Month: October 2017

22 Oct 2017

Blog Roundup

– Every flight around the world right now [Flightradar24]

– 7 bad habits that actually make you sick [Valet Magazine]

– Restaurants are making their spaces more “Instagrammable” [Verge]

– Why you’re seeing Aesop everywhere [Racked]

– America’s best new restaurants in 2017 [Esquire]

– “What Were You Wearing?” an exhibit featuring the outfits of those who were raped on display at the University of Kansas [Chicago Tribune]

21 Oct 2017

Erdem x H&M Launch Party

Alexa Chung

I’ve been excited about this collaboration since I first heard about it. Then we saw the photos from the collection and I didn’t think it could get any better than that. I was practically making a checklist of every item I loved and started planning in my head which events each piece would be best suited for this fall/winter. If only I had a fall/winter wedding to attend this year, I thought. The official launch party was earlier this week and seeing these pieces on our favorite celebrities and influencers IRL was everything. Too often, I see collaborations with pieces that are stunning, but not wearable. This isn’t the case with Erdem x H&M – not even in the slightest.

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19 Oct 2017

PlansMatter

Vacation rentals these days are really taking things next level. Hotels and Airbnb not good enough for ya? Say hello to PlansMatter – a place where individuals appreciate great architecture. PlansMatter operates a lot like Airbnb, but every listing is a work of art. Get your Instagram queue ready. One difference though is that the site allows you to book not only homes, but also hotels that fit this mold. At first glance, I thought it would be a great concept, but probably not within my budget, which is a shame because this is something that would be right up my alley. After perusing a few listings, I’m noticing that some range from $100/night (at the low end) up to over a $1,000/night. Hopefully, this is a place where there is something for everyone!

19 Oct 2017

Elle Women in Hollywood Awards

Vanessa Hudgens

It has been a couple of weeks for women. There’s a lot in the news that doesn’t make me happy to share and my heart hurts for all the women – the victims – that have had to endure their share of sexual harassment and sexual assault at the hands of men. This week, I’m seeing women come together in so many ways – through social media, through events, and through stories. I hate to have to witness a moment like this in 2017, but at the same time, I couldn’t be more proud of the strength in our voices right now. We could spend hours writing a post recapping all of my feelings from the past couple of weeks, but instead I’d like to share some photos of inspiring women from the Elle Women in Hollywood Awards.

Abigail Spencer

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16 Oct 2017

Bridal Week 2018

Romona Keveza Legends Fall 2018 Bridal Collection

How did we completely miss this?! I must have had a busy week to have completely watch all of these shows go by and not tune into a single on. I just caught up on Fashionista’s recap and since we already started with Wedding Mondays anyways, we might as well carry it on into showcasing some of our favorite looks. Do you all love these as much as I do?

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16 Oct 2017

Wedding Mondays

[vimeo http://vimeo.com/225923496]

I know it feels like we just waved goodbye to wedding season, but even in October I’m looking ahead to what I already have for next year. Next up? Two weddings in March – one of which I’m a bridesmaid! Honestly, I couldn’t be more thrilled, but this just means that we’ve always got weddings on the brain. I don’t hate it. You already know that. I especially don’t hate the wedding video that I’m sharing with you all today. When you’re reading a post about a wedding being featured on a wedding blog site, it typically follows a general layout. You start with a photo – it’s simple, it’s the venue or the decor, the shoes, or the invite. Then you get scroll down and get to see your first glimpses of the couple, the dress, the wedding party. You’re basically unraveling a story. As you get more and more into the details, you sort of hope there will be a video at the end tying it all together. Ugh, isn’t that just like the true beauty of a wedding video?

This one between Aften and Brian is so sweet. There are no verbal exchanges, but there is a lot happening here. It also doesn’t hurt that they featured one of my favorite songs – can you guess which of the four it is?!

Enjoy!

For the entire feature, click here to go to Green Wedding Shoes! (okay the song is Olmos – Hold Me! but ALSO Telepopmusik – Breathe) Trick question, it was two.

