packing tips (video)

It's that time of year...whether it is family visits, out of town weddings, or just plain vacation, its the traveling season. I will be the first person to jump at the opportunity to travel anywhere, anytime, any reason. There is something enchanting and alluring about being in a new place, and also an anticipated yet calming feeling of escaping the normalcies of daily life. However, there is one thing that I dread every time I go anywhere...the terrible and unescapable challenge of packing.

If you're like me, packing is definitely not what I look forward to doing. In fact, I dislike it so much that I have been known to put it off to the last minute, even up to like 2am the day I am leaving. As you could guess, that doesn't normally turn out too well. I usually end up wherever I am going with one item too short, outfits that don't come together well, or having just plain forgotten things.

So, too avoid these types of "packing faux pas",  I decided to get a jump start on my packing this year. I am leaving on Tuesday for over three weeks and am trying to pack in mostly carry-on bags.  I decided to further propel myself into the packing mood by making a video. These are some of the tips I have found to be most useful when deciding what to bring on my next journey :)

let me know what tips you have for packing/trips. xoxo!

wedding season: what to wear

It's that time of year...dun dun dun dun..dun DUN dun dunnnnn.....WEDDING SEASON (that was supposed to be the bridal march by the way haha)! Many times in late spring/early summer, it seems like there are weddings almost every weekend (or if you're my parents, you DO have a wedding to attend every week). Being the dress-concerned person I am, I have had my fair share of stressing over what to wear to a wedding.

To decide what to wear for a wedding, I think it's best to put the wedding in context. Does the invitation specify dress code? Is the wedding outside? What time of day is the ceremony/reception? What is the location?

Taking all things into consideration, here are a few ideas to give some inspiration for those "what do I wear" moments:

follow the jump to find your perfect wedding look...

spring nails (video)

So I was doing my nails and thought, hey! it would be really fun to make a video. I mean, I have a great camera, a mac with iMovie, and a couple hours so why not. I love doing my nails, especially in the spring/summer time. It is so fun to try out new designs and colors and go a little crazy sometimes. I decided to do a mint green floral nail in this video. It was the first time I had ever done it, so hopefully you like it :P. I find it really fun to record/edit videos so here goes nothing! I also added some photos of nails past just for fun!

Follow the jump to see more!

coachella dreamin'

I have been obsessed with Coachella since I first heard about it last year. Weekend 1 was last weekend and weekend 2 is coming up on Friday! My taste in music has changed a lot the past couple of years and I have been wanting to go to a musical festival so bad! If you have been around me this past weekend (cough Paulynna cough cough) or follow me on twitter, you have had to hear me talk about it nonstop and how I wish I was there. If you don't, here is just a small taste:

hahaha ;)

In case you don't know, Coachella is a huge music festival in California that happens every year. They have a line-up of established/emerging/reunited artists and music groups with everything from rock to indie to electronic music. But thats only the half of it. The other half is dedicated to visual arts, with installation art and sculptures (usually interactive). If this doesn't sound completely amazing to you then I don't know what does! But wait..there's more...fashion of course! I have never been to Coachella, nor do I have plans to go soon (unless I start saving for a Coachella fund..tickets start at $349)...but it is definitely on my bucket list. Photos speak louder than words, so check it out!

follow the jump to see more...

starbucks saturday

Hello friends! So I call this Starbucks Saturday because that is the only place I went today. I love taking Saturdays to sleep in (till about noon), get a good workout in, make a good breakfast (more like lunch) do some homework, and just relax. I figured I'd do a little blog post to say hello and try out the blogger app..so I'm posting from my phone today! Hope everyone has been having a lovely weekend :)

follow the jump to see more...

spring 2013 trends

What better way to celebrate the welcoming of spring than talking about spring fashion trends! I have been really excited about this post for a while now because I am obsessed with this season's fashion. obsessed. I love spring. It proclaims new beginnings, sunrises, and fresh outlooks. After a long (and might I say very cold) winter, I am definitely ready to welcome the warmer weather and the fresh fashion trends that come with it!

Graphic Black and White
This trend was literally made for me. If you know me well, see me often, or have ever shopped with me, you would know that most of my closet consists of black and white (mostly black, but still). I find it timeless, elegant, and classy. I love the graphic look as well along with the (my) signature black and white colors. It gives a way of taking staple colors and making them really interesting. For instance, mixing prints or choosing a bold pattern. Here are a few of my favorite looks:

Oscar de la Renta: I'm so obsessed with stripes (also a spring 2013 trend) right now. This look is perfection, love the statement necklace with this amazing gown.

follow the jump to see more...

thanks a latte (recipe)

Lately I have been loving iced lattes more than hot coffee (most likely because I want to force spring/summer to come quicker haha).  My favorite lattes are the skinny vanilla latte and skinny caramel macchiato from Starbucks. But as you can imagine, this can put some damage on your wallet.  Add it to my late chai tea/passion tea/green tea obsessions and I will be flat broke haha.  In lieu of this, today I decided to try to make my own iced coffee/"latte".

Somewhat to my surprise, it turned out great! I used only ingredients I already had, and even though it could never replace my love for Starbucks, it is a great everyday solution for the iced latte craving that your bank account will thank you for :)

follow the jump for the recipe...