Happy holidays

I hate posts without pictures.... but I was a lazy photog while in Vegas.

This past week has been busy!

I just got back from a 4-day trip to Vegas on Wednesday, and today I spent all afternoon and night baking a cake and cookies, making an experimental batch of homemade stuffing (a success), and taking care of a sick boyfriend.

I had a cold before and during Vegas, and now he's sick after!  Despite the sickness, I enjoyed Vegas, but I did not enjoy the Encore housekeeping.... they ignored our "Do not disturb" sign twice while we were in the room, what the hell?  It makes me wonder what happens while we're away.  It's like they hope that the do not disturb people are out so that they can rummage through their things!

I'm glad we left Vegas early on Wednesday, because after we left it was deemed to be "in a state of emergency" due to widespread flooding.  The weather in Vegas wasn't as bad as it was in LA, but I was behind a car that spun out while getting on the freeway.... pretty scary.  The good thing about slightly bad weather was that I didn't want to walk to the various hotels that have good shopping areas (Caesar's, Palazzo, Venetian, Planet Hollywood).  I also didn't lose any money gambling!  Definitely a rare occurrence.

If I didn't have to rush around tomorrow I would take photos of my homemade stuffing walkthrough, but the food aspect of my blog will have to take a backseat to efficiency!  Pictures of the final product will be taken, though :)

The life of a bum...

I've been SO lazy these past few days, but it has been glorious.  Watching lots of TV (finally caught up on HIMYM), reading lots of magazines, and just relaxing.

I think I took like 2 naps today, which I'm actually not proud of.  I haven't worked out in a week or so, and I've been eating the worst food ever.  My energy levels are just way too low, so I'm thinking about going on a mini version of a cleanse by cutting out bad carbs and eating lots of veggies.  It's tough when my parents decide to cook a huge pot of rice and delicious fatty foods, though...

Finals were pretty horrific, but that's mostly because I'm used to walking out of finals feeling good.  I walked out of two finals feeling like poop!  Thankfully I got an A in one of those classes.  My first grad school A!

I'll try to think of some "interesting" posts later.  Even though I have all the time in the world now, I'm the least motivated to make blog posts.  Sigh.

Magnolia Bakery - Los Angeles, CA

I finally made it out to the famous Magnolia Bakery!  Well, famous in New York.  This location has yet to reach the New York one's status of being ridiculously busy.

Anyway, it was completely empty when I came in at around 2 pm.  Apparently everyone was a few blocks down at Toast and Joan's on Third--both of which are great for people watching.

I decided to go with two cupcakes and a flourless chocolate cake.  The cheesecakes were screaming at me, though!  They were so tiny and cute.  The lemon bar also looked really good, but the fact that I was going to walk over to Joan's after to buy more made me say no.

The vanilla cupcake was actually really good, and I hate anything that's straight up vanilla!  It was quite sweet, though, so some people may be turned off.  I think I may have liked this more than the chocolate cupcake...

Thick frosting!

The chocolate cupcake was as expected (good!), but not mind-blowing like the media/rumor mill makes it out to be.  I think I prefer less frosting when it's such a rich combination of flavors... The chocolate cupcake is crazy decadent.

I was actually disappointed in the flourless chocolate cake.  I think I've gotten way too used to the molten lava cakes and I needed some kind of gooey, hot liquid to come streaming out of it (that sounded gross).  Despite that, my mom and boyfriend LOVED it!  There must be something wrong with me haha.

Would I go back again?  Sure.  I need to try a cheesecake, a cookie, and a lemon bar!

Fitting room review #1: Free People + J.Crew

So, I'm bored and I don't want to study. 

Time for blog posts!

I went to the Americana at Brand a few weeks ago and decided to take some pictures in the fitting rooms.  I tried on more stuff than what I'm about to show, but these were the only ones that looked halfway decent, haha.

