I have written about Hafdis Huld before and she has a new CD out which you can hear right here! This singer from Iceland has such a unique sound that I am so eager to share with all of you the new single Stop! It's interesting because it was recorded originally for a Merecedes TV ad in Europe, with such a great reaction, they decided to really put some great instruments behind it and to release it! Don't you love when you use something for one purpose and then realize that it can really be something even more amazing? Check out the new song and some others on Last.FM and if you like, check out this previous post which includes her video Tomoko!

Personally, I love nap time. Is there anything better than an afternoon nap on a chilly Saturday afternoon with a heavy blanket, a lightly cracked window and the warmth of Kitten Lounge’s Editor-in-Chief? The answer is no. The problem is that most of our weekend naps usually follow a heavy meal full of the deadliest combination of carbs and protein; in other words, meat and potatoes. The problem is that our bodies have an extremely difficult time digesting such combinations. But, don’t worry help is on the way. Instead of pasta, rice or potatoes a textbook side dish to any protein is taboule (pronounced: tuh-boo-lee).

Taboule is a traditional Middle Eastern wheat salad and is prepared best with The Roots blasting in the background, accompanying the company of the delicious and the healthy. The brain, the source, the transistor radio transmitting the message from the messenger – healthy body equals healthy mind.

So, here is the recipe:

2 cups 100% Whole grain quick cooking Bulgur Wheat

1 ¾ Cups of Boiling Water

3 Cucumbers

3 Black Tomatoes

1 Medium Onion

Dill, Cilantro and Parsley

1 Small head of Garlic

2 Cups of Raisins

Freshly squeezed juice from one Lemon

1 Jalapeno Pepper

Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper

The preparation is simple. Combine 2 cups of bulgur wheat with 1 ¾ cups of boiling water and let it sit for about 10 minutes. Chop the rest of the ingredients, combine with the wheat and season with olive oil, salt and pepper to your taste.

The beauty of taboule is that you can add pretty much any ingredients; from kiwis to mangos. If you are new to cooking, one important note is to make sure to purge the herbs in cold water to get rid of all the sand before chopping. And if your delicious taboule is being accompanied with a piece of delectable fish, I would suggest pairing your dinner with a bottle of La Playa’s Sauvignon Blanc.

I am supporting Blog Action Day by lending my voice, post, etc to ensure that we all know that we can support the effort in making sure that poverty is no longer an issue for anyone. With thousands of bloggers working together, you can visit the site by clicking the logo above to lend your voice and to assist.

On past Fashionable Fridays I have shared interesting editorials, cute outfits that I considered to be a must and how it would look amazing with denim and anything else you can get your hands on. But as of this week, something amazing has taken place and in my mind’s eye, this is as big as many of the industries that continue to bubble at the service within the fashion industry. Right now we talk about two issues, that we want our models to reflect real people in the sense that they should look healthy and not as if they are seconds from fainting. In addition, our models should also reflect us as a people – coming in a variety of hues and that there should be an increased goal to ensure that our runways give everyone an opportunity to show how garments look. The runways promoting positive health and also promoting the very awareness that Italian Vogue did in their ground breaking issue of showing various black models. I commend anyone that can be the first or be apart of any movement that aims to change the face of how we see everything around us. Although I have made strides to change something whether it is within the industry or not, I have not placed myself on a platform that says, “here I am, recognize me as I am apart of this team”.

Sarah Conley, Coutorture Community Manager, Style IT Editor, make up artist and my friend who has helped me learn much more about social media and just what it means to be connected even when you don’t see each other everyday (yet you share the same city) – is on this platform. This Fashion Week as I become excited in not only attending the shows but sharing it with you, I felt the need to focus on the preparation and what it’s like to be there in one of fashion’s greatest tests of endurance. Sarah aims to launch the ground breaking webisodes of "On the Plus Side: A Fuller Figured Fashion Week", a documentary on what it means to be a plus size woman covering New York Fashion Week. To know Sarah is to know someone that is so vibrant and passionate about what she does that you are also engaged in what she is working on as well. This is someone who has style and so much so that many of the clothing companies: NARS, Old Navy, B & Lu, Lane Bryant, Silhouettes and Kathryn Kerrigan are assisting her so she can inspire other plus sized women to embrace their inner style and to be comfortable in their own skin.

