The Euro Diva

The Diva gets a European Makeover...

After being in Europe for 4 months I started to become acustomed to the culture. Sure, I could not live without Starbucks, Clinique skincare, or Zara- most everything American is available there. However even though I was shopping in the same stores or occasionally ordering American food ( Yes, I did try McDonalds in almost every country I visited!) I started to embrace the different products and foods they offered. After all crossaints in Paris reign over anything you get in the States.

So here are my top 5 European inspired finds that you are sure to love!

1. Boyfriend Jeans.

It's almost like our obsession with tight leggings and well, tight everything else. Europeans love baggy. And it is so much more comfortable. I picked up a pair at Zara and love throwing them on with cute, graphic tees or a funky jacket and booties. It all depends on your personal style but these jeans are flattering rolled up and belted, with a simple top and loads of boho jewelry. Day look with flats and a lacey top; Night look with heeled boots and a blazer.

Citizens of Humanity
"Dylan" Boyfriend Distressed
$238
(www.anthropologie.com)

3x1
Destroyed Boyfriend Jeans
$265

2. Bunny Friendly Beauty

One of the coolest things about Europe is that they just passed a law that banned animal testing!! As you know this is one of the biggest life goals and passions, to create a culture that embraces animal rights and to make animal testing ILLEGAL in the United States. So this country needs to take the lead from the UK, Germany, and all other European countries and work on making all household and beauty products, cruelty free. Anyways some major brands in the U.S that promote this are Lush cosmetics and The Body Shop. Both offer products that are made with natural ingredients good for your skin and that are ethically tested- no bunnies or beagles are harmed!

(see more about EU's new law: http://www.thebodyshop-usa.com/values/eu-bans-animal-testing.aspx)

Some of my fav, cruelty free products:

LOVE this light weight day cream- does not clog my pores and is perfect under sunscreen and makeup. I used it abroad and got some more for home!
$16.50
The Body Shop

This scrubbie is great for the shower after a day at the beach or lots of sweating.  It gets your face really clean, and tingles because of the vodka and lime in it that kills all the icky bacteria and crap on your face. A little cosmetic cocktail...fabulous!
$21.95
Lush

I love a devine drugstore miracle...like anything St. Ives! Their products are affordable but also more natural than other brands- no phosphates or silicone- and do not test on animals!
I use their body lotions religiously because they cost around $6 and last for months!

This is my favorite scent- it smells like coconut and is soooo smoothing.
$5.50
CVS pharmacy

3. NUTELLA

So this is a staple for Europeans- especially in Germany and Italy ( where it was invented!)

They put it on and in everything- toast, crossaints, crepes, icecream, cookies....pizza... ( just kidding!)

I became an addict.

I know I am a supporter of healthy living and eating BUT when it comes to sweets there really is no exeception. There is nothing sassy about "sugar free"

I would reccomend you keep a jar in your house at all times, just in case you get the hazelnut cravings late at night...or early in the morning!

I am hardly the baker.

I can make some delish cupcakes with the help of my friend Betty Crocker : )

But next time you make cupcakes or cake, take the time to make a Nutella Buttercream frosting to add some pizazz to your treats!

I got this recipe from a blog called Kitchen Treaty

 ( http://www.kitchentreaty.com/fluffy-nutella-buttercream-frosting/)

FLUFFY NUTELLA BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Print

Prep time

5 mins

Total time

5 mins

This fluffy – and super easy – buttercream frosting recipe features everyone’s favorite chocolate-hazelnut spread, Nutella. Pure perfection.

Author: Kitchen Treaty

Recipe type: Dessert

Yield: Enough to frost 12 cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• ⅔ cup Nutella or other chocolate-hazelnut spread
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Pinch kosher salt (up to ¼ teaspoon, to taste)
• 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

Instructions

1. In a stand mixer afixed with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and powdered sugar on low until well-blended. Add the Nutella and increase the speed to medium. Beat for two minutes.
2. Add the vanilla extract and salt and whip for an additional 30 seconds.
3. Add the whipping cream and beat for about one minute, until the frosting lightens slightly in both color and texture.

