DetroitDuchess, Author at Detroit Duchess

Pantone’s Color of the Year: Rose Quartz & Serenity

January 18, 2016 by DetroitDuchess 6 Comments

For the first time ever, Pantone has named two shades as their 2016 Color of the Year. They blended two shades, Rose Quartz and Serenity to create their 2016 color.

These colors are supposed to represent balance, mindfulness, relaxation and composure. I love this theme for 2016 and think we can all bring more balance into our lives.

Here are a few of my picks to incorporate Rose Quartz & Serenity into your life this year:

Sephora & Pantone Color of the Year Matte Lipstick ($18)

Sephora has teamed up with Pantone to release official Color of the Year lipsticks in both Rose Quartz and Serenity. They’ve also created a unique lipgloss and eye shadow palette for these colors and more.

Chinese Laundry Leo T Strap Sandal ($69.95)

I had previously admired these shoes on one of Ali Fedotowsky’s posts months ago, but as I was doing research for this post, I saw they come in both Cashmere Blue Patent and Soft Pink Patent which match our colors of the year.

Kendra Scott Rayne Necklace ($80)

I love Kendra Scott’s pendant necklaces and she has my favorite one in both periwinkle and rose quartz.

Kate Spade Cedar Street Maise Leather Satchel ($223.50 – $298)

I’ve been eyeing this bag for a long time, I love how compact it is – definitely my version of arm candy.

Lord & Taylor Dip-Dyed Cashmere Crewneck ($214)

I love anything ombre so these were calling my name.

OPI Nail Polish

I chose the OPI colors Suzi Shops and Island Hops and No Room for the Blues as the best picks for this year’s Pantone color. They both come in regular polish and Gel color which you can’t beat!

Robert Rodriguez Floral-Print Faux-Wrap Dress ($149)

I thought this dress was the perfect blend of our two colors. Plus it’s just so feminine which I love!

ASICS Women’s GT-1000 3 Running Shoe ($69.95)

I thought these were a great blend of our Pantone colors. The pink is a little darker, but you get the idea.

Canvas Wall Art ($39.99)

I love the saying and the colors – what a perfect addition to your home decor in our favorite colors.

Sunset Sublimation Capri Leggings ($45)

These are the perfect blend of Rose Quartz & Serenity! Hopefully they bring you serenity in your yoga practice.

What are your favorite Rose Quartz & Serenity items for 2016?

You can also check out my post about the 2015 color of the year, Marsala, and the 2014 color of the year, Radiant Orchid.

Filed Under: Fashion Tagged With: 2016, color of the year, fashion, Pantone, Rose Quartz, Serenity

The Good Wife “Payback” Recap

January 9, 2016 by DetroitDuchess Leave a Comment

This week Alicia (Julianna Marguiles) and Luca (Cush Jumbo) take on their first case, a collection harassment suit. Jason Crouse (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) shows his value right off the bat, calling the collection representative at home and intimidating him. I am interested to see where his character goes this season. Alicia wore a sold out Escada Piped Tweed Jacket. This Catherine Malandrino Jeane Jacket ($114.99) is similar:

Over at Lockhart, Agos, Lee, Cary (Matt Czuchry) and Howard (Jerry Adler) are at odds in a somewhat humorous/serious situation. I only wonder what Will would have said about this if he was still here. Diane (Christine Baranski) tries to mediate the situation between them. She wore a gorgeous red and black floral peplum dress. I found a similar look in this Tahari ASL Satin Jacquard Sheath Dress ($96).

Alicia and Luca attend a mediation with their client in hopes of making their small case a much bigger case. Alicia wore a Lafayette 148 New York Patterned Two-Button Jacket ($748). I thought this Stylishelf Floral Print One Button Blazer Jacket ($34.98) had a similar look:

Meanwhile, Diane, Cary and Howard attend their own mediation to address the discrimination against Howard. It is sort of funny until you realize that he is serious and could potentially sue the firm. Diane wore an Oscar de la Renta Floral Wool Day Dress ($899.99). This Colorblock Sheath Dress ($180) from White House Black Market is similar:

The firm has to take sensitivity training to understand how Howard feels as an 80-year-old man. Diane wore a hot pink tie blouse. This Park Avenue Bow Blouse ($26.97) is similar:

Eli (Alan Cumming), cunning as he is, has Alicia turn her case into a debt-strike. This seems fine until you realize that this hurts Peter’s (Chris Noth) standing with the unions. This gets brought up at one of their appearances and Eli shows what a great manipulator he can be. Alicia wore a Narciso Rodriguez Paneled Stretch-Crepe Dress ($758) with a matching sold out Narciso Rodriguez Crepe One Sided Lapel Jacket. To recreate the look, I found this Laundry by Shelli Segal Floral-Jacquard Sleeveless Dress ($57.40) and this Ivanka Trump Colorblocked Blazer ($78.19):

Do you think this will bet Eli back in Peter’s good graces? Stay tuned…

If you missed this episode you can still watch it here.

