A Vogue + Vino Christmas

Well, it's that wonderful time of the year again, and looking on back on this fabulous year we want to thank YOU, our readers, our supporters and our audience for coming along on this journey with us.  We do it all  for you and would LOVE your feedback as to what you would like to see more of in the new year. DIY's? Outfit posts? {we promise there will be a lot more of that}, recipes? etc.  Please share in the comments below.  In the meantime, we wish you a very very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from us at Vogue and Vino! Since Christmas is our favorite holiday and we can listen to Christmas songs year-round, we thought we'd share our favorite songs with you! We hope you listen to this playlist while wrapping gifts, drinking some mulled wine by the fireside, and just enjoying your loved ones!  Cheers and until next year!

You can listen to a Vogue + Vino Christmas playlist here.

{ Winner, Winner }

And the 3 lucky winners from our OPI Giveaway are:

Ashley Guglielmo

Kelly Ford

Maral Khayalian - Grand Prize winner!

Congrats Ladies!! Please email us at Thegals@Vogueandvino.com to receive your beautiful colors!  Until then, Merry Christmas everyone!

Ho Ho Ho, Merry Christmas { Giveaway Time }

 'Twas 6 days till Christmas and we felt a bit antsy, 

so we thought we'd surprise you and get a lil fancy.  

'Tis the season for giving so here we go, 

it's OPI colors, we thought you'd like to know. 

On Dasher, on Dancer, yes this may be a bit lame, 

but instead of one winner, we'll have 3 lucky dames!  

So please like us on Facebook and tell us you did, 

simply comment below and voilà, you could win!

We will pick you at random, so please don't delay,

 the deadline ends tomorrow morning, 

until then, have a fab day! :)

*To enter the giveaway, please like us on Facebook here, comment below telling us you did it, and tomorrow morning we will announce our THREE LUCKY winners!! {just in case you didn't understand our rhyme} ;) Winners will each win 8 OPI nail polish colors, and grand prize winner gets 16 gorgeous colors! Perfect for the holidays! Goodluck

Holiday Gift Guide { For the Parentals }

1. This Winter Berry kitchen cleaning set smells ah-mazing, Williams-Sonoma

2. Festive kitchen towel sets, Williams-Sonoma

3. For the wine connoisseur, a decanter with some attitude, Riedel

4.  Fashionable coffee table books which will spark more than a conversation, Net-a-Porter

5. You will never go wrong with a tray of Ladurée macaroons

6. A chic French press for the night-owls

7. Beautiful name tag holders, ZGallerie

8. For the constant entertainers, these nifty wine and cheese platters speak for themselves

9. A Kindle for the reading-in-bed-type-Dad

10. For the Armenian parents you want to impress, perfect "soorji-cavat" {Armenian coffee cups}, ZGallerie

11.  For the baking mom, new cake stand pedestals, ZGallerie

12. For the traveling couple, the newest Nikon Coolpix camera for those African safaris

13.  If your mom is anything like ours, she will never take time for her.  Surprise and pamper her with a beauty basket filled with the newest versions of her rather-old beauty products; think updated nail polish/top coat set, new curling iron, dashing red lipstick, etc! 

What are some other ideas you're thinking of getting mom and dad?

Tanya Kara Jewelry

Happy hump day y'all! We are so excited for today's post about an awesome company with incredible {did we mention affordable?} merchandise....drum roll please...Tanya Kara Jewelry! Founded in 2009 by the fashionista herself, Tanya Kara has grown to be the biggest  jewelry distributor in Orange County, with over 30 physical locations. A third generation jeweler, Tanya learned from the best and had a savvy eye for what was beautiful, flattering for women and fashion forward. Tanya Kara jewelry brings you ultra trendy and unique fashion jewelry at an affordable price. We know you will fall in love with it, just as much as we have.  But enough rambling, hop to it, shopping that is... you get 10% off with this code, VV10!  Instagram and hastag #vogueandvino AND #tanyakara to show us what you purchased!  Remember, Christmas is just a few weeks away.... these bits and baubles would make great gifts. xx.

