If you’re like me, and have an affinity for french macarons, then I have a feeling you’ll love the cosmetics line debuting later this month by the masters of the macaron, Ladurée. There will be a full line of cosmetics offered, including foundation, face powder, concealer, lipstick, and other accessories (SWOON!!!).

The line, named “les merveilleuses,” was popular in 18th century France, and it roughly translates into “fabulous divas” of the time. These women held “hundreds of balls” and started many luxury trends in fashion and beauty, including but not limited to: transparent clothing, cleavage, enormous hats, exotic scents, and greek-style sandals tied with strings of pearls.

I have not seen packaging like this in my lifetime – and watch out cosmetics manufacturers - this is a sign you need to step up your game.

Much to my discontent, these products will be available in Japan first – and more specifically, Tokyo, where they will cost you a pretty penny. BUT- fear not -  luxuryinsider writes that they will indeed launch the collection in Europe and the rest of Asia in the Fall. (and a better chance to pick up some of it on ebay for us in the United States!)

//via fashion-press.net

A few days ago, a coworker and I were having a conversation about Super Junior’s “Mr Simple” video that won a few awards (and has garnered over 33 Million views), and she sent me a video that blew my mind. This video, embedded above, features Hatsune Miku, a fully digital Japanese pop star princess, created by Crypton Future Media, a company known for creating virtual singers.

Born on August 31th, 2007,  ”HATSUNE MIKU” computer music software enables users to create synthesized singing of unprecedented quality and remarkable realism by just typing in lyrics and melody. The tech behind the phenomenon is powered by YAMAHA’s VOCALOID2(= Vocal + Android) technology. The name of the character comes from a fusion of the Japanese for first (初 hatsu^?), sound (音 ne^?) and future (Miku (ミク^?). Her voice is sampled from Japanese voice actress. Saki Fujita.

But what I really wanted to know is how Hatsune Miko’s projection technology works, which seems to be a secret, as there is much discussion on boards trying to figure it out. However, an article describes it as being achieved by “a special method of rear projection against a semi-transparent screen.”

Overall, the effect is pretty incredible if you ask me – so – if you’re interested in purchasing some music from Hatsune Miku, a record in collaboration with supercell is available on iTunes -and has  5 star rating. One fan mentioned that “If you’re new to Hatsune Miku, and you want to start getting her music on iTunes, I would definitely recommend getting this album first. It contains some of the essential Hatsune Miku songs that every fan ought to know.”

But what ties this all together is it’s similarity to a DCOM (Disney Channel Original Movie) titled Pixel Perfect. The movie is about a failing band called the Zettabytes, who leverage a friend’s knowledge of technology to create a holographic lead singer, Loretta Modern. The band instantly becomes successful, but Samantha (the original lead singer) begins to feel alienated, Roscoe discovers feelings for Samantha, and Loretta struggles with individuality. The ties between the DCOM (released in 2004) and Hatsune Miku (launched in 2007) are incredible – way to go Disney Channel for being ahead of the curve.

What does this mean for the music industry and the intersection of digital and entertainment?

Downloading a book and reading it on your device is a standard technology. We’ve all done it, and we accept it.

But what about an immersive book experience?

Enter A Charlie Brown Christmas, an app developed by Loud Crow Interactive that brings together all of your favorite pieces of the iconic book and film – the songs, the voices… the DANCING (of snoopy, who else).

Learn how to play "linus and lucy."

When watching the movie, or listening to the music, there’s one thing everyone loves: LINUS AND LUCY – and the app teaches you how to play the song on the piano. Beyond reading and basic interaction, the app also has an internalized game component.

Completing “tasks” like learning the song, and finding hidden easter eggs within the application itself gives the reader a chance to unlock special prizes. (no spoilers here!) Highly recommended for kids or anyone who has a place in their heart for Snoopy and the Peanuts gang.

The Bottom Line:

Cost

• App Store: $4.99 – $6.99
• Android Market: $6.99

System Requirements

• Apple Requirements: Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Requires iOS 3.2.2 or later
• Requires Android: 2.1 and up

Birchbox, a monthly curated box focusing on beauty products

I admit, I’d love to have a personal stylist/shopper.

But what about the masses? Especially groups that are far-removed from great shopping and lean on the Internet to help them stay stylish and current on new products and trends?

Although I live in a shopping mecca, I find myself wishing I had a stylist to keep me up to date and help cut the lines and crazy crowds.

