Tonight’s Episode: NY Stakes & LA Quakes!

XOX Betsey Johnson will be showing the fourth episode of the season this evening on the Style Network! In this episode, Betsey rushes to find 30 models for an East Coast fashion show, while at the same time squeezing in a personal appearance on the other end of the country.

One of my favorite Betsey Johnson party quotes: 

A great party is based on four things: champagne, great music, great mix of people, and the best party dresses ever…I’m a champagne girl. It’s a happy drink. I like the bubbles. I just need a little glass of champagne to become happy and energized. I also like the celebratory feel of champagne. I love to toast! ~The Style Network

Me too Betsey, me too!  ;-p

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Derek Warburton has been named the new Style Ambassador for the apparel company Spiegel! (Congrats!!!)

In his new role, Derek – also known as Derek Fabulous to his friends, will offer some of his many fashion savvy talents, such as styling, to Spiegel readers via the Spiegel.com website.

Photo below: Derek and one of the models he styled for a Spiegel promotional shoot.

Women will be able to write in and ask Derek their personal style questions and he will help them make the best choices for their body type and lifestyle. Viewers will be able to reach Derek on Twitter and Instagram by utilizing the handle @StylebyDerek as well as through the Spiegel Facebook page. Check out Derek and some of the photos he styled for Spiegel below!

To celebrate this partnership, Derek is embarking on a nationwide television tour introducing daytime talk show viewers to the new collections by Richard Lowe III, Spiegels International Creative Director and exclusive designer. “I am thrilled that Derek is flying across the nation introducing my summer line to American women and helping them look as beautiful as they deserve to feel,” says Richard.

As brand ambassador to Spiegel, Derek will also style celebs in Spiegel clothing for television, fashion and editorial campaigns as well as for seasonal events. “I am very excited about my new role at Spiegel,” says Derek. “Some of my duties will include dressing everyone’s favorite  stars (he has already styled  Beyonce, Heather Graham and countless super models) in the gossip and style magazines we all love to read but, I am very excited to work with Spiegel viewers and guide  them on how to make the season’s hottest looks work for them!”

About Derek Warburton: Derek developed his keen fashion sense and honed his  talent  for styling at  the Fashion Institute of Technology  in  New York. (When I first met him, he was sitting front row during New York Fashion Week). Before transitioning into magazines as a fashion editor for various luxury lifestyle publications, his charisma led him to television where he coDhosted “Britain’s Fashion Avenue” and the Style Network’s “Big Boutiques.”  He has been featured in The New York Time, InTouch, Fashion News Live, and on The Insider. Derek also appeared on season three of the Bravo reality television series The  Real Housewives of New York City. “Besides being an amazing stylist, Derek is one of the most hardworking and charitable individuals I  have  had  the  pleasure  of  working  with, “says  Lowe. “Spiegel has been providing American women with a better lifestyle for over 100 years, seamlessly blending aspiration with affordability.  Derek will help us perpetuate this fine tradition.”

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Our third and final wine tasting for this trip was Imagery Estate Winery, also in Sonoma.

A sister property to Benziger Family Winery, Imagery Estate is owned by the same family and therefore had some of the same offerings as our first stop. There was plenty to choose from and I enjoyed being able to order some of my favorites like the Port and Espresso Cow’s Milk Cheese that I first tried at the Family Winery. (pics below)

Imagery had a more upbeat vibe to it than the first two wineries we visited. The bar was a square with the bartenders in the center and seats around the whole bar area. Almost every seat was taken when we got there and the crowd seemed young and fashionable. I got the impression that this is a fun spot for tourists and locals alike who want to mingle and sample good wine.

Imagery Estate Winery

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Ledson Winery & Vineyards was the second winery we visited in Sonoma. The 16,000 square foot French Normandy winery, better  known as “The Castle”, was originally designed to be the Ledson family home. Owner Steve Ledson says on his website that the contractor and designer got him “carried away” and after development, he decided that the mansion would make a better winery than a home!

I loved walking around the property and tasting the wines! The tasting bar’s staff is friendly and very helpful with selecting wines to sample. I opted for the 6 course tasting and was impressed by how after each wine I sampled, I was asked what I liked or disliked about the wine’s flavor and then a recommendation for the next wine was made accordingly. I took notes and wrote down my favorite wine at the end, but I’m pretty sure that they’re packed away at the moment – I’ll update once I find them!

A grand entrance…

Ledson Winery & Vineyards

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No trip to Northern California would be complete without visiting some of the wineries that the area is famous for! JC and I stopped by three different wineries for a sampling of the local wines and a taste of the land.

The first stop we made came by way of a recommendation and was the Benzinger Family Winery, which has just over 80 acres of vineyards situated in a small valley backing onto Sonoma Mountain.

In addition to wine, JC and I ordered a cheese sampler and some prosciutto – OMG the cheese was delicious – seriously, some of the best I’ve ever had! Good wine, good cheese, good weather, and good company = awesome day!

