Kristine Or Polly

Saturday and a Takashi Murakami exhibit

2013-05-14T09:00:00.000-07:00

I wasn't scheduled to work on Saturday, so Matt and I had a rare fun-filled day. First, I woke up early and made Matt french toast. I never get to make breakfast because I value my sleep too much, so this was truly a big deal for me.

After that, we saw a matinee showing of The Great Gatsby, which I loved. Then, we were starving, so we remembered this Top 10 Best Fried Chicken in LA list and headed to Honey's Kettle to get some chicken and biscuits. YUM.

Afterwards, we headed to Blum and Poe art gallery in Culver City to see the Takashi Murakami exhibit. Murakami is one of Matt's favorite artists. I'm mostly a fan of his flower art. We were so glad that we got to see his work in real life.

Later that night, we had some late night ice cream with AZ friends at Milk, my tried-and-true favorite ice cream spot in LA. Please, everyone go and get their Nutella ice cream. It will make you the happiest of happy. (But don't go on a Saturday night around 10pm, because the line will be absurd.)

Trip to the plant nursery

2013-05-07T10:00:00.000-07:00

Saturday was my birthday! The big 2-4. It was a pretty low-key birthday, and I loved it. We spent it down in Newport with Matt's family for his cousin's wedding, which was beautiful. In between wedding festivities, Matt surprised me by taking me to a nursery to pick out succulents for our new apartment. It took us forever to pick them out because they were all so pretty. In the end, we picked out the three in the last photo. Cute, right?

Somehow I have turned into a baseball fan.

2013-04-29T08:00:00.000-07:00

I don't really follow sports... and some would say I don't really even UNDERSTAND sports... but I LOVE going to games. Is there anything more fun than eating junk food and doing the wave and clapping fun rhythms when the almighty stadium gods prompt you to clap?? I think not. Matt and I also managed to creep our way onto the Jumbotron (is that what it's called?) when our neighbors got the limelight, so we're really cool.

Also, please notice that I'm wearing my Dodgers blue. I'm really into this.

The Getty Center

2013-04-23T08:00:00.000-07:00

This weekend, Matt and I went to the Getty Center, a museum in Los Angeles. I have a feeling we'll be spending a lot of time here from now on, because DID YOU KNOW IT'S FREE?? Okay, well not completely free. Parking costs $15. But you can spend the entire day there. And bring your own food. So I'd say that's a pretty good deal (in LA, that is...). Plus, you get to take this really fun tram from the parking garage to the museum...

We mainly went to see the film Tokyo Story, which is part of their "In Tokyo" film series. The film series is in conjunction with the exhibition "Japan's Modern Divide: The Photographs of Hiroshi Hamaya and Kansuke Yamamoto". If you love Japanese culture like I do, I would highly suggest visiting the Getty Center soon to catch it.

Two useful things I learned for my next trip are (1) Parking is only $10 after 5PM and (2) You can go to both the Getty Center AND the Getty Villas on the same day and only have to pay parking for 1! Score.

In other news, we officially signed a lease for our new apartment! I'm feeling really good about this. We are upgrading to a bigger space, in a better neighborhood, with our own parking spot (!!!). (Street parking is the WORST.) Needless to say, I can't wait to get out of our tiny studio apartment.

Blouse: Madewell (similar); Skirt: Madewell (similar); Boots: Urban; Bag: Ruche

My first trip to Magnolia

2013-04-15T08:00:00.000-07:00

Both my full-time job and my part-time job are within walking distance of 2 different Sprinkles Cupcakes locations. I know. I cannot believe my luck.

Now, what does this have to do with Magnolia Bakery? Well, it seems as though there are many, many people who are adamantly against Sprinkles because they are so devoted to Magnolia. On Friday, I listened to a co-worker talk religiously about not only Magnolia's cupcakes, but also, Magnolia's banana pudding. And then I went home and read Nat the Fat Rat's blog post about that darn banana pudding. I decided I needed to figure out what this hullabuloo was all about.

