|| What I’m Lovin’ Right Now ||

Posted in Accessories, Beauty, Breakfast, Fashion, Food, Fun, Handbags, Inspiration, Shoes, Television, Travel, Treats by C.

It’s been a roller coaster on the weather front here in L.A. Eighty degrees one day, rainy and cold the next. I‘ve often wondered the affect an environment has on its inhabitants. If you think about it: can it be pure luck that this city, known for its fickle nature, from the weather down to the very people that walk the city streets (myself included) is all happenstance? This might be a bit too deep for a Wednesday. Luckily, there are things that you come across that stick the moment you come into contact with them. Things that you know that you’re not at all fickle about. For me it usually involves cupcakes, a ridiculously expensive handbag, a large bag of Hot Tamales, when you have a good book in your hands, hear a new song or see a new film for the first time and know that you’ve just experienced something special. Here’s to finding those things that stick. And…

here’s what i’m lovin’ right now

{Chunky necklaces over buttoned shirts // Full skirts as day wear // Badgley Mischka Provence One Piece Swimsuit.}

{French Toast with Homemade Fresh Strawberry Butter // recipe here.}

{Best video EVER: 25 Ways to Wear a Scarf in 4.5 minutes.}

{Oscar De La Renta’s fun, wise words.}

{I heart Mindy Kaling. The Mindy Project has been on the air for awhile now, but I took a short hiatus and returned to it recently, catching up on missed episodes and it’s been a welcome source of comic relief. I was also uber excited about Mark Duplass joining in on the fun for a few episodes. No spoilers! Did I mention that I heart Mindy Kaling?}

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{Mind wandering.}

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{Wine 101 for dummies // full article here.}

{Dreaming big.}

{Insert me here…with a tropical drink…in a pineapple shell…with an umbrella in it…thx.}

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12Feb2013

2013 Grammy Awards: Fashion Hits and Misses

Posted in Accessories, Beauty, Fashion, Handbags, Music, Shoes by C.

Okay team, admittedly I totally dissed the Grammy’s broadcast this year by not watching any of the red carpet or the actual awards presentation. AND I have good reason! I spent most of the weekend sucked into the vapor of early British 1900’s life by indulging in the delicious mischievousness, and as a gal pal so rightly put it “20th century passive aggressive awesomeness!” with those crazy characters residing at Downton Abbey. After incessantly hearing about this show, I grabbed the first season and got to work on seeing what all the buzz about. Within 10 minutes, I knew I would dig it…and where I would be for most of the weekend.

Alas, the beauty of life these days is that you can catch all the re-caps the next day online minus all the commercials and boring speeches. So in salute to all things fashion, here are my top 5 hits and misses from the biggest night in music.

THE HITS

RHIANNA

LOVE everything about her look, super classy, a little showy and what a stunning color on her.

TAYLOR SWIFT

Such a unique dress and she pulls the look together with a braided headband and dramatic cat eyes. Very 21st century Cleopatra.

KELLY ROWLAND

This was a VERY daring choice and if you look closely, might be borderline too much, but she pulls it off and takes center stage because of it. Move over, Bey!

ROSCI DIAZ

Admittedly, I didn’t put two and two together when I first saw this picture (who is this?), but everything about her look is one of my absolute favorites of the night. Simple, sexy, classy!

ALLISON WILLIAMS

Simply put, this is just a great dress. No muss, no fuss and she looks flawless.

THE MISSES

ADELE

LOVE her, but the print on this dress and those shoes…

FLORENCE WELCH

Again LOVE her, but those green turtle/alligator/scary spikes….

Jennifer Lopez

The leg is distracting and the cut of the gown looks messy to me. I love a good top bun, but the pointy ones, I just can’t get into. Sorry J-Lo!

KAT DENNINGS

Not a fan of the color, the fit on her chest (though she has a great one!), or her harsh makeup.

TAMIA

The head cover, deep-plunging strangely shaped dress and it’s color, don’t make me love it. The clutch is cute!

**Disclaimer: Since it’s obvious I wasn’t at this year’s ceremonies snapping high res photos, all pictures are courtesy of Yahoo.com! Photo sources are noted below:

Rhianna

Taylor Swift

Kelly Rowland

Rocsi Diaz

Allison Williams

Adele

Florence Welch

Jennifer Lopez

Kat Dennings

Tamia

6Feb2013

|| What I’m Lovin’ Right Now ||

Posted in Accessories, Beauty, Explore, Fashion, Food, Fun, Handbags, Music, Shoes, Television, Travel, Treats by C.

