Joyeux Hallows Eve!

Wishing you all a safe and sparkly weekend - from participating in trick-or-treating, apple bobbing, costume parties = or just doing your own unique thing!

We are inventing a new Halloween tradition this year - dine out & dress up. 

What will we be?

US!

photo courtesy of Life.com

bensakoguchi.com

MARILYN, of course! and he Joe DiMaggio.

Did you guess that with all the Marilyn quotes and quizzes?

Im also not going the route of the iconic white dress - ala "Seven Year Itch". 

It will be all about the hair, makeup, and the outfit above. 

Lets see if I can pull it off. 

What are your plans?! Let me hear from you me amis!

Quiz: Are you Jackie or Marilyn?

courtesy of Vanity Fair

Pamela Keogh's book, Are you Jackie or a Marilyn? Timeless Lessons on Love, Power and Style is on physical and e-bookshelves as of this month and just added to my Amazon "wish list"! (hint, hint ;)

This months issue of Vanity Fair, featuring Marilyn on the cover, has a fun quiz excerpted from the book here. I took the quiz and guess who I was? It was a close call - but 2 point lead has me a Marilyn!

Take the quiz and comment below what your results were! 

Weekly Wisdom

"Wine is part of the food chain. In France and Italy, people dont drink wine to get drunk, they drink wine as a part of the meal, its makes the food more pleasant...

there isnt anything evil about it, its a part of the food"

Julia Childs - upon her return from France and Germany, adjusting from her ex-pat lifestyle convincing others in America in the 1960's that wine drinking wasnt a sin - it was a part of the European art of gastronomique.

Maison: Dog gone crazy

 Everyone has little shrines to their canines - 

but mine might be a little extreme with the latest edition to my kitchen. 

French artist Nathalie Lete created this and other unique stonewear, bedding, home accessories - exclusively for our favorite chain retailer - Anthropology. Mine is the "Shih Tzu" design. I swept every last one of them up. Now company eating at my home can have the pleasure of looking at a whimsical depiction of my sweet pup, Jackie O.

You can get this or other Francophile dinner plates with a langosteen, minet, comme de garcon, champignons, and the beloved Tour d'Eifle!!

JNSQ - J'adore: Fall Edition

Seasons change and so do my accessories - not limited to jewelry - but for the home and kitchen as well.

What am I craving for fall?

1. Truffle oil in my pasta, veggies, soups and eggs. The rich aroma has the elusive taste and smell that adds je ne sais quois to any meal!

2. Snake is all the rage in jewelry design. Our favorite fertile celeb duo - Brangelina - created a "Protector" series with British jeweler, Asprey. All proceeds go to charity. My favorite is the gold and tsavorite ring.

3. Tocca Stella Deluxe Candela's blood orange aroma, blue glass and gold design is the centerpiece in my living room.

4. Organize clutter on your counters, desk, bedside tables or coffee table with IOMOI's Lucite trays. Choose from a vast array of designs suited for any decorista's taste. Monograms and all. Im ordering the tortoise with coakley cay design.

Maison: Tickle Me Pink

Pink is no longer a color used just for powder or little girls rooms! The color,  in soft and saturated hues, is making a serious and sophisticated comeback and I cant help but be thrilled. 

you can go overboard with pink...

courtesy of Annechovie

or add touches with accessories...

photo courtesy of the stylefiles

courtesy of Sanity Fair

Im so inspired that Im looking for pink accents for my predominantly black, white, & gold home this weekend. Im thinking the best place for me to get away with using pink for color is in the bedroom. I just LOVE the photo below: mirrored bed, pink & white bedding, touches of black and gold. Magnifique! 

courtesy of Chinoiserie Chic

Designers Guild wall paper - simple classy raspberry rose w/ grey foliage. very frenchy. 

courtesy of Chinoiserie Chic

NOW YOU TELL MOI! 

What is your favorite accent or trend color that is of the times? 

Bon Weekend Les Amis!

JeNeSeQua Travel Guide: Big Island, Hawaii

This is not your ordinary travel guide. Instead, I plan to guide you through the island with photos rather than words to inspire your next exotic getaway.

Destination: Big Island, Hawaii

cove

vegetation

cabana at sunset

beach at sunset

ahi poke in mango bowl. yum.

breakfast on the terrace

fresh sashimi lunch

beach reading

shades+hat=sun essentials

poolside protection

luau

lanterns

sunsets

cruising

snorkel/dive trip

swim w/ manta rays

Are you inspired??

Now I must leave you with a few tips:

1. Hawaii is EXPENSIVE. You could easily spend $30/person each meal, especially if you are munching/drinking poolside. To save money through the day, head to a grocery store to buy snacks, breakfast, and lunches. Most rooms have a little mini-fridge to store goodies, wine, beer, spirits - whatever you prefer.

