Top 20 Albums of 2009

I had to submit my top 10 for Killahbeez and it was tough to whittle my list down. But here are my choices for Top 20.

1. Ian Brown - My Way
2. Kasabian - West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum
3. Del the Funky Homosapien & Tame One - Parallel Uni-Verses
4. The XX - XX
5. The People Under the Stairs - Carried Away
6. Bat for Lashes - 2 Suns
7. MSTRKRFT - Fist of God
8. Telefon Tel Aviv - Immolate Yourself
9. The Juan MacClean - The Future Will Come
10. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion
11. Morrissey - Swords
12. Dead Prez and DJ Green Lantern - Pulse of the People
13. Cut Off Your Hands - You & I
14. Diplo and Blaqstarr - Get Off
15. Air - Love 2
16. Yacht - See Mystery Lights
17. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
18. N.A.S.A. - The Spirit of Apollo
19. Sonic Youth - The Eternal
20. Art Brut - Art Brut Vs Satan

And Really Good 2008 UK/Ireland Releases that hit the US in 2009:

1. Friendly Fires - Friendly Fires
2. Glasvegas - Glasvegas
3. Guggenheim Grotto - Happy the Man

Killahbeez Holiday Gift Guide

The ladies from Killahbeez put together their choices for Holiday Giving this year and the article is great.
Check it out in full.

But here is my contribution:

Charm Bracelets

Charm Bracelets are really popular this season and my favorites can be found at Betsey Johnson and Juicy Couture. Juicy has “starter” bracelets for $42 and charms like this adorable boombox for $52.

I like the idea of the starter and charms because you can express yourself. But Betsey Johnson makes bracelets with all charms already included like the adorable Stretch Vintage Vicky Charm for only $50. For shoppers on a budget, I’ve also found really cute charms at Aldo for about $15-20
Over the knee boots

Seemingly every fashion watch list has named over the knee boots to this season’s “must haves.” And I think I’ve figured out a few tricks to best rock the look.
If boots have heels, don’t show bare thigh. It’s too much. Flat boots with bare thigh look ok.
I like the rounded tops better. Kind of slimming. Petite girls can wear the look and slimmer thighs are probably needed for this one
We can all salivate over the $1995 pair of Christian Louboutins or look at places like Aldo and their Coffelt boot which cost $120.
Ribbon and beads statement necklaces

The look this season is feminine and frilly. I’ve seen a lot of ribbon and bead necklaces which add a bit of prettiness to an outfit. Even with a biker jacket and something edgy, these necklaces will allow that unexpected touch of girlishness.
Two favorites I’ve seen which epitomize the look are the Twined Rockrose Necklace from Anthropologie for $48 and J Crew’s Galaxy Ribbon and Chain Necklace at $78.
Skinny belts in metallic

I found this one at J Crew for $29.50. It works over a cardigan or little black dress or even gives shape to a winter jacket.
Headbands

Blame Blair Waldorf, but headbands are definitely back in style. I’m in a weird stage trying to decide whether or not to grow out my bangs and these headbands help in keeping my hair back at the office.
Urban Outfitters offers a plumage headband for $24 but I’ve even seen completely adorable ones on sale at Target for $8.

Katie’s Top 5:

Harajuku Lovers Perfume

From Gwen Stefani herself come 5 fragrances in the Harajuku Lovers line: Love, Lil’ Angel, G, Music, and Baby.
I own G and Lil’ Angel and I’m a fan of Music too. Love and Baby have a softer more floral scent where Lil’ Angel and Music are more fruit and spice, and G has almost a tropical vibe. The perfumes come in cute bottles designed by Gwen herself. And if you already have a favorite fragrance from the line, you can pick up the new Snowbunnies bottle design.

• Love: Sensuous floral. Pink peonies, delicate paperwhites, rose and sensuous musk.
• Lil Angel: fruity floral. Juicy raspberry, lush pear blossom and warm hinoki woods.
• G: Modern gourmand. Fresh coconut, jasmine + magnolia and sexy woods.
• Music: delicate floral. Sparkling clementine, sweet pea, honeysuckle and creamy vanilla.
• Baby: powdery musk. Sparkling bergamot, tiare flower, jasmine petals and soft white musk.