With this big step and with so many people supporting Sarah within the blogosphere (Girl Woman Beauty Brains) and in PR (PR Couture), I felt that it was necessary to show my support for my friend. I am not only supporting her by creating an exclusive lariat necklace from my line, Kitten Couture for Sarah. This necklace will be named Lola (pictured below and is constructed of Mother of Pearl, Green Chips and vibrant Red Coral), and a percentage of the proceeds will be given to an organizations that encourages young girls to strive for their goals as they continue to gain a strong sense of self.

But as she covers NYFW and explores "On the Plus Side", we will also play her videos here as well to keep you in the loop! I have had the honor of hearing this from a plan to seeing it morph into an amazing plan. Although Sarah's focus is on representing a positive statement on being a plus sized woman and participating in NYFW, I can't help thinking that this is also a cry for all of us to enjoy who we are no matter our size, height, appearance etc! Stay tuned and also stay tuned to the sites mentioned within this post who will also be covering this. If you are a company that is interested in assisting Sarah, then please reach out so that you can be apart of this event as well!

Today was so hectic that I didn't get to sit down and check in with some of my favorite blogs - which is always unfortunate because you miss something. Well it wasn't until I got home tonight, via Gchat, that my friend - Sarah of Style It told me that I had won an award and directed me to her site!

The Brilliante Award highlights those blogs that are amazing and allows the person who receives it to pass it on to other blogs that they love. You can only give this to 7 people and it must be that number - tough choice but rules are rules and I am so not giving it back! I love passing kudos on and letting others know why I like something so without further ado my 7 picks for this award:

*I definitely want to be more green around the home and with a move coming up and a lot of furniture and items to be purchased, I have quickly grown attached to Jennae's blog, Green Your Decor. I love supporting this and bringing it into my home; however, I love knowing that I have a great resource to find some great leads. Between her site and Domino - I am so caught up on my decor needs!

*My mom and I work on various business projects together and it's nice to not only have that sense of team but to know that you're with family at the same time. I love Girl-Woman-Beauty-Brains and I love that this is a great lifestyle blog and am always eager to see what the super duo - Beckie and Jamie are talking about. It's like yet another slice of home and you can never have too much of that!

*I remember when I first came across Katie when I saw that she had jewelry pouches. In fact, she was one of the first people I blogged about on my first blog, Kitten Couture Blog and then was one of the first accessories people I blogged about on See Pretty Things. Since then, I continue to blog about her pieces as I am a HUGE fan of supporting indies and I continue to check in with her on her blog Fashionmista which is so cute whether she is talking about her wedding, graphic projects or how to keep people who work from home motivated. She is always out there and I love being connected to someone who shows so much of themselves and helps others as well.

*As some of you know, my day job is working at Lacoste at the corporate offices and thankfully I have always been a tennis fan and since working there, have embraced golf as well. I watched it growing up as a kid but now being surrounded the sport, having a friend whose dad is a golf pro and always keeping an eye out for how great our product looks on Christie Kerr, I have also enjoyed Golf Girl's Blog! Patricia brings fashion to golf and lets us all know about it!

*If it wasn't for Sarah of Style It, I wouldn't know about a lot of applications that I use now such as Twitter, Twitterfeed and there are a lot more. It was because of her that a few months ago, I learned about iJustine and I love popping in on her site to see what she's up to and I agree with Sarah that her underwater Flip footage is super funny. I am always excited to learn about new items even if I don't have one (no iPhone I'm still pleased with my Pearl!).

*Last summer I came across Fashion is Spinach and I was in love. In my mind, it's like the Anthropologie of fashion blogs. I love the tidbits and the way that everything comes together but whether she is talking vintage, showing runway images or talking about being the winner of the Eddy's contest, she has a great voice and one that I love visiting.

*You can't be in the city and not think about where you're going to eat, what's a great place to have a drink and occassionaly, what do you want to cook? I have a lot of sites that I read to keep me up to date on what's the next best thing and since I walk around the city a lot, I love finding things on my own. But I am a huge fan of Restaurant Girl and love that she always suggests a place that I love when I go or sometimes without reading her review or knowing that one will be created, I go to a place that she has gone to as well. You always have to have a great resource and she is one of mine!

These are my 7 picks who I will pass this award on to! I look forward to continuing to read their sites, to talk with you through Twitter and to learn more about the areas you cover!

This week we will temporarily focus on an event that is literally my favorite in the entire fashion industry! Maybe because I did a lot of bathing suit modeling at one time but I love Fashion Week Swim and Miami and when both are combined, you can't get any better than that. Next year I am promising myself that I will be an attendee/press (and gasp how great would it be if a swimwear line actually wore my  - Kitten Couture Until then, I am dedicated this week to the Mercedes - Benz Fashion Week Swim Event!

