All About the Pom Poms

THIS TOP! I know. I will live in it this summer. I don't know what it is about pom poms but I'm obsessed. It's colorful without being too much. It's flowy but still flattering. It really is the perfect fit. I have to say I'm in love with all of the pieces from Pitusa. My online cart is consistently full. I hope to fill my wardrobe with more pieces for this summer. I paired the top with my favorite Parker Smith Jeans and these Vici Collection wedges. 

Ray and I had an amazing weekend. It's so crazy but every Sunday night we always say how amazing our weekend was. It truly is hard to have a bad weekend when you live in LA. If you follow my Instagram story you know that Friday we went spinning and then went to a hardware store to buy materials to make Luca a teepee. Let's just say it's way harder than we thought it would be. There was the nicest employee at the store and he helped us build it. Now we just need to do the material part. Saturday we woke up and drove to Hot Yoga only to get an email on the way saying the heat was broken (how annoying). So we turned around, made coffee, got back in bed and watched a few episodes of Homeland. In the afternoon we walked around Melrose, got a tea at Alfreds, went food shopping and came home and watched Billions. Sunday I had a shoot and then we walked around Venice. In the afternoon we made Spaghetti Squash, poured a glass of wine and watched the Oscars. A perfect weekend with my family :) xoxo

Photography by Felicia Lasala

Black & White

This is my go-to outfit for a business meeting, happy hour or dinner with the girls. It's simple yet stylish and the pink adds a pop of color to the black and white. The detailed embroidery on this Santa Marguerite blouse is so beautiful. I got it about a month ago and have lived in it ever since. One of the best things about a good white blouse like this one is that it can be worn to a fancy bar in Beverly Hills or styled for a beachy Malibu look (just pair it with light denim shorts, pretty sandals and a straw beach bag). 

Now on to accessories. I have been wanting a small structured handbag for such a long time but couldn't find the right one. I loved the YSL one but didn't feel like it was special enough to be worth the investment. When I came across this Kendall and Kylie one I knew it would be a perfect addition to my wardrobe. Since it's black and white it goes with everything. It also comes with a strap so that I can wear it as a shoulder bag. For the price you really can't go wrong. 

Talking about price, am I the only one who finds it impossible to find a pretty, well-made purse in the cheaper range? The options are so far and few between. Michael Kors? No thank you. This Kendall and Kylie line has fashion forward designs in that price range. If you're looking for a cheaper alternative check it out. 

This weekend Ray and I are going to take it easy. I have a shoot on Sunday (hoping it doesn't rain!) so I'm going to spend today getting some pieces I'm missing for the shoot. Saturday Ray and I are going to build Luca a teepee (a boho, moroccan inspired version). I'm so excited!! If it turns out well I'll do a DYI post about it. Wish us luck! xox 

Photography by Felicia Lasala

Top: Santa Marguerite

Purse: Kendall and Kylie

I'm Back!

And I'm back! Sorry for my absence on the blog over the past few days. Ray and I went back to Montreal for the long weekend. We haven't been back in over a year and a half and surprised his whole family on his brother's birthday. They were out for dinner and we just walked up to their table casually and Ray said "hey guys". To say they were shocked is an understatement. 

It was so nice to spend the weekend just lounging with friends and family. As most of you probably saw on IG story my mom got a dog (sadly, he isn't mine). His name is Henry and he is seriously the cutest (besides Luca).  I miss him already!

Let's talk about this blouse. I've mentioned before that I'm not a big fan of spending a lot of money on blouses. While I understand investing in shoes and purses that last forever, I prefer to find cheaper deals for tops. I tend to go to H&M and Zara, or comb the internet for good deals. I recently discovered Vici Collection and I'm obsessed. The clothes are so stylish and affordable. This blouse was less than $50! It fits amazing and the sleeves are so beautiful. Definitely going to add the store to my rotation. 

These jeans are from Parker Smith. They are seriously so comfortable. The pair I am wearing are high waisted and the fit is perfect. I highly suggest checking them out xoxo

Photography by Felicia Lasala

Top from Vici Collection

Jeans from Parker Smith

She Went Pink

As you could probably tell, I rarely wear bright colors, let alone bright pink. For some reason when I saw this sweater at H&M I knew I had to have it. In this chillier weather I just feel like wearing cozy sweaters. This is the perfect pop of pink and looks particularly good with a tan. If you're going to wear a bright color like this I suggest keeping the rest of the outfit relatively neutral (black, white or grey). I paired it with my favorite leather pants and my go-to clutch. 

I will let you in on a little secret about these heels. I bought them around 8 years ago. They were a khaki color and 50% off because the color didn't sell well (I was obsessed). I got so many compliments on them over the years because the color was so rare. After many years of wear, they were gross (leather torn, discolored etc.). But after spending so much on shoes (even half off and even the amount that I wore them) I felt too guilty to throw them out. So I took them to my local shoe repair guy in Beverly Hills and he dyed them black. Now they look brand new!! How crazy is that. Makes me feel better about justifying my expensive purchases :).

Photography by Felicia Lasala

Q&A: Ray and I

In honor of Valentine's Day I thought I would put together a Q&A about Ray and I. I've received questions from you guys here and there and thought this would be a good opportunity to tell you more about us! 

