pink horrorshow

Laid Back

2012-01-25T15:46:00.000-08:00

When I'm not in heels..

Vintage army jacket, Givenchy sweatshirt, Zara jeans, Vans sneakers, Proenza Schouler bag, Michael Kors sunglasses.

Freja

2012-01-19T12:38:00.000-08:00

I always thought the Freja was a gorgeous shoe, a perfect example of badass footwear, but the black came across as a little too hardcore for me personally. When I saw this more delicate ivory/pale grey version online they sent chills down my spine, I had to have them! (the generously discounted price also helped) The eel skin mixed with suede and leather makes for a beautiful and subtle combination of textures. I'm so excited to wear these I might just have to sacrifice feeling in my toes in order to wear them now.

Alexander Wang shoes

Seeing Double

2012-01-09T19:18:00.000-08:00

Helmut Lang dress, Miu Miu shoes

Celine Pre-Fall 2012

2012-01-09T19:11:00.000-08:00

Usually I don't post runway/lookbook images but I am obsessed with this collection. Phoebe Philo, please design my entire life!

Source Style.com

Here's to 2012

2012-01-04T21:10:00.000-08:00

First post of the year. Let's hope it's a great one.
Helmut Lang blazer, Alexander Wang top, Current/Elliot jeans, Dior shoes, Givenchy bag

*Katherine from Feather Factor did an interview on me. Read it here*

Holiday Picks: Beauty Edition

2011-12-18T11:43:00.000-08:00

Christmas is a week away and for all you last minute gift-getters who are clueless about what to get the ladies in your lives, why not spoil them with great beauty products! Here are some of my favorite picks. Happy shopping!

1. Butter London nail polish duo in The Black Knight and Tart With A Heart An amazing set of beautiful colors that have the perfect amount of glitter. The gold for your nice days and the black for when you're feeling naughty.

2. Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in Pink Quartz It may look super sparkly in the pan, but this highlighter goes on very subtly leaving only a healthy looking glow. I really love the warm and flattering colors in this palette that's great for day or night.

3. Urban Decay All-Nighter Make-Up Setting Spray When you need a little help with keeping your face on while partying long hours during this holiday season, use this spray to literally keep everything from sliding off. It also helps to keep make-up looking fresh and dewy! I seriously LOVE this product.

4. Stila Custom Color Blush A powder blush that when applied, will react to your individual skin's pH to create the most flattering shade of rosiness. Totally customized! It sure beats having all of those "almost perfect" blushes laying around. No bueno.

5. Benefit's Erase Paste Waking up with a hangover and insane dark circles under your eyes isn't cute. At all. Use this ultra creamy pink-based under eye concealer to hide those bad boys. This really brightens up my entire eye area, and the pink undertones help cancel out the bluish circles without creasing!

6. Chanel Eyelash Curler I mean..who wouldn't want their lashes curled by some Chanel? Grab one for yourself too.

7. NARS The Multiple A creme multi-purpose make-up stick that can be used for whatever your little heart desires. I love using it as an eyeshadow, especially in Maldives, or dab it on my cheekbones to highlight. Perfectly shimmery and blendable.

8. Stila Stay All Day Liquid Liner Best. Liquid. Eyeliner. Ever. Deep inky black and doesn't fade or flake off.

9. Clarisonic Cleansing Brush in Jaguar Give skin an extra cleansing boost with this amazing professional-quality brush that gets skin a million times cleaner than just using your hands.

10. Bare Escentuals Ready Eyeshadow Quad Bare Escentuals already has a cult following for their mineral foundation, but what I really adore is their ultra-silky and blendable eyeshadow quads that come in gorgeous and flattering shades. You'll feel safer using these products since they're sans parabens, sulfates, synthetic dyes and all that nasty stuff.

El Nano

2011-12-14T13:41:00.000-08:00

To say that I have an obsession with mini crossbody bags would be an understatement..

MINE coat (from Korea), Zara shirt, Hermes belt, JBrand jeans, Celine bag, Proenza Schouler booties, vintage sunglasses

Never Enough

2011-12-08T13:37:00.001-08:00

Animal prints that is! The weather recently had been deliciously warm (for December) and this was probably the last chance for me to wear my favorite trench coat paired with my new booties. I love a good print mash up.

For those of you who follow my Twitter know that on Halloween my favorite Chanel bag got stolen while I was at The Jane. I already vented some harsh words to the fucking scum of the universe that stole it so I don't need to repeat myself. Oh wait. Anyway, my mom surprised me with a Chanel WOC as an early Christmas gift! She said it should be more practical for dancing, aw so sweet!

3.1 Phillip Lim silk trench, Zara top, vintage leather shorts, Proenza Schouler booties (they're on sale now. Damn!) Chanel bag

Holiday Picks

2011-11-30T07:59:00.001-08:00

What is it about the holidays that make me want to wear even more sequins and glitter than I already do? Here are some of my favorite picks to feel extra special during the festive days.

1. Valentino studded suede pumps 2. Joolwe silver Love ring 3. Tibi leather trimmed blazer 4. Blu Bijoux necklace 5. ADAM sequined dress 6. Alexander Wang Devere bag 7. 3.1 Phillip Lim reindeer sweater 8. ASOS sequined bow pump 9. Vincent Longo lipstick in Rhubarb Spice 10. 3.1 Phillip Lim lace dress

Weekend Wears

2011-11-28T12:22:00.001-08:00

Zara jacket and jeans, Club Monaco shirt, Chanel bag, Miu Miu shoes

Snakeskin Dreams

2011-11-23T12:30:00.001-08:00

Proenza Schouler booties, Fendi pumps

Amy's Pink Cake

2011-11-22T17:57:00.001-08:00

I'm all for complex desserts with interesting flavor profiles and combinations, but once in awhile it's nice to go back to the simple things. Amy's Bread is a bakery here in New York that makes some incredible treats and one of my favorites is her classic pink cake. It's an old fashioned vanilla cake with a trademark vanilla pink buttercream that is so simple but SO good. I found the recipe online and woke up a few weekends ago with the sudden urge to bake something really decadent. It turned out pretty damn well if I do say so myself. I posted about the best chocolate cake in the world, well this is the best vanilla cake in the world! Decorated with sugar flowers that were sent to me in a birthday package from Miette bakery in San Francisco (thanks, Stella).

Click here for the recipe.

StyleMint

2011-11-14T13:57:00.001-08:00

I have to admit, I didn't own a single basic long sleeve shirt until recently when StyleMint sent me one of their great tops. Yes, I believe that basics are essentials in anyone's closet but they're always something I overlook while shopping so I was thrilled when I received my "Hudson" shirt. The loose trapeze fit is so comfortable and I love that the back is longer than the front. I now have the perfect piece for layering in this cold weather.

StyleMint is a members only t-shirt company that's designed by Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. You join, take a quick quiz to determine which styles will be best suited for you and each month new styles will be picked especially for you. It's fun, there's a lot of variety and best of all, everything is very affordable! Click here to start shopping. Also check out StyleMint's November contest. The winner win's a whole years worth of clothes!

Lutz & Patmos sweater, StyleMint shirt, Citizens of Humanity jeans, Alexander Wang shoes, Celine bag, Club Monaco scarf

And The Winner Is...

2011-11-04T13:50:00.001-07:00

Ashley (@ashleystarrr) Congrats on winning the gift card to Jay & Elle!

For those of you who were interested in the black Staple top that I wore in my previous post, good news! Jay & Elle are offering it for 15% off until Sunday. Grab one while you can, chickies.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

2011-10-31T08:06:00.000-07:00

Hope everyone had an awesome weekend! I definitely did.

((Add me on Instagram @pinkhorrorshow))

Bundled

2011-10-22T10:03:00.000-07:00

Nothing like burying your face in a bigass cozy knit scarf, right? I had been on the hunt for years for a chunky scarf that didn't cost an arm and a leg, eventually I found the perfect oatmeal colored one in Korea last winter. Score!

My new Laurence Dacade leopard booties are FINALLY here! I ordered them on Moda Operandi in April and I've been impatiently waiting ever since. They're so freaking high like legit hooker shoes, I love them!

Vintage army jacket (similar here), JCrew shirt (similar here), Zara jeans, scarf from Korea (similar here), Proenza Schouler PS1, Laurence Dacade booties (similar here & here)

Jay & Elle Giveaway

2011-10-19T14:18:00.000-07:00

I haven't done a giveaway in a minute, but the nice folks over at Jay & Elle offered to give one of my readers a $50 gift card towards any purchase on their store. Here's what you need to do:

- Follow their Twitter
- Follow their Facebook page
- Drop me a comment below with your name, email address, and Twitter name (if you've got one)

I'll announce the random winner in two weeks. Good luck!

