Here are some super cute work wear items that are inspiring me today. I love the clean, no fuss look of navy, cream and gray.
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
Wednesday Wishlist: Work Wear
Here are some super cute work wear items that are inspiring me today. I love the clean, no fuss look of navy, cream and gray.
Tuesday, February 24, 2015
5 Cool Things
1. The podcast, Serial.
Last night SH and I went to dinner at Diablo with my best friend from elementary school and her boyfriend for his (belated) birthday. We started talking about our favorite TV shows and movies and they told us about this podcast called Serial, which tells the story of a teenager who was convicted of murder back in 1999 on basically just on one person's story- no physical evidence, etc. Makes you rethink the power of a story, huh? I just started listening to it today, so stay tuned for more thoughts.
2. This secret Amazon shopping list from Buzzfeed.
My favorites are numbers 1, 2 and 3. Wait for your mind to be blown.
3. This ridiculously amazing twitter account.
Hours... upon hours... of delicious entertainment for your eardrums.
4. This website where you can sell / shop women's clothing, shoes and accessories at (sometimes) amazing prices.
I've sold one dress and bought one bracelet which hopefully will arrive today!
5. I read the book, here's the blog.
Awesome.
Have a great week!
Last night SH and I went to dinner at Diablo with my best friend from elementary school and her boyfriend for his (belated) birthday. We started talking about our favorite TV shows and movies and they told us about this podcast called Serial, which tells the story of a teenager who was convicted of murder back in 1999 on basically just on one person's story- no physical evidence, etc. Makes you rethink the power of a story, huh? I just started listening to it today, so stay tuned for more thoughts.
2. This secret Amazon shopping list from Buzzfeed.
My favorites are numbers 1, 2 and 3. Wait for your mind to be blown.
3. This ridiculously amazing twitter account.
Hours... upon hours... of delicious entertainment for your eardrums.
4. This website where you can sell / shop women's clothing, shoes and accessories at (sometimes) amazing prices.
I've sold one dress and bought one bracelet which hopefully will arrive today!
5. I read the book, here's the blog.
Awesome.
Have a great week!
Monday, February 23, 2015
San Francisco Weekend
This past weekend I visited one of my best friends from college and we had the most fabulous time walking the city, catching up, laughing and eating the yummiest food.
San Fancisco charm
I love this shade of blue with the white trim :)
We woke up Saturday and had brunch at Polkers for some of the best pancakes I've had in my life! They were super fluffy and delicious! Then we went for a walk through China town, looked in some of the quirky shops, and admired the lanterns.
I got a little carried away with the lantern photos
We traveled to the Financial District where she works and I got to see the gorgeous views from her building. The offices and their respective views were ah-mazing. It was such a beautiful, clear day.
Then we walked to the Ferry Building. We meandered through the cute farmer's market and I got the most delicious lox open faced sandwich with lemons and onions on top. So good! We walked to the little outdoor vendors and found her favorite ring vendor and bought some really cute sterling silver/gold plated rings!
My new knuckle ring
Farmer's market
We had the yummiest apple cinnamon scone/ muffin from this vendor
The Ferry Building
Grace Church
A post card I bought
All in all it was a fab weekend!! I hope you all have a great Monday!
Thursday, February 12, 2015
Life via my iPhone
Not all of life's moments are documentable via dslr. Sometimes my handy dandy iPhone is all I have available.
Post red lip Wicked attire
Happy feet
One of my favorite quotes, hanging on my fridge
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
5 (not-so) Lovely Lessons
Sometimes the best life lessons are the ones we DIDN'T ask for, am I right? I find that the most poignant personal growth moments are not when I am in a grad school chair listening to lecture and taking copious notes about how to improve myself, or when I am in training seminars scribbling quotes and mantras about how to be more compassionate in my work, but rather when I'm out in the real world... interacting with real people... doing things...
Here are some lessons I've learned lately that hopefully will help me be better in work, play, and just life in general. (I hope some of them help you, too.)
1. Clear space makes for a clear mind.
Don't come home to clutter if you can avoid it. I am notorious for taking off my jacket and leaving it draped over the dining room chair, or leaving my shoes at the door, clothes draped over my side table, etc. Why? Why do I purposefully leave things around when it takes approximately 2 minutes to put said item in its rightful place? My mom has been trying to teach me this for years but I just haven't quite gotten the knack for it yet! Well, guess what has helped me get the knack for putting stuff away...
