Passing Judgments is the Easy Way Out

Hey everyone,

Make sure to check out my most recent column on Brown Girl Magazine here. Thought it was really relevant with recent events. Please read, share, and give me some feedback on what you think! I truly appreciate it.

Don't forget to like Brown Girl Magazine on Facebook and Twitter (@BrownGirlMag)

Smiles,

Hera

DIY: Necklace Board

This is so easy, it really shouldn't be considered a "DIY." It's more of an idea for what to do with all your necklaces, especially those statement ones! Storing necklaces can be kinda annoying. The chains always get tangled, and sometimes pieces would fall off my statement necklaces because they'd get caught on something. 

So one day, while I was organizing my life, I decided to make better use of the cork board hanging on my wall. I arranged tacks on the cork board and just laid my necklaces over the tacks. And that's basically all there's to it. Not only do you have easy access to your necklaces, but they also won't get tangled with each other and it looks super cool on the wall. I also added a couple brand tags to give it some personality, ya knooow.

I don't have many necklaces so a small corkboard did the job.

Naz on the other hand....

Give it a try!

Hera

not your ordinary fruit kabobs

So I saw this idea floating around on Pinterest and decided to give it a try. It turned out wonderfully! I mean, fruits and chocolate Swiss rolls together on a skewer, what more could one want?

I couldn't keep this refreshing treat to myself so here's how you can enjoy it too.

What you'll need:

Fruits, Bamboo skewers, and Swiss Rolls

Stick the chocolate Swiss rolls in the freezer the night before for more yummy "kabobs." Slice up fruit of your choice and the cake. I used just pineapples and strawberries because that's all I had at the moment, but you can get cray with the fruit.

Add the fruit to the skewers and put in the freezer for another couple hours (this step is option but highly recommended). And voila!

I get to eat endless Swiss rolls without feeling too guilty ^.^

Happy noms,

Hera

Current Favorites!

Over the past few months, we have been obsessing over a few products and we thought we'd share some of our favorite "things" so you can obsess with us. Most of these products are beauty-related, but there are a couple of randoms that we couldn't hold back :)

1. BB Cream

BB cream used to be only available through high-end brands, but recently, "drugstore brands" have released their own! The market is extremely popular right now with so many options, so you have to shop around for what you think will work best for your skin. Whether you decide to splurge with a high-end brand or play it safe with a drugstore brand, BB cream will become an everyday essential. It basically does everything you'd want a face product to do to make you feel absolutely fabulous! We personally recommend Revlon PhotoReady BB Cream, but we haven't had the opportunity to try a wide variety, so research before you go to buy.

2. Milani Baked Blush

Words cannot express how beautiful these blushes are. They are exactly like high-end branded blushes without the hefty price. The color pay off is wonderful and it doubles as a highlighter without being glittery. It glides onto the skin and gives off a healthy, natural glow. Definitely a must-have!

3. Organic Face Rosewater Toner by Boots

Stumbled upon this at Target and it is basically a party for your face. This toner hydrates, wakes up, and refreshes your skin. It has a lovely faint scent of roses. You will always try to find an excuse to be able to apply thisto your skin because it simply feels amazing.

4. Voulspa Candles

There is nothing in this world that smells as wonderful as Voulspa Candles. Nothing. 

Did we mention they come in ridiculously cute tins? <3

5. Printed Pouches

This may seem odd, but there's something about elephants and umbrellas printed on a zipper pouch we can't explain. If you're going to stay organized, might as well stay organized in a cute manner, right? If we didn't have our pouches imprinted with bicycles and poodles, where would our lipsticks go?

xo,

Hera and Naz

Attire Tautology: Bulky Scarf

attire tautology /əˈtaɪə tô-t l -j/ n. the study of a article of clothing in different fashion senses

We found these great bulky scarves from Zara and just couldn't resist. These scarves will redefine your definition of bulk. They make a great statement piece!

Look 1 - 

Look 2 - 

 

Tragedy strikes on innocent children.

We would like to give our condolences to the parents who lost their innocent children and the community of Newton. School should be a safe haven for children and we should never have to be worried about whether or not our children will return from school.

We encourage everyone to keep the families of the innocent children and adults killed in the elementary school in your prayers and thoughts. And also, do not forget those children in other parts of the world, such as Syria, Gaza and Burma, who are in suffering and being murdered by tyrants everyday. 

We hope that this is a wake up call for our country to take charge and make some important changes. The line must be drawn.

To learn more about the tragedy in Newton, read this article.

To read our views on gun law changes, read this blog post.

Hera and Naz

mustard lovin.

Fall-ify your summer skirts with mustard cardigans. Who can say no to a little mustard in their life? And to warm up this look for the winter, throw on some opaque tights or leggings with cute booties.

Mustard cardigan - Forever 21

Navy skirt - Forever 21

Movie Review: Jab Tak Hai Jaan

Jab Tak Hai Jaan has everything one would expect a Yash Raj film to have: Shahrukh Khan, a gorgeous heroine, a dramatic climax, beautiful songs, and a happy ending. However, the romance, the biggest part of any Yash Raj film, was missing. Allow me to explain.

This film starred Shahrukh Khan, Katrina Kaif, and Anushka Sharma. The film was essentially a love story between Khan and Kaif. Yash Chopra did a fantastic job in direction and portraying the story. However, the flaw was in the writing and story. Aditya Chopra, who’s been known to direct many classic Yash Raj films, such as Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, wrote the story of Jab Tak Hai Jaan. Expecting a classic storyline, I was left very disappointed.

