Color of Whimsy

BRUNCH AT BOULEY

noreply@blogger.com (ColorofWhimsy) — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 18:00:00 +0000

Yay for being back in the city! The past week was the first week in a while that I've actually spent in the city (though I am now in Boston). What did I do to take advantage of the break from traveling? Why, I made sure to spend lots of money on food of course!

I made sure to pop into North End Grill as it has become one of my staple restaurants in New York. It's probably one of the only good restaurants in the financial district. Plus, the fantastic scotch collection doesn't hurt. I followed that up with a lovely dinner at Tocqueville, which has been on my must visit list for the past year or so. It definitely did not disappoint, though it did burn a significant hole in my wallet.

Finally, I was able to celebrate a friend's very belated birthday at Bouley on Saturday with some of my favorite ladies. Somehow we all independently decided that yellow was the color of the day. Besides the odd confirmation rule and the slight morning mishaps, I really liked Bouley. Everything about the restaurant was quirky but comfortable. It's one of those sleepy places that you would miss from the outside, but the inside was reminiscent of a scene from the Renaissance period. My favorite was the wall of apples in the foyer as you walk in. The lunch tasting menu (5 courses for 55) was well worth the price and absolutely delicious!

Enjoy the pictures!

CHARITABLE CAUSE: LIBERTY HOUSE BOOK DRIVE

noreply@blogger.com (ColorofWhimsy) — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 17:21:00 +0000

Readers,

I really wanted to take some time today to write about a great charitable cause I've been supporting during the past year or so. I've been working with a group of inspiring individuals at work on an initiative supporting Liberty House here in Manhattan. Liberty House is a domestic abuse shelter located in Manhattan that is dedicated to providing temporary shelter and services to victims of domestic abuse. As a group, we are currently involved in leading weekly one-on-one workshops that teach skills such as resume writing and interviewing to aid the women in gaining financial stability and ending the cycle of abuse.

After speaking to the women at the shelter and some of the program coordinators, it became apparent that the shelter has a dire need for more books to provide to the women and their children. Thus, we've decided to organize a book drive to help support the shelter. We are looking for books of all types including educational and leisure reading for readers of all ages and levels. I will be very grateful if you could lend your support to this cause and contribute some books!

If you have any questions on how to contribute, please leave me a message or email me at colorofwhimsy@gmail.com.

Thank you,
Michelle

CURRENT OBSESSION: HUNTER GREEN

noreply@blogger.com (ColorofWhimsy) — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 03:06:00 +0000

Ever since I purchased my pair of mint green pants from Zara this spring, I've been on a green craze. Given my mint green obsession, it only seemed like the natural progression that my favorite trend this fall is hunter green. Ever since I saw a feature on People Style Magazine (my airport guilty pleasure) in July, I've been fervently hunting down every pair of autumn appropriate hunter green pants. In my search, I narrowed it down to the three pairs below.

GAP 1969 Leggings | Zara Skinny Jeans | Tory Burch Ivy Super Skinny Jeans

Each of the three pairs, while each slightly different, all had attributes that I was looking for. While the Zara ones were a little brighter than the other two, it was still in the same family of color that I was considering. Furthermore, the price of that pair more than offset any downsides associated with the color. I grew up as a GAP junkie and to this day, there's just something that draws me to GAP jeans. This pair of 1969 leggings was no exception. It was comfortable, affordable, and just the correct length. The Tory Burch pair was absolutely breathtaking. Color wise, it was my favorite as it was a true Hunter green, and it had a richness to it that the GAP pair lacked. The fit was perhaps the most flattering - my legs were elongated in them and I looked like I was at least one size smaller. However, they were not made for a short girl. With inseams of 35 inches, I would have had to get them altered. Since I've inherited some of my parent's frugality genes, I found it to be very difficult to justify the additional tailoring costs as they were already $195 dollars to start. Ultimately, I ended up going with the Zara pair for cost reasons. The GAP pair was twice as expensive as the Zara ones and seeing how I wanted red denim as well, I just couldn't justify the GAP pair (though I did buy the GAP boyfriend jeans - more to come on that in a later post!). Costs aside, I really felt that the Zara and GAP pants were equal on all other fronts and it really boils down to personal preference.

Ever since I bought the green Zara pants, I've been aching to wear them, and I took the opportunity this past weekend to debut them in San Francisco. Now I can officially say that Fall has arrived!

NEW CAMERA

noreply@blogger.com (ColorofWhimsy) — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 02:33:00 +0000

I have been horrible at posting the past couple of weeks. In my shabby defense, I've been flying all around for work the last few weeks. I spent a week in Dallas for training and then I was getting back to the rhythm of my weekly New York to Madison travel schedule.