Luckily, I got cut from my Saturday job 4 hours early (I couldn't stop jumping up and down after hearing this news) and was able to finally stop in at Magnolia Bakery on 3rd. Here are my takeaways (I actually hate that word):

Although finding street parking is nearly impossible - we refuse to valet - the line only consisted of 3 people. HURRAH for not having to wait too long in line. Take that, Sprinkles.
The banana pudding was EVEN BETTER than anyone could ever have told me.
The cupcakes... I'm really not that picky about cupcakes. I mean, I'll eat them all happily if given the opportunity, but... people really think these are better than Sprinkles? Mine was pretty dry. I don't understand. I do like how they frost the cupcakes, though. I'll give them that.

In conclusion: I'll definitely be going back to Magnolia - but ONLY for banana pudding.

In other news, last week was pretty great. It consisted of:

Taco Tuesdays at Cafe Rio, Life of Pi at the dollar theater, watching a lot of Arrested Development, discovering that I love mozzarella, me awkwardly trying to fit in at work, teaching the YW lesson while sweating profusely because the room was abnormally hot, wandering around neighborhoods in Pasadena that were filled with peacocks hanging out on the street, etc, etc.

A long, jumbled post

2013-04-05T08:00:00.000-07:00

Oh, hey guys. It's been a while, hasn't it? This is going to be one of those annoying blog posts that is obnoxiously long. Lots has happened in the past... 3 months or so. Where should I start?

Here's one: I graduated from FIDM with my Professional Designation AA in Merchandise Marketing. I can't believe how fast that went. I remember the days when I dreamed of attending FIDM, and how I thought those dreams were so out of my reach. And now, my dream has been accomplished. The last semester was another doozy, but I finished strong.

I am so grateful that I was able to attend FIDM. The education was extremely relevant for what I am wanting to be. The professors were very helpful and supportive. The Career Center was amazing with its connections and advice. I was able to intern for such great companies and get real experience in the buying field. I also made such really amazing (and well-dressed) friends.

While being a full-time student, I also continued to work at Madewell. I transferred to a very high-traffic location and I love it. Can I be any more obsessed with this company? I think not.

I also interned for the buying offices of a retailer located downtown, who I also landed a full-time job with! I am officially a Merchandise Assistant, supporting buyers like a boss (well... I'm not the boss... it's just a saying). Words cannot express how lucky and grateful I feel. I know I couldn't have gotten this job without (1) the help of FIDM's career center (thanks Nonie!) and (2) the help of the buyer I interned with. If there is one thing I learned at FIDM, it is that hard work and networking really pay off. I love the company I work for and I can't wait to grow and progress within it. (I also love that there is birthday cake in the office multiple times a week and OFFICE SUPPLIES MY MOST FAVORITE THINGS IN THE WORLD. There is nothing that makes me happier than my electric stapler, my green tack magnets, and my hot coral Post-It notes that I found.)

Nowadays, I am enjoying being out of school and having free time after work. I'm attempting to learn Japanese for the 50th time. Matt's my teacher. I'm forcing him to have a curriculum for me and make worksheets with little kawaii mascots at the top. I'm also planning on learning how to cook. To encourage myself to do this, I got this great book called Fresh Flavor Fast that has everything I look for in a cookbook: minimal ingredients, minimal cooking time, good design, pictures for every recipe, and (bonus) it splits the recipe up into seasons.

Oh yeah, and we're moving into a new place! We currently live in a tiny studio apartment in a shady part of town, which has been fairly good to us, but we've outgrown it just a bit. We're upgrading to a HUMONGOUS (to us) 1-bedroom in a less-shady part of town (still a bit shady, though...).

Matt's doing pretty well, too. I can't express how thankful I am for his support during this last year.

So that's basically that. I hope to blog a bit more these days now that I have free time. It's hard to get back into the swing of documenting things... and my life isn't really that interesting... or pretty, since I sit at a desk for most of my week... but I feel like I need to do this because otherwise how else would I remember things, right?

Last thing, these photos were taken on Easter in a hidden part of Pasadena. I liked it. It reminded me of Japan... and I like anything that reminds me of Japan.

PS.

Oh yeah, and I haven't done this in a while:

Sweater: Madewell (on sale), Pants: Urban; Flats: Madewell; Necklace: J.Crew Factory (on sale)

January

2013-02-01T23:37:00.000-08:00

1. Cupcakes for Miss Elaine's baby shower. (Congratulations on your little Gray!)

2. A recent outfit. My style has gotten a lot more laid back since moving to LA. Lots of stripes and flats.

3. DIYed some tissue paper garlands, also for Elaine's baby shower. I used this tutorial!

4. Transferred to The Grove, which is an outdoor mall/tourist destination in West Hollywood. A little crazy, but I like it.

