Friday, November 11, 2011

Cotton like yer drivin by reel fast?!

I have two really talented friends who live in Natchez, Mississippi where they run an Interior Design shop. They are definitely jacks of all trades, well technically they are kevs of all trades because their names are Kevin and Kevin. More affectionately known as Big Kev and Little Kev.
Kevin Miers
Kevin Brodeur
Big Kev is an amazing artist and Little Kev can upholster the hell out of the anything. They sew, decorate, cook some of the best food I've ever tasted and lately they've been offering me styling advice on my apartment via skype. I walk around with my lap top showing them different corners of the apartment and they tell me- taller lamp, shorter lamp, add books underneath, take books away, get rid of that hideous tablecloth and so on... Lately, I can't get enough of Big Kev's paintings. I love everything the man creates. He could paint a black blob on a canvas and I'm offering him cash before the paint can dry. :) I thought I'd share some of his beautiful creations with you, just a few of the many.  He is insanely talented and I love that his paintings, while distinctly "southern" are not traditionally or stereotypically country. They are very original and unlike anything I've ever seen in South. I have one of his Mississippi River paintings in my apartment in Dallas and I'm hoping Santa brings me a Cotton painting for Christmas. (Fingers crossed.)

Enjoy---

Brodeur Gallery on North Commerce Street

Low River
Louisiana Cotton
Robin's Nest
Mississippi River



If you want more information or want to get in touch with the Kevs, you can email them at: kevinmiers@yahoo.com or check out their facebook page.

TGIF! Hope you are feeling inspired now! Enjoy your weekend.

--Winston

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Your hair's new bff

Obviously, I love me some hair products. I have a million different shampoos and conditioners in my shower and I'm always willing to try any product that claims it will help me dry or straighten my hair faster! The problem is that most of the time, I can't really tell a difference when I use them. Maybe it smells really good or feels a little softer but no huge difference....

Until now!

Not a shocker that hair genius Frederic Fekkai has developed an insane line of hair products called the Silky Straight Ironless Collection. 

Shampoo and Conditioner

The surprising part is that I can tell an insane difference when I use the shampoo and the conditioner. My hair dries faster, straighter, and so much easier. I know it's a splurge but it's so worth it. The smooth finish serum is just an added bonus that is equally as good but start with the shampoo and conditioner. It will change your life or at least your hairs!

Happy Showering!


--Winston

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Dreaming in Chardonnay this week...

Tomorrow I'm headed to Wine Country in California for a quick weekend early Birthday trip. I've never been and it's my dream trip. I'm so excited that I really haven't been able to focus on anything else this week so I'll leave you with a few fun images.




I'll fill you in on all the details next week!

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Meet Birchbox

Birchbox is my newest obsession. Obviously I am a beauty product junkie/hoarder and I'm really a little upset that it has taken me this long to discover Birchbox. So thank goodness you have me, so I can fill you in!

Birchbox is a website that is basically a mini Sephora but what's so special about it is the "Birchbox" that you can subscribe to. The Birchbox is a sample of fabulous beauty products that is delivered to your door once a month and it's only 10 bucks a month.



I love it for numerous reasons. It's affordable, the samples are things you would actually want to try and they give you a decent sample size. I have a Sephora Beauty Insider card but the problem is, the samples you get are so tiny! I can barely squeeze out enough to even try it? BS!

Soooo, I suggest you subscribe the Birchbox. How fun to get this adorable little package in the mail once a month. It's officially the highlight of my day each month. Hope you decide to join to the Birchbox cult. You won't regret opening your mailbox to receive a box full of goodies each month, I promise. :)

Click here to subscribe: BIRCHBOX


Enjoy your Birchbox!

--Winston

Friday, September 16, 2011

Missoni Mob

Yes, I too got caught up in the Missoni Mayhem on Tuesday. I went to Target at 7:45am only to be greeted by two long lines at each entrance.

Line Number 1
Once we got inside, women took off and started running. It was nuts. I didn't feel like getting kicked out of Target so I behaved and slowly made my way to the clothes and snagged a few ugly dresses and  some cute make up bags. Since I missed out on everything I actually wanted while watching women pass me with carts full of multiple items, I called my sister in Monroe to wake up and run to Target. Luckily, Funroe wasn't as chaotic, she was able to score quite a few things.

The loot my sister scored me
Of course, we didn't get a throw which is the main thing I wanted but they are on Ebay right now for 300 dollars! Insanity for a fake Missoni blanket that was 39.99 at Target.


And last but not least, I did have one friend who went a little nuts. He may or may not be gay and he may or may not have spent almost 2 grand at Target. He's been running a black market out of his house this week and letting people come by and sort through the Target loot. Thank God for crazy, I mean gay, I mean good friends! I also scored a few things from him as well. 


Mr.X's buggy at Target





Hope you at least got a pair of socks or panties or an eraser or maybe just a price tag ripped off of something that says Missoni...  :)

Have a good weekend!

--Winston

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Summer Hiatus

Pardon my leave of absence but it was for a good reason....

