Dance In My Closet

2010-09-08T14:06:00.000-07:00

caged sandals, UO; dress, bag

About two weeks ago, I chased a Lomography photographer's sample sale. Waking up early on a Saturday morning, I hit up the caffeine shack (venti soy latte) and headed to WeHo. To be honest, slightly disappointed at what they offered and had for sale. I didn't realized the whole place would be solely dedicated to Lomography brand items (fish lens camera, underwater cameras, etc). I guess it's fun and cute to carry around but more for collectors than actual photographers, in my humble lack of knowledge opinion. Still, the decor and design of the store was super pretty and well arranged that I couldn't help taking a bunch of photos.

Huntington Library - Second Half

2010-09-07T12:22:00.000-07:00

dress, my sisters; jacket, h&m

So here's the second half of my Huntington Library photo overload. I'm pretty sure the second photo is the location where the fight scene from IronMan 2 was shot. I'm actually still stuck in Labor Day weekend mode... Even though I didn't do much apart from some semi-embarrassing hours of SC2 and a trip out to Newport Beach to do some whale-watching... without actually seeing any whales. Lots of dolphins though. Pictures to come.

On a sidenote, vote for my friend Alice here.

Everyone I know surely connects her with being an amazing artist... She entered a contest to draw and create some cute outfits for a "fuzzy fashionista" (fashion-forward cartoon drawing).

Alice is letter B for the vote!

Huntington Library - First Half

2010-09-03T15:46:00.000-07:00

top, Primark; shorts, F21; shoes, converse

I finally managed to upload the photos from Huntington Library... My motive was to make sure to see the lotus flowers that I missed when I went the year prior. It is as serene and gorgeous as the pictures make it out to be. If you have a student id, it'll cost you ten dollars (twenty without) to trek around, but I guarantee you won't be disappointed. Make sure to take a camera. I would suggest eating at Boiling Crab or Lee's Sandwiches which are right nearby either before or after. After being highly amused with the way the ducks were plunging their heads in the water, one finally came out of the water to taunt me. I'll post some more pictures if these alone haven't enticed your interest. I have nothing planned for Labor Day weekend despite the fact that I was counting down the days for the long weekend... any ideas?

Within the Nature of Santa Barbara

2010-08-25T14:52:00.000-07:00

Freedom and Fashion

I was given the incredible opportunity to work with Freedom and Fashion this past weekend in Santa Barbara. They are a non-profit organization that fights against human trafficking and the exploitive sex industry through utilizing fashion and art. They work with other partners such as LiNK and the Princess Project. Read more about them here. It was sooo much fun working with their staff and the photographer, Christianne Taylor (and her doggie). These photos were taken by someone on the Freedom and Fashion staff throughout the shoot. As you can see, there was lots of teasing of the hair, which took forever to undo in the shower. (third photo, before make-up) Check out their website! I can't wait to see how the actual photos came out... Thank you FnF~ I still have photos back from when I traversed around Huntington Library that I still have to look through... School is taking up most of my time. Will update again soon!

Boiling Crab

2010-08-24T21:59:00.000-07:00

You may have already heard, but Boiling Crab is coming to Los Angeles. Read about it here. Right in Koreatown to be exact. Kuru Kuru is out, and Boiling Crab is moving on in. (Right where Blink, Champion, and Wako Sushi is... in that plaza on Alexandria and Wilshire). I can already expect the long lines and the smell of the whole sha-bang on my fingers. YUM~

Go to Korea

2010-08-19T22:00:00.000-07:00

I came across this ad through nylonmag. Of course, my curiosity induced uncovering more information. Initially, I assumed a play on words of "Seoul" with "soul," which is utilized pretty often, but soon became convinced that there is no play on words at all. It is literally asking you to sell your reason of why you deserve to receive a free trip to Seoul. As I looked through the application and the blog that they have, the competition is pretty steep if you are actually Korean, in my opinion. In a totally different light, I didn't realize how many non-Koreans have such a love for Korea and desire to visit. The opinionated bf will probably find this whole thing slightly ridiculous in the same way he views pretentious mainstream attempts to appeal to non-Koreans with things like "kalbi burgers" and "gogi tacos," and claiming a love for Korean food. In any case, if you have time in September, apply for a free trip to Korea... See the site here, and their blog here.

