Tag Archives: fashion bloggers

Blogsgiving 2016

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Our family Thanksgiving happens annually in Las Vegas and it was filled with fun and food, and of course a little shopping. But prior to our family gathering, I celebrated “Blogsgiving” with a few blogger friends at Hotel La Jolla where we previewed the new fall menu at CUSP Restaurant by Chef Ingrid Funes.

Our table was dressed with gorgeous flowers by Melissa from Madmade Designs and Louie from 656 Photography documented the entire evening!

I was in superb company with these beautiful bloggers!

Above: Tiffany of Glitz & Glam By Tiff, Moi & Paulina of Lil Bits of Chic

Below: Maria of Savvynista, Kali of In-Spades, and Jenna of Lucky Little Mustard Seed

Bloggers doing what we do best!

This is the Fall menu for Cusp Restaurant, and we pretty much sampled a bit of everything! But I’ll feature what I ate that evening, which was simply amazing!

My appetizer was the Crab Cake with sweet and sour bell pepper relish & green goddess sauce (above, in front of the Crispy Pork Belly). My main dish was the Lobster Gnocchi with Mushrooms & Kale as my side dish. Both dishes were savory and absolutely delicious!

I closed the evening with a Sweet Potato Tartlet with cinnamon ice cream. I think heavenly would be the appropriate way to describe this delectable dessert!

Chef Ingrid Funes came to meet with us during our dinner.

We had a blast all through the evening, sharing stories and laughing (a lot)!

After dinner, Louie from 656 Photography captured more pictures, including this one we’re all calling our “Real Housewives of San Diego” pose. Maybe someone can come up with a bloggers version for reality TV?

Our lovely co-hosts for the evening, Jenna and Paulina!

Many thanks to Hotel La Jolla, CUSP Restaurant, their staff and Chef Ingrid Funes for the delicious dinner. Thank you again to Melissa from Madmade Designs for the lovely floral table setting and to Louie from 656 Photography for the amazing photography.

Special thanks to Jenna, Paulina, Maria, Tiffany and Kali, who I’ve come to know and love as my friends. It was a great evening filled with laughter and I was glad to have spent it with all of you!

Get Your Stroll On!

Last month, I attended a special blogger private preview party of Stroll’s new location! I had a great time celebrating with owner Katie McCarthy and my fellow San Diego Style Bloggers!

Stroll is located in Little Italy and it’s a great new space that they share with Craftmossphere. Prior to the brick & mortar shop, Katie used to own the fashion retail truck called Stop Shop and Roll (post featuring her truck here). After trying out this venture for a year, she opened Stroll in its first location back in 2014. At the end of September this year, Stroll re-opened in its new location, just a few blocks down, still on India Street. I took a few pictures of the festivities, which included bites, sips and more importantly, shopping! I bought a great new dress there, which will be perfect for fall, and I’ll be sure to put up an outfit post featuring it soon.

Be sure to head over to Stroll in their new location for some fantastic boutique shopping!

Stroll Boutique

2360 India Street, San Diego, CA 92101

The new location is lovely, with everything on trend!

The mules were made with an infused bourbon. So delicious!

I felt like a boho butterfly with these wings by Craftmossphere!

(Photo taken by Rhea of Sew Stylish Rhea)

The first 10 bloggers received a fantastic gift bag, which had a beautiful plant from Craftmossphere (below)!

Bloggers Gonna Blog: It was great to celebrate with old & new blogger friends!

Left to right (top): Lindsay of Affordably Accessorized; Brittany of Pennies into Pearls; Ashley of Ash Poppe From Wear to Where; Nihan of Style with Nihan; Devon of Seventeen Dresses; Rhea of Sew Stylish Rhea; Lilia of Curls and Fashion

Left to right (bottom): Katie owner of Stroll; Gray of GILGU; Moi; Bel of Bunk Beds and Mascara

(Photo courtesy of Lindsay of Affordably Accessorized)

“The List” For Fall 2015, Presented by Neiman Marcus

I’m finally getting to post the events I’ve attended last month! Each year for the past couple of years now, Neiman Marcus at Fashion Valley held a luncheon and fashion show to preview what they affectionately call “The NM List”. It’s a set of trends they foresee will be at the forefront of fashion for each of the seasons, and right around the launch of this list, they invite select bloggers and stylists to see those trends in action as styled by Alex Yanez. It’s always a lovely event, and each season its presented, I fall madly in love with a few of Alex’s creations. This year was no different, and I was able to capture all of them for this post, enjoy!

Lunch was so very delicious! And that dessert…it was a yummy as it looks!

My first favorite outfit of the day, was from the “Full-Bodied Reds” trend. The mixed prints and splashes of red are so attractive. Plus, I was overwhelmed by the gorgeousness of the Valentino purse and Prada shoes.

