In honor of the upcoming holiday, I have painted my nails neon pink and have gone shopping online for all things pink. I find that people either love or hate the color pink. I personally wish I owned more pink stuff. It doesn’t get much better than a pink blow dryer and you can’t feel more pretty and feminine in any other color!

Check out my Think Pink buyer’s guide in Kazowie to see my ultra-fem/punk pink picks and let me know what YOU think of pink!

I’ve only recently started liking chocolate. I was always the kid who would go for plain vanilla or strawberry and never liked Thin Mint Girl Scout cookies. People would look at me like I was crazy. But I’ve always been a little bit proud to be left out of that annoying generalization that all women love chocolate. I have to blame my recent discovery of the wonders of chocolate on one man; a chocolatier based out of San Francisco, Michael Recchiuti (and also my boyfriend who would surprise me with said chocolate). Michael’s artisan chocolate sells at various specialty shops throughout the city and also at his shop in the Ferry Building. Most people I know are also huge fans of his. I once heard that when he was at a concert, the performer recognized him and abruptly stopped playing to tell him that she was obsessed with his chocolates.

With Valentine’s Day around the corner, I thought I’d put a list together of confections and chocolates for your sweetheart. I had to balance it out with non-Recchiuti chocolates to make it fair, but if I were to push you in once chocolaty direction, I think you know where my vote goes. Vosges also make some interesting chocolates. For the holiday, they are offering a package set with chocolates and sparkling Brut Rosé. Check out the rest of my picks here, Not Your Average Valentine’s Day Confections.

A close friend of mine and I were discussing the upcoming holiday together this morning; the infamous February 14th. Valentine’s Day. This holiday could be easily named the most insufferable holiday of the calendar year. On the other hand, if you’re lucky enough to have snatched up a keeper, your Valentine’s outlook might be a bit different. (Of course, Valentine’s Day isn’t just a celebration of “romantic” love. It’s a perfect excuse for a girls’ or guys’ night out!) By the end of our conversation, we had come to the conclusions that:

1. Valentine’s Day can be fun regardless of whether you’re hooked up or flying solo, and that
2. It’s not difficult to make an effort to show your loved one(s) that you care!

My friend suggested cooking your partner a meal based on a family recipe that you love or, if the relationship is on the serious side, passing down a family heirloom to your Valentine. There’s no need to spend big bucks either. In fact, the best gifts usually cost little or nothing at all. Start thinking now about what your intended Valentine(s) likes and appreciates; be resourceful and original, be funny, be yourself. I’ve added some cool V-Day gifts to Kazowie that might help jumpstart your creativity. Check them out for ideas: Pamper Her for Valentine’s Day and Valentine’s Gifts for Him, and have a Happy Valentine’s Day!

Some of my favorite memories from childhood are from the Halloween parties our family friends threw each year. Even now, I’m constantly looking for any excuse to dress up, any reason to change my appearance in a fun, extreme way. I’ve been told that I’d always been into the scary/spooky/creepy as a child, and I think it was those Halloween parties that fostered this preference for the eerie holiday and my adoration of the Fall season (Thanksgiving is also partly responsible for this Fall Fondness. Hello, pumpkin pie!). As I entered college and my early twenties, I discovered the typical college girl’s definition of Halloween night. I must unfortunately admit that I got caught up in the cutesy, too-tight, and way too-short costumes. They’re fun and cute.

But honestly, how often do you get to paint your face like a bloody skeleton? Maybe it’s the horror-lover inside of me, but I always attempt to transform those girly costumes into something ghoulish, gory, or gothic. And I will still always prefer and appreciate the Halloween celebrations that demonstrate a genuine effort to transform the party place into something resembling a haunted house. If you’re throwing a Halloween party this year, start planning early, so that you don’t overlook the small details, as those are the most important ones. I found some cool Halloween decorations that you can check out on my Kazowie Halloween Party Guide to get ideas for your own spooky celebration. Happy haunting!

If you’ve been reading the news, watching TV, or listening to your friends, co-workers or family members (basically, if you don’t live inside a bubble), you’d know that the entire world is in the midst of an economic crisis. It’s especially bad for this to happen around the holiday season, where some retailers count on making over 50% of their yearly sales. Bad economy= bad news for retailers. I know a lot of people who’ve decided to cancel gift exchanges all together.

But, if you’re in need of a last minute small gift, I’ve done a little online scouring to find gifts for her that are really great for being both affordable and pretty amazing.  The ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’ ( a saying that is still relevant today)  poster is a reproduction of the 1939 poster made by the British Government’s Ministry of Information,  the Deer with Butterflies print is made by a photographer who creates interesting collages with archival prints and the Curiosities Book is a simple Moleskine book ready to be filled with thoughts and curiosities.   Check the rest of them and more out in Stocking Stuffers for Her.

Clockwise from top left: Barely There Cases for iPhone 3, Lulu Mesh Bow Necklace, Bestest Buds Earrings, Alice in Wonderland Curious Tea Party Pocket Moleskine, Turquoise Howlite Agate Stone Ring, Deer with Butterflies by John Murphy, Keep Calm and Carry on