Vintage and Rodeo Drive

Went to LA yesterday to do a little shopping and discovered one of the most outrageously fantastic vintage boutiques known to man: The Way We Wore. Gorgeous stuff, often designer labels, and the second I start getting a paycheck that's above student wage I'm going back for one of those leather bags. And one of the oversized owl pendants. And that fantastic giant clutch. And the giant black tulle skirt by someone I don't remember. The list keeps going people... Not to mention the shop girls are all really sweet and stylish. Wish my hands hadn't been shaking so much when I took these pictures though. Too much Americano, too little actual food...

Purse corner.

Perfect oversize clutch.

Belt drawer I'd like to wade through.

Remember when Forever21 came out with those owl pendents everyone was in love with? Well I think these were probably the originals. Exquisite. Wish they weren't so blurry - the owls are actually surprisingly expressive.

After a very successful trip there (I did manage to purchase a pair of black leather gloves - so I can cut the fingers off of my old pair of black leather gloves...) I headed to Rodeo Drive because I've never actually spent much time there. Definitely worth paying way too much in parking (note to self, it's cheaper just a few blocks over on Beverly Blvd.). Here are some pieces that caught my eye:

 

Brunello Cucinelli. Saks Men. When I have a husband and we go to Barcelona I'm buying him this.

Chanel. Always a win.

Nicolas Kirkwood for Rodarte. LUST.

 

Ugliest shoes ever: 1. Crocs. 2. Uggs. 3. These. Except I would wear Uggs around the house.

 A certain friend of mine who will remain unnamed has something like these for men. They horrify me. No, we will not be matching next week.

I ended the day with a pair of Kill City jeans and a sheer top (it's perfect. I've been looking for this top for YEARS) from Planet Blue. Good day.

Meanwhile, my friend Nate had a better day. He just posted these pictures from New Years in Saipan. Not jealous at all...

Job, job, hob, blob, knob, job

Obviously I'm a bit delirious right now. Spent this week training my replacements at work, finishing up a project for a client down in San Diego, and jumped full force into the job search. Geez. Graduating college is a big deal, no? Anyway, sorry I've been totally MIA lately. My other excuse is that I left my camera at Benvenuto and I only just got it back yesterday. Enough. Here are some snippets of life/inspiration for your enjoyment.

 

This is what I've been staring at all week...

Anna Karina. GORGEOUS. And she's Danish too. I need to start embracing that side of me more often.

 

I should also wear hats more often...

...and spend more time sipping tea :) This was Jasmine Tea on a lovely night at Cafe Veronese in Fullerton. Some day when it's not pouring rain I'm going to take a bunch of pictures here - it's like stepping into Wonderland...

In other news, music I love at the moment: Fader by Temper Trap, Little Lion Man and the Cave by Mumford and Sons, Sail by Awolnation, Be My Animal by The Good Natured, and Follow Me by Audrianna Cole (thanks @Bergdorfs for that last one!)

Tying up the odds and ends

Random things from December that I didn't get around to posting: 

 Pretty much the most amazing picture ever. Karen Elson and Tom Ford in Dec Vogue. Reminds me of two people I know...

My dream. Give me ocean, a convertible, heels and a full skirt and I'm basically in heaven. 

 Christmas rain at Benvenuto. We had to pump out the pool so it didn't overflow!

 Saying goodbye to my catering boys. They've been taking care of me for two and a half years now. Gosh I'm going to miss Dodge College. :(

 Kerrianne's Festivus. Pretty much just a holiday excuse for well dressed ridiculousness. I'm wearing the LCS Designs 2011 collection lobster dress. Yup. It's got lobsters on it.

Our lovely hosts.

Happy New Year!!!

I know, I know, SUPER creative post title. Hooray for 2011!!! I had such a fantastic New Years this year with my darling roomie - here are some of the pics:

At midnight we popped champagne off the balcony and watched the fireworks at Disneyland in the distance, then returned inside to dance around like idiots and eat these chocolate dipped strawberries while drinking more champagne and watching Casino Royal. So classy. Lol.

New Year's Day Brunch :)

The boys were in Big Bear for NYE. Derek sent me this gorgeous sunrise at 7am.

New Years Resolutions:

 (Because it sounded like fun and I'm procrastinating)

1.  Travel. Obvious #1. Not like I have difficulty traveling, being a nomad at heart, but it's definitely on the priority list. Already got Japan scheduled in for April. And no, Vegas in February for my 21st does not count as travel.

