words from wise women

As we prepare for the new school year, I thought I'd share some of my favorite, most inspiring books by career women I admire. Whether you're a student or already in the work force, reading other people's success stories (and learning lessons) can be so enriching. One of the best feelings is being able to relate to the people who inspire and empower you, don't you think?

I always recommend to my girlfriends Cathie Black's Basic Black because it's a great autobiography of the Hearst Magazines President, it's filled with wonderful personal and professional advice, and -- best of all -- it's a fun, quick read! Take a peek!

PS: Other fantastic books by fierce women!

the romantics movie

I cannot wait to see this movie! So many talented actors (Elijah Wood, Anna Paquin, newcomer Dianna Agron from Glee), and the plot sounds delicious. I also love the style of the film - very un-Hollywood, a little bit indie. September 10th, please come quickly!



PS: Here's a fun contest from J.Crew in partnership with The Romantics!

tip of the day: free jeans!

Attention New Yorkers! This Friday, get yourself a free pair of Levi's! Thank you Susan & Vanity Fair for the tip. (Thumbs up for fun promotions!)

Don't forget to check out our Mikasa giveaway below...

Mikasa GIVEAWAY!!!

Hoooray giveaway! I'm thrilled to be teaming up with the kind folks over at Mikasa - a leader in dining and home decor - to offer my lovely readers a chance at winning their pick of Mikasa's gorgeous 4-piece table place settings and mugs! The lucky winner can pick between five gifts: Floral Silhouette, Circle Chic, Daylight, or Sparkle Circles table place settings or these super chic ColorStudio polka-dot mugs. Best of all, Mikasa is offering 4 sets of each gift!!!

For a chance to win, leave a comment below with your email address and which gift you like best. A winner will be chosen at random on Friday, September 3rd at 5pm. Wishing you the best of luck!

Feeling really lucky? Receive double (or triple!) entries by "Following" Helen Hearts in the above box, "Liking" Mikasa's Facebook page, or sharing this giveaway via Facebook or Twitter. Just let me know via the comments below! Also, check out Mikasa's Youtube video and tell me what you think for another extra entry :)
*Disclaimer

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Update: The random generator gods have spoken, and our lucky winner is Catharine. Thanks for playing!

skin savers

Earlier this summer, my mother told me I "looked older." Okay. Wait. What's that supposed to mean?!? Remember when looking older was something you wished for as teenager? I take that back! Bring on the serums and creams and the fountain of youth, thanks!!! Since I may not be the only one receiving "you look older" comments from too-opinionated-for-their-own-good mothers, I thought I'd share with you some of my dear skincare friends...

Moisturizer: Newly launched Garnier Nutritioniste's Moisture Rescue line is phenomenal. I especially love the gel-cream, which is super hydrating and smells delicious. (Sorry Boscia! I found a new BFF.)

Anti-aging: Lancome's Genifique Youth Activating Night Cream may be pricey, but it's magic. It stops time. Abracadabra! The disappearing wrinkle act is complete.

Cleansing: Aveeno's Positively Radiant Cleansing Pads really exfoliate deep down (like a facial, I swear), and I love my Clarisonic brush. So powerful, it removes everything in seconds!

Sunscreen: I use Kiehls sunscreen every day by the bucket load. 'Nuff said.

Am I missing anything? I'm crazy about skincare, so do share with me your favorites!

food for friendships

Some pictures from girl's night/my friend Mackenzie's birthday last weekend = margaritas, guacamole, and giggles galore @ Agave (where I've celebrated three birthdays already, including my own two years ago!). I love getting dolled up with girlfriends only to eat and drink in the most un-ladylike manner. Contradictions are the spice of life!

Also had the pleasure of meeting some new friends from Harvard (or Hahhh-vahd if you prefer), and can't wait to reunite at Harvard's Women in Business conference in October! (In-college cuties can still register to attend "Early Bird" here, and if you're from NYU, check my name off as your campus ambassador -- I'll help you coordinate!) Here's to yummy food, new friends, and future meetings!

roberta by olivia palerma

Ahhhh! So, Olivia Palermo's jewelry collaboration designs just came out, and they are a total win! Wasn't a huge fan of her on The City, but I sure do love her bib necklaces. (Although I'd like them even better if they were edible! Ha! Like cake necklaces! (Note to self: Must stop being a fatass.))

