link love

just a little taste of things i'm loving lately!

1.  DIY Jeweled Statement Earrings after picking up these gems recently, i have a new love of statement earrings, especially pairing them with my every day tees and sweatshirts.  this DIY is an easy way to customize pairs of your own.  (apairandasparediy)

2.  Keaton Row this great new site offers an array of styling options for every occasion! the stylists create custom lookbooks for you based on your styling need that offer multiple options to choose from. (keaton row)

3.  I Tried Gwyneth Paltrow's Diet  i kind of love Gwyneth Paltrow and have tried a few  of her recipes (and even one of the cleanses...after getting it doctor approved), and this hilarious article describing one woman's journey through some of her menus had me crying i was laughing so hard.  trust me, you'll enjoy it!  (The Cut)

4.  Emme Halter Dress  ok ladies, tibi has some amazing pieces out right now.  i not only love the cut of this dress, but the graphic floral print is stunning.  i think it's slightly reminiscent of the 90's, which i adore.  also a plus, they're having a friends and family event where all new items are 25% off right now using the code FRIENDS25! (tibi)

5.  Salt & Vinegar Chips Topped Chocolate Cake i admit, this sounds like a strange combination, but it's two of my absolute favorite guilty pleasures rolled into a delicious looking cake.  i'll have to try it soon, and just hope i can find some volunteers to help me eat it.  (chasing delicious)

6.  Olivia Palermo's hair this last one is a little random, but i've been debating chopping off my ends for a shorter look.  miss palermo's hair has always been a favorite of mine, but now i have a few different looks to choose from as some of my favorite bloggers (seen here on Julia of Gal Meets Glam, here on Molly from A Piece of Toast, and here on Liz of Sequins + Stripes) have taken the plunge!  now i just need to work up the courage to do it myself. (pinterest)

nom nom

my three day weekend has officially begun and i am beyond excited...because it's not just any weekend, it's BOTTLEROCK! this will be my first ever multi-day music festival and i'm pretty confident in making this my first.  i mean, i don't think it can get any better than great bands, warm weather, wine, and cheese.  it's like the perfect storm!  it's supposed to be crazy crowded, so luckily i have a good friend who has graciously allowed our group to stay at his house, where we can walk to the venue.  as a little thank you, i decided to bake a few treats to bring up to the house.

since the shows don't start until around noon each day, i aimed more for the breakfast/snack group as we will probably getting ridiculously expensive food at the concert.  the two recipes i decided on were morning glory muffins and "bummer bars" from Gwyneth Paltrow's new cookbook, "It's All Good."  i've made a few different versions of the morning glory muffin, but this one turned out beautifully, and it was super easy to make.  i love these muffins because they're so good for you.  yes, there is brown sugar, but it can easily be subbed with amber agave.  otherwise, you have a delicious combo of fruits, veggies, and whole grains!  

inspired by Liz's post over at Sequins & Stripes, i went to my local bookstore and picked up Gwyneth Paltrow's new cookbook.  i've already done her goop 7-day detox twice, so after briefly browsing some of the recipes, i knew i'd be able to give some of them a try.  these "bummer bars" were my first attempt and they're pretty delicious.  the only issue is that when i tried cutting them into bars, some of them fell apart.  i decided to wrap them tightly individually and stick them in the fridge overnight to see if they harden up...cross your fingers! on the plus side, while i was cutting them i was able to sample (aka eating every single piece that broke off the bars) them and they were scrumptious.  plus they're vegan and healthy! #winning

these will both be a great way to start the day on a healthy kick over the next few days, which i think will be greatly needed.  hopefully both recipes will be a hit with the group, otherwise i'm stuck eating it all...which wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing (yum).  i'll be posting more pictures and updates this weekend from the concert on twitter and instagram, so be sure to check everything out!

eeek i'm getting so excited! have any of you been to a festival before? any words of wisdom??

grey day

Alice + Olivia Fleur Bustier Flare Dress

the fog officially rolled in last night and i woke up this morning to grey skies.  normally i enjoy a day or two of clouds and maybe even rain to break up the sunny cycle, but after the amazing week of weather we had last week, all i want is blue skies and warmth again!  so when i get this itch, i infuse my wardrobe with bold colors and pretty prints to brighten up the day.  and how perfect is this Alice + Olivia dress to do just that? i spotted it when browsing Shopbop's new additions yesterday and am now trying to justify buying it when i live in a city dominated by cold and windy weather.  wedding coming up? no.  special event? no.  warm day in the upcoming forecast? YES...hmm.  it's just too adorable to pass up; the colors are gorgeous and the flared skirt and halter add a little retro-cool to a modern and feminine piece.  

