shoes that make the lady make the lady?

Best advice I've heard in a really long time. #dontmatchcrazywithcrazy

True story my friend. Crazy swirls around you. Crazy can make you crazy. Crazy makes you mad. Crazy doesn't know it's crazy. When normal is crazy, to crazy you're normal. So when crazy heads your way, don't up the ante, fold. AND seek immediate attention from a retail therapist.

Meet little lady lovely in a 9 page Vogue Paris spread. She's the little beezy I wanted to be at 8.  Some would call this crazy.

p to the s. i bet your shoes never cheated on you, stabbed you in the back, or pretended to be someone they're not.

We all learn lessons the hard way.  We all learn lessons by doing.  And one thing I've learned in the past month, if you don't throw it out in the universe, it can't throw it back at you.  So throw it out there big or small and watch what happens.

Exhibit A

These Louboutins are my Christmas present from my practical, "that check will pay your car payment for 4 months", hubs.  Jaw dropped.  Beyond surprised.  For the first time I said "I die", and actually understood what it meant.

A while back I shared my Polyvore dreamlist and told my hubs, the day I buy myself a pair of Louboutins, in my mind I've made it.  He remembered my list.  He found an even more beautiful pair, and sob story short, the shoe didn't fit.  They were too small, and sold out.

Exhibit B

We marched right down to Neiman Marcus and found a similar pair, that I actually loved even more... The very last one... in MY size.  I died twice this week. 

Exhibit C

Don't let me fool you.  I probably shouldn't own these shoes within our means, but here they sit, packed neatly away in the box, sleeping in their red sleeping bag, waiting for the right occasion to come out of hibernation.

Exhibit D

The thing that really made my Christmas and put my life in perspective:  Our itty bitty not even a foot tall Christmas Tree... Which my mother in law sent us because she knew we did not get a tree, because our apartment is too small with too many animals to knock it down.  But this little nugget really made our entire holiday.

Verdict

Sure the shoes made me swoon, smile, and die, but it was the tiny tree, the crazy beautiful friends and family, and ever surprising tall glass of water of a hubs that really rocked my Christmas world.  #luckygirl  Universe, I owe you one.

bombshell hair: haute or knot?

p.s. in my secret life, I'm a hairstylist, I just don't have any clients, or a license, nor do I get paid.

Today's hair inspiration via Glamour.com

I came across this Glamour article on how to recreate the sleepy delicious hairstyle that all the Victoria Secret Angels wore in their recent Show.  I've always been curious if these explanations actually work, so I'm going for Angel Bombshell hair today.  Boom there it is.  Excited to see how it turns out.  #eep

P to the S, I will not be donning a diamond bra to complete the look.

Step one:  Messy hair?  Check!

Step Two: For me, I need a little height and a little pin back of the bangs.  So we went with the triple bobby pin swoop.

 Step Three, Four, Five and Six: Yank your hair high like you're gonna ponytail it. Start twisting TIGHTLY.  Spin it around in a bun and secure with a hair-tie.  For extra hold, secure with a couple open pronged hair pins.

Voila, ready for the day and night... I slept in this bun to work the magic in the morning.

Morning after the bun:  There's my tussle of hair in all it's morning glory.

Add the tools:  Shot my roots with thickening spray, and powdered with satin sugar, or dry shampoo.  No grease on this coif.

Section off in to four and curl baby:  I split my hair down the middle from behind, then cut those two section in half and curled each big piece.  IDEALLY, this would probably work better with a larger curling iron.

Left with ringlets:  After curling the four pieces, ringlets remained.  Which are fun for the right night, but not today.  So I turned my head upside-down and started ruffling my feathers.

Ta-da:  Here I am a couple hours later after some ruffling and a bit of outside dampness on my morning coffee trip.

Meh:  Probably gonna try this again with hairspray in my hair, and some backcombing.

Stay warm and well. xo

rain rain feel free to stay...

when it rains it pours... so stay inside and stay warm

We've had a wickedly rainy week in San Diego.  I am talking roads closed all around my house because our city is not supposed to experience weather, ever.  Last night I missed yoga with my favorite instructor who I haven't seen for weeks because "I've been too busy".  I.E. I have had no balance.  Needless to say optimism had washed away in the rain.

