Christmas Activities

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As much as I love receiving gifts, I love spending time with my family and friends more. This Christmas I've decided to do activities with my loved ones instead of stressing over, and spending money on gifts they may not want. I encourage you to try and do the same! 
It will truly put you in the holiday spirit!

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

1. I don't get to see my boyfriend that often so I asked for a "staycation" this year instead of a gift. All I really wanted was to spend time with him! We are going to stay in Santana Row and re-live some of the fun things we used to do in college; such as get hot tea/chocolate at my favorite tea place. 
2. Another boyfriend/husband idea (they can be so hard!): one year my boyfriend and I decided to pick something we both needed, sunglasses, and went shopping together. It was fun, and we both got to pick out what shades looked best on each other!
3. My sister and I want to go ice skating together in Union Square. We will most likely make a whole Christmas evening out of it, complete with hot coco and a Christmas movie. (I may also do this with my roommate as well)!
4. I love to get dressed up, so if you're looking for a fun idea to do with all of your girlfriends, plan a special night out. Pick a new restaurant or bar you have been wanting to try. Dress up and sip fancy cocktails! Or host a girls night at your house and make Christmasy hor d'oeuvres.
5. My cousin and I want to make gingerbread houses together this year. We will buy lots of candy and go to town decorating, while watching a Christmas movie! 
6. Some college friends and I are hosting a couples Christmas dinner party. The girls will be cooking for the boys, complete with festive cocktails.
   

I hope you are inspired to come up with your own fun holiday activities!!

Bicycle Built for Two

I want to ride a bicycle built for two. One day.

Home is where MY heart is

I am very excited to go home (Chico) for Thanksgiving. I love living in the city, but I am a small town girl at heart, and in desperate need of some homey comforts.

Things I'm looking forward to (besides yummy food):

Decorating our Christmas tree

Relaxing with a cup of tea in front of the fire place 
* I hope it is cold enough for a fire*

Meeting old friends for coffee 

Stopping by Lulu's and walking through downtown 

Going for walks in Bidwell Park with my family

* I'm also running in the Turkey Trot on Thursday morning in the park*

Visiting my boyfriend's family for a few laughs :)

(photo: Chico's Famous Honey Run Covered Bridge)

Dear Santa

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Please deliver any of the following items to my Christmas tree this year.

Wrap (doesn't have to be cashmere)

Yearly Subscription to: Vogue

Chloe Perfume

Faux Fur (as seen here)

Barnes & Noble Gift Card

If you need any other suggestions feel free to call me on my cell.

Sincerely, 

Alicia

Your Boyfriend's Clothes

I live in my boyfriend's over-sized grey Polo sweatshirt. 
I stole it every time I went to visit him, so he finally said I could keep it! It's not a flattering look for me, but it's cozy comfy and reminds me of him.  I also love my 'boyfriend' jeans, perfect for Saturday errands, and I adore over-sized 'boyfriend' blazers.  

So, I'm not gonna lie, I love that this 'boyfriend' inspired clothing trend that is still lingering. 

How long do you think we can make it last?

Party Like A Rockstar

...because it's Friday! :)

 kisses and cross stitches 

I hope you have Fabulous Friday night plans! I will be eating my way through this weekend. Starting at the Burger Bar tonight (new to SF), and then I have a pre-thanksgiving dinner party to attend Saturday night. Should be lovely!! Also, I can't wait to see New Moon tomorrow. :)

Hope you enjoy my Friday links:

I find nerds absolutely endearing and if you do too, read this article from Marie Claire to gain insight on how to flirt with them.

How fun is this pink kitchen. I want a very colorful house one day!! 

One of my favorite Nob Hill boutiques: Cat Seto.

 My latest blog discovery: i love muffins. 

This pic makes me laugh.

I love Diane von Furstenberg, have you seen these sunglasses?!

Gobble, gobble... these may be too cute to eat.

Great post about dark nail polish colors for this winter. 
If you need a little inspiration to do your own mani, see my previous post here. 

Oprah to end talk show in 2011. Tear.

