Highlights

I’m slowly starting to feel like my old self again. The long holiday weekend was just what I needed to recharge and evaluate what’s been “off.” If you recall, last week I was in the throws of low energy levels, struggling with perpetual exhaustion. I’ve been making some tweaks to my lifestyle lately to help improve things.

First, I decided to return to a consistent vitamin regimen. This is something I was a stickler about for years, but mainly due to cost (I’m a huge fan of New Chapter organic vitamins), I stalled on this because I couldn’t decide if I should stick with what I like or try something new. Since I couldn’t make a focused decision either way, I did nothing (smart huh?). Secondly, I’ve been monitoring my diet more aggressively. I think I’ve gotten a wee bit too lenient with my eating habits and I can feel it (Hot Tamales while at the movies is my weapon of choice). Lastly, I’ve been making a conscious effort to work on getting enough sleep. This is an area that I’ve struggled with over the last year or so. I have no trouble falling asleep, but sleeping soundly throughout the night can be difficult for me sometimes. Luckily, this week has been much better when it came to that.

What also greatly contributed to my rising energy levels was likely that this week was simply fun and I smiled a lot.

I saw Fast 6 opening night at the Arclight in Hollywood with the best audience ever. Everyone was in great spirits, cheering at all the insane action sequences for 2 straight hours. Vin Diesel and the rest of the cast made a surprise appearance at the end of the film just to stop by and say hello. Needless to say, it was a blast!

My boyfriend and I headed over to a small local carnival over the holiday weekend and I found myself on a ferris wheel for the first time in a while. I felt 15 again. I don’t know if you remember the “Thriller” ride (photo reference below) but I went on this ride solo, and immediately realized that I wasn’t 15 anymore. I don’t recall being so dizzy for so long when I rode it as a kid. Ah, aging. 🙂

1-IMG_20130526_195624_910

Aside from Fast 6, I found myself taking in quite a few films this week, all diverse, entertaining, and engaging in their own way. I saw the highly stylized documentary, We Steal Secrets, profiling the rise and fall of Julian Assange and the Wikileaks website scandal; my favorite film of the year (so far) Before Midnight; and Baz Luhrman’s The Great Gatsby which turned out to be more enjoyable than I was expecting (and makes me want to read the book again!).

This weekend, since it was so much fun “being 15” again at the carnival on a Saturday night last week, we’re heading out for a night of miniature golf, and the plan on my end is to keep working on more tweaks to improve my energy.

Have a great weekend!

Highlights from this week:

1-307090_10100209313980009_702236788_n

{Surprise flowers from Ryan.}

1-431141_10100209848109609_259981326_n

{Vanilla French Toast from Blu Jam. Yum.}

1-tavern

{Business lunch at Tavern – very chic.}

1-wpid-img_20130526_193446

{Sitting high on the ferris wheel.}

1-IMG_20130528_185644_510

{A much-need and particularly great yoga class.}

Advertisement

|| What I’m Lovin’ Right Now ||

Collage

As a gal who had a birthday recently, I was bummed that I didn’t come up with the awesome idea myself to incorporate my love of donuts into the celebration! Now that I think about it, I haven’t even had a big birthday cake, donut-inspired or otherwise, on my actual birthday since I was a kid. But don’t feel sorry for me, I make it a point to enjoy frosted covered carbs more often than I probably should – and this is a year-round phenomenon. When stumbling across this super cool concept, I looked up other donut cakes (oh, the joys of being unproductive on Pinterest) and made a collage of ideas before instantly experiencing the worst donut craving of my life. (It was a rough half hour!) Suffice to say, I’ve decided what I want to see next year on my birthday (candles and all) and it fits somewhere in the range above to give you a visual reference. Who says birthday cakes are just for kids? I’m going with the argument that if they are, I’m one at heart…and that counts. So there!


here’s what i’m lovin’ right now


|| Everything about this room…even though I tend to lean more toward dark, dramatic spaces.||

$RM26KI6


||Looking ahead to better things c/o C.S. Lewis.|| cbdc5f2d0bad0e9bfe514e19424c0917


