a pile of style

Santa Cruz Boardwalk and Wharf

2013-04-11T16:01:00.000-07:00

I don't know if I've ever been to the Santa Cruz boardwalk or wharf before this. I'm pretty sure I haven't... how could you forget all those neon colors everywhere? The day was perfect to walk around the beach and grab some fried food.

We even got to see plenty of sea lions canoodling underneath the wharf. How the heck do they get up there?

Wearing: Vintage sweater, American Eagle jeans, White Mountain boots from my moms, and Ray Ban sunnies.

Santa Cruz: Cafe Brasil

2013-03-26T23:28:00.002-07:00

My DB and I have this whole week off, but lucky for us, we got the terrible cold that's been going around. It seems to have a cough that lasts forever. Since our original plans for traveling abroad didn't look too appealing, we decided to have our own mini day vacation instead once we were both feeling a little bit better.

My DB's never been to Santa Cruz and it's only an hour and a half drive from where we are, so we figured it'd be the perfect mini destination for the day. I did my research on restaurants and where to eat, and it led us here:

Cafe Brasil. It's a little house that's been remade into a quaint and comfortable restaurant. There's a lot of Brazil pride going on. The walls inside are even painted the same green and yellow.

We ordered the Beef a Cavalo (two eggs over easy on top of a steak on a grilled bread topped with tomato and mozzarella cheese. served with potatoes) and the Churrasco (grilled beef pressed sandwich with tomato and mozzarella cheese).

Everyone kept ordering at the Juice bar, so we couldn't leave without having something sweet. I was full, but my DB surprised me and asked for a junior acai bowl to go when the waitress came and asked if we wanted anything else after we finished our meals. I'm so glad he did that.

Have you ever had an acai bowl? If you haven't, you're surely missing out. The bottom is an ice cold, acai blend. It's topped with sliced bananas, almonds, fresh strawberries, and granola. So. So. Good.

Cafe Brasil
1410 Mission Street
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
831-429-1855
Open Monday through Sunday from 8am to 2:45pm

Military Style

2013-03-11T11:44:00.000-07:00

I'm in love with Forever 21's muscle tanks right now. They're the perfect material for layering and wearing under military jackets for those sunny, but breezy, days. Wore this outfit out for a quick little brunch.

Wearing: Forever 21 top, Gap jacket, Abercrombie & Fitch shorts, Sperry shoes (courtesy of DB's mom), & EBay sunnies.

Book Review: Let's Pretend This Never Happened

2013-03-07T00:31:00.000-08:00

Let's Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson is about Lawson's experience growing up and dealing with her social awkwardness. Let's be real here: I'm sure we can all can relate to that. Growing up isn't easy for everyone, and Lawson translates her stories into a light-hearted and comical book.

This book, however, isn't for the faint of heart. There is a lot of vulgarity and cursing, which isn't for everyone. It was certainly hard for me to read through since I'm not one to cuss... ever. I did find myself giggling out loud at times, which is rare for me.

I didn't know that Lawson was a blogger prior to publishing a book, which makes a little more sense to me now. The style of writing and flow definitely seems more blog-esque. It seems to jump back and forth a little bit with scattered thoughts.

All in all, I'd recommend this book if you want a good laugh. Don't expect anything too formal, though.

"This is a paid review for BlogHer Book Club but the opinions expressed are my own."

Book Review: A Good American

2013-02-21T07:12:00.000-08:00

A Good American by Alex George is a story about a family's immigration from Germany to the states. I enjoyed reading this story because I grew up hearing the tales of my own parents' hardships coming over from Vietnam. Although the reasons for migration are different, my parents came over because of war and the couple in the story comes over because of love, there are many similarities among the two situations.

The family in the book struggles to become "Good Americans," by understanding and adapting a different culture than they're used to. George takes the story through different generations, making you laugh, cry, and turn the pages in anticipation. I think a lot of people can relate to this book because America is made up of immigrants. Everyone has a story and a background to share. What does it even mean to be "American," anyways?

"This is a paid review for BlogHer Book Club but the opinions expressed are my own."

Girl Crush: Cora Keegan

2013-02-18T15:23:00.000-08:00

I've always been a fan of Nasty Gal and all of their products, but I love their models just as much as their clothes. They find the most beautiful girls!

