The ipad is here!

Yesterday, Steve Jobs revealed Apple's newest product, the ipad. This is Apple's "most advanced technology in a magical and revolutionary device."

To watch the key note and other video about the ipad click here.

What do you think about the ipad? Cool or overrated? Definitely going to purchase or can live without? Sleek or eh, looks just like the iphone? Let us know under "comments".

The Perfect Valentine's Day Gift - Cartier's LOVE Ring

What better way to say "I love you" this Valentine's Day than with jewelry?

Our pick for our favorite piece of jewelry that says "I love you" is the Cartier LOVE Ring with Diamonds (pictured here). This item retails for approximately $2,925 and is currently on sale on Ex-cessories.com for $1,120! This includes the original Cartier red box and an appraisal document.

Any woman would love the combination of Cartier and diamonds. So, surprise that special someone in your life this Valentine's Day with the Carter LOVE Ring.

Click here to see this item.

Yummy Bling - Perfect for Valentine's Day!

Delicious diamonds? Yes, that's right! Edible, delicious, and fabulous candy gems.

Decorate your dining room table for your Valentine's Day meal with these adorable candy gemstones, fill clear martini glasses with these candy gemstones for decoration, or place them in a decorative box or Valentine's Day themed bag and hand them out to all of your friends.

Ingredients

Makes 3 dozen
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon extract (kingarthurflour.com)
Gel-paste food coloring, such as Tulip Red, Orange, or Soft Pink (sugarcraft.com)

Directions
1. Bring 1 cup sugar, 1/4 cup water, and 2 tablespoons corn syrup to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Heat until syrup registers 300 degrees on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat, and stir in 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon extract and 1 or 2 drops food coloring using a rubber spatula. (Mixture will steam and bubble when liquid is added, so be careful.) Transfer mixture to a liquid measuring cup, and let the bubbles settle slightly, about 15 seconds.

2. Slowly pour mixture into gem candy molds (fancyflours.com) just below the top. Let cool until candies harden, about 30 minutes. Remove candies from molds. Repeat with remaining 1 cup sugar, 1/4 cup water, 2 tablespoons corn syrup, 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon extract, and 1 or 2 drops food coloring (same color as first batch).

3. Let second batch cool slightly, about 3 minutes. Top with first batch of hardened candies, flat sides together, matching sizes and shapes. Let harden and cool completely before removing from molds.

Still hungry for some bling? Check out all of our wonderful jewelry items! Click here to visit Ex-cessories.com. Happy shopping!

Saints to the Super Bowl! Who Dat!

What an exciting play offs game! The New Orleans Saints beat the Minnesota Vikings 31-28 in overtime.

Saints Coach Sean Payton said, "This is for everybody in this city. This stadium used to have holes in it and used to be wet. It's not wet anymore. This is for the city of New Orleans."

It has taken 43 years for the Saints to reach this goal, but they are now Super Bowl bound!

We will be rooting for the Saints in the Super Bowl. What about you?

O.P.I. + Alice in Wonderland

O.P.I. is launching their Alice in Wonderland collection based on the Disney film directed by Tim Burton and starring Johnny Depp and Anne Hathaway.

The collection includes limited edition polishes Absolutely Alice, Mad as a Hatter, Off With Her Red, and Thanks So Muchness! in shades of red, blue, and multi-colored glitter.

We think that Off With Her Red (pictured above) will be a great statement making color for spring/summer.

No Bake Snack - Perfect for on the go

Busy work day? To-do list a mile long?

When your day is hectic it can be hard to find a delicious and filling snack. We recommend keeping a bag of "No Bake Peanut Butter Balls" in your purse or in your refrigerator at work for your revitalizing daily snack. These chewy treats are made with all-natural peanut butter, wheat germ, rolled oats, and coconut. No added sugar! Substitute your energy bar with these treats.

Ingredients
1/2 cup natural peanut butter
1/4 cup nonfat dry milk powder
1/4 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
1/3 cup rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup unsweetened apple juice concentrate, thawed

Directions
1. Combine peanut butter, milk powder, and coconut in a large mixing bowl.
2. Stir in oats, ground cinnamon, wheat germ, and apple juice concentrate until thoroughly combined.
3. Shape the mixture into 16 one-inch balls.
4. Chill thoroughly before serving, about an hour. Store remaining balls in the refrigerator.

Conan Overload OR Go Coco?

Conan O'Brien has continued to mock NBC nightly during his show and this has left many wondering, is it too much?

Are you getting sick of Conan's anti-NBC campaign (enough is enough) or do you support and encourage him? Let us know under "comments".

Watch the video below of Conan from last night's show.

