Unleash the Hounds(tooth)

With fall here and winter close behind, my interest has turned to one of my favorite patterns, houndstooth. While houndstooth is a classic, this year I've taken note that many designers are making it modern and graphic by enlarging the print or featuring it in a variety of colors. Today I am wearing the classic black and white version of the pattern in the form of pants from H&M. The pattern on this print is quite small and subtle, but if you look close you can't miss it.  I just learned (from Wikipedia) that this smaller version of the print is often referred to as "puppytooth." Whoever nicknamed it this was probably not aware that puppies' teeth can be quite larger and ferocious. (As I can attest to). These H&M houndstooth (puppytooth) pants were marked down to $20 a couple of weeks ago. To brighten up the classic pattern I paired them with the J. Crew Dream Crewneck sweater in Golden Sun.

While he is not a hound, William was out in full force today. Like my pants he is a black and white classic, albeit a bit on the crazy side. Unleash the Springers!

 

 

 

Geometric and Graphic

The "Graphic Print"  J. Crew No. 2 pencil skirt is the latest addition to my burgeoning pencil skirt collection. Seemingly this collection is taking on a life of its own in my closet. Maybe they're reproducing in there? Regardless, pencil skirts are such classics and J. Crew keeps coming up with such wonderful patterns and prints, I guess you can never have too many. I love the geometric shapes and silk/wool blend of the "Graphic Print" from J. Crew. I paired it with a beaded Peter Pan collar sweater from H&M.

If you can snatch this geometric masterpiece at your local J. Crew I highly recommend it! For sizing reference, I took my normal size 2 in this skirt. I was on the fence between size 2 and 0 for the J. Crew No. 2 pencil skirts in cotton this summer, as they all seemed to run a bit different. In my opinion the silk or wool versions of this skirt tend to be a little more snug and also don't stretch the way the cotton ones do. 

In the Red

Here on the West Coast Thanksgiving is winding down and many are digesting their turkey in a tryptophan coma! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday with family and friends. One the highlights of my Thanksgiving this year was watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and the Purina dog show in my pajamas with my dog (William) and my husband. I feel like it is the small moments such as these which often mean the most. William really enjoyed watching the dog show on TV, but was very disappointed when the English Springer didn't even place.

I did eventually get out of my pajamas and into some Thanksgiving appropriate attire for dinner with our family.  I thought this plaid wool skirt from Tracy Reese for Anthropologie was perfect for Thanksgiving. I paired this skirt with my brown Christian Louboutin riding boots. My father in law, upon seeing these boots, jokingly asked if I got them at Target or Walmart. I guess my boots are in the red, but hopefully retailers across the country will find themselves in the black after tomorrow.

Outfit: Shirt: Old Navy, Skirt: Tracey Reese for Anthropologie, Tights and Belt: Target, Boots: Walmart, opps...Christian Louboutin, Bag: Dooney and Bourke and Twilly: Hermes, Watch: Robert Leighton

Chickens and Turkeys

Tomorrow millions of us will be eating turkey and celebrating Thanksgiving Day. This gives other forms of poultry such as chickens a short respite from the job of being a meal. In honor of poultry everywhere I am wearing my French Hen Boy Shirt from J. Crew. As I stated in a previous post, I can't seem to get enough of these chickens! Plus this shirt features not one, but a seemingly endless sea of chickens dancing playfully against sumptuous navy silk. Who could resist such a parade of chickens, French chickens nonetheless!

The red of the chickens' berets and the yellow in their beaks in this print leads to endless styling options. I chose to pair this shirt with the Old Navy Rockstar Jeans in yellow. If you are looking to order these jeans (perhaps for Black Friday) I would say they run a bit small. I know the fit is supposed to be super skinny (perhaps to make you look like the sexy rockstar you always wanted to be) but I chose not to stuff myself into said jeans, and therefore opted for a size 6. Just for reference, in J. Crew I am normally a size 0 or 2. I think this just goes to show the vast irregularity in sizing for women's clothing.

Anyway, the real rock stars of this outfit are all of the chickens! Happy Thanksgiving everyone and don't forget to stuff yourself with turkey and spare the chickens, if only for a day!

 

 Outfit: Blouse: J. Crew Boy Shirt, Jeans: Old Navy, Shoes: J. Crew Cece Ballet Flats in , Bag: Louis Vuitton Epi Brea in Rubis

The New Deal

I'm sure that many of you are chomping at the bit in anticipation of the Black Friday sales which await this coming Friday. I know I am, although my enthusiasm for this shopping holiday has waned over the last few years. When I was younger and living in New York my parents would take me to Manhattan or Long Island to go shopping and I would wake up early, eager with anticipation at the thought of all the deals to be had. With age and maturity, I find myself more and more exasperated by big crowds and long lines.

The good news for people like me who are reluctant to deal with Black Friday madness is that it seems like stores are now offering some of the same deals before Black Friday. The selection is better and the crowds noticeably smaller, so why not take advantage of this opportunity? For example, I purchased the pants I am modeling below from Ann Taylor Loft for $8.85 yesterday. That's just insane! I also bought a pair of Capri pants (very similar to the J. Crew Cafe Capri pants) at the Loft for the same rock bottom price. No one was in the store and the selection was plentiful.

