Tuesday Tunes-Day Volume VI.

Living & working in Lake Tahoe I met tons of über talented people who possess a variety of rad skills. Snowboarding skills, skiing skills, singing skills, time lapse photography skills & many more. On this Tuesday Tunes-day I had to post the long overdue shout out to my friend Galen + his band Colorshow. Their potential to become the next Black Eyed Peas esque group is not far in their horizon & they prove to be as philanthropic as they are talented. Recently they raised more than $15k for Haiti relief by throwing a party and rocking out along side other famous artists like, Common, Alicia Keys & Dave Matthews. Don't miss out on the opportunity to check out the hottest up and coming group by clicking here & pick up their album on iTunes today - you'll know why they call it "addictive ear candy"! 
Love Colorshow & I wish them nothing more but the greatest success!

Oh and check out my friend Kelsen's Skills. Lake Tahoe truly is the most beautiful place on earth, can you spot Gigi?

Time Lapse Lake Tahoe from Chemical Montage on Vimeo.

Afternoon Tea

The other day I threw on my teal Betsey Johnson dress & the girls and I headed over to The French Bakery for a little afternoon treat. I would be lying if I said we were not inspired by the new Alice in Wonderland movie, although It is clear that we are not the only Alice fans. Lots of Alice inspired trends have made their way into stores all around town & even my friend Lauren + her Fiancé Kelsen are planning an Alice In Wonderland themed wedding this coming summer. My beloved OPI has jumped on the bandwagon as well creating this collection of polish's inspired  by the flick. It's no secret that everyone's crazy for Alice and there is nothing better than enjoying an afternoon sitting, sipping & nibbling on delicate sandwiches, so go treat yourself to a tea time with the girls soon ;)

Simple Elegance

The first time I ever stepped into Zara's doors was back in 2001 while I was visiting Paris. Paris being the epitome of everything fashionable I was on a mission to return home with new Parisian threads. Other than splurging on a little Celine purse I was in no place to be spending the big bucks (I was also 15) so once I found Zara I was in heaven. Although Zara did start off in Spain it has since grown to 1,600 shops in 40 countries making it clear that they have found the recipe for success; give the public what it wants, at the lowest possible prices and in the shortest amount of time. Zara's ability to exude "fast fashion" by bringing the runway trends to the stores in record amounts of time may cause for some debate of how their factories are run, although it’s highly successful company has not only made its way to the states, season after season it remains on the top of my list of favorite stores! Let me introduce you to the Spring/Summer 2010 Zara Look-Book. I could find a way to fit every piece of the collection into my wardrobe, they are simple yet elegant. There is something so chic about pulling off an all white outfit (shown above) and I am looking forward to a shopping trip to Zara tomorrow! I think this look will be perfect for my up coming weekend of R&R, dinner’s out, wine tastings and lounging in Napa Valley. 

Late Afternoon

Being fairly new to the blog game I find myself constantly looking for inspirational sites & new ways to improve my own site so you, my follower's keep coming back for more! The other night I met up with Liz Cherkasova (pictured above) from the highly successful blog Late Afternoon at Scala's near Union Square to get some tips on how to make it in the blog world. Seeing as she has been featured on sites such as, WhoWhatWear, Women's Wear Daily, Elle News Blog, American Apparel & more, it was clear to me that she is no rookie in this game. As sweet as she is stylish Liz gave me some extremely helpful pointers and as I had noticed she was interested in becoming a stylist, I reciprocated by sharing some tips on how to break into the styling world. After one glass of delicious sangria and copious amounts of useful information I left with a new friend & a reminder that it is so important to reach out to those who you share similar interests with. You will be pleasantly surprised that most likely they are willing to share their wisdom with you, if you are willing to just ask :) Check out her site here, style inspiration for dayssss....

Thanks Liz, looking forward to a shopping adventure with you soon! xo

{image via Late Afternoon}

Bar Jokes

{image via edith saylor style}

We all know that everyone is Irish on St. Patrick's day! For the past month my friend Madeline has been posting these jokes on her status leading up to St. Patty's Day. I anticipated them every morning so I thought i'd share some of them with you! Nothing like a good bar joke when your trying to break an awkward silence...although let's be honest nothing is more awkward than rolling around with green teeth. So, my advice to you this holiday is to steer clear of the green beer & stick to these Guinness Cupcakes & Car-bombs! Erin Go Bragh!
Irish knife = broken bottle.
Irish pajamas = passing out in your clothes.
Irish screwdriver = hammer.
Irish Alzheimer's = Forget everything but their grudges.

Irish handcuffs = A beer in each hand.

Irish sunglasses = Two black eyes.

And my personal favorite: 

What's Irish and stays out all night? (...no not Meagan McNabola) 

 Paddy O' Furniture!

Cheers & Happy St. Patty's day to all!

Give & Get!

Big Brothers & Big Sisters along with The Gap & its sister stores, Banana Republic & Old Navy have partnered together for the "Give and Get Campaign". From this Thursday March 18th through Sunday March 21st all three stores + their outlet & factory stores will be giving a 30% discount on ALL ITEMS. All you have to do is print and present THIS COUPON at checkout and 5% of the total sale will go to BBBS foundation! As I was perusing though the online stores, I found TONS of must have items and thought id share them with all ya'll! Here are my favorite picks for the ladies & the fella's! Happy Shopping! 