If you really stop and think about it, there are so many awesome, inspirational, entertaining, thought-provoking, exciting, deliciously superficial, silly, glamorous or happy things that happen around you everyday if you just open your eyes. I’m opening mine! In addition to the posts dedicated to sharing my personal highlights celebrating the things in life each week that made me smile (you can read my most recent Highlights here) – I’ve decided to start a new recurring blog post to share all of the random things big or small that came into my world, said hello, winked, then either promptly turned it upside down, inside out, or made me give a good “ooooh!” Here’s to having your world ROCKED by a little bit of everything with eyes wide open.

here’s what i’m lovin’ right now

{God bless the person who heard the cries of so many Sex and the City fans who’ve been going through Carrie Bradshaw withdrawal. This new series follows a 16-year-old Carrie prior to becoming the sex column writing fashionista strutting down 5th Avenue in 5-inch Manolos. Fun!}

{When I’m ready for my big walk down the aisle, I’m taking a cue from Emily Schuman of Cupcakes and Cashmere fame and hiring these guys! Instead of your traditional long form wedding video, Shark Pig takes a highly stylized approach to immortalize your big day by shooting on Super 8mm film and editing it into a music video inspired montage creating something magical and timeless. You HAVE to check out Emily’s big day and see their work. Enjoy!}

{Words to live by…}

circles

{Insert me here…NOW. Thx.}

{I needed a full day of chill out music earlier this week and I knew Porcelain Raft’s Drifting In and Out was the vibe I was looking for. Hello Pandora and my new Drifting In and Out Radio Station. Set just the tone and mix I was looking for.}

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{Mixing my love of cupcakes and popcorn into one yummy treat? Yes, please! The next time I’m in Union Square in S.F. I’m stopping at American Cupcake for their Pink Popcorn Cupcake.}

{Bar carts as side tables.}

{Well said glitter girls (and boys).}

17Jan2013

Golden Globes: Fashion Hits and Misses

Posted in Accessories, Beauty, Fashion, Film, Fun, Handbags, Shoes by C.

Not to brag, but this past Sunday I spent nearly four hours with the Hollywood elite at the Beverly Hilton Hotel sipping a cool beverage while rocking the most awesome ensemble to rival the stars…all from the comfort of my boyfriend’s apartment. Okay, so technically I was a few miles down the street, drinking bottled water, wearing a sweatshirt and some shorts; but hey – I was comfortable, warm, and had the best seat in the house!

The 2013 Golden Globe awards were surprisingly very entertaining this year. From the awesome duo hosting duties in funny gals Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, to the surprise range of unexpected winners (didn’t see Argo beating out Lincoln!), and some pretty moving acceptance speeches (paging Jodie Foster!). It’s also the time to discuss all things fashion. Prior to the broadcast, I spent an hour and a half watching the Hollywood glitterati make their way down the red carpet. Here are my top 5 best and worst dressed ladies. Looking forward to Oscar Night!

BEST DRESSED: The Hits

{Taylor Swift}

{Jessica Alba}

{Kate Hudson}

{Emily Blunt}

{Shaun Robinson}

WORST DRESSED: The Misses

{Sienna Miller}

{Emily Mortimer}

{Mayim Bialik}

{Rosario Dawson}

{Alyssa Milano}

**Disclaimer: Since it’s obvious I wasn’t at this year’s ceremonies snapping high res photos, all pictures are courtesy of Yahoo.com! Photo sources are noted below:

Taylor Swift – Photo By Steve Granitz/WireImage

Jessica Alba – Photo By Steve Granitz/WireImage

Kate Hudson – Photo By Jason Merritt/Getty Images

Emily Blunt – Photo By Jason Merritt/Getty Images

Shaun Robinson – Photo By Jason Merritt/Getty Images

Sienna Miller – Photo By Steve Granitz/WireImage

Emily Mortimer – Photo By Steve Granitz/WireImage

Mayim Bialik – Photo By Steve Granitz/WireImage

Rosario Dawson – Photo By Steve Granitz/WireImage

Alyssa Milano – Photo By Steve Granitz/WireImage

17Dec2012

A Holiday Party Hit

Posted in Beauty, DIY, Food, Fun, Treats by C.

My first holiday party of the season was on a chilly Thursday night. The premise was simple: bring yourself, bring food, and bring 5 of your favorite thing for a little gift exchange.

Since I knew I would be spending the evening with my more health conscious girlfriends, I wanted to bring something that was original, healthy, but still had a touch of decadence to it. (It was a party after all!) I did not, however, want to bring store-bought cookies from Trader Joe’s that would just sit on the counter untouched by the end of the night (like I did last year). It came to me rather quickly thanks to an old Pinterest find from earlier this summer. I wanted to do a dessert-type dish and I wanted to do something that I actually took the time to make (no matter how simple it might have been).

Strawberries (healthy) + chocolate (decadent) = the perfect party treat (that your incessantly dieting friends will actually eat).

