goodies in the mail

I love getting packages in the mail! Today I got my copy of Isaac's Style Book and the Geluscious reusable gel terry booties and gel gloves I had won from a Coutorture giveaway.

I usually post Coutorture giveaways in the sidebar underneath the Google Ad table. Scroll down and enter your email address to win free goodies. Yes, it's that easy! Right now there isn't a new giveaway, but check back soon because I'm sure once Olympus Fashion Week dies down, there will be stuff to win. You should increase your chances of winning by entering everyday!

Isaac's Style Book is like the Nicole Richie of magazines. It's super thin and the photos are pretty to look at, but the content is rather dull. For the next issue I will be picking up my copy at a boutique instead of paying the $3.25 postage/shipping.

I'm really excited to get my feet nourished and moisturized by the gel booties, but I'm waiting for when my feet has suffered a long day of walking or a night of dancing in heels. I bet they will feel amazing. I can't wait...

abaeté arrives

Back in May I blogged about Abaeté shoes that will be exclusively available at Payless in the fall. Fall has arrived and so have the much anticipated (by me at least) Abaeté collection. None of the colors I had wanted earlier seem to be in stock currently, but I will keep checking online. I'm also going to stop by a few stores to scope out what they look like in person.

outfitting: officially an angeleno

Paul & Joe Short Sleeve Pintuck Shirt:
- $19.99 @ Target
- I love all the features of this top: the rounded collar, the pin-tuck panel and the puff sleeves. These details give the shirt its retro schoolgirl feel. The soft ivory color is feminine and the sheer cotton fabric can be paired with dressier items.
- See Right on Target with Paul & Joe

Mossimo Red Skinny Jeans:
- $19.99 @ Target
- These jeans are well worth their price. They run small, so I had to buy one size up. The stretch in the denim help these jeans feel comfortable and wearable all day long. In fact, I wore this outfit to work and then straight to the party! I like the detailed back pockets that are shaped like tulips and the zippers at the ankles.

Isaac Mizrahi Leopard Valentina Ballerina Flats:
- $29.99 @ Target
- I lost count of all the people who thought these shoes were super cute! They're the perfect animal print item to own because they go well with mono-colored clothing. The grosgrain bow and the wood heels distinguish these from all the other leopard-printed shoes from other designers. You wouldn't believe these cost only $30 because they're extremely well-made.

Vintage Robert Bestién Red Leather Purse w/ Gold Links:
- $1.25 @ Baras Thrift Store
- I found this purse in absolute mint condition. The red leather is shiny, the inner lining is clean and the gold links aren't even faded. There are no signs of wear and tear. The strap is a little too long, but great for wearing across the chest. I did some research and found that Robert Bestién handbags were sold at New York's Henri Bendel during the mid 70's.

During my search for a roommate, I met a really cool gal from Miami. Things didn't work out because she had a puppy she didn't want to leave behind and my apartment building doesn't allow dogs (I'm also not a big fan of dogs or cats or any other furry pets). Earlier this week, she emailed telling me that she had finally found an apartment and a job in LA and wanted to meet up for drinks at a magazine party on Friday. We didn't get to talk much at the party last night since we arrived separately and she was preoccupied with her boss. Nevertheless, I had quite an enjoyable time.

The party was thrown by Angeleno magazine in celebration of their seven year anniversary. It was held at H.D. Buttercup in Culver City, which is quite an unusual setting because H.D. Buttercup is actually a warehouse filled with high-end furniture. Even so, I thought the location was a great place for a party. There were plenty of things to look at and plenty of seats to sit in.

Four bars were set up throughout the warehouse serving Belvedere cocktails. The different drinks were classified under the night's sexy seven themes: passion, desire, flirtation, indulgence, lust, seduction and temptation. I had a lemon drop martini and then a vanilla moon cosmo (white grape juice and vodka). The bartenders were certainly not cheap with the alcohol because both of my drinks were very strong and tasted like cough syrup. The tastiest drink I had that night was the large glass of ginger ale I'm modeling in the picture. Waiters from Adonis passed trays of mini éclairs, chocolate truffles, fresh fruit, cookies and fruit tarts.

I spotted fashion designers Trina Turk (with bright bubblegum pink hair) and Luis Verdad. Also in attendance were: Caroline D'Amore (who played DJ for the night), Kimberly Stewart, Efren Ramirez and Kim Kardashian (Nick Lachey's quickie fling). We were sitting right behind Kimberly Stewart when she was being photographed, so Emil was "discreetly" edging closer so that he would show up in the background. These photos are poor quality, but you can totally tell Emil is in them.

