God is Love

In 2015 we saw a seismic force of negativity, anger, bitterness, entitlement, and FEAR invade the Earth. It actually invaded us as well, what should have a been our most productive was one that was filled with triumph and set backs. In 2016: 1. Positive Peeps promise yourself, you will keep your mind filled with positive thoughts. 2. Most people who are insecure are fearful because they don't have the gifts that you possess, that their problem. 3. Give everyone the benefit of the doubt, some people may not have ever come in contact with someone who is an intelligent, gracious, thoughtful, and wise as you. So, if they ask tons of questions it is because they have not had the experience with someone like yourself. 4. Stop chasing! Don't chase people, things, opportunities, if you have done one good thing consistently well over time, opportunities will come, the right people at the right time will come and you won't have to sell yourself. 5. Let excellence be a p

You got the dress, heels, and purse now what?? Your beauty regime for NYE should start tonight. 1. Make certain that your facial cleanser is not harsh or will strip you of essentials oils. 2. My favorite all over moisturizer is NOW's Sweet Almond Oil, however when you use face oil's DO NOT put another moisturizer on top of it, this will cause clogged pores. 3. Make- Up: Use a face primer before you apply your foundation this will allow the make-up to stay on with out retouching through out the night. 4. Foundation: My favorite is Clinique Concealer and Foundation all in one, works wonders. 5. Cheeks: If you are bi-racial, you need to go with a blush that is on the orange or tangerine side, this will give you a pop of color, pink blush will blend into your skin and make you look washed out. My Favorite Blush: Cargo in Melon. 6. Eyes: Liquid Eyeliner is the best for staying power, and the ultimate mascara is Make- Up is forever, this will give your lashes that pop

We are doing something a bit different this year. Last year was Roasted Crown Beef, the year before was Turkey Empandas. So, this is our Holiday Menu: Entrée: 1. Smoked Wild Boar 2. Mashed Turnips with shaved truffles 3. Green Beans with garlic Sauce: 4. Chantrelle Mushroom Sauce 5. Cranberry and Orange Compote Dessert: Poached Pear in a Mulled Wine Sauce Beverages: Sparkling Water and Lemon Burgundy and Merlot Wines

It is the holiday and festive season and you are in charge of the Holiday Brunch this year. We created this and it is wonderful! French Toast Bake 1. Raisin Challah Bread Loaf sliced in thick slices 2. 1/4 teaspoon Fresh Vanilla Bean 3.1/4 teaspoon Fresh Grated Cinnamon 4.1/4 teaspoon Fresh Grated Nutmeg 5. 1/4 teaspoon Ground Cloves 6. 1/4 cup Brandy or Cognac 7. 1/2 dozen eggs and 1/4 cup heavy cream 8. 2 pounds cooked hot Italian sausage In a mixing bowl, mix: 1/2 dozen eggs, heavy cream and grated spices ( If you use fresh grated spices then you wouldn't need as much.) The Raisin Challah bread should be a day old and slightly hard Pour egg mixture and Cognac over the bread as well Cook till well done the hot Italian Sausage, boil them first, the take out of casing and brown in a skillet with fresh garlic pour crumble down the middle. Bake at 350 degrees for an hour and a half. The eggs must be completely cooked. Test by using a knife if the knife comes out c

Many people in the event planning whether it is a TV production, a make-up demo, or even a party, are a little tired of people who come to events, just for the "swag factor." Granted there are events that we will go to because to keep our audience informed on the latest trends in beauty, health, etc. we do get product to test so we can write, so it results in the sales for the brand and the company. But, we noticed people who just show up at events just for the swag, who have no connection to the event or who do not even want to enjoy the event, but they come to what we call shop. This becomes so annoying to everyone because people begin to notice repeat offenders, which leads me to question why are we going to certain events? If you knew a church was giving out free cars would you go just for the car? You should go to the event for the experience of it first! Last Friday we went to a charity event which was magical, the event was held at the New York Public Librar

2015, certainly has seen our share of heartbreak and disappointments. We learned as being "Positive Peeps" if things are not working out let it go, the people who are in life are a reflection of who we are even on a subconscious basis. One staffer had a person who had woman stalker, both aren't gay but this staff wanted "friends" and a "boyfriend" so bad that she appeared desperate and stalkerish, until someone showed herself. Another person was name dropping because she had to prove herself as a child and a minority adult, until she met a guy and all he did was name drop. Now, me I recognized that a person I thought was "amazing" but when I really observed this person, they had anger and jealousy issues and was extremely mean spirited, but in a moment in temporary insanity, I reached out and this person proved everything that I initially observed. Also, when you are networking, networking can lead into friendship but, remember busi

The Holiday Season is ALL about fun GLAM and SPARKLE!! But, don't overdo things: we are calling this subtle glam everywhere you go there are people taking pictures or want to take your pics. Here are our new finds: Foundation: Clinique has a foundation formulated for people who break out. We highly recommend this product. Beauty tip: When you apply your foundation and concealer with a disposable applicator sponge. Then take a large foundation brush and sweep it all over your face, this will set the foundation, without it looking caked. Cheeks: We are not contouring or strobing. However, the best blushes to give color without using a bronzer is : 1. CoverGirl: Rock N Rose 2. NYX: Amber 3. Mac: Razin 4. YSL: Burgundy Eyes: Wearing gold accessories: 1.Revlon Photoready Eye Art, in 100 Topaz Twinkle 2.Wearing Silver then it is Revlon Photoready: Eye Art in Blue How to wear it? You can wear this by using the glitter for a Cat Eye, or you can use it by lining the t

