fffabulous

fffabulous sale: black suede fendi boots

Don't think it's the time nor the season to buy black boots? Well, let me share something with you: every time I want a new pair of classic black boots that are trendy, hot, and comfortable with a stable high heel, I can never find them. So, when I saw this gorgeous pair of Fendi boots the other day, I couldn't resist.

These black suede nappa detail Fendi ankle boots are absolutely gorgeous with the softly pointed toe that will never go out of style, the smooth suede fabric and the nice 4¼'' suede heel with a ¾'' platform. The metallic silver details are amazing yet delicate and classy. And the lining and the sole are made of leather, too. So luxurious! All in all, it's a beautiful pair of shoes. And to top things off, they're on sale on bluefly.com for $584 instead of $730—that's 20% off! And I managed to find them at Bloomingdale's in San Francisco for only $255 + tax. Not bad, huh?

fffabulous sale: william rast on hautelook.com

If you watched JT (a.k.a. Justin Timberlake) on the Oprah Show yesterday, you should know that William Rast jeans are guaranteed to make a woman's butt look good! And don't we all want to wear cute jeans that makes us look good? The great news is that William Rast is on sale on hautelook.com for another 55 hours, 58 minutes and 21 seconds, so if the price was your excuse to not put your best 'foot' forward, now is your chance to look hot hot hot in one of these fffabulous pairs of jeans!

My very favorite are the William Rast Kristin Capris. Why? Because I have been looking for a pair of dark denim capris all winter long and haven't found one I like enough to spend the big bucks. And why would I want a pair of dark denim capris? Because dark denim capris look great with any pair of tall boots. You won't struggle trying to tuck your jeans into your boots when attempting to zip them up because there isn't all that extra fabric on capri jeans. One of my friends actually asked me the other day how I was managing to stuff my jeans in my tall boots, and my answer was simple: I wear capri jeans. I think she had a BIG Ah-Ha moment, and it was very fffunny to look at. Eheh!

Note that William Rast jeans are very low cut, don't stretch much, and fit true to size. And email us now to request an invitation to join hautelook.com.

fffabulous boot trees

Spring cleaning is so much more enjoyable when it involves our fffabulous tall boots that are oh so dear to our hearts and make us oh so hot! Well, before you decide it's time to pack them up, order a few Bags with Style red cedar boot trees as they'll keep your boots in shape all year long when you are not wearing them. And don't your tall boots deserve such a treat?

These boot trees are one fffabulous shoe accessory—probably my fffavorite one—and are available in a variety of fun fabric choices. And they are the perfect gift idea, too!

fffabulous sale: rawyalty winged cross tee on emoda.com

Oh my, I just received the emoda.com newsletter and just when I thought I was done shopping for the month, I get tempted again! I love this Rawyalty Winged Cross Tee; it's just way too cute, and isn't Rawyalty an awesome name? I like! Anyway, I love this tee's streaky charcoal wash and the beautiful crystallized winged cross on its back. So fffab! And the v-neck is very flattering to the cleavage. I can already see myself wearing it with my distressed Dylan George jeans!

10 things to consider when shopping for a fffabulous home

It's a buyer market! If you're on the look-out for a fffabulous home, what's better than to receive free advice from a professional? Here are a few tips from Michele, a realtor at Sereno Group Real Estate, on how to find a fffabulous home. Thanks Michele!

"Once you have decided you want to buy a home, and while viewing one house after the other, it is important to consider the following criteria so that you'll be happy about your choice and investment:

1. Consider your lifestyle now and in 5 years. For instance if you are planning on having children, perhaps you should skip "The Entertainer's Dream Home" perched on a cliff in favor of the spacious ranch in a neighborhood with great schools.
2. Make a list of must-haves, nice-to-have and deal breakers. They'll come handy when you hesitate between two houses.
3. Consider your lifestyle. If you don't have the time or inclination to work on your new home, or if you travel a lot, then perhaps a townhouse or condo would be your best option. Every home will need regular maintenance, but with a townhouse or condo, you will only be responsible for maintaining the inside of it.
4. While a staged home is great for giving decorating ideas, it can also hide some serious design flaws. Have your Realtor help you get a clear picture of the home.
5. Does the kitchen have the ability/space to have all the appliances you want? If your dream is to have a kitchen with a gas cooktop, make sure the kitchen can have a gas line run to it if it doesn't already.
6. Check the natural light in the home. Do you want the sun to come up in your bedroom or do you like to sleep in?
7. Go for a walk in the neighborhood one evening or on the weekend. If you plan on walking your dog every day, bring the dog too. You will get a real sense of the neighborhood on foot.
8. Get up extra early and drive to the home. Leave from the house at the time you would normally go to work. Check traffic flow and commute time. Note: this won't work in reverse in the evening because you won't be able to tell if there are any schools affecting traffic.
9. Always buy the best neighborhood you can afford if the house can meet your needs. See #2.
10. Always get and review the property inspections with your Realtor. He or she will help you determine the significance of what is on the reports and should be able to give you a rough idea of what it will cost to repair."