2. RELAX!!! We usually are running from city to city, monument to monument, activity to activity while on vacation. Hawaii or any exotic locale should be your zen space. We didnt leave our hotel vicinity until the last day to go on the 1 activity we planned for the 6 day stay. Instead of paying for a snorkel trip, rent gear at a local shop for $10 for the week (not $15 for 45 mins at the hotel!) and snorkel off the beaches near the place you are staying.

3. Look at "clubs" the resort offers. Whatever hotel chain, whether it be Fairmont, Westin Resorts, Four Season..they have "clubs" where you can save money, get free miles, and free services while staying..all for ZERO $$. For instance, if you join the Presidents Club at the Fairmont resorts, you save $30 on cabana rental - which can go from poolside to beach and back. $15 daily rental versus $45 without the club.

4. Pick a 1-2 adventures that are life altering. It was a toss up between a helicopter ride to get a birds eye view of the island, a zip-line adventure, and a Night Snorkel with Manta's. DEFINITELY choose the Manta Snorkel. It was a spiritual experience swimming with these gentle 1 ton giants (with an 8 foot wingspan). Add to your "bucket list".

5. Venture off the resort/hotel property if you do chose to splurge for a meal. In the Fairmont in particular, the famous sushi chef - Norio - left the hotel to open his own restaurant just a mile walk away from the hotel - Monstera.

6. Keep your eyes peeled for sea animals and wildlife! If you pay attention you will see mongoose, green sea turtles and beautifully rainbow colored birds.

Enjoy your trip. Please feel free to reach out to me on my comments and research for more tips on the Big Island (also an expert on Maui)

MAHALO!

She has that "JeNeSeQua": Rachel McAdams

I was elated to see Rachel McAdams on the cover of the Instyle Magazine November Issue. The spread is even more fabulous - from her Valetino show-stopping gown to her 60's inspired Mui Mui SS11 dress and shoes and the dramatic cat eye seen on Kate Moss and Carey Mulligan. The look screams Modern Starlet with a dash of Old Hollywood glam. My girl crush began when I saw Rachel on the big screen in The Notebook (still my favorite movie of all time) but she has evolved in my heart as a woman with style, grace, and good taste in men! (Ryan Gosling? Josh Lucas?) Tres chic Rachel and Instyle! 

*photos courtesy of www.rachelmcadams.org*

Weekly Wisdom

Betty Draper - Mad Men

"Only Boring People are Bored...." - Betty Draper.

Make a statement: gild+noir

Im loving this look - mixed with traditional white stones and gold. Ladylike glam turns a bit street edgy. Black is so tres chic in a gem stone and a nice departure from the classic. Madewell has this look mastered, but you can also pick up vintage look-alikes at your local flea! (I flea or raid my grandma's costume jewelry stash)

Diamond Rings by Ring Black
Bracelets by J.Crew

JNS-Q&A: Dark Circles Rx

YAY! My very first Q&A session. 

An avid reader of JeNeSeQua, and a dear friend has asked for a beauty Rx. 

READER: loving JNSQ. as always you are are enlightening me. in fact need your expert advice... dark circles have come on the scene recently and are NOT welcome... help!

JNSQ: 1st things first - ask yourself, are you getting enough sleep? If you are not getting adequate sleep, your skin will be pale, enhancing dark circles. On average 6-8 hours are needed. I make sure to get 8 hrs, even 9. Now - lets think about how lifestyle effects your sleeping patterns, skin, and dark circles in particular. If you arent eating right, drinking enough water, smoking and drinking in excess - your body will rebel and the first place you see it is on your face, in particular the eye area. All of the above directly effect your sleep! 


JNSQ Rx - Dark Circles:

• Consider taking a B supplement. My go to is Emergen-C - packed with all B vitamins, C, and antioxidants to boost immune system and energy levels w/0 caffiene and taking 5 different vitamins)
• Sleep - atleast 8 hours. If this is hard, start with 6, then work up to 8. There is no such thing as "catching up" on sleep on the weekends. If I must forgo an activity, party, event for sleep, I will do it in the name of beauty! 
• Check your allergies. From personal experience, lack of B vitamin (reason to take Emergen-C) is a cause of most allergies as your body's defenses are low. Remove whatever it is you are allergic to, take an allergy supplement daily to build your body's defenses. Or remove the food source that is causing the allergy. Gluten intolerance causes dark circles - one of the first physical signs of the allergy. See a Dr. for a complete diagnosis. 
• Use an undereye cream with Vitamin K. Applied topically, Vitamin K helps with bruising, broken capillaries, and dark circles under the eye. 
• Apply a light diffusing concealer. My absolute favorite is YSL's Touche Eclat. 

YSL Touche Eclat - courtesy of Bella Sugar

a favorite source for beauty problem/solution

***Disclaimer***
I am not a doctor but an avid researcher, post beauty buyer, health advocate and skincare junkie. everything I write about is personal experience and vast internet research lending a hand in my diagnosis. See a doctor for real medical problems.