Eureka Breakfast Joint

2010-08-12T17:11:00.000-07:00

tank, UO; cropped jeans, A&F; shoes, clarks

You gotta love Yelp. On a whim a couple of weeks ago, we decided to trust yelp and find a breakfast joint that we haven't tried. So, the chosen site was Eureka. Very random and unsuspecting location, but don't let that hinder you. Eureka creates homemade style breakfast food. Healthy and tasty. You can tell it wasn't massively created from pre-made anything. I got the spinach sundried tomato omelet and the bf got the eggs benedict. I wish I had room in my stomach to try the red velvet pancakes which someone ordered at the table next to us. Looked delectably scrumptious. Afterwards, I headed toward Westwood to check out an ice cream shop (name of the place will not be revealed until I get a taste) that my sister raved about. So, we picked her up along the way. She was exited that I was wearing this random tank that she bought for me years ago reappear. It went great with my diy cropped boyfriend jeans (used to be long bootcut jeans from abercrombie from yearssss ago). Unfortunately, that particular day the ice cream place happened to be cleaning/reorganizing the place... and wouldn't be open until several hours later. Thus, we walked around the cute little area (diesel bookstore? haha), dropped off the sis, and sadly headed home. Maybe we'll make it next time.

Summer

2010-08-16T20:45:00.000-07:00

diy cut-offs; tank, American Apparel; cropped striped blazer, bcbg generation

Some neglected summertime photos... Oh New Zealand Natural Ice Cream, how I miss your tasty banana splits during happy hour. Little Tokyo, I hope to revisit your mochi and squid balls soon.

School has officially started. I hope my hair and skin stay intact.

Workin' the Elevator

2010-08-13T18:08:00.000-07:00

diy cut-offs; top, Free People; shoes, ebay

Unfortunately, elevator lighting creates slightly fuzzy photos. This delicate crochet top from Free People is versatile... yet it drive me nuts trying to avoid getting it caught on anything remotely pointy, sharp, or protruding. I don't even wear jewelry because it causes snags like no other. The shorts were created from cutting some skinny jeans which I got randomly bought back in Korea that I happened to stop wearing a long time ago. Reincarnated into the perfect black cut-off shorts.

2010-08-11T18:29:00.000-07:00

top and belt, F21; shorts, Nordstrom; shoes, gifted from Korea; feather earrings, flea market

These feather earrings stood out from all the rest at the flea market. The cost, compared to some other stands, was great too (look for the booth with leopard print envelopes). I love when I find that magical classic Forever 21 piece, which of course comes at an unbeatable price. And it's always pleasing to wear perfectly fitted shoes given by a friend that are comfy and versatile. Also, I'm beginning to love these random walls that make perfect backdrops when strolling around just about anywhere.

Fairfax and Melrose

2010-08-10T16:50:00.000-07:00

top, UO; skirt, bracelets, F21; sandals, LF Stores; bag, Valentina; sunglasses, D&G

I've been wanting to check-out the flea market on Fairfax and Melrose for a while now. Although I debated the Rose Bowl Flea Market (2nd Sunday of every month), the one on Fairfax seemed more plausible since it was already 1pm. After eating at Mao's Kitchen (yummy chinese fusion- excellent lunch specials) on Melrose, we headed a few streets down to Fairfax. There was a souped up sports car photo shoot going on nearby... So after watching them for a while, we paid the $2 and went inside. The prices were slightly pretentious, as warned on yelp, but I still came out happy with two new pieces of fab jewelry (photos to come!). There were amazing beaded chairs, fake Louis Vuitton bags, fur jackets, furniture, and all sorts of jewelry. There was lots of walking involved which made me realize that my sandals still need to get broken in. The rest of my outfit was comfy and perfect for the heat and slight breeze, which made for great flea market weather. Apparently, the Rose Bowl Flea Market is super huge and costs $8 to get in... debating for next month~

