I Am Forced To "Fake" It

No, I am not talking about sex (dirty minds!!) but Christmas trees.  Yep, we are one of those people who have a fake tree in our house.  And it KILLS me!

I grew up with real Christmas trees and find it somewhat sacreligious to have a fake one.  I ask you, how can a tree come out of a box?  Then I married a man who is allergic to them and if I was not willing to get rid of him, the real trees had to go.  One of my favorite parts of having a real tree is the pine smell.  There is nothing better during the holidays.  To compromise, every holiday season I load up on Mrs. Meyers Iowa Pine scented soy candle.

I have tried numerous pine candles and this one is the absolute best.  I picked up mine at Target but you can order them online as well.  These burn consistently throughout December and allows me to pretend that I have a fabulous real tree in my living room. 

If I am not burning the pine candles, I will also burn these two seasonsal candles by Mrs. Meyers.

Canberry soy candle

Spice Cake soy candle

If you are also one of those people that have a fake tree against your will, I feel sorry for you.  But at least Mrs. Meyers is helping to make up for it.

Designer Obsession: Marc Jacobs

What do I love about Marc Jacobs?  Everything.

I love that he is friends with Rachel Zoe.
I love that his ads do not show "typical" models and sometimes confuse me.
I love that he is okay with being photography naked with his perfume in a very strategic place.
I love that he has a second line that somewhat more reasonable.
I love that he has a children's line.
I love that he designs for Louis Vuitton.

The list could go on and on.  I have been a fan since my first Marc Jacobs purchase back in 2003.  It was a MJ suit that Julia Roberts wore on Oprah.  I picked it up (extremely marked down) while working at Nordstrom and it is still hanging in my closet today.  My items have grown since then and I continue to be fascinated by his collections, as they are always unexpected and always fabulous.  But then again, it is Marc Jacobs, so why wouldn't it be?

Here are some of my favorites from the Spring 2012 RTW collection.

All photos via Style.com.

Dinner with Friends

Dinner with friends is my favorite way to spend weekend nights.  I love sitting around a table with another couple (or two or three) to drink wine, chat and eat amazing food.  Dinner with friends gets even better when one of those friends has gone to culinary school.  The food is always incredible at their home and every time I look forward to what the menu will be.  This time, it was steak and frites.  INCREDIBLE.  I must warn you, this is a food post, but there are no recipes, just lots of pictures of delicious food.  As usual, the food was amazing and I thank C & E for another incredible evening at their home.

Mommy, Power Ranger and Baby Jesus

This is Mommy and Power Ranger.

They are four.

They are married and have kissed once.

The Baby is named Baby Jesus.

They are going to their friend's wedding.

Power Ranger has a call with his cousins.

It is almost Baby Jesus' Birthday.

If you have any problems with the above, ask them.

They are the ones that told us the story.

On another note, Happy 34th Birthday Hubby!

The kids and I love you a TON and wish you many more amazing years to come!

XOXO

The Winner of the CEEK Jewelry Giveaway is...

Margaret!

Congratulations!

Please email me at sarah@jugglinginheels.com with your address and ring size!

Thank you to everyone who entered!

The 27th Annual Camino Health Center Luncheon and Fashion Show

As mentioned in a previous post, last Tuesday I attended the 27th Annual Camino Health Center Luncheon and Fashion Show at the Ritz Carlton in Laguna Niguel.  The event was sponsored by South Coast Plaza and showcased designers such as Carolina Herrera, Donna Karen, ESCADA, MARNI and St. John (just to name a few).  The event raised $320,000 for the Camino Health Center, a fully-licensed, community-based clinic in San Juan Capistrano.  The Mission Foundation did a phenomenal job of hosting 590 men and women (yes, a very large event) and I had an incredible time mingling, bidding, eating and obsessing over some of my favorite designers.  Thank you so much to the Mission Foundation for having me and I am already looking forward to next year's event!

(From left) Kenn McFarland, Mission Hospital President and CEO, Patti Fukushima, Camino Health Center Auxiliary President, Kathryn Glassmyer Cenci, South Coast Plaza Director of Community Relations, Charlene Jessup, Event Chair, Lynn Maioriello, Event Co-Chair  

Catching up with Lynn Maioriello, Event Co-Chair

Enjoying the show with fellow attendee, Donna Sabatasso

The event proceeds will support Mission500, a philanthropic effort led by the Mission Hospital Foundation to raise $500 million for the current and future needs of Mission Hospital and its ministries, such as the Camino Health Center.  So far, $150 million has been raised.  If you are interested in contributing to this effort or are interested in learning more about the Foundation, please contact the Foundation at (949)364-7783.

Christmas for the Hubby

Christmas shopping for my hubby is a pain in the ass.  He always says there is nothing he wants and he doesn't care.  But he DOES care.  Apparently others feel the same way because I received an email from a reader, asking to pull some gift ideas for the boyfriend/hubby/friend in your life. Here are a few of my suggestions that are "Hubby Approved" to perhaps make it a little less painful this year.  Good luck to you all!

Bose QuietComfort Noise Cancelling Headphones

My hubby travels a lot for work and these are a must in his carry on.  I have used them in the past and they actually take all airplane noise away and makes it a much more comfortable flight.

Jack Black Skincare

My hubby uses skincare products and he is not afraid to admit it.  There are a number of items in this line he is fond of.  They have a very masculine smell and offer him just the minimal amount of skincare a guy needs to take care of himself without smelling like a woman. 

Tommy Bahama Cigar Cutter and Flask

This has been a staple in my hubby's golf bag since he received this in his stocking last Christmas.  Tommy Bahama also carries other incredible cigarware such as ashtrays and leather cigar tubes, all perfect for the man who loves his cigars.

Thomas Pink Dress Shirts

My hubby wears suits every day so dress shirts are a necessity.  These are his absolute favorite and a special treat (the price runs a bit higher than most dress shirts).  They look great, dry clean extremely well and they also carry a ton of fabulous ties to go with them.  He prefers the slim fit but they also come in regular and extra slim fit.

Jo Malone Cologne

That's right, I said Jo Malone.  Though this is very commonly thought of as a feminine line, it is actually unisex and there are some very masculine scents that smell incredible.  My husband has taken to the Dark Amber and Ginger Lily cologne but there are a number of scents to choose from.

LARK Silent Alarm Clock

This is actually on MY Christmas list this year.  With a hubby who gets up at 4:30am, I would absolutely LOVE to have him use this instead of the iphone alarm sound I get EVERY. SINGLE. MORNING.

The Ferarri FF - Neiman Marcus Fantasy Gift

In his DREAMS!  For $395,000 he may have to wait a while for this one.

Now, after all this thinking about someone else, why not get yourself a treat?
Only one more day to enter the CEEK jewelry here.  Don't miss out!