#TGIF Weekend Vibes

OK so I know its not Saturday, but I am really looking forward to the weekend! May was a busy busy month and I have yet to share my June goals and do a quick eval of May... I will be back on track next week as this weekend I plan to recharge. I don't have any flights to catch or weddings and baby showers to attend! My recharge will include some much need PT and I cant wait to check out the colab between Refinery 29 and SIX02 this Saturday! They are bringing it with 6 hours of sweat sessions with the SIX Hour Burn down at the 3rd Street Promenade, giving you the opportunity to test drive 6 different workout classes for FREE! You can check out the classes here, and you can catch me at the Upper Body Blast followed by the Nike Training Club Class and I cant wait! #TGIF! 

Guide to Flea Market Shopping: Vintage Treasure Hunting

I wouldn't call myself a beginner when it comes to flea market shopping or vintage treasure hunting for that matter as bargain shopping of any kind is enough to get me up and out the door early on an otherwise sleepy Sunday morning well before the rest of the world has a chance to even hit the snooze button. Shopping someone else’s once loved items can be a bit scary (for many reason which I won’t get into)… but there is nothing I love more than a GREAT vintage find. Trust me, it takes work to find the right thing, but seeing your collected treasured come together to create or complete a look that didn’t break the bank is a wonderful feeling. There are few things I think you should know if you’re planning a vintage treasure hunt of your own in the near future and these little “insider” tips will set you down a path of enjoying the hunt just as much as I do!

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Get There Early: The Early Bird Gets the Worm or in our case gets the Antlers! If you get there when the doors open, earlier if possible you’ve got a head start over the rest of the vintage pickers and will get first dibs on the days treasures.  Remember, the early bird gets the worm!

Go Green: As in bring cash. While it’s more and more these days you will come across vendor with a means of accepting plastic but having cash can benefit you on many levels for example when striking a deal. And don’t forget to bring a variety of bills, lots of ones and fives.

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Don’t Hesitate: If you see something you love, buy it! If you don’t, chances are someone else will!

Prior Proper Planning: This applies to a lot of things, from bringing your own sturdy bag for potential finds to knowing what you plan to buy and driving a car that day if what you plan to buy might only fit in the flat bed of a truck. Its important to make a list so you don’t forget what you’re looking for, but don’t be afraid to stray from your list. You never know what you will come across at the flea market!

Take pride in breathing new life into forgotten treasures and done be afraid get creative!

Taylor Swift & Clavin Harris Kiss! Billboard Music Awards 2015

Between the genius lyrical collabs from Meghan Trainor and John Legend to some front row PDA between T Swift and Calvin Harris, the 2015 Billboard awards brought some epic moments to my living room last night resulting in some serious viewing pleasure (I even saved this weeks GOT for another night). I just can't get enough of everyone bringing their A game to the red carpet for the E pre show interviews and on through the awards. Britney and Iggy broke it down for Pretty Girls and Sam Smith took home the Billboard award for Top Male Artist of 2015! As if the fashion and performances weren't enough T Swift and Calvin Harris showed some sweet kisses and shared secrets taking their relationship to another level!!! Here are my favorite moments of the evening!  

Talk about a comeback! I mean yes please Britt!!!! Oh and you too Iggy! Loving you both! Ive always been a fan  Britt Britt through it all (circa 2007)!

This is one smoking hot and unbelievably talented power couple!

Kendall & Kylie intro Kanye only for nearly his entire performance to be silenced by the network television sensor... As if not hearing him was bad enough, throw in the fact that you could barely see him through the smoke even in my own living room!

Whats a music related awards show without 1D?! 

17 years plus going strong... Or... Is it time for Mariah to put the mic down... 

Winner Copper, you are seriously ageless! 

What were you're favorite moments of the 2015 Billboard Music Awards?! 

Wedding Season: Dress Code Edition

Wedding season is upon us and with 3 weddings on my calendar in the next few months, dress shopping is upon me! I often look to celebrity looks, red carpet looks in particular for inspiration around my wedding guest attire. Picking the perfect dress can be a challenge and accessorizing can sometimes seem impossible and choosing the right color and cut are just half the battle. Will you go with the One Shoulder Dress... Will you opt for a dress that is Strapless We all know choosing the right accessories can be challenging on a daily basis, but even more difficult when it comes to certain looks. 

