style fyle

d...di...die...diet

2011-05-03T15:06:00.000-04:00

Girl,

no diet is easy. hence the reason why 75% of the word is made up of the harsher word, "die" =/

I really like this 'paleo diet'.. I find it to be the easiest, most realistic, and most satisfying. the first week was pretty hard. but then I got used to it. and what I also noticed was a change in the distribution of fat -- like, my love handles aren't as bad as they used to be a few months ago lol.

I usually stick to this mon-fri because the weekends always get the best of me. I'm sure u know how that goes lol. (hellllllo 5am diner visits).. but when I try to stick to it on the weekends, nonetheless.

I also find that this type of lifestyle is the most stable. like .. with any diet I've tried in the past (I've tried them all! weight watchers --my second favorite; jenny Craig, the zone…), if I fall off for a day, it takes me a week to feel better again. but with this type of eating, it takes me one day to get back on track.

the whole premise is to essentially eat like a 'caveman' and to eat balanced meals of protein, good fats and good carbs.. so most of what I eat consists of eggs, chicken, pork, steak, avocados, almonds (not peanuts), almond butter (alternative to peanut butter), I'll sometimes use light mayo.. various vegetables … u just want to stay away from preservatives/additives (any ingredient u can't pronounce)

it may seem intimidating at first but, in all honesty, it's now. it's really easy. if ur interested, I'd suggest trying it for 2 or 3 weeks..but don’t look at it like a diet or like ur depriving urself , ya know.

and it's easier than u think when ur out at dinner or with friends also. cuz ur not measuring ur food or restricting urself (other than avoiding complex carbs) .. and u'll eventually find urself not obsessing over it like u may typically obsess over 'eating right' when on random diet regimes..

eating this way also gives u more energy and helps ur skin, believe it or not.

there are some good recipes online and stuff also.

I've also read that Jennifer Aniston and Megan fox are 'meat & veggie' girls.. and If they look that good, then fk it, I'll do it. ahahha. my mom also sticks with it and she's in better shape than me.. so.. idk .. it works. I like it. lol

(this is also similar to the diet Kate Middleton was on)

;)

Architectural Influences

2011-01-22T23:24:00.001-05:00

( office building in Saint-Etienne by French studio Manuelle Gautrand Architecture )

( information centre by Spanish designer Jaime Hayón for the newly renovatedGroninger Museum in the Netherlands )

----

and this is just awesome ...

A slide in an office ?! Hell ya

( a slide hidden behind the mirrored wall of a Tokyo office by Schemata Architecture Office. )

*Thank you to Dezeen Online Magazine

Stripes, Leopards, and Antique Indian Jewels

2011-01-22T23:10:00.000-05:00

"Memories" - David Guetta & Kid Cudi

2011-01-22T22:57:00.000-05:00

one of my favorite songs and video
and i love david guetta and kid cudi .. each both so f'n much

"Memories" by David Guetta & Kid Cudi

read between the lines

2010-12-20T23:38:00.002-05:00

I saw this in the January issue of Glamour Magazine .. i think its hilarious lol

"a chicken & an egg are lying in bed. the chicken is smoking a cigarette with a very satisfied smile. the egg is frowning and looking frustrated. the egg says, 'Guess we answered THAT question....'"

Tom Ford

2010-12-20T23:36:00.004-05:00

i wish i had the power to turn Tom Ford straight and marry him. not only is his sexy. but his clothes are f'in sexy. i love what he did during his time at YSL and Gucci. i love his mens' suits. and i especially love that he recently developed a women's line

i love suits on men. i think they are so sexy (and especially on a sexy man)
but i also love suits on women. i think that is extremely sexy also.
i can't wait until i am able to buy my first YSL suit. and i, now, also cannot wait to buy one of Tom Ford's

his style is all that im about
sleek, chic, sexy, classy, modern, lively, flattering, fun ... and it also has that 70's chic flair..where the body truly wears the clothes ...

another reason why i love him...

his desire and action to do things his way:

he doesn't believe in media and the frenzy of crazy PR before a show

he just does it his way. his September 2010 show - NOONE knew about until hours before

AND he didnt have your typical runway models in the show. he had celebrities -- including my favorite, Beyonce