Let me introduce you to Cora Keegan. I am beyond obsessed.

Figuring Out the Real me

2013-02-13T00:00:00.000-08:00

After thinking about what category my personality falls under, I dove right in on ArchetypeMe.Com and took the quiz. The quiz was simple to understand and easy to continue from one question to the next. I loved the layout of the website; it was simple and precise. You only have to answer less than ten questions before you get results. Here's what I got:

Yup, that pretty much nails it. The majority of me falls under Caregiver, which I'd say is fairly accurate. I work with children and have loved kids from day one, so it's natural for me to have a "motherly" instinct. The only thing I thought was different was that I'd be a tad more Creative than an Intellectual since I'm always into hobbies that include creative expression (scrapbooking, card making, baking, drawing, etc.).

After creating an account on their website, you get to dig deeper into each characteristic. I had separate tabs for Caregiver, Intellectual, and Creative. The different tabs included specific articles, polls, and connections for each trait. It's a community where you get to meet others that resemble your traits, see their opinions, and express your own.

When I was finished with the whole exploring process, I learned that I'm very predictable. I wasn't surprised by my results, but that's because I'm hardly a risk taker. I never take charge. I am, indeed, a people pleaser. I try my best to make everyone happy, despite what I want, which makes me indecisive. I'm indecisive because I want others to choose what they want.

So, I decided to take charge for once. Instead of waiting for my boyfriend to plan something for his upcoming spring break, I decided to take charge. I started mapping out possible mini vacations and where we could possibly go. Of course, his opinion matters in this situation, but since he wasn't particular to any destination, I voiced my opinion. I told him where I'd like to go and bounced ideas off of him.

It may be a small step toward being assertive and decisive, but it was a big step for me. I don't know why I was so intimidated before to take charge. I guess sometimes it's important for you to find your happiness before trying to please everyone else.

If you haven't yet, take the quiz yourself at www.ArchetypeMe.com.

And now for the giveaway - enter for a chance to win a $50 Visa gift card by answer this question in a comment below: Which archetypes are you? (You can find a list of the archetypes on the ArchetypeMe homepage at ArchetypeMe.com.)

Rules:
No duplicate comments.
You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: "#SweepstakesEntry #whatsyours"; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.
The Official Rules are available here.
This sweepstakes runs from 2/13/13-3/15/13.
Be sure to visit the ArchetypeMe brand page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ posts and find more chances to win!

Treasure Island Flea

2013-01-29T18:16:00.001-08:00

I've been meaning to go over to Treasure Island and see what it's all about since I pass the exit for it every time I go to work. I got an email for the upcoming flea market and knew it was the perfect excuse to check it out. My DB and I woke up bright and early and headed over to Treasure Island.

We started our day off with some donuts. Mini donuts, to be exact. We got the half and half (half powdered sugar, half cinnamon sugar) and devoured them in a couple of minutes. They were served hot and fresh from the fryer. Look how cute their machine is!

Once our stomachs were satisfied, we browsed through the inside and outside areas. Let's just say.. there was a lot of junk. It was not a good junk sale, either.

The good thing about this flea market? There were food trucks galore. It was a little too early for us to eat, so we took a little gander at each menu.

Have I mentioned the view from Treasure Island? It's awesome. You can see both the bay and golden gate bridges. The day we went just happened to be extremely clear. No GDP in SFO!

The boy never says no to coffee. We stopped at the Drip! Mobile for some... wait for it... drip coffee.

It was pretty windy and chilly there, but that's normal for SF, even when there isn't a cloud in sight.

My final thoughts about the flea market? Well, it's small. There wasn't a lot to go through and there wasn't a lot to find. There was plenty to eat and parking was free. Nothing special here. My favorite flea market has to be the Rose Bowl.

Wearing: J Brand jacket, Current Elliott pants, random tank, sunglasses from Ebay, and TOMS shoes.

Venus

2013-01-26T19:13:00.001-08:00

My DB and I had a double date brunch with a couple of friends at Venus in downtown Berkeley. Even though we had to wait 15 minutes or so to be seated, the food was worth it. I'm one of those people that always looks at a menu of a restaurant before we go so I know what I'm going to order, but when we got seated, I did a last minute change and ordered the full plate of french toast instead. Totally worth it.

