What I Wore: Broadway Show and Dinner in NYC

Firstly, this is the show that I attended, Jersey Boys and let me say I, without a doubt, give it 2 thumbs up.  If I had 3 thumbs (although that would be super weird) I would give it 3 thumbs up haha I absolutely LOVED this show and it did help that I am from Jersey as a lot of this was the history of this group deriving from Jersey.  If you are in NYC and love music, oldies in particular like myself, definitely check this show out, it will not disappoint! I even bought the soundtrack to the show ;)

Onto what I wore:

I didn't bring my good camera because it is just too bulky for travel where you will be doing tons of walking, BUT my boyfriend did snap this shot of me before we left so I thought I would share it with you.  He took it on my iPhone so the quality is just ok, not fabulous lol

Being that this show wasn't just any old show, rather a Broadway show, I decided that wearing jeans and boots would probably just be inappropriate.  If it were a matinee, perhaps, but not for an 8 o'clock Friday evening show.  I always think it's better to be dressed more formal than expected than under-dressed. 

Top: This top is from Zara.  It is a beautiful coral/salmon color and has a neat little neck tie that adds the perfect touch to this otherwise plain blouse.  I wore a cami underneath because well, c'mon, you guys know I always layer a cami under everything haha

Bottom: I chose to wear leggings with this top to really make the color of it pop.  These are from Express.  I love the leggings from Express! They are great quality.

Shoes: I wore these shoes for New Years Eve in my "What I Wore For The Holidays" post. If you would like more in detail pictures of them, check that post out! They are from Nine West and have sequin/sparkles all over them but are still all black so its not glitter overload.  They are pretty high, but can you believe these are my most comfortable heels EVER! I wore these all night, in and out of cabs, walked 8 blocks in NYC which are long blocks with uneven streets and sidewalks, and my feet didn't hurt one bit! These are my new holy grail shoes haha Definitely pick them up if you are looking for stunning comfort with a little pizazz ;) They are called the Mellitta.

Jewelry:  I wore simple diamond studs that looked similar to these:

I am SUPER simple when it comes to jewelry.  I rarely wear anything past studs and MAYBE a statement necklace.

Hair/Makeup: I just used a 1-1/4 in. curling iron to add some texture to my hair.  I recently got a haircut so if my hair looks shorter, that's why! I "trimmed" off almost 3.5 inches :) I feel so great with lighter hair.  For my makeup, I kept it simple and classy as well just using my Naked 1 Palette on my eyes and some subtle winged liner and some color on my cheeks. Again less is sometimes more ladies :)

*On my nails, although there is no way you can see this, I am wearing OPI's Bubble Bath.  I LOVE this color and it is the perfect color to maintain the natural look for your nails.  I love the natural/clean look on nails.

Go see Jersey Boys Now!

Sherri, Sherri Baby,

xox

Hautelook Mini Shop and Tell: Urban Decay

A few weeks ago I placed my very first order on the Hautelook site.  I have always browsed through this site, but never ordered. I am so happy that my first order was Urban Decay products as I absolutely love them!

What is Hautelook? 

Hautelook is basically a website that features "events" daily. These events are different brands or categories of things for purchase.  These companies partner with Hautelook to offer us, the buyer, a special discounted price (my UD purchases were up to 70% off!)

What's the catch?

There is no catch, just that you must become a member (which is helpful because they notify you via email when new events are happening and you can get first "dibs" on your favorite shoes, makeup, clothing, furniture etc.) and everything is first come first serve. Once a product sells out, there is no re-stocking it, so if you see something coming up in the list of events that you may want, be sure to log on at 9am PT (I think this is the time) or somewhere close to that time to assure that what you want will still be available. 

What I love about the site: 

I love the amazing discounts.  Who can resist spending only $35 on products that in store would have cost you almost $90?!  I also love that there are so many events daily, there are about 6 new events added everyday or more and you are still able to search through previous day events that haven't expired yet.

