Need diet & exercise motivation? Buy Oxygen magazine!!

I usually stick to the mainstream women's health/fitness magazines, like Women's Health & Self but they always felt lacking in the info I was really looking for, namely practical meal ideas & workouts that felt new. I had seen this magazine on the newstand before but since many of the women are so buff (& some are even bodybuilders) I got scared off. But after many reccomendations from gals on a Fitness board I post on, I picked up an issue. Wow! This is exactly what I've been looking for! Lots of workout moves, none of that "Try this new walking workout!". And they whole magazine is focused on "clean eating". And while I haven't committed myself to that diet, I do like the straight forward approach. (Maybe I'll try to work that in with my calorie counting (that way I can still feel like I can eat chocolate & desserts. I can't ban anything without getting bitchy. lol)
If you are bored by the same-old fitness magazines, pick up an issue of this. You won't be disappointed.

Great style: Jennifer Aniston

Magazine Review: Harper's Bazaar September 2010 - Jennifer Aniston

So far, this is my favorite September issue. I dog-earred a lot of pages & made a lot of notes.

Fashion: I love how Bazaar often pairs a photo shoot with a few paragraphs or even a page of writing about the fashions they have shown. Makes it more accessible somehow. Anyway, in this issue they have an Accessories Special featureing leopard, skins & the color red, an article titled Secrets of Efortless Style, The New Fashion Flock, Where Have All the Bras Gone? & Bringing Mystery Back. They also have a How to Wear It Guide (like pairing camel w/caramel accessories, olive with florals, etc) & How to Wear Pantsuits. There is a tribute to Daisy Fellowes, an interview of Marc Jacobs by Calvin Klein, and a 1 page write up about The Row. They have 2 pages of couture & a really cool fashion shoot with Rachel Zoe as the subject, posing with various big name designers. Zoe did a very good job & the pics are very artistic.
Nothing worth mentioning as far as beauty goes.

Get this issue!!

Books: Fahrenheit 451

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
"In Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury's classic, frightening vision of the future, firemen don't put out fires--they start them in order to burn books. Bradbury's vividly painted society holds up the appearance of happiness as the highest goal--a place where trivial information is good, and knowledge and ideas are bad. Fire Captain Beatty explains it this way, "Give the people contests they win by remembering the words to more popular songs.... Don't give them slippery stuff like philosophy or sociology to tie things up with. That way lies melancholy."

Guy Montag is a book-burning fireman undergoing a crisis of faith. His wife spends all day with her television "family," imploring Montag to work harder so that they can afford a fourth TV wall. Their dull, empty life sharply contrasts with that of his next-door neighbor Clarisse, a young girl thrilled by the ideas in books, and more interested in what she can see in the world around her than in the mindless chatter of the tube. When Clarisse disappears mysteriously, Montag is moved to make some changes, and starts hiding books in his home. Eventually, his wife turns him in, and he must answer the call to burn his secret cache of books. After fleeing to avoid arrest, Montag winds up joining an outlaw band of scholars who keep the contents of books in their heads, waiting for the time society will once again need the wisdom of literature." taken from Amazon.com

I was surprised I didn't enjoy this more. It could've just been my mood at the time (my mood determines more than I would like) but while the story was interesting, frustrating, & sad, I didn't really feel connected to the main character. I think I will need to read this again another time

Magazine Review: Marie Claire September 2010 - Mary-Kate Olsen

This really is the Project Runway magazine isn't it? This issue they have an article about the PR casting call, Nina has a page titled Nina's Guide to Getting Dressed (I do love her books so my only complaint here is that it wasn't a longer article) & Gunn's Laws (comfort is overrated, be nice, etc). I'm surprised they didn't take Michael Kors from Glamour.
This wasn't my favorite issue for fashion. The Big Girl in a Skinny World column talks about her must-haves but other than that & Nina & Tims columns, I didn't make any other fashion related notes.
This issue did have more in the way of beauty. The Beauty Passport is on facialists secrets, Beauty Snoop is about Evan Rachel Wood, they have a bunch of makeup & hair product picks in their Lady & the Vamp section, the Foreign Beauty Report was on Bali (duh, seeing that Eat, Pray, Love is coming out soon) & there is a one page write up about a the makeup, etc in a French Cabaret.
Quite a few interesting articles, including how stay at home dads are the new status symbol for working women, a really infurating article about the backlog of untested rape kits & an article about What Women Eat in different parts of the world. It includes calorie counts, etc & lists the women's height & weight. Seems misleading though since often the calorie counts are quite high but the women are still quite slim. They should've included how much physical activity the women do since that would be a huge contributing factor. But I believe this was taken from a book on the subject so it was out of MC's hands. Funny thing, the American featured in the mag ate only fast food. lol.

