Roccapuccia

Please Update Your Bookmarks...

2008-11-30T18:28:00.002-08:00

Because ROCCAPUCCIA's new blog has LAUNCHED!

This site will no longer be updated.

The new site can be found at www.roccapuccia.com

See you there!

New Page... This Weekend?

2008-11-29T01:00:00.002-08:00

New page coming imminently...

Don't want to post anything new on here in case there is a delay or lag in the transition and the post gets lost, but let's just say that you will all get to meet the shoes I would choose to wear everyday for the rest of my life. That's a big statement to make, think about it- same shoes fo r the REST of your LIFE? Yeah, they're that freaking awesome. Bet you can't wait?

Shocker

2008-11-25T08:10:00.000-08:00

I pride myself on being relatively up to date on my celebrity gossip, (Yes, Paris Hilton does have confirmed gonorrhea... No, Madonna hasn't slept with Derek Jeter... Yet... ) but I did not see this one coming. In the celebrity wedding shocker of November, Heidi and Spencer eloped! Now, why is this a shocker? Well, I thought they'd FOR SURE pull a Star Jones and merchandise the crap out of it. Luckily, it wasn't stroke inducing as the great people from US Weekly were invited to the wedding and managed to get what I'm imagining was a very exclusive paid-for story. I'm not going to partake in this sham of a marriage and am boycotting US Weekly this week. By the way, WTF is with his "beard"? It's like half of the hair on his face realized he was a terrible douchbag and retreated back into his skin to hide. WTF? Also, is the quote "The minute we said our vows, I couldn't stop crying" really the best comment to have on the cover? I'd be crying too if I had just gone into marriage with Satan.

My Recurring Humiliation

2008-11-24T22:03:00.003-08:00

In wildly embarrasing news, I have to admit to you all that I'm taking a Pussycat Dolls dance class. What this means is that every Monday and Thursday evening, I get to be subjected to an hour of utter humiliation because, well, I can't dance and have zero rhythm. Take this evening's class, for example. The third week in, and we're learning "When I Grow Up" (You know you know the lyrics- "When I grow up, I want to be famous, I wanna be a star, I wanna be in movies... When I grow up, I wanna see the world, drive nice cars- I wanna have boobies") The first two weeks I showed up in my workout gear (which includes a baggy t-shirt and Lulu pants) and was ready to get moving. Everyone else apparently got a different memo, showing up in 3 inch boots and skinny jeans. I guess I also completely missed the "skinny" part on the class sign-up because I'm easily 20 pounds heavier than the next stick in my class. Anyways, I'm getting off topic. I have spent the last 2 weeks trying to fumble my way through these routines without stepping on someone's toes, falling over or getting hit in the head again by someone's butt. (Yes, this happened) I showed up this evening in boots and jeans, thinking I'd fit right in with the "cool" group. Yeah, I am no better at dancing in 3 inch heels than I was in running shoes. In fact, the boots made a "click" sound everytime I moved and highlighted the fact, very pronouncedly, that I am terrible at keeping tempo. Stomping was involved tonight- and I stomped all right- stomped my little heart- and balance- out. The boots were slippery on the floor and I landed, on my ass, on the floor of the dance studio with the thud that only the heaviest girl in the class could make. The instructor came over to see if I had dented the floor (Ok, she probably cared about if I had broken something, but I think the only thing broken was my pride) and stopped the music. Everyone looking at me. This is the point where you make a joke, right? Want to know my reply? "Screw the boobies... When I grow up, I want to be a better dancer" C'mon, wouldn't you have given me a pity laugh? Yeah, no one in the class even cracked a smile. C'mon people, give a girl a break! Anyways, I'm going to keep going back if for no other reason we always "warm up" to Britney Spears, and it makes me happy to be in a room where Britney is pounding and no one gives me dirty looks. You shoudl definitely check out the classes in your neighborhood- or you can apparently learn how to dance like the PCD on Wiki?

Rockin' The Casear

2008-11-24T21:27:00.004-08:00

Apparently, I'm an old lady because I'm mildly obsessed with Caesars. Fortunately, I'm not talking about the terrible haircuts of the early-mid 90's or the Roman Gladiator varieties, but the beverage. I think this is a wildly Canadian drink (in the US, they're called Bloody Marys... But I don't like the tomato juice in them) but I'm going to put it out there to you- I freaking love them. It's not the Vodka in them, but the taste and the spice... They may not be the most glamorous drink (I love me my Cosmos too) but they are definitely the kind of drink that you order and people say "Oh, yeah, that sounds great. I'll have one too!"

Mr. Roccapuccia, a very talented drink maker, has over the years perfected the Caesar for me. He makes it exactly the way I like it, and I thought I would share his most recent recipe.

Mr. Roccapuccia's Very Spicy Caesar Recipe
(Measured for a beer glass, cause I'm a classy lady)
One big shot of Vodka
Rest of the Glass full of Clamato Juice
Lots of dashes of Worcestershire Sauce
Lots of dashes of Tabasco sauce
1/2 tbsp Horseradish
1/2 tsp of Dill Pickle Juice
Pepper, to Taste
Garnishes of your choice: I've had carrots, celery, beans, olives and jalapeno peppers

Mmmmm....

I think it's incredibly awesome to have a signature drink that you order time and again. Nothing trashy like "Whatever you have on tap", but a real sophisticated drink order. Mr. Roccapuccia likes Rye and Coke, and I have other friends who have signature drinks like Jack on the Rocks, Mojitos and White Russians.

And the Results

2008-11-23T10:18:00.002-08:00

Well, it turns out I deal with stress even more poorly than anticiapted when I remove the retail therapy from my life. Buying little things like potatoes for dinner last night doesn't have the same "Oomph" as buying a new pair of jeans or a shirt. Being on a budget really sucks, I can't believe that people actually have to do this all the time and are not depressed. Maybe this is why there are so many people on depression medication. For the price of a bottle of Xanax (which is $179 for 30 pills), I'm pretty sure you could take your $200 and find something to buy that would make you pretty non-depressed. I guess benefit and drug plans wouldn't cover jeans as a medical requirement though, would they?

In any case, it looks like budgeting will become a pretty formal requirement at my house (unless I pull a cwm and win the lottery) so I had better get used to it. That's one of the great things about being someone who gets paid on commission... I don't count on it being there, so when it comes it's like a little mini-windfall.

**It should be noted that my potential slight at depression as a medical illness is solely due to the fact that I do not suffer from it, or know the reasons/symptoms/causes. If I've offended anyone, please accept my sincere apolgies and know that my naivety is definitely showing***

This Woman Had a Baby...

2008-11-17T11:48:00.000-08:00

...Recently... Baby was born on August 24th. This means she looks like VS Angel material again in... What... 3 months? Grrr. Don't know how she did it, but I imagine being in absolutely perfect shape before baby really helped?!

Cutting Myself Off for the Week

2008-11-17T10:13:00.003-08:00

I am trying to cut back on my spending, and while I have been wildly successful (For me) I am trying to go cold turkey. For this reason, I am putting out the $75 challenge to myself. This week, I will spend NO more than $75 on food and necessities- and this is including the $20 I will spend on dinner at the hockey game on Wednesday night.

I'm not spending any money on clothes, books, magazines, cosmetics- anything- at all this week.

This means that I have to cut myself off from the things that make me want to make me want to spend- and the main one in my life is the internet. I can pretty much convince myself that spending isn't really spending if it's online- and while it's great that I've recognized this is a huge flaw in myself- I need to remove that desire and I'm trying this week by removing it from my life. Yup, you read that right. I will not be online other than for my immediate work requirements during the day. I will reply to e-mails via BlackBerry, but nothing else. COLD TURKEY. I'll let you know how I did next Sunday evening.

It should give me some great time to plan out more in depth blog posts!

Have a great week!!!

Is It Just Me...

2008-11-16T19:45:00.002-08:00

Or does anyone else agree that of all of the people in this picture, Beyonce does NOT have the best legs? My vote goes to JT! From Saturday's SNL.

30% Off Friends and Family Days at GAP, Banana Republic and Old Navy - Canada Only

2008-11-14T08:32:00.005-08:00

In case you didn't get the mass e-mail going around... This weekend only at all GAP, Banana Republic and Old Navy stores in Canada, you can get 30% off all purchases, with 5% being donated to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada.

I can't paste it here, so if you'd like the e-mail, please e-mail roccapuccia@gmail.com and I will send you the e-mail!

Luxury in a Down Market

2008-11-12T11:26:00.000-08:00

If you're anything like me and watching the downed stock markets and trashed Retirement accounts, you're questioning yourself on alot of decisions you've made and will make. One of the tricky questions I've asked myself recently is what is luxury? Is it OK to still want it? Is it OK to talk about it when we're in a recession? I've come to the startling realization that I don't think luxury can be defined anymore by the handbags worth thousands of dollars (although I'm not naive enough to say that isn't something I would love love love to have) but more by the things that are luxuries in terms of being items that can smooth out the roughness around the edges of day to day life- as I've heard someone say- "to smooth life's rough edges". I like this definition, it doesn't make me feel guilty about wanting luxury in my life. In fact, one of my favorite recent quotes about luxury is

"Luxury without guilt sounds like a slogan for sociopaths, or a Smiths song. It
would look good on a T-shirt, but anyone who dared wear it would have to know
that dismissing guilt is the most luxurious thing you can do."