Target had a major beauty sale and we just had to check it out..... For our skin we are using as many all natural beauty products as we can. 1. Jason Body Wash in Calming Lavender:  Jason's products contain no parabens, SLS, Petrolatum, Artificial Colors or Phthalates, so this is as pure as product as you are going to get. 2. Regular Bic Silky Touch: When one of our staffers had a scare last year that sent her to the doctor, she was told not to use any triple blades, because the hair underneath a women's arm is very fine and most "lady" razors are actually men's blades. Once you nick yourself you can inflame your lymph nodes or it even lead to infection. 3. Cover Girls: Lip Lava For special events we chose a dark red over a flaming red matte looks like a Shiny Red Apple. Always use gloss even if it is over the matte for moisturizing effects. Another Lip Lava we used bought is what we called a purple sequins for those days when you need a pop of color w

We were playing around with cookie dough and this is what we came up with Take a basic sugar cookie dough recipe to make: Dark n Stormy 1. Use 2 lbs. of sugar cookie dough 2. 1 bottle of Jamaican Ginger Beer 3. 5 Tablespoons of Captain Morgan's rum 4. Fresh nutmeg, grated 1 teaspoon 5. 1 teaspoon of Cinnamon Mix all ingredients together cut into shapes and bake in an 350 degree oven till well done.

So it's that time of year when we make our own suggestions for the holidays BloomThat This is a florist on demand, you forgot your spouse's anniversary, birthday, or you are going out on a date and forgot to be gentleman and pick up some flowers. Well Bloom That has you covered all you have to do is select a bouquet and within 90 min. It is delivered to you or that person. It is currently in Manhattan and Brooklyn and San Francisco, but this company is something that we heart because it takes out the 2 day wait through traditional florist and let's face it flowers at the grocery store don't have that elegant feel. One We met the co founder back in July, who said he was going to replace traditional passports. He was going to do it through his technology of One, which is a smart card for all your travel needs. I didn't fully appreciate his pitch until planning a vacation and realized my passport expired and had to wait over 8 weeks for a new one. With his techno

2016 is less than five weeks away, what have you done? Well go 2015 in a celebration! I was at a career conference this fall and someone was so frustrated that Women over 40 businesses were not being funded. So here is a list of incubator programs and want well thought out business plans regardless of age. 1. UBS and Rent the Runway Fashion Tech Incubator. Applications for next year are due soon, but your application has to include technology in your business plan. Remember technology need not be fancy, but practical Rent the Runway prides itself in including technology in their dry cleaning. Natalia knit dresses prides their line in using robots to knit there dresses. Like anything know who your  market know your investors. WE Entrepreneurs Festival This was founded 5 years ago by Joanne Wilson, an investor, but also a big foodie. Her past investments have included The Brooklyn Smasgasborg, Hot Bread Kitchen, and if you follow her blog Gotham Gal, she is always taking picture

We know we wrote an article about holiday stress, but that actually is to protect yourself from Holiday leeches. But, as Bing Crosby Sang It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year! So how in preparation for the holidays, we should take better care of our selves in advance. 1. Load Up on Sleep 8 hours for real. 2. Schedule your holiday calendar in order of importance. 3. Don't go to a late night party, then host a brunch the next day. 4. Go two days make up free. This will give your skin a chance to breathe and your nerves a chance to settle. Too much stimulus is no good either. 5. Eat properly fiber, fiber, fiber....so that you won't be bloated or constipated. 6. Vitamins- My vitamin regiment consists of B 12 injections, Vitamin D, CoQ10 and Vitamin C. They are excellent and I purchase them from high quality store such as inVite which will be more expensive but they are worth it in so many ways. 7. Consider doing one charitable thing for the holiday season. You don&

We read the @allure beauty list of all the top drug store cosmetics and figured why not give it a try. Besides we do a lot of blending of colors with lips and eye shadow so here's what we got: Rimmel London- Extra Thick Eyeliner If you want super thick cat eyes this is the color. Shea Moisturizer Lip Gloss We have it in Orange with our blending of a little pigment looks great with a bronzer. Cover Girl Queen in a deep berry is the same as Trish McCovy matte berry stain. Our trusted Lava Lip in rich red almost with Maybelline true Red Matte is amazing. Nails Very important, the guy at Target said his mother told him to always check out a young women's nails, if they are chipped or not polished don't mess with her. We got : Rapshody Red from Sally Hensen's gel line. Terra Cotta also from their gel line. Pink Sliver nail polish from a unknown brand. Christmas Green and Sliver Sparkles for your friends annual Ugly Sweater Party. General rules of safety for b

Cleaning up before our date arrives So how can we learn to prepare ourselves for our true soul mate. 1. Take inventory of your life if you had any type of abuse, whether it was sexual, emotional, psychological manipulation, etc. Deal with it! Even if you need to book time with a therapist. 2. Forgive the offenders and don't say to them I forgive you, because some people are so sick, they will turn the tables and deny everything. 3. Practice self love by being more aware of people, be present and be aware. Take care of your health, get check ups, neccessary screenings. Mediate! 4. Notice the red flags in people Any form of anger is No, No, (I don't care of their position.) Jealousy certain people in a relationship men and women can't stand when another partner is more successful. Suspicious, is a major RED FLAG! 5. Allow good people to come into your life. If a person wants to listen to you for hours on the phone, without phone sex, you have a winner. 6. Write down

Why should you put a warning sign for the Holiday Season? A lot of Holiday stress can be avoided by people who are naturally inclined to give to STOP! The world is not going to come to an end because you didn't go into debt or you didn't feel false guilt to give undeserving people your treasures. Instead there are people who would love to lavish you with gifts and praises. You don't need to find them they will come to you when you get rid of the leeches. Certain people have used you as the host, you know bacteria but, your antiseptic to them is NO! Don't be mean about things, just decline the invites of people who you know are out for your goodness. No it's not ungodly, as a member of a religious community to say NO. In fact in Christianity Jesus, never chased people to be blessed, he also said NO by retreating for rest, relaxation and mediation. Remember you can't give from an empty cup. So this holiday season make it your point to say NO to the leeches