4. Lipstick

Listen ladies ( or Gentlemen) I have been converted I was always under the impression that you had to be like 25 to wear lipstick and red lips were totally tacky. I was wrong. Everyone over the age of like 12 in Europe rocked the lavish lip trend and I was hooked. A former lip gloss fanatic, I never realized how much my lips were a major part of my face. I think it all started when I was too lazy to put on any other makeup before rehearsal and I would play around the free samples I got. Blush pink or even a nude became my new go to for day and by night I was slicking on magenta, purple, and even red! With a smokey eye and a high pony, a crimson red is just the right club look. With a messy bun and cute sunglasses, coral pink is great for a day around town. I really do urge you to branch out and pamper your pout with a burst of color.

The key: picking a lipstick or stain that doesn't dry out your lips ( in Russia's dry, cold air that was essential).

This lipstick is honestly my new favorite. It is so smooth and nourishing to my lips, they never get cracked and feel dry with it in. Plus some of the colors are really rich and fun.
My pick: Marvelous Moxie Lipstick in 'Get Ready'
$18
Bare Escentuals

Trying new things, being bold everyday, and stepping outside your comfort zone will always be in style.

xoxo Diva G

I'm Back!

I AM BACK!

I know it has been forever my fabulous friends but I was off exploring Europe and all it has to offer for goodness sake! Now I am home for the summer and ready to start my new and improved blog...because this Diva has moved! I have packed my 4 huge purple suitcases and left the less than fabulous Massachusetts to live in my dream city...the city of angels....LOS ANGELES! I am now a full time resident of this amazing town and will be stopping by old favorite spots as well as many new, fab, fresh ones. And I will let you know all about them!

So this blog is dedicated not only to the secrets of daily fabulous living, but the who, what, where, and how of LA. I'm talking posh places to eat, the best beauty products, beach style, whatever this city has to offer this Diva!

Les Diva Diaries is getting a face lift. A So Cal one : )

I won't waste any more time....

The Luscious, Luxurious, Lavish L.A lifestyle of this Diva is about to begin!

xoxo

Diva G

P.S- Who wants to see some fab pics of me abroad? Here is a little taste!

Russia Baby!

Barcelona

Girona

Paris

Crepes!

On top of the Eifel : )

Street Style Paris

Louvre

Berlin

Rocking the high pony in Berlin

Viva la Crepe!

I will make this post short and sweet. Just like the crepe I just experienced. I may not be in France but I am in Germany where they value sweets, pastries, and bread just as much as I do. It is paradise for a diva with a sweet tooth. But I just had to share with the world the delicious little snack I got! Oddly enough it was from a stand in the underground part of the train station. The overwhelming smell of freshly made thin pancakes and chocolate led us to a small booth with a nice man who didn't speak any English. But he knew how to make good crepes! I scarfed mine down in 3 bites! He laughed at all of us girls and promised he would throw us a party in the train station with any crepes we desired!

Tschus! ( cheers!)

xoxo Deutschland Diva

Me enjoying my BANANA AND NUTELLA crepe on the train home. Nom nom!