Staple dress (courtesy of Jay & Elle!), Zara leather skirt (similar one here), Givenchy clutch (similar one here) YSL shoes, Hermes belt

TONIGHT!

2011-10-13T09:25:00.000-07:00

I along with several other artists will be auctioning off our work tonight for a LiNK benefit. It's an organization that helps North Korean refugees create better lives for themselves. So come by for a drink and buy some art, it's for a great cause! Below are my two photographs that will be in the show.

If you have any inquiries about purchasing prints, please contact me at pinkhorrorshow@gmail.com
Visit www.franceskwon.com to view other work

Upgrade

2011-10-10T18:07:00.000-07:00

www.pinkhorrorshow.blogspot.com is officially..

WWW.PINKHORRORSHOW.COM
(woop!)

Black & Red

2011-10-05T16:03:00.000-07:00

It kind of looks like my upper body has been spray tanned while my legs are pale but it was the sun setting and casting weird lighting!

Nice Claup coat (from Korea), American Apparel dress, Christian Louboutin shoes, Givenchy clutch, RayBan sunnies

Fall Uniform

2011-10-03T13:26:00.000-07:00

As much as I love clothes and experimenting with styles, there are always certain key pieces that I can trust to provide as a fallback on those days when I just don't really care about putting together an outfit. In July I posted about my summer uniform a loose and sheer leopard top with denim cutoffs that consistently looked good and felt comfortable to me. For fall it's definitely the utility jacket that gets the most exercise in my closet, they go with practically everything and it's my ultimate "cool" item. Throw it over a sequined dress to get an interesting but chic contrast. Or wear it with a t-shirt and jeans to look laid back but still put together. I've collected several utility jackets over the past year, it's my new black blazer! Love them.

J.Crew jacket (it's on sale now!), Kain shirt, Zara jeans, Opening Ceremony booties, Givenchy bag, RayBan sunnies

Fall inspiration: Leopard

2011-09-24T08:16:00.000-07:00

It's no surprise that I have a serious love affair with leopard print anything. It doesn't pertain to any one season so it's a perfect transitional look and even some summer leopard items could be worked into a fall outfit with the appropriate layering techniques. Some examples of my favorite ways to wear this awesome print and for you gotta-have-it girls, I added some of my favorite leopard picks inspired by these photos.

(Sasha Pivovarova, Kate Moss, Olivia Palermo, Alexa Chung)

1. Elizabeth and James Leopard Pencil Skirt
2. Alice + Olivia Nicola Sheath Dress

3. Jerome Dreyfuss Billy Large Shoulder Bag
4. Steve Madden Koool-P Ballerina Flat
5. Giuseppe Zanotti Pony Skin Ankle Boot
6. Blu Moon White Leopard Militant Jacket
7. Etoile Isabel Marant Webster Jacket

Mischa, Mischa, Mischa!

2011-09-21T20:45:00.000-07:00

Over the years, through the blog and in person, I've been asked to recommend a good hair salon and stylist numerous times and since I've been in New York I've jumped from place to place trying to find the perfect relationship with the right stylist. Hopefully this post will answer some of your prayers, because I think I've found it. I want to brag about my girl Mischa who cuts hair at the Bumble & Bumble downtown and is damn good at it!

Check out some of the cute girls that she has styled.

And of course, Mischa!

You can call (212) 521-6500 to book an appointment. The salon itself is really awesome and huge and the front desk people are always pleasant which is a huge plus. Also, if you mention that you were referred by my blog, you can get a 25% discount your haircut. If anyone does choose to see her, drop me a line and tell me how you liked the experience!

Welcome to the family

2011-09-15T14:50:00.000-07:00

After realizing how great the PS1 bag is, I decided to get a second in black and give my poor Smoke a break from being used just about everyday. It really is the perfect bag for me, especially in the medium size. It's a great size to bring just about anywhere from work or out to dinner and with an option for a shoulder strap it's so comfortable to wear and the understated design won't take away attention from an outfit, just compliment it.

Proenza Schouler PS1 bag

Zipped

2011-09-10T14:28:00.000-07:00

I'm back! Sorry for the mini hiatus but now that my life is back on track and I have time to blog again, posts will be coming in regularly again!

Alexander Wang top, Rag & Bone skirt, Reed Krakoff shoes, Celine bag, Coach sunglasses, F21 necklace

Stormy

2011-08-26T20:00:00.001-07:00

Irene, you bitch, you're ruining my weekend. Hope my fellow East Coasters stay safe in the storm.

Club Monaco vest and shirt, DKNY shorts, Vans sneakers, Chanel bag, Cartier watch

Feast your eyes

2011-08-21T11:17:00.001-07:00

1. Homemade cornflake crusted french toast 2. ABC Kitchen crab toast 3. ABC Kitchen mushroom and egg pizza 4. Doughnut Plant creme brulee doughnut 5. Peels build-a-biscuit with country ham, cheddar, and eggs. 6. Peels Gobblecado sandwich 7. Peter Pan Bakery red velvet doughnut 8. Minca ramen 9. Homemade blueberry and peach popsicles

Stylestalker

2011-08-15T16:20:00.001-07:00

I know I just posted last night but I was too excited to show this new dress that was sent to me by the wonderful folks at Jay et Elle in Canada. I hadn't hopped on the maxi trend yet (well that's a lie, I have a few dresses but they old!) and this was too special to pass up. I LOVE a good cut-out dress. And of course, I think we all know by now how infatuated I am with a good print.

Check out the store which carries tons and tons of cute and affordable pieces and if you'd like to purchase my dress click here! Also, follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

Stylestalker dress, vintage snakeskin clutch, F21 necklace, YSL ring

All black everything

2011-08-14T22:46:00.000-07:00

Nasty Gal dress, Givenchy shoes, Chanel bag, F21 necklace

Exotic

2011-08-09T12:43:00.001-07:00

I was waiting all summer to wear this dress and sort of saved it for a special occasion. I'm absolutely crazy about the print and the vibrant orange which is a color that I rarely wear. Underneath the sheer chiffon overlay there's a tank dress made of jersey with a leopard print that creates a beautiful layered effect..you can catch a glimpse of it in the photos. The earrings are something I picked up in a random boutique in Chelsea, sorry I don't know who makes them!

Diane von Furstenberg dress, Miu Miu shoes, vintage snakeskin clutch, bracelets by Hermes, Cartier and vintage.

Beauty Review: Mally Beauty // Urban Decay

2011-08-06T13:40:00.000-07:00

Make-up is something I seem to buy in spurts after I've been inspired by a certain magazine article or getting hooked onto a new beauty vlog...or falling victim to the black hole that is QVC. I never really watch it but one night I was flipping through the channels and some attractive Filipino woman in hot pink doing the running man caught my attention. I've seen Mally Roncal, the make up artist, featured in magazines before but was unaware that she had her own line of products. I was intrigued! After about 30 minutes I got sucked in and in a panic ordered a couple items online before the special offers disappeared. I couldn't help it, she was so excited it was infectious, but I guess that's the whole point of QVC.

Compared to most girls I don't buy THAT much make up mostly because I find keeping up with the trends overwhelming and I don't know how to utilize the products all that well. I have my regimen and process of application and don't change it up all that often. I'm a major creature of habit, not just with make up. So the items that I bought were things I'm familiar with but were promised to have extra benefits.

1. Mally Eye Amplifying shadow liner (set of 2) for brown eyes. I love eyeliner but they always smudge and run down my face! These liners were presented as being very creamy and easy to apply but also "bulletproof" meaning after they set they're not going to budge. The women even applied some on their hands and rubbed rigorously to demonstrate the staying power. Soo, I use and I wait for the stuff to smudge around after an hour or so but surprisingly the stuff is staying exactly where I put it, even in my waterline! Holy shit it's a miracle. The formula is SUPER creamy and just glides on, I love it not to mention the colors for brown eyes, Stone and Deep Plum, are very pretty. By the way, the swatches on my wrist are shown after I've rubbed the crap out of them.

2. Mally Poreless Face Defender. Described as something that no other company in the WORLD has, it's a way to touch up your make up without using powder which only settles into fine lines. It's got a gel-like consistency (almost solid), no color or scent and it goes on completely clear. You dab it on with the sponge that comes with the compact and it instantly mattifies any shine you may have. While it may not be totally unique (Benefit's Dr. Feelgood is a very similar product) it works at eliminating shine and pores and doesn't make my skin feel like it's got some funky gunk on top. Only con I find is that the sponge which comes with is totally separate and it's huge so it won't fit in the compact. It's a touch pricey but for someone like me who gets shiny throughout the day, it's worth it and a great replacement for translucent powder.