An added bonus, besides the irresistible pairing of strawberries and chocolate, was presenting them in a unique way by stuffing them, rather than dipping them (there’s the originality).

(Click here for the recipe).

{Chocolate-filled strawberries.}

As for the gift exchange, the idea was to bring 5 of your favorite thing that was $6.00 max. Each person’s name would go into a hat 5 times and we’d each draw 5 names (minus your own) to pass your gifts out to after a small introduction as to why it was a favored item of yours. At the end of the night, you’ll have 5 different new favorite treasures from your friends.

I knew instantly what I would bring from the moment I learned of our gift exchange: L’Oreal’s Colour Riche Femme Fatale Collection nail polish in Tangerine Crush. I’ve already raved about it as one of the great beauty finds of 2012 (now you know why 5 were featured in the post). Since I’m all about presentation, I wanted to give out my goodies in a special way. I got 5 super cute Chinese style take out gift boxes from Cost Plus and placed the nail polish inside with a touch of tissue paper. Voilà!

{L’Oreal’s Colour Riche Femme Fatale Collection nail polish in Tangerine Crush.}

{Gift boxes.}

The chocolate-filled strawberries and nail polish in these awesome gift boxes were a holiday hit! And not one strawberry was left over after our potluck-style party. Take that, store-bought cookies! 🙂

5Dec2012

2012: How Pinterest Made Me Cooler

Posted in Accessories, Beauty, Dinner, DIY, Fashion, Food, Fun, Handbags, Inspiration, Treats by C.

March 5, 2012. The day I joined Pinterest, the latest social media craze that spawned yet another online addiction that I probably didn’t really need, but am more than happy with having. Once I figured out what the heck it was (and how to pronounce it), 2012 was never the same.

Pinterest appeals to my deeply visual side, my organizational side; and that side of me that loves to learn something new, how to do it better, or when I just need a little inspiration to change things up.

Pinterest has made me cooler. How, you ask? Let’s just say that thanks to the ideas curated onto my pretty awesome profile (if I do say so myself :)), I cook better, dress better, and my apartment has benefited from a few ideas sparked from a simple photo.

As of writing this post, I’ve pinned 643 images. Of those 643 images, I’ve managed to put a handful into action. In the spirit of looking back over the year, I thought it would be fun to share the recipes, tips, and products that I now treasure. Here’s how Pinterest made me cooler this year:

HOW I COOKED BETTER: Easy Garlic Chicken

{Photo source}

Without a doubt this very popular brown sugar and garlic chicken recipe pin turned me into a mini-rock star in the kitchen and was my first ever Pinterest experiment. It’s super easy to make, and only takes a few ingredients: chicken breast, garlic, olive oil, and brown sugar. I like to add a bit more garlic to the mixture to give it a little more punch against the brown sugar and top it off with a few dashes of salt and pepper for more flavor.

HOW I ACCESSORIZED BETTER: Kaela Designs Cheryl Katch Hobo Bag

I stumbled across this unique and trendy bag on Pinterest from Kaela Designs earlier this summer. Aside from the shape and pattern of the handbag, I fell in love with the ring style handles. It really makes it stand out. To read about this addition to my collection from earlier this year, please see my blog post.

HOW I HOME DECORATED BETTER: Flower Arrangements 101

I love flowers. I them so much I have an entire Pinterest board dedicated to them! Awhile back, I found Lauren Conrad’s “how-to” for flower arrangements via a pin. Above were my results! They added such a great touch of brightness and liveliness to my home for a week straight. I wrote a blog about making this simple and affordable flower arrangement courtesy of L.C. here.

HOW I BECAME CRAFTIER: D.I.Y. MAKEUP BRUSH HOLDER

{Photo source}

The first image above was a pin I came across that made me want to combine my love of candles (but not the left over jars), organization, and presentation into one. This photo led me to try re-purposing an old candle jar that turned into the photo below complete with an organized make-up brush holder on my new antique vanity tray. I’ll eventually upgrade to a nicer candle jar, but liked how it turned out! To see how I did mine, please visit my post.

These are just a few ideas learned from my online passion, pinning images! I look forward to 2013 where I’m sure a new resolve to make it the best year yet, with Pinterest’s help, will spark new ideas and motivation from a simple image and I’ll be cooler than ever! Happy Pinning!

4Dec2012

2012: Best in Beauty

Posted in Beauty by C.

I’m not a high maintenance gal, but this doesn’t mean that I don’t like to always look put together. I’m way too O.C.D. with a healthy dose of perfectionism for sloppiness! 🙂

I didn’t really transition into the “girliness” of being a girl until my mid-twenties (when more astute attention was paid to clothes and makeup). It’s still growing and evolving; as it should when you come more into your own and want to redefine your look. The simple fact of getting older, wanting to try new things (and let’s be honest: as well as my addiction to tips found on Pinterest, the blogosphere, and my subscription to Glamour magazine) led me down a path this year to take the time to enjoy and grow into that fun girly side a bit more and experiment with new products.

