Label Love: Very French Gangsters

It wasn't until recently that I started wearing glasses.  As an adult, I really don't mind wearing them.  Dr. D would even argue that I was excited to get my glasses.  (He would win, I really was excited.)  When I was a kid,  friends of mine would complain about how much they hated there glasses.  They felt so nerdy and awkward; and who could blame them since choices for cool frames were limited in 1991.  

Now kids these days can look cool AND see clearly thanks to Very French Gangsters.  Located just outside Paris, VFG not only makes très chic eye and sun glasses, they also have an AAA-dorable lookbook.  These kiddos look so cool, I want to hang out with all of them.

See for yourself at Very French Gangsters.

New Look

With the weather changing, it's time for a new Fall beauty look. Arguably it's only just getting to Summer here in the Bay Area, but alas, the magazines tell me its time to retire the Neon Pink lippy until next year.  So what is a girl to do, but truck down to her local makeup counter!  Darn.  Here are my two top picks for the crisp weather.

Red-Orange Lipstick

Yes, I will always be devoted to my Neon Pink, but I am really excited about the awesome orangey-red shades.  These are my three faves:

Mandarin is my go to shade for fall.  It has a great buttery finish and lasts a long time.  I like that it's a little bit corally, and swiped over the top of MAC's So Chaud, it looks really really similar to Scarlet Ibis.  I bought mine at Ulta, but you can also get it here.

Heat Wave is for the bolder girl, NARS' Heat Wave is for you!  Its slightly too orange for my fair complexion, but it is TO DIE FOR on darker girls.  It's super bright and happy and will brighten even the grayest of Fall days.

Scarlet Ibis is one of the pretty shades I've seen, but it is next to impossible to find!  MAC, if you're listening, please please start running this color ALL THE TIME!!!

Dark Nail Polish

A nail polish junkie such as my self has a hard time committing to a favorite color.  Luckily, I don't have to.    I love dark colored polish, but sometimes it's a bit to harsh against my pale skin.  I'm in love this fun twist of a French.  Just the right amount of darkness for me.  I used OPI for Sephora on the tips in Never Enough Shoes.  I might try it again with Live and Let Die from OPI's new Skyfall collection (we'll talk about how much I love James Bond another day) or L'oreal Color Riche in Breaking Curfew.  To be fair, I can't claim this look as my own, I totally copied it from the lovely Caroline, of It Looks Good To Me.  (Follow her on Instagram!  She takes amazing pics!)  

What are your beauty re-freshes for Fall?

xo,

aims

Let's get drawing!

Blast from the Lazy Sundae past.

Over the weekend I was cleaning and reorganizing and I came across some of my old design books.  I'm talking design books circa 1998.  From high school.  While taking a crazy nostalgic trip down memory lane, I realized something: I used to draw ALL the time.  Then revelation number 2 hit: I hardly ever draw these days.  Yes, I sketch just about everyday at work, and yes, I did spend three years straight drawing in art school drawing.  The design books back then were all about drawing for myself and I realized that I really miss it.  I LOVE to draw.  

The Dharma Dress...I loved Dharma and Greg.

Pretty sure this one came out of driver's ed.

So, starting with the very next post, there will be more drawings!  I've done a few other posts with illustrations in them and I think there should be more.

Let's get drawing!!

xo, 

a

Aloha!

Aloha from Kaua'i! I'll be back soon and back to blogging. Have a great Tuesday!
xo,
a

happy friday

I love this photo.  It’s a shot of actress Diane Kruger, walking down a hotel hallway.  I’ve had this image for so long, I can’t for the life of me remember where I found it!  (Sorry to whomever took this amazing photo for not giving you proper credit.)  The jet bead necklace is stunning; the golden light is warm and inviting; the whole image is just lovely.  Wanted to share a beautiful photo on a beautiful day.  Happy Friday, folks!
Xo.

 

Clan of the Four Eyes

One of the big reasons I haven't been blogging is because I've been getting annoying, throbbing headaches. After working at a computer all day the last thing I wanted to do when I go home was turn my own laptop on and star at a screen. On a semi-whim, I decided to have my eyes chedked. Turns out, I needed glasses! My ok left eye had been compensating for my blurry right eye and that was causing the headaches. Glasses to the rescue! I've been wearing them for about 2 weeks now and it has been a HUGE improvement!

