Behind the scenes on a beautiful day

Today was a beautiful, sunny 70 degree day in Madison (in March!) and we took advantage of the nice weather to shoot some new clothes outside. J. LaMore is located just a block away from Wingra Lake, which is lucky for us, because on nice days we can take advantage of the lovely scenery. Jess and I made our way straight to the pier where we took this fun jumping shot.

Our dear Ruby loved to go to Wingra Park every day to get some exercise and "go to the bathroom," so we like to think she was proud of us for shooting there today. (Love you, Rubes!)

Stay tuned for new Charlotte Tarantola, LinQ, and new line Laquette, which will be on the website tomorrow!

Mandy
Creative Director

Ruby, our Golden Retriever, has died.

With great sadness and broken hearts Jennifer and I feel it's necessary to announce that our beloved companion and family member Ruby, the J. LaMore Golden Retriever, has suddenly passed away. We make this announcement because Ruby has touched so many people and we don't want our friends who come to visit, shop, or socialize with us to be shocked or placed in an uncomfortable position when they discover the news.

It was Sunday when Ruby was acting perfectly normal and going through her everyday routine when suddenly something changed. She wouldn't move. Ruby would just stand in one place with her head low and staring straight ahead. We decided to watch her closely as this was very unusual behavior for her. In the afternoon she began to shake and her gums went from red to grey so we decided to take her to the Emergency Vet Hospital where an ultrasound discovered a tumor as well as blood in her stomach. Emergency surgery was performed to try and stop the bleeding and we learned that it was a large tumor on her spleen that had ruptured and her liver was filled with tumors as well. Ruby died on the evening of Sunday, March 28th. Jennifer and I were shocked and inconsolable.

When we picked Ruby up from the kennel ten years ago little did she know that she won the lottery. As you know, Ruby and Jennifer were one in the same and would be inseparable if restaurants, nightclubs, buying trips, and airplanes allowed dogs and if you knew Jennifer you were forced to know Ruby. The "No Dogs Allowed" sign didn't apply to us. She slept in our bed, lived on our furniture, ate only the best food, and had a fantastic life where everyone loved her. If reincarnation exists I believe that everyone would want to come back as Ruby.

Jennifer and I are trying to celebrate her life instead of mourning her death and would love it if you did the same. We miss her terribly.

Jim

Scam Alert!

This past weekend just about everyone I know, including me, received an email about how to test and keep an Apple Ipad. The email states that you get to test an iPad for about two months and then you get to keep the Ipad as compensation. As soon as I received this email I thought that it was very odd but the person who recommended my name I completely respect. He's in the tech business. I did some research and found out it's a scam.

The email came for a website called testitandkeepit.com (link removed). This email is a scam and is what's called "phishing" as the people involved want to harvest email accounts and passwords. The email comes from a person you know and respect so you think it's legit. It's not legit, it's a scam!

If you receive this email do not click the links and or sign up.

Jim

The Tournament

I have never really been a great basketball fan, but the tournament is very exciting. It is even more exciting now that I have an eleven year old son, who filled out my brackets for me, and we're in the top five!!! That's my boy!!

Well, one of the best nights of my college career was when Michigan beat Seton Hall twenty years ago. Yes, folks. I was there, and I will never forget it.

First of all, I had to go to Dooley's at two in the afternoon to reserve a table (and still had to wait in line). I promptly put on my headphones, got under a table, and began studying for my accounting exam the next day. This did not last for long. The partying began early.

I now know why it is still one of the ten best championship games ever. Michigan led at the half, 37-32. The score was within one or two points during the entire second half. Rumeal Robinson, typically a poor foul shooter, sank two free throws with three seconds to turn a one-point deficit into an 80-79 victory over Seton Hall. I am getting chills just writing this.

The next thing I know, I was just covered in beer. The procession to South University began. All I remember is being on the shoulders of a very large football player, chanting "Who let the dogs out!!!!" South University was a sight to remember. Just a million people. There was the token fifty-year-old hippy, buck naked on an awning, dancing with the Michigan flag.

I rushed into a dorm to use the restroom. It was like a ghost town. Probably the only person studying that night was my bookworm sister. She's also probably the only one who wasn't hungover or passed her exams with flying colors. Well, like my friend always said:"Lila, will you remember that exam, or will you remember one of the greatest moments of your life?" She was right.

Michigan had the greatest freshman class ever, the Fab Five, headlined by Chris Webber and Jalen Rose, who led Michigan to the title game in 1992 and 1993, but lost to Duke and North Carolina respectively.

After this, we returned to being a football school; well, except for the last few years. Hopefully we'll be back. Oh, and, for the record, I didn't do so well on my accounting exam. It didn't help that I had to get up and throw up every so often. But it was worth it.
Yup. I'm in there somewhere!!

Lila.

The 'Catch-22' Of My Stressed Out Looks. . . !

Hi Everyone! I had the funniest converstaion the other night and it was because I've been feeling yucky these last few months. Lately, it seems like as the day goes on my attitude and my looks go by the wayside, and when it's time to go home I'm cranky and I look like hell!

The second half of the day I seem to spend more time in the bathroom trying to fix my hair, touch up my makeup, and generally adjust my disheveled self so I can go home. I can't figure this out because I love my job, I enjoy my co-workers and my personal life is in great shape. I just think I look terrible lately. I also can't decide if it's my looks that bug me and make me cranky or if I'm cranky because of my looks. This has been going on for about three months now.

My fiance' says I'm stressed out and if I watched a video of myself all day long I would see it. "That's crazy!" I said to him. "I don't think I'm stressed out!" He said I was crazy if I don't think I have stress. I work hard and I love the challenges of my job but I don't look at it like stress and I don't think I'm crazy either. But, to be completely honest, I don't really know what stress or crazy is. My looks have stressed me out lately that's for sure, but could the fact that my looks have given me stress further enhance the reason of my stress. My fiance' burst out laughing and said that I was experiencing my own mental Catch 22. What? I had heard of the phrase but didn't know what it meant.

My fiance explained that a Catch 22 is a challenge of common reasoning. A no win situation of round-about logic and that it comes from the book and movie of the same name. I didn't read the book or see the movie so I had to look it up on Wikipedia. To save you the time, here's what I found out. The basic idea of the phrase comes into play when a character in the book doesn't want to fly any more combat missions because they're dangerous and if a person wants to fly dangerous missions he must be crazy so he goes to the doctor hoping the doctor will call him crazy so he doesn't have to fly anymore dangerous missions. The doctor then explains to him the rule of Catch-22 which prevents anyone from avoiding combat missions;

"Orr was crazy and could be grounded. All he had to do was ask; and as soon as he did, he would no longer be crazy and would have to fly more missions. Orr would be crazy to fly more missions and sane if he didn't, but if he was sane he had to fly them. If he flew them he was crazy and didn't have to; but if he didn't want to he was sane and had to."