And lastly, check out my cousin's new baby!!!! Isn't he the cutest thing EVER? 
Omg, I can't wait to meet him.

My Cheetah Jacket

 

The Cherry Blossom Girl

This is the Cheetah Jacket I bought from H&M. Screams Fun.

What do you think? :)

Thanksgiving Dress Code

My Vote: Classy yet Casual

(But this also depends on your plans)

Martha Stewart

Thanksgiving is exactly one week away and it's time to start thinking about what to wear!
When putting together your Thanksgiving Dinner outfit make sure to remember:

1. You will be sitting for an extended amount of time

2. You will be eating more than usual (nothing tight)

3. Pictures will most likely be taken

It is important to keep in mind what time of day your meal is taking place.

If mid-afternoon, you may be able to get away with a more casual look. For an evening meal you may want to dress it up. And be sure to ask your host/ess what the dress code is.

Some classy/comfortable options are:

 Sweater dress with tights (Heels or Boots)

Colorful blouse with dark denim jeans (Flats or Heels)

For a more formal dinner:

Black pants (wide leg or skinny) with sweater and fun blouse (Heels)

Even if the meal is just at home with your family, it is still fun to dress up!
Let me know what you end up wearing!! ;)

Love this Dress

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You KNOW you would have an amazing night wearing this little baby.

Sparkle in Sequins

 

Alexander Wang

Sequins are in. And you need some! ;)

Here's a fun list of sparklers, all under $100...

Petite Short Sequin Blazer (Top Shop, $75)

Sequin Slouchy Tank  (JCrew, $85)

Striped Sequin Tube Skirt (Top Shop, $38)

Midnight Beret (Free People, $34)

Sequin Affair Crop Jacket (Lulu's, $70)

Sequin Bandeau Dress (Top Shop, $120 *sorry, it was close to 100)

And if anyone can find a cheaper/similar skirt to this, or jacket like this, or this,

pretty please let me know!!

Cupcake Pops

How amazing do these red velvet mini "cupcake pops" look? Plus adorable!!!

Check out Bakerella for lots of fun holiday themed goodies as well!!

 

Bakerella

If you are daring and want to try to make these pound cake petit fours, here is the recipe. 

Let me know if you try it, I volunteer to come eat them! ;)

Bow Obsession

I will buy and wear anything with a bow on it...

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I love the femininity.

Vampire Countdown

I have been counting down the weeks in anticipation for the release of New Moon, and it is finally days away!! Who is going this weekend?! I purchased my tickets this morning and reserved my seats at the Kabuki Theater in Japan Town. I actually just went to the Kabuki Theater for my first time last night and loved it! I like that you can reserve your seats online, the parking lot nearby only cost $2/hour, the chairs are very comfortable and they serve wine!

Side note: I went to see Precious last night, based on the novel "Push" by Sapphire. It was a very heavy, heartbreaking and emotional movie to watch, but I definitely recommend it. Amazing acting (Marriah Carey is also in the movie), powerful, and truly makes you appreciate your family and thankful for what you have. Great movie to watch in the month of November.

Sunday Brunch & Erk Tha Jerk

I have been wanting to try Cafe de la Presse for a while now, and this morning we finally went for a little sister brunch. ;) The atmosphere is cute, and the food delicious. Great coffee too! My sister ordered the Vanilla French Toast, and I had the Spinach and Feta Cheese Omelet... yum.

But the real highlight was on our walk home we ran into rap singer Erk tha Jerk, filming his (Love You) "Right Here" music video...

I might be girly, but I love my Rap!! ;)

Party Dress

Put on your party dress the weekend is here! 

Happy Friday 13th, it's going to be a lucky one! :)

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Here are a few of my favorite links from this week... enjoy.

SO excited Rob and Kristin were holding hands!!!! ;) And SO over Jon and Kate drama. 

This outdoorsy Santa Barbara Wedding is beautiful (they even had lollipops), and so is this destination wedding. I love her short and flirty dress.

I discovered these cute twitter note cards on Etsy... gotta have them. 

I want this pink cake stand, and these fun pillows. 