2. Start my career full time. Hopefully this will be accomplished by the end of this month...because that's when I'm graduating...

3. Never say anything bad about anyone. Not that I have a habit of doing this, but it's a good goal.

4. Stay healthy. Harder than one might think seeing as I haven't exercised in years and I'm notoriously good at just starving myself for results. Taking care of my skin/hair is included in this. I tend to just roll out of bed and go with it.

5. Cook more/better. I got a beautiful knife set for Christmas (complete with cleaver!) and I definitely need to step the cooking up a notch from fail-proof casseroles and rice bowls.

6. Throw at least 4 EPIC parties. On my own, outside of work. Working on the graduation party at Benvenuto now, but having a few technical difficulties...

7. Keep my apartment cleaner. Just because I know what's in all of the piles doesn't make it ok...

8. Go to the beach more. Always a good idea.

9. Embrace ridiculousness.

10. Up the artist quotient: aka photography, writing, museum visiting, clothing design, practicing French, etc.

Sounds like a productive year to me :)

How 2010 Changed My Life

The Top 10 Things in 2010 that will define who I am in 2011:

(In no particular order)

1. The girls. For challenging me, inspiring me, feeding me, egging me on, and forcing me to practice speaking five languages at once. For power-girl pow-wows, for coffee breaks, for late night sob sessions, for heady adventures, for New York, for LA, for lunches when I should have been at work. For sharing a backbone, sharing a dream, sharing a hand. May our futures together be always elegant, classy, passionate and a little bit off the wall.

Cecil Awards

Waiting for dinner after Fashion's Night Out

OC Style Week at the Irvine Spectrum

Urban Outfitters

LCS Designs Pre-Launch Party

Fashion Squad December Shoot

Valentino Screening

2. The boys. Referring to three individuals who taught me everything I needed to know about fast cars, real sushi, music of all kinds, cigars, coffee, alcohol, Apples to Apples, and the true meaning of forgiveness. I love you all.

Hi Times

Something that probably shouldn't have happened (Nashville)

So they're not one of the three mentioned but they're awesome anyway - the Jekowsky brothers. Cecil Awards

3. St. John Knits. I will never look at bows the same. Or line sheets, or gift with purchases, or rings, or hangers, or seminars, or PAs, or fashion shows, and I will certainly never let little wispy things come sneaking out of table centerpieces. This was THE internship.


4. Europe. London made me strong. England made me self-sufficient. Madrid made me wild. Spain made me live. Nice made me dream. France dreamed with me. Italy told me it was all real.

Tea at Windsor.

Oxford.

Madrid.

Las Palmas, Canary Islands.

Irun, Spain/France (Basque Country)

Nice.

Nice in the morning.

Varazze, Italy

5. Paris. I met Lady Paris and I will never be the same. Motorcycles, lights, art, champagne, history, beauty, coffee, baguettes...I will never be the same.


5. LCS Designs. Started a company, entered an industry, planned a dynasty, embraced a learning curve, reached way beyond my means, lost a best friend, lost another best friend, learned the hard way, accepted that this will have to wait a little while.

OC Fashion Week Pre-Launch

Lookbook Location Scouting

Lookbook 2010

6. Dodge College of Film and Media Arts. Year two and I still learned something new every day. Old boss, new boss, Jerry Lewis, Richard Benjamin, all of the other Richards, Randal Kleiser, Eddie Olmos, Ray Gideon, Women in Focus, the Valentino event, Jeff McCracken, Andy Lane, the front office staff. Where in the world would I be without all of you?

My desk.

Valentino documentary screening.

First Cut

Me and photographer Adam Ottke at the LCS Designs Pre-Launch Party.

7. Pacific Coast Highway. My escape, my second home. So many times I have met God whizzing over your pavement, cruising your cliff-sides, pausing to watch the sunsets off your turnouts. I come to you for adventure, for perspective, for vibrancy and freedom. God bless California.

Newport.

Huntington.

Oceanside.

Santa Monica.

Oceanside.

9. Starbucks. For all the fashion shows, launch parties, early mornings, adventures, long drives, seminars, classes, meetings, bonding sessions, and out of the box leaps of faith that might not have happened without you. For the fact that the world seems brighter with three shots of espresso in hand. For those times when God, family and caffeine were the only things consistent in my life. Cheers.

Starbucks in London.

Concept Fashion Week LA.

OC Styleweek

LA Traffic.

10. Jesus Christ. All I need. All my strength. Everything is yours. To you be the glory and the honor and the power. Amen.