Spring Inspiration

I know that 1970's fashion is the trend for spring, but personally I love Free People's take on spring in their February catalog.  It's just beautiful and the layering is inspiring!  I can't wait to try out some these ideas this spring.

 

Check it out!

Happy Valentine's Day!

I had a great day!  I guess it started yesterday.  I bought myself a dress from Anthropologie.  (My grandma sent me a gift card, so it's from her too.  Thanks Grandma!)  I cannot believe I found this dress hiding in the sale room in my size!  I also finally bought my formal dress for the Los Angeles Engineers Council banquet.  I tried on this dress months ago, but it was $228 at full price.  I bought the last one in my store for only $91!  Last night while I watched the Grammy awards, I treated my cat to her Valentine's gift - a whole pile of cat-nip!  I poured it onto the base of her scratching post.  As you'll see, she loved it!  Today I arrived at work to find my rabbit (with big pointy teeth!) toy biting down onto a little box of chocolates on my chair.  There was no note.  As the day went on, it became clear that about 7 other girls at work also received mystery chocolate.  It was a fun day talking with the other girls trying to figure out who the gifts are from!  Tonight I treated myself to a fantastic dinner at Morton's steakhouse.  I ate at the bar for happy hour.  They offer a prime burger with fries for $17 and cosmos for $7.  One of my friends, Marinelle, met me at the bar for dinner too.

Yesterday's outfit:

Dress, shoes & belt: Target

Cardigan: Banana Republic

Heart necklace: gift

Hair bow (not seen): Forever 21

Dresses I bought:

Anthropologie De Chelly Dress

White House Black Market Crystal Circles Gown

My mystery chocolate (and my Monty Python rabbit).

And as promised, photos of my cat high on cat-nip.

My valentine!

Blues Fusion

Last night I went to a party that a friend invited me too.  It was her friend's apartment warming party, but instead of having it in her actual apartment, she rented out her building's community room.  Since it had a great dance floor and she dances as a hobby, the host's friends took over and hosted a blues fusion dance party, complete with three different DJ's.  The party guests really knew what they were doing!  It was intimidating at first, but after a while (and a few rum & cokes) I really started to enjoy the dancing.  I had trouble at first with "following", a concept that is a lot harder to do than it sounds.  I actually want to take lessons now!

Since I didn't know that it would be an actual dancing event, I just wore party clothes.  I did somehow manage to dance in these heels, but I wouldn't wear them again for dancing.

Tank: Target

Jeans: Paige

Cardigan: Banana Republic

Shoes: Bakers

Purse: H&M

Messy side ponytail inspired by these two posts: Asian Cajuns & A Cup of Jo

Hair bow: Forever 21

A heart ring for Valentine's Day from Victoria's Secret PINK

And since you're probably thinking "what in the world is blues fusion dancing?", here's two youtube videos I found of it online.

There's no such thing as a real sick day.

At least not when I have a work laptop.  I took 3/4 of a real sick day.  Whatever cold/allergies thing I have finally caught up with me.  I slept until 1:45 this afternoon, went out for lunch, then worked 2 hours from my couch.  For food, I didn't have the energy to cook, so I walked to a newer restaurant next door to my apartment complex.  I live near great choices for being sick.  First there's an Americanized sit down Mexican restaurant - I'm sure they make a good chicken tortilla soup and there's always margaritas (alcohol to kill germs and maybe a little vitamin C in the lime juice).  Next up there's a small plaza with a Quizno's - soup and subs are a classic combo, although a bit overpriced at this particular location.  In the end of that plaza there used to be a chicken place that I really liked that unfortunately went out of business.  In it's place is a sushi spot.  I hadn't been yet, but they had a sign out front advertising lunch specials.  I decided today was a perfect day to try it out.  If nothing else, hot green tea and miso soup sounded wonderful.  Turns out that the star of this place was the panko fried whitefish!  So crispy, not at all oily, and overall just wonderful.  The prices were pretty good too.  In total, $11 for 8 pieces of California roll, fried fish, tomato & orange wedges, scoop of potato salad, miso soup, hot tea, and a bowl of brown rice I didn't even eat because I was too full from everything else.  (Yes, I realize this seems like an odd combo of food, but it's what comes in the bento lunch meal.)  Overall the place looked good, and I can't wait to go back to try more sushi.  Somehow raw fish just didn't seem super appealing while congested.

Also, I'd like to point out that I consider these my man-repelling leggings.  They remind me of color guard uniforms from high school.  For this reason, I've never worn them before.  I love the idea of velvet leggings, but these were on sale online at Target and I didn't realize it was shiny crushed velvet when I placed the order.  Somehow, I think this is a pretty good outfit considering it's a sick day.

Tunic: Forever 21

Tank: Express

Cardigan: Division

Leggings & shoes: Target

Cute new pedicure from last night's SWE EC meeting at Bellacures

Zadie spent a lot of time with me today.  While I worked, she laid on my feet.

Ice Skating!

Today I went ice skating outdoors in 75°F sunshine next to palm trees.  Only in Southern California!

Tunic & tank: Forever 21

Leggings: American Apparel

Necklace: Old Navy

DineLA Restaurant Week

I love DineLA restaurant week.  It happens a few times each year, and I never get to as many restaurants as I would like.  This time I managed to get to two.  On Thursday I met up with SWE-LA members for a San Fernando valley social.  We ate at Cafe Bizou in Sherman Oaks.  It wasn't the best food, but the corkage fee was only $2 and the menu included two courses of lobster.  Last night I went out with 2 girl friends and the most articulate 5 year old ever (one friend's daughter) to Katsuya Hollywood.  I loved Katsuya.  It was exactly the kind of LA restaurant I love to take out of town guests to for a nice dinner out.  Plus the food was great, the drinks were fun, and the service rocked.  I also heard that it's a great celebrity spotting place on week nights, so I'll have to go back again.  And here's what I wore to both.

 

Thursday - 

Dress: Anthropologie

Sweater: American Eagle

Tights: American Apparel

Shoes: Clarks

Necklace: Cost Plus World Market

Friday - 

Dress & shoes: Target

Cardigan: Banana Republic

Scarf: Cost Plus World Market

Headband: Forever 21

Purse: bargain store in Vegas

Dinner Shortcut

Tonight I tried a grocery store item I hadn't tried before - refrigerated mushroom ravioli.  It was amazing!  Plus I topped it with a very good quick tomato sauce.  You should try this product if you like mushrooms.

Buitoni Wild Mushroom Agnolotti