Vacation All I Ever Wanted

Vacation All I Ever Wanted

I'm still in recovery mode from my girl's trip to Montauk this past weekend. We had a blast and made memories -- some of which I will share in this post, some of which will be locked away forever in the backs of our minds, and in our text message logs.

We left on Friday, our hearts set on the surf and sand that awaited us at the Eastern most tip of Long Island. The LIRR became our own personal lounge as we spread out and enjoyed our 3 hour ride with hot pink cans of Champagne and girl talk.

If you've never been to Montauk, then you are truly missing out. It's a magical, sleepy beach town filled with some of the most pleasant people you'll ever encounter. Everything is in slow motion, and you can appreciate things like a beautiful sunrise or a cool breeze without choking on diesel truck fumes or listening to the brain-numbing sound of piercing ambulances that the city so generously provides.

But I digress.

As soon as we arrived, we made a bee-line for Gurney's to enjoy some lunch and cocktails on the outdoor deck that overlooks the ocean. We dined on lobster salad and soaked in the sun. We admired a table of women in their 70's, laughing and clinking glasses and toasting to themselves, and hoped that would be us someday. 

We slowed down, shut our brains off, and just lived in the moment for 3 days. You'd think an extended weekend of doing nothing wouldn't be much to ask for, but it was quite a feat to get five friends together - especially in our 30's. There are minor things like -- oh ya know, jobs, husbands and kids that take away the sense of freedom we totally took for granted ten years ago. You really learn to appreciate moments like the ones we shared this weekend when they are few and far between.

I've been out to Montauk quite a few times, and each time I have to leave I'm overwhelmed with a sense of sadness. I've been out there with my mom, my husband, and now my closest friends. Each trip was a unique experience, with different highlights for each, but one thing remains -- Montauk always feels right.

I'm usually thrilled to head back into JFK, or in this case, Penn Station, and take on the craziness of New York City after a trip. But something about being away from it all has really made me feel like I need to revamp a few things. I'm craving peace and quiet. I'm craving calm. Maybe it was the unlimited bloody mary's, or the smell of the salt water, but whatever has happened to me, I'm just not into city life...and I don't know if I ever will be again.

Wine-cation, Have to Get Away

Wine-cation, Have to Get Away

It's pretty evident that I love wine. I mean, duh. Champagne (clearly), pinot noir, cabernet, and pinot grigio for summer - I'm not biased, as long as it tastes yummy and gives me that warm, fuzzy feeling, I am game.

And I have no issues with drinking wine regularly. Though I'll admit, that "glass a day" has turned into two lately, mostly three. On weekends, four or five. Maybe it's the added stress of working full time, going to school, being a wife, running The Champagne Diet and still trying to keep my sanity, but wine has gone from a treat to a crutch, and frankly, I feel gross. And I've gained a couple extra pounds, which has also in turn made me feel even grosser. That nightly treat has gone from making me feel giddy and relaxed, to making me feel tired, sluggish and fat. And sometimes, we need to check ourselves, before we wreck ourselves.

So for that reason I have decided to take a wine-cation for the month of May. Once you pick your jaw up from the floor, please continue to read on...

Yes, I'm doing it ladies. I just don't feel like myself. I need a serious cleanse. I need to shed these extra pounds and come out of my pinot noir fog. I need to learn to appreciate wine again the way it should be appreciated. And as they say, absence makes the heart grow fonder (and I plan to be pretty damn fond of it come June 1st.)

Now let me just add my disclaimer, there is nothing wrong with a good glass of vino. I love it, and it will always be a part of my life. Wine is amazing. Wine is friends, it is family, it is culture. But for now, mama needs to take a little break to get her bearings. Once I'm back, I'll continue on with enjoying my wine the way it's meant to be enjoyed - in a sexy outfit, 10 pounds lighter, at a nice restaurant on a Saturday night. The way I've always enjoyed it.

In the meantime, it's sparkling water for me (in a wine glass, of course), and this song, on repeat.

Event Recap: Cocktails & Crafts with Janet Lee and The Champagne Diaries

Event Recap: Cocktails & Crafts with Janet Lee and The Champagne Diaries

If you weren't able to make it out to The Bookmark Shoppe in Brooklyn this past Thursday, then I feel really, really bad for you. Totally kidding - well, not really. You missed a great event!

Janet Lee, designer and author of "Living in a Nutshell," and I hosted a night called "Cocktails and Crafts." We laughed, we drank, we crafted, and we laughed some more. A whole lot more. It was so amazing to see brand new faces - women that neither Janet nor I knew personally. And after a couple hours of Champagne mojitos, we were acting as if we had known each other for years. A true testament to the fact that Champagne truly brings people together! (Right, Le Grande Courtage?)

So for those of you who missed out on the action, here's how we kicked it off...

