Kisses of Kahlua

They are not joking. So, the story goes like this… my old roommate is a bartender in one of the hottest restaurants in Northwest Arkansas. He is one of those who makes friends with ALL of the customers. One of his favorites, Pam Forester, started an at home cake business and before long he started bringing these cakes home as “tips”. It was amazing the first time; this cake lasted for over a week in our house and was moist down to the last crumb. So, these cakes kept coming to our house and to my surprise the consistency of this cake was the most impressive aspect of the company, and the cakes are equally delicious every time!

You haven’t lived until you have had a “Kiss of Kahlua,” it is a simple Bundt cake with no icing. A very homemade touch of the south wrapped and tied with a precious ribbon. The company “Kisses of Kahlua” offers shipping, for a small charge, and this is something I just had to spread the word about. And trust me; this cake is just a delicious coming out of the oven as it is a week and a half later.

Feel free to contact Pam her website is http://kissesofkahlua.com/ she takes orders via phone or email.

Enjoy this and other posts by Brooke, the newest Spotlights On... contributor. She can be reached at brooke@spotlightson.com.

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Fast Moving Art: Expression Of Joy

In a savvy new marketing campaign, BMW commissioned renowned artist Robin Rhode to produce the piece above. The materials? How about paint, a BMW Z4 Roadster and a 100 by 200 foot canvas. Here is a video about the project:

As you can see, the results are pretty amazing! It only goes to show that art comes in a variety of mediums....some very fast moving! To see more about this project go to ExpressionOfJoy.com.

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My "Dirty Secret"

For some this is life changing. Dry Shampoo. This is a product that has been around for a few generations now, but has been revamped and is now 2009 compatible. TIGI has a new line out called Rockaholic. For the most part the line is geared toward its name, including “Molding Gunk” and “Hardcore spray gel” for the rocker in all of us, but the gem of the line is Dirty Secret Dry Shampoo.

For as long as I can remember every hair stylist I have had has told me not to wash my hair everyday, something about it drying out your natural oil glands, and it actually making the glands produce too much oil. Yet, my hair looks like a grease monkey on day two, and I can not enter into the world looking a hot mess. Enter… my Dirty Secret. It saves my hair an extra day of shampooing, or allows me to shampoo at night and spray this product in the morning and I am good to go! Most recently I attend an engagement party for my best friend, and after dancing (sweating) the night away this little beauty saved me from many disastrous greasy haired pictures.

All you do is spray toward your roots just like you would a hair spray. Then finger comb or brush through and your hair will smell and look fresh. Target carries most TIGI brands, otherwise ask your local stylists and they should be able to either get it for you or point you in the right direction.

Disclaimer: For those of you who have heard of the orginal dry shampoo PSSSSSST Instant Spray Shampoo, this product has been completely revamped from smell to texture. So, if PSSSSSST messed up your hair in 1970 do not be alarmed!

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A New Way of Shopping: Private Designer Sales

In my ongoing quest to never pay retail prices, I have come across a interesting breed of online bargains. There are multiple sites that offer members-only designer sales which have truly fabulous discounts (think on average of 65% off). Which designers? How about Tory Burch, Escada, Marc Jacobs and Dolce & Gabanna. A little out of your price range? They also offer brands such as Free People, Michael Kors Home and Elie Tahari. The offerings can range from the latest collection to accessories to home goods. The sites also offer womens, mens and even children's items. The sales run anywhere from 24-72 hours (depending on the site) and once the sale is over, the merchandise is no longer available. However, the real problem is trying to snag that fabulous item before it sells out!

Interested in which sites to join? Try Ideeli or Gilt Groupe which have referral sites in order to join. Other sites such as Hautelook or Rue La La require an invitation from a member (you can request an invitation here). Each site has incentives to recruit other members, usually with a $25 credit per friend when he or she makes the first purchase. Some sites even give you an initial credit good towards your purchases. Besides the sales, most sites offer great giveaways and sweepstakes for items such as a 7-day vacation or a designer accessory.

Want an example of offerings? Here are the sales going on next week, for noteable sales in the future, follow the twitter postings.

