Sunshine

Sunny days should be mandatory. They put everyone in an exceptional better mood and make choosing an outfit exponentially easier. This week I've been arriving to work a bit earlier than normal (okay...just the past two days), which has allowed me to get home before the sun is already asleep. I sipped on iced coffee under the shade of an umbrella and had the energy to cook a gourmet meal; we even got a massage. It was lovely. 

Early-Evening in 'Paris'

I've only been to Paris once, but it stole my heart. The whole place smelled like crepes, but that might have been because we spent a few hours at a small crepe shop right by Notre Dame where we requested an obscene amount of items on our crepes (and then totally confused the chef, who wasn't accustomed to an American girls appetite). I even enjoyed walking around the city alone in the rain with a broken umbrella. 

I got a bit nostalgic this week, so suggested throwing a Parisian evening at home - complete with cheese, cucumber water and a simple cassoulet. We finished the evening by watching Owen Wilson in "Midnight in Paris," just in time for the Academy Award nominations.

Winter + Spring

Joanna's bedroom makeover was totally inspiring - and showcased a great mix of feminine decor that might also appeal to a male uncomfortable with color. 


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neon pop

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If it wasn't obvious from all my tweets lately, I'm craving something neon. A like the idea of adding a pop of color to a rather drab outfit, especially during winter when most tend to gravitate toward black. Initially I thought I couldn't live without a bright and brilliant satchel for nighttime escapades, but since searching the web I've decided than anything in an eye-popping shade of green, pink, yellow or blue would do.

Mary Meyer Clothing

I've always been a shoes gal, even when my feet were growing at a rate that had me throwing pairs of shoes out monthly (I distinctly remember a pair of Nine West shoes in a size 7 that were far too fashionable for my 13-year old self, that are still hidden in my parents house somewhere). 

While I've never had the budget to satisfy all my tastebuds, I've been known to purchase a few via Refinery29. So when the site had a few flat suggestions that led me to Mary Meyer Clothing, it was an obvious hit - everything is so dark and dreary, yet detailed and unique. It reminds me a little of Mary Kate & Ashley (my longtime fashion idols) during their real grudge days, although I don't think Mary Kate has ever really polished her downtown look.

LOVE

 

 love is all you need ;) 

shoes + watch

Anthropologie sweater; Nixon watch; Marc by Marc Jacobs jeans; Zara boots

I'm not really a huge fan of posing for pictures on the site, but I got some inspiration from Glitter Guide's instagram (and namely Taylor) over the holiday to do a few shots of my wardrobe from the bottom down. These new Zara boots have been on my feet every day since I got them in the mail (a pre-Christmas present to myself), as they make me feel a little fancy despite wearing jeans practically every day.

Bits and Pieces

Bits and pieces from the Carmel trip.

The stairs remind me of steps in Santa Barbara, right on the outskirt of the mall, where we used to meet as teenagers on the weekends. Our parents would drop us off and pick us up hours later after we had shopped and ate our little hearts out.

happiness.

I had initially considered writing down some of my 2012 resolutions and placing them somewhere I'd see everyday; but I'm not that great with failure. I think I read somewhere that a greater percentage of individuals who make resolutions for the year end up breaking them before the first month. If I failed in that time, it'd break my heart.

Rather, I've decided to get inspired to create anew. I want to figure out what really motivates me - more than writing everyday for a full time job or posting on this blog has ever done; I want to do something that gets me excited everyday and I want to be original. I always thought I could make a difference; I think it's not going to be sitting at a desk daily, watching the sun rise and fall, telling tales that don't get my heart racing.

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Oh, Hello

If it wasn't obvious by the lack of blog posting these past two weeks, I took a vacation.

I'm not sure if it was needed, as my work has me traipsing throughout the USA searching for the latest travel spots, foodie finds and motor trends, but it was lovely nonetheless.

Santa Barbara is never a bad place to end up to during the holiday season, but we couldn't help but escape bit from the central coast to Northern California's wine country. Carmel is filled with wine bars, art galleries, unique shopping, lots of tourists, excellent restaurants and the beach - not to mention the famous 17 mile drive - and it was an essential escapade.