500944ea09c7dbd8be01060f8b21741e|| Essentials for a relaxing Saturday afternoon.||


||An awesome DIY storage solution for small bathrooms. All you need is a “shadow box” from a craft store, some paint, and nails. Full details here.||

b982c26cd1b262e58298acfe4b82eef0


9c909be3d0525fdc601759f9a721cb90||Coralia Leets’ White Drusy Stone Post Earrings. Details here.||


||Maple Bacon Pancakes from blogger, Laicie, over at A Thousand Threads. Yummy details here.||

bacon-pancakes-1

Highlights

It’s my first week back into the “real world” after a short break. It’s been pretty chaotic getting back into the swing of things, but as the week comes to a close I’m beginning to find my stride again. When I think about the highlights of my life lately, I think about how much one can accomplish if you just put one foot in front of the other and get it done. By nature, this is equal parts easy and difficult for me to do. I very much have the personality that I like to meet any challenge and won’t back down until it’s to my satisfaction, but there are those times I let procrastination settle in – particularly when it’s something I don’t feel like dealing with anyway. For example?

…My air-conditioning. Since I moved into my own place (away from the constant breeze of west side living), my A/C has been deciding to work properly only when it feels like it. The problem is that I’ve been letting it behave that way for a year. I finally got to a place after a 100 degree preview last weekend of what’s to come and decided that it was time to address it with my landlord once and for all. Of course, when they came to test it to see what the trouble was, it worked swimmingly (don’t you hate when that happens?). Despite this, I told myself I was not going to accept it any longer, even if it meant having to press the issue. I was now in a space to deal with it and when I’m in that space, nothing can stop me (blu-hu-ha-ha-ha!). I marched downstairs and told my landlord with a polite, but firm tone that I wanted it replaced. They changed it the next day. Mission accomplished.

On a different note, you might have noticed a little make-over to All that Glitters this week. Thanks to my friend Tonya over at Budget and the Beach, I’ve been thinking a lot about our recent lunch where the talk was all about blogging. More to come as I develop a new creative and visual approach to my site. I’m so excited to share my ideas with you!

A few other smiles that made my week (that interestingly involved breakfast food on two occasions)?

1-IMG_20130511_143834_178

{The BEST pancakes I think I’ve ever had from Du-Par’s on 3rd street.}

1-253278_10100202346732429_1909943691_n

{Cranberry Orange Muffin and an Intelligentsia iced latte from Graffiti made my Sunday morning as we made our way to see Iron Man 3. It was an enthusiastic 2 thumbs up…for the muffin, the latte, and the flick!}

IMG_20130504_142125_329

{Enjoying a thoughtful handmade birthday present.}

1-2013-03-13_12-51-24_164

{May’s Birchbox is here!}

IMG_20130516_230215_819

{A super cool belated birthday card from a friend.}

Have a great weekend! Star Trek Into Darkness – TONIGHT! xx

|| What I’m Lovin’ Right Now ||

Exactly one week ago, it was raining here in L.A. I had my heater on curled up with a warm cup of coffee slightly bummed that it had the audacity to actually rain during most of my stay-cation. Two days ago, I walked outside headed to see Iron Man 3 and nearly melted at the nearly 100 degree temperature. I know compared to some parts of the world, we’re very blessed when it comes to weather and I won’t argue that. I learned what COLD was when I walked outside my cozy hotel room in Boston one week before Christmas a few years ago. I can still feel the prickles on my skin just thinking about it and have such deep respect for those that aren’t complete weather wusses like I am.

Aside from the fact that our electricity bills hit their peak in the coming months, gas usage seemingly goes the opposite in my experience. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve used the “it’s too hot to cook” excuse and promptly took myself out to eat out of  fear of turning on the oven. Seeing as how I’m now older (and ideally wiser) this won’t be an excuse for me anymore. When I stumbled across 20 Nutrition Experts’ Favorite 5-Minute Meals from Shape.com, I knew there were some real treasures to keep in mind; and while some of these recipes do call for oven use, The Everygirl’s 12 Simple Breakfast Recipes was a welcomed find. The point being, if in the near future you see me consistently using said excuse above as a reason not to cook (and I’m sure I’ll do it because I did last weekend), please feel free to forward this link to me as a gentle reminder.


here’s what i’m lovin’ right now


2.sante-fe-salad-420

||Santa Fe Salad // Full recipe here.||

Toss together 3/4 cup organic greens, 1/4 cup pico de gallo, and 1/2 cup each rinsed and drained canned black beans and thawed frozen organic corn. Top with 1/4 sliced avocado.


