Black & Tan

The friendboy and I got to go to the LACMA& La Brea Tarpits this past weekend. It was nice! He'd never been to the tar pits before and I had never been to LACMA. I always saw pictures on other people's blogs and photos but never had my own. I know, I know. It's been done before and is now so cliche. But you know what? I don't care! :) I now have my own photos and can say, "Been there, done that."

The friendboy liked the look of these poles lining the walkway to the Frieda Kahlo exhibit.

There was a "random" art installation of yellow rubbery tubes hanging outdoors. People were standing inside of them and peeking through. I liked "standing out" (no pun intended) with it as my background.

This fountain/statue was not part of LACMA but at one of the buildings next door. We parked a few blocks away and saw this on the way back to our car.

There is so much art, food, and culture in Los Angeles. We have the upper hand when it comes to having access to all types of food, people, and experiences. I know some people want to just get away and live somewhere different (even if it means moving to a different county). And once upon a time, I did too (San Francisco was the plan -- still love it). I think exploring other places is fine and I encourage it! But just know where you're from and give credit where credit is due.

Have a great Monday!

:: Outfit Details ::

Tan Utility Vest :: J. Crew, similar here (has a removable hood!)

Leather Leggings :: H&M, similar here (much nicer in my opinion)

Black Patent Leather Heels :: Vince Camuto, similar here

Black Tee :: Forever 21, similar here

Sunglasses :: Gucci (different color)

We're Not Out of the Woods Yet

Came home to find Hachi squinting his right eye last night. Turns out something either happened while he went out for a walk or he got something in his eye at the groomer's. In any case... I won't put plaster the internet with more humiliating photos of him wearing the cone of shame (unless it's super cute). We have yet to figure out what's wrong with his eye. Time to see the vet... again. Good thing we still have his cone from his neutering!

Until he's better (again), here's a photo I took of him over the weekend!

More outfit posts to come.

Wishful Wednesday :: Orange You Glad to See Me?

Sometimes even the most basic colors can be dressed up with a pair of pumps, a couple of accessories (necklaces/bangles), and a bright bag! I have yet to venture into the orangey brights. I wish I had this oh-so-cute R&Em bag. P.S. If you're looking for a good Mulberry look-a-like, this is a good brand to go with. R&Em is the line down from Rebecca Minkoff. It's also very affordable.

Distressed Denim
Pumps

I thought pair something bright with some neutrals would be fun. It's nothing new. I just wish I had these things in my closet for easy access. Oh and I like frills. Love the hem of that crocheted top. I saw something similar with tassels at this boutique shop over a month ago but at the time, I had given up on shopping for 1.5 months and wasn't allowed to buy it. I still think about it sometimes...

Tuesday Tasting :: Mr K Curry

This past weekend, the friendboy was nice enough to cook dinner. It's been awhile since either of us have had a home cooked meal. I'll be honest, I get a little lazy during the week and don't always cook dinner for myself. In any case, it was a real treat getting something that wasn't store bought!

Needless to say, it was quite delicious. I hope you can tell from my photos. I wish I had a recipe to put up for you (I was so busy taking pictures of the colorful ingredients that I forgot to keep track of what else was going on). Also, if you hadn't noticed, that is one big vat o' curry! We still have leftovers...

Happy Tuesday!

Cruisin' for a Bruisin'

No. No one got hurt in the making of this post. The colors black and blue just remind me of bruises (even though they're sometimes more purple than black or blue) and also the ol' Backstreet Boys album. But of course I'm not talking about either of those things.

Hope everyone had a good weekend!

:: Outfit Details ::

Black Basic Tee :: Forever 21

Cobalt Skirt :: H&M

Black Cork Wedges :: Dolce Vita for Target, as seen here, similar here

Blue & Brown Leather Hobo (old) :: Deena and Ozzy, Urban Outfitters, similar here

Black and White Stripe Glasses :: Dior Croisette line

Silver & Swarovski Crystal Necklace (gifted) :: Brighton, similar here

Sneak Peek :: Dior Croisette Eyeglasses

I realize that I have not done a post on actual eyeglasses ON me. Everytime I do a shoot, I'm always outdoors and it's sunny so I naturally select my sunglasses to go with my outfits.

My optician side will tell you that it is always best to wear good UV protective sunwear outdoors at all times. I can tell you that I used to not wear anything and would squint all the time! Ever since I started working in the optical industry, I've learned that good UV protection goes a long way; such as delayed Cataract development. And I'm not talking about the music group (Different spelling anyway. Please insert cheese here).

Anyway, here's a quick snap shot of my new glasses!

Matching sunnies! .. that do not look good on me so I did not get them.

And there you have it ladies and gentleman. (Part of) The 2012 Dior Croisette collection!

What do you think?

Chambray & Denim

I was never much of a fan of "denim on denim" and thought it was overkill. But lately, I've noticed a change in my thinking. Maybe because I've been seeing a lot more people trying out this look and if done right, it hadn't been tacky.

Part of the inspirtation for my outfits have come from ...love Maegan. I had to come up with a "denim" outfit for an event with den.m bar over the past weekend. It all worked out!

