What I'm reading: December

In the midst of all the holiday craziness, I read Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns). My lovely cousin gave it me and I finished it in about 2 days. Such a quick read and so funny. Loved it! 

And that was it for this month. I'm gonna hole up this long weekend and just read, nap and relax. Happy new year!

A Christmas movie you've never heard of

Ok, so there's this old Christmas movie from the 80s, Babes in Toyland. If you and I are not related, chances are you haven't heard of it. For some reason, this is the movie I remember watching most at my grandparents' house. Not really sure how my grandma found this gem (probably in the drugstore bargain bin, if I'm being honest). But it stars Keanu Reeves, Drew Barrymore and Mr. Miyagi. I don't remember too many of the details, other than there is a song about Cincinnati, the villain lives in a huge bowling ball, and the giant toy soldiers come to life. Clearly, a winner. I tried to make my mom watch it a few years ago and she quit after the Cincinnati song. The reason why I'm writing a whole post about a silly childhood movie is because it is on netflix insta-queue. Now I can watch it anytime I want! I texted this very exciting news to my parents, who then told me they were busy. Forever. 

When I brought up Babes in Toyland again at dinner today, my dad said "you mean the movie we watch every year?" (dad translation = he means A Christmas Story). I was actually offended that he compared the two. A Christmas Story wins. Hands down. Don't even bother with Babes in Toyland. I can assure you it's not even on Keanu Reeves's resume anymore. 

(Also, this post is pretty much just for my cousin Jessie, cause she's the only one who has any idea what Babes in Toyland is, although I don't think she remembers much of it.)

Countdown to hibernation

So this whole being an adult thing kinda stinks sometimes. I really miss those 2 week Christmas vacations. Even though my break is considerably shorter this year (3 days), I'm still really excited. I'm preparing myself for what I call my "hibernation." It's going to be 3 days chock full of:

-sweatpants (real pants? please.)

-Christmasy movies, including but not limited to: Elf, The Santa Clause, Love Actually, The Holiday, Christmas Vacation, A Christmas Story, Home Alone and It's A Wonderful Life

-a big stack of unread magazines

-no healthy food at all

(Actually, this may read like a lot of my weekends at home)

Also, this fruit compote will definitely be involved:

8 oz mixed dried fruit (chopped)

16 oz cherry pie filling

11 oz can mandarin oranges (drained)

1/3 cup brown sugar (packed)

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 cup bourbon (or apple juice)

Combine 1st 3 ingredients in 1 1/2 quart dish and set aside. Combine other ingredients and pour over mixture. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. 

We've never used bourbon in this before, but it sounds delicious. This is amazing over homemade waffles, which is how we have our Christmas breakfast every single year. I'm drooling a little bit just thinking of it. 

Work party

So even though I started Christmas shopping early this year, I couldn't seem to figure out what to get my co-workers. I went back and forth for a while, then eventually decided on the following: I'd get everyone a personalized mug, fill it with some peppermint bark, and bring some hot cocoa fixins. I brought a few different flavors of hot cocoa, candy canes, and gingerbread marshmallows. It went over really well - homemade peppermint bark is amazing, and it is so easy. This is the recipe I used, but here are my steps:

Melt dark chocolate in the microwave. Stir at 30 second intervals. I used a Pyrex casserole dish, since a sheet pan wouldn't fit in my fridge/freezer. I lined it with parchment and poured the chocolate. The good thing about this recipe is it doesn't have to look perfect, so while a sheet pan probably would have been easier and looked cleaner, the dish seemed to work fine too. Put in the fridge. Watch Hawaii Five-0 while you wait for it to firm up. Drool over this guy. Ok, back to that bark, don't get distracted. Crush candy canes. I put it in a ziploc bag and smashed them with a can, which was pretty fun. Take your dish out of the fridge (I'd say it takes about an hour to cool it in the fridge). Melt the white chocolate in the microwave, remember to stir often. Once melted, stir in crushed candy canes. Pour the mixture over the hardened dark chocolate and stick the dish back into the fridge. Now go watch Glee and the New Girl. The bark should be hard enough to break up by now. You can choose to share with friends and family, or keep a stash for yourself, up to you. It's so good, I may have to hide it from myself. 