I love it! I think that everyone's version of a "luxury item" has changed given the recent changes in the market- and I think that's exciting. It doesn't matter what your version of luxury is (Be it an Hermes bag, or a bathbead infused bath- do you remember bath beads?) I think it's important to infuse your life with little items out of the ordinary everyday and to remember that you're worth it! (No royalties paid to L'Oreal for that line)

Who Doesn't Love 3D?

2008-11-11T12:54:00.003-08:00

I don't really have any desire to see this movie, but now that Journey to the Centre of the Earth is available in 3D... I am dying to see it. A co-worker recently described the movie watching experience as "... Like going to DisneyLand in your living room". If that isn't reason enough to get with the times and buy a BluRay player, what is?

Britney's New Song - Kill The Lights

2008-11-10T10:27:00.001-08:00

What?
Britney's new song, Kill the Lights, is leaked to the Internet
Why?
Because Britney's new song is a major news event in my life
How? Youtube

Britney and Madonna

2008-11-07T08:01:00.003-08:00

Madonna looks like... Well... A Tired, 50 Year Old 'Roided Out Rock Star and Britney Spears looking tame, reserved and incredibly, well, good!
Incroyable!

Harajuku Lovers Perfume

2008-11-06T16:47:00.000-08:00

I recently got a sample of the 5 Harajuku Lovers perfume- and despite my feelings about Gwen Stefani (I'm not really into her style per se) I was pleasantly surprised with a couple of the scents. I really best Love and Lil' Angel, and have to admit that the bottles are cute and look collectible, even though they're way too Sanrio Hello Kitty for my taste. However these are not, by any stretch of the imagination, high quality perfumes- but what can you expect from a drug store perfume? They are decent and not the Tribe or Jovan Musk you normally would find at a drug store. Love is the light floral scent and was too musky for me, but definitely wearable. Lil' Angel was the fruity one, and I liked that I could smell raspberries (I think?) Overall, I think these are pretty good perfume options for a budget and if you're looking to try a bunch of scents to figure out which is right for you... But definitely not for you if you are an experienced perfume nose.

Obsessed

2008-11-05T22:27:00.004-08:00

I am obsessed.. with the puppies on US Stream, link here! (Thanks dListed) I can't stop watching them.

Vote!

2008-11-04T12:22:00.003-08:00

I know I have lots of American readers, and I hope that you all take the time out of your day today to head to the polls and vote. While I believe that there is a right and wrong choice on the ballot, just getting out and voting is, in my opinion, something that every eligible voter should do.
I know I'll be spending the evening watching to see what your votes will lead to!

FREE GLASSES- TODAY ONLY!

2008-11-03T09:44:00.003-08:00

If you wear prescription glasses, it's your lucky day!

(Or if you don't and just want a pair of fashionable glasses, that's good too)

Clearly Contacts, an online glasses/contact lens store is offering, today only, one free pair of designer glasses. Don't ask me why, but I tried the code this morning and it works- all you have to do is pay for shipping (which is $10). So I guess it's a pair of glasses for $10...

I got a pair of Gucci glasses, with my prescription, for $10!

To take advantage of the offer, go to www.clearlycontacts.ca/glasses and enter code NOV3RD

Happy Halloween!

2008-10-31T19:18:00.000-07:00

I thought this was a Halloween prank... But turns out it's actually just a 16 year old from England getting married. I guess this is probably pretty close to what you'd look like if you were 16, getting married and having your dad shell out $200,000 for the wedding. I was shocked that the dad, a driveway paver, had that much money to blow on this wedding. didn't think it could get any better- but them... It did. She also lives in a caravan.

The New Roccapuccia Is...

2008-10-31T16:57:00.002-07:00

Delayed.

Sorry! I promise it's being worked on, but there have been some issues that have to be worked out before I can go live with the new site.

I'll let you know as soon as it's ready!

This Halloween My Costume Was...

2008-10-31T16:31:00.004-07:00

Tom Brady!

Note the knee brace (with an "Infection Free Zone" label), football, Brady hat and jersey, SuperBowl ring and playcalls on my arm (that's what looks like the cast on my arm- Tom wears one)

My Favorite Celebrity Pictures of the Week

2008-10-31T08:37:00.000-07:00

Susan Lucci on the left is pretty much the epitome of being fantastic at 62 (seriously, she's that old and looks that good), Jessica Biel should really pick up her dress off the ground, since it's filthy on the train and Traci Bingham looks exactly like I do when I take out my garbage.

Ah, celebrities...

Sean Avery Inspires My Fashion Mantra?

2008-10-30T17:25:00.005-07:00

Last April, I wrote an article about how Sean Avery was going to work for Vogue. I wondered why on earth Anna was hiring a rough and tough, loud and obnoxious hockey player as an intern, and I apparently wasn't the only one who wondered. In any case, he went to the hallowed halls of Vogue magazine and completed his internship before returning to the 19,500 arena of the Dallas Stars and talking to pretty much anyone who will listen about his new career aspirations of becoming a fashion editor, like the editor of the Dallas Morning News.

On Tuesday, the Dallas Morning News had an article about Sean Avery that I read (My job is heavily related to Texas and I spend alot of time reading news about the area) and that intrigued me. I was particularily interested in the list of his Favorite Things, and how he described his personal style as "simple, dark, expensive". For someone that I dislike (I dislike anyone who works at Vogue who isn't me), this was the first time that I had ever heard someone describing their style in such a precise manner. I like it. I decided that maybe it was time that I develop a precise mantra about my style- something that will involve and influence my style decisions when I'm working on my wardrobe. So I have come up with "classic, simple and expensive". Classic in that I want to always look put together, simple in that I don't want it to be overdone and expensive in that I want the clothes to be rich, well-made and be able to stand the test of time. I think that's a goof mantra, do you?

Stress and How To Handle It

2008-10-27T21:36:00.007-07:00

Stress is not a fun thing to deal with- and I think it's something that many people are dealing with nowadays given the state of the economy, the uncertainty in world politics (Obama or McCain?) and the general mass hysteria going around about the recession. Seriously, I spent a couple of hours the other day watching my stock portfolio go up, up, up, down, down, up, way down, way futher down, up a little, down a little... and I had to stop. It could drive a sane person crazy. I'm terrible at dealing with stress and it comes out in me by my not being able to concentrate, being snappy at people, being very tired all of the time and worst of all is always having this feeling of uneasiness about everything going on. For me, I haven't been able to pinpoint exactly how to fix this problem. I've tried yoga (too quiet and my mind races), meditation (again, too much time to think and I can't "slow my mind"), reading (can't concentrate on reading), watching mind-numbing TV (where you feel a hundred times worse after because you've literally solved nothing) and pretty much anything else I can think of. I've yet to come up with the perfect way for me to de-stress, which is going to be very important as I've realized that being a grown up is not the walk in the park I thought it would be growing up (Seriously, I thought being a grown up would be awesome, with VISA cards and fun jobs and bank accounts) and it's stressful. I'm extremely lucky in life- I have a fantastic Mr. Roccapuccia, wonderful family, food on my table, roof over my head and live in a country that is free and democratic- but somedays it's really easy to forget all that you have and are thankful for when you're stressed about a problem. Anyways, a tangent to ask if you have any tricks or ideas for de-stressing? I recently signed up for a sewing class as an attempt to get out of the house and clear my mind (and love it, but have no room for a sewing machine currently, so it may be one of those "wtf" moments) and love it, but it's only one night a week and ends in a couple of weeks, so I'm on the lookout for more. So here are my random de-stressers which, although unconventional, are seeming to work for me in moderation now. Still haven't had the "Ah-Ha" moment yet though.

- Stopped watching the news, reading the news and watching the stock market. The news is depressing and worrisome and there is literally nothing I can do about the stock market.

- Play with Roccapoochie

- Donated some money to the homeless, it makes me less stressed knowing that I've done something to make the world a little better for someone

- Watch Sex and the City re-runs and the movie on DVD. Lipstick Jungle is also awesome to get my mind off of things for an hour

- Organize small sections of my house so that there is a sense of accomplishment for doing something

- I've completely gone cold turkey with pretty much all non-necessary shopping. Part of my stress is financial and shopping is not helping that

There are some other ideas I'm thinking about- like taking a dance class (good for the mind and butt), joining some kind of sport team, trying yoga again and really trying to let the mind go loose, eating at McDonalds everyday so I win the $100,000 prize and get rid of financial worries I have right now (I'm joking, but this could work... Hmmm...), taking more baths, listening to my iPod with music that doesn't involve loud beats and swear words... I could go on and on of things I could be doing- but it really doesn't help until I get my tired little butt out and do them. I've also heard that good diet and food is the key because then you don't feel like I do some days (so tired you have to literally talk yourself out of bed and hit snooze for an hour)

Long winded way of asking yout tips and tricks!

Whatever I Liked

2008-10-26T18:56:00.001-07:00

I don't know what's wrong with me... But I am obsessively in love with T.I.'s new song "Whatever You Like". The tune is catchy and there is talking of buying whatever you like. I don't know about you, but just one day of being able to buy "whatever I liked" without the repercussions of a VISA bill coming 30 days later. I think it might actually top my list of my three wishes, you know, if I ever find a lamp and genie.

