Missoni Madness.

Okay, don't laugh. I kind of went ballistic inside Target this morning when my Hubby called me and told me they sold out of the tights (mainly the only thing I was eyeing from the line). I didn't expect the turn out to be THAT insane. I was out of the door by 9am, hoping to glean whatever was left of the mayhem at the quietest Target I knew of. I ended up with more than I had expected. Most of these will be and are currently being sold on eBay (always got to be business-minded!). Oh, and did I mention I am on a shopping fast this month? If anyone is interested, I am always willing to negotiate!

My favorite open cardigan piece...I can't let this one go, but I will wait a bit before selling it : )

Tested out these silky PJ-turned work pants today and got a few compliments. Hey, if you can get away with wearing PJs to work, you can get away with much more than that!

In Living Color

Just got back from vacay, hence the mia status. The above photos were taken several weeks back during my color craze. Been hooked on the whole color-blocking trend as you can tell...come Fall, I will probably tone it down with neutral colors. I know I say this all the time, but I can't wait for the cooler weather to come so I can bring out the fur, leather, pants, tights, blazers, etc!

LA, I think I love you.

F21 cropped tee | Mossimo skirt | GAP neon belt | Longchamp handbag | sandals taken from lil sis | Banana Republic cluster chain bracelet| braided cord necklace from F21 | friendship bracelet from the Swap Meet

My friend and I finally decided to pay Bottega Louie in downtown Los Angeles a visit. The pristine, white-washed walls with intricate mouldings and marble floors were an eye candy reminiscent of those found in Paris, France. However, the food was mediocre, comparable to Costco's frozen lasagna (but Costco wins). The pastries and desserts on the other hand, were delectable and satisfied our sweet tooths.




Going along with the theme of food in LA, the Hubby took me to Lukshon in Culver City. A friend from high school helped create the recipes and menu for this new restaurant by Sang Yoon, the same dude who opened up Father's Office (the chi-chi burger joint most visitors try, alongside In-n-out). The verdict: a fun twist on Asian fusion food- less stuffy and entertaining to the mouth. If you are in the LA area and haven't been, go try it; pronto.

We also stumbled across Buttercup Furniture, in the same plaza at Lukshon and Father's Office. Walking inside made me wish we met sooner, as in prior to us purchasing a ton of furnishings for our new place. Straight out of a Domino magazine, it is every interior decorator's dream come true.

All in all, I think Los Angeles is finally a place I can call home. Never thought that day would come, but in the midst of all the pollution, traffic and aggressive drivers, there is still beauty to be found in this city.

Mascot colors.

nautical striped 3/4 tee by Penguin | bright mustard yellow skirt, gifted from zara | peep-toe heels by trouve (nordstrom) |vintage rhinestone choker by joseph warner | assorted friendship bracelets from the swap meet

Here is another older outfit post that I have failed to post over the past couple weeks of madness. As a result, I have been feeling a bit under the weather. However, I will finally have a day off to relax tomorrow- by my definition, which involves visiting a museum, eating scrumptious foods+pastries, sipping on tea lattes, people-watching and window+bargain shopping.

Sparkle and Shine

Found this ridiculously sparkly disco-y top from Savers for 2 bucks!! I decided that the best time to wear it would be to a dive bar, while pre-celebrating my birthday.

Sparkle disco top-Thrifted | DIY thrifted Lucky jean cut-offs | random accessories from F21, World Market and gifted

Rings and things

Been finding some fun rings at my local Forever 21 at bargain prices! The ring on the far right was my HS class ring, which I found in an old box at my parents' place. I clearly remember wanting a light blue or pink stone in the center but settled for black onyx because it was the cheapest. Looking back, I'm glad I chose the black onyx because it is more wearable and classic than the colored stones : ) The Cartier ribbon bracelet was gifted by the Cartier vendors that stopped by our store a couple weeks ago. It's actual ceramic which has been doused with their new scent, and first available exclusively at Nordstrom during the anniversary sale (Beginning July 5th for Nordstrom cardholders and July 15th for the public). Yes, I am shamelessly advertising.