3. Mally Perfect Prep Poreless Primer. I used to use Laura Mercier's primer, that was the only one I wanted to try and while I still break it out from time to time, I've gotten kind of tired of it. I don't like how it feels on my skin and wanted something a little silkier but not TOO smooth. Really silicone-y primers are just as bad. The Mally primer when first applied feels silicone-y but after waiting a while the true texture of my skin comes through and make up goes on easily. It's Smoooooooooooth. My pores don't completely disappear but my face stays on for a long time and if I feel like I need a pick me up, I can put this stuff OVER my make up! If you can do that with most primers, I didn't know but either way that's still awesome.

4. Urban Decay Naked Palette. In case you haven't heard of this totally amazing item yet, it's a 12-eyeshadow palette featuring neutrals that are flattering to practically every skin tone. I'm boring and I love wearing various shades of taupes and browns so of course this caught my attention but I already have so many neutrals I didn't think I needed a palette with 12 additional colors. But I finally caved and am glad I did! I tested out each shade and found every one to be equally gorgeous and heavily pigmented. Another thing I like is that they're mostly shimmery which I prefer to matte shadows. My favorites are Sidecar (a dark champagne) and Hustle (which is a touch similar to MAC's Satin Taupe but slightly darker and warmer). I bought mine for $48 from the Beauty.com site and I think to receive such a great variety of colors that are pretty much full-sized is totally worth it. Not to mention that it comes with a mini Primer Potion and a shadow brush.

((Check out the mini interview of me featured on Think Runway. Thanks, Abbey!))

Simply leopard

2011-07-29T12:38:00.001-07:00

J.Crew sweater, vintage leather shorts, Chanel bag and shoes

Best chocolate cake in the world

2011-07-26T13:36:00.000-07:00

If you have been looking for the perfect chocolate cake recipe, look no further. So rich, so chocolatey, so moist. This is what dreams are made of! Recipe from Epicurious and the great thing about it is that it tastes even better the days after it's been baked.

Daytime sparkle

2011-07-11T16:30:00.000-07:00

Top - 3.1 Phillip Lim

Shorts - Diane von Furstenberg
Belt - J.Crew
Shoes - Pierre Hardy
Bag - Proenza Schouler
Bracelet - Vintage

A study in shoes

2011-07-09T09:10:00.000-07:00

What is it about shoes that drives women insane? I think Toni Collette's character in In Her Shoes said it best "Shoes always fit." They're always reliable and no matter how fat or unattractive I might be feeling, a great pair of shoes will always cheer me up because they can never look bad on my feet.

Over the years people have emailed and commented asking me to post my entire shoe collection. Well, to do that would probably be an extremely laborious process, but also pretty boring. I've picked a few pairs that I really love and haven't been seen on my blog that often. Meet the lesser known players.

1. Miu Miu 2. Alexandra Neel 3. Gucci 4. Marc by Marc Jacobs (these are the first designer shoes I purchased on my own in high school. I never wear them but I'll never throw these away!) 5. Miu Miu 6. YSL 7. Missoni 8. Chanel 9. Alaia

Summer uniform

2011-07-06T10:11:00.000-07:00

Denim cutoffs and leopard. What I've been sporting all summer, my favorite casual look.

Top - Queen's Wardrobe

Shorts - DKNY

Shoes - Fletcher by Lyell
Bag - Chanel

Blueberry crumb bars

2011-07-05T08:52:00.001-07:00

I've been wanting to try this recipe for quite some time now and when I got my hands on some gorgeous blueberries I figured it was the perfect opportunity to test it out. I love making all sorts of desserts, but I tend to lean towards making rich and chocolatey things because that's what I prefer to eat however these bars were ridiculously good. Like old boyfriends might regret they ever broke up with me because they'll be missing out on these good. Yeah.

The recipe doesn't call for any vanilla so what I did was substitute regular white sugar for some vanilla sugar that I had. All you have to do to make some is stick some used vanilla pods into a sugar canister and after awhile it'll absorb the flavor and the delicate vanilla scent is so delicious.

These are good at room temperature but also great after they've been in the fridge. Happy baking!

Electric

2011-06-27T13:23:00.000-07:00

Of all the colors, there's nothing like a strong and beautiful blue to make me feel super confident. Whoever claimed blue as the color to represent sadness was totally blind.

Dress - Gryphon

Bag - Chanel
Shoes - Miu Miu
Sunglasses - Reed Krakoff
Ring - YSL

3D effect

2011-06-21T16:08:00.000-07:00

Jacket - Ecote

Shirt - Zara
Skirt - Elizabeth & James
Shoes - Valentino
Bag - Proenza Schouler

*To those who have previously commented and sent me emails about my little quatrefoil chair, it's from the Suzanne Kasler collection for Hickory Chair. Click here*

Oh, Reed

2011-06-15T15:35:00.001-07:00

My new favorite shoes by my new favorite designer: Reed Krakoff. The combination of the mixed materials is so brilliantly done..not much else I need to say except that I love them. A lot!

Chambray blazer - J.Crew
Jumper - Jovovich-Hawk
Shoes - Reed Krakoff
Bag - Chanel
Sunglasses - Michael Kors

Summer staples

2011-06-10T14:34:00.000-07:00

1. Tote bags because they are lightweight, I can throw a ton of shit in there with no problem (like big frozen water bottles) and are a perfect compliment to any casual outfit.

2. Mini dresses that are fuss-free and comfortable. I practically live in this one.

Dress - See By Chloe
Shoes - Steve Madden
Bag - J.Crew

iPhone post

2011-06-04T15:24:00.000-07:00

Crumb in Hermes. Cake & Domokun. Sam almost falling into the Hudson. Reed Krakoff shoes. Zara dress. Oreo stuffed chocolate chip cookie. Perfect clouds by the East River. Tom Binns and feather clutch. Lykke Li. Me, Sam, Anthony. Brian. Glass skull votive holder with a D.L. & Co candle on top. Valentino shoes. Peonies. Sunrise. Date night. Valentino shoes

Holiday weekend

2011-05-30T12:25:00.000-07:00

Hope everyone is having a fantastic Memorial Day weekend! I'm staying in the city which is nice and quiet now, so what's the best thing to do? Shop, duh. I picked up some things that I'm super psyched on wearing and posting here soon. The jacket I'm wearing is new and I'm kind of obsessed with it. I love varsity jackets and when you add some sequins and feminine flair to it, it's impossible for me to pass up.

Jacket - Club Monaco

Shirt - Zara
Shorts - Levis
Shoes - Vans

I'm also doggy sitting for my ex. Brooklyn's the sweetest and most well behaved dog ever so of course I don't mind :)

Beauty favorites

2011-05-26T11:25:00.000-07:00

This is my second beauty post, read the first one here. Most of what I'm posting today are favorites and new products that I've found to replace old favorites!

Hair care: Bumble & Bumble's new product that's supposed to give you that unkempt slept-on texture. I only bought a small tube to see how I like it and while it's not a miracle product (a little sticky), it does help achieve the texture I like. Kerastase hair mask really keeps my hair soft after using it 2x a week.

Skincare: I used to live by Neutrogena's Fresh Foaming Cleanser to remove my make up but since they came out with an all natural line, I made the switch and I LOVE this stuff. Smells so fruity and delicious. I also made the switch to their new sunscreen which has SPF 70 versus the Clarins SPF 40 sunscreen I used for a long time. It just sinks into my skin and doesn't leave it feeling greasy, plus it's way cheaper! I love a good clay mask and this Origins makes my pores like they've been cleaned with a vacuum.

My favorite exfoliant. You just add some to your favorite cleanser and scrub scrub scrub.

I remember using toner in middle school, they were full of alcohol and made my skin feel so dry and uncomfortable and so I stopped. This Thayer's toner doesn't contain alcohol so it's not drying at all and it's just the final step to making my face feel super clean. It comes in a variety of scents and is very inexpensive!

While traveling in Asia, home of OCD skincare, I picked up a bottle of SK-II Essence at the duty free stores to try it out. It's been known as miracle water for some women, definitely a splurge. So far I've been loving it and some of the benefits are increased hydration, improvement in clarity and texture. I wouldn't call it my miracle product, but as soon as I've applied some any redness on my face decreases and my complexion appears brighter. It's one of those products that's supposed to be highly beneficial over a long period of time, only con for me is that it's very expensive.

Nail polish: These are the one's that I will be using over and over this summer. Essie Lollipop, Revlon Make Mine Mango (my fave summer shade, it's the perfect coral) OPI Teenage Dream by Katy Perry.

Make up: I love the high intense shine of these Bare Mineral shadows. They're extremely pigmented so you have to be careful and all the shades in this line are gorgeous, but I stuck to the neutrals.

Top: Glisten
Bottom: Bronzed

Previously I used YSL's Perfect Touch foundation with the attached brush but I heard so many great things about Make Up Forever's HD foundation and I'm hooked. I apply it with a MAC 187 brush. I'm ambivalent about primer so when I found this setting spray I thought it'd be an interesting alternative and surprisingly, my face it still on after a whole night of drinking and dancing.