OMG! That is so funny and my fiance' explained how the Catch-22 phrase applied to me; If I'm stressed out because of my looks my looks have caused my stress so I must be stressed out which means I also must be crazy. However, If I look good to everyone except me my stress isn't real so therefore I can't be stressed out which means I'm not crazy. He burst out laughing!

It somehow made sense and both of us started laughing about this. He also said he was going to start taking notes on our conversations so he could write a book. From now on I'm not going to worry about this and every time I look in the mirror I'm going to think about this hilarious conversation. Now I want to see the movie!

Lynn
Los Angeles, CA

Weigh In

About three years ago, Jim and I decided it was time to put an end to our daily mantra of "eat whatever we want and worry about it later." We joined Weight Watchers. At the time, when people found out we were going to WW, they thought we were crazy. Neither one of us was significantly overweight, we just wanted to gain control of our eating habits and loose a few pounds.

Weight Watchers works. The plan is simple, all food items are measured in "points" and the points are tallied based on several factors such as fat grams, calories, and fiber content. Depending on your weight, height, and activity level you are allowed a certain amount of points a day. If you stay within your point range, you should loose weight (or should I say, remove weight. The WW meeting leader Dawn, always said if you loose it, it can come back. Let's remove it!)

In addition to your daily allowance of points, there are weekly bonus points, which can be used all at once or spread throughout the week. So my daily point count was 18. An apple is a point, a yogurt is a point or two depending on the variety, a chicken breast around 5 points and so on. I have to say, it was pretty easy to understand and not too tough to adhere to. We went to WW religiously every Friday morning, weighed in and stayed for the half hour meeting. I lost around 10 pounds while Jim lost around 20!

So three years later, how are we doing? I'm still around my goal weight, within a couple of pounds. I've seen the scale creep up a couple of times, but with the basics of WW under my belt, it's pretty easy to get back on track. Jim is doing well too. A few pounds here or there, but he's never too far off base.

Between WW and going gluten free, I feel like we're eating pretty healthy. I love Sarah's humorous advice on a cheap scale, but I have to say, we have a really nice scale, and I love it. In addition to weight, it also lets you know how hydrated your body is and your fat percentage. Maybe I'm a glutton for punishment?

Jennifer

"Weighing in on the Issue"

Hi Bloggers!
Sarah~It sounds like you are doing great! Being able to run 3 miles is a huge accomplishment..I can totally relate to what you are going through as I recently started back working out after slacking BIG TIME over the winter..It was sooo easy to find excuses: too cold, too crowded, possible snow storm, too rainy and the list went on and on.....I've been a member at my local gym for about 12 years and really love it...It's the hassle of getting myself into the car and driving there but once I am there, I am so glad I went and all the people there motivate me. I was shocked when I read that your weight could fluctuate up to 5 pounds per day...I usually weigh myself about once a week otherwise I get too frustrated obsessing on the numbers.I try to work out about 4-5x per week varying the things that I do(treadmill, elliptical and recumbent bike). Like you said, muscle weights more than fat so the scale can actually be very deceiving..I go by the "jeans" test. When my jeans start to get too tight, I know its time to get moving again. I feel your clothes are the best indicator since muscle may weigh more but it makes you leaner, therefore losing inches.....
I found this on mayoclinic.com/health/weightloss :
Weight loss~ 6 strategies for success:
1. Make the committment-Permanent weight loss takes time and effort. It requires focus and a lifelong commitment. Make sure that you're ready to make permanent changes and that you do so for the right reasons.
2. Get emotional support-Pick people who you know want the best for you and who will encourage you. Ideally, find people who will listen to your concerns and feelings, spend time exercising with you, and share the priority you've placed on developing a healthier lifestyle.
3. Set realistic goals-BE Realistic otherwise you are setting yourself up for failure! Make sure that your goals are SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and trackable.
4. Enjoy healthier foods-One way you can lower your calorie intake is by eating more plant-based foods — fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Strive for variety to help you achieve your goals without giving up taste or nutrition.
5. Get active, stay active-Dieting alone can help you lose weight. Cutting 500 calories from your daily diet can help you lose about a pound a week: 3,500 calories equals 1 pound of fat. But add a 45- to 60-minute brisk walk four days a week, and you can double your rate of weight loss.
6. Change your lifestyle-It's not enough to eat healthy foods and exercise for only a few weeks or even months. You have to make them part of your lifestyle.

**You likely will have an occasional setback. But instead of giving up entirely, simply start fresh the next day. Remember that you're planning to change your life. It won't happen all at once, but stick to your healthy lifestyle and the results will be worth it. **

***Happy Moving***

Troo Tops

Hi Bloggers and Friends:

I purchased this Troo "Peace Love Rock & Roll" top and the Troo "AC/DC" top and I LOVE them both! I put a tank underneath~with the burnout effect and subtle crystals it looked so fun! It will also make a great layering piece under a blazer or hoodie..I remember that jlamore.com carried Troo last year and the the pieces went fast and I missed out.....I decided I was not going to miss out on these tops.....I think this top would look really cute under the LinQ "Crop Hoodie" jacket". I am really excited to see what other spring/summer "new arrivals" jlamore.com come in!

ps~I also purchased the Black Orchid "Jewel Mercury Skinny" jean...I love the distressing and they are super comfortable. This is my first pair of Black Orchids and I will definitely get more! These tops are going to look great with the jeans and cute pair of heels! Now, if I could only find a pair of heels that are under 4". It's not as easy as you think!

New Lookbook Preview: Military Surplus

SPRING TRENDS 2010

Military-inspired style has been appearing in a big way on the runways this season and it's a trend that we love here at J. LaMore. There is something so classic about military wear and we believe that the staples will never go out of style: ie. the trench, the trouser, anything in khaki, etc.

Today we shot a lookbook with new model Sarina that reflects the recent splurge of military wear into the fashion world. Stay tuned to see how we translate regulation attire into fashionable street wear.

The new lookbook will premiere tomorrow! Watch for it!

Mandy
Creative Director

Slice and dice fashion: Cut-out dresses

The latest scoop on what fashion is IN: well, it's about more skin. There was quite a generous array of "peek-a-boo" dresses up on the runways, from flirty frocks to boudoir looks. Bold colors, shiny, glossy fabrics and sassy cut-outs: this is going to be a hot summer!

The Soul Revival "Bubbling Flowers Melinda" Dress is the perfect spring dress to pull off the cut-out look with its sexy cut out back.

Jessica
Stylist/Model

Get the WAVE!!!

