TGIF - Whatcha Up To?

TGIF, friends!! I thought this week would never end!  It just kinda dragged for me.  But the weekend is here, as always. And happy Easter and Passover to those who celebrate!

This Saturday, I am going to visit this Amish farmer's market near my place, which has been there forever but I've just never gone.  I bet they have amazing lox and fresh produce.

On Sunday, my friend Nancy will stop by for an early dinner. I am thinking of making this Korean comfort food, which I used to cook up all the time when we were in high school! 

And I know this video may be loud and sexist, but I really like the song and honestly, the video makes me laugh.  It's so darn silly!    

Making a complete turn in a different direction - I would love to be all crafty and make this garland. 

see here for instructions

And I am loving this house tour from Apartmenttherapy 

Love their mix of danish pieces and am envious of all the natural lighting throughout the house.   

Have a wonderful weekend, friends!  Listen to some good music, go off whatever nutritious diet you are on and eat some sweets, and do whatever makes you happy, even if it's just for a few minutes!! 

In My Amazon Bucket

I'm one of those people who constantly put things in the checkout bucket of various shopping websites, only to pull them (some of them) out later.  One of those websites I frequent too often is Amazon.  I love how they have just about anything & everything I need and often times, offer free shipping.  Currently, I have this random mix of stuff in my Amazon bucket. 

GP's new cook book (I have a love/hate relationship with her.  So jealous of her life, seriously!!  But gotta love her for being kinda really cool and stylish.)

A really neat looking water carafe.  I want this in our bathroom for our mouthwash.  I can't stand looking at a big bottle of Scope.  Ugh. 

Kendra Scott  earrings.  I know, they are trendy.  But I'm in love with mint colored anything.  And I need to wear more earrings b/c I never do.  These will be perfect for the warmer days (if they ever friggin' get here!). 

This book has been seen on many other bloggers' must read list.  Honestly, I just need to go to the library and borrow this book, instead of buying.  

What's in your Amazon shopping bucket?  Or do you have a different site where you get your random mix of goodies?

Simply Not Fair

I believe in marriages between vamps.  Really, why not?  
No, in all seriousness, I believe in marriage equality.  I understand that yesterday and today's arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court may not result in a decision that will allow same sex marriages under the federal and state law.  However, if the Court makes the right decision, those who oppose marriage equality will at least be struck down in their efforts to move forward with anti marriage equality movements/laws like Proposition 8 in California. 

The bottom line is this.  All men are created equal.  Same sex couples should receive the same kind of protection and benefits heterosexual couples receive as married couples under the law: family health insurance, certain exemptions from estate taxes, adoption rights, and many more.  Even car insurance can be much cheaper when obtained as a married couple.  

In 10 years (or less), I know we'll look back and scoff at why there was so much fuss about this.  Because it simply makes no sense.  And because it's simply NOT FAIR.  

Getaway Ready

Guys, I haven't taken time off from work (minus the sick day from 2 or so weeks ago) since Christmas.  And I'm talking about getting away, outta town, somewhere I can really truly relax. Right now is really the best time to getaway too you know, give ourselves a little break from these long wintery days, which I HOPE are going away soon. I guess I'll keep my eyes open for those deals on Livingsocial or Groupon. And when I do see a great getaway package, I want to be in this adorable outfit!

  bag// dress// espadrille// bracelet

Do you have any getaways planned?  

Monday E-Design: Canopy & Crane

Good Monday, friends~  I went missing on you guys last Friday.  It was one of those weeks where my schedule was all goofy and on top of that, I was feeling less than inspired.  Do you feel that way sometimes? 

Btw, I added two new blogs under my daily reads:  Whoorl and Meg Biram's The Edit.  I love coming across other blogs and reading through all of their entries, especially while I'm running on the treadmill.  Really helps the time pass! And you'll be proud of me.  I ran both Saturday and Sunday.  5 miles each day!!

