Monthly Archives: April 2015

There's Another Color Waiting On Me

I’m finally catching up on some past events I attended this year. In this post, I decided to include my most recent hair color treatments, since both involve the Kelly Cardenas Salon in Hillcrest. I got the fuchsia/purple color during the weekend of their grand opening celebration back in February. I took my hubby with me, and we had a great time. Kelly has great employees, and you can tell they all love working for him. The second color treatment I got this past weekend, and decided to go blue again. My stylist, Salvador, did an amazing job with creating depth, richness and texture in both the color and the cut of each style. I guess I’m never going back to just one color for a long time!

All pictures above were taken by me at the Kelly Cardenas Grand Opening party. The last picture courtesy of the Kelly Cardenas Salon Instagram account from this past weekend.

(Title of this post is a lyric from “Queen of California” by John Mayer.)

Covered in Depeche Mode

Being on this shopping hiatus has given me the ability to refocus and put my energy into other endeavors. As I’m sorting and editing pictures for some “Fashionably Late” posts, I’m also putting together more playlists on my Spotify account because I’ve suddenly got a list of concerts this summer that I’ll be attending. In the midst of putting together “My Favorite…” playlists of bands I’ll be seeing like Spandau Ballet and Echo & The Bunnymen (which are my versions of “Greatest Hits” playlists), I decided to put together a playlist of Depeche Mode cover songs. There are some that were known to me already (all of the ones from For the Masses), some I discovered while searching to see if there was a cover version of a certain song (like People are People by A Perfect Circle), and some I wish I could have added but just couldn’t find on Spotify (like Duncan Sheik’s Blasphemous Rumours or Monument by GusGus).

Initially, I posted this playlist on Facebook, and some friends reminded me of some songs that I forgot. Of the songs I found, I placed them in an order that I thought was “audibly aesthetically” pleasing (like the juxtaposition of Marilyn Manson’s Personal Jesus next to the Pitch Perfect sounding Just Cant Get Enough cover by InsideOut). Some songs repeat, because both versions were just too good to be left off (Cage9 and Nada Surf’s versions of Enjoy the Silence). I had to end my playlist with one of my most favorite covers ever: Depeche Mode’s version of Route 66.

Below, you’ll find my Spotify playlist which I called “Covered in Depeche Mode”, and the full list of songs as well. I’ve also added my Spotify playlist to the sidebar of my blog, and will change it up regularly. Cheers and have a great weekend!

I Feel You – Johnny Marr

Personal Jesus – Johnny Cash

Lie to Me – Razed in Black

Leave in Silence – Marsheaux

Enjoy the Silence – Cage9

Stripped – Rammstein

Walking in My Shoes – Finger Eleven

A Question of Time – Clan of Xymox

Ice Machine – Royksopp

Everything Counts – Real Life

World In My Eyes – The Cure

Personal Jesus – Marilyn Manson

Just Can’t Get Enough – InsideOut A Cappella

Master and Servant – Bernd Delbrugge & floorJIVERS

Never Let Me Down Again – Smashing Pumpkins

But Not Tonight – Scott Weiland

People Are People – A Perfect Circle

Policy of Truth – Dishwalla

Enjoy the Silence – Nada Surf

Just Can’t Get Enough – John Lindberg Trio

Route 66 – Depeche Mode

Record Store Day 2015

The Record Store Day is arriving this weekend! My hubby and I are already making plans on where to go. If we can’t decide on one place to hit up, we may do a “Record Store Crawl” as I did back in 2013 (post here). But that really all depends on Dominic, who has grown more vocal since he has turned six, and who may have other things in mind to do other than spend an entire day running around record stores with mum and dad.

Nevertheless, below is my list of what I’ll be looking for, and what I’ll be envying on the UK side. Also, here are the links for the US and UK lists of RSD exclusives.

RSD 2015 US: The List

RSD 2015 UK: Record Store Day Exclusive Product

Leave a comment if you’re also going to make the vinyl trek this weekend, cheers!

(Graphic courtesy of the Record Store Day official website)

Cy’s Record Store Day Wish List!