Top to bottom, left to right: Country Breakfast with homefries, challah french toast, lemon-ricotta hotcakes, and the 2x2x2 with french toast.

Uh-Murica

2013-01-24T22:58:00.003-08:00

I'm a sucker for things with the American flag. I'll buy it almost immediately. Check out these boots! You can wear them folded down and show your Uh-Murica pride.. or wear it up when you want to be a bit more conservative.

Wearing: Victoria's Secret tank, Mossimo cardigan, A&F shorts, H&M leggings, and Forever 21 boots.

Dresses in the Winter

2013-01-21T15:09:00.000-08:00

It may be winter, but I'm a firm believer in wearing dresses year-round. The weather's actually been pretty warm for the past couple of days in NorCal, so I didn't look too crazy. PS. Do you know how hard it is to find bras for low cut back dresses? Nearly impossible.

Wearing: Empyre cardigan, Forever 21 dress, and Mia sandals.

What kind of Archetype are you?

2013-01-17T09:00:00.000-08:00

Many people often ask what "type" I am. Am I more dominant or easy going? Am I more right brained than left? Do I have to have everything planned and organized or do I just tend to see where the day takes me? Am I a risk taker? Do I tend to look out for myself more than others? When asked these questions, I usually just give a smile and shrug. How am I supposed to define myself?

In general, I'd say that yes, I'm more of a pushover. That's only because I like to see everyone happy. I'm a people pleaser. I have my own ambitions, but am aware of my surroundings. People say that I'm too nice. They rarely see me without a smile on my face. I wouldn't say that's a negative thing. In fact, I'd say it's the complete opposite. The only downside to wearing a smile on my face all the time is that I'm harder to break down. I'm harder to get to know, to find out how I'm really feeling.

In other words, I'm guarded. I have an imaginary fence up that keeps people from getting to know the real me. I am this way because of my past experiences. Everyone is how they are because of what they've gone through. History doesn't define a person, but it does make up a person.

How well do you really know yourself? Is what I portray myself to be really true? That's what ArchetypeMe is here to help out with. This new website will open up the real you, understand why you get along with some and not others, and help understand why people act the way they do.
Check back later for my second post in this series when I reveal my archetype!

What's your archetype? Discover now by taking a short quiz on: www.ArchetypeMe.com . If you want to look even deeper into archetypes, you can check out the book, Archetypes: Who are you?
I'm giving away a $50 Visa gift card and a copy of Archetypes: Who Are you? book, signed by author to one lucky reader! To be entered for a chance to win, answer this question in the comments section below: Why do you think itís important to really know who you are?

Rules:

No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: "#SweepstakesEntry #whoareyou"; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

The Official Rules are available here.

This sweepstakes runs from 1/17/13-2/12/13.

Be sure to visit the ArchetypeMe brand page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggersí posts and find more chances to win!

Brenda's and Philz

2013-01-15T19:46:00.002-08:00

I ventured over to the Tenderloin to have lunch with a couple of friends. Why would I ever go to the Tenderloin, you ask? For Brenda's French Soul Food!

We wrote our names on the chalkboard wall and only had to wait about 10 minutes before we were seated. They were serving both breakfast and lunch, and all four of us ended up ordering off the lunch menu.

From top to bottom, left to right: Croque Monsieur with french fries, a close up of it, Cornmeal Fried Shrimp Po'Boy, and the BFC (two pieces of fried chicken with fries, cole slaw, & a cream biscuit).

The inside was decorated pretty modern and quirky. Overall, we loved it! I didn't care for the fries, but everything else was top notch. I can eat a croque monsieur everyday. It was my favorite meal in Paris!

Next, my DB and I had our first Philz experience just a block away from Brenda's.

I know, I know.. how could we not have visited Philz before, living in the Bay area for a year and a half now? My excuse is that we serve Philz on the airplane... same difference, right?

Wrong! We ordered the gingersnap ice coffee.

It was like slurping down ice cream. I added sugar and cream to mine, so it was nice and sweet, just the way I like it. Best. Coffee. Ever.

What's your favorite coffee shop chain?

A Pop of Color

2013-01-12T00:30:00.001-08:00

My DB got me a Kate Spade handbag for Christmas! He picked it out himself, but asked quite a few people for their opinions. In the end, he chose what he liked the most and I couldn't be happier. I was extremely surprised because 1. he never shops and 2. purses to him are like video games to me. I just don't get them.

