biker chic

Image via Style.com's Fall 2009 Accessories Report

Leave it Karl Lagerfeld to come up with the chic-est ever tweed helmet. You can probably also stash your iPhone in that lil pocket and then program it so that it dials 911 upon impact. I know, I'm morbid. But motorcycles really scare me. If I ever venture onto one though, I'd love to have this baby on.

inspired much?

Don't you think the Coach bag on the left is just a wee bit inspired by the Rebecca Minkoff stud Morning After Bag?

pretty baked

I haven't baked in yeeeears because the apartment I've been living in only has a convection oven and I have no clue how to use it. But we're trying to move really soon (if only I could find a place already, grrr!) and from the apartments I've seen in the East Village, I foresee having a proper oven in my future. When I do, you betcha I'm gonna make something fun using supercute items from Bake It Pretty. Realistically, I'll probably use the adorable baking cups they have, like the Poppy Designer Cups above. But I'd love to find a reason to get some stitched suitcases to carry baked goodies in or find the motivation to create a cake for these cool turntable toppers. Soon I hope!

ahhh-choo!

Images via Outnet.com, the alternative to picking a fight at the Jimmy Choo sample sale

Being sick sucks. Especially when you find out that a Jimmy Choo sample sale is taking place today, Thursday, from 1-7PM at the The Metropolitan Pavilion on 125 West 18th Street, between Sixth & Seventh Aves. On my best day I know that elbowing it out for Choos will be quite taxing, but when my head feels like it's the size of Mexico, I just don't have it in me. But wait. I've been sneezing and sniffling all day, and noticed how people visibly back away from me every time I do. This is a city, after all, that's scared sh*tless of the swine flu right now. Maybe I can clear the path to a size 5 1/2 pair of stilettos by some unhealthy sneezing and coughing? Something to consider.

chirashi

Feeling completely under the weather today, getting my ass kicked by what I hope is just a cold and not a flu. After having some breakfast, I decided to take a nap, thinking I'd order in lunch when I got up. Well, I woke up at 4:30PM, must've been completely wiped out. Still feel it. I comforted myself by ordering in my favorite chirashi from Oyogu, the amazing little Japanese restaurant just blocks from my apartment. Their fish is always incredibly fresh, and the servings very generous. The chirashi is a tad pricey at $18, but you get three pieces each of succulent salmon, tuna, yellowtail, hamachi, and mackarel. Definitely just what I needed.

Anyway, signing off to get some more rest. Hopefully when the jackhammer in my head stops, I'll be able to rejoin the world ...

Where: 1164 First Avenue between 63rd and 64th Streets. Tel. (212) 751-3316

wallpaper

Wouldn't this be such an awesome wallpaper for a powder room? At Hermitage by Louise Body.

la bohème

Today I wish I was one of those people with bohemian lifestyles and inclinations. My head feels like it's gonna explode (hopefully because of spring allergies and not the dreaded swine flu) and work seems to be piling up all around me. I miss my old lifestyle, when an interview meant sampling cocktails on the beach and throwing questions at a chef.

But no sense pondering the past, as the life I've chosen came with tradeoffs and it's own set of amazing advantages. So if I can't be bohemian, maybe I can at least dress like one. Lousy segue but hell, I'm tired, so let's just go look at some free spirited, pretty things from Anthropologie:

Not usually my style, but I feel like I could use a "Galivanting Bag" or a bandanna bag right about now.
Some gorgeous cuffs that are maybe more glam boho than authentically bohemian ...

I need an escape ...

it's that simple, really

This season, I'd gotten so used to seeing accessories that had been studded and bedazzled to the ends of the earth that when I saw this bag by Foley & Corinna, I literally said, "Whoa." It's so simple, but so beautifully crafted. The skin looks butter-soft and the structure perfectly slouchy. I heart it so much; it seems to be the perfect summer bag—and not just for this season, but for many seasons to come. I really love it. The regular retail price is $445 but Shopbop is having a bag sale until April 29, which slashes prices by 25% (just put in the code ARMCANDY at check out). Grrrr I want it so bad, but my money's been earmarked for our Vegas/Napa trip and impending move so all I can do is hope that this bag will still be available for purchase months from now. Why does life have to keep getting in the way of shopping? It's really not fair.

