The Daily Sequin

Crave/Save - Studded Crossbody!

noreply@blogger.com (Vidhya) — Thu, 23 May 2013 06:07:00 +0000

Rebecca Minkoff's studded skylar min bag promises to be the next "it" bag. With a semi-circle shape and studded crossbody strap, it has a unique look while being practical and chic. You can buy this bag in several colors here for $225.

Rebecca Minkoff Mini Skylar - $225.

If you are looking for a similar look without forking out $200+, consider this option from H&M. Tehy have a similar shape with the differences being imitation leather and the H&M's version has studs on the body of the bag as opposed to the strap. Despite the differences, they share the same vibe and look! Buy the H&M bag at you local store for $14.95. Available in black and coral.

Which one do you prefer? Are you looking to buy any "it" bags this season?

Madeleine!

noreply@blogger.com (Vidhya) — Sun, 19 May 2013 17:27:00 +0000

I have been dying to share this news with all of you. Yesterday, we brought home our little furry bundle of energy and joy!

Her name is Madeleine (named after those shell shaped French cakes!).

Maddie's Story!

So about six months ago, we put in an application with a wonderful rescue group called Motley Zoo. There is nothing wrong with going the way of a very reputed, cruelty free breeder but we wanted to go the extra mile and "adopt" a puppy. After some meet and greets and several rejections, we finally got approved to adopt this little angel. I feel like we hit the adoption jackpot with her. She is pretty small (about 15 lbs) and has been with the rescue since her birth, so there are no behavioral issues. They sent her first picture at about 4 weeks. And we got to take her home yesterday at 8 weeks.

Excuse this post if it sounds garbled. I am both deliriously happy and sleep-deprived. Our first night at home was not at all bad. She was a good girl although she did cry a bit, missing her mommy and her three brothers. She is so affectionate, loves to chew buttons and does not like rain (a girl after my own heart). We look forward to spending many very happy years with this beauty!

With her blue blankie!

Our first glimpse of her!

The best part of this has been watching my hubby fall in love with her. She is already his little princess and has him wrapped around her finger. He willingly stayed up all night (while nursing a bad cold) and cleans up after her while I was hesitating.

We are so happy and blessed to have this little one in our lives! I hope you dont mind if I share an occasional update about her on the blog. I will upload some videos of her. As you can imagine, she provides constant entertainment :)

Hope you had a weekend as wonderful as ours. Thanks for reading!

Vegetable Noodle Soup!

noreply@blogger.com (Vidhya) — Tue, 14 May 2013 03:51:00 +0000

Yesterday was a momentous day. It was the first time my hubby and I were sick at the same time since we got together. And we celebrated it with some amazing vegetarian noodle soup!

Recipe -

Onion - 1

Carrots - 2

Celery - 2 stalks

Garlic - 2 pods.

Vegetable stock - 4 cups

Sweet and sour sauce - 2 tablespoons

Noodles - 1 Package

Olive oil - 2 tablespoons

Salt

Pepper

Optional -

Green Onion

Mushrooms

Beans

Method -

1. Saute onions and garlic in a bit of olive oil.

2. Add the carrots, celery and optional vegetables and continue sautéing.

3. Add the noodles and sweet and sour sauce and mix them.

4. Add the vegetable stock and salt and pepper to taste.

5. You could add any other fresh herbs that you love.

6. Let the mixture cook for abt 10 minutes.

7. Add more water if the soup thickens up.

I served it with some toasted sour dough bread. It was a completely filling meal and heavenly for our scratchy throats and inflamed sinuses. Perfect winter food and sick day food! Let me know if you try it.

Thanks for reading!!

