A Rising Star

Like a proud parent, I am very proud of the continuous hard work the CEO of Votre Vu, Harold Zimmerman,( HZ as we call him.) He was bestowed the award of Rising Star on Thursday the 24th of January, in the Beauty/Fragrance Entrepreneur category.The Awards were presented by The Fashion Group International.

Norma Kamali said it like this: ” “A Rising Star Award is a good thing and a bad thing. Being on the rise is a scary, awesome experience. I’m not a star. I’m just in my own little constellation in the sky and I love it. I do what pleases me. Becoming a star has its highs and lows and it could be a curse. You have to decide WHAT you want and WHO you are. Longevity is more important than stardom.”

I have believed from the very beginning, that Votre Vu will sustain longevity,and that I would be there to see it and be a part of this amazing company.

Here is the event captured by DFR: Daily FAshion Repor tDFR: DAILY FASHION REPORT: Fashion Group International’s ‘Rising Star Awards’

Another major snow storm.. am I dreaming?

From Maine to Florida, this winters weather is crazy, do you not agree?

I came across this article today, from Self Magazine, it was about Winter’s tips for skin.

The truth about winter-skin myths: Beauty: Self.com

1.  Serums: Most American women do not use serums, do not know what serums are. As a woman in her 40′s, I tell my customers and friends that serums act as a the first moisture barrier, followed by your moisturizer. We lose moisture from the late 3-’s onward, using a serum is smart way to keep your moisture locked in. I use one daily. If you tried a serum, I believe you would see the difference too.  The article mentions hyaluronic acid, do not let the term acid scare you, its not acid like your thinking. This is a good acid to help with locking in moisture by plumping up the skin cells. And glycerin rich: glycerin also helps to prevent moisture escaping.

I use the Normal/Combination Serum  Best Regards by Votre Vu.     Pamela Fatone – Votre Vu ~ Star Director This is the serum, look at the ingredient list, this has lactic, amino and hyaluronic acids and vegetable glycerin.

I love this serum. It is one of 4 that Votre Vu offers, If you would like to sample one of our serums, drop me a note and we can decide which one would be best for your skin type.

Back in the saddle again.

Wow! What a great vacation with my fellow Votre Vu peeps. I loved every minute, and the hot weather was not to shabby either. I not only did I come back to winter weather, we here are trapped in an Arctic freeze zone, we are about to have one of the coldest nights ever at about 5 degrees tonight. Brrrrrr.

Here are some of the trips hi-lights.

On our way to board the ship

On line in the Royal Caribbean terminal

A view from our ship.

The Queen of all cruise ships.

Leaving Port Everglades

Yup, he's kind of a BIG deal.

All on board and away we go, Grand Caymen here we come.

Almond Orange Anytime Cookies

I come bearing cookies!  Thank you so much Pamela for allowing me to take over your blog while you’re away.  It’s Julie from Mommie Cooks and I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to share a recipe with you today.  We may not be enjoying the warm weather and time off this week, but we can certainly sit back and enjoy some delicious treats.  Pamela, I promise we’ll save one for you.  Hope you’re having a great trip!

Without further ado, I introduce you to almond orange anytime cookies.

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There are a lot of great recipes roaming around; on the internet, in cookbooks, and on the shelves of home cooks and chefs just like you and me. Recipes that fill you up, make you smile, and leave you satisfied until you’re ready for your next meal. But once in great while, you stumble upon a recipe that is so good (so very very good), it reminds you of why you were put on this planet to eat. With every bite, you close your eyes just so you can focus better on the flavors. You relish every tantalizing bite, and you may even make a small groan or a swoon as you eat it. You take your time, not wanting the experience to end and when it does, you look around for a second round, not caring if you’re too full to actually eat it.

We have all had these experiences. I remember an incredible creme brulee french toast I had the privilege of eating last summer when my family took a vacation up at The Tyler Place in Vermont. I put my lips to that french toast and just about got up and started to do a happy dance right there in the dining room. We’re going back there this coming summer. I told my husband it was for the vacation, but it’s really for the french toast. It was just that good. I haven’t had an experience like that since. Until I made this recipe that is.

I don’t know what I did, or how I figured it out, but these cookies are TO DIE FOR. They are so good that I’ve been eating one with my coffee/tea at breakfast, one after eating my lunch, and one (ok maybe two) as a dessert after dinner. I just can’t stop myself. They’re moist, they’re chewy, they’re orange flavor, they’re almond flavor, they’re sweet. They’re sheer and utter heaven in a carb form. But don’t take my word for it. Cook a batch up and see for yourself.

Ingredients Needed:

1 Stick of Butter
1 Cup of Sugar
1 Can of Almond Filling*
1 Small Orange
1 Egg
1 tsp Vanilla
2 Cups of Flour
1 tsp of Baking Soda
1 Cup of Powdered Sugar
3 Tbsp of Milk
1 tsp of Vanilla (for the frosting)

* If you haven’t heard of almond filling it’s ok. I hadn’t either until my mom brought me two cans of it and said she wasn’t sure what to make with it. Mom, make these cookies. To find the almond filling, head to your grocery store and check out the baking aisle. I was told these cans (Solo is the brand) were found at Walmart next to the pie filling .

Start out as any good dessert recipe should; by creaming together your butter and sugar.

Next up you’ll add in your can of liquid gold, er, I mean almond filling, your egg, vanilla, the zest of your orange and juice from 1/2 of the orange squeezed; about 1 tablespoon’s worth.

Mix it together well and then add in the flour and the baking soda.

