hey pretty thing

Warm and fuzzy

2012-02-29T01:30:00.000-08:00

Wilfred oversized blazer (similar)

H&M denim shirt (similar)

Rag & Bone alpaca knit skirt (similar)

Plush fleece-lined tights

Topshop boots (similar)

A closer shot of the awesome Rag & Bone skirt I wore in this post. This furry skirt has been one of my winter favorites, especially layered under oversized anything.. blazers, shirts, sweaters.. The knit is so shaggy and thick that it makes wearing a skirt actually logical in cold weather. Of course paired with my best winter purchase by far.. fleece-lined tights (am not one of those awkward unseasonal dressers who bare legs in the winter. Unless winter is like 80 degrees). My lower body perpetually feels like it's being hugged by fleecy amazingness.

All purpose outfit

2012-02-27T00:11:00.000-08:00

Madewell shirt (similar)

7 for All Mankind skinny jeans

Zara asymmetrical pumps

Prada bag

The weekend was incredibly busy but fantastic.. food dates with friends, meetings with potential wedding photographers, and a final fitting before I ordered THE wedding dress. :) I wore this outfit, or a variation of it, for all of those events. When a day is packed with a range of activities and no time to go home and change, I like to wear an outfit that can easily be dressed up or down. For example, I switched out heels for flats for a chill brunch. Anyway, I loved the look of Zara's cutout heels when they came out in black but they've long sold out, so when the nude ones came out I got them right away. The exposed arch is so subtly sexy.

The Innkeeper - Seattle

2012-02-24T11:53:00.000-08:00

The owners of Black Bottle, where my fiancé planned our surprise engagement party, opened The Innkeeper recently. The name is an inspiration from the Chef Chris Linker's favorite book, Don Quixote, which makes the literary nerd in me happy. It serves up small plates of Latin American food, and has a bustling but laidback bar vibe, fun for some grubbing and drinking on a Friday night.

Wooden cigar boxes hold utensils and napkins.

How can you beat $1/oyster happy hour!? It was our favorites, half Kushi and half Kumamoto with cava mignonette. We split a dozen but I could have easily eaten all this by myself..and then ordered another round..and another.

House-smoked Annatto chicken drumettes with chile tamulado (a habanero sauce they make in house), which isn't so hot initially but definitely builds in intensity in that gooood way.

Argentine empanadas and chimichuri filled with savory beef and raisins.

Grilled queso fresco with vegetarian green chili. I love Mexican cheese, so it was heaven having it simply grilled in its gooey goodness.

Moscow Mule in a tin mug.

Tres Leches cake with whipped cream and strawberries. This was one of the best Tres Leches I've ever had! So incredibly moist and creamy.. want one nowwww...

All that glitters is silver

2012-02-22T01:50:00.000-08:00

Shipley & Halmos blazer

Cynthia Rowley sequin dress (similar)

BCBGmaxazria lace shorts (similar)

Zara lucite heel pumps

Balenciaga clutch

I'm totally not one to stick within my size if I like something and there's only one left.. so I ended up getting this sequined tee in a large, but it works tucked in as a shirt or worn as a little dress (with shorts under of course). It's my first sequined item of any sort since I'm not usually a big fan, but I figured it was okay because the casual v-neck and jersey back made it more wearable for day and can be dressed up for night. Since sequins are so loud, I toned the rest of the outfit down with black and a sharp blazer. I wore this to a gf's birthday party, but I'll post a daytime sequins look in the future.

Hair tutorial: textured beachy waves

2012-02-19T18:57:00.001-08:00

I often get questions about how I do my hair. If I'm leaving it down, I prefer textured beachy waves. My routine to achieve this look is actually extremely easy, fast, and uncalculated...but I hope this tutorial helps!

Frederic Fekkai Full Volume spray, Alterna Bamboo Kendi oil, Evo Water Killer dry shampoo and Salty Dog spray

1. Alterna Bamboo Kendi Oil - This stuff is magical and it smells so good too. My dry hair was in need of some serious TLC, and so far I love it. I squeeze about half a dropper of oil into my palm and rub it into damp hair (I do my makeup while my hair is drying in the towel so it's not sopping wet) then style. I also use directly on dry hair, leave it in for 30 minutes, and then wash out.

2. Frederic Fekkai Full Volume Spray - Spray all over at roots.

3. I use a Revlon Ionic Ceramic blowdryer with a diffuser and curl my hair into it to create scrunching/waves. I push my hair up at the roots for volume.