These reasons (in addition to curiosity) led me to sign up for Birchbox (beauty), JewelMint (jewelry)  and Shoedazzle (shoes).

The Breakdown

Birchbox ($10/monthly)

• Celeb Backer: None, but celebs like Cynthia Rowley often “curate” boxes
• Quality: Luxury Samples
• Goal: Send samples, get feedback, sell products
• Social: Active Twitter, strong Facebook  & Blog, strong referral engine (points for referring friends)

JewelMint ($29.99/monthly)

• Celeb Backer: Kate Bosworth
• Quality: Moderate. “Costume Jewelry”
• Goal: Sell limited-edition celeb-backed jewelry at a reasonable price
• Social: Facebook community, Twitter, Blog, strong referral engine (points for referring friends)

ShoeDazzle ($39.99/monthly)

• Celeb Backer: Kim Kardashian
• Quality: Moderate (personally i’d compare to steve madden shoes)
• Goal: Create a fashion hub that anyone can join
• Social: VERY active Facebook community, Twitter, strong referral engine (points for referring friends)

 Although different in product offering and price, each service follows the same model:

1. Take a Quiz or “Style Profile” 

Answer questions and choose from a variety of visual options, which determines your “style profile” (conservative, trendy, wild, etc).

2. Sign in Monthly

Each month, you will receive a curated selection of products that meet your “style profile.” However, there is always a chance to request different items, or purchase items that do not show up in your selection.

3. Make a Decision to Buy, or Get Charged

The situation here is that you MUST login each month to either buy something, or decline a purchase – or else you will be charged that month.

Why I’m Fascinated

Social Shopping = The Future?

Finding a way to showcase relevant products that fit what your consumer is looking for (and save time browsing through pages of products) is amazing, especially when it comes to Fashion. Obviously Amazon does this incredibly well, but then again, it’s Amazon.

The Products are Awesome

I’ve had great results with the products I’ve purchased. Birchbox has introduced me to killer products I wouldn’t have found otherwise.

Great Customer Service

Twitter and Facebook have resources watching and responding to questions from buyers.

It’s Social

Each monthly subscription service has a model built around gaining referrals through social means – full integration with Facebook, Twitter, and the like. It’s made very clear how leveraging your social networks can get you free stuff.

via NYTimes

It’s safe to say that all “knowledge-worker” professionals know that we must always be focusing and planning for the future. In finance (401k! long-term savings!) in health (get those annual checkups!) and other aspects of our lives.

It always comes down to time- where can you make trade-offs? How can you get more things done with an ever-decreasing amount of time and/or money?

Sometimes we cut corners – maybe it’s reading the “cliffs notes” (or even the movie) instead of the book version. Or maybe it’s just reading Mashable instead of delving deep and putting together our own opinions on things instead of rephrasing what someone else said.

In college I worked for the Dean of Research at Syracuse University for all 4 years of my undergraduate career and learned a few things:

1. Read! Then read some more!

How can you form a true opinion on something by just reading a few paragraphs? You can’t make an argument without reading what’s out there.

2. Define your (own) interest area

Writing about something just because [insert blog here] picked it up doesn’t make you relevant (ahem G+ Brand Pages.) Look beyond the obvious and create something new. Find your voice and overall goal for what you want to communicate and be willing to constantly evolve. And don’t be afraid to ask for help and feedback while doing so.

3. Find a sounding board

Not everyone has a sounding board for their opinions and ideas. But we all have the Internet. I started this blog as my outlet for continuing my interest in research after my time as a true “researcher” ended. It’s never too late to pick it back up again and fine tune your skills using a platform that fits your goal area.

4. Get Inspired

Keep tabs on what inspires you by creating a Pinterest, or even a Tumblr of your favorite ideas, photos, quotes (and everything else!) as a place to return when you feel uninspired.

The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE! In honor of this holiday of spooky magic, I’m dedicating today’s post to a book that is filled with the stuff.

Since Harry Potter, no book has entranced me in the same way, until The Night Circus. I bought it weeks ago, but only started to read it a week ago, while commuting to and from work, and before I fell asleep.

Set in the late 19th century, it’s a love story filled with mystery, magic, and murder, which leads it to be very engaging for those who have a little imagination.

When I was halfway through the book, I realized that I wanted to learn more about the author – and Erin Morgenstern is not only a writer, but a painter (which explains a lot about the novel). I also HAD to find out if  someone bought the movie rights.

