Sheer

Photos courtesy of Sung Shin

Blouse-Equipment

Leather (faux) shorts-F21 (old)

Shoes-Same Edelman (leopard version here)

Purse-Chanel WOC

Ring-David Yurman

One of the staple items in my closet are button down shirts. I own various kinds because they're easy and comfortable to wear and great layering pieces for the winter.

Out of curiosity, I've tried on the ever popular Equipment blouses before in the past, but opted not to purchase them since all of the ones I've tried on have either been too long on the sleeves or too roomy on the sides for me. Simply put, they are just not petite friendly. The blouses are pretty pricey as it is and I personally don't care enough to spend more money on it to have it altered--I just don't want to be bothered with it no matter how popular they are in the fashion blogosphere. However, to my (pleasant) surprise, the sleeves on this version didn't fall below my wrist like the others have in the past, and it was my first time seeing a Peter Pan collar on their blouse which adds a little character to their usual conventional design. What can I say, I'm a sucker for subtle details;) 

Have a great weekend. Xo.

Floral Love Continued

Photos courtesy of Sung Shin

Denim jacket, tank-H&M

Skirt-Alice&Olivia (love this one here)

Shoes-Loeffler Randall (old)

Clutch-Saint Laurent 

Necklace-Alexis Bittar (similar version here)

Bracelet-Hermes

Sunnies-Karen Walker

My love of florals continues with another A+O skirt I picked up a couple of weeks ago--just can't get enough of the vibrant colors from their floral prints! This version is shorter and doesn't have tulle underneath compared to the one I wore here, but the silk material is so soft and lightweight which bodes well for this current humidity we're having. It's nice to have options;) 

Have a great rest of the week. Xo.

Weekend Snapshots

This weekend I....

1.  Ordered these Valentino shoes that my mom's been eyeing for awhile now but couldn't find in her size anymore. I have a Nordstrom SA in NC who's kind of awesome and he emailed me to let me know he had one pair left, which happened to be in her sz, in the exact color she wanted, AND it was on major sale (org $400, sale $150). He quickly shipped it my condo so it could arrive over the weekend and needless to say, my mom was ecstatic. I've mentioned this before, but building relationships with (great) SAs is SO helpful.

2. Finally checked out my rooftop pool. Kicking off the first day of summer by relaxing by the pool was just what I needed after a busy week at work. 

3. Had a craving for Mexican food after shooting upcoming outfit posts with my photographer friend so we went to Cactus Cantina in Washington, DC. We wanted to sit outside because the weather was perfect for al fresco dining and assumed there would be a long wait, seeing that everyone had the same idea. Fortunately, we got lucky and was seated immediately because a table for two was available as soon as we arrived. I ordered the fish tacos which were good but not mind blowing. I was more impressed with their frozen margarita and complimentary chips and salsa...we definitely asked for a second helping of the salsa. 

4. Stopped by J.Crew to do a return and also bought this necklace, thanks to a sales alert from Kelly of Alterations Needed. It's currently on sale for $79.99 with an extra 25% off. On another note, I've been experimenting with green smoothie recipes recently and found one that I absolutely love which involves spinach, bananas, strawberries, almond milk, greek yogurt, and ice. So far, I've convinced several friends and my parents (after they all tasted the deliciousness of it) to incorporate it into their eating habits. Who would've thought that I would turn into that girl who drinks green smoothies and practices bikram yoga? Yeaaaa. 

5. Invited one of my besties over for Sunday dinner. I made slow cooker Indian chicken stew which not only tasted amazing but made my place smell so good (recipe coming soon). We decided to eat outdoors on my patio and caught up on each other's lives over several glasses of vino. Good times.

How was your weekend?

NomNom: Strawberry Lemonade Sangria

To kick off the first official day of summer, I want to share with you this drink recipe that will surely carry you through those hot, summer days when you just wanna kick back and relax with a cold, refreshing drink in hand.

