look book: slightly blue & green

I got this dress at the big Urban sale the other month. It was only $10 and I knew I'd wear it a lot this summer.. I was right! I swear it's so hard for me to shop at Urban when there's not a sale going on. I just can't justify a big purchase when I'm sure I'll see it on the sale rack in a few months. {I can be so cheap sometimes!} I love the mix of blues with green and the sweetheart neckline.

dress and tote Urban, straw wedges Calvin Klein

It's so sad for me to think that July is almost over! Where is the summer going?! I'm feeling slightly blue that the weather has been so strange. I want to go to the beach but it's just too cold. Definitely not warm, sunny, clear sky, beach weather that we're used to over here!

How's the weather in your neck of the woods?

p.s. ignore my wrinkly dress!

celebrating matthew

On Friday Matthew and I went down to San Diego to celebrate his birthday with his family and also to celebrate his Grandma's big 80th birthday! On Friday night we had dinner at his parents house. His dad grilled salmon and his mom made a delicious Texas Sheet Cake!


helping with the salad

Matthew's beautiful sister Grace


Matthew and his mom Lisa

Grace's adorable baby boy Jack!

Matthew's niece Olivia and I had matching braids!!

Afterwards Matthew's whole family {grandma, grandpa, mom, dad, aunts, uncles, cousins, sisters, brother, nieces and nephews} went to see Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat on the top of Mount Helix. It was really cool to sit in an open air theater and have nothing above you but the moon and stars. It got a little chilly but everyone had blankets!

I hope you all had a great weekend! I'll be playing catch up these next couple days. I've been so busy this past week!

happy birthday matthew!

Today is a very special day! It's this cute boy's birthday! I am also especially excited because it's the first birthday of his that we've shared together. The last two years he was up in SF and I was down here. We celebrated when I saw him the following weekends but it's definitely different and more special to celebrate in person!

Matthew, I love you so much!
This day makes me so happy because it marks your life,
a life that's made mine so special and sweet and fun.
I can't wait for the many more birthdays we'll celebrate together
I love you lots!!
xox

photo taken by Kim D.

look book: santa barbara mission

The Santa Barbara Mission is such a great landmark and while it's definitely a tourist spot I'd say it's a must-see! On our Santa Barbara outing I wore this new dress that I got from Tulle. I love that it's a heavier seersucker fabric but it's still light enough to keep me cool! I also love the drop waist and how the skirt part puffs out a little bit! It's simple but still girly!

dress Tulle, shoes Jeffrey Campbell, sunglasses Persol

It was so fun to read all of your answers to my questions yesterday! You are definitely a diverse and interesting group and it's great to learn more about each one of you. If you were wondering what food I'd eat eat every day it's sushi!! I just think I'd never get sick of it because there are so many possibilities. Matthew says his is pizza. I think we'll test it out one day to see who goes the longest! {put your bets on me}

I'm going to be somewhat offline for the rest of the week. I'm doing some emergency babysitting for my neighbor whose mom is in the hospital in Arizona. She left yesterday and I've been with her two kids playing temporary mom. Also, Ginger got spayed yesterday so she's been a bit of a handful. Everything went well in surgery but she's still in some pain. She's calmly resting on my lap right now {something she hardly ever does!}. Also it's Matthew's birthday week!! So I'm trying to get some special things together for him :) So thanks for understanding if I don't respond to emails and comments right away. I promise I will get to them!!

Have a great day everyone!

xox

weekend highlights

Minus the sweltering heat this was one of the best weekends I've had all summer! Here's a little recap of what we did:

Fri night/Sat morning: homemade shoestring fries, tasty orange drinks, fresh chocolate croissants

Saturday: a beach day in Venice

Sunday: the drive home from the dog park {Ginger got so dirty Matthew and I had to hose her off before leaving!}

Things not documented: surprise cupcakes from Matthew on Friday from Vanilla, watching the first episode of Six Feet Under, tasty sandwiches from Bay Cities Deli, grilling and cooking shrimp quesadillas with Matthew, cleaned off my dresser and desk!!, swimsuit shopping {ick}, the "Matt's Choice" Jamba Juice {Peach Pleasure with strawberries}, and family time!

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend as well!

I just noticed that this blog of mine has reached 500 followers! I'm seriously in shock. Your support and kind words have meant so much to me and I'm thrilled to have met you all through this wonderful and expansive blogging community! I've decided to put back the link on my sidebar for my formspring. So if any of you have any questions for me please ask away!

