champagne at the darling mansion

Last night I went over to The Darling's house for some wine and overall redonculousness. For some reason things are always a little crazy there when we light the fire and keep opening new bottles of wine. It doesn't help that we all showed up with 2 or 3 bottles each and when the other peeps that came over brought bottles of booze too.

Oh well, it was a night filled with drinking, dancing, music making and lots and lots of giggling. And even though I felt gross I managed to produce an outfit that was free of pants.

No Pants After Dark #9



(American Apparel tank, Target skirt, Betsey Johnson heart tights, Zara belt, Sigerson Morrison flats, vintage bracelets)

Unfortunately the tights did not make it through the night. I had a feeling when I put them on that they would be a one wear item, but I was really hoping to get 2. Alas, near the end of the night they basically disintegrated. LAME. I wish I had bought them in bulk, but they were not cheap.

sf

My trip to San Francisco was filled with lots of the usual activities that I enjoy while travelling: drinking, eating, shopping, and museums.

Friday was a blur, we ate and bar hopped and ended the night at a crazy punk bar. I had no idea there are so many kids under 30 who are "punks" in this day and age. A few weeks ago I saw a punk couple at Cha Cha Lounge with The Darlings, and we couldn't stop staring they were so out of place. I started to get nervous when I noticed how many random dogs were wandering around the bar. Scary.

Saturday started off with Shane's AMAZING buttermilk pancakes - we were sneaky and made him promise before we went to bed the night before. After the pancakes Katie and I left for our girly day of museums, eating and shopping.

We started with the de Young Museum, which featured the YSL tribute show. I am sad to say, I was not too impressed. The first room was filled with really beautiful pieces, mostly Le Smoking or other black tie, black garments. But the rest of the show was sort of a mish mash, with too many of this or too little of that. I'm glad I saw it, but I was underwhelmed. A pleasant surprise came with the Warhol Live show that was going on downstairs at the museum. It was all about his participation in the music industry throughout his career. I had no idea how many album covers, beyond The Velvet Underground and Nico, that he really did. I am always happy after I see some Warhol. We ended the day with some food, coffee and shopping, see previous post about the impulse shoe buy.

Before the partay in my honor, we got some delicious pizza at Delphina Pizzaria and participated in some sidewalk wine drinking. Eating delicious and fancy pizza reminds me how there is really no place to get such a thing in LA, and it makes me MAD!

The rest of the night is a blur, and I had to wake up way too early the next day to catch my flight back to LA.

Thanks Shane and Katie for such a fun weekend!

b-day celebrations

CUPCAKES and candles!!!



My presents!!!!

From the photos, it looks like it was just me, all dressed up, celebrating my birthday by myself. But I promise you, I had a whole group of people over!

I wore a 3.1 Phillip Lim dress that I found at the Barney's sale. It is so fab. The front is all sophisticated and simple, but the "jewels" are covered in leather. Then the BACK, omg. It is mesh. SO hot.

Decorations made out of a road map of Los Angeles. I cut out the letters to spell my name, but I thought it wasn't appropriate to personalize it when I made them myself.

Star Gazer lillies and macarons. 2 of my favorite things! The macarons were no La Durée, but they were pretty tasty none the less! The caramel ones were by far the best.

birthday weekend over

I had a super fun birthday weekend, my sister came down to visit, and we basically ate (while I simultaneously drank) our way around Los Angeles. As usual, I didn't take enough pictures, like slim to none, so all I really have are my memories...ahhhhhhhh.

We ate 2 delish meals and spent way too much time in the car on Friday at Ford's Filling Station - where we saw Luke Wilson!!!! - then at Canelé, which wasn't as good as the last time I ate there, but tasty none the less. I did get a ticket while at dinner, it is a pain that parking laws are completely different in every city within Greater Los Angeles, they really are the fastest way to throw money down the toilet. LAME.

