and I actually thought the colors were great. Jillian's collection was not as wow as I anticipated - so maybe Rami should have won.....but basically, I am a bit disappointed with the selection. I felt it was a bit unfair!

So the question is now, how do I follow what Rami and Jillian are doing?

Some technologies I love

Most people know me as a technology "princess" - at least that was the latest title I was given by my good friend Joanne. I was never a fanatic about technology, but spending close to 14 years of my life working for Motorola - a major technology innovator and consumer brand - I have become a closet technology geek. I like talking about technology - whether it is wireless phones, computers or home entertainment equipment - I like having new toys to play with and I especially like new products that enhance my love of photography, fashion or just talking on the phone. So, I wanted to take some time out to hit on a few technology players that I just love!

1. Motorola: I will always love them, especially while my favorite designer is still driving the consumer design team - Jim Wicks. I firmly believe they are an innovator that happens to employ amazing people!
2. Apple: I recently started using the Apple (PRODUCT) RED Nano and I LOVE it. All of the new capabilities just make the experience so much more fun....especially when I am working out. I have loaded all of my pictures on there and I have a ton of fun scrolling through them while I have some downtime.
3. PhotoVu: This is a nifty little company out of Boulder, Colorado who makes high quality, custom made digital picure frames for the home or office. You will not find such a high quality product in this category like the one Photo Vu makes. Check them out at: http://www.photovu.com/index.php. If you love to take pictures and you find that the majority of your pictures just sit on your computer...this is a great way to get them out and in front of a lot of people!
4. Myxer: If you love to get cool, new content for your mobile phone - Myxer is a must-see site! www.myxer.com. Not only can you get new content - including some great music from some amazing indie bands - but you can also format your own content - Pictures, Songs, and more - for your mobile phone.
5. Bluetooth headsets: These are not new...I have been using them for years...but I forgot how helpful they can be in holding a phone conversation while doing other things....Check out Sound ID - a tech start-up that makes some really great headsets that actually let people hear you whether you are in your office, in an aiport or running outstide! www.soundid.com

Absentstar

I will admit that I am not a music fanatic or a music buff. In fact, most people will say that I have quite an interesting mix of music - because I tend to go with what I really enjoy: songs and music that move me and get me excited whether it is Neil Diamond, Kelly Clarkson or music from Footloose. If I can work out to it, sing to it or in general fell good listening to it, I like it....and so, I am thrilled to say that an up and coming band that I have been following for some time and who's lead singer is the bomb has just released their first single on iTunes. So I encourage everyone to check out their site, their song - "For God's sake" on iTunes and watch out for the full launch of their record, "Sea Trials" on April 15th! Enjoy and go download! www.absentstar.com

Bryant Park Hotel and Molton Brown

I love the Bryant Park Hotel - great location, comfortable and spacious rooms and a hip and trendy vibe...without being too hip and trendy. I also love the hotel because they have Molton Brown products in their rooms...and I am officially in love with some of their newest product offerings. I am taking home some bottles of the Heavenly Gingerlily bath and shower gel, the Ziao Jao shampoo and the Indian Cress conditioner. I am not easily wowed by bathroom products these days...but this line is a keeper....the scents were very lively and light while the product makes you walk out of the shower feeling exhilerated! I highly recommend purchasing some great products from Molton Brown! http://www.bryantparkhotel.com/
http://www.moltonbrown.com/

New York Restaurants

I had the opportunity to be in New York City this week and it was definitely a worthwhile trip - for work and some eating. I had some great meals while I was here - my round-up of my favorites:



1. BLT Prime: An amazing steak place, definitely one of my top 5 favorites. The atmosphere was very relaxed and fun, great acoustics so that you had entertaining - and fun - music in the background but not too loud that you could not talk to your dinner mate. We were fortunate enough to have a corner table, so the seating was very comfortable and perfect for conversation and sharing food. Our meal was delectable...we started with a beet and goat cheese salad, buffalo tomatoes and bacon. As a side, we had these amazing buns that I believe are a specialty of BLT - so good you can only allow yourself a small amount as not to ruin your appetite. We then moved on to our entrees - a filet with bearnaise sauce and spicy sweet potatoes. A perfectly balanced and cooked meal that I am still thinking about today. We of course enjoyed our meal with a great bottle of Barolo and we topped it off with a mouth watering peanut butter chocolate mousse dessert with banana ice cream. Just amazing! http://www.bltprime.com/



2. Il Mulino: We were very excite to try this Italian legend. A good friend had set up the reservation for us, and we were eager to visit the New York location as we had already had the pleasure of eating at the Las Vegas location. The ambiance was very old school Italian - small and cozy and the permeating smells of amazing Italian food. We were sat at a small table crunched between two big tables - one drawback as it was very hard to hear my table mate. There was also a cool breeze making me just a tad bit cold throughout the meal. But, we were served bread, cheeze, bruschetta and a few other treats as soon as we sat down, so I was immediately satisfied. We ordered a great bottle of Cabrea and a huge amount of food. This is not the place you go to for a light meal. We let the waiter take the liberty of ordering several items for us including stuffed mushroom caps with escargot, three different types of pasta including a delectable mushroom ravioloi in a champagne sause and for our entree a veal milanese and branzino. The fish and the veal were melt in your mouth good, I loved the pastas but my dinner mate thought they were just OK. We capped off the meal with our favotite - a flourless chocolate cake...which was undescribably good. Overall, the meal was very good, we were not in love with the cramped space and the loud parties on either side of our table. http://www.ilmulinonewyork.jp/

3. Nougatine: This is a Jean George restaurant located in the Trump Plaza Hotel in New York...it is a more casual dining experience than Jean-George, but in no way a lesser dining experience. Plain and simple, this is a phenomenal place to eat, great food, relaxing environment. A really enjoyable dinner....http://www.jean-georges.com/

Project Runway Anticipation

Ok, I have to say, I love this show. If I could only come back as a fashion designer, I think I would love it. My favorite contestant as far as wearable clothes go is Jillian. I love her stuff, including the last outfit she made...I would buy it if I could. Of course Christian is so fun to watch and extremely talented. Chris and Rami - they do intrigue me. But I am rooting for Jillian....I look forward to the final show! If you are passionate about fashion, but have yet to tune into this show...it is a must see.

