Kyle Richards’ Black Floral Wrap Dress on the Private Jet

Real Housewives All Stars Fashion

While I cannot believe we are getting MORE previews of Real Housewives All Stars fashion, The Countess posted a little BTS of them on the PJ and we were treated to even more fab style. And although it’s kind of pricey, with our Style Stealers, you’ll be alllll Gucci (ish).

The Realest Housewife,

Big Blonde Hair

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Originally posted at: Kyle Richards’ Black Floral Wrap Dress

It’s hard to believe it’s been five years since Prince died, though for fans it feels like yesterday. So, the excitement for the upcoming Urban Decay Prince collection is fierce. The Prince Estate And Urban Decay announced the limited-edition partnership on Thursday, inspired in part by Prince’s creativity and personal style. Prince was known for his bold and unapologetic looks so we expect the makeup to be the same—with some purple hues, of course.

If you’re worried that Prince wouldn’t approve of this collaboration, know that it was done with members of Prince’s artistic camp. “I’m very excited for this collection. I hope it inspires you to make your own rules, just as Prince did for so many decades,” said Damaris Lewis in a statement. The actress, model, and dancer performed alongside the superstar.

“It’s incredibly important to carry on Prince’s legacy in a way that truly gets it right,” added photographer/director Randee St. Nicholas. “He challenged you to rise to his level of work ethic and intensity—not in a way that was threatening or fearful, you just didn’t want to disappoint him. He made you want to be your best, perform at the highest caliber and step outside of your comfort zone. When shooting, it was important to embody this boldness and freedom.”

Source: Instagram

We don’t know exactly what the products look like just yet but Wende Zomnir, Urban Decay brand co-founder, has been a huge Prince fan since the ’80s so you know she’ll do it justice. “We couldn’t possibly imitate someone as legendary as Prince, and to compare him to a palette would diminish what he represents,” she said in a statement. “It’s easy to say why this collection makes sense on the surface—his makeup looks and our shared love of purple—but we did our best to reflect his energy on a deeper level. We found his ethos of not asking permission to be who he was and owning it so boldly aligned with our values of breaking the mold and championing all forms of beauty.”

We’ll keep you updated on the launch later this month.

Have you ever looked into your cup of Black Tea and wondered where it comes from? There are thousands of different types of black teas produced every day all over the globe. Their main commonality is the crucial step during the processing of the leaves called “oxidation.”

This is where the tea leaves are exposed to oxygen which transforms the aroma and taste profile completely. The tea will develop a reddish color in the cup and have a more robust flavor and aroma.

Some of the factors that differentiate black teas are:

• where they are grown
• the type of soil that the plants grow in
• the climate of the growing region
• how the leaves are processed.

Black teas are often used as a base for tea blends that may contain fruit, flowers or spices. Pure black teas are also varied and remarkable all on their own. Today, there are many countries that produce Black Tea, but in the beginning, around 5,000 years ago, it all began in China.

Chinese Black Teas

Chinese black teas come from the Camellia Sinensis plant. When brewed correctly, they have a mellow flavor and slight sweetness. Some even have notes of chocolate and stone fruits. A few of the more popular Chinese Black Teas are:

• Keemun Black
• Yunnan Black
• Lapsang Souchong (Smoke Infused Black)
• Golden Monkey

Assam Black Teas

Assam teas are the only ones that come from a different plant variety called Camellia Assamica. These plants are grown in lowland areas, have larger leaves and are harvested more often.

When brewed, the teas are known for their robust, malty flavor that makes an excellent morning cup and can support a splash of milk. One of the more popular Assams known for its golden tips – the leaf tips are coated in fine, golden, downy powder – is Golden Tip Assam.

There are several black teas with Assam base, but my two favorites are Rejuvetea and First Period Wake Up. 

Darjeeling Black Tea

Darjeeling is often called the “champagne of teas.” Unlike Assam, it is grown in the mountains and the plants are exposed to much cooler temperatures. As a result, these black teas are more delicate with more petite leaves.

The first flush is the most prized for its unique flavor called “muskatel” which can best be described as a mixture of tropical fruit and floral notes. Second flush and autumnal harvests tend to be less rounded and aromatic.

A very well known and loved Darjeeling is Margaret’s Hope Fancy Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe Muscatel.

Ceylon Black Teas

Ceylon teas come from the island nation now called Sri Lanka. The unique topography of this island allows for three types of tea: low-grown, medium-grown and high-grown. Each has its own unique flavor profile.

As the altitude increases, the climate produces fruitier and mellower teas like the famous Kenilworth Broken Orange Pekoe.

Nilgiri Black Teas

Nilgiri Black Teas are grown in the southern region of India, in the western Ghats mountain range. Nilgiri means “Blue Mountain.” These teas are known for their fragrant, bright and brisk character. Many are used in special iced tea blends.

I hope that this little snapshot into the world of Black Teas will spark your curiosity enough to give them a try, if you haven’t already had the pleasure.

What is your favorite black tea? How did you come to enjoy it? Please share your black tea story in the comments below!

If you are like many of us and recently found yourself sorting through numerous documents to find papers needed for your tax return, then you may be ready to get organized.