Kimberly Ovitz Fall 2010

2010-08-10T16:12:00.000-07:00

http://www.style.com/

So they say that Kimberly Ovitz is the new Alexander Wang. I'm not sure if she completely lives up to those claims, but her styles definitely have the romantic draped feeling that Mr. Wang is so famous for. On that note, she's also a native Los Angeles born and only 27 yrs. old. She's worked as a designer for Twelfth St. Cynthia Vincent as well. The colors and fit have that strong yet feminine edge... which is also reminscent of her horse-riding past. Find her on revolveclothing.com, shopbop.com, and the like. I can't get over the striped jacket.

Testing

2010-08-06T18:17:00.000-07:00

top and sweater, UO; shorts, zara; shoes, clarks

Just when summer school is over, and I feel like I can finally relax and accomplish some non-productive things for the summer, I realize there's only a few days left before school inevitable picks up again. The bf bought a new flash, and thus, decided to sporadically test it that night. Hope to post more regularly from now. I will be going to Huntington Library with another couple so she can practice some photo taking skills... I'm hoping I won't be a disappointing muse. Roses, lotus flowers, and grass... here I come.

Encountering Little Ethiopia

2010-08-09T18:16:00.000-07:00

tank, LF Stores; jeans, Furst Premium- LF Stores; shoes, H&M

Being a connoiseur of trying new things, the bf finally got his long awaited taste of Ethiopian food. After frantically attempting to load yelp on his blackberry, we decided on Little Ethiopia on Fairfax in the midst of a bunch of other intriguing Ethiopian eateries. I know we ordered chicken and vegetables... the only name I remember is "injera" which refers to the thin pancake-like bread (shown in pic). We chose injera over rice (in attempts to have an actual cultural experience). The injera was actually helpful in getting the food in my mount and not all over my hands, considering there were no utensils... The food was interesting, to say the least. There's no chance I'll become a regular, but it was fun and tasty as a first try kind of thing. Both the tank and jeans were luckily acquired at a LF sample sale and ceases to bring comfort and quick decision making skills in the morning while getting dressed. On a side note, I made it to Huntington Library this past weekend and cannot wait to look through the pictures~ It's so utterly gorgeous there.

Hollywood Adventures

2010-07-29T15:47:00.000-07:00

top, F21; sandals, UO

As mentioned, some photos at night in Hollywood. Who knew how many people actually walk around after 10pm...I took advantage of not standing out taking pictures among the tourists and scantily clad club goers.

It All Began With My Sister's Suggestion

2010-07-28T17:27:00.000-07:00

top, F21

After a simple suggestion of trying some awesome burgers at The Counter, I randomly ended up there one night. The menu is extensive to say the least. You get to pick the type of burger and size(chicken, meat, veggie, fish), the bun, up to 4 toppings, cheese, and sauce... with your choice of adding any other wild ingredient for just about fifty cents. We started with some tasty sweet potato fries (single order is $1.75) Then the real fun began. I went with the 1/4 meat patty, with grilled pineapples, green chiles, grilled onions, and organic mixed greens... horseradish cheddar cheese, honey mustard sauce, and extra wasabi aioli sauce. The bf dangerously ordered the 1lb.burger which I swear could have filled us both if we split it in half. Of course, his choice of toppings had to be unordinary as well... Cranberries, cole slaw, jalapenos, and tomatoes, with mozarella cheese and wasabi aioli sauce. Both burgers were extremely tasty and had us wobbling out of there, exceeding the boundaries of gluttony. Thus, we decided to walk around Hollywood like tourists to aid our poor stomachs with the digestion process. Photos of our touristy photos coming soon~ Tonight, I will be heading for korean bbq for a friend's birthday... I hope my stomach is ready.

