everything sweet, aint sugar coated

top: clothing stand in Venice Beach, shorts: forever 21, clutch: Balenciaga, shoes: Valentino, glasses: Celine

sweet and sour

hot and cold

smooth and rough

soft and hard

sharp and dull

positive vs negative

Why does the world pair them together

Opposites don't always attract.

white out

Style Inspiration to the Max

Definitely going to be bringing some of these looks with me to lala.

I like going to new places/cities and playing dress up. Wearing things I don't rock at home.. trying out new styles and trends. People can't judge you from your "usual" self.. because they don't know you at all. 

 

Beat the Heat

1. Go enjoy a Hawaiian shave ice- 

Banana Crepe (my fav) 

Shuei- Do Manju Shop 

Jimbos (Bonus- they import mochi from Oahu too)

2. See a movie during the day and enjoy the AC.

plus matinee movies are cheaper.

Some on my list to see are-

World War Z (thriller)

The Heat (funny)

White House Down (eye candy)

Now You See Me (suspense)

3. Enjoy dinner outside at a fun restaurant 

some of my favorite spots with great patios are-

Mezcal (Authentic Mexican)

Naglee Park Garage (American fare)

Good Karma Vegan Cafe (vegan & great beer selection)

Habana Cuba (very traditional and healthy)

4. Check out a Water Park in the area

Raging Waters 

Aqua Adventures

Great America

5. Make an easy summer salad

(that way you don't have to cook in a hot kitchen)

Shrimp Salad with Mango dressing

Nectarine and Blue Cheese salad with Plum vinaigrette

Broccoli Salad

Tuna, Garbanzo and Asparagus salad

ahoy

its. gonna. be. HOT...
nothing too exciting happening in the Bay Area this weekend. So pack up a picnic, head to the beach, relax in the backyard, or open a bottle of wine.... because it's time to chill and enjoy the last days of the Summer weather.

Happy Weekend!!
XO

[[wino]]

ootd- blouse- JCrew, denim- True Religion, belt- vintage, shoes- Toms, bag- Louis Vuitton

 I feel like my work week is on fast forward and I can't find the remote in order to pause he madness. But fear not.. I will get through it. On my quick day off I got to enjoy the back country out in the South Bay at Clos LaChance Winery. We had all sorts of munchies and accoutrement's to make our afternoon more enjoyable. I especially loved the wasabi trail mix, it had the perfect about of kick. We shared a few bottles of the 2010, Reserve Viognier- which was very smooth. It had sweet undertones (think apricots and peaches) and a floral scent, which was very light and would pair well with multiple dishes. Finally as the sun began to set we decided that it was best to leave and get back to reality. Plus the bees had taken over one slice of turkey, and we were sure that they would come searching for more.

So we left the music, drinks, laughter and sunset... for another day

seeing red

tank- metro park, jeans- William Rast, shoes- Cynthia Vincent, bag- Michael Kors, necklace- custom, ring-flea

I decided to treat myself the other week. I had my eye on this style for a while, but never pulled the trigger. When I was out shopping I saw this Michael Kors cross body and knew it was one of the styles that I had admired... what I loved even more was the price. On sale, hidden behind other bags and the only one in red... it was meant to be. I couldn't believe my luck.

The weather has been ideal in northern California lately. I find myself making any excuse to spend time outside. I decided to pair my new little beauty with my cynthia vincent flats, since the red color was identical. We went on a walk to play in the park, and crossed over the rail road tracks through a ((not so)) gated community that makes the trip so much faster than the looong way. I rarely see trains on these tracks, in fact there's a larger chance of spotting a homeless person crossing them.

                                    all images are courtesy of my amazing man, @lenscaption xx

Summer Sale

I smell a sale over at Madewell.com 

I have been keeping an eye on some goodies and they finally made their way over to the sale rack. If I were headed to Malibu or Santa Barbara for a long weekend, these would be on my packing list. Now I just have to make sure they're still available in my size! What are some of your go to pieces for summer?

The ultimate late summer dress, perfect when paired with a denim jacket, short boots and a great necklace.

filmclass shirtdress

was $105.00

now $79.99  

=:=:=

worn perfectly out for a day at the boardwalk with friends. paired with high waisted denim cut-offs. keds or huarache sandals

gar-de® cropped zigzag sweater

was $150.00

now $104.99

=:=:=

This neutral dress allows for infinite color palate possibilities, or you can keep it clean all together. It also boasts a fantastic shape that allows for wedges (dressy) or flats (casual).. 

sundial dress

was $145.00

select colors $99.99

=:=:=

I think everyone can agree that this is THE shirt for the season, so much so that it will carry throughout Autumn. It looks great tucked into tan shorts,  black mini skirts, white denim...

perfect chambray ex-boyfriend shirt in harvest wash

was $69.50

now $68.00

=:=:=

The color of this skirt is amazing. I would pair it with a fisherman's sweater and flat sandals for the farmers market or a silk top and glitter clutch for evening.

pleated flutter skirt

was $88.00

now $39.99

=:=:=

I'm such a sucker for bright yellow and navy... But the buttons down the front panel of the skirt is what does it for me. It is the perfect cut and length and the bow adds a touch of whimsical.

novella skirt

was $88.00

now $59.99

=:=:=

Both of these bathing suits are real works of art. Mara Hoffman is royalty in the abstract print world.

mara hoffman® tiki bustier bikini

was $220.00

now $164.99



mara hoffman® half-top printed bikini

was $216.00

now $149.99

=:=:=:=

Smores L♥ve

It was love at first sight and married by the first bite. I was headed to a good old fashioned BBq this past weekend, and thought that I should probably bring something. I had a a Devils Food cake mix in the pantry and I didn't want to do a plain chocolate cake. I didn't want to do cream cheese frosting. I wanted to do something that smelled and felt like summer.