For more The Good Wife recaps, click here.

Filed Under: Fashion, The Good Wife, TV Tagged With: Alan Cumming, Alicia Florrick, Chris Noth, Christine Baranski, Cush Jumbo, diane lockhart, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Jerry Adler, Julianna Marguiles, MacKenzie Vega, Mamie Gummer, Margo Martindale, Mary Beth Peil, Matt Czuchry, Michael J Fox, Renee Elise Goldsberry, Stockard Channing, The Good Wife, Zach Grenier

2016 Health Goals with Meijer

January 4, 2016 by DetroitDuchess 6 Comments

Disclosure: I received sample products from Meijer in exchange for this post. All opinions expressed are my own.

I’m not the kind of person that likes to make big sweeping resolutions…mostly because they don’t work out. I like to set goals and take baby steps to reach them. In 2005-2006, I lost more than 50 pounds, working out and sticking to a strict diet. Unfortunately, in 2007 I slowly started to gain all of that weight back plus an additional 45 pounds. BOO. Ever since we adopted our sweet pup Sport, I’ve been getting up early each morning to walk him nearly three miles and I’ve lost 15 pounds since implementing that step into my daily routine.

This is a picture of me at my lowest weight in 2007.

The point of all this is to say after losing a lot of weight very quickly, I never really changed my lifestyle and that made it easy for me to go back to the status quo once I had lost all the weight. So my goals for 2016 are to start making small changes and mastering each step before adding something new in. I hope to be successful this way and really sustain healthy living.

So after I started my daily walking routine, which in turn gets me to 10,000 daily steps, I decided that the next goal was to start drinking my daily water goal. I was recently introduced to an awesome app called Plant Nanny that has been helping me reach my water goals. This app is like a game and makes logging your water a fun task by growing a plant. It also reminds you in a real way that if you don’t water your plant it will die and in this case you are the plant.

This is my third plant, a cactus named Sparky

The next step is where Meijer comes into play – healthy eating and calorie counting. I like to incorporate shakes and meal replacement bars into my diet so when I go out I can indulge a little bit more on the big meals. Meijer sent me a variety of different shakes to try. I’ve previously only done Slim-Fast shakes before so I am excited to try some of these. Depending on how much time I have in the morning, sometimes I will add fruit to my shakes for a little something extra. I usually take my shakes with me during my morning commute, so convenience is important.

Do you have any good shake recipes? I normally just do a cup of milk, powder and sometimes if I’m starving a tablespoon of peanut butter. For lunch, I will do a meal replacement bar and 200 calories of something else, usually a half of sandwich or a serving of soup. It’s a joke in our house because I keep all my bars in our cookie jar. There are rarely cookies stored there, haha!

Calorie counting and movement are the keys to shedding the pounds for me and I am thrilled to start 2016 out with some helpful calorie management aids in my pantry. Meijer also has a great website called “A Healthier You” where they share tips and tricks for meal planning, health and fitness.

Have you lost weight before? What are you best tips and tricks for a healthy new year?

For more Meijer posts, click here.

Filed Under: Be the Best You Tagged With: Be the Best You, Health, Meijer

Winter Bucket List

December 29, 2015 by DetroitDuchess 7 Comments

I started off strong for my Fall Bucket List, but then got crazy busy about halfway through. So don’t be surprised if you see some of my Fall list creeping into my Winter Bucket List. I like having this list, because I feel like I’ve done more having it as a reminder. It definitely helps to make the seasons more memorable.

Make shepherd’s pie
Plan a supper club with friends
Get a hot chocolate from Starbucks
Go bowling
Go to a Piston’s game
~~Finish my cork wreath~~
~~Drink champagne and have a New Year’s kiss~~
Take a cooking class
Watch a Valentine’s Day movie
Host a couple’s game night
Perfect John’s potato soup recipe
Make Valentine’s Day cards
Make something in the crockpot
Attend my annual girl’s up north trip
Go to a Superbowl party
Bake a Valentine’s Day treat
Indulge in a paczki
Go to a Red Wings game
Make a Mardi Gras king cake
Give something up for Lent
Watch at least one Oscar nominated movie
Host an Academy Awards party
Plan a romantic Valentine’s Day date
Attend a St. Patrick’s Day Parade (Detroit or Chicago)
Host a St. Patrick’s Day Party
Make a St. Patrick’s Day craft

What are your favorite winter bucket list activities?