4. Love/hate relationship with bangs. I'm currently growing out my bangs (I think. I'll probably change my mind when they get long), so I curl and blow-dry them off to the side.

5. Evo Salty Dog Cocktail Beach Spray - I'm pretty sure I got this just because I like the name so much. But I used to use Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray and both work well in creating that messy "oh I totally look like I just went to the beach when I totally didn't" style.

Finished! The curls look kind of scraggly in the photo but they loosen throughout the day for a more relaxed, natural wave. Unpictured is the Evo Water Killer Dry Shampoo, which smells amazing! I use it on my bangs on a day I don't wash my hair and it gets rid of that stringy greasy look and also adds volume and texture.

Blue crush

2012-02-17T00:08:00.000-08:00

Wilfred shirtdress

BCBGmaxazria lace shorts (similar)

Plush fleece-lined tights

Theyskens' Theory velvet flats

Marc Jacobs bejeweled patent leather bag

I've been hunting for the gorgeous Theyskens' Theory blue velvet wedges but to no avail, so when I saw them in the flats form, I had to pull the trigger. They took a few wears to break in.. painful flats, that will never make sense to me, then I might as well wear heels?? Anyway, I've forgiven them. Since the rich blue is so pretty on its own, I've just been pairing the flats with simple all black. This slinky shirtdress is easy to wear with anything, it's the black version of the one I wore in this post. Happy Friday all!

Kaleidoscope Vision - Seattle

2012-02-15T10:34:00.000-08:00

Capitol Hill

1419 10th Ave

Seattle, WA 98122

We had an awesome impromptu date over the weekend in one of our favorite neighborhoods, Capitol Hill. We grabbed lunch at a fun spot (post to come), chatted over coffee at the Caffe Vita where beans are roasted, checked out Rare Medium, a vintage Polaroid camera shop.. and finally stumbled upon Kaleidoscope Vision, a recently-opened vintage store offering anything from terrarium-building workshops to vintage books. I came away with a gorgeous vintage Valentino silk blouse (second to the last photo) in perfect condition that I'm sure I'll capture in an outfit post to come, and the man got a pair of genuinely distressed boots from the 1940s. I love discovering new parts of my favorite city.

Life is like photography, you develop from the negatives

2012-02-13T14:25:00.000-08:00

YesStyle asymmetrical sweater

Rag & Bone alpaca skirt (similar)

Plush fleece-lined tights

Topshop boots

Photography by Sean Young

Met up with my friend at a coffee shop for a photoshoot with his Leica M4 from the 1960s. There's that original raw texture in film pictures that just isn't quite the same when recreated with filters. The process is more meticulous.. he had to manually meter the light and focus. The results turned out wonderfully charming, and none of these photos have been altered by Photoshop.

Streets ahead

2012-02-10T20:35:00.000-08:00

Helmut Lang cutout knit (similar)

James Perse tank top

PRPS boyfriend jeans (similar)

Acne suede peep-toe booties (similar, on sale!)

Prada bag

(Blog titles are annoying to think up so I always force my fiancé to come up with something haha so this title was his idea.. if you watch Community, you'll get it ;).)

It's been warm enough to show toes! So I seized the opportunity and debuted these new Acne booties. The slouchy foldover makes them a little more casual to pair with saggy boyfriend jeans. Anyway, I updated the blog layout recently, and I'm excited to be adding some new content in the weeks to come like wedding DIY projects, hair and makeup tutorials, and more. Hope you all have a fun weekend!

Terra Plata - Seattle

2012-02-08T10:13:00.000-08:00

Last weekend, we went to Terra Plata, which is a farm to table restaurant with a rooftop garden that would be pretty cool to check out in the summer. Seattle restaurants always have great interiors and this one is no different (minus the Christmas lights in February..) Anyway, on to the food...

Marinated beets with arugula, pistachios, and aged ricotta. Preparing beets take so long at home so I always make sure to indulge in them when I'm out.

Crispy brussels sprouts, cured ham, and rosemary. Why are human beings stereotyped to hate brussels sprouts as kids when they are so delicious? I love the lightly crisped leaves, and I'm used to having bacon chopped into brussels sprouts usually but this is my first time having it with prosciutto and now I dream of this dish..

Medjool dates stuffed with Valdeón cheese wrapped in lardon. Dates, good. Cheese, good. Fat, good. Recipe for success.

