CRAVE CRUSH the urban girl's blog to all that you CRAVE

Celebrating Women’s History Month

March 8, 2010 by Melisa | Comments (0)


Did you know that March is Women’s History Month? Women’s History Month can be traced back to 1911 when the first International Women’s Day was celebrated. But it didn’t become a month long celebration until 1987. The popularity of women’s history celebrations continues to spread as more people are becoming aware of the contributions of women and girls. A President’s Commission on the Celebration of Women in History in America recently sponsored hearings in many parts of the country. The Women’s Progress Commission will soon conduct hearings to promote interest in preserving areas that are relevant in American women’s history. Some of the groups promoting this interest are state historical societies, women’s organizations, and groups such as the Girl Scouts of the USA. CRAVE would like to celebrate Women’s History month by selecting five women who have made a positive impact in the last ten years.

Hillary Clinton
During the last decade, she was First Lady, Senator, serious presidential candidate of a major political party, and Secretary of State, First former First Lady to hold major elective office, January 2001 (Senator from New York); first woman candidate for U.S. president to almost win a nomination from a major political party (declared candidacy January 2007, conceded June 2008) and first former First Lady to serve in the cabinet, in her capacity of U.S. Secretary of State, confirmed January 2009. All of this after her presidential husband cheated on her for the whole world to see. Need I say more?

Oprah Winfrey
Oprah was the first black billionaire, as reported by Forbes in April 2004. Although she is not in politics or changing laws, her power and conviction is known the world over. She has used her power again and again to shed light on good causes on everything from women who are sold into slavery to animal cruelty. Her latest endeavor is getting people to stop talking and texting on the phone while driving. She puts massive amounts of money into charitable causes and her show is now approaching an unbelievable 25 year run. In 2009 she announced that the The Oprah Winfrey Show will end in 2011. It’s hard to find a woman who doesn’t know who she is.

Melinda Gates
Melinda Gates is the co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which is the largest transparently operated private foundation in the world. The foundation is “driven by the interests and passions of the Gates family.” The primary aims of the foundation are, globally, to enhance healthcare and reduce extreme poverty, and in America, to expand educational opportunities and access to information technology. The foundation, based in Seattle, Washington, has an endowment of US$35.1 billion as of October 1, 2008. The scale of the foundation and the way it seeks to apply business techniques to giving makes it one of the leaders in the philanthrocapitalism revolution in global philanthropy. In 2007 its founders were ranked as the second most generous philanthropists in America. Bill and Melinda were also named Time magazine’s Persons of the Year in December 2005.

Michelle Obama
Because Michelle is the first African American first lady and the first wife of an African American President, she has an influence and gets attention that prior first ladies may not have received. Michelle represents the loving, working mother who came from difficult circumstances, had the opportunity to attend an Ivy League school, and achieve great things in the causes that she’s taken on as a lawyer, and now, as a first lady. Even her fashion sense is turning heads because she tends to wear little known designers, giving them well-deserved attention, instead of going for the more typical pricier names that everyone would expect. When Michelle decided to grow a vegetable garden outside the White-House, all of a sudden it was all the rage. Right now she is taking on reducing childhood obesity and encouraging children to have a healthy active lifestyle.

Ellen DeGeneres
Though it is easy to argue that Ellen doesn’t have half the achievements under her belt as any of the rest of these women do, her talk show and her name have become so synonymous with positivity and acceptance, it seems that laughter really is the best medicine. Besides being widely adored and accepted as an openly gay woman, Ellen and her talk show have won the daytime Emmy for Best Talk Show and talk show host 4 years in a row and the show averages about 3.0 million viewers per episode, according to daytime television ratings, which makes it one of the highest-viewed daytime shows. The refreshing style of her humor and the unyielding extent of her kindness make her a stand out woman of the last decade.

Information from wikipedia.com.

DC’s Happiest Hour

March 5, 2010 by Sarah C. | Comments (1)

Every CRAVE gal has moments like this – when her feet kill from painfully gorgeous heels, her head hurts from incompetent employees, and her tummy growls from skipping lunch yet again. I think the Partridge Family said it best when they belted out these famously cheesy lyrics, “Come on, get happy!”  Grab your girlfriends and  head to happy hour to rid your mind of the day’s woes with cheap grub and cocktails!