This Stila liquid eyeliner has replaced my old Dior one as my new favorite. It's a little tricky to use because the black is SO opaque that the slightest tremble of your hand will show. But the opacity is what I love about it. I used to use the Dior liner and go over it twice to get it dark enough.

Hope you all enjoyed this! Ask any questions that you may have.

Juicy

2011-05-23T19:07:00.000-07:00

So I'm really getting into this mixing prints things..it's kind of fun.

Trench - 3.1 Phillip Lim
Dress - Madewell
Shoes - Pierre Hardy
Bag - Proenza Schouler

Gramercy Tavern

2011-05-22T11:50:00.000-07:00

I'm 24 today. Yikes, how did that happen?? I celebrated an early birthday dinner with my parents on Friday at one of my favorite restaurants, Gramercy Tavern, which we almost didn't make since we were coming back into the city and got stuck in heavy traffic. I flew into my apartment and literally got changed in about 4 minutes my choice of wearing a corseted dress was definitely not a smart idea. I thought I was going to burst through the seams after the third course.

Amuse bouche - goat cheese puff

Arctic char with radish and citrus (was my favorite dish)

Carrot soup with cilantro and lime yogurt

A Gramercy Tavern signature dish: smoked trout with cippolini puree and pickled onions. Love this.

Rabbit dumplings in green garlic broth

Beef with caramelized shallots, sweet potato and squash

Meringue, sorbet and grapefruit to cleanse the palate!

They surprised me with an extra dessert, peanut butter semifreddo and the chewiest macaron I've ever tried which is how I prefer them.

Brioche french toast with rhubarb

Chocolate cake with salted cashew ice-cream

Post-dinner treats

They always send you home with their coffee cake which is damn good for breakfast.

Here's hoping to an excellent 24th year of life!

Blazer - Zara
Dress - J.Crew
Shoes - YSL
Clutch - Vintage

Laced

2011-05-14T10:38:00.000-07:00

Nothing like a LBD to wear on date night.

Dress - H&M
Jacket - Shipley & Halmos
Shoes - Alexander Wang
Bag - Givenchy
Bracelets - Hermes, vintage, Cartier

Psychedelic

2011-05-11T17:37:00.000-07:00

Abstract prints are hands down one of my favorite things to wear during the summer. Forget stripes, florals, and those freaking bananas.

Dress - MinkPink
Bag - Chanel
Sunglasses - Michael Kors

Breezy

2011-05-09T13:54:00.000-07:00

Dress - Comptoir des Cotonniers
Sunglasses - Chloe
Belt - J.Crew
Shoes - Jessica Simpson

Birthday Wishlist

2011-05-08T17:23:00.001-07:00

Happy Easter!

2011-04-24T14:04:00.000-07:00

It was such a beautiful day today and I hope everyone had a great weekend with their families!

Shirt and shorts - J.Crew
Shoes - Vintage Chanel
Bag - Chanel
Sunglasses - Michael Kors

NEED!

2011-04-23T08:56:00.001-07:00

Can anyone tell me who makes these shorts? I found them on a Tumblr and I'm beyond obsessed. Thanks!

Warm up

2011-04-18T15:42:00.001-07:00

New York and it's bipolar weather is driving me a little crazy! Can it just be consistently 70 degrees already? Please? I picked up this little silk Phillip Lim top at Barneys a little while ago for an amazing price. I always fawned over it whenever I saw it in stores but it was ridiculously expensive, so imagine how ecstatic I was when it went on sale and at checkout I received an additional discount! I've also been wearing it as my all-you-can-eat-shirt because it's so loose fitting ;)

This spring/summer I'm looking forward to sporting smaller and structured bags, like this calf-hair one, rather than the usual softer shaped ones that come to mind when summer rolls around. I think it makes for a much more refined and fresh look. Love it!

Top - 3.1 Phillip Lim
Shorts - Levis
Shoes - Surface to Air
Bag - Givenchy
Necklaces - Van Cleef & Arpels, Roseark, Pamela Love
Bracelets - Hermes, Cartier, Giles & Brother

Thanks to Jenn for featuring me as her Blog Crush! xo

Four Things

2011-04-13T13:01:00.000-07:00

1. Chanel flats purchased in Hong Kong

2. Engraved Giles & Brother skinny railroad spike bracelet
3. Two Little Red Hens Brooklyn blackout cupcake
4. Club Monaco fingerless leather fringe gloves

Streaked

2011-04-08T12:11:00.001-07:00

Can't go wrong with layers upon layers of chiffon that resembles a watercolor canvas, this skirt is so springy and comfortable (stretchy knit waistband)! Oh, and I went for it..I cut off about 8" of hair, the hairdresser went a little scissor happy and made it shorter than I would have liked, but my hair grows fast anyway. I'm still adjusting to the length, but it's so nice to not have to spend 20 min doing my hair everyday.

Top - Zara
Skirt - Rag & Bone
Shoes - Miu Miu
Bag - Proenza Schouler
Bracelets - Hermes, Cartier

Clean

2011-03-16T13:31:00.000-07:00

I cut my hair! Just kidding, it's tucked away back there somewhere but I've been toying with the idea to chop it off to about this length. It seems to make everything look more put together. Hm...

I found this top recently and just loved everything about it. The off-white color, the neckline, the way the sleeves fall on my shoulders and make them look narrower (hehe) and how beautifully simple it is. I just hope I can keep this free of stains! I would also like to introduce my new shoes that I call my Gaga shoes because they're so freakin chunky and high. I'm unbelievably tall when I wear them, I love it!

Top - Zara
Pants - Urban Outfitters
Shoes - Surface To Air
Bracelets - Hermes, Cartier
Watch - Cartier
Ring - Lee Angel

2011-03-16T06:59:00.000-07:00

I've made a Tumblr account recently, feel free to follow and link me to your own.
Click me!

Pop

2011-03-11T19:58:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite trends ever, throwing in a pop of color into a monochromatic or neutral outfit. Always looks refreshing and chic.

Jacket - Helmut Lang
Dress - Proenza Schouler
Socks - J.Crew
Shoes - Miu Miu
Bag - Chanel
Ring - Lee Angel
Bracelet - Cartier

My heart goes out to Japan and anyone with family and friends there, this was truly terrifying news..

Two-toned

2011-02-21T04:57:00.001-08:00

Pierre Hardy shoes

Gilded

2011-02-16T11:59:00.000-08:00

Jacket - Ecote
Dress - Club Monaco
Boots - Miu Miu
Bag - Proenza Schouler
Belt - J.Crew
Necklaces - Van Cleef & Arpel, Roseark, Pamela Love

Givenchy & chocolate cake

2011-02-10T10:57:00.000-08:00

I bought this Givenchy piece several months ago, actually my mother picked it out and showed it to me while we were at Barneys. I gasped. Heavy embellishments make my knees go totally weak. I have to be super careful when wearing it, the front is very sheer material and a single snag would just destroy it, eek.

After hanging around SoHo I was craving something sweet, and when the selection at Balthazar disappointed my friend and I went to The Best Chocolate Cake In the World in Nolita. This tiny cafe offers two types of the cake, traditional and bittersweet. We opted for the bittersweet but it was still super sugary. Layers of mousse, cake, and meringue made for a really great combination and the ganache on top added a nice smooth but slightly chewy texture. So good and so dense, but definitely need a bitter coffee to take the sweetness down.

Weekend things

2011-02-07T16:57:00.000-08:00

Art Battles party at the Ace Hotel and An Choi anniversary party down in Tribeca with. Good music and good times. Celebrated my first Chinese new years with a huge gathering of friends for dinner and later on I accidentally ended up at the parade on Sunday while trying to join some people for dimsum. Was total mayhem. Finally indulged in a full sized bottle of the prettiest fragrance around instead of my mini sample bottle. Ended the weekend peacefully with film night at my friends amazing loft. Yes, that's a garage door in a third story apartment and a 15 year old (real) Christmas tree.

Winter essentials

2011-01-29T11:19:00.000-08:00

A bit of a boring post, but this is what I look like 85% of the time these days. I lived in New York for 5 years without a real substantial coat. I've owned coats and parkas before obviously, but they weren't sufficient for the freezing winters here and often times I'd sacrifice staying warm to looking good. Well, SCREW THAT, especially since I now have a dog who loves his long walks! I invested in a great Moncler and I live in this thing pretty much, it's ridiculously warm. The boots I also purchased this season and they are major heavy duty!

But no matter how miserable slushy sidewalks are or how bitterly cold the wind is, I prefer this to melting in the summertime! I may be the only one who thinks this..