Anyone who knows me can tell you that I never do anything to my hair. It's not that I don't want to look "done up" it's just that I have no idea how to style my hair. While searching for easy hair tricks I came across this picture of Sarah Jessica Parker and a HOW TO to get the wavy hair look.



Follow these simple steps before bedtime
1. Wash hair as you normally would with your regular products.
2. Apply a rinse out conditioner.
3. Finish with a cool/cold water rinse.
4. Towel blot.
5. Apply leave-in conditioner.
6. Detangle hair gently from the ends up to the roots.
7. Create desired part and/or fringe sections and arrange hair the way you normally wear it.
8. Allowing for where you wish to create waves, separate strands into individual 2" sections.
9. Gently twist hair into a clockwise direction until the hair is completely twisted (the tighter you twist, the tighter the resulting waves). You can also braid your hair or put it in a ballerina bun for a different wave pattern.
10. Tuck the end of the twisted strand under at the base of the twist and secure with elastics.
11. Go to bed and allow hair to dry naturally overnight.
12. The next morning, carefully remove the elastics.
13. Use fingers to pick out waves and arrange as desired (do not brush it or the waves will come out).
Kalyn
New York

Faux Lash Sales Are Up . . . !

Looks like long luscious lashes are becoming a must have accessory!

According to reports, faux eyelash sales have increased 6.2%, with annual sales totaling $44 million.

Here's a tip for applying your own lashes: Standing in front of a mirror, curl your own lashes with an eyelash curler (ALWAYS curl your lashes BEFORE applying mascara, curling after can rip out your eyelashes). Then remove the false eyelashes from the kit and measure to your own lash line. If the lashes are too long, trim them with a pair of grooming scissors. Use the enclosed applicator to hold on to the lashes while applying a thin ribbon of adhesive, give the adhesive 30 seconds to get tacky, then apply the lashes to your upper eyelid.

Kalyn
New York

My Love Hate Relationship. . . !

I hate the scale on days like last Sunday! But I loved the sale two weeks ago. As all of the J. LaMore readers know I'm trying to lose some weight. By weight I mean 15 pounds! I'm only 5'5" and to me that's a lot of weight. I've lost six pounds so far but I had a set back the other day and now I'm depressed and I hate the scale, again!

I'm writing about it on Wednesday because I was so angry about it I needed a day or two to calm down. When that happens I fall back into what I know and that is to look for ways in my head to justify the problem.

One problem I seem to be having is that I'm obsessed with the scale. that little metal piece of junk that sits in my bathroom and calls to me everyday. I see it there. Whenever I'm in the bathroom, there it sits. Haunting me and almost laughing at me because on Sunday, the scale has a 50/50 chance of beating me. That's sick but that is how I look at that stupid thing EVERYDAY! What's even more annoying is that I bought a "good scale" as opposed to a cheap scale. Like there's a difference! I'm now yelling at myself as I type.

So, I did some research and here's what I found out for all of you who are in the gravy boat as I am.

1. If you weigh yourself every day it's a reminder to stay on track. A study showed that people who do that lost twice as much weight as those who weigh themselves once a week. Hmmmm!
2. Buy a cheaper scale. Weight is weight! Plus, it won't feel like such a waste of money when you throw it out the window.
3. You can gain and lose as much as 5 pounds in 24 hours. Water is the issue here which includes the water in food, especially vegetables.
4. Muscle weighs more than fat! A lot more! As you exercise you can actually gain muscle mass and lose fat and not lose any weight. This is not news to me but I need to remind myself of this as I can almost run three miles now without stopping and I can feel my legs getting stronger.

I have the three mile run on Easter Sunday and I think I can run the whole thing without walking. I did think I would be lighter by now. I still hate my scale but I feel better about it now. Thanks for letting me rant.

Sarah
Dallas, TX

Cute Dog!

One spoiled dog. . . !

Hi Everyone! Ruby, our spoiled rotten Golden Retriever, gets more attention than any other dog I know. I say this affectionately, because she is a very sweet dog and worth spoiling. She is also a dog that actually smiles, as you can see! If you lived like her you would be smiling too!

Here, Ruby is wearing Dolce & Gabbana sunglasses and a baseball cap while riding in style on a pontoon boat. Jennifer and I go up north with our friends who have a beautiful cabin on Manotowish Waters. But, what's unusual about this is that she will wear the sunglasses all day long if you let her. It's not just a photo prop. They will fall off her but by accident but she won't paw them off if she's just riding in a boat all day. People who ride by and see the cool dog withthe shades on will laugh and point at her. She doesn't like hats, though and she'll knock them off.

If you talk to her she will tilt her head and try and talk back to you as well as stare at you like she's processing what you're saying and she has a memory like no other dog I've ever known. If you say to her, "go get in the boat" she will run down the hill, onto the pier and into the boat and take her seat. And there she'll wait until we're ready to go.

When we feed her she won't eat until you pull a treat out from the fridge and put it in her bowl. If you put the bowl down without going into the fridge for a little something extra she will stare at the fridge and then paw it as if to say, "you and I both know there's a grilled chicken in there. . . !" We have to chop the little extras on the cutting board and she will watch every move you make with her nose right at the cutting board. Chop a little chicken, chop a little burger, scrape it into the bowl and dinner is served. It's all part of the process and if you don't do the entire routine, she'll give you the 'did I do something wrong' look!

I could go on for a long time about how spoiled Ruby is and it's very funny.

Jim

Ruby LaMore's Favorites!

Just like her mom, my girl Ruby has her favorites! Ruby comes to J. LaMore every day with Jim and me, it's been this way since we picked her up at eight weeks old! She's now 10 and as you can tell from this picture, absolutely adorable!

Every day between 12:30-1:00, Ruby very politely walks up to me and stares at me. She wants to go to Mad Cat, her favorite pet store. Lucky for us, it happens to be in our Knickerbocker complex! I'm so well trained, the moment she stares at me, I know exactly what she wants and we walk over to Mad Cat for her daily treat. If I'm too busy, I tell her to go and get her "dad" (Jim) and she walks back to Jim's office and stares at him until he takes her. I'm serious! This happens every day.

After a sniff fest walk across the street, Ruby is enthusiastically greeted every day by her good friends at Mad Cat. Rachel and Janelle are her favorites, although she loves everyone there. Ruby's favorite treats include, Zuk's HipAction, Old West Baa-Baa Q's, Old West Beef Stripes, Pet 'n Shape Chik 'n Skewers, and her all time favorite Sweet Potato Chews. These are all available at Mad Cat as well as any health concious pet store. We purchase her kibble/food from Mad Cat too. It's a brand called EVO, and it is full of wholesome, healthy ingredients. Ruby loves it!

In this photo she's sleeping on a toy purchased for her at Mad Cat from some super sweet clients from Milwaukee. Isn't she adorable?

