The Lazy Days of Summer...

Happy June, dolls!

We're betting right about now you're all saying, "Hey!  It's Tuesday -- I'm so excited to read the new PDR post!" And we seriously hate to disappoint you... but unfortunately, we regret to inform you that there will be no official post on Tuesdays and Thursdays for the months of June, July, and August. In September, as long as our readers still want us, we promise to return to our regularly scheduled programming.

We all deserve a little break now and then, and summertime in NJ means two things: 1) Jen has some major plans including renovation, relaxation, and vacation and 2) Saira will be jealous of us all as she spends her every waking minute studying for the Bar Exam. So, with heavy hearts, we've made the decision to reduce our posts by 2 for the next 3 months. This summer, while you are tanning yourselves and sipping some lemonade, be sure to check back with us on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays for some new and exciting posts by your favorite duo (that's us!), but also some extra treats from some fantastic Guest Bloggers that we have lined up!

Stay tuned for tomorrow's Color Day post and then be sure to check back Friday for your next Paper Doll Romance fix.

Until next time!

XOXO,

Jen & Saira

Siberian Siren - Maria Sharapova returns to Wimbledon

Beautiful Russian  Maria  Sharapova , had the highest winning percentage on tour this year at 89%.
Maria Sharapova
Date of Birth: April 19, 1987
Birthplace: Nyagan, Russia (Siberian Region)
Current Residence: Bradenton, Florida, USA Nationality: Russian
Height: 6'2 ft
Weight: 130 lbs. (59 kg)
She was born on April 19, 1987 in Nyagan, a town in the Siberian region of Russia. In 1989, she moved with the family to the Black Sea resort town of Sochi. When she was 4 years old, a chance encounter changed her life, the father of tennis champion Yevgeny Kafelnikov, and the man gave her a racket. Since then, she started hitting tennis balls. The game became a passion for her.
With a deadly backhand, Maria Sharapova was the youngest titlist on the WTA Tour in 2003 with two championships under her belt. Although she has since curbed her enthusiasm somewhat, she was called to be the "Siberian Siren" because of her extremely loud grunting whenever she hit the ball.

Siberian Siren - Maria Sharapova returns to Wimbledon

Siberian Siren - Maria Sharapova

She is blonde , leggy, and beautiful. If those are the only adjectives you use to describe Maria Sharapova, then you're selling the tennis world's newest star short. She also admired of modeling due to that she compared favorably to Anna Kournikova on the modeling runway, Maria is most dazzling when she steps on the tennis court. 
Sharapova went 32-4 through the year. She started out well, winning the first 18 matches she played this season. She played great at the Australian Open winning her 3rd Grand Slam. It certainly looked like it would be Sharapova’s year.
Unfortunately, in March she strained her shoulder playing at Indian Wells. Then in the French Open she struggled, losing in the fourth round. At Wimbledon she was defeated in the 2nd round.
This is a preview of Sharapova has highest winning percentage in 2008.

  Maria Sharapova  
Maria Sharapova returns to Wimbledon in June desperate to prove she's still an A-list attraction on the tennis court, as well as off it, and convinced her protracted injury horrors are in the past.
The undisputed poster girl of the women's game, whose recent career has been plagued by shoulder and elbow problems, went out of the French Open to four-time Roland Garros champion Justine Henin on Sunday.

 