Coat - Moncler
Scarf - Zara

Jeans - Citizens of Humanity
Boots - Miu Miu

I had to include this gratuitous photo of Ezzie. This was last week after we went hiking by my parents' house and he was sleeping in a bed that he's clearly outgrown and with his tennis ball that he protects with his dear life, haha.

That coat

2011-01-22T18:20:00.000-08:00

Coat - Elfee by Jindo

Dress - Helmut Lang
Shoes - Alexander Wang

There has been a major lack of outfit photos since I haven't really put effort into getting dressed these days. It's too freaking cold that I kind of just wear the same thing because I want to be warm and comfortable. I'm looking forward to slightly warmer weather (still not a fan of summer) so I can wear open toed shoes and dresses without tights!

Wearing the coat that I posted previously and a new pair of shoes I've fallen in love with. Actually I love the entire Alexander Wang shoe collection but especially these Noemi's that I got in Hong Kong from Lane Crawford. I think I'd like to get my hands on a pair of nude Kasia's next, they're gorgeous!

Three things

2011-01-20T12:03:00.000-08:00

1. A gorgeous leopard printed fur coat by Elfee. I don't know what type of animal this is, the Korean sales lady didn't know the English name for it but it's in the feline family. My friend called it my house cat coat..awful.

2. Van Cleef & Arpels vintage alhambra earclips. Totally classic.

3. Chanel earrings. There was a variation of these that I saw in Korea but waited until we got to Hong Kong to buy them. Unfortunately they were completely sold out in HK and when I got back to Korea they were all gone too! Came back to New York and got this pair, which aren't as beautiful as the other pair, but still gorgeous.

Quinoa stir-fry

2011-01-18T07:49:00.001-08:00

I was never one to make resolutions, I'm REALLY bad at keeping them so I stopped making them. Once 2011 hit and I was in Korea, there was a moment when I caught myself gorging on total junk I made the decision that it was time to get back to eating better foods. My diet was total shit for quite a while and I couldn't even remember the last time I had a healthy home cooked meal, something I used to do by making large quantities and keep in the fridge to keep me going during the week.

When I was a kid my diet consisted of about four different items: pasta with tomato sauce, chicken fingers, ice-cream, rice. I was probably the pickiest person ever and my parents indulged me in this bad habit (tsk, tsk!) so it took me a very long time to appreciate things like a zucchini. I still don't like vegetables very much but if I eat them they need to be prepared a certain way and with certain flavors. I found this quinoa recipe on Epicurious and adjusted it a bit to make it better (by adding more veggies, who woulda thunk!) and it's become a staple for lunch or dinner. I tried quinoa last year and my first impression didn't go over very well, I thought it tasted awful but that's probably because I ate it plain as a side with my chicken. Now that I've mixed it with other ingredients it's soooo good and I can't get enough!

Uncooked quinoa

After it's cooked little springs are released from the grains.

One of my favorite veggies, I try to add mushrooms to everything.

I sautee the onions and garlic first and then add the rest of the veggies after.

Add red bell pepper.

I like the texture of shredded chicken so I cook it in a separate pan, cool, and add it to the quinoa and vegetables.

Original recipe from Self magazine and my version:
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 2 small carrots, julienned
- 1 roasted red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 zucchini, halved and sliced
- 1 cup snow peas, trimmed
- 1 cup cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 4 ounces chicken breast, shredded
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Enjoy!

Hong Kong

2011-01-14T12:58:00.001-08:00

This was my second time visiting Hong Kong, my first time was about 15 years ago so I didn't remember much. Since designer items in Korea are insanely expensive, the trip to HK was sort of our time to go shopping :) The city was a lot more diverse than I expected and one major convenience was that almost everyone spoke English so communicating was easy. I was really looking forward to eating some great Cantonese food but only one experience was memorable, we seemed to have bad luck with the restaurants which was really disappointing but at least I got to find one of my favorite dishes, xiaolongbao! Mm mm, soupy goodness.

I'll slowly but surely be posting my purchases, there are some things that I'm REALLY excited about so stay tuned! Also, a big thank you to everyone who left a comment with recommendations in both Seoul and Hong Kong, I definitely followed some of your advice and it resulted in a fantastic trip!

Seoul

2011-01-09T02:55:00.000-08:00

I'm currently suffering from major jet lag but it feels so good to be back in New York, I was ridiculously homesick. Here's the rest of my photos from Korea, up next will be my Hong Kong post!

Christmas dinner at the Shilla Hotel

2010-12-29T15:24:00.000-08:00

Currently updating from the Incheon airport where my family and I are waiting in the lounge to leave for Hong Kong! Wanted to share how we spent Christmas which was by having a quiet evening eating dinner at the Continental restaurant in the Shilla Hotel that offers French with a Korean influence.

Gorgeous crystals that hung in the hotel lobby.

View from the restaurant. The light reflections look like stars and the moon, no?

Brioche with black truffle cream, a potato blini with caviar, and oyster cappuccino.

The baguette and butter here were actually super delicious and flavorful. The onion roll was a little too greasy for me.

Shrimp carpaccio with citrus and fennel vinaigrette. Fennel is one thing I cannot eat whatsoever (like cilantro) so I didn't enjoy this course very much :(

Cod with braised leeks, tomato concasse, and a champagne emusion.

Foie gras, duck breast with endive, lentil puree and orange sauce.

Dry-aged and grilled Korean ribeye with madeira sauce, white asparagus, porcini mushrooms and onion.

Valrhona chocolate ganache, sable cookie, vanilla ice-cream, and almond tuille.

Little post dinner treats.

(I looked like a total asshole in this pic hence the more pleasant pink smiley face)
Fur coat - Vintage
Dress - From a Korean boutique
Tights - Wolford
Boots - Miu Miu
Bag - Chanel

Browsing the stores downstairs but everything was closed. A display of gorgeous Korean embroidered pillows.

Gorgeous Hanok-style architecture.

Vogue Girl

2010-12-25T04:39:00.000-08:00

I was trying to access the U.S. Style.com but since I'm currently in Korea I kept getting redirected to the Korean website, which is how I found these little gems. I am totally in love with the styling in this Vogue Girl editorial, everything is spot and very different from what I've seen the girls around here wearing. Seoul is a city that puts a lot of focus on trends and almost everyone wears similar items and does their make-up the exact same way. Very pale milky skin with a lot of iridescent highlighting, no color on the cheeks, full brows and defined eyes, a lot of girls wear those circle lenses too. Very pretty but not something I could pull off, it's amazing how different I look despite the fact that I'm Korean too.

I would love to have me a violet mini Hermes Constance bag!

Source

Hope everybody had a safe and very happy holiday! Xoxo

Forgotten

2010-12-14T22:12:00.001-08:00

Two outfits I took a while ago and never posted on here. Both the jacket and the pink shirt are from J.Crew and I cannot stress how many times I've worn each one. The utility jacket was one of my best purchases from there and it's so comfortable and fits so nicely. The floral shirt is one of their "perfect shirts" which come in a huge array of prints and colors but they're always flattering.

Jacket - J.crew

Jeans - Acne
Shoes - Prada
Bag - Givenchy
Scarf - H&M

Blazer - BCBG

Shirt - J.Crew
Jeans - Topshop
Shoes - Chloe
Sunglasses - Rayban

Shearling

2010-12-01T10:07:00.000-08:00

**I'm leaving for Korea and Hong Kong in two weeks. Anyone who's familiar with great shopping spots or anywhere interesting especially in Hong Kong, please leave me any info! Thanks.**

I had been looking for a perfect shearling jacket for quite a few years now, but everything was either too bulky on my frame or looked too lumberjackish. Came upon this multi-material jacket a few weeks ago and I'm in love! The fur is so bright and it's surprisingly warm too.

Jacket - Helmut Lang
Tank - Elie Tahari
Jeans - Urban Outfitters
Necklace - Pamela Love
Shoes - Opening Ceremony
Bag - Proenza Schouler

Halloweenie

2010-11-01T19:10:00.000-07:00

I hope everyone had a great Halloween, having it fall on a Sunday this year seemed to really stretch out the partying and as a result I still feel exhausted even though I didn't do anything too crazy. But then Halloween in New York is like Halloween on steroids..

Friday was a masquerade ball and since I think masks are so uncomfortable I put Swarovski rhinestones around my eyes, yes I put each INDIVIDUAL crystal on there with eyelash glue..painfully meticulous but I loved the end result - which you can't even see in these photos :( I didn't exactly have a costume, I just wore the American Apparel leotard that I got for my Lady Gaga costume last year but when my friends saw me they said I looked like one of the girlies from the Single Ladies video. Yeah? Ok, works for me! Then on Saturday my friends and I planned on attending some supposedly crazy warehouse party in Brooklyn. What should have been a great evening was cut VERY short due to a chaotic crowd in a chaotic venue. I didn't even know what was going on but by 1 a.m. I was freezing cold and drunk and wanted to go home where I had a proper toilet and didn't have to squat on the sidewalks to pee. Then on Sunday, I nursed my hangover and rested..