Poste - (postebrasserie.com)
555 – 8th Street

French favorite Poste Modern Brasserie (in Penn Quarter) recently received a makeover! Celebrate their fabulous renovation with $5 Happy Hour Mon. -Fri., 4 – 7 pm and sip a much-deserved glass of wine while munching on sinfully delicious Pomme Frites & Truffle Frites. Happy Hour or not, Poste boasts exquisite cuisine that is market fresh and eco-friendly.

The Reserve - (reserveonl.com)
426 L Street

Striking a balance between sophisticated tapas bar and fun late night lounge, The Reserve’s hardwood floors and finished brick walls definitely create a certain ambiance. One look at their tapas menu (including Sweet Potato Puree with Grilled Scallops and Garlic Butter Sauce) and the Happy Hour menu (Tues. -Fri., 5 – 8 pm) with $5 wine and beer will leave you feeling anything but reserved!

Sette Osteria - (setteosteria.com)
1666 Connecticut Avenue

Who doesn’t love Italian good? At Sette Osteria’s daily Happy Hour from 4:30 – 7 pm you can’t go wrong. With choices like $3.75 Budlights, $7 Pizza Margheritas, and $5 mixed drinks, you’ll be itching to sidle up to the bar and get comfortable. This authentic Italian gem specializes in Neapolitan cuisine and has a wood-burning pizza oven to boot!

The Best Movies to Watch with Your Girlfriends

March 1, 2010 by Ashley | Comments (0)

What would we do without our girlfriends? They keep us sane when things get crazy, offer a shoulder to cry on when things get tough, encourage us to buy those shoes we just can’t live without, pig out on junk food with us after a bad breakup, and always, always make us laugh. One of our favorite things to do with our best gal pals is to pile onto the couch with plenty of buttered popcorn and indulge in a chick-flick movie-fest. Check out our picks for the movies to watch with your best girlfriends and start planning your next girl’s night in!

Beaches
Grab your tissues for this one. Its a tear-jerker but its also the story of a friendship that lasts a lifetime – CC and Hilary were totally BFF.

Thelma and Louise
Two best friends on a wild adventure, together until the end, and Brad Pitt? Sign us up!

Steel Magnolias
This one is another sob-story, but we love the story of this group of women who are there for each other through all of life’s ups and downs.

Bridget Jones’ Diary
Because Bridget’s kooky antics make us laugh every time and remind us everyone does silly things from time to time.

Fried Green Tomatoes
A testament to the strength of a woman and what she’ll do for her friends.

Breakfast at Tiffany’s
Because we all love Audrey Hepburn and we all have a little bit of Miss Holly Golightly in us.

Grease
A true guilty pleasure that we love to sing along to with our girls – a definite pick-me-up.

Sixteen Candles
Because we swoon over Jake Ryan and every girl’s high-school fantasy come true, every time we see it.

Dirty Dancing
Another guilty pleasure and classic that we know by heart and can watch with our girlfriends, time and time again.

Mean Girls
It may not be might not be your typical girl-power, female bonding kind of movie, but we all learn a lesson in the end – to support the women in our lives. Plus, its hilarious.

We could go on and on, but we’ll stop here and let you start planning which flicks to view at your next girl’s night. Hooray for girlfriends!

Peek into the CRAVE Closet

February 25, 2010 by Sarah C. | Comments (0)

Our very own Melody Biringer had her closet raided! MyCloset.com, a website dedicated to airing people’s dirty laundry (literally), recently featured the CRAVEcompany founder in its scintillating Celebrity Closets installment. Among the hangers and hampers, a myriad of wardrobe gems were unearthed from all over the world. Woolen leg-warmers from Amsterdam, Ilse Jacobsen rain boots from Seattle, a bold purple dress from Vancouver, BC… how can that much cuteness exist in one closet? Lucky for us, Melody divulged a few of her shopping secrets and we can all check out her fashion favorites for ourselves. Below check out some of her most-cherished boutiques.

