Back to Black

Chanel has done it again. A new nail polish made its debut at the Spring 2011 show and I have had my eye on it! What color you ask, black, of course. But not a matte or glossy black. Its almost like an iridescent black with green and grey hues if tipped a certain way towards the light. It's called Black Pearl. Whatever. It's amazing. And j'adore!

Initially, I saw it on the models when looking at pics from the runway show online. Then this morning, I interviewed Blake Lively (who is very sweet btw) for the Rockefeller Tree, and she was sporting Black Pearl. I die! So we talked nail polish for a minute and she confirmed it was Chanel's newest creation. What she failed to mention was that because she is a personal favorite of Karl's and a huge Chanel aficionado, she has the shade before it hits the shelves. Oh and she's a celebrity. Lucky girl!

Chanel's Black Pearl doesn't hit stores for another couple of months, but you better believe this girl (with the help of Bonita Thomas of course) is getting her hands, or should I say nails, on this deliciously dark hue!

Here's to you. Here's to me.

Kathy.

Don't you be hatin' on my chocolate lips!

Call me retro, or maybe a little chongalicious, but I'm officially taking it back to 1994 and rocking the brown lipstick this fall. I know I know. This can be bad-real bad. I'm getting major flashbacks of my 8th grade picture and graduation portraits (at San Mikol) when I lathered up my Revlon Coffee Bean lipstick like there was a brown lipstick drought at CVS. Literally all I needed to complete my look was a black sharpie for my eyebrows and to make an appearance on the George Lopez show. Or better yet, my brown lipstick and I could rock chancletas, a tube top midriff, and run for Miss Hialeah. As I discovered, brown rouge can be amazingly fabulous and I think I'm tipping the scale on the fabulous side.

It's now 2010 and glossy mags and runway shows have shown us that brown lipstick has gotten a bad rap. And I've also graduated from experimental chonga to fashionista and I beleive everyone should get second chances, including brown lipstick. So when MAC Cosmetics (my favorite makeup brand EVER.) came out with the Disney Venomous Villains collection I became obsessivo. And dare I say bold, when I was instantly attracted to this very rich, deep chocolate brown shade that was part of Sleeping Beauty's, Mallificent's palette. It's called "Dark Deed". So bad its good! I gave it whirl and whoa whoa whoa! Can we say fabo?! I'm usually a nude lip, smokey eye kind of girl who occasionally dabbles in the red lip look. But brown was so out of my comfort zone and I'm happy that I stepped out of that box bc experimenting can be so fun! And the compliments aren't bad either. wink.

Check out my pic above. I recently wore the shade to a Knot party in NYC and I added a little confidence, a little sexy bedhead and voila! GORGY!!!!!!!!! Dark Deed is officially in my fall makeup rotation. Don't be afraid to rock it ladies! (NOTE: best not to wear deep brown with tons of gold jewelry, particularly earrings and necklaces, that have your name engraved in cursive. That's just too ghetto and not fabulous!)

Here's to you. Here's to me.

Kathy.

Dios me salve Maria.

I wouldn't call myself a super devout Catholic even though I went to Catholic school my whole life and will send my children to Catholic school one day. But, I love God. I love the Baby Jesus. La Caridad del Cobre. La Virgen de Regla. Or any Incarnation of the Virgin Mary for that matter. But for some reason, I seem to be very much fascinated with and drawn to religious pictures, figurines, artifacts, and/or motifs. (Maybe I was a saint in my past life? Hmmm...Santa Katerina. Not a bad ring.)

Anywho, on a recent trip to Mexico, I made a pit stop to the local market to do some shopping. Some of the stores are very formulaic and cater to tourists with their sombreros, tequila shot glasses, and silver jewelry. I'm a little more authentic than that. But I popped into this one store and I was relieved with their more traditional and unique local selections. After browsing some beautiful hand painted pottery, a vision appeared in my midst! La Virgen! La Virgen de Guadalupe to be precise. Mexico's Mary.

In a wooden box, I found beautiful vintage looking photographs of la virgen on sepia paper, with accents in bright blues, golds, and garnets made the image so distinct and delicate. Immediately I thought, "OMG. this will be perfect for my casita!" It has become my new project. Now that I think I'm all HGTV, finding the perfect aged frames for these photographs is going to be my mission. Ill be hitting flea markets, consignment stores, and thrift stores for my bargains. And I'm excited for it.

Asi que, say a little prayer for me and my new DIY endeavor! Amen.

Here's to you. Here's to me.

Kathy.

Happy IPAD bday!

It's been too long. A little over a month since I dropped some serious two cent knowledge on this blog! Between a fabulous wedding in Tampa, flus and colds, birthday drunches,visiting best friends and living an awesome life, I had no time. And can I just say how lucky and blessed I am?? So thankful thankful thankful. Blessed blessed blessed. I pinch myself everyday.

But I just wanted to share this photo of my bff Javy, at his dirty thirty drunch!
One of the best feelings in the world is watching someone you love open a gift that they sooooo wanted and watching the expression on their face go from curiousity to surprise to elation to screaming! And that's exactly what transpired when Javy got his coveted IPad. And I have to say, I'm so grateful for the amazing friends and siblings who chipped in to make this little dream become a reality.

My thoughts on gift giving is, give someone exactly what they want and love. And if its too much mula, (in the case of the Ipad, and lets face it, no one in our circle is rolling in Diddy dollars) why not do a collective gift where everyone can pitch in and be a part of the gift extravaganza?!

Javy is not one to emit much emotion, but to see him feverishly unwrap his gift and see the excitement only seen in that of a little kid on Christmas, was so worth the group effort!

Did I mention, that I, Kathy Liz Suarez Buccio, am a big fan of collective gifts?? I'm just sayin.

Here's to you. Here's to me.

Kathy.

You Know what I hate??!

No! I dont hate these super funny and delicious sumo babies. I want to eat them.
But anywho, just recently, some random lady I overheard on the street triggered a very common and obnoxious pet peeve of mine. And this one is a baby pet peeve. Now, I don't have children, but I do have common sense.

My annoyance comes from overhearing someone asking a mom on the street, "Oh, what a cute baby! How old is he?" Which to the mom replies, "He's 33 months."
Really?! Really?! He's 33 months?! That's just plain ridiculous. Your baby is almost
3 years old. Just stop with the month thing.

At what point do you stop referring to your babies age in month? I mean, people don't have time to sit there and decipher what 33 months means in years. Why are you asking people to do math to figure out your baby's real age? And no one is asking (or cares, unless they are related to you) how developed your child is or if he can read Latin or change their own poopy diaper. All people want to know is how old, in years preferably, is your baby.

And to be honest, 11 months should be the cut off. Because once that baby is a year old, there no need for "my baby is 14 months." No, your baby is still technically in the 1 year range. Stop being so douchy. Oh, and it really bothers me when they cross the 2 year range and i constantly hear "hes 23 months. oh, she just turned 26 months." I want to punch them in the face. The only time that baby age in months should be allowed is on clothing store hangers. And not because I like it, but because you cant really fit "1 year old" "2 year old" "1 year and a half" on the top of the hanger in small fine black print.

Just to get some maternal back up, I called my bff Vivi, who is 16 weeks, ahem, I mean 4 months pregnant (this was her joke) with her first child. So I vent to her and she starts to laugh, which is a good sign, and obviously so, she says she agrees with my observation. She thinks its totally idiotic when parents throw months at you when it comes to the baby aging process instead of just giving you a number. Its like "oh, so now you want me to work at figuring out how old your baby is?!"