eco chic

Is it just me who equates organic fashion with, um, sacks? I tend to think of organic clothes as being shapeless frocks in the dullest of colors, but Nimli.com is proving me wrong. There are some very cute dresses on their site that you'd never guess were organic. They're not cheap (organic never seems to be); the dress above by Lara Miller is $154, while the Kelly B frock below is $128. But they're definitely the most eco chic pieces I've ever seen. Visit Nimli's pop-up store at 2 Great Jones Street, which will be up til May 17, for more eco-friendly duds. Who knew au naturel could be so hip and sexy?

late night eats: bereket's doner kebap

A lot of food was consumed last night. A lot. After the Italian extravaganza at Morandi, we went to Wilfie & Nell for drinks and ended up annihalating the thick and meaty french fries, which were so perfect with the malt vinegar. We then moved on to LES to meet some more friends for, what else, lychee martinis at Verlaine. When we finally stumbled out of the bar in a martini-induced haze, we were all craving for a midnight snack. Enter Bereket.

I have a special spot in my heart for Bereket because it's the only place outside of Germany that I've ever been able to get a doner kebap. Doners were our staple post-party grub when I was a party-loving intern in Stuttgart in my early twenties (ouch, it hurts to say that). It's not mindblowing, really; it's essentially a pita stuffed with lamb meat, lettuce, tomatoes, onions and some wicked special sauce. But something about it is just so amazingly satisfying at 3AM, all the time.

I didn't get to finish mine last night because I was so incredibly stuffed, but it was still so good to be able to bite into a doner to cap off the drinkfest. Yum yum yum ...

Where: 187 E. Houston Street on the corner of Orchard Street

rabbit

Last night, I added another furry friend to the list of "special" things I've eaten: rabbit. We celebrated our friend Coco's birthday at Morandi in the West Village on this balmy evening in New York. I originally wanted to eat something lighter, like scallops or sea bass, but my curiousity got the best of me. I ordered Coniglio in umido, marsala-braised rabbit with pancetta over soft polenta ($22). I'm not a squeamish person—the Filipino delicacy balut, after all, is one of my favorite dishes ever and I've never been unnerved by the sight of the half-formed baby duckling. But I have to say that I had to swallow down a gulp when my dish was laid out in front of me, with a crispy fried leg as the centerpiece. It was like a screaming confirmation that, yes, you are indeed eating bunny. Hmm. After a few seconds of hesitation, I took a bite of the leg. Tasted exactly like chicken. Chicken with the skin fried to a perfect crisp and meat cooked to tender juiciness. There were two round portions, a meat loaf of sorts, with rabbit meat circled with pancetta. This preparation tasted more gamy, more like what I expected rabbit to taste like. It was a robust and hearty meal, but it's something I would probably like to have eaten more on a cold winter night. It paired perfectly with the Chianti we had ordered. I could totally imagine enjoying the same meal at an osteria in Tuscany. All in all, a good thing to try but I think I'll steer clear of Bugs' buddies til the weather cools down again.

Where: 211 Waverly Place, New York, NY 10014. Tel. (212) 627-7575

quick post

... before I head out to Central Park. Just saw these luggage tags on sale at Neimans and thought they were so cool—especially the one that says, "Oh the places I've been." Although that smug statement might encourage itchy fingers to steal from my bag. Hmm. Would be very cool to have on carryon though. Makes me wanna pick up and steal away to somewhere fabulous! Oh well, for today the park will have to do. Ciao bellas, have a happy Saturday!

it's like being 14 all over again

I think I'm regressing to teenhood (or having a quarterlife crisis, whatever). Last week I developed a massive crush on a 17-year-old vampire. Today I decided that a large tub of Pinkberry counts as lunch. Before you know it I'll be walking around in Doc Martens, prank calling boys, and carrying a trapper keeper. Very strange times, these are ...

UPDATE: Oy vey, the vampires won anyway. In a moment of weakness, I bought the entire freakin Twilight series of books on Amazon. There goes my life ...

how to ... do 80° and sunny

Last weekend I spent an inordinate amount of time indoors watching vampires in a rainy town. This weekend, I refuse to wallow in angst anymore. It's gonna be 80° and sunny, baby! I think I'm going to walk over to Central Park in a romper, lay on a blanket under a cherry blossom tree, and devour "Eat Pray Love", which I recently scored on Amazon for $4.99. It would be nice to have some chilled lambrusco and maybe takeout pad thai (why bother with cheese, crackers and other accoutrements when there's pad thai, I say). So excited for the weekend!