Diva in Deutschland

Guten Morgen!! I am writing this from the far away land of GERMANY. As much as I love my east coast roots and the fabulous land of LA, it was time for some change and I am studying abroad this semester in Bonn, a small city in Germany, and Moscow in Russia aka my motherland. I might start a new blog just dedicated to this trip but for now I must let the world know HOW TO SURVIVE AS A DIVA ABROAD. This is very important seeing as I am a theatre major with a bunch of theatre majors so the egos are large and the drama isn't just on stage. When you go to live in a foreign country...things just cannot go your way all the time. The outlets don't fit your hair dryer and the amount of pastries and bread and beer does not do wonders for the figure. However these are not my concerns. I am not picky when it comes to food- except for being a vegetarian- and I really don't mind air drying my hair. But I will not settle when it comes to living the fabulous life. This means that I want to dress up and go out, see theatre, visit museums, eat delish food, and have a grand old time! I have only been here a week but I think that once I get used to the strange looking men and confusing language, I can take over this country with a BANG. When I'm not in class 8 hours a day or on school trips I will try my best to post my fab finds from this crazy place! If any of you divas happen to travel to Europe, Germany, or even Bonn let me know if you have any hot spot suggestions.

Even if you are not abroad, this semester is a time for adventure gorgeous people. It's time to start making the most out of each day because you only have one fabulous life to live! 

Stay classy and sassy!

xoxox

your Deutschland Diva G

Yours truly in front of a castle aka where a diva belongs! 

(Schloss Buresheim castle in the Eifel region)

2013!

First of all....HAPPY NEW YEAR DIVAS!!! 2013 is here and ready to shine brighter than 2012!!

Secondly, I apologize from the bottom of my heart. I have not blogged in over a week due to 

working (aka retail nightmare) and holiday craze (family overload). I have been the opposite of fabulous lately because dealing with crabby customers and crazy snowstorms- the downside of living on the East Coast- and haven't had a single second for some ME TIME. So divas I think that it is perfect timing that last night when the clock hit midnight and the ball dropped ( and my BAC rose even more) I thought to myself...it's been such a crazy time and I better make a CHANGE.

With every new year the age old tradition of making a resolution becomes a task harder then picking which stilettos to wear with your new dress. And what's even harder than making one...is sticking to it!!

I myself am a repeat offender of making resolutions, trying really hard for a week, and then falling back into the same old pattern. The classic "I'm going to go the gym everyday!" resolution NEVER happens...admit it, you go for 3 days and then quit once you notice that the Real Housewives marathon is on TV. There's the "I'm going to eat super healthy!" that doesn't make it past the pumpkin cheesecake cupcakes with maple cream cheese frosting. And my all time favorite " I am going to be less stressed and do yoga and take bubbly baths, etc" that you forget about the second you see your credit card bill or have to study for your midterms. It is just so freaking hard to actually live out these goals when we set out standards too high. When we tell ourselves that we are going to run 10 miles a day or write a novel it isn't that those things WON'T happen...they just requite baby steps! So if you are truly a fabulous person...well then you don't actually need to change anything! But what you can do is make small goals that you can actually achieve every single day and feel good about yourself because you did! Take a heart shaped post-it note and write that mini mantra on it and make sure you can see it from the moment you wake up to the moment you put on your silk sleeping mask. Here are some ways to spice of 2013 and give yourself a sparkly, new outlook on the year!

• Add exercise in to your daily routine in a fun way! Walk up the stairs on your toes/balls of your feet to give you bum a little lift. Take your doggies for a little jog down the street and throw the ball for them to work those arms! 
• Wear more pink.
• Bake cupcakes naked.
• Go to a yoga class and flirt with your hot yoga instructor.
• Rearrange your room- move the bed and swap out your posters for some news ones to set a different vibe.
• Buy some delightful scented candles and light them when you get home from work. Lavender really does the trick!
• Instead of ordering take out...again....type in the ingredients you do have in your fridge into a cooking website to find a fresh new recipe. A little bit of spice goes a long way!
• Actually, take one night a week to make a fun new meal. I recommend anything from the Ina Garten's cookbooks because she is the queen of happy food : )
• Stop buying Febreeze and start picking up fresh flowers from the store!
• Instead of dashing out last minute to find a hott dress for a big event (and then of course not finding anything that meets your standards and settling for less than perfect)...when you go on a casual shopping trip and try on a stunning dress just for fun and love it...BUY IT. And then create an event to wear it to!
• Gather up all your old clothes and shed the old...to make room for the new! Donate the clothes that are well worn but still useful for those in need- like sweatpants and jeans you don't need. Bring your outgrown designer digs or fancy clothes and shoes and bring them to a consignment shop and sell them off to make money for new items.
• Pick up a good book once in awhile. Or a magazine if novels aren't your thing.
• Start a journal.
• Start a blog : )

