May

Stop and Stare: Saks Fifth Avenue NY

The windows at Saks Fifth Avenue in New York right now are stunning. Ralph Lauren Collection is on display in true grand fashion. It’s glamour defined. Ralph Lauren absolutely conveys “modern American classic.” Loved all the looks. It had everything i adore for evening gowns— feathers, pleats, full length beading! My favorite color pairing of gold and black dominated but there was the pop of color with the fuchsia gown that just made a bold statement. Truly a moment where i had to stop and stare.

12 years ago Short URL 1 Comment

boutiques/haute/shopping

evening gowns/Ralph Lauren Collection/Saks FIfth Avenue/window shopping

May

Nail Polished: Soft Green for Spring

It’s really hard for me to try new nail polish colors. i love color but when it comes to my nails, i have my personal classics. Pink linen, an opaque white with a hint of pink and on the opposite end of the spectrum is black and then there’s gray. Simple colors. i like how those three colors go with my skin tone and are timeless. Lately, i have seen so many beautiful colors and have been really inspired to try colors for spring.

My first favorite color right now is “absolutely shore” by essie. It’s a soft sea foam green and a slight departure from pink linen so i think that’s why i love it.

Since my nails are recovering from extended use of Shellac and gels, I’m using Seche REBUILD as a base coat to strengthen my nails. Seche is my favorite for base coats and top coats. This time my choice for top coat is Won’t Chip by Orly. It’s much thicker than other top coats and closely resembles a UV gel manicure.

I’m going to keep going outside of my comfort zone and try new colors. Let’s see what summer brings!

12 years ago Short URL 3 Comments

beauty products/haute

best base coat/Essie Absolutely Shore/mint green nail polish/Orly Won't Chip/rebuild base coat/Seche

May

Coveted: Silk Blend Cardigan

i adore Haute Hippie’s line. This Nude Silk Blend Cardigan is what I’m coveting right now. It’s perfect for spring and will carry you through the summer especially with the three quarter length sleeves. If you live in LA then it’s a great year round cover up. The sheer fabric lets your tanks peek through and adds a modern twist. i can never get enough nude pieces to keep my wardrobe neutral and layering onto my outfits! SSense.com is almost sold out. $255

12 years ago Short URL Comments

haute/shopping

Cardigan/Haute Hippie/NUDE SILK BLEND CARDIGAN/ssense

May

Three To Live By

Marie Claire is one of my favorite magazines. i subscribe to it and it gets delivered to my apartment in New York. This month had a special @work issue and it was truly enlightening. i read it multi-tasking on the spin bike at the gym! I’m inspired and really realized i have to recharge my batteries this summer. i can’t feel guilty about it. i need to do it. i deserve it. This time i believe it when i say it! Thank you Marie Claire.

Personal indulgence. Chef Owner Hasty Torres of Madame Chocolat Beverly Hills (my bestie) was commissioned by Domaine Carneros, a Napa Valley, California winery owned by Taittinger to create a milk chocolate truffle with their sparkling wine. Dusted with a little edible gold glitter to resemble the bubbles rising up in the glass is so clever. This was a special Mother’s Day 2012 edition and it is truly haute and happy!

The reason i was staying in LA but then headed back to NY and back in LA again! NBA Playoffs. Los Angeles is fortunate to have 2 basketball teams and the Clippers are stepping up and finally made the post season. i was rooting for Memphis though (another best buddy), but the Clippers won the best of 7 series in the end. It’s great for the city of Los Angeles. Happy for the red headed step child team and the games were crazy loud, but I’m a Laker fan since childhood. So let’s just leave it at that. If you’re wondering…nope, did not wear the free red Clippers t-shirt!

12 years ago Short URL Comments

happy/three to live by

Clippers playoffs/Domaine Carneros/Madame Chocolat/Marie Claire/Memphis Grizzlies/milk chocolate champagne truffles

May

“ Traveling is one way of lengthening life, at least in appearance. ”
— Benjamin Franklin

12 years ago Short URL 1 Comment

quotes

May

Three To Live By

This week in Los Angeles was a reminder of why i call this city my home. i was able to sit at my desk and work out of my office everyday, see some of my closest friends and begin to settle in to a new house. Moving in and unpacking boxes is a loaded experience for me. Not only do you have to sort out what to keep and not to keep but a floodgate of memories rushes in. A black halter top reminded me of a party at USC when i was 19 years old. More than a few vintage brown leather jackets and bellbottom flares bring flashbacks of my 70’s fashion obsession at one point in my life. Sometimes clothes can remind you of how far you’ve come. So far, i’m content with who i am today. That feels good.