On Saturday, I went to visit my mom, who again made bags and bags of Korean dishes for me and Randy.  I got to play really hard with my nephew, Lukie, who's turning 4 this fall.  He's really starting to converse well and come into his own being.  LOVE him to pieces. On Sunday, I finally picked up new bedsheets from where else, West Elm.  I've been eyeing their stripe bedsheets for the longest time and they are on sale. So, grab them I did. So excited!!! 

And today, as with all Mondays, all I can think about is staying in bed.  I can't remember if I talked about Crane & Canopy.  Their design is simple and classic and you are going to love the price.  I would LOVE to get the following duvet sets. 

    

I cannot wait for my current duvets to become worn out so that I have an excuse to buy something from Canopy & Crane.  And no, this is not a sponsored post, I have no sponsors.  But if I could, I wouldn't mind having Canopy & Crane be one! 

Anyways, hope you have a great Monday.  (OMG - I just looked out and it's freakin' SNOWING!!!!!!  I really want to stay in bed now!!!)  

I Found These Beauties...

I wear the same couple of black and brown pumps to work almost every day and it's time to retire them. So, I'm on a search. I haven't found the perfect pair of black pumps, which is really essential for my work wardrobe.  But I found these beauties. 

a// b// c// d

Who needs a boring pair of black pumps when you've got these beauties? (Well, I actually kinda still do.) I'd like die to have 'em all in my closet... so maGe!  Yes, I watch and love the Rachel Zoe show, or whatever it's called.  Don't judge me :) 

Happy Thursday!! We are almost there, guys! 

Snow & Rain...Really??!!!

Guys, I could not believe my eyes yesterday when around 4:30 p.m. I saw out the window that there was icy snow coming down.  I was like, really?? We are in MARCH!!!  I was totally unprepared.  No rain coat, umbrella or rain boots...  I could use an outfit like this below.

Jacket; Boot; Tote  

But this 1-2-3 look needs something else... 

image via Pinterest

Of course, a foxy umbrella is a must in this kind of wet weather.  

Please someone bring me some sun! I'm starting to feel restless here!!  Ok, maybe it's also because it's only Tuesday :( And maybe someone needs to take a chill pill and count her blessings and get to work!  

Have a good one guys~

Monday E-Design: Mini Home Office

Happy Monday, friends!  Did you get to celebrate St.Patty's Day?
I celebrated by consuming an Irish potato and some cookies with green sprinkles at the office on Friday. Yup, I kinda missed the boat on this year's celebration.  There's always next year, eh?

Today's E-Design focuses on setting up a small home office. Although I use the upstairs of our loft as our home office, I often do most of my work and personal paperwork at the kitchen table or the couch.  If I could, I would love to set up a small work space, that would blend right in with the rest of the living room and kitchen.  Something likes this...

Mirror// Bench// Rug // Parsons Mini Desk// Topiary // Vase

Each of the above pieces can be used, really anywhere around the house, right? And nothing is too conspicuously officey. 
If you are in need of a little working space around your house, hope this gave you some starting ideas :) 

Have a great Monday and rest of the week!!

TGIF - Whatcha Up To?

TGIF!! How are you guys? Sorry I've been a little skimpy with my posts this week.  Yeah, that cold I talked babbled and whined about like a baby turned into a mild case of bronchitis, which frankly, I didn't even know how to spell until I was diagnosed with it.  I've always bragged about how I never get colds and I'm so healthy this and that, but I am now a humbled woman as I've officially learned how to use an inhaler. I'll definitely be picking up the concentrated vitamin D prescribed by my doctor this weekend and take fish oil capsules EVERY DAY.  So, enough about my dramatic tale of a mild, yes just mild, case of bronchitis!  

Whether you can tell or not from reading this blog, my style in all things tend to mix both the old and the new. Below is a set of tableware from Donna Hay's online shop, that is an excellent revival of a traditional design in a color that's all the rage these days.  Don't they look like something you'd find in your grandparents' kitchen or a flea market (if you are so lucky).  The light pastel color is just oh so perfectly pretty without being overwhelmingly feminine.  

This is a perfect trio for a little lemonade making in the summer, right? 

And these beet chips below will be perfect with a glass of home-made lemonade.

