Let's get out of this town, baby we're on fire...

CAUTION: THERE ARE A LOT OF PICTURES COMIN' AT YA!

Last week, I had my first trip outside of California. I don't include Vegas of course, since it's so close. And I haven't been to the Philippines since I was 9, so this was a pretty big trip for me. My friend Maeghan and I had been talking about New Orleans since last year. And at first it seemed like a pipe dream. But all of sudden, we were at the right place at the right time financially, and we were all free-so we jumped right in and booked it! It was one of the best experiences I've ever had. I hadn't been away from Geo for that long either, so it was strange and I missed him like crazy. But it was great to be with girlfriends. We packed so much in 4 days, and ate more than we could contain. The food is probably what I'll miss most. I had fried alligator for the first time, and guess what? It tastes like chicken. Some pointers for people who are thinking about going:

1.) It's so friggin humid, a jacket won't be necessary. 

2.) The plantations are definitely worth the 45 minute drive.

3.) Jacques Imo's is the main restaurant to check out. 

4.) Bourbon street can get really skeazy at night. 

5.) The Renaissance Pere Marquette is a great hotel to stay. It's within walking distance to everything. Right in the heart of the French Quarter. 

6.) And of course, you can't go to New Orleans without having a beignet from Cafe du Monde. 

Hope you enjoyed the pics! xoxo

You and I'll be safe and sound...

HAPPY HUNGER GAMES! 

Thursday and Friday were the best days of my life. I know, I know-it sounds so hyperbolic. But I have been waiting and waiting patiently for March 23rd to come around, and finally it arrived. Not to mention, it was also the day I got to see my sister after 3 months of being apart! What a way to celebrate! So after a long day at work, constantly thinking about The Hunger Games, I drove to my hometown and we all went for a pre movie dinner at our fave restaurant, before heading over to the Arclight, where our beautiful seats were waiting for us. The mood was exciting. The theatre had this huge display in the lobby, plus tons of goodies to add to my collection of geek paraphernalia. The next day, we explored LA  and ate, then ate some more, and it was amazing being able to spend time with my family. 

The movie itself was a godsend. Harry Potter was always so hard for me, because I would get so anxious about how true they'd stay to the book. I think that can be said for any book really, but this is a series I am very passionate about. And out of the 3, it is my absolute favorite-so needless to say I wanted to be satisfied. A couple thoughts:

STOP!

If you haven't seen it, don't read beyond this point.

1.) The portrayal of District 12 seemed very real to me. It was incredibly apparent that this was a place of struggle. The beginning shots were deeply moving. 

2.) The reaping was very hard to watch. But I loved the war propaganda video that was shown. It made people who didn't read the books understand why the games exist. 

3.) There was no mention of District 13, so I'm guessing Gary Ross will get into it more come Mockingjay. 

4.) Jennifer Lawrence is a wonder as an actor. She is extraordinary, and her nuances are so subtle yet so effective. She had me in a puddle several times. 

5.) Team Peeta. Josh Hutcherson is beautiful, he is a beautiful man, and a beautiful actor. Which I don't know why I was so surprised, because he was so engaging in The Kids Are Alright.  But Peeta is my 2nd favorite character in the entire book, and he did him justice. 

6.) The 60 seconds they had to stay on their pedestal in the arena...was the worst feeling. I felt like my heart was about to explode from the anxiety. 

7.) Seeing the killing. Oy vey. Very emotional. But the worst was Rue's death. I could not contain my emotions at that point. Puddle. 

8.) I wish they had shown the hovercraft picking up the dead bodies. 

9.) Loved the game center. It was surreal being able to see what the game makers were going to do in the arena. 

10.) Lots of moments were too rushed...the cave scenes. Those were some of my favorite moments in the book, because that was when Katniss realized how much Peeta loves her, and when her feelings of how important he is to her becomes apparent. The film gave us the gist, but I wish they had gotten into it more. 

12.) The acting. Oh my Lord, the acting. Everyone is superb. 

11.) It was absolutely amazing, and I cannot wait to see it again with my hubby. 

This review pretty much articulates exactly what I felt about the movie in a way I couldn't. 

xoxo

Like lightning, white lightning...

I know what you all are thinking... "Finally, an outfit post!" It's been quite awhile. I don't think I've done  an outfit post the entire month of February and for that I apologize. This morning, Maeghan and I went super thrifting. She always takes me to the greatest places, these hidden gems-that I could spend hours digging through. I found some amazing pieces that I cannot wait to showcase on here. We both ended up wearing velvet kimonos, which was funny. Great minds think alike :)

This has been quite a busy month for me. My best friend is getting married in TWO DAYS! I loved being able to be apart of such a beautiful process. Helping her in any way I can has been the greatest feeling, because I just want her to have the best day. I cannot wait for Saturday! 