These are beauty findings I discovered this year, that I’ve come to love, use, and recommend to those looking to (re)capture the “girl” in all of us; tried, tested and true. Happy primping!

Estee Lauder’s Double Wear Light Stay-In-Place Makeup, $36.00. I recently switched from using powder makeup to this foundation after successfully using a sample that I got during the L.A. Cupcakes and Cashmere book signing (gotta love cross promotion). It’s super lightweight, doesn’t clog pores, lasts all day; and most importantly, doesn’t feel like liquid is sitting on your face. Four reasons I’ve never used liquid makeup. Also, this inexpensive but very sturdy Studio Tools Large Foundation Brush from Target, $6.99, does a wonderful application of my new face makeup.

My favorite new find for a warm glow on your cheeks would be courtesy Bobbi Brown’s Pot Rouge for Lips and Cheeks, $25.00. I have a warm, chestnut skin tone and love the Milk Chocolate, though Bobbi’s got you covered with 9 other shades to suit your skin tone. The best part? You can sweep it on your lips for a touch of color as well.

My favorite nail polish on the mani/pedi front: Tangerine Crush from L’Oreal’s Colour Riche Femme Fatale Collection, $4.99.

Dressing up the eyes has become much more dramatic and long-lasting with these two new beauty finds: Sephora Collection’s Full Action Extreme Effect Mascara in Black, $15.00; and Bobbi Brown’s Long-Wear Eye Pencil, $24.00, in Mahogany.

26Oct2012

Highlights

Posted in Beauty, Film, Food, Fun by C.

I can say with confidence that Fall has officially made its way to Los Angeles. Damp, crisp mornings, chilly nights, scarves, and boots have been all the rage in my world lately. Other rages?

{Curling up with some fresh kettle corn from the farmers’ market and watching “What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?” was a wonderful way to spend a Sunday afternoon. All I can say is O.M.G! Find a copy of this and “make it a Blockbuster night” if you haven’t seen it. I loved it so much I actually watched all of the bonus materials (over 2 hours!) to learn more about our early divas, Bette Davis and Joan Crawford.}

{Another highlight salad? Yes! This Greek Salad for lunch was heaven. Ingredients: lettuce, garbanzo beans, pepperoncini, tomatoes, black olives, feta cheese; drizzled in a red wine vinaigrette.}

{In LOVE with this new seasonal fragrance mist from Bath and Body Works – Honey Autumn Apple. Don’t be jealous, I smell like Fall and you don’t!}

Have an amazing weekend guys! I plan to! 🙂

23Oct2012

DIY: Make-Up Brush Holder

Posted in Beauty, DIY by C.

I. Love. Candles. Trouble is when I’m done burning them, I feel a bit guilty but end up simply tossing the glass jar in the trash. If there’s anything I’ve learned from my Pinterest addiction, it’s that there’s usually a great way to re-purpose something and get crafty with its use, especially when it comes to glass.

I’ve been looking for a way to revamp my bathroom counter and thought the idea of putting my make-up brushes out in a nice presentation would do it and I’d get to clean out my make-up drawer some. Win, win. Why go out and buy a brush holder, when I can take a $4.00 candle jar, clean it out, and reuse it!?!

The trick is to remove the remaining wax from the jar. I found a nifty video (thanks YouTube!) to help with this small annoyance. Since I don’t want any angry comments, here’s my disclaimer: caution when working with the glass jar over the hot stove (duh!). 🙂

Operation make-up brush holder was under way and done within minutes.

{Dirty jar, cleaning process, clean jar.}

{Taking stock of my collection. Clearly I don’t need any more eyelash curlers.}

{Make-up brush holder = done.}

19Oct2012

Highlights: Mid-October

Posted in Beauty, Books, Dinner, DIY, Food, Fun, Lunch by C.

Half-way through October. Someone seems to be hitting the time accelerate button yet again. It’s been a bit stressful this week, but here are some highlights that managed to brighten it:

{The appreciation of a good solid meal. Much pleasure came from some penne pasta with mushrooms lightly sprinkled with parmesan cheese; and the simplicity of steamed broccoli, carrots, and cauliflower on the side.}

{The Halloween project is underway, Midnight by Dean Koontz is in hand.}

{Not to brag, but I have been having the best hair week EVER! There’s nothing you can’t handle when your tresses are acting right. I don’t typically use hairspray, but because of the humidity in the air and some major frizzing, I’ve been looking for a solution. Enter L’Oréal Elnett StrongHold Hairspray (unscented). Worth every dime.}