~happy birthday gise~

LaLive for Inception

2010-07-26T12:01:00.000-07:00

skirt, F21; tank, H&M; caged sandals, UO; denim jacket, abercrombie

Watched the infamously talked about Inception last weekend at LALive... but didn't get a chance to post. The bf is pretty obsessed with analyzing movies and directors. So when word came out that Christopher Nolan created this movie he had in mind since he was a kid... and went lengths and bounds to actually create gravity-less scenes and actual folding cities without using computer graphics, it was already predetermined that we would see it almost as soon as it came out. In order to ensure some good seats, we bought our tickets about 4 hours before showtime. Killed time by eating at Lawry's carvery (which we've been wanting to try- $12 for an entree and two sides or one side and one dessert), finishing it off with a banana split from New Zealand like always, and taking pictures with the movie cut-out for EasyA...I just can't seem to resist the teeny-bopper entertainment. I was glad I brought my jacket because the weather had been cooling down a bit after the heat wave, unfortunately. The pinstriped tank from H&M and the f21 skirt just happened to go really well together and provided endless comfort for sitting through the very long, but captivating, movie.

The Things You Randomly Notice

2010-07-23T15:27:00.000-07:00

shorts, Zara; tank and leopard wedges, H&M

Went on a journey to Ikea to purchase a table and some benches for the bf. Of course, before looking at anything, we had to hit up the swedish meatballs with lingonberry sauce. Grabbed some random items that always ends up happening at Ikea and took photos in different room set ups like I owned the place. Luckily, the shoes and harem pants were made for walking and comfort. After the tiresome furniture shopping, we headed to Scoops to see what flavors they happened to have in store. I guess by that late in the afternoon, the flavor options shrink significantly. Still, the pomegranate and banana nutella were still a hit in my book. As soon as I had my ice cream in hand, I had to get out of there due to the lack of airconditioning and over-quota amount of people exerting their body heat. Turns out, right before I got in the car, I noticed the mural across the street... featuring none other than yours truly, michael jackson.

Ralphs in Downtown LA

2010-07-22T16:02:00.000-07:00

shorts, F21; tank and leopard wedges, H&M

Downtown LA is still steps behind in creating a city-life equivalent to NYC or San Francisco...with their easily accessible corner stores that allow for picking up essentials for an unexpected meal at home after work or emergency toilet paper. However, I never really noticed the rather large Ralphs that exists on 9th and Flower. It turns out that it opened back in 2007 after the last Ralphs in downtown closed in 1950. It may be the recent surge of residents moving into the brand new high-rise condos/apts and the remodeling of older ones that are still sporting the outdoor metal fire escapes. Some say it's going to be the new WeHo (West Hollywood). In any case, the Ralphs was packed; which goes to show that I probably didn't notice it was there because I don't live downtown. The elevator area had tiles decorated with emoticons which gave way to a photo opportunity to feature my leopard print wedges from hm. So super comfortable (and mind-blowingly affordable) that I can probably walk the entire city in them without any swollen toes. That's what I call real wedges.

Hello Santa Barbara 2

2010-07-21T13:49:00.000-07:00

dress, f21; sweater, urbanoutfitters; sunglasses, juicy

More snapshots of sb. As I mentioned, the blue Nation dress was causing some stress with constantly having to hold it down due to the wind on Stearn's Wharf. I changed into a dress that I had packed just in case of a situation like this or the high possibility of spilling wine on myself. Grabbed some crab on the wharf(too small and too windy), and then walked around State street while the bf got an entire 20 min massage at brookstone (there is a lazy boy that actually takes all your measurements prior to massaging you...) Didn't end up buying anything, but had fun strolling around until my beach hair started to really bug me and the bf's restlessness from following me around really began to take its toll.

Hello Santa Barbara

2010-07-19T16:18:00.000-07:00

dress, Nation Ltd; neon bralette, LF Stores; belt, H&M

I made it to Santa Barbara for a day trip this past saturday... the drive wasn't so bad at all... definitely shorter than the infinite commute I had to san diego on the weekends when I was in college. We went up the courthouse tower (was on the list of "things to do"- and c'mon, i go to law school) for a great view. It's apparently the tallest building in sb? (4th floor) Inside was an old mosaic style motif which was so pretty. This nation ltd dress was featured in a previous post... amazing what adding a belt can do...However, I did have a bit of trouble keeping the wind from blowing the skirt up and giving a free show. Next, we went wine tasting at Santa Barbara Winery (5 wines for $5 and you get to keep the glass). Then headed to Giessinger Winery just a little down the street (17 wines for $8, but no glass). The ice cream on the wharf looked so tempting... until I walked inside and realized it was rite-aid ice cream selling for $3.75. Shocked, I decided I'd rather have my rite-aid ice cream for a dollar at an actual rite-aid. Oh yea, welcome to my new blog design.