I mean, I don't walk around telling people that I'm 348 months old. That would just be weird and completely toolish of me. So don't do the same to your baby. I'm sure if that baby could talk, he/she would say "no fool! I'm not 33 months old. What do I look like to you, a math equation?!"

Here's to you. Here's to me.

Kathy.

Boudoir Bargains.

My Goodness! Its been 3 weeks since I last blogged and I was feeling the withdrawals. I can't even imagine what you, my 19 loyal readers, were feeling because of my literary absence??! I suppose you can compare that feeling to what a drug addict feels when he's being weened off the pipe. But don't worry. I'm back and I have your daily fix! Amen.

So lets talk about my bedroom and latest bargain purchase. Seriously, I just saved a whole bunch of money on my car insurance. No, just kidding. But I did save a ton of money on my new bedding. I am not embarrassed to say that I am the bed in a bag queen. I love it. Its easy, budget friendly, and stylish. I have graduated from basic bed in a bags to more fancy dancy ones but even I still can't deny that there is an element of cheap in them. I'm growing up now, so that means my bedding has to grow up too. Granted, my most recent boho inspired bed in a bag, was reduced to $75 from over $300. That's very de la high. But it was time to retire it for many reasons. 1) I'm over it. 2) Ive had it for over 3 years and 3) My dog, Ito, likes to hump the accent pillows and so has left big holes on all four corners of each sham and it looks distasteful to say the least. So, my hunt for the perfect bedding began.

Ill spare you all the in between details of Internet searching, home section field trips, and even cutting and pasting from catalogs. So fast forward to the day I received the fall Pottery Barn catalog. I was instantly in love. I had to have the Wells Palampore Bedding Collection. It was perfect. I'm usually not a flower fan but this was perfectly done. It had a vintage feel to it with dusty shades of blue, gold, brown, coral, green, and cream. It was going to tie my whole room together.
Then I looked at the price. Yikes. Como si yo fuera millonaria and I had diddy dollars to throw around! The bedding was going to cost me over $300. That's like, 5 bottles of good champagne! I was not loving that price. It was completely out of my budget. Instead of superficially feeling sorry for myself I had a brilliant idea, bc that's what I do, I have brilliant ideas. Pottery Barn outlet! Hello!

So I went to Coco, batted my lashes, and asked him to drive me labor day weekend to Riverhead (which is almost 2 hours away from the city) so that I could go to the outlets and check out the bedding scene at PB. He actually agreed but he had a specific request, "Can we not get another bed in a bag? I hate those.". Wow. It looks like a created a monster.

Outlets were a bit of a madhouse but not overwhelming and not to sound like a total snob, but the higher end outlet stores tend to be less crowded than your typical Charlotte Russe, Aeropostale, and Nike town outlets. Different clientele all together. So we browsed around the bedding section. Coco even found it necessary to try out all the beddings on display and say "Look babe. this was feels soo good. I love it." Um yeah, only you aren't the one paying for it. Lets keep looking. So I turn the corner, and I just couldnt believe my eyes. Wells Palampore at the outlets?! I must be hallucinating bc this collection is the current merchandise available at the stores now. Coco was sold. I was sold. I was going to save money. A lot of it! So I picked up a duvet (which I'm sure had an imperfectly aligned button which I'm sure is the reason this particular piece made it to the outlets), 2 European shams, 2 standard shams. And guess how much this pretty young thing saved??!!! Over $150!!!!
Mission accomplished! What a great feeling to save big and on good quality no less.

As soon as we got home, we were like 2 kids in a candy store. We went straight to the bedroom and put our new bed together. Coco even helped with the duvet like the good husband that he is. I find it hysterical. I said to Coco "Babe, remember the days when you were like a super guido and you couldn't wait to go to pastillero all niters in the city??? Look at you now! All you care about is rushing home to get your new purchase on our bed. How times have changed." And for the better.

Here's to you. Here's to me.

Kata

And the Award for Best DIY project goes to...

So for those that know me, I am not the "do it yourself" kind of girl. I'm more the "pay somebody to do it because I don't want to deal with it" chick. This drives Coco crazy because he hates when I throw my Diddy dollars around for things like, painting a wall, putting up curtains, and possibly even hammering a nail. I kid, I kid. Its not far fetched, but thankfully, he steps in for much of the heavy lifting in our apartment. Anyways, I am very proud to say that I have recently undertaken some DIY projects to incorporate in our home, or even update a look, and I have to say, I'm impressed.

I love our apartment! That's not to say it hasn't gone through several incarnations, colors, style, and furniture (lots of these on impulse because of moi) as I find my true design personality. Coco is the more "let's think this out" voice in our marriage. I, on the other hand, am the "i want this now and I need to have it. It'll be great". You see where am I going with this. Example: Despite Coco's affirmative "No's", I went ahead and painted our guestroom in hot pink because I had a vision of a pink and orange room. It was an eye sore. It had a very short life span.

I wanted to prove to myself and to the naysayers, that I can certainly put my laziness and overwhelming feelings of design aside and do something small to build my creative confidence. My first task was to turn some boring dark wood coffee and console table into vibrant pieces for my living area. I made a trip to Home Depot, loaded up on paints and sand paper (how very HGTV of me!)and successfully transformed the coffee table and console into two very "new" distinctive barn yard red colored accent furniture pieces. I gave myself a nice pat on the back. I also gave my neighbors a nice view of my skillz since I felt it appropriate to paint them on my roof deck in my bra. To add a little character, I stopped at Anthropologie and replaced the knobs with some beautifully detailed hardware. Gorgy!

Now back to what this blog is REALLY about (see pic above). My photo wall. I love, actually I adore, photos. I'm that girl that has a camera in her purse and takes photographs of everything because I love memories. So I had this vision for my hallway wall over my mirrored console table, that I wanted to do a mix and match of old and new frames, mirrors, etc. Something eclectic and vintage looking. Once I brought myself down from a mini panic attack of feeling overwhelmed and not knowing where to begin or in making my vision a reality, I slapped myself out of it and began my process. In the recent fall catalog for Pottery Barn, I fell in love with this fabulous dark wood frame with a natural burlap interior. Stunning and it had such a "used" feel to it. It became the focal point of the mall and also the most expensive item I purchased. To capture that vintage, "lived in" feeling I desperately wanted, I hit up some amazing flea markets and thrift stores in the city. At the Hell's Kitchen flea market, I picked up a couple of old frames, all of them no more than $5 and a bronze painted $10 mirror. So far so good. Its happening! That same day, I rode out to Rhinebeck, New York for a shoot and decided to hit up a local Estate sale in this quaint, All American town. And I am so happy I did! I picked up two french colonial style prints in white frames for $5! Two for $5. Bananas! But my favorite purchase was actually a small caricature of a woman's profile dating from the early 1900's. With caricatures being all the rage now in design and people paying hundreds of dollars for a replica, I scored an authentic one for $5. Granted, it was very fragile. But nothing a frame store couldn't restore. It adds so much character and really tells a story. That's what this wall is- one big story. I found a great city sketch (looks like it could be a town in Germany) at a small thrift store on the Upper East Side. My last key additions to this wall were two old photographs I picked up at an antique gallery by my apartment months ago. They are actually from Mexico City and depict two curvy topless women posing in Gatsby-esque garb. They are sepia and very sexually glamorous. Now once my frame acquisition was complete, (added a couple of regular 4x6 or 5x7 frames from Crate and Barrel or from my basement), I took them to the frame store to get the backs refinished and had one of the flea market frames turned into another mirror! I kept surprising myself more and more and honestly thought I could become the female Nate Berkus and be on Oprah's show. A little bit of a paja mental, pero you never know, right?!