In the sexy seven gift bag: Boscia restorative firming treatment, Pantina lipstick in nude shimmer, Pantina nail lacquer in Paris, Pantina bronzing powder in sun goddess,
$250 off of a $500 purchase at H.D. Buttercup, Jiti Bedding miniature bags, $50 gift card for Unici Gallery, A. Papier 20% coupon, Pulp Factory 25% coupon, the Circle Indie Designer Studio 10% coupon, LAButler.com 7 day concierge service, Blue Tattoo tank, Goody Stayput headbands, $100 gift card for Sama Eyewear, complimentary consultation for Beverly Hills Rejuvenation Center, Guinot self-tanning cream, and a box of Bubble Chocolate.

the roots and dj z-trip at the roxy

MySpace peeps invited me to their MySpace’s The List presents The Roots with DJ Z-Trip special concert at the Roxy last night. Getting in wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. Emil and I sort of squeezed our way to the front of the line and were in the Roxy within seconds. The Roxy is a small venue, so the performance did feel very intimate and exclusive.

I’m not much of a Roots fan, but I really liked ?uestlove’s percussion opening (maybe because I played the snare drum in 5th grade). Black Thought, the lead MC, wasn’t engaging but he was sweating profusely and had a crazy look in his eyes.


The best part of the night had to be DJ Z-Trip. His set was totally amazing. The audience was really into his mash-ups. People were bopping to the beat, singing along and urging him to up the bass. Z-Trip’s use of records (no mp3s here!) felt like we were experiencing a genuine old school DJ performance.


On a side note, people who make out during hip hop concerts are freakin’ weird and gross. If you insist on fondling and groping each other, please take it to the back of the room. I’m sure the performers onstage would agree with me that the front row is not the place for you to be fornicating. It’s disgusting and rude!

get isaac's style book free now!

Isaac Mizrahi takes on the magazine business with Isaac’s Style Book.

“Isaac's Style Book has everything you expect from a lifestyle magazine, but here’s how it’s different: Every photograph you see in our pages is unstaged, filled with real people, really getting dressed, really cooking, really performing, and enjoying themselves immensely. No airbrushing in this magazine, no retouched reality. Just people making use of what they have and making mistakes.”

The biannual title can be ordered here for free, but you have to pay for shipping. You can also pick up a copy (while supplies last) at these boutiques.

outfitting: you may now kiss the bride

BCBG Max Azria Dark Camel Plaid Taffeta Bubble Dress:
- $258.00 @ Macy's
- The light and poufy silk taffeta fabric makes this dress truly a party girl dress. I like the silhouette that the bubble hem creates. The dress can be worn as a halter or strapless. The camel plaid print is perfect for fall and is neutral enough to be layered with autumn hues for a warm, cozy fall look. I thought the color and style of this dress was the perfect combo to wear to an end of summer wedding.

Bronze Clutch:
- $1.99 @ Goodwill
- See Cute Outfit Wasted on Lame Party and Swinging in Tara Jarmon

Urban Renewal Ring:
- $1.99 @ Urban Outfitters
- I love the crafty quality of this ring. Its funky design is an eye-catcher. The brown and gold stripes match with this dress perfectly and I think the red sequins ties the entire look together. Plus, red was the wedding's theme color.

Nine West Elirissa Leather and Wood Platform Sandals:
- $29.99 @ Marshalls
- These platform sandals are actually really comfortable because the heel is wide and the sole is slightly padded and curved, so that my feet sort of roll forward in them. I love shoes that give me height without hurting my feet. This pair is a Chloé look-alike, so they would also look great with socks!

Larry's wedding was held in the Santa Monica mountains above Malibu at Calamigos Ranch. Yesterday evening's ceremony was set underneath a large oak tree next to a cascading waterfall. It was fairytale beautiful and happily ever after romantic.

Of course, Larry's bride was gorgeous in her wedding gown. She also has a killer bod, so I'm sure any gown would've still look fab on her. The bridesmaids' dresses were deep red and each dress was slightly different from one another. I loved the bouquets! I think they were made of calla lilies. The bright yellow, with reddish/orange blotches, color of the flowers were a perfect match with the bridesmaids' dresses.

Baby Otis was at the wedding too! He wore cute little baby blue knit shorts and bright red shoes. Omigosh, he was adorable! He was playing hide-n-seek with me! I wanted to gobble him up (is it weird that I keep wanting to eat babies?)! I wish I had taken a picture with him.