I am going to be adding to this list throughout the season so let me know your favorites.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Winter Bucket List

Scandal “Get Out of Jail, Free” Recap

December 26, 2015 by DetroitDuchess Leave a Comment

It’s impeachment week on Scandal and the first on the hot seat is Mellie Grant (Bellamy Young). The committee steamrolls her and puts her in a terrible situation. The one thing I love about Mellie and this episode is that she won’t stay down for long. At the hearing she wore a Dolce & Gabbana Fitted Blazer ($878) and a Boss Dokysa Ponte Knit Dress ($196.20) with this Roberto Coin Cocktail Necklace ($5200). To recreate the look I found this H&M Fitted Blazer ($49.99) with this Adrianna Papell Cap Sleeve Jacquard Sheath Dress ($140) and this Bezel Gem Oval Pendant Necklace ($67.80):

Olivia (Kerry Washington) realizes it before everyone else and calls Abby (Darby Stanchfield) to warn her. Abby wore a Ponte Knit Dress from Brooks Brothers ($148.50). This Halogen Ponte Dress ($98) is similar:

In order to handle the situation and prevent Olivia from testifying, Cyrus (Jeff Perry) and Fitz (Tony Goldwyn) propose marriage. Olivia doesn’t go for the idea. She wore an Armani Collezioni Croc-Embossed Taffeta Jacket ($443.70). This Kasper Open-Front Swirl-Print Jacquard Jacket ($89.25) has a similar look and feel.

Abby, Quinn (Katie Lowes) and Huck (Guillermo Diaz) have to stand trial before the committee regarding Jeanine Locke and unfortunately have to pin everything on Harrison. In the meantime, Olivia gets a call from the hospital informing her that Eli (Joe Morton) is there. She pays him a visit and he tries to get her to release him. Olivia wore a cardigan similar to this Neiman Marcus Mixed-Stitch Draped Cashmere Cardigan ($168.75):

Fitz then tries to propose to Olivia in a romantic way, which she completely shoots down. Desperate for a solution, she calls Jake (Scott Foley) for his opinion and he hangs up on her (good for him!). Then she meets Mellie in secret to try to get her to release Papa Pope so he can blackmail the committee and let her off the hook. I was so proud of Mellie for standing up to her in this scene. This is definitely a low point for Olivia. After all the work to get rid of Eli, she is now trying to set him free…unbelievable!

Fitz finally gets his divorce, but not without some final words from Mellie. I was so proud as she finally stood up for herself.

The wedding day finally arrives and Olivia is stunning in a Victoria Beckham Short-Sleeve Shift Dress ($2,365), sold out St. John Collection Beaded Organza-Trimmed Boucle Jacket ($757.98), Manolo Blahnik BB Pumps ($595) and a Prada Double Bag ($2,980).

To recreate the look I found this Ralph Lauren Ruched Cap-Sleeve Dress ($149), Tahari ASL Pearl Embellished Jacket (from the set) ($199.99), Steve Madden Proto Pump ($60), and this Calvin Klein On My Corner Saffiano Leather Satchel ($248):

Olivia sees her life passing before her eyes and you can literally see her backing out of this arrangement. Lucky for her, Mellie by way of Eli saves her by blackmailing the committee. She meets Mellie for one last confrontation where Mellie finally realizes that she can have anything she wants and I love it. Mellie is on fire tonight! Olivia wore a sold out Max Mara Drape Collar Reversible Coat. This DKNY Two-Tone Hooded Wrap Coat ($177) is similar:

Now that Eli and Tom are free, anything could happen! What do you think Fitz will say?

If you missed this episode, you can still watch it here.

For more Scandal recaps click here.

Filed Under: Fashion, Scandal, TV Tagged With: Bellamy Young, Darby Stanchfield, George Newbern, Guillermo Diaz, Jeff Perry, Joe Morton, Jon Tenney, Joshua Malina, Kate Burton, Kerry Washington, Mary Mouser, Matthew Del Negro, Mia Maestro, Norm Lewis, Portia de Rossi, Scandal, Scott Foley, Tony Goldwyn

Winter 2015 Favorites

December 23, 2015 by DetroitDuchess 4 Comments

It’s the first day of winter, which is fitting in Michigan because so far it has been unseasonally warm. I don’t expect it to last so as we prepare to bundle up for winter, here are a few of my favorite things to help you stay cozy!