The bottles sell from $30-$45 at Department and Cosmetic Stores
Urban decay Glide On Eye Pencil

These eyeliners from Urban Decay sell for $17 and come in really cool colors. I have the pencil in “Rockstar” which is a dark eggplant hue. All the colors have a metallic tint and are edgy. My only complaint is that they do need to be sharpened frequently.
Bath and Body Works Winter Fragrances

It’s Sweet Pumpkin Spice time at Bath and Body Works!
For $9.50 you will smell amazing and festive for the fall in the scented body lotion.
Other favorite seasonal scents include Winter Candy Apple, Spice, and Twisted Peppermint
Smashbox Wish Eye Wish

12 shadows, 4 cream eyeliners, and a mini photo finish lid primer allows you to play around with various looks.
The retail value of the palette is $234 but Sephora sells this gem for $44.
Bumble and Bumble Creme de Coco Masque

Selling for $25 at any upscale hair salon is the savior of my over-highlighted hair. Not only does the product smell amazing, it completely moisturized my damaged hair. I use the masque twice weekly and leave it in my hair while I shave or something for 10 minutes. As soon as I rinse, I can feel the difference. And my hair smells like the beach!

Making Nice with My Nemesi

Well.  Of all the wives at the Unicef Charity event last night, Stacey Giggs and Ana Vidic turned it out I think.  And Colleen Rooney.

Anyway, here's good karma for me.

We love Ana's shoes.  Too cute.  And she looks amazing considering she just had a baby in June.

Maybe it's because I am so happy with my boyfriend and Giggs, Vida, and Hartley have become distant crushes I can now be nice.

My boyfriend even came to Thanksgiving with my family.  You know you're nuts about someone when you spend 4 straight days together including about 20 hours in a car and you still miss them after they've gone :-)

Weekend

I forgot how good the Sea and Cake is.

And a question for music snobs: What do you say when an "adult" asks what kind of music you like?
Do you answer earnestly?  I always squirm.
I should just lay into it.
Welllllll we're into electro-clash, intelligent, jazz-step, tech step, chicago house, deep house, san fran house, indie folk, chamber pop, shoegaze, hip hop, dubstep, vocal house, old big beats and french house from the early 1990s, oohhh old metalheadz style dark step stuff, ummm brit pop, a little bit of synth, minimal, downtempo, brazilian bossa nova, big band jazz, uhhhh chip tunes, oh yeah and kenny chesney actually (dont mock; he's the truth).
Blank stares from said inquisitor?
I'd bet yes.
Awk-ward.

A day to Celebrate

It's somebody's 36th birthday.
And somebody ages like a fine wine because somebody was not only playing like he was about 27 yesterday but looking scrumptious as well.
Yes, Ryan, we're all noticing the hair is looking thicker.  I don't know what youre doing but it looks good.
Then again, you would look good with just about any hair.

We've loved you since you were 16.
20 years of full on crush.

Here's to you.  And to 100 more.
Lots of love.
xxx

From the "totally sucked" files

Yep, it sucked.
But I'm all into researching Noetic Science now.
If theories are real, our world is about to get really awesome.
I'm going to harness the power of my mind to fill my shoe closet with Louboutins.  And also to fly so I can just cruise to Europe whenevs.
Oh and tell my body to lose weight when I carb feast.

Seriously.
Look at these

Noetic Science needs to come through.  Sharpish.

Want.

No, I'm actually talking about the jacket and not the man himself.

For once, Nike makes warm up gear that isn't hideous.

Chin Up, Puffins

'

Massive heartbreak for my Irish boys tonight.

I just hope that this is the final straw of FIFA refusing to implement video technology into the game.

France will go on to South Africa in an unfair win....but Ireland could see their loss not be in vain if some good could come out of this.

We can drone on about Henry, but the fact of the matter is that there was an offside call that should have been made before he even had the chance to handle the ball.

And if there is one group of people who can make humor from tragedy and know how to bounce back from being cheated out of something after hard work, it's the Irish.

Anyway, thanks to Liam Lawrence and Kevin Doyle for being so good looking (not as good looking as my hot as f*** boyfriend, of course), but still really hot.  They softened the blow.

Euro 2012. Eireann Go Brach.

And glory in Six Nations.  Ireland have good karma coming their way.

Burley Sacked; Me for Scotland Gaffer

And I'd work for peanuts.
And access to the changing rooms.

I have a National D license.  That's on par for managing Scotland I think.

My skipper: Duh. Who do you think?

Euro 2012 here we come.

WAGs and Shoes

Like the chicken and the egg, with WAGS and Shoes, its hard to say which came first. And since Today is my birthday and to celebrate the occasion, we will pay homage to my obsession......