HAPPY BIRTHDAY KK!

First Day of School

I am officially back in school today (and on the lookout for cute med students, lol).  It's still a little bittersweet - on one hand, I'm glad to be productive; on the other hand, I feel like I need more time to get situated after being away for a couple of weeks.  I admit that while I enjoyed two weeks of sheer laziness, it's taking me a while to get back into school mode.  I am soooo not liking the early mornings.

To help with the morning blues, I ordered a bunch of healthy stuff from Amazon - wheatgrass supplements and protein supplements.  I am going to try to kickstart my mornings with a healthy breakfast smoothie, a change from my usual coffee.  I'm not sure I can totally kick the caffeine habit but it's worth a try.

Anyway, back to today.  After class, we decided to enjoy midtown at least one more time before our schedule starts getting too hectic.  It was such a beautiful (albeit scorching) summer evening that we treated ourselves to people-watching at Bryant Park (while dreaming of Earl Grey Tea ice cream, yum).

xoxo

Dinner at Saigon Grill - 08/29/10

I met up with a few friends last night for dinner and to catch up before school starts.  We decided to meet midtown and since it was extremely hot and the place is pretty casual, I decided to wear my new cargo pants with a white top.  I also knew that I had to walk at least a couple blocks so I decided to wear flats.

My new cargo pants fit like a glove so I really can't gain any weight.  And it looks like I need a new purse coz the one above looks like it's about to swallow me whole.  :)

Top: Madewell
Pants: J Brand
Shoes: Tory Burch
Bag: Kooba
Ring: Forever 21 (close up below)

xoxo

New Jeans :)

Two weeks in LA and what do I have to show for?  No, not a tan and yes, you probably guessed right because of the title of this post...NEW JEANS!!  Yay.  For those who know me well, this is not news.  I am after all, a jean junkie.  And since I'm back in school, it's pretty much part of my daily uniform and therefore a justifiable purchase.  Yeah, whatever excuse works at this point.

Now, I don't usually share my shopping secrets (except to my close friends and my mom) but because:
1.) not a lot of people read my blog, and
2.) I'm pretty sure it's not a huge secret,

I'm gonna tell you guys that I bought these 3 pairs for the price of 1!  For those fortunate enough to live in LA, you may avail of this same bargain by visiting the J Brand Factory Outlet in Downtown LA.  My mom had been bugging me to go and I'm glad I went with her.  For a closer look at my purchases, see below (left to right):

12" Pencil Jeans in Ink

Houlihan Cargo Pants in Vintage West Point

 

 

Jean Leggings in Olympia

Caveat, the J Brand Factory Outlet is NOT affiliated with J Brand.  No, they do not sell fakes.  They sell overstock items and they accept credit cards although they tend to give a discount if you pay cash.  Also, they accept returns.  Now, who's ready for new jeans???  xoxo

Images from Shopbop.

Fold-Over Boots

This season's trend that I absolutely love and can't wait to try are fold-over boots.  I've tried on a few but I haven't committed to one just yet.  Actually, it doesn't have to be fold-over per se but if the material is soft enough (i.e. suede), you can go ahead and fold it over.  I'll update you guys as soon as I pick one.  For now, enjoy:

Alexander Wang Fold-Over Boots

Vivienne Westwood (not available anymore)

All Saints Damisi Boots

There are a lot of options out there and I can't wait to finally get one of my own.  I'm nuts over boots so here's hoping I stop at 1 pair this season.  xoxo

The dress that got away...

I love, love, love this dress...and now that I finally found it again, they don't have my size.  Has that ever happened to you?  Ugh, I hate it.  And it makes me sad.

NYC Hotspots

Although I don't have a lot of spare time to hit the town while I'm in NYC, I absolutely love reading about NYC Hotspots.  I think the choices people make about the spots they "love" say a lot about them.  The part I like to read is WHY they like the place so when I actually go and check it out, I see whether their description is accurate.  So enough of my rambling, here's a couple of lists from Refinery29.  And speaking of Refinery29, check it out when you have a chance coz it's like a one-stop shop for all the hip things out there that the normal person doesn't really read about in their daily newspaper.