We hear a lot about detoxs, juicing, fasting, but we don't hear a lot is about vitamins. Okay drink your OJ because it is good for you. But, why?? Because it has Vitamin C which is essential for the immune system but it is powerful against aging. Many beauty serums today are made with some potent form of Vitamin C to prevent or reverse aging. But why not just eat the fruit or take a doctor's order supplement. Another powerful vitamin is B 12, which the body naturally produces, unfortunately some people like myself produce so little of the vitamin a doctor's shot is needed. Doctor will only order it if your base line is low and they did a complete blood panel. B 12 is so important because it protects your body's nervous system. Anyone who suffers from anxiety is probably taking B12 along with a prescription anti aniexty medication. Ever get a major migraine, and didn't know why? Check your liver panel with your doctor a diet that is rich in proccessed foods would

You may think that department stores are going out of business and are obsolete. Not true and here's the reason why: 1. Many specialty stores such as Sephora only sell the best selling brands of make up and body products. So if you want a specific item from a YSL collection or Bobbi Brown collection, department stores carry the full collection because they can afford the licensing fees associated with those brands. 2. Fashion Well I just go to Beacons Closet or Goodwill stores, it is cheaper, not necessarily true, we did a price comparison and for two dresses and a pair of pants, would have cost the same, had you bought it at Saks. Also, many Fashion Directors for such stores the brilliant Ken Downing for Nieman Marcus comes to mind has an excellent trained eye for detail, what pieces can legally hold up under store lights and the ease of transport to and from manufacturer. They buffer counterfeit goods: Many goods you get unless it is at the designers own store, and you get

Fall is here and already the holiday season is among us, here's a dessert you can make for brunch or Thanksgiving dinner. Apple Galette: Take one pound of MacIntosh Apples and peel and core them. Cut to slices and pour lemon juice on them. Dough Take pizza dough and on a flour cutting board roll out the dough. Take melted butter and put in the bottom of a baking sheet. Put the dough on the baking sheet and cover until ready to bake. Apples: 1. Take one tablespoon of Ginger Cloves Cinnamon All Spice Toss and coat the apples accordingly. Take a large skillet and use organic butter and place the apples in the skillet with 1/4 cup of rasins and 1/4 cup of Whisky or Bourbon, until Apples are soft and the alcohol is for flavor. Allow to cool off the stove. Set your oven at 350 degrees Uncover the dough spread the Apple mixture on to the dough and bake for 45 minutes until the dough is throughly cooked. You can serve for your Thanksgiving Meal or for Tea Time. Cheers t

Okay, so you are hosting your Halloween Cocktail Party for 15 to 20. Here's some crowd pleasers: Hungarian Paprika Chicken Wings Take 7 pounds of raw chicken wings that are cleaned with vinegar and lemon juice. Pat Dry Take Hungarian Paprika both the Spicy and Sweet kind and throughly rub the chicken wings with the mixture cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Next morning defrost chicken wings bring it up to room temperature, then toss again with olive oil. Bake at 350 degrees til chicken is done. Take out and cool. Devil Eggs Boil 4 dozen eggs in a stock pot all at once to ensure eggs are cooked evenly at the same time. When eggs are cooking make the dressing for the egg yolks that you will pipe in later. Dressing: 1 cup mayonnaise 1 bottle of capers 2 Tablespoons of curry 1/4 cup of Worcestershire Sauce Blend well After eggs have cooled and you have the egg yolks in a bowl blend with the dressing, so that every thing is an even consistentcy. Pipe i

Many parents ask "I didn't know that!" Our thought is well there is Google for the past month we volunteered with a major mentoring organization that does exactly what they say. Although we are on the fundraising team, every time we go to the headquarters there are adults, who are making a difference in a child's life through home work help and tons of extra cultural activities. But, here's our list of other organizations that will assist children: ABC - A Better Chance places students on a need base program to competitive high school boarding schools. How do they get prepared academically for those exams? SEO Sponsorship for Educational Opportunity, which provides academic tutoring from elementary schools straight to college internships. Oliver's Scholars: This is another program that rigoursly prepares students for academic competitive fields and schools. Posse Foundation This foundation prepares students for free academic scholarships to competiti

Many of us feel threatened when we meet someone who is better credentialed or better looking or even funnier than ourselves. After going to several conferences and business meetings this year we have all concluded that FEAR is the underlying source of competition. Some would say competition is great it keeps you on your toes. It is good to know who is the same space, who is doing the most innovative things, but that is research and being aware of your industry. Competition always comes from a negative place. It comes from a place of insecurity and it is very subtle. Some one may be in the position to recruit you for ideal position, but feels jealous because you went to a better school than did, so they would drag out the hiring process or pick your brain for company or industry solutions. You tell them then you don't get the job and see your ideas on BuzzFeed as the next greatest thing. Competition in the volunteer space, you may have owned your event planning firm got burned o

Last Friday we went to the Fashionista Con, conference held at the Highline Stages in the Meat Packing District in NYC. So another conference when people tell you how great they are right ? Wrong... What was very interesting was the key note speaker Bobbi Brown of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics. She is a very practical business woman, which is why she at the head of a billion dollar company. The most important chord she struck was she tells everyone in her company and sales associates to listen to the customer, let them vent, cry because you never know what people are going through. Flashback December 26, 2014. I walked into a luxury department store wanting to make a purchase for a family member who likes Bobbi Brown Cosmetics When the total amount of the purchase came up, l couldn't afford it and I had a meltdown. The Bobbi Brown counter person assisting me listened gave me a tissue then gave me a deep discount. He and Bobbi Brown Cosmetics has a customer for life.  The owners me