5. Ice cream from MILK. Best ice cream, ever. I highly recommend the Nutella ice cream.

It's been busy as usual.

I spent the holidays with friends and family in good old Gilbert, AZ. I went back to my hometown feeling pretty ambivalent, and left feeling extremely sad. I had forgotten how nice it is to be in such close proximity to the people I love. (I do love LA, though.)
I am now in my last quarter at FIDM, taking Applied Buying, Allocation, Entrepreneurship, Contemporary Business Strategies, and Promotion.
I also intern for two companies and work at Madewell.
Oh, I went to NYC for the National Retail Federation's annual conference. It was super interesting, and I got to see lots of CEOs speak from really great companies (Starbucks, The Container Store, Macy's, Whole Foods, Mango, Amazon, and so many more). I also got to see Donna Karan speak, and I almost met her... but I gave up after awkwardly waiting. She did smile at me and acknowledge my presence though, so that's cool, right? I also took some trips to Uniqlo and MUJI, my favorite stores when living in Japan.
Amber and Steven visited a few weekends ago! BFFs forever.
I've also been pinning lots of interiors on my Pinterest!
And of course I must include my favorite items from Madewell: 1, 2, 3

So long, 2012

2012-12-31T15:13:00.000-08:00

Happy (almost) New Year from sunny Arizona.

2012 has been amazing. A couple highlights:

Starting off the year in my favorite place of all time, Tokyo.
Seeing my best friends get married to each other.
Having Matt back home after being apart for 4 months.
Being in Marie Claire magazine's street style section.
Moving to Los Angeles and following my dream of going to FIDM.
Working at Madewell and meeting tons of amazing people.
Interning with Shabby Apple, Le Mode Accessories, and Rolling Greens throughout the year.
Achieving my goals of getting straight A's while working and interning.
The Spice Girls' reunion (I was really excited about that, okay?)
Getting called as a Young Women's leader at church.
Spending time with family in San Diego for my cousin's wedding.
Having Thanksgiving dinner on the beach.
Attending Sufjan Stevens' Christmas sing-a-long.
The Nutcracker on Christmas Eve.
Being home for the holidays.

Here are a few things I'm looking forward to in 2013:

A new buying internship.
A trip to NYC for the National Retail Federation Big Show.
Graduation in March.
Hopefully landing a full time job!

And some goals:

Straight A's again.
After graduation, begin reading books again.
Eat healthier.
Get organized!

Happy New Year everyone. Thank you for reading and being a part of my life.

Look for Less: Anthropologie Karinska Tulle Skirt

2012-11-28T21:25:00.001-08:00

I've been seeing this Anthropologie tulle skirt floating around the interwebs lately, and thought I could share a bit of a secret...

Anthropologie Karinska Tulle Skirt

$188

Shabby Apple Tinsel Town Skirt

$62

Just in time for all of those holiday parties, right? (For an even MORE affordable option... I've heard you can make them as well!)

Thanksgiving at Sycamore Cove

2012-11-25T19:20:00.000-08:00

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend! On Wednesday, Matt's parents and two of his sisters drove over to California to spend Thanksgiving with us. It was so nice to have family in town. Instead of doing the traditional Thanksgiving dinner, we decided to do a low-key cookout on the beach, which is why these photos may look like they're actually from July 4th. We took a nice drive down the PCH in search of beaches with grills - apparently they're really hard to find. Finally, we found the perfect beach with lots of picnic tables and just a few people on it. It was wonderful and stress-free, which is just what we were looking for.

Afterwards, we ate pie at Matt's family's hotel room and watched maybe 5 hours of NCIS while playing cards with Matt's sisters. Matt made a delicious peanut butter chocolate pie from scratch with no recipe. I am a very lucky lady.

The rest of my weekend consisted of WORK. Oh, retail during the holidays. Black Friday was just as crazy as I thought it would be. On the bright side, I'm so lucky to enjoy where I work and the people I work with. That night, we watched Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 with Matt's family... all I can say is, WHY DOBBY WHY?!