Home Updates: DIY Ikea Hack

noreply@blogger.com (Vidhya) — Mon, 13 May 2013 07:26:00 +0000

This project is just an example of how much I obsess over the small details. We got this Ikea table when we moved in to his house. I need to keep a hundred things on my bedside table so I needed something that was big and had wheels. Who doesn't love wheels on furniture? We got the brown-black standard issue on and though it was perfectly fine , it just sat there nagging me at the back of my head. It just did not match the bed.
My first idea was to sell it and of course my husband gave me a good lecture. My second idea was to cover it in wooden planks so it looks a bit more rustic but that would increase the table's height and who am I kidding about the extent of that DIY?
So I finally settled on this idea.. Can you even guess what it is? Its wood grain printed contact paper. I got it for $4 at Fred Meyers. It was so easy to apply. We cut it into strips to resemble planks (didn't work) but went ahead and stuck them to the table neatly. I also covered the sides so it looks like a block of wood on a black base.

Flowers, box to hold lip balm and night cream and my friendly turtle who shows me the stars!

I absolutely love the effect and might do the same to the coffee table as well. Yes, its also from Ikea and it has wheels! This couldn't be a simpler project and once you open your eyes to the world of contact paper, there are innumerable options to play with. Printed, patterned, plain - leather effect, marble effect, wood effect. The possibilities are endless. I'm going to stop talking now as I sound like a contact paper commercial but hope you enjoyed this little DIY.

Crave/Save - Gold Studded Top

noreply@blogger.com (Vidhya) — Thu, 09 May 2013 02:34:00 +0000

I saw this gorgeous Michael by Michael Kors top at Macy's. The gold studs on the cream top is so versatile. I could pair it with coloured denim or a pencil skirt and it would not look out of place. The price is marked at $49 down from the original $89.50. You can buy this shirt here.

If you love the look but not the price, you could try this tee from Forever 21. The studs are rounder while the MK one is flat but it still looks pretty close to the original. Buy it here for $15.80. Also available in mint!

Black Bean Polenta

noreply@blogger.com (Vidhya) — Mon, 06 May 2013 20:56:00 +0000

I was on the lookout for more recipes using polenta. I made fries successfully here but I wanted to cook them in a different way. I made this super quick and super easy recipe yesterday and it turned out so yummy! I think this makes a great weeknight meal IF you combine it with a little bit of brown rice. Alone, I'm not sure if its filling enough unless you need a light lunch/dinner.

Ingredients -

1 package cube polenta
1/2 can refried black beans
1 tomato
1 red pepper
1 onion
1 tsp cumin
1/2 lemon
Salt

1.Slice the polenta into 1/2 inch discs and pan fry them.

2.Saute the onions and when they are a little browned, add tomato and red pepper and saute till they are mushy. You could add spinach or any other vegetable you prefer, just see that they are cooked well.

3.Mix the beans and add the cumin and salt.

4.Assemble the polenta discs and spoon the bean mixture over the polenta. Add a squeeze of lemon for some fresh flavor and voilà - done!

I know many of you don't like to spend too much time in the kitchen after a long day at work.. hope this is a fun easy dish for you to try on days when you want a little twist to your food!

I will keep my eyes peeled for more "5 steps or less" recipes! Do you know any creative ways to use polenta?

I Love Spring Tag!

noreply@blogger.com (Vidhya) — Fri, 03 May 2013 23:29:00 +0000

Hello! Been MIA for a while but I'm back. I love watching tag videos on Youtube and wish the blogosphere would pick up on it as well. Tags are where there are a list of questions and after you answer them, you tag someone else and it goes on. They are super fun to answer, hope you have as much fun reading!

1. Favorite spring nail polish?

I have been loving my lilac nail polish for spring. Its called "Lilac" from ELF($2). I honestly want to throw away my ELF polishes and buy the 4-free ones from Butter London but finding the time to go and match the colours is just so hard. If you know of a similar shade in Butter or a 4-free brand, let me know.

2. What is your must-have lip color this spring?

I have been loving the "Rose of Attraction" from Maybelline Color Whisper line ($7.49). Its a soft mauve-pink that can be worn everyday and thats exactly what I have done!

3. Show us your favorite spring dress!

Ok, I will have to show three things. The first is of course the green khakis that I got from Old Navy. I have been wearing it atleast once a week. Its so versatile and I look forward to pairing it with a few more daring colour combos in summer.