Enter Coco, stage left, with a hammer and some nails, and we began to bring my vision to life. Did I mention I had several old photographs of Coco's grandparents in Queens from the 40's and used them in several of the frames? Including his grandmother's cheerleading photo. It really added sentimental significance to this little portion of our home and design. After 15-20 minutes of measuring, and me telling Coco what to do, the wall was complete! We both stood back, took it in and I was left in shock. The good kind of shock. Even Coco said to me "You did a good job, babe.". My goodness! The sense of pride I had in myself just burst out of me. I was so proud. I did it. All by myself. I stepped outside of the box, put my laziness in my back pocket, and proved to myself that with some patience, time, and research, I could do just about anything! I smell more DIY projects in our future. My apartment is a space of endless opportunities.

Of course, I'm still willing to pay for any form of hard labor. It is ME we are talking about!

Here's to you. Here's to me.

Kathy.

Do you know what I hate?!

I couldn't resist blogging a mini "YKWIH?" today after numerous incidents with a very specific pedestrian pet peeve that I know many people have been the victim of. And I can bet, that some of you have even been guilty of this charge. Shame on you! (and on RARE occasions, sometimes me. But RARELY.)

So you know what I hate?? Human sidewalk barricades. And even worse, human sidewalk barricades that hold hands. (see pic above, which btw, is a REAL pic from one so called violator). This weekend must have been a national holiday for these human barricades bc I must have encountered at least 10 cases and in each I do the usual fast pacing around them and plant myself right in there eye view so they know that they are guilty of a walking violation. Or sometimes when I'm feeling ballsy, I tell them to "speed it up" or "get out of the way!" I mean, really?? Is there a need to block a whole sidewalk because you refuse to unattach yourselves from your significant other or because you are so ignorantly oblivious that there are thousands of people with a purpose walking down that same sidewalk behind you ready to pummel you and your little love fest?? And to top it off, sidewalks on busy streets like Broadway in SOHO (ahem!!!)are not runways for love display, leisurely strolls, or batting eyelashes because you WILL get runover or screamed at by a friendly New Yorker.

Next time you find the need to hold hands with your lover boy, or you want to walk at turtle pace as you answer emails on your blackberry or bbm (bc you know you aren't watching out for traffic and it's very easy to become roadkill when you are on your PDA), please pick a more obscure or residential street to moronically display your annoying habit.

Here's to you. Here's to me.

Kathy.

Delactable Trifecta.

This past weekend marked my first non official weekend back in the city. For the past couple of months, I've often been uprooted (by choice of course) because of vacation (oh what a hard life!), family obligations, work, etc and now that summer is winding down for us east coasters, that means a return to city activities and fun! So I decided to "go big and go hard" and cram into one weekend what I normally like to do when I find myself lazily enjoying the city on Saturdays and Sundays during the fall and winter. If you guessed, eating and drinking, well, then you're a smart cookie.

I wouldn't consider this blog a full fledged foodie review but still a delightful first impression to some great spots I had the pleasure of dipping into!
So let's start with my first stop- Hundred Acres. I met my two besties, Javy and Bets, for a long overdue brunch. I picked Hundred Acres for two reasons: First, this restaurant is from the same people that brought you Five Points and Cookshop, both amazing! Secondly, they have a very bold brunch menu. Not your basic omelets and french toast. All items have a unique twist to them. We started off with the warm cream biscuits, which were moist and buttery (yum) and then we split the glazed buttermilk cake doughnuts that came with a chocolate dipping sauce. Jav and Bets weren't big fans of the donuts since they were a bit greasy, but greasy is just the way I like it, so they were a hit with me! After feeling quasi stuffed with our starters, Bets and I decided to go with the frittata with summer squash, squash blossoms, green tomatoes, basil, and crescenza cheese as our main entree (I died for that cheese!see pic above). First of all, the presentation was so perfect, I didn't want to cut into it. I was a little hesitant only because I am not a fan of egg yolk (traumatized by mima. As a kid, she who would feed my cousin, Michi and I, raw egg yolk every time we visited her house) and usually request egg white only' but, this sounded too delicious to pass up! And I was right. It was beyond tasty. I had insane flavors running through my mouth and all the veggies were so fresh! Im so intrigued with the rest of the menu, that this definitely will not be my last visit to Hundred Acres!

Second stop on the food train- Doughnut Plant. En route to Brooklyn, Coco and I made a pit stop at this rave reviewed hip sweet shop. Ok, so there are two types of doughnuts: Those made from yeast and come in a variety of creme filled and jelly filled, or the cake doughnuts which are a little more doughy and moist. Some options, which btw just reading the names were making me salivate, included vanilla bean, creme brulee, tres leches, and peanut butter. I went straight for the tres leches and ran out of the door. The doughnuts are ginormous so for the unbelievable price of $2, you get a nice savory portion. When Coco and I took a bite out of that doughnut, I think I got cross eyed from shock. The good kind of course. Like that feeling you get through your body when you are SO enjoying a food high that you NEVER want it to end. That's what that tres leche did for me. And its now a day later, and I still can't stop thinking about it. There's a little voice in my head that keeps saying "I need to go back. I must go back" and sample every flavor on the menu. Its a must try on your NY travels!

And finally, we made a bar stop at the Brooklyn hot spot, Prime Meats- a hipster, meat loving joint that does not disappoint! Walking into this rather quaint, rustic farmhouse spot, you automatically assume that if the food is as meticulous and chic as the decor, then you can rest assure that the meal will be just as good. Coco and I ate at the bar where a friendly waitress/bartender, served us some delicious brunch punch made from fresh watermelon and gin. thirst quenching! And after browsing the menu for a quick minute, we both immediately blurted "lamb sandwich!"
Let me just say, that the girth of this sandwich was absolutely genial. Not fat (we know how i feel about those) and not terribly anorexic thin. This sandwich had the best curves. Two seconds later when I sunk my teeth into it, the only thing I could muster was "OMG. OMG. COCO. OMG. UN F#$% BELIEVABLE." Best sandwich EVER. The lamb was thinly sliced and tender. Bread was nicely toasted and the chili mayonnaise sauce gave it that extra pizazz so that each bite was just as flavourful as the first. I could have had 3 sandwiches all to myself. Coco agreed! Washed it down with some brunch punch, and I suddenly had a second wind. We had other plans so had to run out so all I had was a tease of the vast amazingness this place has to offer. So, I will be back. I must go back!

Here's to you. Here's to me.

Kathy.

You Know what I hate??!

Its that time again for my very favorite post (also a hit with my fans..ahem, i mean friends)- "you know what I hate?" Where I skim through my ridiculously extensive list of pet peeves, pick a good few ones, and just go off.
I hope you enjoy the following 3 I have selected for your ranting pleasure. They are very close to my heart!

