rainbow bites

(photo via flickr)

Continuing the French motif, I want to try some macarons. They looked so yummy in Marie Antoinette and come in so many colors! I'm sure they are very sugary and delicious.

PS: Life on a houseboat in Amsterdam. So dreamy.

kate spade

(photo via kate spade)

Did I ever tell you I want to be just like her? I read a business case on Kate Spade New York for my entrepreneurship class last semester and loved the scrappy husband and wife story. Kate's practical idea has since grown into an empire which now showcases not only her signature handbags, but also very ladylike clothing, glasses, shoe, and stationary lines (with an awesome company blog to boot). Can you guess which line is my favorite?

vintage b & w

(photos via lolitas)

I love old black and white photos. Aren't these so lovely and elegant? Also, take a look at some never before published Audrey Hepburn photos. I adore her. I mean, working on a year-long project devoted to her as early as the eighth grade shows some commitment. We've been pals for years, Audrey and I.

culinary delights

(photo by abby)

These babies are "ahi tostadas with cabbage, black beans, and avocado." Looks super tasty and festive, right? I'm also curious to try a cucumber martini. Oh, I am such a foodie.

PS: A girl's gotta have her chocolate and pink cupcakes. (They're never out of style.) I should start a culinary appreciation blog. :)

the flashlight

illuminates slow joyrides on spines
for pupils of the reflex kind by

pupils of sensory study,
commits to skin’s

contours longer than
hands, memorizes

shape more ardently
than words, & always

manages to turn on.

It knows answers before
they are preconceived --

before they are inquired on a
whim or even imagined in a dream

(of an entanglement of shapes, colors, &
sweaty, fuzzy variations of musculature),

which makes me wonder why sometimes...
things are so much better in the dark.

have a relaxing sunday

(photo via refinery 29)

And I leave you with this: wacky jewelry! Would you wear such quirky pieces? Or are you more elegantly inclined?

sunny in the heart

(via vanessa)

It's perfect outside, and I am sitting on my bed eating cherries and peering out the window. What is wrong with this picture? It's because I'm too busy dreaming about my four wonderful months in Europe come August and making random lists of to do's. But I guess it's time go out and take a walk. Talk tomorrow. xoxo

PS: But first -- I Kiss Boys. What about you?

french obsession

(photo via etsy)

First it's Parisian breakfast, now, it's back to the spectacles. I can't get enough of anything French related this week! I just had my bangs cut in an edgy, thick short bangs plus long straight hair kind of way -- sort of European, no? (Make sense?) Wish I had these funky rhinestone vintage cat eye eyeglasses to complement my new 'do. Sigh, I so want to look like this mademoiselle.

incredible

Writing poetry is tons of fun. But performing the art is amazing. I want to do this, but I've only had a bit of practice.

my baby steps in design

Feeling all sorts of creative today, from pottery to graphic design, so I want to share some of my own stuff! The first logo was created for my entrepreneurship class on a new venture concept (a restaurant recommendation service), and the second was the cover page for my producing pitch (I got to dream up a movie! So fun. It was an adaptation of a book I read earlier on Bombshells.) I love dreaming up new brands, new images. :)

PS: The cover of my poetry chapbook!

thoughts on pottery

(photo via flickr)

It's a sad day, but let's not focus on such things for a minute, and just try to relax and feel better. (I intern for Tylenol, so the "Feel Better" campaign is always in my head, sorry!) Tons of people do such cool, quirky things, like knitting or pottery. I like the idea of relaxing while being productive through creating something beautiful. (Reading and running seem tame in comparison!)

Once, in high school, a boy took me out on a "pottery date" and showed me all the tricks of the trade (with a wheel, smock, and everything!), but I wasn't very good at it. So he made me this pretty pot for Valentine's day. Isn't that so nice? I love the concept of homemade gifts and sharing something you enjoy. What would you give? I think I would write a poem or make a scrapbook filled with pictures, dried flowers, and lots of other colorful things.

Izaac Mizrahi

Izaac Mizrahi is the King of "Fashionable-Without-Trying-Hard." (Or should I say Queen? He's very frou frou on The Fashion Show.) Mizrahi's eponyomous line (not Liz Claiborne, which he creative directs) looks effortlessly classier each season. Here are some favorites from Pre-Fall '09 and Resort '10. PS: Love the leopard.