I had a wonderful time and am very thankful to have shared in such a joyous occasion. Congrats and great big hugs to both Larry and Carrie!

outfitting: cute outfit wasted on lame party

Button-up Striped Dress:
- $1 @ Holy Family Christian Closet
- This dress was one of the first items I bought at the Christian Closet and ever since then I've been hooked. Every time I wear this dress, I get a lot of compliments. It fits extremely well and accentuates all the right curves. The dress actually comes with a matching belt, but I like to wear it with different belts each time.
- See Purple People Eater

Wide Black Elastic Belt:
- $0.79 @ Baras Thrift Store
- You may have noticed that I own tons of belts. When it comes to belts, the more the merrier! This belt could cost me up to $30 elsewhere, so for less than a dollar I had to have it. I like the gold/silver hook buckle and how the belt has plenty of stretch.

Goody Black Headband:
- @ Target
- I think headbands are a princessy accessory because almost all of the Disney princesses wear one! They're the quick solution to top off your styled hairdo whether you decide to wear your locks up or down.

H&M Metal Bangles:
- @ H&M
- See Swinging in Tara Jarmon and Playing with Bits of Gold

Bronze Clutch:
- $1.99 @ Goodwill
- See Swinging in Tara Jarmon

Liz, Thoeun and I went out to Element to celebrate the birthday of Sujit from Skam Artist last night. It sucked big time! Last year, his party was at Prey. It was exclusive, sophisticated and had an open bar. This year it was annoyingly crowded (because it was open to the public), tacky and drinks weren't free. Things only got worse when I forgot to close my tab and the shithead of a bouncer refused to let me back into the club to close it or even have someone close it for me and bring me my driver license and credit card. He was rude and unreasonable. I hope he gets an STD, if he doesn't already have one. And if he does, I hope he contracts them all! EAT SHIT AND DIE!!!

the blonde plastic bombshell

Amy has a devout and very odd obsession with the #1 transsexual in the world, Amanda Lepore. Yeah, I can't believe Amy's related to me either.

When I found out that Kid Robot had just launched tiny toy versions of each of the Heatherette superstars, I knew I had to get Amy her very own Amanda Lepore.

I think the real life Amanda Lepore is scary, but this doll is fabulously cute and such a knockout hottie! I want to get a Heatherette-bot too! Hopefully they're not all gone the next time I visit Kid Robot.

the roof ain't the only thing on fire

To celebrate the upcoming Emmy Awards, GQ Magazine and Guess threw a party (sponsored by Bacardi, Coca-Cola Blak, Helio, Kodak, Budweiser, Trident and Treasure Island) on the roof of the Peterson Car Museum (infamous locale where Biggie was shot). The highlight of the party was definitely the featured performance by Lupe Fiasco. Coming in a close second was the ultra cool view from atop the roof; hence the party's name "Roof is on Fire."

Emil, Thoeun and I were right up front during Lupe's entire half hour concert. His performance was charismatic and solid, but I can tell he was struggling to get crowd response. The audience consisted mostly of folks that probably were there for the free booze rather than to see a rapper. Lupe closed his set with "Kick Push," which finally got the crowd singing and dancing along.

I had a delicious watermelon cosmo and tried a Coke Black (coke effervescence with coffee essence) that had a weird, unexplainable taste. The fries in paper cones tasted really good for some odd reason. There was also chicken quesadillas and miniature nacho cups. Bowls of bread and piles of gum packets were placed at the center of each of the tables.

The Helio room was starch white with glowing blue lights and the Guess room was decked out in denim covered couches and pillows.

Celeb sightings:

- DJ Kid Millionaire (Steve Aoki) was the night's dee jay.

- Travis Barker rolled in with his entourage and Jermaine Dupri

- Omarion and Marques Houston arriving separately

- All three of the Hills girls: LC, Heidi, and Whitney

- LC's ex Jason

- Shawn Wayans

- Derek Luke

- The Lakers' Brian Cook, who Emil pointed out to us

- We shared the elevator going up with Caroline D'Amore and her girlfriends

- Perez Hilton chatting with the aforementioned party gal

- Blu Cantrell

outfitting: good vibes surround aura

Tramp Flower Print Button-Up Shirtdress:
- $16.99 @ Marshalls
- This dress shrank a bit in the dryer, so I paired it with leggings. I like the simple, black rose print. The puff sleeves are cute and the button-up dress style is flattering on gals with wide hips (i.e. me). I wore red heels with this outfit because I think it's an understated way of adding a touch of color to an otherwise black and white outfit.