ANTS!
On Superbowl Sunday (before the game had started) I discovered I had ants in my apartment. Now, I am not a "dirty" person- I may not be super tidy all the time, but I keep a clean space (aka not "dirty" though perhaps cluttered.) These ants were (I kid you not) making their gross little ant trails for ONE TINY PIECE of granola that had fallen out of the cereal box when I poured my cereal and fell on the floor. ONE PIECE!!! I was so mad. So, I cleaned my apartment top to bottom for 5 hours to get rid of unwanted ant visitors and just clean the place in general (which felt amazing.) This leads me to my next lesson...
2. Do your dishes immediately.
My last roommate is AWESOME at this. We didn't have a dishwasher so I learned to do my dishes quickly after I'd eaten or made my meal. I have a dishwasher in my new place but guess what? My new place has ants and guess what attracts ants? Food so now I just keep in the habit of doing all my dishes as soon as they're used. And it feels AWESOME.
3. Clean your makeup brushes regularly.
I get sick fairly frequently. Maybe on average once every two months? (Does this seem frequent/more than the average person my age?) I don't know. But SH pointed out that I rub my eyes a lot. I may be a hand washing freak, but he makes a great point. Rubbing eyes, nose, ears, mouth you name it is a big no no if you want to avoid spreading germs. Guess what also spreads germs? Makeup brushes. Guess what I rub around my eyes, nose and mouth? My makeup brushes. I need to get on a cleaning schedule because not only is it gross, it could be spreading bacteria around my face. (Also not good for skin care.)
4. Develop a good work routine.
I struggle with routine. I really do. I love the idea of packing my lunch every night before work the next day, and waking up at 6 to shower and shave my legs and go to work but the reality is that just doesn't happen. I'm going to make more of a conscious effort to improve my routine so that I maximize the hours in my day and turn non productive time into productive time. I want to wake up earlier while still getting enough sleep (which means I will have to get to bed earlier...), I want to save money by packing my lunch, I want to look and feel professional when I get to work so I need to groom myself appropriately, do my hair and makeup as I see fit and dress the part, etc. All of these are goals. I'm learning. I also don't have a great way of organizing my time. Does anyone have good organization apps for an iphone to recommend? I need good life hacks, people!
5. Work Out Regularly. Enough said.
I feel infinitely healthier, happier, and more fit when I work out regularly. For me, regularly means 3-4 times a week, at least. I like to work out by going to krav maga and kick boxing classes. That has really helped me get in shape and feel good about fitness and my health. When I neglect my workout routine, my stress levels soar.
*Bonus lesson: DO NOT CHECK EMAIL BEFORE BED.
I learned this yesterday when I checked my email at 11:30pm. I was already getting in bed super late, I wasn't feeling well, I was tired, and then I checked my email when I heard my phone bing. I got an email that in the moment made me feel awful - only to seem much less threatening in the light of morning. Has that ever happened to anyone else? Not to mention emails are often work related, stress inducing, spam, newsletters, -- all things that are much too stimulating when you are about to fall asleep. Just say no. Put your phone across the room and turn it on silent.
I'd love to know, what are some of your life lessons that may have been painful at the time but you're thankful for now? Any tips on any of the above items? Thanks for reading!
Here are some lessons I've learned lately that hopefully will help me be better in work, play, and just life in general. (I hope some of them help you, too.)
1. Clear space makes for a clear mind.
Don't come home to clutter if you can avoid it. I am notorious for taking off my jacket and leaving it draped over the dining room chair, or leaving my shoes at the door, clothes draped over my side table, etc. Why? Why do I purposefully leave things around when it takes approximately 2 minutes to put said item in its rightful place? My mom has been trying to teach me this for years but I just haven't quite gotten the knack for it yet! Well, guess what has helped me get the knack for putting stuff away...
ANTS!
