november Archives - Page 3 of 3

Suede Booties

November 10, 2016

Happy Thursday! Now it may be November, but thankfully it hasn’t snowed once this fall / winter. Phew! There is always the dilemma for every girl when it comes to suede. Do you buy them or not buy them? My answer is yes buy them! Winter is the time to wear suede and that includes your shoes. I purchased these suede booties from Stuart Weitzman back in January 2012 and they are my go to suede shoes for fall / winter. I personally weather proofed them myself by buying those sprays from Amazon, but instead of doing just two coats like the bottle suggests I did 6 coats. The reason why I did this is because like any of us there have been times where we dress for the weather the morning of and by the end of the day the weather has completely changed. The amount of times that the weather app has told me that there was 0% chance of rain to me walking outside to pouring rain I can’t even. You want to make sure with anything suede that it is fully protected no matter what weather is outside. I love how these suede booties have a wedged platform heel inside and even though they have the buckles on the outside they have a zipper on the inside of the shoe. Also, unlike other suede shoes I have seen recently the heel is also suede all the way around. These shoes are so comfortable and easy to walk in that I even once walked from my apartment in Murray Hill all the way to Madison Square Garden. No blisters or anything! When looking for suede booties I personally prefer the darker shades because they don’t show dirt easily and they are easy to match with multiple outfits. If you want heeled suede booties make sure that you can walk in them especially if the weather changes outside because the last thing you want to do is trip and fall outside. Check out Zappos right now for the amazing selection of suede booties they have in stock right now. <3

Click here to see the amazing selection at Zappos

Hump Day Treat: Spagbog

November 9, 2016

Happy Wednesday! It’s time for a hump day treat recipe to help everyone after last night’s election. Now there are some recipes that I use over and over again and this is one of my favorites. When making bolognese sauce there are many combinations that you can use. You can use ground turkey, ground turkey with lamb, ground meat with veal or pretty much anything you can really think of. I personally like using ground turkey but it’s all up to personal preference.

Ingredients:

1 onion

1 package of ground meat of your choosing

1 can of tomato sauce

1 can of tomato paste

1 package of mushrooms

Olive oil

Salt & pepper

1 large frying pan

Directions:

1.Cut onion into cubes and sautee with olive oil until they start to yellow

2.Cut up Mushrooms and add them into the pan with the onions

3.When the veggies are softened, add meat in chunks. Flip and move around until meat is fully browned and break into smaller pieces

4.Add salt/ pepper as the meat is cooking

5.Add ¼ cup of Red Wine (This is an option step that I have done in the past, but the bolognese still tastes great without it)

6.Add tomato paste (full mini can); mix it around

7.Add tomato sauce. You want it so that it’s a sauce consistency and not sloppy joe consistency

8.ENJOY!

I personally pair this with Banza chickpea pasta with garlic bread and a vegetable. Banza and now have spaghetti style pasta that I just tried the other night with my best friend Randi and it is amazing! She couldn’t get enough of it. Hope you all enjoy <3

Happy Election Day! Fitness Tuesday: Running

November 8, 2016

Happy Election Day! It’s Fitness Tuesday and to honor the New York City Marathon that just took place this past Sunday, today’s fitness inspiration is running. I know that most people don’t enjoy running. My brother Ira says that he gets bored while running even with listening to music or having a tv on if he is on the treadmill. I personally used to feel that way too, but now I enjoy it from time to time. In the spring of 2013, I ran the Brooklyn Half Marathon which is something that honestly shocked my entire family. When it comes to running, the first thing that you need to do is get a great pair of shoes. Yes, I was one of those people that went into a running store and ran on a treadmill in front of a bunch of people to find the right shoe. Also don’t expect to find exactly the color you want in a running shoe. Mine are pink and teal and personally I would have preferred something not as out there, but at the end of the day they are so comfortable and that is really what matters when running. If you have the opportunity to run outside do it! I say this not because it is more entertaining and possibly scenic running outside, but for me I have noticed it is not as hard on my knees. When starting to run take it slow.and don’t worry about trying to have a fast pace. Also when running with your music put your phone airplane mode if you aren’t expecting any calls in order to save battery. I did that when I ran the Brooklyn Half Marathon and I am so thankful I did. Make sure you also stretch before and after running and it’s always a good idea to take an epsom salt bath after a nice long run. Hope to see everyone out there running the streets before it eventually starts to snow.Happy running everyone and I go out and vote! <3

If you don’t already please follow my dog Stella on Instagram @HowStellaGotHerWoofBack

Investment Pieces – Chanel Wallet On A Chain

November 7, 2016

Happy Monday! One of the topics I have discussed before on Just Jodi Style is investment pieces. They are certain pieces that aren’t only investment pieces because they are classic items that will never go out of style, but also because over time they will increase in value. I have seen numerous articles recently say that Chanel bags in black caviar are the best item to invest in right now. Why is that? They say that within 5 years they will increase at least 10 – 15% in value. That is crazy! This Chanel wallet on the chain bag in black caviar is my absolute favorite. I wanted this bag for as long as I can remember, but I always saw it in black and gold hardware. I am personally not a big gold person and I knew I wouldn’t wear it if it was black and gold so I put myself on the waitlist for the black and silver version. I was on the waitlist for over a year and it well worth the wait. Some pieces like this Chanel bag it doesn’t matter how large or how much you spent on the bag, but the actual versatility of the bag. This bag is so versatile that is why I believe it constantly increases in value. It is a great size bag for going out, but also in general if you just want a small bag for everyday. I am able to fit all of the contents of my wallet in the purse, my cell phone and pretty much anything else I need for my day. When you are thinking about investment pieces find a bag that you know you will wear not just for an evening out, but potentially during the day. Also do not pick one that is a crazy color. I always say with investment pieces stick to the neutral colors Black and Beige. Personally for all of my investment pieces they are all in black, but that is because that is what my closet mostly consists of. Another tip about investment pieces is do your research. Look at what other people are writing about the bag you are considering purchasing and also look at flash sale websites. It is always interesting to me to see how much my investment pieces are going for on those flash sale websites when they are considered “Lightly worn”. Remember it’s worth waiting for the bag you truly want because at the end of the day this investment piece is a bag you will have for your lifetime. You want to make sure it is something you will love not just in a month from now, but years from now. Hope everyone has a great Monday and congratulations again to everyone who ran the New York City Marathon yesterday!!

