Any Second Now

Between The Black & White

I’m a big fan of anything with a vintage feel, and I guess I was inspired by The Great Gatsby when I put this outfit together. Although my hat is really a simple beanie, the large crochet flower just reminds me girls in flapper dresses and my shoes are a nod to gentleman wearing spats. I kept my outfit from feeling too much like a costume by wearing jeans and keeping the colors limited to black and white with accents of silver.

Outfit: Cotton On shirt (old); Converse for Target lace trimmed tank top (old); Aldo hat (old); Madewell legging jeans in artic blue; Restricted “Showcase” wedge brogues (from DSW, but are still available on Modcloth, called Pie Contest Wedges in Cookies & Cream); Lookmatic “Tippi” glasses; Vintage Scooter Necklace c/o Lavishy; Watch c/o Timex

(Stay tuned for a contest to win a gold version of the Vintage Scooter Necklace from Lavishy!)

(Post title is a lyric from the Depeche Mode song Alone. Photos by Rholnna Jiao.)

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial (the Lavishy necklace).

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Weekend in Pictures: The SoCal Etsy Guild Market

This weekend was quite the busy one! My mother-in-law was in town for a conference on Friday, so she requested that we hang out on Saturday, going anywhere and everywhere throughout San Diego. We started our day off at The Headquarters near Seaport Village and browsed around the SoCal Etsy Guild Market. Although the weather here in San Diego during the weekend was quite temperamental, going between hot, cold and rainy, we stuck it out to take a look around and even listened a bit to the live band.

The Headquarters at Seaport District invites you to a unique San Diego event. SoCal Etsy Guild Market will feature Southern California’s premier handmade artisan vendors in the beautiful setting of our intimate, outdoor courtyard. The market will include live art & music and free children’s activities. All products featured at the market will be handmade, vintage, artisanal food or art. This collection of merchants is one you won’t want to miss. Support local artists and buy handmade at the SoCal Etsy Guild Market, Saturday April, 26th from 10 am – 5 pm.

– From The Headquarters Website

Afterwards, we headed up to The Forum at Carlsbad (again); then had a snack at Harbor Fish Café (my mother-in-law’s favorite little fish shack); bought some confections at The Chocolate Bar; shopped a little at The Beat Clothing; dropped off our sleepy little boy at home with Nana before heading back to Fashion Valley Mall for some final shopping. Whew! That was quite the whirlwind of taking in as much of San Diego as we could in just one day! She then brought our little one up to Las Vegas for the week while my hubby and I do some spring cleaning, which includes setting up our vinyl listening area (pictures to come). Although we were all over San Diego, I took most of my pictures at the SoCal Etsy Guild Market, featuring a couple of booths where I made some lovely purchases. Hope you had a great weekend!

As we entered, we were greeted by the cutest little cast of characters from The Yarn Crate.

Immediately smitten by the donut, I purchased it along with some equally adorable macarons (all of which are going to be on display on my desk at work)!

My final purchase of the day was from Cirello Gallery, featuring laser cut stainless steel jewelry.

I purchased the hand cut gold plated skull pendant. Right up my alley!

To learn more about the SoCal Etsy Guild and possibly join, click here. Also follow them on Twitter at @SoCalEtsyGuild and Facebook!

Images From the Grand Opening of Madewell at The Forum Carlsbad

This past Wednesday, my husband and I attended the grand opening party of the new Madewell at The Forum Carlsbad. As you know from previous posts, I started a love affair with Madewell last year (posts here and here), so I just had to visit this new location. Note: I thought I knew every mall in San Diego, but I have never been to The Forum Carlsbad until that night! I also saw a familiar face: Lauryn, who worked at the UTC location, is now the stylist at the Carlsbad one. I want to thank Lauryn, Scott and Amanda for making me feel well taken care of, even though they were very busy that evening! I’m definitely going back to The Forum Carlsbad to explore it a little more, and of course to do more shopping at Madewell. Have a great weekend!

Such a fun, yet frenzied event. Loved the bar, the food and the DJ!

I adore the displays at Madewell. It’s a perfect grab-and-go bag for a weekend summer getaway!