I decided that a cake modeled after a smores dessert, would be the ideal pick for a summer gathering. I made the Duncan Hines cake as directed on the box in 2 round pans. I got some of the little caramel candies and melted 10 of them in a saucepan with a splash of almond milk.

When the cakes had cooled, I stacked the first half on a plate and poked the top several times with a chopstick. I melted the caramel over the top of the cake. I sprinkled some chopped hazelnuts over the top and crumbled some graham crackers (more on the chunky side, than crumbs) over the caramel. Then I layered the second cake on the first.

For the marshmallow frosting...

1 large jar of marshmallow cream

3/4 cup of powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 almond milk

I chose to drizzle the frosting over the top and completely cover the top layer of cake. I wanted it to flow down the sides, just so it would puddle perfectly on the plate. If you want to frost the entire thing, go for it. For the finishing touch I sprinkled crackers on the top.

My favorite part was the caramel that cooled in the center layer and the chunks of graham cracker stuck on the inside. But really the entire cake was delicious and very moist. I will totally make this cake again, and I won't just reserve it for the summer.

enjoy xx

Marble your nails for Summer! (Tie dye inspired tutorial)

This is such a fun look for Summer.

If you are in love with nail art... like most women under 30... this is perfect for a day when you can let loose, if your leaving on vacation or if you are looking for a new trend to try. Plus, if you are thinking about the 4th coming up- a pattern of Red, White and Blue could be most impressive. Brag about yourself, and while everyone is focused on "all the hard work" that went into the look, your can know that it really was effortless!! Enjoy your weekend.

xx ciao

Summertime Style

Summer is here, and I am so excited!!

 Summertime is a great season for showing off all your hard work in the gym. Unlike the winter when all your cute outfits have to hide under big coats, summer is a time when you get the flaunt all that you have. There are so many different combinations of outfits; shorts/tanks, skirts/v-necks, dresses/platforms, and of course the ultimate cut off denim short (a staple) paired with anything. I have picked up a few new summer items but I know I'll never truly be finished lusting over the new designs. 

As I have been reading some of my favorite blogs, I can’t help but fall in love with some of the outfits that they are putting together. Some of their posts are reminding me of other sunny outfit choices that I was forgetting on my shopping list. I always pull inspiration from what they wear in their posts. I like to have a different look for what I am feeling at the moment. I couldn't really pin point one style that I tend to follow, there are far too many that I love. 

Taylor from SterlingStyle, has such a classic California girl image. Her looks are so easy and carefree- I love her simple tank and cuffed jeans... this is perfect for a trip to the boardwalk, farmers market or even a low key date night out to listen to music downtown. Plus her bag is amazing.

Bella from Vintage Lollipops, adds just the right amount of edge to her button up blouse. Whenever you add a pair of Chuck Taylors to an outfit it instantly makes it seem more casual- even if it’s a dress (one of my favorite things to do) plus the cut-offs add to the grunge a little... but the flowers in her shots balance it out.

Joanna (my girl) from Style Porn, is the perfect blend of hipster meets rich girl <jk>. Bottom line..She’s a boss and she knows it. Playing up the country girl image with the truck in the background really does make the perfect shot to showcase that amazing full skirt. I like how she knotted her chambray top in the front. My summer checklist is for sure going to include a chambray top and colorful full skirt.

Megan from Megan & Melbourne, is such an amazing makeup artist. I love getting tips from her site, but what I love more is that this girl isn’t afraid to push the limits... isn’t that what fashion is all about? Pairing a simple black summer dress that you wore in the day, with tights for the evening is an easy way to transition your outfit without any major changes. I want to look into getting some patterned ones for this season.

Rumi from Fashion Toast has a very girly/romantic vibe with the way she dresses. In the outfit I featured- I love her bubble skirt mixed with sky high platforms. I can’t wait to wear it out to a GNO (girls’ night out) dinner. Plus I can throw on a tailored blazer to keep the look chic, classic and simple.

Denni from ChicMuse has been anywhere and everywhere. So if you're looking for a new trend, she would be your girl. Whenever she travels she always tries to embrace the culture and dress, all while still being true to her own style. The beautiful sundress that she wears in the shot is one that I instantly fell in love with. In the summer I gravitate toward dresses because they're such an easy outfit and there isn't any guess work.. just accessories to add. I also can’t wait to bring out my "too big for your face" sunglasses- the perfect summertime accessory out here in California.

so readers... what are some of your summer must haves?

SterlingStyle

Vintage Lollipops

Style Porn

Megan & Melbourne

Fashion Toast

ChicMuse 

Size does matter...

No, this isn't a post about those annoying info-mercials. This is something that you should use to educate yourself with. Most people don't know the proper amount of food they should be eating for their body size, and unfortunately people are eating way too much food.  Did you know that from the late 70's to today, the daily average intake of calories has increased by over 500 calories. If one pound of fat is equivalent to 3500 calories, then that equates to people gaining an extra pound PER WEEK!!! And if you aren't active enough to burn off those extra calories, then they just stick with you.

This article that I found in Fitness magazine, is all about the correct portion sizes and what you should realistically be eating in one sitting. There are a few tricks that I use when I'm eating out, because everyone knows restaurant portions are way too big. I know that the palm of my hand in equal to 3 oz and that my entire hand is 5 oz. I try to use it to measure my steak or chicken, so I know when to stop. Sometimes I ask for half of my entree to be packed in a to go box even before I've started my food. And my favorite is to always order a salad before, that way I fill up of healthy veggies while everyone is noshing on the bread basket.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!! Get outside and go for a hike, bike ride or just a walk... The weather int he Bay is going to be beautiful, I know I will for sure be outside soaking it all in.

xx ciao