Bubbles? Check...

Glasses? Check...

 

And we wouldn't have Champagne mojitos without all the necessary ingredients...

But it wasn't JUST about the cocktails. We came here to craft! Right, ladies?

This gorgeous accent piece for the home seemed a bit daunting at first glance...

But after a few cocktails,Janet's direction, and a lot of teamwork, anything seemed possible!

The night was a sparkling success, and everyone was loving Janet's new book 

She signed copies well into the evening! (I took notes for the future...tee hee)

Cheers to a great night!

A huge THANK YOU to all the women who came out and celebrated with us. An extra special thanks to The Bookmark Shoppe, who is gracious enough to always open their doors to me and host all of these fabulous events. Thank you to Le Grande Courtage for providing the delicious bubbles that made our Champagne Mojitos possible (click for recipe!) and of course, our bartender Chris who served them up all night! And a huge thank you to Janet Lee of Living in a Nutshell for being such a wonderful co-host and teaching us how we can all add a little glamour to our homes and our lives!

Did Someone Say Cocktails & Crafts?

Did Someone Say Cocktails & Crafts?

In a perfect world, I would retire to a beach house in Montauk and drink Champagne cocktails all day while doing crafts and designing my home. But mama still needs to pay the bills, so we'll have to table that - for now.

However, it doesn't mean we can't enjoy a night of it! Okay, we won't be at the beach, BUT we will be at the best bookstore in New York City, with the fabulous author and interior designer Janet Lee! You in?

Here are the details and the fancy schmancy press release:

*************************

COCKTAILS AND CRAFTS:
An evening of bubbly cocktail demos and sparkling design DIY’s

With Cara Alwill Leyba,
Founder and Executive Editor of The Champagne Diaries

And Janet Lee,
Small Space Decorator and Author of Living in a Nutshell

Like a match made in heaven, Cara and Janet, who met and clicked in a book writing class, will combine their talent and enthusiasm for living an effervescent life. As a writer and life coach, Cara sees champagne as a metaphor for celebrating every day, flaws and all, reminding us to embrace the little luxuries that life has to offer…no matter the budget. Janet takes the same approach with design in her newly released book, Living in a Nutshell (Harper Design; $25), blog and finding affordable ways to add a little more glamour and dazzle in a small space, flaunting rather than hiding flaws in a room and focusing on what you have…not what you don’t.

Perfect for the season, Cara will demonstrate how to mix, shake and pour the perfect Champagne Mojito, courtesy of Le Grand Courtâge, while she shares her personal stories of trials, breakthroughs and triumphs.

If you ever wondered what to do with those gorgeous champagne corks---Janet will show you how to transform them into decorative paper tassels with pages from vintage books and velvet ribbon.  Everyone will make one while they sip on their bubbly and learn design secrets from the author.  It’s the perfect way to create and craft at the perfect bookstore, The BookMark Shoppe in Brooklyn!

And if that weren’t enough, one lucky winner will bring home an exclusive project designed for the Living in a Nutshell book.

WHERE:         The BookMark Shoppe
                         8415 3rd Avenue
                         Brooklyn, NY 11209
                         (718) 833-5115

WHEN:            May 3rd, 2012   
                         7:00-9:00 pm

GOODIES:      We'll have free gift bags (valued at $25) filled with Command Brand products for everyone  who buys a book on the night of the event. Janet Lee will personally sign all books.   

RSVP:              rsvpcraftsandcocktails@yahoo.com

PRESS:           Please contact Stephanie Scott to schedule any interviews: stephanie@stephscott.com

About Cara Alwill Leyba

Cara Alwill Leyba is a writer, lifestylist and wellness coach from NYC who empowers women to live their most effervescent life and celebrate themselves. Her blog, The Champagne Diaries, has a following of nearly 6,000 loyal readers and has been featured in Glamour, Shape, Cafe Mom, Daily Mail UK, MSN Australia, AOL UK Lifestyle, and a host of other publications worldwide. Cara encourages women to design the lives they desire and deserve, and swears that every woman can live a "Champagne life," no matter how busy she is or how tight her budget. Cara is currently working on her first book based on the popularity and extensive feedback from fans of her blog. She also regularly appears on the “Ask Dr. Fritz” radio show on WWRL New York, where she helps host Dr. Fritz answer questions from callers about love, career, family, relationships and more. When she’s not popping bubbly and penning her Champagne diaries, Cara spends her days leading a digital advertising team at MTV Networks. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.

