The Hollywood Housewife

Tennis Anyone?

2010-06-30T05:48:00.000-07:00

Jacket, Adidas
Skirt, Nike
Shoes, Asics

I play tennis a lot so I try to have a lot of outfits for the court. Last year, I bought the Sharapova bag in gold. Prior to that, I was using a regular duffel bag which didn't really hold my racket well. I like this bag a lot. It can fit up to three rackets, even though I only carry one in it. It isn't big or bulky. And it has inner and outer pockets for my keys, wallet, cell phone, etc.

Gold Prince Sharapova bag

What's in my bag?
Wilson N6 ncode racket
Penn balls
Louis Vuitton Zippy wallet
Adidas visor
water bottle
sunblock

Going to the Gym

2010-06-23T05:00:00.000-07:00

I love having different bags for every need. This is my secondary gym bag. I use it when I go to the gym and don't use the pool. (My other big gym bag has swim/shower items.) I got it from Forever 21 in February. They still sell a similar item in silver. This bag is great because it can fit a lot or a little and still look great. It has an interior zippered pocket and an exterior zippered pocket. I think it was $11!

What's In My Bag?
gray hoodie
keys
ipod shuffle
Nike Shox
Lesportsac cosmetic case
water bottle
Louis Vuitton Zippy wallet

Tennis Outfit

2010-06-22T05:00:00.000-07:00

gray jacket, Nike
white skirt, Nike
black mesh tank, Nike
shoes, Asics

Simple Summer Outfit

2010-06-21T05:00:00.000-07:00

Dress, Forever 21
T-strap sandals, Gap

Dress, Forever 21
T-strap sandals, Gap
Handbag, Louis Vuitton Speedy 30

Dress, Forever 21
T-Strap sandals, Gap
Handbag, Rebecca Minkoff Morning After Bag

Old Shoes, New Shoes

2010-06-18T05:00:00.000-07:00

Archaelogists in Armenia have found the world's oldest shoe. It is a 5500 year old cowhide leather shoe (looks comfy, huh?). In honor of their discovery, I'll share my new leather shoe discovery from Shopbop. The Joie Turn Me Loose Studded Suede Sandals are perfect for summer and go with just about anything. I can't wait to work these into my outfits.

Missed the Boat?

2010-06-17T05:00:00.000-07:00

I just found these Farylrobin Madison heels online. The only problem is that they are sold out everywhere in white and my size (7)! I'm obsessed with tracking these down now. I blame this on two things:

1) With my recovering foot/ankle injury, heels haven't been on my radar.

and

2) Online shopping. If I hadn't been online, I wouldn't have seen these fabulous sold out heels.

Farylrobin Madison heels

These shoes can be found in limited colors and sizes at:

Zappos, Revolve Clothing (preorder), and Need Supply

Beach Outfit

2010-06-16T05:11:00.000-07:00

Black Bikini, J Crew
Cover Up/ Terry tube dress, Juicy Couture
Silver Flip flops, Banana Republic
White Canvas Tote Bag, Gap

What's in my bag?
gray wrap cardigan
"The Shadow of the Wind" by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
Louis Vuitton Zippy wallet
keys
Lesportsac cosmetic case
sarong (I don't wear this, I just lay out on it)
American Apparel gold shiny coin purse
sunblock
hat

Stack Em Up

2010-06-15T05:00:00.000-07:00

I recently went to For Love 21, the Forever 21 accessory store, on a mission to find a ton of cheap, stackable, non-bangle bracelets. I found a ton of inexpensive, great bracelets. They can be mixed and matched or worn alone. These are so fun to try on with different outfits:) I'll definitely be getting a lot of use out of these.

Sea stone bracelet set $10.80

Faux leather and silver bead bracelet $4.80

Gold chain set $4.80

Rhinestone stretch bracelet $12.80

Gold box chain bracelet $8.80

Faux leather and silver plate bracelets $4.80

Rhinestone stretch bracelets $8.80

Silver combo stacked:

Gold stacked:

Mixed silver/gold out on the town:

Small Crossbody

2010-06-14T05:00:00.000-07:00

I am in search of a small crossbody bag. I would prefer something lightweight and nylon. Lightweight cotton/canvas are okay. I need it to be pretty small, just large enough to hold my id, credit card, cash, lip gloss, camera, phone and keys. I'm going to be using it for the zoo (my husband and I go to the zoo a lot!) and for the occasional trip to an amusement park. I have other great crossbody bags but I need something cheap and one that i won't care if it gets wet or dirty. Two of the below bags are in animal prints since I would be taking it to the zoo more than anything else:) Which one should I get?

