take a whiff

this past weekend i've had a heightened sense of smell and have been drawn to rich scents to satisfy it. cocoa & vanilla have been my favorites. candles, soaps, lotion, or just fresh baked goodies have made me crave being surrounded by delicious aromas at all time.

leave it to the French to come up with chocolate-scented stamps. they really know how to live.
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i can't resist the smell of coffee either, particularly mocha
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initial here

i'm a fan of everything monogram, especially these jennifer zeuner initial necklaces. large enough to be noticed but simple enough for everyday wear. make this your next signature piece.

the gold standard

burberry's signature trench coat has gone platinum in burberry prosum's metallic stamped leather trench. perfect for this coming fall/winter, practically made for walking into holiday parties, this coat has all of the essentials: large flap pockets, spread collars, and the double breasted, brass engraved buttons. it proves everything is better in gold, satiating your craving for all things shiny!

Carla Gugino
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stick with the classics

there are two things that i've always wanted to wear but haven't been able to pull off- yet.

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first: red lipstick. it has that old hollywood glamour, femme fatale come-hither appeal that looks phenomenal when done right. it makes even the sloppiest of outfits and the messiest of hair look sophisticated, like you meant to be a mess because obviously you have red lipstick on. sadly, my skin tone has made it tricky for me to obtain this.

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second: glasses. i've yet to find the perfect pair to achieve that geek-chic look. i think girls look adorable in square glasses, preferably black plastic ones, but i also like tortoise shell.

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i'm going spec shopping tomorrow with my mom, wish me luck!

Crushed

i was inspired by my new nail polish called "crush" by sally hansen. while i was looking for a new color, this one instantly caught by eye. it's bold, fun, and unique, with underlying hints of shimmery pink. i remembered that i've been seeing this bright color everywhere and it seems to be the color of the moment.

summer in the city

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peaches&cream satin chair

hermes orange. it doesn't get any classier.
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atomic orange: "rich, vibrant, and packed with energy!"

i love the painted book case and pillows, it's unexpected in a good way

why don't you stay for breakfast?

summer weekend mornings are prime for indulging in lengthy breakfasts. even if it's a simple but delectable meal, i love stretching it over an hour or so with a cup of coffee or tea, the news or a magazine, some relaxing music, and watching the sun pour in in my comfiest pjs. i especially love all of the above during the quiet of early morning before most people are awake and going about their days. there's a stillness that is so nourishing, something you can't get during the week when you're always on the go.

if you're not quite alert enough to prepare a full course breakfast, even though i am always up for omlettes, french toast, and the works, here are some easy ideas you might not have thought of:

put your favorite kind of berries into a bowl, add a dash of sugar, and then pour milk over. voila! when i say easy, i mean easy.

have with a toasted almond croissant and spread with nutella, occasionally dipping in your latte, or drink of choice

for a more brunchy taste-
toast multi-grain bread, spread with cream cheese (or if you're me, drown in cream cheese), lightly salt and fresh ground pepper, thinly slice tomatoes and add red onions or chives if you prefer

recipes via here

shine, the weather's fine

summer is quickly coming to a close, not matter how much i am resisting, and it's got me thinking about all of the fabulous vacation spots i have yet to visit. nothing sounds better than laying an a white sand beach under a colorful umbrella, dozing with the salty ocean breeze caressing you. with a good book and breaks to go snorkeling, jet-skiiing, sailing, or just swimming, and a fruity drink awaiting your return, its exactly what i need right now. either of the tropical destinations below sound like a little slice of heaven:

Mykonos

Bora Bora

with the weather cooling down i'm longing for those warm, balmy nights were its still 80 degrees in the middle of the night and perfectly acceptable to go strolling on the beach or through town in a billowy sundress

holmes&yang

in reading the september issue of vogue, there was an article on new things to look forward to in fall. the first item was the new collaboration between katie holmes and her stylist jeanne yang. imaginatively called holmes&yang, their line is out of my price range but focuses on classic basics that will become staples in your closet now and stay until forever.

"We talked a lot about clothes, " says Yang, "and how it's really unfair that guys get to have a uniform!"

The pair wanted to make...

"effortless, tailored pieces for women that give an instant sharpness the way a man's suit does"

This got me thinking about what should be the base of every woman's wardrobe, items that are easy but still beautiful, that give every outfit that pulled together feeling, even if you overslept and rushed to get ready in five minutes. These are my top 10 for fall:

1. sheer neutral blouse
2. soft plain white t-shirt
3. crisp white button down
4. flattering indigo denim jeans, preferably cigarette slim or boot cut
5. black boyfriend blazer
6. over the knee leather boots
7. camel colored trench coat (an added plus if there are gold buttons)
8. cropped leather jacket
9. detailed ballet flats (understated jewels, bows, frills, or a little something else to keep it interesting but not overwhelming)
10. nude, closed toe 4 inch heels