Learning How To Sew

2008-10-26T11:16:00.000-07:00

In case you hadn't heard (and I'm not sure I've mentioned it) but I've been taking a sewing class recently to try and learn more about sewing and actually knowing how to use a machine. Above is a picture of my very famous pouches, made on my first day with the machine. I secretly (well, not really much of a secret now, is it?) love it. I like the fact that I'm making something specifically for me- my project for the class has been a drawstring skirt which I must admit is fabulous. I'll take a picture when it's done, hopefully this week. Do I think of myself as a master sew-er? No. NOt even remotely. But I enjoy the class and look forward to it every week, and maybe one day I'll become a genius seamstress?

Tag, You're It!

2008-10-25T17:51:00.006-07:00

From another blog I read that wishes to remain anonymous... Here is my first attempt at Blog Tagging!

4 Things I Did Today:
- Went looking at open houses
- Whined and complained about my short haircut and wished I could have my beloved ponytail back

- Listened to T.I.'s "Whatever You Like" song at least 5 times

- Took Roccapoochie for a walk

4 Things On My To-Do List:
- Start Christmas shopping, or at least think about what to buy people for Christmas
- Organize my clothes closet into a much happier state so I'm not left yelling "I have nothing to wear!" every morning...

- Clean my house

- Paint my toenails- one of my least favorite things to do!

4 Guilty Pleasures:
- US Weekly Magazine
- I subscribe to Real Simple magazine in a constant effort to be more domesticated

- Online shopping. I could spend days doing nothing else

- Starbucks

4 Random Facts About Me:
- I take baths at least 4-5 times a week

- I love spaghetti, it's my favorite food
- I love NFL football

- I name all of my purses and cars. (My car's name is LaBeamer and my purses are Black Marc Jacobs, Salvatore, Firenze, Jake-ee and Dior)

I'm tagging... Robo (Robo's Ramblings), Elizabeth (Pearls and Purses) and CWM (Finite Style).

So... 1977...

2008-10-25T17:26:00.003-07:00

Mr. Roccapuccia and I have recently been looking for a new house (with a Roccapuccia room!) and have found that there are some people who have done fabulous jobs with their homes- they are clean, well kept, remodeled and well decorated. Then, there's these people.

While it's people like this that make their houses affordable for people like Mr. Roccapuccia and I, I still have to wonder how someone-anyone- could live in this house with this as their bathroom? And since when was yellow a fashionable color in appliances? Oh, that's right. NEVER.

Leggings Looking... Good?

2008-10-24T10:10:00.005-07:00

I thought leggings were done? Then I saw the Sartorialist took a picture of this woman in Milan. I guess the key is the high heels and not the boots that most people love (I'm as guilty as you are, c'mon) and working the look into a more fashionable new getup... Thoughts?

Lack of Labels

2008-10-23T14:44:00.001-07:00

My posting time (and sleeping, relaxing and eating time) today has been devoted to cleaning up the mess of labels I had attached to the posts in the past. From now on, things will be streamlined and easier to move. Making progress towards the new site!

My Dream Car

2008-10-22T14:58:00.002-07:00

Ah... Dreams...
Picture from Wardrobe Oxygen

Gisele in Underwear-ish Get Up

2008-10-22T09:44:00.000-07:00

Apparently I missed the memo that said underwear-ish type garments were stylish. Oops! Unfortunately for me, I will never look like Gisele does in the underwear-ish type garment so... I will not be stylish this season if this is what stylish means.

Picture from The Skinny Website

Jessica Simpson Looking... Um.. Good...

2008-10-21T22:34:00.003-07:00

What is wrong with me? I don't know what happened to my head- I must have fallen or something- but I actually like this dress and I like the look of Jessica Simpson in it.

Huh- I must have some problems with my head tonight.

What's in the Kit?

2008-10-21T13:28:00.000-07:00

Based on several e-mails I've received, my beloved readers are apparently curious what a girl like me keeps in her "emergency kit"... So here it is, all layed out on my kitchen counter:

Items included are.. Blister bandaids, perfumes (x2), mirror, tampons, safety pins, hand cream (x2), Tylenol, Dramamine (Non-drowsy Gravol), Listerine tabs, SD card, USB SD Card reader, Hair Clips, Lipsticks (x2), hand sanitizer, gold necklace, Tide Pen, Claritin, wet naps, kleenex, lint brush, Gas-x, aromatherapy oil (?) and the bag itself. I normally have other bandaids, hair elastics, dog treat and gum.

Stuff Stuff Stuff

2008-10-19T20:41:00.004-07:00

If you remember last week I discussed the recession and having bottles and bottles of stuff that I am forcing myself to use before I buy new stuff? Well, here is a picture of the moisturizers and random face creams that I need to use before getting new ones. Completely excessive when you look at it from this angle- or any angle...

Confessions of a Shopaholic Movie Preview

2008-10-19T19:18:00.001-07:00

Yeah, this is going to be an absolutely awesome movie.

Happy Birthday, in Boots

2008-10-19T09:38:00.005-07:00

In typical Miss A Style, I got rid of my boots that were worn and falling apart last year and hadn't replaced them. I have also been looking for a plain plain pair of brown pumps- which you would think would be the easiest thing to find, but that I've been looking for for months- so I was very excited I found the following 4 pairs when I went boot shopping yesterday for my birthday with Mr. Roccapuccia:

I apologize for Gucci the Roccapoochie being in the pictures- apparently he has been feeling very abandoned by not having been in a Roccapuccia post lately and tried to insert himself into the shoe pictures?

(ps- Mom, you bought me the black ones... Thanks!)

Mascara- The Lash Stash

2008-10-19T09:23:00.003-07:00

Mascara has been a hot topic around here- everyone is trying to find their favorite or the ultimate mascara. Well, Sephora has obviously found that people are trying to do this and they should probably help somehow- so they've created the Lash Stash. Featuring mini-tubes of 10 different kinds of mascara- Smashbox, Sephora, Vincent Longo, Tarte, Lashes 4-1, Too Faced, Make Up Forever, Urban Decay, DuWop, Corres and Cargo. Unfortunately, this kit doesn't have my version of the ultimate mascara, Imju Fiberwig- or the industry standard favorites, DiorShow or BadGal... But everyone is looking for something different in a mascara so this kit may have your new favorite in it! It's only $35 too, so it's a good deal.

Halloween at Daddy Likey

2008-10-18T12:22:00.005-07:00

Halloween is coming... You know what that means, don't you? You will spend the next couple of weeks trying to figure out the proper costume and trying to decide exactly what you will have to do create said costume. Well, Winona at DaddyLikey has taken it upon herself to make our lives all easier- she has a $100 contest for the best halloween costume story and she'll be posting Halloween costume ideas. If you haven't heard of Daddy Likey, you need to absolutely stop everything you are doing and read it NOW.

Have You Checked Out...

2008-10-15T22:57:00.002-07:00

The Roccapuccia Gift Guide? Every day between now and Christmas I'll be posting gift ideas for all kinds of people on your lists, and at all different budget price points. Be sure to check them out!

5 Things

2008-10-15T22:02:00.003-07:00

I was recently challenged by another Blogger to list the 5 things I Couldn't Live Without and think I am finally ready to tell you all what they are. Now, these 5 things can't be people, places or emotions- they can only be inatimate items which I dearly love and couldn't imagine functioning without. She graciously allowed me #2 on the list seeing as it's not really an inatimate object, but we couldn't come up with anything better to classify it as.

1- My Rings

2- The Internet

3- My Laptop

4- Imju Fiberwig Mascara

5- Marc Jacobs Black Purse *

* Let me clarify something- this is not my favorite purse. In fact, on the purse favoritism scale (Yes, this exists at my house) Marc Jacobs black purse is a solid #4- but this bag is the bag that schleps my belongings with me everywhere I go on a daily basis. It can carry small dogs, several pairs of shoes, a notebook, a wallet, waterbottles, sweaters, lunches, shampoo bottles... You name it. It's full of things that I use on a daily basis (and 5 tubes of lip balm, 3 lipsticks and 3 hand creams) as well as my emergency kit (If you've never seen my purse emergency kit, you are missing out). I love the bag for it's pure utility and the fact that it carries around my life. Thanks Black Marc Jacobs (that's it's name- I can't think of anything more suitable)

Why Can't I...

2008-10-14T20:01:00.000-07:00

Oh, if only I had $2,350 laying around with nothing else it could be spent on... I would definitely be purchasing the Hermes Kelly Long Wallet, as seen here in orange from PurseBlog. I am on the hunt for a new wallet, and despite my very best shopaholic convincing mechanisms, I just can't seem to be able to justify a very expensive wallet right now, and what's the point of wasting money on one I don't want only to still lust for a new one? I'm waiting for the perfect one to come along with the perfect price tag or commission check to match... I wonder if maybe, just maybe, if I post that I will sell my soul to Hermes in exchange for a Kelly Long Wallet and a Birkin like Victoria Beckham's, they will decide to send me them... Hmmm... Yeah, I know it will never happen- but a girl can dream, can't she?