However, on a side note, I did get my new camera. I decided to go with the T2i since I'm not planning on taking extensive videos with it (and thus could not warrant splurging on the T3i). I've been going shutter crazy with it - especially when I am fortunate enough to escape to Connecticut for the weekend (see below). As I've mentioned before, I firmly believe that the best thing about New York in the summer is being able to leave the city. I love the feeling of lounging around by the lake on a gorgeous Saturday. It almost feels like a verse out of Bruno Mars' "The Lazy Song". Unfortunately for me, that also means that I can excuse myself from my diet and go crazy with my favorite homemade bacon & egg breakfast sandwich.

Anyhow, enjoy the pictures and leave some thoughts! I promise to update more frequently in the following weeks!

FLYING WOES

noreply@blogger.com (ColorofWhimsy) — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 19:24:00 +0000

It seems like all of my current posts have to do with my flying misfortunes. It turns out that my flight out of New York was cancelled and I didn't find out until I got to the airport. While the agents were pretty helpful, the earliest flight I could get on was an 8:30pm flight. I was generally pretty miffed at the fact that I had to get up at 4:00am for nothing. However, this did get me thinking. If I was not constrained by my business casual outfit requirements (due to work), what would be my perfect early morning outfit?

Airport Glamour by colorofwhimsy featuring short sleeve shirts

Thanks to my mother and her constant threats of late age arthritis and joint problems (don't ask!), I would make sure that I was wearing comfortable pants. As enticing as sweats sound, it wouldn't help the fact that I inevitably feel like a disgusting slob in constant need of caffeine when I have to make an early morning flight. Since the temperature on planes vary from subzero to suffocating heat, it is important to layer! Finally, a sensible pair of flats can do wonders when you are trying to navigate through convoluted terminals - your feet will thank you!

RESTAURANT WEEK IN MADISON

noreply@blogger.com (ColorofWhimsy) — Sun, 05 Aug 2012 22:35:00 +0000

I apologize for the dearth of posts, but business school applications have been consuming the vast majority of my time (mostly due to procrastination on my part).

A couple of weeks ago, Madison had its Restaurant Week. A three course dinner costed a mere $25 dollars. I took advantage of the deal by visiting two of the most esteemed restaurants - Nostrano and Sardine. Nostrano, a quirky Italian restaurant, is the brainchild of Tim and Elizabeth Dahl (the esteemed former pastry chefs at Blackbird and Boka). Whereas Sardine is a large airy restaurant situated in an old factory. It invokes the feel of something out of San Francisco.

Nostrano:

Nostrano - Madison, WI

I started with the homemade Strawberry soda that was reminiscent of a jolly rancher. Just like a jolly rancher, you can't eat too much. The first few sips were refreshing, but it soon became too overwhelmingly sweet.

My first course was a chilled zucchini soup, which was light but oily. The pickled veggies added a disharmonious tangy flavor. Honestly, I could have done without the pickles as it just made everything a little too busy.

I followed with the whole wheat pappardelle. This was perhaps my least favorite course as it took al dente to another level. The dish looked deceptively chewy but unfortunately tasted like bits of chalk. However, I did like the hint of spice with the lamb sauce, and the one piece of perfectly cooked noodle was impeccable. I feel like this oversight was probably due to the fact that it was restaurant week and the kitchen had trouble keeping up with the crazy demand.

The meal did close on a high note with the crema dessert. The Hibiscus gelato with bittersweet chocolate mousse dynamic was perfect. The blackberry jam added a little tartness. Overall, it was a very delicate balance of flavors, but, the smoked almonds were quite unnecessary.

Overall, I give the experience a 2/5. I really wanted to love this restaurant, but ultimately, it was a disappointing experience. The caveat is, however, I would like to try the restaurant again outside of restaurant week.

Sardine:

Sardine - Madison, WI

Here, I started with the Duck confit. The duck itself was delicious and left me wanting for more. The contrast between the crispy and the tender was great. Unlike Nostrano's, I thought the little details served to elevate the dish.The blackberry balsamic added extra dimension to the richness.

My main dish was the Arctic Char. Overall, it was a well executed dish. The only complaint I had was that the panko crumbs was rather unnecessary. The white beans that came with the dish made it almost stew like.

I ended my meal with the Gianduja, which was rich with an amazing praline crust. My favorite part was the drunken cherries. It invoked memories of maraschino cherries, but without all of the cough syrupy taste. Instead, it had a light cinnamon-y flavor. Lastly, the hazelnut brittle candy added another textural aspect to the dish. It was refreshingly chewy. All of the different flavors, textures, and tastes worked together seamlessly.