About Janet Lee

An Emmy Award-winning television show producer, Janet has styled and produced for leading home decorators, entrepreneurs, and designers such as Martha Stewart, B. Smith, and Thom Filicia. She spent ten years as a senior producer for The Oprah Winfrey Show, working closely with style legends like Nate Berkus. Since 2008, she has been writing a popular small space design blog, livinginanutshell.com. Named one of the top go-to sites for affordable modern design by the San Francisco Chronicle in 2009, Janet shares her experience from the decorating front lines having lived in a dozen different pocket-sized apartments over the past 20 years: “I’m a serial small space nester with a unique vantage point…Each apartment I’ve lived in—with its laundry list of list of lighting and structural flaws—has become a personal decorating lab where I’ve created and road-tested my ideas.”  Her book, Living in a Nutshell: Posh and Portable Decor with Harper Collins was released March 2012.  She lives in New York City.     

                                                                               
Media Contact:  Stephanie Scott
646.389.5569 /stephanie@stephscott.com

Spring Daze

Spring Daze

photo via pinterest

Today has been the most perfect spring day we've had in New York City so far this season. A slightly cool breeze blowing around the petals from cherry blossom trees, a piercing blue sky perfectly etched with marshmallow white clouds, hot pink tulips in bloom. It feels exactly like a Friday in spring should feel; exciting, hopeful and vibrant. Everyone's appetite is whet for the weekend (not to mention a big fat glass - or bottle - of wine).

So naturally, I had to get out and enjoy it. Despite the fact that I work in Times Square, aka the devil's armpit, I am just blocks away from beautiful Bryant Park which is not only where Ryan and I got engaged, but where disgruntled midtown suits get away to take in nature and forget the fact that their job totally sucks.

I made my way to Hale and Hearty to grab my salad (beets, walnuts, carrots, broccoli, onions and feta cheese - yum!) and then set out to hunt down a table in the park. Finding a table during lunch hour in a beautiful park in this city is next to impossible, especially on a day like today, but I was determined. Within minutes I scoped out my space, laid out my lunch spread, pumped up my iPod, and entered nirvana.

As I chomped away on my salad, I felt such a sense of peace. I was thrilled to be in that exact moment. I wasn't thinking of this morning, or tonight. I was present. Fully, completely, and totally present. It got me thinking about something my ex once told my mother. I can't even remember what it was, but she had gotten something that made her really happy. Something small and insignificant to most - but to her it was everything. "I feel so bad for you, the littlest things make you happy," he scoffed. She turned to him and said, "Actually, that makes me very, very lucky."

And I have to give it to my mother, she raised my brother and I on her own, so the "little things" were all we had. I wasn't raised in a big house with fancy cars. In fact, the public bus was our family car. We didn't have much, but my mother never, ever let us feel like we went without. In my eyes, we had everything - an amazing family, endless support, more laughter than you could ever imagine, and each other.

So this afternoon, as I sat in the park, falling in love with the afternoon, I thought about what a blessing it is to appreciate the small stuff. The gorgeous sunshine, a delicious salad, a happy and satisfying life. Because when you really think about it, none of that is small stuff, at all.

32 Candles

32 Candles

Here's something nobody tells you when you hit your 30's: friendships fade. And they fade fast.

If you would have asked me five years ago what I'd be doing as I approached my 32nd birthday, I'd probably describe some elaborate party, complete with tiaras, balloons and cupcakes galore. I'd have meticulously plotted my outfit, and probably have two back ups in place should my mood, or the weather, change. Stilettos would be involved, the higher the better. Every last detail would be planned out, I'd be obsessively talking to my girlfriends about how excited we all were for the upcoming soiree. The next mornings, photos would flood every social media outlet as phone calls flew back and forth between the girls over morning coffee. Hilarious recaps would fill our morning, and we'd talk about how we couldn't wait to do it again.

Yet here I sit, turning 32, and all I'm interested in is a quiet, wine-filled dinner with my husband and possibly a day without work, school or the monotony of the day that seems to creep in so obnoxiously - phone calls, emails, bills. I just want a day to feel at peace.

I've been feeling a bit off lately when it comes to navigating the world of female friendships, and my birthday is what has really shed light on it. Things change as we grow and take our new places on the stage of life. Things are different. We're all moving in various directions; some with husbands, some with babies, some with exciting careers and others with none of that. I find that I've stayed close with a few girlfriends despite whatever life has thrown our way. We make time to talk and see each other because we genuinely want to. But for the others, it's almost as if there is an unspoken feeling that things are not that same...and it's alright.

I'm not really sure where I'm going with this. The same way I'm not really sure where I'm going with these friendships. I guess time will tell. Maybe we don't need a tribe of friends as we get older. Maybe we just need to few solid ones to have our back and be there for us when it counts most.

I couldn't love this more.

Healthy is The New Skinny! Check Out My Article on Mind Body Green

Healthy is The New Skinny! Check Out My Article on Mind Body Green

First of all I have to say - I am truly honored to contribute to Mind Body Green. If you read this blog regularly, you'll see how often I refer to their articles. They are a wellness wonderland. Chock full of inspiration, education and motivation (the three keys to success!)