Pet Peeve #35245624652-
You know what I hate???? Fat sandwiches. They annoy me. I roll my eyes at them. I mean, what's the point of making a sandwich so fat, it doesn't even fit in your mouth and you cant chew it bc its total exercise and then you get a bad case of TMJ trying to shove it in your mouth. Seriously?! Whatever happened to 2 turkey slices, 1 slice of cheese, 1 or 2 tomatoes max, and maybe, if theres space, some lettuce?? That's a good ol' American sandwich. Now all I get at the deli are these roided up sandwiches that instead give me anxiety rather than hunger fulfillment. And then when I tell Coco that "I hate fat sandwiches. I don't like anything fat", I set myself up for some really inappropriate joke on his end, that he loves to repeat each time I make that statement.
Note to sandwiches: Skinny is much more attractive. I vote for skinnywiches. I'm officially banning the fatwich. The next time a deli guy gives me a fat sandwich, I'm going to get my diva on and throw that sandwich in his face. Or better yet, jam it in his mouth. Oh wait. Cant. Bc it wont fit!!!

Pet Peeve #4563456354-
You know what I hate? Toothpicks. OMG do I hate toothpicks. I especially hate when guys keep them in their mouth and they are dangling with no purpose. First of all, its totally trashy. You shouldn't be cleaning your teeth with a toothpick in public to begin with. That's like, Etiquette 101. Secondly, its not a prop. Nor is it an accessory so please take it out of your mouth if you are talking to someone, hanging out with friends, driving your suped up Mitsubishi Eclipse, or trying to be all "gangsta". Note: It looks stupid on "gangstas" too. (see any picture of P. Diddy). And lastly and most importantly, its completely unattractive and not cool and you look like a total COMEMIERDA.

Pet Peeve #3563536-
And last but not least, you know what I hate? When couples say "We're pregnant!". No, "we" are not pregnant, the woman is pregnant. Thanks dad for being so elated you feel like your belly will also become the size of a hot air balloon, and your vagina will stretch out like a super sized rubber band when that baby makes its way out of its little dorm in your wife's (keyword being wife) body. Not the case, and I'm not taking away from the joy of childbirth from any parent-to-be because its a miraculous thing and I myself will one day be there, but lets be real. Theres only one person that's going to carry that baby and their body is going to morph into all sorts of weird- basketball face, swollen feet, pregnancy acne, an additional 50 pounds of excess weight, bad sleeping patterns, and maternity jeans. So forgive me for throwing up in my mouth and rolling my eyes at this sort of exclamation. And note to Coco, please don't ever say that the day that we are blessed with the most beautiful baby in the world. Because I will punch you in the face. (That goes for all my peeps out there too.)

Here's to you. Here's to me.

Kathy.

Batter Up!

My first attempt at adding a link! (I'm a bit blog handicapped so please bear with me).

Anywho, I came upon this article on Jezebel.com (see below) and I thought it was absolutely genius. Um, why hasn't anyone in the great US of A thought of this?? And the best part, no men allowed. Only ladies allowed to vent freely and destructively here.

Do you not know the amount of followers a store like this would have? Forget Barneys Warehouse sale or a 50 percent off Jimmy Choo sale, the Chinese got it right! Yo go Asians! I mean, what woman doesn't love bashing and breaking things to let off a little steam?! I do! I do! (you out there, don't get all superior on me saying "oh, not me." because you know you dream about tearing up your kitchen when that husband, boyfriend, or child of yours can clean up after themselves and you are at a breaking point. And since you aren't going to beat the bejesus out of them, might as well do the next best thing!)

Personally, I prefer a pile of cheap dishes and maybe a bat and a TV. I'm just sayin'.

Here's to you. Here's to me.

http://jezebel.com/5581748/pissed-take-it-to-chinas-frustration+venting-store%22%3E

BALLS!!!!

When a blog is simply titled "BALLS!", you know you are in store for something good.

I never knew there was such a huge meatball cult following until I moved to NYC and married an Italian. It was around this same time I learned that Ragu canned tomato sauce on any pasta is basically considered a deadly sin--FOGEDDABOUDIT! ( as you can imagine, I sinned A LOT since a can of Ragu is a staple in many Cuban homes like mine).

So through Coco and the vast Italian culture of NY Italians, I was introduced to fresh sauces, spices, and equally fresh meatballs made from ground beef, pork, veal--a combination of two of these, or even three. Goodbye microwavable balls! I was hooked. So imagine my delight when I read about a new restaurant in the Lower East Side of Manhattan aptly named "The Meatball Shop". But, seems like TMS and I had a serendipitous introduction back in May when I was invited to the launch party for the Cooking Channel and they had a station featuring their famous balls on a bowl of polenta. Two balls later and I was salivating. Um, can I shove 100 of these balls in my mouth because they are ridiculously delicious, mouth watering, and fresh!! Liked they picked the ingredients right from a floating garden and put them on my plate. Great first impression.

A couple of weeks later, I convinced Coco and our bff Bets, to trek downtown and feast on some balls so they could make their own assessments. The shop is owned by two childhood friends, Daniel Holzman and Michael Chernow, with a passion for meatballs. Michael's wife, even contributes her culinary skillz to the homemade ice cream sandwiches. And believe me when I say, its sweet tooth heaven.

Back to the balls. Ordering is easy and fun with a sort of built-it-yourself menu and the main ingredient on the menu is, you guessed it, meatballs! If you fancy something simple, you can go with the 4 meatball selection (you can choose classic meatball, spicy pork, chicken, veggie, or a weekly special) in whichever sauce (classic tomato, spicy meat sauce, Parmesan cream, or mushroom gravy) your starving heart desires. And the best part about these balls is that they are not over soaked in sauce so no real chance of agita as the Italians say. If you want something a little more adventurous hit up the sliders ( a personal fave!), or the heroes. Or if you want to go all the way, then sample the Meatball Smash complete with healthy salad. You're not done. Don't even think about asking for the check without enjoying one of TMS's yummy ice cream sandwiches. The chocolate cookie with caramel ice cream is plainly put, orgasmic!

It's my fourth time hitting up this hip rustic country kitchen and I'm already planning a fifth visit in the near future. While some may have an issue with the limited options in terms of dishes, I disagree. Give me a meatball 10 different ways and I call that genius. The late hours, people watching (opened til 4am) and cheap prices don't hurt either! As my friend Betsy says, "It's AmazingBALLS!".

Here's to you. Here's to me.

Kathy

Heaven on Earth.

There are certain things that people can't live without.

For me, that's champagne, jasmine green tea, Forever 21, bistec empanizado con papitas fritas, and my closest family and friends. DUH. But there's one more thing that's an uber necessity to my continuous inner happiness. It feeds the recessionista in me. Can you guess the 6 letter word that literally gives me stomach flutters and makes my palms sweaty every time I'm at close proximity to the shopping MECCA?!!
If you guessed, TARGET, not only must you be super pretty and smart, but clearly you are a fashion forward and budget friendly human being deserving of your blessed life.

TARGET has arrived in Manhattan!!!! Yes, the red bulls eye is shining over the East River signaling and calling all smart shoppers (including me). I'm one of the many in this island that has been counting down to opening day and watching as that structure has slowly been resurrected along the FDR Drive. As my bff, Javy, says "Its the Dadeland Center of Manhattan." (for my non Miami followers, Dadeland Center is a shopping pavillion in Miami that also holds a Target, Best Buy, Michael's, and some other retailers).