The styling and photographing of this dish is by Bea of La Tartine Gourmande.  I love how she tells a sweet story for each dish she presents on her blog and this one, particularly hits home for me as it was made for her daughter, Lulu who wasn't feeling well.  I bet her appetite definitely perked up upon snacking on her mama's beat chips~  

I hope this week was kind to you.  If it wasn't, try to take it easy this weekend.  Sleep in a little later, cuddle your pets a little extra longer, and nosh something incredibly healthy and satisfying.  Happy weekend, friends~

Lonny & Rue

With so many blogs and online magazines, I am constantly browsing, admiring, oohing and aahing over beautiful designs.  The two standout online magazines I absolutely love are Lonny Magazine and Rue.  When you check out these photos from their latest March issues, you'll see why it's so easy to fall in love with them over and over again. 

Top two rows of photos from Lonny's March '13 Issue; the bottom two rows are from Rue's March '13 Issue

I wish these magazines were published in print and easily purchasable at local book stores.  I never get tired of looking at beautiful photos like these (I still have most of the now defunct Domino magazine).  

On another note - happy Wednesday!! We are half way there~  and hopefully, my cold is half way out of my system too!!

Current Faves and Wishlist

a; b; c; d; e; and f.

hello~ so i was totally overwhelmed with work on Sunday night and didn't get to post here yesterday, which was a bummer.  and almost didn't make it today either thanks to a sudden cold that decided to invade my throat and head.  ugh... what's with this cold?!!

Onto happier thoughts - i want to share with you  a couple of my recent finds that i'm loving.  i have the above clarins lip gloss (a gift), essie nail polish in mink muffs, and the bobbi brown eye shadow that gets used as an eyebrow fill-in/liner.  each one of them adds a nice subtle change to my look.  the rest, i want want want!!  

what are some of your new finds and wishlist items?

TGIF - Whatcha Up To?

TGIF!!! Yay!!  This week has been laced with so much talk about the weather. Is it going to snow? If so, how much? We had some windy days with slightest of slight white sprinkles but alas, no substantive snow to enjoy.  If it's going to be cold, I'd rather see some white powder than not, you know?!  

This weekend, I have a lot of work to catch up.  I'm going to try to buckle down and be disciplined. BUT I will, or I MUST take the time to make this little healthy quinoa strawberry salad. 

recipe via here

Doesn't it look so good? Although this seems more like a breakfast or lunch kinda dish, I wouldn't mind pairing this dish with a glass of Torrontes like this one. 

A friend of mine introduced me to Torrontes (Argentinian white wine) last weekend and I love it. It has a very crisp, light and fruity taste, and when you take a sip of it, you just want to swirl it around your mouth 'cause it's so good.  I can't wait to go pick up a bottle today after work!

And guys,check out Apartment Therapy for their bedroom retreat contest.  I'm so inspired looking at all the photos of beautifully decorated bedrooms.  

Hope you guys have a wonderful, warm, sun-filled weekend~~   

My Life via Instagram

I've always been somewhat of a late bloomer in so many ways. And as with all things trendy, I'm finally catching on to Instagram. And I LOVE IT!  I didn't get it before but I get it now.  It's all about catching those small and big moments, whenever you can without regretting later that you didn't have a clunky camera on you.  Granted, some pics may be more mundane and belong in the #randomlikecrazy category. (I'm finally also understanding the @ and # signs).  But it's all about keeping those small moments you experienced by putting them away in an easily accessible place.  What's surprising to me is that I love looking at other people's, including strangers' instagrams as well.  It's as if I live vicariously through their fun and exciting moments. There's enough craziness going on out there, so it's refreshing and fun to look at everyone's happy and fun instagrams. So for now, happy instagramming to y'all and myself!!

p.s. If you want to see my instagrams, find me here or click on the instagram badge you see on the side of my blog :)   

Making New Friends

Hello~  Meet my new girlfriends!

Aren't these gals just gorgeous?!! They are all from Loren Hope. I just came across her recently and have the biggest crush on everything at her shop.  This is definitely a blog entry I'm sharing with my husband, although my birthday and Christmas are quite far away :) 

Happy Wednesday - We are half way there!