Happiness is...

J. Crew boy's sweater, signet ring, and red ballet flats. 

All for about $80. Oh Cyber Monday, you really got me this year.  

Gettin' crafty with it

How was your first weekend of December? I spent mine cleaning out the garage, trimming the tree and eating copious amounts of muddy buddies (so addicting). 

I'm not sure what it is about the holidays, but it makes me have crafty fever. Today, I took on the task of making a wreath. I bought a plain fake wreath along with ornaments, glittery picks and some ribbon. First, I had to make a bow. Turns out, I don't really know how to make one. After wrestling with it, I finally did the smart thing and googled how to do it. Using these instructions, I created a simple bow. Then I sprinkled some ornaments and pinecones to create a basic structure. I snipped apart the picks and interspersed them throughout to add even more sparkle (because go big or go home right?) All in all, I think it only cost about $20 and took about an hour (although let's be honest, most of that time was spent trying to figure out the bow situation). 

I think this would be a totally fun project for a party with the girls! Wreath-making, ugly Christmas sweaters, spiked cider...I'm down! 

Cooking with Sydney

So it's time for another cooking adventure with Sydney! (And it's always an adventure when I cook). Tonight, I made Pasta alla Formiana. I saw this on Giada's show a few weeks ago, and decided it would a perfect, comforting meal for a blustery day like today. Pasta is a speciality of mine, and I decided this would be a welcome change. Taking the advice of many of the reviews, I cut down the amount of oregano in the recipe (it calls for 1/4 cup, I used about 1 1/2 tablespoons) and added another garlic clove for added flavor. I kept taste-testing to make sure it didn't get mushy (and taste-testing is the best part of cooking). I pulled it out at 53 minutes and let it cool to just below lava hotness before popping it in my mouth. Yummy! Really flavorful and really easy. The sauce ended up tasting really similar to a pasta sauce, so I'm wondering if it would be possible to just use that in a pinch. Oh Giada, your recipes never fail me. 

In other news, happy December! I'm cracking open my advent calendar today!

What I'm reading: November

I really love watching old movies from the '40s and '50s, so this month I picked up 3 books about 3 interesting Hollywood ladies. 

First was Edith Head: The Life and Times of Hollywood's Celebrated Costume Designer. Edith Head designed for dozens of movies, including Sunset Boulevard, Rear Window and Vertigo. It was fun to learn more about behind-the-scenes events of some classic movies. However, Head's legacy is not pristine. She won 8 Oscars, but never shared any of the credit with her costume assistants. Still, she remains one of the most famous and talented costumers in history. 

Next was The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe. This lengthy book dives into the history of arguably the most famous actress of the past century. Marilyn had a difficult childhood - bouncing back and forth between foster care and the home of her mentally ill mother. Monroe begins acting and rockets to fame. The book covers her struggles with her own demons, while trying to maintain her public persona. In the end, she dies a tragically young death. This book was really interesting, providing an in-depth look at every aspect of this well-known figure's life. 

Now I'm just finishing up High Society, The Life of Grace Kelly. This book introduces you to one of the most elegant actresses in recent memory. I was surprised by the fact that Kelly was so famous, when she only actually starred in 11 movies. Of course, the jump from actress to princess solidified her rise to fame. While this book was intriguing, it wasn't quite as "can't put it down" as the Marilyn Monroe book was for me. 

25 by 25

Oh man, I can't believe I'm going to be 25 next year. Ok, that's giving me a little bit of a headache, so let's just move on to the list, shall we? 

First, I put anything I didn't do on my 24x24 list on this list. 