Lesportsac Sofia in zewow

Lesportsac Kasey in gold

Dooney Zippered Crossbody in black

Lesportsac Kasey in pink

Roxy Crossbody in gray

Lesportsac Shellie in gold

Dooney Crossbody in black

Lesportsac Kasey in silver

And I like this Lesportsac Sofia style but in the print below...

Dandy Lion print for the above Sofia bag

Hybrid Heaven

2010-06-13T05:07:00.000-07:00

For our third wedding anniversary, my husband surprised me with a Ford Escape Hybrid:) I'm really not much of a car person. I'm not a good driver. I would have been happy with my old car if it were safer. Unfortunately, it was a death trap. So Jeff decided that I needed a better, safer car preferably with better gas mileage. I am an SUV girl, so a little car that does well on miles was not an option. So the Escape Hybrid it is. This car gets more than double the MPG of my old SUV. Jeff did such a great job finding the perfect car for me. It has everything I want. And, it feels good to know that I'm being a little bit green. I really love this car. I love it more every time I get into it. Thanks so much my love:)

ps. I'm adding a pic of my new favorite bag, the Longchamp riding shotgun with me.

Lakers Fever

2010-06-12T07:50:00.000-07:00

I'm not a huge basketball fan. For me, the most famous Laker is Mr. Khloe Kardashian, Lamar Odom. My husband laughs because whenever he puts the game on I ask him where the Kardashians are. I still love to support the team though:) I always break out my Lakers Adidas jacket during basketball season. Go Lakers!

The Kardashians at the games

Khloe and Lamar

Me in my Lakers tennis outfit
Jacket, Adidas
Skirt, Nike

Gotta Love The Gap

2010-06-11T05:00:00.000-07:00

I have been shopping at the Gap quite a bit over the past year. I find a lot of great affordable basics and accessories. I always shop in the store for the Gap, since their fit can be off. Here are some items I've recently bought or have been eyeing.

Clear jellies

White linen pants

Black leather flip flops

Striped dress (beach dress)

Silver tote bag

Oversized sweater

Work Bag

2010-06-10T05:51:00.000-07:00

Okay so I recently started a new job where I work outdoors. So I wanted to get a lightweight, synthetic tote bag that could fit a lot of stuff. Leather really isn't an option because it weighs too much and isn't weather proof.

So I bought a Dooney and Bourke bag, the Gwenny large tote. It is nylon, has two main compartments, and has a ton of pockets. Pockets, pockets, pockets. The bag was so functional for work. But... it just wasn't that cute:( It is a great alternative to the Longchamp though. It is nylon, well made, lightweight, and it has similar leather trims. Despite it's functionality, I returned it.

Dooney and Bourke Gwenny Tote- It's a return

So I ended up with my original idea, a black Longchamp Pliage. Unfortunately it has only one small pocket. But IMO it is more attractive than the Dooney. And I much prefer how it sits against my body when I'm wearing it. I don't let junk float around my bags, so I hope it isn't that hard to keep organized. I keep pens and my cell phone in the pocket. Yes, it would be nice to have other pockets for keys, sunglasses, and my wallet. But I love it:) This will also be used as a knitting bag when I'm over using it for work. I never really got why people love their Longchamps so much until now!

Longchamp Le Pliage- Its a keeper!

Me with the Longchamp

Outfit
Tank, vintage
Skirt, Forever 21
Bracelets, Forever 21
Flip flops, Banana Republic
Bag, Longchamp

What's in my bag?
My Finsbury A5 Filofax
work notebook
knitting project bag (this was embroidered for my wedding to give as favors and serve as shoe bags for guests who wanted to go barefoot in the sand)
pens
Louis Vuitton Zippy wallet
keys
gray wrap cardigan
Rayban sunglasses in case
Lesportsac makeup case

Back to the Blog:)

2010-06-09T20:28:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted since April, sorry people:) I had no idea how many people actually read my blog until I stopped posting and got some complaints! So anyhow, the past two months have been super exciting and busy. A few of the highlights:

1) I had a birthday:)

2) I got a new job

3) My husband and I celebrated our third wedding anniversary

4) and I got a new car

I'll blog more on these later...

Cheap Dates Part 2

2010-04-09T00:30:00.000-07:00

In honor of the weekend I'm posting Cheap Dates Part 2. Cheap Dates Part 1 can be found here.