(11.) flouncy skirt (tiered, ruffled)
(12.) the go-to dress, scoop neck, long sleeved, dark colored to build on with shoes and jewelry
(13.) speaking of jewelry...a classic gold watch or oversized gold cocktail ring you can wear with everything, its called statement jewelry for a reason

okay, okay i couldn't settle for just 10. i put 11-13 in parentheses to make it look like an option but it really isn't. le sigh. looks like i have some shopping to do. on the bright side, you can mix and match all these pieces and look polished at a moment's notice. that sounds worth it to me!

dreamy dresser

i spent my entire lunch break today perusing Z Gallerie on Beverly. I fell in love with this dresser. rustic and utterly romantic, this mirrored dresser looks aged to perfection, like it could have been an antique excavated from the titantic that you happened to stumble upon at a flea market. well maybe not quite, but you get my point. it would look great with a large gilted gold mirror hung above it to make the top of the dresser a vanity, lining up old perfume bottles and jewelry stands. too bad i don't have an extra thousand bucks laying around...

Borghese 7-Drawer Dresser

the picture doesn't do it justice, it looks much more beautiful in person

luck be a lady

i've always found kate spade to be on the tad bit boring side, even at the pinnacle of her purse popularity. but recently i've been spying her ads for her new collection in magazines and i have to say that she's won me over. cutesy, retro, classic but still fun, the collection is full of polka dots, bows, lace, jewels, and golden buttons. the dominant color scheme is red, white & black, harkening back to the 60's but with a modern GossipGirl-esque take. i love this ultra-fem look for fall, it's so dainty! here are some of the pieces i like the most:

obsession personified

arguably my top three favorite things in the world: macarons, chanel, & cocktail rings. all in one picture. tempting, taunting, tantalizing.

perfumeria

in attempts to go perfume shopping my friend and i went to two wholesale perfume places for some great deals but alas, they were closed on sundays. so we ended up at bloomingdales which completely defeated the purpose of getting cheap but wonderful perfumes. however, i found my top three favorite scents:

1. Flowerbomb by Viktor & Rolfe
2. Coco Mademoiselle by Chanel
3. Flora by Gucci


Flowerbomb made me want to spritz it all over my sheets and just lay around in bed all day long, it was sweet & delicious but not overly so, and had a distinct feminine smell that was not the generic floral or musk you usually get from all other perfumes. it smells like luxury and i'm dying to add it to my vanity.

time flies

exactly one year ago, on august 16, 2008, i was boarding a plane at LAX to London, then to Florence, Italy for a four month study abroad program. i can not believe it's been a whole year, 365 days since then. it went so fast it almost makes me sad. i've experienced so much in those four months and in the past year, and it seems like yesterday i was in the mediterranean. with wistful reminiscing here is a gorgeous short film made out of 4500 still frames:

Notte Sento (English subtitles) from napdan on Vimeo.

it makes me want to go back right now and stay forever

d&g

i was reading elle magazine and found an article with dolce&gabbana outlining do's and don'ts for every woman. i took these fabulous men's words to heart and here are some of the ones i liked:

Don't shy away from retroglam: actresses from the 50's like marilyn monroe, with that look and that style- their allure is a dream. you couldn't avoid staring at them.

Don't ever forget to be yourself- theres nothing less attractive than someone who's trying too hard. the most important thing is to feel comfortable with yourself and your look.


Don't get stuck in a perfume rut you personality changes according to your mood, so why just let one scent define you?

Do know that smart is ultimately sexy. Michelle Obama, Hillary Clinton, they're intelligent, beautiful women who are, above all, aware of their power. their sexiness comes from the inside too.

sunday kind of love

today i feel like lounging at home, under a big open window, sitting on my big couch with a good book, a glass of rose, my laptop, and maybe an occasional nap here & there.

flashing brights

color of the moment: hot pink hot pink hot pink everywhere

a basket for my bicycle

i've been wanting a bicycle for a long time now and a basket in the front is a must! not only are they convenient but they can be so cute. i saw this one on A+R store's website:

it makes me want to ride to a farmers market and fill it up with fresh fruit and flowers!

Pop!

white is my absolute favorite color, or i guess lack of color. it makes everything look so bright & gives a room an elegant minimalism. one of my favorite aesthetics is when white is used as the dominant decorating scheme with a variants of a vivid accent color that stands out and brings everything together.

i love the colorful mural on the wall, even if i don't know exactly what it is, and the vases of pink roses that discreetly match the blown glass chandelier in the kitchen

this quiet room reminds me of feeling sea mist on the beach

the pastels with white give this living room such a relaxed, airy, countryside feeling. clean & crisp but still comforting. and i'm dying to have one of those round, persian inspired seats that they cleverly used as a coffee table.

lavender & lovely lighting

these black framed windows are amazing

dashes of teal & turquoise bring happiness into this room

the brass light fixtures and cabinet knobs are wonderful. the cool greens maintain the pristine chic of this kitchen. i also adore the backs of the high chairs, how unusual.

simple shabby chic. perfection.

lesson of the day: you can never have too much white paint and little touches go a long way.