1. When did you meet? 

December, 2010

2. How did you meet?

I was in my first semester of law school and had just finished my first week of exams. I decided to go for dinner with my friends before hibernating for the rest of the weekend. We had dinner and they convinced me to go across the street to a bar (Burgundy Lion) in Montreal for a drink. Reluctantly I agreed and that's when I met Ray. We started talking and within a few minutes we got into an argument (I can't remember what it was about). We parted ways. The girls asked what happened and I told them and they convinced me that he was actually a great guy and that I should talk to him again. So I did and we ended up talking all night until the bar closed. We took a cab ride home together (Uber didn't exist yet). I asked him if he wanted to come up and he said no but that I should take his number. Take his number?? I was like no way... you can take mine if you want. He responded that his phone was dead. At the same time the cab driver passed a pen back to us (it was like out of a movie). I wrote my number on his hand and said good night. Before I got into bed he had already texted me. The rest is history :)

3. When did you move in together?

Since I was living alone and Ray was living with his brother he would spend a lot of time at my place. He ended up moving in over the summer (but had been spending almost every night with me anyways). 

4. How long did you date until you got engaged?

3 years

5. How did he propose?

We had a trip planned to go to Vegas the morning after I finished the NY bar. As most people know, studying for the bar is the most exhausting few months of your life. I was so relieved to be on vacation and drained from all of the anxiety and studying. That night we went for dinner in the hotel. Ray was drinking plenty (from all the nerves lol) but I was too tired to really drink. We got up to the room and he handed me the key. In my mind I figured he was too drunk to open the door. I walked into the room and saw rose petals on the bed. My initial reaction was that it was a romantic gesture from the hotel. I then turned to Ray and he was on one knee with the ring. I looked back at the bed and the rose petals spelled "will you marry me?"

6. Where did you get married?

We got married at a restaurant called Bice in Montreal. 

7. Where did you honeymoon?

We actually hadn't planned on a honeymoon. Since we had just moved to LA we thought it would be best to wait a few months before planning a trip. We got married on a Saturday and went back to work on Monday. By Thursday I thought, this is enough! We had just spent the entire year planning this momentous occasion and now were just back to work...no way. And so on Thursday we planned our honeymoon to Bali and left on the Saturday. That is right, we planned our honeymoon in 2 days! For anyone getting married I highly suggest planning even just a mini moon to have the time to enjoy and celebrate rather than go straight back to work.

8. How long have you been married?

2 1/2 years (our anniversary is August 16)

9. Are you planning on having kids?

Yes but not in the near future. 

10. What about another dog?

I hope so!

Click here for a link to our wedding video trailer :). I hope you enjoyed learning a little more about us. As always, feel free to send me an email or DM, or leave a comment below if you have any questions! xoxo

Essentials First

The more I blog, the more I realize that my style is pretty simple. What do I mean by "simple"? I mean classic while still being chic. There are tons of bloggers that I love to follow who have incredible style. Think Vogue spreads and Fashion Week looks. While I love to get inspiration from them, the style is not necessarily realistic for my lifestyle. Every now and then I buy an "out there" piece (aka a man repeller piece) and end up rarely wearing it. My most exciting night consists of going to Sugarfish for dinner and the Polo lounge for drinks (just kidding..not really). But in all honesty my lifestyle is more conducive to "simple" looks. 

That brings me to the importance of essentials. If you don't invest in the more "runway" style pieces, it is so important to invest in good basics. I think that they are pieces that often get overlooked. To me, there is nothing better than a crisp white shirt, denim jeans and a classic pair of heels. A red Chanel doesn't hurt either. 

I love this white button down by Camixa. It is lightweight and breathable, with a relaxed fit. It can be dressed up or down, depending on what you pair it with. Camixa makes a great range of blouses. My other favorites include this black silk shirt and this lace up blouse in every color.  

Tomorrow morning I have a shoot bright and early! Then I'm going to spend the day with Ray (hopefully it includes a massage) and making dinner (our Valentine's Day tradition). Sunday I am hoping to do nothing (and by nothing I mean sit on the couch and work on She Went West). Have a great weekend! xo

Photography by Felicia Lasala

The Importance of Tradition

Ray and I started dating in the month of December. So when Valentine's Day rolled around (2 months later...eek) I really wasn't sure what to expect. I thought it would be pretty low key..maybe go for a drink? After all we hadn't dated for very long. I remember walking home from school and getting a call from him asking if I liked lobster and wondering if he could make me lobster pasta for dinner. Are you kidding me?! I texted my best friends telling them I had truly hit the jackpot. 

The whole afternoon I worried what about what I was going to wear. I wanted to look cute and sexy, but also pretty casual since we were going to be eating at home. I ended up wearing some skimpy black dress I would never wear in a million years now. Ray came over with all of the groceries, including ingredients for mojitos, a few bottles of wine and dessert. We talked for hours while he cooked, drank way too much and laughed all night. That was 7 years ago. Every Valentine's Day since, he has cooked me the same dinner. We went from cooking it in the place I lived when we met, to the condo we bought together, to our first place here in LA on Doheny and now to our condo in Beverly Hills. Every year the recipe changes slightly and our conversation revolves around different things. Every year it is one of my favorite nights that I look forward to for months.

There is something to be said about tradition- having one event to look forward to each year. I never knew 7 years ago that we would end up doing the same thing for Valentine's Day each year. As a hopeless romantic, it truly is my favorite way to spend the holiday.

This year we are thinking about celebrating it on Saturday (a few days before the actual day). Since we work full time, drinking a few bottles of wine on a Tuesday night isn't ideal. I asked Ray yesterday whether that felt a bit wrong, not to celebrate it on the actual day since we always have. Then he pointed out that as we get older, our family will grow, life will get more complicated and we likely won't always celebrate it on the actual day (i.e. as we get older our hangovers are more real and our jobs are more intense).  The most important thing is that we continue the tradition. What kind of traditions do you guys have for Valentine's Day?

Photography by Felicia Lasala