The second would be this 100% cotton polka dotted top that I got from Banana Republic. After 40% off, the price came to $21 - the same price as a Forever 21 polka dot top but the quality and the material is so much better. It goes perfectly with all my coloured and blue khakis and jeans. Its not available online .. sorry :(

The third would be this beautiful striped (on trend) dress that I got, to wear for a future trip. I got it for $20 from Old Navy when they had their 30% off promo. The dress sold out pretty quickly but is still available in a white and brown stripe.

4. What's your favorite flower?

I am not a flower person but I always love seeing peonies and orchids and cherry blossoms.

5. Favorite spring scarf/accessory?

I love my Kate Spade Bond Street wallet. I get compliments whenever I take it out at checkout. (similar)

6. What spring trend(s) are you most excited about this year? (Makeup, fashion or both!)

I love the Pantone color of the year - Emerald. I see it everywhere in clothes and jewelry and makeup. Its a rich, beautiful color and perfect year round!

7. Favorite spring candle?

I am obsessed with the Gardenia Lily soy candle from Target ($10). I am not even kidding when I say its the best thing I have smelled in a long time! It has a beautiful sweet jasmine smell that is not too overwhelming.

8. Favorite body spray/perfume for spring?

I absolutely LOVE the Cartier Baiser Volé Eau de Perfum (meaning Stolen Kiss). At $100 for 1.6 oz, could you blame me for guarding my sample pack and sniffing it only occasionally?

I am also loving Florabotanica by Balenciaga. Its a beautiful plant-leaf smell thats not for everyone but I adore it.

9. What is spring like where you live?

This is my first spring in Washington state and I can tell you that I am totally blown away. After the incessant rain in winter, spring just burst forth. Its so green and tranquil and beautiful everywhere. Its the most beautiful place to live in. I am also lucky to live right next to a park, trail and lake, so I get to see so many puppies playing! So far Seattle spring >>>>> SF Spring.

View from my patio!

10. What's your favorite thing about spring?

Mostly, I love that I can go out without getting drenched.. lol.. I love that I can walk in the trail and I absolutely love the smell of spring. I never knew how distinct it is till I moved here.

11. Are you a spring cleaner?

I am a post exam cleaner. Now that my exam is done, I have been enthusiastically cleaning and clearing stuff.

12. Any plans for spring break or an upcoming vacation?

Yes! I'm super duper duper excited to go to Europe next month. I have wanted to go to Europe for so long but finances and money never aligned. This year, we managed to pull everything together and I cannot tell you how excited I am to go there at last. Less than 30 days to go!!!!!

Hope this was a fun tag! Tweet me if you find a fun tag! I would love to play along. And tweet me if you decide to do this tag too.. Would love to read your answers!

Crave/Save - Striped Button Down Shirt.

noreply@blogger.com (Vidhya) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 17:57:00 +0000

Proving that there are finite limits on how many ways you can design stripes, Kate Spade Saturday released this button down as a part of their new collection.

You can buy this shirt here for $70. Its 100% cotton, so thats a good thing. And the design looks like it will not show wrinkles easily. Luckily, I remembered that Zara had released something similar back in January.

This one is 100%Polyester but Zara polyester is very good quality, so I wouldn't hesitate to buy it. You can buy this shirt for $59.90 here.

If the price is still steep, you could consider this option from Zara TRF.

It doesn't have full sleeves but since I am looking for shirt to wear under a cardigan or blazer, this works well for me. You can buy this shirt here for $39.90

If full sleeves are a must for you, at this price, you could consider this shirt. It features only one pocket on the front but it does have full length sleeves. Buy it here for $39.90

Black and white stripes are big for spring/summer and I'm glad to have a bold vertical design to wear them. Are you liking the black and white trend this season? Have you bought any pieces to work the trend?