1-TheEverygirl_EasyBreakfast3||Baked Oatmeal //Full recipe here.||

Ingredients
1 -1 ½ cups of rolled oats
¼ cup of chopped raw pecans or walnuts/combination of both
¼ cup raisins, soaked in water for a couple minutes until plump
1 cup of Granny Smith Apples, cored and diced into ½ inch pieces
1 egg
1 cup of milk
1 tablespoon of brown sugar
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon
A pinch of salt
Substitute various fruits and nuts based on preference

 


||Something to think about.||

859f9756700d65d6cfcc7cd3d9fd3915


||Where I wouldn’t mind being at this exact moment.||62102e39d88a001fb44beabf83778f04


||Sole Society – Cassidy Medium Weekender// Deets here.||c8d3ee5b9bd7e960e0e9a7fc40238722


||Bistro Electric French Press Coffeemaker. // Deets here.||

bodum-coffee-maker-120312-kids-380

|| What I’m Lovin’ Right Now ||

Midnight-Ballerina-28-650x433

I saw this photograph on Wendy Nguyen’s blog last week and instantly fell in love. The composition, the lighting, the location of her petite frame and full skirt inside the celebrated Urban Light instillation at the LACMA grabbed me immediately. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen this instillation photographed or featured in films. It’s to the point of being over-exposed. This was done in such a sophisticated and unassuming manner – it was a breath of fresh air. To be completely honest, I was so drawn to it, I would even have this blown up and framed for my apartment if I could. I suppose aside from a purely artistic position, the photograph represents how I envision what an ideal life might be: whimsical, adventurous, quiet, massive, and bright; while dressed like a modern day princess.


here’s what i’m lovin’ right now


157782_01|| Finger Bling // MAWI Flower Gemstone Ring in Pink. If you know anyone that has an extra $400 lying around. ||


|| My new motto every weekend until Fall 2013. ||

44c46062e348b7d275ffa607cbcdd024


|| Hand Candy // Brown Leather Clutches.||

b0826126741dd3c7cf56ca5fd84d46fa


|| Good Morning! // Bacon Wrapped California Omelet Bites. ||

043feed9f3070cf37e5e6c2611ff5ea4


|| Hello Lover! // Paging Carrie Bradshaw // Manolo Blahnik “Kioko” Jeweled Sandals. ||

1311020562_RLLZ_1


|| An Uncomplicated Life. ||

f37e48a1ff8b888a2a9a79c7fa9b95a7


|| Where I wouldn’t mind having dinner tonight with 15 of my closet friends. ||

1-tumblr_mkn376sVj31qcuo82o1_1280



|| What I’m Lovin’ Right Now ||

As I have gotten older, I’ve developed a deeper appreciation for natural things and natural beauty. Be it in the simplicity of a bright red fresh sweet strawberry; to the breathtaking colors and fragrance of a vase of stargazer lilies – life somehow feels more connecting and beautiful when you make it a point to take in and surround yourself with its natural resources.

Of course, when working with fresh produce in your meals or placing a vase of flowers on your desk to brighten your space, there comes a time when all good things must come to an end. As such, I find myself scrambling to not be wasteful by trying to eat all of the produce I bought at the farmers’ market and feeling a twinge of sadness when that vibrant vase of flowers begins to wilt and die. Such is the consequence of Earth’s natural beauty.

Suffice to say that when I can find ways to enjoy produce in bulk (i.e. fresh strawberry smoothies in the morning and in frozen yogurt for dessert) so as to not have to throw things out, I get excited. And when coming across Flores Del Sol’s dried flower shop on Etsy, it also sparked my interest. I hate fake flowers, but was inspired by this approach of using real flowers to create lovely dried arrangements. While this will never replace fresh cut flowers or a blooming bright orchid in my book – it is longer-lasting and more cost effective. Perhaps they’re worth a try. Here’s to celebrating natural beauty and natural resources as much as possible. This, among other things is….


