Every night before I go to bed I take off my rings and place them on this beautiful Waterford ring holder that one of my good friends gave me...

Having a decorative way to store your rings is a great way to display your jewelry, while also ensuring that you never misplace your valuables!  This classic ring holder usually is sold for$65, but you can get it here for only $50!

For those of you who live in the Northeast, you are familiar with the awful weather we have been experiencing this past month.  One day it is 60 degrees and the next day it is 35 degrees!  One day it is sunny and the next day it is hailing.  But as the temperatures hopefully start to warm up, and we head in to April, "the rainiest month," it can be hard to look good while also combating the rain and in between temperatures.

Here is an easy, adorable, and affordable look for the temperate wet days we have ahead!

NOTE: Mommas to be, please see the end of this post for how you can have the same look for less!  Because I now understand how hard it can be to keep up your sense of style with an ever expanding belly, I will include maternity outfit alternatives in the coming months ahead whenever possible!

Last year I was in the market for a new desk and finally decided to go with this yellow West Elm Parsons Desk.  I love looking at it every day, and it adds a fun pop of color to our tiny office area in our apartment.

But if I were still in the market for a desk I would be strongly considering this Hollywood Regency inspired desk from the Home Decorators Collection...

Isn't it gorgeous?  I think it is such a beautiful statement piece, and with this in your office you would only need a few fun accent pieces to decorate the space.

If you are more in the market for a bookshelf or filing cabinet, here are two more beautiful pieces from this collection...

I am so proud to announce a new monthly Friday Food and Wine feature here at Living Luxe for Less.  My good friend, Amanda Reade Sturgeon, an incredible sommelier who has the The Martini House, Babbo, and Dovetail on her resume, has generously offered to be LL4L's resident wine expert, and she will be featured in a new monthly column on delicious and affordable wines here at LL4L!

I think all of us who enjoy wine are always looking to try something new from our standard big box store pinot grigio and pinot noir, but it always feels like you are taking such a risk on a new bottle if you don't have a recommendation from an expert.  Who wants to spend $20 on a bottle of wine only to find out that it is the same as a bottle for $8.99?  That is where Amanda will come in!  She will tell you where to splurge, where to save, and help you get out of your Cavit and Kendall Jackson rut!

Here are Amanda's picks for March...if I weren't pregnant I would be out picking up one bottle of each this weekend!  Unfortunately I have to wait for August, but I hope this post inspires you to try one of these new and affordable wines this month!

Thank you Amanda!

Amanda's Picks for March...

I don't know what the weather is like where you are, but here in New York it is chilly one day, warm the next, warnings of snow another!  With spring just around the corner, I want to drink lightly substantial reds, along with crisp, clean whites.  Any of these would be perfect for an evening picnic in our neighborhood community garden!

1. Maranges 1er Cru, Bruno Colin "La Fussiere", Burgundy, France  $29
A gorgeous pinot noir from southern Burgundy.  Bruno Colin is one of the best producers in the region, this wine is my splurge here, but it is worth it. 

2. Reuilly, Denis Jamain Pinot Gris, Loire, France, 2009  $19
The neat thing about this pinot gris (aka pinot grigio -- it is the same grape but grigio is Italian and gris is French) is that it is pink.  During autumn, the hot weather will turn the grape skins a copper color, which when given a little contact with the pressed juice turns this normally white wine into a rose!  It tastes like any other pinot gris, but with a little more plump fruit tones.  Perfect for a sunny weekend afternoon - or for brunch!

3. Calera Aligoté, Mt. Harlan, California 2009  $19.99
Aligoté is the name of the grape in this wine: it is most often seen in Burgundy, France, where it (along with Chardonnay) is primarily grown.  This example is from the central coast in California, San Benito county to be exact.  The winemaker /owner, Josh Jensen, scoured land in California,
searching for chalky soil that mimicked that of Burgundy, and he found it in Mt. Harlan, around Salinas. A great, full, crisp white.

4. Cheverny, Domaine des Huards 'Le Pressoir' Loire, France  $14
This red is so fruity and easy to drink, I love it!  A blend of pinot noir and gamay (the grape in Beaujolais), it is lightly medium bodied, and is even better I think with a little chill on it - pop it in the fridge for half an hour and it's good to go!