Overall, this was probably a 3.5/5

LONDON POLITICS

noreply@blogger.com (ColorofWhimsy) — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 00:50:00 +0000

While I did not intend to post anything controversial on this blog, I realized that in order to fully capture all the complexities and shades of color in life, I would have to branch out and address some more serious topics. So without further adieu, this will be my entry examining the politics of the Olympic Games. Please note that a guest blogger will write a post to covering the flip side of the argument! Definitely tune in for that perspective!

Every two years I tune into the Olympics with high hopes that it would unite people from all nations in celebrating the amazing achievements accomplished by the talented athletes competing in the games. After all, in the early Greek Olympic Games, wars were suspended and political differences were put aside. For 16 days, I thought we would be able to accomplish the same as our ancient predecessors . Every two years, reality sets in and I am disappointed. Accusations fly and politics kicks in. The ugly side of nationalism shows itself. This year was no different.

Flawed rules incentivized badminton players to lose matches in order to gain an advantage in match draws. A timekeeper's error in conjunction with a bad judging call probably cost a South Korean fencer a gold medal. Terrible refereeing in Boxing resulted in suspect results, and finally, a sixteen year old has been continually accused of doping due to her spectacular victories in the pool. All of these examples show how flawed the Olympics are and why there is a need to overhaul the the rules to the competitions ensure that all parties involved are incentivized to honor the spirit of the Games.

As deplorable as the rampant cheating was, I still find the media's attitude towards Ye Shiwen the most disturbing activity during these Games. Yes, her times were 7 seconds better than her previous personal best, but does that necessarily mean that she's doping? Stephanie Rice dropped 10 seconds in the course of the year to win the same event in 2008. Yes, Ye;s last 50m were faster than Lochte's last 50m, but, as many have pointed out, Lochte's last 50m in his 400m medley was one of the slowest in the men's 400 medley. Furthermore, Ye's overall time was far slower than all but 3 of 36 men who competed in the same event. Lastly, Ye was tested numerous times prior to the Olympics and also immediately afterwards - in all insistence, the tests have come back negativeWith all of these facts, shouldn't she be given the benefit of the doubt until proven otherwise. After all, we did provide athletes like Marion Jones, Floyd Landis, Roger Clemens, and Lance Armstrong the same courtesy.

While I understand why people are suspicious of Ye's accomplishments, I do not think it gives them the right to outright bully her. What should have been the happiest days of her life has so far turned into a nightmare. She is hounded by the media on the subject matter and her integrity is being dragged through the mud and questioned by every one imaginable. Keep in mind that this girl is only 16! As someone with a teenage sibling, I can't imagine how hurt and upset I would be if someone subjected my little brother to the same level of interrogation and scrutiny. Can you imagine if someone did this to your child, sibling, or someone you loved? Heck, no one, regardless of their age, should have to go through the abuse Ye is going through right now (especially if they're innocent!). As a nation, we do not condone school year bullying done by our children, so why should we allow institutionalized bullying to occur? As we look for our athletes and our children to adhere to a higher standard, we should also hold our institutions and organizations to the same standard. No one should be bullied regardless of the pretense or context of the act.

Readers - I am interested in your perspectives, so please contribute to this dialogue!

THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I GET STUCK IN THE AIRPORT

noreply@blogger.com (ColorofWhimsy) — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 03:01:00 +0000

Hello from the Windy City Readers!

I've spent the past five hours trying to get back to the east coast. Unfortunately all flights have been delayed due to weather. Although I should be working on my business school applications, something about a perpetually delayed flight makes me lose all of my focus (or perhaps that's just another excuse to procrastinate). After I've exhausted every single trashy magazine and perused every single Perez Hilton post, I decided to turn to Polyvore. Below, this is what I came up with.

Edgy & Elegant by colorofwhimsy

Party shirt, $39 / Alexander McQueen cotton coat, $2,485 / Carven mini skirt / Christian Louboutin ankle strap heels / Matthew Williamson studded handbag, $1,540 / Stella & Dot cuff jewelry / Onyx necklace / Kate Spade jewelry / Elie Tahari clip earrings / Butter London nail lacquer

Leave some love readers. Looks like I'll finally get to board the plane! See you in Boston lovelies!

xoxo

LITTLE WHITE DRESS AND ADVENTURES IN NYC

noreply@blogger.com (ColorofWhimsy) — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 01:48:00 +0000

I love it when my friends visit New York. Chances are, they'll force me to get out of my comfort zone. This past weekend, three of my close friends all came to visit. During 48 short hours, I went to Flushing for fresh soymilk and xiaolongbao, Momofuku Milk Bar, Central Park (twice), Blue Smoke BBQ, and Sleep No More.