Also a fan of her outfits on Vogue's "Today I'm Wearing..." blog. Lady's got style... but methinks she should eat more. ;)

inspired by...

This daring transparent look. See-through tops and bandeau bras go so well together, like PB&J, like dog on a bun, like... eh, you fill in the blank! I like that there's still a bit of modesty here, with the high-waisted skirt concealing her tummy. (If the belly button is showing, we've gone too far south!)

(photo via stockholm street style)

love "pho"-ever

Feeling stressed -- must eat! Had the CRAZIEST past 24 hours, so my friend Mackenzie and I decided we'd eat away our feelings. Typical. Breakfast included chocolate, lunch contained cheesecake, and snacks were fruit popsicles (and more chocolate). But dinner was the best! I took Mackenzie to my favorite pho restaurant, and we devoured spring rolls, summer rolls, and lots of pho with all the toppings. It was awesome.

wish upon a suitcase

Recently bitten by the travel bug. New York is muggy and heavy -- what I wouldn't do to be transported to the beaches of Thailand or Ibiza!

Found this lovely J.Crew trolley case and had a little daydream that involved packing it up with frothy, colorful sundresses and sipping piña coladas with similarly colorful umbrella embellishment. I'm particularly partial to yellow, but the case is also available in black and with wheels. Are you traveling anywhere soon? Any vacation plans? Do tell!

oh crap!

I was definitely not planning on stumbling into these Sam Edelman studded suede boots on Gilt Groupe tonight. But let's be real: HOW could anyone NOT fall in love with these God's gift to shoe-lovers?!? (Look at the studs! They. are. shaped. like. stars! Like ****'s!!!) Obviously, leaping for the wallet and maniacal laughter ensued. I will be stalking the mailbox starting August 17th. Truth.

PS: Need a GG invite? Here you go.

we found an apartment!!!

In the East Village! With an elegant private terrace and brick accented walls! Gah! I am so, so, sooo relieved, since the past three weeks have been incredibly, dramatically stressFUL, with an emphasis on the FULL. Between balancing a full time job and apartment hunting (which itself is a full time job) and trying to keep sane, there hasn't been much else on my mind for the past month. Only this week have things finally wrapped up: work project - done; apartment -done; keeping sane - surprisingly successful.

Naturally, I'm moving on to the next big thing: decorating! My roommates Emily and Kelly and I have the same aesthetic taste -- shabby chic, artful, cozy -- so I know this apartment's going to get a lot of love. We've lived together before, so we're kind of pros at this now. (Just see exhibit A and exhibit B.)

We're moving in September, but until then, I will be browsing a bajillion antique stores and of course surfing Anthropologie online for inspiration.... !

(Photos via Anthropologie)

EDIT: Oh man, I spoke too soon! The East Village apartment fell through (the tenant changed their mind and refused to leave and is being taken to court! Eviction in NYC is pretty darned impossible) so we moved into our second choice, a cute three-bedroom in Little Italy. Still very happy, relocation and all!

maroon 5's misery - do or don't?

I've been seeing a lot of postings by my Facebook friends of this video, and I can definitely understand the buzz! Real life couple Adam Levine and Anne Vyalitsyna are pretty captivating in this relationship power struggle storyline. I love that Anne has such a powerful role, it's thrilling to watch her kick butt! Me-ow! What do you think of the video? Too aggressive/violent, or pure awesome?

almodovar amor

There's something curiously addicting about an Almodovar film -- the character evolutions, the tears, the family dynamics... the drama! I stumbled across a blog post on cinema for Tauruses the other day, and had to chuckle at how accurate it was. (Can't get enough of astrology sometimes!) As a Taurian myself, I love color and texture, aesthetically as well as within the personalities of characters on and off-screen.

Even more true to print, I adore Pedro Almodovar's films, especially Volver and Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown. A strong, complex female lead is such a pleasure to sink into, especially when the character seems so 3-dimensional and real! But is my Almodovar-admiration all chalked up to astrology... or is there just a whole lot to love about these movies? Do you find Almodovar films to be as addictively good as I do?