Spring Trends: Perforated!

noreply@blogger.com (Vidhya) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 17:39:00 +0000

Hello from Denver! How are you all doing? I am totally going to write a what to take in your travel bag post. I learnt a few nasty lessons here (DO NOT skip lip balm!).

I am loving the perforated products this season. Feels so light and airy.. There are some amazing totes, shoes and clothes! Here are a few of my favourites!!

Ann Taylor Perforated mini bag - $168

Michael Kors Perforated Jet Set Tote - $248

Rebecca Minkoff mini M.A.C - $225

Nordstrom Perforated mini clutch - $38

Ann Taylor - Perforated Pumps - $128

I know not many are fans of the mini-bag trend but what about perforated? Do you like this trend?
These are a little pricier options but if you would like to see less expensive options in this trend, just let me know in the comments and I will find some! Also check out Coach which I didn't feature because I have been writing about Coach all the time but they have some pretty cute perforated bags too!

P.S - Ann Taylor is having a 30% off sale now!

Succotash and Corn Bread!

noreply@blogger.com (Vidhya) — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 05:22:00 +0000

If you follow me on instagram, you know that I was super excited to buy a cast iron skillet which I have been wanting forever. So the next day, I promptly made skillet corn bread. Keeping my promise of super healthy salads, I made a side of succotash. Corn bread recipe can be found here. Just use a skillet instead of a muffin pan. Keep reading for the succotash!

Ingredients -
Lima Beans/ Edamame beans - 1 cup
Corn - 1 cup
Tomato - 1
Onion - 1
Salt
Taco seasoning - 2 tsp
A little bit lemon juice

Method -
Boil the lima beans and corn till they are soft. Saute the onion and tomato till they are a little browned. Mix all of them together in a big bowl. Add a dash of taco seasoning and lemon juice. Add salt to taste and serve. The succotash can be eaten alone or with a side of brown rice. I opted to serve it with a couple of slices of the corn bread and it turned out to be a hearty meal! Go with your gut on how much you want of each ingredient. Let me know how this turns out if you try it!

Let me know the comments if you are a salad hating person like me and if yes, what are the salads that you would dare to try?

Mini Totes!

noreply@blogger.com (Vidhya) — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 18:46:00 +0000

Hi all, I am back and refreshed from San Francisco! I spent the whole time wandering around Union Square, admiring the historic hotel I stayed in - The Palace Hotel and drinking hot cocoa from Ghirardelli! It was a fun and quick trip mostly for business but also a bit of pleasure thrown in!

I walked past Reed Krakoff store many times and noticed that they too have jumped onto building mini versions of their successful totes. I have been noticing this trend over the last few months and as a lover of small bags, obviously this has been a source of great joy to me! It is essentially a structured bag in a smaller size with a cross body strap.

I could write a whole post filled with Celine minis and Valentino minis but let me keep this to some affordable options!

Coach Mini Tanner - $258

Michael Michael Kors mini Hamilton - $158

Dooney & Bourke Dillan crossbody satchel - $178

Rebecca Minkoff mini M.A.C - $225

Zara mini shopper - $39.90

Zara mini bowling bag - $79.90

Zara mini Leather tote - $99.90

I definitely want to buy the Coach Mini Tanner. I have gone to the store and tried it on about 10 times already. But obviously I blew my budget in the last three months. I need to wait till May to buy anything new. And hopefully there will be some discount on it by then.
Which one is your favourite? Do you see yourself buying a smaller bag with a cross strap?

P.S: I have some fun news for you! À la prochainet!!!!!

Outfit Post: Green Pants!

noreply@blogger.com (Vidhya) — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 05:11:00 +0000

I am so in love with the green pants I bought from Old Navy. I have worn them so many times already.
Here are three ways in which I wore it in the last month.

Old Navy Khakis - $27 Chambray shirt - Nordstrom Rack - 2012 (Similar)

It was a sunny day, so I paired it with a simple chambray shirt that I bought at Nordstrom Rack last year for just ~$14. I am sorry that I'm barefoot in most photos but I almost always wear sneakers or oxfords when I'm out running errands.