Bone marrow with grapefruit watercress crostini. That is me going to town alone with the bone marrow because the man doesn't like it. Anyway, the outfit worn here is from this post. (Btw, if you're really attention-to-detail you may have noticed I'm wearing my wedding band because the engagement ring is currently getting resized. Can't wait to get it back!)

Flank steak with duck fat fries. That little duck's fat certainly makes potatoes so much tastier..

You're just like sunlight

2012-02-06T13:51:00.000-08:00

Madewell shirt (similar)

3.1 Phillip Lim cropped pants (similar)

Maison Martin Margiela metallic|mesh pumps (similar)

Marc Jacobs bejeweled patent bag

Blogging has semi-seriously made me want to move to California.. like when I see girls wear skirts and tanks year round while winter-temps here in Seattle has forced me into hibernation. This week, however, the sun's finally been out, which has got me looking forward to spring. I got these 3.1 Phillip Lim cropped trousers recently, and the light color is perfect for transitioning seasons while the heavier almost pilly material makes it more wearable than linen summer pants.

Silk lace leather

2012-02-03T12:00:00.000-08:00

Wilfred shirt dress

BCBGmaxazria lace shorts (similar)

Plush fleece-lined tights

Dries Van Noten boots

Forever 21 necklace

Had a whole post written up about this but Blogger deleted it so I'm not even going to try to recap.. Something about getting two of these slinky silk shirt dresses because they're so comfy and versatile blah blah you get the idea. Anyway, today was the perfect Friday. I ran around town with my best friend looking for salvaged stuff for my wedding DIYs. Can't wait to work on it and see it all come together. Have a fun weekend everyone!

Black and yellow

2012-02-01T11:26:00.000-08:00

Rag & Bone leather jacket (similar)

Acne sheer tee

T by Alexander Wang skirt (similar)

Plush fleece-lined tights

Givenchy boots

Forever 21 necklace

Balenciaga clutch

Here is the outfit shoot to what I wore in this post. I can never commit to going full-on neon, but I much prefer a neon accessory here and there. Especially with all the neon that has resurfaced in fashion over the last year and carrying into this, adding just a touch is the key to walking that line between a fun color pop vs. popping straight out of the 80s.

Anyway, thank you to everyone who's been interactive on Formspring. Getting to know my audience is one of my favorite parts of blogging, so I appreciate all the comments, questions, and requests!

Blind Pig Bistro - Seattle

2012-01-30T13:40:00.000-08:00

We heard tasty things about Blind Pig Bistro so we came here for our date night on Friday. The location is unexpected, a tiny spot wedged between a Subway and a teriyaki joint in a mini strip mall, but we didn't judge the book by its cover and thank goodness. The food was delicious! We couldn't stop ordering..

Chalkboard menu because items change frequently. I like the option of a half or full size so you can sample more dishes.

Handwritten wine list.

Started off with oysters: two Kumamotos with scallion and coriander marionette, and two Fat Bastards with grapefruit and pimentón ice.

Fluke crude with avocado, chillies, and apple. The creamy crudo was perfect with avocado, offset with a hint of sweet tanginess and a kick.

Chioggia beets with blood orange, fennel, sorrel, and horseradish yogurt. I love beets and this dish was very fresh with the citrus notes and subtly spicy from the fennel and horseradish.

Staring adoringly at the roasted kale and quinoa salad with a poached egg, radish, and crispy capers. One of my favorite salad combos ever.. must try to make this at home.

Our favorite dish of the night.. Sturgeon with brussels sprouts, anchovy, pine nuts, currants, and mint. The sturgeon was so flavorful and buttery, and that brussels sprouts mix was incredible. We should have ordered like ten of these.

Pork belly with treviso and cauliflower. Happy to see treviso, this Northern Italian veggie, being used. It's been pretty "trendy" lately in food.

Skirt steak with charred eggplant, hedgehog mushroom, and potato confit. Hedgehog mushrooms are so good!

Finished off the meal with a rich chocolate mousse drizzled with sea salt, olive oil, and spices.