House of Harlow

2010-12-19T22:15:00.001-05:00

not only are the glasses fabulous and retro-chic, but the photo is great:

the jumbo-circles paired with the blunt straight-cut bangs

with the black and gold jewelry and black clothes

the shine of the metal on the glasses and jewelry and the little bit of the shirt that pops out is done really well

in addition to the backdrop and crop of the photo which ultimately helps make the photo complete

Barbara Bui, Leopard & Cobalt Blue

2010-12-19T22:07:00.007-05:00

Barbara Bui Leopard Bag - 2011 Spring/Summer with cobalt blue tassle

i have a bright blue clutch i use whenever i wear this leopard-print sweater ... i love the mix/blend of the colors, the pop of bright blue against the leopard, and the unexpectedness

im so happy to see these two used in a tasteful way on this bag

i also like this one:

i like the shades of yellow/gold with the dark brown leopard - its a fresh pop to monochromatic

the statement of the oversized tassel in a bold color against a statement print

more Barbara Bui ...

i love white leopard

and i love this style of shoe also, the platforms and high heel <3

Finding Inspiration with the Sartorialist

2010-12-13T09:59:00.002-05:00

http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/13/finding-inspiration-with-the-sartorialist/?hp

Divergence

2010-12-08T16:41:00.003-05:00

I came across this interesting article in AdAge about product development and innovative marketing initiatives. It is all about divergent thinking: "What can we do without?" and "what can we add to serve our customers better?"

The article highlights my favorite company and most prominent and innovative one out there, Apple as well as other brands' revolutionary developments. It discusses how Apple's products (iPad, iPhone, et. all) have been so advanced and successful. The answer is because the marketers think "what can we do without" and develop divergence products, as opposed to convergence products (ie: Microsoft Tablet Computer -- similar to iPad, introduced years before the iPad, but yet has not seen the same success).

I find this all so interesting because in order to succeed, it is important to "think outside the box," "whichever way everyone else is going - go the other way," or "find that window of opportunity -- find where there is a problem with no solution..." But thinking "what can we do without?" and "What can we add to serve our customers better?" are different ways to think of things and I believe it is one to be noted.

"The emerging idea of our time is divergence. It is the governing metaphor of the next decade. It is the reason why the world has witnessed an array of new categories and new brands: Google, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Amazon, iPod, iTunes, iPhone, iPad, BlackBerry, Red Box, Netflix, AOL, Yahoo, eBay, Zappos, Wikipedia, LinkedIn, Flickr, Craigslist, PayPay, Groupon, Zynga. With many more to come."

Crossfit - Elite Fitness

2010-12-08T12:10:00.002-05:00

If you are into fitness, living a healty lifestyle, and like to challenge yourself daily you may be interested in Crossfit. Crossfit forges elite fitness and the workouts are full functional movements done at high intensity, which makes it fun and produces great results -- physically and mentally. I have been doing Crossfit for 3 years and I truly believe I will do it for the rest of my life. I was always into health and fitness, but always dreaded doing the same boring routine at the gym (ellipitcal and treadmill for 30 minutes + ab-work for 10, etc.). I have seen improvements in myself physically and I feel such challenges and activites enable myself to be happy and enjoy life more. Although I am not able to fit it in my schedule 7 days/week or as often as I wish, 2 or 3 days a week makes a significant challenge. What is also great about these workouts are they take, on average, 20 minutes! And profoundly more effective than 20 minutes on a treadmill. Take a look at the website below:

http://www.crossfit.com/

http://www.crossfitli.com/

The worksouts may seem rather intimidating, but you do them at your own pace. Most depend on your body weight only, while some involve auxiliary weights -- and with that you can start out with a 5lb weight or a 125lb bar. I work out with people from age 18 to age 70 (I am not kidding). Both my parents do it and they are in the best shape of their lives and the healthiest they have ever been. I was never, NEVER able to do a legit push-up, pull-up, or even run 1 mile, let alone 3. Now, I surprise myself during every workout. Each day brings a new accomplishment. I never think "I can't do that" because I know I can, I know I will, and I know I'll surpass my own expectations. This has translated into my daily life activities as well. You will be amazed at your own performance and at how you feel on a daily basis.