On Superbowl Sunday (before the game had started) I discovered I had ants in my apartment. Now, I am not a "dirty" person- I may not be super tidy all the time, but I keep a clean space (aka not "dirty" though perhaps cluttered.) These ants were (I kid you not) making their gross little ant trails for ONE TINY PIECE of granola that had fallen out of the cereal box when I poured my cereal and fell on the floor. ONE PIECE!!! I was so mad. So, I cleaned my apartment top to bottom for 5 hours to get rid of unwanted ant visitors and just clean the place in general (which felt amazing.) This leads me to my next lesson...
2. Do your dishes immediately.
My last roommate is AWESOME at this. We didn't have a dishwasher so I learned to do my dishes quickly after I'd eaten or made my meal. I have a dishwasher in my new place but guess what? My new place has ants and guess what attracts ants? Food so now I just keep in the habit of doing all my dishes as soon as they're used. And it feels AWESOME.
3. Clean your makeup brushes regularly.
I get sick fairly frequently. Maybe on average once every two months? (Does this seem frequent/more than the average person my age?) I don't know. But SH pointed out that I rub my eyes a lot. I may be a hand washing freak, but he makes a great point. Rubbing eyes, nose, ears, mouth you name it is a big no no if you want to avoid spreading germs. Guess what also spreads germs? Makeup brushes. Guess what I rub around my eyes, nose and mouth? My makeup brushes. I need to get on a cleaning schedule because not only is it gross, it could be spreading bacteria around my face. (Also not good for skin care.)
4. Develop a good work routine.
I struggle with routine. I really do. I love the idea of packing my lunch every night before work the next day, and waking up at 6 to shower and shave my legs and go to work but the reality is that just doesn't happen. I'm going to make more of a conscious effort to improve my routine so that I maximize the hours in my day and turn non productive time into productive time. I want to wake up earlier while still getting enough sleep (which means I will have to get to bed earlier...), I want to save money by packing my lunch, I want to look and feel professional when I get to work so I need to groom myself appropriately, do my hair and makeup as I see fit and dress the part, etc. All of these are goals. I'm learning. I also don't have a great way of organizing my time. Does anyone have good organization apps for an iphone to recommend? I need good life hacks, people!
5. Work Out Regularly. Enough said.
I feel infinitely healthier, happier, and more fit when I work out regularly. For me, regularly means 3-4 times a week, at least. I like to work out by going to krav maga and kick boxing classes. That has really helped me get in shape and feel good about fitness and my health. When I neglect my workout routine, my stress levels soar.
*Bonus lesson: DO NOT CHECK EMAIL BEFORE BED.
I learned this yesterday when I checked my email at 11:30pm. I was already getting in bed super late, I wasn't feeling well, I was tired, and then I checked my email when I heard my phone bing. I got an email that in the moment made me feel awful - only to seem much less threatening in the light of morning. Has that ever happened to anyone else? Not to mention emails are often work related, stress inducing, spam, newsletters, -- all things that are much too stimulating when you are about to fall asleep. Just say no. Put your phone across the room and turn it on silent.
I'd love to know, what are some of your life lessons that may have been painful at the time but you're thankful for now? Any tips on any of the above items? Thanks for reading!
Monday, February 9, 2015
Valentine's Day Gifts for Him
This year SH and I are opting out of a fancy Valentine's Day dinner in favor of spending the whole day together. Because the holiday falls on a Saturday this year, it allows for a full day of togetherness. We're planning some more frugal activities like making breakfast at home and riding our bikes rather than a fancy evening out. I couldn't put his gift on here because then he'd know what it was, but here are some fun ideas to get the ball rolling if you still need some ideas for what to get your man for V-Day. Some of these are on the more expensive end (i.e. coffee maker) and others are on the lesser expensive end (i.e. silicon grilling gloves). I hope you have a great day!