I had to spend the summer preparing and then hanging out with this little guy!

Meet Harrison Sim Callon

His proud Aunts and Grandmother

3 months and already up on the trends

Soooo, my apologies again but it was a summer spent with Harrison. Regular weekly blogging is back so stay tuned.


See you soon!

--Winston (Aka- Harry's favorite Aunt!)

Thursday, April 21, 2011

For the girliest of girls

Guilty pleasure confession time. I am obsessed with Lauren Conrad. She is so adorable. I might have even stood in line at her book signing at Borders a few months ago. That's how adorable I think she is. I really love her style and you have to admit she is one of the more "real" reality stars. After they gave her new reality show the boot because it was too boring, I wondered what she would do... Well, thanks to a little mention in Allure magazine this past month, we now know. She has started a website with her hairdresser and her make-up artist called The Beauty Department. It went live yesterday and it's awesome! She gives tips and how to videos so you can pull off trendy hairstyles and make-up tricks.

For example:
LC shows you how to curl your hair with some 40's glamour 

The gurus. Aren't they cute?!


Next time, you need some ideas for a fun new way to style your hair or do your make-up, you can get some tips from your girl LC!

Happy Styling!

---Winston

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Wanting what I can't have?

So, here's the deal. There is a new Italian restaurant that opened up in my favorite part of Dallas a few months ago. It's called Lucia and it's located in the trendy Bishops Art District.

This is all you get. A logo. Because that's about all I can get.

I first read a review in a local paper here and the opening sentence of the article said, "Before you read this, stop and call to make a reservation." They weren't kidding. But I thought they were so I didn't call. A few weeks later I read another article about the place. Being a huge fan of the legendary Scarpetta which I drag my friends to anytime we visit New York or Vegas, I am intrigued by the fabulous new Dallas Italian restaurant that is so delicious it has been written up in The New York Times. (You can't suck if The New York Times is writing about you. Well I guess you can suck but then they would be telling us that.) Anyway, long story short, we walked in the other night attempting to have dinner and the hostess politely told us that she could squeeze us in mid June for a weeknight or August for a weekend night!!! Are you kidding me? This is Dallas! Ever since then I've been obsessed with having dinner at this place. My friend Lauren keeps telling me that I only want to go because I can't get in but I swear I wanted to go before I knew it took months to get a reservation. I love Italian and after all these raving reviews, of course I want to try it. We've decided to just call and make a reservation for the first open date, be it October 2011 or October 2012 and we'll just plan to go no matter what night of the week it is. I'm expecting mind blowing homemade pappardelle with lobster and truffle oil coating everything. Also, I want a glass of wine on the house for waiting so damn long to get in.

I'll keep you posted if it lives up to the hype. Check back 6 months from now...


Happy Dining!

---Winston

Monday, April 11, 2011

What are you doing this weekend?

Reason number 2178 why I love Dallas-- They have a great music scene! I'm actually booked up this weekend with a double dose of the music scene in Big D. I recommend you jump on the opportunity to see two of my favorite bands who will be in town this weekend. Pete Yorn at the Granada on Friday night and The Avett Brothers at the Palladium on Saturday night.

Pete Yorn

The Avett Brothers

For a little preview, download "All at Once" by Pete Yorn and "Kick Drum Heart" by the Avett Brothers.

Also, if you need a good place to find new music or want to keep up with who's playing in the Dallas area, I found the best music website the other day. I haven't seen one this good in a while. Whoever runs this site has great taste. Check it out: DBF-Music.

See you Friday!

--Winston

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Oh Lovers Lane...

Have you driven down Lovers Lane near Inwood Village lately? I literally counted the other day there are more than 15 nail salons within a ½ mile radius. There are probably even more and I just can’t see them from the road! How do they all stay in business? More importantly, how do I decide which one to try? Well, since I moved to Dallas, I have been salon hopping. I’ve tried almost every one of those 15 nail salons and finally……I found the one! Pampered Soles.

Pampered Soles


There are a million reasons why this salon is so fabulous. Where do I begin? First off their customer service is through the roof. The most adorable couple own the salon and they keep things in tip top shape. They’ve thought of the every last detail that makes your visit pleasant and enjoyable.  Would you like a water or coke? Room temperature or over ice? Bottle or glass? I mean the list goes on and on. They also serve a complimentary snack- a few crackers with cream cheese and pepper jelly.

The first time I went to the salon, I was comfortably seated in a chair when the owner(pretty easy on the eyes) came over with his lap top and went through a questionnaire with me. How do you like your water? Hot, warm, cold? Nails? Round or Square? Cuticles? Cut or don’t cut? He typed away and explained to me that now they know how I like my services so they won’t have to ask me every time I come in.
Last but not least, every customer gets their own personalized box which holds your reusable tools. You can even store your favorite polish there so you don't have to remember to bring it each time!