Free People - Winter's Embellishment Top - size 4 (fit was slightly large)

It looked GREAT on the hanger, but once it was on, it wasn't very flattering in the chest or waist area :(  Perhaps if I tried on a size 2 it would've worked, but at $118, it was NOT WORTH IT!  I might have tried on the smaller size if it was $30, haha.

J.Crew - Pink Flannel Boy Shirt, size 4 (TTS)

I liked the way it fit, but the color was just too "cotton candy" for me.  At $70, it was also not worth it.  I've been trying to find a really great plaid/flannel shirt, but I still haven't found one at a price that I love.  Where in the world are all of the cheap, awesome boy shirts?

J.Crew - Buffalo Check Boy Shirt - size 6 (TTS, so a tiny bit looser)

I actually really liked this one, but since it was a slightly loose fit, the unbuttoned collars kept coming back together.  I cannot stand it when the collars on an unbuttoned shirt meet!  This one was actually on sale, but it was still around $45.  Didn't purchase... :(

For size reference, I usually don't match the measurements listed for size 4 OR 6, but I always fit into them at every store I go to.  (Bust 34A/B, waist: 28, hips: ? haha)  I also typically wear a size small.

Wish.

Take me to Paris!

But first, maybe I should learn a bit of French...

...and save up $5000.

This UCLA student was on "Let's Make a Deal" yesterday afternoon and she won a trip to Paris worth $24k!!!  Accommodations are at a luxury hotel, and she got $5000 in spending money.  Lucky!

Re-entering the world.

Finally uploaded pictures from my camera.  Here's an outfit from a couple weeks ago (when it was still HOT outside!)

Top: Renn - Nordstrom TBD dept. - circa 2006?

Skirt: Ann Taylor LOFT - on sale for <$10!

Shoes: Steve Madden "Melrow" - got 'em for like $50!

I need a mental (almost done with one of my papers!) and emotional break, and blogging is one of my escapes, so FUCK IT.  I'm back!

Pretty sure that my life is going to remain in its current state for a long time so I've been getting used to it.  It's actually pretty easy acting like I don't know anybody, but some people are nice and actually initiate interactions with me.  5 more draining days of school/tests, and then I get to be free for 3 weeks!

Some plans:
- Reading all 20 million magazines I've been ignoring for the past 2-3 months.

- So. Many. Movies!  Inception, Eclipse (yikes..), Easy A, The Town, and anything else I can get my hands on.  I just watched Avatar and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button--loved both!

- Staying away from shopping, except in VEGAS!

- Going to Vegas once during break.  Darryl and I are finally splurging on a luxury hotel after all of our free rooms at random casinos.  Encore King Suite, here we come!

- Helping Darryl clean up his room at home--he's moving back for a year before his job starts.  That's going to be a very dusty challenge....

- Oh whoops, outlet shopping in Cabazon with some high school girlfriends.  I guess Vegas is not the only time.

- ...and hopefully LOTS of cooking and baking since I haven't really had time to (these are some of the recipes I'll try to tackle: spiced applesauce cake, cranberry orange scones, and scalloped tomatoes with croutons.)

Love.

I said I would stay away, but posting pretty pictures makes me happy.  The majority are from random Tumblrs, but some are from HouseBeautiful.com and OurFutureHouse.

My future office is going to have these stripes + pink accents + stark white furniture!

Since it's Thanksgiving now, I just wanted to say that I'm thankful that I have a wonderful boyfriend who has stuck by my side throughout this horrible week.  Luckily, he didn't have class or work this week so he's been hanging out at my house with me.  If I didn't have him these past few days I'm not sure what I would've done.  I probably would've just skipped class and stayed in bed. 

Family issues have been tough these past couple of weeks too.  A close relative of mine won't be around for quite some time, and the situation he's in is not good.  I wish that life were fair and that what happens in the movies didn't really happen in real life, but apparently the penal system is as corrupt and brutal as the movies make it out to be.  Prison guards are fucking assholes.