Saturday, my actual b-day, was fab. We started the day with giant muffins from La Brea Bakery, papaya, coffee and PRESENTS!!!!! I got the one thing I really wanted, Ugg slippers - so glamorous, I know - plus some awesome surprises, most exciting was the CHANEL WALLET!!!! Now, I am officially a grown-up. Because only grown-ups have Chanel wallets, even when their mom buys them for them. Lunch and champagne at Blair's was followed by the best/worst pedi/manis and then it was time to get ready for the partay!

I had a lovely get together with my friends, with amaaaazing chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter frosting, tons and tons of champagne and macarons from Paulette and of course, failed to take any pictures of the festivities. But I did manage to take some photos of the apartment (well, living room) decked out in all it's festive glory. I will post them later.

We ended the weekend with lunch at Gingergrass, a trip to the fancy new Glendale mall, where we shopped (I tried on all the headbands at Crewcuts and finally decided on a belt to wear as a headband. Good thing little girls are so little, then I can wear their belts on my head), ate gelato and watched Shopaholic, then we finished the night by watching the last hour of the Oscars, which I found boring, while eating party leftovers. Where were all the famous people??? Where were Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, the Wilson brothers??? Why was Miley Cyrus there and not them???

I was very sad to drop my sister off at the airport this morning, but happy about our successful weekend. Instead of getting back into real life, I've spent the day snoozing and snacking. Real life starts on Tuesday.

I am now officially 24, and officially unemployed. If I am lucky, 24 will be as good as 22 and 23. Even though there were some rough patches in both those years, they have been a whirlwind of excitement, with world travel and lots of accomplishments, and full of learning curves. For the first time in my life I have been really comfortable and happy with myself, my choices and my surroundings. It is a good feeling. I just hope that it continues!

My only problem is that I cannot stop eating the cupcakes and cookies that are still in my fridge. It seem such a waste to throw such delicious things in the trash. But the size of my butt after a weekend full of drinking and desserts is beginning to concern me.

nyc turns in to sprouse city

There were 3 parties in one night for the late Stephen Sprouse in New York City last Thursday. The main event, for the fashion crowd at least, was the transformation of the Louis Vuitton store in celebration of the special (re)issue of the now infamous graffiti bag and a few new goodies as well.


Much to my surprise, when I was looking at the pictures of the party on style.com, who was the first face I saw? Portland native Paige Powell! Standing arm in arm with Marc Jacobs!!!

photo credit: style.com

Ms. Powell is well known in the art world for being, among other things, Andy Warhol's BFF. That alone makes her one of the coolest women ever, never mind that she helped run Interview magazine, is an art world big wig, founded the now defunct Pearl Art Foundation in Portland, is a social activist and all around fab person.

Basically, I would have killed to be at this party. There were few Hollywood celebrities and mostly art and fashion people, which makes it ALL the better.

new years eve

New Years Eve was spent just as I hoped it would be. Dressed in fabulous clothes, running around, dancing and screaming drinking champagne! I was invited to a big party with lots of U of O peeps and danced the night away!

Kate and Me looking fab before the party. My mother was thoughtful enough to bring us Kir Royales to sip on while we got ourselves ready!
Kate wears an old school Betsey Johnson Dress (I think my sister wore it in 8th grade?) with Nine West shoes, I am wearing a Sinha Stanic dress and Costume National shoes. I also rocked my charm bracelet for the first time, you can see it if you squint really hard at some of the pics.

Me, Sal and Kate.

The ladies. Notice Kate's fab leopard print jacket.

New Years day was a little painful. As I didn't find a couch to crash on till about 4:30. But, needless to say, the party was super fun, and I am thrilled that I got to spend it with one of my all time bff's!

wine tasting partay at the murphy's

I was lucky enough to be invited to my good friends' Linsday and Kevin's house for a wine tasting of Argentinian Wines from Anuva Vinos, a Buenos Aries based wine distribution club. Due to the stormy/snowy/icy weather, I had left 2 messages for them saying I wasn't coming and then I was. Due to the hilly location of my parent's house, I didn't know if I was going to be able to venture back out till about an hour before the party started. Man, am I glad I made it!