Enjoy the pictures from my whirlwind weekend!

White Dresses | Central Park

Blue Smoke BBQ

Courtesy of the ever so talented Sam Riggs! (Central Park & Flushing)

As a side note, I finally bought myself a DSLR!! Look forward to more pictures shortly!

RESTAURANT REVIEW: GRAZE RESTAURANT

noreply@blogger.com (ColorofWhimsy) — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 01:40:00 +0000

Graze Restaurant - Madison, WI

Happy Monday from Madison, Wisconsin! I hope everyone had a great weekend! As some of you might know, I will be in Madison Wisconsin for the next four months due to work. The first thing I learned about Madison was that it has a pretty good food scene. As soon as I heard that, I made it my mission to try as many good restaurants as possible. The first restaurant I decided to hit up was Graze Restaurant. What sparked my interest was the fact that the restaurant sources all of its ingredients from local farms around the area. That and the fact that they're supposed to have one of the best burgers in Madison.

The restaurant itself is enclosed by glass and has gorgeous high ceilings, which in turn makes it feel airy and light. The decor is relaxes and invokes the laid back attitude of a summer ranch. The waitstaff are gregarious and knowledgeable. Everything about the restaurant made me want to love it. That is, everything but the food (believe me, I really wanted to love it). While there were instances of brilliance, overall the meal fell flat.

First, I ordered a Creamsicle soda. I was expecting something that evoked the sweetness and tartness of an actual creamiscle. I wanted to be reminded of my childhood days and that quintessential treat. What I got was a poorly mixed cream soda and orange juice

For my Appetizer, I had the pickle pot. The range of the pickled veggies varied from innovative brilliance to inedible. Starting with the brilliant, the pickled blueberries was absolutely delightful. It was sweet, sour, and tangy - reminding me of the chinese preserved plums. The Daikon was a beautiful balance of crunch tart, salty, and a hint of paprika. After that, everything started going downhill - the bread and butter pickles were not much better than those from a jar of Vlasic pickles. The Cauliflower was edible, and the beets were unspectacular. The worst offender, however, was the kimchi. I love everything about kimchi. Kimchi, to me, is the definition of umami. This kimchi, however, was tasteless.

I continued the meal with a Rainbow trout. How I wished the taste matched the beautiful presentation. While it had a exquisitely light taste, it failed at the most fundamental levels. The fish was unevenly seasoned, there were still scales on the skin, and the skin was not properly cooked. All of these factors rendered the trout rather fishy and,ultimately, undesirable.

The redeeming factor was the a la mode hickory nut bourbon caramel pie (fancy way of saying pecan pie). The cool ice cream was a perfect complement to the warm rich pie. The combination was heavenly, even though I felt like I was in a diabetes induced coma after the fact.

Overall Rating: 2.5/5

PENNY WISE: BUDGETING FOR THE US VIRGIN ISLANDS

noreply@blogger.com (ColorofWhimsy) — Fri, 20 Jul 2012 00:16:00 +0000

Ever since I started working, my idea of a perfect vacation has started trending from active sight seeing adventures towards full service beach resorts. Over the past couple of years I've been trekking to a multitude of different Caribbean islands, and, thus far, my favorite has been the Virgin Islands. The Virgin Islands are a series of islands on the border of the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. Politically speaking, the Western islands (Tortola, Gorda, Jost Van Dyke, and Angaga) are British territories whereas the Eastern Islands (St. Thomas, St. John, St. Croix) make up the US Virgin Islands. So far I have made a couple of trips there - one to St. Thomas in March, 2010 and one to St. John this past July 4th weekend.

My love for the Virgin Islands stems from the fact that it has great food, plenty of fun activities, beautiful beaches, and, most importantly, the UVI is one of the more affordable destinations. Flights are typically 300 to 500 roundtrip from the east coast and hotels can be as affordable as 90 dollars (depending on the season and location). For those who are from the US mainland, there are direct flights out of NYC, Boston, Philadelphia, Charlotte, Miami., and Atlanta to St. Thomas and St. Croix. You can travel to the remaining Virgin Islands through Ferries / Tours. So let's start exploring the options on each island:

1. St. Croix: From what I've heard, this is the least touristy island as it is where the majority of the locals actually live. That being said, there are a multitude of activities you can do, including a tour of the Cruzan Rum Distillery (for an affordable $4/person nevertheless!). You would also have access to all the water based activities as well. St. Croix is the cheapest UVI option and the most low key option.

