maya angelou

life is not measured by 
the number of breaths we take 

but by the moments that take our breath away

maya angelou

turkey dinner detox

after thanksgiving dinner and eating my way through the weekend, i promised myself to detox this week. the last couple days my diet has consisted of turkey, stuffing, garlic mashed potatoes, apple pie, empanadas, lasagna, and not nearly enough vegetables. so, this week i am dragging myself to the gym and eating some of my favorite salads. here is one of the salads i will be making this week:


strawberry spinach salad: 
6 cups fresh spinach, torn into bite-size pieces
1 cup strawberries, sliced into halves
1 tablespoon onion, chopped
1/4 cup almonds or pecans, blanched


i recommend using a balsamic dressing with the spinach salad. here is a simple balsamic dressing recipe:
1/4 cup olive oil 
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

black friday

blythe blouse in extravagant green

thigh highs

wide hand-enameled bangle

i'm not a fan of black friday for several reasons, one being that i used to work in retail, so i planned on avoiding a mall at all costs. however, i did do a bit of online shopping on j.crew.com and stocked up on some of my favorite j.crew things. three of my favorite things to get from j.crew are the silk blouses, bangles, and socks/tights. i ordered the blythe blouse in extravagant green, which i own in 4 other colors (black, white, navy, and poppy) and it is by far the best blouse that i have ever owned. i also ordered a couple wide hand-enameled bangles, which i either layer with other bracelets on one wrist or wear one on each wrist. plus, i ordered the thigh high socks that i plan on scrunching down and wearing with boots. just a couple things to feed my black friday fix. 

M83 "midnight city" official video

VOGUE

happy thanksgiving!

thanksgiving is a time to eat stuffing, mashed potatoes, and apple pie with family and friends, but more importantly to be mindful of our blessings and be thankful for what we have been given. happy thanksgiving! 

it's not a bag, it's a birkin

i share an obsession for hermés, the prestigious french luxury goods house, with one of my dearest friends and i know she will appreciate this post. the hermés birkin bag is named after actress and singer jane birkin. the bags are distributed to hermés boutiques on unpredictable schedules and limited quantities, creating scarcity and exclusivity. 


the bag has a variety of hides such as calf leather, ostrich, crocodile, and lizard. the bag is lined with goatskin, and the color of the interior matches the exterior. prices for the birkin bag depend on the color, hardware fixtures, and skin. sizes are 25, 30, 35, and 40 centimeters. the 50 and 55 centimeter bags are meant for traveling. the bag has a lock and keys and the locks and keys are number-coded. the metallic hardware (the lock, keys, buckle hardware, and base studs) are plated with fold or palladium to prevent tarnishing.


personally, what i love most about the birkin bag is the size, hardware and details. the size is perfect for carrying a makeup bag,  wallet, phone, magazine, book, etc. plus the gold hardware and details of the bag make it polished and elegant. i hope to have a hermes bag of my very own someday. 

workspace

this weekend i did a lot work at home, some much needed laundry, cleaning, organizing, and minor redecorating. i did some reworking of my workspace, which was in need of some attention. it's so important to have a workspace that's inspiring, in order to keep creativity flowing. i keep pictures from my trips to europe and south america, candles, flowers, art and design books, and vogue magazines, my journal, and lots of pens to write down ideas and thoughts on my desk and around my workspace to keep me inspired. 

chicken noodle sopa

whether you're under the weather or feeling just fine, chicken soup always hits the spot. this is my abuelita's recipe, which is particularly delicious when garnished with a small handful of chopped fresh cilantro and garlic.

ingredients

6 cups organic chicken or vegetable broth

3/4 large onion, chopped

3 large carrots, chopped

1 large zucchini, chopped

1 cup spinach, chopped

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 pound chicken drumettes

1 cup orzo pasta

sea salt and pepper

1-2 teaspoons hot sauce (optional)

method

place drumettes in large pot with a teaspoon of olive oil, salt, and pepper.  stir drumettes and allow to warm on medium for 5 minutes.  add chicken broth to pot and bring to a boil. reduce heat to a simmer. Stir in onion, carrot, zucchini, spinach, cilantro, garlic and cook until tender, stirring from time to time, 15 to 20 minutes. stir in chicken and continue simmering until chicken is cooked through, 5 to 8 minutes. stir in orzo pasta and cook until pasta is done, 10 to 12 minutes. taste and adjust seasoning with sea salt, pepper, and hot sauce (optional).    

puddles

must-have minnie

i have been on the hunt for a pant for work, but also something that i can go from work to dinner and drinks in. i've been looking for something in between a suiting pant (yuck) and leggings. i finally tried these, bi-stretch wool minnie pants by j.crew and they're a must have! they're made of wool and spandex so they're thick and warm, and tight enough so they still look sophisticated, but still youthful. i can't wait to pair these minnie pants with a blazer, ballet flats or riding boots for work and a cardigan, booties or heels for dinner and drinks!  

monroe

imperfection is beauty,

madness is genius,

and it's better to be 

absolutely ridiculous, 

than absolutely boring.


marilyn monroe

ring, ring, ring.

during my last trip to europe, i purchased a vintage ring in florence at this shop near the ponte vecchio (the bridge of gold), and a double finger ring in barcelona. and ever since i have been adding to my collection of rings. lately, my favorite thing to do has been to wear 2 or 3 rings on each hand. 

murmuration

11.11.11

make a wish!

one day

framed

i want to recreate this cluster of frames on the wall in front of my desk. i'm planning on framing my pictures from my recent trip to europe, along with my favorite quotes. all the different size frames adds dimension and shape to any plain white wall.

carven 2012

tailored blazer and high waisted shorts

prints in the same color palette 

bright print

pockets!

the color palette of the carven spring 2012 RTW is so bright and exciting.  my favorite things about the collection are the bright color palette, solid colored removable collars, cutouts below the bust, bright prints inspired by native embroideries, and the tailoring of the blazers and shorts.

details

curling up with cashmere

cashmere boyfriend sweater in hthr toffee

cashmere v neck sweater in hthr caramel

cashmere isabel sweatshirt in hthr grey

one of my favorite things about fall is wearing cashmere. cashmere coats, sweaters, leggings, scarves and socks. i am not a fan of summer weight cashmere, so fall and winter are the only two seasons that i really wear cashmere. here are three must have j.crew cashmere sweaters that will last season after season and completely worth the investment.

sheer maxi skirt

must have item of the week: sheer maxi skirt by american apparel.  the highlights of this skirt are the sheer chiffon fabric, high waist, and stretch waistband.  generally, maxi skirts are meant for those blessed with long legs, but because this skirt is sheer it doesn't discriminate against any height. i have hesitated buying a maxi skirt because i'm petite, but this sheer maxi skirt works on any body type. a must have for fall!

rocco duffle

must have item: the original, classic, alexander wang "rocco duffle" is the black leather with brass studs and is the most sought after combination of the bag that was originally named the coco, though the name seems to have caused some legal problems hence the name change. the rocco continues to garner an immense amount of press and popularity with everyone wanting to get their hands on this particular combination. the rocco's glazed, pebbled leather, oversized studs at the bottom, antiqued brass hardware, double rolled handles and detachable, adjustable shoulder strap are what make the design of this bag so gorgeous. this will definitely be my next big purchase.