ASOS SECRET SANTA OUTFIT POST

Earlier this month Asos asked me if I wanted to participate in their "Secret Santa Blogger Exchange" - they'd assign me a blogger to buy for, another blogger would buy for me, and it's all be on the house. I told them I obviously wanted to do that and then congratulated myself for making such a keen business decision. 

These Lace Up Ballet Flats arrived in the mail a few weeks, chosen for me by Jordyn of Fairy Princess Diaries. Thanks girl! 

Out takes.

Just lol'ing in my new shoes, as one does.

 WE INTERRUPT THIS ASOS THEMED POST TO SHOW YOU my skirt from Urban Outfitters. 

Sorry Asos but thank you cousin Jessie who gifted this to me at our family Christmas.

Merry Christmas Eve Eve dear blog readers! 

And to all my Jewish folk,  Mazel and big hugs!

P.S. - Check out the shirt I chose for my Asos Secret Santa, Gina of Pink Wings. She is SO PRETTY and I'm totally going to make the Yogurt Berry Crumb Pie that she had just posted on her blog. I got assigned a winner for sure! Thanks Asos!

-SHOP THE POST-

3 MOVIES YOU NEED TO WATCH OVER THE HOLIDAYS

It's Christmas! Grab a blanket, some cocoa, and as Sheryl Sandburg would say, lean in (though not in this context) to some Netflix. Here are three recs that I've been telling all my friends about!

Season 5 of Homeland ended last night and now life has no meaning again. Thankfully there's a new CIA documentary out called Spymasters: CIA In The Crosshairs, narrated by my boo SAUL (Mandy Patinkin) about "the inner workings of the world's most powerful intelligence organization, with unprecedented access to America's spy network, all 12 living CIA directors and top agency operatives, who talk candidly about torture, secret prisons, drone warfare, alleged assassinations and the constant threat of attack". Cue that shit up! Saul, honey, call me. Here's the trailer - and this is on Showtime, not Netflix, my bad.

 I LOVED this documentary and its inside look into the Dior Fashion house as it welcomed as a new artistic director, Raf Simon. I had no idea how a fashion house was structured or ran until watching this "exposé" and it's a truly a unique hierarchy and culture.  Here's the trailer. 

An oldie but goodie, this independent romance flick is one of my all time favorites. It's a little heart breaking but relatable and real and anyone who's ever been in a long distance love affair will especially relate. Jlaw before she was Jlaw is in it too! Here's the trailer. 

What else should I watch? Tell me guys!

- FOLLOWING MEGAN ON SOCIAL MEDIA WILL MAKE YOU SKINNIER, RICHER, & PRETTIER-

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GIFT GUIDE FOR CHICKS (UNDER $50 BUCKS)

Christmas is NEXT FRIDAY. WTF! While that's CRAY and I could write a whole post on how life is flying by and we're all going to die one day (Happy Holidays!) it seems more productive and positive to focus on these ten gifts du jour. 

While this round up of wonders bodes exceptionally well if you're buying for me, you'll find that they're suitable for any female on your list.  Everything here is fantastic enough for your mom yet impersonal enough for your new boyfriend's mom who you've yet to meet. (Eek! - awkward! Good luck with that.)

GREETINGS FROM TEXAS APPROVED GIFTS

1. Business Card Holder from Nasty Gal ($18) For business bitches that ABC! (Always be closing.) 

2. Girl Boss Desk Plate from Nasty Gal ($35)  Lean in.

3. Mini Flask Holder Garter  ($40) Yesss! #1 Gift pick of the Year! Growing up in Wisconsin it was tradition to wear a garter to your Homecoming and Prom dances. Your date would remove your garter in front of your parents and as a teenager, it was an incredibly humiliating (and in hind sight inappropriate) tradition. Had my garter contained a little Captain Morgan in its core, however, I think I could have sailed right through (see what I did there?) this rite of passage. 

4. Mindy Kaling version of Table Topics ($14.95) So perfect for road trips! 

5. Flannel Sheets from Target ($15.99) I'm in bed, sitting on these sheets, as I type this. They are so warm and Christmasy that Kris Kringle might jump in bed with me come Christmas Eve. (Hoe! Hoe! Hoe!)

6. What I Know for Sure ($24.99) I've been depressed lately (mehhhhhh) and while I know she's  polarizing, Oprahhhhhhh!!! has been helping me creep out of the fog with this book. I'm not far into it but loving it nonetheless.

7. Fresh Sugar Lip Polish/Exfoliator ($43.07) "A mild conditioning lip exfoliator enriched with real brown sugar crystals to gently eliminate dry flakes." - You had me at brown sugar.

8. Personalized Luggage Tag from Bergdorfs ($40) For ballers only.

9. Malin & Goetz Travel Kit ($30) This is one of my all time fave beauty brands. I blogged about it three years ago here.

10. Gold Cosmetics Case from Shopbop ($48) For ballers only.

 -SHOPPITY SHOPPITY-

HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS

Greetings from Milwaukee!  Mace and I flew in late last week to celebrate Christmas with my Mom who lives in the 3rd Ward of this great city, home of Dustin Diamond (Screech Powers) and Jessica Szhor of Gossip Girl, and that's it. For real. Googling "celebrities from Milwaukee" delivers a truly pathetic list. 

The great thing about Santa being "magic" is that he can come whenever you want him to.

He came December 11th this weekend and I might have come on April 3rd come 2016, just because I can. 

Nothing gets you in the Christmas spirit like a little holiday planking.

Kudos Mom and Bob. (Her bf.)

The stockings were hung from the chimney with care,

And a blogger would post them, despite an affiliate link not being there.

A gift I can't wait to dive into. Get it here.

Cousins. Oh their innocence! Just think, 20 years from now, they'll seemingly be sneaking a joint together before family gatherings. How time flies!