What I don't like so much about this site: 

There really isn't anything I don't like about this site. You aren't obligated to buy anything, there is no fee to become a member etc, you just get to reap the benefits of a great deal at your leisure.  If I had to choose one thing that aggravated me about this site it would have to be shipping. Not the overall process of the shipping, but rather the time you have to wait lol Sure I could pay more for expedited shipping, but I'm trying to get a good deal here people  haha My last shipment from UD took just about 2 weeks to get here, oh well, I'll wait for a great product at a great price :) 

Mini UD Eyeshadow Primers in: Original, Eden, Greed and Sin

Original, Eden, Sin, Greed

Juju, Sin, Delinquent, Rehab, Clash

Delinquent, Clash, Sin, Juju, Rehab

Ink For Eyes in color Zero

At a later date, I may do a more in depth review of these, for now however, here are the swatches :)

** These items are no longer available on the Hautelook website, but are now discounted pretty well on the actual Urban Decay website! :)

Also, here is my personal invite link to join Hautelook: http://www.hautelook.com/short/3BBo2

Remember, it is FREE and you get to look at all the events without ever purchasing anything if you want. You do however get access to some GREAT deals ;)

My Twitter: @AlyseaP
My Pinterest: Alypxox

xox

Product Review/Swatches: Viva Glam Nicki

 

When I first heard about this Viva Glam Campaign I was so excited. Even if you are not a fan of Nicki Minaj's music, you probably know that she is definitely an out there person when it comes to her sense of style. I just knew that the color that would represent her Viva Glam lipstick would be something bright and sassy, and boy was I right!

This lipstick is a mix between corals, bubblegum pinks and sort of a flamingo color, long story short, it is perfect and like nothing else I have yet.  It is a satin finish which I like as well because I find that sometimes the Matte lipsticks are too drying without a gloss etc., with this one, you are pretty good to go with only this.

It has that signature "vanilla" scent as do all MAC lipsticks and most lip products for that matter.  This color called "Viva Glam Nicki" is also VERY pigmented, which again I love.  As soon as this lipstick was finally in my possession I swatched it on my hand and couldn't believe how opaque it was with just one stroke! I then applied it to my lips and it appeared the same as well, a true winner of sorts :)

The Viva Glam Campaign: 

Every cent from the sales of this Lipstick and its partnered Ricky Martin Lip Conditioner go toward Men, Women and Children who have been affected by HIV/AIDS.  For more info visit: MACAIDSFUND.ORG

My Final Thoughts: 

I really love this lipstick. Truth: I am a sucker for buying things that benefit organizations that help others in need, BUT, honest to goodness, I think this color would have for sure intrigued me to purchase it anyway because it really is unlike anything else I have! I think this is a total Spring color and I am so excited to start wearing it soon.  I also love the Ricky Martin Lip Conditioner, I just have way to many of those on "standby" at the moment waiting to be used up so I didn't want to aimlessly just start buying things that I didn't "need" per-say haha I do recommend you check that one out as well though :)

If you don't necessarily like this color or don't think it would work well on you etc., these make great gifts! If you know someone who is pretty makeup/beauty savvy, I am almost sure they would love to add this to their collection, even just as a collectors item.  With every single cent of this purchase going toward providing a better tomorrow for those affected by HIV/AIDS, I don't see how you can really say no!

Wishing you all  a Viva GLAM day,

xox

What I Wore: Grad Party!

Last weekend I celebrated with my boyfriend a very big accomplishment of his.  It was a private party that we hosted at a restaurant/bar and the vibe was very chic.  Being that it was a bit more of a casual setting, I opted to wear jeans, which I almost never do to a party! lol I did, however, wear heels and a dressy top to keep the sophisticated look going. I threw this outfit together last minute as I actually had a dress that I was going to wear, but all in all I think it turned out pretty good!

*My hair looks SO voluminous around the crown area, this is just a shadow lol I looked at the pic afterward and I was like hymmm...where did all that come from haha

Here is what I wore:

Top:

This top is an absolutely gorgeous silk like polyester top from Express.  I actually spotted this on a trip to Express as I was about to walk out, and I had to have it! I love the horizontal lines (Stripes are another big trend for this Spring!) and the bold color contrast of the Hot Pink and Bone colors.  This was what I used as my statement piece of the night, and it was for sure a showstopper :)

**Under this I wore a plain white tank from Target, This isn't cropped per-say but I always like to layer something under blouses like this.

Bottom: 

 I wore these Skinny Ankle Jeans from Forever21.  This was a trip away from home for me and I neglected to pack any jeans (I thought I was going to be wearing a dress for sure! haha) So I ran over to Forever21 and grabbed these.  I was pleasantly surprised with how well they fit and how nice they looked on! At under $11 this was a STEAL!

Jewelry: 

The Earrings are just some Silver hoops with rhinestones in them that I have had forever! They are from Express probably in the year 2007.  The necklace is very special to me. On our last trip to Puerto Rico, my boyfriend bought this for me because I am obsessed with Alhambra style jewelry. The inside of each "clover" has a mother of pearl look making this necklace compliment nearly any outfit!