This week will be another crazy week. Lots of projects and exams, not to mention internships and work. Definitely looking forward to the end of the semester... I've got a lot to be excited for, like the Sufjan Stevens Christmas concert next week, the Nutcracker on Christmas Eve (our Christmas Eve tradition), and of course, visiting Arizona for the holidays.

PS I've been having a bit of fun with the Afterglow photo editing app... big fan right here.

Enjoying...

2012-11-18T21:41:00.000-08:00

Another weekend has come and gone. On Friday, I worked, then did homework. On Saturday, I worked, got hot chocolate with Matt, went to my favorite place (Trader Joe's!), and watched In the Mood for Love (Matt loves Wong Kar Wai films). Today, we went to church. I got called as a Young Women's advisor, which both scares and excites me. Wish me luck!

This week, I'm looking forward to Thanksgiving, of course. Can't wait to make some pie!

Now here are a few things I've been enjoying:

The above painting is from this Flickr account that I just discovered. Love it all.
This may be my favorite thing on the Internet right now.
This Instagram feed is completely feeding my Target addiction.
Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Covered Peppermint Joe Joe's: Favorite holiday treat, ever.
CHRISTMAS MUSIC. It is time.
The Beauty Department's YouTube videos are the best. This one taught me how to curl my hair. Must try this one for the holidays.
Favorite items at Madewell currently: one, two, three.

What I'm thankful for today

2012-11-16T22:29:00.000-08:00

I don't usually like inspirational quotes, but I pinned this one a few months back and rediscovered it the other day. Lately, I've been thinking about how thankful I am to be going to FIDM. It has always been my dream to work in the fashion industry. I never really thought I was good enough. Not fashionable enough, not knowledegable enough, etc, etc.

I had a vivid dream one morning almost two years ago. From that dream, I knew that I needed to pursue what I've always wanted. Now, here I am, living, working, and studying in Los Angeles, learning about what I love. I've never been happier in my life. If I fail, or if it doesn't work out, I know that I will find comfort in the fact that I tried.

I'm also thankful for a supportive husband who always encourages me. I'm thankful for all the sacrifices he has made so that I can be here. I pray that I can be as selfless as he is.

xo Kristine

Food I've been enjoying lately around LA

2012-11-15T22:30:00.000-08:00

1. Blossom Tea from The Lobby. It has a really beautiful flower in it. Sidenote: Do you know how hard it is to find a place to study in LA? All the coffee shops are always crowded and too loud. Luckily, after a bit of Yelping we found The Lobby. Quiet, free wifi, really great drinks, and cushy chairs. (Not pictured - the boba drink that was the size of my head. That was an exaggeration. It was really big though.)

2. Strawberries. I woke up early one day last week to make Matt breakfast. I felt really domestic, even though it just involved me popping open a tube of Trader Joes' Buttermilk Biscuits (which are amazing by the way) and chopping up these strawberries.

3. Banana Cream Pie from SimpleThings. Guys... this pie was good. I've had a fair share of overpriced pie in my lifetime, and this one was by far the yummiest. There was a lot happening in that little restaurant when we went though... some sort of Instagram themed party with swanky West Hollywood young people wearing blazers and shiny shoes and stuff. Oh, WeHo. (See how I talk like I'm a local now?)

4. Ramen from Silverlake Ramen. If you haven't had ramen that wasn't Top Ramen... you should give it a shot.

5. POCKY. The date 11/11 looks like Pocky... so therefore, it is Pocky Day. (And corduroy day.) Matt surprised me with these. Gotta love celebrating Pocky.

Celebrity sightings and other news

2012-11-05T17:49:00.000-08:00

Is this what my blog has resorted to?
Looking down photos of my outfit from Instagram?
Oh well. If you're curious, skirt and shoes are from Madewell,
as is everything else I wear nowadays.