Jennifer

Wishing I were 21 again

Well, I remember the movie "The Secret of My Success" with Michael J. Fox, where he was trying to find a job in New York, but couldn't. When he asked an interviewer what he went to college for, the interviewer simply replied "Well, you had fun, didn't you?" Boy, was college fun. I must reminisce a little bit.

Recently I found out that T tops were no longer being made. How sad. My girlfriend owned a white mustang with T tops, and we thought we were just the coolest ever. We would go driving around the campus of Ann Arbor, blasting Janet Jackson's "Nasty" and Vanity 6's "Nasty Girl". I've included a pic of this group for those of you whom which I have to jog their memory a little bit.

I guess the main motive was to meet boys. We had all kinds of fun. I remember wanting to date this adorable Jewish boy, and he would only date Jewish girls. Well, I told him that I was Jewish. I gave him a Jewish last name and went to temple with him. Unfortunately, he found my driver's license with my real last name. Oops!!

Boys, boys, boys. Many people make fun of sororities, but I found my lifelong friends in my sorority, and we still talk about those wonderful nights and hook-up stories. My friend, Paula, takes the cake. She was just a nutball. She always had the worst luck with men. She would show up to a party, dressed like a girl from Robert Palmer's video "Addicted to Love", or she would show up wearing a big, blonde wig and tell everyone her name was Raquel. Well, poor Raquel had to do the "walk of shame" the next morning in that matted blonde wig. The best story was when she actually met a nice guy. When I called her the next morning and asked her how things went, she replied "Well, he woke up and asked me, 'Pauwa, what's wong?'" Yup, he spoke like Elmer Fudd. I guess they didn't talk too much.

Those were the days. Drinking ninety nine cent malt liquor because we didn't have any money, spending summers in Ann Arbor, sitting on the porch, drinking beer, listening to Queen, the Black Crows, AC/DC. Picking up boys.

If I could go back in time for one week, just one week: Besides, I really liked my hair back then!!!! Yup. That's me second from the right. Lila.

Hot naked women take to the street. . . !

Madison, WI- In a feable and desperate attempt NOT to fill your life with 24 hours of unimportant nonsense, the J. LaMore Fashion Reporters were called into serious action when it was reported that a large group of four beautiful women and one, well, . . . man, were walking naked down the street.

Rinnngg! The 'red phone' rings only once at 'fashion central' so when we got the call the street crew rushed to the scene in "The Beamer" and, with great skill, pushed past hundreds of other reporters you can't see in this photo to get the interview. Our fast-on-their-feet crew took the lead and asked the first of many important questions; "You women are "hot" so why is there an ugly man with you and what brand of shoes are you wearing?" Staying focused we asked, "Is the man rich or something because he seems really out of place and if he isn't rich why in God's name is he with you?" (Our policy is no trick questions. Be upfront!)

Shouting over all the other reporters, we got right to the point, "Your hair is gorgeous! what products do you use and who does it?" As we record every syllable using our own J. LaMore Fashion Street Reporter iPhone App, the questions continue to fly at a rapid pace. "Your skin is absolutely beautiful, is that a spray tan or lotion?" "I see your wearing a watch, is that the new Gucci?" "Did you learn to walk that way at Ford or Wilhelmina or Elite?" Not missing any details, "You obviously had a 'mani & padi,' where did you get that done and what color of polish is that?" Whew! We left knowing it was a job well done and everything we needed to know was recorded.

Being a fashion reporter is hard work and the skill involved with writing a headline and asking the right questions can take years to develop. Knowing where to park the car is also paramount in getting to the story first because that's what's really important as a news source. Using lots of verbs is cool too!

More fashion street news to follow . . !

Favorite Recipes

While getting my hair done yesterday, my friend and I were talking about cooking. She asked what my favorite recipe (recent) was. Hmmm.... Since I love to cook, I was quite challanged to think of just one!

Our Thanksgiving meal last year was incredible! I cooked two turkey's, one in the oven and one on the grill. I brined them in an apple cider concoction for two days prior and the meat just fell off the bone. Amazing! While that meal was delicious, I think my most recent favorite is one I found in Bon Appetit; Cabernet Braised Short Ribs!

It's a bit time consuming, but not a difficult recipe. Be sure to season the ribs the night before, as instructed. It makes a world of difference. I've made the recipe with and without mixed herb gremolata, and truly don't think it makes that much of a difference in the flavor. Bon Appetit suggests serving the ribs with a Gorgonzola polenta, but I prefer it with goat cheese mashed potatoes. Yum!

Bon Appetite!

Jennifer

Spring Make-up

Marchesa was responsible for some of the Oscars most popular looks (including Sandra Bullock's and Vera Farmiga's), so how do you feel about the short and playful Marchesa mini black dress with star accents Sarah Jessica Parker wore on Thursday night to the ShoWest awards ceremony in Vegas? I LOVED IT!
P.S. Don't forget to look at her killer legs!
SJP's gorgeous springtime make-up look...
Shiny Pastel Lips: easy to pull off and perfect for the warmer Spring evenings.
Rosy Cheeks: add a little rosy pink color to your cheek bones for a spring time glow.
Smoky Eyes: the smoky eye is the fail safe way to look sexy and feline.

Jess
Stylist/Model

Earthquake! No Big Deal! (sort of)

Hi Jennifer and congratulations Sarah on dropping the weight and feeling great. That's fantastic! If you ever get to LA look me up and we'll go for a run along the ocean where the scenery is just beautiful!

On a side note, I love living in Los Angeles. I really do, but the earthquakes are starting to annoy me. This is about the 5th earthquake I've been through since living here and, although some are stronger than others, they're scary and you never know if the one your going through will be gigantic and destroy everything.

It's an eerie feeling to be awakened with the windows rattling and your building shaking as they build in strength. You never know how long they're going to last and a million things go through your mind when you begin to feel them.

Anyway, it's St Patrick's Day and we have no plans to do anything. I'm looking for something green to wear, just for fun!

Lynn
Los Angeles, CA

P.S. I love the fashion news reports. They really crack me up and some of them get me thinking if they're true or not. Very funny!

Happy St. Patty's Day

Hi Everyone! It's St Patrick's Day and our family is going to our favorite Irish pub, Trinity Hall, for soda and maybe a beer or two for the adults. We look forward to this day as we meet several families e friends of ours and its quite a gathering and a lot of fun.

I'm going to celebrate a little tonight because last Sunday morning I jumped on the scale and lost another 1.4 pounds. I was really worried because I just didn't feel like I lost anything and my workouts were hard and slow. My diet didn't really change but it was just a hard week.

My total weight loss is 6 pounds now! I'm so happy. Nine more to go!

I hope everyone will get a chance to get out and enjoy the day and have a chance to celebrate St Patrick's Day.

