Chic to the Core

"A Woman who doesn't wear Perfume has no Future"

- Miss Coco Chanel

I read these words today, supposedly announced by Coco Chanel herself, if only she were alive!, and I thought, could it be true? As fabulous and chic as the saying sounds, if I really didn't wear perfume would I have no future?

I tried thinking about a woman who didn't wear perfume. What would she look like, why would she be like this? And immediately my mind drifted to my step-mother-in-law, a woman who I detest immensely because she is not really a woman, she's a fat slob of a mother and wife. Anyway! - I don't think she owns perfume, which is why I thought of her.

She's a woman who doesn't own makeup, doesn't do her hair, is highly overweight (and doesn't care), and she basically lives in these massive tent-sized mom jeans and oversized tshirts that have been washed so many times the designs are all but washed away. The thought of putting perfume on would probably disgust her, why would she do that? She has no reason to. And she, she has no future.

That's rude and mean, but it's basically true. She hates her husband, she hates her house, she doesn't take care of it, she is not a good mother by any standards, she doesn't cook for her children, she doesn't do anything. She doesn't put effort into anything.

And I think that's what wearing perfume is about, putting some effort into yourself. For someone like her putting any effort into yourself seems like wasted time.

But for the fabulous, beautiful girls, putting on makeup, doing our hair, and spritzing ourselves with our favourite perfume is investing time and money in ourselves - for we are our highest priority.

And is it not true that when you invest you will get returns? Seriously, follow me on this one. When you invest in a stock that is doing well, you get your money back (I don't know stocks and bonds, but just pretend it sounds smart), but why would you invest in some crap stock that sucks? It's not going anywhere.

So is a woman that doesn't wear perfume like a crap stock? She might seriously have no future. If you put time and effort into yourself, you show to the world that you care and love yourself, and that you expect the same care from those you come in contact with. Yet if you show your appearance to be lacking, then people don't show you the same respect or love that you might want or need.

So was Coco Chanel really a huge philanthropist when she stated that a woman who doesn't wear perfume doesn't have a future? I don't know.

She may be on to something though.

She was chic and fabulous to the core.

Walking...

Walking, walking, walking. Walked to the grocery store today, and back home. Walked to the mall, then to my mother-in-law's work, then home again. I even attempted to the my Yoga Booty Ballet dvd but it was SO hard, I almost died. And my baby girl woke up so I had to stop.

I like Shoes that cost as much as a Car Payment

Christian Louboutin Pigalle Graffiti Pumps: $675

If you own a BMW that is.

One.

I finally got the idea out of my head, the baby making idea. My broodiness was really getting to me, and last night I talked it out with my bf and I realised I don't want another baby, I just like the idea of it. I love the idea of being pregnant and having another baby, but I think if I ever saw that positive sign on the many pregnancy tests I would most likely buy, I would die.

One of the things I liked most about having a baby is all the attention you get as a pregnant lady, all the stuff you get to buy, and the cute little baby you get to hold in your arms when it's all over and done with. But is that what I really want to do??

What happened to losing weight? Doing yoga? Getting fit?

We're planning on moving to Toronto soon, we found the loft of our dreams, and in amazing area, but 2 bedrooms is all it offers, with the master bedroom overlooking the downstairs, and really wouldn't another baby just complicate things to the point where I couldn't even afford or have time for?

One day, I would like to open up a hair salon, a high-end beauty salon with esthetics, spa treatments, with another baby, would that be possible? I'm sure it would be, but do I really want to put it off for much longer? Do I really want to struggle?

I want to put my baby girl in a private school, can I afford two kids in private schools? What about extra-curriculars?

Sometimes I feel I'm being too selfish. But really, I'm being realistic. Having two babies is not for everybody, and sometimes, one is the luckiest number.

Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients

2 large green bell peppers

2 large red bell peppers

1/2 cup Uncle Ben's converted white rice

1 can (15.25 oz.) whole kernel corn, drained

1 can (2.25 oz.) sliced ripe olives, drained

3 green onions, chopped (white and green parts)

1/4 tsp. Lawry's or McCormick seasoned salt

1/4 tsp. garlic pepper

1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained

1/3 cup dry red wine or vegetable broth

1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste

Slice tops off peppers and carefully remove seeds and inner ribs. Remove stems from tops and chop remaining pepper pieces. Stand the peppers upright in a 5 quart crockpot/slow cooker.