Moscow (moscowdesign.nl)
Runstraat 8, 1111 AA, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Horseshoe (horseshoeseattle.com)
5344 Ballard Avenue Northwest Seattle, WA 98107

Lambs Ear (lambsearshoes.com)
3516 Fremont Place No.inesgloves.com Seattle, WA 98103

Ines Gloves (inesgloves.com)
Oudezijds Achterburgwal 132 1012 DV Amsterdam, Netherlands

JC Studio (jcstudio.ca)
46 West 6th Avenue Vancouver, BC V5Y 1K1

sonja | clothes to live in (sonjatacoma.com)
2701 N 21st St, Tacoma, WA 98406

Switch Shoes (switch-shoes.com)
7871 Southwest Capitol Highway, Portland, OR 97219

For a truly in depth look into the world of women-owned boutiques, check out the CRAVEguide for a city near you. These books are brimming with local women you need to know, whether you want to satisfy a craving for your closet, appetite, business, or piece of mind.

Home is Wherever You Hang Your Hat

February 23, 2010 by Lynn Edwards | Comments (0)


For those of you who have read my Rachel Ray blog you know I’m culinarily challenged, but love those food shows. I’m equally as inept at home design & décor but I love me some Design on a Dime (although I don’t actual DO either). I love the word “home.” I grew up in a small rambler with seven people, one bathroom and no dishwasher, but it was home. My Dad still lives there and it’s amazing how it feels sleeping in that house. It’s awesome when we all go home with our families, the bathroom line is just a little longer now with 23 people. After college I became a vagabond and lived all over the world, followed by 18 years as an army spouse. The Army has this cute little sign that says “Home is where the Army sends you.”

Needless to say, my “home” has been a stinky room the size of a closet, a grass hut in the middle of a rice paddy, an apartment on the 75th floor, a condo near a strip mall, a large sprawling tudor style, and approximately 5000 hotel rooms. I love all that cool stuff you get for your home when you get married but I made a critical mistake and had a really small wedding. Turns out I received three place settings of my formal china. When we’d have another couple over the fourth person had to eat off a plastic power ranger plate. I’m so home décor challenged I have lived for months with no pictures on the wall, have gone 20+ years without buying window treatments and I don’t have more than two bath towels the same color. When people ask me what “theme” I have decorated my homes I answer with a mid-modern century “pot pourri”.

As a joke one year my friends bought me an entire set of holiday plates. I now have salt & pepper shakers with snowmen on them…so stinking cool! I think chicks that wear hats are fashion forward stars, those with holiday-themed china are domestic goddesses….now I’m one. There are some staples I love that seem to make a house a luxurious home…a million pillows on your bed & lots of thread count sheets, a system to organize your plastic wear & lids, real flowers on your kitchen island, and that’s living. Oh, and whoever invented that electric fire place switch needs a raise…big time! I love huge tubs but have spent little time in them. The time I did spend was usually jockeying around to get comfortable around all those hot wheels in there with me. I did build a water feature on my deck once. I loved it, yeah for Lowe’s. I looked like a landscape architect genius just by putting part A into part B and firing up the hose. It was great to fall asleep to but it made me have to get up and pee all night long.

Oprah says make your home an oasis…take a look around and think about what you can do to make your house a little more “homey”…even if it’s just a $2 apple pie scented candle.

Come Clean in DC

February 23, 2010 by Sarah C. | Comments (0)

Given the recent Snowpocalypse, it’s hard to believe that winter is coming to an end. It’ll be spring cleaning time before you know it…  The question of the hour is, will you be ready to face your closet, let alone your entire house or office? Below, two local ladies who make a living out of organizing other people’s stuff give us their top five organization tips in anticipation of spring cleaning!

D. Allison Lee (dallisonlee.com)
phone: 301.502.3835

From organizing your home or office to helping you with home staging and storage solutions, D. Allison Lee will de-clutter and de-stress your space in the most efficient way for your lifestyle. A Certified Professional Organizer since 2008, Ms. Lee offers a variety of packages for virtually any budget and promotes innovative, structured, and organized living.

1. Set Organizing Goals. Figure out what you want to accomplish, and put those items in order of priority. Sometimes it feels like our whole house needs help, and it might. However, there are likely to be specific areas that bother you the most. Start with those areas first.

2. Gather Everything You Need. Once you’ve set your goals, get everything you need to work successfully on your project. For example, when sorting and categorizing documents, be sure that you have a shredder, recycling bin, file folders, etc.

3. Work When You’re at Your Best. Most of us don’t do anything well when we’re hungry, tired, and/or in pain, so be sure that you’re mentally and physically ready to work. Also, think about the time of day that you’re the most productive. Are you an evening or morning person? Do you get your “second wind” in the afternoon? When do you feel the most alert? Finding out when you perform at your best will help you to complete tasks more efficiently and with greater success.

