the happygrrls blog

Ask Michelle

2012-01-15T22:40:00.000-05:00

Dear Michelle,

One of my New Year’s resolutions was to eat healthy and lose weight. I’m proud to say that I am starting to exercise and I am slowly but surely learning how to eat better. I’m not obsessing over losing tons of weight, but I could stand to lose a couple (okay 20) pounds.

I’m trying to eat healthy by cutting out fast food. I might have it once in a while, but for now I want to be healthy. My problem is that when I hang out with my friends, they only want to eat fast food. We don’t make a lot of money, so eating on the cheap is usually food that’s bad for us (e.g. fries, fried chicken, and cheesy pizzas).

How do I tell my friends that I want to hang out with them, but I don’t want to eat junk food all the time? How can I do that without offending my friends?

Signed, No More Grease!

Dear No More Grease,

That’s commendable of you that you want to live a healthier lifestyle. I’m sure that you can do it as long as you stay focused.

Your friends on the other hand, might stand in your way of achieving your goal. I’m not saying that you have to ditch them and find some healthy friends (that might help or at least hang out with like minded people), but you have to tell them that you’re watching what you eat and that you don’t to be tempted by unhealthy choices.

I know it’s kinda scary confronting your friends, but it might help you in the long round. The next time your friends ask if you want to grab a quick bite, just say to them, “I would love to, but I’ve given up fast food for a bit; would you mind going for something light?” Okay, I realize that they might mock you for that, but you need to inform them of your path to healthier living. Either that or you might need to limit your time you hang out with your friends.

Hope that helps!

If you would like Michelle to help you with any of your work, relationship or friend issue, e-mail her at michelle at happygrrls.com

Michelle

Happy New Year!!

2012-01-05T22:54:00.060-05:00

I’m a tad bit late, but I didn’t want to start the year without wishing my online friends a happy, healthy and prosperous new year. Let’s hope 2012 is great!

As usual, when a new year begins, I like to reflect on the year that just passed. I typically write about the artists, songs and videos that that left a mark on the previous year, but this time around I would like to focus solely on the artists that impacted me.

When I think of the insanely awesome music that was released in 2011, there are 2 artists that come to mind right away—Adele and Bruno Mars.

I am a fan of other artists—Rihanna, Usher, Kanye West, Drake etc., but Adele and Bruno Mars not only produced music, they created art.

Artist of the Year- Female

Truth be told, I jumped on the Adele bandwagon way later than most. A few years back I heard that the talented songstress was the second coming of Amy Winehouse, but I was happy with Amy, so I didn’t seek her out. I appreciated Adele’s throwback, Motown-y voice and style, but just one Amy was good enough for me.

When I heard the song Chasing Pavements, I thought to myself “who sings this song cuz it’s freaking amazing! ” I still didn’t call myself an Adele fan when I found out that she was the incredible singer behind the song. Even when her widely beloved single, Rolling in the Deep hit the airwaves and was embraced by all, she still didn’t get me. No, I’m not proud of my stubborn ways.

What was the song that finally got me you ask....? Someone Like You.

The first time I heard the emotionally charged song (a song I could sadly relate to) was when I sat down to watch some TV. I got comfy on the couch to do some serious channel surfing and I landed on the 2011 BRIT Awards. She wore a black dress, hair pulled back, and stood with a microphone in hand and accompanied by her piano player. Then, she belted out a larger than life song with intense honesty and vulnerability. I froze. I was mesmerized by her power.

It was magic. I have never witnessed such artistry in all my life. She killed the performance! Her voice was so damn amazing she didn’t even need the piano man. It was real, deep and melancholy. I was overcome with emotion. I couldn’t help but tear up. Adele finally got me.

From that day on I became an Adele fan.

Artist of the Year- Male

Unlike my initial hesitant feelings for Adele, I liked Bruno Mars from the very beginning. He appeared on the scene when I was getting sooo sick of hearing mindless drivel and longed to hear music that made me feel something...anything! And listening to his soulful, Motown inspired ditties, was like the answers to my prayers.

I previously declared my undying love for Bruno Mars—née Peter Gene Hernandez, last year with his unrequited love anthem, Grenade. I enjoyed his earlier releases- Just The Way You Are, Nothin’ On You- B.O.B f/ Bruno Mars, but Grenade solidified his talent. Anyone that can make gut wrenching heartache sound so endearing was okay in my book.

Just when I thought that I couldn’t love him anymore, he released his ode to slothfulness – The Lazy Song. As surprising as it sounds, it was actually very good! (Classic line- I’ll be lounging on the couch just chilling in my Snuggie, Click to MTV so they teach me how to Dougie...”) C’mon, you know you liked it too!

To me Bruno was one of the best artists of 2011 because he didn’t sound like everyone else. He created a distinctive nostalgic style that made him one of the coolest artists to work with.

I’m not the only one that thinks he can do no wrong. At the 2011 MTV VMA Awards he was asked to pay tribute to Amy Winehouse by performing her song, Valerie. And of course, he did a great job.

Just like Adele, Bruno’s music captured the sound of Motown with lush orchestration and doo wop melodies. Even his look is a throwback to the 50s and 60s. Seriously, can anyone else can rock a pompadour quite like Bruno?

Honourable Mention- Nicki Minaj

I had to add Nicki Minaj to the mix. She may not be the best Emcee ever, but she gave us something we never thought we wanted with our rap: entertainment. What other rapper would wear multi-coloured wigs (BTW, I’m would soooooooooo love to rock any one of them!), crazyass get-ups and from time to time, would speak with a British accent? Um, Nicki would!

As side from her eccentric behaviour, her music took an introspective tone on some of her songs. In her hit single Moment 4 Life - f/ Drake, she was able to speak about her impending fame and embracing her popularity.

Nicki was definitely the golden girl in 2011 as her music stayed on the charts for the entire year. Hits like Super Bass, Your Love, Fly- f/ Rihanna ruled the airwaves and iTunes.

My fave thing about Nicki is how she injects her crazy persona throughout her music and videos. She’s one of the handful of people that can truly embrace different personalities in song without being committed. Thanks for the fun, Nicki!

Those are my picks for 2011. Who were your fave artists?

Michelle

My early Christmas present

2011-12-23T22:28:00.003-05:00

Mark & Jem on the radio

(Photo credit: Wayne Williams / W2 Images)

I fell in love with radio personalities Mark & Jem aka - the dynamic duo, in 2001. I thoroughly enjoyed their hilarious banter and outrageous antics on their early morning program – The Morning Rush on that other radio station that shall remain nameless. I loved the show so much that I sought out Jem (pssst... she’s my bff, okay, in my head that is!) and begged for an interview. Being the sweetest and nicest person ever, she agreed and I had the pleasure of interviewing her.

For the past 5 years I have waited with bated breath to see Mark and Jem return to radio. I was always upset that they were abuptly given walking papers from their previous employer in 2006 without informing their very loyal audience as to what happened to our fave hosts. Even though I knew they were gone from the station, I would tune in periodically and hope and pray that Mark and Jem’s voice would emanate from the radio.

My heartfelt prayers were answered in late November 2011 when I heard that they would bless us all with their new morning radio program on the new station G98.7fm. Soooo happy!

G 98.7 fm is the first ever Urban Adult Contemporary format serving the Greater Toronto Area, encompassing a broad and mature mix of new and old R&B, Soul, Reggae, Hip Hop, Gospel and Smooth Jazz music.

I tuned into Mark and Jem’s show (Mon- Fri 6am - 10 am) on my morning trek and I fell in love all over again. They are what the airwaves needed.

This is the best Christmas present ever. Thanks for coming back to radio.

Michelle

Funky accessories for gift giving...or for yourself!

2011-12-16T11:02:00.000-05:00

Christmas is right around the corner and if you’re stuck on what to get your mom, sister, daughter, bestie, neighbour, or even boss, check out the accessories that I bought (pssst....I bought them for myself [my bad!], but I’m certain you’d want to share them with your loved ones!).

Knitted caps

It’s getting kinda cold out, eh? If you’re like me, I’m positive that you want to stay warm and look good while doing so. So what do you do? I suggest you peruse the assortment of knitted hats/caps at Ardene.

They are soooo affordably priced; I almost walked out of there with all the hats! But instead, I controlled myself and I purchased 2 (they are currently priced 3/$15—I bought 2 and bought a belt that was on sale for 3/$15).

Love the black sequined hat for every day, and I completely love the bright yellow one. I wear the sunny yellow hat when I really want to stand out!

Leopard print clutch from Payless

Payless offers more than reasonably priced footwear. You can’t go wrong by walking by their other sections—like the accessory section.

I just happened to be looking for some shoes when I strolled over to the handbag/purse wall. I glanced at the cutest li’l clutch that would be oh-so perfect for a girls’ night out. It was part of their BOGO event (buy one get one half off), so I scooped up another clutch for 7 bucks! Price of the leopard clutch- 22.99.

This compact clutch can be paired with an LBD or even a sexy red number. Can’t wait to rock this!

Love my bling!

When I don’t want to drop a lot of money on a whole new outfit, I tend to stock up on jewellery. Statement necklaces and rings breathe new life into your tried and true staple outfits.

I usually hit my fave spots for jewellery- Le Chateau, Aldo Accessories and RW & Co. But a few weeks ago, I ventured to The Bay. Not the place you normally think of when you think of jewellery, but there were some renovations done to the location that I went to, and I must say, the jewellery selection was pretty nice.

I walked around for about 40 minutes before I decided on 4 rather awesome necklaces. My fave was this gold toned feather necklace adorned with blue stones. It was $24.00 on sale for 25% off.

Since it is a metal, you can wear it with all colours. I paired it with a brightly coloured dress and the necklace became the focus of the outfit.

Hope my suggestions help you with your gift giving needs. Have fun shopping.

Michelle

Song of the moment

2011-11-28T21:43:00.000-05:00

“Without You” - David Guetta featuring Usher

I just got back from a weeklong trip to Trinidad and I am trying like crazy to see when I can return. It was blissfully fun and captured the 3 things that I treasure the most—blue skies, palm trees and family. I loved every minute of my short but sweet escape.

On this trip I heard a lot of music (and ate a loooot of food!). I, of course, heard a lot of soca and dancehall, but surprisingly I heard a lot of pop and dance music. Rihanna’s “We Found Love”, was played on every street corner (BTW, I love this song too, I am an official Rihanna fan!).

But the song that reminds of the good times spent in Trinidad is......Without You- David Guetta featuring Usher.

I heard the song before my trip but I didn’t pay that much attention to it. I thought it was pretty much typical David Guetta. However, hearing it blast at loud levels everywhere I travelled in Trinidad, made me a fan (psssssst...repetition works, eh! LOL). And so, this is my song of the moment.

Check the video here.

Michelle

Charity begins at home

2011-11-09T22:03:00.000-05:00

Bras for the women of the Congo

I received an e-mail not too long ago from Alicia Vianga—successful business woman and the owner of Premier Jour Lingerie—asking if I could lend a helping hand to a cause that she was supporting.

Even though I met Alicia 3 years ago, I remember meeting her like it was yesterday. I appreciated how she put me at ease when she conducted my very first bra fitting. (pssst...at first I felt a little weirded out about having someone checking out my girls, but then I totally got into it!)

So when she asked if I could help out with her cause Bras for the women of the Congo, there was no question—I would definitely help out in any way that I can. The best way that could think of spreading the word was through my blog.

Alicia is on a crusade to collect 1000 bras for the women of the Congo. Although a peace accord was signed in 2003 to end a devastating civil war happening in Congo, violence still rages—and women unfairly bear the brunt. These women have been savagely raped and tortured every day. And if being assaulted wasn’t enough, these poor women were shunned when they tried to go back to their homes and husbands.

Alicia would like to make these women feel whole again by asking women to donate their gently used bras to send to our sisters. You will receive $25 gift certificate toward your new purchase.

If you would like to donate your bras, please visit Premier Jour Lingerie at

1288 St. Clair Avenue West
Toronto, ON M6C 1E1
416-654-1868www.pjlingerie.com

Thank you

-Michelle

My fave purchases for Fall 2011

2011-10-16T11:14:00.001-04:00

I adore the lushness of fall fashions—the luxe fabrics, the barrage of tall boots, and the big snugly, yet chic sweaters—they almost make me forget that old man winter is slowly rearing his ugly head. Boo!