If you are looking for fall fashion inspiration, I would keep looking. But if you want a few interesting articles to read, it might be worth it.

Magazine Review: Glamour September 2010 - J Lo

I didn't feel overly impressed with this issue but I wrote a full page of notes while reading so....

In Beauty, there were anti-aging tips in Read This & You'll Never Need Plastic Surgery, wavy hairstyles & the Glammy Awards, which are totally lame. All Great Lash & CG Cheekers blush.

For Fashion, What to Wear if You Love: Classics, Brights, Pants, Comfort, etc. 6 ways to wear a lace tee, Must Have: Messenger Bags, Bow Flats, Chain Purses, etc. A fashion photo shoot with Justin Bieber (why is that brat famous?). Also Dos & Don't of Fall Style from Michael Kors.

Articles: 5 Health Truths to Live By (don't trust your Dr blindly, getting dirty is good for you, your drink of choice should be water, etc), a long article about anxiety which talks about drugs, therapy & info about panic attacks. 12 Things I Wish I Knew About Love at 21 (be interesting, fine line between teasing & criticizing, don't compare your life to your friends...). Would You Be Friends with You? New Qs about Love & Sex (sexting, the difference between hot, beautiful & cute, group dates, etc). Also an article about popular celeb workouts, new school, such as TRX Suspension Trainer, & old school, like running & yoga.

The Samsung article in this issue is about the people's favorite leading ladies (Meryl Streep, Kate Winslet) & What if the characters were real, who would you want to have as your BFFs? (SATC) Who would you want as your boss? (Liz Lemon)

Again, not a bad issue but I didn't really love it. Not sure what I'm looking for but I haven't found it yet.

Magazine Review: Lucky September 2010 - Jessica Simpson

Finally!! The start of the September issues! Gotta love the fresh feel of starting a new season. Plus I'm sick of dealing with it being 100 degrees every day.

The most interesting thing about this issue were the ads. Apparently GAP has a new black pant collection coming out that looks really great. There are also some great looking items at KMart, the military jacket in particular has caught my attention. Also, there is a Samsung ad that I've noticed in a few of the September issues that is made to look like a magazine article & is actually worth reading. In this issue its on the big fashion inspirations seen in movies & music.

Anyway, onto the Fashion in this issue. Mini trends are red & black together, ruffles, layered lace. Capes are back (I think they're classic & very chic is done right - think Carrie in SATC in the Fleet Week episode). This issue also has the Fall Shoe Guide (styles include lots of different kinds of boots, girly flats, strappy heels, etc). Photo spreads on Retro Modern (some very cute looks) & Uniformly Chic (juxiposition of hard & soft, masculine & feminine).
For Beauty, they had a very nice article on red lipstick & recommended shades in categories such as matte, classic reds, liquid, sheer, etc.

Overall, its an ok issue. Don't think this will make my must-buy list

Magazines: The August 2010 issues worth getting

Sorry I'm so late with everything this month. Having a newborn & trying to potty-train a toddler takes up a lot of time! lol
I narrowed it down to 4 issues that would most likely be worth your money:Lucky w/Ali Larter. This seemed to have the best fashion inspiration for right now, for when you're in the mood for fall but its still *way* too hot to wear most fall clothes.

Allure w/Eva Mendes. Hair articles were in every issue I read this month but Allure had the best coverage & ideas by far.

Harper's Bazaar w/Cameron Diaz. This issue had the best fall fashion inspiration (although if you want to wait a few weeks all the Sept issues will be out)
People StyleWatch w/Beyonce. You know I always consider this a must-get (my other usual must-get, InStyle, disappointed me this month so that's why it didn't make the list).

GET THEM BEFORE THEY ARE GONE!!!