Today they featured an article I wrote called "Healthy is The New Skinny: How I Learned to Love Myself and My Body." This is a topic I hold very close to my heart, and I truly hope that someone reads it and feels comforted. I surely wish I had read something like this 10 years ago when I found myself in the midst of a downward spiral. Luckily I pulled out of it and today, I am better, stronger, and happier than I have ever been. Changing the way you think and eat is one of the most challenging things you can do, but in the end the reward is so worth it.

So check it out ladies, and let me know what you think! And here's to your health and happiness!

XO,
Cara

Stay Happy! How We Mirror Moods

Stay Happy! How We Mirror Moods

Did you ever wake up, feeling rested and relaxed, ready to take on the world, and then BAM. You see your overly dramatic co-worker, who starts ranting about how stressed out she is, or the "energy vampire" in your life calls (you know the one I'm talking about) and you regret ever answering the phone. You suddenly feel exhausted, irritated, and downright miserable. You've just been mood-bombed.

Now let's flip the script. Ever have one of those days when it literally feels like the walls are crumbling around you? You know, the days you actually burst into tears on public transportation, or at your desk at work? Yeah, we've all been there. But then it happens. It's almost magical. You meet someone, or hear someone speak, who moves you. They literally get into your bones. It's electrifying. This person is so positive, so vibrant, and so upbeat that it feels like you just got a happiness injection.

Moods are contagious. Just like a cold. When you see someone do something, your brain has these little neurons that automatically mirror what's going on around you. So let's say you're feeling the funk, and someone comes flying into your house telling this great story, smiling and roaring with laughter. Chances are, you're gonna crack a smile. And it's gonna feel good. Same goes for someone who starts crying and frowning in front of you. Without even realizing it, you will start to frown too.

So the next time that energy vampire calls, or that nagging co-worker wants to go to lunch, think about it. Is that a disease you want to catch?

Here's to your happiness!

Got To Be Real

Got To Be Real

Whenever people interview me, they always ask me the same thing, "How do you stay so positive and upbeat all the time?" And I tell them, "I don't."

I'd be lying if I told you I woke up every morning with a beaming smile and a sparkle in my eye. Do I try to view my Champagne glass as half full at all times? Absolutely. Do I try to see the positive out of negative situations, and focus on the good rather than the bad? You bet I do. Overall, I am a generally happy and optimistic person. But there are days when I am completely human, and for that minute, or hour, or even day - every. thing. sucks.

Today was one of those days. I was super tired from a long day yesterday. I've been taking classes at night, and working full time. Tie that into a 3 hour round trip commute every day and it's a recipe for exhaustion. Now don't get me wrong - I love my classes. I am pursuing my lifestyle and wellness coaching certification, and I could not be more excited. I know I'm working toward a bigger goal and the bags under my eyes will be worth it in the end. But the reality of it is, I'm working my ass off. And mama is tired.

I also tend to have guilt when I feel less than perky, and I know that's not good. I am learning to allow myself to feel like shit once in a while. It's human nature. Plus, without the lows, there would be no amazing highs, right?

So when this song shuffled on my iPod this morning on my way to work, I felt a sense of relief. It immediately reminded me of that Sex and the City episode where Carrie falls flat on her face on the runway and gets trampled by Heidi Klum. It made me giggle. Then I started thinking about the meaning behind that episode, and this song, and it dawned on me: you've GOT to be real. Nobody is perfect, no matter how wonderful your life is at that moment, or how content you are, shit happens, and there are gonna be moments where you feel the walls closing in on you. And you need to FEEL those moments. If someone tells you they never have a bad day (including me) they're lying.

So here's to being real. Here's to feeling it all, dealing with it, and moving on to better days.

Cheers girls!

BIG "Life Changing" Announcement :)

BIG "Life Changing" Announcement :)

I have some BIG NEWS to share with you guys! In honor of Women's History Month, and as an early birthday gift to myself, I have decided to pursue my certification in Life Coaching!

This has been a passion of mine for quite some time now. There is nothing more heartwarming and fulfilling than connecting with and inspiring all of you -- and now I can make it official! I have always felt that the world would be a better place if more people followed their passion. We'd be happier, less stressed, and more satisfied with our daily lives. I am so thrilled to begin my coursework and learn the tools and techniques to help people do just that.

So, what is a life coach exactly? It's definitely not a psychologist, or even a therapist. A client would see one of those two people if they were suffering from a mental illness, or in a serious state of despair or chaos. A client would hire a life coach if they were truly ready to start living their best life. If everything else was going okay, but they wanted things to be great. A life coach helps someone reach their full potential by helping that person eliminate obstacles and start living their optimal life. Life coaches can help take you through a major career change, start focusing on wellness and leading a healthier lifestyle, coach you through a relationship issues (whether you're single, dating or married), or help you figure out what it is that you're passionate about and work with you to make it happen. They empower and inspire.