You can do the workouts on your own at your own local gym (I do that sometimes) or you can join one of the Crossfit affiliates (located throughout NYC or your local area). I belong to Crossfit-Long Island in Old Bethpage; if you are from the area I highly recommend this location. The head trainor's personality is great, he pushes you harder than you think you can be pushed, and the members have become more like a family to me than just "people I work out with." The benefit of joining the affiliate branches involve motivation by group support, a certified trainor working with you at all times, and building camaraderie with other members -- another thing to motivate you to get your butt to the gym.

Crossfit and my trainor have influenced me to continue working hard to achieve goals I never thought were possible. I can truly say Crossfit has changed my life in a significantly positive way - so much that I feel it necessary to share this and hope you can experience the same thing.

Here are some testimonials from members of my gym:

http://www.crossfitli.com/blog/testimonials/

If you are interested and have any questions about this, please talk to me! I'd love to share more info

Moda Operandi

2010-12-08T12:08:00.001-05:00

Why didn't I think of this?

Moda Operandi

"Collections of dozens of high-end design houses in New York, London, Milan and Paris will be opened up to individual shoppers, who will be able to place orders on a site called Moda Operandi, or modaoperandi.com. The concept pulls back the curtain on exclusive trunk shows, in which a hand-selected group of customers are invited to order directly from designers each season at selling events usually held at retail stores" (WSJ).
Clothes will be shipped 4 months after the order is placed.
This gives customers freedom as to selecting whatever they want from the designers, as opposed to only being limited to what the retailers choose.

"The Moda Operandi site will start out offering four women's collections a year—spring, resort, fall and pre-fall—from roughly 50 designers, says founder Aslaug Magnusdottir, formerly the head of merchandising for Gilt Noir, a private website catering to top spenders at Gilt Groupe, the online sample-sale retailer.
The rest of the year, Moda Operandi will sell jewelry and accessories, and initially it will offer entertainment-type cotent like backstage interviews and stylist recommendations" (WSJ).

Another thing I found interesting:
A former McKinsey consultant is involved in this initiative:
"Ms. Magnusdottir, a former McKinsey consultant and tax attorney, conceived of the Moda Operandi concept a year ago. "I kept hearing from designers that they create these beautiful collections and only a small part of them get purchased by retailers," she says.
She teamed up with Lauren Santo Domingo, a Vogue magazine contributing editor who is well connected among designers. "We are giving women the power to choose from the full collection," Ms. Magnusdottir says" (WSJ).

"There's so much money left on the table today because nobody really knows what's going to sell," says Ms. Magnusdottir. "The big hits sell out immediately and they could have sold more. And the rest winds up on sale racks" (WSJ).

... I believe this is a great, innovative idea and will yield consumer satisfaction and profitable results.

Knock 'em Dead

2010-11-20T15:53:00.001-05:00

one of the most gorgeous gowns of all time

beautifully made, beautifully flattering

beautifully crafted, flattering, modern, fresh

*instead of wearing hair down: would look stunning if hair was in a latino-styled low side-bun chignon and large faux-diamond/crystal clustered earrings (read: J. Crew)

Carlos Miele Dress "Knock 'Em Dead Gown"

http://renttherunway.com/shop/designers/carlosmiele_dresses/knockemdeadgown

My current favs

2010-11-08T22:10:00.001-05:00

Sam Adams - Driving Me Crazy

Kid Cudi - All Summer

Miike Snow - Animal

Mimosa - Come Around Remix

Fierce & Fabulous

2010-11-04T23:18:00.003-04:00

This is a photo of a photo (poor photo-taking skills on my part) of Kerry Washington in the Elle November 2010 Issue.

a) Kerry is gorgeous and has a great body and this picture of her does so much justice

b) I am OBSESSED with the the faux-suade wrap-dress by Balmain. It is not only gorgeous because of the smooth fabric, but it is one of the most flattering dresses I have ever seen. And Kerry works it! In addition, the sharp shoulder detail is fabulously fierce and so hot right now