Hoe hoe hoe!

My brother told my Mom he couldn't decide between Mac for Beginners or Mac for Seniors so that really melted her heart. #Christmasspirit

Christmas morning brunch.

AND THEN.....

Saturday morning we drove to Chicago for Christmas with my Dad's side of the family.

(But not my Dad because he lives in Florida and, you know, family drama and stuff).

All I want for Christmas is.....a reality show please with a starting salary of 100k, thanks. 

Macy and Roman, in matching outfits that were once my brother's and mine. #sentimental

Out takes. 

Aunt Kim and Jess assisted in the photo shoot. Though Jess (right) went ABOVE AND BEYOND by wearing the same flannel print as the kiddos. Someone should have told her it was a unpaid position.

Halpin Family Christmas, 2015.

Because we're an incredibly fortunate, blessed family, in leu of presents, we give each other $50 bills to be used towards our respective therapy and psychiatry bills. 

Happy Holidays from my family to yours! 

- FOLLOWING MEGAN ON SOCIAL MEDIA WILL MAKE YOU SKINNIER, RICHER, & PRETTIER-

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HOUSTON GEM: ABEJAS BOUTIQUE

Abejas Boutique's ears' must have been ringing when they reached out to me as I'd been wanting to pay them a visit anyway.  Friends had told me good things and I'm not comfortable with there being a good boutique in Houston with which I'm not well acquainted.

Me in a Yves Saloman Rabbit Fur Coat. NBD.

Santa, if you're reading this big guy, this is what I want for Christmas.

Abejas is on Kirby across from the Village. 

Though, if you're like me, it'll mean more to tell you that it's directly next to Crave Cupcakes.. 

H  for Hooker.

JK - it's for my maiden name, Halpin.

How enormous slash fantastic is this vest? It's kinda like a socially acceptable version of America's sweetheart, The Snuggie. 

Though I suppose not socially acceptable if you're a PETA enthusiast.These are the types of comfy pieces I gravitate towards though - things that you can wear to both work and bed? The best!

 Whether you're a Houstonian, or a Houston tourist, Abejas should be on your shortlist of go-to boutiques. It's high end, so you have to be a baller to shop there on the regular, but it's got divine stuff. 

*This post was sponsored by Abejas! Thanks guys!
**Pics by the one and only Rocio Carlon. 

What's everyone doing this weekend? I'm gonna take Mace to see The Good Dinosaur but those are the only definitive plans I got. Who knows, maybe I'll hit up a club or rave or something. I'll let you know next week. Hugs friends!

- FOLLOWING MEGAN ON SOCIAL MEDIA WILL MAKE YOU SKINNIER, RICHER, & PRETTIER-

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River Island Outfit Post

                                     Have you guys ever heard of the store River Island because I hadn't. 

Therefore when I stumbled upon it in a mall in Johannesburg I assumed it was an African brand/store and thought I was super cool for shopping there.  What an authentic African shopping experience I'm having I thought. Kudos to me for navigating such culture shock.

This bag is only $50 and comes in red too!

Joke is on me though because not only is River Island a British brand but it's everywhere. They have over 350 stores across the UK and Europe. So basically I was shopping at a Target. 

So the bad news is that I'm not cool. (And a little dumb.)

The good news I can continue to shop River Island. 

The End

*Photos by Rocio Carlon

-SHOP MY OUTFIT-

-SHOP MY OTHER RIVER ISLAND FAVES-

Greetings from Thornhill Safari Lodge

 Greetings from my humble abode the majority of the time I was in South Africa!

Come on in, the water's fine!

This was my room at Thornhill Safari Lodge. I had to keep the window shut at all times so a monkey didn't come in - you know, just normal house keeping practices. 

  

Ugh, I looked relaxed. I want to be that relaxed again. I was reading Primates of Park Avenue over my trip - a memoir about what its like to be a mom and raise kiddos in the Upper East Side of NYC - the richest part of the world. Anyone else read it? It got lots of backlash here but a good reminder that money doesn't buy happiness.That said, I'd still take some. You guys got any?

I was at the lodge for my birthday which I didn't plan on telling anyone about. 

But then I met Bror, from Norway, a fellow traveler staying at the lodge who happened to have my same birthday! What?! This is us after some serious celebrating.

Maybe I should have posted this pic first. 

The one day I didn't go on a safari, I went on what was called the Panoramic route, to see various waterfalls in the area. Honestly, it was kinda lame. The waterfalls were modest and crowded with tour buses of elderly European tourists. I would have much preferred to skip this excursion for another game drive. But first world problems, right? Also, don't go chasing waterfalls.

  

We stopped at this cute 'lil breakfast/crepe place that day though so that was neat.
It also had a gift shop in which I picked up the following.

Traditional African underwear! I picked up a bunch for all my small penised guy friends. 
You know who you are. 

           

Have a good day friends. I know I plan to! Muah!

MAD MEG HAPPENINGS

P.S. Stay-at home moms & working peeps with flexible lunch breaks!! TOMORROW my client and personal stress reliever, Sahar Paz, will be co-teaching a yoga class with Revolution Studio's co-founder and owner, Kim Syma called Shero Slow Flow. Tix for the class are $28 and include a signed copy of Sahar's book, Find Your Voice. Details are here! I know I'll walk out of the sesh feeling like a new person and am looking forward to it accordingly. Come!

PPS. Are you a blogger interested in attending Journey to Africa's Blogger Safari? The informational meeting is this evening at 6:30pm. Be there or be square. (Or more accurately, email if you can't come but are interested in more info.)

- FOLLOWING MEGAN ON SOCIAL MEDIA WILL MAKE YOU SKINNIER, RICHER, & PRETTIER-

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