Polka dot black top - Zara - 2012 (similar)

On St.Patricks day I wore it with a Zara sheer sleeve polka dot black top and the green jeans. Its a simple black tee but the sleeves added a nice detail to it and of course the green brightened up the whole outfit.

Printed Tunic - Dorothy Perkins 2012. (Similar)

Most recently, I wore this to a technology/healthcare conference. I wanted to look professional yet stylish as there were only guys in the event and I didn't want to blend in with a blue jeans/ tee combo.To make it a little more professional, I wore it with a black blazer and black pumps.
The funny thing was that, there was one other girl in the conference who also wore green denim on the presentation day, so we had a good laugh over it. She was way better accessorised though!

I got this orchid print tunic in Dorothy Perkins last year for about $12. It was on clearance and I thought it was a great deal. Unfortunately the material was a ridiculously thin polyester and had no slits or room for my hips. The orchid is also off center which kind of ruins the symmetry of the flowers. So after staying at the back of my closet for a long time, I think it finally found its use as a top. Since it is so thin, I could easily tuck it in and layer it with a cotton cami to get rid of the static. (ugh).

These are just three ways that I wore my green jeans with. I also wore it with a grey top and a white shirt, but neglected to take pictures of them. I will continue to put up more looks as I wear them. I'm so glad I jumped on the coloured khakis band wagon! And I hope I can show enough variety to make you jump in too!

Crave/Save : Valentino Rockstud Ballet Flats

noreply@blogger.com (Vidhya) — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 19:15:00 +0000

I have been obsessed with this shoe since the day came out. Obviously it is too expensive for me to even consider it, so I have been waiting patiently for a close dupe.

Nordstrom carries the Valentino "Rockstud" Ballerina flat in several shades including black, nude, pink, yellow and red. The shoe retails for $595 and you can buy it here.

Forever 21 has come out with its own version of the studded ballet flat . I hate patent leather.. so I'm so glad that its a nice matte leather look. Its also not as pointy as the Valentino one. But at $24.80, I am not complaining at all. I ordered the nude one. But I also want the black and pink :( Buy the Forever 21 shoe here. Which colours would you buy?

Are you on the lookout for any other designer looks for less? Let me know in the comments and I will try to find them.

Mattar Paneer!

noreply@blogger.com (Vidhya) — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 22:34:00 +0000

I know my Indian readers are going to hate me for putting up such a common recipe. But this one is highly requested. So this is for you Miss K and all the sweet people from AL!

This is definitely a high calorie dish but I try to skimp on the oil as much as possible. And if you replace paneer with tofu, it will definitely not be a drastic calorie input!

Ingredients -

Tomatoes - 2
Onion - 1
Peas - 1/2 lb
Paneer/Tofu - 7 ounces
Garlic paste - 1 teaspoon
Kitchen King/ Garam Masala/ curry powder - 3 teaspoons (some are stronger than others. measure to taste)
Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Coriander powder - A pinch
Turmeric powder - A pinch.
Oil - 1 tablespoon
You can add a bit of cayenne pepper if you like spicy! I didn't add it here!
Salt

Method -

I put together a little pictorial. Hope this makes it easy.

(picture heavy)

Colourful Khakis!

noreply@blogger.com (Vidhya) — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 20:15:00 +0000

Hello.. I can finally share some clothing purchases with all of you. This is for the whole of spring, so I went a little over my monthly budget of $100. But I'm so in love with all these pieces. They make excursions in this rain, a little more fun!

Remember last year when Gap had multiple colourful khakis? I bought a neon green one for $39 and then returned it because, it was not worth the price and was see-through. I instead replaced it with a sturdy neon denim from the juniors department of Nordstrom. It was just $14. Score!

This year, Old Navy came out with its own line of colourful khakis. They are priced at $29.94 (15% off with code DAYLIGHT) I purchased them at a price of $19.99 plus 15% off last week. So its a super deal is an understatement.