1. Move out. 

2. Hike Half Dome.
3. Go kayaking
4. See a movie at our local theater that serves dinner and drinks.
5. Go on a fabulous vacation. (I have decided this should be on my list every year!)
6. Add more color to my wardrobe. I own a lot of gray - it's time to spice things up.
7. Go on the Santa Monica Ferris Wheel.
8. Make a scrapbook of my college years.
9. Go to Diddy Riese.
10. Try paddle boarding.
11. Stretch and improve my posture.
12. Wear bright lipstick with confidence.
13. Expand my musical horizons. (I'm a little embarrassed to tell you how much music on my ipod is from my high school years.)
14. Go beer and/or whiskey tasting.
15. Go to Chocolatine.
16. Go to the Natural History Museum and see their new dinosaur exhibit.
17. Revisit some of the classics I read in high school.
18. Read Johnathan Strange and Paris: A Secret History. These have both been on my bookshelf for a while, but their length has stopped me from picking them up, so I'd like to finally read them.
19. Watch the first seasons of 30 Rock, Community and Friday Night Lights.
20. Participate in Operation Beautiful.
21. Make this hot chocolate.
22. Start writing again. I was really into writing poetry in high school, but haven't written anything for the past few years.
23. Get crafty. Maybe try my hand at painting.
24. Visit San Francisco - one of my absolute favorite cities.
25. Have an amazing 25th birthday party. Since my birthday always falls so close to Thanksgiving, it's hard to party it up, but I'm determined to make my 25th a big celebration.

Birthday wish list

Since my birthday is next week, I thought I'd put together a little birthday wish list. You know, just in case you're reading this, mom. 

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To get in touch with my inner French girl.

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I love the zipper detail on the back of this sweater.

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Sparkly flats would put a spring in my step.

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Well, it is a dream list, right?

Holiday craft

This weekend, mama and I were out trying to holiday shop (we came home with more for ourselves than anyone else - doesn't that always happen?!) At Anthro, we saw these cute mason jar snow globes. But $30?? Really? I decided these looked like a good DIY project. 

These were fun to make, and better yet, super easy. All you need is a mason jar, hot glue gun, Christmas tree (or anything else you can think of!) and some glittery snow. It only took me about 5 minutes (and $6) to make two of these. They would be perfect holiday gifts, or great decorations done in a variety of jar sizes. 

Life

So....life. 

There hasn't been much of note lately, except it is now dark all the time and it's throwing me off. But that darkness signals cold weather and that means I get to wear these: 

And these:

And drink this everyday:

That's about it. Also, birthday is in a few weeks, so that means a 25 x 25 list. (Wow!)

Sweet November

Life as of late:

The weather has finally cooled off a bit, so I've been baking more. Last weekend, mom and I made some carrot cake from scratch for dad's birthday (yeah, we kinda like him). Carrot cake is not normally my fav, but it was good! 

I also made these for my Halloween work party. They were really good, but I didn't really taste any pumpkin, which was a bummer. 

Speaking of Halloween, I decided on Sunday that I wanted to be Buzz Lightyear. Luckily I already had a pre-printed Buzz shirt, so with the quick addition of white pants and green duct tape, I was set! 

Also - my cousin and I went hiking in Runyon Canyon this past weekend. Note to self: don't trust your iphone map to get you there, it will only take you on weird side trips up in the hills. Once we finally got there, it was a really good hike (with great views!) And we even brought a picnic lunch to finish the day with. 

What I'm reading: October

Holy cow, I can't believe we're at the end of October already. Time is flying by! 

Here is what I read this month:

The History of Love. I had heard really good things about this book, so I was excited to start it. It would be best as a book club book. I say that because, I needed someone to talk about it to figure out what the heck was going on. The first half of the story, I felt really lost. I actually had to read the synopsis online to find my way. It contains 2 stories that intertwine as the story goes on. The second half of the book clears things up, so I would have seen the light eventually. I really liked Krauss's writing style, even though this might not be my favorite book.

Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M. I have a deep love for anything Audrey Hepburn or Breakfast at Tiffany's, so of course I loved this book. 

What's your favorite scary movie Sydney?

Sidenote: the title of this post was asked of me incessantly throughout middle school. Thanks, Scream. 