The beautiful ladies!

The dapper gentlemen!

Me in my dead bride costume. I actually wore this two years ago and loved it so much I had to recycle it. The dress is an actual wedding dress that I got on ebay for a great price and Nicole helped me make my veil from tulle.

my head looks totally detachable

Nicole was....something. She was inspired by Mary-Anne from True Blood and made her headpiece from paper mache and tulle!

And a peacock! I regret not taking more photos, I was so out of it :( Next year!

Celine, Celine, Celine!

2010-10-24T16:33:00.001-07:00

While I've been loving the clothing being produced by Celine, it took some time to soften up to the Celine handbags that everyone was going totally bananas for. But in the end, it was the Luggage bag that won me over with it's simplicity and beautifully structured shape. It's a pretty big bag and heavy too but it'll be perfect for me to carry along to work so it can hold all my crap as well as whichever heels I'll need to be changing out of for the ride back home!

I'm a little obsessed with the Celine type. The sans-serif font is so clean and elegant, and the gold letters looks so pretty against the black. Ok, just had a nerdy art school student moment.

FYI, those are legit prescription glasses!

Look who decided to pop his head in during mommy's photo shoot. Ezzie got his manhood snipped last week, hence the degrading plastic cone.

Blazer - Zara
Shirt - T by A.Wang
Jeans- Topshop
Belt - Hermes
Shoes - Miu Miu
Bag - Celine
Scarf - Vintage
Glasses - Fabulous Fanny's

Prada polka dotted

2010-10-13T14:38:00.000-07:00

This dress was originally about 8" longer, I had it chopped off to flatter my height. The color is pretty fantastic and it's such a cupcake of a dress that I couldn't pass it off.

Dress - Prada
Shoes - Opening Ceremony
Coat - Vintage Italian army jacket
Watch - Cartier
Bracelets - Hermes, Cartier
Ring - Anne Arden McDonald

Jacket - J.Crew

Tank - Elie Tahari
Pants - J.Crew
Shoes - Bakers
Bag - Vintage Chanel
Bracelet - Hermes

I received these shoes by Bakers, you can see more looks by other people on the Shoeternity website. The height of these are totally ridiculous and the color is the perfect blush/taupe, something I definitely needed.

Oh, BY THE WAY...if you were looking for a good cookie recipe to try, check these suckers out! Oreo chocolate chunk cookies that I made last week from this blog. Nom nom nom, so delish.

Sorry for the lack of text, my brain is so tired right now!

A trench two ways

2010-09-22T08:57:00.000-07:00

Hi, I'm still here! Finally got a new camera - a sexy G11 and will resume posting and reading everyone else's blogs regularly..I've been out of the loop. Last night was the party for Tiffany's new handbag collection. My friend Brian has been working very hard on this and it was a gorgeous event. There were some good canapes too...oh, and good bags!

Trench - Phillip Lim
Top - Phillip Lim
Skirt - BCBG
Shoes - Miu Miu
Clutch - Vintage
Bracelet - Hermes

I wore this to Fashions Night Out. Can't say I had as much fun as I did the previous year, the streets of Soho were so packed like New Years or something. Too crazy for me, yikes!

Trench - Phillip Lim
Jumper - Jovovich Hawk
Shoes - Givenchy
Clutch - Chanel
Bracelets - Hermes and vintage

Womp, womp

2010-08-23T06:16:00.000-07:00

Completely annihilated my camera this weekend, no blogging for a while :(

Fail.

Weekend things

2010-08-15T12:38:00.000-07:00

Received a surprise thank you present from San Francisco. A huge array of Paulette macarons!

Ezzie and fellow black labradors at the dog park

Rediscovered how good nerds rope is.

The best brunch in town. Get the eggs norweigian at Schiller's, always perfectly poached.

Sour cream and hazelnut waffles with a bourbon syrup

Lauren and her eggs hussard

Gorgeous tea and spice display at the Hester St. fair

Doughnut Plant = the shit. The blueberry is a must try.

Peekaboo

2010-08-09T13:35:00.000-07:00

I've always loved the combination of a high waisted bottom with a cropped top so that a tiny bit of skin peeks out. So subtle and sexy.

Top - Rachel Comey
Skirt - Pendleton x Opening Ceremony
Shoes - Steve Madden
Sunglasses - Ray-Ban
Bag - Proenza Schouler
Bracelet - Cartier

Hair basics

2010-07-30T12:29:00.000-07:00

I've received a lot of questions asking me how I get my hair to be so voluminous, how I style it, which products do I use..so this post is dedicated to getting most of those questions answered. But just be aware, like make-up I don't have an extensive knowledge on products and tricks because I'm very lazy when it comes to doing hair.

First, the most important thing you need to know is that my hair is naturally VERY thick and very healthy, so I don't do anything to add volume. In fact whenever I get my hair cut I need to get it thinned out so it doesn't get out of control.

It's also extremely straight in its natural straight, so for most of the pictures you have seen on my blog I have had a perm, but right now it's grown out almost completely and I style the waves by using a curling iron.

Those who have asked how I get my thick hair up in a bun, it just takes a few tries to get that mass sitting just the way I'd like it to :P and use 2 thick hair ties!

My favorite trick that I've figured out over the years is to shower and night and let my hair dry while I sleep because it minimizes the poofy texture I get from showering the day of. Rolling around on my hair makes it a little softer and silkier, also the bedhead looks better when I style it.

Here are the few products that I use (I didn't list shampoo/conditioner because I'm always changing it up whenever my bottles are empty):

Shu Uemura's Liquid Fabric Spray. Most Asians don't have great texture, our hair is just really smooth and 2 dimensional, so when my hairdresser recommended this to me for adding texture I was skeptical because nothing has impressed me before. Let me just say, I LOOOVE this. Used sparingly, it gives a great piecey look after hair is dried and it stays that way all day. I love that it also doesn't feel sticky or crunchy upon application, this is a "the shit" product.

Moroccan Oil. I've heard endless rave reviews about this stuff so I had to give in and buy a bottle. So far, it hasn't blown me away with fantastic results but it keeps me dry ends from looking horribly frayed and it smells nice. I don't use it every night, just when I feel like my hair could use a pick me up and feel softer.

Redken Glass 01 Smoothing Serum. My hair doesn't really frizz, but when I really want an ultra smooth texture I'll rub some of this into my hair. It was included in the gift bag at a fashion show and I'm so glad it did because otherwise I wouldn't have tried it. Previously I used John Frieda's smoothing serum but it felt a little sticky to me. I highly recommend you frizzy haired people to give this a try!

Conair curling irons. My whole life I never understood how to use these properly until maybe 7 months ago. Don't bother using the clamps and just wrap your hair around the entire iron! Since my hair is thick and doesn't like to hold very well, I hold the pieces on the iron for 15-20 seconds. Afterwards, just run your fingers through your hair and use styling product if desired, I just skip that. The one on the left is 1" and the one on the right is 1" 1/4, I mostly use the thicker barrel though.

Printed matter

2010-07-27T11:55:00.001-07:00

Summer staple: Easy and lightweight dresses that still make a statement. I seem to be really racking up on my abstract print dresses these days, no?

Dress - Geren Ford
Bag - Proenza Schouler
Shoes - J.Crew
Necklace - Pamela Love
Bracelet - Cartier

Also, take a peek inside my purse :)

YSL wallet, Blackberry, iPod, empty poop bag carrier, Burt's Bees chapstick, pink Muji pen, gum, Anna Sui blotting papers, LV keychain.

Spots & stripes

2010-07-14T12:42:00.000-07:00

Currently obsessed with my new Miu Miu shoes, they're 5.5" and just a tad difficult to walk in but I'll make them work anyway. Also new is the bracelet from a collection done by Fenton-Fallon for J.Crew. The whole collaboration was gorgeous, a mixture of tough and feminine and this bracelet was my favorite piece.

Dress (worn as top), pants, and bracelet - J.Crew
Clutch - Louis Vuitton
Shoes - Miu Miu

For those of you who are a fan of all those cute french braid looks but cannot grasp the concept of french braiding (like me) I found something for you! It's basically a simple twist but it looks really cute and it's very simple to do. Click here.

Date night

2010-06-28T14:35:00.000-07:00

damn tan lines..

I saw this dress a few days ago and immediately thought how cute it would be for a date, and it's hard for me to pass up anything with a sweetheart bust anyway. It was several inches longer, but for my stature I like things a little shorter otherwise I look really small. Since the abstract print is pretty feminine, I wanted to contrast the dress with an edgier shoe, yes it's that Dior sandal that was made super popular by the Sex & The City movie but whatever - I still love it and it's super comfortable.