I absolutely love this cozy pop of pink living room. 

A heartfelt and sweet post about looking for love.

I want to make cupcakes and use these, and try to make this ribbon wreath.

 And lastly, I'm so excited to check out the new Jimmy Choo line for H&M this weekend.

Yummy Yellow Heels

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Oh. My. Gosh. 

After finding this picture I realized every girl needs a pair of yellow heels. 

Or at least this girl wants them!! What do you think? Would you wear these?

What to send HIM at work?

Sprinkles

Guys sure have it easy, send your lady flowers and call it a day, she will be tickled pink! But what do we send our boyfriends? Flowers, singing telegrams (taking you back to high-school?), food baskets, these options may just end up embarrassing him. If you want to send your boyfriend a thoughtful gesture, here are a few somewhat low key suggestions that are work appropriate... 

1. ecard or evite to a planned date night or happy hour later in the week/weekend
2. tickets to his favorite sports game or a concert he would enjoy
3. send a cute photo of the two of you to brighten his day
4. holiday cookie bouquet (my roommate in college used to get these all the time - jealous!)
5. gift certificate/card to his favorite coffee shop, if he's a coffee addict
6. a scrumptious, but very masculine cupcake
7. dozen donuts to share with the rest of the office
8. swing by his office and surprise him yourself, take him out to lunch or bring him his favorite beverage
9. send him his favorite candy bar to get him through the day
10. a homemade card telling him how much you appreciate his hard work

Book Clubbin

Parisienne

I LOVE to read, and I LOVE book stores. I have been known to spend my entire Saturday alone in a bookstore. I once went "missing" only to be found at Barnes & Noble. I know, it's pretty pathetic. I can easily go into anti-social mode if I have a good book in hand. Bookstores are my happy place. I especially love small neighborhood bookstores, such as: City Lights, and cozy used bookstores, such as: Russian Hill Bookstore, where you can find some real treasures for half the price! So needless to say, when a girlfriend from high school asked me to join her book club I was all about it!

I recommend joining one, or starting one yourself. It's basically an excuse to relax, drink wine, gossip, and discuss what you read. Joining a book club has pulled me away from my brainless chick novels (except of course from Twilight), and has introduced me to many new authors and genres I didn't think I liked. In our meeting tonight we will discuss: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson, as well as The Geography of Bliss by Eric Weiner. Both great reads, let me know if you're interested in borrowing. :)

And if you don't want to join, or start a book club, try hosting a book exchange party! I did this with my girlfriends a couple of months ago, and ended up with 5 new (and free) reads. Ask everyone to bring a book or two they have laying around the house (preferably one they enjoyed) and then trade away! Buying books can get expensive if you read as much as I do, so this is a great alternative.

Celeb 'Style' Crush {Rachel Bilson}

Rachel Bilson is my celebrity 'style' crush. I've loved her since she stared as Summer Roberts in the O.C. I think she's absolutely adorable, and on top of that she has such fun, unique style. I always seek her out in the latest Us Weekly magazine's as well as online, just to see what she wore in the past week. I love that she pairs odd colors together, creating a fresh new twist. She can pull off any look and always manages to look effortless when doing so. I especially like that she doesn't wear a lot of makeup. This is inspiring to me, a girl who would rather just wear lip gloss and a little sun screen. ;)

Who is your celebrity 'style' crush?

Fall Faux Fur

It is starting to cool down in San Francisco, and it's officially time to pull out my winter coats and warm cozy sheets. Fall is by far my favorite season of the year!! I love when the leaves start changing colors, yummy fall soups and hot apple cider, spending time with friends and family during the holidays, and I love bundling up in cute warm layers. :) 

I am still looking (and saving) for the perfect fur addition to my wardrobe, but I wanted to share with you a few pieces I am in love with right now:

Faux Fur Vest by Rebecca Taylor

Faux Fur Vest by Juicy Couture

Faux Fur Cropped Jacket by Juicy Couture 
* the ruffles make this jacket extra girly*

Faux Fur Cropped Easy Coat by Juicy Couture

Dreamer Faux Fur Jacket by Joie 

If anyone is wondering what to get me for Christmas, any item off this list will work! :)

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Road Trip: Hearst Castle

This weekend my boyfriend and I went on a mini road trip to Hearst Castle, and ended up in Morro Bay for the night. The weather was great, very sunny, which made the coastal drive absolutely beautiful! Here are some photos of the Castle and our many stops along the way...

