{ £10 }

This past Saturday I had the chance to visit the ultra posh, uber glamorous Montage, Beverly Hills, which is home to the hush-hush Whiskey bar known as Ten Pound.  Concealed just above Scarpetta Restaurant, right up the circular stairs, enter a dark, speak-easy shoebox-esq bar with a cozy-glam charm.  We sat outside on an unlikely warm summer night in LA and studied the opulent spirits menu.  I opted for a custom-made champagne infused drink, which was whipped up table side, while my husband sipped on the 25 year old Fine Oak Whiskey. The whiskey is what this bar is famous for, of course, serving only the "world's most precious" Whiskey, The Macallen, from a distillery based in Scotland. The Whiskey ages range, but the oldest is the rare 64 year old Macallen going for a whoppin' $64,000 a glass! The appetizer menu was nothing short of sophisticated, featuring seafood, artisan cheeses, and of course caviar. Some snacks came right away starring crispy bacon, caramelized pecans and cheddar cheese bits, and the memorable bread basket with a scrumptious melt-in-your-mouth toasted prosciutto and cheese brioche. Can anyone say yum!? With only 9 tables and a 35 person maximum seating capacity, this bar is definitely worth a visit.  But remember, you need reservations!  

{ Gorgeous welcome at the Montage lobby }

{ The opulent spirits menu }

{ Stunning outdoor patio }

{ The most genuine waiter, Wahid making custom drinks on the outdoor terrace }

{ Statement } Necklaces

{From Left to Right: Belle Noel (top & bottom), Chico's (top), Bloomingdales (bottom), J.Crew (top & bottom)}

{From Left to Right: Nordstroms (top),  Karmaloop.com (bottom), Anthropologie (top & bottom), Bloomingdales (top), H&M (bottom)}

I LOVE accessories and jewelry. I could write about them all day long..but I won’t {don't worry}. Anyone who knows us, is fully aware that we pile on the gems and jewels and don’t believe in the mantra, “less is more” when it comes to our accessories. We like to call ourselves Christmas Trees since we're always decorated with “ornaments.”  What can we say? Pretty things make us happy and they seem to make other people happy too, considering they always get noticed and spark a conversation. My favorite accessory of the moment is the statement necklace...oh, how I love this look. Case in point; when I am stumbling to get ready in the morning and have a fight with my closet, I can always rely on a simple outfit and throw on a great statement necklace and look instantly chic. One of my go-to looks for Summer is a simple baby doll dress with a chunky necklace.  Go from day to night by pairing it with flats then heels and grab a blazer just in case. Alternatively, I'll pair a plain t-shirt, distressed jeans or shorts, a blazer and a fab necklace. The best part about it all, is I could wear a few of the same looks all week long so long as I switch out my statement necklaces, shoes and other accessories and no one will notice. That's the beauty of accessories!  It's also ideal when traveling and for proper packing techniques. I recently discovered a really fun site, Baublebar, which sells trendy jewelry at different price points.  I also found two J. Crew Bubble Necklaces on eBay for a really great price. Other favorite sites of ours are Etsy for creative pieces, Minusey, ShopDesignSpark or Asos for inexpensive yet on trend jewelry.  What are some of your favorite places to shop for great jewelry?

What's in my makeup bag?

Everybody probably thinks highly of their own makeup bag. I have taken great pride in researching certain products and getting to know what works for my face and my skin type. After all, I've been doing makeup on myself and others since I was an inexperienced youngen.  I'd skip P.E. in middle school and hide out in the locker room with an eager line of 11 and 12 year old's waiting for me to artfully apply that day's current eye-shadow trend. Point being, I love makeup and have blogged about it frequently here, here and here. And while I practically have a MAC/Sephora-medley makeup counter in my own bathroom drawer, I'm very particular about the items I actually carry with me.  I realize, most people don't carry 2 of everything, but you never know when you need to spruce things up a bit.  Here we go! 

Lips - I have talked about my love for nude and pale pink lips over and over again!  But now, I can get the same sexy lip and keep it on through dinner and kisses because I have fallen for YSL's lip stain; {it. is. amazing. extraordinary}.  Lipstick staples include:

• MAC Myth
• MAC Creme de Nude
• MAC Modesty
• MAC Snob
• YSL lip stain, #18 Rose Pastelle
• NARS Turkish Delight, Striptease
• MAC liner Boldly Bare
• MAC liner More to Love
• All my reds, plums and corals stay at home for special days

Concealer - Some of us have searched for years, but I am staying true to MAC.  I have tried Cle du Peau {so-called number 1} but I demand more coverage and there's nothing like it.

Liners - I daunt a mini-cat-eye liner everyday either in brown or black.  Not only does Benefit's Magic Ink last all day, it has a very easy brush for application. Lancome's Artliner in brown is also a keeper. I also carry pencil liners as well for inside my bottom eyelid in MAC's Teddy and Engraved.

Eye lash curler - If I were stranded on a remote island, I would need this bad boy with me.  The second I found out that Shu Uemera pulled all their products from the US, I teared a little.  It made our last stop in Milan on our honeymoon all the more interesting as I dragged my husband from Sephora to Sephora to find the one that carried the Shu Uemera eyelash curler.  Well I found it, and I will be stocking up on my next Europe trip. Be careful of fakes online!