Magazine Review: InStyle August 2010 - Courteney Cox

This issue felt a little lacking. I didn't really make many notes about it. Just mainly who was featured in in the monthly columns, etc. Nothing worth noting for beauty.
~Secrets of Style w/Jason Wu
~Her 10 Best Ever! Marion Cotillard
~Signature Style: Julianne Moore
~Fall Shoes (pointy heels, biker boots, bright suedes, fring & tassels, black & strappy, nude hues)
~10 New Style Statements (cluthces for day, socks w/skirts, mismatched prints, denim on denim, etc)

Overall, eh for InStyle but still better than some of the other magazines out this month.

Books: The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson

"As the finale to Stieg Larsson's Millennium Trilogy, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest is not content to merely match the adrenaline-charged pace that made international bestsellers out of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and The Girl Who Played with Fire. Instead, it roars with an explosive storyline that blows the doors off the series and announces that the very best has been saved for last. A familiar evil lies in wait for Lisbeth Salander, but this time, she must do more than confront the miscreants of her past; she must destroy them. Much to her chagrin, survival requires her to place a great deal of faith in journalist Mikael Blomkvist and trust his judgment when the stakes are highest. To reveal more of the plot would be criminal, as Larsson's mastery of the unexpected is why millions have fallen hard for his work. But rest assured that the odds are again stacked, the challenges personal, and the action fraught with neck-snapping revelations in this snarling conclusion to a thrilling triad. This closing chapter to The Girl's pursuit of justice is guaranteed to leave readers both satisfied and saddened once the final page has been turned. --Dave Callanan" taken from Amazon.com

This book is gripping just like the second one. I really liked it & stayed up half the night to finish it. If the first book was too slow for you & you gave up on it, just move onto The Girl Who Played w/Fire & then onto this one. You won't be disappointed.

Magazine Review: Elle August 2010 - Drew Barrymore

Lets start with the most interesting part of this issue: the article They Like It Like That?, which is about the sexual fantasy life of men. It's gross, the phrase "flesh Slinky" was even used. lol. Disturbing but worth reading.
Other articles included The Choice (about selective reduction in pregnancies of multiples) and Secrets & Lies (about whether you should share relationship details w/other people).
In Fashion, Style A to Zee is on Faux Fur and has anyone else noticed that leopard seems to be bigger this year than usual? Yes, I know its back every fall but it seems more hyped up this year.
In Beauty, there is the required-for-August hair section. This time the focus is on bangs (Nicole Ritchie inspiration), pixie (Halle Berry), long, straight (Reese Witherspoon), and waves (Kim K). And, duh, Jennifer Aniston has the most requested color (pretty sure her cut is the more requested too). There is also the Beauty Editors beauty picks.

Another thing worth noting is that in the Drew interview she mentions there possibly being a Charlie's Angels tv show. Could be interesting. Love Drew, BTW.

Overall, not bad. Try to read the article I mentioned above but there weren't many other standouts.

ELF Order

Haven't placed an order in a little while. I had originally planned to get the Aromaleigh eyeshadow in Entangle (gorgeous unique shade) but they are closing and won't accept Paypal anymore. And since I'm only allowing myself online orders w/my survey money, I had to find somewhere else to spend.
I heard about the ELF free shipping w/any $10 order promo & decided now was the perfect time to try a few more thing from them. I had placed an order a *very* long time ago & had mixed feelings. But now they have the Studio line, which gets many raves, so I knew I had to try them again.
This is what I got:

Small Angled Brush
High Definition Powder
Blush in Gotta Glow (Nars Albatross dupe)They are also suppose to include a free gift, which is the cream eyeliner (hope they don't send the white shade)All this for $12!! (and since its my survey $, pretty much free for me!!)

Magazine Review: Harper's Bazaar August 2010 - Cameron Diaz

I want to start by saying that I'm loving the lady-like looks & the 70s inspiration. With my lifestyle I probably won't be able to work the cute dresses but flare jeans, camel coats, shearling bombers? Bring them on!
Fashion: In this issue they have a handbag special & a really nice article about What to Buy & How to Wear It (camel coats, leopard accents, menswear tailoring, feminine blouses, etc).
Beauty: Not much here, just 2 pages on the requisite August magazine topic, hair.
Articles: Eat, Shop, Love (by Simon Doonan. I didn't really like the encouragement for women to shop to feel better but I guess its appropriate for a fashion magazine), Two Moms & a Baby (the inspiration behind the movie The Kids Are All Right), Mistaken for the Nanny (about having mixed race kids).
The A Fashionable Life section is something I normally skip but this month its on the Hilfigers & all I can say is, damn. Every picture of the wife was so OTT & posed. Ridiculous.

