Coral+Cobalt

Photos courtesy of Sung Shin

Blouse-H&M (from last year)

Coat-Derek Lam NYC

Jeans-H&M (recent)

Bag-Mulberry Alexa

Hat-F21 (similar style HERE)

Ring-Alexis Bittar (buy HERE)

Shoes-Pour La Victoire (buy HERE)

Happy Wednesday! I don't know about you but I am so ready to welcome Spring, especially since today's warm weather is acting like a teaser for a new season. In a coat closet full of black and neutral colored winter outwear, this one sticks out like a sore thumb and I've found myself reaching for it constantly. I wore it here first but couldn't help wear it again on the blog to show how versatile the beautiful cobalt blue color can be when pairing it against another color.


Hope you're having a fantastic week so far. Xo. 

Weekend Snapshots

This weekend I....

1. Bought a couple of new DVDs last week and finally had the chance to watch one of them this weekend. The original plan was to watch Argo since they were up for an Oscar (and they won!) but changed my mind and felt like watching something lighter instead. It worked out anyway because I found out later this weekend that another friend has been wanting to watch this movie so asked me to wait to watch it. I really enjoyed The Perks of Being a Wallflower--it's based off a novel and showcases the highs and lows of growing up and the friends that help us get through life. Two thumbs up.

2. Met up with a friend I haven't seen in a long time (this seems to be a common theme lately) at our favorite restaurant (Victoria Gastropub) located in MD that makes the most amazing poutine. Our catch up session lasted over 2 hours, so I'd say it was a good night.

3. Went shopping with my mom and ended up buying this glitter cardigan at Neiman Marcus. I was a bit skeptical at first but then my mom kept encouraging me to buy it, saying that it was going to come in handy. My mom is the best enabler. Sigh.

4. Picked up some new Essie nail polish colors that are very "Spring" like shades. I painted my nails in liliacism and now everytime I see my nails, I'm eagerly anticipating a change of seasons. I'm over you Winter. Really.

5. Met up with Mel and company at Bonchon in VA since we haven't seen each other in awhile. I've mentioned my love for this place several times on my blog so I won't say much other then it's the best fried chicken. Ever. It's definitely been a food filled weekend which included lots of catch up sessions with friends and I'm looking forward to another one today with my blogger friend, Meg.  .

How was your weekend?

Tough Lady

Photos courtesy of Sung Shin

Tweed jacket-J.Crew (buy HERE)

Turtleneck-Gap (buy HERE)

Leather (faux) shorts-F21

Shoes-Pour La Victoire (buy HERE)

Necklace-Chanel

Bracelets-David Yurman (buy HERE and HERE)

Ring-Alexis Bittar (buy HERE) 

Tweed jackets are one of my favorite items in my closet. It's a staple piece that can elevate an ouftit and easily turn it into a classic look. I wanted to play with different textures today so I paired this feminine jacket with something tough and edgy on the bottom, such as leather shorts. I'm a fan of contrast whether it be pairing formal with informal or downplaying a fancy top with something casual on the bottom or vice versa and today's outfit is inspired by that.

I consider myself to be a jeans/pants kinda girl but lately I've been buying more dresses. A couple days ago, a PR person for designer Kay Unger New York invited me to the debut of their Spring collection at Neiman Marcus in Tysons Corner Galleria, VA held tomorrow from 10am-3pm. This will be their first store to debut their Spring collection in the US and the design team will be on hand to debut the line and provide personal style consultations. Unfortunately I have work commitments tomorrow so I won't be able to attend but it's open to the public.

I'm familiar with this label since their dresses are in the department stores I shop at, but have not bought pieces from this designer yet because it's mostly geared towards evening wear and truth be told I don't have that many fancy parties to attend to on the regular. However, as I was browsing their new spring collection online www.kayunger.com and www.phoebe-couture.com (a more playful spin of the line) I was intrigued. She also sent some pictures on some amazing jackets they're currently working on for their Fall collection which I'm definitely looking forward to. It involves leather and you all know how I feel about leather.

Dress images from Kay Unger New York

These are some of the dresses from their collection that caught my eye--wearable, fun, and classy. What do you think? 

Whether you attend this event or not (although highly encouraged!), I hope you have a fantastic weekend. Talk soon. Xo.  

Recycle

Photos courtesy of Sung Shin

 Blazer (buy HERE), turtleneck (buy HERE)-J.Crew

Jeans-JBrand

Shoes-Pour La Victoire (love this color HERE)

Necklace-Neiman Marcus

Sunglasses-Stella McCartney

Hi everyone! One thing that's been a common thread through my blog and that I hope to continue, is recycling articles of clothing and remixing it to wear it differently. It's so easy to get lost in the latest trend and feel the need to buy what's currently popular, that existing items in your closet can get neglected. I'm definitely guilty of this and am trying to be more cognizant of not falling victim to it, especially because it can become costly.