Free tote with purchase (Bien Fait means “well done” in French).

Also free with purchase: A lovely original piece by local illustrator, designer and blogger, Kelly Murray.

Good night!

Record Store Day 2014 Fun & Finds

Another successful Record Store Day has come and gone, and of course, Lou’s Records has come through for me, yet again! This time, my hubby and son came with me, and we all woke up early to make the trek to Encinitas to grab some #RSD2014 exclusives. If you recall, my main goal was to grab the An Ideal for Living EP re-release by Joy Division. I actually ended up getting that and so much more. But I’ll just let the pictures speak for themselves. If you went to Record Store Day this year, what was your most favorite find?

There was quite the line when we arrived. I was number 99 at 9:30 am.

Doing a little record shopping while waiting for our turn. Dominic helped daddy look for something special…and it looks like he found some Depeche Mode for me!

Dominic is so very patient and can keep himself occupied in any situation, as long as he has my iPhone.

Ready to get home with my treasures!

#RSD2014 finds: An Ideal for Living EP re-release by Joy Division; Indie Candy by the Pixies; Ready Boy & Girls? by Tears For Fears (it’s a white vinyl 10 inch).

Awesome #RSD2014 freebies that came with every purchase, and I had two bags worth! The Beatles bag was on the counter, and were free upon request (I got two and gave the other to my niece).

An exclusive #RSD2014 shirt made by the folks at Lou’s Records. LOVE IT!

“Vintage” finds: Pretty Boys and Pretty Girls/Tubular Bells by Book of Love promotional 12 inch; 2×4 by Guadalcanal Diary; 1987 Tour promo of New Order, Echo & The Bunnymen & Gene Loves Jezebel 9 inch flexi-disc (the Lou’s folks said they had two on hand for a long time, and they both sold on RSD); Happy Families by Blancmange; U.K. Squeeze promotional copy; Queen compilation CD; Turn Back The Clock 80’s compilation CD for Pottery Barn (close up below because it’s a great CD).

Weekend in Pictures: Easter 2014

I’m putting together a post about our Record Store Day adventures from this past Saturday, which will be posted later this week (I’m so very excited to share my vinyl treasures with all of you). In the meantime, here are some Easter pictures, both from our family get together on Easter, and a few of my niece’s Easter outfit. Honorable mention goes to one of my cousins who made those “Peep Pops” in that top picture (don’t know who made them). Hope you all had a wonderful and blessed Easter weekend!

Getting ready for the egg hunt!

Mei-Lin used The Beatles bag I got for her from Record Store Day to collect her egg hunting treasures.

Dominic paused for just a bit before grabbing more eggs (wearing H&M shirt & sneakers, Zara hat).

Quite the haul!

Mei-Lin’s Easter outfit for her picture with the Easter Bunny. I’m telling you, she’s a natural for a future blogger!

(All pictures of Mei-Lin were taken or provided by Rholnna Jiao.)

Our Dapper Little Gentleman

For Dominic’s picture with the Easter Bunny this year, I decided to style him in a newsie style, right down to the bow tie. I love that my son is up for anything when I dress him, but I guess it’s because he’s only five and wholeheartedly trusts me as his mother. My hope is that when he’s older, he can look back at these pictures and can appreciate that I was just trying to ensure he had an incredibly fun, yet stylish childhood.

Have a wonderful Easter weekend and happy Record Store Day Eve!

A bow tie can make any situation a dressy affair, even when having a corn dog and fries!

Dominic’s outfit: H&M shirt, bow tie (which came with another shirt) & high top sneakers; Calvin Klein vest; Zara hat; Walmart pants

Warm Weather Skin Care Tips From Bellus Academy

With the spring weather being so warm lately, it’s hard to believe there ever was a winter this year in San Diego! Now that Dominic is older, warmer weather means getting ready for days spent outdoors. Not only do I have to protect his skin, but my skin as well. The folks at Bellus Academy have some tips to share on how to protect your skin during these upcoming days having fun in the sun. Thank you Bellus for always providing important beauty tips!

