Talk About It: Favorite Holiday Traditions

Admittedly, the holiday season can be a little stressful for me; it seems to arrive too quickly every year and I never quite feel all the way prepared. Still, it's my favorite time of year, especially because I so look forward to a Christmas Eve party with my entire family, watching twenty-four hours of A Christmas Story, coffee with a splash of Bailey's on Christmas morning, and reading holiday books with my daughter, a tradition that started when she was only eight weeks old. 

So let's talk about your favorite holiday traditions. I'd love to hear how you celebrate the season with your friends and family!

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Talk About It: Me Time with No Limits

Even though I adore my two little girls, I, like all moms, need a  break sometimes. I recently read about a woman who took a month-long break from her family--an entire month. I could never, nor would I want to spend that much time away from my loves, but I wouldn't mind doing something just as extreme. If I could, I would go to Paris, just for one glorious, glamour-filled day. And if I had unlimited "me time" money, I would actually make the one-day trip a few times a year. I would charter a private jet stocked with my favorites--pink peonies, Veuve Clicquot, every Diane Keaton rom-com ever made, and a new favorite, irresistibly smooth Lindt LINDOR caramel truffles. I'd head to the City of Lights and spend my day enjoying macarons and cappuccinos, sampling different cheeses, and shopping along the Champs-Elysees. Maybe I'd pop into a museum or two, and buy myself an Hermès bicycle and explore Montmarte and the Left Bank. It would be nothing less than spectacular; a day straight out of a Dior ad! Then I'd hop back on my jet, fall asleep on 1600-thread count linens, and be back home in time for breakfast with my girls the next morning.  

If you could have unlimited funds to have your ultimate "me time," what would you do? No husband, no kids, no one--it's all about you, girl! Think big, and think no limits. 

This post is sponsored by Lindt and She Knows; my Parisian fantasy is my own.

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Talk About It: Best Beauty Advice

When I was in high school, my best friend Alicia's older sister, Debbie, said to me, "Leave your eyebrows alone." Clearly the thin, upside-down-U shaped brows I'd created (I was a major over-plucker) were not working for me, and Debbie wasn't afraid to tell me.  This was, hands down, the best beauty advice I have ever received. Ever. I still remember Debbie's words every time I give my brows a little maintenance, and I've long gotten over my plucking addiction.

We've all gotten beauty advice that was priceless, perhaps even life changing, at some point, whether it was how to choose the right lip color, which hair products to use in humid climates, or when to *ahem* put down the tweezers. So of all the advice you've been given over the years, what was the best you've ever gotten? I can't wait to see your answers!

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Talk About It: Do You Anti-Age?

There is a lot of media attention given to anti-aging products and treatments for women, from Olay and Garnier commercials to celebrity gossip rags with headlines screaming about which stars had work done and who looks fabulous "for their age." I don't really give any of it much thought because I still consider myself too young to even care (plus my mom looks amazing and I'm hoping it's genetic), but I will admit that ever since I entered my 30s I've added eye cream and a Vitamin C serum to my nighttime beauty routine--I consider them to be preventive since I don't actually have any wrinkles yet.

So tell me, how do you feel about the anti-aging industry--you into it or no? And if you are, what products or treatments have you used or plan to try? I'm dying to hear from you!

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Talk About It: Are You a Shopaholic?

Since having to do most of the packing for our move my husband is now claiming that we have way too much stuff; on the flip side, I'm looking around our new house thinking of all the things I need to buy to make it a home. And yes, while our decent-sized closet isn't nearly big enough to house all my clothes and accessories, much less his, I can't help but plot about future shopping trips after baby Golden makes her debut in a few weeks.  That's right--I'm a bit of a shopaholic. I'm nothing like the character in a Sophie Kinsella novel, but oh, how I love to shop!

What about you? Do you consider yourself a shopaholic? And if so, what's your weakness? Do you whip out the plastic at the first hint of a shoe sale, or do home interiors make your heart flutter? I want to hear all about your shopping vices, girls!

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Talk About It: Men with Facial Hair

Fun fact: I've been with my husband for six and a half years and have never seen him without some sort of facial hair (save for baby pictures, of course). He's altered his look over the years--doing the soul patch thing occasionally, growing in a full beard other times, but he's never done away with the facial hair completely. Fortunately, I happen to love his look and can't imagine him any other way.  But I have friends who are very particular about facial hair, and some have asked their men to to keep their mugs shaved. I even have one girlfriend who thinks facial hair on stars like Ryan Reynolds is super sexy, but refuses to kiss her hubby if he so much as has 5 o'clock shadow. 

So what's your stand on men with facial hair? Do you like your man clean-shaven and smooth or with a little (or a lot) of scruff? And if you have a particular preference, how do you let your guy know?

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Talk About It: Who Pays on the First Date?

The rules of dating have changed. Once considered slightly taboo, online dating has become one of the go-to resources for meeting a match. And while dinner and a movie used to be the norm, reality television shows like Millionaire Matchmaker and The Bachelor have challenged couples to step up their game with more extravagant first dates (helicopter trip to Vegas, anyone?). So with all the changes in the dating world, I can't help but wonder if any of the old rules apply, particularly, the rule about who pays. Is it still considered chivalrous for the man to pay? Or are modern women more about going dutch these days? 

Let's talk about this. Who do you think is responsible for paying on the first date? Who paid on your first date with your significant other?

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Talk About It: Dining Alone

I love dining out, and while I always enjoy good company, I'm not really one to shy away from eating by myself. Armed with a good book, magazine, or journal, I can eat at the places I like, and take my time doing it. And if I don't want to split an appetizer I don't have to; I can enjoy it all to myself!

Recently I discovered that I have a few friends who have never, and swear they will never dine in public by themselves. They have made a solemn vow that if they ever find themselves without a dining partner, then it's strictly takeout. There seems to be some stigma attached with eating alone in a public place, but I just don't know what it is or why. 

And so I ask, would you eat in a restaurant or cafe by yourself? Or is there some shame in enjoying a good meal alone? And if there is some shame, embarrassment, or shyness involved, what would it take to shake that fear and go enjoy a nice lunch or dinner on your own now and then? Let's talk about this, ladies.


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