Shoes

 

These shoes are from Nine West and are called Rocha. I have been really into Nine West shoes lately, I feel like they are the perfect mix of elegance and trend.  Some other shoe stores are a bit too trendy for me lately. The Nude color from these shoes not only matched my shirt wonderfully, but made sure as to not steal any spotlight from the main piece, the shirt! :)

Makeup: 

 

Pictured above are all the products (minus the brushes and moisturizer/toner) that I used to get ready that evening. 

Naked Palette (the original one), MAC Blush in Melba, MAC MSF Natural in Medium Plus, ELF Black Gel Liner, Wet & Wild Bronzer in Goddess, MAC Painterly Paint Pot, Victoria's Secret Lipstick in  Heated, Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Under Eye Concealer in Medium, NYX Lip Liner in Fushia, NYX Lipgloss in Beige and finally L'Oreal Voluminous Millions of Lashes Mascara!

For my hair I just curled it using my Hot Tools 1.5 inch barrel curling iron :) 

If you have any more questions, leave them below. 

Nude Shoes and Hot Pink Stripes, 

xox

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My Valentine's Day Dinner Menu 2012

I did this exact post last year so I figured I would keep the tradition going! I also haven't done a food post in a while so this fit the part.  Let me first state that I feel like all I have been reading on my twitter (@AlyseaP) timeline are things that read something of the sort of "V-Day should be celebrated everyday, why do people only celebrate once a year/I show my significant other I love them everyday so I don't celebrate V-Day" etc. Well let me say that although I agree, you should indeed always show your loved ones you love them, V-Day for me is just a special day that I go above and beyond what I normally do on an everyday basis for my boyfriend. Sure I have cooked for him before, as a matter of fact I do it quite often, but I took this Love filled holiday to cook something extra special that perhaps wouldn't normally be on our menu.  So yes, all of you who have stated the aforementioned, you are correct, you should always celebrate your love everyday, but take V-Day to do something a little extra special! ;)

Now that that has been said, let's get to the menu!

Each year I always ask my boyfriend what he wants for our traditional V-Day Dinner, Chicken, Fish or Steak.  It never fails, he always asks for steak (we eat a lot of grilled chicken and seafood during the year anyway but rarely steak).  I take this day to go to the Butcher and ask for a nice cut of Filet Mignon, after all that is the best of the best when it comes to red meat in my opinion.  Along with this and every dinner I ever make, I try to always have a Meat or Fish/ Vegetable and a Starch.  If I am ever making Pasta as my starch, I will try and throw in a little chicken (ex: Penne a La Vodka with Chicken) It is very necessary to have a well rounded meal after all!

Here is what I decided on this Valentine's Day:

Meat: Filet Mignon in a Merlot Wine Sauce
Vegetable: Sauteed French Green Beans
Starch: Herb & Garlic Roasted Potatoes
Dessert: Mini Cheesecakes w/ Fresh Strawberries

The fun part is the dessert.  In many years past I have made Red Velvet Cake or Cupcakes, this year I just wanted to do something a little different.  My boyfriend and I love cheesecake, but often when I make a whole one, we are unable to finish the entire thing and my hard work goes to waste as it sits there for weeks in the fridge! Cheesecake is such a rich dessert that one tiny piece really fills you up. This means we eat less of it than we normally would in turn making most of the 9" cheesecake go to waste! Waste is a no-no for me so this year I tried something different, Mini Individual Cheesecakes! :) Each one was the PERFECT serving size and the presentation is really beautiful might I add.

Here are some pics I took of my cooking rendezvous for Sunday Night (the night we celebrated V-Day because celebrating during a weekday is near impossible for working folks haha)

Everything pictured above I made from scratch. The cheesecakes I made the night before and let set in the fridge overnight so that I wasn't so stressed the day of, but everything else I made in one night.  The approximate time it took me to finish everything from beginning to end was around 2.5 hours.  It was WELL worth it let me tell you.  He LOVED every bite :) In one of the photos above you can even see what I got him for V-day--his own custom beer labels :) I bought some of his favorite beer and attached the custom labels so he could have his own Valentine's Day beer to sip on while he enjoyed his Valentine's Day Dinner, it was really the icing on the cake!

If you guys want recipes for any of the things I mentioned above, please let me know in the comments below and I will either do another post with all the recipes or forward them to you individually.  I know I am posting this on Valentine's Day, but this meal could even come in for a great Birthday or Anniversary meal or heck an everyday meal to show you love someone (Family, Friends etc) ! <3

Happy Valentine's Day Everyone,

xox

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