Sarah
Dallas, TX

Woman unable to wear nice clothing without people asking stupid questions!

Madison, WI- Brenda Jackson, a frustrated IT worker, has told J. LaMore reporters that she is unable to wear the new skinny jeans and the "hot' top" she just purchased from jlamore.com without having her co-workers ask a lot of stupid questions. "If I wear anything cute at all, people ask me, 'ooooh, got a hot date?' or, 'are you going somewhere with your new boyfriend?'

Showing her growing frustration and becoming quite emotional, Jackson said, "Just the other day, I was wearing a nice top and a great pair of pants when I had to answer so many questions that I left work upset and crying. People actually think that any new outfit I wear means the economy is improving or I got promoted. I can't stand the pressure! My supervisor thinks I'm upsetting the workplace!"

Reporters then asked Jackson about her "new boyfriend" and if all the attention has affected their relationship. Jackson started to cry again and between sobs said ". . . I received a new pocket protector for Valentines Day and because my new sexy outfits don't have breast pockets I am unable to wear the new protector which has caused an unbelievable amount of strain on our relationship. Bill and I haven't had a stimulating conversation about gigabytes and computer code in weeks."

On a positive note, Jackson did concede that some of her co-workers were extra nice to her as on the days she was wearing a nice outfit they assumed she was going to a funeral.

More fashion street news to follow . . !

Catching up from Down Under!

First of all, this is torture being across the world from some of the best jeans I have ever seen. The whole shipment of Black Orchid is absolutely fantastic! I'm so used to being able to see and try on items right as we get them in the store. It's so different being an "Online" shopper! Luckily you guys have done a fantastic job at describing the items and the shots look great, so I know exactly how amazing they really are! One question about these awesome jeggings- what do they feel like?? You said you slip them on like a legging, so do they feel like a legging or are they more tough like a denim?

Second I'd like to make a note about my new amazing internship! I've just gotten a position as a PR coordinator intern at a fashion PR firm in Sydney, Australia called Flaunt Marketing. My boss has amazing fashion experience (working as an editor a Harpers Bazaar to name the least!) He's from England so it's exciting to get a whole range of cultural fashion experience.

Working at J. LaMore I've been given endless opportunities to learn about the fashion world. Thank you for that!!! I'm excited to use what I know at this new internship, and now I'll be working from the other end of the fashion sphere. J. LaMore is obviously a retailer, so I've worked from that end, promoting the store as a whole rather than individual designers we carry. Now I'm working directly to promote designers. Flaunt mostly promotes Australian labels, such as Coven, Pink Sparrow, and T.L Wood to name a few. They also promote an international label , Armani Exchange, and some Brazilian designers.

The Flaunt office also doubles as a showroom, showcasing racks and displays of beautiful clothes and shoes! It feels just like "home" as I'm used to being surrounded by beautiful clothes at J. LaMore. The office is located right next to ACP, the largest publishing house in Australia where they publish magazines such as Harpers Bazaar, Grazia, Cosmo, Shop Til, etc. So the magazine editors have the ease of walking a few steps into the Flaunt showroom to pick pieces for their model shoots or flat fashion spreads in their magazines. Or they have the option of sending a quick memo about what they need (ballet inspired dresses, florals, boyfriend jeans, etc), and then we get to pick the pieces that would work for their shoot and deliver them next door. My boss said that I'll get the opportunity to make connections with many fashion editors during my internship, which will be an amazing experience!

I'm really excited that I'll get my "fashion fix" while I'm abroad here in Australia. I've always been interested in Public Relations, and J. LaMore has given me the background I need to dive right into Fashion PR. I'll keep you guys updated on my tasks and jobs that I'll get to do while I'm interning. I can't wait to bring back my experience to J. LaMore and into my future career in PR!

Julie
Sydney, Australia

Health Kick

I've been reading about everyone's health and wellness ventures over the past several weeks, and let me say, I'm impressed! From taking up running, to going gluten-free, "good health" seems IN this season! After a gluttonous week in Cabo last month, I too have have turned over a new leaf. Although my boyfriend, our friends, and I all had a great time feasting on chips and guac everyday and overindulging on tequila and even some surprisingly good Mexican wine, we all felt horrible when we returned home - the old adage, "You are what you eat," really rang true for us. Since then, my boyfriend and I have been upping our intake of fruits and veggies; buying organic, grass-fed meats; limiting our alcohol; and staying away from dairy and heaven-for-bid any processed foods. It has truly made a world of difference in how I feel and look. (Now, let me also say...we LOVE to eat out, and hate to be "buzz-kills" at a restaurant with friends, so we stick to this "diet" within reason!) ;)

I also indulge in an occassional cupcake every now and then, and Babycakes Bakery here in NYC, lets me "indulge" guilt-free. I've blogged about this amazing bakery before but am mentioning it again as a great source of gluten-free baked goods. The entire bakery is vegan and most of their items are gluten-, soy-, and sugar-free. Jennifer, you might want to purchase their cookbook if you're feeling deprived of a cupcake, donut, or cinnamon roll (they use a lot of rice flour or a fava/garbanzo bean mix). Additionally, I am in love with Turtle Mountain's Purely Decadent coconut milk ice cream. It's sweetened with low-glycemic agave nectar, contains no dairy, and many of the flavors are also free of gluten as well as soy. It's also much lower in calories, carbs, and fat than the traditional pints. Even my ice-cream-loving boyfriend is a convert. (The cookie dough flavor is one of our faves!)

Of course, diet is only half the battle. To that end, I recently took up Physique 57 classes here in NYC. (You may have heard the name from Kelly Ripa; she's a long-time client.) I cannot say enough good things about these classes - they are without a doubt, my latest obsession! Using weights, a ballet barre, and a playground ball, clients are led through a brisk series of toning exercises and stretches. The goal: a long, lean, sexy body. So far, I'm sold...in only ten classes, I can see and feel my body responding. If you're in NYC, definitely try one of their classes. And for those outside New York, they now have a series of DVDs to work out at home. I guarantee results!

Happy Health Everyone!

Amanda in NY

Woman burns bra because it just didn't fit right!

Chicago, IL- A fully clothed woman appearing quite normal and carrying a cup of coffee and talking on her cell phone, walked out of her Chicago, IL home and threw onto the sidewalk what appeared to be her bra. In an obvious act of severe calm, a witness said that the woman then set the bra on fire and walked back into her house.

J. LaMore reporters indicated that the small fire lasted as long as one minute before a Channel 9 news team showed up and knocked on the woman's door. "Was this an act of protest?" asked a female reporter as the crew shoved a microphone in the woman's face. "No, it wasn't," the woman said, "the damn thing just didn't fit right and I got pissed off about it."

