Hi all:

If you like to go to the bar and if you like to play games … I am going to knock your socks off with a wonderful bar (and restaurant by day) I stumbled upon this past weekend in Atlanta called Ormsby’s.

At the intersection of 14th Street and Howell Mill Road (Atlanta’s west-side), Ormsby’s creates a welcoming atmosphere for young professionals to meet, eat, drink and most importantly – play games! The “basement” of this upscale, urban-like building has a variety of traditional games for all to play and everyone is playing something! For example, you can join a game of Darts, Bocce Ball, Jenga, Uno, Connect Four, Pool, Shuffleboard … etc., etc. It was an absolute blast and it will be for you, too!

So, if you and your friends and are trying to find an upbeat yet chill place to relax, drink and be in good company, I’d advise you to check out Ormsby’s. It’s game on time!

Happy Holidays to everyone! Hope you are staying warm and are done with all your Christmas shopping!

*MWAH*

Are you done Christmas shopping?

If you are, congratulations! But, if you’re anything like me, you have been too busy to spend an entire, affective day of shopping. So … let me assist you with some unique and easy gift ideas for the family.

Mom

• Gift certificate to Massage Envy. These spas are found all over and are very reasonably priced. She’ll be so happy to know that you gave her a special retreat to pamper herself.
• Her favorite movie of the year. And while you’re at it, grab two movie tickets at the theater closest to her. If you’re lucky, maybe she’ll take you.
• Funky scarves. Not the traditional thick scarves, but the smaller, detailed scarves that she can easily put with outfits all year round. Be safe and stick with solid colors.

Dad

• Lessons/classes that he’s always wanted to do. This could be tennis lessons, golf lessons, a cooking class … you know him, what has he wished that he had time for?
• Robe and slippers. Make sure they’re not too thick or hot. Guys want to be comfortable. Buy this gift and he’ll always have something easy to throw on in the morning to eat breakfast and/or when family and guests are in town. BTW – no one wants to see your dad in whitie tighties.
• Framed photo collection for his office. Dads typically aren’t too concerned about putting time aside to create photo collages, but they typically brag all about their family at work. Therefore, buy a nice wall piece that holds 5-10 photos and put pictures of your family in it, so he can showcase you to all his colleagues.

Sister

• Evening Clutch. Go to any small boutique and it’s bound to have a variety of cute clutches. Go wild and buy her a fun color like dark purple, yellow or aqua. Make sure there’s a zippered spot to put lip gloss, camera and phone and you’re golden.
• Manicure and pedicure gift certificate. All gals love to have their hands and feet look pretty and not to mention, be able to relax and get massaged. Add a couple of nail polishes to the gift and it’ll be the perfect extra touch.
• Statement jewelry pieces. This could be a big-faced watch, obnoxious ring, bangle bracelets or chunky, layered necklaces.

Brother

• iHome. These are nice because it can act as a bed-side clock and alarm, play music from your iPod, play music from the radio, or it can be an easy, music entertainment piece (downstairs) when friends come over.
• Long-sleeve casual yet nice shirts. Most guys typically have plenty of long-sleeved button downs and short sleeve collard shirts, but what they lack is the light-weight, long sleeves that aren’t sweaters (which they all hate!). Maybe try some comfortable, thin thermals.
• Car detail gift certificate. Guys always want their cars to shine and look “fly” on the road. It’s also nice to have the inside clean, smell fresh and be spotless when others decide to catch a ride. It’s their version of a mani-pedi.

Hope these ideas help. Tis the season to buy gifts … Good luck!

*MWAH*

Welcome back!

It’s been awhile since I’ve last written … life is definitely a-changing.

The transition between a college gal to a professional lady is exciting and rewarding, but at the same time, it closes many chapters of life. And, closing chapters can be tough. But the good news is there are several NEW chapters right around the bend, and not knowing what is next is a bit of a thrill.

Going on the theme of “new chapters of life,” tonight I wanted to talk about having BALANCE. This is something I didn’t do well in college, but I am making it priority to be in the reminder of my  book’s chapters.