Combine, in a medium bowl, chopped pepper tops, rice, corn, olives, green onions, seasoned salt, garlic pepper, and 1/4 cup tomatoes. Mix well. Stuff peppers with corn mixture, dividing evenly, packing lightly.

Mix remaining tomatoes and their liquid with wine/broth and tomato paste until well blended. Pour over and around the peppers.

Cook on LOW heat setting for 6 - 7 hours, or until rice is cooked and peppers are tender, but still hold their shape.

Am or Am Nots

Sometimes I wonder how it would feel to be single again. I wouldn't dream of breaking up with my man, but as a stay at home, I do get bored sometimes, and I turn into a huge Facebook creeper. And I see all of my old friends who I've long ago stopped talking to, I peruse their photo albums, and I slowly grow jealous of their single lives, their non stop partying, their club-hopping, and their cute outfits.

Last weekend me and my bf went out to the city and spent a night in a hotel, which I thought was meant to be a relaxing weekend, and he became upset with me that I was being boring because I didn't feel like partying. It's so upsetting because I can't fully express myself speaking to him, I tried to explain how I was tired, I was looking forward to a relaxing, romantic weekend, while in his mind he wanted to relax by getting piss drunk and dancing all night.

I don't have to stamina to drink like I used to, I don't! Seriously! I drank so much, and I felt like crap that day too, I ended up throwing up my whole meal, and more. It was an awful night that I didn't enjoy and I didn't feel like myself at all.

It's so hard to imagine how I was before all this. Before moving in with him, and having a baby, and having all this responsibility - I was free, full of life and energy and spunk. Now it's all self-consciousness, self-doubt, I think I'm more self-involved than I was before but I just don't look like it.

So I wonder, if I had never gotten so deeply involved with my bf, and I was still essentially single, would I still be partying with my girlfriends instead of avoiding them, would I be getting drunk on the weekends in Toronto instead my one obligatory martini I have with dinner when I'm out, and more importantly, would I be happier being single than being me, now?

I used to be able to wear the most uncomfortable shoes without a flinch, go shopping for hours, and drink vodka without a hangover, what happened? I have become a whole different person, but have I really lost anything? Or have I just gained a something else? Something new and different?

Maybe I should be counting my blessings and start thanking God for all the things I have, and the things I am, instead of what I'm not. People change, people grow. I've definitely grown.

Why do we do this?

We've all been there, something stressful happens, a breakup, a job loss, a broken nail, a friendship gone awry - and we decide to do something impulsive, drastic, and spontaneous. We mess up our hair.

Why is the when our lives fall apart, we fixate on our hair? We toy with it, we pretend that curly hair can be easily straightened, and vice versa, we think we can go blonde when our hair has been dyed dark brown, and we insist we can do it ourselves or that our hairdresser can definitely do it. And when our hair turns a crazy shade of carrot orange we blame the box, the hairdresser, and everybody but ourselves and our stubborness to fix our hair, and in turn, our lives.

Do we really think if we get the perfect wave in our hair that our life will again be perfect as well? Of course we do. Great hair = happiness, does it not? Or are all those Pantene commercials lying to us as well. Have we not been brainwashed to believe that if our hair is in perfect place that we too shall somehow be perfect, somehow everything will fall into place?

Too many times I get in a fight with my boyfriend and decide that, yes, I am going to change my hair, it'll make me feel better = and of course after a call to my busy hairdresser who obviously has no time on a friday afternoon to change my black hair to a medium brown, I decide I can do it myself. I've been red, purple, blonde, blue-black, and of course, the millions of shades of brown that there is.

And of course, two hours after my hair has dried and I look in a mirror, I just want to cry all over again because I think that my hair looked better in the first place.

Why do we put ourselves through this? If happiness=great hair, how do we figure that when we're upset and unhappy, we can make our hair great?

Next time we get in a fight or have a job meltdown, we need to take a deep breath, and maybe read a book or a magazine, perhaps buy a new blouse (that's always returnable!), and NOT do anything to our hair.

Let's save our hair from damage and disaster!

Vegan Cookies - MMM!