Like a friend of mine told me, life tends to throw shit at you all at once.  Some of it was my fault and some of it wasn't, but I have to deal with the consequences.  I know it's not even New Year's (let alone Christmas) but let's hope 2011 is better.

I'll probably stay away from blogging for a while.

Piperlime coupon code.

Code: VIP
Good until 11:59 pm PST, November 28th.
Shop away :)

Jackpot!

Just hit my own personal fashion jackpot.

Someone on eBay was selling a NIB... size 10... DV by Dolce Vita TED BOOT!

IN BLACK!!!

Exactly what I've been searching for since I love the Ted in brown.

This makes my hellishly stressful weekend a tiny bit better :)

M.I.A. again.

The next few weeks are going to be extremely hectic for me, so I am apologizing in advance for the lack of posts.  But I tend to post when I'm stressed..... so we'll see what happens.

I just went shopping (to de-stress of course) and took photos of items in the fitting room.  I might have a fitting room review post up soon, but we shall see... I need to learn how to take better pictures in dressing rooms!

I really, really wanted to have a series of "gift guide" posts, but I just don't have the time I would like to have to devote to browsing the online shops I love.  Perhaps I'll have a few guides VERY close to Christmas haha. 

To hold my few loyal readers over for now, I have some wedding + decoration inspiration photos that I've been hoarding over the past month or so.  These are just a few out of MANY!  I also have different sets on different computers, sigh.

Home design

Even though I currently do not own my own place, I love looking at housewares, kitchen items, furniture, and home remodels.  I cannot WAIT to get my Masters degree, get a job, and save up enough money for my own house!  Crate & Barrel will probably be the first place I hit up, but I cannot help but love the unique furniture at Urban Outfitters.

Antoinette Fainting Sofa - Blue linen damask

This sofa is a statement on its own, and I love the fabric used!  I'm obsessed with most toile-esque fabric, and this one fits the bill from afar! :)

I'm on a boat..

Even though my style tends to lean towards "preppy" casual, I dislike the typical polo shirt, pearls, and loafer look.

Well, these perforated leather boat shoes by Jeffrey Campbell have changed my mind about overly preppy shoes!

 On sale at Freepeople.com!

Although I'm not sure how they would go with my usual outfits, I'm intrigued by them.  Do any of you wear boat shoes, and if so, what brand?  I really do not like any of the Sperry Top-Siders I've seen...

Outfit

Scarf: Echo Design, French stripe knit scarf ring. 
Shirt: Madewell - similar here

Jeans: Madewell "Rail Straight" jean

Boots: DV by Dolce Vita "Ted" in Marrone

This outfit is from my trip up north to Napa, and as you can see, it's also in my banner!

In my banner I'm wearing a leather jacket by MM Couture that I got highly discounted from Piperlime.  I absolutely love Piperlime!  

My purse in the banner is by Rebecca Minkoff and is the Morning After Mini.

Bridesmaid perfection.

Who knew that extremely different colors for bridesmaids would actually work out?  I guess the fact that they are all fairly complementary pastels makes it look gorgeous together, but it must have taken the bride and bridesmaids quite a while to find the perfect mix of dresses!

photos via: http://thecinderellaproject.blogspot.com/

I think I'd love a mixture of pastel pink and yellows :)  Pastel pink and pastel aqua might be a little too cotton candy-esque for me.  The yellows cannot be too close to my *hopefully* off-white/ivory dress, though!

Boot review.

The Coach "Natale" boot arrived today (mentioned here), and I was extremely disappointed with them!

While they were gorgeous, they were made for anorexic women with very flexible ankles, short and narrow feet, and no calves.  I have large feet (9.5-10) so I will admit it is tough finding zip-less boots that are easy to get into, but these were just ridiculous.  I would have had to break my ankle to even get half of my foot inside the foot area.

These will be going back!