Perfect example: I got my DB the Wii U for Christmas, but I bought it in Portland to save money on tax. I thought it was a little handheld attachment for the Wii, but after I purchased it, the salesperson walked out with a huge box. It turns out that the Wii U wasn't just a handheld, it's a brand new console! I had to lug that thing with me for the next two days of my work trip and stuff all my clothes into my lunchbox since it took up all the space in my luggage. Womp womp.

Wearing: Mossimo pants and jacket from Target, American Apparel tank, random brand of shoes from Ross, Ray Ban sunglasses, and Kate Spade handbag.

Book Review: The Willpower Instinct

2013-01-10T11:43:00.004-08:00

I am not one to read self-help books, but I was sent The Willpower Instinct by Kelly McGonigal and I had some downtime while working on an airplane so I figured why not.

In my mind, self-help books are for people who can't figure it out themselves... people that are too lazy to try and work it out. I've never read a self-help book in my life, so I'm definitely "judging a book by its cover."

Once I actually got into the book and past the stereotype in my mind, I grew intrigued. McGonigal didn't just say her thoughts and gibberish about how someone could solve a problem, she went beyond that and through scientific research, explained why we do the things we do. Her writing is easy to understand and she makes it simple for readers to reevaluate their lifestyles.

Follow along on our discussions on BlogHer to read more!

This is a paid review for BlogHer Book Club but the opinions expressed are my own.

My Nail Polish Collection

2013-01-09T22:40:00.000-08:00

Let's start off the year with something that I love the most.. nail polish! Hopefully this post will get my blog kickin'. More posts for a new year!

I can be a tomboy is many ways, but when it comes to nail polish, I'm as girly as it gets. Okay, maybe not... I've never had a manicure or pedicure in my life. I just like to paint my own nails and buy quite a bit of nail polish. Who can blame me?

Here's my little collection:

Can you tell I favor OPI? They just have the most amazing colors and brilliant names. "Belize It or Not," "Argenteeny Pinkini," "Do You Lilac It?," "Ladies and Magenta-Men," "Espresso Your Style," "Mauve-lous Memories"... Need I keep going?

Let's split 'em up so you can get a closer look.

My dearest reds. My collection of shades of red is the largest because that's all I'm allowed to wear for work.

Now for my less tame shades...

and the nudes...

and all my glitter (my favorite)!!

Put them all together once more...

What are you favorite nail polishes?

Kitchen Love

2012-12-05T18:39:00.001-08:00

I can't wait for the day that I'll be able to have my own kitchen. No more renting, I'm talking about actually owning my little piece of heaven. I don't even care if the house is tiny. I'll sleep in the kitchen if I have to. To me, that's the most important part of the house. It's where everyone gathers, memories are made, and stomachs are happy, so you better hope for a good room!

I would love a combination of all of these kitchens.

...something with high ceiling beams:

...contrasting colors:

...beautiful french doors:

...lots of cabinets for storage:

....a bit of a rustic look with one brick wall and a long farmhouse table:

...lots and lots of light:

...and an island:

That last picture pretty much nails it on the head. I'd love to have space for people to sit around the kitchen while I'm whirling things up in the oven. Hey, a girl can dream, right?

Book Review: Reflected In You

2012-11-07T18:21:00.001-08:00

Sylvia Day's Reflected In You has got to be one of the best books I've read in a while. This is the second book in her Crossfire series, and I finished both in two days. It's a love story between Gideon and Eva, similar to the 50 Shades of Grey story, but ten times better. There's actually a story behind all that intimacy. There's a mystery, a love story, and even suspense.

Their relationship is something that you truly are rooting for, despite all the twists and turns that get thrown in along the way. You're always wanting to read more, trying to figure out how it ends up. It's a story that every girl dreams about-- having a boyfriend that wants to take care for his girlfriend, who will do everything for her. What girl doesn't want a "ten" that craves them all day long?

After finishing this book, I'm eagerly awaiting the third book that will be released in 2013. I can't get enough!

This is a paid review for BlogHer Book Club but the opinions expressed are my own.

Chop Chop!

2012-11-04T00:42:00.002-07:00

I chopped off all my hair! True story. Here's a before and after shot:

I couldn't be happier with the outcome. Now to get some color back in it....

