happy 4th of july!

Hope you're celebrating the long weekend with lots of barbecues, sunshine, sangria and quality time with good friends. I think I've done it justice so far with two days of nonstop partying. I'm starting to feel a little bit of party burnout, to be honest. For my fourth of July, all I want is to sleep in and conquer that elusive 10-mile long run! And if I do, I suppose celebrating with more sangria could be in order ...

Happy 4th of July everyone!

Image via Zimmermann

how about them yankees?

I still remember going to my first Yankees baseball game. My friend Joel picked me up and the first thing he asked was, "Do you have a Yankees hat?"

"Umm no."

"You need one."

I wasn't too thrilled about spending $25 when I never really wear baseball caps, but once we got to Yankee stadium, I was glad I did. Everyone, including little girls and their American Girl dolls, were decked out in Yankees gear.

I haven't watched a Yankees game since, but I'm sure that at some point I'll end up going. So I'm really glad that Victoria's Secret has come up with cute fan gear that fits women, and fits them well. I am so getting the "I only kiss Yankees fans" shirt:

That with white shorts or a mini plus those knee-high socks and Chucks would be too cute! The thought of the outfit alone makes me wanna be taken out for a ballgame.

Victoria's Secret didn't just do this for the Yankees of course. Check out what gear they have for your favorite team here.

snowed in

Tomorrow is going to be the very first Snow Day I've had since moving to New York in 2006, and I'm kinda excited. We're talking work cancelled, groceries bought in a panic, a foot of the white stuff Snow Day here! (Watch me get all riled up and get nothing but 10 little snowflakes tomorrow) The prospect of one whole day of being legitimately stuck at home boggles my mind ... what to do, what to do? In a panic over being left with nothing but a can of tuna to eat in the snowstorm, I finally did groceries today so one thing I'm definitely doing tomorrow is cooking. I made mushroom risotto tonight, and tomorrow I'm planning on making my crackhead bolognese sauce. I might even get around to writing the recipe down so that Linda and Caroline can stop bugging me about it ... maybe.

Most likely, I'll browse through a lot of shopping sites ... ok who am I kidding, I'm already doing it. Some stuff I'd like to be snowed in with:

Sandwashed silk pants at Victoria's Secret ($49.50); Dolce shawl collar popover at J.Crew ($39.99); Hydrangea Bouquet duvet cover at Urban Outfitters ($68); shearling moccassins by J.Crew ($29.99);

What I'll most likely end up whipping the credit card out for though is probably a single-serve coffee machine. I've been thinking about getting one for awhile now. I've been buying so much Starbucks coffee lately that I might as well just direct deposit a chunk of my paycheck to them. I was so concerned about getting snowed in without any coffee to tide me over that I almost rushed to Bed, Bath & Beyond to buy a coffee maker. I've been lusting after this one since Christmas and actually had the time to read reviews on it tonight so I gotta feeling I'm gonna break down and get it very soon.

The Bosch Tassimo Single Serve Coffee Brewer can make a variety of drinks including cappuccinos, lattes, chai lattes and hot chocolate. Single-serve machines that use little premixed packets of coffee or tea have been around for awhile. But this model takes it a step further with its barcode technology that scans the little T-Disks you put in and custom-makes the drink with the proper brewing time and temperature. Starbucks, Seattle's Best, Tazo and Gevalia are just some of the brands that make T-Disks.

I know that when I wake up tomorrow and see the pile of snow that's been dumped on Manhattan, I'm going to wish I could have a capuccino without having to step out of the house. Must have this coffee machine. I'll be damned if I'm caught unprepared for the next snowstorm!

Ok, it's time for bed. Keep warm and cozy! Good night!

i don't heart

Valentine's Day has never been one of my favorite holidays, even though I was in a relationship for the last 7 years. It annoys me how prices for flowers, candy and dinners just get absurdly inflated on this one day. So vigilant was I about not getting sucked into this Hallmark holiday that in my last relationship, I asked the ex to refrain from ever buying me anything for V-Day and use that money instead for a nice dinner on a non-Valentine's Day date. I emphatically refused to go out for V-Day dinners and insisted on eating takeout on our couch (though I did get persuaded to at least eat the cheap Thai food in the restaurant instead of getting takeout).

So as you can imagine, now that I'm actually single, I doubly loathe Valentine's Day. I'm not gonna lie, I've been rolling my eyes at every single heart-shaped box of chocolates I pass on the streets. As I did it again while passing Lindt last night though, I thought, maybe I should just do a heart overload one day to desensitize myself from all the heart hatred. So, I looked up every heart-adorned fashion item in existence and with my favorites came up with the collage below. Some aren't so bad actually. I'd really like a pair of those heart-seamed tights from Topshop.