We just had to keep walking, and we became the stories, we became the places, we were the lights, the deserts, the faraway worlds

2012-01-26T23:34:00.000-08:00

3.1 Phillip Lim trench coat (similar)

Dolce Vita cropped sweater (similar)

Rag & Bone leather panel skirt (similar)

Dries Van Noten boots (similar)

Photography by John Nakatsu

These are shot by the same friend as the last post, I think some of you noticed how the style and lens were different from usual (good eye! Points). He does more post-processing than I do, but it's fun to change it up every now and then. I wore this outfit a few months back when the weather still permitted some skin exposure, but if I wear this now I'll layer a black tank under the sweater and wear black tights.

Sometimes I just want to slow it down, then there was rain

2012-01-24T11:13:00.000-08:00

Étoile Isabel Marant corduroy shirt (similar), Rag & Bone jeggings, Banana Republic rainboots (similar), Marc by Marc Jacobs umbrella (similar)

Photography by John Nakatsu

Shot these a while ago (if you're detail-oriented you can tell my bangs haven't been chopped/butchered yet). I've gotten asked what I wear on chill days, it varies but this outfit was a pretty accurate depiction especially since I wore this shirt to death in the fall (also seen in this post). Anyway, one of my favorite simple pleasures is stomping through a puddle knowing you won't get wet.. adversely, wearing new nice flats on a day that is pouring has got to be one of the worst #firstworldproblems.

1 pair of burgundy jeans styled 3 ways

2012-01-22T20:56:00.000-08:00

Outfit 1: Maison Martin Margiela dolman button up, Lanvin cutout boots

Outfit 2: Wilfred wool boyfriend blazer (similar), Zara booties

Outfit 3: Wilfred oversized cardigan (similar), sheer metallic shirt from Hong Kong boutique, Topshop boots

I wanted a pair of burgundy jeans for fall/winter because I could just envision them with so many looks. I bought this pair by Twenty8Twelve colored "blood" which is kind of hauntingly accurate. They're colorful enough to spruce up a plain ensemble, but also appropriate for the season. I wore them so much I'm sick of them now, and to save you all from being sick of looking at photos of them I condensed three shoots into one post. Shows how mindlessly easy it is to wear colored pants.. will be branching out more into that in the next seasons.

Monsoon - Seattle

2012-01-19T13:44:00.000-08:00

Coming to Monsoon in Capitol Hill was a lucky stumble.. we had intended to go to a restaurant across the street but it wasn't open yet (got really hungry at 5pm.. feed me!) but I'm glad to have landed here. Ever since our trip to Vietnam, we've been even more obsessed with the cuisine, and Monsoon gave it just enough of a modern twist yet preserved the traditional flavors I love.

Green papaya salad with grilled wagyu beef, rau ram, and caramelized shallots. This salad is one of my favorite starters, the fresh ingredients combined with a lightly tangy dressing just open up your appetite. The grilled wagyu beef was so tender and added some warmth to the dish.

Grilled Monterey squid stuffed with duck, basil, and jicama. I love how the entire squid was preserved, so beautiful.. though I'm sure beauty is in the eye of the beholder and a lot of people would be grossed out by the intact tentacles..

Crispy organic tofu with lemongrass, sweet onions, and roasted Shiitake mushrooms. Maybe because I love my mom's fried tofu, but it's really so simple and delicious especially sautéed with tons of garlic.. though I'm convinced that anything with tons of garlic would be tasty.

Barbecued Carlton Farm pork spare ribs in ginger, hoisin, and five spice. The meat fell off the bone, was just right sweet, and went well with the pickled jicama and carrots.

Half portion of wokked soft noodles with oyster mushrooms, duck egg, green onions. Hints of all the ingredients with a smokiness from the wok made these noodles work as a complement to the other dishes.

Coconut cream pudding for dessert. It had the consistency of flan, and flan is one of my favorite desserts ever + coconut.. can't go wrong.

Inside the dying city

2012-01-17T17:22:00.000-08:00

Vince chambray shirt (similar), Zara elbow patch sweater (similar) and boots (similar), Rag & Bone jeggings

Here is the second part of this post on the inside of Civita di Bagnoregio, the "dying city" in Italy. The city was so charming, but with a definite quiet desolate feel which I loved. The silence makes you notice the little things.. like a pop of orange from an unattended persimmon tree against its archaic surroundings, skinny stray cats meowing for some scraps and affection, and the apparent restorative efforts of newer arches supporting the ancient Etruscan architecture. My favorite moment is the last photo of when we were leaving the city just as the sun was setting and the entire entryway was illuminated with a fiery amber glow.