What's your favorite scary movie? Most people I know don't like them, but I love them. I definitely prefer suspenseful scary, not blood and guts scary. And no better time to catch up on scary movies than Halloween. Here are my favs:

Hocus Pocus. Technically not a scary movie, but I have to watch it every year. In fact, I'm watching it right now. 

The Others. I've seen this a hundred times, and it still creeps me out every single time.

Shutter Island. Wonderfully dark and unsettling.

Psycho. There's a reason this is a classic. Hitchcock is the master of edge-of-your-seat suspense. I love how the story builds and builds and just gets creepier and creepier. 

The Shining. The book was so scary, Joey on Friends had to hide it in the freezer. The movie definitely belongs in there too. Watch this one in the daytime. 

Dream wardrobe

If you had an unlimited budget, where would you shop? It would be a tough choice for me - but I'd probably pick J. Crew. Their clothes are classic, but still fun and modern. Here's what I'd scoop up if I could grab anything I wanted:

[peacoat]

[cashmere sweater]

[ballet flats]

[sparkly bracelet]

Where do you like to do your virtual window shopping?

Paris

So, let's talk about Paris.

Paris, my dream city. 

Paris, the reason I took French in high school. 

Paris, the place I was most excited to visit on my backpacking trip to Europe in 2008.

Paris, the city I was hoping would be like this. (It's still like this in my head)

Oh Paris, someday I'll revisit you. When I have more time and money. When it's not 90% humidity out. 

There's so much I'm dying to do. Walk around inside Versailles and see the fountains outside. Visit Shakespeare and Co, an English-language bookstore. Go inside Notre Dame. Explore the Louvre more. Eat macarons at Laduree. Stroll down the Champs-Elysees. Climb up the Arc de Triomphe. Go to the tippy top of the Eiffel Tower. Remember what it felt like to be in a new place, witnessing something amazing, and dancing with pure joy. 

Favorite books

What are your favorite books?

I thought since I share what I'm reading each month, it would be fun to do a post on what books I absolutely love.

Anything by Roald Dahl. He was my favorite author growing up - I loved his crazy, whimsical stories. I think I may have to ask for his boxed set for Christmas.

The Harry Potter series. I admit, I came to this party pretty late. I refused to read these when they first came out, I guess I thought they were too juvenile for me. After much pleading, a friend convinced me to read them after our freshman year of college. I read them all in one summer and then made my mom read them. Now we're both die-hard fans. And we really want to go here.

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. This is one of the first "adult" books I remember picking up. I found it in the classics section in the library. I don't think I was able to finish it the first time I read it - it was a little too long for me when I was a kid. But I tried again, and fell in love. It's a richly detailed story of a girl named Francie growing up in the early 1900s in New York. I re-read it every couple of years and always come away with something new.

Those are just some of my absolute favs (although, honestly, there are too many to list!) 

Fashion fate

Do you believe in fate? I sure do. 

Let's take a trip back to this post. I had talked about buying myself a treat. Well, I never ended up buying anything. I decided to wait until my birthday (next month) but couldn't quite decide what I wanted to get. Well, the other night I was reading the November issue of Lucky, and in the back, one of their Lucky Breaks caught my eye. The Love Knot ring I had on my lust list, half off. Shut the front door! The yellow gold version was $87.50 (with Ariel Gordon donating $50 of that to Doctors Without Borders). After sleeping on it for one night, I bit the bullet. Can't wait to get it in the mail!

#11

Today I decided to make these buckeyes, from Smitten Kitchen. All this time, I had been operating under the assumption that these require baking (clearly I only skimmed the recipe), so I wanted to wait until summer was over to make them. Well, they don't require any baking. But they make a perfect Fall, Halloween-time treat, so my waiting worked out. Pretty easy to put together, but a little messy (which is why I put up the picture from the recipe rather than a picture of my own). So good and so rich, these definitely won't last long around here. 

I think I remember the spellbind

Did you know this week marks the 50th anniversary of Breakfast at Tiffany's? The movie started filming on October 2nd, 1960 and premiered on October 17th, 1961. I'm currently reading Fifth Avenue 5 A.M. which tells the story of how Truman Capote's novel was made into one of the most influential movies of our time. 