what about you? do you brighten up your outfit on an otherwise blah day?

bauble bar x honestly wtf

early last week i stumbled across some wonderful news: bauble bar and the ladies behind the insanely awesome blog, honestly wtf, were teaming up to release a jewelry collection that would debut at the end of the week.  needless to say, i pretty much had this date (and maybe time...nbd) etched in my head so that i wouldn't miss out on any of the pieces! let me tell you, i was not disappointed.

inspired by their love of vintage pieces, the honestly wtf duo comprised of Erica Chan Coffman and Lauren Kolodny created this collection that is a perfect mix of glitz, glamour, and a little edge.  every piece is just a little over the top (in an oh so good way), and pairs perfectly with a cocktail dress for a night out or as a way to spice up your every day tee and jeans (cut to me tomorrow in this exact outfit). after seeing the collection, i couldn't resist picking up a few pieces and ended up with these beautiful gems...

Ice Selene Pendant Necklace

Primary Aztec Drop Earrings

Ice Pave Disco Necklace

not only are these pieces beyond beautiful, but they're also a great and affordable way to add a little sparkle to your wardrobe.  i highly suggest signing up for a bauble bar account (it's free!) so you can check out this crazy awesome collection and all of the other goodies on the site! 

tgif

i'm so happy it's finally friday! we've been having some amazing weather in the bay area, and i'm currently taking advantage of it by sitting outside in the warm sun writing this post.  anyone who lives here will tell you that you must take advantage of high temperatures when they're here, because it's totally rare.  luckily, we've been experiencing this for over a week (i hope i didn't just jinx it...please stay, please stay, please stay!), and after an incredible trip to Maui, i couldn't have been happier to come home to weather similar to what we had there.

i've also been able to extend the life of my vacation wardrobe (yay!) , which has been awesome.  the only bad thing is that with this little tease we're having, now i feel like we're going to have a real, hot, sunny summer, and of course, i want to buy sun dresses and sandals and shorts to go along with that.  sadly, i know that in reality that's definitely not happening in san francisco, but i can dream, right?  

so in my dream summer, i would totally pick up a few pairs of these beautiful shoes...to go with all of those sun dresses and shorts, of course!

clockwise from top left: L'Agence Dani Plexi Heel, Coach Terri Heel, Pour La Victoire Shanna Heel, Loeffler Randall Amelie Wedge

as for the rest of the weekend, the boyfriend and i are leaving bright and early tomorrow morning to head down south for a little surfing.  we both took lessons in Maui and i'm a little obsessed now (blue crush, anyone?), so i've convinced him to keep it going and suffer in the cold water up here.  i'll reward him with some delicioso Mexican food for cinco de mayo.  wish us luck!

madness

(via)

today was going to be a post on my packing plans for hawaii, until i heard of the horrific news from boston.  now, this blog is not a podium for me to tell you my thoughts and opinions on politics and current events, it is meant to be a happy escape for readers to come and enjoy some lighthearted reading and hopefully get some inspiration.  however i can't ignore the news, and feel the need to devote today's post to the events at the boston marathon. 

these people are athletes.  they are not activists, they are not protestors, they are not hurting anyone by running 26.2 miles today.  they are athletes.  they've trained for months, years, lifetimes even, to compete in this race.  they travelled from all over the world to participate.  they woke up this morning excited, anticipating crossing the finish line of the marathon, but instead of cheers and smiles of relief, runners and spectators were bombarded with clouds of smoke, loud noises, and looks of terror on each others faces. 

i cannot wrap my head around events like these.  i can only hope that one day events like these will no longer plague our daily news.  my thoughts and prayers are with those affected by this tragedy in boston today.

on island time

(via)

next week i'll be jetting off to maui for a six day vacation.  i haven't had a tropical vacation in years, so needless to say, i'm pretty excited.  this will also be my first time going to hawaii and i can't wait to explore and try new things (surfing lessons, anyone?)! on the agenda so far is snorkeling,windsurf lessons, surfing lessons, eating as much fresh seafood as possible, and sneaking in a few macadamia nut cookies along the way (shh don't tell).

i'm planning on bringing just one little carry-on, as usual.  some favorites that i'll be stuffing in it are this bikini, a gorgeous (a super comfortable) Mara Hoffman dress, and of course, my J.Crew Panama hat!  i'll also be bringing some work-out gear, cute denim cut-offs, and tees + tanks. crossing my fingers that it all fits...!   i definitely think i still need another swimsuit, one that is guaranteed to stay put while surfing watching the waves go by.  so i have officially one week to find it, or just wait until i get there and hope that i can find one on the island!

i seriously just can't wait. sun + sand (+ SPF), here i come!!