All Things Fashionating by tracy mausser

Well, for lack of anything better to write, I thought I would update ya'll -- as we are on a five hour layover in Charlotte, NC.  We left LAX at 10:30pm Thursday and arrived Charlotte at 6:30am this morning.  Shane fell asleep before the plane even took off.  He had been so excited for it that we shook him awake and made him look out the window.  He seemed like a drunk man as his eyes fluttered, rolled into the back of his head, and then he was back asleep before we even got all our wheels off the ground. From that point on, we all got about 4 hours of sleep...actually Shane got 4 hours of sleep while he stretched out across Jason and I.  I spent most of the flight keeping Shane from kicking out my teeth with his restless legs; while Jason's head kept bobbing with Shane's raccoon flight pillow.  So apropos for the South -- a road kill pillow. Presently, we are killing time in the Admirals Club....

Later today, I will be headed to LAX and boarding a plane to Aruba for a little R&R with the fam.  I am going to try my best to continue posting; however, a huge tropical drink and sandy hands may keep me away.  I mean, can I plug my laptop in at the swim up bar? I have to be honest with you, I truly feel like I need a vacation.  I know, nobody says, I don’t feel like I need a vacation; I mean who would turn down some time in paradise, even if you don’t run at the hectic pace that I try and keep up with on most days. But, as I have posted over the past few months, I lost both my Nana and Pop – two days apart – in March.  I still miss my Pop Pop a lot and thought of him often this father’s day.  My biggest regret was that I didn’t get to say good-bye.  I hadn’t picked up the phone to call him since Christmas because I was “too busy.” The moral of the story, don’t use that excuse and put things off – especially when it comes to loved ones – I still...

I    Halston Heritage. I do, I really do and I’m not sure what I love most about it; the fact that its roots stem from the legendary Halston line or that the price point is right on…no pun intended. The Halston Heritage collection, which launched early 2010, is inspired by the fashion house’s famous designs from the Studio 54 crowd of the late 70s and 80s, but with a contemporary twist. Bianca Jagger @ Studio 54 This SS2011 collection features one-shoulder caftans, silk maxi dresses, stretch jersey halter neck jumpsuits, and some fun and flirty dresses. With a color palette that ranges from black to white to effervescent and fluorescent hues of green, orange, fuchsia and violet. Perusing the collection, Halston’s muse Bianca Jagger immediately popped into my mind; but the diffusion line is attracting modern day jet setters like Sarah Jessica Parker, Chloe Sevigny and Audrina Patridge. SJP currently holds the position of chief creative officer of Halston H...

 Ocean Grove Pier  Today is the first day of summer and, even though I am approaching the autumn of my life, this time of year always generates a level of excitement in me. When I was a child, the beginning of summer was a time of endless possibilities: School was out for ten glorious weeks, the Fourth of July holiday was right around the corner with my birthday following close on its heels. My summer break always started off with a bang but, come August, I was always ready to just relax and enjoy the dog days of summer.  In New Jersey, this means the humidity, jelly fish and crazy summer crowds. As I have posted before, I grew up on the Jersey Shore, in a little town called Ocean Grove. My memories of the summers of my youth did not include Snookie, the Situation or J-Wow; although our beaches did fill up with visitors from other states, such as New York and Connecticut. We called these summer visitors “Bennies” and truth be told, they did – and probably still do – congest...

"...to be true to myself, to be the person that was on the inside of me, and not play games. That's what I'm trying to do mostly in the whole world, is to not bullshit myself and not bullshit anybody else." -- Janis Joplin

Today is Father’s Day and I would like to give a shout out to my sweetie.  I know there are a lot of great dads out there but, since this is my blog, I’m going to use this forum to let you know why D. Jason Mausser is the best daddy ever to Shane Loyal Mausser…and to me too. Jason and I were married five years before we got pregnant with Shane.  We both were on the same page and wanted to travel and experience our married lives together before we grew our family.  After a few years of constantly being on the go, our lives started to get mundane, and we wanted more meaning to our existence.  We realized that it was time to create our family.  Around that same time, we went to friends’ wedding in Hawaii for a week at Thanksgiving.  We said, “Hey, paradise wouldn’t be a bad place to start practicing.”  At the end of the week, on the plane ride home, my body felt different. I was burning up on the plane, which is completely odd for me.  I am always...

3 Types of Doers There are three types of doers:   If a person says, ‘I shall do it soon,’ their character is poor.  If a person says, ‘I am ready to do it,’ their character is average. If a person says, ‘I am doing it,’ his character is supreme. -Ancient Kabbalistic Saying

A girl’s make-up is very personal decision.  Some women get hooked on one brand and they are loyal followers.  Personally, I am the type that chooses from a menagerie of make-up varieties, but I would have to say that MAC Cosmetics is my favorite. According to Wikipedia, Make-up Artists Cosmetics aka MAC Cosmetics was founded by Frank Toskan and Frank Angelo in Toronto in 1984.  The company’s products were initially designed for professional make-up artists. In 1991, the first American MAC store opened in Greenwich Village, NYC.  Today, the company boasts stores all over the world and is now controlled by Est è e Lauder Companies. At first, I was intimidated by MAC because of the whole make-up artist concept.  I was never very good at putting on my own make-up and, even though I purchased it at Department Stores, I didn’t have the knowledge to apply it correctly.  Essentially, I had accepted the fact that my make-up just vanished from my face by about lun...