Hey grandpa

Ok, so I'm kind of an old person living in a young person's body. For instance: 

I promptly go to bed at 10 PM every night (slash fall asleep with the light on every night by 10 PM...)

I don't understand twitter (I may or may not call it the twitter)

I say such modern phrases as "slower than molasses on a cold day" and "doesn't blow my dress up darling" (or are those southern phrases?)

And I love me a good grandpa sweater...

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So glad that the weather is finally cooling down so I can wear mine! 

What I'm reading: September

Ok, first of all, I can't believe it's the end of September already. Seriously?! Here is what I've been reading:

Lunch in Paris. I love learning more about Paris (I need to go back!) and so to satisfy my yearning, I picked this up. Elizabeth describes how she met and fell in love with a French man and ends up moving to Paris. I love the descriptions - good and bad - of the city. A fun, fantasy read. I loved vicariously living through her and learning more about the city I adore. Plus, the recipes sound yummy (and pretty difficult to try!)

Another Paris-themed read: The Paris Wife. This is a fictionalized account of Ernest Hemingway and his first wife. I didn't know too much about Hemingway's life, but I loved learning more. It takes place in 1920's Paris, and you get to feel like you're in an extended version of Midnight in Paris. I didn't want it to end. 

I also finished up the Hunger Games trilogy. I really liked it! They were quick, interesting reads. I won't give away too much here, but you should check them out. 

#9

#9 on my 24x24 list was to have a technology-free day. No phone, no internet, no tv. Here is the story of how I spent my day 99% technology free:

So other than one quick facebook message to confirm plans for today, I spent the day disconnected. And I got SO much done. Turns out you can be pretty productive without going online all the time. Here was my day: washed my car, cleaned up and rearranged my room, cleaned out our pantry (scary), baked cookies, washed my sheets, vacuumed, went to the post office, and got lunch. It was nice to get a lot done, but also nice to spend the afternoon reading and taking a nap. I think I might have to disconnect more often. 

Happy Autumn!

It's the first official day of fall (according to the calendar, not according to the thermometer). Fall is my very favorite season, and I can't wait to eat pumpkin-flavored things, wear scarves and boots, and drink hot tea. Until then...here are a few noteworthy things:

I've been feeling ever so slightly under the weather all week, so I've been forced to skip the gym for 4 days. I finally made a return today because I was noticeably more stressed all week. Funny how much better exercising makes me feel, body and mind. 

I made this mac n cheese last night for my Thursday night dinner. Mmm mmm good. Cheesy, creamy, rich...but the best part is we already had all the ingredients on hand. 

Dear Ryan Gosling, 

Marry me. 

These videos make me so happy. And travel-hungry. 

Clutched

Soooo, remember this post where I drooled over the giant floppy American Apparel clutch that was suddenly everywhere? And I thought about diy-ing it? Yeah, that didn't happen. After discussing it with my mama (queen sewer) she talked me out of it - I think partially out of lack of confidence in my sewing skillz (she's right on that front) and her fear that it would become her sewing project rather than mine (she's definitely right on that front). So the clutch continued to haunt my fashion dreams. While perusing etsy (seriously where does the time go when you're on there?!) I stumbled across clutches that look pretty darn similar from a store called Clutched. I quickly popped a clutch very similar to the one above in my cart. Mine is gray with a yellow zipper. It got here yesterday and I'm so happy! I can't wait to take it out for a night out on the town. 

And it was cheaper And I supported an individual rather than skeevy AA. Win all around. 

San Diego

This past weekend, my cousin and I headed to San Diego for a girly weekend (where we watched lots of football, drank beer, and ate nonstop, haha). 

We stayed at Hotel Indigo, near the Gaslamp District. It was a super cute hotel. Our view:

We ate lunch at a cute pub, then walked around the Gaslamp District and went shopping. Then we rested up at the hotel (ok, ok I took a nap!) Then we headed up to the rooftop bar for a great view of Petco Park (too bad a game wasn't happening)

And some yummy sangria.