(photos via style.com)

"scent"-sational product

I never thought I'd ever blog about deodorant, but I'm impressed by the Degree Fine Fragrance Collection. Such a great idea! I mean, a product with the utility of a deodorant and the luxury of a sexy fragrance? How could this not be a hugely popular product? I've been wearing "Sexy Intrigue" for the past week, and have received tons of compliments on my "perfume." I'm excited to try "Classic Romance" and "Delicious Bliss." Ooh la la.

beautiful breakfast

(photo via simply breakfast)

I'm salivating at this cute Parisian breakfast -- chocolate and cheese are two of my favorite treats! If I had a meal like this in Paris tomorrow, I'd eat like a lady and chew very slowly (because the French savor their food, right?). And then I'd admire the sexy slingbacks (or flats) I'm wearing , smell the flowers, and dress appropriately, stereotypically French -- striped shirts and all. :)

semi-autobiographical oldie

75 cent candle

I remember when we were poor
and rented the top floor
of a white townhouse with
white shutters, we ruled
the yard sales around town.

I loved sifting
through all that
precious junk.

We bought used books for baby,
vintage necklaces for you, and
lots of old Disney movies for me.
Sometimes, we went to big
flea markets with old lady

wardrobes on display
and tea cups
in dusty cozies.

Sometimes, we slowly drove
in our Ford Taurus
peering after arrows on neon signs
and cluttered lawns and every
kind of eccentric house.

I loved the
faceless cloth dolls
and mothball smell.

The people were sweet
and gave me lollipops,
and once, a hotdog with
relish. I munched slowly while
you browsed through the clothes

lined up carefully
faded from wash,
old and clean.

I even bought a little candle
for 75 cents, and surprised you
with my gift back in the car.
You hugged me tight, and forgot
it in the backseat for a week

where it melted
and became an
invisible wax puddle.

sweet dreams

(photo via simply photo)

I have no idea what I'm going to wear tomorrow, and I want to decide before I fall asleep. Maybe a colorful skinny silk scarf tied like a belt around a white blouse? Or is that too bohemian for corporate? I'll just have to see in the morning! Good night, my dears. I have a poem for you tomorrow! (And it's not a wispy little thing either.) xoxo

hansel and gretel

I watched this commercial on the treadmill earlier and couldn't resist sharing. It's so sweet, and reminds me of how colorful and vast NYC can seem at first. And I love the tale of Hansel and Gretel -- candy houses anyone?! I have to say, the production side of marketing does seem mighty attractive right now...

PS: This Starburst commercial was kinda funny too

moody monday

(photo via simply recipes)

It's been a rough Monday, with lots of stress, stiff shoulders, excel spreadsheets, and itchy contacts. And I'm weaning myself off of chocolate (don't ask why), so I can only look at yummy pictures to feel a little better. Also, the shoes I recently ordered (including these) fit strangely, so I have a lot of return shipping to do, boo. But no more complaining -- that's not the way to live! How was your day? What do you do to cheer yourself up in moody moments? I think about little luxuries and lipstick!

hair do or don't?

(photos via people)

Pigtails on little girls are so sweet. But when I feel playful and fix my hair like so, I sometimes get mistaken for just that: a little girl. Once, I went to pick up my 11-year-old sister from an after school program with my hair thrown in loose pigtails... and I got asked by a hall monitor if I had a hall pass. Embarrassing. And I'm not particularly tall either. (But I'm not midget height!)

So, are pigtails a don't for girls above the age of ten? Or should we ladies be allowed to rock whatever hair style we want?

"giving my mind a chance to rewind"

Click play, groove to the music of Metric, and then proceed to do something new. For me, it was baking. It's been a domestic day.

style formula

(photos via people)

Romantic and feminine? Classic and clean? Or grungy and edgy? I have always had a hard time figuring out my own personal style. Do you? I adore people who are known for their signature looks (and have sort of developed one myself), but then I'll be drawn to something that is totally on the other end of my style spectrum. (See the furry tiger vest.) Am I being hypocritical? Am I doomed (or blessed) to love and want everything?