The Zoo

Dance Class

The Beach

Museum Day

Happy Hour

LA Kings Style

2010-04-08T00:30:00.000-07:00

My husband and I are pretty big hockey fans. My husband introduced me to hockey, and the LA Kings. We are season ticket holders so during hockey season we can go to up to three games a week. Kings games have become a tradition of ours and we go to every game religiously and wear the team colors. So I am always trying to come up with new outfits in Kings colors of black, white, purple and silver. Occasionally I will wear a Kings jersey, fleece,or scarf. But this year I have really tried to step up my game and get some more stylish Kings gear. One of the best ways to do this has been to buy accessories in Kings royal purple. Lucky for me, royal purple has been in style since the fall so I have had some great options. Some of my favorites are my Marc Jacobs Natasha bag, a cashmere infinity scarf from Banana Republic, and leather gloves also from Banana. I love wearing black, gray and white so I can put together basic colored outfits and then just choose a purple accessory to get into the spirit:)

Tank, Forever 21
Scarf, Banana Republic
Jeans, Forever 21
Bag, Marc Jacobs
Flats, Gucci

Off the shoulder top, Gap
Scarf, Banana Republic
Black skinny jeans, Gap
Black Uggs

Off the shoulder top, Gap
Leggings, Forever 21
Black Uggs
Bag, Rebecca Minkoff

Top, Forever 21
Jeans, Citizens of Humanity
Scarf, Banana Republic
Bag, Louis Vuitton
Flats, Gucci

Top, Image
Jeans, Gap
Flats, Gucci
Bag, Marc Jacobs

Top, Forever 21
Sweater, Forever 21
Jeans, Gap
Flats, Gucci
Bag, Marc Jacobs

Peanuts raglan top, Forever 21
Jeans, Gap
Black scarf, Gap
Flats, Cole Hann

Top, Forever 21
Jeans, Citizens of Humanity
Flats, Gucci
Bag, Marc Jacobs

Tank, Missoni for Target
Cardigan, Lucky
Leather Jacket, Gap
Jeans, Forever 21
Black Uggs

Banana Republic leather gloves with cashmere lining

Marc by Marc Jacobs Natasha Classic Q Bag

Addi Click Review

2010-04-07T04:53:00.000-07:00

Addi Click set in box with extra accessories, 10.5 tips, 10.75 tips and extra cord set

Some of you may have read my post about receiving my new Addi Click Set. I've been using them for about 4 weeks now. To give you some info on my knitting background, I've been knitting for over a year. When I first started knitting someone gave me the great advice that I should invest in good needles. Mainly because needles will last a long time. And if you enjoy knitting, you will probably use them for countless hours. So using needles that I enjoy is part of the knitting experience for me. When i very first began knitting, I used Lantern Moon straight needles, which I loved. I tried using Addi Turbos, but they were too slippery for me as a beginning knitter. After a few months or so, I tried the Addi Turbos again and fell in love. Over the past year I have tried using:

Lantern Moon straights
Options Harmony Wood Circulars
Denise Interchangeable Circular
Addi Turbo Circular
and Clover Circulars

I just wanted to put it out there that I'm not the most experienced knitter. But I do LOVE my Addi Turbos and prior to using my new Addi Click set, was solely using those. So my review is geared towards the knitter who uses Addi Turbos and has thought about making the switch to the Click set.

The Case

The Addi Click set comes with a faux leather black case that can easily be put in just about any knitting bag. The one big downside of the case is that it only fits the 10 needles tips that come with the set. If, like me, you purchase the additional two needles tip sizes, the 10.5 and 10.75, there isn't space for them in this case. I put my set into an Offhand Designs Traveluxe Clutch which I think is just perfect to hold all of my knitting needles and notions.

Size comparisons with Saltine box and Offhand Designs Traveluxe Clutch

The Join
The join did take a few seconds to get right, I got it on the second try. So it was really very easy. The join doesn't feel quite seamless, unlike the Turbos seamless join. However it isn't that noticeable while knitting. I did however feel the stitches catch very slightly a few times here and there. Nothing that noticeable or annoying, but different from the fixed Turbos circs which are seamless IMO.