Another reason why I NEVER want to leave this island (next, I'm working on getting a Forever 21 store at the corner of 79th and 2nd). Not sure if its the fact that I can buy toilet paper, towels, an Isabel Toledo bathing suit, and a digital camera under one roof, but theres a feeling of determination as I push my shopping cart in the store, and then a feeling of accomplishment when I walk out with my shiny red and white plastic bags. Ive conquered the world. Or actually, Target has successfully conquered my bank account. I think I speak on behalf of every Target lover when I say, you walk into the store with 3 things on your list, no more than $30 lets say, but you've managed to spend $300. Yep. Welcome to my life. I literally lose my brain in those aisles.

On a quick serious note, this Target opening is a great thing for Manhattan. Not because of the convenience of being in the city, but this store has created over 500 jobs and it is expected to generate millions of dollars and be one of the most popular stores in the country. I'm sure it will also be just as crowded, but, if you arrive 15 minutes before opening and happen to be one of the first consumers there, you will definitely beat the crowds and get your hand on those designer collections that fly off the rack (and in my case, get my hands on a size small before all the fat girls who think they are a S but are really an XXL, hijack them from me).

Next time you find yourself low on tooth paste or box of wine, make an event out of it and head to Target in Harlem. I'm sure you'll walk out with a new bedroom set and possibly some patio furniture bc it is that amazing!!!!

Here's to you. Here's to me.

Kathy.

You Know what I hate??!

So you are going to be reading A LOT of these "you know what I hate?" blog posts. or for those that know me very well, my 100,000 pet peeves. Maybe its my low threshold for tolerance,or that fact that I'm easily annoyed and have very little patience, but i have a LOOOOOOOOOONG list of pet peeves that seems to be getting bigger and bigger the older I get...

So lets start with 2 things I REALLY hate...

1) whistling. I HATE when people whistle. Its Ear Abuse, quite frankly. What's the point? That's why songs have words. So that you can sing them. No need to whistle or hum. Humming is whistling nasty, "que tu pintas aqui" cousin. Whistling is neither chipper nor soothing to you or those around you (emphasis on "those around you".) Its very bothersome and most people do not have whistling rhythm. Also, please don't try to whistle Beethoven's symphony. You are not a walking orchestra. Or also, Jamie Foxx's Gold digger. It sounds SO much better when the original artists do them.
And while we are on the topic of music, there's no need to sing out loud. That's why God and the good people at Apple, invented ipods with headphones. I don't want to hear you sing and I certainly do not need to hear you a) sing over your ipod or b) hear your music through your headphones. Really?! Are you deaf?? or just cheap because you cant buy good headphones. I do not want to be on a morning commute listening to Lil Wayne on the way to work. Not really my morning jam. And coming from uptown, I definitely do not want to hear any form of reggaeton blasting from your headphones to my sensitive ear. Its criminal. Indecent Music overload should be fined!

2) I know several people, and by close I mean family members, that insist on collecting key chains. Not one or 2, but like 13 of them. And they only hold one key. Really??! Is this because you are an avid key chain collector?? or because you need to find your keys in your Guess bag??? It's plain stupid. No one needs more than one key chain. Do you really need Betty Boop key chains, flip flop key chains, furry ty babies key chain to hold your one house key??? Next time I see this chotchky violation, I will personally peg you with all your tacky key chains.

Thanks for letting me blow off steam. I could scratch those two pet peeves off my list. Only 234,446,678 left on the list!

Here's to you. Here's to me.

Babies can Wear Rompers Too!

Consider this an addendum to yesterday's fashion post!

So, this morning I got an email from one of my fans (and by fan, I mean one of my best friends) who affectionately schooled me on rompers for the mini bugs! Seriously, how could I forget to include the Suri Cruises of the world in a blog about rompers?! So many pretty options for little chicas nowadays when it comes to fashion.

And yes, Adri, you are right. Babies can Wear Rompers too! But only cute babies like Baby Alana can. Mini fashionistas are born, not made and it looks like we have one on our hands. Take a look at these delicious pics of Adri's daughter, Alana, sporting one of the trendiest looks of the season! And shes not afraid to take risks! Check her out in denim and black gingham.

Rock it baby girl!

Here's to you. Here's to me.

Kathy

Romper Fever

I have a scenario for you. How many times do you find yourself standing dumbfounded con cara de boba staring into your closet and saying, "Ugh. I have nothing to wear." (thankfully its been years since Ive said this. not because i have a huge closet, but more because Ive learned to reuse and re imagine my outfits with pieces ive worn multiple times. Yay me.) Or in my case, once my list of outfits has been worn and photographed and posted on facebook, I don't want to think too hard about what I'm going to wear. So I go for my fail resistant plan and reach for my super favorite outfit ever- the romper!

I'm like obsesivo over rompers. Shorts, pants, one shoulder..you name it, its probably hanging in my closet. I decided that i wanted to count how many rompers I have and its safe to say I am the proud owner of 11 rompers. And they all get special attention. And I just have to say that this wasn't a recent thing I'm into or a trend im adopting for the season, Ive been a loyal rompeneur since the age of 6! And I thank Abuela Maya for that. Disregard the fact that she lived in batas de casas for most of her adult life (for all my gringos out there, that means mumus)in Little Havana and spoke not a lick of English, but this lady had a vision (or maybe she got a sweet deal on la ocho). Can you believe one of the most crystal clear memories I have of my childhood are Maya's rompers?? I can remember the feel of the polyester rompers that came in lilac, pink, or blue..they were packaged in plastic wrapping. They were sleeveless with white pinstripe and white hem and even had 2 silver snap buttons on the chest. You would have thought I had no clothes the way I used to wear these rompers, even if it was just to sit in my columpio (swing set). Sort of like how I wear mine now. Thankfully,Maya caught on to the fact that I was a bit compulsive so she kept back up.

Fast forward to present day and my 11 rompers. But you know what I love about rompers?? OMG SO many things. First off, you can take them from day to night. No longer reserved just for the beach, or brunching, or leisure weekend drinking, now if you wanted to hit the town in them, go to dinner with friends, or even have a hot date (they're easy to take off too!, I'm just sayin') you can totally vamp it up with some killer heels, or a boyfriend blazer. Me, I'm a huge fan of wearing these playsuits, as the Brits say, with boyfriend blazers and booties, or my acid wash jean jacket. Dressed down, I pair it with some gladiator sandals and my American Apparel cardigan. Secondly, one pieces! Hello! Who doesnt love one pieces?? How retro and nostalgic. Makes it very easy to take off and put on, and for someone lazy like me, its ideal. And third, you don't have to break the bank to own your very own, super cute romper! You can go high end and splurge at one at places like Intermix, Juicy Couture, or Top Shop. But, you don't have to compromise style or quality if you do it on the cheap. Forever 21 has some fresh and adorable ones, as does Victoria Secret, and H&M! And so many styles- floral, geometric, tribal, solids, stripes, and I can keep going.

If there isn't a sassy, sexy and practical, dare I say, romper on a hanger somewhere in your bedroom, then I hope that once you finish reading this fashion savvy blog, you will drive yourself or (if you're a city girl or boy, bc I know my Javy has himself a jumpsuit, get on a train) to the nearest cheap chic store or department store and purchase one for yourself! Trust me, you will live in nothing else! Rompers are here to stay. Treat yourself. Caso cerrado!

Here's to you. Here's to me.

Kathy

Yo Quiero...Cascabel!