Too Much

2008-10-14T16:13:00.003-07:00

Christina Aguilera showed up looking like this at a recent event in London. As my favorite blog of all-time, dlisted, so intuitively pointed out- she looks like a Pucci Clown. The problem isn't the dress necessarily- it's just too much. She could have toned down the make-up (which is not just advice for this particular look- Christina would be wise to do this on a regular basis) when wearing such a loud dress- and the leather leggings aren't really working. If she had removed just those two items- so toned down make-up and the leather leggings- I doubt that this outfit would have been such a hideous disaster. This is just another example of a celebrity who really doesn't have any sense of style- and relies on a heavily trend heavy stylist to dress her. Trends are fabulous things- I love them very much- but you can't go all out on them. Embrace one at a time and don't ever betray your regular style... Even if that means maybe passing on some trends. As my favorite quote says, "I am timeless, not a trend". I've made hundreds of fashion mistakes, and I'll probably continue to make more- but I am striving to go for a look now that I can look back on in the future and not ask myself "WTF was I thinking?!"

One Of These Outfits Doesn't Belong

2008-10-14T09:39:00.000-07:00

Check out the picture of Kate Beckinsale with her daughter, Lily, from Popsugar. Her daughter is sporting mini skirt and yet Kate is wearing a coat that looks like it could be ready for Alaska on the coldest day of January. They're in freaking Los Angeles, how cold can it be?

Britney - Womanizer Video

2008-10-13T19:54:00.001-07:00

She's back! Love the video, she looks amazing- and the video is definitely a HUGE step up from Piece of Me!!

Recessionista Tip: Use What You Already Have!

2008-10-13T18:09:00.004-07:00

It's been a rough few weeks on the stock market- and a rougher few weeks if you've been actively watching your investment portfolio or home value slide down in value. There's not really much any of us can do other than try to cut back on our own personal spending to save money should, knock on wood, anything happen to us where we will be in a tough position. What I've been doing is not buying any new beauty products. This doesn't mean that I'm not washing myself or I am not using any products- it just means that I'm trying to use the piles and piles of beauty products I've got in "storage". It will be good on two areas: One, I don't really need to be buying any new stuff when I've got stuff that I've completely forgotten I own and two, it will be clearing out much needed valuable space in my tiny apartment. While going through my stash, I found a never used jar of Fat Girl Slim (which has never been more appropriate), literally dozens more bottles of half-used random items I had forgotten about and I still have my full size "wedding present" of Annick Goutal Petite Cherie Creme Genereuse. I'm sure that every woman has this problem- so why not take advantage of the money you've already spent and put the extra pennies into a savings account to save for a rainy day?

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving!

2008-10-13T06:23:00.001-07:00

Here's a picture of my Thanksgiving table, set with my fancy plates and Thanksgiving colored flowers. Hope you all had a great day!

Gwyneth's GOOP

2008-10-10T08:19:00.000-07:00

I know you probably read the title and are looking to see what Gwyneth Paltrow can pull out of her drain- but it's actually the name of her new lifestyle site, Goop. While I think it's still in it's infancy, and I'm not really sure what it's trying to achieve (wow, like Roccapuccia!) but sign up for the e-mail newsletters. I got one today, and it's pretty cool- albeit hokey. Why cool? It shows pictures of what Gwyneth is wearing on a regular basis, clothes that I can see myself getting into and that I like. Hokey because she claims that she's a real working mother. Yeah right. Sure, she works and is a mother- but she probably has more help and nannies and cooks than I can count. Don't get it confused with Goop hand cleaner though. I did and couldn't figure out why Gwyneth was hawking hand soap...

Anyways, it looks like it could be interesting, so watch it!

Lipstick Jungle... And Why I'm a Hypocrite

2008-10-09T20:31:00.006-07:00

Ok, I know I went ON and ON last year about how much I disliked Lipstick Jungle after watching the pilot episode- but about halfway through the year, I secretly started watching it and this year it's been promoted to must-see Miss A TV. My main reason for not liking the pilot episode last year was that it was not Cashmere Mafia and that it featured Brooke Shields. Well, Cashmere Mafia is dead and buried... And when I watch repeats, I wonder what I liked so much about it. I think it was the way Juliet's hair always looked perfect. Anyways, you can't do much about Brooke Shields being on Lipstick Jungle (other than kill off her character, ahem) but she seems to have less and less importance and is taking up less and less of the attention. My favorite character is definitely Nico, followed very closely by Victory. I love the fashion on the show- since I'm more classic and I find myself drawn to styles like mine- I love Nico's clothes. I hopped over to SeenON to see what was in Nico's onscreen wardrobe and found that she is luckily well profiled and has lots of clothes she's worn on the show featured. I'm hoping that Santa will bring me a Lipstick Jungle Season 1 DVD for Christmas (I'm being sensitive to the recession people, although if your investments haven't tanked friends and family- I'd REALLY love some items from Nico's wardrobe) I think this would be a great gift for this holiday season: so it has earned the first official nomination to the Roccapuccia Gift Guide 2008 Edition! This year, I'm going to try something different- I'm going to list all of my Genius, if I do say so myself, Gift Ideas at the Roccapuccia Gift Guide Website- which you must all visit! I will update with where you can buy it cheaply and new ideas daily between now and Christmas, for all budgets and for hopefully everyone on your shopping list. Be sure to check it out!

Which of These is A Man?

2008-10-09T20:02:00.002-07:00

(I'll post the answer in the comments page)

Roccapuccia And The Bailout

2008-10-09T19:58:00.003-07:00

Yes, I know I haven't been updating much recently... There is just so much going on in the world, so much uncertainty, that I've been (selfishly) trying to figure out how I'll work through it. What it boils down to is that people, in my opinion, were spending more than they had and got themselves (or their companies) into a lot of trouble. I see this as a period of belt tightening- and that while there are serious problems- the media is also playing into the emotions of people and frankly using fear tactics to scare the crap out of us. In any case, I know that I am going to have to start (gasp) living within my budget and work towards a purchase rather than just make it. How are you affected by the crisis? Is it changing your habits?

My Body Image

2008-10-01T20:25:00.003-07:00

I have alot of qualms about my body, but one that has plagued me through (literally) thick and thin has been my upper arms. People always tell me things like they aren't so bad, but they literally are the most annoying body image thing I fight with on a daily basis because I know how to get rid of the flabby stomach (it's called the gym), the thighs (it's again called the gym) and the butt (it's again, also called the gym) but the arms were around even when I had a taut stomach, thin thighs and perky butt. Anyways, enough about my terrible self-esteem and body- I just also realized that I'm not the only one with bad arms. I've now decided it's a genetic thing. Britney was seen here (looking fantastic in NYC might I add) and she has some trouble with her arms too. It makes me feel better. Thanks Brit!

If The Ladies Don't Hold Themselves Up...

2008-10-01T20:23:00.002-07:00

...Please don't go out in public without a bra. Thanks Nicolette!

Swoon

2008-10-01T20:15:00.004-07:00

The perfect-ness that is Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen is pretty much as high as you can get. Check out this old picture from before the knee injury and the devastating end of my fantasy football season... And I've been missing seeing him on Sundays, so I was quite happy to see it on Perez again, and heard that the latest news is that the perfect couple will be going off to get hitched in the coming months.

Really, I just wanted a reason to post a picture of Tom Brady on the website. *swoon*

Where A Woman's Money Goes

2008-10-01T14:48:00.003-07:00

I love this clip (sent in by Roccapuccia Reader Mike)! I wish all my coins were this resourceful and determined...

My Desk

2008-09-30T14:29:00.004-07:00

As you know, I unfortunately don't make nearly enough money off my blog to not have a real job, so I thought I'd share where I spend 8 or more hours everyday- at my cubicle home. You'll notice the pink notebook and Run for the Cure gerber daisies and the good ol' standby Diet Coke, Kiehl's Lip Balm #1, SolarBalm Cuticle cream, Eiffel tower statue, Sharpie pen, water bottle, hair clip, bag of coins for the vending machine and picture of my sisters (which is normally better displayed, but is hidden since I'm in the picture and remain anonymous on the blog)

JUST in case you wondered...

Facebook Rant

2008-09-29T17:17:00.005-07:00

Facebook is one of the greatest inventions for keeping track of old friends, acquaintances and for Facebook stalking - but it has also got some issues that not many people seem to be able to grasp (or at least people on my Friends list)

I HATE the "update your status" thing. First of all, I don't need to know that you have a cough, or that you're nauseous or that you are wearing purple today. I frankly don't care. Sure, you can say that I could just not log on and not read the updates but they're the first thing that you happen to see when you log on. People need to learn that some things, like the fact that you loved Beverly Hills Chihuahua (Seriously, that's what one of the people on my Facebook has as their status), are better kept to themselves.

Also, I don't think many people have common sense when it comes to posting pictures. Are you naive enough to think that it's cool to post your drinking pictures on the internet? First of all, it's called future employers. If you are silly enough to think that there isn't a way for them to look into your profile- even if they're not your "friend" you're more naive than I had originally thought. Companies use Corporate-Level Facebook licenses (that will allow them to see posted things even if not your "friend") and research future employees.

Oh, and finally? Don't poke me. Don't super poke me. Don't ask me to be a vampire or join you on the Oregon Trail. I'm not hopping on the wagon.

Ah! The absolute worst part is that I can't delete my profile. The Facebook Gods won't allow it. In the meantime, I went to Crackbook and it made me laugh, so I feel better.

Dark Clouds

2008-09-29T13:53:00.004-07:00

In a prime example of gloom and doom journalism that comes out these days (the Capitol in Washington yesterday while discussing the now failed bailout plan)- it really has clarified that the US economy is in rough shape.

When the US economy is in rough shape, that means less consumer spending, higher foreclosures and bankrupties and all around, well, gloom and doom for us average citizens.