I will be specializing in wellness. This is something very close to my heart, having struggled with weight issues my entire life. Wellness is about physical health just as much as it is about emotional health and I am so passionate about both!

So buckle up, ladies! Coach Cara is comin' for you! I will surely be sharing my tips and tricks along the way as I pursue my certification through this spring. This experience is going to make me stronger and better at what I do, and I hope you will reap the benefits with me!

Can I get a Cheers?

XO
Cara

Domestic DIYva

Domestic DIYva

I used to be super crafty when I was young. Bridges made entirely of popsicle sticks, dollhouse furniture made out of old pizza boxes - you name it, I made it. But as the years have gone on, I've run out of time, and I've made money, so the idea of creating things from scratch has fallen to the wayside. Now if I want something, I just run out and buy it. Who has the time!?

Until I recently learned that people actually make things out of WINE CORKS! *Ring the bells in Heaven* I can actually get artsy while I get my drink on!?

I have been collecting corks forever. It's a weird psycho habit that I have. It's not even like I collect the ones from special occasions, I just simply cannot throw them out. They are a part of me. Champagne corks have a special apothecary jar in my home too. I display them all proudly as if they are souvenirs from a small town in the South of France, as opposed to remnants of my growing alcoholic passion. But now I have a reason!

So, I want to know, what do YOU do with your wine corks? Does anyone make anything with them? Leave me a comment and let me know! This DIYva wants to get to work.

Monday MOETivation: The Spiritual Bitch

Monday MOETivation: The Spiritual Bitch

I started reading Deepak Chopra's "The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success" this morning. Now, before you go rolling your eyes and handing me a yoga mat, please understand this: I am not one of those hoity toity crazy meditating bitches. I do not set aside two hours a day to silence, and I sure as hell am not calm. But I'm working on it.

What inspired me to read this book was the fact that I could relate to it. I've been struggling lately with the word "success," and anything you read about success has to do with money and business 99% of the time. So when I saw that there was a spiritual take on it, I was in.

The word "success" can have many definitions. According to the dictionary, success is "the accomplishment of an aim or purpose." But what does that really mean? Are you successful when you are doing what you love? Do you have to be making money at what you love to really be successful? Are you successful because you have a big title at your job? Are you successful because you raised your child to be a law abiding citizen as opposed to a serial killer? Or is success just being able to pay your rent and bills?

Chopra has a really interesting point of view on spiritual success and it's something we should all pay attention to. In short, he wants us to look beyond the material wealth of success. He wants us to view success as the "experience of the miraculous." That means putting aside all the big houses, fancy cars, and shallow aspects of success, and finding the creativity and divinity within us. Success is about creating and cultivating fulfilling relationships, maintaining good health, and having energy and enthusiasm for life. DING DING DING! 

I literally felt as if a giant weight was lifted off my shoulders as I read that. I think we get so caught up in defining ourselves, our careers, and our passions by tangible items that we often lose sight of what really matters. I have definitely gotten caught in that vicious cycle more times than I can count. I do not make a living off The Champagne Diet, yet I continue to work hard by using this blog as an expression of myself and my creativity in order to connect with everyone who reads it. That is what matters to me. Would it be lovely to give up my day job and have a stream of income to do this all the time? Absolutely. But that is not the driving force behind it. And it never will be.

So I encourage you to really think about what success means to you today. If you can let go of all the BS and really get in tune with the creativity and passion deep inside of you, I guarantee you will uncover something amazing.

Cheers!

The Champagne Diet's Ten Commandments of Being Fabulous

The Champagne Diet's Ten Commandments of Being Fabulous

Learn it. Love it. Live it.


I. Thou shalt be aware of thy best asset and work it like the rent is due tomorrow.

II. Thou shalt never leave the house looking like a hot mess. At the very least – apply a  little lip gloss. You can spare 35 seconds.

III. Thou shalt not compare thy self to others. You are a diva in your own right.

IV. Thou shalt find thy passion and make it a part of your everyday life.

V. Thou shalt never settle. Life’s too short. There are other fish in the sea. You know the drill.

VI. Thou shalt toast to at least one accomplishment each night. Preferably with a glass  of Champagne.

VII. Thou shalt take risks. Fear is not sexy.

VIII. Thou shalt indulge in only high-quality, nutritious foods. Fast food is so 1990’s.

IX. Thou shalt always leave room for Champagne.

X. Thou shalt believe, with every bit of thy being, that you are one fabulous bitch.

Toast to Hope

Toast to Hope

Up until last year, Valentine's Day for me was never anything special. As a chubby, freckle-faced kid, I used to sit by each year in school while the pretty girls got carnations sent to them by the boys I had crushes on. I always hoped that one of those "secret admirer" deliveries to science class would be for me, but they never were. Instead, I got a box of Russel Stover chocolates from my grandmother (not complaining, those things are fucking delicious).