Once you’ve incorporated the dry ingredients, grab up a cookie sheet, line it with parchment, and spoon out heaping teaspoons of the dough.

Place your cookies in the oven at 350 degrees for 9-11 minutes. Bring them out to cool.

While the cookies are cooling, you’ll mix together your powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract. Once they’re cooled grab a brush (or the back of a spoon) and glaze the tops of your cookies. If you’d like to be a bit pretty like me, you can add a few slivered almonds to the top. I’m not normally this showy, but these cookies are truly worthy of the extra effort. Here’s my mess of a production line in action.

Ok. Now, pick one up, bite into it, and tell me what you think. I understand, you’ll need a second cookie before you can give me the final verdict.

Grab a Copy of the Recipe HERE.

Mommie Cooks.

You might recall my post on cupcakes 12/22/10 ,I introduced you to Mommie Cooks. She had created and entered a panettone cupcake in a baking contest.

Well, Mommie Cooks, Julie M. She will be a guest blogger for me while I am away next week.

Here is a link to Mommie Cooks blog, go and get re-acquainted: Mommie Cooks! | A Blog Detailing Whats for Dinner. Sometimes Simple, Sometimes Grand, Always Declicious

She is a savvy cook, so pay attention to her post next week, you might find a great new recipe for dinner.

I will be navigating the sea’s.

I have to be honest and tell you that I am so looking forward to getting away from winter, we have had 34 inches of snow in a three week period, this is unusual for my city. I am thank-full we skated by the last storm, leaving a mere 8 inches behind. My home state of Connecticut, was battered, up to 30″ of snow.Interstate I-95 was closed down for a good portion of  Wednesday morning, even as more snow was falling. In New York, I 694 and I 84 (Ct) tractor trailers were banned from driving on the roads, also for most of the day. Tonight,I am told, Amtrak has cancelled trains due to downed power lines along the tracks between NY-Boston.  YES, I am ready to escape.

So, the trip incentive I won is a cruise and we leaving on Saturday out of Ft.Lauderdale, Florida. We will stop by the Grand Caymen Islands and Cozume,l Mexico.

I am scheduled t swim with dolphins, am I am so excited to do this.

I have a brand new camera, and I will have some fantastic photos to share when I return.

All details are covered by Votre Vu. Airfare, nice state rooms,dinner and drinks one night 1&5, They put cash on our room credit to spend on excursions,the spa or what ever we want to spend it on. They provide us with  top notch care.

We are cruising on Royal Caribbean, the Navigator of the sea’s. This is the ship.

Royal Caribbean, take me away……

Have you heard of a Fretzel?

During the holiday’s, one night, I went to see a friends jewelry display at the Roger Smith  Hotel Holiday shops. While there I came across Jill Frenchtman, the creator of Fretzels by Jill.

I bought Fretzels for my husbands stcking, YES stocking, I love to fill the stockings with cool ,fun,new stuff,FRETZELS were just that this year. My husband loves that chocolate/salty combination, I had no interest in them as I do not like that combination, at least not  the way I have tried previously.

I am here to share with you the way to buy FRETZELS, these designer pretzels are absolutely amazing, and delicious. She uses pure Belgian chocolate, and adds these tiny pops of I don’t know what, but I know now that I LIKE them.

I believe once you try the FRETZELS, you will fall in love with Fretzels too.

Check out Jills website: Fretzels | Gourmet Chocolate Covered Pretzels

Navigator of the Seas

I am getting excited, I won the last incentive trip with Votre Vu, we are leaving from Ft Lauderdale Florida, on a Royal Caribbean cruise this Saturday 1/15.11.- 1/22/11.  The next incentive trip is Napa Valley, this summer…I look forward to that trip too!

I am trying to set up ” Guest” bloggers while I am away.

I came across this Quote in my files today.

Citing a quotation from Roosevelt Eleanor, “Beautiful young people are the work of nature and beautiful old people are the work of art.”

To us, beautiful works of art.

Happy Monday!

The Three Kings

Today is the French Holiday ” Celebration of the Three Kings” or The Epiphany a traditional that lives on. There is a cake that is served today, called the Gallette De Rois. I have a favorite Bakery here in the city called The Silver Moon, on the UWS, who makes a beautiful Gallette De Rois.

The Silver Moon’s Gallette De Rois.Silver Moon Bakery

Perfect for any celebration today of the Three Kings.

Tonight Votre Vu is Un-Corking the new year. We are celebrating our French-ness and making announcements on out NEWEST product, the next Incentive trip and goals we have for this new year.

I love this company and I am still excited after 2 years to see where we are going.

It’s the New Year, what is new?

I do not know about you, but I feel lost this week. I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and week of being lackadaisical leading up to New Years.

Okay ,the remains of that Blizzard that hit us are almost all gone, thankfully. The weather has been cold, warm and back to cold.  The changes in the temperatures outside, the heat we have on inside usually create havoc on the skin.

Are you noticing your  skin is drier? Are flakes appearing and do you feel itchy?  This seems to be the story of skin during the winter months. It is not fun.

I have started applying my face cream right on my face while it is still wet, WHY? because it is trapping in more moisture. It happened by chance the one day I did this,I do not know why,but I noticed that my skin was not looking dehydrated mid day,I have to tell you I was excited. Is this the end to my  dehydrated skin?  That would be so nice.

This is a great description of dry winter skin by The University of Iowa Hospital & clinics.:Winter Dry Skin

And also one by WebMD on  Winter Skin Care Tips.:10 Winter Skin Care Tips: Banish Dry Skin