If this list made you want to learn more about how to find a fffabulous home, email Michele to attend her buyer's boot-camp. I am sure it's fffabulous!

hang in there!

I had been really good at organizing my closet last year, but not without the help of Ikea hangers, the PROPP clothes-hangers for my jackets and sweaters and the HEMLIS coat-hangers for my tees. But something was missing, and my friend Hil was spot on when she recommended me the Ultra Slim Pink Flocked Hangers she got at Bed Bath & Beyond. Besides the fact that the ultra slim shape of these hangers provides three times the amount of closet space, their velvety surface looks like they were made for camisoles and tops so they don't slip off. No more camis and tees falling off their hangers and laying at the bottom of the closet. Yay!

These skinny velvety hangers exist in pink (you know I love pink!), blue, and camel for $9.99 for a set of 10, or in camel for $39.99 for a set of 50.

And in this economy, you may want to sign up for Bed Bad & Beyond Email and Direct Mail to receive their 20% off in store coupons on a regular basis. You will receive a ton of them, but just bring them all with you to the store and give the ones you won't use to your fellow shoppers. You'll make their day!

melanie's mexican rice recipe

As if we weren't spoiled already with Melanie's fffabulous recommendation of the Zojirushi Rice Cooker, here is Melanie's Mexican Rice recipe that she adapted from the The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook by Beth Hensperger and Julie Kaufman (that I plan to order too, eheh!):

Mexican Rice
Serves 4
Cycle: Quick Cook and/or Regular

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/3 cup onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1 cup long grain white rice
½ cup peeled and chopped fresh tomato
1 ¾ cups water
1 teaspoon chipotle (freshly ground or powder)
1 teaspoon jalapeno (freshly ground or powder)
½ teaspoon salt

1. Set the rice cooker for Quick Cook cycle. Place oil in bowl. When hot, add onion and garlic. Cook stirring a few times until softened, about 2 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring a few times, until it turns ever-so-slightly golden, about 10 minutes. Add the tomato and sauté a bit longer. Add the water, chile and salt, stir just to combine. Close the cover and reset for the regular cycle

2. When the machine switches to the Keep Warm cycle, let the rice steam for 10 minutes. Fluff rice with a wooden or plastic rice paddle. This dish will hold on Keep Warm for 1 to 2 hours. Serve hot.

Who would have thought it'd be so easy? Not me! Let's all cook rice!

how did we cook rice before this machine?

The other day, one of my friends was wondering what to do for dinner, and my other friends mentioned that she swears by her rice cooker because it's easy and quick to cook just about anything. Well, it happens that Melanie, President of Melanie's Fine Foods, also swears by her rice cooker for the many recipes she develops with her fffabulous sauces. Melanie is indeed the creator of the award-winning Big Acres® Gourmet Sauces and Rubs and distributor of gourmet goodies for kitchen & grill. A "foodie" her whole life, Melanie has always been passionate about natural lifestyles and strives to help people make simple, gourmet meals any day of the week. Here is why she loves her rice cooker so much:

"The Zojirushi (pronounced "yo-zher-u-shi") NS-ZCC18 10-Cup Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker and Warmer is the most fffabulous appliance. Now, understand that I'm normally opposed to kitchen appliances with only one function. This machine is THE exception to my own rule. This cooker steams rice cooks all kinds of dishes—macaroni and cheese, beans, pulled pork, rice pudding, oatmeal and more.

We purchased this rice cooker for our food manufacturing company. We wanted to offer steamed rice with our sauces to people who visited our booth at various shows. The benefit of using this machine is that we wash and measure the rice the night before, add the correct amount of water, set the timer to the desired "ready" time and voila! — yummy, moist, perfectly cooked rice is ready when the show opens the next morning! Imagine setting your rice before you leave in the morning for work and when you get home at 5pm, it's ready and waiting for you to serve to your family. But the timer isn't the only wonderful feature...this cooker offers the selection of the type of rice—white, sushi, regular, long, medium, brown, pudding and more, and adjusts its temperature and cook time to the type and amount of rice.