Oh and have I even mentioned how great the actual pedicures and manicures are? Top notch! My feet have never been softer and the precision of the polish application is perfection.
Try the shellac, it’s my new favorite polish that stays on for 3-4 weeks depending how fast your nails grow. Also, when you make an appointment, tell them Scarlett Jo sent you. You’ll get the royal treatment! J


Happy ManiPedi!

--Winston

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Can I blog about a blog?

I can't help it, I'm literally obsessed with so many different blogs. I spend way too much time reading post after post and saving image after image. It's an addiction. My friend Jen has gotten so addicted that she had to start a flicker account just to have somewhere to store all the images she collects. I think she rubbed off on me because lately I can't stop. I've got so many folders on my desktop filled with pictures. I have inspiration photos saved for every inch of a dream house that I want to create one day.

As hard as it is to narrow it down to just one favorite blog, there is currently one blog that makes me gasp every time. I get so excited when I see they have updated because I know whatever they post will be amazing! I usually fall immediately in love and have to email at least 3 different friends. These girls have impeccable taste. I promise you will fall in love to.

Get ready to spent way too many hours reading everything they've ever posted. And if you end up like me, you'll be stopping every other picture to bookmark or save another brilliant idea!

Without further ado, meet: Fric and Frac.
You can view their exceptional blog here: http://fricandfracblog.blogspot.com/

Below is a sample of what you can expect to see....


Cutest bed nook in the world? I would love to crawl in for a little nap...

I am OBSESSED. I will definitely be doing this to my floors one day. And as long as you  keep the rest of the furniture  neutral, it really doesn't seem too wacky.

I didn't even think I liked dark wood until seeing this. So stunning!

I've always wanted to do a cool wall of pictures like this! Who knew it could even work in the dining area? 

And I'm napping again in this perfect little bed cubby...



Enjoy!


--Winston

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Kmart Love

Kmart? Do they still have those stores? Yes they do! None anywhere near Dallas but there are plenty in every other state in the country including two locations in New York City. The Kmart in my hometown in Mississippi is pretty run down and the parking lot will never resemble the chaos of a Walmart or Target parking lot, but what's inside is pretty impressive! Check out these cheap finds that are right on trend and conveniently located at your local Kmart or Kmart online.



Kmart Country Living Collection  Bath Towel $9.99















Anthropologie skirt $128.00

Kmart skirt $13.99


Ballard Design $689.00





Kmart Country Living Collection Chair   $129.99





Move over Target, Kmart's making a comeback!


---Winston

Monday, March 14, 2011

I'd like to start a tab, please!

So I've been spending a lot of time at the bar lately, in fact I have a tab there. I never even have to pull out my wallet because the bar just charges my card on file. It's pretty amazing. Oh and by the way, the bar I'm referring to is my new second home called the Drybar. http://www.thedrybar.com/dallas

Here's the deal. All they do are blowouts. No color. No cut. They simply dry hair for $35 (PS- it's $100 for this service at Frederic Fekkai down the street). I'm sure men are baffled by this, but any Southern gal who has spent hours with a roll brush and a flat iron, contemplated the brazilian or just given up and permanently lives in a ponytail, they should call 214-989-6136 right now. The Drybar gives you Hollywood hair in about 30 minutes or less. They even have a booklet of options from which to choose. The styles range from the Manhattan- sleek and straight, to the Mai-Tai, my personal fav, which gives you a wavy beachy look. Whatever your favorite style is, these BlowDry Pros can make it happen. I suggest you ask for my girl Bonnie. She pretty much rocks. No worries if she is off that day, you'll be in good hands with anyone on their staff. 

And no need to smuggle in your flask or byob because this bar definitely serves cocktails. Like I said, I'm there every week. ;)




Happy Drying! 


---Winston

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Softest lips award

Every year I become obsessed with a new lip balm. Sometimes, I go for the classic blistex and other times I splurge for something more decadent like la mer's lip balm (which is by the way pretty fabulous) but today I have found my new super favorite. I haven't been this pleased for a while and surprisingly this isn't even a new product. It has been revamped a few times but I think it is finally perfect.

Alas I introduce you to Laura Mercier's Lip Silk and Lip Balm.



Found at Macys and lots of other beauty stores and department stores, this little duo is the killer combination for perfectly soft lips. It was love at first rub of the lips for me. There are no scrubs involved that leave you tasting bits of grit in your mouth and no treatments to leave on overnight. It's pretty simple. Just squeeze a dab of the lip silk onto your finger and rub across your lips and then follow up with the lip balm. I've been using mine every night before bed and I'm addicted.

The only con is the lip silk is a bit tough to squeeze out of the tiny tube so my fingers get some mini exercise but they like it. As do my lips. ;)

Get ready to pucker up!



Muah---

Winston

Welcome

This blog is starting off in the development phase so who knows which way it will go... One day it may be about make-up and the next day it may be about a great new restaurant. Either way, you can always trust that I have done my homework and I will only blog about the best of the best and of course the worst of the worst! Because you need to know what to run out and eat, drink, buy immediately and what to avoid at all cost. Let the fun begin. Hope you enjoy.

 YDWX9KWJ9848