Anna & Kristina's Beauty Call

source: annaandkristina.com/

Today, I met Anna from the locally produced TV show Anna & Kristina's Beauty Call on my lunch break.... I actually called her Kristina by accident! I was a bit embarrassed... I guess the nerves got the best of me. It looked like they were about to start filming and I had the privilege of a quick chat with Anna. I have to be honest in saying that I've only seen this show once or twice, but I'm an avid fan of their older show The Shopping Bags, where they do product testing and reviews. I never bought anything that didn't have the approval of at least 2 shopping bags! Anna mentioned they're spending a lot of time at H&M these days for the Beauty Call. It's a show about how to be stylish on a budget, which is in line with my fashion philosophy. I'm going to be one addicted viewer!

The Closet

Now that we've settled into the new year, J and I have resumed decorating. This weekend was spent Wallpapering the "den turned into my walk-in closet".  For anyone that's considering wallpaper, I have two words: Be prepared! It's a messy and time-consuming job. Being first timers, we had No idea what we were doing. By trial & error, we managed to put them up... just don't look too closely at the seams :) We still need to put up some bars and more shelving, but here's a sneak peek!



(Picture From left: H&M sweater, Forever 21 tops, Silent + Noise silk blouse)

Nude shades in my closet have got me thinking about Spring. I'm ready to embrace this year's strongest understatement.  Silk, tulle, lace, sequin -  I'm loving everything in these soft shades. 

Little Teal Riding Hood

Asos belted cape coat, Aldo ankle boots, Banana Republic earrings

Yes, I stole Blair Waldorf's signature look and I'm not giving it back.  The other day, one of the buttons of my old favorite Zara coat popped off, and then I realized how worn out it was from our Vancouver winters.  I guess this wasn't all bad, as it meant I was due for a new coat!  I was looking for something other than a traditional black peacoat; something classy yet unique.  So there I was on my routine ASOS browse-through, when I saw this gorgeous teal cape coat: it's feminine, lady-like, and everything I was looking for! There was a fair share of capes on recent runways (Thakoon, Derek Lam, Marc Jacobs, and many more).  I was always intrigued by them.  In fact my fav childhood outfit was this purple cape! I remember being super embarrassed when my mom made me stand infront of the playground for photos... while other kids were swinging on monkey bars behind me.  I have to find these pics and post them soon!  It's safe to say I've always been a fan of capes.  I just love the way it falls... this coat almost feels like a dress!  If there's one bad thing about them is that you have to opt for a satchel instead of a shoulder bag.  Although, I imagine a messenger might work too :)

This got me thinking... can a statement piece also be an investment piece? I say Yes. I can see myself wearing this coat 5, 10 years down the road!... if it still fits.

Last time I cooked, hardly anyone got sick

Not really an outfit post today... as I'm wearing a sweater from high school. Slightly shrunken.. but who cares, I'm at home :)

So I'm not much of a cook. Heck, I can hardly boil an egg! This week I started a challenge for myself to actually find recipes and cook decent meals. (Partly inspired by the movie Julie & Julia and partly because I wanted to use our new kitchen utensils) I looked to Martha Stewart for some recipes and tried making the stuffed chicken with sundried tomatoes. Without realizing that you're not supposed to season the top of the chicken with basil... I was greeted by smoke when checking the oven... there goes the fire alarm... $#%@^&!$#... and it was chaos in my tiny kitchen. Yes, I had to scrape some a lot of burnt black bits off the finished product, but it was edible! Serving it on a black plate also helped camouflage it a bit ;) J & I enjoyed a dinner for two on a quiet evening... just how I like it!

A Little Sunshine for the Holidays

Forever 21 Embellished shoulder top, UO scarf, Balenciaga City

I'm Back! SO sorry for the lack of posts lately. We got back from the trip on Monday and have been busy running errands non-stop. I hope everyone had a great Christmas and New Years! I'm still getting used to the idea of living in this new decade... the 10's??... it feels like yesterday when it turned 2000!



Our short Cruise vacation was exactly what we needed.  It was very relaxing and involved a lot of eating & sleeping! The Buffets and daily 3-course meals really killed me... I must have gained a few pounds. Other than the food, J and I really loved just lounging around and enjoyed taking a slow-paced vacay for a change! Oddly, I didn't feel seasick but as soon as I got home, I was feeling dizzy & unstable like I'm still on the ship... what is that, landsick??



Club Monaco top, H&M pants, Zara cardigan, Dolce & Gabbana sunnies

One of the stops was the beautiful Catalina Island. Avalon is such a charming little town. Only an hour or two away from the California coast, it's a quick getaway and makes you feel like you just flew to Southern France. The breath-taking views really reminded me of Monaco - minus the casinos! I loved that the main mode of transportation there is by Golf Cart. Environmentally-friendly and fun! I may have taken a few sharp turns that scared my dear passengers... but we all made it down the hill in one piece! We took a scenic drive around the Island, visited a few quaint little shops and had a bite to eat. Too bad we only had a day to stroll through the town, I could spend a good week there!



What's a Holiday post without a Tree! We decorated our Christmas tree purple & silver this year. Since we didn't get to enjoy it over Christmas, I'm gonna keep it up for as long as possible. V-day might be pushing it, no?




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