The process is so easy. Simply measure washed rice into the bowl, fill with water (the non-stick bowl is marked with lines for water), place the bowl in the cooker and turn it on. The Zojirushi also has a sense of humor; when the start button is pushed, the machine plays "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star", and another cute song is played when the rice is ready. And the keep warm feature keeps rice fresh and hot for hours. Our rice was moist and delicious after 8 hours. I do recommend that if you're holding rice for that long that you make more than you need as the rice on the bottom dries out just a little.

While I was skeptical at first, the Zojirushi Rice Cooker makes the most amazing rice, including Mexican Rice..."

Are you convinced already? That's all I needed to order my very own rice cooker. And stay tuned for Melanie's Mexican Rice recipe! Yay! Thanks Melanie.

are you ready to fly?

Spring is here and what's better to celebrate it than to do a bit of Spring cleaning? Most of us dread this word and anything related to decluttering. Well, I felt that way until I heard of FlyLady. I subscribed to her Yahoo! Group (and yes, it's free too!), and I started to learn what it'd take for me to get organized around the house and adopt daily routines. Now, the great thing about FlyLady is that it doesn't promise you miracles. You'll learn to take baby steps. In other words: NO, you don't have to turn your life upside down and change in one day, and YES, it's okay to take your time by establishing small routines first, by being consistent and—most importantly—by enjoying the process.

FlyLady has many lessons to teach us but my very favorite is the one on How to Declutter your home: set your timer to 1 hour (or 30, 15, or 10 minutes - it doesn't matter how long), and during that time, just clear a room's hotspot as fast as you can and do not pull out more stuff than you can put away in that length of time. This means just one drawer, one closet (or even one shelf in one closet), one magazine rack, or only dig under just the furniture in the zone. Not all of them at once! Try this process once and you will wonder how you possibly could have done it without FlyLady before. I have set my timer to 15 minutes many many times the first week I joined, and my home started to become what I always wanted it to be: spacious, organized and vibrant. It was so easy! So join FlyLady Yahoo! Group—and follow her on Twitter, too!—and you will be eternally thankful for it.

That said, this week is dedicated to the home sweet home, so stay tuned for the many fffabulous tips to come.

rock and roll in dylan george

I discovered Dylan George jeans last year and since then, I just can't get enough of them. I bought the Dylan George Elizabeth Bootcut Jeans in Baron in the fall, and I love wearing it. It is simply a classic and will go with everything. Then I got the Dylan George Sophia Skinny-Leg Jeans in Empire—my very first pair of skinny jeans—and I feel fffabulous in them. They are trendy and look great with my Loeffler Randall Yvette Cut-Out Booties (or with any other pair of boots), and the wash is very flattering and will make you look skinnier than you actually are, which is a big deal for skinny jeans since you will usually get the opposite effect. Well, I didn't stop there and already fell for yet another pair of Dylan George jeans, and they are just as fffabulous, if not more. This flare-leg Dylan George Alexandra Denim in Czar features a cloudy blue wash with vintage road rash and rips all over the front. So rock and roll! I plan to wear them right now with a pair of my black boots, as well as all summer with my favorite wedge shoes (note that even though they don't seem like they are on the picture, these jeans are actually very long with its 34'' inseam). These are a bit on the expensive side, but this pair of jeans is like no other pair I own...just what I needed to complete my jean collection!

As far as the sizing is concerned, I always find out that I am an in-between size for Dylan George jeans, and since they don't stretch much, I got the higher size as it looks more elegant. So I suggest getting one size bigger than what you would normally wear. I got a 28 in these, and I usually wear a 27 in the Dylan George Elizabeth Bootcut Jeans in Baron and in the Dylan George Sophia Skinny-Leg Jeans in Empire.

authier long collar jacket

I love to be warm and comfy, but I also love to look good and a bit sophisticated at the same time, too. Well, I found the perfect jacket that accomplishes both! The Authier Long Collar Jacket is absolutely fffabulous; it has a nice fold over collar and ribbed detail at its sleeve cuff and waistline, which is very flattering to the figure. Now who said you can't be casual and classy at the same time?? I also love the material: the shell is made of 94% silk and 6% polyurethane, the lining of nylon and the padding of goose. All in all, this jacket is unique and different from any other jacket you may find in most stores—and did I say Authier is an Italian brand? It's on sale on the Gilt Groupe site for $498 instead of $1,345, which is still a bit of a high price tag, but this long collar jacket is so classic and elegant, you'll wear it all the time—with black slacks to go to work, a pair of jeans to go out, and even sweatpants on the weekend!