OK, my first official foodie blog! Kind of makes me really PO'ed at myself that I did not start this blog YEARS ago, considering how many fabulous and delicious places I have frequented in NYC, Miami, or in several far far away lands. All I can say to these food haunts is, My sincere apologies. And here's to me walking through your doors one day again, so I can dish about your tasty creations, and I can take pictures of my meal like someone who has never seen food before.

But no use lingering on the past! I'm in the now, and that now is Cascabel Taqueria on the UES (for you non-new yorkers, UES is the Upper East Side, my hood). I can proudly say that I am a neighborfoodie. I love to check out new hot spots that open up in my hood. Ive been known to "investigate" and show myself in to construction areas where painters and workers loom just to get some info on the latest opening.

To be honest, I often go downtown or across town when it comes to dining, always on the hunt for the most recently reviewed restaurants in NY magazine or Urban Daddy. That's not to say that the Upper East Side doesn't have some culinary gems lurking in its blocks, but despite being yummy joints, they aren't exactly garnering "cool" points since they are so uptown. However, in recent years some notable and dare I say, trendy spots have popped up around this upscale, family friendly neighborhood. And one of those spots is a luchador themed, casual taco mecca named Cascabel. A small, but always bustling, always jam packed shoe box sized taqueria that serves up the most delicioso tacos, Ive personally tasted. (And with a Mexican husband, Ive tasted quite a few).

Being Cuban, I love anything pork. I could eat pork for breakfast, lunch and dinner if I had to. Pork, fatty pork especially, just runs through my blood. So my first experience at Cascabel was an order of their very popular "Pork Tacos". OMG. A party in my mouth. Served on a metal silver dish, two fat tacos stuffed with crispy shredded pork butt, red onions, roasted chili de arbol, and a jalapeno on the side, (for those who are very brave) was everything I hoped it would be and so much more. I sprinkle it with a dash of lime and each bite was just as flavorful as the first. Um, can I please have 10 of these??? And now something to wash it down. Duh, a margarita! I decided to keep it classic with a traditional margarita and it was the perfect refreshment to accompany my meal. After devouring my plate, and sitting contently with my acquired food baby, I finally understood why people would wait 20-30 minutes in line to snag a bar stool or one of the few tables in the place. But they don't come just for the pork tacos, theres a nice size menu that also includes really fresh guacamole, chorizo tacos, lengua (veal)tacos, pollo a la plancha, or pollo asada, and I have my eyes on the Gorditas con puerco, which are honey glazed with cilantro, on my next Cascabel visit!

Prices are on the cheap side, but Coco thinks $7 for 2 tacos is a bit of a rip off. I beg to differ. That's just my two cents. And just recently through some of my "investigative" work, there might be some truth to the rumors that Cascabel is expanding next door to the old Willy's restaurant. Which means sidewalk dining in the summer time, cooling off with a margarita in hand! Oish. I'm making myself hungry!

So if you ever find yourself venturing uptown, or visiting me (bc I obviously like you if I invite you anywhere near me), make a pit stop at the taqueria. Who knows, maybe one of those tacos will awaken the luchador in you!

Here's to you. Here's to me.

Kathy.

Speed Reader

So just as I suspected, I was technology-handicapped so to speak, while away on my Mediterranean cruise. I was so looking forward to posting some fun two cents, but ship Internet was slow, and right before hitting send on my blog in my Rome hotel room, the Internet time purchased ran out. Ugh. No bueno. Now I feel like a kid who's missed school with some bad case of mono, and have like homework assignments piled up and minimal time to do them! Okay, I'm exaggerating. My vacation wasn't like "mono" it was Four Seasons on the high seas!

My main goal this vacation was to read read read. More than usual. My condolences to poor Coco bc me reading translates to "you're going to ignore me more than usual, right?" I got my reading list together, placed an order on B&N, and three days later, voila! A mini bookstore arrived at my super's doorstep. Reading is one of my favorite things in the world. Ive loved it as a kid. I used to get all excited when the Troll slips would show up in class, or when my parents took me to the library to check out a book and I could whip out my library card from my Hello Kitty velcro wallet. I easily lose myself in whatever I'm reading. Its the one instance where my overactive imagination doesn't cause me anxiety! I'm also a REEEEEEEEEEEEEALLLLY speedy reader. I could read books in a couple of hours, which is a nice feat but also an expensive one.

I calculated the days at sea, the early arrivals back on the boat, the downtime with a nice glass of champers, and decided that 7 books was a good number. Yes, 7! and guess what??? READ THEM ALL. Even the holy grail of books, a second reading of Breaking Dawn so I can continue to fuel my vampire and wolves obsession. Sometimes I wish I could go to the bookstore and pick up what i call a "smart" book, like a Henry VIII bio, or a First Lady retrospect, but the truth is, i LOVE mindless fiction especially anything by Mary Higgins Clark, Jennifer Weiner, Sophie Kinsella, or Emily Griffith. ADORE them! Not to say, that I don't surprise myself on the occasion and get all intellectual. Its on the rare, but it happens.

Anyhow, I have 2 more fabulous trips with some amazing friends in the next couple of weeks, and I ask myself, "to read, or not to read?" I mean, Am I really going to read when I know all that awaits me is endless yenta chatter with some of the funniest people I know. Total "bayu"! Maybe Ill keep it to 2 books...3 max..But really, who knows if I'll even take them out of my bag!

Here's to you. Here's to me.

Kathy

Nailed It!!

Okay, so estoy super obsesionada with Essie's nail polish, "Mint Candy Apple". I'm one of those girls that absolutely relishes in manicures and pedicures. I feel like a new woman all nice and groomed ready to take on the world! When this recession hit, and i was trying to be like the masses and "cut corners," I for a second considered only getting manis every other week. But when I snapped out of my delusional mind frame, I realized there was no way I would cut that out. I rather not eat lunch. That was a bright idea, Suarez! NOT. I love color! I love anything loud and bright and obnoxious. Its the Cuban in me. And I'm so addicted to finding that standout color, that I often go to the local beauty store when the collections hit (bc Ive been stalking them in magazines over the last weeks) so I can be the first to buy and wear.

Side note. You know what really bothers me?? Girls/Women in flip flops with gnarly toes that are asqueroso, black, and clearly have not been attended to since 1994. Yuck. Seriously, its eye abuse for me to have to see those disgusting dirty flip flops and toes. Get a pedicure for the baby Jesus' sake if you are going to walk around Manhattan with sandals. It's a $20 investment that might help you land a boyfriend. Any who, back to my Essie color. It is the perfect shade of aqua. A little lighter than Tiffany Blue. It also reminds me of tea at Fortnum and Mason. Tres chic! This color screams "I'm going on a Mediterranean cruise and I'm so vogue so please stare at my hands!" i lovesies!

I also thought it be nice to give my Chanel Black Satin a break. It's been working overtime and black will always be my go-to color for nails (see you in September!). Its chic, edgy, sexy and it gives me that extra dime size boost of confidence as i strut my stuff. But now in the summer i can just hear mima (introducing Isabel "two cents" alvarez) saying, "Kata, explicame porque una muchachita educada y sonriente, tiene que pintarse las unas de negro? Tu estas deprimida? Es que yo no entiendo la moda de hoy en dia.". And that's how that usually goes when she spots the black on my fingernails.

To all my ladies that love to get their nails did, check out Essie's new summer collection before you go to your chinos. You'll be sizzling in summer chicness!