Dr D teases that I not-so secretly like the fact that I had to get glasses and, well, he's right.  For a week in high school I wore around a fake pair I bought a pair from Urban Outfitters.  If a classmate asked when I got glasses, I would sort of shrug off some non-answer and continue on.  I wanted glasses purely for the accessory factor of them.  I was a hipster before their were hipsters apparently and I think I might even still have that first pair.  But the possibilities are numerous and so far I am very much enjoying my specs.

When I went to pick them up, I was browsing a case waiting for the tech to bring them out.  While he was adjusting the frames, he jokingly asked if I was picking out my next pair.  Little did he know I already had a few in mind... :)

xo,

a

 

5 Things I Love This Week...

house in my 'hood covered with blooming flowers.

Springtime! 

I realize it has been spring for a little over a month now, but it finally actually feels like it here in SF! As I'm writing this, my back door is open letting the fresh air in and the doggo is out baking in the sunshine.  I spent two hours at the park, lounging in the grass with Otto and it was glorious!!

just a taste of the wonderful things you'll find on Leah's blog

 Local Chills!

My friend/co-worker Leah and I became blog buddies last week.  I showed her mine, and she showed me her's.  Local Source of Chills is a-mazing! Part foodie blog, part ode to healthy living, Leah's blog is beautiful.  Her steadfast dedication to living a happy, healthy life shines through and is truly inspiring.  There are some yummy recipes I'm looking forward to trying out and I'll for sure be checking into eco-friendly mani-pedis at PlumBerry. 

get 'em while they're hot- Gap colored skinnies

Colored bottoms!

Colored denim has been around in brands like Joe's for a while and started showing up more in mainstream brands like Gap and J.Crew in the past few months.  At work we've had our eye on this trend for some time in but I don't think my coworkers and I had any idea just how big colored bottoms would become!  Wouldn't you love to see what's coming for fall!!  Colored bottoms are a super easy way to shake up the jeans-and-a-tee look, which is my wardrobe go-to staple.  Personally, I love the Gap's colored Always Skinny. The fit is great and the stretch makes them extra comfy!

There are 20 different musicians listed in their album credits!!

 Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros!

I discovered this band quite by accident. I bought their self-titled album in amazon.com's monthly $5 album sale without listening to it, thinking it was a totally different band. Whoops!   Lucky for me, the album is great, an upbeat mixture of pop, folk and rock. At times, the lead singer Alex Ebert's voice kinda reminds me of Neil Diamond. From the opening drums of 40 Day Dream to the last chants of Om Nashi Me, the album puts me in a fantastic mood.

this equals trouble for my lipstick addiction

MAC Fashion Sets!

MAC Cosmetics took their most coveted shades of lipsticks and made perfectly coordinated 3 piece sets of lipstick, Lip Glass and nail polish.  Whether it's Snob from Sao Paolo or Russian Red from Dubai, the sets cover a great range of color and finish.  I have my eyes on Impassioned (especially the nail lacquer) and Snob.  Find them at your local MAC counter, or click here.

We Make Carpets

Nope, it's not an indie electronica pop band from the Ukraine.  We Make Carpets is the uber-amazing brain child of three creative folks in the Netherlands.  Using traditional carpet making as their foundation, Marcia Nolte, Stijn van der Vleuten and Bob Waardenburg create "temporary, contemporary carpets" from everyday objects in all shapes and sizes.  The result is some awesome works of design.  My three favorites are below.  There are tons more on their website!  Check them out, I promise their work will inspire you to think differently about that plastic fork you used to eat your lunch!

Glow Carpet, Eindhove, the Netherlands, 2011

The Glow Carpet was commissioned for the 2011 Glow Festival in Eindhove, the Netherlands.  The carpet is made up of 750 glow in the dark pebbles; during the day the carpet resembled a gravel path, but at night, glowed beautiful shades of blue and green.  You can see more amazing glow projects from the festival here.  

 

Army Carpet, Dutch Design Week, 2010

Fork Carpet, Dutch Design Week, 2010

Made from hundreds of disposable plastic forks, this carpet is my favorite.  I love the pastel color and the play of the lines the forks create.