Ecote Floral Printed Halter Onesie at Urban Outfitters, Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert at Amazon, Banglez sandals at Steve Madden, Lambrusco Rosé 2007 Lini

the ktown tour

The dragon roll at Maru

Had the ultimate Ktown evening with Avery, Steve and Dexter involving heaps of Korean BBQ, lychee martinis, shochu, flaming rolls, scotch, fruit plates, karaoke and dancing. You know it was a good night when you find yourselves eating scallion pancakes at a deserted Korean restaurant at 3AM, pondering whether it's a good plan to get a bellboy with a luggage cart to wheel your catatonic friend all the way to his hotel room. I feel strangely well today for someone who only slept 4 hours. I guess I'm not as old as I thought ... more gluttony to come for the rest of the weekend!

going cuckoo

I have apartments and decorating on the brain, which must be why I'm so fascinated with these cool wall clocks by Diamantini & Domeniconi at YOOX.

freebie alert!

So here's the deal: spend $350 on regular priced merch by Tory Burch at Neimans and you get that pretty ikat-print pareo for free. I'm of the mind that Tory Burch stuff are a tad overpriced anyway so it's good to get something back if you really MUST have the Reva flats. I'd rather try my luck at the sample sale ... although those snakeskin Revas are calling my name ... hmm ...

get graphic

Graphic black and white prints are on trend this season, and will definitely work way past it as well. Diane Von Furstenberg has some pretty, pretty dresses massively discounted right now, with lots of sizes still available. The jacquard dress on the left is soooo pretty and just $139.50 (compare to the original price of $465), and the wrap dress is just $97.50 (!!!) from its original price of $325. I really wish my shopping budget hadn't been appropriated by the move. *sigh*

eco-friendly bling

Loving the eclectic and eco-friendly designs of Alkemie, which use 100% reclaimed metals. The prices are not super uber cheap but quite affordable. My favorite is the necklace with the gun pendant ($132), which reminds of a similar necklace that Angelina Jolie wears. The stingray cuff ($209) is also pretty bad-ass. Owls might be getting old, but these are cute nevertheless. The earrings go for $154 while that cool rosary necklace is $209.

shop & save the earth

Ease the guilt of splurging on that $1,290 Sprouse Neverfull, for today at least. In honor of Earth Day, Louis Vuitton is donating 15% of all online sales made today to The Climate Project. Happy Earth Day and happy shopping!

it bag

I saw this über cute Longchamp bag on The Baghag Diaries awhile back and totally loved it. I can't stop thinking about it but can't justify parting with 340 big ones over a canvas bag, even one as fun and quirky as this. I just can't buy one knowing that I can get, oh maybe a couch from IKEA for even less money. I mean when I'm sitting in the new apartment on cardboard boxes because I chose to "invest" in this bag, I'm sure it won't seem like such a clever purchase anymore. I wonder if I'll have any luck catching it at a sample sale ... Does Longchamp even do sample sales? Must investigate.

seeking comfort

Original image via pausestill's photostream

I woke up today after having a bad dream, and it's made me feel a little low all day. I don't know what it is with my moods these days. But since my sleep was so disturbed, I thought I should be nicer to myself than usual. I got a cup of signature hot chocolate at Starbucks and it's thick, steamy sweetness is starting to ease the blues away.

On a separate note, I was shocked that at 2:15 on a Tuesday afternoon, I was the only person in line at Starbucks! I work right smack in Midtown East, a few blocks away from Grand Central, where there are back-to-back office buildings. I've been off coffee for a year now so I haven't been visiting Sbucks much, but isn't 2PM prime coffee time? I expected a lineup and instead could practically hear crickets. Have people have cut out the afternoon Sbucks fix due to the recession?

buh-bye

I'm an evil, evil person for saying this, but I was all smiles after reading 24/7 Wall Street's writeup on 12 Major Brands That Will Disappear by the end of next year. I know, companies closing means more unemployed people and so on, which is bad, bad, bad ... I was sad to hear that they think Esquire will shutter, and even though I haven't bought anything at GAP since I was 16, I don't want to see the GAP/Old Navy/Banana Republic trifecta vanish too ... but I can't contain my joy over Crocs being on the list! I'm evil. But Crocs are worse than evil. That's all I'm gonna say about that ...

designer for a *little* less

Most of the time, I love my job and I'm quite alright with the 9 to 5 sitting at the desk routine. Doesn't bother me at all. Except on days when H&M is releasing a fab-u-lous collection. On April 23, the Matthew Williamson for H&M collection drops and it makes me wish I was a still a student who could cut class to stay in line and join the melee. In my 2.5 years in NY, I've never joined the hoardes at H&M but I've never been insanely determined to get anything. But there are some pieces that I really like this time, and it annoys me that I'm this goody toe shoes who can't play hooky to line up.