2. St. Thomas: St. Thomas is the most developed island (with respects to tourism). It has, by far, the best restaurants (Mafolie, Banana Tree Grille, and Mim's are must tries!) and the most activities. The cocktails that you can get on St. Thomas are out of this world! It is one of the largest Caribbean cruise ports, so it's always rather busy. The beaches are beautiful, but not too different from any other Caribbean beaches. You can either splurge on luxury hotel options such as the Ritz or stay at more affordable options like the Marriott. Best of all, it is a short ferry ride away from St. John!

3. St. John: St. John is the smallest of the UVI islands and it is also the most idyllic. 90% of the island is actually a Natural Park, so it is in absolutely pristine condition. Furthermore, Conde Nast consistent votes its beaches as the most beautiful in the world. The food options, while not as diverse as those on St. Thomas, are still excellent. I highly recommend visiting the Lime Inn, Water Front Bistro, Sugar Mill, and Turtle Bay. The island is also home to its own brewing company (the St. John Brewers). While I'm typically not a beer fan, I absolutely loved the Mango Pale Ale and I hear great things about the house brewed IPA. Definitely head over to the Tap Room to try the beers out. Lastly, there are not too many hotel options on St. John. You can stay at the Westin or Caneel Bay. Caneel Bay is a Rosewood Resort. The Resort itself is part of the Natural Park, so it's typical to see wild donkeys, deer, and other animals wandering around. It has 7 beaches on the property. It is truly an escape from the outside world as there are no tvs and limited internet/cell reception on the resort. It's absolutely beautiful and well worth the splurge.

4. BVI: I am not too familiar with travel options to the BVI, but I do know that there are day trips to the BVI from each UVI. It's definitely worth visiting as it's a nice day excursion

So, when should you go to the UVI? Peak season is from late November to March. Hotels tend to be 3x the price during this period. Weather in the Virgin Islands tends to be pretty constant all year round (averages in the lower 80s); thus, it makes more sense to visit in the off-season.

What is the local currency? This is my favorite part! All Virgin Islands use the US Dollar as the base currency. Once again, completely hassle free!

Readers - Have you been to the UVI? Do you agree with my assessment? Will you be planning a trip there?

CURRENT OBSESSION: LITTLE GREY DRESS

noreply@blogger.com (ColorofWhimsy) — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 23:13:00 +0000

Grey is the new Black and I can't be any happier. I love a LBD as much as the next girl, but it always seemed a little too rigid and too heavy for the summer. I love the summer and I want to wear something that's brighter, lighter, and more laid back to reflect the mood and the weather. The little grey dress offers the perfect solution. Of course, the best part is, grey is just as versatile as black - it goes with just about every color imaginable. It's a great neutral dress for the office and it can be accessorized to be a light whimsical summery concoction. Last but not least, the little grey dress can double as a perfect going out dress as well.

Little Grey Dress - Day to Night by colorofwhimsy

Below, you can find my LGD outfit. I was in the Virgin Islands for vacation. It was pretty much consistently hot and humid. As the island is pretty tropical, that wasn't too much of a surprise. While on my trip, we went to a few pretty nice restaurants, so I wanted to have something that would look appropriate for the weather and also for the setting. As you can see, black would have probably been too formal for this occasion and the grey definitely worked with the blue and green very well.

Dress is from the Cue | Amrita Singh Cleopatra Necklace | J Crew Edie Purse

Readers - What do you think of the Little Grey Dress? Do you think it would become a staple in your wardrobe?

BACK FROM UNPLANNED HIATUS

noreply@blogger.com (ColorofWhimsy) — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 16:42:00 +0000

Hi Readers,

I've missed you all! I apologize for the silence over the past couple of weeks. I was in the Virgin Islands for vacation (more on that later!) and when I got home, my computer died on me. I was finally able to get it back today, so definitely expect to see updates soon! In the meanwhile, please enjoy pictures from St. John!

xoxo

WEEKEND AT THE LAKE

noreply@blogger.com (ColorofWhimsy) — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 14:52:00 +0000

Readers, I hope you all had a great weekend!