But her three-set defeat on a claycourt surface that suits neither her game nor movement, illustrated that the old power, if not the comfort level, was back as she enjoyed one of her better Paris performances.
"My feelings are that in the last few weeks I've been going out on the court and I've been enjoying playing," said Sharapova.
"This part of the season is one of my favourites, going into the grass. I'll be preparing myself as best as I can, having a training week leading up to my next tournament and then Wimbledon.
"But as long as I'm healthy on the court and I'm working my way towards what I want to improve, which I feel like I've done maybe in the last three weeks since my elbow is feeling better, then I've got a real good shot."
It was at the All England Club in 2004 that the 17-year-old Sharapova enjoyed her breakthrough, announcing herself as a genuine force in the game and sparking a lightning rise into stratospheric earning potential.
But nine months off the tour in 2008 and 2009 with a shoulder injury sent her world ranking plummeting out of the top 100, prompting fears that the party was over.
A shock second-round loss to Giselo Dulko at Wimbledon last summer only served to fuel the doubts.
Despite having battled elbow worries this season, Sharapova still came into Paris buoyed by having captured the Stuttgart claycourt title.
"There's a lot of work to do. But this was a good week. It was a long but a solid week," she said.
"I know the things that hurt me a little bit today. I just really want to go out on that court and just work on them a little bit more, because I know that they will help me a little bit more in the future."
Sharapova, who has won Wimbledon, the Australian Open and US Open but has never got beyond the semi-finals in Paris, had her chances on Sunday against Henin.
She was 2-0 ahead in the deciding set and had four break points for a 3-0 lead before the gutsy Belgian battled back to take her place in the last 16.
Sharapova believes the elements helped conspire against her.
The match had been suspended overnight at a set apiece while cold, damp and blustery conditions greeted the pair on their return to Court Philippe Chatrier on Sunday.
"I've been serving much better and my arm has been feeling good. I don't think the conditions really favoured that drive through the ball and the serve as much as it would have been on a warmer day, where it would have gone through the court a bit more," she explained.

Biggest sandstorm - storm to remember

Beijing is caught  after sandstorms that shrouded cities in northern China in an unhealthy cloud of sand and Grit dissipated. The return to normal weather was also good news for South Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong, which had all felt the fallout in recent days from the sandstorms in China. The storms were the latest sign of effects of desertification: air max shoes Overgrazing, deforestation, urban sprawl and drought have expanded Deserts in the country's north and west. The shifting sands have gradually encroached onto worsened Populated areas and sandstorms that strike cities, particularly in the spring.

the sandstorms in China

sandstorm

 the sandstorms

sandstorms

China's Central Meteorological Station Web site said Friday that no large-scale sandstorms were forecast in the north of China, while some southeastern provinces such as Jiangxi and Zhejiang may experience traces of the sandstorms that hit the north in recent days. Skies were also more clear in Taiwan. Its Environmental Protection Administration said Thursday it will take another day for air to clean up completely in the south of the island. Over the past two days, people around Taiwan had worn face masks.

 storm 

Biggest  sandstorm hit Beijing

 Biggest  sandstorm 1

Skyscrapers were enshrouded in dust. Taiwan is 1.600 miles (2.600 kilometers) away from Inner Mongolia where much of the pollution originated. The weekend Sandstorm caused the worst "yellow dust" in South Korea since 2005, and authorities issued a nationwide rare dust advisory. Youngsin Chun, a researcher at the Korea Meteorological Administration, said only mild levels hit South Korea on Tuesday and no advisory had been issued. But remained at severe pollution levels in Hong Kong Tuesday, where the Sandstorm has exacerbated a chronic problem with pollution caused by buses and other vehicles that authorities in the southern Chinese territory have been Reluctant to address. After hitting record levels on Monday, pollution quantities nike air Jordan were expected to ease to merely "high" or "very high" on Wednesday, the government said, according to Hong Kong's RTHK radio. Biggest  sandstorm hit Beijing in 2006, when winds dumped about 300,000 tons of sand on the capital.

Summer Style: The White Collection

Attention ladies: It's Memorial Day so you can officially wear white without fear of being chastised! Come celebrate by browsing through our pick for the summer of 2010, the White Collection:

Nothing is more depressing than being stuck at work on a beautiful summer day, but you can brighten your day by wearing this white pencil skirt from J. Crew. The clean cut and crisp white color will make you look fun and fresh, and even though it's no day at the beach, at least you'll look good at the office.

If you want to be able to easily transition from work to play, then this crochet neck dress from Arden B. is perfect for you. Wear it with a blazer and pumps to work, and then add some accessories and peep toes for cocktail hour!  

Keep up the crochet look with this off-white peasant skirt available at Anthropologie. The cloud fish pattern is subtle and adds great texture to the skirt, plus it has a draw string waist so you can indulge in some extra corn dogs. 