I've LOVED Judith Leiber for a long time but never owned any of their special crystal clutches because I felt like they were too grown up for me or that I couldn't pull it off. However, I found this minaudiere last week and fell hard in love. The crocodile print is beautifully shown through neutral and champagne colored crystals and I thought it was something I could wear with just about anything, day or night! The perfect accessory for a romantic night :)

Dress - J. Crew
Shoes - Dior
Clutch - Judith Leiber
Bracelet - Cartier

Psychedelic

2010-06-16T12:20:00.000-07:00

Hello again! Sorry for my absence from posting, I'm an extremely lazy blogger in the summer and I rarely look cute because I don't really care about what I wear when it's really hot. However, I do want to show off this dress. I've become obsessed with it because it's lightweight and cool and the cutout shoulders are great. I don't like my upper arms and this hides them in a flattering way. Wearing them with ancient heels but they are so comfortable to walk in.

Dress - Anthropologie
Shoes - Marc by Marc Jacobs
Bracelet - Cartier

Twenty-three

2010-05-25T19:46:00.000-07:00

I turned 23 a few days ago, a slightly unnerving age but hey, I just graduated college and all I see a brand new open road and opportunities to make the best of it. I'm excited to see what's in store for me! But anyway..back to my birthday, my parents and I went to Jean-Georges, a 3 Michelin star restaurant located in Columbus Circle and had a really beautiful dinner together.

Amuse bouche: fluke tartare with lime cream, carrot soup with pea puree, crostini with creme fraiche and radish (if I remembered that all correctly). They were all good but the soup was my favorite - perfectly warm and smooth with just the right amount of seasoning. I wanted to stick my fingers in the glass and swipe it clean.

Bruleed foie gras with rhubarb juice, pineapple raisins and peppercorns. I love a good piece of foie gras and not that the quality was subpar, but the portion size was a little too generous and there was not much to contrast the extreme richness after I finished the accompanying crostini.

Crispy soft shell crab with shiso-yuzu mayo and Boston lettuce.

Broiled shrimp, mousseron mushrooms, herbal infusion and lime.

I'm not typically a lobster fan but this sounded too good on the menu to pass up. Maine lobster, potato dumplings, and pickled chilis.

Grilled beef tenderloin, creamed basil, fava beans, and crispy onions.

For dessert, guests are to pick a theme on the menu (Rhubarb, chocolate, citrus, or garden) and within each theme 4 samplings of a dessert are served. I loved this idea and the presentation was beautiful, but for the most part each dish was just okay. I would have preferred a solid single dessert.

Rhubarb
Rhubarb and frozen yogurt.

Strawberry rhubarb soup with passion fruit, mango, and yuzu (my favorite).

Warm honey rhubarb tart with crystallized rose petals, strawberry foam.

Frozen aerated rhubarb, creme fraiche custard, and buckwheat streusel.

Garden dessert

Chocolate cremeux, mochi, blackberries, hazelnut.

Bitter almond macaron, sweet pea ice-cream and green almonds.

Carrot cake, rum raisins, cream cheese froth.

Sparkling raspberry, melon, vanilla-birch cream.

Post dinner sweets, rose petal macarons and handcut marshmallows, chocolate truffles and fruit pate. Servers bring a big glass jar of the homemade marshmallows and cut squares for each table. Another impressive presentation however I've never been a fan of a marshmallow unless it was totally charred and smokey but these did have a delicious texture. Like biting into a sweet and delicately powdered cloud.

After dinner I had made plans to go to the LCD Soundsystem afterparty and as I was getting ready my doorbell rang and I was surprised with the most gorgeous cake and a bottle of champagne by my friends :) so sweet! All I wanted to do this year was have a low key birthday and dance all night (which I did) Made the smart decision to wear flat sandals.

$100 Shopbop Alexander Wang Giveaway

2010-05-18T08:24:00.000-07:00

Leave a comment on which Alexander Wang online item from Shopbop is your favorite and why for a chance to win a $100 Shopbop gift card.

At the ripe age of 18, Alexander Wang moved to NY to attend Parsons School of Design having realized fashion design was his calling. Proving quite the prodigy, Wang designed his label's first collection by his sophomore year.

Having great experiences at internships including one at Marc Jacobs, Wang left Parsons to pursue his career full-time.

What's so unique about the DNA behind Wang's aesthetic is that he incorporates elements of street fashion and the imperfect. In fact, his philosophy is that a tee and jeans can be as stylish as a silk dress, which prompted him to launch the T by Alexander Wang line in 2009.

This diffusion line of comfortable, slouchy-sexy tees, tanks and jersey dresses help bring glamour to the everyday, truly living up to the chic in street-chic. The Classic Pocket Tank T by Alexander Wang dress is a prime example of a jersey maxi dress that transforms its wearer into a style maven in a snap.

Whether you would get something from T by Alexander Wang or an Alexander Wang clearance or regularly priced item, share which item is your favorite and why in the comments, also please leave your email address so I can contact you if you win! That's all it takes to enter for a chance to win a $100 Shopbop gift card. The winner will be chosen randomly. Contest ends June 1 at 11:59 PM PST.

Good luck, and also check out the designer sale items.

Pat on my shoulder

2010-05-12T21:09:00.000-07:00

Tuesday night was the opening of the Parsons photography thesis show, something myself and the graduating class have been anticipating since our freshmen year. It was wonderful seeing everybody's hard work proudly displayed on the gallery walls..made me tear just a little bit. Thanks to all of my friends and family that came out and showed support. If you would like to see the exhibit, it's going to be up at Calumet on 22nd St. until the 21st (free of charge).

Blazer - Zara
Top - Marion Mille
Pants - labeless, found at Barneys sale
Shoes - Alaia
Bag - Chanel

partying with my class prior to the show. Getting drunk at 3 in the afternoon is always good.

I also got some blogger love. Daphne (Jolie-Laide), Gemma (fade to black), Mimi (Brook&Lyn), and Joelle (theowlsarenotwhattheyseem) came by..of course everyone looked gorgeous.

Eri! Looking like she walked out of an editorial styled by Panos Yiapanis. That's black lipstick y'all. I also got the best congratulatory presents: peonies and macarons <3>

Exhibit

2010-05-08T15:05:00.000-07:00

My time at Parsons is coming to an end. Anyone is welcome to the show's opening on Tuesday!

Just because

2010-05-05T21:31:00.000-07:00

Easygoing

2010-04-30T13:53:00.000-07:00

Embracing shorts season...

Blazer - BCBG
Top - Rebecca Taylor
Shorts - J.Crew
Shoes - Chloe
Bag - Chanel

I want to introduce the newest love of my life. A 12 week old lab, Ezra. I'm currently fostering him for a little while and omg, he's the snuggliest and sweetest thing ever!

Swap

2010-04-14T13:24:00.000-07:00

Last month, Mimi from Brook&Lyn asked me to participate in a closet swap she was organizing with several other bloggers that she was inviting. Each person was to send her 3 items which she photographed and displayed on the closet swap website for everyone to choose which 3 items we would like to receive. One of the items I picked was this Tomaso dress shirt, previously owned by Res Pulchrae (whose style I absolutely love!). It's a little oversized and drapes beautifully, I've been looking for a white shirt like this for a while now and am so glad I found it through the swap. I need to be careful though, me + white clothing = hot mess.

The initial swap was a private event, but it seems as though Mimi will be making it available to the public very soon. Check out the details and other participating bloggers (and the clothes) here.

Shirt - Tomaso
Top - Club Monaco
Pants - Zara
Shoes - Dior
Clutch - Chanel
Watch - Cartier

Eye candy

2010-04-11T08:35:00.000-07:00

Balthazar is where many New Yorkers flock to for good French bistro food in addition to pastries and artisan breads. The main bakery for Keith McNally's restaurants (Pastis, Schiller's, Minetta Tavern, and more) is located in Jersey and they ship the goods to the various locations in New York. Even though it's kind of a pain to get to, I love coming here because usually when I stop by the Balthazar in New York, it's never at a good hour and all the things I wanted to eat are gone. There's always a superfluous amount of pastries here so my mother and I lose our heads over them.

That is all BUTTER. All I wanted to do was dig my hands into that giant mountain of sin and mush it around, lol.

I'm always tempted to buy a chocolate roundel even though I have no idea what I'd do with all that.

Rhubarb galette decorated with orange zest and pistachios.

I snuck a bite of my mom's toasted brioche with almonds.

Cannele, which is baked in a copper mold so the exterior is a little caramelized and crunchy while the insides are custardy and really moist. SO good, I should have bought more.

Chanel tattoos, I couldn't help myself!