Holiday Gift Guide { for your gal pals }

1. For the friend who collects luxury scents...this is a must! Do Son from Parisian perfumerie, Diptyque

2. The wine buff will love this convenient array of samples from The Tasting Room

3. A subscription to Vogue is always a good idea

4. For those rainy days, J.Crew leopard umbrella

5. Accessory fanatics? Adorable Rebecca Minkoff pave chain link bracelet

6. Vintage inspired turquoise medallion bracelet, J.Crew

7. For your bestie whose makeup always looks perfect, the Naked Palette, Sephora 

8. New Years eve sparkly skirt, Club Monaco

9. The ever popular over sized men's watch, Michael Kors

10. Classic Ray-Ban Aviators

11. For the jet setting gal, Tory Burch luggage tags

12. The perfect hands-free evening purse, Rebecca Minkoff Mac bag

13. A pair of Wellington Hunter Rain boots in a chic snake print

14. Slumber party with girlfriends? Perfect jam-jams for the occasion, Juicy Couture

15. Their most popular candle, Tubereuse from Diptyque

16. The infamous Arty ring from YSL, your friend will love you forever

17. Chicest flats in town, Juicy Couture

18.  For the beauty buff, Clairsonic face scrub, Sephora

{ Mix & Mingle } How to throw a fab Christmas party

{ Table runner and place mats, ZGallerie // Fine China, Michael Aram for Waterford, Bloomingdales }

There truly isn't anything like the holiday season.  Something about the fresh winter scent in the air, the cozy grey days, and the twinkling Christmas lights adorning each home in our neighborhood that always puts a smile on my face.  Plus, it doesn't hurt that I absolutely love Fall and Winter clothing, so seeing the busy streets lined with eager shoppers in trendy coats and scarves always does the trick too ;). When the time came to plan our annual girls' Christmas dinner-party, I jumped at the idea of hosting my closest friends at our home in Santa Barbara for the first time. It's been a tradition we have kept going for over 7 years, and as we grow older, our time together is that much more precious.  With every one's busy schedule year round, it was nice to catch up and have some quality girl time. Endless kir royals and non-stop wine were in abundance along with great conversations, personalized goody bags, Christmas tree shaped brownies and a house fully decorated for Christmas {even down to the scent}. Although we are all twenty-somethings, and the party was of course casual, I threw in some formal touches to spice things up a bit.  Here are some steps to throwing a fab Christmas party:

1. Party favors:
If your headcount is small enough, make personalized party favors.  It's always a nice touch and your guests will really appreciate the effort, not to mention the sweets inside. I used this easy recipe I found on Pinterest, along with red and green festive M&M's, initial ornaments that start with each girls' name, and of course, handwritten notes of the candy-cane story attached on each goody bag. Check out our Pinterest for some more holiday ideas. 

   




















2. Table Setting: 

Use your finest dinnerware and cloth napkins for an extra formal touch. I actually used my fine china for the first time since my 2011 wedding {oh ya!}. You can go an extra step further by setting the seating arrangement for your guests {10 and under} with festive name-tag napkin holders like these from Williams-Sonoma.  I scored my red ornament napkin-ring holders on sale last year and added these black and white Diane von Furstenburg ones for an added pop of color among the red napkins. 

3. Centerpieces: 
Always use fresh garlands as a centerpiece to complete your table decor for Christmas parties and be sure it isn't too tall to block your guest's view. The scent of the fresh pines during dinner is sure to keep up the lighthearted and jolly party mood!

4.  Holiday Spirits:

Of course, a fab Christmas party wouldn't be complete without Kir Royales with fresh cranberries afloat and mulled wine after dinner with dessert. I made homemade baked cinnamon donuts {in bundt cake shape, with pumpkin ice cream on top} from Ina Garten's new cookbook, Foolproof ... a Christmas party favorite.  We definitely couldn't get enough...

What are some of your holiday party recipes and decoration tips?

Furry kisses and thankful wishes

{ American Eagle vest // Rag & Bone Cords // House of Harlow necklace // Celine tote // Louboutin heels  //Rayban Sunnies // YSL Arty ring // Martha Calvo gold cuffs and bangles } 

Thanksgiving dinner is always spent with my family and luckily, is super casual. This year it was a beautiful, sunny yet crisp California day.  The perfect weather combination for my favorite corduroy pants and faux fur vest for our festive get together! I love the color palettes that remind me of fall/winter: rich browns, deep greens, oxblood and very earthy tones.   
What are you most excited for this fall/winter? 