Stay fresh at the beach with this super  cute cover up by Victoria's Secret. While it comes in a variety of colors, we love this ivory shade, as it will really set off your summer tan, and will look great with a bright bathing suit peeking out from underneath!

A hot summer night deserves a hot summer dress! Show off you tan and legs in this white, strapless sheath dress by White House | Black Market.  With a cinched waist and a built-in bustier, you're guaranteed to look your best -- just don't spill anything!

But if you're looking for something a bit more bohemian, then we recommend this soft, flowy dress from Free People. We love the embellished neckline, and something about the layered pleats reminds us of the scene in The Little Mermaid when Ariel fashions a dress out of an old sail -- very simple and sexy.

Stay cool, dolls!

XOXO,

Jen & Saira

Vulcan - the most famous Volcano in the Aeolian archipelago

When You rent an  apartment in Sicily,  during Your stay in You'll realize how beautiful and magic this region is.
Vulcan is the name of one of the most famous volcanoes in the Mediterranean. Is located on the island with the same name, in the Aeolian archipelago.
The  word "volcano", used for the mountains geologically active, derives from the name of this mountain and island, which in turn owe their name to the Roman god of fire, Vulcan, who lived, according to the classical tradition, on ' island (like the Cyclops). Like all Italian volcanoes, it formed due to movement of the African plate, which moving to the North puts pressure on the Eurasian. Volcano reaches an  altitude of 386 meters. The vegetation is reduced as it progresses altitude. To the medium heights only grows the broom, while near the main crater the  ground is completely bare.

Vulcan - the most famous Vulcan in the Aeolian archipelago

 the Aeolian-archipelago

  Gran-Crater

The Crater named Gran Crater della Fossa is the main one, with a diameter of about 500 meters. The board is located at an altitude of 386 m, but surrounded  by hills leading to greater heights (mount lenses). Near the Gran Crater there are the remains of two other craters:

 The Crater

Vulcan vecchio e Lentia
The last eruption occurred between 1888 and 1890. This was announced two years earlier, in 1886, an eruption from groundwater (ie caused by the steam formed in response to water heating). It was organized by the government a research expedition. In particular, the eruption was documented by the famous seismologist Mercalli.

Tips for the Bride: Wedding Planners

Do you ever wonder what you'll be like as a bride-to-be or are you currently engaged and starting to worry if the crazy will set in as your day approaches? You may be telling yourself that, when the time comes, you will be the bride to throw care to the wind and just go with the flow. If that is the case, I am telling you now, that is just simply not true.

You may consider yourself to be a rather sane and level headed person, but when it comes down to it, will you care if your flowers are not the right shade of orange, your napkins are folded incorrectly, or, god forbid they put your floating candles in the water upside down??? YES, YES, and YES!! Read below to get the answer to a question a lot of ultra busy brides are asking themselves,

"Should I hire a wedding planner?"

PROS - What a wedding planner can bring to the table:

1. Experience: There is nothing better than someone who has been through a situation, who knows how things should work, and who can anticipate disaster at any corner! Experience is key to planning any party and especially a wedding. Unless you've planned multiple weddings or know what you're doing, things can get real tricky, real fast.

2. A Voice: This person can be your voice and speak up for you when you cannot be there. It is crucial to have someone who knows and understands exactly what it is you are dreaming of and can execute plans accordingly. You won't be present at every second and will be occupied with other tasks, so you'll want someone there that you can trust to take the reins in your absence.

3. Stress Relief: Do you really want to be worrying about what your groom will wear, how to hang the 50+ paper lanterns, and where your cake toppers ran off to? Certainly not! Now, there are some things that are uncontrollable and nothing ever goes according to plan, but, you will be more at ease knowing that you have someone who is experienced and completely dedicated to making sure things run as smoothly as possible.



4. Flow and Organization: This is incredibly important to the event. An organized event planner can help make sure that your event has consistent flow and keep track of the timeline. They will help you stay focused and make sure you are exactly where you need to be when you need to be there, which can be a blessing as we're guessing a watch and/or cell phone won't really go well with your outfit...