A few things to consider when looking for jewelry to complete your look: Consider the neckline of the dress... Is it sleeveless, short sleeve or long sleeve? And what is the overall look you are attempting to achieve? Keep these questions in mind as well as my following recommendations and I am sure you will find the perfect bling to bring out the beauty and sophistication of the look you choose.

Necklace and the One Shoulder Dress:
First of all, I would suggest skipping the necklace unless you have the appropriate time to spend searching for one that is just right. And if you do... may I recommend the following:

Choker: Keeping in mind A choker lays close to the neck without interfering with a slanting neckline. A choker works well with a slender neck and brings attention to the face.

Bold Cuff: Like the the Malene Birger Hacia Cut Out Cuff from INTERMIX. One shoulder dress are made to look and feel uneven with an edgy fashion take, but a bold cuff can provide just the perfect amount a balance to dance the night away.

Ear Cuff: Red carpet ready is always a look I like to go for when an opportunity to dress up is on the horizon. And with the elegant yet edgy look Giuliana Rancic pulls off an ear cuff is all she needed. Sometimes and ear cuff is just enough to pull the attention back up to your face and adding the right touch of layered rings is a no brainer.  

Naked-Chic: Dare to be daring! Recently one of the biggest trends from the Met Gala 2015! Naked Chic! Stars like Jennifer Lopez, Kim K, and Beyonce showed up baring a lot of skin and I thing the right mix of naked chic may be a bit daring for a wedding but hey like I said, its all about what over all look you are trying to achieve. Below I have included a couple of fail safe naked chic dresses and one bold look from Bey! 

Sage and Sparkle

Here is Beys version of naked chic at Met Gala! 

BCBG and Wendy do naked chic just right! 

Automatic Millionaire? Know Your Latte Factor!

Everyone has a Latte Factor whether they want to admit it or not. If you are unaware of what the Latte Factor actually is, while somewhat of a misnomer as it pertains to more than just lattes, it amounts to the small trivial things we spend on everyday that can add up to an extremely large amount over time. Recognizing your latte factor and how much its actually costing your future will ultimately help you see the importance of changing the very habits that we act on and maybe even become an automatic millionaire. Currently there isn't one thing in particular in my life that I can call my Latter Factor as I am actively working on changing my spending habits. However not to long ago (less than 2 months ago) I would admit to gel manicures being my vice... There is a reoccurring misconception which I have come to realize after reading The Automatic Millionaire and that is that people often think building wealth is a function of our income, when in reality it is more so directly correlated to our spending habits (Check out more about this here)!  Lets do the math as it relates to Gel Manicures. I will throw in the pedicure as well because who doesn't opt for the mani pedi combo!

The average Gel Manicure last 2 weeks which means you typically find yourself at the nail salon twice a month. The average cost of a gel mani is about $25 and with the gel mani pedi combo a trip to the salon will typically land you at $55 per visit plus tip, so lets say $65 per visit total.

Gel Mani/Pedi = $65
Gel Mani/Pedi Cost Per Month = $130 (approx pending 4 or 5 weeks in month) 
Gel Mani/Pedi Cost Per Year = $1,560 (approx number) 

$1,560 per year... and that is just around your mani/pedi combo. Un-chipped nails and pedicured toes are an important part of working girls life, I get it and I wont lie, I love a good mani pedi from time to time! Just think about what you may be over spending on and sit down and do the math. Maybe it is a latte a day, or eating lunch out Monday through Friday or frivolous spending online shopping... I challenge you to find out your latte factor and see how much you could be saving. 

It really comes down to what you're saving for and setting a goal to make it happen. I've talked about it in the past re a simple savings trick throughout the year in 52 Weeks of Saving!

While the tone of the book seems to be "Cut out the $4 latte and you will wind up rich" which is a bit far fetched if you ask me and has even caught some heat around the web, knowing what you're excessively spending on or what your spending habits are is helpful nonetheless. If you want to know more about the Latte Factor I'm talking about, I recommend you read The Automatic Millionaire you will learn all about how to pay yourself first and more!