Ever since I bought a blender several weeks ago, I've been on a blending/smoothie rage. I even made my first green smoothie a couple of days ago, which if you know me, is a shocking thing. When I told my friends I made one, they looked at me all bugged eyed. Health guru, I am not. That's another post....

This recipe appealed to me for several reasons. One, it involves strawberries which is something I've been obsessed with (slowly being replaced by watermelon and blueberries). Second, the recipe tells you to blend whole lemons. Yea, the whole thing--not just the juice. I was pretty skeptical with the thought of blending the skin of the lemons but I tried it out and well...just do as your told. It's also convenient since don't have to sit there and juice several lemons. Thumbs up for efficiency. 

Don't worry, the natural sweetness from the strawberries helps with the sourness that lemons give, and if you still think it's too sour, the recipe also calls for sugar (I used agave nectar). 

This drink recipe is the perfect summer drink whether it involves alcohol or not....but I prefer adding sparkling white wine to the mix;) I made this for a couple of girlfriends a couple of weeks ago (one of them rarely drinks alcoholic beverages) and the friend who doesn't usually drink alcohol loved and requested pouring her the alcoholic version. So that's that.

Have a great weekend. Xo.


Ingredients (Adapted from http://laylita.com/recipes/2012/06/08/strawberry-lemonade/) Yields: 6-8 C) 
¼ lb strawberries, washed & cut in halves, about 4 cups
2 lemons, washed and quartered (use limes to make strawberry limeade)
 ½- ¾ cup honey or sugar to taste, adjust based on your preference &sweetness of strawberries (I used agave nectar)
6 cups of water
Ice
Sparking white wine (for alcoholic version)
Garnishes: Strawberry slices, lemon slices and/or fresh herbs

Procedure
1. Blend the strawberries, lemons and honey with 2 cups of water
2. Strain the strawberry lemon mix, add the additional 4 cups of water through the strainer (Alcoholic version: Mix the strained mixed with white wine or sparkling wine, instead of the additional 4 cups of water)
3. Taste and add additional honey/sugar if needed
4. Serve cold over ice and garnished with strawberry slices, lemon slices and herbs

Stripes+Floral

Photos courtesy of Sung Shin

Floral cropped jacket-Patterson J. Kincaid

Shirt-J.Crew

Leather (faux) shorts-F21 (similar version here)

Shoes-Sam Edelman (leopard version here)

Purse-Chanel WOC

I've recently been loving floral prints, which started with the purchase of this floral skirt worn on this outfit post. When I ordered this jacket online a couple of months ago, I didn't realize that it was reversible until it was delivered! For once, I'm actually glad the sleeves are a bit long because when I fold them, the print from the reversible side shows. Now that's what I call a pleasant surprise;)

Have a great rest of the week. Xo.

Weekend Snapshots

This weekend I...

1. Bought a new coffee gadget for my kitchen, the Eva Solo coffee maker. My morning routine always involves a good cup of coffee and I've been eyeing this coffee maker for a couple of months now. I've been hesitant about purchasing it because of the price point for just a glass carafe and well, I'm content with the Bodum French Press I use. Earlier last week I happened to be reading an article on David Chang (the mastermind behind the Momofuku restaurant empire in NYC) and he was asked what his 5 favorite things were and he named the Eva Solo as one of them. Well, if it's good enough for David Chang, then it's good enough for me. Not only do I love the cool, sleek design on it (it reminds me of those flasks I used in chem. class), but the glass carafe can also be used to serve cold beverages. I'll probably end up adding lemon slices in the carafe and add water to it or perhaps Sangria;) There is also a neoprene jacket that comes along with this device (not pictured) which helps keeps the coffee warm (Neoprene is what keeps divers warm in water). This has been a total gamechanger to my morning coffee routine. Serious. It made my Stumptown coffee beans sing. I even bought one for my parents since I was so impressed.