Wines Sampled:

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Top of the Mark was a recommendation that JC and I wanted to make sure we checked out during our stay in San Francisco. For this outing, we were somewhat adventurous – starting the journey with a walk along the pier before catching a trolley bus. It wasn’t too long before sunset and along the way we stopped to take some photos of the Golden Gate Bridge, which we could see through a hazy fog in the distance. Our bus stop was a few blocks away from Top of the Mark and we had to walk up a super steep street to there. We had some fun working up an appetite on our way  - both for the appetizers and for a martini from Top of the Mark’s 100 Martinis menu – you read that right – there are one hundred martinis on the menu!

Once we made our way up to the top floor of the Mark Hopkins Hotel (which is where Top of the Mark is located, hence its name), we were seated (per our request) at one of the window seats. In the distance, we could once again see the Golden Gate Bridge as well as some other notable buildings on the skyline.

Live music for the evening included a classical ensemble consisting of a piano and a couple of violins – definitely added a nice touch to our dining experience! There were even some people dancing in the center room.

For food, there were only finger food options, which was fine with us. We selected a few small dishes like sliders, asparagus deviled eggs, and mini soft tacos. For dessert we ordered There was an extensive martini list with a lot of yummy sounding options that made picking one difficult! I eventually settled on the for my first choice and then had the as my second choice – both were delicious!

Asparagus Deviled Eggs

Beef, crab cake, and duck? (I don’t remember what the third slider was). They were all VERY delicious!

Shrimp, pork, and chicken mini tacos – SO good!

Dessert!

The view:

Can you see the Golden Gate Bridge through the hazy sunset?

In case you were wondering - we weren’t feeling as adventurous after our meal, but thankfully catching a cab back to our hotel was quick and easy. (There were doormen who were friendly and happy to help)

Top of the Mark

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Photos from driving around San Francisco…in a convertible…with the top down.

Gallery below.

Note: The best way to view images in the gallery is by clicking on the first image and then mousing through or scrolling through using the arrows on your keypad.

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

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I wanted to do something creative with my nails, but didn’t have time to wait for polish to dry – I opted for the following quick fix:

The Heavy Metal nail art in the package below can be applied using glue, while the black & gold decals by Maybelline simply stick to  nails – super quick!

Photo below: These Color Show decals by Maybelline are going on day 6, but I’ve had to replace a couple of them that wore worn at the tips (The package comes with 18 stickers so there are some left over for touch ups). They are pretty easy to put on – just stick on and then file off any of the excess decal at the tip of the nail. I like the way they look, but they are a little jagged around the tips where I had to file. 

Purchased at Walgreens.

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Celebrity Gossip: Poor Amanda Bynes. The girl who was once nominated as one of Teen People’s “25 Hottest Stars Under 25″, is now melting into a hot mess. It seems that the troubled actress/attempted fashion designer can’t seem to stay out of trouble with a string of run ins with the police, drug abuse accusations, and a public rant of emotionally disturbing Tweets that have many of us wondering if she needs some serious intervention.

So what happened to the once ambitious girl who, for many years, had a successful acting career, but is quickly following in the footsteps of the likes of Lindsay Lohan? The legal troubles started in 2012, when Bynes was stopped by Los Angeles police for talking on her cell phone while driving. While that was a minor infraction, Bynes soon took things to a whole new level when she was arrested and charged with driving under the influence after side-swiping a police car in West Hollywood. Bynes was officially charged with driving under the influence, while taking to Twitter to maintain her innocence swearing to her followers that she was sober. What happens next is a series of bothersome charges including being charged with a hit-and-run after leaving the scene of two separate accidents, one on April 10 and another on August 4. These incidents led to Bynes having her driver’s license suspended.

But Bynes’ legal woes didn’t stop there.

Ten days after having her license suspended, she had her vehicle impounded after driving. Then again, five days after that.

To all the above charges, Amanda maintained her innocence, pleading either not guilty or no contest and was sentenced to three years’ probation.

Two days ago, May 23,  Bynes was arrested in her apartment on West 47th Street, Manhattan for reckless endangerment, tampering with evidence, and criminal possession of marijuana. There are reports that Bynes was smoking in the lobby and police say that Amanda threw a bong from her 36th floor apartment when they showed up to investigate. She was arrested and  taken to Roosevelt Hospital for an evaluation.

Just minutes ago, Bynes once again has taken to Twitter to maintain her innocence claiming that the reports are outright lies and that the police officer tried to sexually harass her.

Don’t believe the reports about me being arrested. It’s all lies. I was sexually harassed by one of the cops the night before last which is who then arrested me. He lied and said I threw a bong out the window when I opened the window for fresh air. Hilarious. He slapped my vagina. Sexual harassment. Big deal. I then called the cops on him. He handcuffed me, which I resisted, quite unlike any of the reports stated. Then I was sent to a mental hospital. Offensive. I kept asking for my lawyer but they wouldn’t let me. The cops were creepy. The cop sexually harassed me, they found no pot on me or bong outside my window. That’s why the judge let me go. Don’t believe any reports.

It’s hard to believe that ALL these accusations are false and while Amanda seems to think that the world is out to get her, I just hope that she is able to get whatever help she needs whether is be a good lawyer, a therapist, or medication.

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