New Restaurant in LA

I had the pleasure if testing out a new restaurant prior to its soft opening this week! It is called Cinqueterra and it is located just south of Federal on Santa Monica Blvd., 11047 Santa Monica Blvd. The food was really amazing....their hook - they are using a myriad of fresh ingredients, and the menu will reflect that. My favorite - the smoked sushi - mouth watering. The ravioli was like butter and the bread was made fresh. Expect traditional northern Italian fare - based on a menu that you can play with. Oh, and the desert was amazing. It will be a great lunch location, as the location is a heavy commercial area...but definitely work checking for dinner if you want to try something new and intriguing. They anticipate a soft opening this coming weekend....but make sure to call first.

New name/old shop in LA

I decided to walk down Montana yesterday after a few meetings in the area and I found an old shop I like with a new name. The boutique is called Taylor, honestly, I don't remember the prior name, but it is on Montana around 9th or 10th street. Great clothes, I purchased a beautiful top and had 3 others I would have loved to buy, but I had to stop myself. I also ventured down the Blue Jeans Denim Bar - a recommendation from a few people. The selection was pretty good, but it seems most shops are out of skinny jeans these days. Montana continues to be one of my favorite shopping streets in LA.

One Additional Favorite Thing

I forgot to talk about one additional favorite thing on my mind: (PRODUCT) RED. I am a huge believer in what (PRODUCT) RED is doing - they have created a new way of giving back - by doing something you do every day = shop! The products from all of (PRODUCT) RED's partners are awesome - fashionable, sylish, sleek - including Apple's (PRODUCT) RED Nano, and great lines from Gap, Emporio Armani, Converse, Motorola, Dell, Microsoft and Hallmark!
Check it out at http://www.joinred.com/.

My Favorite Things

I have long found that the little things in life bring me such joy! And of course the big things. I have also found that I get great pleasure in sharing the new things I find that I love and that others must experience. So this is my first entry into sharing something special that I love.

Each post will focus on something new and interesting, but for my first post I want to share a list of my top 20 things currently on my mind, and here we go:

1. Los Angeles: I am a new transplant to the city of angels - i just celebrated my first year anniversary here, and so far it has been a wonderful experience. I am a Chicago girl at heart, but give me a little warmth, a wide beach, eclectic food and fashion and a lot of sun, and I am in love and excited every day to experience something new here. I have to say, the traffic is the worst, but the long treks across LA land are worth the hassle once you get to your destination of choice.
2. Hair - my favorite stylist in Chicago was Linda at Salon 1800...she is amazing. But I now loving Glenn at the Christophe Salon on Beverly.
3. Restaurants in LA: I am loving - Via Veneto, Cafe Del Rey, Mozza, AOC, Simon LA and Capo.
4. Boyfriends: Tim Duffy.
5. Dogs: Coco
6. Shopping: loving Dolce Vita, Planet Blue, Blonde LA....more to explore though.
7. Shopping online: My mother's site, http://www.chriscloset.com/ for the fun scarves, bags and jewelry all at an incredible price!
8. Travel: Hoping to hit Italy soon, but Hawaii is forever on my mind including Lanaii, my new favorite.
9. Airlines: American is my usual choice, but I had a nice trip on Alaskan Airlines recently.
10. I just started seeing a Life Coach and she is fanastic. Let me know if you want her contact details.
11. Joanne Pavin's Healthy Soulutions: You can find her at: http://www.soulutionstohealth.com/. She gives THE best massage....Second best is a girl in Kona that I will add to this list when I find her card.
12. Book: Pillars of the Earth and Night Over Water - Both by Ken Follett. I read Pillars of the Earth 15 years ago, but I am starting it again because it is so great. I am also in love with Kite Runner and a Thousand Splendid Suns.
13. Clothes: A great pair of Manolos, a beautiful dress from M by Missoni and some great jewerly from my mom's shop.
14. Laptop - I just got the little Sony Vaio and it literally has changed my life!
15. Trainers - My trainer in Marina Del Rey is Amazing....you can find him at http://www.unitedfitness.com/ - Craig Stolker.
15. Movies: I am watching silly old movies these days including Chances Are, Sabrina, 13 Going on 30.
16. Cars: currently loving the Range Rover Sport we just got.
17. My must have devices: a Motorola RAZR 2, a Blackberry, a Sound ID Bluetooth Headset and my Apple (PRODUCT) RED Nano.
18. Secret obesession: Anything shiny, like a new laurenmirkin.com laptop sleeve in gunmetal.
19. My favorite college team: Anything Purdue Boilermaker style! http://www.purdue.com/ . I am a member of the School of Liberal Arts Alumni Board, so I encourage anyone to check them out!
20. The best manicurist in LA: Nettie - you can find her at http://www.nettiescrub.com/

Please share your favorites and I encourage you to check out some of my favorite things!