This past week has been almost unbearably hot in New York and the additional influx of tourists into the city did not help to make the humidity any more bearable. Unfortunately, the best part about New York City in the summer is that you can leave it. I was fortunate enough to spend my weekend by a lake. Instead of my usual "wear the first thing I see while at the lake" rule, I decided to be a little more dressed up but still be comfortable. (Sadly I didn't take any pictures at the lake, so the pictures are from before I left and right when I got back to the city)

SOUNDBYTES: COVER OF 說謊 (SHUO HUANG)

noreply@blogger.com (ColorofWhimsy) — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 22:09:00 +0000

Hi Readers! I hope you are enjoying your Friday! I'm actually going to be heading over to Connecticut for some much needed relaxation at the lake and some water sports. Before I sign off for the weekend, I wanted to share something very special with you all. Please enjoy this amazing cover of Shuo Huang that was done by a very dear friend! (Thank you CQ for letting me post this on my blog)

STYLE CHALLENGE: KATE MIDDLETON'S LACE LOOK

noreply@blogger.com (ColorofWhimsy) — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 18:39:00 +0000

One of my favorite style icons has to be Kate Middleton. She manages to find timeless looks that are elegant and classy - and it helps that she has a pretty unlimited budget to do so! This week's Style Challenge (Under 150) is based on the cream lace sheath outfit she wore for the Jubilee.

Kate Middleton's Look for Less by colorofwhimsy featuring high heel pumps

WEEKEND ADVENTURE: CHANNELING MAD MEN

noreply@blogger.com (ColorofWhimsy) — Sat, 23 Jun 2012 22:07:00 +0000

Weekends in New York are always unique experiences regardless of where you're from. Even after living in the city for two years, I am constantly amazed at everything that goes on in this crazy chaotic city. I find the energy exhilarating and, in a weird sense, absolutely calming and endearing. This past Saturday, I wanted to make the most out of my day and actually visit some of the places I've always wanted to check out. Thanks to my absolutely amazing friends, I was able to have one of the best Saturdays in a while.

***

(Dress from Asos | Belt from H&M | Earrings and Necklace from Banana Republic)

First, I wanted to highlight the outfit I decided to go with for the day. The inspiration for this outfit came from my recently developed love for Scotch. There's just something about scotch and a proper scotch bar that makes you feel like you're back in the Mad Men era. Since I planned on going to a scotch tasting with my friends (more on that later), I decided to dress the part! Though, I do have to give the lovely and ever so stylish Jean at extrapetite credit for the dress as she did a fantastic review of the dress here a couple of months ago.

I started the day with a lovely stroll on the Highline. I just love the creativity and the energy there. It's completely amazing seeing bands perform and seeing all of the urban art. I think it's the perfect definition of an Urban Jungle. Of course, the food on the Highline is a nice plus as well. On this particular stroll, I made a few pit stops to get Mexican Ice from La New Yorkina, Lobster Rolls from a truck with the sign "Lobster Rolls & More", and Iced Coffee from Blue Bottle Coffee. The Mexican Ice Pop was fantastic. I got the coconut one and the real coconut flakes in it just made something amazing even better! Being from Maine, I was a little disappointed in the Lobster Roll as I felt like the flavors were really drowned by the mayo. Also, I detected bits and pieces of crab meat, which once again, only served to mask the lobster. All wrongs were corrected by the time I got to Blue Bottle Coffee and tried their New Orlean's style Iced Coffee. Unfortunately I didn't have my camera with me, so I wasn't able to get too many pictures.

My Highline stroll was followed by a Mad Men inspired trip to the Brandy Library in Tribeca for some good old fashioned Scotch tasting. The moment I stepped into the door, it felt as if I was suddenly in another era. I could almost see Don Draper and Co drinking there after work. As a rather novice Scotch drinker, I decided to go with the Highland Trail tasting as it seemed to be the most basic one. My flight included the Aberlour 12 years, anCnoc 16 years, Glenmorangie Artein, Balvenie 15, Glenfarclas 17 years, and a mystery Malt (which I forgot to write down). I was immediately drawn to the more sherried scotches (the Aberlour 12 and the Glenfarclas 17) than the others. The other one that was particularly interesting was the Balvenie 15 as it was very light and fruity - almost white wine-esque. Other than the drinks, the food was great as well. It's great finger foods to indulge in. Their dressed down tuna tartar was one of the best I've had in a while and the Lamb in a Blanket was fantastic as well. The Pigs and Figs (above) is a must have in my book! I foresee myself spending far too much time in the future at the Brandy Library.

After a couple of hours at the Brandy Library, we then trekked our way up to 80th and Amsterdam at the Cava Wine Bar for dinner. The atmosphere in the restaurant was very casual and at times it felt like a pub. The dinner wasn't entirely memorable. I had a decent ropa vieja and canoa de platano maduro. The quest for great Latin food continues!

Finally, the highlight of my day came at 11pm in the form of the Aziz Ansari Buried Alive Stand Up show at the Beacon Theater. Aziz did not disappoint - he had entirely new material from what he used in the previous two tours. He tackled topics such as My Super Sweet Sixteen, Sixteen and Pregnant, Marriage, Online Dating, Sexting, Seal, and his interactions with President Obama. I do believe he is planning on adding a few more shows in NYC in the fall, so if you didn't get to see him this time around, definitely go see him when he comes back!