So you shouldn’t be shocked to know that I revel in shopping for fall. But instead of going out and buying every trendy item for the fall season, I thought that it would be wise to purchase a few key pieces to bring my fall wardrobe to the next level.

Go with colour!

I love that the colour palette for this season doesn’t necessarily stick to boring drab shades (I like greys and blacks, but it gets kinda boring after a while!). This season showcases rainbow-esque vibrant colours. This is one trend that I completely welcomed. Instead of opting for clothing in sombre tones, I made a conscious decision to be adventurous and add some daring colour to my life. I did so by snapping up a bright fuchsia dress to add to my wardrobe.

I know this dress looks shapeless,
but once it's on, it contours to your curves

I bought this fully lined body-skimming jumper at Joe Fresh (yes, I know, I own every Joe Fresh dress! My bad!) for a measly $39.

I played up the majestic nature of the colour by accessorizing with gold jewellery. Girls, it looked amazing!

Honorary mention

Yellowy goodness!

While I was shopping at Joe’s I couldn’t help but enhance my wardrobe with even more colour. I had to pick up this insanely intense mustard yellow cardigan (the cost: $19). So cute! I love that I can choose a variety of colours to pair it with—blue, purple, grey, green...the list goes on and on!

Luxe fabrics

My most fave purchase so far of the season has to be my chestnut coloured leather Valentina bag. Damn this purse is sexy!

It is sleek and sophisticated (read: very grown up)—a purse that I’m not normally drawn to, but I have to admit, it’s scrumptiously bourgeois but I love it! I know that it’s a good investment and I am sure that I will have for years to come.

I saw it at Winners, picked it up, looked at the price tag, put it down and walked away. I came back to it, picked it up, modelled it, and walked away. I came back to it a third time, picked it up, looked in the mirror and saw how fab it looked, and ran directly to the cash register. I bought this butter-soft leather purse for $99.99.

Those are a few of my purchases for the Fall season. What purchases have you made for Fall 2011?

- Michelle

Song of Summer 2011

2011-09-21T21:45:00.002-04:00

Do you have a song that reminds you of the Summer of 2011?

Summer is my most fave season of them all (pssssst...Fall is a close second only because it has the most incredible fashions—stay tuned for a fall fashion post!).

I enjoy summer because of the sunny heat, the baby blue skies and the enticing smell of BBQ meat. Hmmmmm, BBQ meat! LOL

Even music is better during summertime. Seriously. Think about it, summer jams usually epitomize freedom, wild nights and frivolity (think Summer time- DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince)—everything that makes summer more thrilling. It’s funny that music during any other time of the year is just as good, but summer music just seems to capture a carefree spirit.

This past summer was no exception. I grooved to countless songs, but only a handful reminded of the 3 months of summery bliss.

So with no further adieu, I share with you my top 6 songs (couldn’t narrow it down for a top 5!) that are now my soundtrack to Summer 2K11.

1. Man Down, Rihanna

Hands down, this was my summer song. I played this every single day and never tired of it. I made everyone I know listen to the song and watch the video ad naseum. To all my friends, sorry for being such a giant pain in the a$$!

2. Beautiful People, Chris Brown

This is simple, house- infused, dance perfection. Love, love, love
this song.

3. Give me Everything, Pitbull f/Ne-yo, Afrojack & Nayer

Cheesy, yes, but this song is infectious. No dance floor was safe from this summer

staple.

4. Look at Me Now, Chris Brown f/ Busta Rhymes & Lil Wayne

This song reminds of me of driving downtown on a Sunday afternoon with a friend and being hit on by a couple of guys driving in the car next to us. We giggled like a couple of teenage girls, and then sped off. Yep, I really need to grow up!

5. Hello, Martin Solveig featuring Dragonette

This song is 4 plus minutes of happiness.

6. Last Friday Night (TGIF), Katy Perry

Some may discount her as an average pop singer, but dammit, Katy Perry is the shiznit. Not only has she scored like a million hits from her cd, she has created not one but TWO summer anthems. Last year it was Teenage Dream, and this year it is Last Friday Night (TGIF). Katy also gets props for the awesome 80’s video! It’s too cool for school! Heheh.

That’s my short list of summer songs of 2011. What was your fave song of summer 2011?

Michelle

Lush Shower Gel- It's Raining Men

2011-09-05T15:37:00.000-04:00

Doesn’t the name of the shower gel just scream, “Try Me!?” Seriously, I was dying to know what a bath product with such an outrageous name would smell like. Thankfully, the good people at Lush satisfied my curiosity and sent me the item right away.

Well, the sweet honey bouquet of this thick, gold-hued gel is reminiscent of a delicate dessert that you and your man would share on a special night. It could be the first date, an anniversary, or a birthday; it’s the type of dessert that you’d want to savour each and every forkful. No rushing allowed. This dessert is meant to last.

Not sure if the name suits the gel, but it definitely feels good on my skin.

For the ladies looking for a man with a sweet tooth, pick up this shower gel. I promise you won’t regret it.

Michelle

Song of the Moment: Hello - Martin Solveig feat Dragonette

2011-08-09T21:38:00.000-04:00

If I could have theme music blasting everywhere I go, I would looove to walk around all day to Hello from Martin Solveig featuring Dragonette.

Why, you ask? Dunno.....I just love the song.

I know that the song came out a million years ago (September 6, 2010 to be exact), but I just recently discovered this track (pssst, I’m pretty certain I heard it on a gum commercial) and now I’m hooked.

I love the simplicity and the inanity of the lyrics (hello is said a least a thousand times during the 4 minute track!), and the ethereal quality of the singer’s voice puts me in a booze-filled rave-like trance. Nice!

This song makes me happy! Perhaps it should be the theme music for happygrrls? Okay, maybe not, but I am in love with this track.

Check out the video here

The Essential Summer Accessory: Sunglasses

2011-08-01T14:21:00.001-04:00

I do love prancing around town in my flirty summer dresses and comfy ballet flats, but noooothing completes a summer wardrobe than a great pair of sunglasses.

It takes me FOREVER to choose a pair. Firstly, I have to make sure it fits the shape of my face, but most importantly, it must must must complement my personality. I’m not into anything too over the top or trendy—I like to keep it practical, yet chic.

My newest pair of sunglasses is courtesy of Bizou—an online accessory store that offers a wide variety of fashion jewelry, watches, necklaces, rings, and much more.

The frames are huge—think Nicole Richie and Jackie O, but suit my oval shaped face perfectly. The leopard print on the frames adds a funky boho, 70’s vibe that totally unleashes my wild side!

I really appreciate the versatility of my sunglasses. It can easily be worn with a long maxi dress, or a cute lil shirt dress.

These sunglasses will definitely be a part of my summer wardrobe. Thanks, Bizou!

Rest in peace, Amy

2011-07-24T11:13:00.000-04:00

When I read online mid-afternoon that Amy Winehouse was found dead in her Camden apartment, I immediately thought it was the work of heartless hackers.

I know that it’s been said for years that if Amy doesn’t quit drugs and alcohol that she would wind up dead; I just hoped and prayed that it wouldn’t end up like that. But after scouring the net and checking reputable sites, the truth came out—Amy Winehouse, 27 years old, was in fact, dead.

I became a fan of hers after a friend lectured me time and time again how insanely great and talented she was. Every time we spoke he would tell me to go to HMV or any store and buy the album (yes, my friend still frequents music stores and actually purchases CDs).

Before I considered purchasing her music, I youtubed her and listened to a couple of songs. And yes, my friend was right; Amy’s voice was indeed a gift. But I will admit that I enjoyed her music waaay after the hype surpassed. I like to make my own decisions about an artist, and not feel influenced by what everyone is saying.

Since discovering her and downloading the Back to Black cd, I have become a bona fide fan. I listen to at a couple of songs daily. It’s funny how she can speak of being dependent on alcohol and drugs and make it sound entertaining, sad and tragic—all at the same time.

It’s incredibly sad that she had to leave us so soon, but I hope that she is able to find the solace and peace that she was seeking.

Rest in peace, Amy

Fave Amy Tracks

Just Friends

Love is a Losing Game

You Know I’m No Good

Me and Mr. Jones

-Michelle

Product Review

2011-07-12T21:35:00.002-04:00

Retro-Lush – Shave The Planet and Cosmetic Lad

Instead of reviewing another Lush product for the ladies (psst..I’m sure I will be back to reviewing products for the girls next month!), I wanted to include the male perspective. I wanted a very manly review of a few beauty products. I'm kinda curious to know what the fellas like.

So I eagerly enlisted the help of a supercool guy (he’s probably one of the few guys that can handle my incessant teasing. You rock, Frederico!) and asked him to tell me what he thought of Lush’s Shave the Planet and Cosmetic Lad. In true Frederico form, he felt the only way to express his opinion was through poetry. Check it out!

Shave the Planet

I never thought
I would find out
What it is like
To smear shortening all over my face
I now have an approximation.

Charged by Simone (aka Michelle) with sampling and reviewing Retro-Lush’s Shave The Planet and Regular Lush’s Cosmetic Lad (Facial Moisturizer),
I tried both
Shave the Planet is a goop you could eat
Acai juice from palm trees in Central and South America
Coconut and wheat germ oil
Pumpkin seed oil
Bamboo infusion (you probably can’t eat this)
All of it blended into a dense smoothie injected into a mini-bucket
I slather it on a face covered with a 5 day fuzz, scooping out glops
I begin to shave
It works. Generally.
The blades are becoming jammed with glunk
Some hairs aren’t cut
But act of shaving feels so smooth
Where once my jaw was covered by coarse hair
It is clean, moisturized
And yet, and yet
so greasy, so greasy
And now because of using the glurp called Retro-Lush’s Shave The Planet
I have no reason to use Regular Lush’s Cosmetic Lad (Facial Moisturizer)
because it would be as if I dumped butter, margarine and olive oil into a Teflon-covered skillet to fry up bacon: It would be too much
My clean, moisturized face feels swell, smells fresh
And I will remember
To use plenty of hot water
To clean out
The blades

Cosmetic Lad (Facial Moisturizer)

I used it twice with regular shaving cream and it was fine
Such a fresh smell
Some say there is a whiff of lavender
Some say honey water
Or even tangerine
I say it smells fresh and fruity, like papaya
And smeared on my face, it feels good, soft
As if I had just put very over-ripe papaya all over my jaw
It is impossible to use this moisturizer with Retro-Lush’s Shave The Planet
(Too much greasy, moisturizing goodness)
I will alternate between the two in order to enjoy the two
in this crappy little apartment which lacks proper air flow and treated/varnished floors

Thanks for the sexy poem, Frederico. I will admit that your flowery words worked some magic on me and I am thisclose to caressing your skin to see if it is as smooth as you say it is! LOL

Michelle

Affordable summer dresses for work and play

2011-07-06T22:08:00.001-04:00

Joe Fresh

Hi, my name is Michelle and I am addicted to Joe Fresh dresses. Seriously, my closet is overflowing with a ridiculous amount of dresses that I have bought over the past 4 years. Yep, I’m hooked and I don’t care who knows it!

I can’t help my addiction. It is soooo easy to plunk down a few dollars on anything Joe Fresh from their cosmetics to their shoes. However, their classic yet chic dresses are my absolute weakness.

On my most recent visit to one of the few stand alone stores in the city, I honestly felt like a kid in a candy store. Colourful, stylish clothes surrounded me. I was intoxicated by the amount of clothes that I had to choose from. I didn’t know what to try on first.

I did manage to find 2 super cute dresses that I can add to my wardrobe. I know I don’t NEED another dress, but they were just too precious to pass up—not to mention inexpensive!

This is what I got on my last Joe Fresh visit.

This blue, patterned shift dress is perfect for work. I can pair it with a fitted blazer and an understated necklace and I’m good to go. It’s also something that I can wear to happy hour. All I have to do is toss the jacket, add some heels and a dangly necklace and all eyes will be on me! This cute little number cost just $29.00.

This flirty dress is my fave dress so far. It may look like a simple sun dress, but once I put it on, I realized its potential.

It completely hugged my body and accentuated my curves. I thought that I would be able to wear it to work, but the plunging neckline may be more appropriate for a hot date! LOL!