For you ladies who have similar issues, a couple zip-less boots that I have found recently that are easy to get into despite having larger feet and average calves:

1. Chinese Laundry "Trust me" OTK boot
2. Steve Madden "Intyce"

My faaavorite boot is the DV by Dolce Vita "Ted" but I believe it's unavailable everywhere.  Sad face :(  I have it in brown but want it in black now!

Most bloggers I check out own the Intyce boot, so I feel like it's very universally flattering.  It wasn't super flattering on me because it hit my leg at the the wrong area, but maybe if I try them on again I'll like them?

Current music obsessions.

1. Far East Movement - "Rocketeer" feat. Ryan Tedder

I have to support my fellow Asians!  Doin' it big in mainstream America...

2. Rihanna - "What's my name" feat. Drake

I'm normally pretty annoyed by Rihanna songs, but for some reason I enjoy this one.  Must be the beat/music.

3. Calvin Harris - "Love for you"

The thing that made me ABSOLUTELY love this song was this ridiculous performance by a ridiculously talented dance crew from the motherland, Japan.  Watch them.  Have your mind blown. It's the first song in their performance.

4. The Temper Trap - "Love lost"

I just love the singer's voice!  The video is also kind of adorable.  Who can resist sad, chubby children being forced to run until they vomit?

5. Sara Bareilles' entire Kaleidoscope Heart album!

She is so amazing live!  Proud that she's a fellow UCLA alumna :)

LOVE this.

Read the story behind this sweet video documenting a couple's elopement/marriage day, and then watch the video (or just watch the video only, heh).  Maybe I'm just hormonal, but I couldn't help tearing up out of joy for them.  Also, the song they used was perfect--I think I'd like to walk down the aisle to it.  I'm not very into the traditional bridal "march down the aisle" song!


we said vows. from Jeremy on Vimeo.

I'd love to do something private and casual like they did, but I know my family wouldn't be super happy with an elopement.  Maybe I can just do a destination wedding so I'm guaranteed a small guest list with only the ones I love.

I realize that I've had a lot of wedding posts lately, but it's difficult to avoid when all of the blogs I read (even if they are DESIGN blogs) have some wedding topics going on!

By the way, follow my blog with bloglovin!

Light up the sky.

Just some of the many reasons why I want to have an outdoor reception.  Thank goodness I live in LA!  But, knowing my luck, it would rain on the day of my wedding (even if it's summertime).

(photos via my classmate's blog: http://sadiesadie.tumblr.com/)

Funny greeting cards.

I love humorous greeting cards.  For almost every anniversary/holiday/birthday I've bought some kind of dumb card, and I'm sure Darryl is the only one who appreciates them (other than myself.)

Here's one that reminds me of something I'd do (the "SCREW YOU!" response), and also of my driving behavior.  I have massive amounts of road rage...

via: http://www.threadsence.com/screw-you-happy-birthday-card-by-fomato-p-1314.html

Recent purchases (not in my possession yet!)

So.... I'm always "on" a shopping ban, but I never stick with it.

Someone please, wipe my credit card # from my memory!  Online shopping will be the death of me..

Item #1: Coach "Natale" boot in black (Nordstrom) - currently sold out at Nordstrom.

If this one happens to NOT work out, I have my eye on the Chinese Laundry "Trust Me" OTK boot.  Really, really cute!  I tried it on in Cognac but thought the color made the boots stand out way too much.  BUT, in black, it would be perfection.

Item #2: Demeter maxi dress from ModCloth!

You all should remember that from one of my recent posts.  I hope it fits!

Item #3: Evi mini dress by Velvet.

So, the reasoning behind this one (because it's even more out of season than the maxi, haha) is that I bought one EXACTLY like this from Forever 21, but it fell apart after ONE wear.  I've been sad because I absolutely loved it as a summer cover-up/comfy dress and it was sold out by the time mine fell apart.  

