The 90-day Alcohol Free Flea

I've been alcohol free for just over 90 days. Never did it occur to me to see what it would be like to test living alcohol-free until 3 months ago. I have to admit that thus far it hasn't been easy. No sir. It has probably been one of the most challenging things I've ever attempted. 


I think the most challenging part are those key moments where it just seems so appropriate to have a drink. Like, at a nice restaurant, while taking a break on the ski hill, sitting on the beach, going out with friends on a Friday night. All of these moments I get little pangs. But then they go away. And, at the end of the day, I feel proud of myself for not giving in. 

The benefits definitely outweigh the bad when it comes to not drinking. I have much more money in the bank. I'm able to afford the $60 Vogue Spring/Summer 2011 runway collection magazine, Elle UK, and all sorts of other lovely European fashion magazines. I find I have more energy, am more motivated, and I seem to appreciate the more simple things in life.  

I have reached a milestone. And I feel proud of myself. I would also like to thank my boyfriend, who has supported me through this decision, as well as my family and friends. 


You guys are the best.


Sobriety, to me, has never been more fashionable.
Now, I'm going to finish with a yummy, non-alcoholic cocktail recipe for a hot summer day:


Virgin Rasberry Mojito

Ingredients:


3-4 fresh raspberries
2 lime wedges
5 leaves of mint
2-3 teaspoons of sugar
crushed ice
club soda


Directions


1. In a 8-12 oz. glass, with the back of a spoon, mash the berries, lime wedges, mint and sugar until well blended. You can remove the mint, or alternatively, blend the berries, lime juice (from the wedges), mint and sugar in a blender. 


2. Add crushed ice, a splash of lime juice and a club soda to fill the glass.


3. Shake. Garnish with a lime wedge. Serve and enjoy!

Crazy nail Craze

Lately I've noticed a reoccurring trend in magazines and on the runway: the crazy nail craze. And I have to admit I've been very tempted to get polka dots, palm tree's and even shiny jewels applied to my nails. I decided that while I was in Florida, I would try something out. And I did. And boy does it look ridiculous. 

Before I continue, I'm going to let you in on a little secret. My boyfriend has a bit of a nail biting problem. I told him if he doesn't bite his nails for a week I would treat him to a pedicure and manicure. So, this morning, a week later, he rolls over and says to me "Let's eat and then go get our nails done" - I'm pretty sure this is the best thing I've ever heard out of his mouth. Off we went to Coconut Point to get mani pedi's side by side. I could tell he was enjoying every moment. It also helped that we were sitting in gigantic massage chairs. 


The lady asked me to pick out my colour. I didn't want just a regular old colour. I wanted something CRAZY. Something like what I've been seeing in the magazines. And there I saw it, an ad caught my eye "The Crackle" - this special kind of polish that makes your nails look cracked. I thought it looked funky, and decided it was appropriate while I was on vacation. So, I picked the turquoise and black mix that was suggested in the ad. But after a few minutes, I changed my mind. Perhaps pink would be better? Yes, pink and white. 


This is where it all went wrong. 
I seem to never learn that you should always go with your initial gut feeling.
Well, anyways, here's the result:

My boyfriend told me they looked like Vampire nails. And I have to agree with him. 
I'm not closed to the idea of crazy nails, but I'll proceed with caution moving forward.


In other news, I haven't washed my hair since Monday. Well, with shampoo, that is. My poor boyfriend, first I decide to use tea tree oil instead of deodorant, and now I'm going on a shampoo-less diet. I wonder how long he will keep me around? Anyways, I will post and document the whole hair process once complete. Let's just say I'm wearing a hat as I type...

Achieving the ultimate in Greasy Goodness

My darling sister sent me an article not too long ago about the shampoo-less hair movement. I found this article to be very interesting - and it made me seriously consider trying it. These women have not washed, or should I say, shampooed their hair in months. Yes, you read correctly, months. At first the thought is slightly gross, but then the article goes on to say that it's an economical choice, allowing you to save some cash on buying products, that it helps speed up the morning ritual, and, the best part, your hair can actually become healthier, shinier, and smoother, thanks to the return of follicle-protecting oils. 

This all reads nice in theory, however, I can help but conjure up this image in my mind:

YIKES

The article then goes on to reassure me that with a little patience and persistence (and the right selection of products) that it can give you a more beautiful mane than most. I believe it. I wash my hair almost every freaking day. I sometimes try to wash it every other day. And, I really don't enjoy going through this process. I see people out at concerts with that messy looking hair that looks like they haven't washed it in weeks or months (and they probably haven't) and I get envious. Who would have thought that I got envious of dirty hair? Not me. 