Express Black Leggings:
- @ Express
- See For You Blue

Black Patent Leather Belt:
- $0.79 @ Baras Thrift Store
- See Party to the Xtreme and Stoked at the Delfina

Red Stuart Weitzman for Mr. Seymour Heels:
- $5.50 @ National Council of Jewish Women Thrift Store
- See Birthday Dinner and Painting the Town Red

After work, I picked up Emil and we headed over to Santa Monica to attend a cocktail party for the grand opening of Aura. Aura is a stylish new boutique that carries designers like Zac Posen, Erin Fetherston, and Peter Som. The boutique's exterior is vacant of a store sign or awning, but inside the store is decorated with art from the Peter Fetterman Gallery complete with a modern/mid-century living room-like space in the center of it all. The party was hosted by Aura's owner, Kristin T. Eberts, and Amy Smart. Shiri Appleby was also there in a like Zac Posen black cocktail dress. She was running around taking pictures with her digital camera with her parents in tow.

We sipped on lychee and peach martinis, bellinis, and glasses of white wine and snacked on mini cheeseburgers, mini caesar salad cups, and goat cheese with nuts and grapes. The boutique was pretty small, so behind the store there was a small tent area set up for guests.

My favorite dress in the store was a doll-like black dress with pink heart-shaped buttons from Erin Fetherston.

death cab for cutie at the greek

My co-worker's friend got a pair of free tickets to the Death Cab for Cutie concert tonight at the Greek from one of her clients, but she fell ill and gave the tickets to me! Woo hoo (not her getting sick, but me getting to see Death Cab)!


Seeing Death Cab at the Greek was a really cool experience. The Greek is an outdoor venue, so it was a bit chilly but being in Griffith Park beneath the stars, tucked between the trees and listening to Death Cab was quite a treat. Death Cab sounded great live. They performed their songs in an upbeat tempo. They totally rocked out! People were out of their seats dancing along. They were successful in transforming their intimate, low-key sound to fit the large stadium proportions.


Working for MTV has spoiled me. I usually get to see performances from the pit, so I thought the seats were extremely far. I could barely see the band. I still enjoyed the show despite the distance. I thought the set lighting and stage background were gorgeous.

We (me and my roomie) missed Mates of State, but caught the tail end of Spoon.

outfitting: yo-ho! yo-ho! a pirate's life for me

Paul & Joe Berry Twist-Front Dress:
- $24.99 @ Target
- This dress looks way better in the ads than in person. The red is not as bright, the length is not as short, and the first dress I tried on had deformed bra inserts. I got the dress anyway because it had potential. With the right accessories, this dress can be a summer treat and in the winter it can be layered with a chunky turtleneck and tights. I do like the dress' empire bodice cinching feature and the jersey fabric is very comfortable.

Skull Print Scarf:
- $6.99 @ TJ Maxx
- Not exactly Alexander McQueen, but this scarf served its purpose. Arrgggh! I'm going to give one of my handbags an update by tying this scarf to it.

Ellemenno Multi-Chain Skulls & Hearts Necklace:
- @ Mervyn's
- The skull and heart charms on this necklace are really cute, but the chain of three strands often gets tangled and is really annoying to fix.

Vintage Anne Klein for Calderon Black Patent Leather Clutch:
- $0.25 @ Holy Family Bazaar
- See Party to the Xtreme and Donna Graduates

Sweta turns one year younger - pirate style baby! Yah! And look how freakin' sexy and booty-ful she looks! Seriously there's a picture where she is totally making love to the camera... check it out!

Drunk girls wearing tube tops should NEVER ride the Saddle Ranch bull. I'd prefer NOT to see your large, saggy breasts!!! Although, it was pretty funny! The entire time I was thinking, "Where are her friends? Do they hate her that much?"

outfitting: milk does a body good

A&F Tie-Back Cami:
- @ Abercrombie & Fitch
- This cami is one of my favorites because of the doily embroidered details and the babydoll cut. I love to pair it with different belts. I also really like this dark, rich teal color.

Purple Leather Belt w/ Gold Buckle:
- $0.79 @ Baras Thrift Store
- The color purple will be huge this season. The purple paired with gold makes for a regal color combination. I think the belt can work for both day and evening looks.

Loop NYC Straw Maryanne Clutch:
- $3.00 @ Marshalls
- See Easter Sunday

Marciano Grape Cordial Shorts:
- $19.47@ Guess
- I still cannot believe I bought these shorts for less than $20! Love’em!

BCBGirls Gold Peep Toe Heels:
- $29.99 @ Marshalls
- See Party to the Xtreme

Peacock Feather Earrings:
- I don’t remember where I bought these earrings. The Forever 21 in SF perhaps?
- I love the vibrant colors of the peacock’s feathers. They shades are bold and vibrant. And these earrings are literally light as feathers!