5.  Quattro Mani Franciacorta Brut, Lombardy, Italy  $16
Franciacorta is sparkling wine from the area around Milan.  It differs from Prosecco in many ways, primarily because it is made with chardonnay and pinot blanc, and not the prosecco grape.  Franciacorta is Italy's answer to Champagne.  Clean, crisp, dry, and lean.  This example is a total steal!

The world lost one of it's most beautiful and iconic women yesterday, the always elegant and stylish Elizabeth Taylor.

In a world where they say blondes have more fun, Elizabeth Taylor paved the way for us brunettes, and proved that there is no denying the allure of a dark haired beauty...especially one as sultry and exotic as Ms. Taylor!

Here are just a few of my favorite photos of Elizabeth Taylor...

While Elizabeth Taylor had an undeniable natural beauty, the thing that really made her stand out in a crowd was her ability to intensify her good looks with a few key beauty products.  In honor of Elizabeth and her classic style, here are a few of my favorite beauty products that will help you get Elizabeth's sultry stand out style...

Elizabeth Taylor was the queen of the cat eye, and this liquid eye liner is so easy to use that anyone (even me) can get a sexy updated look with one quick whip of this pen.

Elizabeth Taylor seemed to be blessed with breathtakingly flawless skin.  I use this moisturizer everyday and it evens out my skin no matter how bad my blemishes...it's incredible!

On top of having perfect skin, Elizabeth Taylor always had just the right amount of glow!  I love this blush from Bobbi Brown to perk up my face...it gives me just the right amount of color without coming on too strong!

Elizabeth Taylor was never afraid to have her lips pop with a bright red, orange, or pink lipstick.  While I usually stick to a more sheer gloss, I have found that these new sheer lipsticks by MAC are a great way to get a little bit of color without a harsh matte finish.

Have you ever seen more beautiful brows than those of Elizabeth Taylor's?  I won't trust my brows with any other tweezers than this classic pair by Tweezerman.  I have never found another pair that even comes close to this trusty staple!

Many of you know this already, and some of you may have expected, but I have big news here at LL4L...I am expecting my first baby and I am due in August!

Because I am currently in the midst of trying to find cute things that actually fit my expanding belly, as well as ohhing and ahhing over anything baby related in sight, I will be starting to feature a few maternity and baby/child related items in this space.

Anyone who has been pregnant knows that it is not easy to keep up your signature style as your body changes and gets bigger every day!  Luckily I have been able to find a few affordable staple items that are helping me feel good about myself as my belly gets bigger!  One of my favorite things in my wardrobe right now is this comfortable and stylish dress from Target...

Madison Avenue Spy just reported yesterday that this week in NYC, David Yurman will be hosting a four day sample sale!

David Yurman's highly coveted, and rarely discounted bangles and jewels will be on sale up to 30-70% off! 

Do you have your eye on one of their classic bangles like I do?  A girl can never have enough DY bangles right?!

I will be out of town and will not be able to make it to the sale, but I would love to know if you get anything good!

If you are in the market for a beachy bamboo side table, this Rattan Side Table from The Company Store is a STEAL!  It is so similar to the Serena and Lily version which retails for close to $300 more!

I wish I had a spot for the turquoise table in my apartment...I love it!

Happy shopping and decorating!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!  In honor of today's holiday I have chosen 11 fashion, accessory, and home items for $100 or less that are currently on my wish list...one of everything please!

Does anything here catch your eye?

Have a wonderful day!

For those of you who are fellow Bikram yogis like me, the phrase,
"If you can, you must" is probably a familiar saying to you.  In a fitness practice that is so physically and emotionally challenging, instructors often repeat Bikram's famous mantra as inspiration to class participants to encourage them to push beyond what they believe they are capable of doing, and to take their practice to the next level.

Last night as I thought about what inspiring words I could offer my readers to encourage you to help the people of Japan, this simple phrase came to mind....
If you can, you must. 

I plan on donating to the Red Cross and Save The Children today, but there are many ways to help.  Here is a link to a list of organizations that are accepting donations.

Or you could pick up a copy of this beautiful Cherry Blossom print by the talented artist Samantha Hahn...

100% of the sales from this print will go to Doctors Without Borders who is currently setting up clinics in Japan to aid with the tragedy.

Here is a link to details on how you can purchase this beautiful print.