Rooftop Bar @ the Standard

For those who haven’t been here, it is an absolute must go to!

The Rooftop exudes a relaxed, loungy vibe and the view 360° view of Downtown LA is absolutely breathtaking! The bar area usually gets pretty busy at night and you will sometimes have to whip out the old ‘push and pull’ to be able to order your drinks, but that’s the only downside I can think of.
I haven’t had the chance to munch on their appetizers, but I’ve been to the restaurant on the main level. The food was good, but a little overpriced…31 bucks for a main course, me thinks not! Since we needed some spare money for our drinks, we settled on a Margherita (tomato, Basil & Fresh Mozzarella) and Bacon pizza (caramelized onion, chevre and wild arugula). Granted, they were fresh and delicious!
If you are looking for a nice place to hang out after work, to impress a date or to sip some drinks with friends, this definitely is the place to go to!

 

The Standard Hotel
550 S Flower Street
Los Angeles, CA

Passion Fruit Caipirinha: my new fav!

A while ago I had the most amazing drink! Upscale Mexican restaurant La Sandia at Santa Monica Place  serves the meanest Passion Fruit Caipirinha. Sweet, tropical, refreshing,  it basically tastes like summer in a glass.  No lie!

Below you can find the recipe to get that instant summer feel!

Passion-Fruit Caipirinha

(Makes 1 Drink)

1/4 fresh lime, cut into 4 pieces
2 teaspoons superfine granulated sugar
3 oz (6 tablespoons) pure passion-fruit juice
1.5 oz (3 tablespoons) Cachaca

Add lime wedges and sugar to a short 8-ounce glass and mash by pounding and pressing with a wooden spoon until the sugar is dissolved. Fill glass to the top with small cubes of ice and add passion-fruit juice and Cachaca, then stir well. The passion-fruit juice is tangy and tropical, the fresh lime imbues a sparkling tartness, while the Cachaca lingers in the background.

Enjoy!

The 10 biggest Make-up No No’s!

Ladies, We like to think we are all fabulous make-up artists who look amazing in our own creations…guess again. Take a peek at the video below. I am sure some of the examples sound somewhat familiar!

The chocolate room: Would you take a bite?

Last Valentine’s Day,  Lithuanian sculptor Mindaugas Tendziagolskis created a room, including table, chairs, books and other decor from 661 lbs. (277kg) of pure chocolate.  Chocoholics, check out the yumminess!

Latest fitness craze: T-bands – Do they really work?

This silicone bracelet is said to increase core strenght, balance, awareness and focus, as well as decrease headaches, stress, jetlag and motion sickness. How you say? Accordingly to the website the holograms that are embedded in the band send special signals to your body’s bioelectrical field, tuning your body and bringing it back to your optimum performance level.
A miracle healer or just another trendy scam? I put the T-band to the test!

The test:

So here’s the story. After parading around Vegas with a drink in our hands ( and a couple already knocked back ), my boyfriend and I spotted the T-band stand inside Planet Hollywood.
As he had already heard many great things about this band, my boyfriend wanted to see what the fuss was all about.
The sales person let us do some simple exercises, first without the band then with the band.
First the sales person tested our balance by letting us raise our left leg while putting pressure on our shoulders. Of course we failed miserably ( the previously consumed alcoholic beverages might have had something to do with this, not sure…). Miraculously after putting on the little jelly bracelet, both of us could keep our balance, even with the pressure on our shoulders!
I don’t know how many times the phrase ‘How’s that possible?’ was said, but I am sure it was more than once.
After that the cunning sales man had us reach our left arms behind our backs, as far as possible. Yet again, the T band exceeded expectations as it would make us reach a few inches more than our previous attempt! Amazing!!!
Obviously we HAD to get those awesome T bands. We saw the results with our own eyes, how could they not work!
After the effect of our drinks wore off and the realization came that we just blew 70 dollars on 2 silicone bands, we were feeling a little less euphoric.
Oh yes, the band still did the same old tricks as the day before, but silly excitement made room for common sense.
Could it be that the wonderful results of the T band are just in your head?
We tried the band on a more than sceptical friend of ours and behold, gone was the magic of the T band!
Another friend, which is a doctor, also told me that it’s only normal to reach further on your second attempt, because you’ve already warmed up your muscles the first time. Interesting!
As far as the other positive effects of the T band go, I don’t really feel I’m at my body’s optimum performance level, and that’s an understatement!
For whoever is still curious about this new fitness trend, the T bands are for sale on the website http://tbandsusa.com and cost 25 dollars a pop.
PS: Now I also know why that lovely sales person had a big smirk on his face after selling us our bands at $35 a piece!

Hotspot: SUR Restaurant & Bar (West Hollywood)

Looking for a romantic place to impress your date? SUR, located at the trendy corner of Melrose and Robertson, does just that!  With it’s warm and intimate atmosphere;  think scented candles, light white linen curtains, chandeliers and a dimmed backdrop, it’s no wonder SUR  has been the setting of many amorous encounters. The restaurant adds even more to the sexy vibe it already exudes with a staff that looks like they just stepped out of a Vogue spread. Even so they are not snooty by all means, as they are friendly and attentive. At the bar, which is small but intimate, the sangria, both red and white, is a house favorite and an absolute must try.  Despite the fact that SUR describes it’s cuisine as unique and international, the choices are very simple common Mediterranean-Californian dishes, including shrimp fettuccini Alfredo, crab gorgonzola risotto, seared ahi tuna and wild mushroom chicken breast.  The swanky courses are mildly overrated and a bit pricey, but the portions are generous. Furthermore the awesome overall experience makes up for what your lacking on your taste buds. Make sure to reserve your table though, because this West Hollywood hotspot gets packed!

SUR
(424) 354-3433

606 N Robertson Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90069

Get slick and sleek with the Brazilian Blowout

How much of a hassle is it to roll out of bed every day, hair a mess, just waiting for it to be washed and properly styled, until it MIGHT decide to give you a break and look sleek and straight for at least the next, oh what, 30 mins?!

What if there was a miraculous cure to that awful morning routine, that makes you save at least that pesky time in front of the mirror; which you can obviously spend snoozing a little longer. Well, now there is!

The Brazilian Blowout is the latest iteration of the popular Brazilian Keratin treatments, only this one takes as little as 90 minutes and you can wash your hair right away.

How it works: Hair curls and frizzes due to gaps in its structure which cause the hair to bend and coil. The gaps in the strands (also known as porosity) also cause hair to absorb moisture from the air like crazy — explaining why many of us turn into Bozo the Clown on a rainy day. The Brazilian Blowout’ keratin formula coats each strand with proteins, filling in the gaps and creating more solid, sleek strands that lay flat and repel humidity. Sounds fabulous, right?

The best part, it really works! So hurry your booties to the salon pronto!