Oh, and if anyone is wondering what my shirt says-it's a Shakespeare quote from Romeo and Juliet:

  These violent delights have violent ends
  And in their triumph die, like fire and powder,
   Which as they kiss consume. The sweetest honey
 Is loathsome in his own deliciousness
  And in the taste confounds the appetite. 
   

xoxo

Vintage velvet kimono/BrandyMelville tee/Studded shorts made by Sister/H&M tights/Dolce Vita boots

Keep making me laugh

(Love 21 top/F21 shorts/H&M tights/Assorted jewelry/Vintage Dooney&Bourke bag/DolceVita boots)

Today was a great day. Days off with my love are always great, because it's so rare for us to have them in the first place. We stayed around the better part of the valley, having lunch at Sweet Butter, window shopping, and catching a movie. Can I just say, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo has got to be one of the best films of 2011. I'm still reeling from how great it is, hours after seeing it. It's made me that much more obsessed with Rooney Mara. My one gripe, having to pay $15 at the Arclight since it's a holiday. We're loyalty members, but I keep forgetting to order my tickets online. The movie ended up being worth every penny-thank goodness. 

In other news, the Golden Globes were last night. And every year, during awards season-I always do a best and worst dressed post. I decided to just go with the best only because I pretty much hated the majority of last night's fashion. Huge disappointments for a lot of people-cough Mila Kunis cough. But the 5 pictured above were standouts to me:

5.) Rooney Mara in Nina Ricci-She stayed true to herself. Loved the shaggy ponytail. She's just an epic beauty who doesn't really need much to stand out. Loved the cut-outs with the little bows on her dress. Enough girliness with a huge amount of edge.
4.) Emily Blunt in Elie Saab-Wish she would've walked the red carpet. She seemed annoyed when she presented, but it didn't matter because all I could focus on was her body in that amazingly beautiful dress. The color and the detail speaks for itself. 
3.) Nicole Richie in Julien McDonald-I love that she's getting a little more glamorous. I'll always love bohemian Nicole, but I loved this side of her too. So sexy with the metallic dress and I love how she still incorporated her design with the House of Harlow clutch. And she's giving good hair!
2.) Angelina Jolie in Versace-I mean, come on! Just look at her picture. She's so regal on the red carpet, you just know you're looking at a movie star. A lot of people were making fun of the red fold on the dress, but that happens to be my favorite part. The dress would be boring otherwise.
1.) Charlize Theron in Dior Couture-My heart leapt when I saw her. She looked so angelic and ethereal, without looking schmaltzy. The tiered bow on the side was the right amount of uniqueness and fun. I haven't seen her look this good on the red carpet in awhile.

So there you have it. There are still a couple more awards-the most important being the Oscars. And I am super pumped for that. Hope you guys had a magical day!

Take me to the finish line

Last night I finally got to hang out with my best friend, Kate, whom I haven't seen in 42 days. She was on a work trip for the entire month of December, so we never got a chance to see each other around the holidays like we usually do each year. Seeing her was worth the wait. We exchanged our Christmas gifts, looked at all her wedding plans, and sat silently. Sometimes, that's all we need. Just a couple hours of hanging around and not particularly doing anything is what we do best. And that's what makes her my best friend. She knows me better than anyone I know, enough to know that we can have the greatest time doing nothing and yet have it feel like everything.

I love you, Bester. I'm so looking forward to the next couple weeks so much!! In just 8 short weeks, you're going to be married, and I can't wait to be right by your side through it all!

xoxo

P.S. Yes, that is the House of Harlow starburst necklace. It was her Christmas gift to me, and I'm absolutely in love with it. She knows me so well.

Reformed by Reformation kimono/H&M skinnies/Ecote by UO boots/Michael Kors watch/Assorted jewelry/House of Harlow 1960 necklace

Walking on sunshine, and don't it feel good...

(F21 blazer and necklace/Thrifted sweater/H&M skinnies/Dolce Vita boots)

(XI top/AA skirt/Urban Outfitters leggings/JC Lita/Vintage Dooney&Bourke bag and sunnies)

Hooray to my first post of 2012! I can't believe I've had this blog for 4 years. It's such a joyous experience looking back at all my old posts, and thinking about how important or great that day was for me. I can't wait to blog even more this year...I'll make it a point to blog at least 5 times a month. 

These past couple of days have been such a whirlwind for me. Today was my first day back at work since NYE, and it seems like this year is already going by too fast. First off, NYE was extremely low key. The husb and I had a romantic sushi dinner, followed by games and drinks at his friend's house who conveniently lives on the same block. It was really nice to have a relaxing evening, and wear just the right amount of sparkle. 

On the 2nd, my beautiful baby (not so baby anymore) sister, turned 20. I couldn't believe it myself. We had an amazing day planned-lunch at Mexicali, bowling at Pinz, and a movie at the Arclight-followed by a sleepover at my house, where we got to indulge in Gossip Girl on netflix, In n Out, and making our 2nd music video (more on this later). And for the record, we did not intend to match that day. I guess yellow was the color of choice for us that morning. Needless to say, we got a lot of stares...

Now about that video. My sister and I sing. We especially love to sing together, just for fun. We decided to make a little something because we hadn't done it in years. Hope you guys enjoy! 

Merry Christmas darling...

Merry Christmas!!

It's been two days, and still it feels like Christmas never even happened. With just a blink of an eye, it was over. Too fast, in my opinion. I wish Christmas was a week long celebration! Hell, I wish it was an entire month. But enough of my complaining, because in all honesty-my Christmas was pretty grand. I got everything I could ever ask for in life...my health, my family, my friends, and my love. I hope everyone had a beautiful weekend filled with lots of joy. 

FreePeople headpiece gifted by Pamela/Vintage top gifted by Maeghan/Assorted jewelry/Timeless lace pants/Asos ring