Rodeo and SLS Hotel

2010-07-12T12:09:00.000-07:00





tank, LF Stores; jeans, LF Stores; jacket, H&M; scarf, Fluxus; bracelet, gift from sis So the bf's bro came to visit los angeles for a day after a business trip to Seattle. However, apparently one can accomplish numerous things in la in a single day. We walked around Rodeo Drive, ate dinner at Ruth Chris Steakhouse, stopped by the Beverly Center, and then went to SLS Hotel to check out a lounge. The food was fab, rodeo was a blast, and the hotel is worth going. We ordered some Corzo tequila... and then took a bunch of pictures with the random yet intriguing pieces of furniture. Hence, the pictures with the red lit up chair, mirrored bathroom stall, funky wall piece, etc. This ripped tank is from LF as well as the furst premium denim jeans... The fluxus scarf is so versatile that I've been over-wearing it.

Proscuitto and Cheese

2010-07-16T15:02:00.000-07:00

top, zara; wide leg jeans, santuary; necklaces, gifted

After going to sf, the bf always wanted to find an equivalent to the proscuitto he would find in little italy. Fortunate for us, we found Larchmont Wine and Cheese which has yummy sandwiches, proscuitto, cheese, wine, you name it. Thus, another trip to get our fill of proscuitto ensued. I got the wide leg jeans from a santuary sample sale... note: the fabric is so soft and comfortable which is perfect for summer. Both the necklaces were gifts from my good friends as a bday present a few years back. Hopefully, I will be able to make it to santa barbara to get tipsy off some wine tasting this weekend. Keep posted~

walkin' on wilshire blvd

2010-07-14T15:23:00.000-07:00

tank, UO; animal print convertible top; free people; distressed skinny jeans, AmericanEagle

It's not often that people in la really get a chance to walk the streets that you drive on all the time. After grabbing some jamba juice on wilshire and ice cream cone from mcdonalds, we decided to do just that. The bf got his first experience in actually entering the metro station on wilshire and western. I still need to test out the different ways that you can wear the animal print convertible top from free people... For now, I've become accustomed to only wearing it the way it's in the pictures. The distressed skinny jeans were a steal at american eagle (i love massive summer sales). The urban outfitter tank was stashed away in the back of my closet and finally found its way out when my mom organized my closet while I was out. She knows the strategic way I arrange my closet and knows just how to organize without making me feel like I can't find anything. Lovely surprise. I <3 mommy.

where were the 3D effects exactly...?

2010-07-09T10:59:00.000-07:00

ruffle dress, uniqlo; jacket, h&m

After disappointingly missing the breakfast menu at mcdonalds, we wandered over to a random breakfast joint, hoping for something remotely equivalent and satisfying as hotcakes and sausage. It was pretty good, but compared to 2.89 at mcd's... I don't really know how to compare the two. I received this cute ruffle accent uniqlo dress from my sister a few weeks back... Perfect for dressing up or down.. right in that middle area. I also watched the last airbender... Not realizing it was geared towards elementary school kids. (C'mon.. batman, harry potter, etc., are all adult-watchable). Anyway, with dev patel (slumdog millionaire) playing one of the main villains, the random accusations of racism surrounding the movie, and a free 3d movie ticket, I thought it was worth a sit-thru. Well, there were no 3d effects... and concerning the nature of the movie, I swear there could have been a bajillion opportunities to make the audience gasp with amazement... Unfortunately, the subtitles were about it. If it wasn't for the slightly blurry-ness that comes with watching a 3D movie, I would have just watched it sans the heavy glasses. But in the end, it was entertaining.. though the bf seemed embarassed to have watched it at all.