Email us now to request an invitation to be part of the Gilt Groupe fffamily if you are not a member yet!

the yellow cardigan question

I am obsessed with anything yellow right now, and I want a yellow cardigan really badly. In fact, I must have a yellow cardigan. It must either be the imminent arrival of spring, or the simple fact that I can't look at a celebrity site these days without seeing a yellow cardigan. They are just everywhere! Rachel Bilson was wearing a bright yellow cardigan with faded jeans and gray boots just last week. And even our Michelle (yes, Michelle Obama) wears a short sleeve yellow cardigan on the cover of the current issue of O, the Oprah magazine. So pretty! I also love how she wears it: belted with a very large belt, with a sleeveless summer dress. So timelessly classy, yet so trendy! I thought it'd be a J.Crew cardigan (but, of course), so I went online and found this long yellow cardigan. It's made of merino and on sale for $29.99 (instead of $80)!!! Yay! I love love it, and it is so cheap that I won't feel bad if I get tired of wearing yellow after a few wears. Well, I kept browsing for more yellow cardigans (can't just stop at the first one I find, ya know!), and I found a long yellow cardigan from Vince (pictured here), in cashmere!!! I love everything about it, except the price. But it's made of cashmere, and as you know, I am addicted to cashmere. Plus, I love the details that make this yellow cardigan so unique, i.e. the half sleeves—just like Michelle's—and the ruched V neckline.

So now, what to do? Get the J.Crew long yellow cardigan or the Vince one? My turn to need some help, ladies! Vote for your favorite and tell me why in the comment section. Thank you for being so fffabulous!

fffabulous inhabit trunk show at romi boutique

romi boutique is having another fffabulous Inhabit trunk show this week. You can come to romi boutique as soon as tomorrow, Tuesday, March 10th, to check out the Inhabit Spring and Summer 2009 collection. Choose the sweaters, dresses and tank tops you like the most—in the colors of your choice—and put your order in by this Sunday. If I like this collection as much as I liked the Winter collection (and I know I will), I'm in trouble! I already have my eyes on the lightweight cashmere shawl collar sweater and the double layer sleeveless dress already, and I can't wait to try them on! What is your favorite?

thomas wylde skull clutch on hautelook.com

At first, I thought it would be pushing it a bit, but the more I look at this Thomas Wylde Skull Clutch, the more I want it. This leather clutch is just too adorable, and unique; you won't see it on anyone else except for a few celebrities like Sienna Miller, Lindsay Lohan and the Olsen Twins. But this isn't a problem, is it? And I love love love the center detail, a raised skull encrusted with rhinestones. Pretty!

I know I'd wear it all the time. In my purse as a pochette, at night as a clutch; and it is easy to slip in your suitcase when you travel. All in all, it has an edge but will still go with everything.

Hurry up and get it on HauteLook.com for $747.50, instead of $1495 (that's 50% off!)—you still have 9 hours 58 minutes and 15 seconds to order it. And email us now to request an invitation to be part of the hautelook.com fffamily if you are not a member yet!

gotta love the cute booty pants

Don't you love it when celebrities wear just about the same clothes as you do? Especially after you've worn them for an entire season LAST YEAR? Well, I was browsing popsugar.com the other day and even before recognizing the celebrity in their 'Guess Who?' section, I recognized Kelly Nishimoto Cute Booty pants from her Lounge Collection right away. And Desperate Housewife Nicolette Sheridan was the celebrity wearing them. Yay!

I love it even more when Paris Hilton herself is checking out the Cute Bootie pants in pink at Harmony Lane in Beverly Hills (pictured here). Those are the exact same ones I wore this summer. Double yay!

And to add to the great news, Kelly Nishimoto Cute Booty pants are now available for purchase online. So we can all order them in our favorite colors, and we will all be fffabulous twins. Triple yay!

If you still need some convincing, check out our fffabulous review of the Cute Booty pants back in May 2008 and the Kelly Nishimoto Cute Booty collection. The shots are simply gorgeous!