I believe this outfit was from the “Modern Fur” and/or “The Last Layer” trend, and I could not get enough of it! The modern yet very vintage feel of the lace flares, in combination with the fur poncho, leather gloves, stylish hat and that YSL Bourse Star Fringe purse is what makes it all happen for me. If money were no object, THIS is how I’d dress all the time.

“The NM Men’s List” of trends includes the following: Go Green, Statement Coats, Velvet and Full-Bodied Reds. I think my husband should definitely rock any of these for fall!

Alex with the final looks of the day.

Can I take these all home?

Other than the Valentino and the YSL purses, I absolutely adored the Bottega Vaneta Irish Madras & Exotic Skin shoulder bag and the “Hello” clutch by Edie Parker.

With the always dapper Alex Yanez.

(My outfit: Topshop dress; Elisabeth Gothic boots c/o CorsetDeal.com; Chanel earrings & necklace from Designer Vault; Depeche Mode wrap bracelet by Little Treasures by Mir; Rings by Wendy Brandes)

Part of the fun of this event is seeing all of these beautiful bloggers and stylists! (Picture 2 going clockwise is courtesy of Ayana of Thrifting Diva‘s Instagram account here.)

Our gift from Neiman Marcus was a beautiful pair of earrings from Stephanie Kantis, which I wore recently to the FWSD Culinary Couture event (post to come).

Thank you Neiman Marcus for another lovely event!

Weekend in Pictures: Bellus Academy Presents Come2gether

Last Saturday, I was invited to attend an exciting and inspirational charity event presented by Bellus Academy (where I met up with quite a few San Diego Style Bloggers). Come2gether was held at the Moniker Warehouse in Downtown San Diego and benefitted Beauty Changes Lives, “a non-profit initiative designed to raise awareness of how careers in the hair, beauty and wellness industry transform lives both personally and professionally.” It started off with the media portion, where bloggers, photographers and journalists could interview, photograph and visit with the artists who would be presenting that evening. Bellus Academy president, Lynelle Lynch, and Cosmetology Educator, Manny SanMartin, chatted with us briefly about their career paths and the importance of the Beauty Changes Lives Foundation. The keynote speaker was Stacey Broughton, a former Senior Art Director for the Vidal Sassoon Academy. Special guests that night included Mike Varela, Nina Kovner, D.J. Muldoon, Douglas McCoy, Nicole Brown, Omar Antonio, Carrera Bailey and Diego Raviglione. The main portion of this fun event included dynamic visual styling presentations set to music. Thank you Christina of Alternative Strategies for inviting me to this fantastic event!

Early in the evening for the media portion, just before the main event.

Lynelle Lynch and Manny SanMartin took time to chat with us about the importance of the Beauty Changes Lives Foundation.

The Moniker Warehouse beginning to fill up for the main event.

Lynelle Lynch sharing the message of Beauty Changes Lives to a captive audience.

Artistry in action!

Artistic Director and Wella Top Stylist, Diego Raviglione, working his magic (in a Joy Division shirt!)

SD Style Bloggers: Bianca V. of The In-Between Girls; Ashley of Array of Style; Heidi of A Fashion Statement; Lindsay of Elle Web Style

Lindsay, Ashley, Heidi and I, with Bellus Academy’s Terrell Mitchell, who won Project Runway’s Photo Challenge (he gave tips for winter hair care here). And YES, I finally got my Bodhi Safety Pin clutch in Electric Purple (original “Wanted” post here).

With Heidi, Bianca of Just Ask B, Amber of King & Kind, Ashley and Bianca V. (photo courtesy of Bianca V.).

A Sea of Chanel: Designer Vault’s Vintage Designer Trunk Show

Picture #2 on the right was a display made of real shoes that was later auctioned during the public sale.

A couple of Saturdays ago, I was invited to attend a VIP viewing of Designer Vault’s Vintage Designer Trunk Show, prior to opening to the public (Designer Vault is a luxury consignment e-boutique). The event took place at The Headquarters at Seaport District (right next to Seaport Village on the waterfront in Downtown San Diego), in a creative meeting space called preFAB. I have never been surrounded by so much Chanel in my entire life, except for maybe visiting the Chanel store at the Wynn hotel in Las Vegas. Celebrity stylists Daniel Musto and local stylist Dean Hall (of Hall & Saks) were on hand to help create the perfect look for patrons, and a percentage of the sales went towards Promises2Kids. I had a great time window shopping all of the beautiful designer treasures, as well as hanging out with stylists, fashionistas and fellow San Diego Style Bloggers. One of the highlights of the day was finally meeting Cindy Matalucci of The Pulse, her “interview style” marketing company. Thank you to Andrea Landis with Designer Vault for the invite! There are quite a few pictures to get through, but it is SO worth it because Chanel is so lovely to behold. Enjoy!