It's that time of the year when, we need to change our beauty game, Fall weather is setting in our skin needs a little more TLC. We found this great new scrub: Frank Body: It 's made from Ground Coffee Brown Sugar and Sea Salt Cold Pressed Almond Oil Orange Essence It really does slough off any and all dead skin, it is rough but it well worth a try. Leaders Insolution: This mask the Mediterranean Olive Brightening Mask Is true their claim it brightens dull and tired skin It improves uneven skin tone Minimizes viable dark spots which is excellent! What about a moisturizing lotion? There's a new cream from Korea called Belif. Belif is very light but has a deep moisture, which is great because if you don't like the heaviness of a nut butter, then this is the product for you, now being sold at Sephora. The Eyes: It Cosmetics has a wonderful mascara primer. It lifts and seperates all lashes before you put on your mascara, you need this to prevent clumping of

Fall is here and so is cuddling season. But beware who you cuddle up to because it could have some horrible side effects. If you are not in a good place in your life whether it is financially, emotionally or other wise avoid relationships at all costs. True story feeling sorry myself started retail therapy, then people are so nice as I bought a wrinkle cream that is designed for people in their late 50's , but he was so nice, he made the commission not me and I had so much product, I had to give some away. Then the scent guy oh yeah, he 's the one who took your proposal have not heard anything back from the company, but the samples. As a friend pointed out the sample is an eighth your fingernail and it is only one so sample not samples. And what about the server at the restaurant his flair for lighting the Baked Alaska, until another friend reminded me of a famous actress whose first husband was a waiter and then tried to black mail her with a sex tape. So, back to the dr

Face Trauma?? No, I did not make that up! When you are under extreme stress, job, divorce, bad break up, loss of job, etc. Your body goes through trauma so does your mind. The common form of face trauma is acne or severe acne that looks like boils. Everyone would say Accutane or Retina A but a very good dermatologist would say no. Allow the trauma to come through, ha because if you treat your face prematurely, you can actually damage your face with the medicine and treatments. During break outs there's a couple of things you can do 1. Your hair has to completely away from your face. Updo hair styles are key. 2. Wash your face with gentle products even baby products are key. 3. Drink 8 glasses of water and hot water with lemon. 4.  As for make up only lipstick or gloss. 5. Bold statement earrings this detracts from your face trauma. When you come through then you can go and get treatments that will lift the scarring and use a foundation for Acne Prone skin such as Cliniqu

When you think of Fashion Tech, you think of rings that serve as chargers, Watching Cartoons on your back pack. However, when we were at a Fashion Tech Panel sponsored by Dell/Intel we met a Parsons Design School grad who while working within the industry noticed something alarming. While on a sourcing trip she noticed that girls where going blind while making kit dresses. She still loved fashion and design but could not live with the fact that she was attributing to this plight. This is where fashion technology comes in, she partnered with an mechanical engineering company to create robots that would create her knit dresses. The quality of the NATALIA line is amazing!  So when fashion people think of fashion technology, it can be as easy as creating a robot to make a wonderful garment. NATALIA 's line has been featured in O Magazine and other fashion publications and NATALIA has a New York Show Room on Madison Ave. This is one way fashion technology does not have to be tota

Have you ever come against an obstacle that is so great that you wanted to curl up in a ball and cry till 2029. Or just become paralyzed in self pity. I remember being called into a supervisor's office and being told that I was being written up for not saying hello to the Operations Department, during trading hours. I couldn't believe it, so I started to cry , my boss at the time told me if you are going to cry better have trades processed before after trading hours start. Fast forward to today, I have come against some major obstacles, until a woman told me about a book The Obstacle Is The Way by Ryan Holiday. This book is the most practical self help book there is he promises no quick fixes, or pie in the sky, but practical solutions which is action, iteration, and solutions. The teaches one to think about the problems as lessons and new ways of doing things and not to get stuck.  Again if you have to cry, cry but cry doing something. As we are in motion around and obst

So we have been out and about looking for new products and experiences This is what we heart for this week: People's Ice This is shaved ice with a choice of syrups. We had Apple syrup with Burbon, which is absolutely amazing! A night of skiing this would warm you up with out being over bearing. By Kilian This comes from the grandson of the Cognac Hennessey. The fragrance I heart is intoxicated, so light yet woodsy totally amazing. Wink Bar So many beauty places to choose from, but this is the first time I had my brows threaded and it didn't feel as though electricrity was  going through my body. John Allan Grooming for Men This is your one stop source for all things grooming for men from hot towel shaves, manicures, pedicures and a ice cold brew to go along with the services. Monthly Box This is the girl's girls box, with a pair of comfy socks, chocolate and a choice of a feminine hygiene product. It is a gift box for college coed 's , but it is still worth

NYFW is officially over, however we attended College Fashion Week sponsored by Her Campus. Her Campus is an organization that promotes healthy college living for female students nationwide, it is not only for Ivy League students, but for every young woman in a college. Over Columbus Day Weekend, I attended a Her Campus College Fashion Show in NYC with over 1500 others. We are habitually early, so we got a chance to meet the proud parents who spoke of how her daughter turned bullying into inspirational videos. We spoke to another parent of a child who was elated to be selected as Fashion Show Participant, having overcome body issues. Then there where the young women who was there as guests who were biotechnology majors at City University and Education majors from a private Catholic University. What I loved about this event was the inclusion of all races and body types and the parental support. Also, the many young women who are in college and are making a difference through their o

Well it's that time of year where you just invited friends over for an impomtu binge watching of scary movies. So what do you serve? Easy, Chicken Fingers and Fries, quick easy and easy clean up. To make things adult, a spicy Thai dipping sauce. With edamame along with carrots and celery. So you want to have fun yet feel adult so the pumpkin face plates aren't going to work, go to your favorite neighborhood Chinese Food restaurant and ask if you could get or buy plain take out cartons. We did and they just gave to us because we are loyal customers. So what goes well with chicken fingers and spicy Thai sauce in terms of beverage? Moscato white wine, this is the only alcoholic beverage I have  with spicy food that does not give a burn in the back of your throat. Adult snacks Maple Bacon Pop corn, Pop the popcorn in bacon fat just enough to pop the kernels, when the popcorn is throughly popped, then drizzle maple syrup reduction with Apple Crown Royal Whiskey until thick.

