Happy Hour: Oh yes, I will have chocolate.

When you're single, and you live alone, baking can be a dangerous pastime.  Make a whole pie? Eat a whole pie.  12 cupcakes? 12 loaded carbohydrate grenades.  A pan of brownies? Cleaned until you hit ceramic.  What's a girl to do?

Two words: Oven S'Mores.  Specifically, triple chocolate, oven S'mores.  Because sometimes, a girl doesn't want a drink for Happy Hour, she wants a fistful of ooey-gooey, chocolatey goodness.

Chocolate S'Mores Recipe

Preheat over to 375-degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil.  

Split four chocolate graham crackers in half.  Place four of the halves on the cookie sheet.  Then, place two marshmallows on each cracker on a diagonal.  (Going horizontally or vertically will result in a mess.)  Set the pan on the middle rack of the oven.

It will take between 5-8 minutes for the marshmallows to cook.  You'll know they're done because they'll be puffed up twice their size and golden on the edges.  

Remove from oven and place two small squares of the Hershey's chocolate bar on each S'more.  You'll think you need more, but I promise you that you don't.  The chocolate will melt, and adding could result in a chin burn (it's not pretty, believe me).  Add the other graham and eat.  If you have a drop cloth, you're going to need it.

Modal Pants (Gap, $39)

So have a few of your girlfriends over, heat up some S'mores and enjoy an alcohol-free evening.  No cocktail dress required. Feel free to wear sweatpants.  These pants from Gap are the most comfortable lounge pants in history.  They also shrink if you put them in the dryer. Just a tip.

Discuss: Travel Plans

True story: I've never travelled overseas. Until a few weeks ago, I didn't even have a passport.  In the middle part of the country, what some on the coasts condescendingly call the "fly-over," this is not abnormal.  Flights from my hometown to D.C. cost more than $500, flights to places outside of the U.S. cost a kidney.  Or your first-born, whichever one you can live without.

Long story short, I'd like to do some travelling after the election.  Probably over the Thanksgiving holiday.  Maybe I'll stay inside the country, maybe I'll travel abroad.  But either way, I'm getting the hell out of dodge for some quality Belle time.

I'm exploring all of my options.  Warm climates, cold climates.  Big cities, quiet towns.  So if you have a trip to suggest, either in the U.S. or overseas, leave your thought in the comments with a brief defense of why this trip is the best.  Hotel suggestions, can't-miss attractions, best restaurants, and travel tips are all welcome.  Leave your thoughts in the comments.  Trips with short(ish) travel times are appreciated given the small number of vacation days allotted in the private sector.

10th Commandment: January 27

Colorblock Linen Tote (Gap, $45)

This medium tote (12.5 x 16) will make a stylish gym bag. Or if you're in need of a weekender for beach trips, this bag is the perfect size for a summer overnight.  It also comes in pink/grey and white/black.

colorblock bag

Two Ways: A Stretchy, Wide Belt

Belt: Twist Detail Waist Belt (BCBG, $38)

From Left, Earrings: Druzy Studs ($95) Ring 1: Seed Bead Ring ($19) Ring 2: Melinda Maria Nail Head ring ($40) Purse: Medium Flannel Satchel ($109) Sweater: Max Mara Long Cardi ($267) Shoes: Coach Gema Sneaker ($48) Tee: James Perse Tee ($50)  Jeans: AE Boyfriend Jean ($40)

From Right, Necklace: Anton Heunis Chunky Turquoise Necklace ($355) Bag: Trouve Metal Corner Tote ($198) Dress: J.Crew Marielle Dress Superfine Cotton ($178) Shoe: Glitter Patent Pump ($195)

For Winter Casual Days.  When it gets cold and wet like it was earlier this week, I just want to be comfortable.  I want to wrap myself in a wool sweater, a pair of loose-fitting jeans and some comfortable shoes.  But that doesn't mean that you can't be comfortable and stylish.

For this outfit, I layered a belted cardigan over a simple white tee and boyfriend fit jeans.  Instead of using the limp, lifeless belt provided, I would use the stretchy, leather belt.  I just love grey and camel or grey and cognac together.

Add in a pair of rose gold sequin sneakers and rose gold jewelry to soften the look.  I love the hammered nail ring.  The bad carries some of the colors from the belt and shoes, but also ties in to the grey in the sweater.

For the hair, I would suggest a high, teased ponytail.  For the makeup, a light tinted moisturizer, a cheek stain, mascara and some lip balm. 

For Spring Workdays. I don't know about you, but I am ready to start thinking about spring.  I'm over the winter blahs and it's not even February. 

Here, I belted a vibrant blue dress with short sleeves to define the waist.  I also added a turquoise chain necklace to play with the color palette.  You can skip the necklace if you're a minimalist, but add a colored stone earring, instead. 

A basic neutral pump in patent leather will be your best friend this spring/summer.  Also, how great is this tan leather bad with the metal corners?  That's a lot of style for under-$200.

For the hair, I would say a loose updo or half up-half down with a loose wave.  For the makeup, a pink cheek, some illuminating highlighter on the cheekbones and light bronzer.  Emphasis on the light.

BPGP: African Red Tea Kit, Part I

It started with three grey hairs.  Then, there were six.  All on the front of my head, in a strip, like the start of a widow's peak.  I'm informed that my Grandma went grey in her mid-30s.  Information that would have been helpful to have sooner.

My skin is losing elasticity.  Scratches seem to last forever.  Everything scars. My slightly greying bangs can barely cover the three deepening wrinkles in my forehead.  I really wasn't expecting the "aging process" to be so visible, so soon.  I'm not even 30, yet. 

I hoped that I would be able to go a few more years before eye creams, serums, scrubs and tonics became the cornerstone of my beauty purchases.  But alas, these are the breaks.  When you're 20, it's easy to say that you want to grow old gracefully.  When you spot your first wrinkle before your 30th birthday, it's easier to understand how Madeleine Stowe ended up with a forehead pulled tighter than a drum.

Ole Henriksen African Red Tea Kit (Sephora, $68)

Several years ago, my Mother bought the African Red Tea Kit from Ole Henriksen, and it had a noticeable impact on her skin.  I had seen her when she bought it in April, and then again, in July, the improvement was unreal to me.  So now that the aging battle has officially begun for this 29-year-old, I've decided to arm myself with something that I've seen work.

I have long used Ole Henriksen's products, because they don't irritate and are free of harsh chemicals.  The Red Tea kit is packed full of antioxidants to fight free radicals.  The moisturizer is light, non greasy and smells divine.  The soap cleans without stripping, and the mask really helps with redness.

I've only been using the kit for a week, so expect another review 4-6 weeks from now, but I've already notices some minor improvements.  Since it's winter, I have been globbing on moisturizer like it's my job.  But after a few days of using the kit, I'm using much less.  And while I haven't seen any improvement in texture (yet), I have seen a boost in radiance.  So I hope this is the start of a beautiful friendship.

Since this is a kit, I've abandoned many of my other products.  Maybe temporarily, maybe permanently.  But I am still using the iS Clinical Serum before bed. 

I'll keep you up to date on whether this set is a keeper.  I'm just blown away by how much the aging process has accelerated in just the last six months. It's been a real wake up call that if I'm going to make caring for my skin the pillar of my beauty routine, now is the time. 

Clearly, I also need to be doing better on my nutrition, since good skin is as much about what you put in your body as what you put on it.  So I'm going to buy a juicer on pay day.  I already take a multivitamin, but I think that on this front, every little bit helps.

If any of my post-30 readers have skincare tips, I'd love to hear them.  And if any of you own juicers that you like, I'd love to know the brands.