Hiatus!

Brainstorming mind boggling ideas for upcoming blog topics, focus and theme.

You beige, beige lady, you!

Living with bated breath in muted colors.

Top: H&M

Throw a polyester/silk knitted sweater with a open-back over a tank dress and call yourself classy (Or Alexander Wang’s muse!). This light-weight, chainmail-esque pullover has become one of my summer staples. Perfect for shielding shoulders and covering cleavage when necessary without suffocating my chest, I give you happy photos of me lounging around after work.

Would you rather…?

I would rather be doing this…

Than be hibernated indoors studying for the GREs right now. That’s right. Sunny summers in Phoenix, Arizona and San Diego calls for leisurely laps in someone else’s pool that end in a hot and steamy BBQ. More recipes to come for magnificent marinades that require less than 10 minutes of prepping (but 24 hours to let sit).

Muse of the Month: Ale Koenig

Author and bon-vivant at Socale.

All images via. Socale blog

Ale is a force to be reckoned with. This skatin’, bleached-hair bopping, Spanish-spitting scenester skips around San Diego, the So-Cal coastline, and even Europe “livin’ up” life to the fullest. Her adventures are sextensively reported via engaging photos of her and her pretty friends in action and all stories are told in an “Ale voice” -captivating, unpretentious, and straight all at the same time. From advocating for gay and lesbian rights at San Diego’s PRIDE festival to joining me as a dance partner at Coachella and the Hard Rock Pool Parties, Ale’s au naturel, “I’m in the present!” approach to beauty, fashion, and life makes her my muse of the month.

White Ink Tattoos & Harry Potter

Time to start jumping on the Harry Potter bandwagon

"I must not tell lies"

"I open at the close"

Images via White Ink Tattoo tumblrs

Give me every opportunity to showcase my inner-dork and I’ll show you up. With the last installment of Harry Potter coming next week, marking the end of a decade of wizardry and Dementors, some of us muggles have decided to take matters into our own hands and commemorate the power of J.K. Rowling’s imagination forever. I’m a huge fan of white ink tats – what a subtle way to showcase your cheeky side! Let me know what you think – white tats yay or nay?

Day 12: Be gay for a day

As James Dean said, why go through life with one hand tied behind your back?

Here are some hints on how to experience your other side in just one day. During rush hour, try to brush up gently against someone in public transport. Get used to the idea of same-sex contact, but careful, too much front-to-front action could get you arrested. My bestie and I decided that frollicking around Gabriel & Dresden at Hard Rock Intervention for 4th of July weekend (Bee tee dubs, Happy Birthday ‘Merica!) would ignite passion and raise enough eyebrows. We received plenty of responses to our flirting overtures. I guess last inhibitions shouldn’t be too difficult to shed after  todays gradual physical emotional build up.

P.S. Gays, be straight for a day! Make it clear you’re heading INTO the closet.

Tea to the English is really a picnic indoors

But I had free Indian food, wanna share a cuppa Chai?

Langar at Nishkam Seva Gurdwara

My first langar was inspiring and taught me many, many things. One of them was, as part of the hosting family, you dole out 500 dishes before you can serve yourself – a torturous yet rewarding task. Another is that 5lbs of butter makes everything taste better. I wasn’t able to obtain the secret vegan recipes to some of these delectable dishes but I can assure you, I know how to make a mean cup of chai:

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 Tablespoons Lipton Green label tea or Brooke Bond Red label tea leaves. Mix them together.
• 2 1/2 Tablespoons Sugar
• 1/2 cup Milk
• Ginger
• A pinch of crushed cardamom
• 1/2 cup water

Method:
1. Cut ginger, squish it, and put in a pot of water and boil
2. Wait until water boils, then put in sugar and tea leaves
3. Wait 3 -4 minutes, then add the milk and cardamom
4. Wait another 3 -4 minutes, then take it off the pan and pour it through the strainer to have your cup of chai.

Turn it up, mash it up, it ain’t the end of the world

Thanks Mochi Beats for churning 14 of the most annoying songs into 1 spaztastic, dance-til-you-fumble track .

Raging Levels by Mochi Beat

If I were a music genre, I’d be a mash-up. Too chaotic to be defined in one category and always ready to please with catchy hooks and the best part of the bridge. Always a favorite at house parties and beach bonfires for regurgitating a myriad of melodies and allowing all kinds of dance moves to be showcased on the dance floor/spot. Can you pick out what 14 songs are being mixed? I’m not going to give the answers away.

Keeping a cream dress clean

Ceviche, along with salsa, and every other sour, spicy sauce = A cream colored dress’s mortal enemy.

BCBG Runway Dress

At Los Balcones del Peru

This beige and cream chiffon pleated knee-length dress represents the Lady-Gaga-meets-Byronic-Heroine look seen throughout BCBG’s Spring ’11 Runway collection. Shying away from the usual ruffled, strapless dresses aka a Prom Queen’s essential party frock, I took a chance in wearing big sleeves on a big night out for my best girlfriend’s graduation AND to dinner at a wonderful Peruvian restaurant, Los Balcones del Peru, hidden in the corner of Hollywood. I love the way it romantically drapes over my curves without being see-through or vulgar at any angle. Perhaps it’s the mesh v-neck or the thick(er) chiffon material that makes the dress look slightly less flimsy and not-too-delicate, therefore perfect for wandering around until 2 am without being a moving target. You gotta keep it classy but practical, y’know. Keep it lookin’ a lot more than it’s actually worth. Not to mention that while I rubbed my sleeve vigorously after splattering some lime juice over me, it was left in a damp condition without abrasion . I did also get this dress on sale. 70% OFF. Score.

No Photoshop Campaign

While one could argue: Why on EARTH does anyone NEED to see me with stubby eyelashes, blotchy skin and unkempt hair?

The answer is (And I beg not to sound cliche): That’s who you are. No shame/point in hiding. Model Coca Rocha recently announced she will pose for Marc Jacobs Fall 2011 collection without the help of photoshop. While the rest of us mere mortals agree that the girl doesn’t need to be photoshopped in the first place, I’m still waiting until a politician or famous actress denies the help of beauty editing. That being said, here’s what Elisa Sednaoui said in response to my comment via Twitter:

So we should be the ones to start the process of going back to reality. We need to understand the concept of beauty is so relative.

Amen, sister! We gotchuu here! I’m all about seeing some pores. It’s not like they’re posing without makeup. *gaspshockhorror* Any bare-faced ladies wannna share some bare-skinned tips?