That night we went to the Yardhouse and split a beer float (mmm). Then we headed to the Tipsy Crow (I think we just liked the name) and relaxed with some drinks. 

The next day we ate at a small restaurant and then said farewell to the neighborhood. We stopped by Balboa Park for a quick walk around and then drove around Coronado Island. Then it was back home! A wonderful weekend that went by way too fast. Neither of us had spent much time in SD, but we both fell in love. Ready to go back!

Hi again

Soo....I know I've been a little absent from the bloggie lately, but, hey life happens. I've barely unpacked my suitcase in the last few weeks (first SF, then Las Vegas last weekend, and on Saturday, my cousin and I are headed to SD) and I've also (finally!) dived into the Hunger Games and haven't come up for air since. All I have to offer you right now are 3 pretty pictures from my tumblr:

Hope to have more later!

What I'm reading: August

I never like to consider myself a book quitter. I usually stick a book through to the very end. However...this month, I picked up Anthropology of an American Girl. And I became a quitter. (I thought if I could make it through Twilight, I could make it through anything - guess not) I tried, I really did. But I HATED this book. Boring, whiny characters, no discernible plot - I gave up on this one around page 200. To recover from that book, here is what I read:

A Summer Affair. Perfect beachy read. 

The Raising. I looked at this at Borders a few times before I actually brought it home. It's a story of a college freshman, Nicole, who tragically dies in a car accident. Her boyfriend, who was driving the car, is blamed for her death. He becomes haunted by the accident, convinced that she is still alive. As the story unravels, the mystery surrounding Nicole's death grows deeper. You meet a cast of characters whose stories overlap and intersect. I found the subject matter really interesting, and the author's writing was great. In particular, the last 100 pages or so had me really eager to solve the mystery.....and then I felt like the story hit the brakes. The epilogue didn't give a concrete conclusion, and the one that it seemed to lean towards didn't seem plausible without more explanation from the author. Even with that, I'd definitely pick up another book from her. 

Jeans

I've been pretty devoted to skinny jeans for the past few years. Since I'm short, I feel like they flatter my figure best. Lately, however, I've been lusting after wide leg trousers. I know I'd have to wear some skyscraper wedges in order to balance out all that volume, but I want them, I need them. 

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I'll definitely be pairing a less expensive version of these jeans with these wedges and my new mustard-colored sweater once the temperature dips this fall. 

Weekend in SF

Last weekend I headed up for a reunion weekend in San Francisco with my college girls. I haven't been to SF since after freshman year of college, so it was fun to go back and play tourist. It was even better to see all my girls again! We're spread out across the state, but manage to get together every few months. It's always a blast with them. 

We hit up Pier 39 and saw the sea lions.

Saw Alcatraz (from afar).

Walked by Fisherman's Wharf. 

Headed up to Ghirardelli square....

...for the most delicious sea salt hot chocolate.

Later that night, we headed to my friend Nicole's house for a Breakfast at Tiffany's party. (Girl - you outdid yourself!) When she told me she was throwing this party, I kinda thought she was going to throw on the movie, order some pizza and call it a night (which is what I would have done), But she went above and beyond - check it out:

The next morning, we all had brunch (I requested mickey mouse pancakes!) then we headed home. Quick trip, but so worth it. Miss them already!

I gave in...

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Wanderlust

My cousin and I have a serious case of wanderlust. (Check out her super cute travel-themed tumblr) We love to travel, and I think our thirst for new places really kicked off with our trip to Europe in 2008. Ever since then, we've tried to explore as much as possible. The only problem is, we have champagne travel tastes on a beer budget. Until we strike it rich, we're content to soak up local culture (hence our recent trips to Dodger Stadium, the Getty, LA, etc.) We also try to get away for one weekend a year (08 - road trip up to Santa Cruz, 09 - Sequoia, 10 - Palm Springs). This year, we're heading to San Diego. Even though I've been a So Cal girl all my life, I really haven't explored San Diego all that much. We're only going for one night, but I'm really excited. I always have a ball with her. (And since we're both overpackers, it's like having twice the clothes to choose from!) Here is where we're staying (must admit, the rooftop bar pretty much made our decision for us). I can't wait! Any San Diego recommendations?