Clockwise from left: ; Leifsdottir skirt at Bloomingdale's; Vivienne Westwood pumps at My-Wardrobe.com; Heart seam tights by Topshop; Hard heart purse by Urban Outfitters; Kate Spade pumps at Endless; Heart purse at Harmony Lane

If you're happy and not bitter, then good for you and I wish you a happy hearts day. To other ladies rolling their eyes like me and muttering under their breath with every Valentine's Day display, high five!

random thoughts on a freezing saturday

I felt like I was on a rollercoaster for the last three weeks. There were some massive ups and downs in my personal life, work was non-stop and frenetic, and partying was almost at fever pitch. I alternated between exhiliration and exhaustion on a daily basis. Today Mika left for the US Open, and I had my first free Saturday in awhile. I decided I needed a full day of doing nothing just to regroup. I only stepped out to grab a coffee and a pizza slice, but pretty much just vegged out and watched practically every show I'd recorded on my DVR. It was good ...

Now I'm catching up on my favorite blogs and leisurely browsing the Internet. I'd forgotten how wonderful aimless Internet use can be! So forgive me if today's blog post is a bit random. It's my day off ...

Random thought #1: I love this picture of Olivia Palermo by The Sartorialist. I haven't watched enough of The City to dislike her. I just find her incredibly striking, and this picture makes me want to put on a blazer and poufy little skirt. And extend my legs drastically.

Random thought #2: Is anybody else bothered by this Fendi skunk fur bag? I'm terribly disturbed by it. If I saw this on someone's arm, I might just freak out and throw something at her. I do like fur, but skunk fur?? Pepe le pew. And you want me to pay a little under 2 grand for that? You. Have. GOT. To. Be. Kidding. Me.

Random thought #3: A sweater coat like this one from Anthropologie would be so awesome for my wardrobe. Cozy but tailored and chic. Love.

Mmmm ... that's about it for now. I gotta go to bed before my craving for bacon and garlic rice drags me to the kitchen for a midnight snack. Good night dearies, hope you had a cozy Saturday like I did!

Love,

the boyfriend blazer hunt

It's not a good sign for one's finances when the thing that gets you out of bed on a lazy Monday morning is an email from Express on their new chic blazers. Hard to ignore a fierce image like this, especially since my best fitting blazer is actually an Express one:

There's that Balmain-esque strong shoulder, but not to such an extreme that it can't be work appropriate. If I'm gonna spend $138 on a blazer, it better work at my Midtown office and on a night out in the Lower East Side. That said, the piece that's seriously tempting me is not quite work appropriate. I am loving the boyfriend blazer rocking a studded lapel:

I tried on a blazer with a studded blazer that I loved in Zara awhile back, but some studs had fallen off here or there so I decided against it even if it was on sale. This is giving me a second shot at the style and at a much cheaper price! This blazer is already 25% off the original retail price, bringing it down to $73.50. Plus, today is the final day for getting $15 off every $60 spent, making the final price just $58.50! Oh wow. After my 1:30 Bikram class, my new Express card is gonna get a workout too ...

Hope you're enjoying the Labor Day deals today! (or if not, a Labor Day BBQ at least)

UPDATE: So I actually went to Express to see this blazer up close, and there went my studded blazer dreams. The website says it's pitch black, and um, it aint. It's closer to navy. And the sleeves are ruched! Ok, the website does say that, I just don't read. Ugh, the ruching just ruined it all ... bye bye dream blazer ...

maybe the end of summer isn't so bad ...

I was heartbroken Thursday morning when I stepped out on my stoop and found the air about 10 degrees cooler. There goes summer ... someone mentioned the f--l word and the b--ts word and I just blurted out, "NO!!!" It feels like summer just really started and now it's over?!

A few minutes ago though, I chanced upon these lovelies on the Victoria's Secret website and decided, well, maybe the arrival of a new season aint all that bad ...

These are by my (no longer) secret favorite shoemaker Jessica Simpson. Jessica may not know her tuna from her chicken, but she sure knows shoes! Whoever her "ghost designer" is, I love you darling. I own a pair of Jessica Simpson platform pumps that are incredibly comfy but also very sexy. I think one (or more) of these boots might just be the next addition to my shoe closet. The over-the-knee boot is a hot fall trend that I would love to dip into, and the fact that this boot folds over into a more classic style makes it that much more desirable. The boots are priced at $209 but Victoria's Secret is currently giving a 20% discount off boots! Maybe I'll get a black pair now since those are a must for Autumn in New York and if the price drops later, you two-toned cuties shall be mine!

UPDATE: I was going to give in and order the black OTBs but guess freakin' what ... they ship out on 12/20! Are they MAD? Fuhgeddaboudit.

dip in dots

I can't remember the last time I wore ginormous polkadots, but Kate Spade is making me really consider it. The blouse-cardie-belt-skirt ensemble on the left would be such a sassy work outfit. I love blouses that tie with a bow, so sexy secretary. I don't love the $265 pricetag so much though.