Mascara - I was probably the number one fan of Lancome's Définicils  Pro. I was also crushed when it was mysterously taken off the market. In its place: Chanel's Inimitable Mascara - Similar to Lancome's Définicils Pro, so I am a happy camper.  Lancome's Hypnose Drama in excessive black - Exactly as advertised; for those nights your lashes need extra drama. 

Face - After setting my powder, I apply Guerlain's Terracotta Bronzing Powder #3 and Sephora's Microsmooth duo blush in Tea Rose Tickle on just the apples of my cheeks.  My tinted moisturizer, foundations and setting powders all stay at home along with my shadows.

Makeup bag - I recently found this Be&D bag at Nieman Marcus.  It was exactly my style, chic yet edgy with the snake skin print and gold studs.  I snagged it up and I didn't regret it, as it has enough space to comfortably store all my items. Lucky for you, it's now on sale here.

What are some of your favorite makeup bag staples?

Throwback Thursday

{ Timeless dress; notice that amazing collar! }

Last Saturday, we were invited to a good friend's Mad Men themed birthday party. We had such a fab time, from our 1950's-1960's-esq outfits and the oldies music playing in the background, that it made each of us act a bit more sophisticated that evening. It took me back to an era that we only see in movies, photos or experience through music. A very classy and poised time where women daunted red lips, cat-eye sunnies, winged liner, hem lines way below the knees, while keeping their backs so straight it was as if someone were tugging from a puppet rope. A time where chivalry was not dead, and men wore fedoras and suits regularly while sipping on brandy during cigar hour with the boys. That night, it seemed as if the vintage versions of ourselves subconsciously came to life as our 1950's get-ups took over. It wasn't surprising how elegant and graceful all us women felt as we enjoyed the night in knee length pencil skirts, sophisticated dresses, polka dots, peplum tops, pearls and of course, red lips. It inspired me to revisit some classic photos of some old Hollywood starlets like Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, and Rita Hayworth and analyze the fashions of their time. Notice how many of these styles are still on trend today; but how the term classic was born from these graceful silhouettes:  

{ Grace Kelly: Striped boat neck dress }

{ Rita Hayworth; Chambray printed shirt, high-waisted skirt }\

{Audrey Hepburn:  Classic white button down and ankle trousers }

{ Pretty Peplum }

{ Classic silhouettes }

{ Audrey, need I say more }

{ Fur }

{ Pencil skirt suits, and shoulder pad galore }

{ Nautical stripes }

{ Checkered pants, and knit tank I can see being sold at JCrew today }
{ all photos via Pinterest }

How do these photos inspire you?

PS- Check out our instagram to see our OPI Giveaway winner!!!  :)

Prim & Proper { summer style } Plus.. Giveaway!

{ Some of my favorites }

Now that Summer is in full gear, polishing your nails with a bright touch is always a must.  I usually stick to pretty neutral nails, but this last Spring and Summer, we saw an influx of crazy colors on nails and I couldn't resist.  The brighter the better, right? My favorite color right now is Coral and Orange.  I am literally obsessed.  If you can't be daring enough with your wardrobe then start off with your nails! It's Summer so stop being boring and start being bright!  Here are a few of my favorite brands and colors.

{From left to right: Teddy Girl, Jaffa, Snog }

OPI and Essie were among my top 2 favorite nail polish brands that always left my nails chip free and shiny for at least 4 to 6 days.  And although those are still near and dear to my heart, a newcomer with a pretty good winning streak has recently captured my attention...{enter:} Butter London.  The colors are absolutely stunning, not too many to pick from so you won't get overwhelmed. Application is easy and 2 coats always does the trick for a full and even polish.  My favorite Butter London colors are Teddy girl, Jaffa, and Snog {pictured above}.  Favorite OPI colors currently are Tazmanian devil made me do it, Funny bunny, Miami beet, and Hopelessly in love.  Favorite Essie colors: Exotic Liras, Clambake, E-nuf is e-nuf, and Instant Hot, just to name a few.  Best thing... all 3 brands are "3 free," which means they are free of toxins such as Formaldehyde, Toluene, and Dibutyl Phthalate. And last but not least, the pièce de résistance; top coat.  Top coat is so vital to the overall durability and wear of the polish.   Ladies, you want to have shiny, polished nails when your out.  It's either all on, or all off! Chipped nails are not cute, they are not trendy and they are not ladylike.  If you have a few small chips don't sweat it.  But, using Out The Door Top Coat {available at CVS/Sav-on} is a total lifesaver.  I literally do my nails 5 minutes before walking out the door!

{My personal stash }

With that being said, we are excited to announce a very exciting OPI Nailpolish giveaway!  To enter, simply Instagram a photo of your favorite nail design/color under the #Vogueandvino hashtag, and we will announce a winner on Thursday.  The lucky winner will get a lovely gift basket full of brand new OPI Colors including the Minnie Mouse Collection and the New Neon collection, plus a few other goodies!  Your nails will be ready for the rest of Summer and well into Fall!  We can't wait to see what you can come up with!  Here is a sneak peek at what you will win:

{ The Minnie Mouse Collection }

PLUS

{ The Outrageous Neons Collection }

{ Lemon Tonic Mask & Scrub }