Seeing as this will now start to impact more people (although I cross my fingers that it doesn't), it will be on everyone's minds. People are going to start being thrifty and I think we'll even see a slight throwback to the Great Depression. (although, again, I hope I'm wrong)

Hold on, it's going to be a rough ride.

Jem - It's Amazing

2008-09-26T23:12:00.001-07:00

I know this is old news now, but I was telling someone about how much I love this song, and they hadn't heard of it- and I need to let everyone know how awesome it is! Check it out if you haven't heard it (Yes, it's from the Sex and the City Movie Soundtrack- and I also love "Heart of the Matter" by India Arie in case you were wondering)

What Drugs, Booze and a Bad Husband Can Do To You

2008-09-26T13:52:00.002-07:00

TMZ posted this picture of Amy Winehouse this afternoon, and while you might think this was Amy Winehouse circa 1995, this was Amy Winehouse ONLY 4 YEARS AGO.
She kind of looks like Anne Hathaway in the picture on the left, doesn't she?

AAAH!

2008-09-25T19:42:00.004-07:00

Pam and Jim got engaged! If you don't want this office, just ignore this post and the associated excitement. Check out the official The Office site for more details.

Paparazzi Gone Too Far

2008-09-23T08:05:00.004-07:00

This is a picture of Shanna Moakler, from People Magazine's website. This is a picture of her crying leaving the Burn Hospital in Augusta, Georgia where she is staying by the bedside of ex-husband and on/off boyfriend Travis Barker. I know that this was a big story in the news this past weekend and I'm just as interested as the next person in finding out how Travis and DJ AM are doing- but this paparazzi stalking of a hospital for pictures just seems wrong. I think they've gone too far. In what I'm sure is an extremely difficult time for Travis, Shanna and their families (and their kids!) she doesn't need to worry about having to be photographed while at a hospital.

It's really sad how celebrity obsessed our culture is- and it's made me decide that I need to change what I portray on this blog.

While I'm not going to be silly enough to say I will never again read a celebrity gossip blog, website, magazine, book or whatever, I'm not longer going to perpetuate it by posting the pictures on my blog. While I think that being a celebrity nowadays entails having your picture taken all over the place (especially in paparazzi feeding grounds like LA), I think there are boundaries as to how far the paparazzi should go- which I believe have been pushed too far. Taking a picture of a grieving family member at a hosiptal where a loved one has just been in a horrific plane crash is one such example. Telephoto lenses trying to get a glimpse into a labour and delivery room are another.

Roccapuccia Picture Posing 101

2008-09-22T18:44:00.006-07:00

Here's some great advice from Old Miss A... and Brooke Mueller. When pregnant (or carrying a few extra pounds) always figure out in the mirror before you go out the pose that doesn't make you look like you're pregnant or carrying a few extra pounds. Brooke Mueller obviously read the "never look at the camera directly on" (as she has her hips pushed out), "don't let your arms rest against your body when they're a little flabbier than usual" (as it's jutted out from her body), and "try and strategically cover your trouble areas" (hence why the little clutch is trying to cover her expanding stomach). While she definitely picked up on all of the right tips on how to best pose for a picture, I don't think she had enough time to practice them as she looks incredibly awkward in this picture.

Here are 5 tricks to always appear 10 pounds lighter in pictures (from About.com):

Secret No. 1: Turn partially sideways to the camera, planting one foot in front of the other. Point your toe to the camera and place your weight on your back foot.
Secret No. 2: Pull head forward slightly to minimize any appearance of a double chin
Secret No. 3: Hold arms slightly away from your body. This keeps upper arm flab from flattening out and therefore appearing flabbier (much like thighs do when one sits on a couch).
Secret No. 4: Pull shoulders back, chest forward and gently suck stomach in. Be careful not to suck stomach so far in that your ribs show, thereby causing those who later see the photo to cluck to themselves in a bemused, sing-song voice, "She's sucking i-in."
Secret No. 5: If you can get away with it without looking like a swimsuit model wannabe, try the look away trick. To do this, look away from the camera, then turn towards it, breaking into a smile just before the camera clicks. Your smile will appear fresh, not frozen. This trick takes practice behind closed, locked doors.

What Would You Like To See On Roccapuccia?

2008-09-22T08:27:00.000-07:00

Ok, I can see the number of people reading my blog and I know it's not just my friends- so I want to know what you all out there in the world think I should focus on; what you'd like to see more of on Roccapuccia. Please leave me a comment when you read this with something you'd like to keep seeing, something you'd like to not see and something that you'd like to see on here.

I listen to my readers, so please let me know!

Also, the new site is going to be re-launched on NOVEMBER 1st! Watch for more details as the date gets closer!

Thanks! xoxo, Miss A

Paper Denim and Cloth Back!?

2008-09-21T23:11:00.000-07:00

Today was a great day for me - besides it being my last day on the lemonade diet- I also found that my favorite brand of jeans, Paper Denim and Cloth, weren't in fact cancelled like I had originally thought and been told by numerous store workers at my favorite places. You may be saying "Paper Denim and Cloth, huh?" but they fit my body soooo well- or at least they used to circa about 2 years ago and I'm willing to go back to them. Citizens of Humanity and Habitual are my second favorite brands, and have been what I wear for the last couple of years- but they never quite fit the same way as my beloved favorite pair which were destroyed years ago (and I actually have written about loving them back in March 2007 and another post about how I ruined my favorite extremely worn in pair while painting my then new house). While I'm not sure exactly what happened to Paper Denim and Cloth brand, I took a stab at buying a new pair by my favorite line today from Bluefly (which I highly recommend). I chose the dark Madison wash Bridgette which were on sale for $69.99 minus the 30% because I might have also bought some additional sale items... It was an early birthday present to myself. I hope they fit the same way... Anyone know what happened to them? I heard from my regular shopper at my favorite store that the line was bought by Earnest Sewn and was being rebranded under Earnest Sewn? Anyways, I'm glad they're back!

Lemonade Cleanse - Day 6/7

2008-09-21T22:03:00.004-07:00

Well... I decided that 7 days was enough. My hunger and general anger at anyone eating has led me to believe that I wasn't doing the diet properly and that it needed to stop. I am going to still be not eating like normal for 10 days as there is a 3day cool-off period where tomorrow I can drink orange juice and broth, then Tuesday graduate to soups and crackers and Wednesday eat anything except meat and processed foods. Thursday is fair game- and I am pumped! Happy I am done? YES! I gave away pretty much everything that was in the juice (OK, everything) so there is nothing to remind me.

I guess this cleanse has done a couple of things positive... One, I think my stomach has shrunk, which should help me not binge entirely. Two, I am really excited to eat carrots, and I bought granola at the store today- not typical Miss A behaviour. Three, I'm actually kind of shocked I went for 7 days, so that's kinda cool.

I'll be back to normal posts and in a much happier mood this week!

Lemonade Cleanse Day 5 & Lunch Time Mini Post

2008-09-19T12:56:00.004-07:00

Pretty much this post is about the fact that Pamela really needs to cover those things up (I was going to say retire, but I don't know what she'd possibly retire from, it's not like she works anymore) and that Britney's new song, Womanizer, is now leaked. Listen to it via DListed here. I've heard it might be taken down, so listen sooner rather than later :)

Day 5 going better than Day 4. Less grouchy today by far, however am having weird pains in my stomach that I'm not sure what they are. Still would kill for food and am starving; This "cleanse" feels like a starvation plan. Have not lost any weight at all and system is no longer being cleansed as there is nothing coming out anymore. Also, have declared Stanley Borroughs as my arch nemesis. Quitting? No, I'm halfway done, I'm going to finish just to see if I start to feel "miraculously" more energetic, happy or have some crazy weight loss in the next 5 days- although put the odds at 1 in 1,000,000,000,000,000.

Short Hair on Katie?

2008-09-17T16:38:00.004-07:00

Katie Holmes cut her hair short awhile ago, and while you all know that I'm not a huge fan of short hair- it really depends on how Katie wears it. For example, in the picture on the left she looks terrible and on the right, she looks really great. It depends totally on the style of the short hair... So I'm taking back my short hair comments!

Lemonade Cleanse - Day 4

2008-09-17T16:38:00.003-07:00

Well, it's official.... I'm still starving and I have less faith than ever in this ridiculous cleanse. I'm too far into it now to just quit cold turkey (and I need to prove to my friends who all say I have zero willpower that I will finish this god forsaken thing)- but I feel like crap, am starving, grouchy and exhausted. I feel like the meanest person ever and had to really struggle to stay awake at my desk this morning. Apparently Day 4 is "the day" you get over your starvation cravings and become energetic and happy, according to most sites and books- but they also said you shouldn't be hungry at all. This blows.

My mouth also tastes like crap (4 times brushing my teeth today and counting) and I'm freezing all the time.

Apparently, Day 4 wasn't great for this guy either, although he seems to have more energy than me. Or you can watch a video of a girl talking about Day 4 here.

All I know is that there is no weight loss, no end to my hunger pains, icky Hell Juice, no "solids" from my system being expunged, headaches, starvation pains and my extreme grouchy-ness (in case you had't noticed) and that so far doesn't seem to make this cleanse even moderately worthwhile.

Lemonade Cleanse - Day 3

2008-09-17T16:38:00.002-07:00

This pretty much sums up my day.