Lucky Magazine threw a party to celebrate their September issue and LA Shopping Guide last night at Milk boutique. I’m a shopaholic (duh!), so shopping parties are right up my alley.

Milk is a cozy, but spacious boutique filled with the most fashion-forward dresses and separates. The décor is vintage-inspired with clothes spilling out of suitcases and trunks and pairs of shoes sit atop piles of old books. One of the shop’s walls is the map of Cuba circa 1930 and another wall has a giant quote from R. Somerset Vaughn printed on it. The shelves are decorated with empty milk bottles and a park bench is set at the front window.

The party was brimmed with cutely-dressed gals, most with wine glass in hand and munching on brownie bites and miniature cookies. I’m not really a sweets person, but the brownies were yummy! Celeb sighting: Michelle Trachtenberg (her skin reminds me of milk, how fitting!), Zooey Deschanel (in her usual black tights/black shoes), Elizabeth Banks, Jeri Ryan, Shiva Rose McDermott, Shiri Appleby and Caroline D’Amore. I thought it was odd that Lucky's September cover girl, Eva Mendes wasn’t at the event. Perhaps she is somewhere promoting her new movie. The party ended early with gift bags being passed out by eight and the red carpet broken down shortly after. In the gift bag: a very large orange Lucky tote bag, September issue of Lucky Magazine, Lotus Green Tea Pomegranate lip balm, and Stephanie Johnson Sanibel Starfish zip pouches (3).

I fell in love with an Aquascutum dress, but its price tag was way out of my league.

outfitting: sd street scene day two

Xhilaration Sheer Purple Polka Dot Cami:
- $14.99 @ Target
- This is a great summer cami because it's sheer, light, and airy. I'm glad I had worn it on such a hot, sunny day. (I should've worn comfortable shoes with support though. Silly me for not thinking about my poor feet!)

A&F White Bermuda Shorts:
- $39.50 @ Abercrombie & Fitch
- See Casual Saturday

I was hoping to catch more performances on the first day of Street Scene, but it took us five hours (!!!) to get from LA to San Diego! Things got worse when Ashley got pulled over for making a left turn on a one-way street in downtown because a) I told her to and b) I thought Street Scene was at the Gaslamp Quarter. The cop let us go with a warning to be more careful and directions to Qualcomm, where Street Scene actually was taking place. It was an equally hilarious and embarrassing experience.

By the time we got to the stadium parking lot it was pretty late. The folks at the front didn’t give me a media/photo pass, but they let me and Megan inside to catch the last acts. Social Distortion’s set was really good. Mike Ness sounds awesome live! Unfortunately, I can’t say the same for Kanye West. His arrogance was obnoxiously obvious when he stopped the music to complain about the new lighting guy. Then later, in the middle of his verse, he stopped the music to proclaim that he had messed up the line. How lame can you be Kanye? Even American Idol wannabes know never to point out your mistakes! There was also a good five minutes (or was it ten? ‘cause it sure felt like it!), where he was nowhere on the stage and his band was playing random songs that weren’t even his songs!

Day two of Street Scene was an immensely better experience for me. I got a media/photo pass this time around and was able to hang out in the pit for the first three songs of each act. I managed to photograph most of the performers despite the expansive journey from one stage to the next. In between my treks, Megan and I stopped by the Myspace tent to get pictures with some of the bands. I’m so glad that I brought Megan because she’s actually a big fan of the bands and she lugged around the huge camera bag for me! I think it’s a pretty fair trade off … Haha!

Some of my favorites:


Editors’ lead singer/guitarist, Tom Smith, has a uniquely deep, intense voice that’s sexy in a brooding, mysterious way. His performance, albeit very fidgety, is swoon-worthy. They’re songs are hauntingly beautiful and watching them perform made it that much more convincing. I really enjoyed their performance. The guys were also super nice and friendly at the Myspace tent. I’m totally hooked! I must have their album.



The Futureheads rocked! But I wasn’t expecting anything less from an OC Mix band. They’re vocal harmonies were quite impressive live (everyone in the band sings!), especially with their English accents! I love their songs because they’re full of energy and urgency. This made for a very exciting performance to watch.



Charlotte of the Subways was adorable, even if she was jumping around like a manic monkey!



Karen O was stellar per usual. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ latest album is way underrated. It’s freakin’ genius!



Snoop lit and smoked a blunt onstage. Classic. I was a bit annoyed that he was at least half an hour late though.

Others I saw:

- Bloc Party
- The Shins
- Tapes N' Tapes (The lead singer was sporting a Futureheads T-shirt.)
- Donavon Frankenreiter (He seemed like a really chill guy when I met him at the Myspace tent.)
- New York Dolls (Why is that man … I mean girl… I mean man/girl soooo scary?)
- Mew
- Tool (I actually heard them from afar while waiting for Emil to pick us up. We were smart enough to stay far, far way from the madness.)

