What did I wear Today? New Year's Outfit

So unfortunately I had to work New Year's Eve which means by the time I was done I was too tired to go to anything. That was fine with me, though. I had a few invitations and I just wasn't in the mood to be up late and party. Especially because I had plenty of things to do the next day and I needed to be up early and have energy for that. Brunch with my friend Kevin, SF for the day to explore with Charlie, and I had to be back in time to cook a quick baked brie for dinner with my friends Samantha (Sam) and Sophia.

Now if I had the energy to go out for the night afterwards I thought it would be fun to dress my work outfit a little bit and show you what I might have done to transition it. So here are my day/night looks.



Pants: BDG high rise skinny jeans at Urban Outfitters
Tank Top: The Gap
Blouse: Forever 21 (recent purchase)
Shoes: Jeffrey Campbell circa 2007
Necklace: Anthropologie
Bracelets: Gifts from my Granny and Sam



Shoes: Steve Madden (recent purchase)
Blazer: a shop in England

Not really as fancy as one might like for NYE, but good for a bar date or something.

And just a couple of pictures from our excursion to the city Sunday afternoon. Charlie and I walked around North Beach which is the Little Italy section of San Francisco. Tons of Italian restaurants (obviously) and cute little shops. After walking down the main road we circled back on the side ones and saw tons of cool vintage shops, vinyl stores, and a couple of cool bars too. Definitely a place I want to go back to with some friends.


Charlie checking out the view.

His view.

Hope you guys did something fun too!

Grilled Cheese Restaurant

My friend Brandi and I planned a recent shopping trip in San Francisco the day after another friend's party. I personally made sure not to drink that much (2 beers, normally no where near enough beer to get me even slightly buzzed...something about beer just doesn't do it for me), Brandi on the other hand planned to drink but was not expecting the intense hangover that followed. Then again, neither was I. So at 11am the two of us hopped in my car, huge headaches, fatigue, and all and made the drive into the city.

When we arrived at our first store, the two of us looked at each other and said that if we didn't eat, we'd die. And considering it was chilly (low 60s, think Fall weather (SF is COLD during the summer)) and we were hung over we wanted the greasiest comfort food we could find. For me, that's things with cheese and by a stroke of luck a block away from our car we found The American, a gourmet grilled cheese restaurant. We squealed with delight ran instead and ordered up two delicious and hearty sandwiches.

The menu was short, and of course consisted mainly of grilled cheese. I got the Mushroom Gruyère which had fontina and gruyère cheese, roasted mushrooms, potatoes, leeks, caramelized onions, thyme butter. Only one word can describe it. Amazing. Brandi got the Mousetrap which is loaded with three different kinds of cheese (Tillamook sharp cheddar, creamy havarti, and monterey jack) and added bacon. The restaurant itself was tiny and cafeteria style (order at the counter, wait to be served). Luckily we managed to get some seats inside at a both (normally I wouldn't have minded sitting outside, but I was not feeling up to it). And when our food arrived a few minutes later we devoured every last bite. Hangover problem not solved, but at least our hunger was.

And now, some pictures from their Facebook:




I think I know what I'm going to make myself for dinner (a yummy grilled cheese sandwich).

2 California Tea Shops

When my friends from New York were here, I made one promise to my friend Chloe. And that promise was that we would visit a tea room. Back home, she and I used to frequent Harmony Tea Room in Westwood on a regular basis. I had two places in mind, and needless to say I was pretty excited about the idea of two high teas in one weekend.

First up I made reservations at Lisa's Tea Treasures, which I've walked past a few times in Santana Row. I should have listened to the reviews on Yelp, though, which were generally mixed. And I have to say that my experiences were mixed as well.

One of the many reasons I really enjoy going to tea rooms is the chance to try lots of different foods. It gives me ideas for when we have our own tea parties at home. Some of the sandwiches at Lisa's Tea Treasures were very yummy, but the bread was dried out. Our waitress was also not the friendliest. And considering the amount of money we paid, we weren't given a lot of food. Tea rooms are generally not cheap, but at Harmony we would have gotten twice the amount of food. And at the second room we visited we paid less and got more. But on the other side we got free tea refills.

The room itself did its best to be fancy, but some of the things were also tacky. All in all it just seemed like the room was trying too hard and I don't think I plan to go back, although the tea shop had a lot of cute cups and things.

Meanwhile, we had the good fortune to visit Crown and Crumpet in Ghiradelli Square. The first time I visited San Francisco with Nick, we went to Ghiradelli Square and walked passed Crown and Crumpet. I nearly leapt with glee at the sight of it. Brightly colored, frilly tea embellishments, and British. I knew when my friend Chloe came to visit I had to take her there.

Luckily they had outdoor seating so we were able to go on our day in the city with Charlie. It was a little windy because the square is right on the bay, but it was worth it. Sunny, clear skies, and a great view. We got the tea for three (even though there were four of us) because there was so much food we had more than enough. Four different kinds of tea sandwiches (one of which had a roasted red pepper spread that I plan to try to replicate the next time we have our own party), crumpets, two kinds of scones, and four different desserts. Everything was so delicious, my mouth is watering right now just thinking about it.