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: EARL GREY LAVENDER CUPCAKES

noreply@blogger.com (ColorofWhimsy) — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 22:58:00 +0000

As I've mentioned before, I'm a glutton - especially for desserts. I love sweets and nothing is better than a cupcake! During the past year or so, I've taken up baking, and I've been experimenting with different recipes. One of my favorites is the Earl Grey Lavender cupcake that I adapted using the Primrose Earl Grey Cupcake Recipe. I think the lavender adds a kick to the cupcake and makes it less sugary. I've also added more milk and oil to the recipe just to make the consistency more buttery. Also - whisk your egg whites and egg yolks separately and add the egg whites in last to ensure that your cupcakes turn out fluffy. Without further ado, please find the recipe below! Leave some soundbytes on what you think!

Cake:

3/4 cup milk

1/4 cup oil
3 Earl Grey tea bags
1 stick unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar

½ tsp of cooking grade lavender
2 large eggs
2 cup flour

2 tsp baking powder

Frosting:

1.25 stick unsalted butter at room temperature
1 tsp good quality vanilla extract
2.5 cups icing sugar
Few drops of lilac food colouring

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12 hole muffin tray with cupcake cases. Boil the milk and steep in the tea for 10 minutes. Combine the Lavender and sugar in the food processor and blend until the texture and color is consistent throughout. Add in the flour and baking powder. Mix until the dry mixture is consistent. Separate the egg whites from the egg yolks. Add the egg whites, butter, and milk to the dry mixture - blend until it is smooth.Whisk the egg whites separately until fluffy - don't whisk too much as you do not want a meringue consistency.Fold in the egg whites. Fill the cupcake molds 2/3 the way up. Bake for 20 minutes

STYLE CHALLENGE: DIANNA AGRON'S LOOK FOR LESS

noreply@blogger.com (ColorofWhimsy) — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 18:58:00 +0000

Dianna Agron's look at last night's Coach's Summer Party on the Highline has become the overnight style sensation. It's the perfect amount of summery mixed with high fashion. However, the look does not come cheap. The dress, from Anthropologie goes for $298 while the shoes (Miu Miu) are $398. The clutch, a Coach Legacy clutch, is priced at $158. While the prices aren't outrageous, it's still on the pricey side. Thus, I've decided to try to recreate this entire look for under $150.

Dianna Agron Inspired Set by colorofwhimsy

(Dress: $25 - modcloth.com | High heels: $50 - modcloth.com | Black clutch: $17 - target.com | Forever 21 embroidered belt: $8.80 - forever21.com | sunglasses - $12 - modcloth.com)

Readers - Would you ever wear this outfit? Leave some soundbites!

OUTFIT OF THE DAY: SUMMER WHITES

noreply@blogger.com (ColorofWhimsy) — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 04:34:00 +0000

(Similar shirt can be found at at Ann Taylor | Shoes from ASOS | Belt from Banana Republic | Shorts from W118 by Walter Baker | Purse from Coach

This past Friday, I wanted to wear something appropriate for a night out but also to stay classy. Inspired by my Asian dramas, I really wanted to wear something with white shorts as the girls in those shows always seem to look so elegant in them. I actually bought this pair from ideeli back in March and just haven't had the chance to wear them just yet. What I love about this pair of shorts is that it has a natural waist. Being somewhat on the short side (5'4"), I have the tendency to want to elongate and slim my silhouette with clothes that have natural waists rather than a dropped waist. Typically, it's hard to find shorts and pants with a higher waist, so I've been rather ecstatic that high waists are coming back with a vengeance. Of course, that being said, I'm a huge fan of anything that can create the illusion of longer legs.

Readers - what do you wear to elongate your figure? How would you wear white shorts?

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: TRADER JOE'S BLUEBERRY OATMEAL

noreply@blogger.com (ColorofWhimsy) — Sat, 16 Jun 2012 16:13:00 +0000

Before I head out for the day, I wanted to share my thoughts on my new favorite breakfast food: Trader Joe's Heart Healthy Blueberry Oatmeal. Now, I love brunch foods or comfort breakfast foods as much as everyone else, but I never seem to have the time or energy to cook for myself. I'm usually rushing through the door (due to oversleeping) or nursing a bad hangover from the night before. In these cases, I want something filling and comforting to help me start off the day.