I took a swing around to the grocery store today and checked out their organic and vegan section. Becoming a vegan is a little bit easier than I thought it would be - did you know that they not only have Tofurkey but also Tofu Italian Sausages? There's soy product "cheese". They have amazing vegan cookies made of only the good stuff and they're awesome with real chocolate chips... mmm. I realized I don't really have to change the way I'm cooking as much as change a lot of the ingredients I'm cooking with - obviously Tofurkey instead of chicken or turkey.

I told my boyfriend about my latest venture and he wholeheartedly supports me, which I appreciate. I'm also afraid that those closest to me will judge me, ridicule me, and I'm not sure why, but when they do it bothers me so much. I get defensive and cranky, and they were probably just making conversation, but why can't they just get it? Why can't they just be understanding and be happy for me?

At least someone understands, and for me that's good. I can start feeding my baby girl more vegan things (she already likes the cookies!), but I won't force her into an all-vegan diet, that's something you need to decide for yourself, and especially being a kid (and a skinny one at that) it's more difficult to understand why you can't have a hot dog or eat pizza on pizza day at school, or even grab a happy meal every once in a while. I wouldn't want to put her through that, if she wants a happy meal, I'll get her one, but a lot of the things at home will definitely be vegan.

I'm hoping that this will help me lose weight, in a healthy way.

Triple Rich Chocolate Cake

1 box devil's food cake mix (18 oz)
4 eggs
1 cup light sour cream
.75 cup vegetable oil
1 cup water
1 pkg instant chocolate pudding (3 oz)
1 cup chocolate chips


Combine all ingredients by hand in a mixing bowl and pour batter into greased slow cooker.

Cover and cook on low heat 5-6 hours or until done in the center. Do not cook this recipe on high heat.


I gave this a try to see how to make dessert in a crockpot, but I don't think I'll make it again, it was good, but the outside edges were very well done and the inside was a little too soft for my liking, but it was pretty good. I think desserts better served in crockpots are like apple crisps and blueberry cobblers.

Ham and Potatoes

1 pkg frozen hashed brown potatoes (32 oz)
1 tsp salt
.5 tsp pepper
1 can cream of chicken soup, condensed
1 can evaporated milk (12 oz)
1.5 cups cooked ham, chopped
2 cups grated cheddar cheese, divided


Toss all ingredients except one cup cheddar cheese in slow cooker.

Cover and cook on low heat 5-6 hours. Thirty minutes before serving, sprinkle reserved cheddar cheese on top.

Makes 4-6 servingss.



This was exceptionally good but felt really fatty - which I'm sure it was. I served it with a salad of lettuce and cucumbers in a poppy seed dressing.

Slow Cooker Tex-Mex Chicken

Prep: 15 min

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken beasts, cut into 1-inch-wide strips
2 Tbsp taco seasoning mix
2 Tbsp flour
1 each green and red pepper, cut into 1-inch-wide strips
1 cup frozen corn
1.5 cups chunky salsa
1 cup Kraft Tex Mex Shredded Cheese

Toss chicken with seasoning mix and flour in slow cooker. Stir in all remaining ingredients except the cheese; cover with lid.

Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours [or on HIGH for 3-4 hours].

Stir just before serving. Top with cheese.

Makes 4 servings, 1.5 cups each.


Excellent recipe - only I didn't use the flour because I forgot, and I didn't add cheese at the end to make it less fatty. I also added rice that I added when it was almost done cooking - it was fantastic!

Cycle 9?

OMG, I couldn't even believe when America's Next Top Model was on last night and it was Cycle 9?! Has it been that long? Holy crap. My favourite show on earth, even though it gets tackier and less model-esque by the "cycle", Tyra proved how tacky she was when she threw on an ill-fitting show girl outfit to perform for the models on a cruise ship.

So far there were only two girls that made me want to continue watching, but the show is biased like that and I can only remember a few girls anyway. One being Ebony (below).






This girl is a huge bitch with a mayjah attitude! Wow, she's so full of herself, at lunch she wanted to play a game - "Guess Who Has an Eating Disorder"! Love it!




The girl that I think may actually have a chance of modelling in the real world is Heather, but it is rather early to really tell. She is actually diagnosed with some sort of illness that makes her awkward, and she has a low self-esteem, but when she takes pictures her awkwardness shines and it's so hawt right now in magazines.