:: Outfit Details ::

Chambray Button-Up :: Banana Republic, similar here

Denim Leggings :: Joe's Jeans, similar here

80s Style Sunglasses :: Gucci, same model in Tokyo Tortoise (love this one too... had a hard time deciding between my blue/brown fade and this one)

Red & White Poppy Scarf :: H&M, similar here
White V-Neck Tee :: Forever21, similar here

Brown Leather Knee High Boots :: Kenneth Cole, similar here

Brown Skinny Belt :: H&M, similar here

Brown Snakeskin Clutch (old) :: Express, similar here

I keep forgetting to post pictures of my new eyeglasses and other glasses that complete outfit looks. I'll have to do that soon!

Spring into the Gap

The friendboy and I were trying to kill some time by walking around the mall for a bit while waiting to meet some friends for dinner last Friday. We decided to shop a bit... never a safe idea.

While I have not purchased anything from Gap in years, I was pleasantly surprised by my findings in the sales section!

Pink Blazer (unlined) 30% off $40! Similar here

I really liked this pink blazer. I currently have a blush pink linen blazer (that you may have seen here) as well as a forest green, golden yellow, black, white, and ivory. I am still trying to build up my blazer collection.

Gap is also offering 25% off online orders through 4/18 with promo code GAPSAVE.

Blush Pink Pleated Trench Coat, found here. On sale for $49 with 30% off!

I've always wanted a trench coat. This color was cute. It looks more tan in this picture but I can gaurantee you that it is more blush than it is tan.It was a little big. Sizes at Gap tend to run a bit larger... which makes me feel a little better. This was a small. I could have easily taken an XS. Unsual for me.

Charcoal gray Pin-Striped Blazer, on sale from $40 with 30% off. Way too big. The smallest size left was a size 6!
Found here

Again, my love for blazers led me to try on the above pin-striped coat. Luckily for my wallet, I was not able to find a smaller size.

Green Utility Skirt, similar here (I kind of like the linked ASOS skirt better)

I have been hunting down a green skirt in quite some time now. This isn't the exact type of green skirt that I was looking for but at 30% off. Who could beat that? It has pockets! Unfortunately, the stylish security pin on the right does NOT come with the skirt. But I think I'll be able to manage without.

I came in wearing this:

:: Original Outfit Details ::

Black Blazer :: Banana Republic (old), similar here

Leopard Print Asymmetrical Tank :: Victoria's Secret Online, similar here

 Back Basic Camisole :: Forever21, found here for $3.80!

Black Cotton Leggings :: Mossimo, found here

Black Block Patent Leather Heels :: Vince Camuto, similar here

Layered Beads and Chains Necklace :: Tulle Sample Sale, similar here

(I like this one by T+J Designs Better)

Do you have any favorite pieces? Anyone else find any good deals? Care to share? 

Wishful Wednesday :: Be Bold

I have always liked purple. But lately, I've been attracted to greens too. I love this scarf! I also love polka dots. Can't go wrong with mixing the two together! I know it's Spring time but I still can't get over booties. I still don't have a good pair that I can wear to work. I do really like these Botkier booties. Of course it's a bit out of my budget. My favorite season to dress for will always be Fall. Doesn't hurt to mix and match things from both seasons, right? In the meantime, I'll keep wishing for my beloved items of choice.

Sleeveless Tops
Boots

More item info:

Rag and Bone Sleeveless Tops

Botkier Boots

Rebecca Minkoff Satchels

Ben-Amun Bracelets  

Marc Jacobs Scarf

Tuesday Tastings :: Eat Chow

The friendboy and I had a chance to visit Eat Chow a couple of weeks ago. We had some delicious food! I so badly wanted a latte but I was giving up coffee for awhile and at that time, wasn't able to have it. I stuck to good ol' H2O.

Anyway, the friendboy ordered a Chow BBQ Burger.

I ordered the Media Noche Cubano Sandwich. I was craving it after seeing Nitrolicious' Miami posts during that time. Good bread and great pork slices. Very tasty. I was pleasantly surprised!

We also decided to order the Truffle Oil Fries - Delicious!

Definitely worth going to check out!

626 Night Market :: Den.m Bar

For those of you in Southern California, you may have known about the 626 Night Market. That happened on Saturday this past weekend. We were there in support of den.m bar's booth. Some of you may know, some of you may not. If it seems like I write about den.m bar a bit it is because the friendboy is part owner of the company (this is recent). I have yet to own a pair of my own. But please know that anything I review is my own opinion.

I know that for some of you who did end up going to the Night Market, it was a zoo! I saw from our booth. We were planning on walking around but opted to stay in our own space.. truthfully, it was safer! I saw massive crowds from where we were standing. Friends of ours came by to visit because well, that's all they could do. There was no place to walk. Other friends of ours ended up leaving because they couldn't even get in! As much of a mess as it was, I take it as a learning experience for the committee in charge of planning and for us vendors. While many may have thought it "sucked," I think this allows room for growth and improvement. Would I go next time? Perhaps. Perhaps I'll wait a few rounds when they've worked out the kinks and the hype has died down. Afterall, this is the first time Southern California has EVER had a Night Market.

I don't have a ton of pictures of our surroundings but I do have a few snapshots from den.m bar's view.

New pocket liner fabrics

Did we mention that we now have colored denim?

The friendboy participating in an interview

 

The interviewer

Different swatches of denim choices

Meet the partners of den.m bar:

From Left to Right: Kelwyn, Derek, Steve, and Richard

Now go check out the store!

For related posts on den.m bar:

den.m bar Grand Opening - Downtown LA by Kat
den.m Bar: Downtown LA’s First Custom Denim Workshop Now Open in the Historic Core by Brigham Yen
Bespoke Jeans by Kat