The Needles
The needles sizes that come with the set are: 4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,13,15. Additional sizes of 10.5 and 10.75 can be bought separately, which I did purchase. They are very similar to Addi Turbos in that they are slippery, light, and quick! There was one other difference that I noticed though, the printed sizes on each needle tip. My Addi Turbo circs do not have the size printed on the needles, just on the blue cord. It is very convenient to have these tips labeled with sizes so that you do not have to use the needle size gauge. However, I couldn't help but notice that the printing took away from the slippery-ness of the needle. And overall, I did in fact notice that the Clicks just weren't quite as slippery as my fixed Turbos. Sad but true. The difference was so slight that I had to move my projects on and off the Turbos back to the Clicks and then back 3 times just to confirm that I was not mistaken. But unfortunately, there is a slight difference.

US size 9/5.5mm tips

The Cords
The click set comes with three cords, a 24", 32" and a 40". I didn't want to be limited to three projects at a time so I decided to purchase an additional combo cord set for $24.95. Additional cord set sizes are available, but no 16" cord is available for the Addi Click set as of yet. The blue cord is very flexible, lightweight, and exactly as it is on the Addi Turbos.

The Price
The price of the Addi Click set has been the topic of much discussion. I know that there are great sets for cheaper. Like I said earlier, I spend a lot of time knitting. So if I have to spend the extra money to have the needles that I want, then that is fine since for me personally they are within my budget. That being said, I purchased my set for $149.95, plus 10.5 tips for $15.95, plus 10.75 tips for $15.95, plus the extra combo cord set for $24.95, for a grand total of $206.80. And as I have been using Addi Turbos, I have noticed that the price of buying individual fixed circulars can quickly add up. Not to mention the time and inconvenience of trying to track down the exact size and length.

Overall
I am really impressed with the Addi Click Set. I have never owned an interchangeable needle set. So the convenience of having all of these sizes and cord lengths available to me is invaluable. In the past, I've had to put off projects because I couldn't find the needle size and/or length that I needed. Or even worse, bought an Addi Turbo circular only to find that my gauge was off and that the LYSs in my area don't have the next size up or down. I think that I am perhaps an ideal candidate for purchasing these because, 1) I love Addi Turbos 2) I use the sizes that the needles are available in and 3) being a relatively new knitter, I haven't amassed a collection of Addi Turbo circulars yet, so to purchase them all in one great set is wonderful. Despite the slight differences I found between these and the Addi Turbos, I would still absolutely buy them again and I would recommend them to anyone who loves Addi Turbos.

A Weekend of Outfits

2010-04-06T04:20:00.000-07:00

Saturday at the Zoo

Peanuts shirt, Forever 21

Denim mini skirt, Abercrombie

Shoes, Puma

Kings Game

Off the shoulder top, Gap

Cashmere infinity scarf, Banana Republic

Black skinny jeans, Gap

Black Uggs

Tennis

Jacket, Nike

Black Smash skirt, Nike

Shoes, Asics

An Eventful Easter

2010-04-05T04:03:00.000-07:00

Tennis

Mmmmmmm. Cadbury Eggs.

Earthquake! 7.2 Quake in Baja Mexico

Happy Easter everyone! It really feels like Spring now that Easter is here. I was really excited to get on the court for the first time in about a year (due to foot injuries). The earthquake in the afternoon shook us and was a little scary. Hope that there isn't too much damage/injuries closer to the epicenter.

Cheap Dates Part 1

2010-04-02T04:00:00.000-07:00

In this economy lots of couples are taking advantage of some quality time on the cheap. My husband and I spend a lot of time together but sometimes we have to make time for dates to have some time to connect. Here are some of my favorite cheap dates:

A Picnic

A Morning at the Farmers Market

Ice Skating

Take a Hike

The Planetarium

Paul McCartney at the Hollywood Bowl

2010-04-01T10:18:00.000-07:00

All My Loving
This takes a while to load but it is totally worth it.
Just pause until it's loaded then hit play:)

Blackbird

Yesterday

Here Today
This is one of my favorite post Beatles McCartney songs. I couldn't find a video of the performance but in concert he plays a slideshow like this that is a tribute to John and it is very emotional.

Something

I can't believe that I have lived in Hollywood for almost a decade and had never been to the Hollywood Bowl until last night. I'm not a big concert goer, I only go to see people I really truly love and know all of the songs. I guess it was destined that the first time I go to the Bowl was to see Paul McCartney. The Bowl was amazing. I love outdoor venues and it is so great to be up in the hills listening to music outdoors, very cool:)

I'm not going to try to describe in detail the concert or how much I enjoyed Paul McCartney. This was my third time seeing him. It was just as amazing and just as magical as I had hoped. As I have written in another post my husband and I are HUGE fans of The Beatles and McCartney. It brought back memories for my husband and I of seeing him for one of our first dates back in 2002. The songs really carry meaning for me and there were lots of tears as well as a lot of fun and dancing. Here is the LA Times Article for more details.