5. Damage Control: The flowers don't arrive on time, the cake falls apart, your pumpkin martinis are maybe not going over so well with your guests, and, to top it off, your dress rips and someone stole the sewing kit from the bathroom! Now, you have enough going on to have to worry about how to remedy these situations...so let someone else worry about these things for you. A good wedding planner will anticipate problems, diffuse the situation to the best of their ability, and think of creative and helpful solutions to help you enjoy your day despite any little accidents that might happen along the way.



6. Discounts: Yes, we said it correctly - discounts! Wedding planners can help you save money by organizing your expenditures and keeping you on budget. They often have access to special discounts for services, materials, etc. that you would not normally have if planning things for yourself.





Cons - Disadvantages of a wedding planner:

1. COST! This is legitimately the only thing that we can think of that would be a reason to not hire a wedding planner. That and, of course, if your venue already provides a consultant of sorts. But, mainly, it is the cost that deters people from hiring a wedding planner and this can be determined in a few different ways, hourly, a set-fee, or a percentage (sometimes 10-15%!) of the total wedding budget. This can add up quickly and you should carefully weigh your options to determine if you can afford this or not.



So, do we think it's worth it??



Speaking as the former bride (and maid of honor!) of a recent, kind of DIY wedding, ABSOLUTELY!! Though we decided against a wedding planner to save on costs, we realize we really would have paid anything to have been able to relax, have our friends and family kick back, and not have to worry about a thing. In retrospect we loved our wedding, but realized a wedding planner would have made our lives easier, kept us calm, and would have made our wedding day a more pleasant and enjoyable event for all involved.





Happy Planning (or Hiring!)





XOXO

Jen & Saira

Typhoon Lagoon

Typhoon Lagoon is the best water park by Disney. It is one of the two water parks operated by Disney. It has Castaway Creek which is a 2100-foot continuous river raft ride lets guests aboard inner tubes meander through rain forests, caves, open grottos, waterfalls and a waterworks area. Children must be accompanied by an adult along with Gangplank Falls which has huge inner tubes holding four guests careen down rapids and through special water effects and rock formations on this 300-foot family raft ride.

 Humunga Kowabunga ,

 The Humunga Kowabunga

 The Storm Slides

 Typhoon Lagoon

Typhoon Lagoon huge lazy river

Typhoon Lagoon   Humunga Kowabunga

Typhoon Lagoon is certainly the most beautiful, a true tropical paradise. This looks nothing like typical water parks that have slides with exposed superstructures and wave pools that look like giant concrete tubs. It may not have the most, fastest or highest slides, but it does have the largest surf pool with waves up to six feet high that sits at the base of a hundred foot high manmade watershed mountain and is surrounded by a sandy beach and a lush tropical forest.Ketchakiddee Creek is a play area for young children featuring small slides and fountains. There are water features that spray everywhere including a tugboat and a mixture of whales and seals throughout the play area. A small sandy beach is also provided.

 Typhoon Lagoon tube rides

Falls

o

Typhoon lagoon has Humunga Kowabunga which travels at speeds up to 30 mph as you are whisked down one of the triple enclosed slides and through caves on this 214-foot ride. It also has another mind jolting ride viz. Keel Haul Falls.It'll hop aboard your inner tube and slide down one of the "soft foam" slides, passing through caves, waterfalls and special effects along the way.

kiddie area Typhoon Lagoon

 Blizzard Beach

Typhoon lagoon has two separate inner tube rides, huge lazy river, huge wave pool, kiddie area, two types of body slides, water coaster, snorkel with live fish Snacks, drinks, and lunches or bring your own. It has plenty of seating areas for best group celebrations. Take an underwater camera and you'll have thrilling experience while clicking coral reefs and other marine organisms. Rush in for snorkel in tank and water slides. Typhoon lagoon is an amazing vacationing delight along with Disney, Seaworld, Universal studio & Kennedy space center which ascertains that you are getting best value from your Orlando vacation rentals.

typhoon Lagoon water park

Typhoon Lagoon tropical paradise