Shipley & Halmos' List:

1. Lupe's East LA Kitchen: "We hit this spot at least once a week for lunch. Love the vibe, people are nice, and the food is pretty authentic for a NY Mexican restaurant. The huevos rancheros is solid. We also recommend trying one of their aguas frescas."
Lupe's East LA Kitchen, 110 Avenue of the Americas (between Broome and Watts streets); 212-966-1326‎.

2. Church Street Surplus: "Every time we go here, we find great stuff. The owner and his family have been there for years. If you walk in, you'll definitely believe it."
Church Street Surplus, 327 Church Street (between Canal and Lispenard streets); 212-226-5280‎.

3. The City Bakery: "Absolutely obsessed with the pretzel croissants!"
The City Bakery, 3 West 18th Street (near 5th Avenue); 212-366-1414.

4. Printed Matter: "We are really into clever, independently-published books. They have plenty to browse. Make a day of it and visit some galleries in the area."
Printed Matter, 195 10th Avenue (at West 22nd Street); 212-925-0325.

5. Ludlow Guitars: "They have a ton of amazing vintage guitars, amps, pedals, etc. Stairway to Heaven at your own risk."
Ludlow Guitars, 164 Ludlow Street (near Stanton Street); 212-353-1775.


Alice Temperley's List:

1. Blue Ribbon Bakery: "It's perfect for a weekend brunch and delicious Bloody Marys."
35 Downing Street (between Bedford and Bleecker streets); 212-337-0404.

2. Diner: "This restaurant has amazing local, organic seasonal cuisine and is located in a refurbished dining car to boot!"
85 Broadway (at Berry Street); 718-486-3077

3. Raoul's: "A visit to Raoul's for their pepper steak has become a NYC ritual for my husband Lars and me."
180 Prince Street (between Thompson and Sullivan streets); 212-966-3518.

4. What Comes Around Goes Around: "I'm always on the hunt for vintage and love checking out what they have."
351 West Broadway (between Broome and Grand streets); 212-564-6650.

5. Old Goode Things: "This is a great antique store with architectural salvage and amazing vintage furniture. We sourced some incredible pieces for our Soho boutique here."
124 West 24th Street (between 6th and 7th avenues); 212-989-8401.

6. The Cloisters: "This is a fun museum to bike up to and enjoy the silence."
99 Margaret Corbin Drive (at Fort Tryon Place); 212-923-3700. 




Image from sespinophotos.com

Back To School Looks

I go back to NYC in a week and school starts less than a week later so naturally, I've found myself thinking about back-to-school outfits.  This summer has been so hectic that I've been going to school looking like a hobo.  This fall semester, hopefully I won't be as stressed or as tired so I can at least look cute for school (even if it's just one day out of the week).  Below are some outfit inspirations.  Wish me luck.

1. Shopbop looks

2.Anthropologie looks

3. Madewell looks

Faux Sho'

Cheesy title, I know.  Now that I live in NYC, my mom suggested that I get a fur coat.  And as much as I would love too, not only do they cost $$$ but maintenance of fur pieces also cost a lot!  I've always mentioned how much I love fur and most of the time, faux fur doesn't just cut it.  Well, it doesn't unless done right.  The pieces below show that faux does not always equal cheap/tacky.

(Alice & Olivia Chris Faux Fur Vest, $396)

(Wink Leidy Faux Fur Coat, $288)

As cute as the above are, there is just NO substitute for the real thing (I couldn't help myself).

(Gucci F/W 2010 RTW)

Pics courtesy of Shopbop and Style.com

Cali Love

I miss California (specifically LA) fashion sense - very laid back and casual.

(I have these shoes, yay)

Back in LA soon...

and in need of a good haircut!  Now that my hair is longer, I def want to keep my layers but they do need some trimming. 

Choice #1

Hmmm, my hair's not quite this long but I love the soft curls.  Not sure if they'd look good with my round face though.

Choice #2

I haven't had blunt bangs since I was a little kid.  I wonder if I can pull it off this time. 

Choice #3

Or, I can just get a trim to clean up the ends and grow it like above. 

So many choices....so little time to decide.