what i’m lovin’ right now


|| Fruit and Oat Smoothies // source here. ||

Ingredientshearty-fruit-oat-007-comp-med109451_vert

  • 1 cup quartered strawberries
  • 1 sliced banana
  • 1/4 cup raw almonds
  • 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
  • 1 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt
  • 1 teaspoon maple syrup

|| Dried flower arrangements from Flores Del Sol // Etsy shop here. ||

04dc939deef76d328ad5e299581eca44


|| Words to live by // My new motto. ||

9bbd4bdb930a0876645633f705078bc1


|| Gold sugar rimmed champagne flutes // Source here. ||

8a13a5566dd2454ec5837c889ccc8f84


|| Everything about this photo…with no neighbors of course. ||

e7a1257ec04c89a352d49c7242e2e79c


|| Cozy off-the-shoulder sweaters over shorts. ||

c9a335c4089fe30b0ab2dbfa8020ccfa


|| Get in my closet…please! ||

2315ede209ffae8309f7ff37ed590f39


|| Picture framed wall collages // Source here. ||

643b6983d22f20ff2d9b8387ba1834a3



Highlights

Happy Good Friday and a good Friday it will be.

After a rather hectic week of “fighting the man” in various areas of my life, I’m so looking forward to the next three days off to recharge. I’m the kind of person that will fight when things need to get done and I won’t let it go until it is (I don’t care if it’s over a dollar – it’s the principle!). While I always try to retain a level of diplomacy and politeness – I have no problem calling, emailing, stalking, and generally speaking my mind when something needs to be addressed. One of my pet peeves in life is when another’s personality is quite opposite to this and they’re not being responsive. I like people who get *crap* done! (I really wanted to use the other word, but want to keep things PG here). 🙂

As cliché as this statement has become, I’m a spiritual rather than religious person. Easter as a young child usually involved a huge Easter basket and a special homemade dinner where preparations started earlier in the day. I also recall watching parts of  “The Ten Commandments” on afternoon TV – not fully understanding what the heck I was watching because it was so long and they “spoke funny.”

Sadly, as an adult, I don’t have a ritual for this weekend, but totally respect those who do. It’s always nice to take time out to celebrate and reflect on what you believe in. If I had a choice, perhaps I would tackle watching “The Ten Commandments” again (with the subtitles on for clarity) after a leisurely Easter Brunch at Cafe Midi.

Have a great weekend and whatever your beliefs, I think this is a good time, as ever, to reflect on them.

My week’s highlights as we bid goodbye to March…


TREAT| gelato

1-1-2013-03-23_15-04-49_991

{Indulging in a few bites of my guy’s gelato. You get the treat without the guilt!}


EAT| cafe midi

1-2013-03-24_13-49-37_59

{Finally, I had brunch at Cafe Midi – it’s my favorite new place.}


SPRING| flowers

1-2013-03-24_17-18-54_568

{My first floral purchase for Spring  // The Spring Project is now underway.}


SHOP| farmer’s market

Collage

{I’ve been on a serious farmer’s market kick lately. I enjoy starting out my Sunday mornings visiting a local farmer’s market and stocking up on fresh produce for the week.}

(This week: Studio City.}


EAT| lunch

2013-03-25_12-39-39_815

{I was so proud of my homemade lunch concoctions this week (lots of salads), thanks to my farmer’s market visit.}


SHOES| sandals

1-77f602fad8b66c70689343c62de330ac

{So my Audrey Brooke Wedges were too narrow for my feet (the risks of online shopping).  I went in-store to exchange them for these adorable Unisa Lenni Glitter Sandals.}


DVD| zero dark thirty

1-2013-03-27_20-28-53_325

{A sweet gift for my DVD collection from the BF and one of my favorite movies of 2012.}



Highlights

This week went by incredibly fast for me, but turned out to be a good one. I’m loving the extra sunlight after work hours motivating me in ways that fall and winter never seem to. Really great things happened in really small ways as I look back over the last week. My 2nd Birchbox made an appearance, I learned my lesson when I ran out of my favorite cleanser and my skin was NOT happy about it, the new gym in my building opened up, and I treated myself to my first pair of spring inspired wedges.

I have a lot on my plate this weekend. A trip to the museum is on the agenda (since last weekend we ended up at the Walt Disney Concert Hall instead), a stop at my favorite grilled cheese place is a must, as well as spending some time roaming the farmer’s market to kill two birds with one stone – enjoying the 80 degree weather while stocking up on goodies for the week. Have an amazing weekend! It’s going to be gorgeous here!

My week’s highlights…


EXPLORE| grand park

1-2013-03-09_14-10-06_365

I sat in the new(ish) Grand Park in downtown L.A. with my boyfriend watching the massive water fountain and sipping an iced tea on a Saturday afternoon and it was simply magical. I plan to spend more time here at some point in the coming months enjoying all the free concerts and programming offered.