Spring Mix

The title of this post sounds like a salad, right?  No, no discussion of salad here, at least not today.  But here's a mix of spring items I'm loving right now.  Last Sunday, I checked out the J.Crew Factory/outlet.  I do this from time to time in hopes of finding something I missed last year.  And sure enough, I lucked out and found the below lace blouse and striped skirt.  The blouse was 25% off (eh...not the best sale but it's so pretty in person!) and the skirt was 50% off.  Yeah, they were going home with me :)  The glasses are from Warby Parker and I think I'll be getting the pair below, 'Ainsworth'. I really liked it when I got to try it at home for free.  The Coach bag below is perfect for both spring and summer.  The sandals will go with just about anything casual in my closet. And they really look comfy, don't they?  Hope you like this version of spring mix as much as I do :)

a.J.Crew Factory Scalloped Lace Tee; b. J.Crew Factory Pleated Printed Skirt; c.Warby Parker Ainsworth in Walnut Tortoise; d. Coach Legacy Leather Penny Shoulder Purse; e. Arche Pumps Mityam Elastic Mid Heel

Monday E-Design: Hunting for Coffee Table

Happy Monday~~  Hope you had a great weekend.  We are officially in the month of March and gettin' closer to spring.  

I've been loving the recent trend of reclaimed wood coffee tables.  They have this masculine industrial look and edge about them. I am on a hunt for one that doesn't look too woodsie or industrial.  Ha - always looking for that perfect combo! Here are the four I found and pinned on my Pinterest home decor board.  

Home Decorators $289

Restoration Hardware  $895

Overstock  $360

West Elm  $349

So, did you do a double take between the Restoration Hardware and the Overstock table?  And then another double take at the difference in price?  Even the background of the photos look, well, almost identical!  But how not identical are the prices?!  This goes to show you that you must research, research and research before you spend your money!  If you are curious, I'm liking the West Elm one the most.  Me being me, I love the light beige-y color of this table.  It'll go with just about any colored sofa.  What do you think?  Do you have a piece of furniture you are looking to replace? 

p.s. Excuse the not too cute or sophisticated social media badges on the side.  I'm in the process of making some design changes to the blog and hopefully, I'll get the help I need and this place will look better in the near future :) 

TGIF - Whatcha Up To?

image via here

Oh boy~  It's TGIF and I seriously thought it'd never get here!!

I had a week that started out slow and just exploded into total busy-ness at work.  The highlight of the week was seeing my parents in Philly for a random sushi dinner (despite me circling around the same 3-4 blocks to find the parking lot where my parents were waiting for me). Of course, my mom made all this banchan and spicy chicken for Randy, which makes Randy so happy as he is more Korean than I am. 

Not much going on this weekend. I am definitely going to be making more fig jam.  Remember last Friday I talked about making it? (see here) It turned out so yummy!  I ended up giving the entire thing to my mom so I need to make some more. It was seriously the easiest recipe ev-ah. 

I'm also seriously going to try to eat better and exercise more.  I've been complaining of feeling really tired all-the-time and it's TIME to really focus on my health.  I even went to my doctor and am in the process of making follow-up appointments, which I NEVER do.  I am also going to try to cut down on my sugar and caffeine intake. (I know, I just talked about making more fig jam, but I swear, I'm really going to eat just a little bit at a time!) I have a friend who's doing a sugar cleanse and she said she has so much more energy than ever before.  AND her skin is like glowing!! Now, that alone is motivation for me!!

Hope you guys have a wonderful, fun filled weekend~~

p.s. I didn't know this but this week was/is National Eating Disorder Awareness Week.  I found out when I came across this lovely blog, "Or So I Feel".   I think most, if not all girls have at some point struggled with or continue to struggle with body image.  I know I have and continue to, like every day.  And this post and the rest of Or So I Feel touches on this issue in such an enlightening and REAL way.  I'm definitely going to be checking in with her via her blog to keep myself in check and not to be so hard on myself.