 

Holiday Gift Guide { For the men }

1. Stylish printed sweater, J.Crew

2. Detailed goatee getting out of hand? Art of Shaving kit

3. Any guy with a sense of humor will appreciate this adorable adult onesie, J.Crew

4. Snazzy socks by Robert Kardashian's new sock line, Arthur George, Neiman Marcus

5. Wine connoisseur? Be sure to grab a bottle of wine from Malibu Rocky Oaks Vineyards

6. Business man needing touch-ups? Collars & Cuffs Stain bar, J.Crew

7. The ever-so-popular, Ipad Mini

8. Bachelor pad necessity: Cocktail mixer set, Williams-Sonoma

9. Stylish flask, J.Crew

10. Burberry Wallet for the sophisticate, Saks Fifth Avenue

11. Beats by Dre headphones

12. Exotic beer tastings with a Beer of the month club subscription

13. Surprise your guy with a Netflix account! Unlimited movie and TV shows, just $7.99/month  

Remember, more than anything men like creative gifts, so think outside of the box! What are some of your ideas?

{ a blogger's fête }

Last Sunday, we planned a little blogger's brunch. Emily from StilettoBeats, Lillian from Studs and Sapphires, Laura from Shop Design Spark, Flora from Mixing Fabulous, and Teni from Miss Maven all gathered at the ultra posh Sunset Marquis and enjoyed a scrumptious spread, while sipping on endless mimosas and chatting up a storm about the wonderful world of fashion blogging. Whether you want to see stylish outfit posts {Stilettobeats, StudsandSapphires, and Mixing Fabulous}, shop affordable and trendy accessories on Shop Design Spark, or get incredible beauty ideas from Miss Maven.com, we hope you will check out these fabulous sites!

{ From left: Noelle, Emily, Gabrielle, Laura, Flora, Lillian and Teni }

Giving thanks in style

Whether your family is formal or laid back, it's always nice to dress up a bit to see the fam-bam. Here are some outfits we thought would be gobble-gobble appropriate.  

What are you wearing on Thanksgiving?

Holiday Gift Guide { Work Colleagues }

With Thanksgiving two days away, it's officially time for our weekly Holiday Gift Guide for 2012.  When it comes to Christmas shopping, being organized is key.  Mall shopping with no "Christmas gift list" is practically a financial catastrophe.  Opportunities to buy will be enticing you left and right, but our convenient gift guide will help you plan and organize your Christmas shopping skills so that when you hit the mall, you can dodge the temptations and slow-walkers and get to each store finding exactly what you need.  And maybe to squeeze in a little "you-time" too.  First up, what to get your work colleagues:

1. Groggy mornings?  Starbucks gift cards are always office appropriate.

2. Take note of candle lovers, Diptyque's Parisian scents always work wonders

3. Stylish Ipad covers, Diane Von Furstenberg

4. Down time at the office, pump up those biceps with some dumbbells

5. Brrr, Office heater for those cold mornings

6. Adorable monogrammed mugs, Anthropologie

7. Infinity Scarf, Michael Kors

8. Mustache push pins, ZGallerie

9. A relaxing spa day at Burke Williams

10. Rustic chic frame, ZGallerie

11. For the fierce fashionista, blinged out Ipod skull speaker, BCBG

12. Chic rhinestone desk supplies, Zgallerie

13. For that messy co-worker, stacked desk organizers, The Container Store

14. For the boss, a sleak leather briefcase, BOSS

Any other suggestions we may have missed?

{ Happy Birthday VV }

{Picture via Pinterest}

We can't believe it's been two years since the first post!  Thank you for taking this journey with us and we hope you will enjoy all the exciting things we have coming up in the new year. xx.

Ring around the rosey

Zara Jacket // Zara Tank // Laurenly Red Maxi Skirt // Zara Booties // Zara Clutch {old, similar here} // Dior Sunnies {similar here} // J.Crew pave link bracelet // Mali Bead Arm Party // Martha Calvo skull and snake cuffs // NARS Damned Lip Pencil

I'd like to think that I feel sartorially confident when I can pair pieces that exude my aesthetic.  For me, those are items that scream femininity yet are still edgy. This one felt right from head to toe with a light-weight chiffon oxblood maxi, perfectly off-balanced with the heaviness of a tough moto-jacket, sky high booties, and hints of leopard and gold.  Perfect for Fall, and matching Starbucks holiday cups, naturally. 