In college, my friends would agree, that I was over-the-top studious. To the point where I missed out on many opportunities and fun nights with friends because I’d rather be re-re-re-reading/highlighting my notes. Being driven and responsible is great (and something I definitely don’t want to lose!), but finding balance between work and play is also very important. So I encourage you to read through the components of life bulleted below and decide if there’s areas in your life that need to be re-evaluated. You might need to become more serious about some and/or you might want to give yourself a break on others. To be honest, I haven’t mastered my balance, but it’s something I will strive for in the coming months  - one foot at a time.

• Faith
• Health
• Fitness
• Friends
• Family
• Work
• Social Life
• Money
• Emotions
• Reading
• Relationships
• Culture
• Travel
• Charity Work

No ones perfect, but you might as well strive to be the best you can … Live & Love Life with a Balance.

*Mwah*

Hi MWAHers!

The holidays are coming up and more than likely most of you will be attending corporate parties, taking pictures that will be framed (forever!) and traveling to see friends and family — don’t you want to look your absolute best?! Of course you do.

Maybe you already have a workout plan or diet that does wonders for you, but if not, I would advise you to consider Medifast (www.medifast1.com). I went on the Medifast diet for the holidays last year and again for this past Spring Break … I lost weight fast, had great pictures, and best yet – actually ate good-tasting food throughout the day and wasn’t hungry!

Best thing to do is to check out the website, www.medifast1.com, but before you do so, let me give you a brief synopsis …

You will eat 5 Medifast meals a day plus 1 “regular/non-Medifast meal” (yes, there are restrictions). A “meal” is considered any one item from the Medifast menu — it could be soup, cheese puffs, brownie, oatmeal, pancakes, shakes, cinnamon pretzels, soft served ice cream … the list goes on. You order these items via the website and they are sent directly to your door step within 7 business days. It is key to note that there are ways to make these items taste better by adding appropriate ingredients, for example using low-fat chicken broth with the soup instead of water.

Your “regular/non-Medifast meal” needs to be 1 serving of protein (chicken, fish, pork) and 2 servings of veggies – your choice. *My favorite is sauteed mushrooms and onions – Yum!*

There are also recipes that you can follow, by combining various Medifast items to make special treats such as blueberry muffins and chocolate cake.  But, these may be 2-3 Medifast meals instead of simply 1.

The food is truly delicious … once  you learn the tricks. If you’d like a food trainer to get started, please feel free to contact me at nicole@mPRessionsPR.com, and I can get you all set up and teach you the ropes!

Good Luck!

*MWAH*

Let me begin with … I am a MAJOR Lauren Conrad follower.

Who couldn’t like her? She is stylish, professional, beautiful, successful, driven and “real“. I love when people are “real” — not phony. Getting to the point, I was reading Cosmo this past week and learned what Lauren’s 5 Favorite Fashion Rules are, and I thought I’d share with my fellow LC fans …

#1 ALWAYS DRESS UP FOR A DATE
“Jeans and a pretty top will work if you want to keep it casual, but no sneakers.” – LC
*I love little dresses*

#2 PROTECT YOUR INVESTMENTS
“If you buy a pair of designer shoes, spend about $20 to have a rubber sole added. They’ll last longer.” – LC
*I have never bought designer shoes, but when I do, I will follow this tip!*

#3 THINK BEFORE YOU SPLURGE
“Before you commit to an expensive trend, test-drive a budget-friendly option, like a faux-leather bomber jacket.” – LC
*As a recent graduate beginning my first career, I really need to learn to do this*

#4 NEVER WEAR KITTEN HEELS
“My biggest no-no. They are the mullet of shoes. Go flat or go with a heal.” – LC
*Ouch … I have a pair of kitten heels and love them …*

#5 COVER UP AT WORK
“Body Parts that show never see the office: your upper back cleavage, and toes.” – LC
*This is a great fashion tip — keep it classy my fellow business friends*

Fashion is important — the clothes you wear portray the kind of person you are. Don’t be a dud. Dress each day as you would if you were meeting your future husband/boyfriend for the first time! And, don’t forget to ALWAYS keep it classy!

*MWAH*