Somewhat of an eventful week:

Halloween was a bit unorthodox. I think I am officially a grown up since I completely forgot it was Halloween until a few hours after I woke up. (In my defense, I had a midterm that morning.) And I didn't even attempt to dress up. Matt and I got Indian food that night with two of our friends, ate candy, and I went to bed around 11pm. Definitely a grown up.
The big exciting news of the week is that I had my first REAL celebrity sighting. REESE WITHERSPOON came into my store, and I almost died. I was walking towards the front when I saw her walk in, greeted her, and then thought... wait a second... that looked like... no. It can't be. BUT IT WAS. I got her a beanie that she asked for and put stuff at the register for her. We're basically BFFs. And then she taught me how to bend and snap.
That night, Matt and I went to AFI Fest in Hollywood to attend a screening of Electric Children - a film that was directed by a friend of friends. I loved it. And guys, BILLY ZANE was in the film and was there IN PERSON to attend a Q&A. TWO celebrities in one day? I couldn't handle it. (Also, I hang out in Hollywood nowadays? What is this life?)
We've been watching a lot of Adventure Time per our friend Will Kindrick's suggestion. Slightly nerdy of us? Maybe. But also, awesome.
This morning, Matt and I had brie on really good bread with sipping chocolate from Trader Joe's. Delicious and perfect. I've decided I want to shop at Trader Joe's all the time. How are the employees so cheerful all the time?? Do they know the secret of life?
Our Internet went out so we've been spending lots of time in cafes. Currently, I am at a cafe in Koreatown that is playing K-pop and also showing K-pop videos on the screen in front of me... but the music playing does not match the videos showing on the screen. I don't know, either.
Daylight Savings Time ended. Coming from Arizona, I really do not understand this concept. What is this sorcery of taking hours and giving back hours? Baffled here.

That's my week in a nutshell. I need to take more pictures.

Currently

2012-10-29T10:49:00.000-07:00

From a styling shoot for Le Mode Accessories! Interning is fun.

Currently...

Loving: This banana bread recipe. 7,000+ reviewers can't be wrong, right? It was my first banana bread recipe that I've tried, and Matt and I give it two thumbs up. Plus, it's so simple with only 7 ingredients that we already had. Let me just put it this way: I had a bite this morning and immediately proclaimed, "I AM A BAKING GODDESS". (PS Someday I hope to add some food posts up on here... I'm just learning to cook and bake, so I think it would be fun to show what worked and what didn't.)

Reading: Nothing but my school textbooks. School is in full swing again, and unfortunately that means there's no time to commit to a book. I look forward to when I'm done with school and can take up reading again.

Watching: Spoooooky things. Ever since October started, Matt and I have been watching Halloween-y films. Scary, but not too scary. I can't handle too scary. Some classics we've watched are: Psycho, Clue, Dial M For Murder, The Shining, the Halloween episodes of Community, and of course, It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.

Thinking about: Where Matt and I are going to be after I graduate. I wonder how Matt and I's future will play out. We've made a couple of eccentric choices in our marriage already, moving to Japan for a year to explore and then moving to LA to follow my dream of going to fashion school. Will we move again? Will we stay here? Sometimes I wonder if we'll ever know where we'll be in 6 months. It's difficult not to be able to see a few months in the future, but it's also exciting.

Stressing about: A test I have on Wednesday in Textile Sciences. Who knew there would be so much to learn about yarn?

Looking forward to: Sufjan Stevens' Christmas tour. Matt and I are huge fans of Sufjan Stevens and cannot wait to see him again. Also, Starbucks' red cups, peppermint hot chocolate, Christmas lights, and just the Christmas season overall.

Making me happy: Warm LA weather, working at Madewell, Matt, Taylor Swift's RED album (don't judge), Halloween candy, driving around Larchmont village to see Halloween decorations, feeling like an LA local.

PS Hey all you on the East Coast, please stay safe! xo

Madewell Little Tokyo Storyteller Scarf

2012-10-25T09:19:00.000-07:00

Proof that Madewell is in my brain, reading my thoughts? This amazing scarf with the names of neighborhoods in Tokyo that are near and dear to my heart. (My brain also may as well have created this llama scarf.)

Quit it, Madewell. You're creeping me out.

Breakfast on Coronado

2012-10-22T11:40:00.000-07:00

Earlier this month, Matt and I took a road trip down to Coronado for my cousin's wedding. It was so, so fun. My family all flew in from out of town - since we are all spread out all over the country, it is always a rare treat to all be together. Plus, Coronado is such a charming little place. The day that we left, we stopped in to eat breakfast at this cute restaurant, Crown Bistro. Going to breakfast, for me, equals pancakes and waffles, and this place had it all. I got the lemon poppy seed pancakes and Matt got some stuffed waffle concoction. So delicious.