Compared to Lisa's Tea Treasures, their shop didn't have as cute of tea things, but they did have a lot of cute things for kids and craft-like food projects. Everything was a little pricey, so I don't think I'll ever purchase anything from there. Unless of course they expand their Alice and Wonderland stock and have something too cute to pass up...and I have a job...which technically I do, but that's a long story...

I can't wait to go back with Nick, or just about anyone for that matter. Definitely a new favorite, and I'm glad I have a suitable replacement for Harmony while I'm out here. It's just too bad that it's not within walking distance like when we were in Westwood.


Mmmmmm.

The perfect Summertime Date: Pizza & Ice Cream

Recently I've been totally obsessed with Fleetwood Mac's album Rumors. And then when I thought I had finally gotten over it, this past week it was featured in an episode of Glee. I guess of all the albums to play on repeat, that's a good one to be stuck with.

On a totally unrelated note, it's been super hot here in the South Bay lately. Normally anything above 75 starts to make me a little uncomfortable. I don't like to feel hot, and I especially hate to sweat when I'm not *supposed* to be. But for some reason, and I think the promise of a summer "vacation" has something to do with it, I'm pretty pumped about the warm weather. Lots of shorts and tank-tops, sandals, and getting tan. I've been having fun walking around without tights or leggings on. Windows open. Sandals and sunglasses on. It's been pretty awesome.

When Nick and I were living in New Jersey one of our favorite things to do during the warmer months was walk into town and go out on a date. We'd pick out a restaurant to eat at, then get dessert (sometimes at the restaurant, sometimes at one of the many ice cream places), and walk around. We lived in a really safe town, so we liked to wander the streets looking at store fronts and houses to burn off some calories before heading back to the apartment.

A few weeks ago one of my friends from college, Taryn, was in town and we went into the Mission area of San Francisco to have some very late lunch. It reminded me of going out with Nick, except I had Charlie and 4 other lovely ladies with me instead.

We went out for pizza at Delfina with a few of her other girlfriends. It's been really hard to find good pizza here, but I have to say that Delfina's was amazing. Not New York style, not Chicago style, but definitely Italian style. We had some of the specialty pies and the regular one. All were good and put me in the mood to have pizza for like a week after wards. Unfortunately there aren't any good places close by to us.

After that we walked up the block to Bi-rite Creamery, a neighborhood ice cream shop. Affiliated with a small market across the street, Creamery makes their own ice cream, baked goods (like an amazing banana peanut butter cupcake we all tried), and candies. Flavors change daily, but when I was there I ordered two scoops; one of Earl Grey and one of Honey Lavender--considering they are two of my favorite things ever I LOVED them. I also got to try the Ricanelas (cinnamon with snickerdoodles) and Brown Sugar with Ginger Caramel Swirl flavors. Both were also very good. And all were rich...pizza, wine, and ice cream...how am I not 1,000 pounds?

So good even the pup wants a bite.

Chocoholics Anonymous Meeting

My dad is the kind of chocoholic who roams around the house from room to room looking for some. He comes home at the end of the day and just needs his fix. Growing up at least twice a week I would be visited by him. He'd stand in my doorway with this guilty little kid look on his face and say, "you got any chocolate lying around?" If he asked my brother, he'd get lucky and the answer would be yes. My brother loves chocolate, but he's like my mom and likes to savor it. One little bit at a time, and a whole candy bar might last him two weeks. Me on the other hand, I always said no. I love to savor my candy, but in the moment. That stuff never lasts long once I get my hands on it. I just can't say no to a good thing.

My dad is not the kind of chocoholic who appreciates really interesting good chocolate. One year, for Easter, my mom bought him this gorgeous bunny made by Christopher Norman, who is more like an artist than a chocolatiere. He just popped the whole thing in his mouth and ate it. "Yeah, that's pretty good," was his response. And my mom was so pissed she never bought him anything from there again.

I, on the other hand, would have taken a picture of it, blogged about how good it was, and then devoured it while saying in between each bite how it was soooooo good. (Nick is really sick of me saying that every time I have a food I really like.) And because I'm a good wife (and do feel guilty when I eat a lot of crap) I also would have shared it with Nick who would have enjoyed it just as much, but would not have been as vocal about it.

So if you're like Nick and I and really love specialty chocolates (think truffles with flavors like milk lavender, dark caramel orange, cabernet, passion fruit, and rosemary) that are as colorful as a bouquet of flowers, here are a few of my favorite stores to shop at (all of which you can conveniently order online from).

The downside to these places is that they aren't cheap. But they are all so rich and delicious. A box of 6 truffles split between two people is more than enough for a decadent dessert that won't leave you feeling overstuffed and super guilty.


Probably my all time favorite, located in South Barrington, Illinois but available in Whole Foods and other gourmet shops. I may try really hard to convince the next person who throws a party for me to get the favors from here. Anna Shea's colors are so beautiful, it's almost too difficult to eat.


A shop in the Cow Hollow section of San Francisco which features many chocolate makers from all over the globe. Truffles, chocolate bars, and much more.


