10.18.13

On My Mind ... Celine. Not Dion.

I have been told (by Patty, nonetheless) that I have expensive taste. We usually walk into the store, divide to conquer, and when we meet back up, I will ALWAYS be holding a full priced item while Patty is holding a 50% plus additional 20% off item. Every. Single. Time. I thought for sure that by the time I hit 25 I'd be able to by myself anything I wanted... Well, I'm 26 and am literally watching my nonexistent money deplete (thank you very much, school loans). Therefore, I've been trying to be much more conscious of my money spending ways. This sometimes includes waiting weeks for my beloved - insert item here - to go on sale or scavenger for a more affordable option. Thus is the case with the Celine Phantom Bag. You've probably seen it around, even if you don't know it. It's big, beautiful, and luxurious. It also costs about 3 times my rent. Since I'll just have to wait until I: a. graduate, b. do my fieldwork hours, c. pass my license exam, d. get a job, and e. work for a few years before I can get it, I've started looking for other options.

The original. My heart will go on for you.

The more realistic options for my grad-school self:

Kate Spade Beau

MICHAEL Michael Kors Selma

J.Crew Tartine

Tinley Road Alexandra

3.1 Phillip Lim for Target (already sold out :( )

What is your dream item?

10.16.13

Stuffed Sweet Potato

Lately, my cooking has been reduced to throwing a sandwich together or boiling some pasta. Luckily, I came across an extra couple of hours last week and was able to experiment a little. Using some left over onions, peppers, chicken, and sweet potato, I came up with a pretty delicious and healthy meal. Plus, I used some Mexican seasoning, which always puts a smile on my face. Happy cooking!

Ingredients:

• 4 sweet potatoes
• 3 chicken breasts, grilled and chopped
• 1 yellow pepper, chopped
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp taco seasoning
• 1 tbsp canola oil
• S&P 
• Sour cream (optional)
• Cilantro (optional)

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400° F. 
• Place potatoes on the rack and bake for about 45 minutes or until tender
• Meanwhile, chop your veggies (and cook your chicken if needed)
• Heat canola oil in medium sized skillet 
• Season veggies with taco seasoning and S&P
• Cook onions for about 10 minutes, then add peppers and garlic
• Lastly, add chicken to to veggie mixture
• When potatoes are ready, let them cool for about 5 minutes before slicing them down the middle
• Scoop mixture into potatoes
• Top with sour cream and cilantro

10.14.13

Month Recap.

It has been a crazy start to my second and last year of grad school. As much as I love school and Boston, I do miss my California home. A few weeks ago I got the chance to go home and surprise my family. It was way too short but I loved every moment of it, especially getting to see my cousins. Being the eldest of the bunch, it's always fun to see how much everyone is changing and growing. I am close to all my cousins but I have to say I just love my girls. Even though we're family and have grown up together, we could not be more different. This is especially evident in the way we dress. It's been said before, but what you put on your body is so much more than fabric. It's a reflection of who you are and who you want to be in that moment. I thought it would be fun to share a few snap shots of my beautiful cousins showing off their personal style.

All of us together.

Aryana. She is a true chameleon. Whether its changing her hair color or her style, she has fun trying out different looks. I love that she topped off her simple dress with these amazing ankle strapped heels.

Stephanie. This girl never passes up an opportunity to be glam. Her beautiful skin color makes her a great canvas for a wide range of colors, hello shoes & lips! If I could have, I would have stolen this LBD (shhh).

Karina. I don't get to see her often (she's a Texan now) but when I do I am reminded of her sweet disposition which comes out in her style. This flowy top was made extra special by these delicate details.

Alexis. She's my bad a** chick. What I love about her is that although she exudes toughness, she manages to balance her look by adding feminine touches. Also, she has the best eyes in the family. 

* I just want to give a big thank you to my uncle for providing us with a great opportunity to get together. You should definitely do this every year! I couldn't resist adding a few more photos, so enjoy!

Almost (almost) all of my cousins. 

10.11.13

Home is where the work never ends.

As I've mentioned, we moved apartments ... and I started graduate school again, thus the long absence. Back to my home. At first I was thrilled with the idea because our old place didn't feel like ours. We lived there and brought most of our stuff but something about the space didn't quite fit us. I think it's because we always knew that it would not be a permanent place (the landlord went traveling for a year and we were just keeping it warm for him). After two months of many IKEA and Home Goods trips, we are finally feeling right at home in our new place. There's still more to do but so far I think it's looking really good. Heres a sneak peak!

The living room. I am obsessed with our Lulu and Georgia rug.

And from the other side (excuse the fan). 

Also, I'm in the market for an overstuffed arm chair. Preferably in a deep blue.

Explaining what a gallery wall is to Colin is finally paying off! 

Just need a few more pieces.

At first we just threw the bookcases up. 

I spent an hour the other night styling them up and they look A LOT better:

I'm dying for a bar cart, but for now this will do.

The fireplace doesn't work but these candles add ambience.

Every dinner of my childhood was around a table. 

Even though we don't have the biggest kitchen, I could not bear the thought of not having one.

My new fall centerpiece that currently lives on our coffee table. 

I picked the leaves and pinecones from a tree on campus (shhhh!).

Up next on my list are the bathroom & our bedroom. 

Hopefully, they won't take as long!

9.6.13

Style ... Your Desk Space

Whether you're working from home or studying for classes, the space in which you work in is essential to your productivity. Of course it should be organized and clutter free, but just because it's functional doesn't mean it can't be beautiful. Here are some desk and office essentials that will add a little glam to your work day.

This stapler will have you stapling just for fun.

Tape has never looked so sleek.

If you're like me, binders are absolutely necessary for categorizing. 

I especially love the navy blue and gold combo.

I currently use a cardboard box to store my many chargers. 

It might be time to upgrade to this beautiful box. 

A desk caddy is the best catch-all for all kinds of odds & ends. 

I use this one for paper clips, extra staples, pins, etc.

For added inspiration and motivation, it's good to have words of wisdom to look at. 

What are your essential office accessories?

9.5.13

Happy New York Fashion Week! 

Even if you aren't the most fashion savvy, you've probably heard of the famed New York Fashion Week. Today officially begins the debut of the Spring 2014 designer collections. Like any girl who loves fashion, I would love to be there. Not only for the designs but for the fantastic people watching. Since I'm stuck in Boston for graduate school (not that I have tickets), I've decided to participate from afar. 

Instead of checking power points, I'll be checking out the live stream. 

Class readings are going to take a backseat to the following fashion tales. 

Clockwise from top: 

Man Repeller: Seeking Love. Finding Overalls.

Grace: A Memoir

The Asylum: A collage of couture reminiscences...and hysteria

In case that's not enough, I might have to re-watch the September Issue while flipping through all the September issues. 

How will you celebrate Fashion Week?

9.4.13

Even though the end of summer doesn't necessarily signify the beginning of another school year for most, there's something about September that makes us feel like getting back to business. Instead of longing for those sunny days and warm nights, let's try to keep a little of that care-free spirit going throughout the next year, shall we? Cheers!