Finding all the documents our accountant needs in order to prepare our tax return is one of the reasons individuals wait until the last minute for tax preparation. With a little organization, you can avoid the dreaded task of sorting through all your papers when there is no more time to procrastinate.

Set up expandable folders where documents can be filed away as you receive them. The individual pockets can be labeled based on time.

One pocket can store documents that can be destroyed in one month or less, another will keep documents for one year or less and a separate pocket should be available for tax related items.

A separate folder can be set up for documents that will expire when an event occurs or that need to be kept indefinitely.

To help you decide where to file your documents, I’ve provided a general guideline on how long each type of records should be kept.

One Month or Less

Bills

Utility, cable and telephone bills can be tossed once you know they are correct. If you will be using these expenses on your tax return, you will want to hold them as long as you keep your tax returns.

Bank and credit card receipts

ATM, bank deposits and credit card receipts should be held for one month until reconciled with your bank or credit card statement. As with utility bills, if any of the receipts will be used on your tax return, be sure to keep them as long as you keep the tax return.

One Year or Less

Pay stubs

Pay stubs should be held until you can reconcile the amount to your W2. However, if you are planning on applying for a mortgage or loan, you may want to have a few months of pay stubs available for their processing.

Medical bills

Medical bills can be shredded once the claim has been paid. If you think you will be able to itemize medical expenses on your tax return, you will want to keep the medical bills as long as the tax return.

Investment statements

Monthly or quarterly investment statements should be kept until you receive your annual investment statement. If everything appears correct on the annual statement, you can shred the monthly statements.

Bank statements

Most banks allow you to request old statements and checks. There is usually a fee for this service, so if you made a significant purchase with a check, you may want to hold on to select checks and/or statements. Otherwise, once they have been reconciled, they can be shredded.

Until a Specific Event Occurs

• Investment purchase confirmations should be held until the investments are sold.
• Hold on to loan documents until the loan is paid in full.
• Keep vehicle titles until you are ready to sell the vehicle.
• Hold on to life, disability and long-term care insurance policies as long as they are in force.
• If your home, car, umbrella and renter’s insurance renews annually, keep the policy until you have a replacement policy.
• Home improvement purchase and repair invoices will be needed until you are ready to sell your house. The improvements will be part of the calculation for the cost basis of your home.

Seven Years

• Since the government has six years to collect any unpaid taxes or to start legal proceeding, you will want to keep your tax returns, and all supporting documents, for seven years.
• Keep expired contracts and leases for seven years.
• Stock and bond certificates that have been cancelled should be held for seven years.

Permanently

The following documents should be held indefinitely:

• Birth certificates
• Adoption records
• Death certificates
• Marriage licenses
• Divorce decrees
• Social Security card
• Military discharge papers
• Retirement plan documents
• Estate planning documents
• Wills, trusts, power of attorney and health care proxies
• Inventory of safe deposit box items
• Appraisals
• Passports

Permanent Document Storage

Once you have decided what documents need to be kept indefinitely, a decision needs to be made as to the best safekeeping method. Here’s my article that can help you with that: “Where Should I Store My Financial and Personal Information?”

In addition to a physical storage location, you may want to consider organizing all of your final wishes and documents in one convenient flash drive that can be given to your loved ones.

How do you manage your legal and important documents? How long do you keep your tax reports? Do you have a system for organizing all of your final wishes? Please let us know your best practices in the comments below.

It’s hard to believe it’s been five years since Prince died, though for fans it feels like yesterday. So, the excitement for the upcoming Urban Decay Prince collection is fierce. The Prince Estate And Urban Decay announced the limited-edition partnership on Thursday, inspired in part by Prince’s creativity and personal style. Prince was known for his bold and unapologetic looks so we expect the makeup to be the same—with some purple hues, of course.

If you’re worried that Prince wouldn’t approve of this collaboration, know that it was done with members of Prince’s artistic camp. “I’m very excited for this collection. I hope it inspires you to make your own rules, just as Prince did for so many decades,” said Damaris Lewis in a statement. The actress, model, and dancer performed alongside the superstar.

“It’s incredibly important to carry on Prince’s legacy in a way that truly gets it right,” added photographer/director Randee St. Nicholas. “He challenged you to rise to his level of work ethic and intensity—not in a way that was threatening or fearful, you just didn’t want to disappoint him. He made you want to be your best, perform at the highest caliber and step outside of your comfort zone. When shooting, it was important to embody this boldness and freedom.”

Source: Instagram

We don’t know exactly what the products look like just yet but Wende Zomnir, Urban Decay brand co-founder, has been a huge Prince fan since the ’80s so you know she’ll do it justice. “We couldn’t possibly imitate someone as legendary as Prince, and to compare him to a palette would diminish what he represents,” she said in a statement. “It’s easy to say why this collection makes sense on the surface—his makeup looks and our shared love of purple—but we did our best to reflect his energy on a deeper level. We found his ethos of not asking permission to be who he was and owning it so boldly aligned with our values of breaking the mold and championing all forms of beauty.”

We’ll keep you updated on the launch later this month.