Not tons of great content but I did feel inspired for fall.

Books: Medium Raw

Medium Raw by Anthony Bourdain

"In the ten years since his classic Kitchen Confidential first alerted us to the idiosyncrasies and lurking perils of eating out, from Monday fish to the breadbasket conspiracy, much has changed for the subculture of chefs and cooks, for the restaurant business—and for Anthony Bourdain.

Medium Raw explores these changes, moving back and forth from the author's bad old days to the present. Tracking his own strange and unexpected voyage from journeyman cook to globe-traveling professional eater and drinker, and even to fatherhood, Bourdain takes no prisoners as he dissects what he's seen, pausing along the way for a series of confessions, rants, investigations, and interrogations of some of the most controversial figures in food.

Beginning with a secret and highly illegal after-hours gathering of powerful chefs that he compares to a mafia summit, Bourdain pulls back the curtain—but never pulls his punches—on the modern gastronomical revolution, as only he can. Cutting right to the bone, Bourdain sets his sights on some of the biggest names in the foodie world, including David Chang, the young superstar chef who has radicalized the fine-dining landscape; the revered Alice Waters, whom he treats with unapologetic frankness; the Top Chef winners and losers; and many more.

And always he returns to the question "Why cook?" Or the more difficult "Why cook well?" Medium Raw is the deliciously funny and shockingly delectable journey to those answers, sure to delight philistines and gourmands alike." taken from Amazon.com

I absolutely loved Kitchen Confidential so when I heard that Bourdain had another book coming out I looked for it every time I had the chance. This isn't everything that I hoped it would be. Felt kind of random. No I wasn't expecting a novel but also didn't think that it would be a collection of fairly random thoughts, rants, apologies, etc. Some parts were interesting, like when he was talking about the food court idea but others, like whole chapters above his chef friends, weren't of interest to me (maybe because I don't live anywhere near a city w/great restaurants & couldn't afford to go even if I did). Borrow this book, rather than buy. But check out Kitchen Confidential, if you haven't already.

Books: Let the Great World Spin

Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann
In the dawning light of a late-summer morning, the people of lower Manhattan stand hushed, staring up in disbelief at the Twin Towers. It is August 1974, and a mysterious tightrope walker is running, dancing, leaping between the towers, suspended a quarter mile above the ground. In the streets below, a slew of ordinary lives become extraordinary in bestselling novelist Colum McCann’s stunningly intricate portrait of a city and its people.

Let the Great World Spin is the critically acclaimed author’s most ambitious novel yet: a dazzlingly rich vision of the pain, loveliness, mystery, and promise of New York City in the 1970s.

Corrigan, a radical young Irish monk, struggles with his own demons as he lives among the prostitutes in the middle of the burning Bronx. A group of mothers gather in a Park Avenue apartment to mourn their sons who died in Vietnam, only to discover just how much divides them even in grief. A young artist finds herself at the scene of a hit-and-run that sends her own life careening sideways. Tillie, a thirty-eight-year-old grandmother, turns tricks alongside her teenage daughter, determined not only to take care of her family but to prove her own worth.
Elegantly weaving together these and other seemingly disparate lives, McCann’s powerful allegory comes alive in the unforgettable voices of the city’s people, unexpectedly drawn together by hope, beauty, and the “artistic crime of the century.” A sweeping and radical social novel, Let the Great World Spin captures the spirit of America in a time of transition, extraordinary promise, and, in hindsight, heartbreaking innocence. Hailed as a “fiercely original talent” (San Francisco Chronicle), award-winning novelist McCann has delivered a triumphantly American masterpiece that awakens in us a sense of what the novel can achieve, confront, and even heal.
taken from Amazon.com

Hearing all the great reviews I was very excited to read this. I bought it & started it as soon as I got home. Unfortunately, I was very disappointed. Maybe this style of writing just doesn't appeal to me, all the different storylines in one book. Yes, they were all connected in some small way but the quality of each story varied greatly. Some of the stories, like the one about the artist couple, I enjoyed reading but others dragged on & had me frequently counting the pages until the end of the chapter. I gave up on this a bit less than halfway through but I still urge you to check it out, although you might want to get it from the library rather than buy it, just in case your experience is similar to mine.