Beyond The Sea

        It's no coincidence that I bought my car at the Toyota dealership in Santa Monica. I could have just as easily gone to the Hollywood location five minutes down the street. The truth is, I'll use any excuse to go to the seaside. And so it has been my ritual for the past three years to drop off my car at the dealership for its routine service, walk to 3rd Street Promenade, pick up some fruit and veg from the farmers market, grab some breakfast, people-watch, and then spend the morning/afternoon milling around the stores.
         This past Saturday was no different. After getting some coffee and scrambled eggs with bacon and avocado (no bread; I have been on a carbless, sugarless diet for the past 11 days - but more about this later), I took a stroll around the promenade. I love being outside on the weekends. I spend much of the work week indoors so I crave sunlight and good old vitamin D!
         Went to the Adidas store and eyed these cool pink/green/grey adiprenes for hiking...the rattlesnakes on the trail will be able to spot me a mile away!

Adidas Adiprene G24155, $80

 I was taken with these Anthropologie rattan benches in the window...just beautiful...for a mere $1800

  They also had a yummy fuschia, chiffon maxi skirt by Esme & Esyllte that was calling my name...

Lengthening Rays Skirt, Anthropologie by Esme & Esyllte, $128

Color blocking is a key trend for the season, as seen on the runways of Jil Sander, Gucci, Prada and Christopher Kane

Zara was in full color block mode, with bright mod oranges, reds, blues, yellows and greens. Even the shoes were color block..

I snagged this cool, electric blue knit top...perfect for wearing with a contrasting-coloured mini skirt, denim shorts or jeans.

Asymmetric Top, Zara, $39

But my biggest score of the day was at American Apparel. Not only do they have amazing pieces right now but they also just launched their brand new line of denim. The staff were super friendly, which is always a bonus.

Puff Sleeve Lace Crop Top, American Apparel, $44

Light Wash High Waist Denim Shorts, American Apparel, $58

Roll on, summer time!!

Alley of Treasures

          This week was INSANE. Busy, I love. Hectic, not so much. I pride myself on my time management and prioritization skills, but no matter how much you plan, you can't help those last minute projects and meetings that pop up at the eleventh hour. Ah well, that's why you have to be flexible in this industry, right?
          Speaking of flexible, I was asked to interview candidates at the Company job fair today (on a precious Saturday morning, no less). It turned out to be a lot of fun and it didn't hurt to brush up on my interviewing technique. We were looking for buyers and designers. There were some "interesting" characters to say the least, but I couldn't help but feel bad when it came time to turn some of them away. But it really takes drive and determination to pull yourself out of bed on a Saturday morning and battle it out with hundreds of other applicants, so I admire all who came out today.
          After the job fair I decided to make an impromptu trip to Santee alley, also known as the LA Fashion District. It was only 5 minutes away from where I work. Comprising of cheap little shops lining both sides of Santee alley and its surrounding streets, the fashion district can be a little goldmine if you have a good eye and know what you're looking for.
          The majority of the shops sell to wholesale buyers, but are open to the public on weekends. Many of them sell to fancier boutiques on Melrose or Robertson, but at a fraction of the price. Saturdays are the best days to go, as some of the shops are closed on Sundays. If knock-offs are your thing (not mine, I have to say), you can find everything from sunglasses to DVDs of movies that are still currently in theatres...naughty naughty. And then there are the fruit stands that look so mouth-wateringingly good and the hot dog stands that smell so divine - neither of which I will ever eat from for fear of getting severe food poisoning!
          I have a few little gems - diamond-in-the-rough shops - that never fail to deliver when it comes to unique pieces of jewelry, cool shoes, bags and clothes. For less than 90 bucks I found some real treasures. Mission accomplished.

Stacked Wooden Pyramid Heel Shoes, $25

Silver & Leather Fringe Necklace, $10

Gunmetal & Gem Stretch Cuff, $8.50

Hematite-esque Watch with Red Hands, $8.50

Copper Space Age Cuff, $8

Studded Leather Ring, 10

Red-Orange iPhone case & car charger (not pictured), $14

Prints! Prints! Prints!

          My apologies for my absence from the blogosphere of late. Between Christmas, my boyfriend's birthday, Valentine's Day, two full-on floorsets at work, friends from London coming into town (loved every minute of having them stay with me), and my two-year anniversary with Monsier Baker, I've come to the realisation there's no point waiting for the lull to happen because...there is no lull in my world!!

          So I have to tell you, I'm feeling pretty inspired right now. With the clocks going forward and the evenings staying lighter for longer, I can't help feeling renewed and excited for the summer. One thing that really makes me think of summer are PRINTS! I am obsessed with prints right now. In particular, print-on-print. Plaid-on-stripe, floral-on-gingham, floral-on-floral...the choices are endless, which makes it all the more interesting.