Friday, February 6, 2015
Valentine's Day Card Giveaway
Hi everyone and happy weekend! Today I'm excited to announce my first ever Etsy giveaway! How adorable are these hand crafted cards by the Etsy shop, frome.toyou?! Valentine's Day is just ONE week away. Have you been struggling to find the perfect card for your best friend, your crush or your bae? Look no further because nothing says "I love you" like a hand crafted card. Plus, you'd be supporting an Etsy shop owner and how cool is that? The giveaway starts tonight (2/6) at 10:45 pm PCT and ends Monday night (2/9) at 10:45 pm PCT. Get entered below for a chance to win one of the two cards pictured below, which have been graciously donated by frome.toyou for this giveaway! If you are randomly selected as the winner, please let me know which card you would like me to send you. You must follow BOTH of our instagram accounts to enter. Good luck! Follow her on insta at http://instagram.com/frometoyou.madeasy
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Second option:
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Comes with Twine & Heart Envelope:
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Thursday, February 5, 2015
Valentine's Day Lip Color Picks
Good morning! Happy Friday Eve! Today we're talking Valentine's Day Lip Color picks. The lighting in my apartment is kind of weird so the white paper looks almost... iridescent, (but don't be fooled! I didn't filter this photo.) All that aside, I had a lot of fun kissing paper creating this cute little Valentine's Day lip color palette!
Which color would you choose to wear on Valentine's Day, 1, 2, 3 or 4? Do you have a go-to VDay lip color all picked out yet?
I think one of the most fun parts about Valentine's Day is wearing lots of red and pink. I haven't decided what I'm going to wear yet, so once I have that figured out the the lip color will follow, but right now I'm leaning towards the flirty, pouty second color which is the Sephora Collection Ultra Shine Lip Gloss in Shiny Pin-up Pink. This lipgloss is super glossy, smooth, and very pretty on. It has a lot of color for a lipgloss and is a really fun, vibrant color, perfect for VDay! Also, because it's a gloss it doesn't fade unevenly or smudge outside of your lip lines the way that lipstick can. It's also super easy to reapply, you don't even need a mirror so just throw it in your bag and go.
As for the lipsticks, the first one on the palette is by NARS in Red Lizard. I got it recently and I like it a lot. It does start to fade around the middle after hours and some eating without reapplication (normal) so just make sure you reapply as necessary.
The third color is Kiss Me Coral by Revlon. I bought mine at a local drugstore but in searching for the link to include in this post I found that you can buy it at Walmart for like $5. Woo! I'm not wearing this color as often right now because I usually save it for summer, but I have quite a few Revlon lipsticks that I rotate through. To be perfectly honest I must prefer the Revlon ColorBurst crayons to their lipsticks. The application is easier and I think the color stays on longer.
The last lip color is also the most expensive at $33. I like this lip color a lot because it's bold and punchy and super RED, but it is quite thin and runny, so you are truly painting it on your face. It's beautiful as long as you use a lipliner (if you don't it may bleed) and check yourself to make sure it's not on your teeth! It's definitely the most powerful color out of the four and extremely smooth to put on. If you want a really dramatic red, I think this is the one to go with. It's Georgio Armani Lip Maestro Lip Stain in Hollywood.
Side note: have any of you ever worn NARS lipstick in Shanghai Express? It looks really pretty online, but I can't really tell how it would look on just from that image.
I hope you all have a great day!!
Wednesday, February 4, 2015
Valentine's Day Wishlist
Hey all. Valentine's day isn't really a gift giving holiday the way that Christmas is, but while we're on the subject... How pretty are the new Pink Peonies Collection tassel earrings and that Paloma Picasso Olive Leaf Vine Bracelet? *Swoon* (Pink Peonies is one of my favorite bloggers so I'm super excited about her new line.) Items 3 and 4 are for my future dirt bike... Item 2 is Emily's book which is on pre-order since it doesn't come out until May. Any way those are my picks. Have a great day!
Tuesday, February 3, 2015
January Recap
Hi everyone! These posts might be kind of boring to you because it's really just a recap of my month... But basically this will be a new series that catches any monthly activities or outings that maybe didn't make the initial blog cut (aka I didn't have a camera ready) or fell through the cracks. My hope with these posts is that I will continue to document my life so I don't forget all the amazing things that I get to do and see and share with the people I love! My hope is also that you may find a thing or two on here that you want to try or do. So, let's get started!
January was a bit of a whirlwind. With getting my new place organized, being gone on the weekends, trying to get back in a groove after a long vacation and getting over being sick, I felt like I was running, running, running (but in a good way!)