Although this dress cost a measly $19, it made me feel sexy and feminine. If I wanted to totally upgrade the look, all I have to do is pair it with an edgy wedge heel and a bold necklace.

So that's my latest buy from Joe Fresh. I'm sure by the end of the summer I will have bought even more dresses!

Have you shopped at Joe Fresh recently? If so, let me know what you bought!

Michelle

Song of the Moment- Rihanna: Man Down

2011-06-12T20:39:00.001-04:00

I’m sure you heard about the controversy surrounding Rihanna’s latest single, Man Down (psst...there’s a “graphic/violent” scene in the accompanying video that has some Parental groups concerned). And since I’m nosey and love to know what everyone’s talking about, I had to watch the video.

So, early last week I sat down in front of my laptop and watched all 5 minutes and 40 seconds of the movie-like video. But instead of looking out for the “graphic content”, I started to sway in my chair. I thought to myself, “Forget the video, “I freaking love this song!” Seriously, it took me all about 5 seconds before I embraced my inner dancehall queen and started to shake my booty in the privacy of my room!

I love that Rihanna cleverly injects her fiery Caribbean swagger in Man Down, rather than putting out yet another pop song. Good call, Rihanna!

The reggae vibe lends a layer of sultriness and spice, but the grim lyrics create a serious tone to the single. Rihanna speaks (it’s not necessarily an autobiographic tale - it could be a story from any female) about being assaulted and then taking matters into her own hands (she guns down her attacker on a crowded street).

Although the single tackles powerful subject matter, it is still a very fun, party song. The mellow reggae rhythm lessens the severity of the song and allows you to enjoy the song. If nothing else, the l hypnotic lyrics “Rum pum pum pum rum pum pum pum rum pum pum pum, Man Down, Rum pum pum pum rum pum pum pum rum pum pum pum Man Down” have me singing the song all.the.time. This song will be the song of the summer. Trust me!

Thoughts about the video

I did see the scene that has caused concern, but it didn’t seem gratuitous to me. It wasn’t included for shock value—there was some reasoning behind her actions.

In the video Rihanna’s character goes to a reggae club, dances with a guy, she leaves, he follows, and he assaults her. Feeling angry and wanting to retaliate, she gets her gun and shoots him on a crowded street.

Yes, it is extreme, and I in nooo way condone violence, but this is how she chose to tell the story. The lyrics express sorrow for what she’s done

“I didn't mean to end his life

I know it wasn't right

I can't even sleep at night

Can't get it off my mind”

and does not glorify what has happened. Just like in countless movies, the victim takes matters in their own hands. This video is no different from any average avenge type movie.

Overall, I think the video is well done, and is complements the song perfectly. Good job, Rihanna! What do you think about the video and the song?

Michelle

Ask Michelle

2011-05-31T22:00:00.002-04:00

Michelle, I am soooo in need of your help. I’m super confused.

About a month ago a new guy started working at the office I currently work at. He’s cute, about my age and we have similar personalities. Basically, we get along and act like we’ve known each other for a million years!

The problem is that I’ve developed some feelings for him. What makes this a little complicated is that I am not exactly single! I have been in a relationship with my man for over 5 years! I feel bad because I love my boyfriend and I wouldn’t want to hurt him, but I can’t seem to get this new guy out of my head. What should I do?
Signed, in love with 2 guys

Dear in love with 2 guys,
Ooh girl, now that’s some juicy gossip! Thanks! Kidding. I’m just trying to make you laugh so you’re not too bummed over your current situation.

I will admit that your dilemma is kinda rough. You really need to give good thought to what you want/need to do.

This might help you come up with an answer:

If your office boo is just a piece of hot eye candy that makes your day go faster, then that’s okay. You’re able to appreciate his good looks, but you know he is off limits.

If you are completely planning your day around hanging with your office man, and you run to his office as soon as he shows up to work, then that might be a problem. You may need to look closely at your relationship with your boyfriend. What is making you think about someone else? Perhaps your relationship with your boyfriend is not satisfying as it once was or has run its course. Only you will know the answer.

Let me know how everything works out. Good luck!

Michelle

Pop of colour!

2011-05-23T17:07:00.001-04:00

Blue

I’m not the girliest of girls, but I do love me some pink. I know it’s super girly, but it’s the one shade that immediately brightens up my day. I looove it sooo much that I recently bought a pink scoop neck A line dress that I can’t wait to wear to a wedding this weekend!

Although I love the feminine and playful nature of the colour pink, I’ve been gravitating towards a not-so-girly shade—blue. I’m not usually drawn to this hue; however, I have been craving all shades of blue lately. Everything from, turquoise to teal to cobalt.

When purchasing nail polish, I always grab a “safe” colour (Read: pink, lavender, beige—I’m sooo boring!), but I daringly bought a teal coloured nail polish (Sally Hansen- Calypso Blue) on my last visit to the drug store.

I wore it to work and I received tons of approval. Okay, I exaggerate, but it definitely updated my look and made me look ready for summer. It’s such a vibrant colour—it practically screams fun, fun, fun! This is my new go-to shade.

I love the nail polish that I bought, but I still wanted more blue. I went back to the drugstore and located a blue eye shadow combo that didn’t look too tacky or “clownish.” It’s a bright teal shadow paired with a muted navy colour (L’Oreal eye shadow Duo - Showy) that has endless dramatic possibilities. I could play it down with a gold tone or I could totally own it and wear it with shades of green.

Those 2 purchases have helped me in my “blue period,” but I still want more. I’m thinking of buying a cobalt blue form fitting dress! I’ll let you know when I find it!

Michelle

Beauty 411

2011-05-17T22:13:00.001-04:00

Sweet Lips Lip Scrub – Lush

Spring has finally sprung (well...sorta) and I am ready to get my spring fling on! I’ve been hibernating all winter long and it’s time for me to have some fun! Yes, you read correctly, there’s a happygrrl on the prowl! LOL!

To prepare myself for the summer heat, I decided to start with my lips. My poor lips have suffered from the dry, cold weather all winter long, and are in need of some attention. Buh-bye chapped lips!

As luck would have it, Lush sent me their Sweet Lips Lip Scrub (thanks, Perry!) a week ago, and I was more than happy to try it out. I have never used a lip scrub before, so I was curious about how my mouth would look and feel.

The scrub is completely vegan and is lovingly made with Castor sugar, organic jojoba oil, vanilla extract, cocoa absolute and Tagetes oil ( psst.....the scrub smells like a chocolate brownie!).

Not only does it smell delish, it’s super simple to use. I applied a little of the product to my lips and fought back the urge to lick it off! Kidding! I scrubbed my lips for a minute and then took it off with some warm water. My lips felt moist and ready to be kissed!

Looks like this lil product is a winner and something I will be using all summer long! Now all I have to do is find a cutie to kiss!

Michelle

Song of the Moment: Price tag- Jessie J featuring B.o.B

2011-05-01T21:52:00.001-04:00

I like this song, but I’m not totally crazy in love with it just yet. I’ve heard it a number of times, but when the lyrics started to seep into my sub consciousness, I felt that it was worth mentioning on the happygrrls blog.

I chose this to be my Song of the Moment because I am completely lovin’ the message.

This single may seem like the typical super fluffy pop song, but it is way deeper than the dance beats.

Jessie J‘s (psst..she’s a rising UK pop princess) single Price Tag is all about the philosophy that money can’t buy you happiness—which I agree with wholeheartedly.

Sample lines:
Why is everybody so obsessed
Money can't buy us happiness
Can we all slow down and enjoy right now
Guarantee we'll be feeling Alright

Okay the lyrics aren’t that profound, but I like that she was able to mask her positive message in a sugary sweet pop song.

Check the video here.

Michelle

LG Fashion Week

2011-04-03T20:13:00.002-04:00

LG Fashion Week

Mar 28-Apr 2, 2011

On Friday April 1, 2011, I had the privilege of watching the LG Fashion Show in Toronto live and in person! A good friend of mine won tix at her job and chose me to accompany her to the event. Thanks a bunch, girl!

Not only did I score a free ticket, my friend informed me that we will be (along with her peeps from work) sitting in a private VIP room with all the amenities you could possibly want (read: free food and liquor! LOL!). Damn, I’m glad this wasn’t a cruel April Fools’ joke. I happily accepted the invite and told her I would meet her there.

When we entered the venue, we spotted tons of stylistas milling around. I’ve never seen such a collection of fab shoes in all.my.life! I seriously need to step my shoe game up.

After people watching for about an hour, my friend and I headed to the VIP room. It was soooooo cool! We had an awesome panoramic view of centre stage. We weren’t front row, but we were able to see everything and everyone! At one point in the night, Sunny, the Project Runway Canada winner from season 2 dropped by our room to chat with a few people. As much as I wanted to tug on his sleeve and tell him how much I loved his designs on Project Runway, he left quietly and I restrained myself from running after him!

The fashion show itself was super fun. I’ve never been to a fashion show before and it was soo exciting to be sitting and watching the uber-gorgeous models in their fab clothes prancing up and down before my very eyes. It was way more fun than watching it in my un-fab living room!

BTW, fashion shows are all of 20 minutes long! They are short! Seriously, the intermissions last longer than the actual shows. But I didn’t care, it was cool to be a part of the “glamorous life”, if only for a few hours. LOL!

Here are a few pics of the show. Enjoy!

Michelle

Lush- Rock Star Soap

2011-03-21T22:14:00.002-04:00

The actual fragrance of this soap doesn’t smell anything like its badass name. When I think of “Rock Star” images of ripped t-shirts, tattoos and the smell of stale beer run wild in my mind! Kidding! But seriously, I never thought that a soap called Rock Star would smell as yummy as it does.

Lush’s Rock Star soap is a big, fat, pink slab that looks and smells quite edible. It smells like a mixture of juicy bubblegum and sticky pink cotton candy. Anyone who loves candy (like moi) will heart this scent!

Even though this soap ain’t exactly what you'd think it would smell like (maybe pop-princess would be a better name! ), its scrumptious scent and girly look make it definitely worth a try. Check it out!

Michelle

Outlet shopping!

2011-03-12T20:05:00.002-05:00

The Bay Outlet- Woodbine Centre, Toronto, Canada

I love a bargain. Can’t help it. I just love knowing that I scored a great deal and only paid a fraction of the actual cost. Some might call me cheap; I call myself a true frugalista! LOL

I started a new job recently and I was in desperate need of some blazers and professional attire for work (my job has a strict dress code). I went shopping and purchased a couple of pairs of dress pants and a few blazers, but I still needed more outfits. Unfortunately, wallet was seriously running on empty.

After throwing down beaucoup cash at some higher end stores on my shopping extravaganza, I decided to take a chance on The Hudson’s Bay Outlet store.

I set out to go to the Bay outlet for the simple reason that I know TONS of people who have shopped there and paid next to nothing on designer clothing. And after plunking down a lot of money already, I wanted to see if I could get some more clothes at an affordable (ahem, CHEAP!) price.

Although I love saving, I don’t really enjoy digging through lots of clothes to score the deal. It takes a lot of time and energy, and damn it, I’m a lazy shopper. But you must keep in mind when you shop at the Bay Outlet; you better expect to spend at least 2 hours sifting through a sea of clothing and bumping into a million deal-hungry shoppers. Luckily, it didn’t take me too long to find my bargains. I found my purchases in an hour.

I scored a tweed grey and black Mexx jacket for 39.99. The original cost.....$199.99. I also got a black and grey fitted dress that originally cost $99.99. Guess how much I paid? $30.00!

I am sooo happy that I decided to spend part of my Sunday afternoon in the outlet. Love my purchases, and I can’t wait to rock them at work!

Happy shopping!

Michelle

Help Japan

2011-03-11T20:08:00.001-05:00

I didn't have a chance to immediately write about the devasting earthquake and tsunami that happened earlier, but I would like to appeal to everyone to please keep Japan in your thoughts and prayers. And if you can, please donate to a reputable charity.

-Michelle

Leggings in the workplace

2011-02-21T12:45:00.000-05:00

Are leggings appropriate for the workplace?

I know I’m not the most in your face fashionista—everyone knows I rock a cardi and a Mad Men-esque dress 24/7! Yes, I thoroughly looove the sexy librarian look! LOL!