The persistent reporter then asked, "Are you exercising your freedom to express yourself?" "No!" said the woman, "The damn thing just didn't fit right. It's never fit right and I was tired of wearing a bra that doesn't fit right."

The baffled reporter then asked the woman, "Are you braless right now and are you going to stay braless as an act of protest for bad fitting bras?" "NO!" shouted the obviously befuddled woman as she raised her eyebrows and giving the reporter the classic 'WTF' look, "I'm wearing a bra right now and that bra doesn't fit right either, Jesus, . . ."

The reporter then asked, "Who were you talking with on the phone when you destroyed the bad fitting bra?" Was that the leader of the bra burning movement?" The still unidentified woman shook her head in what appeared to be an astonishing amount of disbelief, turned, and left walking past a large crowd of four or five people that had gathered. When she turned around and looked back she saw the reporter wearing a really bad pant suit and sporting "anchor hair" desperately looking for someone to interview.

The fire department showed up and had an incredible amount of nothing to say!

More fashion street news to follow. . . !

Gluten Free Favorites

Until recently going gluten free, I had no idea what gluten was or why it had become such a buzz word. Gluten is a type of protein found in wheat, rye, and barely and for some people their body has difficulty digesting it. When I made the decision to go gluten free, I had a bit of a panic attack thinking I'd never be able to enjoy food again! Boy was I wrong.

My friend Joanna got the gluten free ball rolling for me. She stopped by Whole Foods and picked up a huge bag full of GF goodies. I was amazed at all of the options, but still a bit skeptical about the actual taste. I was truly surprised at how delicious all these goodies were! I'm going to list some of Joanna's favorites and some favorites I've since found on my own. Whether you're gluten free or not, you will love everything!

Two Moms in the Raw GF Blueberry and Apple Granola. I'm obsessed with this granola! It's comprised of millet, buckwheat, coconut, flaxseed, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, pecans, almonds, pepitas, apples, agave, cinnamon, sea salt, and blueberries. It's a bit pricey at $9.99 a bag, but so worth it. A bag will last at least a week, so that's about $1.50 a day! Totally doable. Available at Whole Foods.

Udi's Gluten Free Frozen Pizza Crust. We just made this last night for dinner and it was amazing! Thin crust, very light and crunchy and it tasted as good as "real" pizza crust. We topped ours with cheese and olives, and then baked it for 15 minutes, voila gluten free pizza. Being gluten free, I thought I'd never have pizza again. Luckily, Udi's came to the rescue. Look for this in the organic section of your local grocery store. I found it at our local Hy-Vee store. $4.99 for two 8" frozen crusts.

Mary's Gone Crackers. Born and raised in Wisconsin, you can only begin to imagine how much I love cheese. I felt a bit hopeless about giving up cheese and crackers, one of my favorite snacks. My husband stopped at our local co-op, Willy Street, and found these amazing gluten free crackers! They're made with organic brown rice, organic quinoa, organic flax seeds and organic sesame seeds. Crunchy and flavorful, they come in 5 flavors: Original, Caraway, Herb, Black Pepper, and Onion. Delicious! Available at organic grocery stores and Whole Foods for around $4.00 a box.

Tinkyada Brown Rice Pasta. This is where I truly had some reservations. I purchased the "pasta" thinking it will probably be $3.85 down the drain, but I WANT PASTA and I'm willing to try anything! To our incredible surprise, my husband and I both LOVED it! There's truly no difference in taste or texture to the flour based pasta we've ate for years. We've topped it with traditional red sauce, which was delicious and have also tried it with pesto which was also fantastic. This rice pasta is available at all grocery stores, in the organic section.

Lundberg Rice Chips. Available in so many different flavors, its truly hard to choose! Crisp and flavorful, great for dipping or just eating straight out of the bag. My favorite flavor is the sea salt, which I love dipped in hummus. Your non-gluten free friends won't even know what they're missing! Again, find these yummy chips at Whole Foods or your local co-op. Around $3.00 a bag.

I seriously can't take any more of this food talk, I'm starving! I'm off to the grocery store to stock up on all my favorites. I'll keep you posted on any new finds! If you have any GF favorites to share, comment here or send me an email.

Jennifer

J. LaMore and online security!

Hi everyone! From time to time J.LaMore and jlamore.com will review it's customer security and privacy policies that affect you if you place an order on our website or even if you buy something in our store. (We took it to the store level just so we would be safe on all fronts.)

Privacy or Identity theft may or may not be an issue or a concern for most of you but it's a big deal to us and we always make sure that any and all private information that you provide us is kept absolutely secure. A recent change in the law for the State of California affects us because we have customers in that state who place orders. Therefore we have to adjust our policy again to be in compliance with that law. We have no problem with that and the tougher the security laws are the better.

Your personally identifiable information (PII) is kept on a secure server that only managing members of J. LaMore, LLC can access. Your credit card information is no longer seen by any member of J. LaMore as the Payment Card Industry (PCI) law changed which prevented even owners from seeing those numbers. Those numbers are all computer scrambled by Authorize.net who will process your credit card. So, evertime you buy something from us your information is kept completely safe.

I know this isn't sexy material and not very many businesses want to bore you with this tech security stuff be we will. This is important for you to know and we will bring it up often and write about it for everyone to see.

Jim McCarthy
J. LaMore

The computer check and backup is complete, all the lights are blinking! You're safe!

Grey's Anatomy Minus Katherine Heigl

In 2005 Katherine Heigl starred in a locally produced and directed movie Side Effects. The movie was shot in Madison and more importantly, three scenes were shot right here at J. LaMore! I know! Crazy right? We weren't "technically" friends, but she did shop here and we did have many glasses of wine together! Remember me, Katherine? LOL

I just read she's being "released" from her contract with Grey's Anatomy. She had been on leave from the hit show while she tended to her film career as well as her newly- adopted daughter, Naleigh, but was scheduled to resume shooting episodes March 1. Her exit details haven't been worked out yet and it's unknown if she will be returning to the set at all.

I followed Grey's Anatomy, and always enjoyed her character. I will miss seeing her on the show, but am quite sure this star is on to bigger and better things! Good luck Katherine!

Jennifer

I HEART Kristen Stewart

She usually goes for rock chick chic, but Kristen Stewart proved she can embrace a more sexy side too when she debuted a brand new look at the premiere of her new film, The Runaways.

The 19 year old looked like a million dollars in her frock and that's all thanks to fashion designer, Doo-Ri Chung.

Kristen's bold sartorial selection is not only a vibrant hot pink hue and short in length, but it also includes a sheer panel.
I also love how she added her usual look by wearing black peep toe pumps, black nail, and toe polish.

The dress was first seen on the catwalk in September last year, at the Doo Ri Spring 2010 show.