January highlights included:
- Camping (twice!!) with SH. We went to Jalama Beach (which you can read about here) and Jawbone open area with friends. I never got around to doing a post about the Christmas Tree Burn which was prettyyy epic... Maybe some pictures will end up on here sometime... Christmas Tree Burn is when you get together an obscene amount of Christmas trees and friends for a post Christmas bonfire and ride dirt bikes and ATVs and wreak havoc and just enjoy the desert. Jawbone is an open space that has inspired my inner 6th grader to get a dirt bike and channel the girl from the 2001 Disney original movie "Motocrossed" (yeah.. you know the one!) So stay tuned for that to happen.
- A colleague/friend's going away party at work. I'm so proud and excited for her! Congrats Megan!
- Dinner with a friend at The Rockefeller which I really enjoyed. I like the ambiance though it was a bit loud inside the restaurant. We opted to sit on the patio which was perfect. I had the braised short rib tacos (delicious.) We swiped through her Tinder app while chatting and drinking wine. It was pretty great.
- Cookie Con with SH which I wrote about here. Yummy treats, what can I say?
- Taking SH to Wicked- the best! The Pantages is so cool. Do you have any more theaters in LA to recommend?
- Watching Band of Brothers (we just finished episode 5.)
And now it's February! Good grief! I hope you all enjoyed the Super Bowl (though I was sad the Seahawks lost, poor Pete, although who am I kidding I don't really care about football that much.) What did you think about Katy Perry's performance? I really liked the dancing/smiling palm trees and the singing sharks. That was definitely the highlight for me.
Have a great week!
January was a bit of a whirlwind. With getting my new place organized, being gone on the weekends, trying to get back in a groove after a long vacation and getting over being sick, I felt like I was running, running, running (but in a good way!)
January highlights included:
- Camping (twice!!) with SH. We went to Jalama Beach (which you can read about here) and Jawbone open area with friends. I never got around to doing a post about the Christmas Tree Burn which was prettyyy epic... Maybe some pictures will end up on here sometime... Christmas Tree Burn is when you get together an obscene amount of Christmas trees and friends for a post Christmas bonfire and ride dirt bikes and ATVs and wreak havoc and just enjoy the desert. Jawbone is an open space that has inspired my inner 6th grader to get a dirt bike and channel the girl from the 2001 Disney original movie "Motocrossed" (yeah.. you know the one!) So stay tuned for that to happen.
- A colleague/friend's going away party at work. I'm so proud and excited for her! Congrats Megan!
- Dinner with a friend at The Rockefeller which I really enjoyed. I like the ambiance though it was a bit loud inside the restaurant. We opted to sit on the patio which was perfect. I had the braised short rib tacos (delicious.) We swiped through her Tinder app while chatting and drinking wine. It was pretty great.
- Cookie Con with SH which I wrote about here. Yummy treats, what can I say?
- Taking SH to Wicked- the best! The Pantages is so cool. Do you have any more theaters in LA to recommend?
- Watching Band of Brothers (we just finished episode 5.)
And now it's February! Good grief! I hope you all enjoyed the Super Bowl (though I was sad the Seahawks lost, poor Pete, although who am I kidding I don't really care about football that much.) What did you think about Katy Perry's performance? I really liked the dancing/smiling palm trees and the singing sharks. That was definitely the highlight for me.
Have a great week!
Monday, February 2, 2015
Wicked
Dress: H&M (got it on sale for $20!) | Bag: Chanel (mom's, borrowed) | Lips: Red Lizard by Nars
SH and I went to Wicked this weekend at the Pantages Theater in Hollywood. It was his Christmas present from me and I was so happy because he absolutely loved it! I bought the tickets back in October so it was really special that we were able to enjoy such a wonderful and well-acted show (after waiting a long three months.) The singing was fantastic and the actors got multiple standing ovations at the end. If you're in the LA area I definitely recommend going to the Pantages at least once- it's so much fun!
As for this dress, I bought it when H&M was having a huge after-Christmas sale. I love a good bargain! I can't wait to wear it over and over for date nights or even to a fancier work function. It's comfortable, roomy and the detailing on the sleeves adds a nice touch of glam. I went for an edgier look with studded ankle boots but it would be equally cute with heels or ballet flats depending on the function you're attending.
I'd also like to announce the randomly selected winner of my giveaway! Congratulations to Megan in Boston, you are the winner! I have contacted you via email so please get back in touch with me asap! Thank you so much to everyone who entered and as always thanks for reading and following along on Maple and Mint.
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