I was feeling pretty down last week and needed major retail therapy. Miu Miu flats and a Chanel 2.55 bag were the answer to my problems. I've been saving for this lambskin 2.55 for a while now, I hope my clumsy self doesn't scratch the leather to hell!

Lightness

2010-04-06T19:56:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I went to New Jersey, where my parents live and where I grew up! I hate lugging a lot of crap when I go over there so typically I'll take one or two outfits and wear it for the few days that I'm there. But I forgot that Sunday was Easter and all I had was a black leather jacket, black shirt, black jeans..seemed too heavy for a typically colorful holiday. S0 I bought both the chambray blazer and the silk pants and really love the two together. These pants are sooo incredibly comfortable and lightweight, the blazer is lined so it's not exactly great for warm weather but whatever..it looks springy enough.

Blazer - J.Crew
Top - Club Monaco
Pants - J.Crew
Bag - Chanel
Shoes - Miu Miu
Watch - Cartier
Necklace - Van Cleef & Arpels

Spot & BCD Tofu

2010-03-31T12:47:00.000-07:00

I recently tried two new food places that I will most definitely recommend to others. The first is Spot Dessert Bar in the East Village. My friend Lauren and I came across it while I was on my way to pick new eyeglasses from Fabulous Fanny's (best place for eyewear) we popped in for a mid-day snack and ordered 2 cupcakes and a dessert tapas.

"Yuku Eskimo" with a block of yuzu ice-cream, oreo crust, raspberry foam, sliced strawberries, and chocolate ganache. The whole dessert wasn't too sweet and the texture of the ice cream was so good..more like a yogurt.

Chocolate cupcake with green tea frosting with jam inside, it tasted like apricot - yum!

This was the cupcake special of the day. Sea salt caramel apple! Unlike cupcakes from Magnolia's or Billy's, the frosting at Spot is sweet but not super sugary and has much lighter texture. So does the crumb part, they're not dense like Magnolia's. Not knocking on those famous cupcakes because I happen to like them, but a lot of people don't because they think it's too dry.

So, I'm Korean and probably one of the few who until now wasn't a big fan of my own culture's food. I used to be an extremely picky eater to the point that it was almost ridiculous but I've expanded my palate tremendously in recent years. But after a whole day of visiting the MoMA and shopping I was freaking HUNGRY. Brian and I were around Koreatown and I got the most random craving for Korean bbq so we popped into BCD Tofu because people have told me great things. Omg...it was so deliiiiicious!

Assorted mini dishes that are usually served in Korean places. Steamed broccoli with sesame oil, two different kimchis, mashed potatoes, pickles, and a fried mackerel. Those are good but the damn bones are tiny and so annoying to pluck out.

We ordered kalbee, which are short ribs marinated in a sweet sauce with garlic and then grilled. Theirs was one of the best I've ever had because it was more on the sweeter side, which I prefer.

We also got a kimchi soon-doo-boo which is a spicy stew with soft tofu. So good over rice.

And since we are such fatties, we got an additional order of kalbee, but this time we wanted to grill it ourselves on the table. Do you see the smiley face on the onion? Lol

The rice they serve with the soon-doo-boo comes in hot stone bowls, which the servers scoop out for you allowing the remaining rice in the bowl gets crunchy from the heat. They come back with hot water so when the rice soaks in there for a while, it becomes a little clear rice soup. It can be so satisfying when you're feeling under the weather.

Interview

2010-03-28T17:22:00.000-07:00

Hanne over at Comme Coco made a really sweet post about my blog.

Check it out here!

Spotted

2010-03-15T16:08:00.000-07:00

A perfect trench for spring. It's silk with velvet leopard spots so it's very lightweight and comfortable.

p.s. don't tease my Garfield of a cat, lol.

Trench - 3.1 Phillip Lim
Top - Club Monaco
Jeans - Uniqlo
Shoes - Miu Miu
Clutch - Vintage
Bracelets - Hermes and vintage
Necklace - Van Cleef & Arpels

A la Momofuku

2010-03-01T11:48:00.000-08:00

I love David Chang. There is no other way to start this entry. He is a culinary genius and his cooking philosophy results in neurotic dishes that are bursting with big flavors and creativity. His Momofuku empire is taking off and he's become one of the most noted chefs in the country with his 3 restaurants: Momofuku Noodle Bar, Ssam bar, and Ko. Of course there's also the Milk Bar which is an amazing bakery. I've made a post about the Milk Bar previously, but now I'm updating on one of the most delicious cookies I've ever tried..that I made! Christina Tosi, the pastry chef for the bakery, came on the Martha Stewart show to make the blueberry & creme cookies and of course I had to make them for myself since this is my favorite thing to get from the Milk Bar.

The recipe was slightly more labor intensive than your average cookie, but so worth it. The only inconvenience was collecting the ingredients. It calls for 2 things that I've never worked with before: glucose and milk powder. Specialty bake stores will probably carry glucose, but I got mine from Amazon.com..they have everything!

Making the "creme" part of the cookies, milk crumbs.

Let them bake in the oven to dry out

Adding the melted white chocolate to the crumbs

You also need to use a European butter, they specified for Plugra, which has a higher butterfat content making it richer than American butter.

Adding the glucose, this stuff is so messy!

Used a standard ice-cream scoop to make larger cookies.

This great blog, Momofuku for 2, features other recipes. She did a post on her blueberry & creme cookies as well.

My dad surprised me by sending me a copy of Chang's cookbook when it came out. I haven't been ambitious enough to make anything (he's partial to a lot of weird and obscure ingredients..meat glue?!) but I love how it's written and the food looks great! I finally snagged a reservation at Ko for this weekend so hopefully I'll remember to bring my camera and take some photos there :)

Wanted

2010-02-25T22:00:00.000-08:00

Perfection in shoe form. I hoped that this Miu Miu bejeweled confection would go into production and it DID, but unfortunately it sold out in my size and the sales assistant I've been in contact with told me they're not receiving another shipment. DAMN! If anyone sees these in a 35.5 PLEASE LET ME KNOW!!!!! I will be forever grateful, really...forever.

Springing

2010-02-25T13:36:00.000-08:00

I had today off and had no desire to venture out in this crazy snowstorm. Went through my closet and put together some outfits that I would like to wear once the weather warms up!

Jacket - Zara
Top - Gemma
Skirt - Club Monaco
Belt - Vintage
Socks - J.Crew
Shoes - Chloe
Sunglasses - Thrifted
Snakeskin clutch - Vintage
Necklaces - Van Cleef & Arpels, Tiffany's

I also made a ham and orzo frittata for lunch. Based off a Giada De Laurentiis recipe, but I changed up the ingredients because the original is pretty bland. You can throw anything you want in here, it's that kind of dish. I use yukon gold potato, black forest ham, onion, garlic, baby spinach and heavy cream..all of that makes for one very hearty meal.

3/4 cup orzo
6 eggs
7 oz diced black forest ham (or any other meat you'd like)
1/3 cup ricotta (I use part-skim)
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 small onion, chopped
1 cup yukon gold potato, medium dice
1 garlic clove, minced
2 red bell peppers, chopped
1 cup baby spinach
1/4 cup Italian parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Pre-heat oven to 375. Undercook orzo in boiling water, it'll finish cooking through in the oven. Saute diced potatoes until slightly softened, set aside. Add onions to the pan until translucent and add garlic for about a minute. Add baby spinach until wilted and let the veggies cool down. Whisk eggs in a large bowl, add all of the ingredients together. Transfer into 1 1/2-quart baking dish and bake for 25 minutes. Then turn on broiler until the top slightly browns. Let cool and then enjoy!

I've already eaten 3 slices today..oh boy.

High & Low

2010-02-24T21:21:00.001-08:00

Combining two outfits into one post, formal and casual. I typically don't wear dress pants but a few weeks ago I was having dinner at Per Se in the Time Warner building (super delicious!) and was stuck uptown without proper attire and bought a whole new outfit in 25 minutes at the J.Crew they have in there. It felt as though I was on some game show where you make a mad dash for the grocery store products...or something :) Anyway, I love these pants! They're a nice cropped length, have a ton of stretch, and are definitely very versatile. Another staple item for the closet.

The vest was a score on eBay from a few years ago. It's a very thick and durable sequined vest, love to layer it with other clothes. The crystal earrings were also purchased from eBay.

Blazer - Zara
Vest - Vintage
Pants - J.Crew
Shoes - Yves St. Laurent
Earrings - Vintage
Bracelets - Cartier & Tiffany's

Are wide leg jeans out? Well if they are, I don't care because I love them. This is a "lazy outfit" and a slight nod to the soccer mom because the jeans are a bit high-rise, haha.

Top - Zara
Jeans - Uniqlo
Shoes - Miu Miu
Belt - Vintage
Bag - Chanel