Friday Fashion and Food: Button Downs, Cropped Tops, Carrot Kugel and a Passover Miracle

Thursday, April 24, 2014

Hey there! Welcome back to the blog. I hope your Passover was amazing! I had a wonderful Pesach vacation that included a lot of work and family time, a bad cooking burn that is miraculously healing (more on that later), and an end of Pesach matzo belly that prevented me from wearing some of my more fitted dresses, but was fabulously camouflaged by the wardrobe staple we should all own: the classic white button down shirt (styled with a cropped top over it). But all in all it was fabulous! So let's recap a bit...

THE FASHION
First let's talk about the fashion. I had wanted to experiment with the cropped top trend and explore different ways to wear it in a manner that worked for me. I was originally inspired by Julia Roberts at the Golden Globes in her cropped top atop a crisp button down. I mean who has the guts to do that?

WE do!

I created my own look using a black and white patterned full skirt with a white eyelet cropped top over a button down shirt. It was a really fun and classy look.

Here's a similar version of the look. Click on each item to SHOP the pieces I've chosen for you:

One Way to Style A Crop Top
Hugo, Varga, Delia's, Arden B, Express, Kendra Scott
Layering a crop top with a button down shirt is one way to style a crop top. Black and white is always classic and adding a pop of...
ShopStyle

Here are some more ways to wear a cropped top over a white button down:
 via

Another hot trend I saw all over Miami during Pesach vacation was the Ray Ban blue and green lensed mirrored aviators. They just add a level hottness to everything. I came home and ordered mine in green.
top left photo via

Click on image below to order this pair of Ray Bans!

THE FOOD
Now let's talk about food. I had the privilege to eat a meal at my friend Aliza Strohli's house (which in itself is an amazing experience because she's just one of those super women that's always gorgeous, always smiling, and always a great cook...the delicious food just pours out of the kitchen endlessly when we eat by her). One of the delacacies she served was an amazing carrot kugel that was out of this universe. I didn't get the exact recipe, but I created my own super easy version inspired by hers that's delicious for any occasion...Passover or not.

Heavenly Carrot Kugel


Ingredients:

8 carrots peeled and boiled or 2 cans of carrots

1 potato peeled and boiled

1/2 cup potato starch or flour

3 eggs

3/4 cup oil

3 tablespoons of maple syrup

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar

yellow cake mix

1/4 cup of margarine or oil

Directions:

1. Smash carrots and potato.

2. Add potato starch (or flour), eggs, oil, syrup, and sugars and mix well.

3. Spread in greased 9x9 or small round pan.

4. Mix together 3/4 cup cake mix with margarine or oil until crumbly and sprinkle on top of kugel.

5. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour.

Enjoy!

THE MIRACLE
And finally I want to talk to you about my Pesach miracle. On the day before the holiday started, I pulled a huge pan of fresh chicken out of the oven without realizing how flimsy it was. The pan bent in half and before I could do anything, the sizzling hot oil from the chicken poured out over my forearm. In that moment I knew I was getting a bad burn and shouted out every word that I try to never say in front of my kids. Of course they all came running but by that time it was too late. The grease was all over the place and the damage was done. I immediately placed my arm under whatever cold water an apartment building in Miami can provide and then kept a bag of frozen broccoli on it for about 1/2 hour. 

I had plans that afternoon with my kids and I'm stubborn enough that there was no way I was going to spend the afternoon in the emergency room. I googled how to care for a burn and applied antibiotic ointment and gauze and went about my day. The pain lasted for a few hours, but honestly it wasn't that bad. I remembered in the back of my head learning that 3rd degree burns don't hurt as much as 1st and 2nd degree burns because the nerve endings are actually burnt, but I preferred to think it wasn't that painful because it wasn't all that bad.