2. Started Latisse. Being Asian, I am not blessed with thick, long eyelashes and I've been going back and forth on if I should try Latisse out for almost a year. It's prescription based so naturally there are potential side effects to it.  Long story short, I met up with a friend (who's Asian) last week for dinner and throughout the meal I kept noticing how gorgeous her lashes were and thought she was wearing fake eyelashes the whole time. I didn't want to point blank ask her if she was, but we got on the subject of prescription drugs and she told me she's been using Latisse! I couldn't believe her eyelashes looked so full and long from using it so after asking her more questions on her experience with it (very satisfied), I was pretty much sold on using this product. We shall see in the next couple of months...

3. Celebrated a couple of friend's birthdays at Capital Grille. It happens to be my favorite steak restaurant in the DMV area so it was a guaranteed good time. Friends+good food=win win situation.

4. Successfully completed my month long personal shopping ban! I'm actually quite proud of myself for being good and sticking to this promise because there have been SO many sales this past month. So painful. The first purchase I made after the ban was this Chanel perfume, Chance. I first encountered this scent in Germany while shopping and was kinda blown away by the smell. I rarely wear perfume and don't buy it for myself (majority have been gifts and they pretty much collect dust) but the scent smells so intoxicatingly good, I had to buy it. It's not overpowering and there are notes of floral and citrus...really lovely.


How was your weekend?

Denim Days

Photos courtesy of Sung Shin

Denim jacket-H&M

Sequin tank-J.Crew

White jeans-Zara

Shoes-Pour La Victoire (suede version)

Sunnies-Karen Walker

Happy Friday everyone! The weather this past Sunday was gorgeous and sunny which meant a day of exploration into quaint Old Town, Alexandria, with curls still in tact from the blowout I got the day before;) 

I wanted to keep my outfit fun yet casual so I threw on a jean jacket to downplay the sequins. Not only do I wear jean jackets frequently around this time of year, but I always bring it with me every time I go on vacation somewhere during the Spring/Fall season. In my opinion, jean jackets and cardigans are the perfect pieces to have with you in case the temperatures fall during the evening or if it's cool during the day and you want something light and easy to carry around.

Have a fantastic weekend. Xo.

Fresh

 

Photos courtesy of Sung Shin

Shirt-J.Crew

Skirt-Boundary & Co

Purse-Mulberry Alexa

Shoes-Stuart Weitzman

Bracelet-Alexis Bittar

Sunnies-Karen Walker

Hi everyone! After getting a lovely blowout from Blowout BarDC over the weekend, I took that as the perfect excuse to dress up a little before going out to take full advantage of my fresh, bouncy curls. I think I need to learn how to recreate these curls, no?;)

Have a great rest of the week! Xo.

Weekend Snapshots

This weekend I....

1. Spent my Saturday afternoon hanging out with my mom for some a little mother/daughter bonding time. The gracious people at Blowout Bar DC invited my mom and I to check out their salon/service. I'm no expert when it comes to styling hair so this was a treat to get my hair styled. The salon is located in Washington, DC and only service updo's ($70) and blow outs--not cuts or colors. Price point is $35 for a full service blow out which includes shampoo, complimentary drinks, and a blow out where you can pick from 5 different styles. I chose the Grace which is soft curls/loose waves. I would recommend this place for special occasions such as prom, wedding, birthday, bachelorette parties, or if you just wanna treat yourself;) Thank you to the Blowout Bar DC team for being so gracious to my mom and I. Xo.

2. Had a craving for Thai food but haven't found a good one in the NOVA area. My favorite Thai places are located in DC which are Thai-Xing and Little Serow but they serve family style which is great when you're ready for a big meal or if you have a big group. Fortunately I found a place that wasn't too far from home called Absolute Thai to satisfy my craving. I would rate this place as above average. Thumbs up to the papaya salad and green curry. They could've could've gone easier on the salt factor with the drunken noodle dish but there's always hot chili sauce to counter balance that;)

3. Made strawberry lemonade sangria. Again. Earlier last week I had a couple of girlfriends who came over to hang out and made them this drink and it was such a hit that I had to make it again this weekend for some other friends that were over. I blended whole lemons and fresh strawberries and added sparkling white wine. Hello, summer. Will share recipe soon.

