Nails... glorious nails!

After a few years (ok, a few decades) of trying to fit into the latest trends and colours of nail polishes and never wearing them after the initial test (although I hung onto them for dear life years past there wear before date, for who knows what reason)... I have conceded I'm not that adventurous with my manicure colours. (now my pedicures... bright pink all the way!) I'm ok with that, considering I don't wear neon any longer (I barely wore it in the 80s when it was socially acceptable) in any shape or form. I have had to come to terms that I'm a pretty simple(-ish) gal that sticks to her tried and true neutral like colours (and glitter, you can never go wrong with glitter!) I may switch it up with different versions of these colours (so daring, I know!) but at this time these are what I'm loving.

Sally Hansen's Shell We Dance is my go-to nail colour for the spring and summer. Light enough to be a neutral, no matter how many coats you swipe on. I almost whimper when I realize I'm down to my last strokes with this one.

For a little more pop and swagger I pair it with Essie's A Cut Above... Whether it's a top coat on just one nail or on all my nails... actually I pair the glitter with pretty much anything I can. It adds pep to my step and a gives me a little shine to my day.

Essie's Chinchilly is that must have grey-ish/brown-ish neutral with a slight purple-ish undertone... I know, that WAS some pretty technical speak there! It warms up your nail colour without being too in your face and pretty much goes with anything. I recently did this colour (I was doing a fall photoshoot, otherwise I'd be wearing pink!) with just the tips in the A Cut Above, that way I alwayas have glitter at my fingertips, even if I'm just doing the dishes!

I'll throw in some black into the mix every once in a while when I'm feeling a bit edgy... and when my nails have decided to be short, I think the colour acts as a sort of camouflage to the shortness of them... nobody has said different so that's what I'm going with!

What's your favourite go-to colours for the different seasons? Are you a dare to wear or a tried and trusted kind of nail gal?

New York... The Big Apple... The City that never sleeps... ya, THAT New York

A little over a year ago, I took my first trip to New York. This is a trip I had been dreaming about for years. After several attempts of planning it, and then those plans being cancelled, I received a call in early April at the not so pretty hour of 7:30am from my Dad asking if I wanted to go along with them. My response?
"You better not be screwing with me Dad."
He wasn't. So off we went days before my 40th birthday; my Dad, step-mom (Maureen), my friend (Tracy) & me! Although, it was EXTREMELY overwhelming (I love to walk, but that was a bit much even for me!) and both Tracy and I, having a sudden break from the stresses of work, both suffered a bit from our bodies breaking down (a follow up story for another time!), I felt like I was constantly in a dream. A big, noisy, bustling, glorious dream! I loved every minute I was there! Even the rain, hello it was Big Apple rain, how could I not?

Lovely flowers from my sister, brother-in-law, nephew and niece awaited my arrival in NYC. My sister rocks!

 

          My pretty thing I call Dad. He looks like he fits right in!         It's like it was waiting just for me to pass by!

Most expensive martini ever... in the history of ever... I enjoyed every single drop!

                            

     Stuck in a bookstore, with a latte, while it down poured                         Riding around Central Park
                                      ... all was good in my world!                                  ... my Dad kicked my butt! Maureen kicked us both!

                    Doing one of the hundreds of bus tours                   Took this on a night stroll near our hotel
                                      ... sun was out, but it was freezing!                         ...that was the moment I knew I was in NYC!

 

I think this shot is in every movie that involves NYC                 This was my favourite spot! So happy when I finally found it
             ...I am not one to pass up a movie moment photo op!                        ... Went back the next morning to sit and drink a latte on the steps. Heaven!

Long story on how it happened, but we had the best seats in the house. My first Broadway show and I loved it!

I think the most humourous moment was on the first day we arrived, the very first store Tracy and I went to... FAO Schwarz... we perused the Barbie section for far too long considering our age! I was thrilled and slightly peeved I could not take everything home with me! I can't help it, I love Barbie!!!

A lovely birthday weekend

Friday

I think I’ve started a new tradition with myself... making my own birthday cake. I figure this way I’ll get exactly what I want (chocolate! Always chocolate!) and be able to be all smug in that “ya, I made it” kind of way. This year I was inspired by an Instagram photo by Lauren Conrad, zipped to her web page and found out how. Just a side note: Lauren Conrad’s site laurenconrad.com and her Instagram account is FILLED with pretty things. LOVE. IT!

I didn’t have a professional baker or any of the tools on hand so I just winged it with what I had... which was cardboard, wax paper and store bought icing. This beauty cost me a whole of 297 pennies... actually less, as I still have cake crumbles in my freezer for more cake bubbles... I’m sorry, I just think the word balls is too crass for these yummy PeanutButter&Chocolate covered in pink deliciousness... I’ve decided to coin the term cake bubbles... you heard it here first! And even though it is not well, Lauren Conrad pretty... it’s MY pretty and in my world, that’s all that counts!

Saturday
A date with friends to have our hard working tootsies pampered ended with our fabulous toes! Pedicures are truly my guilty pleasure... without the guilt! As we sat in our massaging chairs and caught up with each others lives with fun chit-chat, we found we could not leave until we had seen the marriage proposal scene between Jennifer Aniston & Ben Affleck's characters in "He's Just Not That Into You". It was truly a girly kind of day!

Sunday
A whole lot of pretty rolled up into one picture... a latte, New York, Paris and chocolate from my favourite local chocolate cafe. It was a perfect Sunday morning... even thought the rain just came down in sheets, I thought it was the perfect excuse to stay in pj’s and just enjoy the moment that it was. Delicious! And yes, I did eat the whole box that day... I have no will power when it comes to chocolate... and numerous chocolate eating stories to prove it!

      

Monday

My actual birthday. The sun was out and I ate free at Denny's. I consider that a pretty great day!