The next question is, how do you do it? Well, apparently the key is to rinse your hair once a week. Then, purchase the right products. Sephora's Oscar Blandi Dry Shampoo and the right brush, more specifically, a wood boar brush. What was also recommended was the use of corn starch as an oil absorbing powder. I also read on another blog that a girl used baking soda. She would keep it in a container in the shower and make a paste with it to scrub her scalp. Afterwards, she uses about 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar for a fragrant touch. Nice. 

I'm going to give it a shot, starting once I go on vacation. Tomorrow morning will be the last day I wash my hair with shampoo...if I'm able to stick it out, that is. There's a Sephora in Bonita Bay, Florida (where I'm going). I'm going to make a trip to buy the right stuff and give it a go and I'm going to document the process (why not?). Thankfully I've packed a few hats in case of any emergencies. New motto: When it doubt, put a cap on it and stick out out.

Wish me luck (see hopeful outcome below).

Build-a-Boy

I can admit I've had my fair share of boyfriends. And most of them would rarely take any of my input towards what they wore. I don't think it was because they didn't think I was fashionable. I attribute it to the fact that I have a crotch. And of course, those with crotch's wouldn't know a thing about men's clothes. From the age of around 16 to 20 I worked at The Bay as a Sales Associate in Designer Menswear. This was probably one of my better retail jobs. Why? Because most men who came shopping by themselves seemed to turn to me for advice.Working in women's wear was a whole other story. Most women do not take advice from other women in clothing stores. And if they do, it's because they haven't a hope in hell, or they're buying for someone else. Most women seem to think that they know what's good for them in that department. Ask them what's good for them regarding the subject of men, and....
That's a whole other post.

Back on track. For the first time I've been dating someone who is quite fashion conscious...for a male. At work, he wears nice dress shirts with v-neck sweaters/cardigans. Black pants with bright plaids. Military style canvas jackets. He even has a closet full of shoes (he might actually have the same amount I do). And, he asks me whether or not I like certain items before purchasing them. He's even stepped out of his comfort zone and bought a hat that he'd typically never wear, but when he found out I loved it, well, it was a keeper. I always used to get push back from other boyfriends when it came to clothes. They hated that I wanted to dress them and wouldn't trust me to put together a wonderful masterpiece with their inventory.


Too bad for them.

I used to feel bad for guys when it came to fashion. But not so much anymore. Lately I've been noticing a lot of guys stepping up to the plate. Though, I see this more with teenagers. I like to observe the clothes younger generations are wearing. They're dressing outside the box and taking chances. I like this. Now, I just spent the last hour looking at men's blogs and fashions. And I have to say, it's far more interesting than I thought. They have much less to work with. Not to mention that with the little they do have, it can't come off as too much.


I can appreciate a man who likes to look good yet doesn't portray themselves as a try-hard. Kudos to you well-put together men. It can't be easy. Just so you know, we are watching you.
...And we notice.
..And it works.

I'll Whoopie your Cakester for a Cupcake

I was having a conversation last night with my sister about the Cupcake Craze. She quickly told me that it was over. So passé. Don't you know, Kenzie, it's all about Whoopie pies and cakesters. The difference between the two was a little unclear to me though. So I asked her to clarify and she told me that they were the same, except Oreo had branded the name "cakester". Apparently they are the latest fad in New York and Chicago? This was news to me.

Clearly I know nothing about food fads.

The Whoopie Pie

Oreo's branded version of the Whoopie Pie: Cakester

As yummy as those creamy filled saucers look, I have trouble accepting the fact that the Cupcake Craze is over. I think it still has a pulse, and will for sometime. What fascinates me is how it all just spreads like wildfire. I find food trends to have the biggest word of mouth promotion than of all the other categories. Take Krispy Kreme for example. The rise in population over those sugar-loaded holes of doughy crap was, to me, extremely astonishing. I cannot believe the line-ups I saw, how quickly the stores were popping up and, more noticeably, how much people talked about them. It was word of mouth that brought Krispy Kreme to the top. And I'd even say that eventually, it brought it down to the bottom, too.

Food fads can be far more rewarding than fashion fads, and have less of an effect on the bank account. As much as I love clothes, shoes, jackets and purses, I'm a real junk food junkie, too. And you certainly won't see me waiting in any lines for this stuff, no sir. But you can bet that I will try it at least once. So, my eyes are peeled for the next Whoopie pie (no fakesters please). If anyone comes across any in the greater Montreal area, I'd appreciate it if you let me know.