Also, my hair just got long enough to be put in a bun. Which means, (hair) BUNS ALL THE TIME now. Thank goodness for that.

Oh, and thank you guys for all of your kind comments on my last post. I am so thankful to have such amazing people reading this blog. You guys have been so encouraging through all my life changes I've put on this blog. So, thanks. Again.

PS Still getting the hang of these lifestyle posts. Note to self: less smiling pictures and more ~~pretending like we're eating~~ natural pictures.

On blogging

2012-10-18T10:48:00.000-07:00

From Matt and I's honeymoon two years ago... I wanted a computer-related photo, okay?

If you're still reading this after months of me being a "bad" blogger, I've got some 'splaining to do. This month marks my two year anniversary of blogging. For the past few months, I've distanced myself from my blog a bit, which allowed me to really reflect on blogging and its role in my life.

When I first started blogging, things were great. I found community. I made friends. I had a creative outlet to express myself in. It was so positive, all the time. For the first year or so, I posted pretty consistently. Nowadays, I'm lucky if I can get in a few posts a month. So what happened? Ch-ch-changes.

I got busy. When I just started out blogging, it was my project to fill my time as I was unemployed and eagerly waiting to move to Japan. Now, with being a full-time student with a job and two internships, I barely have any free time.
I felt guilty. I feel like a lot of bloggers (including myself) have these delusions that if you don't blog, the world will be let down. I resented this feeling and because I can sometimes be conflict-avoiding person, I avoided my blog as much as possible.
I started comparing myself to others. I have always known that this was the kiss of death for bloggers, and yet it still happened. I looked at seemingly perfect women with their seemingly perfect lives and envied them. I became jealous of them and maybe even bitter at times. I hated that I felt this way. Blogging is supposed to be a place of positivity and inspiration, why did I let my insecurity take over like that?
I felt pressure to buy new things all the time. Being a style blogger, obviously there's a lot of pressure to look good, and with that may involve shopping for new things and keeping your style fresh. I am not in a place in my life where I can do that. I didn't want to always want material things.
I began to dislike my style. I moved to LA and started working at Madewell, and my preferences for style changed. I disliked my cutesy girly style and wanted to grow up a bit.
I felt limited by my 'style blog' niche. If I didn't like my style, I definitely wouldn't want to blog about it.
I got discouraged by numbers. I cared about stats too much. I thought I didn't, but I did. Page views went down, the number of comments went down, and so what that said to me (on the deep subconscious level) was - nobody really cares about my blog anymore, so I don't need to put that much effort into it.
I began to blog for other people. If I wasn't really interested in style blogging anymore, who was I blogging for?
I started to feel like blogging was a chore.
I got stuck in a rut.

There's that. I realize that the list above makes me seem like I have a lot of issues. I don't. I'm one of the most normal people I know. These are just thoughts and feelings that I've had in the past few months.

So, what happened in the past few months as I've reflected on these things?

I found myself less and less focused on materialistic things. OH, what a relief. Guys, for real. I'm in a pit of student loans right now. I buy food and pay painful Los Angeles rent and every once in a while I indulge in a sale item at Madewell. I need to not spend money right now. By not posting style posts as much, I don't feel that constant need to keep things fresh and different, which may involve a new item of clothing.
I became more interested in lifestyle blogs. Because I didn't want to buy new things or feel that urge to want things, I stopped looking at style blogs as often as I once did.
I got my fashion fix at school and work. Don't get me wrong guys. I still love clothes, style, and fashion. I mean, I go to fashion school. But now, I am constantly inspired by my fellow FIDM students, as well as my awesomely-dressed Madewell co-workers.
I missed blogging, but not style blogging. I loved having an online journal of sorts. I loved the community. I loved being a part of something. I loved being able to express myself.

So, what's next? Here's the thing: I'm going to be changing up my content. You may not see as many style posts. You may see more "what I did" posts or "what I'm thinking about" posts or "what inspires me" posts. The point is, I want to keep blogging, but I want to be true to myself. I want to have this outlet to express myself, but I don't want to be limited by a "niche".

I guess I didn't need to write all this out in order to do that. I rarely ever spill out my feelings like this on the blog, and to be honest, I feel a bit vulnerable and silly and maybe a bit petty. I mean, #bloggerwoes, right? But I want to be honest and open from now on.