Here's to you. Here's to me.

Kathy

Times Square Redeemed! (Sort of)

I usually avoid Times Square like the plague. Its one of those sights that you see once on your very first trip to NYC, get all googly eyed at the magnitude of it and the different species of lights and billboards, and then you are basically good. Nothing else to see. Yes it's cool, but I just have zero patience for all the tourists with boca abierta catching flies, wearing sneakers (tacky!) and buying those tired out "I heart NY" tshirts in a rainbow of colors to match their unflattering fabric fedoras that they bought at the same vendor! It's a major metraya that should be avoided at all costs.

So when I heard that a massive Forever 21 was opening in the heart of TS, I got a little excited bc of the proximity to my office, but then I thought "Oh no. so not a good idea. Its going to be a disaster." I am a HUGE Forever 21 fan. It would probably be wise of me to purchase stock in the company bc I think it's the best thing in the world second to Cuban bread. I began shopping there when I was 13-14 years old and it was my little secret that not many knew about. Forgotten are those days of anonymity considering how mass produced and iconic it has become for frugal fashion finds. And for those who have ventured into a Forever 21 mega store, it can be quite overwhelming, especially the NYC stores. They are panic inducing, packed with people, messy, no sizes (bc fat people take the smalls and i know it's mean to say, but it's true.) and looks like a tornado (aka teenagers) ravaged the store. So I usually do my Forever 21 shopping online, in the comfort of my office or chair at home. Back to my point- I'm not sure if I would make a visit at the new Forever 21 in Times Square. It would be a war zone.

Today I had a shoot at Madame Tussuad's IN Times Square and decided "well, since I'm in the neighborhood and its on my way back to the office, Ill take a peek in." Well, a peek in turned into a shopping odyssey. I'm officially obsessivo over this store. I stood at the front door, mouth wide open just like the same tourists that I make fun of, and took in the amazingness of what laid before me. Four floors! Yes, four. cuatro. quattro. Four floors of clothes upon clothes and then jewelry and makeup, and shoes. Oh my! I was overwhelmed but not in a "i need to get out of here bc I'm going to kill myself with all these people here" way, it was more of a "OMG. I am so happy right now, that I could cry, or wipe out my whole bank account in 32 minutes." Off I went just taking everything in, touching every piece of clothing, trying on all the rings, and going up and down escalators. But you know what the best part is???! You would never know the store was packed, it is so ginormous, you literally need a map to get around and its so spread out that no one is on top of you, no fitting room lines bc there are like 50 of them, and 100 tellers. At this moment I realized, "Times Square has finally redeemed itself.".

I will no longer have to take a xanax before immersing myself in the Times Square jungle. Forever 21 TS is my newest happy place. Go to your happy place, Kathy. And $143 dollars later, i was on my merry way. And for the first time, I did not roll my eyes at the tacky tourists taking pictures outside of Planet Hollywood.

So don't be afraid, recessionistas. Times Square (at least between 45-46) is your new best friend. Happy Shopping!

Here's to you. Here's to me.

Kathy

(* top photo by Getty Images).

In LUST with a Werewolf.

One of the perks of working for an entertainment show, is getting to cover some of the coolest and highly anticipated movies of the year (not to mention interview all my celebrity crushes!). And for me, one of those movies is Eclipse from the Twilight Saga (or any of the Twilight films for that matter). It took me a while to become a "Twi-hard". I really couldn't grasp the obsessiveness and hysteria surrounding these stories so I decided to pick up all 4 books and at least see what all the fuss was about and technically its work, right?! Ok, I became boba with these books. I could have read these 4 books in 4 days but I didn't want it to end. So beautifully written, such a passionate love story, and so dreamy. I was so sucked into Bella's world, the fascination with vampires, and wolves with 6 packs. I couldn't put them down. It got so bad at one point, that I refused to go to a 4th of July party at a NYC rooftop bc I needed to finish Eclipse. When I was in the throws of Breaking Dawn, I sat in my hotel room in Costa Rica finishing my book before venturing out to the beach. And when I was done, I remember thinking "What am I going to do with my life now?" Major vampire withdrawals. I had to seperate reality from fantasy bc I was going over the edge.

So I watched Twilight about 25 times, forced Coco to watch it, and counted down to New Moon and attended opening day with a bunch of screaming teenagers (I screamed internally bc you know, I didn't want to be uncool to Edward or Jacob).

And tomorrow is the opening day for Eclipse. SWOON. My favorite book. The love triangle. The fight sequences, and if you've read Stephanie Meyer's quick read "The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner" it is a GREAT companion book to the movie through the eyes of newborn vampire, Bree. Anyways, back to the point of the blog. I was lucky enough to cover the NY screening premiere last night and I was SO pumped. No RPatz which made me sad since I heart Edward. But kind of a good thing bc I would be sweating, getting clammy hands, and flirty laughs that make me sound like a bit of a dork as my husband would say. I get gaga and stupid, basically.

Intv'ed a very cool Kristen. Not as Debbie downer or awkward as usual. And the very cute and dapper Taylor Lautner.

After the premiere, I dashed to the screening on the UWS with my friend and colleague Terri (her daughter, Brit, is like my Twi-hard buddy. Can't believe I'm fighting with a 14 year old over a fictional character, but hey, its fun). I'm not going to give the movie away to those that haven't read the books, but O.M.F.G. I died!!!! Fantastic film. And storyline was tackled perfectly. Romance, tension, fighting, death- a little bit of everything. Oh, and lots and lots of abs and sparkly vampires. And Kudos to newborn vampire Riley! Hello, you're hawt! But something happened that I quite didn't expect. I fell in love with Jacob. I felt like Bella. I'm in a love triangle and SO want Jake to imprint on me! No wait. I want Edward.

Ugh. I am torn. Which team do I belong to? Which water bottle am I going to drink from?? What EW cover am i going to stare at at my desk now? I don't like this confusion. You know what it feels like for me? I feel like Edward has my heart. I am in love with Edward. But I am totally in lust with Jacob. Jacob makes me feel like how i used to get when I was 16 and 17 and completely boy crazy. "omg. hes looking at me!" "omg. hes so hot!" "omg. ill die if he talks to me!". My stomach is in flutters and all I want to do is make out with Jacob!!!! (Um, yeah, I'm 29 hes like 19 and last nite my dream was basically me cheating on Coco with Jacob and frenching like a total high schooler. Heavenly but creepy.)

So for all you Twi-hards out there, bust out those Team Edward and Jacob tshirts, your water bottles, your Teen Beat posters (that's probably just me), bc you will NOT be disappointed! My countdown to the filming of Breaking Dawn has begun (they begin in October which means pics on location will emerge) so until then, my heart will remain split in 2 for Edward and Jacob.

Here's to you. Here's to me.

Kathy

How to look like a million bucks.

Because I am such a nice person and I am a big fan of spreading good news, there are 2 things that I am absolutely obsessed with and I want to share them with you. (and by you, i mean my 8 loyal followers!).