Check out more carpets by following the link: We Make Carpets

365...March 4-11

March 4-11

1.  A glowing Otto basking in rays of sunshine.

2.  Copper LOVES to put the bucket on the head and then yell!  Pure joy.

3.  I wake up to this face every morning.

4.  Not sure this is the car pool I would want to be riding in.

5.  Parade floats stored on the pier across from my office.

6.  Barnacles! Or something kinda barnacle like...

7.  It's all about color, color, color.

8.  I take excellent notes at meetings.

365...The end of February

Been a while gang, and I'm sorry about that.  Here's what I got up to during last few weeks of February.

Feb 13 thru 18

Clockwise from Top Left:  New peachy-pink ends; sweet little charm bracelet my co-work Jen made for Valentine's Day; yummy raspberry dark chocolate; a 'lil pup named Dixie; RAD pink mail box; a bear with a surf board, need I say more?

Feb 19-26

Clockwise from Top Left:  Yummy yummy pecan tart with bourbon caramel ice cream at Nopa; my award at work for being awesome; owls made from fabric scraps in the art supply store window; gorgeous sunset; what exactly I can blow I'm not sure, but it made me laugh anyway; this little cutie showed up on my desk; delish curry fried rice and sirracha beef slider from Mama Cass; the trees in my neighborhood think it's spring time.

Feb 27- March 5

Top row:  The living roof at the Academy of Science; a creepy creepy electric eel; an equally creepy but cooler looking Spotted Moray eel; Mmmm, soft serve from the Twirl & Dip truck.

Bottom row:  Yep, that's right, my wine came in a Sig bottle; cookies from China; lemon yellow cupcake and candy apple nails; my growing collection of pom poms at work.

365...Feb 5-12!

I'm not so far behind anymore!  

Clockwise from top left:  Gorgeous day and a gorgeous view; Fun chocolate wrappers at Bi-Rite Market; The Strong Beer menu at Social Kitchen; the historic Bridge Theater, the only spot in the city W.E. is playing; the Booger is such a cuddler; flowers and a cocktail; mini lasagnas!!

W.E. Go see it!

This past Sunday, my lovely friend Andrea and I ventured out to the Bridge Theater to see W.E.  The film as amazing!  Moving back and forth in time, the story follows the lives of two women: Wally Winthrop, present-day bored housewife to an absent jerk-off husband, and Wallis Simpson, the American divorcée for whom England’s King Edward VIII abdicated the throne.

Andrea Riseborough and James D'Arcy as Wallis Simpson & King Edward VIII

Oscar Isaac and Abbie Cornish as Evgeni and Wally

I really need not say anymore about the plot, it’s a well written, wonderfully acted film.  What really moved me were the clothes!  Sigh....Wallis Simpson’s wardrobe...sigh.  Andrea Riseborough is enchanting as Wallis, donning gorgeous Dior frocks and breathtaking Cartier gems that left me drooling with envy.  The sets are just as beautiful, ranging from Cap d’Antibes, Paris, Portofino and Kensington, just to name a few. 

 

"It's only a Schiaparelli," Wallis says of this dress.  Sigh.

The film as actually gotten a lot of flack in press; I honestly think they’re just hating because Madonna is behind it.  She put up her own money to make the film and she did a good job.  People just love to hate on Madonna.  Harvey Weinstein, who’s company is distributing the film had this to say:

"Of all the movies this year that have gotten a bad shake from the critics this is the one. And I think it’s Madonna. I think they see the personality behind the film. You have extraordinary performances in the movie. There’s nobody can say Andrea Riseborough isn’t absolutely brilliant and one of our emerging great actresses.…The setting, the lighting, the costumes, all of which is Madonna’s vision. And the music, the ballsiness to put The Sex Pistols into a period piece."

Bottom line, the movie is beautifully filmed, wonderfully acted and exquisitely costumed.  Go see it!

Chevron!

This dress was absolutely amazing.

xo. a.

Love me some polka dot!