RSD US Exclusive Release

A-Ha: Take On Me; Format, 7” Vinyl

Adam & The Ants: Kings of the Wild Frontier/Ant Music; Format: 7” Colored Vinyl

David Bowie: Changes; Format: 7” Picture Disc

Cypress Hill: The Phuncky Feel One/How I Could Just Kill a Man; Format: 7” Vinyl

Jimi Hendrix: Purple Haze/Freedom; Format: 7” Vinyl

Mark Mothersbaugh: The Lego Movie: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack; Format: 2×12” Vinyl

The Replacements: Replacements EP; Format: 10” Vinyl

Frank Sinatra: Songs For Young Lovers; Format: 10” Vinyl

RSD US Limited Run/Regional Focus Release

The Jesus & Mary Chain: Psychocandy.Live.Barrowlands; Format: LP

RSD UK Exclusive Products

Madness: Lovestruck/Le Grand Pantalon; Format: 7” (LTP Pop up)

OMD: Julia’s Song; Format: 10” Single

Roxy Music: Taster of forthcoming Super Deluxe Edition of their debut LP; Format: 10” Picture Sleeve

Sex Pistols: New Design NMTB Picture Disc; Format: 1LP

Simple Minds: Waterfront (Picture Disc); Format: 7” Single

Siouxsie And The Banshees: Format: 1LP

The (English) Beat: 7” Singles Box Set; Format: 13 x 7” Singles

Just Put Yourself in My New Shoes

I apologize for the extremely sporadic posts lately. I’m trying to re-establish a blogging schedule, because I actually do have quite a bit to post! And because my life has been a bit chaotic, I’ve been living in flats lately, my newest additions being these awesome ballet ones from Tieks. I posted about my first pair of these ever-so-comfy ballet flats last year (here & here). In addition to the California Navy ones, I now own a pair each of the Burgundy (pictured above) and the Matte Black (pictured below). I can take all my Tieks anywhere I go because they have a foldable split sole which means they travel extremely well (the Black Matte pair are with me everywhere).

What I appreciate the most about Tieks, outside of being the most convenient and comfortable shoes on the planet, is their customer service. Their “Blue Prints” are always packaged in the most adorable box and adorned with a flower, and the notes they send are always personal and lovely. If you haven’t tried a pair of these portable ballet flats, I highly recommend them. Cheers!

FTC Disclosure: I received a generous discount from Tieks as a courtesy, but not as compensation for this post. Although I did receive a discount, the opinions in this post are strictly my own.

(Check me out on the Tieks Portrait page!)

(Title of this post is a lyric from “Sleeping Lessons” by The Shins.)

Fashion Sobriety: Reformation of a Shopaholic

Life has thrown my family a few curve-balls that I didn’t see coming, which has caused me to reassess what’s important. I know my blogging has been quite sporadic lately, and it’s because I have been trying to manage things in life that are outside of fashion, family outings and leisurely meals. To ensure I keep my head above water and that I really and truly understand what’s important for myself and my family, I have decided to stop shopping for one year and undergo what I’m calling “Fashion Sobriety”.

I am the worst kind of impulse shopper. I see lovely things and I want to buy them, and I try in all manner of ways to justify the purchase. Being more in tune in the fashion industry in the last five years with my blog has made me realize how much fashion cycles and reinvents itself. Why not do the same for my own closet for just one year? Rather than buy something new once I see a trend, I should be going into my closet and seeing if I have the pieces needed to complete the look. Do I have a basic pencil skirt that I could wear with anything? Rather than four trendy trench coats, I shouldn’t I just have one good classic one? Do I really need six pairs of black pumps?

I mean, I like shopping. Is there anything so wrong with that?

I mean, stores are put there to enjoy.

The experience is enjoyable… well, more than enjoyable. It’s beautiful.

The sheen of silk, draped across a mannequin.

The smell of new Italian leather shoes.

The rush you feel when you swipe your card and it’s approved, and it all belongs to you.

The joy you feel when you’ve bought something and it’s just you and the shopping.

All you have to do is hand over a little card.

Isn’t that the best feeling in the world?

Don’t you wanna shout it from the mountaintops?

And you feel so confident and alive, and happy, and warm.

-Rebecca Bloomwood, Confessions of a Shopaholic

Even though my birthday is next month, I have decided to start my “Fashion Sobriety” now. So here are some self-imposed rules I have come up with to manage my year of “Fashion Sobriety”.

I must purge my closet, consolidate & edit all of my apparel, accessories, purses and shoes down.
- I will donate or sell any items I no longer want as needed.
I cannot shop (meaning exchange of money at an actual store or online) for any new apparel, accessories, purses and shoes for myself for the duration of one year starting April 6, 2015.
- I can shop for my son, husband, and others as needed.
I can shop for other things such as food, toys, music related items (that are not clothing), anything recreational or that is a necessity that is not related to clothing.
I can receive fashion related items as a gift from friends and relatives.

As a blogger, I have to include the fact that I do review and give opinions on fashion items, so I have worked in a couple of rules related to blogging.

I can receive fashion related items if they are for review for my blog.
- I can only purchase if I am given a coupon (or coupon code) for a discount or a gift card if it is directly related to a review.

I think that covers it! I’ll definitely be tracking my year of “Fashion Sobriety” here on the blog, so I hope you’ll all follow along. Cheers!

(Top photo courtesy of Quote to Remember)