Book Review: Diary of a Submissive

2012-10-18T00:01:00.000-07:00

Diary of a Submissive by Sophie Morgan is not a book for most souls. Trust me when I say this. It is not for the light hearted. Why? Well, it's basically a diary about the down and dirty. Literally. I read this book after reading 50 Shades of Grey, and I have to say, Diary of a Submissive may be a more non-fictional version of it. Would I say this was up to par with 50 Shades? Probably not. It was missing the page turner, the story, the whole falling in love part. I don't want details of everything, I want the bigger picture.

Without going too deep into the book, I did find it interesting how Morgan finds out about her fascination and unexpected love for submission. That's about it. Keep in mind, this is a book categorized as "erotica." I found myself flipping the book over when it was on the counter in fear of people judging me at work for reading such a book in public. Hey, it's just words, people. Everyone's intrigued, regardless if they'd like to admit it or not.

All in all, it's a quick read. I finished it in a day. Morgan is a great author and a great writer. I loved her style of writing and I will give her credit for the easy flow of the story.

This is a paid review for BlogHer Book Club but the opinions expressed are my own.

Style Inspiration

2012-10-11T00:00:00.001-07:00

A couple of pictures to get you through the week.

All images via Tumblr.

Wine Tasting in Sonoma

2012-10-05T18:43:00.003-07:00

Here are the rest of the pictures from wine tasting. Here's the whole gang, all are Berkeley Law students but me:

First winery.

Then we stopped at Sonoma Square to have lunch. I'm pretty sure that I am the only one that packed ours.

We did manage to pick up some gelato, though.

Then we acted like little kids.

Off to the second winery.

Look at this little shed we found! Just a tad bit creepy.

The Perfect Hat

2012-09-28T15:54:00.002-07:00

We went wine tasting in Sonoma last weekend with forty or so Boalties. We rented a charter bus so we didn't have to worry about anyone drinking and driving (or losing anyone between the two wineries). The weather was gorgeous and I was determined to wear my new $6.99 hat from Banana Republic.

My DB wanted to join in on the fun of blog pictures, so this is his impression of me:

Nailed it.

Wearing: Banana Republic hat, Ray Ban sunglasses, Victoria's Secret tank, Forever 21 shorts, Disney bracelet, & Rainbow sandals.

On the DB (yes, I outfit him as well): H&M sunglasses, RVCA shirt, Penguin shorts, & Sperry shoes.

Shopping Finds from Marshalls

2012-09-25T23:26:00.000-07:00

Some people thrift. I scour Marshalls, TJMaxx, and HomeGoods for their one of a kind deals. It's therapeutic to me. Here's a glimpse at the stuff I usually walk away with from a shopping trip there.

As you can tell, I'm usually in the baking and craft/card aisles. I'm always on the hunt for unique plates, paper, and textile for my food blog. Occasionally, I'll find some things that are too darn cute to give up.

... like these cards-- In love. I'm a huge fan of snail mail and send out quite a bit, whether it be for my blog, Ebay, or a holiday. I always have a year's supply of stamps. I'm dead serious. I may or may not have a problem, but that's okay because at least it's a happy problem. Snail mail is the way to my heart!

You see that little yellow stand in the bottom of this picture? It's a lazy susan for individual cupcakes. Shut up. It completely turns around and even has a little stopper to hold your cupcake in place! Of course, I'll mostly be using this for food blog pictures, like everything else in the picture.

I almost forgot... 50 pink chevron straws for $1.99. Can you believe it?!

And then there's glitter. Glitter ribbon and every color of twine? Done.

Headshots

2012-09-22T00:00:00.000-07:00

My DB and I like to make the most of our days off together. Since we had a lot of work to do (him for school and me for my blogs), we decided to go work a couple of hours at a local coffee shop called Four Corners Cafe.

Of course, we got hungry while we were there and ordered lunch. I got the chicken pesto sandwich:

and my DB got the roast beef:

I also had to get a new headshot for the blog makeover on my baking blog since the one before was two years old.

I ended up using this one:

After that, we headed down to the marina since it was such a nice day out. Boats fascinate me.

Check out the view of the city! I love living just far enough from SF to avoid the whole city life, but being close enough to visit whenever I wanted. It's perfect.

Wearing: The North Face beanie and random shirt from TJMaxx.