Spears Family Pictures

2008-09-17T08:43:00.000-07:00

I didn't think it was possible for three generations of Spears women to get together without diaster... But here they all are. I'm happy to see that Britney is looking healthy and happy and with her family around her.

{Source}

Lemonade Diet - Day 2 Afternoon

2008-09-16T17:47:00.003-07:00

I am soooooooo hungry that I debated having a dog kibble when I gave Gucci his dinner tonight. Day 2 has resulted in absolute starvation. I'm hungry, despite my glasses of lemonade. In fact, I only have one cup left from my 2 Litres and I'm "saving" it until later when I can't wait any longer. I almost broke this afternoon at Shoppers Drug Mart buying toothpaste and bought a bag of potato chips I could then eat hidden in a corner before running home- but I didn't. A book written about the Lemonade Diet is called "Lose Weight, Have More Energy and Be Happier in 10 Days". You lose weight because you're not eating. You appear to have more energy because you are trying to find ways to distract yourself from the fact that you're starving and you have no energy to be in any mood, least of all grumpy, so people mistakenly assume you're happy.

In case you're wondering, the picture above represents my favorite food of all time, spaghetti. Mmmmmmm... I especially love Old Spaghetti Factory too... Mmmmmm.... You should go and think of me while you're doing it- find a store in Canada or the US. Mmmmmm.... Stupid cleanse, better stop these hunger pains soon- but apparently they don't stop until the end of Day 3- so that's a long 24 hours (and one horrific salt event) to go.

Too Much Plastic Surgery Is a BAD Thing

2008-09-16T17:15:00.003-07:00

I can no longer talk about celebrities having had too much plastic surgery after I've become acquainted with Jocelyn Wildenstein. This European socialite has apparently spent $4,000,000 on plastic surgery and now looks like.. Well, I hate to be mean to burn victims, but a burn victim! She apparently started the surgery at 50 after her husband started having an affair. She had millions of dollars and this is what she did? What?!

High Heels for... Babies?

2008-09-16T16:54:00.005-07:00

You can never start wearing heels too early I've always said- and Heelarious obviously agrees! Roccapuccia reader Mike sent me this link today and I almost died. These are priceless. If you know me and you have a baby girl anytime in the future, you know what I'm getting your baby these! They've been mentionned in the NY Post, InTouch Magazine and the Today Show. Thanks for passing this along Mike!

Lemonade Cleanse - Day 2

2008-09-16T11:46:00.004-07:00

Woke up this morning and felt a new resolve to complete this cleanse or else I’ll just have taken liters of salt water for fun. Weight down 4.5 pounds, decide it’s mostly due to water intake and peeing like a madwoman, and don’t feel any lighter; number not really helping when I don’t see a difference. I’m a see-er to be a believer. Hell Juice (which I took a picture of in my fridge, above) is made more bearable today by the fact that I was previously doubling the amount of cayenne pepper because I can’t do math. Math skills were verified by Mr. Roccapuccia who informed me of the error and juice is far more palatable today. The weirdest thing about this cleanse though is the overwhelming urge to put something in my mouth and chew it. I’m not hungry anymore, but keep thinking about food. It’s amazing to realize how much of your life revolves around food: thinking about it, planning eating it, eating it- it’s a habit I’ve been doing for my whole life and it’s incredibly weird to not eat solid food. It’s the weirdest part. I’m thinking about maybe freezing some of my lemonade into lemonade popsicles. I love popsicles.
I think the worst part today is dreading tonight’s Salt Drink and the fact that my mouth tastes awful. I’m not chewing gum since it’s apparently not allowed (the only things allowed? Hell Juice, Salt Drink and Water). Feeling more positive since I only have 8 days to go after today. Love the countdowns.
How Long Until I Can Eat Solid Food?
Again, I’m going to stress to people that I am not using this as a diet- I think that’s important to remember (and hence why I changed my title to Lemonade Cleanse- but not the label since it's a whole string). The weight I lose while drinking Hell Juice will (most likely) just creep its way back on again. I am doing this to clean my system of all of the crap that is in it, because I’m far from the healthiest person alive and need to change my lifestyle and eating habits. I’m using this as a way to jump start eating better and if I lose any weight in the process, it will be icing on the theoretical cake. (in fact, I learned just yesterday that people can be too obsessed with eating healthy- a disease called orthorexia – thanks CC)

Lemonade Diet - Day 1 (Night)

2008-09-16T06:41:00.000-07:00

Continued...

Last night was the worst night ever. The “salt rinse” or whatever you call it is the grossest thing ever. I’m not really ready to talk about it yet- but in case anyone else is doing this and actually reading my blog, I feel responsible. My advice? Chug the salt water as fast as possible and don’t throw up as you’ll just have to re-drink again the amount you threw up. Don’t think about it and after you drink it don’t do anything that would involve leaving your house or moving as I have never felt such debilitating nausea. After procedure, felt demoralized and sad, so went to bed and cuddled the Roccapoochie.

Lemonade Diet - Day 1 (Lunch to Dinner)

2008-09-15T16:19:00.003-07:00

Continued from this morning...

2:04pm – My Office
After a lunch break where I did 2 loads of laundry, took Gucci for a walk, made more lemonade (yeah!) and discussed my starvation levels with Lady K, I’m back at work. Unfortunately, it was the first day I noticed that there is an fresh air intake vent above my desk that pulls the “fresh air” from the patio and on our patio, there is an oft-used barbeque. When asking if anyone else smelled something, the answer was no. My colleagues now call me “The Nose” and when I went in depth again on the cleanse, we determined that I’m going to be incredibly grouchy since they see what I eat on a normal basis (one day last week I had 2 bags of potato chips for breakfast) and not eating could disturb the natural rhythm of things.
2:19pm – My Office’s Bathroom

(I’m there so often it totally gets its own spot)
Went to the bathroom again. Thinking that I probably don’t drink enough water on a regular basis since I am going so often now. Regret that.
2:24pm – My Office
Male co-worker suggests that I go on a celery cleanse since celery is pretty much just water in the shape of a celery stick and everyone knows you can burn calories by eating celery- plus, you could chew celery. I seriously consider but am swayed back to Lemonade Diet by promise of licking another maple syrup spoon tomorrow morning. Happy that co-workers know as they say they will watch me at work to ensure there is no breakdown.
2:42pm – My Office
Looking forward to meeting I have at 3pm as it will force me to think of other things but food- like money (which can be used to buy food which I will then eat), calling customers (who eat food) and our upcoming team event (where we will eat food). Maybe I will think of food after all. Exciting though is that I’m going to Starbucks tonight with CC and have researched that decaffeinated tea is OK on the cleanse; am going with mint as it will apparently make my mouth taste less like lemon flavored cayenne juice (which I’ve affectionately decided to call Hell Juice) Apparently food cravings for food should stop after day 3 when my stomach has shrunk to the size of a miniature California Raisin. I look forward to Thursday as if it were Sex and the City The Movie premiere night.

4:16pm - My House

Came home and wondered what I should make for dinner. Then I realized that hell juice was for dinner... And for lunch, breakfast and snack too. The biggest problem I have is that my esophagus is on fire. I don't think I've ever had heartburn before, but now I know the pain and those commercials aren't just exaggerating. I'm hoping that it was just a first day thing, so I'll try again tomorrow but I'm thinking I'll be cutting my cayenne intake in the coming days. Can't wait for tea time tonight!

4:28pm - My House

Wondering if I'm making hell juice with the right proportions. I am currently using the recipe from The Master Cleanse (dot) org, which is 14 Tablespoons of Pure Lemon Juice, 14 Tablespoons of Maple Sugar, and 1 Teaspoon of Cayenne in a 2 Litre Bottle and then filling the rest of the container with water and mix. Called Lady K in a panic to see if I was following right recipe. Stupid portions on all the webpages are so different that I have no idea which is right and which is wrong. I know I don't cook for a reason. What is the proper recipe??

Lemonade Diet - Day 1 (Wake Up to Lunch)