I'd love for you to keep reading. Whether you've started reading two years ago or two months ago, thanks for being a part of my life. I appreciate it, really.

Currently...

2012-09-27T00:28:00.000-07:00

Loving: My two-week break from school. I've been working a ton to keep me busy, but it's nice not having to worry about anything due. Also loving - brownies, and my colorful cork bag from Le Mode Accessories (not available anymore, sorry!).

Reading: The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell. I've been wanting to read Malcolm Gladwell for years now, and have now just gotten around to it. I took a trend forecasting class last quarter, and I love getting his perspective on how trends move. (Sidenote: His TED talk is really interesting as well.)

Watching: Gangnam Style on YouTube... makes me laugh every time.

Thinking about: What direction to take my blog. I'll be honest... after about two years of style blogging, I'm in the market to add something new to Kristine or Polly.

Stressing about: Fall internships! I've been applying like crazy for buying internships for the fall quarter. If you know of anything in Los Angeles, please let me know!

Looking forward to: My cousin's wedding in a few weeks, where I get to see my family. It'll be so nice to have them around, even for just a little bit. Oh yeah, and I am also looking forward to the HOLIDAYS!!! For whatever reason today, I got so excited for Christmas-y candles and hand soap... And then "Noel" played in my head... I'm getting giddy just thinking about it.

Making me happy: The weather cooling down. Our landlord (of course) told us we'd be totally fine without air conditioning in our apartment... but let me tell you, the last few weeks were brutal. I'm definitely looking forward to cardigan weather.

Thanks Danielle for the inspiration to do this post!

A collar necklace and donuts

2012-09-21T10:07:00.000-07:00

Collar Necklace: Le Mode Accessories; Cardigan: Madewell; Tee: Urban;

Bag: Le Mode Accessories; Pants: Urban; Shoes: c/o Blowfish (similar)

Hi guys. Remember me? I took a break from blogging for about a month. School and work were pretty overwhelming... so I basically had to cut out some things from my life for a bit. You know how it goes.

The good news is, I finished my first quarter at FIDM! With straight A's! I've only got two more quarters to go. You know what else is good news? Donuts. There's this 24-hour donut shop by our apartment and it has now become my favorite place, ever. I'd take an $0.85 donut over a $4 cupcake any day.

And that's basically been my life lately. That and trying to spot celebrities because I live in LA and they're supposed to be everywhere... right?

What's in my bag?

2012-08-25T08:21:00.000-07:00

I usually carry a large tote bag for a reason: to carry all my stuffs. Here's what's in it:

Clockwise(ish) from left: My handy dandy FIDM planner. My absolute favorite pen, the Pilot G2 0.38. My iPhone in its adorable Fifi Lapin case c/o Iconemesis. Hand sanitizer. An unnecessarily large floral wallet from Urban. My favorite Chapsticks. J.Crew Poppy King lipstick. MAC Viva Glam I lipstick. Altoid Smalls (they're so cute and little!). Keys and my Totoro keychain. My favorite sunglasses from Anthro. Limited edition Hello Kitty oil absorbing sheets. The TAP card for getting around LA. My current read. Paul Frank eyeglasses.

Fun fact: Fifi Lapin was one of the first blogs I started reading, way back in the day. I mean... she's a rabbit... wearing cute clothes... which is why I'm in completely love with this Fifi Lapin iPhone case.

Have a happy Saturday!

A door and life snippets

2012-08-21T08:00:00.001-07:00

Sunglasses: Anthro; Top: Japan;
Skirt: Japan; Shoes: Jeffrey Campbell via Last Chance

Oh hey guys. Remember me? I dropped off the face of the planet for the past 2 weeks or so. Turns out being a full-time student with 3 (now 2) part-time jobs is kind of a doozy. Just a couple snippets of my life in the past few weeks:

School has been crazy. Lots of midterms and group projects due at the same time. Who thought it was a good idea to do that?
Madewell is awesome. I love all the bright colors and the wearability of it all. And have you guys seen the new Solange campaign? Can I be as cool as her someday?
After 10 months of being a social media intern at Shabby Apple, I decided I had to let it go due to school and work. I completely loved it, and everyone was so wonderful to work with, so it was quite the difficult decision.
I've been working on projects and assisting buying for Shop LeMode... You need to check it out if you like cute, affordable accessories. I don't know why I keep working places where I want to buy EVERYTHING.
I had Saturday off so Matt and I went to the Farmer's Market. After that, Miss Elaine and I went shopping and then went to the beach with our husbands! Did you guys know our husbands are total dopplegangers...? It's a little creepy.
Matt and I gave a talk at church last week... Nervewracking.
I was giddy for about a week after the Spice Girls reunited for the Olympics Closing Ceremony. And then this gif cracked me up.
I am eagerly awaiting this watch... It had me at the moving heart dial. (Confession: I have trouble reading watches without lines/numbers... yet I still ordered it...)
I'm getting excited for THE HOLIDAYS! Yeah, it's only August... but we are so close.

That's all for now. Hope you have a happy Tuesday!

A rounded collar and a floral skirt

2012-08-04T18:40:00.000-07:00

Head Scarf: Thrifted; Top: Nordstrom (similar);
Skirt: Vintage (similar); Shoes: Seychelles (similar)

Oh, hello. I'm just sitting here blogging on a Saturday night. The rest of my Saturday night will probably be spent doing homework. I've been pretty nonexistent on all forms of social media this week due to school and work, and I suspect that may be the case until March when my program is over. I really want to put so much more time and effort into this blog, but I gotta do what I gotta do to keep me sane. Sigh.

Today was so wonderful. Matt's brother, his wife, and their kids came and visited us. We hadn't seen them since before we left for Japan, which was about a year and a half ago. We've missed them so much, and it really felt as though nothing had changed, except for the fact that the kids are way bigger and actually talk now. We babysat the kids for a few hours, and then we all went out to a cute diner in downtown LA called Nickel Diner. It was SO GOOD. I had a Nutella donut, a maple glazed bacon donut, and Matt had the bacon donut as well with a homemade peach pop tart. Healthiest breakfast ever, right?

In other news, I've mastered both the Metro rail lines AND the bus lines. I feel awesome. My only experience with public transportation was in Japan, and let me tell you, it is so much easier when everything is written and spoken in English. Ain't no thang.

More Forever 21...

Instagramming: June-July

2012-08-01T06:17:00.000-07:00

Potential first day of school outfits vs. macrons at Bottega Louie.

Baking and cooking.

Brioche donuts from Lamill Coffee, the swankiest coffee shop you will ever go to.

View from my school.

Yogurtland + Sanrio = GENIUS.

Stopped by at the Poketo store... Cute everything.

Found these sheep paper clips in a box from Japan!

Our kawaii fridge.

My tutu photos. I just love this tutu.

Follow me on Instagram @ kristineorpolly!

Blowfish Fall Preview Party and the winner of the Shabby Apple giveaway

2012-07-30T08:00:00.001-07:00

Scarf: Thrifted; Blazer: Urban (similar); Necklace: gift from Le Mode Accessories;

Dress: Shabby Apple; Shoes: c/o Blowfish (similar)

Last week was a crazy week. Some would even call it cray-cray... but I'll just call it crazy. Before I get into all that, I must say that a highlight was definitely the Blowfish Fall Preview party. (I may have been really excited to go to my first California party.) I got to finally meet Elise, who (among other things) tweets for Blowfish. We've been 'Internet friends' for a while, so it was great to meet her in person. Other than that, there was great food, conversation, and of course, shoes.

Remember how I mentioned that I had a job interview? Well, I got the job, and I am officially a sales associate for Madewell! I am so, so excited about this. I had my first day on Thursday, mostly filling out paperwork. I've been such a fan of Madewell for so long and I know I will LOVE working in that environment.

Other than that, my life is filled with school. It feels so strange to be a student again. Can I brag about getting 100% on my merchandise math quiz? Oh, and on Saturday, I was doing fun stuff downtown with Adrianna and I saw a man peeing. On the sidewalk. No attempt to be inconspicuous whatsoever. #welcometoLA?

PS The winner of the Shabby Apple giveaway is Gina Maddox! I'll be sending you an e-mail today :) If you didn't win, you can still save 10% with the code 'kristineorpolly10off'.

More Sparkle & Fade...