Alright Ladies. Aren't we tired of the same old rose and chocolate routine?

While yes, roses are certainly romantic and hey, I've never turned down a box of Vosges Chocolate, wouldn't it be nice to receive what we really want for Valentine's Day?

I'm talking about that must-have hand bag, to-die-for pair of heels, day at the spa we've been dreaming about for months...well, you get the drift.

While your fuck buddy hubby may not be able to read your mind, let me introduce you to something that can: Wishpot.

Drop a hint and get what you really want this Valentine's Day using Wishpot wish lists. (He'll be happy for the help!)

The site is really quite genius as it lets you build wish lists from things you find anywhere on the world wide web. (As any smart shopper would agree, why limit yourself to one store when you can shop them all?)

I want to go to the Hello Mow Mow Pancake Shop in Japan! They get all the good Hello Kitty shit. (Boing Boing)

Smell like gym, tanning, laundry? Introducing: Sitch by The Situation. You've got to be kidding me? (i village)

More on the Italian front: Everyone wants to look Italian? (Jezebel)

Oh, a more lengthy piece here. (NY Mag)

I swear I had this idea years ago. Dita & Moschino's eye mask reminds me of Holly Golighty. (Mama's A Rolling Stone)

I just died & went to food nerd heaven. Helvetica cookies. (Miss At La Playa)

I want to be her. Right now. In Gay Paree. (The Sartorialist)

If you guys forgot; I'm the edit assistant here, and have the occasional meep meep. Today, I need to vent, re: dating.

Whatever happened to opening the door for the lady? Or, walking her home?

The other day the girls & I went to a club for a friend's birthday (note: I'm in school up in RI, so by club, I mean "the club", the one which everyone goes to on the weekends). I met a cute guy, and, I must say, we hit it off pretty well. The conversation was not forced, it was just flowing.

Sparks aside, he also managed to do everything right: bought me a drink, danced with me and managed to slip in a few kisses here and there.

Unfortunately, my night came to a screeching halt when my "responsible" friend realized the bottle of wine she downed wasn't sitting too well.

We needed to evacuate immediately.

February is American Heart Month. And so it should be, as cardiovascular diseases are our nations #1 killer.

So, go red girls.

This national movement was founded by the American Heart Association as a way of keeping women in the know about the dangers of heart disease. Heart Disease is the Number #1 killer of American women! We do so much to prevent breast cancer, we need to not only love pink but love RED! (And it's a good thing these two colors go together.)

What can you do to support the cause?

Wear something red.

Why not try a bright lip?

It is the hot color for the pout this year. We like Rimmel London's new Moisture Renew Lip Colour in Red Alert, Rose Passion, or Rosette.

Personally, I can't pull off red lips, but I always wear red nail polish.

So my new personal recommendation?

Rimmel's Lasting Finish Pro Nail Enamel in Stiletto.

And if you're really interested in the cause and a jersey broad like moi, there's an event in Red Bank you can attend.

I have been on the prowl searching for a wearable knee-length skirt that is both flattering, and one that isn't made to look like I should be going to the temple office.

I perused around one of my favorite sites, Shopbob, and found what I think, is G-d's gift to my pencil persuit.

Derek Lam's draped skirt with snaps.

Shopbop has oodles of knee length skirts, but I was drawn to the practiciality with this shade of blue (which btw, is my new go-to neutral).

Loving how it wont ride up or cling (ruche + lightweight jersey material = love) and has gold snaps to show em' a little leg ("and then don't give em' any", guess what old movie?).

I need warm weather stat (!) because this skirt can go from rooftop party to walking the dog with just a quick shoe change.

The price? $650. Ouch. But, is a total closet staple.

Like totally.

The day before my trip to Costa Rica, I ran out of my Clinique Lash Doubling mascara . I've been using it for quite sometime now; have a minor aversion to change, and more importantly, have sensitive, dry eyes, so to date, this has been my everyday mascara.

(Tangent: For special occasions I always change my mascara like a quirkpot; ie: this past Christmas I was all over Estee Lauders Sumptuous Color, Bold Volume in Emerald - amazing.)

So, it's about 6pm the night before CR and no more mascara. I was feeling cheap & lazy, so I could'nt be bother to schelp to Sephora to buy Clinique, so in a mad dash, I ran into Duane Reade & grabbed Maybelline's Collosal Volum' Express.

I haven't bought a drug store mascara since Maybelline's Great Lash (which I always have in stock in my makeup closet) and to be honest, I wasn't hesitant to buy Colossal; I was had pre-vaca jitters leaving me nervous + excited = in a fog.

Well, well well.

Look what popped up on my Macbook screen yesterday:

AIM IM with _______ 12/4/10 12:11 PM

STALKER: Hi lauren how are you? Let me first start off by apologizing for going mia. Ive been thinking of you

ME: I really don't know what to say to you
why did you stand me up?
12:30 PM

STALKER: I screwed up and was a jerk. No excuses, but id really like to make it up to u.
I wouldve reached out sooner but felt so stupid i never did
Since ive realized how much i miss u, im reaching out now
12:37 PM

Dear Manhattan Retailers,

When I tell people that I live in Manhattan, I say it's the greatest place on earth.

What's not to love?

The theaters, galleries, men, restaurants, all make this city, what Barnum & Bailey coin: "the greatest show place on earth".

After giving this answer, it's at this point, when my hometown Denver folk, usually say: "UM... AND THE SHOPPING!?"

Me: "NO."

New York is one of the major fashion capitals of the world, so any twenty-something woman must love it, right?

NO, not me.

Here's my gripe: The Big Apple has thousand of stores, catering to all fancies, but if you're like me, and over a size 16 (or 12 for that matter), you are shit out of luck.

Random Note: I donated my whole emergency-broke-up-with-my-boyfriend-mama-needs-a-new-pair-of-Loub's fund to Haiti.

I encourage everyone to donate whatever extras you have: be it: money, shiny leggings, boxes of Ramen noodles left over from college, or those fucking heinous UGGS you keep on wearing, to those powerless Haitians suffering desperately.

Now, back to business.

American Apparel, what the fuck are you thinking with your floral lace unitard?

Who would wear such a thing?

I kinda dig it but it's definitely a night time thing, and a major commitment to wear.

Imagine trying to shimmy out of it to pee in those teeny tiny downtown clubs...

Then, I stumbled across this.

Yup, I guess that's the only way to do it.

Does that fly for casual Friday?

When I was asked to go cover PurpleLab Cosmetic's "Find Your Luvah" Speed Dating event, I thought, why not?

I had never speed dated before and besides, with VH1's Tough Love host Steve Ward at the helm, I figured it would at the very least be entertaining (not to mention a portion of proceeds going to benefit Women in Need).

So I got my dating partner in crime (we'll just call her "K") on board, along with a couple of platonic (?) male friends (one of which apparently likes to wear his sunglasses at night), and off we headed to the W Hoboken (that's right - I trekked my Manhattan ass out to Jersey).