PS: H&M goes couture.

saturday cleaning

I cleaned/dusted my room today, and it was actually quite enjoyable, just listening to Muse and organizing all my junk. Cleaning always makes me appreciate what I have, like my pretty nightstand -- my most favorite piece of furniture ever! Mmm, now I'm ready for a nap. (Appreciating can be exhausting!)

Yep, that's a glamour shot of me in my "modeling" days haha!

for emily's florence

old ladies
are like
heirloom rings

but we
only notice
tissue-thin fingers

now why
is that?

have an exciting weekend

My fellow interns and I had a special event today: an intense scavenger hunt around Philadelphia, followed by lunch and happy hour. We were exhausted after racing from Old City to far past the Art museum, and back again. But I have the goofiest pictures of us posing in front of the Betsy Ross house, Rocky statue, Walnut Theater, Liberty Bell, Ben Franklin's house, etc. (To be posted later!) It was a fun day.

It was also a hot day, so I made sure to keep super hydrated. It's strange, after so many rainy weekdays, to be burning under the sun again! I'm excited to spend more time outdoors without an umbrella. What will you be up to this weekend?

who is she?

I know a girl who
eats grapefruits
the size of her head,

who cries like
a bowl of jello,
and smiles like daisies
floating along the ocean shore.

She loves to paint her toes
the color of poppies
(a flower she's never
actually seen before),

and lives for laughter,
beauty, and chocolate.
Who is this girl, who
stretches like a lioness

before bed every night?
Who never forgets to
set her alarm for the
next morning's miracles?

agency love

frog design is one fantastic design/consultancy agency. I'm always excited and impressed by the fusion of creativity and marketing, design and strategy. They do some truly excellent, thorough services -- so much that they call themselves a "Global Innovation firm." (And they have an office in NYC! Yes!) Click to read frog design's very exuberant mission statement:

I have to admit, I love this!

three posts today!

(photo by betty)

Good news: I'm feeling better, thanks to loads of sleep. Also good news: I'm happy to say that Betty is looking as cute as I remembered. And she's still churning out new outfits by the day! This is one fashionista who knows how to ensemble. And yes, I'm using that as a verb. Adorable shoes, mademoiselle!:

bag o' tricks

(photos via cocoon innovations)

I used to wrap my laptop in a sweatshirt when traveling, but that was the (not very safe) past. Now that I'll be jet-setting, I need the real deal, like this Cocoon Innovations case. It has special space for ipods, wires, and even little notebooks so that I can store all my gadgets together in the most stylish and compact way. Now all I need to do is find a new laptop...

sweet pictures

I'm bedridden at home today with fever and chills... ugh, I feel terrible. But I'm getting better with rest and some help from Our Labor of Love's amazing wedding and engagement photos. Such a great blog! How fun it must be to take pictures of happy people for a living! Some sweet pictures from a country wedding:

PS: Christian Indian wedding --such pretty colors!
PPS: Dude, nice suit!

(sexy from the front and the back, via gilt groupe)

During my lunch break, I usually spend 10 minutes actually eating lunch and about 30 minutes looking at shoes. I guess I have an appetite like Carrie Bradshaw's: "When I first moved to NY and I was totally broke, sometimes I would buy Vogue instead of dinner. I just felt it fed me more." Of course, I don't buy all the shoes I admire -- I do have some restraint. Like these Diane von Furstenberg sandals are only $118, but I refrained from purchasing because they were a size 6 instead of a 5.5. See, shoe junkies can be practical too! Who's proud of me? :)

autobots, roll out!