Thursday night dinners

I've mentioned before that Thursday nights have been designated my nights to cook. One of my 24x24 goals was to branch out a bit more and learn to cook something new. 

I've been watching the Food Network during my workouts (oftentimes causing me to drool all over the treadmill. Thanks Paula Deen and your beignets). The other day I happened to catch part of Giada's show. She made some delicious-looking grilled veggie sandwiches. They seemed easy enough for even me to attempt. But I think I have cooking ADD. Every time I read a recipe that's a little too long, my eyes start to glaze over and I go "eh whatever, I'll just wing it!!" So I read the recipe, but ended up doing a simpler version. I only used zucchini since we had some growing in the garden. I also nixed the tarragon and thyme. I cooked the zucchini in a pan instead of a grill (they turned out fine). I mixed the ingredients, made the sandwiches, and crossed my fingers for a good reaction from the guinea pigs parents. Let's just say...I would have pictures to share with you, except we all wolfed these down way too fast for me to capture some. We all loved it (even my die-hard carnivore dad). I will definitely be making these again!

#14

This weekend, I checked #14 off my list. Cousin, mom and I went to the FIDM museum. They were having an exhibit on the little black dress and an homage to Breakfast at Tiffany's. It was a cool exhibit, just wish it was bigger - there were only about 12 dresses there. Afterwards, we hit up Bottega Louie's for lunch and lots and lots of desserts to take home. Mom and I picked creme brulee, peanut better tart and macarons - delicious. 

Gray Malin

Loving Gray Malin's photography. Would love to have any of his photos blown up and hanging on my wall. Definitely check out his website or his spread in this month's Matchbook. 

Cambridge Satchel Co.

Ever since I saw one of these satchels at the Renegade Craft Fair, I've been obsessively checking the Cambridge Satchel website to plot which color I like best. I'm not sure I'm bold enough for a fluorescent one, but a bright pop of red or green is certainly a possibility. They would make the perfect fall bag (the start of which I'm eagerly anticipanting.) 

They also have steamer trunks and head boy badges....perfect to live out my Harry Potter dreams. 

Beach essentials

Part of me wishes I could spend everyday at the beach...but, girl's gotta work for a living. So weekend trips will have to do. My beach essentials include: a cute bikini, and something extra cute to cover up with (in case of foggy mornings or apres beach drinks), simple flip flops, a hat and shades (I always pick Ray Bans), a large blanket to sprawl out on, books and ipod, lots of water and snacks (preferably frozen grapes), sunscreen, and a large bag to stuff in all in! Whew, did I miss anything?

Stripe cover-up
American Fashion Travel: Designers On The Go
RParisian Chic
H2OMG Bottle in Indoor
TopShop seersucker bathing suit
Havaianas slim shoes
Square handbag
David Young straw fedora hat
Ray-Ban wayfarer shades
Surfrider Blanket
Apple iPod touch®
Ear Bud Headphones

What I'm reading: July

Well, July wasn't my most exciting month for books....

I re-read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (in preparation for the movie!). I think I may have to re-read the whole series now. It's been a few years since I've read them all and I definitely found myself saying "What? I don't remember that!" a lot during the 7th book. 

I also read It's Kind of a Funny Story. It was all right, same as the movie - good, not great. 

Can I also say how devastated I am that Borders is going out of business?! Where am I gonna hang out now? I had to visit the closing sale and say my goodbyes. Sad. 

I love L.A.

Another fun weekend! Saturday, my mom, cousin and I finally saw Harry Potter. Love! That night, cousin snagged free tickets to the Dodgers game for us. (Allowing me to cross #10 off my 24x24 list) We were much more interested in snacks than the game, but it will still fun to go and the Dodgers won! Today, I ventured out to The Getty to go see the Paris: Life and Luxury exhibit. It was wonderful, and it gave me a huge hankering to revisit the City of Light. How was your weekend?