I had an engagement party this past Saturday and I wanted to do something different to my hair. I knew that left in the hands of my stylist, he would make me look like a star on a red carpet and so I had nothing to worry about. And I was right. Magic! Let me tell you a little bit about him. As every woman knows, finding the perfect hair stylist is like being in a relationship. Someone that knows what looks good without you having to say it, someone that understands your beauty needs and makes you look like the most beautiful you possible. And more importantly someone good who just "gets it". And I am lucky to have found my hair soul mate! And cheating on your stylist is a major no-no. His name is Emiliano de Pasqual and he is basically an Italian god with scissors. If you ever find yourself in NYC, head to Warren Tricomi in the iconic Plaza Hotel, and book yourself an appt ASAP. I guarantee you will NOT be disappointed. In his charming Italian accent he says "Bella, i think dat I want to do somesin sexy and messy and up." Whatever you want. I don't care. 40 minutes later....Um, can I tell you that it looked soooo fierce I didn't want to even wash it out?! It was too gorgeous and it managed to last ALL day. So Emiliano is my first little secret I want to share. Its a bit of an open relationship. (From top, 2nd and 3rd pic!)

For those that know me, I am the queen of finding a good bargain and making it look like its straight off the runway. Ive always believed that having all the money in the world can't buy you style. Style definitely comes from confidence, having a good eye, and knowing how to pull something off. That's not to say I haven't had my share of faux pas (corn rows, camel toe blue pants that I swore fit me, or my personal favorite- matching flowy skirts and tops in really bright colors. yikes!). My style has evolved with age, but also it has evolved since moving to this vibrant city! I feel like I really found the essence of my style here and I know what works for me and what is a major "don't".

On to my second secret. Target is one of those stores that I always find something good that looks expensive and well made, especially if its from the special designer collections. Here's the trick though. You have to find a Target in a not so fashionable part of town (and I'm sure there are fashionable people there and I'm not hating on anyone, but you increase your chances of scoring a good buy when you hit less popular locations.) So while visiting my grandmother at her retirement home, I hit up the local Target and found THE dress. A stunning Zac Posen violet, golden yellow metallic cocktail dress with a big bow across the chest. And pockets! It had me at pockets! It was the only size 1 left. It was so meant to be. (I also scored a Eugenia Kim fedora that is beyond cute). All for a grand total of $75.99. Yet, I looked like a million bucks! (see 1st pic on top. The handsome man to my left, is my husband, Coco. And he's priceless.)

So paired with my Zac Posen gem and my Hollywood hair courtesy of Emiliano, I hit the streets with a big smile, newly gifted Fendi purple clutch and art deco vintage earrings (courtesy of Coco) feeling all glam!

Ladies, next time you find that killer dress in the most unexpected of places for a mere penny, ROCK IT, OWN IT and HAVE FUN WITH IT! Chances are, you'll look better than the average looking girl covered in Cavalli and Gucci. That's what I call, "De la High"!

Here's to you. Here's to me.

Kathy.

The Drunch of all Drunchesssss.

So last night, Coco and I held our first official DRUNCH. Yes, a drunch. A combination of brunch and early dinner. I can't take credit for this creative smash of a name. (Shout out to Lorriane Parker Greenidge for introducing us to drunching during our 2nd annual Emerald Isle, NC trip.)

I was randomly inspired in TJ Maxx after finding the most perfect paisley/flower napkins. A light bulb went off and I said "I think we'll have a drunch!". So off I went with my fancy napkins and started brainstorming the menu (which Coco selected and created.)

Because fancy napkins weren't enough, I thought menus to compliment them would be a nice touch. So my super super good friend, Adri P, made the most innovative and funky menus for my drunch and she shipped them 2 day express so I would have them days before the big event.

Shes so full of ideas and the final product was a success! a small green, pink and yellow flowered menu, with black lettering attached to a brown paper bag (for leftovers, i know!) and a bright green ribbon holding it together (see pic below). Totally Martha Stewart. I on the other hand, can barely cut paper.

On drunch Sunday, my table looked like it was worthy of Good Housekeeping. I was so proud of me. Yellow tablecloth, pom flowers in mason jars, it was heavenly. And the food was beyond! Coco's menu was 5 star restaurant worthy! We started with a chilled cucumber soup, then a feta and watermelon salad, main course was a linguini shrimp scampi, and dessert was a raspberry tart topped with creme fraiche. Delicious! He's so talented in the kitchen! Anyhow, I decided that I was going to make an effort and cook something myself, so I did! Deviled eggs. I heart them. And they were my masterpiece. Everyone was super impressed, including myself. I even decided to make a welcome cocktail for my guests! (welcome cocktails were a bit expensivo so I cant get too fancy next time!). I made an absolut strawberry kiss. Yum!

Our friends arrived at 6, and well, there was not one disappointed person in our apartment. 11 bottles of wine and champagne later and several servings of linguini with shrimp scampi, the night took an interesting (but always fun) turn! And those details, will remain in the minds of the attendees and will not be shared! All I have to say, is that I'm so thankful for the friends that Coco and I have, and for the most amazing husband in the world. Hands down.

Never a dull moment! And what did we learn? 1) that I'm not pregnant despite everyone thinking so all bc of my overly done table presentation. Besides, I downed way too much champagne for a baby to survive and 2) That drunches are so special, that there will only be 4 seasonal drunches a year! Porque yo no soy millonaria!

All in all, good times had.

Here's to you. Here's to me.

Kathy.

I'm gonna give this a shot..

I finally have a blog! (Insert Applause here).

After many failed "I'm going to start a blog today!" proclamations after trying new restaurants on my travels, or finding the perfect side table at TJ Maxx, or why I hate people who take up sidewalks with over sized umbrellas, I decided it was time to stop being lazy and make an attempt at"blogging". So fancy the word! I almost feel like this is a job and I should pay myself, but then i remember I have zero funding.

A little bit about myself. Ill keep it short since I'm basically the only person who loves to hear all about me, unless you want more and who am I to say no to that?! My name is Kathy. I have an angel as a husband named Coco, and three delicious and rambunctious canines named Frijol Manuel, Lola Isabel, and ChaCha Marie. I love middle names (clearly) and think its weird when people don't have them. I'm Cuban from Miami and I very often like to include that in any conversation I have bc I'm damn proud of my heritage. ( Que viva Chango!). I live in NY. A city that stole my heart and that I now consider home. I am surrounded by a great group of friends that complete me (they are colorful and crazy), a dysfunctional family which I love (you'll read about them too, you've been warned), and a blessed life that often causes me to pinch myself to see if it really is real. I hate the telephone, and will never answer my phone (i find small talk meaningless). I love emails, and I suspect this blog may make me more catatonic!
There are 3 things I love more than anything in this world: wining and dining, travelling, and tanning (and not tanning bed tanning. Old school tanning with the sun). Reading gets an honorable mention. So do dinner parties at Casa Buccio that involve spontaneous dance parties, too much alcohol, and great conversations with my UN of friends.
So lets say there are 5 things I really like.

That's me in a nutshell. But to get a real sense of me, just read my blog title. I have a comment about EVERYTHING. or at least almost everything. It's my husband who frequently tells me "Thanks for your 2 cents, Suarez." This is always followed by some useless bit of info or pointing out the obvious which I am SO good at. And its true. I like to add my "two cents" anywhere I can. I'm sure I get some eye rolls, but these 2centisms are a part of me, and go with me wherever I may go. So who knows! You may get lucky on this blog and get some 2 cent wisdom from yours truly.

I hope you enjoy reading my ramblings and my thoughts and all my two cents. I like to share things I see, experience, purchase, or maybe just share some plain ol' thinking bits that pop into my elephant brain.

Here's to you. Here's to me.
Enjoy!