This red blazer from J.Crew has been one of my favorite items I purchased a couple months ago (they have been killing it lately with their clothes). Red is one of my favorite colors to wear whether it be from bags/clothes but I noticed it also has the tendency to have people shy away from it because it's such a bold color. However, I encourage you to incorporate red into your wardrobe because it's the perfect pop of color to give to your outfits! I wore today's blazer previously HERE and HERE to give you ideas on how to pair reds in outfits and hope you will be inspired to add this vibrant color into your closet.

Be bold. Wear it confidently. Xo

Weekend Snapshots

This weekend I....

1. Went to dinner at The Source. It was my first time there and loved the romantic ambiance of the place but the food was unfortunately disappointing. It's considered an Asian Fusion restaurant and everything we ordered (sushi rolls, tuna tartar, pork buns, and lamb samosas which aren't pictured) was good but not mind blowing. For the price of certain items on the menu, I expected to be wowed by the dishes but was underwhelmed and not impressed with the flavors from the dishes. Service was good but I would pass on this place in the future. I'm not sure if this place is popular because it has Wolfgang Puck's name on it...

2. Picked up a birthday present for my mom from Chanel. My sister and I knew she's been eyeing a certain piece for awhile, but had no idea we were going to buy it for her on her birthday. Mission accomplished.

3. Bought these super cute gold polka dot mugs from West Elm the that are currently on sale (extra 15% off sale items using code WKND15 and free shipping code FREE4PRES HERE) this past week and used them all weekend. Woke up Saturday morning with a cup of coffee in hand in my new cup and caught up on the latest issue of my favorite glossy.

4. Met up with an old friend I haven't seen in ages (we're talking over a year) and grabbed dinner together at Pearl Dive Oyster Palace. This place has been on my radar for awhile now and am so glad we went. We actually ended up sitting at the Chef's table which is in the kitchen so you can see the backstage action on what goes in the kitchen of the restaurant. The place itself was jam packed and noisy so it was nice to be away from the noise and have a conversation with out the outside noise interfering. I'm not a fan of raw shellfish after a bad seafood poisioning incident several years ago, but we ended up ordering a dozen raw oysters since this is what they're known for. All I have to say is, I would go back and order the oysters from this place again. It tasted so fresh, clean, and smooth. Other items ordered from the menu was the oyster po' boy sandwich, lobster pot pie, and their braised beef appetizer. Flavors were all on point (although the sandwich could've been bigger), prices were reasonable, and the staff was so friendly. They even gave us a complimentary mimosa sorbet (not pictured) for dessert and chocolate truffles to take home with us. Highly recommend this place and have definite plans to return.

5. Was surprised with Georgetown cupcakes (my favorite cupcake place) by a friend who knows me very well. It was such a sweet gesture after having a rough week and was the perfect indulging snack while reading my new book I recently bought.

How was your weekend?

Sherlock Holmes

 

Photos courtesy of Sung Shin

Coat-Elie Tahari (buy HERE)

Jeans-JBrand

Ankle boots-Stuart Weitzman (buy HERE)

Gloves-Neiman Marcus

Happy Friday! Are you ready for the weekend as much as I am? This coat I'm wearing on the blog today will be a constant fixture this weekend while I run errands during the day because it's the perfect cover over a plain Jane outfit. If you haven't noticed already, I have a mild obsession with coats/jackets and I just couldn't resist buying this coat when I first saw it hanging beautifully on the racks. It has the softest texture to it and the cut of the coat gives it so much character. Every time I put it on, it makes me feel like I'm Sherlock Holmes;)   

Have a wonderful, wonderful weekend. Xo.

 

NomNom: Rasberry Cream Cheese Tarts

Happy almost Valentine's day! There are two different types of feelings towards this holiday--you either love it or hate it. I'm the former only because I enjoy celebrating love. Cheesy, I know.

I'll admit this holiday has become overly commercialized but if you acknowledge this holiday for what it's supposed to represent then how could you not like it? It's a good ol' reminder to hug that special person(s) and doggy in your life a little tighter and let them know how much you loooooove them.

As I was on my way back to the states from Costa Rica, I had a 2 hour layover in Georgia. I wandered over to the newsstand and picked up the latest issue of People magazine to catch up on the latest celebrity news because, well, I need to know which celebrity is hooking up with who and which latest couple is divorcing. It's just that simple.

So there's usually a recipe they share in each issue and this time they had this rasberry cream cheese tart recipe that looked so scrumptious and all sorts of heart shaped cute. I didn't wanna buy the issue just for that one recipe alone so I did the next best thing.