This dress is so universally flattering because it truly complements a woman's shape (read: Donna Karen) and creates/accentuates a woman's hour-glass figure. The shoulder work on the wrap styled dress adds even more oumph because it emphasizes the figure even more.. as does the DEEP-V-NECK, which i absolutely love on any thing because that also flatters/accentuates an hour-glass figure. The belt-clasp detail at the side of the waist, which ties the wrap together, also acts as a flattering accent because it draws the human eye to the cinching at the waist, ultimately creating the illusion (however, in Kerry's case, the actuality) of a tiny waist and, thus, hour-glass figure. o, and dont let me forget the slit. Kerry gets away with the of the deep-v-neck + high slit because of the long sleeves (note: if dress has a deep-v-neck as well as a high slit at the leg and does not have long sleeves - do not wear!)

I also like the white nail polish. it pops out without being "too much"

... o yea, and her hair style is great. not only is it sexy and voluminous to begin with, but the juxtaposition of the wild maine works with this structured dress.

o, and great idea with NO jewelry!

everything works here!

this dress/look is overall: sexy and tastefully bold

i need to have this dress!!

Scarlet Fever

2010-11-04T22:57:00.000-04:00

i saw this in a net-a-porter email newsletter. first of all, i LOVE evening-wear and gowns and i LOVE red dresses ... this is such a sexy and classy take on a red gown and it really pops

New camera! New ideas!

2010-11-03T23:05:00.003-04:00

So, I just got a new camera and am super excited about it! I've gone through many a camera in my day lol and I have been waiting to invest in a nice one that has many fun functions - yay =]

While I was playing around with it the other day, I snapped a random shot into the room without paying attn. and it captured my messy closet ... but something stood out ...

What caught my eye was the leopard scarf hung in front of a black skirt in front of a colorful print dress
..I also like mix of the olive green leopard + fuchsia solid of the 2 scarves that hang on top of/next to the black skirt
*The olive green leopard can work with the fuchsia solid because although green+purple aren't legitimately complementary colors, green+blue are and purple is related to blue...thus, olive green,+fuchsia/purple = bamm! lol

I really like the mix here:

If this was to be executed in an outfit, it'd be important to note that this works well because
1. a black backdrop, such as pants or skirt
2. the colorful print of the dress works with the leopard scarf because the black among all 3 pieces brings everything together, and the scarf is an olive green -- complementing the kelly green that is within the dress
3. be conscious of the amount of each print that is being shown. for example, here, the leopard hangs across, connecting the solid + print and, in addition, only a little of the printed dress is shown on each side of the scarf

*mixed prints and colors work well when there is a common thread among everything that essentially pulls together everything making it work

Nice Package

2010-11-03T00:01:00.005-04:00

I came across this on a blog and had to save it. I love the packaging! the overall concept, the colors, the isolation of the model, the sexy womanly character on a white simple backdrop, the representation of a talented female who cooks for a lover (or loved ones), is multi-talented, and still keeps herself looking fresh, stylish, and sexy, and the fact that this is for a Pomadoro Sauce... Its so retro-ly fabulous!

**Forgive me but I forget what blog I got this from! It could be "Sartorialist" or "StyleBubble," but I honestly don't remember at all =/

Unexpected & Fall Fabulous

2010-11-02T23:55:00.004-04:00

I love the unexpected mix of prints and colors in these

*1 thing to note is that the unexpected mixed prints work because of the color tones. so: if mixing prints, stay within the same color family -- and when adding a pop of color, make sure its just that: "A" pop..1 splash..and choose whether that will be the dominant force or if the backdrop's color tones [of browns/neutrals/blues/etc.] will be

and, most importantly, its all about how you wear it, how you execute it, and Confidence! ;)

W.W.B.D.

I copp'd this last look today with a similar shirt and olive green blazer. I rolled the blazer's sleeves up while the striped shirt was still long. I wore with black jeggings and light brown boots. In addition, what i also loved was: I had cherry-red nailpolish on and wore my grandpa's antique class ring that was gold with baby-blue....

its something about the black/white stripes + bold cherry-red + a small splash of unexpected baby-blue. Also: the shape of the baby-blue shield on the ring juxtaposed with the bold black/white stripes...2 different shapes with 3 color blocks that complement each other

**Pictures 1-3 from my favorite blog: The Sartorialist: http://www.thesartorialist.blogspot.com/

The Costumes of Halloween's Past ...