So this week, we will be covering a variety of designers from the launch party at the Raleigh Hotel all the way to the very last show! The good thing is you don't have to have Uber VIP status to attend and you can still let your presence be known and get various forms of access to this event via American Express! You can enjoy a Poolside Cabana at the Meet and Greet at The Raleigh with a fab swimwear designer and of course you can see all the swimwear lines such as Red Carter and Ed Hardy!

I am so bummed that I will not be able to meet Tibi's swimwear designer, attend the Diesel show, go to a card member only private trunk show! This is a such a great time and if you will be there and are a card member, check this out and if you're aiming to be at the event next season, I will see you there without question! Stay tuned this week to find out about all the great designers at my favorite season's Fashion Week - sigh!       

This weekend is going to be hot and when it's hot - you have to get nibbles and beverages! Think back to previous weekends - maybe you grabbed icecream in the park, had brunch at an outdoor cafe or you enjoyed a back patio with friends. You have to change it up a bit by making sure you head out to the Big Apple BBQ sponsored by Snapple this weekend! I am so excited as The Kitten Lounge will be attending this event! I can't wait to tell you guys some of the hottest places in the city to enjoy BBQ and what cities are definitely bringing it too! Now if you want more than BBQ, you will enjoy yummie sides, dessert and beer! In addition to hanging out in Madison Park with tons of people that will be your jolly new friends, there will be live music and seminars. When you check in this weekend on the Kitten Lounge, I will bring you recaps of what you can enjoy as I will be there on Sat and Sun will have closing thoughts on this 10th annual event. In addition, my Flip will be coming with me as well. To check out the schedule and to see what works for you, make sure you visit their snazzy site! If you were fortunate enough to get your Fast Pass - congrats, I can't wait to try all the amazing items. If not, everything is reasonably priced and waiting - come on an empty stomach and remember to drinks lots of fluids! The inconsistent weather of this week will be worth it to enjoy the sun and heat of the weekend.

 

So I was minding my own business and someone actually approached me about their site Fab Crush - which gives you information on the best in not only accessories but amazing looks that can be found on some of your favorite accessories! As you know, here at the Kitten Lounge and my sister site - See Pretty Things, we are all about attainable fashion! Fab Crush may be a new site that is still gaining momentum (and fast too) but they definitely know about flashing some goodies which makes you want to continue to check in! Visit Fab Crush and make sure to read about their amazing giveaway courtesy of Gorjana Jewelry. But in order to get it, you'll need to make sure that you visit Fab Crush! If you want to know what one of my favorite posts are from this site, make sure to check out Monrow Fleur de Lis Tank!

Sometimes the best ideas are the simplest ones. You'll find you get more compliments and it took you much less time than the outfits that you labor over for hours. So when it comes to going out and picking up a few great pieces with no idea in mind, I always head out to Forever 21 and if the lines are too much, I go online! I love this Ruched Cami because it would look fab with skinny jeans and a great pair of heels. Love the fact that it's not pricey but that I can pair it with pieces from my collection, Kitten Couture and a cuff from my designer friend Ted Rossi. The possibilities are truly endless! Take a peek at some great finds whether it's popping in new colors or new looks for a truly great price.

So this post is another one of those where it hits a number of themes. Today, I will be doing the ultimate mingling! I am attending the Henri Bendel's Open See for Designers in NYC which runs from 9am - noon today. This is a great event that allows emerging designers to be seen and to be picked up by this amazing store. To all of those who will be here, I wish you the best and hope that you enjoy the experience regardless of the outcome (I say this and I have to keep telling myself the same thing) I will be chatting with other designers and I will also be in line since I will be having my pieces looked at by the lovely buyers as well! Obviously, I will share with you what happened and would love to also provide some information on designers that I think we should keep an eye out for! So send me all your virtual well wishings whether they are comment or whether you just happen to think of it - all support is appreciated! In addition, since today is the last day of THINK CITRUS, you'll enjoy one of the pieces that I recently designed as an exclusive (it's not even on my site) that has pops of the theme that we have had on the site.

Let us hope that this piece which is something that I just designed a few weeks ago is one that the buyers fall in love with! I named her Alexandra and she has Carnelian (that would be the citrus), Snail Shell, Sea Shell Chips (that would be another citrus in lemon), Turquoise, Polished Wooden Beads and Mother of Pearl. I love it and hopefully they will as well. Feel free to give some love by visiting my site, to see the other pieces which are currently available!