But then again, maybe it's alright because I don't know that I could cough up $249 for an H&M dress—even one as cute as the one above. The long dress in the first picture is $349! Whoa.
Or even $129 for this cutie pie above. Maybe the belt. I'd spring for that $49.90 belt.

When did designer collabs get so darn pricey? Wasn't the point to make their pieces more affordable for the masses? At this point, I might as well just shop the contemporary section at Bloomie's rather than fight it out with the hordes at H&M. And good lord, at those prices, imagine how steep the markups will be at Ebay? Yikes.

i wanna be blair

A very Blair-esque Burberry military cape is on sale now at Bloomie's. It seems strange though that there don't seem to be sizes ... I mean $501.20 is a nice discount from $895.00 (use code FFTWENTY at checkout) but that's still 500 big ones! I might be too scared to splurge on this one ...

a throwback

Oh. My. God. This is just too cute!!!

I feel like I MUST have it as an homage to all those writers that came before me. And my fave writer girl Carrie Bradshaw (I know she uses a MAC and she's not a real person, but humor me here), who I'm watching on a rerun as I type. By the way, I found out a few minutes ago that I've not fallen into the dark abyss of Edward Cullen madness. I had literally just taken a step towards the DVD player to put on Twilight again when the image of the Chrystler Building and the all-too-familiar SATC music stopped me in my tracks. Yes, my love for Carrie still trumps Edward Cullen. Phew.

gold-dipped leaves

When I had lunch with my friend Ludette today, I noticed she was wearing a very cute necklace. It was from Forever 21 and she said there were loads of cute jewelry right now. Forever 21 is really the best place to get an accessories fix, with most stuff costing below $12. I had to pore through the site, of course and totally loved these two necklaces spruced up with golden leaves. I particularly like the double leaf charm necklace. The leaves look so dainty and detailed, and the piece certainly doesn't look like it costs just $7.80! Totally worth every cent.

this bag is really starting to grow on me ...

Rebecca Minkoff Supernova Stud Devote Hobo at Shopbop

boyfriend jeans

I'm always pretty resistant to jean trends for some reason. I remember it took me forever and a day to trade in my bootcut jeans for skinnies back in 2006. I was so terrified that skinnies would make my jeans look like stumps. I have the same fear of the distressed, rolled up boyfriend jean. J. Crew makes it look so good that I'm half considering it, but I don't know ... I'm not really big on the distressed, frayed thing because I don't like looking sloppy and I fear I would. How do you style your boyfriend jeans?

diy: beer cocktails

An article after my own heart. I'm not really into flavored beer but I do like beer cocktails. I was first introduced to Snakebites at an Irish bar in Manila (further proof that there are Irish bars everywhere) and fell in love with the sweet and sneaky drink. I asked for it in London once and was told they're now illegal because "they make you do stupid things, love." In New York at St. Dymphna's, I befriended a bartender immediately by asking for one. I even got to take home the special spoon used to make Black Velvets. These days, Mika and I like to drag out our Irish buddy Conor and unsuspecting drinking pals out for Snakebites in the St. Mark's area just for kicks. But I'm glad Epicurious.com came out with this guide in case we want to keep the damage within the constraints of the apartment.

what i did today

Not very chic but hey, I'm only human.

• Took my little niece to shop for Chucks in Times Square
• Then took my little niece for ice cream at Cold Stone Creamery
• B*tched out a cab driver along the way for almost splashing us with grimy gutter water—not my finest moment, since I was with an 11-year-old
• Skipped Bikram yoga for this:

Bad, bad, baaaaaad Celine. I didn't eat all of the chicken, mind you. There are a couple of pieces left in the fridge for lunch tomorrow. KFC and rice, mmm ...