My issue is that I recently visited a professional office and I noticed that one of the employees was wearing a pair of leggings with a short jacket. I don’t want to sound like I’m 100 years old, but are leggings okay in the workplace? Is it still possible to look professional while wearing skin tight clothing?

YOU let me know. E-mail your opinions to michelle at happygrrls.com or leave a message on the blog. Thanks!

Michelle

Protecting your hair and skin in harsh weather

2011-02-08T20:18:00.000-05:00

Be it summer or winter, you must remember to apply skin hydrating products that will protect and nurture your hair and skin.

This winter has been particularly cruel, so I’ve had to bring out the big guns. My skin and hair were both calling out for some TLC, so I’ve unleashed a few products from my cosmetic bag that keep me hydrated and glowing. Check ‘em out!

Herbal Essences Hello Hydration Conditioner

This little bottle of conditioner may cost less than 3 bucks, but it works like a charm! I’ve tried expensive hair products, which work well (I’m partial to Aveda products), but if you can get results from a cheaper brand, why not use it!

The Hello Hydration conditioner smells great (like a tropical fruit smoothie) and makes my hair feel soft and manageable. It works so well that I even use it as a deep conditioner. All I do is add olive oil for optimum hydration, and I’m good to go.

This is my staple go-to hair product. I heart Hello Hydration.

L’Occitane Pure Shea Butter

My sister turned me on to L’Occitane years ago. She sang its praises soooo much that she unwittingly convinced me to try some of their products. I did, and I will say L’Occtaine makes outstanding products. I have tried their bath oil, soaps and body lotion, but nothing beats my must have for harsh weather—their cute l’il tin of Pure Shea Butter.

I have yucky dry skin and I need something heavy-duty to keep my skin looking quenched. A lot of products claim that they are formulated for people with dry skin, but unfortunately they never work for me. That’s when I dig deep into my purse and turn to this product.

I use it on my hands, my elbows and even on my chapped lips! It always takes away the ashiness and leaves me with supple skin. This is sooo my go-to product for winter.

MAC Ambering Rose Sheertone Shimmer Blush

This shimmering blush doesn’t necessarily add any moisture to my skin, but it does look like I have an illuminating glow.

I normally wear Hushabye Blush (also from MAC) for every occasion, but I tried my “less used” blush Ambering Rose to work last week, and it made my visage look incredible! My skin looked radiant—as if I just got back from a Caribbean getaway. I love the way it looks on me. It adds some drama to my somewhat dull winter skin.

These are a few products products that I turn to keep my skin beaming during the winter. What to you use to combat the harsh elements?

Michelle

Q& A with Amy Lu

2011-01-29T17:49:00.001-05:00

I’m not embarrassed to say that I’m in a fashion rut right now. My clothes are lacking that oomph factor and I am in need of some stylish clothing stat!

In addition to checking out a plethora of fashion mags and religiously watching What Not To Wear, I thought to reach out to a fashionista and find out everything I need to know about fashion, but more importantly, what the hottest trends are for Spring 2011.

I contacted Amy Lu—fashion stylist extraordinaire, to ask her about her career as a stylist, and of course to get the 411 on what I should be wearing this spring.

When did you know you wanted to pursue fashion as a career?
I must admit that I have been in love with clothes for as long as I can remember. Most of my childhood memories start with what I was wearing or what I can remember someone else wearing, so it was a very natural progression for me to pursue a career in the fashion industry.

Did you go to school for fashion?
I studied marketing for two years at Camosun College in Victoria, also at the Fashion Merchandising program at Blanche MacDonald in Vancouver. I completed a one-year Couture Sewing program from a woman named Blossom who taught out of her home in Vancouver (and studied under Jacques Fath). In addition to that schooling, I took continuing education courses at Emily Carr in photography, sewing, print making. All of which has been beneficial in some capacity of my career.

How did you get your break into fashion?
I get asked this a lot in interviews and to be honest there was never one specific event that was the trigger but rather a series of things that led me in the right direction. I suppose my first shoot was key and I got that because I contacted a student photographer who was looking to collaborate with a fashion designer on a photo shoot. I contacted him and convinced him to give me a shot.

What has been your career highlight so far?
I have experienced many fabulous moments with celebrities and fancy productions but the highlights are often times very unglamorous and easy to overlook. I suppose some of my sparkliest moments so far have been shooting Selena Gomez which was a real treat because her persona is so big yet she was such a sweetheart.

What are some of your fave stores to shop?
I love Aritzia, it is my go-to shop. I enjoy Holts and BCBG when I can splurge.

What is your favourite city to shop?
Hmmmmmm, I love different cities for different reasons but I always get lucky in Seattle. Chicago and New York are also winners but they take effort. LA is good too but parking is a struggle. Vancouver is amazing too!

If you could have any other job, what would it be?

I can honestly say, photography and fashion is where my heart and soul is, so I'd be lying if I mentioned another job. I do however, want to expand my skills into helping people look and feel their best on a much larger scale, self-esteem is at the root of people's success and style is an easy way to access that.

What celeb would you like to style and why?

Kate Moss. I love her, I grew up watching her career unfold and she is so inspiring not to mention the most stylish person ever!

What are the hottest trends for Spring 2011?

Pleated trousers, cropped tops, clear rimmed glasses, and platform sandals.

What are some trends we should stop doing now?

One-shoudered tight dresses, all things covered in grommets and spikes. The Kardashians killed those trends!

Where are you based?

I reside in Toronto at the moment but am away more than I am home.

More stats on Amy

* Amy began her career as a fashion stylist in 2001

* She has styled editorials for FASHION magazine, Zink, Vanity Fair, Toronto Life, among others

* In 2003 she was awarded BC’s apparel Fashion Stylist of the year

For more information on Amy Lu, please visit http://www.amylu.ca/

Michelle

Styled by Amy Lu

Ask Michelle

2011-01-20T16:49:00.000-05:00

Have some issues that you want to get resolved in 2011? E-mail me at michelle at happygrrls.com and I will try to include it in the next instalment of Ask Michelle

Dear Michelle,
I have a little problem. I used to be friends with my best friend’s sister, but we have become less close over the years. Nothing major happened, we just grew apart. Ironically, my best friend and I have become great friends during this time.

My problem with my besties’ sis is that even though we don’t have a great friendship anymore, she randomly calls me up when she needs help. Sometimes it’s for a ride to the mall; if she needs some help with homework, and believe it or not, if she needs a reference for a job!

At first I didn’t think much of it because she’s still kinda my friend, but the fact that she calls me out of the blue only when she needs something is starting to really piss me off!

She’ll call me, and then I won’t hear from her for at least 3 months. I don’t want to sound rude, but we’re not even good friends anymore and I don’t like that she calls and texts me when she needs help. How do I tell her to leave me alone? What should I do?

Signed, I don’t like users!

Dear I don’t like users!
I totally agree with you. I don’t like it when someone talks to you only when they need something from you. That’s not how a friendship works.

Your situation is a little complicated, though. On one hand you don’t want to jeopardize your relationship with your best friend by being rude to her sis, but on the other hand, she’s totally taking advantage of your kindness!

Maybe what you might want to do is be less available to her. When she calls or texts you, don’t answer. I know it sounds super immature and juvenile, but after a while she’ll get the picture and stop using you and probably move onto the next victim!

Hope that works for you. Let me know how it works out.

Michelle

Happy New Year: A look back at 2010

2011-01-03T16:05:00.000-05:00

2010: Year in Review

I love the beginning of a new year because it gives me a chance to reflect on the past 365 days. And my fave part of looking back is reflecting on the songs and artists that made the year special.

Here’s a short list of the songs that made 2010 memorable.

Teenage Dream, Katy Perry
This has become one of my all time fave songs. Serious. Say what you will about Katy Perry, but she has created an awesome youth anthem.

Find Your Love, Drake
I love practically all of Drake’s songs (it was very difficult to choose just one for this list!), but this song is my favourite. Not only is the song hot, but the tropical setting for the video ups its sexy factor!

OMG, Usher f/ will.i. am
This high energy single is great for getting your dance on in the club or getting your sweat on in the gym. OMG came out earlier this year, but has yet to leave my playlist.

Telephone, Lady Gaga f/Beyonce
Awesome song and equally entertaining video. Gaga owned 2010!

Grenade, Bruno Mars
A tormented love song? How could I not love it. J’adore Bruno Mars.

Bullet Proof, La Roux
This isn’t a song that I would normally listen to, but I have to admit, this bubbly dance track is so catchy and infectious, it’s damn near impossible to ignore. I love the 80s vibe and techno feel. This song reminds me of the summer of 2010.

Only Girl In The World, Rihanna
Thankfully Rihanna released this upbeat song. Her last CD was a little depressing (remember the song, Russian Roulette?) and I was actually questioning if I would ever like another Rihanna track. Luckily Only Girl In The World was released and I have remained a Rihanna fan.

Your Love, Nicki Minaj
What Nicki lacks in talent, she more than makes up with her wildly fascinating personality and creativity. She took an almost forgotten Annie Lennox track and retooled it to create one of the hottest songs of the year. Shout-outs to Lil X for the riveting video!

Monday Morning, Melanie Fiona
After listening to the song just once at work, I fell in love. It’s a melange of Motown-esque orchestration with a hint of reggae. Her raspy soulful voice blows all the wannabe songtresses out of the water. She’s def my fave new artist of the year.

I Invented Sex, Trey Songz

Okay, the title is a little raunchy and boastful, but it really is a great r&b song(ahem, baby making song!). On this track, Trey lets his woman know that he’s that good, that it’s like he invented sex. Daaaam!

Thanks for reading my list. What do ya think? What were some of your fave songs for 2010?

-Michelle

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-24T21:43:00.000-05:00

I want to wish all of you a healthy and happy Christmas!

Merry Christmas to me!

2010-12-20T22:39:00.000-05:00

I should feel guilty about my most recent purchase....but I don’t! LOL! For some odd reason, whenever I set out to buy a gift for someone, I end up finding something that I like.

This past Saturday I ventured off to Winners to look for some gifts for a few people on my Christmas list.

I perused the bag section, but I didn’t see anything perfect for my bff, so I wandered over to the section with wallets and clutches. I checked out a few cute clutches, and then I lay my eyes on a gorgeous Steve Madden grey, rocker chic-type clutch.

I looove this bag! I love the smattering of studs dancing on the bag and I also like the fact that it’s not too fancy, so I can wear it when I’m dolled up, or use it when I’m rocking jeans and heels.

I felt a bit bad for finding something for myself (okay, not too bad. The clutch was a paltry $24.99!), so I continued to search for a gift perfect for my bestie. Finally! I found something for her (sorry, I can’t write what I bought her, I’m sure she’ll read the blog!).

Hope your Christmas shopping is just as fun!

Michelle

Song of the Moment

2010-12-05T21:51:00.000-05:00

Bruno Mars: Grenade

I am in love with Bruno Mars. Actually, I’m in love with his hit single, Grenade. It’s a deeply romantic, yet tragic love song that tugs at my heart. Seriously, I get teary-eyed every single time I listen to the song or watch the video. (yes, I’m way too sentimental!)

The song is about a guy who has fallen hard for a girl and would do just about anything for her (psst....I need to find a dude like that!). The object of his affection on the other hand, ain’t that interested and basically toys with his affection.

Check out some of the lyrics...
To give me all your love is all I ever asked, Cause what you don't understand is
I’d catch a grenade for ya (yeah, yeah, yeah)
Throw my hand on a blade for ya (yeah, yeah, yeah)
I’d jump in front of a train for ya (yeah, yeah , yeah)
You know I'd do anything for ya (yeah, yeah, yeah) Oh, oh
I would go through all this pain, Take a bullet straight through my brain,
Yes, I would die for ya baby ; But you won't do the same

Sad, huh? Honestly, who could say no to that? That woman is heartless! LOL.

To anyone that thinks that men have no feelings and aren’t romantic, they need to listen to this song. Bruno Mars is super romantic and sensitive. I stand corrected. I am not only in love with the song, I love Bruno Mars!

Michelle

Ask Michelle

2010-11-22T17:21:00.001-05:00

Time for a name change! Although, I loved penning the advice column for my alter ego—Dear Angry Black Grrl, I thought to switch the name to something kindler, gentler (like myself!) and to the point. Angry Black Grrl is now called, Ask Michelle.