          There is something so brilliant and brave about print-mixing. Forget what your mum or sister taught you. Print-mixing takes all those standard rules you learned as a little girl and throws them out of the window. A fun way to shake up your closet, print-mixing is quite the art form, but beware - it can go horribly wrong if not done correctly! It is important to remember that there is always a common denominator which ties everything together. The key to pulling off this daring look is ensuring there a cohesiveness within the pieces as a whole, whether it be the color story or the theme.
          Take a gander at Proenza Schouler's Resort 2011 collection, which is phenomenal and one of my favourites. The bold colors and pairings are so appealing.

          I thought I would have fun with a bit of print-mixing myself as I got dressed to go to the Rose Bowl Flea Market in Pasadena this morning. I always like to be comfy when I am rummaging for vintage finds, so I opted for a Navajo-printed cutoff sweatshirt, multi-stripe high-waist shorts and some tan oxford shoes. Finally, I threw on a wooden cuff and some Peruvian jewelry and I was ready to go hunting for treasure! Five vintage dresses and a herringbone swing-coat later, I was one happy thrifter :)

Sweatshirt - Forever 21, Shorts - Urban Outfitters, Jewelry - vintage

A few of my favourite things...

Julie Andrews' favourite things may have included raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens, but Christmas is around the corner and these are a few of my favourite things...

Moose Head - White Lacquer 31" - $199 - Z Gallerie

I've had my eye on this white, resin moose head for the past six months. It's life-size and would look amazing in my apartment on a focal wall in the livingroom. Definitely a conversation-starter.

Michael Kors "Madison" Resin & Crystal Watch - $250

I've been on the hunt for a new watch for quite some time now - something versatile, modern, a little bit sporty, a little bit sexy...like this Michael Kors watch. Perfect for a Modernista like myself.

Nom De Plume YaYa Drew Skirt @ Urban Outfitters - $79

I'm drawn by unique silhouettes, like this pseudo maxi skirt by Nom De Plume. 

With Hearts In My Eyes - Lace Flared Pants - $140

I'm obsessed with these laced flared pants with built-in shorts. They're so overtly sexy that the best way to pair them down is with an oversize vest or band t-shirt. J'ADORE!

Keurig "MINI Plus Brewing System" - $99

I get up at around 5:45 every morning for work. So it goes without saying that I need my caffeine. This Keurig is small, sleek and perfect for my one cuppa Joe in the morning.

My Booky Wook - Russell Brand - $25  

Booky Wook 2 -  Russell Brand - $25 

He's lewd, crude and inappropriate and I loved him in Saving Sarah Marshall and Get Him To The Greek. Last year Monsieur Baker and I rang in the New Year by watching his stand-up DVD. Russell Brand, I salute you!

        

Magazine subscriptions: $10-20 each per year

You can't go wrong with magazine subscriptions. I spend a small fortune buying magazines at the book store, so magazine subscriptions are always nice. 

  

 

 

Gift cards 

When all else fails, gift cards from any of the above retailers are always appreciated!

In terms of gift-buying, I'm avoiding the mall at all costs this Christmas. There are so many other, better options out there. Firstly, Amazon.com...where else can you order practically anything and have it arrive as early as the next day for a very minimal shipping fee (or sometimes none at all)? Secondly, there's the surgence of the holiday pop-up shop. On my continual mission to support local businesses and my incessant quest for unique gifts, I was pleased to discover that pop-up shops are quite literally "popping up" everywhere in LA.

I went to one last weekend called Thread - Curated Indie Design & Fashion. Located in a warehouse tucked away in the Industrial district in LA, I was charged a reasonable $5 entry fee ($10 if you didn't RSVP online) and received a goodie bag of organic Honest Tea, Metromint water, O.N.E coconut water, Popchips and Luna bars at the door. 

Once inside there were free manicures, massages, cocktails, a photobooth, runway show, food trucks, and 30 or so local designers selling anything from jewelry to clothes. Thread was a lot smaller than other pop-up shops I've been to, but still a great alternative to mall-shopping. I wasn't terribly impressed with the fashion but I did spot a gorgeous, vintage ring that was handmade in the 70s. As soon as I clapped eyes on the delicate, Lily-shaped gold ring, I was in love. Monsieur Baker bought it for me....lucky, lucky me! Unfortunately I can't have it until Christmas, but I think I can just about wait. 

Next Saturday, December 11, my partner in crime Jess and I will be going on what can only be described as: a pop-up shop crawl. Sticking to downtown LA, we will be on the hunt for fantastic, locally designed and handmade finds at the following places:

Artisanal LA

Unique LA 

A Current Affair

Renegade Craft Fair

Later that evening we'll be hotfotting it to the Corey Helford Gallery in Culver City for the opening reception of Sylvia Ji's latest exhibition, "Shapeshifter."

Looks like December's shaping up to be a stellar month!