2008-09-15T11:42:00.004-07:00

Day 1- Wake-Up to Lunch

6:45am – My House
Woke up feeling like I can do this. Feeling a little bit nauseous from last night’s “Last Supper” of Chinese food still, so good start to morning. Had shower and left hair curly since I think I’ll be looking for things to keep my hands busy and my mind off food later, so will probably have awesome straight hair for rest of 10 days.
7:25am- My Office
Missing breakfast. Had gulp of lemonade mixture and it’s pretty spicy. Got weird look from co-worker about lemonade bottle contents. Drank a whole glass of water to get the burning out of my mouth and throat. What’s the eating tube called? Will have to find out, because when ambulance comes when I’ve fainted with hunger (I’m forecasting here) I want to be able to tell them which part hurts.
9:14am – My Office
Been to bathroom 2 times already today. People around me at work went to Starbucks - drinking their lattés and eating their scones… While I’m drinking lemonade that burns my esophagus. I think I need to cut down on the cayenne pepper as I will not be able to finish 1 day let alone 10! Lemonade is pleasant tasting (again, without the cayenne) and I actually don’t mind it at all. I also find that licking the maple syrup off the spoon when I measure is going to be the highlight of my day. People have talked about how much energy they have on this cleanse- and I think I’ve figured out why that is. People are trying to do something- anything- that gets their mind off of the fact that they can’t eat and therefore find themselves to be infinitely more productive and thus thinking they have more energy.
9:32am – Starbucks
Colleagues invited me to Starbucks. Pressured me into going. I ordered a bottle of water- felt very proud since they both ordered Breakfast sandwiches. Bastards.
10:39am – My Office
Went to bathroom again and am now starving… Probably because I can’t finish this stupid bottle of lemonade because the cayenne is so freaking hot. Not going well- think I will have to chug bottle to avoid burning of the esophagus. Co-workers finally asked what the hell I was drinking and I told them about lemonade cleanse. They aren’t looking forward to having to sit in close quarters with me because I could be getting pretty grouchy. I concurred. Thinking that I’m going to run out of lemonade since I’ve drunk already more than ½ of one of my bottles and haven’t had “lunch” or “dinner” yet.
10:48am – My Office
Wondering what I am going to do on my “lunch” break. Already accomplished 6 out of 9 items on my Weekly to Do list. The other 3 aren’t things I can do until tomorrow or later in the week. Is green tea allowed on this? Will have to research…
10:50am – My Office
Still have to go to freaking bathroom. I don’t normally drink this much water/liquid apparently. Conference calls are terribly boring when you’re not eating a snack! I love snacks during conference calls when all you do is listen. Today, I would like to be eating Skittles... Or a Starbucks breakfast sandwich- bastard co-workers. My mouth tastes bad- thought gum might be my savior- and then decided gum was probably not allowed since it’s full of all kinds of crap. I will just have to drink lots of water and continue frequenting bathroom lots. Thankful I am not in Europe with pay as you pee bathrooms right now.
10:58am – My Office
Can’t concentrate on work at all. Big Macs dancing through my head. I’ve really got to stop thinking about food, because I’m not really all that hungry after the great 10:39 chug and it’s pretty much all in my head. My day just got worse too since I looked at my investments and Bank of America is now down $6.44 today. I guess it’s a good thing that I’m not spending any money on food. Decided that green tea is not specifically allowed, so I’m going to stick to full plan. Decided I’d let myself have a glass the evening of Day 10 before easing back into food again. Oh, the little things I look forward to- like going to the store and buying myself a pair of earrings tonight. Too bad I didn’t say “Chicken Wings” instead of “Earrings”. They rhyme, does that count?
11:02am – My Office
Conference call over- went to the bathroom. Guy who sits near the bathroom asked me if I was OK.
11:38am- My House

Lunch just isn't lunch when there isn't something delicious to eat. Making more lemonade, looking forward to licking maple syrup spoon! Wondering exactly how much damage this can do to my body... Figure 10 days won't kill me.

Roccapuccia's Favorite Fashion/Style Books

2008-09-15T08:04:00.000-07:00

I've been asked quite frequently lately what my favorite fashion/style books are, and thought I would share them with you.

1. What Would Jackie Do by Shelly Branch (I love Jackie O, and like to think of her as my fashion icon- and this book is all about living your life as Jackie would have in our day in age... The tagline says it all "An Inspired Guide to Distinctive Living")
2. In Style Secrets of Style: The Complete Guide to Dressing Your Best Every Day by Lisa Arbetter (I love this book because of all of the pictures, and all of the combinations. My only concern about this book is alot of the clothing looks are actually drawn from old magazine issues, so if you've been a regular InStyle reader, you might have seen quite a few of the outfits already)
3. Harper's Bazaar Great Style: Best Ways to Update Your Look by Glenda Bailey (Oh so good. Chapters full of great advice, celebrity pictures, fashionista pictures... Great hardcover book that I pull out quite often, it's main purpose is trying to help you work on developing your own style)
4. Sex and the City: Kiss and Tell by Amy Sohn (You love the show, you love the clothes... This book is about both. There are pictures of lots of Carrie, Charlotte, Miranda and Samantha's outfits and designers who work with them along with episode details and behind the scenes information. There's also one of these for the movie... Oh, and of awesomest of all? The book is covered in a fuschia pink crocodile cover.)
5. A Guide to Elegance: For Every Woman Who Wants to Be Well and Properly Dressed on All Occasions by Geneviere Antonine Dariaux (An oldie but a goodie... It's style tips on how to be elegant, plain and simple)
6. What Would Audrey Do? by Pamela Keogh (By the same author and in the same style as my favorite, What Would Jackie Do?... It's about Audrey although this book is not as good for me as it's alot heavier on the biography (If I wanted to read a pure biography, I would) and seems to be in a different format than the previous one- but still good)
7. Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella (The only non-fiction on the list... But it's the first novel I ever read in my WHOLE life that spoke to me. I know most people have deep moments when reading books like the Grapes of Wrath or War and Peace, but I did when reading this book- it was the first time I read something and said "Oh my god, someone else has the same thoughts as me! " when Becky was reasoning her shopping. If you haven't read this book, you should immediately stop reading this blog (but come back later and tell me about it), go to the book store or Amazon and buy it. Do nothing but read it until you're done and then come back and tell me what you thought! Movie coming soon!!!)

I hope that you like the books... Let me know!

Funked Up Flip Flops

2008-09-14T21:43:00.003-07:00

I know that summer is coming to (or has come) an end... But that only means that fall vacations, winter holidays and Christmas are coming up soon, and there is a new product that's out there now that you should definitely take a look at. They're called FunK FloPs and they're available at a new website called Creative Crafts Online. They're creative, customizable and are a great way to spice up your flip flops. Check out the website!

Salma Hayek Rocks!

2008-09-14T20:51:00.000-07:00

Just Jared posted these pictures of Salma Hayek and I have found renewed love in the uber-light colored jean range. I don't think these work all that well in winter (although I'm of the old school "No white pants/shoes after Labor Day") but I'm really liking the way that she's got the dark top to balance out the light colored pants (which are Seven for All Mankind Super Flare jeans- which I have in dark and I love them). I love how Salma is also not a stick and has stuck to her curves as being what works for her- and work it does! [Source]

JLo Looks Like Me!

2008-09-14T17:32:00.003-07:00

Sure, she had twins like a year ago. Sure, she runs triathlons and is infinitely better shape than me. Sure, she's like 20 years my senior. But today was a glorious day for all of normal womankind, when Jennifer Lopez stepped out to run her triathlon and showed us her post-baby stomach, which is significantly different than the J Lo of old. While I can't quite understand why people who have stomachs like mine and JLo's possibly want to expose them to the world (She totally knew she was going to be photographed), I do have to give her incredible props for attempting the athletic feat and again for finishing it. {Source}

Guilt and Calorie Free Treats

2008-09-14T16:09:00.001-07:00

Since I'm not, you know, eating anything for the next 10 days, I've decided that everyday I need to do something to reward myself for, you know, not eating. So here are 10 things I'm going to reward myself with and while not spend more than $84 doing it. Calorie Free Rewards!

Buying new nail polish and painting my toes with it ($5)

New costume jewellery earrings I saw last weekend and want badly ($12)

Buy myself a stem of my favorite flower (Which is lily of the valley- I saw it at the flower store the other day... And if I can't find it, then a stem or two of another flower - $10)

Buy magazine of my choice (so probably a super trashy one - $5)

Going to library and getting book to read, then coming home and reading it- uninterrupted ($0)

Watching the Emmys on TV ($0)

Going for a massage- I'm going to go for a massage, it's already booked for this day right after work. ($0- my work benefits pay for it.)

Buying Sex and the City The Movie DVD (Eek! I've been excited about this for weeks! $30)

Taking Gucci to the dog park and letting him run wild ($0)

Buying myself the Holly Golightly Sleep Mask I talked about last week ($20)

2008-09-14T13:21:00.004-07:00

My blogs for the next week and a bit might be a little bit grumpy. In fact, they might be downright awful and make you want to delete Roccapuccia from your favorites (Please don't!). Why? Well, I've decided that this is the time that I am going to try the Master Cleanse or Lemonade Diet. I've read pretty much everything there is to read about it (including this article from the NYT), spoke with friends who have done it and have been going back and forth about doing it for months.

So for the next 10 days (to a maximum of 12, if I can stand it) I will be "eating" lemon juice, water, cayenne pepper, maple syrup and drinking lots of tea... Hopefully cleaning out my system and any additional pounds that decide to melt off while I'm on this cleanse would be icing on the hypothetical cake.

I know that lots of people a) Wonder if this is all a load of crap and works and b) how you feel during this cleanse. So, I'm going to document my experience daily for the 10 days right here on Roccapuccia. The couple of Roccapuccia readers I've been speaking with about this also insist that I take before and after pictures and post them at the end. So, I'll be taking the before one tonight, one on the after one on the night of my last cleanse day and another on the 2nd day following the cleanse right before you get back into the groove of normal eating again. I will post all the pictures after the very last one has been taken. It would be way to depressing to post the first one now.

Patriots Fan Sit and Wait...

2008-09-14T11:28:00.003-07:00

Gucci the Roccapoochie and I are waiting to see if the Pats can survive this week without our #1 favorite player, Tom Brady... Gucci's got his jersey on and is waiting for the big game.

Changes Have Started!!

2008-09-14T09:40:00.003-07:00

In case you haven't noticed... The Roccapuccia.com domain is no longer automatically directing traffic to the blog any more. The main site is now officially under some serious construction. If you need to contact me in the future, please contact me at missa@roccapuccia.com!

The new site is now going for a November 1st re-launch- so keep stopping by for updates...