Top 5 Things I Miss About Maryland

2010-03-30T01:54:00.000-07:00

5) The Seasons

I love the weather in LA. I've become quite accustomed to the nice, sunny weather. But there are times that I long for a good snow day (my husband didn't know what the term "snow day" meant until I explained it to him this year.) I also miss the Indian summer and the leaves changing color. I cannot lie though, I wouldn't trade the LA weather for Maryland weather any day. But the seasons are quite beautiful.

4) Butler's Orchard

Since I was very small (I mean just starting to walk), my family would take me to Butlers Orchard to pick strawberries. Strawberries are my favorite fruit, I always have fresh strawberries on hand even now. Sometimes when I'm in a bad mood, Jeff will get me a bowl of strawberries to cheer me up:) But the memories of picking our own strawberries are just as sweet as the fruit itself. I think it goes without saying that nothing tastes like fruit picked ripe off of the vine. But strawberries are not the only great part of Butler's Orchard. There are tons of fruits and veggies to pick or buy in their market. they also have country goods like local honey, fruit preserves, salad dressing (the Vidalia Onion is the best), and fresh fruit pies (I love the blackberry.) They also have a pumpkin patch and Christmas Trees!

3) The Redskins

No need for an explanation here. If you grew up in the DC area, you are probably a huge Redskins fan. It is just what we do there.

"Crab cakes and football! That's what Maryland does!"
-quote from Wedding Crashers

2) Maryland Blue Crabs

Oh the yumminess. I cannot really describe what it is to love eating blue crabs. It is a regional favorite. It is one of the only places in the country that people regularly get together, sit around a big, long table, and eat crabs for hours and hours. I like to eat mine with melted butter and lots of seasoning. And Old Bay and steamed, spiced shrimp. Oh gosh, why do I do this to myself? Sadly, my husband does not understand this unique cultural ritual. He won't even eat the crab unless I pick the meat out for him!

1) My Family and Friends

This is something that should go without saying. But the one reason that I wold actually love to move back home is to be close to my family and friends. I especially miss my nephew, Bradley, who is sixteen months old. I miss holidays and birthday dinners at home. I could go on and on and on with this but I'll just say that I hope to move back one day:)

Russian Roulette

2010-03-29T06:35:00.000-07:00

New Color of Yarn

The Loop

Pulling Through the Loop

Joined!

I learned this technique on knittinghelp.com. Click HERE for the Russian Join video. You will have to scroll about halfway down the page and then under "Joining a New Color Yarn" you will find the "Russian Join." The technique is very simple and all you need is a darning needle. I love knittinghelp.com videos. I'm still a beginner and I love learning new techniques. With pretty much every new project I do I am still learning new things! Sorry the pics aren't that great. I was in the midst of doing it when I realized I would love to take pics to do a post about this useful join. I also do not have a photo to show the result of the join into the work. My favorite part of this join is that you don't have any ends to weave in.

Russian Join
Skill Level: Easy
Needed: One darning needle
Uses: Joining a new color (or same color) of yarn
Pros: Best for joining when felting isn't an option, so for cotton, synthetics, etc.
No ends to weave in!
Good for projects that don't have a no show side
Cons: Need to have a darning needle on hand

Forever 21 Outfit

2010-03-26T02:49:00.000-07:00

Tank, Forever 21; Jeans, Forever 21; Flip Flops, Banana Republic

I love Forever 21. I haven't had a chance to post my recent F21 shopping spree acquisitions. I will do that asap. This was just a simple tank and jeggings (jeans/leggings) look. The tank has a great zipper added detail in back. I usually don't wear orange but I thought this outfit worked:) I wonder what I did before F21?

Super Size Me- Top 5 Reasons to Love McDonald's

2010-03-24T00:46:00.000-07:00

Ronald McDonald and Friends

Grimace is my favorite:)

The Big Mac- This isn't necessarily my favorite thing on the menu. But the Big Mac is the obnoxiously big and wonderful iconic burger of the best restaurant in the world! Gotta love it:)

A Yummy, Reliable Meal, Anywhere in the World:
China

Arctic Circle in Sweden

Saudi Arabia

McDonald's Breakfast
Is There Anything Better Before 11 AM?

The Happy Meal
Nothing brings back good memories like The Happy Meal.