Photos by Nox Lux Photography

Investment Pieces

Since we like to think of ourselves as savvy yet somewhat compulsive shoppers, we are always on the hunt for new trends and deals.  However, the older we get, the more refined our styles have gotten, the less fussy our wardrobe has become. We love to identify with the mantra of, quality over quantity. We will be the first to admit that years ago, our wardrobes were bursting with low quality trendy items that would be worn few times and later donated to Goodwill.  Talk about a total waste of money!  Thankfully, we grew out of that phase.  To help edit and re-define your wardrobe with classic and timeless clothing, here are our picks for staple "investment pieces" that literally will never ever go out of style.  {You can take that to the bank}!! Think about it, the more you save and refuse to spend on frivolous items, the more you'll be able to splurge on these timeless classics when the time is right. xx.

1. Leather jacket < Rick Owens Leather Biker Jacket >

2. Timeless tote bag < Celine Mini Luggage Tote >

3. Black blazer <Helmut Lang Era Leather detailed blazer >

4. Riding boots < Tory Burch Amanda Riding Boot >

5. White button down shirt <Equipment Signature blouse >

6. Little Black dress <T by Alexander Wang Neoprene dress >

7. Classic Trench Coat < Burberry Brit Crombrook Trench >

8. Black skinny jeans < Rag & Bone Mid-rise legging >

9. Chic flats < Tod's Gommini Moccasin >

10. Nude High-heels < Valentino Rockstud Sling back >

 11. Black Patent pumps < Christian Louboutin Pigalle 120mm >

What are some of your must-have investment items? 

Sun, sun ... go away

Zara Dress // Zara Fur Vest (old) // Zara Booties // Balenciaga Purse // Vince Camuto Cuff // Dior Sunnies (similar here) // House of Harlow Necklace

Although Thanksgiving is a mere three weeks away, the weather reminds us more of Summer rather than Fall. But it's notoriously "fire season" in SoCal at the moment and I can hardly wait for some gloomy and chilly days ahead. When I found this simple dress and booties few weeks ago, the weather had just begun to drop and this faux fur and leather outfit seemed fitting for the crisp Autumn weather.  Here's to hoping it comes back... and soon. xx. 

On another note, Happy Election Day everyone! Please VOTE, it's your duty as a citizen!

                         

Photos by NoxLux Photography

         

< Halloween Snippets >

1. Spooky table settings with crawling spiders and pumpkin salt and pepper shakers

2. Cored apples, ready for homemade apple turnovers

3. Warm apple turnovers with Pumpkin ice cream

4. Details of the night: studs, skulls and leather

5.Festive arrangement

6. Masks for the ladies/ mustaches for the men

7. Skull toothpicks and spiders on cheese, yum!

8. Masquerade 

9. Witches Brew napkins

10.  Here's the recipe I followed

11. Itsy Bitsy spider wanted Rose Champagne

12. The infested cheese plate of Brie, Manchego and Goat cranberry chèvre

Haute Halloween

{Jeweled Kate Moss}

The past few years I've skipped out on most Halloween antics and opted for a quite night in with the husband, passing out candy to... {does any child trick or treat these days?} with a good quality scary movie {not horror} like, What Lies Beneath and Sixth Sense, to name a few.  This year will most likely be the same, considering Halloween falls on a Wednesday.  But, we have invited some friends over and I'm excited to enjoy the night with good friends, good wine, good festive food {will show you snippets on Thursday} and most of all, I'm thrilled to pretend like I am not in a 6 week boot camp program, just for one night!  Dressing up is encouraged, of course! Here are some haute ideas that are inspiring me to get all dolled up for the night!  What did you or will you dress up as this year?

{Anna Wintour}

{Audrey Hepburn}

{Cleopatra}

{A Ballerina}

{Vamp Vixen makeup}
All Pictures via Pinterest

{ favorite things }

{ Our masterpieces }

Last weekend was an absolute blast. Our dear friend hosted our Annual Pumpkin Carving Party filled with the most creative little details.  From candy corn cookies, spider-webbed 7-layer dip, mini lolli-brooms with adorable orange chevron printed Halloween wishes, and bowls of candy corn stashed in various areas of the Pumpkin scented home...Halloween couldn't have seemed any closer! Unfortunately it's still 2 weeks away, but that's enough time for the weather to cooperate and get colder {fingers crossed}! What will you dress up as this year?

{ Lolli-brooms; Spider-webbed 7-layer dip; my Pumpkin Spice Cake pops; Candy corn cookies}

{ Our matching spooky skeleton blouses...;) }

{ A must have for the season }

{ How adorable are these mini-lolli-brooms? How-to here }

{ My all-time fave Persimmon, Cilantro and Pomegranate Salad }