These guys had no problem with the rain.  I literally couldn't leave the house because of the floods, so the babies got to hang all day long, kennel free, and with multiple walks.

Shockingly, I don't take to the cold very well.  Not a big fan of rain or snow, but whenever I need a piece of sunshine, my cherished Beverly Hills Hotel coffee cup and apple cider spiced tea brings me back to the glory days in LA.

Best.  Christmas.  Present.  Ever.  Grandma Betty whipped up a "vegan" version of her famous spaghetti sauce.  But, this is the same woman who has asked me close to a hundred times if I can eat chicken because that's not really meat.  So I'm not asking if she used chicken stock, I'm making some vegan chili with the sauce, enjoying every bite and remembering my days faking being sick at school to go hang with Grandma Betty.

Naturally, this chili should be served in my rudolph mug.  I have a full Christmas collection, which I have taken one after another year after year at my best friends annual Christmas Eve party.  Here's the thing, I'm not a thief, but these mugs never saw the light of day outside the cupboard, and I wanted to celebrate them.  My friend's family doesn't care, they actually gave me a mug as part of my wedding dish.  Pretty sure those only one left I need to capture.

Vegan Chili Di Whitters

• 1 cup of mixed beans, garbanzo, pinto and black
• 1 tablespoon of hummus (instead of cream)
• 2 cups of Grandma Betty's Spaghetti Sauce
• 1 Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer Mug

Oh and just one glass of red wine on the side to really make this day half full of happy.

Cute as a button.

Hope you all stay warm this season.  When it rains, find your sunshine somehow.  

your corners of the world

Lately I've realized a rather large shift happening in my life.  Everything from my dreams, friends, and what really holds stock in my priorities are changing.  Some have been changing for a long time, some are new, and some I am just beginning to realize will change.  Normally change frightens me, but today, I'm welcoming it with open arms, and holding dear my little corners of the world.

Coral Tree Cafe in Brentwood, this exact spot under the heater was our corner of the world in college.  Going back recently reminded me how much I miss LA, and how much I have grown out of this person who originally sat there.

Sunday morning indulgences, homemade cappuccino, January Vogue.  Finding my balance again with my reading.  I have been working so much and have been so busy, I haven't made time for the things I love, like Vogue, Italian Vogue, and catching up on my BlogLovin'.  I'm bringing Sundays back.

Drops of cappuccino, sprinkles of chocolate, topped off with love.

Need I Say more?

Bialetti milk frother.  Haven't used this bad boy in over a year, I forgot how wonderfully delicious it whips up the foam for my capp.

Moka stove top espresso maker.  The way the Italians do.

Homemade cappuccino in the awesome tea china I got for our wedding.  It only make special appearances, but since it makes me so happy, I think I need to use at least one cup a week for a smile.

Homemade butternut squash soup a friend made for me, just because.  Makes the ol' heart warm, and it was delicious.

Balanced indulgences.  Because I've been rather busy lately, the at least hour workout a day I am accustomed to is not always realistic.  So I've committed myself to a 20 minute interval workout every morning.  It doesn't take long, I break a sweat, run as fast as I possibly can, and at 9:30 at night I don't beat myself up for exhaustion and no workout.  Sometimes you have to give yourself a break and just acknowledge the place your in, embrace it, and hold on to your corners of the world.  

Life changes, but simple pleasures always seem to you right back to a simple happy life.

breakfast: cappuccino and vogue italia

Good morning beautiful, how was your night?

Mine was wonderful with you by my side...  This morning as I sipped my new morning proteinaccino, I said to myself, "Self, there must have been a time when life was this simple.  When you weren't judged for a morning smoke in the garden in your lace."  I just love Vogue Italia for continuing to challenge what is beautiful, what is okay, and why we take life so seriously.

If I can be as glamorous as this woman in 60 years, scratch that, if I have the balls to be this lady, I will know I've lived a life worth living.  I've always believed that if what you wear makes you happy, you will never look stupid.  At least you won't really give a deuce how you look, life's just not that complicated to over think it.

glamour does not touch the essence of this beaut

Nail polish, lipstick, rings, eyeliner, feathers, all perfection.

Enjoy being you.

At the end of the day, enjoy what you wear, enjoy what you do, enjoy you.  You may as well match the rest of the wall paper in the world... Life was probably never simple so long as emotions and egos were involved.  But life is pretty awesome if you just step back and appreciate the little things that love you back.