I also purchased a coral heart sweater, a leopard heart top and self dot polka print mint pants from Forever 21.

Coral heart sweater - $22.80 , Polka dot mint pants - $24.80

P.S - sorry for the long post.

Szechuan Beans

noreply@blogger.com (Vidhya) — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 03:21:00 +0000

A long overdue cooking post at last.. I swear I did cook a lot of fun things in the last few months. I just did not find the camera charger till recently. Talk about lazy!

Some time back, I had a dinner at Wild Ginger. The only vegetarian option I loved was this string bean stir-fry in a Szechuan style. I couldn't get it out of my mind so I decided to make my own version. It might not be real chinese in any way but its super delicious!

Astha from The Zars asked me if I can suggest any easy dishes that also are healthy. My best suggestion is to find different ways of cooking vegetables and having them as one pot dishes for lunch . The following recipe is an example of cooking beans. with a little bit of brown rice, this should be a very fulfilling and healthy lunch. I also like beans with coconut (in a south Indian style) but that doesn't appeal to me as a single dish. This one is spicy enough and filling enough to be a work lunch in my opinion.

Ingredients -
Onion - 1
Ginger paste - 2 tsp
Green Beans - 250 gms
Soy sauce - 1 tablespoon
Dried red chillies - 1 or 2
Sugar - 1 tablespoon
Salt - to taste
Oil - 1 tablespoon

Method -
Heat oil in a kadai or a wok.
Fry the onions and garlic till they brown.
Fry the green beans till it softens and dimples.
Crush the red chilli and add it to the beans and onion.
Add soy sauce, salt, sugar and continue frying.
If you don't like the raw bean taste, add some water and close the lid till the beans are cooked.

I would suggest that you fry till everything browns and it almost burns a bit. Gives it a charred taste.
Serve with plain rice, fried rice or noodles.

This is honestly so simple.. most of the action happens in the wok without any constant stirring, so its only of those recipes where you can do your own thing while checking the pot once in a while. I hope you love this dish as much as I do.

Do let me know if you have any questions or comments! Thanks for reading!

Master Bedroom!

noreply@blogger.com (Vidhya) — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 03:53:00 +0000

I can finally tell you that our bed is here and I'm so excited for it. All the furniture is here and I'm so relieved. I only need to fill in the finer details now and things don't seem like they are at a standstill.

This is the Erin Cute as a Button bed from World Market. Similar headboards run at $400 +. So The fact that I got the whole entire bed including the slats for $370 gives me so much joy. I bought them in the World Market 50% sale with an additional 15% birthday discount (hubby's).

Here is a picture of it -

Yeah.. I'm pretty bad at making the bed.. The headboard is tufted and has multi-colored buttons which I think is so adorable. And it goes with all the sheets. We are using the bed without a box spring (I hate them), hence you can see a little of the base of the headboard in the right corner.. but I don't really worry too much about it.

Do you like the fabulous comforter that my husband picked out? Can you tell that he loves to decorate? (not). I was looking for something subtle but I'm also digging the "in your face" plants. The bedsheets are an unassuming olive. Overall, I am a happy girl.. I love it. The little side table is actually a sofa end table which I'm planning to repaint into a cheery color. Bedside tables are never enough for me as I'm a nightstand hoarder.. so this giant end table.. with wheels... is the perfect thing for me.

My next post will be a review of the items I got in World Market, I hope that would be helpful for those of you who are looking for some offbeat furniture.

You can buy this bed here and the duvet cover set here. Price varies based on the size.

Crave/Save - Coach Legacy Courtenay Hobo

noreply@blogger.com (Vidhya) — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 19:11:00 +0000

Hello! Ready for the week? I'm super busy, studying for exams (hopefully the last one) but shopping is a welcome respite. I haven't spent any money other than for the wallet which is super expensive. I did place a giant order for Prabal Gurung for Target but ended up returning every single one of them. The pieces I got were very unlike the pictures in the website. And apparently size 8 is too big for me(?) I have placed another order with Old Navy. I will share it when they come and if I'm planning to keep them.