Jessica
Stylist/Model

How to Wear Skinny White Jeans

Casual Look
For a casual look, match white skinny jeans with a graphic tee, tank top or tube top. Choose a top with a tight fit, black in color for a subtle look, or go with a bright blue top for a pop of color. Match with some gold or silver bangle bracelets, and a chunky belt.
Prep Look
Skinny jeans create the perfect prep look when worn with the proper attire. Match your white skinny jeans with a tight fit polo shirt. You could also match the white skinny jeans with a stripped colored top to go along with the "sailor look" that is so popular for spring. Match with some metallic high heels or flats and an over sized handbag, and you've got the perfect prep look.
Dressed Up
While white skinny jeans are many times worn casually, they can also create a great dressed up look. Tunics and mini-dresses are a perfect match for white skinny jeans. For a conservative look, match with a black mini dress and pair with black dress shoes (flats or high heels). For a fun look, match with a vibrant colored tunic, such as a floral multicolored design. Match with a small clutch purse, and you have the perfect dressy look.

Kalyn
New York

One more tip... when wearing white jeans, don’t throw on white underwear. This applies to a white combo anything—ever try to wear a chic white blouse with a white bra? No can do. White on white equals obvious underthing lines. Opt for nude colored underwear :)

Flavio Castellani. . . Rocks!

Hi Friends! I was just going over the "what's new" section and when I saw this "lace" dress by Flavio Castellani I was immediately drawn to it. I clicked the image and then saw all the other images and was instantly dreaming of this dress.

I've now added another day of exercising to the week and I weigh in again on Sunday. I now exercise four days a week and it feels great.

I would love to be able to shrink into this dress and a few others I saw by Yoana Baraschi. Beautiful!

Sarah
Dallas, TX

Love the new Jeans!

Hi Jennifer and everyone! Wow! I love this new pair of Black Orchid "Cloud Jewel" Jean and the Jeggings!

I have to get them and say thanks to Jennifer for the heads up email. I love being a friend on the site just for that alone.

It's a short note today as I'm running out the door!

Clare
London, England

Irish mocktails

I am not Irish, but I just tried these delicious Irish mocktails at work. Of course, one can add as much Jameson or Bailey's as they wish.
Kiwi Cooler

2-3 cups crushed ice
1/4 cup of coconut milk
2 peeled kiwi
1/4 cup sugar
Blend and serve

Magic Green Lantern

1 cup fresh parsley
1/2 tsp grated lime zest
1 cup cold water
1/2 cup lime juice
1/2 cup sugar

Blend ingredients together
High ball glass full of ice--pour in drink mixture 2/3 full
Fill remainder of glass with club soda

Mint Chocolate Shake

4 scoops mint chocolate ice cream
1/4 milk
1 drop peppermint extract
Rim glass with chocolate syrup

Irish Toast

May you work like you don't need the money
Love like you've never been hurt
Dance like no one is watching
and drink like a true Irishman
Drink Up!!!

Have a safe and fun St. Patrick's Day.

Lila.

Megan Fox. . . Most Desirable!

Hi Friends! My new "W" magazine arrived in the mail not to long ago and if you have any eyesight whatsoever you can't help notice that Megan Fox is on the cover in all her stunning gorgeousness. Even her name is written so big and bold in a bright orange font that you can't miss it! It's almost as if her written name is fighting for attention with her picture.

The reason for this post is that my fiance' has a not-so-secret crush on her. I mean seriously, if Megan Fox were to walk into our house I'm not sure what he would do. When I bring this up to him all he does is chuckle and says he's just teasing me but I don't think he is. I think he's serious but I try to play along and not be so serious but I casually look at him out of the corner of my eye to see if he's drooling over the pictures.

I asked him; outside of the obvious of course, what it is that makes Megan Fox so desirable to men? If you dig deeper than her looks she's not someone you bring home to your parents. Fox is covered in tattoo's, she's a bisexual crazed deviant, she's rough and tough, uses bad language and is a high school drop out. She can't act to save her life and the only thing she has going for her is she is drop dead sexy with a perfect figure. Is that all men are interested in? No response for several seconds and I felt him mocking me without saying a word. What bothers me is that I work hard everyday, I'm educated, I have to run my butt off to stay in shape, I like to think I'm reserved and lady like and I'm not bisexual. I am everything that Fox is not. Also, I think that if she walked into our house I'm afraid she would beat me up and throw me out the front door.

My fiance' started to laugh at my rant and said he didn't want to marry Fox but that she's the new hot sex symbol that everyone is talking about. She's taken the place of Angelina Jolie except Jolie can act. He said that I had nothing to worry about and continued to tease me about the fact that I new more about Fox than he did. Well that was probably true. I like to know the enemy! :)
I have no other problems with any other beautiful woman but there is something about Megan Fox that bugs me.

Lynn
Los Angeles, CA

Yoana Baraschi Dress!

I'm meeting my boyfriends parents for the first time on Easter Sunday. I need a nice little dress that is cute yet fashionable, and that I'll wear again. I come across this Yoana Baraschi "Dolce Vita" Dress that just hit the site and I already ordered it! I love the pink color, the drape look of the top, and the unique shape of the sleeve!

It's perfect to meet the parents in :) Thanks J.LaMore!


Kalyn
New York

Jeggings!!!!!

I'm flipping out today, our Black Orchid Jeggings arrived! They are amazing, better than I remembered! In addition to the jeggings, we also received a white crop skinny jean, white "mini shorts" and a fantastic super faded out wash skinny jean with tie dye markings.

Stay tuned, these new items will be up on the site later today or tomorrow. We also received shipments from Flavio Castellani (yum!) and Yoana Baraschi (double yum)!

Get your credit card ready!

Jennifer

Lindsey Buckingham what?

Hi Mandy!

I'm glad so many people are jumping on the bandwagon against Lindsay Lohan suing E-Trade. I also agree that everyone with the name Lindsay should be upset with Lohan for discrediting their good name, even if it's spelled different and even if you're the lead guitarist for Fleetwood Mac. LOL!

<<-Lindsey Buckingham

When I read your post and I saw that I burst out laughing and I just had to tease you about it. I guess I have too much time on my hands in the wee hours of the morning.

Jim
J. LaMore

LiLo say it isn't so......

Hi Jennifer and Bloggers!
I read an article earlier today about Lindsay and the E-Trade suit but Jims take was so much funnier! There were tons of posts slamming her for this and she is not looking good at this point..It got me thinking about the name Lindsay and why LiLo thinks it was aimed at her....Maybe Linsday Wagner should hop on board this suit, who would want to mess with the Bionic Woman?? How about Lindsey Buckingham of Fleetwood Mac? Ok, so it's a different spelling but why get technical here, right? Did you know there is a Lindsay, Ontario? Oh, the shame they must feel now...There is a Lindsay Automotive Group In Virginia and Maryland who are now contemplating a name change to Cher Automotive Group....And I could go on and on but there is only so much storage space on the internet so I shall not take it all! I am sure Judge Judy would make some room on her docket for this case!