To read the rest of this review, visit Brown Girl Magazine.

glitter

The key to the perfect pair of sparkly pants is subtleness. These pair of pants have just the right amount of gold sparkle. The neutral color makes them easy to wear during day or night. Throw on a leopard print scarf, a lacy cardigan and a great handbag, and you're ready to shine bright like a diamond (lame Rihanna reference).

 

Gold, glitter pants - Allen B

Shout out to my brother

My brother recently started blogging for a class and he's been begging me all week for a shout out. Here you go, Zaid. Now leave me alone. :)

Show him some love!

www.theenglishprojectsaeed.blogspot.com

Hera

peter pan

Occasionally, I like to take advantage of my pretty roommate and use her as a model. Alyssa likes to keep things simplistic, but classy. Here's a great example of how you can make a simple concept, such as jeans and a tee, and dress it up. Take advantage of the peter pan collar trend! They add a little class to what would otherwise be a simple top.

 

Top - Forever 21

Skinnies - Forever 21

Heels - Charlotte Russe

The Cappuccino Series: Episode 2

After a week of craziness, we finally found the time to go on another hunt to find the perfect cappuccino.

This time we visited Hubbard & Cravens Coffee and Tea in Carmel. This place was located in the cutest, prettiest area of Carmel (which is basically like all of Carmel....kidding not kidding). And the inside was even prettier. We loved the environment and feel of this place! It was so well decorated and set up. It was very contemporary, but very rustic at the same time. They had these cool, see-through plastic chairs with wooden tables that looked like just a giant slab of wood. Basically, the atmosphere was amazing and if I could, I would live there.

Carmel swag. Source: Naz's Instagram (@nazday)

See, I wasn't lying. Source: My Instagram (@heraspeaking)

Now let's talk about their coffee, because that's what this post is supposed to be about. I ordered their cappuccino (duh). It came in a nice little mug, which sat on a little saucer, and the best part, they even gave me a spoon. I feel like I used too many commas in that sentence; oh well. The cappuccino was delicious! It was extremely creamy with just the right amount of coffee and steamed milk. I love the froth in cappuccinos and lattes. Scooping the froth up with my spoon was too satisfying. Probably one of my top favorite cappuccinos of all time.

<3

Looking at these photos are making me crave it again.

Naz got the espresso here. From what she told me, it was fantastic; the perfect size for such a strong drink. And it came in a little cute red cup and saucer, so it was almost impossible to not love.

HOW CUTE IS THIS?

All in all, we were thoroughly impressed and satisfied with Hubbard & Cravens. Definitely a great place for all coffee lovers to visit. And they also carry tea, so tea lovers should also check it out. 

Peace, homies.

Movie review: 'English Vinglish'

Spoiler Alert: I don't intentionally spoil things, but I've been told that sometimes I give too many things away on accident. So this is my warning to you. Read on at your own risk. 

Sridevi makes a wonderful comeback into Indian cinema after 15 years with this film! The film is a light-hearted story, fantastically written and directed by Gauri Shinde.

I won't go into too much detail about the plot because I don't want to end up giving everything away, but basically, this story is about a housewife, played by Sridevi, who feels belittled by her husband and children because she doesn't know how to speak English. In order to gain some respect for herself, she secretly starts attending English classes, and the movie takes you through her journey.

I loved the way the movie was directed. It lasted about two hours, but there was not one moment where I felt bored. I never felt the movie was being unnecessarily stretched out, which is very RARE in Bollywood. The dialogue was so perfect. There was just the right amount of comedy, drama, happiness and sadness. Each of the characters were so unique, that you grew attached to each one of them as the movie progressed. The characters were very unique and real.

Now let's talk more about Sridevi. She looked absolutely stunning. So beautiful. And her acting was GREAT. In fact, while watching the movie, I forgot I was watching Sridevi. She beautifully became her character and she never let go. She was so timid throughout the movie, which was perfect for her character of a traditional housewife.

Have I said the words perfect and beautiful enough yet?

There wasn't much music in the film. The few songs that were present were kinda bizarre but they worked well as background sound. Nothing I would download on my iPod to listen to in my free time or while doing homework, etc.

All in all, this movie is great. It puts a big smile on your face. So gather your parents, siblings, friends, etc. and go watch this film! It will not disappoint. Oh, and the best part, no awkward moments whatsoever. You can finally watch a film with your parents and/or kids, stress-free.

Enjoy,

Hera

Blazers mean Business

Hey guys,

Check out my latest fashion post at Brown Girl Magazine! Show them some love on Twitter and Facebook :)

I've uploaded a couple more photos on this post!

Enjoy,

Hera

structured shoulders make me feel glam

Hello lovelies!

So it's been FOREVER since we've done a fashion post. We just never got a chance to go out and have a photo shoot. I finally found some time this past weekend and I thought I'd bring you a night photo shoot since we haven't done one yet.

I'm super excited about this outfit because I absolutely love this dress. It is a cheetah print (shocker) dress that very bold, structured shoulders! The reason I bought the dress was for its shoulders. The shoulders take this somewhat of a simple dress to a whole new level. Structured shoulders are a great way to give any plain dress an edge look, and I felt quite glamorous.

Since the dress was so bold with the shoulders and the print was pretty vibrant, I kept the accessories simple. I threw on some rings and couple of bangles. I decided to wear the black ankle boots instead of heels to keep the look edgy.

This is a great nighttime, "going out" look! The dress is super comfy and because of the boldness of the dress, you don't even need that many accessories!

Let me know how you would style this dress! Don't forget to like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter/Instagram (@heraspeaking, @nazday).

Thanks for reading, dolls!

Hera

 

Accessories