Coming to today's post - Out of the $300 I have for apring purchases (instead of $100 a month, I converted it into $300 per season), I am so tempted to spend it all on this one bag. I have been obsessing over the Coach Legacy Courtenay bag for the last one month.

The beautiful bag is available in a variety of spring colors like mint, coral , yellow and light blue. But my eye is on the classic colors like this rich cognac and black. It has pretty much everything I love in a handbag. Not too slouchy, not too structured. Has the convenient front pocket for easy to reach items. A long leather strap and a short strap. I mean - absolute handbag perfection. The price is a little steep for me at $298. You can buy it from the Coach website here.

This is the bag in black -

Now, if you are not too picky, here is the "save" version from Banana Republic. This is the Melissa leather Hobo.

This is very similar to the Coach version. The two cons for this bag is that it has a button closure instead of a zip. It lacks the long strap that would make it a crossbody.

I really don't mind the button closure . So the real problem of the lack of long handle can be taken care of by purchasing a long purse strap from Etsy or some other online retailers or use the strap from one of your older purses. Either way its too great a look for less to pass by if you are looking for a black handbag. You can buy this bag for $150 plus an additional 40% (about $100 after discount) off today here.

I'm waiting for them to restock in the brown and I will snatch it up right away as soon as they do. So, which one do you prefer? The BR version or the Coach version?

Coralista!

noreply@blogger.com (Vidhya) — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 03:08:00 +0000

Just a quick update to show you my beautiful new wallet from Kate Spade. Its the "Bond Street, Cyndy" wallet. I bought it at a sale on Kate Spade website for $99. Its the last season's style, but the coral is perfect for spring and summer and I love the diamond shaped turn lock.

I tried various filters to see which one is closest to real life. The last two are the closest to real life. It has a zip compartment on the inside which divided the space into two compartments. The back one holds credit cards while the front one can be used for cash.

There is also a handy back slide pocket which can be used to "shove and move" when the sales lady gives you the receipt and everyone is giving you the side eye for being too slow to stow your credit card back..

The sale is over now but there are plenty of new styles at the Kate Spade website. Sorry to disappoint! If I do find any link at all, I will post the update here + tweet it out..

I'm really excited about this wallet and as you know this is my first ever actual designer purchase and I think I picked a good product to start. This has made me very curious - what was your first ever designer purchase and how much did you get it for?

Crave/Save - J.Crew Optic Dot top

noreply@blogger.com (Vidhya) — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 00:52:00 +0000

Last year J.Crew came out with this cute twist on a polka dot top. The classic black and white meant, it could be paired with many different colour combinations. Unfortunately, the top is now sold out. It retailed for $128.

This season, New York and Company has come out with a very similar top for a more affordable $42.95 and they usually have a lot of promotions, so it might work out for less than that.

There is more white in this top compared to the J.Crew one but if you love the look and feel of one, you will love the other! Buy it here for $42.95

Valentine's day in pictures!

noreply@blogger.com (Vidhya) — Sat, 16 Feb 2013 07:28:00 +0000

Hope you had a fantastic Valentine's day. Whether by yourself or with loved ones. I used to be an angry young woman when I was younger and without a Valentine and chose to wear black as a protest of Valentine's day when I was younger. A few years into marriage and trying to give gifts that made me happier than my hubby has taught this older girl some lessons.

I have finally understood that my hubby is never going to be thrilled with gifts (unless they are NERF) so I decided to shift my focus to food. Last year the heart pizza was a hit in the house, so this year, I set out to beat my own record. Here are a few quick snaps of the dishes I made. All are exceedingly simple, so I have not posted any recipes. If you do have any questions, do ask me in the comments.

Orange Bluten (Orange flowers German recipe)

Tomato and red pepper soup with heart shaped pasta

Mushroom and basil pesto pizza

Chocolate, Cashew and Strawberry Pizza.