So there you have it divas. It is not that hard to make some small changes to your already wonderful life! You don't need to train for the Olympics or redesign your entire house to prove that you can out do yourself. Make each day a new challenge, laugh more, eat more sweets, and surprise yourself once and awhile. Life is truly fabulous when you live it to the fullest!

Happy New Year...CHEERS!

xoxo Diva G

A Diva's Guide to Packing

To Pack or Not to Pack?

Listen up...if you are like me then traveling light is an oxymoron and at least 3 strong men are necessary to lug your overweight suitcases through the airport. It is such a disaster and yesterday I went through the ultimate packing predicament. I had 5 hours to completely move out of my dorm room which meant packing the 30 tons of clothing and shoes, books and bedding, and every little extraneous item I own. I spent the first two hours choosing which outfit to wear on the plane and eating chocolate cake so naturally I was left with 3 hours to pack, CLEAN, and get my ass out of my side of the room. It wasn't hard taking down my posters or throwing away anything to do with school work (ughh, vomit) but when it came to the 2 suitcases and my wardrobe of clothes I hit a roadblock as bad as the 405 at 5 pm. This happens every time I am packing to go somewhere- whether it is a weekend trip or moving back to school! I have a serious case of Overpacking-itus and I need some serious medication to get over it. SO if you want to avoid overweight bag fees ( a common event for me) and bringing way too much stuff that you don't even take out of the suitcase...I have devised some guidelines. This is based off all my mistakes and I guarantee if you are a stressed out, running around, crying, last last last minute packer like me then these should help us get out of this rut!

• Set yourself a time limit. When it comes down to it, packing should only take about an hour. Most of the time you spend way to much time getting distracted by every source of social media, doing your nails, playing with your dogs, and walking around the house in heels and underwear and eating popcorn. ( I totally don't do any of these things). It turns this task into an all day event which can be fun but so not worth your precious time. So don't have friends over or tell yourself you will "do it later". Lock yourself in your room and set an alarm for an hour and half from when you start and see how far you can get. You will be surprised at how much you get done when you are racing the clock!
• Turn on the tunes. I didn't say packing had to boring..just productive. So put on some up beat music like Lady Gaga or Marina and the Diamonds and blast it!
• Try stuff on! This is how to avoid the overpacking. If you have an event that you are going to then obviously have that whole ensemble picked down to the shoes and under garments. When it comes to everyday outfits there is an overwhelming task to try and pick out what you are going to where. If you are like me, and most divas, I do not like top pick out my outfits ahead of time. My mood and how good my hair looks on any given day varies and plays the deciding factor to what I am wearing. So to help avoid bringing EVERYTHING...try on a couple outfits you like and bring those. That way you know you at least have some good options. For example pick out one jeans/blazer/pump ensemble, a beachy swimsuit/coverup/wedges outfit, casual leggings/boots/sweater look, ETC
• Bring 2 of everything. This pertains to the above problem. Bringing 5 pairs of jeans is just not possible if you have limited room. But to avoid that "Shit I only brought one pair of jeans and they make me look fat today" meltdown bring TWO of everything. Two pairs of jeans, 2 nice dresses, 2 sets of cute lingerie. Whatever it is, and also depending on how long you are going for and how many suitcases you are brining, it is essential to have a back up plan. Because how many times do we make split decisions 5 minutes before a party?? Two is always better than one!
• Be picky about shoes. By far my biggest weakness is bringing shoes. They are like my children and I just cannot bear to leave one of my babies behind. But alas they are so darn heavy and really take up a lot of room! Now, again it depends on where you are going and how long you are going for but here is my general guideline for most trips: 

• One pair of black or nude pumps that go with everything
•  A cute pair of flats
•  Your fav pair of booties
• If a tropical location: wedges and some flat sandals
• If a cold location: one pair of warm boots- they are the heaviest
• and leave out the sneakers...seriously when do you ever actually work out on vacation and they are just a waste of space!