2010-11-02T23:41:00.002-04:00

I love halloween, dressing up, partying, and always anticipate seeing the witty, fun, and sexy costumes everyone else comes up with!

i have had a couple GREAT costumes..my favorites were CATWOMAN and MISS MIA WALLACE (Uma Thurman, Pulp Fiction--my favorite movie--)

This year I did BARBIE for one party and a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle for another ...

They all came out pretty good. and were executed damn well

CATWOMAN was sexy as hell and everything looked awesome from the mask to the makeup to the whip to the entire bodysuit ...
MISS MIA WALLACE was a total last minute costume and I really impressed myself! Not only was the outfit on point, as was the wig, but the execution of the heroin overdose with the syringe and foaming at the nose came out soo much better than i expected. everything looked so real I actually kind of creeped myself out! lol
BARBIE came out pretty good too! I loved it at first but then felt stupid in a tu-tu (I think because of my J-lo badonkadonk) so for my other party I thought of something else...
TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLE ... executed so much better than I thought! I had to do last minute trouble-shooting because I didn't have time to carry out my initial plan. However, it worked out so well! The yellow shirt was totally last minute (as in cut and drawn at 4pm the day of the party) and it Made the outfit (Besides the turtle shell! lol) The turtle shell was so annoying though =/ I didn't wear it the whole night haha

And now for next year's costume ... I think I got another great idea ...

Atomic Tom - Take Me Out ... iPhones as instruments

2010-10-26T17:10:00.000-04:00

Four guys jamming on the subway with their iPhones as instruments
this is pretty cool ...

Atomic Tom - Take Me Out

my ode to Penelope

2010-10-21T23:10:00.008-04:00

People always confuse me for Penelope Cruz .. Or maybe I just wish people did? lolol
i LOVE her! I think she is so sexy, beautiful, exotic, and classy. her accent, hair, the structure of her features, her style. i love it. and her husband -- (from what I know of him in the public image) i love him and them together is great. and now shes pregnant - ahh!

I loved her as Mirtha Jung in Blow - her style in every scene was fabulous--her hair, outfits, and just her stance in general.. i also just love the look, feel, and carefree attitude of the 70's

this image of her is my favorite -- the red dress, the hair, her overall style and beauty. i love it. i want to be her !!

these are some more from the movie ... i find them all so inspirational (well, minus the blow in the second-to-next image lol)

(i want her hair!!)

and some other fab ones ...

gorgeous! and the contours of her facial features are stunning (bold almond-shaped eyes, great eyebrow arch, structured nose and structured cheekbones, full lips)

(great hair!)

(again--great hair)

i love her outfit here but i also hate it at the same time:

i love it because (1) the red is sexy and representative of her (red is her go-to color), she works it well, it compliments her in an amazing way. (2) the simplicity is very modern and "jill sanders-esque," its classy, fresh, polished, and sexy all at the same time. (3) the relaxed look she has going on with the loose but yet fitting and flattering blazer, the breezy blouse, and the loose-yet-flattering pants work (4) the cuff of the pants + strappy sandals in a complimentary white color

i hate it because (1) the all-red everything blends into the red carpet essentially drowning her out (2) she doesn't stand out against the carpet the way she should, and the way she would against another color backdrop ... this really disappointed me!

great color on her. and the earrings work also -- the contrast of the diamonds against her skin, hair, and features + the green diamond + the bold hanging style of the earring itself with the strapless gown and updo -- perfect

Work itttt

2010-10-17T00:52:00.000-04:00

playing around on this thing reminds me so much of my "aol 4.0" days when my friends and I were obsessed with modifying our aol profiles...as well as the "AOL Homepages" - whoa - throwback! my friends and i were such losers lol! but we were so into it and playing around with all those copy/pasting 'html" codes and these doll characters we'd make on adobe of the microsoft default "Paint" application... this then turned into the days of AIM and Livejournal & Deadjournal .. yep. i had them (I need to find and post here) .. o, the evolution of the World Wide Web. its pretty cool to be the generation defined by such a significant movement in history.. the new movie "Social Network" represents our era -- such an interesting and great movie, btw. and justin timberlake is sexy as always <3

So, since the days of AOL 4.0 and the giant PC monitor in my basement (that was once only capable of a black screen with bright green text--no pictures or color ) I have been cultivated much by my experiences and what I've learned from Sex & The City. I have grown to be on top of my game, ready to conquer life; Im at a point where the future is bright.

