Business casual

(Insight dress, Silence + Noise moto vest, vintage Chanel purse, Jeffrey Campbell shoes, Alex & Chloe necklace, Alice + Olivia leather cuff, Tiffany & Co. ring, Kimski gator ring, vintage ring)

One of my coworkers had the idea of starting a mini fashion club at work, and we've come up with designated days when we have to dress according to theme. For example, Mondays are Gossip Girl Mondays. I actually started doing this by myself last fall; in honor of the show's second season, I came to work as Blair Waldorf, decked out in ruffles, tights and a perky headband. Now I look forward to seeing my coworkers dress as Little J or Vanessa! Fridays have been dubbed Fab Fridays, when heels, and of course a fab outfit, are a must. So last Friday, I wore these Jeffrey Campbell platforms to the office and though not as comfortable as my usual workaday flats, they did make the day a bit more interesting.

Fashion clubs--perhaps they're what everyone needs in order to look forward to work in the mornings! That, and some good coffee!

Bing bang birthday

(Zara shoes, Topshop dress, Bing Bang necklace, vintage cuff)

I was so busy sightseeing and eating my through Paris that I didn't have a chance to take pictures of my birthday dress over there! So here they are... as promised. Thanks so much everyone for your sweet bday wishes and comments!

Even though I was working on my trip, I did manage to slip in some shopping. The black lace dress with shoulder cut outs--purchased after several trips to the Topshop on Oxford Street (I had to go several times; the place is overwhelming!). The Wonder Woman-inspired cuff--found in a vintage store near my hotel in Paris, where I consulted with the shopkeeper about its price using a very handy French phrasebook. And one of the best birthday presents I got this year was the Bing Bang Joan of Arc necklace, a creation of mixed metals like sterling silver, yellow gold, rose gold and brushed brass on a brass chain. All in all, it was a truly wonderful way to spend my 25th birthday. I hope everyone gets to celebrate their birthday in Paris at least once!

J'adore Paris!

I fell completely in love with Paris--the refinement, the patisseries and boulangeries, the stylish people and flowery language, lovely old buildings, and yes, even the rain, which I find nostalgic and romantic in Paris but simply a bother in Los Angeles! As the days passed on far too quickly, I made sure to jump my way across the city, from one iconic landmark to the next, each one more beautiful, more steeped in history and culture, than the last.

It wasn't hard at all to jump for joy!

Modern English

After a lovely two weeks full of work, sightseeing and good eating, I'm back in Los Angeles! I'm still struggling to recover from jet lag but wanted to post some pics from London while I had a moment. I was lucky enough to stay at an amazing boutique hotel, the Soho Hotel. Their impeccable attention to detail and individually designed rooms with a modern English vibe won me over immediately. Jason Statham, the actor who starred in The Transporters and Crank, happened to be staying at the hotel too and after getting caught in an elevator with him for 10 minutes (long story!), we snapped a pic with him. Finally, I posted a few photographs from dinner at nearby Inamo, a trendy Japanese fusion restaurant famous for their amazing interactive ordering system!

I missed you all and can't wait to catch up on blog posts and let everyone know how the rest of my trip went!