Many of us are still recovering from NYFW, but October is here and starting this weekend here is what is in store: October 3, 2015 Michelle Phan wants you to be inspired and empowered. She and the Ipsy Team will have a two day conference on all things beauty and the business of beauty. Tickets are completely sold out for this event. October 12, 2015 Her Campus is having a NYC fashion show and you can be it as well. Her Campus is a Harvard based group that has conferences on Business, How to thrive on campus and College Fashion Week is no different, every one gets a chance to walk the run way. And get beauty products in the meantime. October 17, 2015 The uber cool Beauty Con comes to NYC and it's all about meeting the latest You Tube stars, Bloggers and Lifestyle experts who are going to show you how to strobe, contour, and clown, your make up of course. But this conference is truly amazing in that it takes the people that you are connecting with on line to an intimate settin

Okay so all the tabloids covered Allison Williams wedding, where her aisle was a dirt trail in the beautiful Wyoming Country Side and her reception was in a glammed out barn. Well, she is not the only bride to embrace this country chic wedding. A friend of mine got married in the Adirondack s in an open field, her reception was in a barn, with, a formal band for entrance and a DJ for the rest of the reception. Her food and wine were all locally sourced from the area, which was excellent. She also had lighted tents where guests could stay, the ultimate in glamping and her both sides of the family, when she and her husband left, had a bonfire and told of old stories well into the night. So, those over the top platinum weddings of the early 2000 have faded and now we are into Country Rustic Glam Weddings. Cheers to the Great Outdoors!!

You ever wanted something soft, warm, a little crunch, and salty and sweet at the same time? Well, you are in luck because at an event, they served warm soft pretzel bites with a sweet and spicy mustard caviar on top. It's the soft pretzel elevated in so many great ways. I felt like downing the whole tray but, I didn't, it goes great with hard cider or a sparkling wine. Absolutely, a great treat when you want something homey yet elevated. Cheers to the creator of this!!!

What is really big for fall and winter is the dark berry stain, but if you are pale it comes across as Goth. So here comes Gerard Cosmetics founded by a Vlogger who has highly pigmented colors with out the severe look, we love her bright lilac if you mix it with a silver lipstick under it it comes out wonderful. Also her brick red is a warm brown that highlights any skin tone. Her whole line is amazing and can be found at@Ricky'sNYC. Cheers to the celebrating the wonderful make up that complements your fall and winter wardrobe!

So, we are a week late, but we had to really decide on the traditional or on what we saw in terms of NYFW. For this Fall every now is fringing it and the open back sweater with a zipper is amazing. We also saw for Spring that Athleisure is going to be really big, from old time tennis dresses, you can wear to Spring Cocktail party's. What is big right now are Pointe Pants which are Spandex and cotton blend. They can be worn dressy or for work. The best Pointe Pants are from Athelta. In the North East many people go into dark color looks. However, I say lighten it up, if you are wearing a Maroon color sweater dress then brighten it up by wearing a creme color sports jacket. Also, leather backpacks are a wonderful God Send, they ease a lot of the stress that we ladies put on our shoulders. As for shoes calf length booties are in with full fur trim. Coach has wonderful calf length booties they are branching out into the world of fashion. Also we are seeing a rebirth of the 90

Today's Foodie Friday is a wonderful dish that I had growing up on Friday! Fish Stew 2 lbs of King Fish Steak s 1 Onion 1 Carrot 2 Cloves of Garlic 4 Sprigs of Fresh Thyme 4 Sprigs of Chives 1 Can of Fresh Tomatos Clean the fish In a pot saute: Garlic Onions Carrots With fresh or dried herbs in Olive Oil , when vegetables are soften, then put the Can of Tomato with Kosher Salt. Leave on stove for an hour, then place King Fish into the tomato base, reduce and slow cook every thing. Serve in bowls hot with boiled cooked plantains. Cheers to a great dish that is healthy on so many levels!

Ok so we went on a bit of a hiatus, now we are back, today's Foodie Friday is a celebration of summer. Beer Battered Fish Hush Puppies Cole Slaw Green Tea Lemonade Peaches Cobbler with Vanilla Ice Cream. We started out with 6 pounds of Peaches, we marinaded them in Burbon, Vanilla, Cinnamon and Sugar. Let that sit for two hours. We made the biscuit dough thanks to William Sonoma cobbler mix. Then we worked on the Hush Puppy mix Using Cornmeal, dried chives, dried onions, chilli powder and mixed two eggs, one egg yolk, and 1/4 cup of milk. We set that aside for 30 min. Getting back to our peaches in a large baking dish we put butter and the bottom and sides of the dish, then added some sugar, put the Peaches in the baking dish with the raw dough mix and cook it for 2 hours. We put cinnamon sugar on top so that it would give and nice caramelized brown. Hush Puppies Mix is all set, We added  Canola Oil to our deep fryer waited until the oil was hot a bubbly then, dropped

Year 2015 we are entering the final quarter of the year. I love my fellow tech entrepreneurs, I am kinda one of you, so here is my wish list: 1. If you are doing anything mobile start with Android, then we you break even you can switch to ioS. More Android users than Apple. 2. If you have a on demand alcohol service, include a signature drink mix, that's how you make real money. Or throw in Bartending services. 3. Figure out a way for job seekers to send resumes without giving employers access to their Google Drive or Entire Hard Drive, even USB.  Invent resume dropbox only. 4. Beauty Apps Glam Squad, Beautylish, and other on demand beauty apps, have stylists who are trained in ethnic hair, and bi racial hair. Venture out of Manhattan some times as well. 5. Shopping Apps and stylists Apps, in this space we need fast fashion stores and online portals for plus size women. Size 8 and up is considered plus size. Also, I don't need another discount and your technology guy is at