Not going to title this winter wonderland

2012-01-15T18:43:00.000-08:00

Veeko coat (similar), Ralph Lauren sweater dress (similar), Nordstrom rainboots (similar), Plush fleece-lined tights, Hollister legwarmers, ASOS faux fur snood, H&M fingerless gloves

Woke up this morning to snow, which comes for a few days a year in Seattle and is generally received ambivalently -- delight and freakout (an inch of snow?! Snow tires ASAP!) We took the opportunity to shoot in it, and then it turned into a mini blizzard. It's fun when doing this blog gets us into random little moments like that. :)

Warby Parker

2012-01-12T22:40:00.000-08:00

So excited about trying out Warby Parker. You pick up to 5 pairs of glasses to try, and just mail back whatever doesn't work out. The best part, when you buy a pair, someone in need gets a pair too! Plus they just did a collab with Suno. You may see me in eyewear more often...

Recipe - smoked rosemary beets salad with steak

2012-01-11T14:41:00.000-08:00

I got my first Full Circle delivery on Monday, which consisted of a box of 12 organic fruits and veggies. I got a pound of Chioggia beets, and though I love beets, I've never cooked with them so I was excited to try this recipe. As a disclaimer, making this meal will take 1+ hrs because of the time to roast the beets, so it's not one of those quick dinners (I made one the night before that took literally 15 minutes.. so easy and delicious, I will share that sometime).

The gorgeous color of beets always gets me. Chop off the tips and bottoms and wash.

I prematurely cut the beets up because I wanted to lessen the roast time.. Don't do this. Roast the beets whole, it makes it easier to peel the skin off after. Place the beets in foil with fresh rosemary, wrap up the foil, poke a few holes on top with a fork and place onto a grill over charcoal for 1+ hours. You can also use the oven on 400 degrees F but you won't get the smokey flavor.

Once the beets are done roasting, toss them in with roughly chopped parsley and basil, olive oil, salt and pepper.

I also got 1.5lbs of redskin potatoes from Full Circle, and what better than potatoes with steak? These are dressed in olive oil, salt, pepper, and fresh rosemary. I tossed them in the oven until golden brown.

My fiancé loves cottage cheese, so when I found this cottage cheese dressing recipe I had to give it a try. Mix cottage cheese with thyme, olive oil, salt, pepper, and lemon zest and juice.

The finished product: smoked rosemary beets, parsley and basil salad on the left, thyme lemon cottage cheese dressing, medium rare steak, and a side of homestyle potatoes.

The dying city

2012-01-09T11:52:00.000-08:00

Ralph Lauren coat (similar), Vince chambray shirt (similar), Rag & Bone jeggings, Zara boots (similar)

One of my favorite places in Italy is Civita di Bagnoregio, or the "dying city." It was built 2500 years ago by the Etruscans on clay/basalt, which has intensively eroded over time. Only a small village with a population of 14 remains, surrounded by hills and valleys as far as your eyes can see. It's one of those wonders where you can observe nature and the manmade coexist so beautifully. I'll post more photos of the inside of the city soon.

Shop Pretty Thing is open!

2012-01-06T00:59:00.000-08:00

Hi all! This is the project I've been working on for the past few days and have been excited to share with you. After realizing I had a lot of pieces in my closet I've never worn or have barely worn, I thought I would make an online shop for this blog. I'll be updating it frequently so check back! SHOP.

Return to me

2012-01-03T23:34:00.000-08:00

Zara sweater, Twenty8Twelve jeans (similar), Topshop boots, Urban Outfitters men's eternity scarf

These were taken by my best friend when we were wandering around the vicinity of the Colosseum a few weeks ago during our Italy trip. We were lucky and hit a warm spell there this winter. This particular day I think was 65 degrees, so a sweater and scarf (or in this case, a full on cable knit neck brace) were ample coverage.

Anyway, the last photo captures one of my favorite things in Italy... the profession of love written or carved into walls everywhere. It's this sort of careless urgency, careless in the sense that there is no shame in who knows it as long as the message is conveyed. One I particularly remember was a short sentence scribbled on the median in Viterbo that, translated to English, said, "Return to me, Sara." It filled my mind with this romanticized story of heartbreak, and a fantasized ending that maybe Sara saw the message and at least, for a fleeting second, thought about how happy she was once the first time he told her he loved her...before walking past and continuing on with her life.

PS! I rarely write this long but there is exciting (well, at least to me) news in store! I'll announce it in the next post! :)