***ALL PHOTOS BY CHRISSY L. NGUYEN****

outfitting: party to the xtreme

Xhilaration Striped Tunic Tee in Red/White:
- $8.99 @ Target
- This is a very simple and basic red and white striped top. This is a casual top that can be easily dressed up to be chic.

A&F Striped Tunic Tee in Blue/White:
- $24.50 @ Abercrombie & Fitch
- I love the versatility of this top’s longer length. It’s great for layering. For this look, I was aiming for a nautical rock star. I’m not sure if I pulled that one off, but I liked the outfit. I especially like the contrast of the stripes and the shiny black and gold accessories.

Black Patent Leather Belt:
- $0.79 @ Baras Thrift Store
- See Stoked at the Delfina

Mossimo Black Skinny Jeans:
- $22.99 @ Target
- See Polking Around DDCLab, Birds, Bird, Birds Everywhere and St. Patrick's Day

BCBGirls Gold Peep Toe Heels:
- $29.99 @ Marshalls
- These heels have grown to be one of my must-have items. They’re simple, elegant, and matches with everything! I love the metallic gold color. It reminds me of a shiny Willy Wonka golden ticket. BCBGirls makes great heels because they’re high, but still comfortable.

No Boundaries Gold Chain Necklace:
- $7.23 @ Wal-Mart
- See Pretty Badass Princess Skulls

Gold Lightning Bolt Necklace:
- $3.80 @ Forever 21
- Reppin’ Harry Potter love!

Vintage Anne Klein for Calderon Black Patent Leather Clutch:
- $0.25 @ Holy Family Bazaar
- See Donna Graduates

To celebrate the arrival of the X Games, Subaru and DC Shoes hosted a party at Avalon last night. VIP status gave us access to unlimited drinks all night and in/out entry to Spider Club, where I saw Jason from Laguna Beach, John Cho (Thoeun and I both agree that Kumar is way cooler than Harold), and Howie (who?) from the Backstreet Boys (Mike thinks he will be next “out” boy bander).

When Travis Barker and DJ AM took to the stage, the crowd went crazy and everyone from the dance floor to the balcony were dancing and jamming. AM spun an hour long mix of rock, hip-hop, and 80’s while Travis relentlessly banged on his drums. He was so hardcore that by the end of the performance, his hands were all cut up and his drumsticks were stained with blood. Truly an amazing and xtreme performance. Too Short briefly performed during the set as well.

ashley olsen on the cover of nylon

I think Ashley looks great in this spread (I like how her lips are stained red). And her clothes look even better! I love all the outfits. It feels very high fashion with touches of street style. My favorite look is the tweed jacket under the suspender overalls. You can download the entire August issue of Nylon for free here.

a girl can never have too many boyfriends

Jonathan Rhys Meyers is fineness defined.


He's the new face of Versace. These ads were taken by the famed Mario Testino. My favorite photo has to be the one with the glasses. He looks so sultry and smoldering.

outfitting: right on target with paul & joe

Esprit Navy Blue Dress:
- @ Marshalls
- The navy blue color, the high waist and the slight pleating of the skirt makes this dress look as though it came from the closet of a little girl attending an all girls academy. I love it! I think the next time I wear this dress, I'll pair it with a peter pan collared shirt and without a belt.

Wide Striped Belt:
- $0.79 @ Baras Thrift Store
- I told you I had tons of belts.

George White and Gold Chain Necklace:
- $9.97 @ Wal-Mart
- See Playing with Bits of Gold

I just bought a ton of clothes and I feel great! Although my wallet begs to differ. To celebrate the launch of the third installment to Target's Go International line, Paul & Joe designer Sophie Albou (who was this adorable woman in a summery P&J lace dress and despite being from Paris, had a California tan and platinum blonde locks) hosted an evening of private shopping at a temporary (30-day) boutique on Melrose Place. The pop-up boutique featured all of the P&J designs together at one time and all in one place. I had complete access to the entire collection four days before its release in stores! I was ecstatic! Plus, champagne (served in Target glasses) and delicious hors d'oeuvres (caviar!) were being passed out as I shopped. All the fashionistas were gorgeously dressed. Not only was I perusing the clothes, I was also checking out what everyone else was wearing.