Let's wait til next week to really make our final judgements!

Steps to Veganhood

After reading the book Skinny Bitch (see below) I have decided to attempt to become a vegan. Now, the book is smart, cut one thing out of your diet every week. My first week I am cutting out caffeine. Yep, coffee. My most favourite thing in the world.

My visit to Starbucks is sometimes twice daily, and it gives me an excuse to go out for a walk. Instead, I'll be drinking tea instead of coffee. I drink tea anyway, but now I'll drink organic teas, green teas - which I used to do anyway. But it seems you forget how you should eat for matter of convenience.

So this week = no coffee. Yay.

Skinny Bitch

This is my rave about the book I just finished reading called "Skinny Bitch", a way to kick your ass to finally become a skinny girl like you want to be. Along the way, they get you to become a vegan, lose dairy, meat, coffee, alcohol, cigarettes, and teach you how to kick start the new you with a thirty day eating plan. I read it from cover to cover in one sitting and I loved it, I'm really hoping this book helps me out, and I'll post as I go along!

Ham, Potatoes & Cheese

I made a crazy delicious meal tonight of ham, potatoes and cheese, served with a salad, and it was awesome.

Yesterday we had a mexican chicken and rice dish.

I will soon post recipes of all my crockpot adventures! Stay tuned!

Tsk, tsk, tsk

Last night there was a huge blow out on The Hills... Jason, Lauren, being jeered on by Heidi & the Evil Spencer. Brutal, and I also think it's very sad that Lauren looks as if she would like to start something up again with Jason, but the next episode preview shows us that he is engaged to somebody else. Oh, that sucks.

Audrina needs to stop messing around with Justin Bobby, and Whitney needs to be on the show more! I love Whitney, she looks like she's so judgemental in real life but she holds it all back to be nice. LOVE her! Can't wait til next week!

Fall Shopping

I love fall shopping! I do! Jackets, shoes, pants - I love it all! I already have two new fall shoes, boots and cute oxford heels, plus my shoes from last fall... I got some new pants, new shirts (turtlenecks even!) but I'm just looking for the perfect jacket.

I was really looking for something plaid and cute, or perhaps tweed, and the one I found was just a tad too long for my liking - I'm also looking for something to throw on when I take my baby girl to the park! I'm picky, I know, but really you have to be picky in this day and age or you'll just end up walking around looking like everybody else in the world - which is completely unacceptable!

Today was also a completely brutal day migraine-wise. I had the worst headache all day, and the mother-in-law offered me Tylenol 2's, which did nothing I suppose, and I haven't eaten anything except for toast with jam all day, and I've had two Starbucks lattes - and it seemed to do the trick after all that.

And my latest purchase has got me super excited in the kitchen as well - I got a crock pot! Not just any crock pot - a chic and stylish stainless steel one, and today I made some sort of Mexican chicken fiesta with rice. I put it in around 2 and let it sit all day, and I completely forget I've even done anything except for the amazing smell when I get home from a stroll or an errand.

Crockpots are invented for mom's who can't be bothered with the theatrics of creative cooking, but still want to make something tasty for their family, ie. ME. I want to make something amazing, but I'm not the best cook, I always end up messing something up, or timing the whole dinner wrong, so a crockpot is perfect for me.

Anyway, I think it's time for a shower, some dinner, and The Hills! So I must be off..

Stay chic ;0

Jog/Walking to Starbucks

I took the jogging stroller for a spin to Chapters/Starbucks tonight!

Obsessed

• Audrey Hepburn
• Pearls, Diamonds, and all other things Glamorous & Fabulous
• Huge Sunglasses
• Becoming more Stylish
• Becoming thin!

Sex & The City: The Movie

Who else just can't wait for this movie? I am so excited for it, I absolutely can't wait.

The hit cable series Sex and the City catwalks its way to the big screen in this feature-film continuation that fans all over have been clamoring for. Sarah Jessica Parker returns once again as Carrie Bradshaw, the style maven journalist whose romantic exploits were the key focus of the show. Also reprising their roles are Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis, and Cynthia Nixon, with the series' executive producer Michael Patrick King taking on writing and directing duties

Every little tidbit of news is like foreplay for me, I get so overly excited and anticipated, I seriously am overjoyed that one last glimpe of Carrie Bradshaw, her affair with Big & Blahniks, her witty banter with the girls and her columns full of self-discovery, will be hitting the big screen.