Teeny weeny cheap bikinis

Its taken me 1.5 years to earn 15 days of vacation. Initially I had planned a trip to Whistler, B.C as my getaway, but in recent months I've decided to change that. You see, my parents bought a three bedroom condo in Fort Myers, FLA. Situated in a gated community, Bonita Bay is a true gem of a place in the land of cotton heads. Now, I have to admit, I've always sort of turned my nose up towards the idea of going to Florida. But, during my recent trip there a few months ago, I uncovered a whole lot of goodness. Let's start this off with my favourite three syllable word: Miramar. Miramar is the ultimate outlet of all outlets. Miramar is hours upon hours of enjoyment. I could spend a half day ALONE at the SAKS FIFTH outlet. The sales and stores are incredible. The layout is perfect. And, quite honestly it has changed my entire view on shopping. Just when I'm about to buy something here in Montreal, I stop and think: Can this wait until Florida (meaning, can this way until Miramar?). http://www.miromaroutlets.com

There are, of course, more reasons why Florida is so great than just Miramar: The shopping is to-die-for, the food is sinfully good (and cheap!), there are plenty of activities and the weather is always nice. I have to say, I won't deny that there was this little part of me that was thinking about ways I could work there, perhaps try and get transferred or be a servant to the retired community. This 29 year old little flea was wanting a piece of that delectable tropical pie seemingly reserved for the wrinkly's. 

I'm going to end this on a happy note. My love for bikini's. Every spring the need for a new bathing suit starts to creep up on my list of clothes-to-buy. And, the last thing I want to do is spend a lot of money on those teeny weeny pieces of clothing (if you can call it that). I have recently discovered a great place to buy a decently made inexpensive bikini: Ardene. I know, you're thinking, what? The place that sells crappy earrings and accessories. Yes, THAT place. They actually have a wall of cute, stylish bathing suits. I bought mine for $20. Top and bottom. It doesn't get any better than that, does it? I went online and unfortunately I couldn't find the one that I bought, but here's one that I almost bought (and yes, it's $20, too!)

In-store shopping VS online shopping

I recently got addicted to an online shopping website based here in Montreal that a co-worker and fellow fashion freak introduced me to: www.beyondtherack.com. Very similar to ebay, the website posts items for sale and puts a timer on. You generally have 72 hours to purchase the item and can hold things in your "shopping cart" for up to 20 min. The feeling of urgency is apparent, and you even get a sense of it being a game. Each sale begins at 11:00 am. This gets the shopper into the habit of knowing that every day they can count on a sale being introduced at the same time. Prior to that, a mass email gets sent out around 10:00 am promoting those daily sales. This gets the potential buyer excited and ready to put their game gloves on. For me, just putting things in my "shopping cart" was fun in itself: The thought of knowing that I was preventing other people from getting what they wanted was a thrill.

A sneak peek of what it looks like inside

What gets me about this site is their marketing tactics. You can't just go onto the site. You have to be "invited"/ put on a waiting list, which is blasphemy, as just about any Jane can request to be put on the list, and in about 4-7 days time you'll get "accepted". This right here, is the hook. Knowing you can't just go there makes people want it that much more. Next is the email blasts featuring up coming sales, strategically sent out at a certain time. Followed by a sale starting automatically at 11:00 am, they are successfully getting you, the consumer, into a habit. They are able to unconsciously create a schedule in your head and by god, IT WORKS. For a few months I was hooked. I spread the word, I bought items, and I knew that when I looked at the clock and it was 10:47 am, that it was almost time to see the latest sales.

The drawback: As far as shipping and handling goes, this site gets a royal thumbs down. Of the two items I ordered, I had to wait 3 weeks for one, and 6 weeks for the other. If you don't get the item until weeks and weeks later, well, it loses it's appeal and I just don't care anymore. Frankly, it makes me downright angry. So, from then on I boycotted the system.


The conclusion:
I still love the feeling of walking in a store, surrounded by all things material, with neon, nausea-inducing lights and little to no air circulation. I love frantically looking for the next best thing, and finding it at a fraction of the price. I can be found in the back corner of the men's section at Forever 21 trying clothes on top of my clothes because I don't have the patience to wait in line for the change rooms. To me, shopping in stores will never die. It will take a long time for online shopping to come even close to satisfying my instant gratification. Take me to the outlet malls and show me where the sales are, for I'm an old school shopper at heart.