Designer Vault Owner Christina Samoylov, with celebrity stylist, Daniel Musto.

Although there were many other designers to choose from to fit your haute couture needs, my senses were working overtime because of all of the Chanel. The following pictures are of my favorite pieces.

The purses above are all mini, and completely adorable.

This patterned houndstooth Chanel in tweed was so incredibly stunning up close.

I could not stop coming back to this beautiful vintage tote in navy blue caviar leather. Someday!

Another lovely, but this time in navy patent leather with silver hardware…

I had to carry it because it was just too beautiful (and it matched my outfit)!

Maria of Savvynista looking absolutely fabulous in a gorgeous Chanel coat.

With the lovely Cindy of The Pulse. I was so excited to finally meet her!

Maria, Cindy, Daniel with Vanessa of Vanessa Balli.

With local stylist Dean Hall of Hall & Saks. So awesome to meet him as well!

With Abigail of The Fabulous Life of a Natural Disaster. Between myself, Abigail and Cindy, it truly was a furry vest kind of day!

This Chanel burlap briefcase goes wonderfully with Abigail’s outfit!

With Heidi of A Fashion Statement.

My poor boys! We planned to spend the day together after the trunk show, and I ended up staying the entire length of the VIP showing. They were troopers waiting for me to finish up, and we finally headed out for lunch and some fun at Seaport Village next door. I love them!

My outfit details: Aqua vest (Bloomingdale’s, but similar here); The Limited Perfect Tee (currently only $10!); Buffalo Jeans from JC Penney; unknown brand suede over the knee boots (from eBay, only $40!); Topshop purse; Suki Bijoux necklace; London Underground cuff c/o Designhype; Eva glasses in Sepia Kiss c/o BonLook

Shall We Shop at Madewell? Bien Sûr!

Last Thursday, a few San Diego Style Bloggers were invited to preview Madewell’s new collection at their University Town Center location in La Jolla. In addition to shopping, we were treated to sweet treats and drinks while we put together holiday looks. I arrived right at 6pm, which allowed me to take a few pictures before meeting up with some of my fellow #SDStyleBloggers. I shopped just a little, grabbing some good deals on a little bit of bling. After the holiday, I’ll be sure to indulge a bit more, and that Bien Sûr sweater is at the top of my list. Thanks to Joseph and Lauren at Madewell UTC for a wonderful night!

Adorable gift ideas on their “Gift Well” table!

My favorite sweater (Bien Sûr is French for “of course!”)

With Paulina of Lil Bits of Chic, Lisa of Mona Lisa Marie and Laura of Laura Neuzeth (Vanessa of Fashion Mixtape and Tuyaymya of White Tee Black Dress arrived after I left). I’m wearing the Skinny Skinny pants in Stitchdot by Madewell (still available on sale!).

A close up of my Madewell pants, and my little bag filled with the new goodies I bought. Contents below!

Love my dainty new bling: matching necklace and bracelet, the Glider Ring (sold out online), and the Mini-bow ring.

The Ideal Blogging Community: San Diego Style Bloggers

I can’t say enough about what a wonderful community we have in the San Diego Style Bloggers. Not only do we see each other at events, but we stay connected with each other through social media and even in our personal lives. Because of these new friendships, we’ve now started to attend events to support our fellow local fashion and style bloggers, as I did right after my day at Flower Hill Promenade. I took my sister to Shimmer at Plaza Bonita Mall to get her Christmas present, specifically in support of the Mingle & Jingle Holiday Shopping Event hosted by Alessandra of Alessandra Gonzalez and Tuyaymya of White Tee Black Dress. Also in show of support was Laura of Laura Neuzeth. If you are a San Diego style/fashion/lifestyle blogger, or know someone who is, please be sure to join the San Diego Style Bloggers network/community!

Alessandra and Tuyaymya showing their holiday looks. Black and sparkly? Yes!

Tuyaymya, Laura and Alessandra

With Laura and Tuyaymya (photo taken by Alessandra)

Fashion Week San Diego Tickets Giveaway From Lil Bits of Chic

This month is brimming to the rim with news from and about all the Fashion Weeks happening around the globe. Locally, San Diego has it’s own Fashion Week, which starts September 30th and runs until October 6th. All of the details can be found at the official site, Fashion Week SD, where you can purchase tickets to support San Diego’s emerging designers. I’ll be attending all of the runway shows, along with many of my fellow San Diego Style Bloggers. Paulina Mo, of Lil Bits of Chic and founder of San Diego Style Bloggers, has a fantastic contest on her blog. In addition to her awesome coverage of the press preview of the designers that will be showcased during FWSD, she has been given two tickets to give away! If you are local to San Diego and would like a chance to win tickets to FWSD, please visit her blog at the link below. Good luck and hope you had a great weekend!