Remember to send your questions to michelle at happygrrls.com

Ask Michelle

Dear Michelle,

I need your advice!!! I started working at a new job a few months ago, and I was happy that everything seemed to be going well. I liked my job and my co-workers made my workday more fun. Then, out of the blue, my boss completely lost it on me. She yelled at me for about 20 minutes and embarrassed me in front of my co-workers. Basically, she made me feel like crap. I was convinced she was going to fire my ass.

Unfortunately her rants occur on a weekly basis. I told one of my co-workers about an incident and she said the boss has yelled at everyone and I should get used to it.

I’m not sure what to do. I like my job, but my boss is making my life a living hell.

I need your help!

Signed,
My boss is a bi%*#

Dear, my boss is a bi%*#

Girl, I have been there! I have had problem s with bosses in the past and I know it makes it harder to go to work. Emotionally, it can destroy you.

Is there anyone that you can speak to at your job to let them what’s going on? I would definitely alert someone in the HR department to let them know what is happening. Especially since you said your boss’ bad behaviour happens on a regular basis.

If you really don’t feel comfortable being at your job, you might have to give a lot of thought to your options. You can stay and see if things get better, or you can cut your losses and leave your job and search for something new.

Let me know what happens!

Michelle

Save or splurge?

2010-11-15T12:02:00.001-05:00

Anyone that knows me is fully aware that I am a slightly frugal (ahem, cheap) girl. I looove scoring a bargain, but more importantly, I believe in spending my money wisely.

I’m not the kind of girl that plunks down a lot of money on designer products, because frankly, you can get the same results from more affordable selections.

Through my many years of trial and error, I have to come to the conclusion that I would probably think twice before spending a lot of money on higher priced cosmetics.

There is one product in particular that you don’t need to spend a lot of money on to get great results.

Lip gloss

Honestly, I have tried tons of designer lip glosses and I have gotten the same, if not better results, from drugstore items.

My new go-to lipgloss is L’Oreal Paris Colour Riche in Rich Rose. I use this lipgloss (which costs less than $10!! Woo hooo) practically every day. It provides me with vibrant colour, staying power, and the most important thing of all, it is not gloppy.

I’m not saying that you can’t pamper yourself and treat yourself to something nice, but just remember, if you can save on one item, you can splurge somewhere else.

Have fun shopping!

Michelle

Trick or Treat!

2010-10-28T22:40:00.001-04:00

This entry is meant for adults 19 years and older.

When I went trick or treating as a kid, I always looked forward to getting piles and piles of Halloween chocolate. It didn’t matter if I got the regular sized chocolate bar or the tiny snack sizes; I wanted c-h-o-c-o-l-a-t-e! I guess you can tell I had a serious chocolate addiction as a kid, eh? Perhaps that’s why I was super hyper!

However, I’m all grown up and my obsession with chocolate persists. I enjoy everything from chocolate cakes, cookies and chocolate martinis. Mmmm, chocolate martinis!

So you know I was beyond excited when I found out that there was a cooler coming out that was based on the yummy Cadbury chocolate bar, Caramilk.

The Caramilk Cream Cooler is an alcoholic beverage made with real cream and double distilled vodka. Sounds divine, no?!

I was sent a few samples of the cooler and I quickly gulped one down after a looong exhausting day at work. I decided to have another one a few days later just to get a real sense of the drink and to provide an accurate review.

I will confess, it was gooood! It’s creamy, chocolaty and not too strong (5% alcohol). It’s more of a dessert beverage, with a little kick of vodka.

The taste is similar to Bailey’s, but it leans more on the chocolaty side than on the coffee flavoured side.

Since I’m no kid anymore, I won’t be snacking on chocolate treats this Halloween—I’ll be hanging out with a few friends and sipping on a few Caramilk Cream coolers. Good times!

* I just want to wish everyone a happy Halloween and to remember to please drink responsibly!

Michelle

Comfy Fall fashions

2010-10-24T22:25:00.000-04:00

As much as I love to expose skin in the hot summer months, I look forward to Fall because of the warm cozy fashions that I get to snuggle up in.

I recently bought a pair of knee high suede boots, skinny jeans (pssst....I caved in a bought a pair ) and a boyfriend cardigan. This is my go-to outfit for the season! I feel equal parts comfortable and sexy when wearing it.

I love how I am able to flaunt my curves in this simple outfit. The jeans hug my hips, while the boyfriend cardigan frames my hourglass figure. My boots, which are almost the star of the outfit, are sooo comfortably chic it’s crazy!!! (these boots are like walking on air!)

I’m already planning on doing some more shopping and getting more thick sweaters, skinny jeans (I’m hooked on them now!) and perhaps another pair of boots.

So what’s your fave Fall item?

Michelle

Beauty 411

2010-09-26T20:51:00.001-04:00

Joe Fresh

In a previous post I mentioned that I received an e-mail from Joe Fresh letting me know about the Fall fashions that were about to hit the streets. Honestly, the e-mail had me at “Joe Fresh fashions.” Seriously. I am a huuuggge Joe Fresh fan/shopper. It’s embarrassing to know that all the sales people across the GTA, know me! LOL

When I visited the site, I mentally picked out the items that I planned to purchase. I liked the cute cardis and the scrumptious looking jackets. I decided that the black motorcycle jacket was the one for me.

So I headed over to one of the biggest locations—I wanted to ensure that my jacket was there, but guess what happened....? The jacket was nowhere to be found. I circled the store about 5 times until I realized that it was all sold out. Although I was a little (a lot!) disappointed, I still managed to browse around, to see if there was anything that tickled my fancy.

Since I already have way too many Joe pieces, I headed over to the cosmetics area. I have a bunch of eye shadows (surprise, surprise!), so I glanced at the selection of nail polish.

I saw their Fall nail polish line and I fell in love with a few hues. I picked up Storm (a creamy grey colour), Gunmetal (dark grey with silver flecks) and Brick (reddish brown shade). It was a steal for 3/$10!

Even though I had my heart set on the jacket (*I’m still searching for it, or something similar), I’m glad that I can at least update my wardrobe with a few cute nail polishes.

Thanks, Joe!

-Michelle

What song reminds you of summer 2010?

2010-09-07T21:20:00.000-04:00

Everybody knows that today (psst...the first day of school) sadly marks the end of summer madness. *tears streaming down cheek*

I haven’t been in school for a long time, but I too get a little blue at the beginning of September. Summer brings a sense of excitement, sunny days and good old fashioned fun with friends. And on the flip side, fall signals bad weather and doing hours and hours of homework. Who wouldn’t be depressed? LOL!

But what pulls me out of my fall funk is when I happen to hear a song that makes me think of the 2 months of summery bliss.

My song of the summer for 2010 was released towards the end of the season, but it totally captures the euphoric feeling of summer.

The song that reminds me of summer is....... Katy Perry’s Teenage Dream (California Gurls from Katy is also very summer-ish, but that song got really annoying after 5 listens!).

I chose Teenage Dream because it evokes the carefree, invincible feeling every teenager feels when they’re not in school. You spend your days and nights at the beach living it up with your friends (okay, just substitute the beach for the mall!) and life is good.

This song also recalls the summer romances that may have only lasted mere weeks, but felt like it was the best moment ever!

Teenage Dream gets me singing and thinking about my carefree days as a teenager. Man, this song gets me every time! Check the video here

What’s your song of the summer?

Happygrrl of the Month - Nicki Minaj

2010-09-02T22:06:00.000-04:00

Let’s face it, she ain’t no Lauryn Hill, but Nicki Minaj is most def the baddest ~~chick~~ bitch in the rap game right now.

Her skillz and crazy-sexy-cool-persona have made her the girl you run to when you want your single upgraded. Just ask Ludacris, Usher, Mariah, and Drake (her Young Money lablemate). They’ve all worked with her, and believe me, their singles definitely benefited.

Her current single, Your Love—which I completely loooove—is sitting comfortably at #6 on Billboard’s top 100 R&B/Hip hop chart. I suspect that it will be number 1 in no time due to her epic-like video (the video’s Samurai theme is quite engaging, no?) and the cool Annie Lennox sample.

Nicki Minaj first caught my attention after I heard a couple of her collaborations with other artists. I thought they were good, but what really freaked me out was that she would sometimes rap in a kooky, albeit entertaining voice. At first I thought she was out of her damn mind, but after I heard the actual lyrics, I thought her delivery was very creative.

Although a lot of people are drawing comparisons to Lil Kim (she wears colourful wigs just like Lil Kim did back in the day, and like Lil Kim, Nicki ain’t shy about flaunting her hyper sexuality), I actually think she’s more Missy Elliot (think Missy from the Supa Dupa Fly days) with a pinch of Lil Kim and a dash of Lady Gaga.

Nicki Minaj is sooo worthy of the title of Happygrrl of the Month if nothing more than the fact that she’s the baddest rap chick with ridiculous swagger, and that she has brought a sense of humour back to rap music. And not in the corny Will Smith way!

Want some more info on Nicki Minaj? Check out some stats below.
Full Name: Onika Maraj
Birth date: December 8, 1984
Born in: Trinidad and then moved to Queens, New York
Label: Signed to Young Money in August 2009
CD: Her debut CD Pink Friday is due to be released November 23, 2010

Michelle

Where did summer go???

2010-08-24T22:36:00.000-04:00

I can’t believe that summer is practically over. Seriously, once the CNE opens, fall is right around the corner. Boo!

But there is an upside to the end of summer......Fall fashion!

As much as I loooove warm weather (wearing dresses, sandals, and my cute sunglasses), I adore fall fashions. Fall usually brings rich colours, warmer textures, and tons of tailored jackets.

I received an e-mail from Joe Fresh letting me know about their fall 2010 line, and I am literally counting down til I get my hands on some of their jackets. Check the fall line here.

I guess fall ain’t sooo bad! Happy shopping!

Michelle

Song of the moment

2010-07-20T08:43:00.004-04:00

Doesn’t it drive you crazy when you like a song that you have no reason liking? You’re not a fan of the artist, nor the genre, but you astoundingly can’t get enough of the song.

Here’s my dilemma.

Last week I started a new job in a new office, and I am relieved to say I love my new surroundings. It’s a very chill environment and my co-workers have bent over backwards to make me feel very comfortable. Thanks, guys!

Getting back to the reason for this post, one of my co-workers usually starts her day by logging into her computer, and then finding her fave online radio station. I’m cool with her station of choice because it plays a mix of genres (some old school, r&b, dance and pop), and TONS of top 40.

For part of the day I tune out some of the songs (read: anything too bubblegum and pop-think Justin Bieber), but for some ungodly reason, I’ve been humming along to a song that I’m slightly embarrassed for liking (psst….it could be the fact that the song is played 50 million times a day! LOL).

My normal workday turns into party mode when I hear Ke$ha’s single, Your Love Is My Drug. It’s soooo damn catchy! The lyrics are anything but profound, but my co-worker and I usually perk up and do our little desk dance by our computer screen when it comes on.

Maybe it'e me, but this song is the epitome of a summer hit single. It has equal parts happy, fun and complete fluff. It's so my guilty pleasure.

Not only do I like this song, I’m kinda digging the video.....don’t judge me!

Michelle

Love Lush Cosmetics?

2010-07-19T20:56:00.000-04:00

I am a major Lush fan. I have been writing about their products for almost 8 years! So I had to share with you their amazing new contest.

They are launching 10 new products and are giving them away to 10 facebook fans.

To enter, all you have to do is "like" Lush on Facebook for your chance to win.

*Be sure to go to the Lush website to get complete contest information.

Good luck!

Michelle

My essential summer beauty products

2010-07-14T22:42:00.002-04:00

When summertime hits, it’s time for me to modify my beauty routine. I’m not hiding under tons of clothing anymore, so when the temperature starts to smoulder, I bring out my essentials.

Check out a few products that I can’t go without when the summer heat hits.

Mango bath & shower gel, Body Shop

I completely love this bath and shower gel. The tropical mango scent evokes sunny days, warm summer nights and sexy summer flings. Okay, I’m totally being stupid, but this shower gel is my personal fave!

I love the lusciousness of the scent, and the fact that the fragrance lasts for hours and hours, scores big with me.