Then, as I got older, I dated, but somehow never wound up with the guys who actually celebrated Valentine's Day. Instead, they'd either hide out or stage a fight with me to avoid the holiday, leaving me to either stay home or hang out with my girl friends at some "lonely hearts club" party at a dive bar.

If someone had told me back then that I'd not only wind up with a Valentine, but that Valentine would be waiting for me at the end of an aisle, ready to marry me, I'd tell you that you were smoking crack. Me? The awkward, nerdy girl who was obsessed with mixed tapes and John Hughes movies that nobody else my age related to because they came out when we were 5? I was not the girl who got the hot guy or the happy ending. But there I was last year, dolled up in a big white dress and feeling like the most beautiful girl in the world, getting married at the top of the Empire State Building on Valentine's Day. I was living out the ending to a cheesy romance novel, and I was loving every minute of it. The only thing missing was a black stallion. But hey, you can't have it all.

Photo by Aaron Almendral

And I know why I found my happy ending. It's because no matter how bad things seemed for me, I always had hope. I never once threw in the towel and expected that my life would be less than amazing. I knew there was something better out there for me, and I knew it was in my hands to make it happen.

My wish for everyone this Valentine's Day is that your day is filled with hope. Hope for love. Hope for a happy ending. No matter if you're in a relationship, teetering on the edge of a break-up, or single, this day is about the hope and excitement of love. Real, honest, genuine, love. Today is about looking at the little old couple that still holds hands after 60 years of marriage, and thinking, that will be me. It's about thinking back to your first date with your significant other and remembering how sweaty your palms were, and how you lost your breath when you first saw them walk into the room. It's about your husband eating like a slob in a stained sweatshirt and still being madly in love with him. It's about believing that love exists, even if right now it's just between you and your pug.

So get out there and take today on with an open heart. And tonight, toast to hope.

Cheers!

Objects in the Rear View Mirror May Appear Better Than They Ever Were

Objects in the Rear View Mirror May Appear Better Than They Ever Were

It’s 8 pm on a Thursday night, and you and your girlfriends are on your second cocktail, sharing some fried calamari,shooting the shit. There are two main hot topics that monopolize Girls Night: Dieting and men. You start talking about how you hate your thighs, how you just can’t seem to lose these last 10 or 15 pounds, how you never have sex anymore, and then it starts. MEMORY LANE.

“I used to be SO thin when I was dating Brian, do you remember?”

“I never wore a size 14 before in my LIFE!”

“I used to run 5 miles and barely break a sweat, I was so in shape back then.”

The lies, the lies the lies. You were never really ever THIN. You have worn a size 14 or more than one occasion, that's why you have an arsenal of “fat jeans” at the bottom of your closet. And you ran 5 miles once in your life and couldn’t get out of bed for days afterward. Stop bullshitting yourself. You were never ANY of these things! You just think you were.

For some reason, it’s so much fun/torturous to romanticize these better versions of ourselves in our head. I’m not quite sure why we do it. Maybe it makes us feel like we were better at some point in the past so we shouldn’t feel bad about being less than perfect now? Or maybe we think it’ll somehow catapult us into starvation/exercise mania if we think we can achieve these unrealistic goals that we KNOW are impossible.

The same exact thing happens when talking about past relationships.

"But when it was good, it was good."

"He really wasn't that mean to me..."

GET REAL. You moved on for a reason. He fucking tortured you! Don't you remember how shitty you looked at work every day because you stayed up all night crying over this jerk? Do you not recall sitting on the floor in your living room in wine-stained pajamas lamenting over this break-up, wondering if you'd ever have the strength to leave the apartment EVER again?

But for some reason, we always make it sound better than it ever really was.

Whatever the reason may be, these fantasies will probably continue for the rest of our lives. In our minds, we will always have been skinnier, happier, had thicker hair, walked 5 miles to school in the snow, and had clearer skin. We all secretly know none of it was true. But you know what? It gets us through the day. And as long as it puts a smile on our faces to reminisce about these fairytale worlds, rather than be haunted by them, I’m okay with that.

I Am A Fighter Baby, I Will Not Stop

I Am A Fighter Baby, I Will Not Stop

So if you've been keeping up with my tweets, you've noticed that I have developed quite an obsession with boxing. Muay Thai, to be exact. It started back in October. I was at my therapist's office, in tears, wondering why I was so damn depressed. I have everything I want in life! Why am I feeling this way? What's wrong with me? I'm miserable. Do I need drugs? This isn't normal!