Or you can take a stand for what makes you happy.  Like red lipstick, glitter, gold, and drops of cappuccino on Sunday mornings.

Random thought of the day:  I need help tying my scarves, anyone have a how to with a plethora of ways in which I can wrap it? 

images taken of vogue italia via my rockin iphone.

Oh Nordies. So brilliant.

It's no secret I have been a long time fan of Nordstrom. Aside from the fashions I ALWAYS find, I love everything about Nordies. From how clean their stores are, how they will take back almost anything, and how they really put the guest first. I could do less with the occasional pushy associate, I think I sign of the times and trying to make rent more than anything. But anyways, when you find a good salesperson at Nordies, they become your lifetime personal shopper.

Pretty little boxes wrapped up in a bow.

There's really no simpler a joy than the pretty silver boxes and bags you carry home with you, or to your bestie. They wrap your selections with care, and it really helps you justify the hmm $100 hrhhhm $200 on makeup (it's been a while you needed to start fresh, it's fine, we get it). But it wasn't until recently on a visit with the hubs, that I realized just how much I loved Nordies.

The men's shoe department... Do you spy what I spy?

Let's be clear. I don't drag the hubs to the mall or Nordies all the time, he was picking up a suit, and I found a window of opportunity to pick up some makeup, and a gift for a recently engaged friend. Normally when I break away from his structured day of errands and find something more interesting like the Laura Mercier counter, I get a few phone calls demanding my whereabouts to return to our regularly scheduled program. (P.S. remind me to someday tell you why your life is complete when you discover Laura.)

Today was different. I ventured off for a good hour before the hubs wondered where I was. Why? He was watching football in the men's shoe department of Nordstrom. Brilliant Nordies, you just gave me an extra hour to shop and I probably gave you a hundred extra bills. Totally worth it. Happy wife, happy life.

sparkle and shine and innovate.

“I’ve always taken risks, and never worried what the world might really think of me.” - Cher

The thing is, it's possible that from time to time I overdo sparkles, shine and all that glitters. But to be honest it makes me so happy, I am okay with the possible faux pas. I am a firm believer in the fact that if it makes you happy, that's enough for the world. Because happiness helps you rock it.

Getting ready for the company Christmas party!

So this past weekend we had our company Christmas party, and I was in my hotel wondering how to dress myself and figure out how the back of my hair looks since I forgot to bring a hand mirror.  All the girls from the office went to "blow out" salons, but I am picky, I have to do this myself.

Hmm not right yet...

I knew I wanted it swept to the side, and "braid looking knots" in the back.  With an extra mirror, this is is easy, but just going off of my Helen Keller feel was not enough.  Enter iphone front facing camera.

Almost there... Couple pieces to the left that are not so notty enough.

See what I mean? 

In the end I got it where I wanted it, and glittered my way through the night.

Adrianna Papell Ombré Sequin Shift Dress and my classic Stuart Weitzmans

But really, don't you die for the rather affordable and delectable pieces Adrianna Papell has put out lately?  If not, go find her,  http://www.adriannapapell.com/, she's perfect for the holidays.

Special thanks to my girl Elim, style icon and a constant a reminder that it's okay to shine.

things to smile

remember to be a part, remember to be present, remember the things that make you smile.

Sometimes those days happen where you have to take a step back and take "control of the controllables".  Today I am remembering what my coach used to say, I am controlling what is within my control, my effort and my attitude (in life), and adding in a laugh for myself.  Because laughing is my favorite.  With every dose of reality I always need to chase it with the thought that at the end of the day life shouldn't be that serious.  

my happy place

a different view of my world.

View of the ocean from Torrey Pines State Park (my photo)

haute pink workouts.

My jump rope... that's collecting dust right now...

glitter. sparkles. and shine. from within.

lust it? (via vogue italia.)

sweating with amazing people who warm my heart, and make running enjoyable.

Race for the Cure 2010 at Balboa Park

breath taking thoughtful simple design.

Have you met All Saints?

real shocker here...chocolate.

My mom makes the best cookies in the world.

emails that are completely inappropriate but can't help but laugh.

I know totally not okay.  But it made me laugh.

Make me laugh?