Kate Spade's new apparel dropped yesterday and I love their signature mix of mod and whimsy. I think this cardie is too cute, though the price isn't at $245. Oh well. Someday my sweethearts, you too will end up on the sale rack, and I'll be waiting to swoop in.

forever 21 love

First of all, I have to say how much I love it that Forever 21 now shows their clothes on people. Really makes impulse online shopping that much easier when you can imagine how something looks (ok maybe it's not 100% acurate since I'm not a 5'11 model with boobs, but still...)! Second, I just love these flowered dresses. Nothing I want to wear more than little flowered dresses on a (hopefully) sunny weekend.

Those two would easily transition into fall with the coming season's requisite black leather biker jacket, some tights and booties. If you're in denial like I am, though, and feel like summer has barely even started yet, go with a dress that's just pure sunshine like this:

Yeah, I think I'm gonna go with sunshine. Wishing you all a great weekend with lots of sunshine, bubbly drinks, pretty dresses and wonderful company!

the great white shirt

Is it strange to be unreasonably in love with a white shirt? Cos I really, really, really do love this buttondown tuxedo shirt from J. Crew. I mean look at it:

So crisp yet nonchalant. So easy but put-together. Oh how I love it ... maybe $69.50 isn't such a bad price to pay when it's love ...

multilingual cards

I think these cards by Yee-Haw on Etsy are very cool. I'm badly wanting to avail of the services of this full custom letterpress printmaking and design shop to have thank you cards made that say gracias in Tagalog and in Finnish. It would be cute to send out thank you notes and such in Mika's and my mother tongues. I love the simplicity of the design, the great choice of fonts, and fun color combos of these:

Alright, signing off and passing out. G'night dearies!

the bless bag for longchamp

I don't know how I feel yet about the Bless bag for Longchamp, which the brand is launching for 20th anniversary of ANDAM, the Association Nationale pour le Développement des Arts de la Mode (source: Style File at Style.com). I've had the Le Pliage totes on my mind these past few weeks, maybe because I see so many of them while walking around midtown Manhattan. They're very practical, I must admit, but something about paying $145 for a canvas bag seems wrong to me ... when I saw this bag though, I considered it for a second. The thing is, I have a ridiculously skinny wrist so this leather "bangle" would probably just fly off it. For those with normal-sized wrists though, this would be an awesome multi-tasking fashion item. The bags come out on October 1 so I guess we'll have to wait and see!

i'm afraid

We moved to a new office today, and as I turned into Madison and 44th, I was struck with fear. There is a beautiful and massive J. Crew just a few blocks from my office. It's on my way home. God help me. The thing that has saved me so far from falling into debt via indiscriminate shopping at J. Crew is that there's never been one near my apartment or place of work. Now it's RIGHT. THERE. Shivers.

I'm also afraid of my new work area. No windows nearby and facing a blank pasty wall. Thank god I'm moving (yet again) next week when I start at a new position. Hopefully my new space will be less desolate. I miss the outdoors. Wish I was off lounging in a flower-filled meadow like this chick.

I'd be fine with a gray day too if I had her wardrobe. I totally want this coat for fall. Actually I want this whole outfit. I've never worn Converse sneakers but maybe with an outfit like this I could. Or does it only work if you are tall and model-esque?

Dear guardian angel,

Please give me the strength to stay away from J. Crew during my lunch break. Thanks.

random things that i want today

Today I'm loving this dress by Free People. I don't know what I love more—the look or the fact that it's named the Dynasty dress. It's not very much in keeping with 80s era style, but I can see myself channeling some Alexis-like fierceness in this dress. Plus, it's the only semi-affordable (but not really) dress at Wink at $108 (see, I told you, not really). But still, I want, I want ...

I've also been daydreaming of getting this rug from Anthropologie for my room. Just the 2.5 inch round version would be awesome, and it would just be $78. I think it adds a little something.

I'm sorry I'm terribly random today. Studying for my Spanish final must've overworked my brain (clearly it's been years since I was last in school) and I just don't make much sense. Hopefully I'll be better later tonight ...

miss bibi

Oh my. OH MY. I want everything on this website. Miss Bibi makes pendants in the shape of miniature chandeliers, pistols, tools and farfalle, among other clever little things. And it's miniatures are so incredibly detailed that they just make me want to swoon. If I'm magically able to make it to London next month, I will hunt these cuties down.

i want it all

The Macbeth Collection website is making my head spin. The idea that I can get any of their dozens and dozens of cute prints on a party platter, trinket tray, pitcher, bin, lunchbox or what-have-you is almost to fabulous for me to comprehend. And ... what? I can get them monogrammed too? I can inscribe an oval tub with "bikinis", put "umbrellas" for that pitcher that I want by the front door, and put my name on my lunchbox? It's too good ... it's just too good ...

if another drop of rain falls in manhattan this week

I just might lose it and buy these Melissa-Vivienne Westwood Ultragirl III rubber flats from Saks. They do cost $120, yes, but how cute are they? And they seem quite perfect for those days when it's drizzling out but it feels as hot as a Bikram studio. Although that little peeptoe might cost problems if the drizzle turns into full fledged rain ... something to think about before the shopping monster takes over.