I was not surprised to find out that Summit Entertainment (yes, Twilight) closed the deal, and a few sources on the ‘net say that the producer of the Harry Potter films may be involved.

I am hoping that the author decides to turn it into a series, even though an interview with CNN states that it’s not in the cards as of now – but there might be a prequel! (Here’s to hoping).

So, is it the best thing since Harry Potter? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

The book is filled with quotes, and one of my favorites:

A dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world.

- Oscar Wilde

On Tuesday, October 4th, @Twitter hosted a #party4good that showcased IRL their powerful reach as a social platform.

The Twitter team did this effortlessly by combining the start-up and influential elite together for a night of music by Funkmaster Flex (so amazing) and showcasing a gallery of powerful tweets and images shared via Twitter around the world.

Check out a few of the samples below- everyone from @aplusk to @justinbieber and  @pepsi was showcased. Overall, I think @twitter’s choice of creating a physical gallery of these images was incredibly moving.

Every attendee received a copy of Twitter for Good: Change the World One Tweet at a Time, a book authored by Claire Diaz-Ortez, who leads social innovation and philanthropy at Twitter.

Friday evening was filled with hours of sugary, alcohol, and caffeine tastings at “SWEET,” the late-night dessert-only event during New York Food & Wine, hosted by Sandra Lee.

As an attendee, one’s goal was to taste as many things as possible – and give your “token” (pictured above) to the single restaurant/bakery that satisifed your sugary needs.

And it was tough – consider tasting the best macaroons, pastries, doughnuts (!), brownies, and more from places like Bouchon, Kyotofu, Mad Mac, BabyCakes, Park Avenue Autumn, and Gotham Bar and Grill. Let’s just say it’s hard to pick just one.

Of course, I HAD to get a photo with my vegan  (and gluten-free) cooking idol – Erin McKenna – the founder of BabyCakes on the LES. Her cookbooks look amazing – check them out on amazon here.

And of course, what’s a party without a photobooth – and this one from BING was different than any other- it actually had fans to make your hair look amazing in the photos!

A night out with lipstick queen Poppy King, while surrounded by Kate Spade bags and champagne? Um, hard to say no to that one!

On Thursday night, I ventured to the 5th avenue Kate Spade store to experience the infamous Poppy King lipsticks for myself. What I didn’t realize is that upon arrival, I would get my own “pop of color” (see it in my hair below) and a personalized lipstick consultation from Poppy herself.

Posing (with our poppies!) with the one and only Poppy King (at center) , at the Kate Spade 5th avenue store

Upon reviewing the four choices available in her Kate Spade line, Poppy instantly guided me to Adventurous Red, which turned out to be a wonderful (& wearable!) sheer ruby color. What’s most interesting about Poppy’s line of lipsticks is that they go on sheer – which allows you to layer (& have full control) of the amount of color on your lips.

Poppy chose Pop Art Pink for my friend Erin Doyle (on left) which turned out to look amazing.

As the designer, she knew exactly which colors looked best on the women in the room – I saw a lot of lipstick flying off the shelves.

As always, the packaging didn’t disappoint, as the lipstick is housed in a beautiful gold case that says supercalifragilipstick! My recommendation? Splurge ($24) and pick one up before they sell out.

//geek note

Additionally, to show my love for Kate Spade, I would like to point out that my Google Chrome browser theme has been Kate Spade for some time now.

A few favorite tweets from the event…

@poppyking discussing the science behind each color with @alanamarie http://t.co/Q9xp9YOe

September 29, 2011 5:23 pm via InstagramReplyRetweetFavorite

@katespadeny

kate spade new york

At @katespadeny #puckerup event - just got a lipstick reading from lipstick queen @poppyking http://t.co/etZw66Pj

September 29, 2011 5:30 pm via Twitter for iPhoneReplyRetweetFavorite

@AlanaMarie

alana marie

What if there was a way to “send” a smile to a complete stranger? Well now there is, with a new web app called “Two of Us” created by the Barbarian Group. How does it work you ask?

Simply take a picture with your computer’s webcam.

And if you like it….

But no cheating! The app’s developer built in “smile detection software” that legit tells you if you’re unhappy.

But once you’ve chosen a photo that looks good (and the system knows you’re smiling) you get matched up with someone random who is also smiling!

//via laughingsquid