I ended up purchasing: Short-Sleeve Jersey Polo in Ebony, Short-Sleeve Pintuck Woven Top in Classic Ivory, Cap-Sleeve Ballerina Thermal Screen Tee in Juicy Guava, Wool Multi-Plaid Poncho, Owl Pin, Turtle Pin, Large Multi-Plaid Owl Purse, and Chunky Cashmere Poncho. I love the peter pan collar of the two tops and the owl and ballerina prints are so fresh and playful. The ponchos exemplify the quintessential Parisian gal. Even though the temperature was at least 85 degrees, the wool sweaters and handbags were disappearing like hotcakes. The workers had to constantly refill the shelves and racks. The P&J collection felt elegant and grown-up, while still having that girly and feminine quality.

Celeb sighting: Kristen Bell (cute as pie), Ali Landry (gorgeous!), Blake Lively (super sweet), Kimberly Stewart (why are her boobs touching her chin?), and Heidi from "The Hills" (Bolthouse Productions produced the event, so shouldn't she be working or something?). And yes, there was a gift bag: P&J brown tote, Target blank greeting cards, and a Target compact.

As I write this, the only remorse I feel is not buying everything I wanted. So when I get paid this week, I will head to Target to get: Ripe Berry Twist-Front Dress, P&J Logo V-Neck Sweater, and White Belted Leather Jacket.

outfitting: world premiere of la suite

Ezekiel Strapless Plaid Dress:
- From the Dean
- I like the sweetheart neckline of this dress. It's one of the most comfortable dresses I own. Dean is the best!

Vintage Pink Leather Cinch Belt:
- $1.25 @ Baras Thrift Store
- This belt is like a mini tuxedo cummerbund. The design and material is masculine, but the color makes it undoubtedly feminine.

Pink and Purple Wood Dangle Earrings:
- $1.99 @ Urban Outfitters
- I love these earrings! I'll post a better picture soon. They are chunky, but not heavy at all.

Leather Clutch:
- $1.95 @ UCP Thrift Store
- This clutch is super roomy. It also comes with a strap.

We just attended the world premiere of the short film "L.A. Suite" at the Roosevelt Hotel. It stars Olivia Wilde and Enrique Murciano. It's touted as an examination of the nature of fantasy, anonymity, and escapism in hotel life. All 12 minutes of it was pretty boring. They screened a few other shorts and my two favorites were “Phone Tag" and "Rabbit." "Rabbit" was a dark animated kids cartoon and "Phone Tag" was about a guy trying to get back with his ex. That one was hilarious! After the screening there was a reception at the Tropicana Bar poolside. The best part of the entire night was the yummy mini burgers and mojitos! In the gift bag: "L.A." Suite DVD, four music cds, an issue of RES magazine, coupons for yoga classes and tanning. No personal celeb sighting, but Alanis Morissette and Samantha Mumba were there.

outfitting: monkeying around at the zoo

Free People Stitched with Love Tunic:
- $48.00 @ Macy's
- My favorite part about this tank is the adjustable straps that can be buttoned to be crisscross. The embroidery detail and the eyelet pattern of the straps gives the tank a feminine, bohème feel.

Hurley Bermuda Shorts:
- @ Marshalls
- These shorts and I go way back. They're comfortable, casual and matches with practically any top!

Esprit Black Aviator Sunglasses:
- $14.99 @ Marshalls
- See San Diego County Fair, Walking the Vegas Strip and Go Army!

Ellen Tracy Black Neutral Territory Handbag:
- $99.99 @ Marshalls
- See Birds, Birds, Birds Everywhere and Pretty Badass Princess Skulls

A&F Embellished Pink Flip-Flops:
- @ Abercrombie & Fitch
- See Walking the Vegas Strip and Birds, Birds, Birds Everywhere

We took Britannia to the World Famous San Diego Zoo for her 7th birthday because she loves animals. It was fry-an-egg-on-the-sidewalk hot! Even the animals were seeking shade, which turned out to be a good thing because we got to see them up close and personal. Amongst all the animal antics we observed, the highlights had to be monkeys "piggy-backing" and a rhino peeing in the very same puddle he was sipping from.

i have a new boyfriend

His name is Pharrell. This ad is freakin' hot! Seriously, Skateboard P is yummy. The Pharrell Williams-Louis Vuitton campaign drops in August. Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss will also be part of the campaign, but it's quite obvious that P is the star! I guess with the huge success of his sunglasses line with LV (I still want me a pair of "Millionaires"), Marc Jacobs knew better than to let a superstar go! Louis Vuitton Don indeed.

Here he is performing during Myspace's The List presents Pharrell & Friends concert on the rooftop of the Arclight on Monday July 17th (photo taken by yours truly).

