How do you know if your relationship has gone wrong?

If you go to buy your loved one a store bought card and none of the messages (even the most simple) would fit!

For those of you that know me, you know that I am a sucker for lip gloss. I am always trying to find the perfect one. What would the perfect gloss look or feel like you ask? For me, the characteristics would include: high shine, long lasting, great color, not drying to the lips (that means not making my lips chapped), low to no fragrance, and low to no taste (unless it is incredibly yummy). Again, this is a very personal thing.

Well, this weekend I tried the new Loreal Infallible gloss in Modern Mauve. I have to say I am pretty impressed with the gloss. And for only $9.99 at your local drug store (Duane Reade in NYC), it’s cheap enough for you to try one out.

The gloss goes on high shine and then dulls a bit, but overall great shine. And the unbelievable part to me is that the gloss stays on and not with the usual sticky or tacky feel. It just stays smooth. And I have tested it with coffee cups and silver ware. Loreal says it is the “6 hour, never fail lipgloss gloss.” So far, so good.

And I am a fan of the Modern Mauve color. For a caramel bella, it is the perfect pink – natural looking with a bit of color and pop.

I must admit that I haven’t worn it straight for 3-4 days to do a true “drying on lips test”. But it works well alone or with my favorite chapstick at the moment, Burt Bee’s Beeswax Lip Balm.

I could go on and on for days about Burt’s lip balm. It’s light, smooth and has the medicine feel and smell of Carmex without the sting and shine.

Well, that’s my gloss tip of the week. Try both.

Smooches,

The Caramel Bella

I don’t know about you bellas, but tonight is a big night. If you have to ask, then I will question your fashion commitment. Tonight, my sweeties, is the season premiere of Bravo’s Project Runway season 5. And many of us have been waiting on pins and needles for its arrival.

If you are an avid watcher, you know that we can count on a reality show that is full of drama (a reality show standard) but creativity too. And honestly, at this point in the show, we have no idea who will win. So we are in for a ride.

And who can miss the beautiful Heidi Klum, whose life seems to perfect beyond compare. (I’m adding her to my girl crushes.) Beautiful, great body, great husband (Seal), cute kids and an award-winning television show. What more do you need?

We can also catch the crème de la crème of American designers: Michael Kors, Tim Gunn and Nina Garcia (Elle “editor at large”). Plus, the show promises some really cool guest celebrity judges. RuPaul (whoa!), Diane Von Furstenberg, Brooke Shields (modeling icon) and LL Cool J (king of 30 & over sexy) are on the list. Need I say more.

If you check out Bravo’s site, you can get the scoop on the 16 new contestants. We have 2 hailing from my sunny hometown of Los Angeles. But I’m wishing all of them the best of luck. May the most fabulous one win!

Check your local listings for show times. I’m getting the popcorn ready.

Smooches,
The Caramel Bella

Did you know that the French think hamburgers are chic! According to a New York Times article today entitled “In Paris, Burgers Turn Chic,” American hamburgers are the latest fashion in France.

And although we may want to take credit for the hamburger becoming high cuisine, we have to look at why the burger is achieving this level of hype.

From the NYT: “It has the taste of the forbidden, the illicit — the subversive, even,” said Hélène Samuel, a restaurant consultant here. “Eating with your hands, it’s pure regression. Naturally, everyone wants it.”

The article continues: “Hamburgers were everything that French dining is not: informal, messy, fast and foreign.”

So, the French seem to be embracing the roguishness of the U.S. culture exemplified by its burger. However, they are adding a bit of French chic to it with burgers seasoned with black ketchup, made of blackberries and black currants.

If you aren’t dying for a burger now, check out the NYTimes article. Me: I’ll take a veggie burger please!

Smooches,
The Caramel Bella

The HARLEM BOOK FAIR is this Saturday, July 19, 2008 from 11:00 – 6:00 p.m. The outdoor festival will be held on Saturday, July 19, from 11 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on West 135th Street between Malcolm X Blvd. to Frederick Douglass Blvd. I’m planning to stop by. Visit QBR for more information.

Hola Caramel Bellas,
Happy Friday to you all. Don’t you just love Fridays! I do. Anyway, I have a little treat for all the single bellas or those of you that have not tied the knot yet.

One of my favorite columnists, Maureen Dowd of the New York Times, has an interesting piece today called “An Ideal Husband.” The article quotes a Catholic priest’s advice to young bellas, just like you. Please check out the full article. It’s worth reading single bellas.

Here are some highlights – all of which are common sense but many of us fail to think about when the love bug strikes.

1. Don’t marry a man without any friends.
2. Does he use money responsibly?
3. Don’t marry a doormat.
4. Don’t marry a momma’s boy.
5. Don’t marry anyone that doesn’t have a sense of humor.
6. Don’t marry the silent type. (I would extend the wisdom to marry someone that can communicate. As a married bella, I know how important communication is to a marriage.)
7. Don’t marry someone you think you can change. (In other words, don’t marry a project.)
8. Don’t marry a heavy drinker or some kind of addict. (I thought this one deserved its own line.)
9. Take a hard look at the man’s family. Don’t marry into a crazy family full of divorces, racism, sexism, prejudice, etc. You know the deal. If his family can’t get along, chances are he doesn’t have the interrelationship skills either.
10. Take a hard look at someone’s religion. Don’t marry someone intolerant of your religion.
11. Don’t marry someone with a bad character. Bellas, if he is a liar, womanizer, throws temper tantrums, control freak, secretive and unwilling to apologize or compromise – throw him back. You will thank yourself later.

I hope this tips help prevent a couple of unnecessary marriages and heartaches.

Smooches,

The Caramel Bella

The New York Times has a great article today about the growing sales of designer sunglasses. Despite the sagging economy, consumers are still paying big dough (in excess of $250) for brand name shades.

Now I must admit, this story hits really close to home for me. Although I’ve always been a designer sunglasses bella, I have a love-hate relationship with them. Why is that the designer shades get stolen, lost or frankly just disappear but the cheapos will follow me to the grave.

NYC story number one. So, last Thursday I head to Jersey with the hubby to shop and spend time with my family. My Chanel glasses perched on top of my head in their normal resting spot. (I always wear them like a headband. They double as a hair accessory because they keep my hair out of my face.) Well after a day of shopping, mani’s and pedi’s, and dinner at Bonefish Grill (love it), the glasses have disappeared. As I am in a NYC cab headed to Penn Station on Friday, I discover that my Chanel’s are missing.

What’s any Bella to do? I turn the cab around and had back to my NYC studio. My optimism kicks in. The glasses have to be in my car or my apartment. After enlisting my husband’s searching abilities for the car, I look all around my 400 s.f. apartment. They are nowhere to be found. My heart is broken.

I know that I was way too attached to my Chanel’s. I miss them incredibly. And I honestly can’t imagine walking around NYC or LA (especially Los Angeles) without my designer shades. These $10 knockoffs just won’t do. So, now I am trying to figure out a way to replace my Chanel babies!

So, bellas, I understand your love, far and wide, for the designer sunglasses. No outfit is complete without a fabulous bag and some designer shades (Chanel, Dior or Versace please).

Smooches,

The Caramel Bella