15 Oct 2017

Exercise for Dummies

You guys, I have a confession to make. I have no idea what I am doing! Since February when I first left my job, I made a promise to myself that I would start getting in shape again, but the problem was, I had no idea where to start. Gym memberships, tennis lessons in Sacramento, running groups, spin classes, the list goes on! However, since I was not really eager to join a gym, one of my friends told me to set up a home gym, get some equipment, and exercise from the comfort of my house. She advised me to hire a treadmill (which can be rented from firms like Hire Fitness by looking up keywords similar to “hire a treadmill Scotland” or something similar to it on the Web), an exercise bike, and a rowing machine. To be honest, they all sound great but I do not know if I can do this all at once without any prior knowledge of setting up a home gym. I still feel a little confused as to how to begin as I have never felt the need to exercise. Let’s rewind back a little bit so that readers why I never exercised. Growing up, I never felt the need to exercise unless it was for a grade (hello, physical education as a class.) I went through the rest of my life… high school, college, post-college relying on my metabolism. For whatever reason, I couldn’t put on weight and stayed relatively the same. Last summer, I decided to pursue exercising again and noticed the impact of it almost immediately, especially on my abs. I shrugged it off and thought, “What’s the big deal? This seems easy!”

Wrong! Fast forward five months later – I’m on a treadmill and done after 30 minutes. I do my normal exercises and find myself completely distracted from them and moving onto another activity like checking emails or making breakfast, anything that will stop me from finishing my workout. I also have been looking at myself in the mirror and wondering where these hips seemed to come in and why they’re coming in now. Have they always been there? Perhaps it’s because I’ve been doing some tight hip flexors! They obviously seem to be working which makes me feel great about myself and my figure.

Laying it all out there, I will admit that I’m insecure with my body right now and a little embarrassed that I’m not able to make it through a full workout. Does anyone have any advice? Are there baby steps to ease me into it? Do you have a personal trainer or videos from a trainer that you think motivate you best? What foods and drinks do you avoid? How much water are you consuming? Do you eat before you work out? Are you better working out in the morning before you start your day or at the end of your day? I have so many questions.

Here’s my current situation that I know is not helping. I’m having a pumpkin spice latte every day! Crystal tells me that it’s probably not good for my arteries; it’s also not good for my bank account, but I can’t help it! To counter act this, I’m doing these things for the most part, but I’m not always consistent every day:

  • 60 sit-ups
  • 20 push-ups
  • Forearm Plank (30 seconds)
  • High Plank (30 seconds)
  • Side Plank (15 seconds on both sides)
  • Single Arm/Leg Plank (15 seconds for each arm/leg)
  • Plank to Push Up
  • 25 wide sumo squats
  • 25 Lunges/legs
  • 25 Lateral Leg Lifts

I try to keep this at a minimum and then throw in other exercises that I find and save through blogs/Instagram and use my adidas all day app. I don’t expect that I’ll ever become a pro or a fitness influencer, but I’d like to be better and live a healthier lifestyle. If y’all have any tips, please share!

15 Oct 2017

Not Over the Crop Top

Top + Bralette – Aritzia / Denim – Levi’s / Sunglasses – Marc Jacobs / Heels – Vince Camuto

[One more photo under the cut!]

I love this outfit for a casual weekend. I wore this to brunch at Plow with my friend Leslie earlier this spring and really didn’t need the cover-up I’m holding. I’m still getting used to San Francisco weather so I always bring something for my shoulders just in case, but then never end up using it. These jeans have become my absolute favorite. They were an inexpensive purchase, but in addition to that are high-waisted, fitted, and in a wash that goes with just about anything. I decided to test the waters by wearing a cropped Aritzia striped top that is great for just throwing on with anything for a casual day look. I was a little bit nervous about the undergarment situation though. Typically, I hate any undergarments showing at all, but this Aritzia one actually worked well! It almost looked like it was its own under-tank. To spice things up, I used a piece of suede to tie around my neck as a choker, my Marc Jacobs’ sunglasses and tan Vince Camuto wedges to brighten things up!

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15 Oct 2017

Blog Roundup

–  These museums actually allow you to have sleepovers there [My Modern Met]

– The evolution of women in stock photos over the years [New York Times]

– Here’s why you get better at things after 1-2 drinks [Mel Magazine]

– Advice vs. Feedback [Signal v. Noise]

– How to End a Bad Date [Man Repeller]

– Watching these two people tight rope between two hot air balloons gave me anxiety [Digg]

– Elevator etiquette in Japan [Medium]