FootNanny Chocolate Foot Cream ($48)

Endorsed by Oprah, this company has a cool story, but I am always on the lookout for a good foot cream and who doesn’t love chocolate.

Laredo Over-the-Knee Wedge Boot ($40)

These are definitely on my wish list, but I can’t decide between the black or taupe color.

CND Vinylux in Peacock Plume ($6.19)

I love this color, it is so fun to get you through the drab winter weather.

Kate Spade Somerset Cardigan ($198)

I need a new black cardigan so I can still wear all my sleeveless summer dresses in the winter with tights. I love the bow detail on this one from Kate Spade.

Martha Stewart Collection Luxury Flannel Sheet Sets ($88.99 for King)

You can’t go wrong with flannel sheets in the winter. I love that they have these in our colors and cannot wait to get cozy this winter!

Wake-Up Light ($99.99)

I’ve heard of these before, but have never seen one in action. As Sport and I get up early every morning to walk, this would be great to help me start my day. This video is pretty much my morning, haha! I can’t find an embeddable video, but make sure to watch it on Amazon, so funny!

Kate Spade Embellished Wool Sweater ($298)

I know this is pricey, but it really caught my eye and I just love it! A great reason to use up those Nordstrom notes!

Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Steamer Solutions ($139)

This is amazing and the perfect solution to the dry winter weather! I would LOVE to be able give myself a full facial at home. The price isn’t bad either for what you get.

Mixed Media Sweater Dress ($89.50)

I got this dress on Black Friday and love it! I received a ton of compliments on the first wear.

Long Leather Gloves ($198)

I wanted these last year when they were part of The Limited’s Scandal Collection. These are a little pricey, but they are 50% off right now, so get them quickly!

What are your favorite things for winter?

You can also check out my Winter 2014 and Winter 2013 Favorites.

Filed Under: Beauty, Fashion Tagged With: Winter Favorites

Discover the Fire Within with Angara

December 21, 2015 by DetroitDuchess 8 Comments

Disclosure: I received a complimentary necklace from Angara in exchange for a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

When Angara contacted me to pick out something special I was thrilled. It’s not everyday that a girl gets jewelry! My favorite gems are rubies (my birthstone) and sapphires (my sorority stone). If you haven’t seen me mention it before, I am a Phi Sigma Sigma and our stone is the sapphire, a symbol of purity. When I first was initiated my big sister gave me a sapphire ring which I still wear. So this beautiful Sapphire and Diamond Shell Pendant was the perfect choice to add to my collection.

Angara is an ancient Sanskrit word that means “the fire within.” I couldn’t think of a better way to describe the world’s most beautiful gemstones. The company was founded by Ankur Daga, who created it after seeing his fellow classmates struggle to purchase engagement rings.

Since there is still time to get those last minute holiday purchases in, I thought I would share a few of my wish list pieces from Angara:

Diamond Encrusted Loop Knot Ring

In my quest for a fun right-hand ring, I love the look of this knot design.

Diamond Encrusted Cluster Ruby Peacock Earrings

These are truly stunning.

Solitaire Akoya Cultured Pearl Ring with Round Floating Diamonds

I love how elegant this ring is.

Solitaire Look Illusion Set Diamond Halo Stud Earrings

I’ve been eyeing diamond studs for a long time. I feel like that is one thing that every woman should have in her wardrobe.

Oval Amethyst and Citrine Three-Stone Pendant with Diamond Halos

I love how different this necklace is from everything else I own.

What Angara pieces are on your wish list?

For more fashion posts, click here.

Filed Under: Fashion Tagged With: Angara, jewelry

The Good Wife “Taxed” Recap

December 20, 2015 by DetroitDuchess 2 Comments

Louis Canning (Michael J. Fox) takes on a assisted suicide case with his particular brand of theatrics. Diane (Christine Baranski) is keeping tabs on the case for her client, until her client wants her to take over for Canning’s opponent even though she doesn’t want to argue against assisted suicide.

Meanwhile, Alicia (Julianna Marguilles) is back at bond court the other attorneys are competing to see who can get through the most cases based on the defendant’s weight. Alicia wants no part of their game. She wore a white, black and grey zip up blazer. I found a similar style in this Laundry by Shelli Segal Contrast Lace-Panel Jacket ($119.99):

Diane is arguing a case that she doesn’t believe in, but she is between a rock and a hard place with her firm’s largest client. Diane wore a Carolina Herrera Metallic Floral Jacket ($478.99) to argue in court. This StyleStalker Forever Floral Blazer ($75.99) is similar:

Diane seems to be no match for Canning’s investigators who blow her argument. She wore a collarless black and white blazer. This Calvin Klein Marbled Zip-Front Blazer ($114.99) is similar:

Alicia gets shunned in bond court after taking too much time with one client and poaching cases from the other attorneys by accident. After all of the rigmarole she ends up having to take a plea so her client can protect her mother, so none of it was necessary in the end. She decides yet again to start her own firm with Luca (Cush Jumbo) and a new chapter.