Fashionistas will flock to NYC starting Monday and stay until the end of the month. So what do you need for the busiest month in NYC? 1. Glam Glow Mud to Foam exfoliating cleanser. This product is safe to use every day and with the heat of the NYC streets it can be tough on the skin. 2. Speaking of Exfoliating Any Shea Moisture Scrub is a friend of mind it is sugar based with all of moisture of Shea Butter as a base, so there is no need for lotion. 3. Love Honey? Then you need to try Hey Honey face mask, which you put on after you exfoliation for two minutes, then you rinse off. You skin will look amazing as though you have a natural glow. 4. Feet,  Everyone will be in heels and smiling through the pain, but not you because you will have Dr. Scholl's on to comfort your feet even if you are wearing flats. 5. Nails, I like to keep it classy in Pinks for the days and Reds for the evening. Nail art is kinda done, except for this shining metallic that looks like mirrors, just a

As part of going back to school, many parents who have children with Diabetes often wonder if they are going to the school nurse to take their medicine. Or children with diabetes often feel embarrassed, when there Mom's tell the coach to call a time out, because again they have to take medicine. Accu-Chek the maker of glucose test strips for diabetic patients have used technology to ease parents fears and have children with diabetes live normal lives. The Accu-Chek Connect system is an integrated meter, app, and online portal which is designed to give you a window into your child's diabetes management any place and at any location. It is designed so auto generated texts let you know glucose levels whenever your child tests, this way it gives you the parent a greater peace of mind and it ensures that your child is getting their medicine. For more information please visit http://www.accu-chek.com/getconnected. This device is sold exclusively at Walgreens. Thanks to Accu-C

So, end of summer here are dishes and sweets that we couldn't get enough of : We Heart: Spicy Grilled Shrimp over a bed of lettuce. The Shrimp was marinaded in olive oil lime and red chilli flakes that's it! Lettuce was plain with a little raspberry balsamic. Crispy Oven Baked Chicken We did turn on the oven and it was great.  We butterflied the chicken breast lemon juice, garlic and ginger and baked at 375 for 30 min, skin was crispy and meat was moist and we served it with plain avocado. Insomnia Cookies These cookies are the best! We were in the Meatpacking District one night and shared a Smore Cookie. Amazing!!!! They have Snickerdoodle, Classic Chocolate Chip. We don't bake from scratch that is why we have William Sonoma. This summer for get togethers we had Pecan Brownies Mix Love the Shortcake Mix that we made our blueberry mint cobbler Chocolate Stout Cake we did find a recipe for Peanut Butter Mouse. So the Chocolate Stout Cake Mix with Peanut Butter M

When is the last time you visited someone who had a chronic illness? Did you ever get nervous when left alone with that person for fear of they got sick, you would not know how to handle the situation? Even if you call 911, they ask you for the person's symptoms and other health related questions. However, the pharmaceutical company Merck has a wonderful digital download cheat sheet that is mobile for symptoms, most common ailments, and pill identification. There is a professional version available. The reason I like this product is when you visit the elderly or your friend, you do not have to be fearful should an emergency arises. Now, this is not for self diagnosis or diagnosing others out of the blue, but it is a wonderful resource that gives anyone peace of mind, especially if that some one is a parent or a sibling. They even have a Trending Health Topics, which lists common medical tests, so if you have to go for a test and need some reassuring this is the go to site.

This Sept. of O Mag featured her BFF Gayle King, donating things, and organizing everything else. It even inspired me to take a harsh look at my closet and what I really needed and things that I need to chuck. As I was walking one sunny morning in my parents neighborhood, I saw two yard sales- yes I passed them by, and a mother and daughter loading up the car, ask I asked " You read the Sept. Issue of O Mag. about getting rid of clutter!" We all laughed and said "YES!" The good thing about getting rid of physical clutter it frees your mind to think clearly and effectively. I had over 10 pairs of jeans and  fashion jewelry that was out dated. Fashionista's note: The statement necklace is no longer in fashion, layered delicate necklaces and or hanging necklaces and hoop earrings for a casual everyday look is in, statement studs are in as well. As for books, there is a library around my parent's home that has not had new books since 2008, so why I am

Hello Positive Peeps! We have been busy working and finding some amazing things that are practical but fun for everyone. As we head back to work and school, we learned that all seasonal transitions do not have be stressful. Keep on CHUNKING!!! Best, Positivexpert

When I was in grad school, and were told to read 2000 pages a night, which was impossible, we all learned the secret to success, which chunking. CHUNKING?? Chunking actually forces you to break down large pieces of information into the smallest compounds. For example, it is Back to Work and Back to School, everyone is feeling the stressed out. So for me I used this system which helps to keep me focused and it minimizes stress. Monday--Career Day and Meetings Tuesday-- Personal Care: Whether after work you book into get your hair or nails done, you are doing something just for you. Wednesday-- House Work, devote 45 min. to clean straighten up your living space, do laundry, get the dry cleaning. Thursday--Fun Friday-- Fun Saturday- Grocery Shopping and Errands Sunday--Cook for the Week This is one example of chunking and how chunking works can work for you and minimize stress. Cheers to a Chunk!!1