This shower gel makes me feel sexy!

Palmers Cocoa Butter
I’m always singing the praises of cocoa butter. Not only does it keep your skin silky smooth and hydrated during extremely scorching weather, it actually fades any blemishes on the skin (mosquito bites, scratches, scars).

I wouldn’t even think of taking away from its chocolaty aroma by applying perfume. I wear this lotion solo. Yes, it is that yummy!

Lady Speed stick 24/7 Satin Pear, deodorant
I never would have thought that I would be writing about my deodorant, but damn it, this deodorant is essential on those hot and hazy summer days. (I wear Dove deodorant for sensitive skin in the cold, winter months).

This deodorant gets my stamp of approval because it keeps me smelling great, even when it’s overbearingly hot (remember last week?).

Schick Intuition, Razor
I haven’t gotten into waxing my legs as of yet (psssst... I only got into getting my eyebrows done a few months ago), so I religiously shave my legs quite frequently during the summer months. Honestly, I hate doing it, but if I plan on donning cute flirty dresses and skirts, I have no choice! LOL!

My razor of choice is Schick Intuition. I love it because it moisturizes your skin while you shave. It already comes with shower gel added, so you don’t need to apply any.

My skin looks and feels sumptuously smooth for days on end. This is def my go-to razor.

Honourable Mention

Glorious Mud, Lush

This product is new to me, but after one use, it looks like I might be a fan.

It’s a cleansing bar that has deep exfoliating properties. You rub it on your body; let it work its magic for a minute, then you rinse it off. It’s like having a mud bath conveniently located in your shower.

Once you rub it on your body, your skin feels fantastically supple. The only drawback when using this mud bar is that the bathtub looks like you’ve been rolling around in mud for about an hour. So after you use this product, expect to scrub the tub.

Those were just a handful of my personal fave products. What do you use in the summer to keep your skin glowing?

Michelle

Were Chris Brown’s tears for real?

2010-07-04T15:42:00.001-04:00

It’s been a week since the BET awards aired, and I finally have the chance to sit down and discuss my take on Chris Brown’s breakdown at the award show.

I wasn’t going to comment on it, but I felt that with the proliferation of opinions online, I wanted to at least put my 2 cents in.

First of all, I was a Chris Brown fan before I found out about what happened between Rihanna and him. I loved his music (No Air, Jordin Sparks f/ Chris Brown is my personal fave!), but I stopped playing his songs after the incident. It just felt weird hearing him croon about love and crushes after I found out that he was capable of committing such a horrific act.

I did feel kinda bad for him after he apologized and carried out the community service and he still was not getting any airplay. Although I hate him for what he did, at least he is young enough to learn from the experience and make changes in his life.

On June 27th, 2010 Chris Brown performed a tribute to his idol, Michael Jackson. He finally got to celebrate and honour the man whom he loved. Honestly, it was a great performance. He really captured the essence of Michael through dance.

After the iconic dance moves, he started to sing Michael’s “Man in the Mirror.” His voice was cracking and tears were flowing off his chin. It was evident that he was overcome with emotion.

Some say that he was faking, and that it was a calculated move to win back his fans. I thought that too for a quick second, and then I realized that his emotion was quite real.

I feel that it wasn’t solely paying homage to Michael Jackson that got him choked up, but it was also being in front of his peers and reflecting on the lyrics (I'm Starting With The Man In The Mirror, I'm Asking Him To Change His Ways, And No Message Could Have Been Any Clearer, If You Wanna Make The World A Better Place (If You Wanna Make The World A Better Place),Take A Look At Yourself, And Then Make A Change). The lyrics definitely reflected his life.

To me, I felt that he was thinking about his situation and what has transpired over the year and a half and he became overcome with emotion.

He made a mistake, a HUGE mistake, and he can’t run from it, but I believe that he is ready to start over—not just his career, but his life. Good luck, Chris.

Michelle

Texting: When not to text

2010-06-18T17:40:00.002-04:00

Have we lost the art of conversation? I’ve been pondering this issue for the longest time because of the millions of modes of communication at one’s fingertips. E-mail, facebook, myspace, MSN (even that seems so prehistoric now!) and the infamous text.

Gone are the days when someone would pick up the phone and talk; it’s much easier and convenient to send a quick e-mail or text.

The reason that I bring this up is that I was recently set up by one of my good friends. She set me up with a guy that she thought I would totally click with. He was nice, cute, a little shy, but still a decent guy.

We initially communicated through e-mail as my friend thought it was the safest medium, so she simply gave him my personal e-mail address.

Once he was less weirded out by the thought of being set up by our mutual friend, he felt comfortable enough to e-mail and eventually text me. Little did I know how much of a texter he was.

I thought that it was sweet that he would send me a daily text to see how I was, but I found it a little strange that it was his only mode of communicating with me. My friend said that he was shy, but I didn’t think that he was that shy!

Unfortunately, he was that shy!

After receiving his texts for about a month, I decided that if he wasn’t going to call, it was up to me to make the “first move.” Grrls, let me tell y’all, it didn’t go over too well.

He was quite nervous on the phone and eerily very quiet (I think I actually scared him!). Once I calmed him down and let him know I wasn’t a random crazy chick, he was okay. Quiet, but okay. I ended the call quickly and we eventually went back to good old reliable texting.

I realize that he wasn’t comfortable speaking (to a woman) on the phone or in person (believe it or not, we actually went out on one date, and I’m pretty sure I spoke for the entire date. Yes, I’m a chatty grrl, but still!). It was actually kinda sad because when I did ask him a few questions, he seemed sooooo interesting. His social life was quite active, so I couldn’t understand why he was socially inept. As interesting as he was, his inability to speak got in the way.

So how do you feel about texting when getting to know someone? Is it appropriate? How much is too much texting?

Holla at me at michelle at happygrrls.com or leave a message and let me know!

Michelle

Divas in the City Update

2010-06-04T12:17:00.014-04:00

My bff and I went to the Divas in the City last night and had a fab time. We sat for the inspirational info-sessions on topics ranging from finance to having amazing sex. I must admit, I enjoyed the latter session the most!! LOL!

I want to thank Laura and Nikki for having a forum that showcases the success of women. Thanks, grrls!

Michelle

Beauty 411

2010-05-31T23:00:00.002-04:00

Are you like me and sport raccoon eyes after you’ve washed your face? My mascara (especially waterproof) can be stubborn at times and it takes FOREVER for me to wash it off.

Being the impatient girl that you know and love, I wanted to put an end to this torture, and find something that removes my makeup, quickly and safely.

I went to the drugstore and randomly chose L’Oreal’s Ideal Balance Cleansing cloths. I already use L’Oreal products, so I thought to give it a try as it is a brand I trust.

I tried the cloths after I caked on some eye shadow and mascara. I thought, “If it can remove all of this, it must be good!” I took a cloth out from the pack and gently wiped my eyes. The mascara and eye shadow came off after a couple of wipes.

This products gets marks for effectiveness, but it loses a few for the smell (the smell ain’t that bad, it’s just that it smells a bit medicinal to me).

Overall, I am glad that I chose this product.

Michelle

Wanna be divafied?

2010-05-17T15:56:00.001-04:00

If you read the blog regularly (I know you do, now show me some love and follow the blog!), you probably have seen Laura Furtado’s name scattered in a few entries. That’s because I think she’s one of the most amazing females I’ve ever met. She’s ambitious, positive, high energy and a budding mogul. (*she’s sooo my bff in my head!)

Laura is the owner and founder of the highly successful company DivaGirl Inc. It consists of 3 divisions—DivaGirl Fitness, DivaGirl Entertainment and DivaGirl Beauty.

You’d think that with overseeing all of that she wouldn’t have time for anything else. Wrong! Ms. Furtado, along with equally successful entrepreneur Nikki Bergen (she’s the founder of Grace Corps Studio—a mobile Stott Pilates training company with locations in physical therapy clinics all over the GTA) have joined forces to create Divas in the City, an interactive forum for independent females who work hard, are driven, but also want to feel fabulous. The event is all about promoting how to feel good about yourself and embracing your inner Carrie Bradshaw! You can count me in!

Divas in the City will showcase experts from 7 areas that are of importance to every diva. There will be sessions on Money/Finance, Food, Fashion, Purpose/Goal setting, Fitness, Relationships and Beauty.

Sound good to you?

Here are the details:

Date: Thursday, June 3rd, 2010

Time: 6:00pm-10:30pm

Venue: The Spoke Club, 600 King St. W, 4th floor

You can buy tickets here.

* If you need more information, please click here. Hope to see ya there!

Michelle

Deal Of The Month

2010-05-11T11:42:00.000-04:00

In late April and early May, I set out to buy a birthday gift for one of my BFFs, but I had the hardest time trying to find something for her. I looked for a nice handbag, a signature perfume, even a fancy wallet—anything to show my bestie that she’s very much appreciated. I looked for weeks in every mall imaginable but I always came home empty handed. A wise shopper once told me, that you should never plan to shop for someone else, because you’ll wind up buying something for yourself.

Okay, so the wise shopper wasn’t totally off. On my last attempt to shop for my friend, I found something that screamed my name!! Sorry, girl!

I really wasn’t planning on making a purchase, but after quickly dropping by Smart Set, I took sight of a candy coloured coral bib necklace hanging on a rack. (pssst... they are all the rage for summer 2010!)

I thought to myself, I’m not shopping for myself today, so I should continue to look for something for my friend. But for some reason I couldn’t take my eyes off of the necklace.

I felt guilty for thinking of getting something for myself, so again I continued to look around the store trying desperately to find something that would be perfect for my friend......and of course I found nothing.

I finally gave in, put the necklace on the counter and told the sales person that I had to have it.

Turns out my must-have necklace was on sale for $6.00, down from $14.00, so I felt even better about the purchase.

I did end up finding something for my friend a week later, but I think buying the necklace for myself was a wise decision, no? LOL

-Michelle

Single Review

2010-05-03T12:59:00.003-04:00

Usher

I’ve been perusing the charts for some singles to download (legally!) and I happened to see that newly divorced r&b heavyweight Usher, had not only one single on the chart, but three.

This gave me a great idea of reviewing all three singles and sharing with you which Usher song I liked the best. Which one is your fave?

Lil Freak, Usher feat Nicki Minaj
Not only is Usher a single dude again, he would like all the ladies to know that he’s horny and looking for some lovin’! Perhaps the title of the song was a dead giveaway, no?

Sample line: Hey girl I see you like that
you gettin excited you rockin like a pro with it girls
by the way you got right on that and now you counter kissin on a girl
I'm about to have a minajay [ménage] with this lady
look at those freaks at the bar looking for a star

Trust me, these are some of the tamer lyrics. Usher ain’t shy about expressing his turn-ons! FYI, this song is all about scoring a threesome.

X-rated content aside, the song ain’t all bad. However, after reading the lyrics, I like it less.

This is the kind of song that you will definitely hear in the clubs to get everyone moving. It has a good beat and the half-drunk club goers will surely be screaming the chorus!

Accompanying Usher on this song, is resident freaky girl Nicki Minaj. Even though she ain’t the most skilled emcee, she’s actually my fave part of the song. Who knew that someone could actually work in Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Donner, Comet, Cupid, Blitzen into their rap? I find that oddly kinda funny!

Al though the song is not all bad, I definitely won’t download it. I’m no prude, but this song is a bit much for me. Onto the next single.

Hey Daddy, (Daddy’s Home), Usher
Okay, so if you read the review above, the same can be said about Daddy’s Home. Pssst....Usher’s still horny!

The good thing about this song is that it’s not as dirty as Lil Freak. It leans more to the sexy side and comes off sounding more romantic than pervy. He’s telling his boo that when he gets home, he will show her how much he missed her.

Sample lines: And I won't knock or ring no bells
You just poke that bottom up in the air
I'll get you hot, I know you oh so well
And when I walk in, all that I wanna hear
you say Daddy's home, Daddy's home for me

After hearing this song 536 times, it is stuck in my head. I like it, but is it worthy of a download? Not sure yet. Onto the last single.

OMG, Usher feat. Will.I. AM

Out of all 3 songs, this is the least provocative song. Usher continues his lust over hot women, but he isn’t as randy as he was in the previous 2 singles.