I quickly took a pic of the recipe with my iPhone, ninja style.

Yea, that happened. That's life.

There's cream cheese, honey, and rasberries that gets mixed together and joyously baked inside a pie crust. I mean, there is nothing wrong with that sentence.

These sorta remind me of pop tarts. But heart shaped. That makes such a difference.

Make these for your special person and surely you will be rewarded with a hug and a kiss.

Happy Valentine's day. I heart you guys.


Recipe (Adapted from Catherine McCord's Weelicious cookbook) Yields:10
1/2 cup plus 10 fresh or defrosted frozen rasberries
1/4 cup whipped cream cheese
1 tbsp honey or agave
1 pkg (14 oz) refrigerated pie crust
1 tbsp milk or water
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Procedure
1. Preheat oven to 400. In a bowl mash together 1/2 cup rasberries, cream cheese, and honey.

2. Unroll pie crusts, and using a large heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut out 20 heart shapes. Top 10 hearts with 2 tsps each of the rasberry mixture, leaving a 1/4 in. border. LIghtly brush the borders with water. Cover with remaining hearts.

3. Using a fork, gently press down on edges to seal. With a toothpick, poke holes in each tart. Place tarts on parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes.

4. Meanwhile place 10 remaining rasberries in a strainer set over a bowl. Press down on rasberries to release the juice. Whisk in milk and powdered sugar until icing is smooth. Spread of cooled tarts.

Double Double

Photos courtesy of Sung Shin

Blazer, blouse-J.Crew

Jeans-Zara

Shoes-Stuart Weitzman

Sunglasses-Stella McCartney

Purse-Chanel WOC

Hi everyone! I'm back from my trip to Costa Rica and am (sorta) ready to get back into the groove of things. The weather was absolutely perfect to walk around in (low 80's) over there and coming back to cloudy yet surprisingly mild temperatures yesterday was a wake up call that my vacation is sadly over. Womp womp.   

Since Valentine's day is in a couple of days, I have reds and pinks on my mind. I put together this quick and simple outfit together on my way to meet a friend for an early dinner yesterday. After being in mostly flip flops and sneakers during my trip, it feels good to be back in heels. I know, most girls would probably be more comfortable the other way around but hey, I was born in heels.

Thanks for being patient with my blog while I was away. I actually have a cute and simple recipe post coming up tomorrow just in time for Valentines day, so please visit again tomorrow! 

Talk to you soon. Xo.

NomNom: Pesto Dip with Parmesan Toast

Happy happy Friday everyone! Not only am I excited that today is Friday but more importantly, I am officially on vacation starting today. I leave for Costa Rica tomorrow and can't wait to escape the bitter cold and temperamental east coast temperatures and travel to somewhere new, warm, and sunny.

I wanted to share today's super simple recipe with you before I left because it was popular during my housewarming I hosted a couple of weeks ago and think that it could be of use to you, especially since Superbowl is this weekend.

I think the only "work" that was really required in this recipe was toasting the baguette slices and melting parmesan cheese on top of the bread pieces in the oven. I'm not kidding on how easy this is....I mean, there's only two steps that are involved in the recipe. Fact.

I love pesto on pretty much anything but spreading it on a warm toasted baguette is something else. I've noticed that when there's a dip involved at a party, people will dig in (assuming it tastes good). It's just one of those things that guests naturally gravitate towards and once they take a bite of this dip, they won't want to leave the bowl.

My friend Sung briefly snapped a couple of pictures from the party that night. He was able to get a shot of the food spread before the guests came over to devour it.

 Sparkles are necessary when hosting, no?

 

I'm starting to notice a trend where the few pictures he took are only of female guests. Hmmm....

Mandu was pretty much partied out by the end of the night.

My blog will be on vacation until I get back in about 10 days; however, I just made my Instagram account public to document and share my Costa Rica adventures on it. So, in the meantime follow me over on Instagram @NomNomBlingBling:)

Have a great weekend and I'll talk to you when I get back. Xo.


Ingredients (Adapted from Tate of Home magazine:Appetizers) Yields 20 servings (2 1/2 cups dip)
1 French baguette (10 1/2 ounces), cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
2 cups mayonnaise
1 jar (8.1 ounce) prepared pesto
1 teaspoon garlic powder

Procedure
1. Place baguette slices on greased baking sheets. Broil 4-6 in. from the heat for 1-2 minutes or until toasted. Turn slices over; sprinkle with 1/2 cup cheese, Broil 1 to 1 1/2 minute longer or until lightly browned.

2. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, pesto, garlic powder and remaining cheese. Serve with toast slices.