We were out and about and we discovered some great things: Clothing and Accessories: Atheleta: It is so much more than yoga pants, it is dresses that you wear to the office, to run errands, and after working out throw on a dress and heels for date night and you are good to go...Plus all of their stores are wonderful communal places to sample a class, a new workout beverage, and of course shop. Check them out at  athelta.com Folli Follie: This is our go to brand in terms of accessories, they have wonderful studs, hoops, but do not forget the handbags, the bags are well made and elegant. Check them out at  FolliFollie.com Don't Ask Why? If you like Urban Outfitters, Brandy Melville, this is your store, the retro chic of everything is amazing. They have a tee shirt that says "No I Am Not Stalking You, I Am Just Investigating!"  So funny, they have everything and everything including the coffee tables are for sale. They are in pre launch so you have to check them ou

How did Nextflix get the two hottest shows in Hollywood? The House of Cards and Orange is the New Black? Hulu is next with their premiere of a slate of new comedies. How did Birchbox become the makeup go to store all of sudden? Discovering the next biggest thing is the easiest thing. 1. Always look at the trends within the fringe market. For years in Hollywood, scripts use to get rejected all the time, just by a looking a the cover page, until a company called The Black List came about and started to mentor an shop around all rejected scripts. Now, if a writer is rejected through traditional means, they can always take that script to some where else Nextflix and Hulu democratize a writer's dream. Many people who have years in production who were laid off at traditional companies are now employed at Nextflix, Hulu and others started their own production companies with legitimate financial backing because they have experience and people embraced the fringe. 2. Birchbox is b

Many people would think you are crazy for leaving a JOB, but if you are true to yourself sometimes you can't work anyone else in a crazy environments. Or in my case when I graduated school there were NO jobs, so I had to create a job which is now my brand. Back to the title what building a brand has taught ME: 1. Live Your Brand In brand building you need to be consistent, you online message has got be the same with your offline message. I do live positivexpert, the best thing about creating positivexpert is that it has forced me to change-- people who meet me and we have a conversation say two things, wow I learn a lot and you are positive- bingo my brand is established. 2. Frugality Rocks You have to be frugal in your endeavors, unless you are a multi- million dollar celebrity you can not show up to a business meeting in the latest Chanel. Being frugal can be loads of fun of as well, when we buy clothes it is often because there was a door buster sale when it was 70 per

Well, it was three years ago when we decided to take a leap of faith and launch Positivexpert. Many people ask me so you were always an ray of sunshine and wanted to share that with people? No, actually Positivexpert has forced me and everyone to see the bright side in a world of chaos confusion and sometimes darkness. What we hope all of our readers take away from Positivexpert that opportunities exist within all of us and sometimes you don't have to look too far to seize the good that life offers us everyday. We never thought when we started this that it would take me on a wonderful journey and that we would meet some great people. Positivexpert has really opened up doors not only for myself, but others and that is what we hope we will continue to do, bring you the best and always give you a something practical to use. We love and appreciate all of you and hope that you continue to "Ride Our Ride!" In Gratitude, The Positivexpert Team

A few short years ago everyone couldn't wait when their POPSUGAR, BIRCHBOX, or other specialty boxes arrived. I know at one point I was up to 10 subscription boxes with our monthly battle of the boxes posts. But as the market shifted people really don't like subscription boxes anymore and here are some reasons: 1. If you live in a major city then you can go to any store and get the same products without shipping and handling. 2. Many people choose to go shopping now to determine if the shopping experience including customer service was worth spending money on that product, which most beauty brands give to subscription boxes. 3. Customers know when beauty brands that were "stale" are trying to rebrand themselves by giving beauty samples or promotional items to vendors. 4. Certain customers express that they would love to see new products and gift cards not coupons to retailers, without knowing that many new businesses can't afford to give away anything

We found a list of things that you should check out during the summer months in NYC. 1. Surfing Lessons- Yes, there is a bus that leaves from the LES round trip 40.00 to surf learn and surf the entire day in the Rockaways, you should also check out the Arepa and fish taco stand with watermelon agua fresca while you are out there. 2. Daybreakers Before step and repeats and Celebrity DJ's who use an Apple playlist, Bottle Service, there was a place where you can go and enjoy yourself and just dance. We found that Daybreakers have exactly just that kind of feel, just go and dance and not be bothered about others, yes you socialize no silent disco's but the vibe is so good it is addicting. 3. Private and Art Clubs There are several private clubs that have a small intimate setting where people discuss topics over a meal, think old European Salon's- Fairweather Access and Culturehoarde come to mind when I think about these exclusive escapes from the daily grind, with peo

It is that time again when we give you the best of the best in terms of what we sampled and thought was really great. Food and Drink: Move Over Procesco it is Moscato! Moscato: This is a sweet bubbly Italian wine that goes great with spicy food, without giving your mouth a tingle after you had an alcoholic beverage. Loacker Noir Orange: Think of an English tea biscuit with orange cream covered it dark chocolate, it is great treat, serve it cold for the summer months. Cold Beet Juice: Yes, we must include something healthy, after you finished boiling beets and have that liquid, get a clean pitcher and put it in the fridge, it is refreshing and great for blood pressure! Seasonal Fruit Pies: Stone Fruit and Pineapple Use these fresh fruits with a red wine reduction and with a Brown Sugar and Granola topping. Excellent- Bake Open Face, it you want a crust then use a frozen whole wheat dough from Whole Foods. Beauty: Elizabeth Arden: Lip Gloss Bright Purple- Violet, Put t

Many people have great ideas and many VC's force people to act in a team, they want to see that you work well together to build a company. Well, in the early stages of VC funding you are really building your business by yourself, especially if it unique to your narrative and the void in the market place that you are trying to fill. So, you building your business but you need a business partner, especially if you tried all the platforms out there and still need major cash. What are the traits that you should look for in business partner: 1. Is this person a serial entrepreneur? This is could be a bad thing because they only looking to build something to cash out fast and has no vested interest in the long term horizon of your business. 2. Is this person consistent? Some people are consistently a nice person or consistently an arrogant person but is a whiz in another area that you need. In either case, you should not have to deal with a person who changes with the wind. You