Sample line: I fell in love with shawty when I seen her on the dance floor
She was dancing sexy, pop, pop, popping, dropping, dropping low
Never ever has a lady hit me on the first sight
This was something special; this was just like dynamite

The theme and the sound of the song is pretty typical of an r&b single (guy spots girl dancing suggestively, guy is interested—I’m sure you can hear T-Pain, or Flo Rida on this track), but at least this song is very danceable (more so than Lil Freak).

I will say that the moment I heard the song I immediately liked it. It got me dancing even though I wasn’t really partial to the chorus (is it me or is it a little weird hearing a bunch of people screaming OHOHOH?)

So after reviewing all three I have chosen my favourite Usher single. The single worthy of a download is OMG. I like the high energy and the fact that he says "oh my gosh" appeals to my geeky side. LOL!

What's your fave Usher single?

Q & A

2010-04-07T22:19:00.004-04:00

Jessica Biffi

Even though talented fashion designer Jessica Biffi did not walk away with the most coveted prize on Project Runway Canada Season 2, I have been faithfully following her rising career. She ultimately lost to Sunny (I didn’t take it too badly. I adored his creations too!), but I knew it wouldn’t be the last time we would hear from Miss Jessica B.

I wanted to interview her ever since I saw her on the show (she looks like such a fun person, no?). It took me a year, but I finally sent her an e-mail and asked if she would like to be interviewed for the happygrrls blog. She replied within seconds and said yes (yay!), but due to her busy schedule, we would have to do an e-mail interview.

Although I didn’t meet her in person, her cheerfulness and passion totally came through in her responses. Check out her awesome answers below!

When did you know that you had a talent for fashion design?
I've always loved fashion, before I knew what "fashion" was. I really got my start in high school though. I took a fashion class in grade 11, and it was then that I realized that I had a natural talent for drafting, construction and making beautiful things. Ever since then, I've been working towards being a designer.

Did you ever think of pursuing something else? If so, what?
I've always been a creative person, so I think if I wasn't designing I would be in a creative field like art, other forms of design, or acting. But to be honest with you, this is all I've ever wanted to do, and I'm very fortunate to be able to do what I love.

What was it like being a part of Project Runway Canada?
Imagine the most amazing, stressful, dramatic, funny, scary and pressure-filled moments of your life and simmer it down to a series of weeks - and that is Project Runway Canada! It was a challenge, but one that was so worth all the hard work. The show has been a career launcher for me, and I am really very grateful to the series.

You honestly had the most chill attitude on the show! What did you do to keep yourself sane in such a hectic environment?
I was lucky because I met some amazing people that I bonded with right away. Adejoke and Sunny, really were the ones I was closest to, and still remain great friends with. Also, after each elimination I would go back to the house and get my pro nails on and de-stress that way. You just have to keep your head on right in stressful times like that. I was there for me, not for the drama and I just wanted to do what I can to do and not get caught up in that stuff.

How did your line at Addition-Elle and MXM come about?
I used to work at Additon Elle as a visual merchandiser. I had a lot of fun working at the Toronto flagship store, and for me as a designer I think it’s very important to have firsthand retail knowledge. After Project Runway Canada, I left to start my namesake line, Jessica Biffi. Addition Elle and MXM were very supportive of me while I was on the show, so it really was a natural fit. They asked if I would be interested in partnering with them in two plus size lines, and I jumped at it! Plus is something that I've always wanted to do, and I am so proud to be working with such leaders in the plus size market. Also - I love wearing the lines that I've created!!

What have been some of the highlights of your career so far?
This is going to sound cliché, but everything! Getting my start on the series was incredible! Launching Jessica Biffi at LG Fashion Week last season, meeting and being interviewed by Jeanne Beker, working with all the amazing partners I've had over the last two years, and now creating two plus size lines sold across Canada! Jessica Biffi the brand will soon be one year old - and what a year it’s been!!

What celeb would you love to see in your clothes?
I'm greedy - all of them!! I want everyone from Blake Lively to Gabourey Sidibe to rock Jessica Biffi!

What type of woman do you have in mind when you are designing clothes?
Someone that loves fashion, wants something beautiful but interesting, isn't afraid to be a little bit sexy, is confident and loves to express herself. Every season or project is different, but this is the essence of the Biffi woman.

What inspires you?
Anything and everything. I like to mix things together that someone might not fully understand at first, but the complete vision is so beautiful. I pull from music, art, technology, nature, people, politics, space - I'm all over the place. I think that's what's so amazing about creativity - it comes from all over if you are open to it. I also have some great muses in my life, and they play a big part in my design process.

What current trend(s) are you tired of seeing? Which ones do you love?
I'm SO over leggings as pants! Leggings are NOT pants! I love leggings, and under a short dress or great tunic - awesome! But with a shorter shirt and as a straight up bottom - no. I do love shoulder details - and see them happening for a while longer.

What fashion designers are you a fan of?
Hands down - Alexander McQueen. He was the love of my life. Everything he did had such an effect on me. I loved his use of tailoring and interesting mixes of textures and fabrications. He had such a strong voice - one that will always be with me.

Michelle

Beauty 411

2010-04-02T20:17:00.000-04:00

It colour palette

I don’t paint my nails often. They always seem to chip so easily. Seriously, I can simply glance at my nails and the paint will start to peel. Hence why I sport naked (a.k.a boyish) nails!

But for reasons unknown to me, I have inexplicably signed up to receive weekly e-mails from Essie . They inform me about the hottest trends in nail colour. I usually skim through the e-mail and then quickly press the delete button. But their last few e-mails have seemed to grab my attention. Instead of showing harsh garish colours like navy blue, black or the Incredible Hulk-ish green that I saw in seasons past, their spring collection consists of genteel, soft, pastel colours which I like. (*I’m even partial to their Wedding Collection)

I love their series of girly pinks, delicate lilacs, and baby blues. Those are the hues that I usually gravitate towards, so I was happy to know that they were en vogue.

Not one to be easily swayed(okay, that’s a total lie!), the Essie e-mails eventually got to me and I went out and bought myself a bottle of lavender nail enamel. Wore it this past week, got a few nice comments and planned to buy some more. Thanks for the e-mail, Essie!

Michelle

Dear Angry Black Grrl

2010-03-28T22:33:00.002-04:00

We've been getting a lot of questions lately for our resident Rude Girl, Dear Angry Black Grrl. She gives no-nonsense advice on all topics related to relationships.

If you need some questions answered and can handle some tough love, send your questions to michelle@happygrrls.com.

Here's the latest question.

Dear Angry Black Grrl

First things first, I am not bitter and I am NOT jealous of my best friend. Cool, now here’s my problem. I loooove my best friend to death but there’s one thing that she does that pisses me off. Every time that we go out, she brings her boyfriend along. Serious. Every. time!

We could be going for coffee, lunch, dinner, shopping, anything, and his dumbass is there. I do like him, but sometimes I want to spend quality time with my bestie. What do you suggest I do?

Signed, three’s a crowd

Dear three’s a crowd,

Girl, I hear ya! It’s cool for all of you to get along and do things together, but if every time I saw my best friend I had to see her boyfriend, someone was getting cussed out. Her dude is cool, but dayum, seeing him all the time gets annoying!

There ain’t no easy way to tell her, but you might have to come clean and say that you want a girls’ night out or that you want to chill with her without her man. Maybe your friend doesn’t even know that it bothers you. But if it were me, I would let her know pretty damn quick that I wasn't feelin' being the third wheel.

I’m not too sure what your friend will say, but at least you’re being honest. Either way, good luck!!

Happygrrls meet DivaGirl Fitness...again!

2010-02-20T14:19:00.001-05:00

I interviewed Laura Furtado of DivaGirl Fitness almost 6 whole months ago. After listening to her speak passionately about her love of dance and fitness, I promised her (and myself) that I would sign up for one of her classes. She didn’t have to persuade me too much because taking a dance class was something that I always wanted to do. It’s fun and it’s exercise, what’s better than that?

Although I promised her 6 whole months ago that I would take one of her classes.......I didn’t.

But as luck would have it, my employer provided all employees with a chance to sign up for a free 2 hour dance class as a part of staff appreciation. And guess who the instructor was...................?? Laura Furtado! I didn’t even have to think about it; I signed up for the session and eagerly awaited the class.

I was a little nervous when I walked into the gym. I don’t work out regularly (okay, I don’t work out period!), and I was a nervous about looking silly. But once I heard the heavy hip hop grooves and saw Laura’s bubbly face, all my anxiety left me.

Just to let you know, the class was freakin’ amazing! I had more fun than I imagined. We started off with some hip hop dance moves followed by some spicy Bhangra moves.

I was loving the hip hop moves. I was pretending that I was one of those hardcore hip hop dancers in You Got Served, Step Up, Stomp the Yard, or any other cheesy dance movie getting their battle on.

I had tons of fun while I worked out. I kept wondering why I never signed up for the classes before. I’m such a punk!

The last hour was spent on Bhangra/Bollywood style of dance. The intricate moves in this style of dance provided an insanely effective workout. It was fun, but I also felt that I was working out places that need to be worked out! Just like with the hip hop moves, during the Bhangra session, I envisioned myself in an elaborate Bollywood movie and it was the huge dance number. Yes, my imagination is way too active sometimes! : )

After enjoying the 2 hour session I went up to Laura and thanked her for the class and promised...again that I will take one of her classes. Something tells me that I won’t break that promise.

-Michelle

Beauty 411

2010-02-09T22:06:00.001-05:00

My latest go-to lip gloss

Glamour-Full, Clinique

It’s funny how my new go-to lip gloss happens to be something that I got for free. It was a gift with purchase when I bought a bottle of Clinique’s Dramatically Different Moisturizing lotion a couple months ago (*btw, this moisturizer has been a part of my beauty regimen for as long as I can remember). I also received a mini version of their Lash Doubling mascara (this is also an exceptional product!), a makeup case and some eye shadow.

Normally the makeup palette in the bonus gifts doesn’t really go with my skin tone and I end up tossing it out or giving it to friends, but the sample size of Glamour-full full potential lips plump and shine lip gloss that was included, wasn’t a stark contrast to my complexion.

The colour itself is a mixture of muted pink and lavender hues. When I apply it, it gives my lips that glossy, shiny effect with just a whisper of pink.

My lips are quite full already, so I haven’t noticed a plumping effect (you might feel a slight tingling when you wear it the first couple of times). But other than that, this is a great lip gloss.

P.S. If the Clinique lip gloss is a bit too pricey and you want to try a less expensive brand, you should take a look at Barely Nude Infallible Lip Gloss from L’Oreal. It’s a great lip gloss (I bought this one too!) and the colour is as delicate as the Clinique lip gloss.

P.S S. Both lip glosses look fantastic when worn with a smoky eye.

Michelle

The Grammys

2010-02-01T22:17:00.001-05:00

There are only a handful of award shows that get me to drop everything and sit glued to the tube for extended periods of time—and the Grammys is one of them. I made sure to do everything that I needed to do by 8pm on Sunday, Jan 31st, 2010.

Even though the Grammys are extremely political (psst...sometimes the person most deserving doesn’t get the award, and it goes to an artist that is good, but deserved it ages ago), I can’t miss it because I love to watch the performances.

I viewed every minute of the 3 and half hour telecast and it was.....uh, okay. It wasn’t as fun and exciting as I would have liked, but it was alright.

Here’s my breakdown of some of the performances of the night. Let me know if you agree, disagree or think I’m too picky! LOL!

The Performances

Beyoncé- If I Were A Boy

I'm a Beyoncé fan, but her performance was a bit dry and boring. It was flashy, but it didn’t get me moving. I felt a sense of nostalgia during her “You Oughta Know” interlude (originally sung by Alanis Morissette), but it didn’t quite serve a purpose. I was waiting for Alanis to run up on stage and sing with Beyoncé, but that never happened. Oh well.

Lady Gaga- Poker Face
I totally appreciate her energy and creativity that she brings to her performances. You can’t deny the bedazzled one that!

The first half of her performance was good. I even liked her costume. It was crazy, but I thought it looked cool! The second part of her performance kind fell flat. She played the piano alongside Elton John (it sorta reminded me of when Eminem performed with Elton John ages ago). It wasn’t a particularly bad performance; I was just anticipating something more electrifying.

