In this case, my custom piece of Palladium jewelry leaves oh-so-much more than just a smile. Remember when I mentioned that I'd be teaming up with some skilled FIT students on a piece of jewelry? (Need to jog your memory? Click here.) Honestly, I can't even count how many compliments I've received on this ring in the last two weeks. When my fabulously talented designers, Sarah and Yue asked me to submit images that inspire me, I sent them a pictures of images I felt were structured yet chic. Prepare to be in awe (I was)!

My extremely talented designers, Sarah and Yue of FIT's esteemed Jewelry Design Program, basically created a piece of jewelry that was inspired by own style and tastes. My inner geek and style-seeking sides clashed together to fuel perfection. When I put it on, I fell in love with how slightly robotic it looked on my finger! Overall, I'm very pleased with the look and feel of palladium. It's not too heavy on my finger when I'm typing and since it's in the same family with platinum, palladium is naturally white and perfect for fine jewelry. 

While my ring is unique (only four were made!), you can own a piece of Palladium by checking out the Get a Life jewelry collection by the classically edgy Vivienne Westwood. The collection is faced by none other than Mad Men starlett, Christina Hendricks. Love her and the Pagan Heart Necklace she's rockin' in the photo below! I've always appreciated Westwood's mix of punk rock glam with hipster favorites.

To read the latest on from the Palladium Alliance USA, click here. 

Dee N's Checkins by WeePlaces.com.

Have you tried a location-based social network? If so, which one is your favorite?

Find me at FoodSpotting.com/candidcomments -

Food for thought: What's a fantastic meal you've had recently?

Yesterday, I received my copy of 100 Recipes Every Woman Should Know: Engagement Chicken and 99 Other Fabulous Dishes to Get You Everything You Want in Life and I have to admit, I'm already kinda hooked. It's pages house a famous recipe that's known to seal the deal with the help of some lemon and herbs! Supposedly, "a long, long time ago" a fashion editor at Glamour shared a roasted chicken recipe that wasn't too hard to make with her doting assistant - who was hunting for a recipe to attempt for her boyfriend.

Long story short, the assistant's boyfriend asked for seconds and before she knew it he was asking for her hand! Obviously, the recipe was shared with the readers of Glamour - as is every other awesome bit of news the team digs up. It didn't stop there and more than 60 women wrote in with stories of their fowl-induced nuptials. (Ha, such an awkward way to say engagement.)  Since the Glamour team knows that there's more to life than marriage, they've put together their most popular recipes for every curveball that life may throw at you.

I've paired some notable recipes I want to try with their probably more than familiar scenarios...

Is your beloved beau making you grind your teeth? Mix yourself a "Man Trouble Mojito" and enjoy the unique mint taste against the richness of rum.

Impress the guests of your next dinner soiree by attempting the "Perfect Host Lobster Pot Pie"!

After two hours at the gym, whip up some "Secretly Good For You Banana Soft Serve" to indulge in your sweet tooth -- without killing it!

How cute are those names? And how tasty does that pot pie sound? I'm a girl who loves to eat food and make food so I can not wait to try a few recipes out! My verdict? This book is super handy and irresistibly witty - bravo to Cindi Leive, EIC and The Editors of Glamour!

Buy the book here - FYI, this book makes a fantastic gift for your BFF, sister, or any other girl friend who wants it all.

PS: A geek at heart, I've tucked away the jacket that protected it's hard cover, as I know I'll be putting it to much use. Perfectly enough,  the actual book is my favorite shade of pink. We celebrate the big things but we forget just how good the little things feel! ;)

Let's be honest - when someone looks at me, my "sparkling personality" (ha) or "savvy wit" (ha) aren't immediately noticed, my glasses are. It took me around two hours of trying on frames for me to pick my current pair and it's not that I want to waste that much time but let's get serious, these things are going ON MY FACE. As someone who's always on-the-go, I don't have much time to go through another few dozens of frames. The last place kept the shop open an extra 45 minutes for me!

Thanks to Spex Club's Spex Vision, I can try on style after style until my heart is set! It's free, easy, and SUPER convenient. All you have to do is upload a straight-facing, clear pic of yourself and you'll be virtually trying on frames in less than five minutes. Plus, Spex Club has an $88 special for all Rx frames AND lenses. If you wear glasses, you KNOW that's a steal!

I've been trying to pick out my newest frames and have them narrowed down to three choices: the Jesse, the Toby or the Apprentice... help me choose! (And yes, I know... they're all painfully similar but help a girl out!)

The ApprenticeThe TobyThe JessePlease leave YOUR choice in the comments - or tweet me: @candidcomments!

Thanks guys!

My latest addiction? A 'made for the iPad' web series following four ladies behind one of the country's largest magazines - Glamour Girls.

Presented by Gap, Glamour Girls follows four ladies - Sarah, Jenna, Anda & Masha - all on a mission to secure the mag's spring ad campaign -- in 48 hours. Each girl is easily lovable and experiences the expected nervousness surrounding their goal. What I really love is that you can stop watching and shop any of the already-seen looks. I know I'm not the only one who's watched shows and wondered where the outfits were pulled from! 

Glamour Girls is the quintessential mix of a fashion magazine, TV show, and blog. Candid-approved! Plus, save a SWEET 40% off any one regular priced item just for checking their website out! There's also the chance to win a $1,500 shopping spree at GAP... just in time for the Spring/Summer!

Want your fix? Download the FREE Glamour App for iPad from the iTunes Store.

The Sunnan Table Lamp

Costing nothing to operate, it's solar-powered center makes it perfect for emergencies at home, on the road, and more. At around $20, the Sunnan was made to endure the harshness of daily use with it's retractable neck and LED bulbs. All you have to do is charge it for 9-12 hours a day in the sunlight and you can get up to 4 hours of light! The solar panel pops out easily so you can make sure to place it in any sunlight that's convenient. 

Plus for every Sunnan that's purchased, IKEA will donate one to UNICEF to light up the life of the child. By sharing the light, children all over the world will be able to read, write, or color even after sun down. (*Check out the full press release here.) Since the Sunnan is not available for purchase online, I suggest you check if they're available at an IKEA near you. (These would be super handy in the event of a zombie apocalypse!) 

I read every night for a little bit so I'm glad I can now turn off my main light and use this bad boy before bedtime! After taking the P&G Future Friendly Challenge on Facebook, I've been trying to see where I can do my little part to help the environment.

What Future Friendly things have you been doing? Need some suggestions? Take the Challenge to learn more!

Disclosure: The IKEA Sunnan Lamp was purchased out of pocket. While P&G is a client of mine, these views belong to me.