Also, I didn't return the Twilight DVD. I should really stop pretending I'm gonna stop acting like a 14-year-old and just buy the damn thing. And maybe the soundtrack (well ok let's not carried away here, maybe just download it)? Did you know Rob Pattinson sang two songs played on the soundtrack and that he really plays the piano? *sigh*

i feel faint

If I didn't have a man's taste and a steady stream of Manhattan visitors to consider, I'd totally get this Antoinette Fainting Sofa from Urban Outfitters ($575) for my living room. I love damask (can ya tell?). But since I live in a city where sofabeds are practically prerequisites for apartment living, I'll have to do without.

flowers fix everything

For some reason, I turned very sad late in the afternoon today. I think I should stop watching Twilight (I rented the DVD *mildly obsessed*). The teenage/vampire angst is rubbing off on me, dousing my usually sunshiney personality. Even at Bikram, I was out of sorts. I had a tough Bikram class today, my toughest since my first day. I didn't even get the Bikram high when the 90 minutes were over.

I decided that I would cure my sadness by romancing myself. Hmm, that sentence can be easily misconstrued so let me explain. I went to Whole Foods and bought ingredients to make a pot of bolognese sauce. I also stopped at the deli for a $5 bouquet of fresh flowers. I got home, spread out the pink carnations in little vases all over the apartment, lit some candles (more to combat the smell of sauteed garlic and onions than the romance factor) and cooked some sauce for a good 4 hours (And ok, fine, I did watch Twilight again but I swear I'm returning the damn DVD tomorrow). Homecooked food and flowers lifted me up considerably. It's funny how flowers always seem to make everything better—even my Robert Pattinson obsession, maybe?

happy saturday!

It's such a gorgeous day today, the type of day Saturday brunches were made for. I stepped out for brunch with some old high school friends then walked around to window shop. My last stop was Club Monaco where these gorgeous bikes were on display. It's the Gazelle for Club Monaco, which are selling for $995. I don't know much about bikes; I haven't ridden one since I was 8. But they're beautiful, and I'd imagine wonderful to ride around the city on days such as this.

While I was at Club Monaco, I also fell in love with two gorgeous blouses. They didn't love me back though as they were prohibitively priced at $119. Why must Club Monaco be so pricey? If I had a generous shopping budget, I'd totally get my entire wardrobe from Club Monaco. I just love their stuff ... hopefully the blouses I'm loving will stick around for the sale!

it's official

I gots to get a move on from my current apartment on the Upper East. Been wanting to move to the East Village anyway, where exceptional yakitori and ramen is just a short walk away and available at odd hours of the night. Where a 6-pack of beer does not cost $14 at the deli. Where a trip to Trader Joe's and Bikram Yoga does not entail a subway ride.

It will be a pain to move though and will cost a lot of $$$ because not only will moving entail new security deposits and such fees, but also buying new furniture since I've been living in a furnished apartment for the last 1 1/2 years. But at the same time, it would be fun to get to decorate an entire space. I've never done it in my life so I'm excited!

A few snapshots from the IKEA website of what I dream to have in my apartment (but probably will not). Don't you wish you could live in an IKEA catalog sometimes? Kind of like Edward Norton's character in Fight Club (well, before he blew up the place at least).

Oh IKEA, you and I will be having a summer fling.

mid-day dash at neimans

My boyfriend thinks I'm crazy for subscribing to all these retailers for emails on special offers, but I tell ya it's worth it for all the special invites and discounts you get. Today for instance, Neiman Marcus decided to have a "Mid-Day Dash" with exclusive items at 55% off just for their subscribers. You can't get to the special sale just by going to the website, I tried. So if I actually had the dough, I could've gotten this exquisite Carlos Falchi anaconda oversized clutch for $1,219 (compare that to the original price of $2710). Sweet, sweet deal! If only I had a trust fund ...

your special day

I just love the idea of these charms by Page Sargisson. They can be customized to mark one's birthday! I would totally love one, and I think it's also a great gift idea. It's not super cheap, of course since it's custom-made—prices range from $215-310, depending on the size of the pendant and the material used. Pendants are made out of recycled gold and sterling silver.

i know this is the third twilight post but i can't help it

Sorry guys, it's just that my boyfriend is off in Finland so I'm can't help but get obsessed over a 22-year-old faux vampire. I just came across these pics from a Twilight cast shoot at Vanity Fair and had to obsess a bit ... This one got me specifically because of the ring Kristen is wearing.

I sent out that Panther ring on shoots a bazillion times (and tried it on a similar number of times) when I was interning at Cartier. I therefore conclude that I have somehow touched Robert Pattinson's killer mug.

That's all I really wanted to say. Now for more droolworthy pics. THIS is why I'm crazy over Pattinson. If only he looked like this all the time (and showered more).

Sweet Jesus, the hotness.