Work Wear

Finding clothes for work can be a struggle. You look for clothes that are appropriate/conservative for the office, affordable, and incorporate your personal style.

We often struggle to find the trendy clothes we like to wear for the office. However, we have been pleasantly surprised by Ann Taylor's new collection and updated fresh look. Yesterday, Ann Taylor offered 40% off of 1 item that was full price. We picked up an adorable and comfortable "knit tee with ruffle neck" for $34! This item is pictured above.

Other Ann Taylor pieces we are loving:

Silk/Cotton Voile Flounce Top - Click here to view

Color Block Satin Dress - Click here to view

Silk Twill Ruffle Front Top (on sale) - Click here to view

Perfect Exotic Flat - Click here to view

Don't make shopping for work clothes a bore!

NFL Playoffs Snacks - Go Saints!

The NFL playoffs will continue this weekend. We are rooting for the Saints, who play this Saturday against the Cardinals at 4:30. The game will be played in NOLA, so expect continued NOLA pride and cheer.

If you don't have the opportunity to go to the game you can arrange for your own private football party in the comfort of your home. In the spirit of NOLA pride we recommend the following NOLA based goodies at your football party.

Emeril's Crazy Nachos

Serves 6 to 8

Crispy Tortilla Chips
4 cups Slow-Cooker Pulled Pork
2 1/2 cups shredded Monterey jack or pepper jack cheese
2/3 cup thinly sliced banana peppers or other pickled peppers, such as cherry or jalapeno
Emeril's Queso, warmed
1/4 cup finely chopped scallions, green parts only, for garnish
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
Chipotle Salsa, for serving

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Layer half of the chips, pork, cheese, and banana peppers in a large baking dish; repeat with a second layer of each. Transfer to oven and bake until cheese is melted and pork is warmed through, 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Remove from oven and top with warmed queso. Garnish with scallions and cilantro; serve immediately with salsa.

For dessert a King Cake! Click here to order.

Add a little something to your beer and serve Lemon Shandies

Serves 8
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from about 4 lemons), plus wedges, for serving (optional)
8 mild pilsner beers (12 ounces each)

Directions
1. Place eight 16-ounce glasses or mugs in the freezer.
2. In a small saucepan, combine sugar and 3/4 cup water over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves, about 1 minute. Refrigerate until cool, at least 10 minutes and up to 1 week.
3. In a 2-cup liquid measure or small pitcher, combine sugar mixture and lemon juice. Pour 1 beer into each chilled glass; add about 1/4 cup lemon mixture and, if desired, a lemon wedge. Serve immediately.

Great things are coming to NOLA! Celebrate NOLA this weekend by cheering on the Saints and supporting local businesses in NOLA!

Tragic Earthquake in Haiti

The earthquake in Haiti has left Haiti in peril and in need of major assistance and basic goods. There are many organizations reaching out to help the people in need.

The White House recommends that you visit their website to donate to agencies that work with the government to ensure quality control and effective and cohesive relief efforts. Click here to visit the White House website.

The American Red Cross has made donating extremely easy and their forward thinking text message donation plan has already helped to bring great aid to Haiti. But it isn't enough...

Send a $10 Donation by Texting 'Haiti' to 90999! You can also make a donation by calling 1-800-257-7575. Click here for additional information.

Neutral Nails in 2010

2009 was dominated by black, navy, and blue nail polish. The 2010 nail polish trend brings neutral chic with beige and other earthy tones.

We recommend Essie's "Chinchilly" ($8 Essie.com) and O.P.I.'s "You don't know Jaques."

What are your favorite neutral nail polish colors? Let us know under "comments."

Platinum 2.50 Carat Ruby and Diamond Ring

We have just posted an absolutely beautiful ruby and diamond ring!

This is one of our favorite pieces so we wanted to share it with all of you.

Platinum 2.50 Carat Ruby & Diamond Ring - $4,500 (pictured above)

* Handmade platinum ruby and diamond ring

* Center is a 2.50 carat cushion cut ruby of medium to dark red color with good clarity

* Ring also contains 16 Old Mine cut diamonds each with an approximate weight of 0.02 carats; approximate H color; and approximate VS2 clarity

* Ring also contains 4 straight baguettes with an approximate total weight of 0.20 carats; approximate H color; and approximate VS1 clarity

* (3RL 1651)

* Appraised value - $10,000

Click here for more information or to purchase.

NOLA Couture - Rebirth Bracelets

Native New Orleanian Cecile Hardy returns home to give back with NOLA couture, a line of charitably-minded accessories.

Hardy left the world of corporate America post hurricane for a "leave of absence" to volunteer in New Orleans. "A couple of months turned into 3 years," she said.