I wanted to jump in for a swim!!

The balcony I am standing in front of is from the Doge Palace in Venice Italy!

My lollipop!! :)

A cute bookstore in downtown Morro Bay. I love bookstores.

Downtown farmers market in Morro Bay.

Yay! I stopped to swing on the swings. :)

Lastly, we made a pit stop for afternoon tea and cookies, and to peek in my favorite boutique in Carmel: Paloosh. I wanted everything!!

It was a great weekend! If you haven't been on a road trip in a while, I suggest picking a final destination and just let your mood lead the rest of the way. Most of our stops were not planned and this made the trip all that more exciting and fun! My bf was a trooper, letting me stop to swing on the swings, walk through the cute downtown of Cambria (not pictured) and even go to a flea market (which he hated - also not pictured) along the way. 

I can't wait to plan our next road trip... where should we go?!

Friday Favs

A couple of my favorite posts from this week...

This sequin jacket makes me want to start weekend flea market expeditions.

Love this pic, brought me back to the days of knee highs.

Now I want a top hat, and apparently I will have more fun!

Also excited about, SJP in the December issue of Elle Magazine! :) 

Lessons from Dad

Today is my Dad’s birthday. So I thought it would be appropriate to honor him with a post! ;)

Poor Dad, he’s the only male in my family and surrounded by 3 very girly ladies. He’s often excluded (like the time we didn’t invite him to New York), made fun of for the way he dresses, and always the center of our jokes. But he knows we love him.

Here’s a list of things my Dad has taught me over the years…

1. Work hard, play hard. Have a little fun everyday.
2. How to shoot a gun.
3. The importance of reading the Wall street Journal.
4. How to clean a dead duck.
5. Save. Save. Save.
6. How to spit off the top level of Nordstrom’s and hit people down below.
7. Pay for everything in cash, try not to use credit.
8. How to duck tape your sandals together so they last another 5 years.
9. All about wine.
   
10. How important family is.

DIY: Pretty Mani

I’ve been spending way too much money on Mani/Pedi’s. And while I think Pedicures are important to get monthly (by a professional), manicures simply don't last as long, and so I’ve made the executive decision to do them myself.

Here's what you will need:

Nail Polish Remover OR check this out

Scissors/Clippers

Cuticle Trimmer

Nail File

Polish ( i love these colors by Nars and recently purchased this color, and this color by Essie)

Remove any leftover polish, wash hands and use hand lotion. Trim nails, clip cuticles and file - square or rounded (whatever you prefer). I sometimes use a little body oil on my cuticles if they’re extra dry. Paint 2 coats of polish – and wait 20 mins before any activity. I like to watch my favorite TV shows during this waiting period.

If you absolutely can not DIY, and you live in SF, I recommend: New Age Nails on Grant. Warning: it is a hole in the wall, but I’ve tried my fair share of nail salons in the city and they do a great job for only $10... ask for Debbie.


And if price doesn't matter - try this cute, and very girly place: Teashi on Polk.

Cupcaking

Girlfriends are a necessity in life!! An absolute must. I am fortunate enough to live within about a 10 minute walk (minus a few out of town ladies) to most of my best gal pals. Sure I have a boyfriend, but he doesn't count. Girls need girls. When I'm sad, happy, lonely, silly, hungry, hyper... etc. I want to be with a close girlfriend. When I want a glass of wine, or someone to accompany me to the gym, I call my girls. When I want to dance, yep, they're ready to dance! It really doesn't matter what we do, but that girl time is the BEST. My roommate coined it as "cupcaking" or, simply 'hanging out,' but I think "cupcaking" is a super cute, and fun phrase to describe girl time! ;)