Over the next few days my arm blistered and swelled. By the end of the first days I was worried about  infection and called my doctor to prescribe me antibiotics. Then I remembered what I had heard about Rodan+Fields Soothe regarding its almost magical healing powers and ability to get rid of redness and scars. I had already come to terms with the fact that I would be scarred for life but was so grateful that it wasn't on my face or that my grandson who had been crawling around the apartment wasn't undertow when the spill happened. That's all I focused on and accepted the fact that I would have a permanent memory of Passover 2014 emblazoned on my forearm. 

Nevertheless, I contacted my fellow consultants and made arrangements to meet my friend and Rodan+Fields teammate Erika Novick (who lives in south Florida) to get some of the Soothe she received in her sign-up package. To be honest, I was skeptical if it would make a difference with  such a severe medical issue, but by the next day I saw immediate healing and fading. I couldn't believe it.

I'm a new Rodan+Fields consultant and I really don't know everything about the products and the business yet. But here's what I do know:

They work. They create miracles. Take a look:

I apologize for the graphic nature of this post but I would be wrong to not share such an amazing product with you. The after picture was taken two days ago and the improvement since then is simply miraculous. I actually have hope for no scarring!

 Most people who join direct sales companies are hungry to make the big bucks. I'm not that hungry. I'm actually pretty lazy. But when a product and company work so well it would be wrong to not share it with the you.  So here are MY facts:

1. I braved the Miami sun while wearing my Rodan+Fields sunscreen and didn't come back with a bad case of melasma like I always do because I used my Rodan+Fields Reverse regimen every day.

2. I had to explain to people over and over that I was NOT my daughters' sister.

3. I received hope that a terrible burn would heal and fade because of Rodan+Fields Soothe.

4. I wish that I had ordered the Rodan+Fields sunless tanning foam before it was sold out so that I could walk around with a safe and natural Miami glow.

5. Besides for a couple of Facebook and blog posts, and some friendly conversations about my skincare practices, I haven't really worked at all and am already making money.

So, being the last person that would ever have thought I would become a direct sales consultant, let me share why you should consider joining the Rodan+Fields team.


I will be continuing to update you with the progress of my burn and will soon be switching to Redefine to address aging and fine lines, and will report on those results as well. But honestly, I don't have to. The consultants that have already signed up under me can tell you all about those products. When something works you just want to be a part of it.

Shop YOUR Rodan+Fields products HERE

Or shop by regimen: REVERSE. REDEFINE. SOOTHE. UNBLEMISH

Join my team HERE.

Email me at ask.fashionisha@gmail.com with any questions!

Now it's back to real life...but first...the weekend!

Have a beautiful one,

xo

Sharon







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5 comments

  1. Sharon,
    As bad as this burn is {and it is very serious}, you are lucky that it wasn't worse. I'm glad to see you are healing well.
    Now I'm off to read all about the miracle creams.

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  2. Ouch the burn looks very sore, but I am glad it is healing so well. And I'm glad you had a wonderful Passover too!! I hope your weekend will be bliss xx

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  3. How scary the Kitchen can be! It is great to hear you are healing well though And look like your daughter's Sister! I am amazed you have 5 Kids And look like a Young Girl yourself ((:
    Love all your tips here And Even though i don't like what JĂșlia was wearing to GG inreally like your version of layering the white shirt!
    The cosmetic line sounds very tempting, I have been trying some new products and considering Fraxel lazer treatment instead(:
    Hugs z

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  4. I am so sorry to hear about the accident, but happy to see how well you are recovering. Be careful and stay well! x

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  5. Sharon! I can't imagine the pain you must have felt when this happened! A burn that severe would have put most people in SHOCK! You dear woman, you indeed had a MIRACLE! And you probably kept on serving and trying to enjoy your meal and celebration, while hurting. Good to see how this product really helped you - the photo shows it all. Many wishes for continued healing. Those aluminum pans are dangerous and should be much stronger. Other than this accident, I hope your beautiful celebration of Passover was filled with MUCH LOVE....and the food..good gracious, I went to a Passover once and it was FUN with lots of good friends and amazing food. Thank you Sharon for coming to visit, and I hope your arm continues to heal quickly. Hugs to you! Anita

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