Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Family Time Is The Best Time






I LOVE MY FAMILY! The best part of the holidays is spending time with my family. I never had a sister, but my 4 girl cousins ARE my sisters. They are amazing and I had such a great time with them all. My cousin Jennifer made her first prime rib and it came out AMAZING! I'm glad I have good cooks in my family. My vacation was filled with the 3 F's - friends, family, and food!

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Saturday Outing





Megan I just had a LOVELY Saturday! We went to Friedman's Lunch in Chelsea Market for some yummy brunch and gift browsing. Then we headed off to the Union Square Christmas Shops where vendors from all over come to sell jewelry, hats, exotic teas and spices, ornaments, essential oils, and so much more. Then we headed off to ABC Carpet and Home where we checked out a bunch of home goodies that are WAY out of our price range, but oh-so pretty to look at. The weather was great and so was the company. A very nice day indeed!

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

FREE Holiday Cheer!!

I could listen to Holiday music at all times of the year! So I loved discovering that Target.com is offering 14 funky-fresh holiday songs (FOR FREE) from some hot musical acts (i.e. Best Coast, Blackalicious, Guster, etc). Check it out!!

Monday, December 6, 2010

And so it begins.....


Time for Holiday parties! Nothing says "Christmas!" like a fun party with good drinks, yummy snacks, a little Christmas decor, and GREAT FRIENDS!

Sunday, November 28, 2010

DIY Project: Dye Leather Bag

I love a nice bag, but I cannot afford $1,000+ for a brand new one. So what do I do? I buy secondhand via consignment and/or eBay. Now people always ask, "How do you know it's real?" RESEARCH. It's easier when buying consignment because I go to reputable shops and I can see the bags with my own eyes. When buying on eBay, I always check out the seller, "What kind of feedback have they received from past buyers?, What have they sold in the past?, Does the price make sense (no luxury bag will be re-sold for pennies)?" I also make sure to only consider items that have a lot of good pictures and make sure they capture the key points of the bag (i.e. Serial number, zipper brand, any special marking particular to that brand).

A few months ago, I found, not one, but two Marc Jacobs (not Marc by Marc Jacobs) bags. They were not in perfect condition, but I got both for a wonderful deal of $400. The first bag had a minor stain on the inside of the handle (not even visible to the public) and a little tear in the inner lining. The second bag had dye transfer from the previous owner wearing something red that rubbed off on the handles.

So I asked the seller how she would fix this dye transfer issue. She told me to use Tarrago leather dye. I found this dye at Manhattan Wardrobe Supply for a measly $5.95. There is an array of colors, and I was fortunate to find a close match to this greyish-blue color. This was the easiest fix! Basically, all you do is take the Preparer and rub it on the area you plan to dye with a sponge. Then you shake up the dye and brush it on. That's it! So now my once-red handles are no more.

So let this be a lesson to all you shoppers.....you can get a great deal on slightly damaged goods. With a little patience and time, you can wear designer items at a fraction of the cost.

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Bun Thit Nuong - MY FAV!

I crave Vietnamese food ALL the time, and unfortunately, NY doesn't have a great selection of Vietnamese fare. Nonetheless, I get my fixes at subpar Viet eateries and I cannot wait to go home for my parents' cooking.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Good Luck In L.A. Kanable!

A rowdy evening in Mehanata's Ice Cage for Kanable's last weekend in NYC. How many shots can you take in 5 minutes?
A friend is someone who will bail you out of jail. A best friend is the one sitting next to you saying "boy was that fun." - The Maugles

Family Visitors

FINALLY some family members visited me here in NY. I have been here for almost 3 1/2 years and the only family to visit me were my parents 3 years ago for one weekend. It's been awhile since I've been home, so it was very nice to have my aunt and cousin come last weekend. We had such a great time eating, shopping, and walking around. It went by way too quickly and I already miss them. The best part was seeing my aunt get hit on by not only random men, but random teens and women. She is gorgeous isn't she?

Halloween in Chicago




It's official, going to Chicago for Halloween is my new tradition as this was my 2nd year in a row. I just love getting all dressed up with my girlfriends and going all out. It reminds me of all the themed parties we went to in college. It's been about 2 weeks and I can't wait to book my next trip. See you ladies when it gets warm out!

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Dumb-Dumb (or Bravest) of the Week: 20-year-old Police Chief

Valles Garcia is a 20-year-old police chief in one of the most violet areas of Mexico - Praxedis G. Guerrero. This is an area where roughly 2,500 people are killed a year over drug violence. Yes, I have called this girl my "dumb-dumb of the week", but really sometimes being the dumbest also means you're the bravest. May God watch over her and may she influence others to stand up for what is right.