While I was shopping at Ann Taylor, my husband was browsing Best Buy for a new television, which is basically all he has talked about this last week! The sales associate at Best Buy said with that the exception of a few door buster specials, the prices at the beginning of the week would be the same prices featured during Black Friday. So maybe the new deal is to shop early and avoid the hassle? Clearly the people camped outside of Best Buy in tents didn't get the memo!

The place where we took these pictures is a restaurant called the Magic Lamp. The Magic Lamp is located on Route 66 and has been around for over 50 years. It is a very old fashioned steak house which features artery clogging favorites such as prime rib and Monte Cristo sandwiches for lunch. When I learned that the Monte Cristo is a ham, turkey and Swiss cheese sandwich that is deep fried in batter and sprinkled with powdered sugar and served with jam, I knew I had to try it! It did not disappoint! Here are a couple of photos featuring the Magic Lamp.

 Outfit: Blouse and Pants: Ann Taylor Loft, Shoes: Christian Louboutin 85mm Simple Pumps in Framboise, Bag: Dooney and Bourke, Scarf/Twilly: Hermes

Abstract Expressionism

The bold brushstroke pattern on these pants brings to mind the artistic movement known as Abstract Expressionism. One of my favorite artistic styles, Abstract Expressionism became particularly prominent during the 1950's in New York City. Notable artist such as Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko and William de Kooning fall under the umbrella so to speak of this artistic genre. While it is difficult to articulate exactly what ties together artists from this movement, their work seems to be defined by a very revolutionary approach to painting that emphasizes the spontaneous application of paint to the canvas rendering bold brushstrokes that celebrate the physical act of painting.

The pants I am wearing are from H&M. I acquired them this week for the low price of $17.95. A similar pair can be found at J. Crew. The J. Crew pair, called the Collection Etched Plaid Cafe Capri pants are substantially more expensive at $248 and now on sale for $180. While the J. Crew version are clearly superior in quality and material (silk and wool vs. cotton) the H&M pair can be had on an "artist's budget" which made them my choice. To offset the brilliant blue tones I selected my Citron Epi Alma for another stroke of brilliant color. I think the Abstract Expressionist would approve of this palette! 

 

Sweater: Forever 21, Pants: H&M, Shoes: Christian Louboutin 70mm Simple Pumps, Bag: Louis Vuitton Alma

Field Trip

If you live in Los Angeles or if you are planning a visit to the city, you must check out the husband and wife run Esotouric Bus Tours. The tours are sort of like the school field trips I'm sure we all remember from our childhood, but one thousand times better and a million times stranger. The Esotouric tours center around various facets of little known Los Angeles history and culture including true crime, architecture (kitschy, weird and inspiring) and literature. This Saturday we went on one such tour which took us on a magical field trip primarily through the Pomona and San Bernardino. You might not think there is anything special or unique about this area of Los Angeles, but unveiling the hidden gems that this city has to offer is what the Esotouric tours do best.

Since it was a rainy and miserable day I threw on some plaid flannel and rain boots to go trekking/mucking around in. Here I am, ready for adventure in my J. Crew Keats plaid flannel posing next to some graffiti adorning train tracks in Pomona.  I feel like this shot should give someone really preppy like me at least a little street cred! (Note: The brown boots in the picture belong to a homeless person, not me.)

So enough with the "fashion" and on to the meat of this adventure. Below are some photos of what we discovered on this particular tour. The photo below was the highlight of the tour for me. It is the Phillips Mansion located in Pomona. The house was built in 1875 and is supposedly the only example of Second Empire architecture in Southern California. While the house is not open to the public, we were able to get a sneak peak inside. It is inspiring that the the Pomona Historical Society was able to save this house from demolition in the 60's. Sadly due to budgetary issues only the first floor of this three floor mansion has been restored.

After our visit at the Phillips Mansion we ventured east into the Inland Empire to San Bernardino to the historic Santa Fe depot. Completed in 1918, the San Bernardino Santa Fe Depot was the largest train station west of the Mississippi at the time and is a beautifully preserved example of Mission Revival architecture with some elements of Spanish Colonial Revival and Moroccan Revival architecture.

Next, we moved on to the quirky and kitschy part of the tour. Opened in 1949 along the historic Route 66, the Wigwam Motel offers a unique motel experience for travelers to say the least. Apparently in post-war America these tee-pee styled dwellings were all the rage. I'm not sure how much it cost to stay here, but it sure would be fun! They allowed us to look inside one and the accommodations are actually more spacious than one might expect. 

As dusk approached we were able to admire some of the neon signs which dot Route 66 and are reminders of this road's colorful past. One such neon sign was for another motel, the Sand and Sage. I hope you enjoyed this epic adventure!