We tasted 6 bottles, 1 white and 5 red, and got the presentation straight from the founder and Portland native, Daniel Karlin.



The wines sampled were limited production, carefully selected Argentinian wines and included Anecon Torrentès 206 (white and delicious), Cavagnara Malbec Reserve 2004, Familia Mayol Bonarda 2005, Zaino Malbec Reserve 2004, Don Juan Reserve Blend 2004 and finally Mudai Pinot Noir 2005. By the 3rd bottle, I wasn't really paying much attention to the presentation and was interested more in socializing. But presentation or not, it was a super fun party.

The food and friends were fab; the Murphy's throw the wildest and most fun parties of anyone I know. In addition to the holidays, we got to celebrate Pat and Kelly's engagement (YAY!!!) and my homecoming (duh).

Mr. Murphy et Moi.

Lindsay, Kelly and Me.


Oh. And I got bangs.


Lindsay wears a J. Crew Sweater, Kelly a Marni Dress and I forget what label fabulous furry jacket and I wear a Gap men's flannel shirt, Petit Bateau t-shirt, Earnest Sewn Jeans, Vialis boots (not shown) and Bucherer watch.

I must repeat that day/nights outfit. As it was super comfortable, I first got dressed that morning at 5 am for my 7 am flight, and cozy for the cold weather. I topped the look of with my J. Crew (Balenciaga) Blazer and my DIY green cowl scarf.



Kevin in his Ugly Christmas Sweater. I think for a minute they thought about giving it that theme.

Thanks Lindsay and Kevin for a super fun time!

no one said you have to be ugly in that ugly christmas sweater

I went to an Ugly Christmas Sweater Party with Juan and Alexa last night. Instead of doing the Ugly Sweater thing, I went for a more Dr. Seuss approach. I spent a good hour hemming and sewing on the tinsel garland to my dress. I finished it off with my Santa dish scrubber and ombré tights from Target, my vintage shoe clips and patent leather accessories galore! I definitely wasn't the ugliest, but I might have been the silliest and most fabulous.



Alexa went all out with beaded vest, rhinestone t-shirt, leggings and mall bangs! They were crunchy!

Had to do an ugly pic in our ugly outfits!

halloween...very very late.

I spent the week before Halloween frantically packing for my big move and also searching for the various elements to my costume. Of course, I could have found an adequate costume from my overflowing closet, but being Margot Tenenbaum was far too appealing, and I can never say no to a shopping challenge. Who can resist the opportunity to to straighten their hair and wear tons and tons of black eye liner and not look totally trampy???

The hardest elements to find were the fur coat (it is Portland, Oregon after all) and the Lacoste polo dress, Goodwill and Ebay did not pull through as I hoped they would. I received a text from Kate a few days before, saying she found the PERFECT coat for me at Magpie for 28 dollars, I dropped what I was doing and went down and bought it. Although it is not quite the fox fur trench that Margot rocks in the film, it worked. Lucky for me, my striped polo dress, ordered from the children's department at Garnet Hill, arrived day of, allowing me to return my back up from American Apparel. I found my penny loafers and kiddie barrettes at Target, and used an old purse of my mom's instead of trying to find something that more closely resembled an Hermes Birkin, because that was going to be impossible.

Blurry...thanks iPhone.

I picked up Kate, who dressed as a flapper, and we went to the Nemo party, where i was promptly out Tenenbaumed by the whole clan, including Margot, Richie, Eli Cash and Royal. Richie even had a stuffed hawk on his arm, and they arrived in a Gypsy Cab. I definitely got beat. Then we stopped by "Boo" Hour and moved over to the DB Clay party, and ended the night at Sauce Box for some late night french fries and to meet up with Scott.

Margot and Lindsay as Princess Tigerlilly.

Kate with the Best Flapper Ever at Nemo.

Although I spent a good deal of the night driving, and 2 of my best friends were out of town, it was a SUPER fun Halloween. I rather enjoy party hopping every once in a while, and Kate and I make a very good team. I was pretty well behaved, due to the giant list of things I had to get done on Saturday, which made for a more memorable night, actually!