Fashion Week SD Preview & GIVEAWAY on Lil Bits of Chic

(Photo courtesy of Lil Bits of Chic)

A Shimmering Night of Fun: San Diego Style Bloggers Celebrates One Year!

The second event I attended last Friday was the San Diego Style Bloggers one year “blogiversary” celebration at Shimmer in the Plaza Bonita Mall. I can’t believe it’s already been a year for The San Diego Style Bloggers! I arrived a bit late as I was coming from the emma jane opening, but I still got there in time for the raffle and of course, to celebrate and party with my fellow bloggers. The San Diego Style Bloggers is such a wonderful community, and I have met and am meeting new friends at each event. In addition to the raffle and yummy treats, there was a style challenge on Instagram, where bloggers were asked to style three outfits from Shimmer’s fabulous selection (tagged with #iheartshimmer). Also, Bellus Academy was on hand to provide hair styling and manicures for everyone. It definitely was a fun way to end my evening, and I’m so proud to be a part of such a wonderful blogging community. Thank you San Diego Style Bloggers contributors (Alessandra of Alessandra Gonzalez, Paulina of Lil Bits of Chic, Jess of A Glam Diary, Tuyaymya of White Tee Black Dress and Lisa of Mona Lisa Marie) and Judy, owner of Shimmer, for a wonderful soiree. I took a bunch of pictures of the evening, and also check out the awesome vlog post of the event by Laura of Laura Neuzeth below. Hope you have a great weekend!

Group photo courtesy of Judy of Shimmer.

Eating, chatting, and social media…must be a blogger party!

Tuyaymya calling out raffle prizes.

Vanessa of Fashion Mixtape won a cute cosmetics bag.

Bloggers, taking pictures of bloggers, taking videos of bloggers.

With Judy of Shimmer. Isn’t she just so beautiful?

With Jea of Dainty Jea. We’re both BonLook Star Ambassadors, and we’re wearing…BonLook glasses! I’m wearing La Marquise and Jea is wearing the Honeybadger.

The lovely Laura of Laura Neuzeth with the “Bloggers do it better” tank by Tuyaymya.

Eunice of Beautifully Fashioned with Paulina of Lil Bits of Chic

Lisa of Mona Lisa Marie, Eunice, Paulina & Alessandra of Alessandra Gonzalez

Vanessa, Nahomi of Nuestro Wonderland, Lisa, and Jea

I had to get this funny group picture in with our usual poses. Bloggers just wanna have fun, too!

“Bloggers do it better tank” c/o Tuyaymya of White Tee Black Dress. Gift bag of goodies c/o Shimmer.

I was doing a selfie with my new tank, when I was suddenly photo bombed by my hubby. Gotta love that man!

Vlog post by Laura. Love this! And, you can hear me say “Bloggers taking pictures of bloggers, taking pictures of bloggers”. Great job Laura!

Red Flag

Ever since I saw the beautiful outfits by Alex Yanez at the Fall Fashion Preview a couple of weekends ago, presented by Neiman Marcus at the Blogger Bruncheon (original post here), I have been obsessed with incorporating red into my wardrobe. I’m so happy that fall is approaching, because I intend on finding a red suit to pair with my leopard print shoes, just like the outfit in the “Red, The New Neutral” portion of the fashion show. In the meantime, I wore my red plaid pants to bring out the red of my new favorite purse: The Union Jack fringe tote from Bubbles Boutique. I love that I can either carry it, or use it as a cross-body. I wore many British items to accompany my new bag, including my London map ring and London Underground cuff. Can you tell I miss London?

I’m not sure how many of you out there remember the group Red Flag, but they began as a new wave synth-pop band back in the 80’s, originally from Liverpool, who eventually settled in San Diego. I saw them play at UCSD for free when the “Broken Heart” single was released back in 1988, but I lost track of them after that. They have since updated their sound to be darker and more electronic. I hope they tour again, because I would love to see them in concert!

Outfit – B_envied shirt (purchased at Shimmer); Tinsel Town jeans; Miista “May” ankle boots; H&M hat; Suki Bijoux necklace & rings; Michael Kors watch; Nu_G British Flag Fringe tote c/o Bubbles Boutique (my post about Bubbles Boutique here); iSee glasses c/o GlassesUSA; London Underground cuff c/o designHype

“Broken Heart” by Red Flag 12″ single is from my personal collection

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