Ladies

{Demin Biker Jacket, Henley Tank, Chambray Western Shirt, Convertable Ruffle Bandeau, Crincle Flower T-Strap Sandal, Strapless Romper, Polka Dot Silk Blend Scarf, Dahlia Bejeweled Wedge, Morgan Sunglasses, Eclipse Necklace , Seaside Market Bracelet}

Fella's

{Purple Plaid Shirt, Airplane Cuff Links, Standard Fit Jeans, Cadet Khaki, Cotton Plaid Shirt , Black Chambray Western Shirt, Leather Flip Flops, Striped Board Shorts}

San Francisco City Search

The other day, I woke up and found myself asking the question "What am I today." Currently my list of occupations include Nanny, Blogger, Student & Stylist although as of late I have become a Dictator and contributor to the website San Francisco City Search. I had heard about SF City Search through a contest I entered to win tickets for a Barrel Tasting trip in Sonoma ( which I WON! The trip was last Saturday-Blog Post coming soon). Instantly I became a huge fan of the site and Gina, the Dictator in Chief urged me to apply. Being a dictator, other than donning an intense title, our job is to share insights on shops, restaurants, hotels, etc. in the San Francisco Bay Area all the while being bribed by fabulous prizes. For example, Inn+Spa Getaways in Napa, Dinner's at San Francisco's finest restaurants, SF Giants & iTunes gift cards and parties exclusively for the Dictators and their friends. Just the other night our First Annual Dictator Party was hosted by the lovely people at the Fifth Floor restaurant in the Palomar Hotel. The Palomar Hotel, part of the Kimpton Hotel Brand is located downtown right in the heart of all the hustle and bustle of Market Street. The theme of this hotel is "Art in Motion" and with every floor you explore, the experience of its whimsical design amidst the urban jungle provides for a perfect contrast. Up on the 5th floor of the hotel is the Fifth Floor restaurant. The atmosphere in this Michelin rated restaurant is fancy enough for a lovely escape from a hectic work day, yet comfortable so not to feel a pretentious vibe, which makes for a perfect place to grab a drink + bite. As a special treat for us Dictators, we were given a Martini Demo by "bashfully famous mixologist" Jacques Bezuidenhout. 

His tips on how to concoct the best martini were as follows : 

1. Perfecting the ratio of Liquor to vermouth; 5 parts liquor , 1 part vermouth.

2. Making sure you mix your liquor  of choice + Vermouth in a pitcher with large cubes of ice.  

3. Chill the glass with ice cubes & water before serving.

4. Garnish with a zest of Lemon or Orange peel, rub peel along the brim of the glass then drop in. 

{Concentrating very hard, to not miss any vital information}

Necessities

Yesterday, I popped into Tarjét for a few beauty staples. Of course, a quick trip to target usually turns into a $100 or more purchase, standard. I've accepted the fact that there is no way I can leave the store without perusing through every section, regardless if I have time or not. Each aisle draws me in with its abundance of seemingly must have items and I typically leave with a giant case of buyers remorse. Although yesterday this was not the case. I did in fact leave spending around 120 big ones although my purchases were quite necessary and one of them in specific is an exciting staple to my new spring wardrobe! 

{crest 3D white strips for sensitive teeth, crest whitening tooth paste with scope, q-tips, No.7 advanced hydration day cream, No.7 soft & soothed face wash + toner, skintimate shave gel with vitamin e, No.7 exfoliator for bright skin, biolage toner to strengthen hair, Umberto curl enhancer, secret clinical strength, G cotton ball holder from anthropologie}

As I was wandering through the shoe department I found these little gem's. Much to my excitement, it looks like the gladiator trend is here to stay for a while and Target is still doing what they do best,  ripping off Dolce Vita and Steve Madden design's and selling them at incredibly low prices. I have to say I do feel a little guilty (similar to the guilt I would have if I was buying a knock off bag) although at $22.99 its REALLY hard to resist a bargain. The perfect everyday sandal, these come in this gold/pewter color and black. Despite the cold weather, I did wear them out for a bit today and they are just as comfy as they are cute. Get them here before they all run out! 

The Best Of The Oscars

Last night the 82nd Annual Academy Awards played on televisions around the world. Gown's were worn, Speech's were made, Champagne was toasted and now its time for us to do what we do best, judge those who we envy greatly. Here is my list of "The Best Of" the 2010 Academy Awards. 

And the Oscar goes to...

George Clooney - For the most awkward face's throughout the night. What was up with that? 

Nicole Richie & Joel Madden - For the best looking couple, hands down!

Sarah Jessica Parker - For the best Spray Tan 

Sandra Bullock - Best Speech. She even made Jessie James shed a tear. Amazing. {you can see it here}

Cameron Diaz - Best blowout. Whoever made her, typically un-volumized hair this va-va-voom deserves some sort of award. And her Oscar de la Renta dress was not only fitting for many reasons, it was gorgeous. 

Bradly Cooper & Ryan Reynolds - For best table to sit at

Oprah & Gabby Sidibe - For best example of "workin' with what yo mama gave ya" and proving that you don't have to be a size 0 to look fabulous

Sarah Jessica Parker - For Best Bling

Tom Ford - For Best Dressed Male, in Tom Ford.

        

Demi Moore - For Best Dressed Female in Versace, styled by Rachel Zoe

THE Flea Market

This beautifully sunny Sunday afternoon I headed into Alameda for the monthly flea market. Per usual, the market was filled with a fabulous array of vendors, food trucks & trendy thrifters. A lovely way to spend the afternoon with great friends.                  

{Channeling my inner Pageant Girl}

      

        

        

Vintage costume jewelry gets me every time. Between myself and 2 friends we bought 12 pairs of earrings. I personally left with six. Five for me & one for a gift. Necessary? Probably not. Amazing, yes :)

Loved these notebooks. Made from vintage books & rebind with blank paper in them. I almost bought this "n" book, thought it would be cute to jot down trends that are "in" or ideas for future blog posts. I left sans "n" book, although I am going to try to make one for my first D.I.Y project! 

Spotted: my lovely friends enjoying the 2nd best thing about the flea market, the sausages. 

There is an idea, planting herbs and flowers in your bike basket!