Out with the old and in with the new! This Zara basic sandal garnered many compliments all over LA! It matches my YSL Cabas Chyc bag in bluette. For $50 this sandal is a must. i bought it in 3 colors and the girls from my office bought the all black pair on my recommendation. Instant classic.

The Pantages in Hollywood serves as a reminder of Broadway in New York…i love musicals. i waited for my car at valet across the street in front of Delphine restaurant at the W Hollywood. The elusive taxi cab made me do a double take! For a second, i wished i was back in New York 🙂

The view and gardens is reason enough to go to the Getty, but the current Herb Ritts: L.A. Style exhibit is worth the time to pause over beautiful photographs of celebrities, haute fashion and ponder the price of fame.

12 years ago Short URL 1 Comment

happy/three to live by

Herb Ritts Getty/Pantages Hollywood/spring cleaning/Zara basic sandal

May

Spring Cocktail: Humble Pie

Last year, i happened to find myself at The Trilby in New York at the former Cooper Square Hotel (now The Standard East Village) for a meeting and met one of my new favorite cocktails! i swore i would try crafting this at home!

Say hello to Humble Pie [recipe here.]

My version uses a splash of St. Germain and i also took the time to make my own blood orange infused Ciroc vodka.

Imagine my disappointment when i sliced into the blood oranges and they weren’t as red as i hoped they would be! The flavor was spot on though and that’s what matters.

Keeping with my love for artisan craftsmanship, i even made my own club soda with my Penguin from Williams Sonoma. Glass bottles make all the difference when choosing a SodaStream.

My take on Humble Pie is served.

12 years ago Short URL 2 Comments

entertaining/happy

Aperol/Blood orange vodka cocktail/Ciroc/Humble Pie cocktail/Penguin SodaStream

Apr

Love her street style. She’s chic but always looks comfortable. With makeup or without, Rosie Huntington Whiteley is stunning and she’s got the lips that people are paying for! i actually ordered this Gucci wide brimmed hat because i loved it on her when i spotted this outfit on Monica Rose’s blog. When she’s glammed up, it’s the all out kind — she is dressed to the nines. She’s also shot the sex appeal sky high for Burberry campaigns and her man is Jason Statham. Enough said.

12 years ago Short URL Comments

haute/isn't she lovely?

burberry campaign/gucci feather hat/Gucci wide brimmed hat/Rosie Huntington Whiteley

Apr

Beverly Hills – The Apartment

Spent the entire week in Los Angeles (sigh.) i had lunch at one of my favorite spots on S. Beverly Drive followed by a conversation with one of my sorority sisters about her moving to New York at my Urth Caffe a block over where I used to live. I’m not going to lie, i miss my old apartment in Beverly Hills. It’s where i felt happy and truly came into my own as an adult in my late 20’s. The reason why i let it go was to move to New York and get out of my comfort zone to see if i can make it in the “greatest city in the world.”

There comes a moment in your life when you feel like you’re an outsider looking in on your own life. i realized i had a routine and it was so ideal that it started to feel surreal. My office was a short 3 mile drive through palm tree lined Doheny Drive up to legendary Sunset Boulevard. i would wake up and walk a block over to head to the magazine stand, grab a drink at The Honor Bar after work, rush over to Barney’s and basically walk all over Beverly Hills. It truly is a neighborhood.

i was very grateful for my life but it felt stagnant. Imagine a serene lake. Picture perfect. Idyllic. i felt like i needed a river to rush through it and bring in new energy and break through. i felt like i needed to do something different and i realized i never knew what it was like to live outside of LA as an adult. i went to USC and then i started working here while my friends left after graduation to places like Vegas, Ohio, Virginia, London and of course New York. Maybe it was me turning 30, but i just decided that it was time to head to New York City and find out for real…if i can make it there then i can make it anywhere. Why though? Why leave what you know and worked so hard to achieve a comfortable life to start again somewhere else? Because i could. Because nothing was holding me back. Because it was either now or never. i felt like i didn’t want to move on to the next chapter of my life without finding out the answer of: What would it be like to live somewhere else?

These are beloved glimpses of my apartment in Beverly Hills. It’s been nearly a year since i moved out. Today, the furniture has been pulled out of storage and is in a house in the suburbs I’m sharing with my brother while i live in New York. I’m so happy to have these images. It represents that time in my life where i really invested in my space so i can truly experience living and making it my home.