Spring means warmer weather, which translates to more time enjoying the outdoors. But warmer weather doesn’t mean it is time to neglect your skin. More time in the sunshine gives you more reasons to protect your skin. Bellus Academy’s esthetics expert share their warm weather skin tips to help defend your skin while out and about under the sun:

·   Sunscreen. Applying sunscreen every day is one of the most important tips to remember when spending long periods of time out in the sun. When choosing this crucial skin care product, make sure to choose one that is at least SPF 15 (SPF 30 for lighter skin), that is water resistant and that protects against UVA rays—the rays that penetrate below the skin—and UVB rays—the rays that cause sun burns and reddening. Sun screen should be reapplied every two hours for maximum protection. Also, remember to throw away last year’s bottle; sunscreen has a short shelf life and old sunscreen won’t protect skin from harsh rays.

·   Lip balm. Don’t forget your lips are skin too! Make sure to apply lip balm like you would sunscreen, which is every two hours to keep lips from sun burn and cracking. Also, lip gloss won’t cut it; gloss attracts the UV rays instead of repelling it.

·   Exfoliate. Many know that it is important to exfoliate in the winter, but did you know that it is important to exfoliate during the spring and summer also? Exfoliating helps remove previous sun damage and also keeps skin looking fresh and rejuvenated.

·   Water Spritz. Since the sun is harsh on skin, spritzing water on your face helps to moisturize and calm skin from the heat and helps prevents facial sun burns.

·   Make-up Switch. In hot weather, foundation tends to be too thick and heavy for skin to handle. Instead, try a tinted moisturizer that is easily absorbed by the skin. The tinted moisturizer helps keep skin soft and serves the same function foundation would at evening skin tone and as a base for make-up.

·   Bronzer/Sunless Tanner. Instead of lying out all day to achieve that perfect tan, a bronzer or sunless tanner can help you achieve that same look. These products are safer to get that sun-kissed look than sitting-out for hours under the sun.

For more information on Bellus Academy, please visit www.bellusacademy.edu.

FTC Disclosure: This is a sponsored post.

Weekend in Pictures: Out & About in Downtown San Diego

Isn’t San Diego beautiful? I’m sure to the casual observer, it’s not hard to believe. But for a native like me, I tend to take this gorgeous city for granted. Every now and again, I’m reminded of it’s beauty when I take time to stroll around, like we did a couple of weekends ago. Since my Blink Lash Boutique appointment was nestled conveniently in Little Italy (original post here), we decided to make a day of it and re-acquaint ourselves with this fantastic city. We started with lunch at Princess Pub & Grille; then had dessert at Fabrison’s French Creperie Café; took a pedicab ride to Seaport Village and The Headquarters (I loved Kitson!); and finished with pizza slices at Landini’s Pizzeria back in Little Italy. We found out about a Farmer’s Market while in Little Italy, and vowed to return because while it seemed like a wonderful prospect, we were not prepared to face the crowds that day. We would have arrived much earlier than lunch to tackle a day at an open market! All in all, it turned out to be such a wonderful day and I know my husband and I want to do more easy days like this out and about in our beloved city of San Diego. Hope you had a great weekend!

Some history of the famous Little Italy landmark sign.

Dominic appropriately wore a Union Jack tee while lunching at Princess Pub & Grille (top by Zara Kids).

Having a yummy Lemon & Sugar crepe with my favorite little boy. He’s not so into sweets, but I definitely am! (Mint floral scarf c/o Fresh Picks)

My hubby always stops at Hot Licks in Seaport Village to see what new spicy goodness they have to offer.

My two favorite people in the world in my favorite picture of the day at Seaport Village. It reminds me of when my sister used to do this with my dad.

"Beautiful Lashes are a Blink Away" at Blink Lash Boutique

Last Saturday, I had my first ever experience at receiving eyelash extensions at Blink Lash Boutique. I recall reading about wonderful experiences of eyelash extensions at Blink Lash Boutique by Laura of Laura Neuzeth (here) and Paulina of Lil Bits of Chic (here), but never braved trying it out for myself. After meeting Carly of Blink Lash at a local networking event, I decided to try out the service for myself. I made my early morning appointment close to home, which was at the Little Italy location on Kettner Boulevard. After signing some important paperwork regarding allergies and previous experience with this type of procedure, I was ready to get started! I have to mention that I absolutely adore my husband and son for being so patient while they waited for me (the pictures of the process were taken by my husband). I want to thank Carly for this wonderful opportunity, and Jenavie for being so patient and kind through my first experience with this process, answering my many questions and lasting through the photo taking. If you would like to experience this process for yourself, check out their full menu of services here, and please follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Doesn’t Dominic look so excited? My awesome little boy is the most patient 5-year-old ever!

