Hope you're all having a wonderful weekend!! R&B singer Aaliyah's birthday was the other day & I've been non stop listening to my fav tracks of hers on repeat. So in honor of her, I thought I'd share one of my favorite songs. Enjoy :) xo







RIP Aaliyah <33

Follow me on Instagram!

Hey everyone! I'm now on Instagram..follow me @ nsav24 & I'll be sure to follow back <3 xo

2O12!

Happy New Year, everyone! Hope you all had fun ringing in 2012..I'm excited for a great year! :) I didn't take many pictures from my night but here are the few I did happen to take.. One of my New Year's resolutions is to start taking MORE pics to share..smh I'm soo horrible at that lol.

This year, I didn't plan my NYE night until last minute but I wanted to wear something VERY simple..I usually go for the sequin & glitter overdose hahaha. But I chose to stick w/ all black & a pop of color w/ my royal blue earrings. Did you ladies go all out for NYE..I'd love to know what you all rocked? :)





Here are some other pics from over the holidays..

xo, Natalie
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Happy Holidays!!!

Hey everyone! Wow, I can't believe how longgggggg it's been since my last post!! I need to start getting back on track on here :) Anyways, just wanted to wish everyone a very happy & safe holiday. & I will be blogging more afterwards & into the New Year (so be sure to check back). I can't believe it's going to be 2012 already!! Time Flies!! Anyways, lots love to all of you & your families :)

xoxo, Natalie

Guilt-Free Pasta

Penne and Asparagus with Ricotta Cheese
1 box of fiber-enriched penne pasta (suggestion: Ronzoni Smart Taste Penne Rigate)
1 pound trimmed asparagus, cut into 2-inch diagonal pieces
2 teaspoons freshly minced garlic
1 cup low-fat ricotta cheese (suggestion: Precious)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup reduced-fat grated Parmesan cheese

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste, optional


Directions:1. Cook the pasta according to package directions, omitting any oil or butter.

2. Two to four minutes before the pasta is done, add the asparagus to the water (two minutes for thin spears, four minutes for thick).

3. Before draining, reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water in a small bowl. Drain the pasta.

4. Meanwhile, add the garlic, ricotta, and olive oil to a large serving bowl. As soon as the pasta is
drained, mix in 1/3 cup of the reserved pasta water.

5. Immediately add the pasta and asparagus and gently toss until the pasta and asparagus are coated with the cheese mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Gently toss again.

6. If the mixture seems too dry, add more reserved pasta water, about 1/4 cup at a time, until no longer dry.

7. Sprinkle the Parmesan over the pasta. If desired, sprinkle with the red pepper flakes. Serve immediately.

Makes 6 servings. Each (about 2-cup) serving has 318 cals, 15g protein, 60g carbohydrates, 7g fat, 2g saturated fat, 18mg cholesterol, 9g fiber, 183mg sodium.




Source: Food & Wine Magazine

Healthy Quick Tip of the Day: Olive Oil!

Make the Switch: Use olive oil instead of butter! Dip your bread in it, use it to marinate your meat, & drizzle it over fish & veggies. This will add healthy fats and reduce saturated fat. :)

Top 10 Fav Beauty Products (at the moment)

+++ Some of you ladies were asking what type of basic look I do when I go out & ^this^ would be it :) same with my hair! I'm going to do a post very soon listing my routine & all the products I use while getting ready! (PS - please excuse my silly "kissy" face..smh lol)

Top 10 Beauty Products (at the moment):

1. Avalon Organics Vitamin C Soothing Lip Balm - This is probably my favorite chapstick/balm I've used in a long time! It really helps keep my lips smooth especially with the cold weather coming plus it smells & taste like oranges! It's made with super antioxidants Vitamins C & E plus organic Coconut, Jojoba & Apricot kernel oils & nutrient-rich Aloe.

2. Victoria's Secret Sweet Tease Fragrance Mist - this product is from the VS Summer Beauty Rush collection so I'm not sure if it's still available. But this stuff smells SO amazing!! I love using this fragrance right after I get out of the shower..to me, it smells lke a mix of vanilla & sweet candy! YUM!

3. Sonia Kashuk Radiant Tinted Moisturizer SPF 15 (in tan) - I swear by this stuff!! When I'm in a rush or don't feel like putting on foundation I just reach for this tinted moisturizer & I'm good to go!

4. Jemma Kidd Show Stopper Water-Resistant Bronzer - BOMB bronzer right here lol! I'm obsessed with this stuff. I'm pretty sure it only comes in 1 or 2 shades but this one is perfect for my darker complexion. It comes in a hugee compact which I love, making it easy to swirl your brush in real quick & your done.

5. CoverGirl & Olay Simply Ageless Eye Concealer - (I use shade 210) This concealer is awesome! It's a mix of undereye brightner + concealer. I love it for the fact that it's so creamy & doesn't leave any streaks or cracks under my eyes at all.

6. Lorac Little Black Palette - Let me just tell you, these colors are GORGEOUS! They're individual baked shadows consistenting of golds, bronze, & brown. Perfect for girls who love neutral colors, like myself :) The color pay off is amazing. Probably one of my fav palettes I've ever used!

7. No 7 Natural Blush in 12-Coral Flush - This blush would probably look great on any skintone! I love using coral colors instead of the everyday pinks & whatnot. This blush is hypo-allergenic so great for sensitive skin. It has just the right of sparkle to it & is gorgeous in the sunlight! Love! :)

8. Lorac Perfectly Lit Oil-Free Luminizing Powder in Spotlight - This powder highlights your face beautifully!!! It's soo velvety & I feel like it really helps evenout my skintone as well. I use it over my cheekbones & for my browbone highlight too!

9. CoverGirl Line Exact Eyeliner - This liner makes creating a cat eye or winged eye look soo easy! It dries really fast but at the same time easy to fix mistakes! Def my fav liner at the moment :)

10. Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Berry Haute (660) - I saved the best for last lol! I'm soo happy I discovered this color! It's honestly the perfect Fall shade. A mix of warm pink & purple..it's great for day to night looks. & I have found myself reaching for this lipstick almost everyday lol! I highly recommend this shade if you are wanting to try out something new but not too too drastic!