It really is too bad that it has taken them so long to do this, but I think SATC fans everywhere are all as excited as I am for this movie....

Red Hot Heels

Giuseppe Zanotti Pony Platform Heels: $595.00
Put these shoes on and step out there, I dare you to not feel sexy.

Motivation

Admitting to yourself that you need help with something - whether it be weight loss, style, anger - is easy. You know deep inside what you need to change, you know you need help, and you tell yourself that you will slowly reach your goal.

Telling a complete stranger why you're fat is a whole different story. Telling a stranger that No, you Don't Cook, is embarassing, to say the least. Showing me a fifty year old that has a better body than me, well, that's great.

That was me, this morning, asking about a personal trainer. I've figured everything out, and hopefully I can pay for it this week and start next week. I really want to lose weight, and they've guaranteed me to lose a lot of weight by Christmas... I really am excited to start this, but I don't know why it has to be so difficult.

I look at Gwen Stefani's flat abs as motivation, but at the same time there's a bolt of disbelief mixed with annoyance. Why don't I look like that after having a baby?? Hopefully with a lot of hard work I'll make it too!

What to do with a toddler...

What are we all supposed to do with these growing creatures who are trying to gain the most independence they can gather, yet still depend on you for everything. She's at the age where she can amuse herself, which is great because today I'm feeling a teensy bit lazy, but at times it takes all my effort to not go crazy with all the noise and mess she's making.

God forbid you try to stop her, she's like a screaming monkey.

So what do you do? At the moment she's trying to get behind our lazyboy recliner but couldn't quite make it so now she's fake crying... and now she's stopped.

Sometimes I just don't know what to do with her, how do you keep them busy? I'm sure I'll figure it out slowly but if anyone has any suggestions... please let me know!

Jogging

Went jogging/walking today with the stroller, and I plan on going to the gym later :)

Loves

PhotoBooks from Chapters.ca
OMG, I just discovered this and I am now obsessed with it. I'm putting in all my pictures from our trip last year and creating two photobooks for Mexico. This is absolutely amazing and super easy to use! Check it out at http://www.Chapters.ca!

Last Week's Workout...

Friday
- Jogging/Walking w/Stroller 20 mins

Thursday
- Elliptical 20 mins
- Arm/Shoulder/Back Weights

Tuesday
- Elliptical 20 mins
- Back Weights

Boyfriends are forever?

Remember the saying, "Boyfriends come and go, but Friends are Forever"? It doesn't seem to ring a bell in anyone's ear anymore. Since when are boyfriends forever and friends disposable? It used to be girlfriends would stick together like glue and men were interchangeable - not the other way around.

Yet, as time is passing in our young lives, I find myself growing closer with my boyfriend (who is indeed like a husband to me) and falling apart from my close friends, those who were my best friends, who used to shop with me, gossip with me - do everything with me! Now they are with their boyfriends and I am with mine - which is great, everyone's happy in their relationships - but it also means my friends don't exist.

The only time girlfriends call each other now is if there IS a problem in their relationship with their man. Isn't that sad? So next time I hear from one girl, I know she is in a fight - when I hear from another friend I know she's contemplating her future with him - it's always the same!

What happened to calling each other about the new shipment of clothes in our favourite boutique? What happened to gossiping about celebrities, flippin thru the same issue of Vogue with each other on the phone, or meeting up ONLY for a fashion show of our new purchases? What happened to watching TV together, borrowing each others' clothes? Going out for Starbucks? Going out for drinks?

None of this exists because we are all so wrapped up in our significant other's life. We mold our lives around our men. Listen ladies, we need our own lives too, and men LIKE it when we go out with our girlfriends. It takes the pressure off of them.

Now the only time I get to go shopping with a friend is when she's blowing off steam because her BF pissed her off about something - let me tell ya - it's NOT fun shopping with a stress case! Your whining ruins my martini buzz!

I know we're all guilty of it - we get in a fight or our man does something to piss us off, and we vent! Who will listen to us other than our girlfriends? I commend us for that - but I'd still like you to call me when you're HAPPY too.