• My mother's age old trick: Be Basic. She always tells me to pack neutral things- like black pants and solid colored tops and then jazz everything up with accessories. I never follow this trick since my floral skinnies or sequined blazer are usually to hard to resist but I figured I should include this top for her sake.
• Hault on the handbags. Pick ONE everyday bag and ONE evening bag- something black or metallic that will go with a lot of things. I assure you that you will not need more than this.
• Pack your cosmetics last. There is not much I can say when it comes to absolutely needing that jar of French face whip or 3 different lipsticks...because well those things are necessary! So I always save this task for last and if I am low on space, ditch the shampoos and body washes that you can buy at any drug store and focus on your speciality items. You can't go without Nars "Orgasm" blush or your sea salt face scrub for too long!
• Use space saver bags. Yes the infocommericals for the vacummm sealed plastic bags are actually a good investment. You can pack a lot in a small space and its pretty freaking magical!
• When in doubt... pack less and BUY MORE. Let's face it you will be doing some serious shopping wherever you go and unless you want to buy another suitcase to take home, save some room for all your new goodies!

I am serious when I say that the biggest problem of being a diva is trying to lug every single thing I own across this planet and try and keep my composure and face free of stress lines. It becomes a tiresome, boring task that turns me into the bad kind of diva bitch that is so not fabulous. I am usually panicked and shoving random things into my purple snakeskin suitcase until it is bulging and unable to stand up. So take a deep breath and try and make packing your friend, not the enemy. Pour a glass of wine and don't do it the night before. Seriously. Bring stuff that is flattering, timeless, and classy. Leave behind the unused work out clothes and try and buy some smaller bottles of your Miss Dior perfume. 

Good Luck and Happy Packing Princesses!

xoxo Diva G

GaGa is a true Diva and carries her own luggage

Miranda Kerr's wings in the VS fashion show are heavier than her  bag!

LiLo is a disast...needs help carrying bags ASAP! (and ditch that hat too)

Happy Hump Day!

Happy Hump Day!

To all you prima donnas who are still suffering through finals or end of semester stress...stay strong! For anyone who is done....you're dead 2 me.

But if you need a mid week pick me-up treat, indulge in a freaking cocktail! Don't slug back 6 ( unless you are truly celebrating being done with everything) just make one delish drink, sit down with your books or your packing, and SIP. Seriously everyone is on edge this week and mixed with the sweatpants and dark under eye circles it isn't pretty.

 Slip on some cashmere pjs, whip up a cocktail, and set to work on what you need to do. Once you are relaxed you will be 

a.) happier

b. ) less stressed

c.) better looking

d.) much more pleasant to be around!

Here is one of my fav recipes to enjoy. (Oh and my many trials and errors have led me to create the low cal version!)

Diva Cosmo

- one shot ( or two!) of citrus flavored vodka

- A splash of cran-raspberry juice

- 1 lime wedge

- A splash of low calorie sparkling club soda

Mix in a cocktail shaker. Pour into a fab glass, garnish with fresh raspberries and some sass!

Other yummy low cal recipes can be found at: 

http://www.cosmopolitan.com/food/cocktails/low-calorie-cocktails#slide-1

( I've tried most of them!)

Also WINE fixes almost everything. Popping open a bottle of that is just as tasty as a cocktail and just as fabulous! If you need a comic relief go read the blog of the wine diva himself: http://carsandsassycomments.blogspot.com/

So do yourself a favor and DRINK UP DIVAS!

xoxo Diva G