Ever since she entered the music scene I have been fascinated with Lady GaGa. Not only do I love her album (literally every song!) I am intrigued by her avant garde sense of style and unconventional attitude. I have gotten so tired of the cookie cutter/ bubble gum pop stars of late that I was about to lose interest in the pop culture music scene all together.

Fortunately Lady GaGa came around just in time to shake things up a little and make me believe in artistic expression again! Her latest video is Paparazzi, directed by Jonas Akurlund. It is a dark, sexy, provocative little tale about love and revenge in the public eye. Love it or hate it- this latest video is visually stirring and a far cry from the typical.

Watch the video for Paparazzi here.

So I'd love to know... how do you feel about Lady GaGa?

Image courtesy of popmusicology.com and www.dailymail.co.uk

Recently my husband and I ventured to Palm Springs to celebrate our wedding anniversary. We stayed at the La Quinta Resort and Club. This was a short, two-day jaunt that I was very much looking forward to.

I was also excited to try out my new packing skills and modify them for a weekend trip. Thankfully I checked the weather report before packing (always a good idea) and discovered that each day would be scorching hot- I’m talking 100 degree Fahrenheit plus! This, of course, altered the idea of what I was going to pack tremendously and made it really easy to pick out what to bring.

- White jeans (for evening)
- A pair of tailored white shorts (I love this look for summer)
- Two billowy tops (I find that when they are billowy they are less likely to cling in sticky-hot weather)
- A knockout dress (for our anniversary dinner *wink * wink *)
- One pair of wedges and a flat jeweled sandal
- Bathing suit and cover up (I still haven’t gotten around to purchasing a colorful cover-up so I had to opt for the black one I used in Portugal)

All of this fit easily into a tiny “carry-on” sized bag. Even though we were driving. It still felt good to pack light. Also when I got back from my last trip- rather than emptying out my toiletries case, I updated it- refilled any bottles that needed filling- so that it was ready in a pinch for my next journey. I simply placed my toiletries bag in my carry–on knowing that it was fully equipped with everything I needed. I must say- when it comes to traveling it feels good to be organized!

Image of the La Quinta courtesy of: www.getawayspas.com

For more information on the La Quinta, please visit: www.laquintaresort.com

I am very humbled to have received two awards for "Your Blog is F@*%^$&# Fabulous" by two of my favorite bloggers: Rose from A Rose Beyond the Thames and Jenavira from Scent of Abricots. Thank you ladies- both of your blogs have provided endless moments of pleasurable, thought-provoking reading.

Because I have won this award, I am now going to follow the rules (posted, in full, below), list my top five addictions and bestow the award on five of my favorite blogs.

For my top five addictions:

1. Books by Alexander McCall Smith. I know I reference Mr. McCall Smith all the time in my blog and it is for good reason. His books are the literary equivalent of a perfectly made cup of tea enjoyed by the fire on a chilly afternoon. I find them to be humorous, philosophical and endearing. Every single one.

2. Chanel eyeshadow. Chanel does so many things right: perfume, clothes, sunglasses but I personally cannot live without their eyeshadow sets: les 4 ombres. I find that the sheer quality of the color, pigmentation and sparkle factor (yes, that is a scientific term) is unparalleled. My favorite two right now? Beiges Velours and Variations.

3. Essie nail polish in Mademoiselle. This is the perfect neutral shade for a manicure. I love love love it!

4. Television shows on etiquette. I've mentioned them in the past and they continue to be an addiction. Right now I am thrilled that the Sundance channel is airing the third season of Britain's Ladette to Lady. Bring on the manners!

5. Backgammon. This is an old fashioned game that my husband introduced me to. We play a minimum of three games a day. It is a game of strategy and luck. And there is something, I feel, so romantic about staying up late to play a game of chance with your guy.

And now for my Blog Awards.... drumroll please!

1. Juliana from Dining on Deals. Juliana is a connoisseur of deals. She goes in search of the best restaurants in Los Angeles and finds out what specials they offer. Her reviews are descriptive and honest. A fabulous new blog!

2. Cashmere Librarian at Chez la Vie. This lady has style and a blog to prove it!

3. Here, There, Elsewhere and More. A beautiful blog with poetic words and images. An inspiration.

4. Vicki at French Essence. Vicki leads a fabulous life and documents it on her blog in all its glory.

5. Scentscelf at Notes from the Ledge. Scentscelf has an unconventional approach to perfume and I am a huge fan...

Congratulations to the winners! If you are so inclined to keep these awards going, the rules are as follows:


1. You pass it (the award) on to 5 other fabulous blogs in a post.

2. You list 5 of your fabulous addictions in the post.

3. You copy and paste the rules and the instructions below in the post. (easy Below)

Instructions: On your post of receiving this award, make sure you include the person that gave you the award and link it back to them. When you post your five winners, make sure you link them as well. Also, don’t forget to let your winners know they won an award from you by emailing them or leaving a comment on their blog.