• Ideeli is featuring Amrita Singh (jewelry) and giveaways from YSL, Burberry and Balenciaga
• Gilt Groupe is featuring Trina Turk, Delman Shoes, and Perricone MD Cosmeceuticals
  
• Hautelook is featuring Lauren Conrad, Stila, Three Dots, Via Spiga, Michael Kors and Ernest Sewn
  
• Rue La La is featuring Besty Johnson Outerwear, Dolce & Gabbana and Elie Tahari

Enjoy your shopping and let me know your favorite purchase!

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Go Green through Reuse: Freecycle™

As the saying goes, one man's trash is another man's treasure. This is certainly true for an environmental nonprofit organization that started in Tucson, AZ. Freecycle is that perfect place between your trash bin and Craigslist or Ebay. This nonprofit gifting movement enables individuals to gift items in their local communities rather than to throw them away, thus keeping over 600 tons out of landfills daily.

When I moved to the DC metro area last year, my husband and I brought what we could fit into a U haul trailer and nothing more. Well, when you pack that light, you eventually need some things. Thankfully I read about Freecycle in a magazine blurb. I joined online (membership is free) and started receiving emails containing local offers, wants and what was already taken. The first week I picked up an old but solid wood bookcase, some photography items and gave away my moving boxes to another member in need. It was great! Since then my husband has been able to acquire some furniture for his office and give away some electronics we no longer need.

Freecycle is globally local -- Each city has volunteer moderators and a unique email group. Anyone living in that city is then welcome to post items to be given away or to seek items which they might be able to use. What began as only 30 members just over five years ago has now
developed into many millions of members worldwide.

Visit freecycle.org to find the Freecycle community in your area.

(sections of post taken from press release)

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Beauty Crave: Origins Precipitation™ Extra

Have you ever tried a friend's beauty product or sample and enjoyed the product so much that you crave it? Well, this weekend that is exactly what happened to me. I was staying at a friend's place in NYC and she offered me some of this wonderful Origins body cream. Unlike other moisturizers for very dry skin, this cream was very light and silky and not at all greasy. It absorbs into the skin quickly but and still kept my skin deeply moisturized all night. Origins Precipitation™ Extra is made with Shea and Coco butter and a combination of essential oils. It has a very pleasant light scent that smells light and clean. I was with a group of girls and we could not get enough of this wonderful product; hence why it is my latest beauty crave. For anyone looking for a great all-over moisturizer or even just something for your hands at work, try Origins Precipitation™ Extra: Continuous moisture recovery for very dry skin. At just $25.00 a jar, you won't be disappointed!

Want more? My savvy friend also had the Precipitation™ Extra body wash and Checks and Balances™ frothy face wash which were also wonderful! You can find Origins at your local store or online at origins.com.

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Fabulous Prints: Mpix.com

"Daisy Under Lights" © Weatherly Designs

As a photographer I am often asked where to get photographs printed. While Costco and Walmart might have great deals and decent machines, for top-notch printing, I use Mpix.com. Mpix is a division of Miller's Professional Imaging, the largest professional lab in the country.

So why do I use Mpix.com?

Mpix offers three different types of photography paper: E-surface color in a matte finish (what you are used to but better), true black and white, and my favorite, metallic. They are all great types of paper with amazing colors, detail and professional finishing. I think the metallic paper really stands out in that I've never seen anything quite like it. From the front it looks like normal color paper, but slightly tilted to the side, the colors really glow. Best of all, before you decide which kind of paper you want to use for your own photographs, Mpix will send you a sample kit so that you can compare them all first-hand.

Mpix offers great prices, especially on large prints. In my particular realm of photography, I often do not print photographs smaller than as 8x10, so it can get pricey. Mpix offers very competitive prices on all sizes and types of paper. Plus, there is a flat shipping charge no matter the number of prints I order.

Mpix offers unique sizes of photographs and an amazing array of consumer and professional products. As to sizing, most labs only offer traditional paper sizes, but with Mpix I was able to order a 8x12 or a 10x10, still at great prices. When it comes to products, Mpix offers more consumer products than I could ever need from playing cards to wall-clings. For the professional, Mpix offers everything from proof portfolios and boutique packaging to zenfolio, a way to organize and sell photographs online.