Some people are subconsciously mean and don't realize it. Here are some characteristics to find out if you are a mean person: 1. You question how friends and family got there success instead of being happy for them, no questions asked. 2. Do you bad mouth or exclude someone who has more education and experience than you ? 3.Do you go behind someone's back to find out if they are qualified for a position? 4. Do you use one bad thing in that person's past as ransom or to justify you doing an investigation on them, you say you are protecting the people around you, but your not. 5. Do you believe every negative thing that some has said about someone? If you have truthfully, answer yes to any of these questions: 1. You are a mean person who acts out of fear and lack. 2. You are not comfortable with your own achievements. 3. You are not a person who open to learning new things from people whom you think are less than you. 4. You can't handle change so

We are taking a break from our summer fun because we have been noticing a trend. And we care about you so this is one of our tip sheets. Summer Tips: 1. Never ask a small business owner to do you a favor unless you know them for at least one year. 2. When at a professional based cocktail party, only say one sentence per person and make it unique not vulgar. 3. Always say please and thank you when someone has done you a favor. 4. Always show up with a small token when invited to someone's home. 5. Never pick someone's brain, and only ask one question related to your business, then keep it moving. 6. When attending an event, go for the event--purpose and just for swag and don't take more than one gift bag, unless you are willing to pay for it! You are not shopping! 7. When someone does you a favor, if you found that there information was helpful, say it to their face, no one wants to get talked about, even if it is in a positive way. Gossip is Gossip. 8. Rem

How do you get your steps in and cardio on in a heat advisory? We found some great fun ways to get fit and slim it down this summer: 1. Soul Cycle for a Charity- Last week it is when they had there Soul Cycle for vh1.com Save the Music Foundation where you listened to Jason Durelo music for 45 min. and worked up a sweat. 2. Stretching and Yoga at BlogHer- Where the top bloggers in the country convened so did the most amazing experience of stretching and Yoga in a cool dark room, with other like minded individuals. 3. Well and Good They had on that same day Yoga at the Beach in Montauk, LI at Surf's Lodge. You could have participated or hung out on the beach with others drinking healthy cocktails or have your hair braided. check out other www.wellandgood.com  activities such as Hip Hop Yoga or Cardio on the Beach at the end of August. Of course SELF magazine got us on the right foot at the beginning of the summer with their round robin day of different work out options

As more of us are aging and aging well, we have a huge 60 plus market that have a lot of wealth and stability are looking to start businesses or want to be included in the technology of today. When we were at BlogHer Conference, they were several women whom we met who were over 60, who wanted us to do branding for them, or explain how to them how to twitter, or do a Google Plus Chat, and how to set up their blog. When people think of the elderly and see Brad Pitt on the cover of AARP this isn't a true representation of a Senior Citizen. Why we do need to create technology for the 60 plus market: 1. They own mulitple homes and are cultured. 2. They are the last generation that have  true generational wealth and are savers. 3. They are straight shooters and are unfiltered-- You always know where you stand with this market. 4. They are loyal- If they like you they love you. 5. They love to learn and are hip to popular culture- We were at a taping of The View and this group

We are all for natural and a healthy lifestyle, and I am sure most of us have eliminated a lot from your diet or medicine cabinet. However for the last several weeks we have come across something's that we HEART! 1. Sabon Lime Mint Soap: This soap is made with plant glycerin, and natural essential oils. It comes by the pound and for 8.49 it is a wonderful treat. There are seasonal scents such as Mango, however our favorite is Lime Mint, it works well with any perfume. 2. LUSK: Speaking of perfume, we were given samples of this incredible 100 percent oil based perfume or cologne either men or women can wear it, this scent is amazing! With the base being sandalwood, it is so wonderful. 3. 7 Free is BIG in the world of Cosmetics: 7 Free or 5 free means that 7 to 5 harmful chemicals that are found in nail polish are removed. So we were at Whole Foods getting dinner and a man was there selling his nail polish and nail polish remover so we bought his Indie line and Pacifica wh

BBQ's are laden with tons of things we should not eat, such as nitrates, cholesterol, etc. So we are doing something different, we are hosting a Summer Soiree. Appetizers Baked Whole Wheat Tortilla with: 1. Chioplte Dip- Take chipolte in adobo blend with Greek yogurt 2. Mushroom and Garlic Dip- Saute Mushrooms and Garlic blend in food processor for a creamy dip Main Course: Rosemary and Garlic Grilled Chicken Marinade overnight chicken thighs in lemon juice, rosemary, and garlic, par bake it for 20 min, then finish on the grill for that smoky taste. Kale, Pear and Mushroom Salad with a Chive and Thyme Vinaigrette Chive and Thyme Vinaigrette: Take fresh chives, thyme, olive oil and balsamic vinegar and blend and pour over salad Grilled Cauliflower Steaks with BBQ seasoning Flash boil cauliflower then brush olive oil with BBQ dry rub seasoning Dessert: Homemade Seasonal Fruit Sorbet Take fruits such as papaya and pineapple blend until smooth and freeze in a c

Building a Business In the Summer Months So you have decided you need a little down time and you would take it easy during the summer months as VC’s and angel investors have flocked to their summer hideouts. Well, while you are on vacation some other team in your space is doing the following: If you are in NYC, they are going out East every weekend, not to party at the Sloppy Tuna, but they are going to the beach where families of the most wealthy go, if the ball happens to land in their space next to a family, they will ask you is up for a game of catch if they see young children. True story, I was in the Hamptons and a ball happened to fly on my blanket and instead of getting angry, I went over and saw it was a young child  with a family and friends, so I asked would wants to play a game a of catch, the family owned a VC firm. Most charity events out East happens in summer months.  Remember to do research on the charity, especially if it is an obscure disease- m