The ironic part is now she is helping E-Trade get more recognition then any commercial could have accomplished for free!

Mandy
Madison, WI

Milk a what?

Hi friends! It's me again; the liar and, well. . . . liar will have to do for now.

I recently wrote an article in February advising that Lindsay Lohan turned down a cool $150,000 to show up at the Vienna Opera because she was on a shopping spree and missed her flight. In that same article I indicated that I would never write another article about Lindsay Lohan. Well it's obvious that I lied because here's another one!

It's been reported that Lohan is suing E-Trade for the Super Bowl commercial they aired where the hip little baby boy is trading stocks like a wolf and somehow forgot to call his girlfriend the night before. He's talking to her on what appears to be a webcam and the little girlfriend wants to know if that 'milkaholic Lindsay was over there. . . !' The little boy stammers and pauses when another little girl (Lindsay) enters from the left and says "Milk-a-what?" It's a very funny commercial as are all the E-Trade commercials but somehow Lindsay Lohan has determined because the name "Lindsay" is used, E-Trade is referring to Lohan as being the milkaholic. What-the-what?

Lohan has now filed a $100 million lawsuit on Monday at the Nassau County Supreme Court over the ad. Can anyone say tort reform? No wonder she couldn't make it to Vienna, she was plotting this scam the entire time.

The actress' lawyer, Stephanie Ovadia, claims Lohan's first name is just as recognizable as other single-word monikers used by stars such as Madonna and Cher. That's wishfull thinking. I thought she was known as "Lilo."

Ovadia says, "Many celebrities are known by one name only, and E-Trade is using that knowledge to profit. They used the name Lindsay. They're using her name as a parody of her life. Why didn't they use the name Susan? This is a subliminal message. Everybody's talking about it and saying it's Lindsay Lohan."

Just so you know, I wasn't talking about it and I like to think I'm part of "everybody!" If they used the name Susan then Susan Sarandon could sue them, couldn't she? Based on this argument I think if you picked any name someone could file a suit, couldn't they? Can you sue based on a subliminal message? This is not a winner!

Ok! This could go on forever, but, ". . . as a parody of her life?" So because Lohan has been in rehab just about as many times as Robert Downey Jr., being a milkaholic is somehow a parody? How is this a parody on anyone's life? The babies are at least one years old you shankapotomus!

The company that wrote and produced the ad said that they used the name Lindsay because it was the name of one of the group members assigned to the project and that Lindsay Lohan had nothing to do with it.

When you can't act anymore and you missed the flight to Vienna I guess you have to do something for attention and a little income. I think E-Trade should counter sue saying that Lohan has now attached her name to E-Trade which is bad for business and this has caused a loss of sales. Hey, don't laugh! I'll bet my case is stronger than hers!

Jim

Love The New YB!

Hi Jennifer & Friends! I watched the Oscars last night but had to go to a friends house to do it as we don't get those channels. I was so bummed about that because I just wanted to stay home and curl up on the couch and enjoy the day without having to go anywhere.

But, I have to add that once I got to my friends house it was a blast and I had the best time. It was so much fun to have a nice evening with some girl friends and drink some really nice wine and relax. No guys!

We watched the red carpet previews and the interviews as well as all the background informational shows and it was very interesting and fun.

I was shocked to see the stars that had passed away and noticed that Farrah Fawcett wasn't listed in that segment but Michael Jackson was. I like Michael Jackson but when was he ever part of the movies. Someone mentioned that he did a Wizard of Oz type of movie once so I'm not sure if that automatically qualifies you to be mentioned. Farrah Fawcett was in all kinds of movies and shows. I guess I'll have to look into that.

Anyway we were looking online during some of the commercials and we logged onto jlamore.com and saw some of the new dresses by Yoana Baraschi and I loved the "St Tropez" dress I have shown here. It's beautiful! I'm in complete agreement with Sarah from Dallas on this dress. The new model is the perfect look for this dress, too!

There were several items in the whats new section that I really loved but this one caught my eye right away. I drank a little bit too much wine yesterday and woke up with a headache. But it was FUN!

Clare
London, England

Love the new LinQ!

Hi everyone! I have to agree with how this LinQ dress is described in saying that this really is a fantastic dress!

The color is stunning and the crinkle material in front is fun and interesting. My hair is this color so I can visualize how this dress will look on me.

I love the shoe boot look with it, too! Adding that really made it fashionable and hip. Very cute and hot! Great job you guys!

Clare
London, England

P.S.

I laughed really hard at the Google apology. I thought it was real at first and then I laughed at myself for falling for it.

Google Apologizes for Privacy Issues

Hi friends! I'm relieved to announce that search engine giant and ruler of the world, Google, has officially apologized for violations of what many thought were privacy concerns. Oh C'mon!

Jlamore.com is a user of Google and the Mountain view company released a statement acknowledging the sensitive issues and vowed to never do it again. Phhhhht! Yeah, right!

Friday's apology comes after the controversial launch of Google Buzz, a social networking platform that publicly linked Gmail users to their most e-mailed contacts by default.

"I'd like nothing more than to apologize in person to everyone we've let down, but as you can see, many of our users are rarely home at this hour," said Google co founder and president Sergey Brin, pointing to several Google Map street-view shots of empty bedroom and living room windows on a projection screen behind him. "And, if last night's searches are any indication, Sydney, Australia student Julie, is probably out shopping right now for beer using the money she collected from her six friends who are getting ready to throw an Ausie bash based on the flayers Gina, Sally, Leigh, and Linda printed on the HP printer in the rec center. Julie, you recently promised your dad that you would behave. We have the copy right here in front of us."

While admitting that security measures need to improve, Google officials also claimed that everyone makes mistakes, be it storing confidential data indefinitely or, say, "having a few too many drinks on the evening of Jan. 23, driving home in a drunken haze, using fake ID's and sneaking into a boys dorm on the corner of Landon and Lake St, and then desperately searching online the next day for the best way to hide any and all reminders of the previous night. Right, Julie?"

"Americans have every right to be angry at us," Google spokesperson Janet Kemper told reporters. "Though perhaps Julie from jlamore.com should just take a few deep breaths and go sit in the hallway and relax, like they tell her to do at the "boy-crazy-anonymous" classes she attends over at the Sydney, Australia Human Resource Center every Tuesday night." "Breathe in, breathe out," Kemper added. "We wouldn't want you to have another try-to-hide-the-hickey incident, Julie. Not when you've been doing so well."

Well friends, I'm glad Google apologized because I don't think Julie can take much more! ^_^

Jim
jlamore.com