Finally, I use Mpix because other photographers I trust love the quality of the work and Mpix has received top honors from sites like Popular Photography. Mpix.com is offering a 25% off on their large prints with code largeprint09 which is good until 2/25/09.

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Sexy, Sensual or Sweet: Valentine's Day Scents

J'adore le parfum! When I was in middle school, I stole my mother's perfume samples just because I decided that I needed a "signature scent" (I must have read something in a magazine). I tried her various samples and decided my favorite was Coco Chanel. Thankfully, I had some friends who taught me how to pronounce the name correctly, but only after laughing at me for a number of years. So when the other girls my age were wearing brands of perfume that you could pick up at the drug store, my poor mother was at the Chanel boutique buying my "signature scent" for my birthday.

Well, the "signature" part did not last for long as I started to smell other tantalizing fragrances and just had to wear them. In college, I made my boyfriend (now husband) pick me out a new scent- 24 Foubourg by Hermes. Then living in NYC, I picked up some Jean Paul Gaultier Classique on the streets in Chinatown. I was fortunate enough to tour a perfume factory in France and I recently fell in love with Givenchy Very Irresistible Sensual and Jo Malone Orange Blossom. However, my most recent obsession is Beige by Chanel, but only because it's nearly impossible to find. I'm dying to try it!

Out of all the cheesy traditional Valentine's Day gifts, a fabulous bottle of perfume is by far my favorite, because I would be happy to receive it as a gift any day of the week! Perfume is inherently personal because it smells so different from person to person (case-in-point: Issey Miyake smells like chalk on me, but wonderful in the bottle). Scents are also emotional and can make you feel sexy and sensual or upbeat and sweet. With so many wonderful choices, it's my preferred gift this Valentine's Day, especially while the discounts are great!

Try Perfume Worldwide, Inc. which is discounting all perfume 15% off with coupon code Is15off until 2/15!

Want more suggestions or particular reviews on the newest scents? These are just some of the amazing blogs that are purely dedicated to your olfactory senses: Perfume-Smellin' Things, Now Smell This, Scentzilla, and Pefume Shrine.

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Reality Bites: Eat This, Not That!

So sometimes I come across the most random blogs and/or websites and just have to share! I, like most people, have the new years resolution to loose weight. All things considered it's actually been going well and I have lost 8 pounds since the first of January. While cooking at home is fine, restaurants can trip me up as I am completely appalled at how many calories and grams of fat can fit into a single bite!

So in ordering some takeout, I came across this handy web site that makes suggestions of what to eat and what not to eat. I am pretty surprised at the choices- who would have thought a smoked turkey sandwich was so bad! Upon doing some more research I found out that David Zinczenko, the editor of Men's Health, put together his Eat This, Not That! program through a series of books and an online subscription. He not only covers restaurants, but also what to buy at the grocery store and which drinks (hmmm, I don't think I want to know about Starbucks) are best. Want some examples? Watch the clip from when David was on the Ellen Show. The online links are a sampling of the program, but for the full listing of restaurants and grocery store items, a 6-month subscription costs $9.95. Not too bad for knowing what is really in my food!

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Don't Forget Your Gloves and Socks

A long time ago, I moved to NYC and worked as a marketing intern for Womens Wear Daily (the fashion bible). It was all about the Oscars and the gift bags that were going to the celebrities. I distinctively remember Bliss Spa gloves and socks because I tried my hardest to get a pair of socks for my mother for Christmas. Thankfully I succeeded and have been recommending the product ever since. So for all of you whose hands and feet are suffering from this crazy cold weather, just remember to wear you gloves and socks!

Both the "glamour gloves" and "softening socks" can be worn with moisturizers or by themselves. They each have a gel lining that softens and smooths with olive oil, grapeseed oil and vitamin E. They last for 50 uses and work wonders on your dry hands or cracked heels. Wear them for 20 minutes for a quick fix or over-night for some serious damage control. A great gift for Valentine's Day or for anyone living in a cold climate! Plus, Bliss World is giving away a FREE bottle of "love handler" (usually $36) with any purchase in February.

Want to see other Bliss World beauty steals? Check out their blog!

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