(photo via the moment)

I am so excited to see Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, out in theaters June 23!!! I didn't think I'd like the first one, but when I finally saw it (while stricken with food poisoning), I got hooked. Action, romance, crazy special effects, good vs. evil -- what does this movie not have?! (I love it almost as much as Lord of the Rings! Don't judge.) I'm even tempted to buy this T-shirt... Er, am I acting too much like a 15-year old boy? Gulp.

sweet summer dress

(photo via magchunk)

Now on sale at Ann Taylor for 39 bucks (Amazing deal, right?!). Perfect for my plan to wear dresses/skirts ALL summer long!

rain and trains

(The ceilings in Philadelphia train stations are gorgeous)

I ventured out to Princeton today for Anuja's birthday, and it was just such a wonderful, fulfilling day, rain and all. First of all, I love riding in trains (4+ hours roundtrip!) because I get to read the books that I rarely have time to indulge in. I'm finishing up Tropic of Cancer, a brilliantly written (albeit very dirty) masterpiece that had me philosophizing in rapture... and the hours flew by!

Anuja, our other girlfriends, and I had lunch at Lahiere's, a chic little place that made us feel quite sophisticated. We wandered the cute shops in Princeton until it monsooned on us, but even then we were happy to just to watch the rain and take turns dancing in it under my bright pink umbrella. The water felt so good, and we all wanted to kick off our shoes and run around like kids again.

Later, we headed back to Anuja's for some chocolate mousse cake, Sex and The City, Sri Lankan dinner, and lots of catching up. The only icky part of the day was getting off the train coming home and stepping straight into a foot-tall puddle in the parking lot. I was drenched to my ankles, four-inch espadrilles and all! Strangely enough, it was incredibly refreshing (though I try not to think about the germs!). Maybe it's the warming effect of close friends and the combination of rain and trains that made today so memorable, fresh, and fun. I had a lovely Saturday -- did you?

genius jeans

One of my co-workers at my last marketing gig always wore the cutest jeans. They were the perfect cut (subtly flared from the knee) and incredibly flattering. I admired them for weeks until I finally asked her where she got them. So course I have to share the wealth! Joe's Jeans are awesome. They come in every shape and style imaginable, from tall to petite, relaxed to super skinny. I'm in love with their petite style, "The Provocateur," below. No more tailoring is a blessing indeed!

(photo via joe's jeans)

"Pump" and Circumstance

(photo via lesmills)

Oh. My. God. My friend Amy and I are taking classes at our local gym two to three times a week, and tonight was Body Pump. I'll just say it was hard work! Seriously, I am so embarrassed. Ten minutes in, I was feeling pretty smug... but an hour later and I am utterly exhausted. And sweaty. And shaky! Talk about lesson learned! Now I know never to act too confident as a beginner in any class, because fifty-year-old women will somehow show me up in the end. And lift more weights than me. Burn.

it rolls with the tongue

(photo via style and inspiration)

Word of the day: Bijou (or plural, Bijoux). Yep, clearly French. Excellent example of usage via the NYTimes: "Lilly, it seems, never did marry a millionaire, but she had tons of sugar daddies, who kept her in sable and bijoux." (Sable referring to fur, and bijoux referring to jewelry.) What a delicious word!

Also delicious: rhubarb crumble, a wonderful memory of music in Paris, and this amazing studded jacket.

some thoughts

(photo via piperlime)

• Jessica Simpson is looking awesome
• FYI, don't bathe in oatmeal mix. So slimy!
• These Dell mini laptops are cute!
• I like the simplicity in Prada suitcases
• Cute and work appropriate dress
• I can make my own frozen yogurt!?
• Neutrogena's awesome innovation
• I caved and bought another pair of wedges...
  

shades of pink

Until recently, I never wore the color pink. I wanted to be taken seriously, you see, so for awhile it was all black, black, black. Then I realized that I looked like every other New Yorker, and that people who judged me based on my clothes were not the type of people I wanted to befriend anyway. So I bought a bright pink linen pencil skirt, wore it to an interview, and landed the gig! I think pink (and all its wonderful hues) will definitely a part of my life for a long, long time.

(photos via lindsay, pia, and simply seductive)

uncontrollable

Yesterday, I licked
the vein between
your ears like
a smug tigress.

Today, I climb
trees with your
hair as rope.

Tomorrow, I’ll hold
your face in
my arm’s nest

and feed you
my own skin.

ahhhh

These pictures are lovely. Sometimes, I like to look at pretty pictures of landscapes and architecture before I fall asleep (is that weird?). I'm a city girl at heart, but nature is just so soothing.

(photos by abby)