H&M top | Express shorts| citrine druzy pendant from ebay

As you can tell, I am taking full advantage of the color-blocking trend this season : )

Blue & pink

The photo below, taken at The Grove in LA a couple weeks ago, was a bit blurry because I forgot to change the focus, so I opted for a close-up of the items I wore : ) This color combo is my modern approach to the typical boy/girl color scheme. Now imagine these colors at a baby shower!

white drapey top by Cotton On, hot pink mesh sports bra from Forever 21, thrifted tiny houndstooth skirt, blue stockings from GAP, Trouve (Nordstrom) heels.

SF, I heart you.

Some photos I snapped while in SF earlier this month for my lil bro's graduation in NorCal. It made me really miss the Bay Area and all that it has to offer.

My sibs and I



Best bakery, ever.

Bi-Rite ice cream- deliciously creamy and gourmet-tasting ice cream!

My mom's spicy beef noodle soup

Mom's flan- the best.

Random musings.

Experiment: Played around in the fitting room at Zara and wanted to buy nearly every piece I saw, especially this mod-inspired orange skirt. Nonetheless, I behaved, and narrowed it down to two pieces (not shown here).

Munch: Made smoked salmon crackers spread with cream cheese, topped with caviar while a friend and I watched Hor de Prix and ate a Parisian-inspired brunch.

DIY: I had some time to kill last week and decided to have some fun with my nails by creating abstract paint strokes. It's super simple. 1. Start with a base color (preferably one that contrasts the top colors) 2. Once dried, apply 2-3 light strokes on each finger 3. Add smaller strokes using a different color while overlapping existing tones 4. Voila! A masterpiece at your fingertips!

Play: Went to see a friend and her very new buddy. Him and Mocha gradually lived up to the title of "Bonnie and Clyde." Since neither of us have kids, we have doggie playdates (yes, typical LA girls, but we go deeper than that!).

Playing tourist in LA

Finally went to see the Rodarte: States of Matter exhibit over at .the Pacific Design Center before it went away this past Sunday. I had been wanting to see it since it opened a couple months ago, I have no idea where the time went! The pieces were amazing and the amount of detailing must have required tedious amounts of time and effort. There was an eerie aura to the dark pieces displayed in the first room, and the last room featured the Swan Queen's costume post-stabbing, as well as some other pieces from their line with streaks of bloody red. The ballet costumes used for Black Swan were soo tiny that it baffled me as to how Natalie Portman whittled away the pounds.

Rodarte for Target tulle lace skirt, Uniqlo striped tee, forever 21 necklace, Trouve heels from Nordstrom (seriously the comfiest high heels I've ever experienced, the leather is like butter and the bottom sole is made of rubber), Banana Republic belt, Longchamp wallet from Paris

Since we were going to be in the area, the Hubby surprised me by making a reservation for Mozza, Mario Batali's highly-acclaimed pizzeria. Did it live up to its hype? I think so. If only we weren't placed in the wine cellar room (I enjoy being in the daylight during the day, not much of a vampire), I may have gotten better photos of the food. But then again, it's pizza. But these people aren't messing around..the crust was thin, light, chewy and crispy all at the same time. I'm usually one of those people who throw away the crust, but I nibbled it down to the last bite. We nearly finished 2 pizzas between the two of us.

We also decided to visit Opening Ceremony in LA, since it was literally several blocks down from the exhibit. I had been wanting to visit since attending their Fashion Night Out event at the Ace Hotel. The cozy building resembled a classic housing complex from the mid 1900s or so. One of the workers said that it was once Charlie Chaplin's dance studio. I found that tidbit fascinating and was immediately drawn in. The rooms featured a different designer and the displays were created by the designers themselves. Some of these labels included Alexander Wang, Rodarte, Band of Outsiders, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Proenza Schouler and Acne, to name a few. Each piece appeared to be uniquely hand-picked and detailed in aesthetics. I think I've found my new favorite store, but my wallet doesn't agree.