P!nk- Glitter In The Air
I know a lot of people with disagree with me, but I will say it. The P!nk performance was good, but I did not love it as much as everyone else. Am I the only one that remembered that she did a similar routine on another award show? Don’t get me wrong, it was good, and the woman is talented, but it seemed a little too familiar.

Jamie Foxx f/T-Pain & Slash- Blame it
Call me ghetto, but I loooved this performance. I thought it was hilarious. Jamie and T-Pain got me dancing in my living room. They got crunk up in there!

Drake f/Lil Wayne & Eminem- Forever
This is officially my song of the moment. I keep saying that I’m not a Drake fan, but I continue to write about his songs. Yes, I think I’m in denial (or a hater!) I think that I will be lusting over the man soon enough!

I liked this performance because it injected a little hip hop into the award show. It was also cute to see Taylor Swift (someone I don’t peg to be a hip hop fan) get her dance on to this song. Soo cute!

Well, that’s my take on the Grammys. Let me know what you think. E-mail me at michelle@happygrrls.com

-Michelle

Help Haiti

2010-01-16T14:30:00.002-05:00

I’m sure by now you’ve heard about the devastating earthquake that rocked Haiti on Jan 12th , 2010. Over 100,000 people are reported dead and the number is rising. Homes, businesses and government offices have been destroyed. The situation is quite bleak.

I’ve had the privilege of being in Haiti briefly, and I know that day-to-day living conditions were terrible before. I cannot fathom what it is like now. I wanted to say to our readers, please keep the people of Haiti in your thoughts and donate anything that you can to a verified charity.

Thanks,

Michelle

Happy New Year!

2010-01-06T23:02:00.000-05:00

It’s a few days into 2010, which makes it an opportune time to look back at 2009. My favourite part of reviewing the past year is compiling my list of the hottest songs. Check out my list of top 10 singles for 2009.

Turnin Me on, Keri Hilson f/Lil Wayne

This is the song that made me loooove Keri and her badgirl swagger. She’s so badass that she can easily hold her own against thuggish rapper, Lil Wayne.

Knock You Down, Keri Hilson f/ Ne-Yo and Kanye West

Just when I thought that Keri’s Turnin’ Me On single was the best thing ever, she released Knock You Down. Can’t tell you how many times I’ve played this song.

Lions, Tigers and Bears, Jazmine Sullivan

This song came out in the beginning of 2009 but was so impressive it was destined to land high on my top 10 list. It’s raw, emotional and heart wrenching. I identified with every word that she belted out. Check out the lyrics and let me know if it doesn’t pierce your heart.

Hot N Cold, Katy Perry

I.can’t.get.enough.of.this.song!! I will be continuously playing this well into 2010

Already Gone, Kelly Clarkson

I know that this song sounds EXACTLY like Beyonce’s Halo, but Ms. Clarkson released a better produced (and less annoying) song. It’s deep, introspective- everything you expect from her.

Blame it, Jamie Foxx f/T-Pain

How could I not like an ode to a-a-a- alcohol?

Successful, Drake f/Trey Songz

Still not a Drake fan, but I love this song.

Miss Independent, Ne-Yo

Would any year-end list be complete without Ne-Yo? Absolutely not.

Break-Up, Mario

The staccato beat of this song makes it sizzle!

Heartless, Kanye West

Just when you want to hate Kanye and his foolishness, he releases a great song and you forget that he’s a crazy, arrogant ass. Well, you almost forget. Still love this track, though.

Artist of the year: Lady Gaga

Say what you want about Lady Gaga—she’s weird, her music fluffy, she’s an attention whore…etc., at least she ain’t boring!!

Beneath all the flash, insane costumes and bizarre performances, she can sing. Which is more than you can say for some singers (ahem Britney Spears, Ciara, are you listening?).

Overrated Artist of the year: Drake

In a previous post I wrote that I liked one of his songs, and I even included one of his songs on my best of 2009. Buuuut, I have not embraced him the way others have. I think he has a loooong way to go before he earns the title of new king of hip hop.

Runner Up: The Dream

Don’t all his songs sound the same?

Worst song: Baby By Me, 50 Cent f/ Ne-Yo

There were tons of songs that I could mention (Boom, Boom, Pow, Black Eyed Peas, Right Round, Flo Rida, Crack A bottle, Eminem, She Wolf, Shakira…and the list can goes on!) but for some reason this song seriously rubbed me the wrong way. How ignorant can one song be? Sample line: “Have a baby by me, be a millionaire..” Fail!!!

Guilty Pleasures

Normally, I would never admit to liking some of these songs, but dammit, they got me.

I Hate This Part, The Pussycat Dolls

Kiss Me Thru The Phone, Soulja boy f/Sammie

Turn My Swag On, Soulja boy

You’re a Jerk, New Boyz

Mrs. Officer, Lil Wayne f/ Bobby Valentino and Kidd Kidd

Fave Video

Sorry Taylor Swift, but I agree with Kanye. I liked Beyonce’s video too. It wasn’t necessarily the most innovative video ever, but her infectious lyrics and dance routine had me dancing whenever I heard the song.

Runner Up 1: Hot N Cold, Katy Perry

This video is hilarious and I appreciate the nod to the 80s.

Runner 2: Paparazzi, Lady Gaga

She is a genius. This slightly murderous video is more entertaining than the average Hollywood flick. I heart this video!!

That’s my rundown for music in 2009. Feel free to let me know what you think.

-Michelle

It's starting to look a lot like Christmas!

2009-12-23T22:44:00.000-05:00

Christmas is a little over 24 hours away, and I’m slowly getting into the spirit of the season. But what really gets me in the mood for Christmas is chilling on the couch and watching a few holiday movies.

Here’s a short list of movies that make me feel like a kid again. E-mail me and let me know what movies get you in the Christmas spirit.

1. The Sound of Music

2. Christmas Vacation

3. A Christmas Story

4. Home Alone

5. Goodfellas- yes, this mob classic is a must see at Christmas time

6. A Charlie Brown Christmas

Michelle

Deal of the Month

2009-12-14T22:24:00.001-05:00

Yup, I’m finally updating the blog. Sorry for my extreme laziness—I’ll try to make it up to you and blog more frequently. Feel free to nag me via e-mail if I start slacking off again. LOL!

Merry Christmas to me?

During the Christmas season, I try to stay clear of the malls. Too many crowds, too many screaming kids, and forget about trying to find parking. But since I had to pick up a few things (pair of mittens, a Secret Santa present for one of my co-workers…), I decided to quickly go to the mall, get what I needed and jet back home.

As I was walking through the mall, I passed through Zellers to get to my first destination. But before I exited Zellers, I spotted from the corner of my eyes, the latest items from The Alfred Sung collection, (his exclusize collection for Zellers is called Pure). I’ve seen his collection before (I own one of the cardigans), but today I walked over to take a better look. There were TONS of cute dresses on display and believe me, I wanted to try all of them on.

Being that it is winter and I almost never wear dresses once the weather dips lower than 5 C, I thought it was more appropriate to look at some of the warm sweaters. I picked up a few thick sweaters but I found myself in front of the dresses again. I picked up a charcoal grey A-line dress with an attached sash, and headed towards the fitting room.

As luck would have it, the dress was the only item that I fit (okay, one of the sweaters fit, but I looked better in the dress!). I liked that it was something that I could dress up, or make it business casual enough that I could wear to work. The price tag read $34.97 which by no means is expensive, but I thought that I should put it down and concentrate on buying something for my Secret Santa, not myself. But for some unknown reason, I thought to scan the tag on the price checker machine to see if it was on sale. I scanned it, and the price read $20.00!!!??? I honestly looked at the machine a million times to make sure that it really said $20.00. Without hesitation, I walked over to the cashier gleefully holding my "soon to be" latest purchase. Even the cashier mentioned that I was a good shopper for spotting that sale. Holla!

I know that I should've bought something for my Secret Santa, but since I’ve been good all year long (some might say that‘s debatable!), I’ll just call this my Christmas gift to me!

　

-Michelle

Congratulations

2009-10-29T19:35:00.000-04:00

A big congrats goes out to E.B. from Toronto who answered our Halloween contest question correctly.

Contest question: Question: What was Michelle's "it" colour for the summer season?

The answer: yellow

A HUGE thanks goes out to all that entered the contest.

Michelle

Single Review

2009-10-28T21:45:00.002-04:00

Rihanna- Russian Roulette

No one is looking forward to Rihanna’s return to the game as much as I am. Yes, y’all, I am fully aware that the girl isn’t the greatest singer, but at least she releases fun songs that burn up the dance floor. C’mon, admit it, you know that you still know all the words to Umbrella and her hook for Live Your Life!

Just a few days ago I was fortunate enough to hear Russian Roulette—the first single off her latest cd, Rated R. I read in the blogosphere that her album was going to show a different side of Rihanna and expose a more emotional side.

So, I heard the track ....and.......it was okay, nothing spectacular (just like the Run this Town single...I hope I am not sensing a trend for her!). The song is slooooooow and comes across a tad morose and kinda gloomy.

Sample line,
“Take a breath, take it deep
Calm yourself, he says to me
If you play, you play for keeps
Take a gun, and count to three
I’m sweating now, moving slow
No time to think, my turn to go

Some are speculating that the song is about suicide, but I am not taking any of the lyrics literally. Considering the title of the song is Russian Roulette, I’m sure it’s just a metaphor for something else. i.e love, relationships....perhaps her time with Chris Brown...etc.

I’m just upset that she released a slow song rather than something I could dance to. Most artists who’ve been out of the limelight for a while release an up-tempo song to satisfy their fans and get a buzz going (Beyonce did that with Single Ladies and Mariah released Obsessed).

The song is definitely not one of her finest. It’s a little boring and something I can't get into. Hopefully she will shine on her next single. Sorry Rhi Rhi, but this song gets a 2.5/5

-Michelle

Relating

2009-10-17T16:29:00.002-04:00

Looks like someone needs Dear Angry Black Grrl's help. Check out the latest relationship problem...

Dear Angry Black Grrl

I have a problem and I know YOU will be able to give me some good advice.

I met a guy at a club recently. I was hanging with a friend of mine, and I happened to meet a guy who made my whole night more fun. His name is *Jason (names have been changed to protect the not-so-innocent!) and he had me laughing all night long. He’s not really my type physically (he’s shorter than I’m used to), but he’s cool and has a great sense of humour.

Since we had such a good night together, we wanted to get to know each other better, so we planned to go on a date. So... we went out.....and unfortunately our date was majorly boring and I felt more of a friendship vibe from him. After the date I told my friend that I wasn’t really feeling him, but I was willing to give him one more chance.

A couple days later I was talking to my friend again and she told me that she went out with Jason. I was a little shocked. I asked her why she went out with him and she said that, “She wanted to talk to him.” I was upset with her and hung up the phone. Am I being too emotional? I know he ain’t my man, but still. Was she wrong to date a guy that I just went out with?

Signed, my friend is a backstabber!

Dear my friend is a backstabber,

It’s good that she told you that foolishness on the phone because if she told you that in person, you would have every right to cut her!!! Kidding!

But seriously, what’s up with your friend? Is she really a friend? Honestly, that’s not a good look for her. Even though you and this guy weren’t dating exclusively, she shouldn’t have gone behind your back and dated him. If I were you, I’d let her know how you feel and go from there. If she doesn’t understand your point of view of the situation, then you pretty much know how she feels about your friendship. And on a side note, what’s up with Jason? Why was he trying to date both of you guys? You need to cuss him out too!

Contest Alert!

2009-10-13T17:36:00.006-04:00

There are a few more weeks ‘til Halloween, but I can’t help but get excited. Basically any holiday where you get dressed up and get candy is good in my book! : )

So to celebrate one of my all time favourite holidays, I would like to reward a lucky reader with a Halloween prize pack from Lush. If you are lucky enough to be the first person to answer our contest question, you can win Ghost Shower Gel, Jacko Bath Bomb and the Cobweb bath bomb from Lush.

Question: What was Michelle’s “it” colour for the summer season? (Hint: The answer is located in an entry posted in July.)

Send your answers to michelle@happygrrls.com before October 27th. (Late entries will not be accepted!) This contest is open to Canadian residents only.

Good luck!

Michelle