After a long search for a replacement, this one totally fits the bill, and I know it won't fall apart after one wear!  Damn you, cheap F21 clothes.

Lovely lace.

I'm obsessed with lace details, but sadly I do not own many items of clothing that actually HAVE lace details.  This must change!

Some items that have been on my mind are...

 "Seeing Spots" tank from Nasty Gal, $32 (only 1 Large in stock, sad face...)

 

 "Chantilly Lace" shirt by Michael Stars, $98 (one size fits all)

"Savannah" lace dress from Nasty Gal, $32

 "Bridget" lace dress from Nasty Gal, $44.80

Nude.

I have a very matronly-looking pair of nude pumps for "work" but I've been wanting a cute pair for fun outfits and for dressing up.

Seychelles - Wild Card pump in Vacchetta.

I just so happened to come across this pair of Seychelles pumps while engaging in an online shopping marathon--the only marathon I can handle.

I found it on Endless with free shipping/returns and no taxes, but now it's sold out.  Hopefully I love the look and the fit when it arrives, because now I can't even get the smaller size!

...Ooh and I just thought of this now, but they would be the perfect bridal shoes!  Speaking of bridal shoes...  my friends just got engaged this past Friday. They're such a great couple, and I know they're going to have a beautiful, fun wedding next fall :)

Tempted...

I've only shopped on Modcloth's website once before, and I bought a scarf that I was pretty pleased with.  The quality wasn't amazing, but it was an inexpensive scarf so it's allowable.

I was reminded of Modcloth again today by a classmate and decided to browse...

 Demeter maxi dress, $59.99.

I think this maxi dress needs to be added to my collection!  I have one other one that I wore the shit out of these past two summers, and I think it's time for a new one.  I don't know how the quality of it will be, but the reviews are great.

Also, I was Facebook stalking (as usual) and came across this really, really cute maxi dress on someone's girlfriend.  I'm jealous!  I've been searching for one like it online, and I've come up empty handed.

Anyone recognize it?

Update on life

So... it's been a little rough lately.

I'm almost done with my first round of midterms and I cannot wait until Thursday is over!  Midterms haven't been difficult, but the studying has been.  My cohort and I are notorious for studying too hard; I guess we believe you can never be too prepared?

On the bright side I'm enjoying the NFL and Fantasy Football.  Who else watched the Vikings/Packers game Sunday? AMAZING!  Brett Favre was like public enemy No. 1 to me at the beginning of the game (dirty married man..), but I have to admit he is a bad ass.  Playing through a messed up ankle and almost pulling out a win!  Ridiculous.  If that was his last game ever, I think he can still be proud that he gave his all.

While I've been studying nonstop for midterm after midterm, I have also been taking care of two sick dogs.  Even though I have had the help of my mom and dad (my brother's been in Japan for the past 2 weeks--the worst part of the sickness) it has been very difficult. 

Someone thinks she is a model!

The dogs before it got BAD.  You can see the pain in Junior's eyes...

Although the little one (Rosie - Little Miss Cow) is back to 100%, my oldest dog Junior (12 years old) has been fighting for his life!  After a very long at-home attempt to get him well (and a veterinarian change), he had a 5-night stay at a new veterinarian's hospital because NOTHING was working.  We finally have him home and he is improving every day, little by little, but he is still fighting a life-threatening infection.  Our first doctor was completely inept, but our second doctor has been a godsend!  He was aggressive with treatment, and it's been working.  We'd practically given up hope before the new doc came into the picture!

I do support adopting from animal shelters, but be aware of kennel cough (an upper respiratory infection that is VERY common in shelter dogs).  It is a BITCH to get rid of in older dogs, so keep your new dog away from your old dog until you KNOW kennel cough will not be an issue (10-day incubation period before it reveals itself).  

Rosie is young and strong so she fought it in a week or two, but Junior has been fighting it for at least a month, and he isn't completely out of the water.

Let's hope the little guy gets better!