BEAUTY| birchbox

1-2013-03-13_12-51-24_164

Boy, was I glad to see this hand delivered to my door last Saturday morning. So far, I’m very happy with this month’s samples. Review post to come later this month!


BREAKFAST| strawberries

1-2013-03-13_10-39-33_450

I bought a huge vat of sweet strawberries and have been happily enjoying them for breakfast (and when I need a frozen yogurt fix) this week, but it’s reminding me to always keep dental floss in my purse.


BEAUTY| murad

1-2013-03-14_09-24-31_801

I ran out of my favorite cleanser and didn’t immediately replace it, instead using some left over product I had on hand. Let’s just say my skin was not very happy about it and rebelled pretty quickly. Once that became utterly clear, I ordered it online and painstakingly waited a week for its arrival because I save so much more money (gotta love Amazon). Now, all is well in the world.


SHOES| audrey brooke teagan

1-001

I stumbled on these Audrey Brooke Teagan Wedge Pumps a few weeks back and instantly added them to my Pinterest gotta have board. Patience paid off when I received a great coupon and free shipping earlier this week. They’re on their way!


|| What I’m Lovin’ Right Now ||

I‘m a firm believer in spring cleaning. Being that I’m very slightly O.C.D., I’m more the type to try (and sometimes fail) to keep up on this throughout the year because I absolutely, with a passion, hate (HATE) clutter. This season, I’m committed to really doing a hardcore spring cleaning cycle. I have clothes in my closet that I need to part with for your typical reasons. Jewelry in my jewelry box that I bought at Forever 21 years ago that now looks like it’s from Forever 21 (cheap). And of course, there’s a storage closet and old paperwork that could use a good sift through. I‘m by no means a pack rat. I‘ve even been told that for a grown woman I don’t have much stuff, which is how I prefer to keep it during my younger years. It means I can pick-up and move with the flow of life or to Europe at any time. Either way, we can all use a good purge. It not only feels amazing when you let go, but makes room for what the new season brings. One week until Spring!


here’s what i’m lovin’ right now


|| How to rock the statement necklace. ||


|| Steve Madden Rise Wedges in mint. ||

e8285ef727261ba42769540dcdf942e2


|| Ice Cream Lab // The new liquid nitrogen futuristic ice cream parlor opening this Friday in the 90210 // Read more here. ||

1-Fullscreen capture 3122013 33335 PM


|| Decadent tree houses. ||

54a3289c4c09e71e1e38eb650a36c1d9


|| Gratitude. ||

96f704afa2f04ead01b0d9b2f1da8bb0


|| D.I.Y. – From picture frame to table tray // Read more here. ||

DSC_1850


|| Lavender maxi dresses. ||

7e9fbc238cb11558ea8c163b0069a6c7


|| Peanut butter, strawberries, bananas and granola wrap // Healthy options on the go // Recipe here. ||

PBJ_with_SBG_Flatout_Wrap



Highlights

Much like the weather this week in L.A., it’s been a personal roller coaster for me full of ups and downs. Happy news, unexpected surprises, and even expected surprises (my first Birchbox made its appearance this week!) managed to brighten some of those less sunny moments.

Looking forward to a yoga class and Oscar Sunday this weekend, where I’ll be hanging out and watching the broadcast with the girls this year taking copious notes on best dressed. Have a beautiful weekend. Here are this weeks highlights:


VALENTINE’S DAY| roses

1-2013-02-17_12-28-04_509

{Flowers from my Valentine! xx}


FURNITURE| desk chair

1-2013-02-17_12-30-04_958

{My new accent/desk chair that goes oh so perfectly with my new parson’s desk! xx}


EAT| homemade strawberry pancakes

1-2013-02-18_19-44-37_240

{I’ve been on a serious strawberry kick lately, from frozen yogurt to putting them in pancake mix and then on top of the pancakes for added effect – I love strawberries. I can’t wait until they come back in season officially, but have been surprised at how sweet they are given it’s only February.}


BEAUTY| birchbox

1-Collage

{My first Birchbox arrived yesterday! It made me super giddy to see what was inside and I cannot wait to try out the new goodies. Look for an upcoming blog post on my first Birchbox, where I’ll review the products and share my likes and dislikes with you. I’ll let you know if this Birchbox craze is worth the hype. Stay tuned and stay beautiful.}