I also want to know all of you a little better so here are three fun questions:
1). Name and location
2). Why did you start blogging?
3). If you could have one food every day what would it be?
4). optional Random fact about yourself! {I always hate this one but I'm sure they'll be some interesting answers!}

Happy Monday!

a santa barbara field trip

Sorry I've been MIA these past two days! Matthew and I took a day trip yesterday to Santa Barbara and had such a fun day exploring! We were expecting the weather to be a little cooler up north but it was still pretty hot {80 degrees compared to LA's 90s}. We stopped by the beautiful Santa Barbara Mission. It's on the top of a hill and the views are incredible! You can see the ocean and they have such a sweet flower garden.

Matthew and I loved the permanent chalk drawings on the ground. Some of them were so cool!


We stopped by Crushcakes, Santa Barbara's supposed first cupcakery, for a little treat..or 4! I didn't know it until I got home but they were actually featured on the Food Network's Cupcake Wars! {I need to catch up with my DVR!}

On the wall it says, "you'll always remember your first crush."

They're known for the crushcake which is their version of a red velvet. It's a chocolate cake dyed red with a sour cream cheese frosting!

We got a crushcake, a coconut cloud, a cool vanilla bean and a buttermilk crumb cake {buttermilk cinnamon swirl cake with brown sugar cinnamon frosting}.

Definitely an A! I thought the cupcakes were sweet, yet not overpowering, and pretty moist! Matthew and I had SO much fun! We're definitely looking forward to our next visit.
xox

look book: the scarlett

I wore this to a sushi lunch and cupcake run with Matthew last week. The weather in LA has been so weird, with really gloomy and cold mornings. I think it's getting better though!


our massive {but disappointing} cupcake

shirt and shoes JCrew, sweater Madewell, skirt Urban Outfitters, belt Gap, headband courtesy of Tights and Bites

I was so excited to get this lovely headband from Andi of Tights and Bites in the mail. It definitely brought some sunshine with it! Andi currently lives in Boston and is a special education teacher, but she's moving to New York City to start at FIT {Fashion Institute of Technology} in the fall. I love when people follow their dreams! All of her headbands are handmade pieces that she calls "vintage-fusion"- made with both new and vintage materials. Each piece has a unique name based on the inspiration, whether it be a public figure, friend or blogger. This beautiful one I'm wearing is The Scarlett {as you may have guessed by now!}. Go check out her shop! All the headbands are so cute and affordable. AND she's offering all of you a special discount. Enter "MARA" at checkout for 25% off your purchase. How sweet is that?!

xox

a playdate with snoop and dre

Yesterday Matthew and I took Ginger to Hermosa Beach to have a playdate with his coworker's dogs. It was the funniest thing ever! Ginger was such a wild one and all three dogs were running back and forth for a good hour straight. Then they'd take a water break, a quick rest, and resume. The other dogs names are Snoop and Dre. How awesome is that?!






Ginger was exhausted for the rest of the day..go figure! {Us too!}
I hope you all had a great weekend!

xox

Perricone MD Giveaway Winner!

Hi everyone! So the lucky winner of the Perricone MD Summer Survival Kit is Brianna from Itsy Bitsy Brianna. Send me your info, lady! Thank you everyone for playing! Hopefully I'll have another giveaway for you guys soon!

Hope you're all having a wonderful weekend! Matthew and I had our first brunch with Ginger this morning and it was really fun. The server even brought us a little water dish for her. Now I'm off to a party at my hair salon with a friend. They're celebrating new management and there's going to be free products, food, music, etc. I feel kind of guilty going with my hair in a bun but there's no time!

See you all Monday!
xox

pool shark

Here's something you probably don't know about me: I'd consider myself to be kind of a homebody. I love hanging out with friends but sometimes it takes a lot to motivate me to go out. {My couch is just so comfy!} I just hate the crazy, loud places with girls falling all over themselves and music so loud I can't hear myself think. Not to mention the ringing in my ears that ensues for hours after I've left the place. {Hm this makes me sound so old!} But on this one Thursday night Matthew and I just needed a little break. There's a small neighborhood bar nearby that has a pool table, awesome wallpaper and a great laid back vibe. It did the trick!

He doesn't like this picture but I think he looks cute!

take 1...take 2


We made the pool lesson a little educational! And I tried not to get upset when someone erased it 5 minutes later!

If you haven't entered my giveaway yet for the Perricone MD Summer Survival Kit go do it!! I'm drawing the winner later today :)