He brought all of his closest friends: Snoop, Luda, Clipse, Lupe Fiasco, Slim Thug, and T.I. It had to be one of the dopest hip hop all-star concerts of the summer!

outfitting: swinging in tara jarmon

Tara Jarmon Milky Way Colorblock Sun Dress:
- $34.99 @ Target
- I was so excited to get this dress and now I finally have it! I gave up looking for the dress in my size (the Tara Jarmon and Luella lines for Target run smaller than actual sizes), until I was on a random trip to Target and Megan found the dress (that fits me) hanging in the lingerie section. Yah! The cotton material is thin, but that's expected from the price tag and besides, the weather has been over 100 degrees so the lighter the cotton the better. This is definitely a babydoll style dress, where the bust is tight, the waistline high, and the skirt very full. On some figures, it may look a bit like a maternity dress. I feel the diametric opposite of a pregnant woman when wearing this dress. It feels very youthful, innocence, girly, fresh and romantic. I like the princess neckline cut and the vibrant colors, especially the bluish-grape.

Vintage Blue Elastic Belt with Gold Buckle:
- $1.25 @ Baras Thrift Store
- Because the dress is from Target and sold out everywhere, I figured there are about a gazillion gals strolling around the nation in the exact same dress. Therefore, I wore the dress with this belt to give it an obvious yet simple change.
- See Polking Around DDCLab

Light & Dark Blue Beaded Necklaces:
- @ UCP Thrift Store (Light)
- $1.00 @ Baras Thrift Store (Dark)
- The contrasting shades of blue of these necklaces really complement each other. These necklaces are both necessary and frivolous-exactly as jewelry should be.

H&M Metal Bangles:
- @ H&M
- See Playing with Bits of Gold

Bronze Clutch:
- $1.99 @ Goodwill
- I like this clutch because it has a streamlined look and along with his shiny metallic color makes it feel very elegant. It's the perfect size to carry my wallet, phone, and camera.

Xhilaration Gold Ballet Flats:
- Kidnapped from Annie
- Hopefully, Annie will not notice that I've had these flats for almost two months now! They're sooo comfy and easy to slip on and off.
- See Monarchy Tuesday

For all the dirty minds out there, I am not sitting on a sex swing! The swing is part of the Spider-Man section of the Comics Exhibition at the California Science Center. The exhibition was pretty lame and definitely not worth the pricey admission. I did have fun with Emil and Kayla though.

daily outfitting: say "hi" to gemma

Tramp Blue Polka Dot Wrap Dress:
- $16.99 @ Marshalls
- I love the periwinkle blue color and dots are hot. The puffy sleeves give the dress a vintage feeling. I bought two other Tramp dresses along with this one last week because you can never have enough summer frocks.

BP Nordstrom Lace Chain with Wooden Heart Earrings:
- $10.00 @ Nordstrom
- See San Diego County Fair

Gold Leaf Bracelet:
- @ Rampage
- I like this bracelet's Grecian-inspired design. It's very elegant yet simple. I'm able to pair it with this casual wrap dress, while a few weeks ago I lent it to Donna to wear for her prom.

Vis a Vie White and Brown Heels:
- $29.99 @ Marshalls
- See Casual Saturday

Brown Quilted Chain Purse with Gold Trimming:
- $3.00 @ Boys and Girls Club of Venice Thrift Store
- This purse is gorgeous, but it looks bulky with too much stuff inside.

Meet Gemma! She's a Honda Civic Hybrid with a navigation system! She's the first brand spankin' new car that I purchased all by myself! I'm a big girl now! Isn't she the cutest car you've ever seen?

daily outfitting: i eats me spinach

A&F Blue Striped Short-Sleeve Button-Up Shirt:
- @ Abercrombie & Fitch
- It's hard to see in this picture, but this shirt has thin blue and khaki stripes. I've had it for a long time. I think it's one of those classic shirts that can be dressed up or down and will be forever in season.

Hollister Co. White Ribbed Boy Tank:
- $12.50 @ Hollister Co.
- See Sunday Palms and Fleas

Multi-Bead Necklace:
- $1.99 @ Urban Outfitters
- I like the gold strawberry pendant on this funky necklace. This is another item that I couldn't resist because of the price tag. I should really try to constrain myself from making these kinds of purchases.

White Stag Blue Sailor Shorts:
- $1.00 @ Baras Thrift Store
- I lovelovelove these shorts! I feel like Popeye, the Sailor Man wearing them. All I'm missing is can of spinach.

Sperry Top-Sider White Boat Shoes:
- @ Ross
- I've never been sailing, but that hasn't stopped me from rockin' these preppy sneaks. One day, I will don them while on my sailing getaway to the Hamptons.