4. Play Your Favorite Music. When we exercise, we play up tempo music. It makes the whole process more fun and it can be very motivating. The same is true for organizing. Who says you can’t sing while you organize the kitchen cabinets?

5. Do a Little Bit Every Day. Have you ever tried to tackle a large project all in one day? It can be pretty daunting and overwhelming to manage it all at once, so spend 10-30 minutes every day doing some type of organizing activity. Not only will you keep the momentum going, but you will also get a chance to do other things you love to do. You’ll be surprised by how much you can get done when you do a little bit at a time.

Put It Away! (putitaway.net)
phone: 240.242.PIA1 (7421)

Catering to homes and small businesses, Kim Oser’s professional organizing service customizes its services based on each client’s particular need. Her business uses the most up-to-date organizational tools and trends to help you get rid of the clutter in your space! Put It Away! also does a great deal of community service, including supporting local non-profit organizations.

1. Schedule time to get organized. Mark it in your calendar. Set aside 20 minutes to 2 hours. Are you more productive in the morning, mid-day or at night? Schedule it like you would a doctor’s appointment. If you wait until you have spare time, you’ll never get started. Adding organizing time to your calendar establishes a commitment.

2. Grab a buddy. Do you ever feel like you get more done while you have a repair person at your home or you get the laundry folded quicker while the kids are doing homework? Have you noticed the kids get their room cleaned faster when you are standing at the door even though you never lift a finger? Invite over a non-judgmental friend, your mom, the dog or turn on the radio. This is the concept of body doubling. The body double’s only job is to stay in the room with you and help you stay on track, keep you from getting distracted. The presence of the body double serves as a physical and emotional anchor whose existence helps keep you focused on the organizational process. Plus, doing anything with company usually makes it more fun.

3. Spend 10 minutes setting goals. Why do you want to get organized? What is preventing you from being organized? By getting this information out of your head, it gives you an idea of what you want to accomplish and purpose for moving forward.

4. Drop a perfectionist attitude. We tend to think “I can’t get started because I won’t be able to make it perfect”. Our desire for perfection inhibits any success. So rather than tackling the whole office or closet, start with one drawer, or just the shoes. If we plan for small accomplishments, we feel success and inspiration to move forward.

5. The organizational process starts at home (or your office). When getting organized, our first inclination is to go buy a bunch of bins, new bookcases, file folders. While buying these supplies may get us excited, we tend to get home, pull out our supplies and go “now what?”. The organizational process starts with your stuff. Pick an area to start organizing. Sort the items in the area, match like items with like items. Determine do all of the items in this area belong here? Do empty shopping bags really belong in your closet? Do your heels belong in your file drawer? If items are out of place from where they are being used, set them aside to be returned to their appropriate area. Once an area is sorted, pick appropriate containers, label them and assign a home. By assigning everything a home, you always know where to find things and where to return them.

Put a Spring in Your Step with these Hot Colors

February 22, 2010 by Madeline | Comments (0)


When we think of spring we think of pastels and floral prints, but those just seem a little too passé and boring. What will you be wearing this spring to spice up your wardrobe? Here are some of the color trends that you won’t want to miss out on. Pick up a few bright accessories that are both trendy and timeless.

Turquoise – We’re pretty sure this is on EVERYONE’S hot-list, along with other aqua-colored hues. This vibrant color turns every outfit up a notch, making you just exude that cool confident aura that will make you the center of attention. Splurge on a Jamie Joseph brightly colored stone ring. We love this Sea Blue Chalcedony Ring for a beautiful eye-catcher.

Light Pink – More specifically, champagnes and corals are two “light pinks” that won’t have you gagging on pastel and cotton candy. Champagne is the closest you can get to a nice neutral color while adding a little pop! And for coral, try some of Cara Lyndon’s hairpins, we recommend Coral Wheel . Whether your hair color is light or dark, this feminine flair will turn heads.

Yellow – In every shade and size. Add a dash here or there or a big bright bag to have everyone around you smiling. Evoking sunshine and happiness, everyone could stand to integrate this cheerful color into their wardrobe or even their home. Try a bright throw pillow to add to your living room, we like the yellow Gloria pillow from Henry Road. The great thing about throw pillows is, when spring is over, you can just throw them back into the closet until spring comes again!