Just wanted to share this gorgeous photo of polka dots my friend Lisa found.  I love the way the woman has kept the scale of the dots the same in two different garments.  You couldn't do this with just any pattern, but it works great with the dots.  Love!!

xo.a

365...January 22 thru Feb 4

Top Row:  Otto and his jumbo stick (actually a branch still attached to a tree); yellow blossoms in January!  You can see Mount Diablo from here, waaaaaay off in the distance; same duck pond, different day, different filter; fogged in!!

Second Row: Goldilocks Cafe, interesting mix of food offerings in one;  Otter-pop getting snuggly; Happy Chinese New Year!

Third Row:  Lisa's contribution to the Bling Cup (easier to post a photo than explain); the "fountain" by Dr D's office; it's Strong Beer Month here in SF; art installation at a downtown gallery.

Bottom Row: Light made out of a Mason jar; we can glitter that!!

Pretty Pretty Pout

I have become a lipstick junkie.  I will be the first to admit my addiction to a pretty pout and rarely does a day go by when I leave the house without a sweep of color.  With Valentine's Day around the corner, what girl wouldn't want an irresistible kisser?  These are my top 10 fave colors and products.

Clockwise from top:  NARS Satin Lipstick in Niagara, a pretty coral pink with a hint of gold; tarte Lipsurgence natural matte lip tint in Lively, a bright fuchsia; Stila Longwear lipstick in Coquette, a pretty neutral pink, great paired with a smokey eye; MAC Amplified Creme lipstick in Chatterbox, a bright blueish pink; Smashbox Be Legendary lipstick in Petal Pink, my current fave hot pink shade;  NARS Sheer lipstick in Pago Pago, an easy to wear peachy-pink nude; Revlon Just Bitten lipstain in Passion, this stuff lasts for hours and hours!  Stila longwear lipstick in Exhilirating, a bright, almost neon, hot pink; Iris Apfel for MAC lipstick in Scarlet Ibis, a gorgeous orange-hued red; MAC Cremesheen lipstick in Crosswires, a bright orangey-coral.

xo, a. 

365, January 7-21st

Here's what I got up to Jan 7th thru 21st...

 

Clockwise from the left hand corner: the Mustache Mobile, in the Safeway parking lot; Otto singing, courtesy of Hightail Hotel; piles of knit samples found while cleaning out the closet at work; cool fort made of brush;  a rack of gorgeous dresses at J.Crew; the duck pond at McClaren park; first green shoots on a tree; the rad chandelier in the Bridal boutique at J.Crew; there's a cow on my chocolate! Amazing string quartet playing Britney Spears songs in the Powell Street Bart station; how do you walk in this shoe?! Kid-sized mannequins, also found while cleaning; Ha! panda, near work; a tasty cookie from Japan; my breakfast the day I lost my debit card, clementine courtesy of one of my awesome coworkers.

xoxo.

Alexander McQueen Pre Fall

I am IN LOVE with the collection Sarah Burton put together for the Pre Fall collection for Alexander McQueen.  It took some serious restraint on my part not to post EVERY look.  The fabrics are gorgeous; the silhouettes are elegant; the details are amazing and holy moly the construction!!  I could go on and on.  The years Ms Burton spent as McQueen's Number 2 are serving her extremely well as she leads this iconic label.

  

I love the applique work and that leather cincher is rad. 

The cut of this suit screams sexy to me.

Something very Bond Girl about this look.

No words for how amazing this dress is.

This last dress is my favorite peice of the collection.  The drape is to die for and the print is elegant and simple.  LOVE it.

Pretty & Purple

via Pinterest

Lately, it seems as though I have been seeing purple everywhere I look.  Not just the run of the mill Royal Purple of my Alma Mater either (go Dawgs!).  Rich, ridiculously vivid purples...gorgeous vibrant super-saturated violets...neon plums.  Honestly, I'm normally not that into the color.  I think purple is nice and all but it can be a tough one for fair skinned blonds like myself to pull off.  I just can't seem to get enough at the moment though... 

Via Pinterest

Where in the world is this?  I want to go!

Some of my fave purple finds!

Clockwise from top left:  Cerise top, Kate Spade; butter London nail polish in Scoundrel; Violet Deco suede bag, Top Shop; Celia cocktail ring, Banana Republic; Face Stockholm nail lacquer in Plum Forgot; leather gloves in Holiday Punch, Jcrew; Violet leather snake cuff, Etsy.