4. Have been using this moroccan oil for the face that my parents gave me from their recent trip to Morocco/Spain and amazed at how smooth and moisturized my skin has become. Josie Maran sells a line of Argan oil at Sephora which I highly recommend. Great for sensitive skin. 

5. Caught up with my friend Mel over my favorite summer Korean dessert, bing-soo at Breeze Bakery in Annandale, VA. There are different variations of this dessert but it's basically shaved ice mixed with condensed milk, topped with fresh fruits, mochi, sweet red beans, and either froyo or gelato. So ridiculously good.

How was your weekend?

Summer Jeans

Photos courtesy of Sung Shin

Top-H&M (old)

Jeans-Zara

Scarf-J.Crew (buy here)

Shoes-Pour la victoire

Purse, Sunglasses-Celine (buy here,here)

Cuff-Kenneth Jay Lane (similar style here)

Hi everyone! The humidity and increase in temperatures on the east coast are sure signs that summer is finally here. I've been wanting to add a pair of white jeans to my closet for awhile now so I could wear them for spring/summer. They just look so fresh and chic. I happened to stumble upon this pair while shopping at the Zara in Germany which was an unexpected yet pleasant surprise....but then again so was the Celine Trapeze;)

Have a great weekend. Xo.

Florals

Photos courtesy of Sung Shin

Chambray shirt-Old Navy (buy here)

Skirt-Alice & Olivia (dress version here)

Shoes-Pour La Victoire (suede version here)

Sunnies, Bag-Celine (buy here, here)

Bracelet-Hermes, Alexis Bittar (buy here)

Necklace-Alexis Bittar (old)

Happy Wednesday! I mentioned in my recent Weekend Snapshots that I attended a luncheon hosted by Fairfax Square last Friday and this outfit was what I wore that day. I've been into floral prints lately (although you won't ever catch me in floral pants) and the vibrant colors of this skirt which also has tulle underneath to give it a full shape made it an easy decision to add this to my closet a couple months ago;)  

Hope you're enjoying your week so far. Xo.

Weekend Snapshots

This weekend I....

1. Was invited to a brunch at Chef Geoffs which was organized by Fairfax Square located in Mclean, Virginia. It was great to see familiar and new (to me) bloggers I've never met in this area as well as meeting the store directors of Hermes, Tiffany & Co, Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spa and fashion magazine editors in the DMV area. Though we were spoiled with a delicious lunch and gift bags from the stores, it was just fun getting to know the group in an intimate setting. Special thanks to Tonie for organizing this lunch and for being so gracious and lovely.

2. Brought out my new Celine bag. She was purchased in Germany (and also a reason why I put myself on a month long shopping ban) and was pretty much worn all weekend:)

3. Finally watched Iron Man 3. I'm a huge fan of this movie series and was bummed to find out it was coming out around the same time I left for Germany, but I finally got the chance to watch it this past Friday. The movie didn't disappoint.

4. Decided to commit to Bikram Yoga. I started to try it out a month ago after purchasing a deal from Groupon which included 10 sessions because I wanted to see if it would help with my back pains. I honestly went in with no expectations, especially because I've tried regular yoga before in the past and was really bored during the classes. All I can say is that I'm completely surprised to see how much of a positive effect Bikram has been on my back. There's been no more muscle pain whatsoever ever since I started practicing Bikram. Seriously. I've also had no desire for soda which is a huge thing for me because I used to drink a can of Coke Zero 3-4 times a week. That's definitely been an unexpected added bonus.

5. Bought a blender. I know. I'm late to the game. The thing is, I've never really needed one because I have a food processor and don't drink smoothies on the regular. Until recently. I'm not sure if it's the Bikram, but I've been wanting to eat more healthy...as in eat more fruit/veggies and drink more milk which are two things I don't do very often. I've recently taken a liking to almond milk and I've been on a strawberry kick so I decided to buy a reasonably priced blender and see how much I actually utilize it. If I use it frequently, I will probably invest in a Vitamix which is the mother of all blenders. My mom has had one for several years and still raves about it to this day.

How was your weekend?