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Silly Boy



Atticus is now a walking, talking, and silly little boy. Gotta love this little guy!

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

I'm praying for all the Chilean miners to get out safely. Can you believe they've been there for 2 months? Now this will be a story to share with your grandkids one day. God bless!

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Yummo!

I generally don't like to cook meals that take longer than 30 minutes, so when I look for recipes, I look for fast and easy. So when I came across this recipe for Lemony Smoked Salmon, Green Peas, and Chive Past Salad, I just HAD to make it. So yummy and soooo easy!! Nothing like surfing the interwebs for some new recipes.

Thursday, October 7, 2010

My Look Book: Spring 2011














Just a few looks I liked from Spring NYFW. I'm totally digging the sheer pants by Phillip Lim! Sheer and satin fabrics as well as prints seem to be "what's in" for Spring 11. Fun, sexy, and flirty!

(Images via NY Mag)

Auntie Part 2

I'm going to be an auntie again! Ok, not an auntie in the American use of the word, but in Asian cultures, close friends and/or family who are my mom and dad's age are referred to as an aunt or uncle. People my age are referred to as cousins, and people younger are considered nieces and nephews. YEH! My cousin is 14 weeks pregnant! So really I'm going to have a new 2nd cousin, but who wants to say "he/she is my 2nd cousin"?

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Worldly

I've had an itch to travel lately and these 2 folks on YouTube are only turning that itch into a rash. I love their knowledge of accents from around the world, yet ashamed that I'm not even fluent in Vietnamese. Boo. Hiss. Sigh



Sunday, October 3, 2010

Venomous Villains

It's one of those, "Why didn't I think of that?" moments when I first read about M.A.C.'s new line called "Venomous Villains". Where a slew of make-up essentials are themed on some narsty Disney villains - Maleficent, Evil Queen, Cruella de Vil, and Dr. Facilier (from The Princess and the Frog). Something about this line reminds me of the play make-up I had when I was little. How fun!

(Image via M.A.C.)

Zip-Off


I LOVE these boots by Loeffler Randall. I like the exposed zipper look, so when these boots are knee-high, they look fun and trendy. Then VOILA! zip off the top part of the boot and it becomes a bootie! I always love buying clothes with multiple ways to wear them, why not shoes?

I also need to point out the fab metal piece at the front of the boots. Lurv it!

(Image via Refinery29)

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Charge!

I've been using Rob's computer for the last month because I was too "busy" to go on eBay and pay $10 (with free shipping) for a new charger. But I FINALLY bought it and I'm glad I didn't spend $80 at the Apple store. Shwing shwing!

Songs I Love: Kid Cudi + Vampire Weekend + Best Coast = RAD-TASTIC

Monday, September 27, 2010

Co-co-nuts

I've had my fair share of coconut water from the cardboard cartons, but I've never actually had coconut juice straight from the source. I see these young coconuts at the grocery all the time, but always thought "how do I get inside?". Luckily for us, Megan chose an excellent brunch spot in Dumbo, Brooklyn called Vinegar Hill, and they served these yummy coconuts. Soooo delicious! I just may have to try and hack into one of these guys myself one day....or have Rob do it :)

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

FNO 2010


Had a lovely time at Andaz with Cox, Courtney, and friends. Before we entered the party, we were interviewed for a video segment by HUE (leggings, tights, etc company) and the best part, we saw Diddy (AKA Puff Daddy, P Diddy, Sean Puffy Combs). He was rolling in with an entourage on top of a double decker bus rapping a little tune. Once inside the event, we indulged in artisanal whiskeys and yummy bites complements of Momofoku. We even saw THE Anna Wintour at the event (think The Devil Wears Prada). We topped off the night with a feast at La Barra. Oh what a night it was. Love my friends!

(Image via Dlisted)

Friday, September 10, 2010

Top of NY



I've been working in the Empire State Building for 2 1/2 years, but I have never taken advantage of our VIP access to the top of the building until the beginning of this summer. I must say that I was definitely missing out on this free experience. The pass can get me and 5 guests to the top without waiting in line. It feels great to be VIP, but I will admit that the people waiting 2+ hours in line definitely get upset. OH WELL!

So I had some friends visiting from Indiana last weekend, I took them up to the top, and we had a lovely time. It's great to see the city and all of its neighbors from so high.