The Most Blogged About Trench in the World

Perhaps you are familiar with the commercials for Dos Equis beer featuring The Most Interesting Man in the World. If not, The Most Interesting Man in the World is a Hemingway-esque gentleman who is loved by all (especially the ladies) and the center of parties around the world. The Ann Taylor Loft Dobby Trench is sort of like The Most Interesting Man in the World, except it is the most blogged about trench in the world. This trench appeared on numerous fashion blogs a few months ago and was beloved by ladies from around the world. Clearly this trench has a certain unexplainable appeal that no one can resist, just like The Most Interesting Man in the World.

I too fell in love with this trench (who could resit these stripes?) and purchased it a couple of months ago, however I never got the chance to wear it until now. Due to today's rainy, dreary morning I decided to throw on this trench and it proved to be the perfect rainy day accessory. For a little cheer I added a J. Crew Tippi sweater in Neon Azalea and a new bracelet, also from J. Crew.

I don't always wear a trench coat, but when I do, I prefer my stripped Ann Taylor Dobby. Stay warm my friends.

National Bundt Cake Day... It's Coming!

Sure everyone knows that Thanksgiving is just around the corner and Christmas isn't too far behind. But what about the other holidays that occur during this season? Shouldn't they get a little love too? I am taking it upon myself to let everyone know about one such holiday, National Bundt Cake Day. Tomorrow, November 15 is the official observance of this day which celebrates the Bundt cake in all its various forms. I believe this little known holiday was created by Nordic Ware. (They're the ones who make most of the Bundt cake pans on the market, so it's no surprise that they would be the ones behind this holiday). In my opinion Bundt cakes taste best the day after you make them, so I am letting you know in advance about this epic holiday in case you want to try your hand at baking a Bundt cake.

Below is a recipe for the Clementine Spiced Rum Bundt cake which I made this past weekend. The trick is to get as much rum into the cake as possible. To do this I drizzle rum on the bottom of the cake immediately after it comes out of the oven. Then after taking it out of the mold (after about 10 minutes) I also drizzle more rum on the top while it is still hot. Feel free to drink the rum as you are baking and doing all of this, it will make the whole experience much more enjoyable!

Overall, this recipe turned out well, however I like the Chocolate Bourbon cake ( also featured on my blog) I made a few weeks ago a lot better. My preference is probably due to the fact that I am a chocolate fiend!

Here is the recipe courtesy the blog "Bunkycooks." This recipe is for a 6 cup Bundt pan. I doubled the recipe because I have the mega sized Bundt pan which is for 12-15 cups. Yes, my Bundt cake pan is from Nordic Ware. They are made in the U.S.A. so I am proud to support their company. 

Ingredients:

For cake:
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, organic if possible, at room temperature
1 teaspoons finely grated clementine peel
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons spiced rum (I used Captain Morgan)
1 1/2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup whole milk
For glaze:
1 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
3 teaspoons fresh clementine juice, maybe more until desired cocnsistency
3 teaspoons spiced rum (I used Captain Morgan), maybe more until desired consistency

Directions:

For cake:
1. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy; beat in the eggs, clementine peel, vanilla and rum. Combine flour and baking powder; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk.
2. Pour into a greased and floured 6-cup bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. (* Be sure to check the cake at 40 minutes. The cake does not need to be brown to be done.) Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool.

For glaze:
1. Combine the confectioners' sugar, juice and rum until smooth. Drizzle over the cake.

Paisley and Pencils

Today I am wearing two kinds of pencils: a pencil skirt and a pencil necklace! The necklace is a new acquisition which I purchased from Kate Spade during their latest sale. It's called the "doodle" pencil necklace. I bought it in two colors, green and purple, which are my two favorite colors. Usually I don't wear gold accessories, but this one was too cute to pass up. Even my husband liked it and encouraged me to get both colors instead of just one. The skirt is the J. Crew No. 2 Pencil skirt in Royal Paisley. I have a lot of pencil skirts, but I guess one can never have too many pencils, be it in the form of a necklace, skirt, or the actual practical kind you can use to write with!

Sweater: Target : Blouse: J. Crew, Skirt: J. Crew, Necklace: Kate Spade, Shoes: Dolce Vita 

Plaid, Stripes, Wine and ... Guinea Pigs?

What do these four things have in common? Nothing, except they all describe my day off today which I spent wine tasting (and purchasing copious amounts of wine) at the Galleano Winery. The Galleano Winery dates back to 1927 when the family first purchased the land on the fringe of the Cucamonga Valley in California. Today, the winery is a great place to spend a lazy afternoon trying a variety of wines and taking in the scenery. Amongst the scenery are an abundance of guinea pigs which roam free in a large pen near the tasting room. Apparently the current owner loves these little guys and keeps them as pets. (The Galleano family's residence is located on the premises of the vineyard/winery). When we first went here they had a lot more guinea pigs than they do now. I think they have thinned out the herd so to speak, although today I saw some guinea pigs engaged in activities which I think might lead to another boom in the population pretty soon!

I dressed up a little for the guinea pigs at the winery. I am wearing the J. Crew boy shirt in Quincy Tartan with a corduroy mini, also from J. Crew. It got a little cool out so I threw on a navy striped sweater from Merona for Target. Since blue and orange (complimentary colors) look so great with one another, I paired this wine tasting ensemble with my Prada Lux tote in Papaya.