My number 1 motto: "Have an appetite for enjoying life."
I also look to Beyonce -- "What Would B. Do?" -- she's my giiiirrrlll!! (i love her)

My complex personality makes my life interesting, but it can also be my own worst enemy. my biggest downfall is that i tend to be somewhat of a perfectionist (not to an ultimate extreme!) I dont prefer to settle for things... Maybe its the New Yorker in me, or my confidence and the fact that I dont give a f**k and i know what i want and i know, i know what i deserve, and i know what i am capable of ... ahem: As my girl B once said, "I don't like to gamble, but if there's one thing I'll bet on its myself"

lol. im funny. this makes me laugh but at the same time im workin it - HELL yea ! haha

this picture was taken in the beginning of my Senior year in college when i was 21 in my friend Ashley & Natalya's apartment at school. This night was one of the first big nights back to school in September ... we were all going out in the city for my friend Kelsey's birthday and seeing a bunch of people for the first time since last semester. we were looking fwd to tonight so much! (especially because the semester before this I was studying in Rome) this night ended up being so much fun!

so, anyway, because my friends and i love ourselves soo much---and after a few drinks, of course---the camera came out and we started snapping photos of each other, as well as the 'self-timer pics' where we'd strategically set the cam up on the cabinet and all line up in our poses.. we'd also do the "continuous photos" where the camera would take 3 pics in a row with a few second intervals in between.. loved it! so, anyway, this pic above my friend michelle took of me. the pose thing happened kind of on its own.. well, obv i was workin it lol. but i dont know what i was intending to do here hah it just happened to come out pretty cool and i love it.

o yea, this is another one from the night ...

(Ashley, Me, Natalya, Jenna, Lauren, Laura, and Michelle)

that dress i'm wearing has a funny memory (its not even mine. i had borrowed it from my roommate/best friend lauren who had i think borrowed it from her sister danielle lol) ..

one night the year before we were at Fordham's local bar Howl (our usual spot at school) and it was your typical fun time involving a lot of beers and good laughs. well, the night ended with laura and i walking home with a plate of nachos we (or maybe just me) "stole" from the bar. her ex boyfriend was at the bar, he had ordered the nachos for himself or for a bunch of us (or probably just only for himself and im fat so i have to consider maybe it was for everyone) and i dont know if laura got upset with him and wanted to storm home or if we just wanted to leave.. regardless, i snatched the plate and we ate them on the walk home. it looked a little something like this (errr, exactly like this)...

o yea. hott (..... messes) hahah . theres laura with the plate of nachos on the left. my partner in crime that night lol

that was when my hair was short too! wahhh. so glad its long now lol

....gooood times.

We are all stars in our own private movie

2010-10-16T23:43:00.002-04:00

I always say, "my life should be a movie .... I wish my life was videotaped ... If my life were a sitcom it would be a classic..." So many funny and interesting things happen in my day-to-day life I always want to share it with someone--usually my best friends and/or family. but everything is so easily forgotten! Fortunately, digital cameras help a lot.. but to videotape or blog--so necessary! I don't know why I've never started one of these things before. I wish I had one during high-school....college...study-abroad in europe...damn. o well. time to start a new chapter now: Real Life

My interests are family, friends, fashion, music, comedy, restaurants and cuisine, travel and cultures, parties ... you get the idea. I am a visual and analytical person, so for all the writing I may do on this blog there will be just as many or more pictures. Many are sartorial in nature (many used for inspiration) and many are just concepts I want to hold on to for things like decorating or event-planning or even recipe ideas. I tend to hold on to pictures in folders within my computer but then always forget about them... this will act as an archive for all of that.

But don't hold me against any of this. I am a complex person and always looking for something new and exciting, so its very possible my initial direction here will turn at the next corner. Essentially, this is all simply for enjoyment ...