Interview with Sondra Lewis from Chic Chocolate

February 19, 2010 by Sarah C. | Comments (5)

Chic Chocolate (chicchocolate.net), Sondra Lewis’ lifestyle fashion blog, focuses on what she calls “The Chocolate City that is DC”. From designers to make-up to models to accessories, she blogs about it all in fun, chocolate-coated posts that leave us drooling over luscious looks and CRAVE-able couture.

What’s your favorite fashion must-have or must-NOT-have?
My favorite fashion must-have is a great pair of jeans! A pair or two that fits perfectly for your proportions and that make you feel sexy and confident at the same time.

What’s the best advice you’ve been given?
You have two ears and one mouth. Listen twice as much as you speak!

When you’re not focused on the blog, what does your life look like?
I’m a defense contractor by trade. When I’m not busy with work, I’m working on building my beauty business. I am a makeup artist, too. I love doing bridal makeup and I’m looking forward to doing fashion show and other beauty events really soon. I love making women pretty! When I have some down time, I love going to new restaurants with my friends or taking a road trip with my family.

What or who inspired you to start your blog?
The inspiration to start my blog, Chic Chocolate, came from loving fashion and beauty and art. I’ve always been a visual and creative person and my blog gives me the outlet that I need to express and share what I’m about.

What makes you feel most CRAVE – able?
A beautiful fragrance and a friendly smile makes me feel CRAVE-able!!

Tell us about a cause you’re passionate about.
Helping women succeed and prosper is what I’m passionate about. Although, I haven’t gotten the chance yet (no excuse), I want to volunteer with groups like, Dress For Success or Suited For Change. Being able to use my passion for fashion and helping very capable and smart women who may have fallen on hard times get back on their feet would be an honor for me. I’ve been very blessed in my life and it’s all about helping the community and giving back.

What makes you laugh so hard you cry?
It doesn’t take much to make me laugh. I’m a “born giggler!” My friends and I have a lot of inside jokes that we laugh about constantly, so that keeps me going.

Go Ga Ga for Babies in DC!

February 17, 2010 by Sarah C. | Comments (0)


If you’re a mom or a mom-to-be (or an auntie or granny for that matter), you know how fun it is to buy baby stuff. Admit it – adorable outfits, cute-as-can-be accessories, and maternity clothes that actually make you feel pretty all have the ability to put a smile on your face. Read on for local baby shops near you!

Apple Seed Maternity & Baby Boutique (appleseedboutique.com)
115 South Columbus St. Alexandria, VA 22314
Expecting moms need look no further – Apple Seed is brimming with all things baby. Hip, chic clothing for moms and tots, the latest baby gear, and an array of unique gifts make this shop in Old Town a must-visit. Be the best dressed mom-to-be with maternity clothes from the likes of Citizens for Humanity, Paige, and Olian. Don’t miss the baby How-To videos on the boutique’s website!

Daisy Baby & Kids (shopdaisybaby.com)
4912-A Del Ray Avenue, Bethesda, MD 20814
Specializing in design services for children’s rooms, Daisy Baby offers a comprehensive experience for parents and parents-to-be. Founder Dana Evans helps you create the perfect space, one that is visually stunning and a happy place to be for everyone in your home. Furniture, bedding, window treatments, flooring, art, and more – Daisy Baby offers the works, and they even do House Calls to ensure that your new nursery or child’s room is the best it can be!

A New Twist on the Theme Song

February 15, 2010 by Jade | Comments (0)


A Theme Song. Normally when you think of a theme song you think of the first 30 seconds of a TV Show or news broadcast. That annoying thirty second melody that plays over and over in our heads days after we have watched the show. But this week we take a new look at the theme song. We asked around on Twitter and Facebook and came up with a fabulous list of songs people consider their “theme songs” for life.

These are songs that lifts you up and makes you feel good. Songs that starts a fire and keeps you going. Songs that you dance around in your bedroom listening to while you sing into your hair brush. These are the songs that define us. Everyone has one hidden some where inside of them. It might be your phone ring or the song that plays in your headphones while you work out or before a big meeting – whenever you use it and however it makes you feel we thank you all for sharing your themes.

Here is a complete list of the suggested theme songs:

For your listening pleasure go to the complete playlist on the blip.fm page titled CRAVEThemeSongs.

And next time you need a pick me up or inspiration, crank up one of these tunes and sing out – you might be surprised just how good it makes you feel!

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