I've never been a huge oatmeal fan just because the only oatmeal I knew was the Quakers brand one and that was far too sweet. I happened to pick the Trader Joe's one up by chance. I remembered a friend raving about it and decided to give it a try. I haven't looked back since! Nutritionally, I was stunned by just how healthy the oatmeal was. It has very little fat content and absolutely no cholesterol. It's a great source of minerals and vitamins. It's high in fiber and low on sugar.

STYLE CHALLENGE: FIRST DATE

noreply@blogger.com (ColorofWhimsy) — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 13:58:00 +0000

You can find more information on this outfit here

Happy Friday Readers! It's looking beautiful out and I can't wait to take advantage of it this weekend! This blog post actually came as a request from one of my close friends. She was hoping to put together a fun summer outfit perfect for a first date. Her requirements was that it had to be fashionable and feminine without appearing too 'put together'. The caveat - the entire outfit has to be under $80 dollars.

Dress - Forever 21 - One of my favorite trends this year has to be floral prints. It's extremely feminine and flirty. It's versatile in that it can be dressed up or down depending on the accessories you pair it with.

Clutch - Target - I wanted something to brighten the outfit up and add just the right amount of color to elevate the outfit from cute to chic. This clutch, for 17 dollars, is a steal. I can see this becoming a stable in someones wardrobe.

Shoes - Target - I'm a fan of utilitarian shoes. I think every girl should have a pair of high heeled brown sandals for the summer. You can pair these with shorts, pants, dresses, and pretty much every color imaginable. For $25 dollars, you're definitely getting bang for your buck.

Earrings - ModCloth - Jewelry is where you can really personalize the outfit to reflect your personality. I wanted to add something that shows the grittiness and edginess of my friend's personality and I thought these earrings ($13) fit the job description.

Readers - Let me know if you agree with me. What would you wear on a first date? If you would like me to style an outfit for you, please message me or leave a comment!

OUTFIT OF THE DAY: A SPLASH OF YELLOW

noreply@blogger.com (ColorofWhimsy) — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 12:16:00 +0000

(Peter Pan Collar Shirt from H&M, but here is a similar one | Yellow Skirt from Asos here | Boutique 9 Pink Pumps here | Belt from H&M)

Lately it's been rather gloomy in the Big Apple. If it's not raining, then it's overcast skies. Instead of letting the weather dictate my mood, I looked towards the British for some colorful inspiration. I decided to create some artificial sunlight through my outfits as a way to distract myself from the constant grey skies and the methodical pitter patter of the rain.

Even without the rain, I'm a big proponent of wearing coloring pieces to work as to stand out from the sea of black, grey, and navy all around me. A lot of my friends worry that wearing colorful pieces might seem unprofessional, but if the outfit is balanced correctly (in terms of silhouette, material, and colors), I don't think there is need to worry.

Readers - Do you agree with my assessment? What are your favorite colors to wear to work?

UNDER $150: WORK OUTFIT

noreply@blogger.com (ColorofWhimsy) — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 21:43:00 +0000

More Information on this Outfit

I have to preface this post by saying, I absolutely love H&M. I love the prices and I love how stylish their pieces are. Most of all, I love how versatile their pieces are. The beauty of this outfit is that I would absolutely wear each and every piece of this outfit with other items in my closet.

Like most working girls in New York, my budget is stretched pretty thin by rent and dining. Of course, being Asian, my mother also hounds me to save too! Each month I typically try to get one "investment" piece or a couple of more affordable options from H&M, Zara, Forever 21, and ASOS. The investment pieces would be more classic - things that I would wear for years on end. Whereas the more affordable options are used to update my wardrobe with the newest trends.

Going forward, I will be posting Outfits Under $150 once a week. In addition, I will do spotlights on Investment Pieces once a month. I would really appreciate it if you could provide me with themes or what you would like to see from the Under $150 Challenges and the Investment Piece Spotlight posts!

CURRENT OBSESSION: SESSUN MAMILI PANTS

noreply@blogger.com (ColorofWhimsy) — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 17:02:00 +0000

(Available at Urban Outfitters)

This weekend I made my first trek to Central Park with a few of my friends in order to take advantage of the great weather. I saw a girl with the most fabulous yellow harem pants, which inspired me to look for ones for myself. Instead, I stumbled across this fabulous pair of pants from Urban Outfitters. They just looked so effortlessly chic and completely different from anything I currently have in my closet. At $218, I'm hesitant to purchase them right now, but I'll probably get them in a month or so (I see these as part of an early fall ensemble anyhow!). As part of an outfit, I think these would go lovely with the following items.

(You can find the Shirt at ASOS | The shoes are from Zara)

I'd love to hear your thoughts and how you would pair the pants!