"When's the last time you went to the gym?" he asked.

I bowed my head in shame and flicked the sleeve of my Starbucks cup. "I don't have time. I'm SO busy. I just can't fit it in my schedule anymore!"

Truth was, I had become much too accustomed to coming home and drowning in a couple glasses of red wine each night rather than burning off the anxiety at a Spin class.

"You need to leave my office right now and go put on your gym clothes and workout," he said.

"But I'm exhausted..."

"Doctor's orders. GO."

I left his office, wiping the mascara off my cheeks that had drizzled down my face during my pity party. I took out my phone and paused to remember the number to my gym. There had been a time where I had it programmed in my contacts, and could recite it backward and forward by heart.

I googled the number and contemplated calling. Could I really do this? I wondered. I knew the only way back into the gym was with a great trainer and a new workout plan. I had to go hard or go home. The treadmill was not gonna cut it this time. I had collectively logged dozens of hours on the elliptical machine over the past few years and I knew my body had gotten used to it. I needed someone to push me, and something to inspire me again. I needed to feel challenged.

I made an appointment that night with a personal trainer who specialized in Muay Thai. I had no idea what Muay Thai was when I signed up (it sounded more like a Chinese dish to me), but I knew it involved kicking and punching things. And in the state I was in, that was music to my ears.

The next night, I had my first Muay Thai session and never looked back. I've been training for 4 months now, and I'm getting stronger each time. I'm more toned, more empowered and most importantly - happier than ever before. There's something about watching your body -- and mind --  transform that is so amazing. The fact that during my first lesson, I could barely raise my leg high enough to do anything that resembled a roundhouse kick, to now doing combos and flying around my gym like a character from Street Fighter is mind blowing.

But it was at my last session when I realized just WHY I love boxing so much. I was on my way to the gym, and Christina Aguilera shuffled onto my iPod. "Fighter" came on, and I started listening to the words. I remember listening to that song a few years ago when I really felt like I was hanging on by a thread and fighting with every piece of me just to get through the day.

Makes me that much stronger
Makes me work a little bit harder
It makes me that much wiser
So thanks for making me a fighter
Made me learn a little bit faster
Made my skin a little bit thicker
Makes me that much smarter
So thanks for making me a fighter

Boxing a fighting sport. It's about endurance, and picking yourself back up again after you fall on the floor. It's about perfecting your skill and technique so that each time you're in the ring, you can fight better and smarter. It represents everything I believe in about life. I've fallen down and gotten back up more times than I can count. But the point is, I got back up. 

And I always will.

And that is something worth toasting to.

Monday MOETivation: Turning Gym Time into Champagne Time

Monday MOETivation: Turning Gym Time into Champagne Time

I often write about my love/hate relationship with working out. From my adventures in pole dancing to my experiences Spinning to the 80's, I'm always looking for a way to enjoy (read: tolerate) the gym. I am not athletic nor am I skinny, so I need to find creative ways to balance my passion for Parmesan and still be able to zip up my jeans. And for the record, that passion is border line obsession...

My trips to the gym are usually fueled by massive amounts of Starbucks and major pep talks to myself. It takes a village to get me going. Outfit changes, Rocky soundtracks, you name it, I've tried it. I have been known to stare in the mirror and slap my own thighs just to watch them jiggle. Even that doesn't work at times.

But a few weeks ago I got to thinking, so much about life is mind over matter. We really do control the way we see things. That I am a firm believer in. Focusing on the positive attracts more positive, and we are in total control of our own happiness. So why should the way I view working out be any different? Couldn't I just brainwash myself into loving exercise?

I decided I was going to give it a shot.

I vowed to convince myself that going to the gym was like going to the spa. Now don't go rolling your eyes -- I am not insinuating workouts shouldn't be work. The gym should absolutely be a time where you step outside of your comfort zone and push yourself. You can't just go sit in the steam room and sip on a bottle of Moet with a straw and eat chewy chocolate chip cookies (but Jesus Christ that does sound amazing).

Gym time was going to be MY time. "Champagne time", as I like to call it. The precious moments where it's all about you. You don't have to look at your phone, there's nobody asking you for anything, no deadlines and no judgement. It's completely self-indulgent and it's critical to your well-being. The gym was no longer a chore for me, it was my special hour that would produce nothing but good. That time would make me stronger, happier and healthier.

So far, so good. I've been averaging about 4 workouts a week, and I haven't set the gym on fire nor have I broken my own legs to avoid going, so that's a plus! I'm boxing now and it's been amazing. There's nothing like finding a workout you love, and I honestly think that's half the battle.

My Monday MOET-ivation for you this week is to change the way you view exercise and truly think of it as your Champagne time. Find something you enjoy and do it. Treat that time as sacred. You might surprise yourself with how easy it is.