I was a Howard Stern Intern.  Inevitably, the first question I get asked is, did I have to take my top off; and, the second one, did I win the Howard Stern Intern Beauty Contest and get a boob job?  Unfortunately – for the level of drama for this post –neither happened. My role on The Stern Show was not high-profile, but it was über-professional.  Now that is not to say I didn’t get to meet awesome people – a few celebrities – and take advantage of some perks all while having fun. During my senior year of college, I had to perform a Journalism internship for my senior work study program.  I sent out a ton of cover letters and resumes and had three takers: Tennis Magazine ; The Columbia Journalism Review (WTF! I was only even considered because Columbia was my Journalism professor’s Alma Mater); and The Howard Stern Show.  Just in case you have been locked in a closet for the past 36 years; Howard Stern is an American radio personality, TV host, aut...

Sandra Dee Being almost 5 feet, 8 inches tall, I am elated that Trim Trousers are back in fashion.   You know the style: snug fit through the legs – somewhat boyish looking – with ankle grazing proportions. According to Wikipedia, also known as cigarette pants, slim-fit pants, stove-pipes or even skinny pants. I am glad that I can once again display my ankles proudly.   Since my legs are almost as long as my husband’s legs – and he is more than 6 feet tall – most of my pants tend to be trim trousers without my even trying. But honestly, I love that look.   I have a pair of Marc Jacobs’s pants, which fit me like cigarette pants.   They are a size 4 – obviously TOTAL vanity sizing – but the length just doesn’t make it down over my knobby ankle bones.   I love to wear them with these floral-patterned kitten heel mules. So fun and flirty if you ask me. Of course, trim trousers also look fantabulo us with the myriad of flats that are not only fashion-forward b...

Shane and Ms. Moon It is mid-June and my six-year-old son, Shane, is getting ready to transition from Kindergarten at his private Christian school to First Grade in the public school district of Hermosa Beach, Calif.. The hefty price tag of the private school for the last two years has been well worth it and afforded Shane a strong core foundation for his primary education.   Shane had a little bit of a bumpy transition going from Pre-school to Pre-K; however, with the help of his teacher Ms. Chang last year, he excelled by leaps and bounds during the second half of the year.   Shane also benefited from Ms. Helen, who has been his Teacher’s Aid for the last two years.   I can honestly say that Shane – along with all the other children – love Ms. Helen.   She helped the kids with their projects, homework, read many books to her students, all with endless patience.   She actually resigned last month so that she and her husband could retire to Arizona.  ...

My sweet lord Hm, my lord Hm, my lord I really want to see you Really want to be with you Really want to see you lord But it takes so long, my lord My sweet lord Hm, my lord Hm, my lord I really want to know you Really want to go with you Really want to show you lord That it won't take long, my lord (hallelujah) My sweet lord (hallelujah) Hm, my lord (hallelujah) My sweet lord (hallelujah) I really want to see you Really want to see you Really want to see you, lord Really want to see you, lord But it takes so long, my lord (hallelujah) My sweet lord (hallelujah) Hm, my lord (hallelujah) My, my, my lord (hallelujah) I really want to know you (hallelujah) Really want to go with you (hallelujah) Really want to show you lord (aaah) That it won't take long, my lord (hallelujah) Hmm (hallelujah) My sweet lord (hallelujah) My, my, lord (hallelujah) Hm, my lord (hare krishna) My, my, my lord (hare krishna) Oh hm, my sweet lord (krishna, kri...

I have never been to Brazil but, I can honestly say, it is one of my top five, “Before I die, I would like to go to…” destinations. But for right now, I don’t have to samba too far to experience the beach culture of Brazil.   Essie ®, nail salon expert since 1981, has launched its newest 2011 summer line of nail polish colors, “Braziliant.” Their ad in a recent magazine really caught my eye.   The showcase color, braziliant, is a luminescent coral and is being drizzled on top of a radiant white shell sitting on a sideways essie bottle. The new summer 2011 shades also have the most fantastic names such as: too too hot; super bossa nova; meet me at sunset; smooth sailing; absolutely shore; and braziliant. Also, essie ® polishes are DBP, Toluene and Formaldehyde free. This ad made me yearn for the colors of the beach and inspired me to pick up the phone and book an appointment at my nail salon pronto. I also ran out to the nearest beauty supply to get my own bottle, but they ...