What did you think about this episode?

You can still watch it here if you missed it.

For more The Good Wife recaps, click here.

5 on Friday: My 2015 Christmas Wish List

December 18, 2015 by DetroitDuchess 7 Comments

After an exceptionally stressful few weeks I figured I would indulge myself with this post. Here are my dream Christmas gifts to myself:

1. The Gift of Massage

I like to visit my local LaVida Massage, but I can’t tell you the last time I had a massage…maybe sometime in 2014 which is too long. I just read that a one-hour massage equates to 7-8 hours of sleep on the body. How amazing is that?! I would love to get a pre-paid package this year.

2. Tory Burch Reva Ballet Flat ($225)

I’ve been eyeing these since I broke my foot. I’ve been having a lot of foot pain lately (in the other foot surprisingly) probably because of all the walking I’ve been doing with Sport. It would be nice to take a heel break during the week, in style of course.

3. Eminence Facials

You can read my previous post about these wonderful facials, but you definitely have to try them for yourself! I would love to get a monthly facial and really take care of my skin this year. Even one this year would be a treat!

4. Namaste Yoga Class Pass

I haven’t been to Yoga class in forever…and I miss it. I usually walk Sport at 5:30 a.m. every morning, but the yoga studio by me has a 6 a.m. class for $6 which would be perfect for those days that it rains and he won’t go outside. I would also love to hit a class after work and de-stress.

5. Nikon D5300 Digital SLR Camera ($596.95)

You may have noticed that I have no picture game here. I really need a nice camera to take photos for the blog and get some great photos of all the fun stuff I cover. But lets be honest – its mostly to take cute pictures of Sport, haha! I like this camera because we have a similar version at work which I’m already familiar with. I also like that you can start with the basics and upgrade lenses later on.

And there you have it – my Christmas wish list. I would love to hear what’s on your wish list this year.

For more Five on Friday/Friday Favorites posts, click here.

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You can join the Oh Hey Friday Linkup with The Farmer’s Wife and September Farm just click the button below for more details. I am also participating in the Friday Favorites Linkup with A Little Bit of Everything Blog, Grace and Love Blog and Momfessionals. You can click the button below for more information and to join the linkup.

Filed Under: Five on Friday Tagged With: Christmas, Five on Friday, Friday Favorites

Elevate the Holidays with Hess Collection Wines

December 15, 2015 by DetroitDuchess 5 Comments

Disclosure: I received this wine from a PR firm on behalf of Hess Collection Wines to provide a review. Opinions expressed are 100% my own.

I was thrilled to receive a whole collection of wine from Hess Collection Wines to celebrate the holidays! They didn’t just send me one bottle, but six! I decided to use them for a special occasion and serve them with our Thanksgiving dinner.

I thought this would elevate our meal and give everyone an opportunity to taste the different varieties and decide which one they liked. I decided it would be fun to talk about my favorite holiday wine and menu pairings for this post.

This might have been my favorite wine of the night, it went perfectly with my veggie tray and appetizers before dinner.

This was the first time we hosted Thanksgiving and the first time we made my grandmother’s stuffing recipe. It was delicious and the Chardonnay paired perfectly with the dish. I am usually not a fan of Chardonnays because I don’t like the buttery flavor, but this one was different. It was a lot lighter than your traditional Chardonnay.

Mashed potatoes are a staple of any holiday meal, but I love that John pre-roasts the garlic in the turkey before with whip them up. The Cabernet Sauvignon pairs perfectly with this recipe.

Last but not least, the Treo. This wine, paired perfectly with the turkey. As this was my husband’s job, I don’t have the details of his recipe, but he did thaw and brine the turkey in our refrigerator 24 hours before we cooked it. The Treo is an easy drinking wine with a touch of sweetness from the ripe, dark fruit, accented by a decidedly big impression of bing cherries and ripe plums.

Hess Select Wines elevated our first Thanksgiving in the new home and made it something special. I can’t wait to celebrate many more holidays in this house over a glass of wine.

What are your favorite wine pairings for the holidays?

For more Wine of the Week posts, click here.

Filed Under: Wine of the Week Tagged With: Hess Collection, wine, wine of the week

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