Her newest project... the Rebirth bracelet. This is joint venture between NOLA Couture and local jewelry artist India Stewart. Each medallion, stamped with Stewart's original pelican fleur-de-lis design, is strung on a satin or leather cord, with its color signifying one of four charities supported by its sales: red for the Louisiana SPCA, navy for the Preservation Resource Center, pink for breast cancer research and light blue for Children's Hospital's Miracle Week program.

"I had this dream of everyone in New Orleans wearing this bracelet, and you could look at the color and see what they really stood for, what they felt strongly about, " she said.

Sterling silver Rebirth bracelets, $58; silver plate, $35. Click here to purchase.

Cecile Hardy is a good friend to Ex-cessories.com and we thank her for all that she does to help New Orleans. Help support NOLA Couture and your favorite charity by purchasing a Rebirth bracelet today!

Real World Comes to New Orleans, LA

MTV has confirmed that the "reality" television show, The Real World, is returning to New Orleans.

According to a Thursday news release, production will begin shortly with a 12-episode season scheduled to air in summer. The season will have a recovery theme.

“We are delighted to be returning to New Orleans for the 24th season of ‘The Real World,’” said creator and executive producer Jon Murray in the release. “Hurricane Katrina threw New Orleans for a punch, but the city is coming back and we’re hoping our cast members and the series can play a small role in the city’s rebirth.”

"We expect the roommates to participate in some kind of recovery effort,"Jim Johnston said (producer for Bunim/Murray). "In returning to New Orleans we hope to see where the city has come since Katrina, and how much further it has to go."

We cannot wait to see what New Orleans has in store for this cast! We look forward to any positive rebirth work and media attention MTV and its Real World cast will bring to NOLA.

Mariah Carey's Acceptance Speech

Mariah Carey was honored for her "breakthrough" acting performance in the Lee Daniels film, "Precious" at the Palm Springs Film Festival's Gala Dinner on June 6, 2010.

Carey's acceptance speech revealed the actress and singer was inebriated.

"Please forgive me because I'm a little bit... yeah (laughs) oh my goodness," she laughed leaning on Lee while accepting the honor and going on and on about "cotton" and "kitten" before eventually thanking the assembled luminaries for hanging in there listening to her "spiel."

Watch the video below and let us know what you think under "comments." Do you think she was... Drunk? Acting out for attention? Just the usual Mariah.

Things to Stop Bitching About in 2010

Tina Brown's "Things to Stop Bitching About in 2010" as seen in the Daily Beast.

"Some chestnuts we need to retire in the new year: Obama is too cool. The Internet is killing newspapers. And the Goldman bonuses are worth getting riled up about."

The list...

1. Obama's lack of emotional connection.

2. Newspapers are dying because of the Internet. Investigative journalism is finished!

3. Lloyd Blankfein and the Goldman Sachs bonuses.

4. And finally: Let's not hear any more from Democrats being shocked about Republican obstructionism.

Click here to read the entire article and for details about these 4 items.

What do you think about her list? Stop bitching or continue to discuss? Let us know under "comments".

Pier 1 Sale

Pier 1 imports is having a huge sale - 50% off selected items!

At Pier 1 anyone can find great home decor in any style. Over the years we have found some truly great pieces and now that they are having this sale we cannot wait to go in and see what goodies they have.

Items we recommend:

Silver Apothecary Jars - originally $25 now $18.68 (pictured above)

Ikat Wing Chair - originally $369.95 now $289.98 (pictured above)

Glass Prep Bowls (6 piece set) - $4.98

1st Monday of 2010

Today is the 1st Monday of 2010. Mondays can be dreaded or a little blue, but make sure to start the 1st Monday of 2010 off right!

Our tips:
1. Eat an energizing breakfast - we recommend warm oatmeal with apples and cinnamon
2. Treat yourself to a special coffee or tea - stop by your local coffee shop or Starbucks on your way to work and warm up with your favorite coffee or tea
3. Smile! Yes, putting a smile on your face can enhance your mood inside and out
4. Relax - try not to get yourself worked up about the small stuff
5. Work hard and smart

Make this New Year a happy, healthy, and successful one! Embrace 2010 with open arms!

Hangover Helper

Did you celebrate a little too hard this New Year?

Are you still carrying a New Year's hangover around? If so, try out hangover helper!

Hangover Helper

½ oz. Green Envy Daily Detox (can be found at Target and Costco - click here to view)
½ oz. Acai Daily Cleanse (can be found at local vitamin store)
Juice from ½ lime
4 Mint Leaves
Ginger Ale

*Mix ingredients in a glass filled with ice, top with ginger ale and stir.

Enjoy, relax, and recover!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

We would like to wish everyone a very happy and healthy 2010.