The process was actually quite relaxing. I was impressed with the how meticulous and patient my Lash Stylist was. She talked me through the process, explaining the condition of my lashes and how many she was applying and why. I chose to do the Blush set, which is about 60 lashes per eye (but I may have had slightly more due to the fact my lashes were very fine).

Check out the results! I can’t believe how pretty and natural my lashes look.

With my Lash Stylist, Jenavie. She was incredibly sweet and made this experience so wonderful!

FYI: The Blink Lash Boutique is located in a historical landmark. I love knowing this type of information because it’s always fascinating what the structure was prior to it’s current use.

(FTC Disclosure: I received a service free of charge, and was asked to review the service in return. Although I did receive a service free of charge, the opinions in this post are strictly my own.)

San Diego Style Bloggers Meet Up at C Wonder

Two Saturdays ago, I took Dominic with me to a San Diego Style Bloggers meet up at C Wonder in Fashion Valley. I had been to C Wonder before, but never all the way in the store, which was quite deep. It’s bright, clean and bursting with fantastic ideas for gifts, from clothing to accessories to home goods at amazing prices. I love all of the possibilities for personalization, down to actual monograming! It was an early morning meet up, right when the mall opened at 10:00 am. We were treated to croissants, fresh fruit and sparkling drinks to help make for a very lively event. As usual, I loved meeting up with my favorite San Diego Style Bloggers, and also meeting new and upcoming bloggers. Plus, I had a mini-haul because of the awesome sale they had going on that day. If you’re a current blogger or just thinking about blogging, be sure to join the San Diego Style Bloggers for networking, making friends and meeting up at awesome events like this. Hope you had a great weekend!

Beautiful and bright, a perfect place for SD Style Bloggers to meet up!

Yummy food and drinks. Tanya of La Bella Tanchi caught my attempt at a candid!

Paulina of Lil Bits of Chic (and one of the founders of San Diego Style Bloggers) listening intently to the story of C Wonder. C Wonder was started by J. Christopher Burch, ex-husband to Tory Burch and aims to be a one stop shop for everything a woman needs for herself, her home, and gifting. It has been hailed by The New Yorker as “the World’s Fair of retail” and by Architectural Digest as “the next generation of shopping”.

Tuyaymya of White Tee Black Dress, Karla of Karla Vargas, and Eva of The Fashion Fairytale, all listening to C Wonder story.

With upcoming blogger, Joann (sorry if I spelled your name wrong!). She wanted to check out the event and find out how to get started with a blog. We all pretty much said, “Just do it!” I know, how very Nike of us!

Bloggers all posing pretty. I think Bianca of The In Between Girls is in all of these shots, intentional or not! She cracks me up!

Photo 1 – This is going to become some kind of photo tradition with Laura of Laura Neuzeth and Bianca (courtesy of Bianca). Our first one was at my little Madewell event (picture seen here). Photo 2 – Adrienne of Pretty Chouette, Bianca of Just Ask B, Paulina and Sara of Sara’s Sweet Style.

A bevy of iPhone pictures! Clockwise from top left to right: Photo 1 – The BEST selfie ever, courtesy of Bianca; Photo 2 – With Jennifer of Malcriada, my favorite rocker-chick-blogger (we have the same musical taste); Photo 3 – The whole group of us, courtesy of Sadai of Sadai Ayala; and with Laura, another stylish blogger with great taste in music.

Dominic was such my little trooper! He did so well while mama was meeting and greeting with fellow bloggers!

Uh-oh…my mini-haul! Naughty me bought some things before Easter. The items: Portable Printed Speaker; Hashtag earrings; Printed Cork Zip Top Pouch; Mini Nylon Easy Tote in Navy

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