Located in the financial district of New York City (and also available in Whole Foods and all over), chocolate is treated like an art form. Immaculately wrapped boxes and abstract paintings in bar form that remind you of Jackson Pollack almost make you want to frame each piece.

Restaurant Review: Jovino

Last week I made my first venture into San Francisco (to do more than just one stop shopping) and hung out with my friend Roni for a really nice lunch at Jovino.

The restaurant is small, laid back, and in cafeteria style (you order the food at the counter and they bring it to you at your table). And the decor was lots of light natural wood giving off that earthy tavern-like vibe. There were students hanging out and studying for finals (which I could definitely see myself doing if I lived in the area) and lots of people on break from work having lunch. A front room closer to the counter where you could watch TV (they had a soccer game on, thankfully not the MLS) and a back room where you could go for more space and quiet.

The food itself was delicious mainly creative bar food with a few other fancy things thrown in, all made with "happy meat." I opted for their Parisian burger which came with brie cheese and caramelized onions. I really want to go back to try their Bacon Bleu burger (toppings there are obvious) and their polenta with mushrooms and goat cheese.

Jovino was a great place to hang with your girlfriends in the middle of a shopping day (the area had tons of boutiques, designer, and chain stores), have a lunch date, or hang out with your friends and have a few beers and burgers. Definitely highly recommended.

Not your Grandma's Thrift Shop

Before I start today's entry, a word about the updating schedule of the blog. I know I've been all over the place for starters with updating 3 times a day or not at all. I just wanted to get a few things up and running so the blog didn't look so stark before I went public with it. Starting this week I'm going to be on a more regular posting schedule. Every Tuesdays and Fridays I will always have an entry up. Chances are those entries will probably be more structured around a theme. But in between if there's a really good sale going on I'll post about it since sales are obviously a time sensitive thing.

Alrighty, on to today's entry!

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When I was in college I used to shop at the huge Salvation Army on the other side of town. I'd pick up lots of little boy t-shirts (like Superman and Tiger Scouts) and little girl sweaters from the 80s (complete with big flowers and purple hearts knitted into them) as well as anything that screamed 70s (I still have and LOVE my vintage puffy ski vest that I got for $7). I'd go every few weeks when I'd saved up about $20 of the money my mother would send me every month (Binghamton was a pretty cheap place to live which was great for my parents' wallet, but bad for mine because I'd get about $75 to spend on food and fun stuff for the month and it was near impossible to find a job) and I'm browse the long racks hoping to find a gem amongst the old lady crap most people dropped off. Tuesdays everything was 50% off, so I'd usually go then and stock up on other things too like old Nancy Drew books or vinyl. I always felt so...well...thrifty picking up stuff. But then I graduated and there isn't a single decent thrift store around where I live. And obviously now that I'm an adult with a real job with other adults, I can't get away with wearing little kid clothes to work.

Then last July I visited my best friend, Katrina, in Oakland, California to check out some graduate programs out there. It was the first time I had ever visited the San Francisco Bay area, but I was already pretty dead set on it being a top location that I wanted to move to for school. I asked her to show me around the different neighborhoods and take me to things that were outside so I could enjoy the great weather. In the process of doing that she took me to a couple of really cool second hand/sample sale stores and I must admit, I went a little overboard picking up quite a few things (actually now that I think about it I don't think I've done that much shopping since then). But at the end of the weekend, I only spent about $100 and ended up walking away with a lot of stuff.

The first place we visited (and my favorite of the two) was Jeremy's. Jeremy's gets their clothes from stores (either overstock, damaged pieces, display pieces, or customer returns). So everything is new, just a season or more older. I saw a lot of stuff from Anthropologie, J Crew, and other name designers. The store was not wicked cheap, but still cheaper than buying things full priced. I got a shirt and a cardigan from J Crew and I think I spent $50 total on both. There's two locations, one in San Francisco and one in Berkeley. Needless to say, I'll be frequenting Jeremy's when we move on to California...or on second thought, avoiding like the plague.

The second place we visited was Crossroads Trading Company. Crossroads has locations all over the country, and is basically a consignment shop. In our case, the locations were located near colleges, and a lot of students would come by and drop off their gently worn clothes (from the Gap to vintage to designer things) and sell them to the store to clean out their closets. There was also some things that were overstock products as well, but most of those things I'd never heard of the brands. In any event, almost everything was dirt cheap (rarely was there an item for over $10 unless it was designer) and the things were all in good condition. It wasn't like going to a thrift shop where everything smells of mold and dust, so you don't need to worry about spending a fortune in dry cleaning. I bought a new thermal and a used shirt dress and cardigan for $25.

When I asked Katrina about the places we visited for this entry, she also told me about another store that's very similar to Crossroads called Buffalo Exchange. I've never been there, but they are all over the country, there's a couple in the NY Metro area including Brooklyn and Soho. Also in Brooklyn is Beacon's Closet. My friends Jen and Lexie have been telling me about this places for years and I've never gotten my butt in gear to go. Perhaps I'm subconsciously avoiding it because I've heard of all the awesome things they have there and I don't want to go overboard spending money? Knowing me, that's probably the case.