How To Keep Your Nails Healthy

November 6, 2016

Happy Marathon Day for anyone living in New York City! On Sunday’s I like to relax and take care of whatever I need to for the following week. One of the things that I am very diligent about is getting my nails done. My parents always told me that the next thing that anyone sees after your face is your hands. The last thing you want is someone who you are trying to get a job from looking down at your hands to see them not groomed! Some people would disagree with me, but even one of my teachers in college and graduate school told me that they 100% agree with this. My graduate school teacher told me he didn’t hire someone partially because their nails looked like they had been through a war zone and didn’t feel like the employee would be a good representation for their brand. Personally, I am a huge gel manicure fan. The day that it came out when I was college I was hooked. I was always that girl that would somehow ruin my manicure even before I left the nail salon so this was the best solution to that. However, over the years the gel polish has gotten better for your nails, but still it does wreak havoc on them over time. I personally wait 3 weeks in between my gel manicures, but a week before I get my gel manicure I take off my gel polish at home. This gives my nails a break from the gel polish but also time to get stronger. To take them off I buff them with a nail file and then I take aluminum foil which I have already cut into small squares and place one around the bottom of my finger. After that i use half a cotton ball soaked in acetone and put on the top of my nail. Cover up the nail and let it soak for about 10 minutes. If the gel polish is done right it will come off 1 – 2 – 3. After that I take it off with one of those sticks that they use when you get your manicure to clean off the edges. After this I wash my hands with soap and water and dry them and then I proceed to do the other hand. I only do one hand at a time so if I need to do something the other hand is free. After both hands are done I then buff and file my nails. After that I apply a base coat on that is meant to strengthen your nails. I personally love either the OPI or Essie base just depends on your preference. If you hate having no color on your nails find a pale pink that with one coat it will look like you have polish, but won’t be able to tell if it is not perfect. Then apply a top coat and let it dry for a while. Having a simple coat of polish until your gel will allow your nails to truly heal and I have also learned that it helps the next time you put your gel polish on. I also like removing my gel polish at home because nail salons, especially in New York City, charge an arm and a leg to do it. Hope you all have a great Sunday and for all of those who are running the marathon good luck and hope you all aren’t too sore tomorrow :-).

Dark Denim- Frame

November 5, 2016

Happy Saturday! These past few months I have had to get all new jeans because of me working out a lot more, but it hasn’t been that easy finding the perfect pair of dark denim. For months I searched and I couldn’t find a pair that i was absolutely in love with. There is always an issue with the pairs that I was finding. When it came to fit it was difficult because I am still working out a lot so I wanted a pair that wouldn’t be too big in the next coming months. Then there was the problem with the color. It was either so dark that it almost looked like black, too dark that it almost didn’t look like jeans or it was lighter in certain parts so it didn’t really look like dark denim. I found a few pairs that were almost leggings, but for winter in New York that was not going to work. Finally I found them! These pair of Frame Denim Le High Skinny jeans in a dark denim wash are unbelievable. They are are a great wash of dark denim, but like any dark denim be careful the first few times you wear it. They tend to bleed off onto your clothes without you even noticing it. I have washed these jeans now only once, but when I washed them I made sure that they were washed alone. The worst mistake for washing brand new jeans is to wash them with other clothes and to also put them automatically into the dryer.I would not do that if you don’t want them to shrink. If you do get any of the dye from your new dark denim on any of your clothes I have learned to soak them in a bowl of cold water with salt for an hour then switch out the water and do it all over again until the dye has mostly come out. Make sure that you wring out your item of clothing after each time you change the water. If you want to see some other great denim from Frame check out their website here and see all of their amazing styles. Frame Denim

Fitness Tuesday- 30 Day Squat Challenge

November 1, 2016

Happy November everyone! Wow crazy that today is the first day of November. This year has truly flown by and can’t believe that we are so close to the holiday season. Most people know November as no shave Movember, but since the 1st of the month fell on Fitness Tuesday here at Just Jodi Style I wanted to give you all a challenge for this month. This month I am going to be doing a 30 day squat challenge. Different than the ab challenge for last month I wanted something that was similar in the sense that it’s not as time consuming, but target a different area of your body. I have done the challenges in the past where you do wall sits or lunges, but I have never done one with simply just squats. You think that it wouldn’t do anything to your body, but look at Jen Selter. She is now known for building her backside into what it is today and she did a lot of that with simply doing squats. I mean I don’t necessarily want the same results as her, but she has truly made her brand with it. With Thanksgiving coming up just around the corner I know that it’s going to be full of food and treats so I want to be mentally and physically prepared for it :-). For all of you who did the ab challenge last month I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. I personally can tell that my abs are stronger than before and I do feel more toned. I don’t have the flattest abs in the world, but I am surely getting closer to it. If you didn’t do the ab challenge last month you can always try again this month. Hope you all have a great Tuesday and happy November to you all! <3