That's it. I also had some strawberries stuffed with vanilla icing. We had a lot of fun digging through all the food and there was so much leftover that we had a great lunch today too. Did you do anything fun for Valentine's day? I would love to know, do tell me!

Kate Spade Saturday!

noreply@blogger.com (Vidhya) — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 23:18:00 +0000

Hello there! Wish you a very happy Valentine' day. I will post this year's fun meals I planned tomorrow. I don't want to ruin the surprise for my hubby! In the meanwhile, tell me.. How much do you love Kate Spade?

I love their fun prints and while sometimes the pieces look a bit cartoonish, its easy to find something that suits your style. Which is why I was beyond excited to find out that they have a new lower cost brand called Kate Spade Saturday coming out in March.

Whats even more exciting is that there is a pop-up shop in Fab where you can buy them right now!

Here are a few of my favourite pieces -

Fine Fellow iPhone Case - $25

Saturdate Sandal - $180

Haf Circle bag - The handle doubles as a belt! - $160

Half Circle mug set - $30

Saturday Sneaks - $65 Love these.

Its fun, youthful and bursting with colour kind of collection. I love it and I can't wait for the brand to introduce more designs and more pieces. What do you think of this collection?

Crave/Save - Bow clutches

noreply@blogger.com (Vidhya) — Sun, 10 Feb 2013 22:00:00 +0000

When spring is around, bows are bound to be not far behind. This season, Kate Spade is bursting with bows. I cautiously love their pieces.. and I really loved their fun bow clutch. With about a dozen bows!

The bows have a pyramidal stud as their center and its a pretty fun look, you must admit. Buy it here for $398.

As cute as that clutch is, I like Zara's look far better. If given a choice would you pick regular old bows with regular old studs OR studs in the SHAPE OF BOWS?? How stinkin cute! I totally adore the Zara version.

I think it doesn't scream "I have bows, I'm a lady" . The cute bows balance the serious blackness. And it has a chain for hands-free comfort. Everybody wins! Buy this piece here for $39.90. Yes, there is a decimal point AFTER the 39. Sometimes I love this column too much!

As always.. which one do you like better and why?

Crave/Save : Pim Larkin striped dress

noreply@blogger.com (Vidhya) — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 03:30:00 +0000

I am a big fan of Pim + Larkin dresses and skirts. The colourful stripes just jump out to me. I recently bookmarked this gorgeous springy dress. It retails for a quite reasonable $79.

I do like to save some cash when I can, so I loved this very similar dress from JCP.

There are some obvious differences but the colour palette and the fit are very similar. The JCP is polyester while the Pim + Larkin is cotton. The JCP version does not have pockets. But I do love the defined waistband in JCP version. Buy it here for $35.

Which dress do you prefer? Also do you prefer cotton or polyester in your off duty clothes??

Spring is on my mind!

noreply@blogger.com (Vidhya) — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 20:46:00 +0000

Are you dying for spring? or are you dying for spring? February is always a great month around here.. The third week has Valentine's day, our Engagement day and Hubster's birthday.. so usually its a fun month. This time around, I CANNOT wait for spring. I think I will even skip celebrating V-day. Maybe just make some love themed food and but after that, spring will be here!!! So excited.

So excuse me if there are no V-day fashion posts this year. I guess I just grew up! Lets talk spring. As always there seems to be an influx of mint and coral. Which are great colors, I''m sure. But this year I'm craving sky blue. That really really light blue on a cloudless day. Which I have not seen for exactly 60 days, as of today. Not convinced? Let me showcase some items I have been eyeing!

Nine West sandals - $59

Kate Spade Charlotte Sylvie Satchel - $278

Fossil Marlow Zip Clutch - $65

Georgia Leather Watch - $75

Some of them are not quite mint or turquoise and some of them are a gorgeous sky blue but either way these pieces remind me that good times are about to come!
Are any colours calling out to you specifically? Have you decided on any piece that you are going to buy for spring? I would love to know!