Dark Lipstick Looks Bad

2008-09-13T08:17:00.000-07:00

I find that beauty trends are the easiest to follow in terms of both a financial standpoint and a commitment standpoint. It's pretty easy to hear that the trend is coral lipstick and to pop out to a drugstore and pick one up- and if it's awful you throw it out and regret spending your $5-40. It's not quite so easy to hear that the hottest trend is fur vests to run to the store, drop the hundreds of dollars and then not love it. Therefore, I usually decide to try out a beauty trend without much thought. This fall's big trend though in makeup/beauty isn't quite working for me... It's the super dark lipstick, as the "makeup authority", Sephora, has clearly put their money on. While I think it looks fabulous on a lot of people- it really doesn't work on a super pale freckled blonde white girl without making me look like a wannabe goth. I just can't seem to make it work.
Speaking of Sephora, they've recently released their "Best of Sephora" list for this year. You might wonder why I get excited about this list- it's because I love to look at the list, see what I own and then smile that I own the best product before it was released on the list. I feel like a true Sephora insider... and not just because I have their card. This year for example was not a great year for me; I own only 5 of the items on the list. I own the DiorShow mascara (which is great, but not as AWESOME as Fiberwig), Smashbox Photo Finish (Who doesn't??), Laura Mercier Oil-Free tinted SPF moisturizer (Good stuff), Nars Lip Gloss (I own Orgasm and love it) and Philosophy's Hope in a Jar (Heard so much about it, had to try it).

Hurricane Ike

2008-09-12T21:53:00.004-07:00

I know that I have a few readers in Texas, so I wanted to say that I'm wishing you all the best during Hurricane Ike... Anderson just said that the eye might divert from Houston, so hopefully that will help! Check CNN for more details! The picture at left is one of the happy stories that came out of Hurricane Wilma- a student that made clothes out of Hurricane Wilma debris- hopefully there will be happy stories out of Ike too.

Laptop Delight

2008-09-11T07:19:00.000-07:00

Every day I get out my computer. Every single day. Every day I look at the silver and white top of my Dell laptop and inside have I been secretly saying "I wish it had a little more pizazz?" You bet I have! Well, apparently I'm not the only one with these kinds of crazy thoughts, since Vivienne Tam showed these beautiful computers on the runway. I'm hoping this craze catches on, since I LOVE them. They're made by HP, and frankly I will be watching very carefully when they come out in limited edition in 2009... Maybe I can pick one up?!

Roccapuccia Hook Up: Reader Coupon Alert

2008-09-10T18:11:00.000-07:00

I know that there is at least one Roccapuccia reader who would like this coupon (which is totally valid- just print and take to your Michael's store anywhere in Canada or the US) so I thought I would share.

Michael's Coupon valid for 25% off your entire purchase- including sale items- at Michael's anywhere in Canada from September 10-12, 2008 and anywhere in the United States from September 11-13, 2008. Find a store near you if you're interested!

Christina Ricci Shows Us A Great Trick

2008-09-10T17:23:00.008-07:00

I've been a fan of Christina Ricci's for awhile now- and she's definitely grown up since the Casper or Addams Family days. Here, she's showing a trick that I've been trying to incorporate into my lookbook- the nude colored heel to elongate the leg. It also works really well with the tan colored dots on Christina's dress as well.

I'm personally fond of the middle Dior pair (clicking on any of the shoes to take you the eLuxury page where they can be seen) and if you're still lucky you might be able to find a pair uber-marked off from an old summer since these aren't exactly Winter shoes) My only suggestion is to be sure that your shoes fit and not to pull an LC (Sorry, but the only picture I could find of this was on Perez, hence Lo's face crossed out)

The shoes are still working in the fall season too, as the Sartorialist took a picture on the just a couple of days ago at Bryant Park... They're a classic buy that every fashionista should have in her closet- and I'm sure they're in Nina Garcia's book "The One Hundred: A Guide to the Pieces Every Stylish Woman Must Own ", because they'd definitely be in my book!

I Love You Marc Jacobs, But...

2008-09-10T17:14:00.003-07:00

You know that I love you Marc Jacobs, but I need him to please explain the purple skirt while out with Victoria Beckham. I don't think anything else needs to be said about this. [Source]

Cropped Do- or Don't?

2008-09-09T13:38:00.000-07:00

Victoria Beckham showed off her new spiky cropped haircut at New York Fashion week yesterday- And I just hope that hundreds of girls don't just rush off to salons to get the same crops themselves... A cropped haircut isn't something that works well for a lot of people- in fact, I'm not so sure it's working that well for Victoria Beckham either- it really shows her extremely angular face lines, which I wouldn't say was her best feature. I guess though when you are an extreme fashionista you are constantly under the gun to undergo some kind of dramatic transformation.

Yet Another Simpson Sister Live "Singing" Screw Up

2008-09-09T12:13:00.005-07:00

OK, I've just about had it with the Simpson sisters. Why can't they just retreat back to Texas- with their creepy eyeliner wearing husbands, fake noses, soon to be goth spawn, hair extensions and terrible voices? They are right on the top of my most aggravating people list, and this morning's performance by Jessica on ABC proves my point. Ah! I can't stand them! In case you were wondering, the rest of the people on that list are Pete Wentz (who is such an idiot that he publicized he played Russian Roulette), Paris Hilton (who is going to re-ruin Britney), and the Madden brothers (hypocritical posers)

In summary- Jessica Simpson can't sing, shouldn't sing and should have her vocal cords put on some kind of "Save My Ears" forced retirement plan.

Britney and the VMAs

2008-09-08T12:50:00.004-07:00

There were a lot of things I thought I'd never see again when the downfall of Britney Spears started- her looking actually good was one of them. Despite the show being an aboslute snoozefest and alleged comedian Russell Brand's all around terribleness, it's still getting lots of press as Britney showed up looking awesome and winning three (rigged, no doubt, but the thought was sweet) Moonmen. Paris Hilton was the presenter of one of Britney's awards, so I'm hoping that that was the only reason Britney was photographed next to her...

Holly Golightly Sleep Mask

2008-09-07T21:47:00.005-07:00

My favorite movie of all time, Breakfast at Tiffany's, has long been imitated- and I've finally found one of favorite things from the movie remade with a unique twist- the Holly Golightly sleep mask! You can get it online from missindie's Etsy shop.

$300K Outfits Only Add to the Best Soap Opera on TV

2008-09-04T20:21:00.003-07:00

Sure, I guess if I was worth as much money as Cindy McCain, I'd probably own a couple pairs of $280K diamond earrings, but I'm not really sure last night's GOP convention showcasing how "down to earth" and "representative of the real American people" the Republican party is was the proper place to showcase them. I don't know about you, but this election is turning out to be the best soap opera I've watched in YEARS! C'mon- it's got it all... Teenage Pregnancies, Beer Heiresses, the Oprah vote, Flashy Diamonds, Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars Outfits, Dudes named Barack... This is going to be the most entertaining Presidential elections ever.

Check out the article here, but the listings of the outfits are:

Laura Bush

Oscar de la Renta suit: $2,500

Stuart Weitzman heels: $325

Pearl stud earrings: $600–$1,500

Total: Between $3,425 and $4,325

Cindy McCain

Oscar de la Renta dress: $3,000

Chanel J12 White Ceramic Watch: $4,500

Three-carat diamond earrings: $280,000

Four-strand pearl necklace: $11,000–$25,000

Shoes, designer unknown: $600

Total: Between $299,100 and $313,100

Weirdest Bathing Suit I've Seen In Years

2008-09-03T09:41:00.000-07:00

This bathing suit from threeASFOUR is seriously the weirdest bathing suit I've seen in recent history. It makes the model's breasts look uneven! Plus, if you thought this might be a good joke bathing suit to pull out on Halloweeen at your aquasize class, you'd better have deep pockets- this baby retailed for $1,000! I was browsing on Fashionista and found this, and HAD to post it!
I looked through their site, expecting to find hoards of other freakish designs, but found some looks I really liked in their non-swim line like this pant outfit, so they are redeemed... For now... But I'd better never see a bathing suit like this again!

Dear Megan,

2008-09-03T07:29:00.000-07:00

Do you really want us to believe this crap?

“It’s just water and raw apple cider vinegar, and it just cleans out your system entirely. It will get rid of, for women who retain water weight, from your menstrual cycle and all that, it gets rid of it really fast. I’m not one for dieting or exercising, ’cause I’m lazy and I have a really big sweet tooth, so I have to do cleanses every once in a while ’cause of the amount of sugar I take in.”

No Megan, it's called b-u-l-i-m-i-a. You may take in copious amounts of food but then you throw it up. That or you spend hours of your day in the gym, and I'm willing to put it out there and say throwing up would be way easier. I'm so sick of Hollywod celebrities saying all they do is have a glass of water and apple cider and they wind up with bodies like Megan Fox's. It's such crap! Losing weight is freaking hard work and I wish just one of them would come out and say "Yeah, I throw up". I know they'd get a wicked media backlash, but they'd be HONEST!

Oh, and you look eerily like Lindsay Lohan in the above pic, circa redhair.

Just tell us the truth!

xoxo, Miss A

Yeah, Yeah, She's Pretty...

2008-09-02T23:08:00.000-07:00

Yes, Camilla Alves is a gorgeous woman and I'm sure Levi or whatever his name is is an adorable baby... But check out the band leader on the ladder- when your VPL is visible from this far away, you know you have a problem.