Cheers!

Cara

POP Champagne Bar Launches The Champagne Diet™ Menu

POP Champagne Bar Launches The Champagne Diet™ Menu

I am SO excited to share this news with you guys!

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, Bob Earhart, one of the owners of POP Champagne Bar in LA reached out to me to tell me how excited he was about The Champagne Diet™. Not only was he totally on board with the concept of living your most effervescent life, he was super excited that he could eat healthy, putting only the best in his body, AND still drink Champagne. As an owner of a Champagne bar who is trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle, this was amazing news for him.

Bob loved the idea so much that he decided to launch The Champagne Diet™ menu at POP! Bob worked with his chef to develop an amazing menu that really reflects the true essence of The Champagne Diet. High quality, nutritious foods paired with delicious Champagne. Who could say no to that?

The menu just rolled out this week and I'm thrilled to share it with you guys. It looks delicious! I mean, HELLO? Who wouldn't want to dine this way every night?? Hopefully I'll be hopping on a plane sometime in the very near future to go taste it myself!

If you're in the LA area, be sure to check out POP bar. Tell em The Champagne Diet sent ya! Also be sure to follow Bob's progress as he lives HIS most effervescent life!

Monday MOETivation: Last Night Phil Collins Saved My Life With a Song

Monday MOETivation: Last Night Phil Collins Saved My Life With a Song

Oh, Spin class. How I long to go sweat in places I have never imagined and breathe in the fumes of others sweating in places they never imagined. There is no feeling quite like the pain you feel in your ass cheeks after being mounted on that bike for an hour, or the aches you get in your wrists and forearms from propping up your body on said bike. But there is also no other class that reshapes your body and burns 4279382039232 calories per session, leaving your face looking emaciated from nearly perspiring to death.

I haven't gone to Spin in (eek) about a year. I think the last time I went was when I was preparing for my wedding, last winter. When I woke up this morning, something came over me and I felt compelled to go. It was 8:45 am, and I was on my first cup of coffee, curled up in my silk  leopard PJ's, squirming at the creepy banter between my local newscasters. It was my fifth day off in a row from work, and though I had been hitting the gym regularly, I felt like I should take advantage of the empty schedule ahead of me and just go power through the class. I looked at my gym's website, saw a class slated to start at 9:30, and immediately slammed my coffee and left the house (don't worry, I changed out of the silk leopard PJ's).

I get to class 15 minutes early, and immediately stake out the best seat in the house. Far enough away from the instructor so I won't get yelled at for sitting when I should be standing, and close enough to the door should I have to bolt outta there if I feel death is imminent. 9:30 arrives faster than I expect, and before you know it, the strobe lights are on and I have mounted the bike of doom, ready to tackle the next hour without suffering from a severe heart attack.

I start pedaling, and I'm totally feeling it. The music is pumping, and I'm not winded - yet. The only distraction was the fact that the instructor is about 4'5 and 90 pounds, and she's cycling so fast she looks like she's about to take flight. Aside from that I think I can handle this without being too distracted of freaked out.

Photo courtesy of weheartit.com

Fast forward 25 minutes later. I am DYING. Actually, dying is an understatement. I am beyond death at this point. I actually don't know how I haven't fallen off the bike, and I keep looking in the mirror envisioning myself slumped over as hot firemen come in and try to revive me. I contemplate leaving. Could I do it? I'm never gonna see this people again. It won't matter. No, don't go, you wimp! Stick it out, bitch. Plus, if you get through this, you'll burn enough calories so you can drink an entire bottle of Champagne tonight.

I keep pedaling and praying to the gods of Spin for something to give me the boost I need to make it through the next 35 minutes. Then all of a sudden, BAM. I hear the first chords of "Easy Lover" by Phil Collins, and immediately I am transformed. If you don't know by now, I am an 80's music FREAK. I love the 80's. LOVE LOVE LOVE. My iPod is comprised of every 80's song you can imagine - from the obscure to the embarrassing to the downright amazing. Hearing a familiar beat literally breathed life into my veins, and suddenly I went from fat girl (who gets sent home on week 1) on The Biggest Loser to a leading competitor on the Tour de France. I'm spinning away, up, down, out of the damn saddle and loving every minute of it. And it wasn't just me - I caught the girl next to me mouthing the words as she cycled, so it was clear this retro pop infusion was just what the doctor ordered.

60 minutes later and I finished the entire workout. Legs shaking, body soaked from sweat, but I did it. I kept thinking what a horrible way to start the New Year by skipping out on my first workout of 2012. I powered through, and that, my friends, is what Monday MOET-ivation is all about.

Now on to pop that bubbly...I earned it, baby. Every last drop.

Cheers!

Cara