bon list: pretty pastels and a pop of black

Hello, and welcome to our newest segment: the Bon List.  Here we’ll be compiling trends, fashion direction and anything else we can fit neatly into one photo post.  We are by no means an authority on style, just sharing with you all what we think promotes the good life.  We didn’t really take retail price into consideration (more of a “lust” versus “must” list) but I’m sure you will be able to find similar looks for less.  Hope you enjoy!

Our first Bon List is about color combination for the spring/summer.  As seen on Daria Werbowy, black is a great accent on pastels and bright colors.  I actually have the Forever skirt below and paired it with a white tank, beige cardigan and black sandals.  I also accessorized with my owl necklace and Botkier bag.

 

Bon List:
Forever 21 Brenda Elastic bracelet
Forever 21 linen skirt
Kate Spade Colin Black Suede sandals
Marni sleeveless top
Rebecca Minkoff Ostrich Rendezvous clutch

simple stylish saving

Was out gift shopping for my one year old nephew at Target and I ran into these fresh looking animal piggy banks. Check out the variety of ceramic animal banks from ducks to elephants. Afterall, pig piggy banks are played out. Love the simple flat sided design and pastel colors. So if your looking to teach your child the art of saving at an early age, why not do it with style? What’s your favorite animal bank? Mine is obviously the elephant!

~Saam

modern mexican – parte dos

This past weekend, Saam and I had a late dinner at La Sandia (since our mainstay, CPK, was closed).  As mentioned previously, it is the other Modern Mexican franchise in the DC Metro area.  Like Zengo, La Sandia looked inviting and had great design elements.  I loved the embossed silver ceiling and the detailed cutouts on the bar and walls. You can see what I mean by viewing the restaurant gallery.

We started off with sangria and an agua fresca, a traditional Mexican drink made from fruit, water, and sugar.  I first heard about these drinks from The Splendid Table (one of my fave radio programs) and wanted to try it.  The sangria was pretty good and the agua fresca (watermelon for the night) was delicious. We also ordered beef and chorizo empanadas.  The chile chipotle sauce looks like baby food, but trust me, it tastes much better than it looks. The creme fraiche added a nice light flavor to the flaky empanadas.

We decided to split chicken fajitas, which was plenty for the two of us.  The fajitas were pretty tasty but nothing revolutionary, much like the restaurant it seemed.  Perhaps I would have really liked the other entrees (that included seafood or pork).  Overall, it was a pleasant dining experience and one of the better late night dining options.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

xoxo,
andi

stomping in my air force ones

Puerto Ricos anyone? I used to work at this shoe store called “the athelete’s foot” back in 2002 at one of my very first jobs. Naturally when you work in a shoe store you get pulled into the shoe obsession world. I was able to control myself for the most part and rarely gave in. But these Puerto Rican Air Force 1s were one of my fave’s. These had a limited release in 2003 and I managed to keep them fresh and unworn! One of my only fresh AF1’s still in its box. I have recieved many entertaining offers from friends but I managed to resist. I doubt you can find this very model for sale anywhere but they do have a variety of models they release once a year by Nike in correspondence with the Puerto Rican parade in New York.

Are you an AF1 collecter? Check out the awesome nike af1 collector site. They have almost every single AF1 ever made. Enjoy!

~Saam

cute owl necklace

The other day, Saam sent me a link to this Kate Spade owl bag.  He liked it, I did not.  Nothing against owls, I just didn’t want to spend what was likely a fortune on this cutesy bag.  Besides, I didn’t like owls in my fashion thank you very much. Plenty of designers have incorporated owls in shirts, necklaces and such.  Even Krazy Kelly (Bensimon) of the Real Housewives had several owl pieces in her jewelry “collection.”  (Side note – did you SEE that episode?  She is cuckoo crazy)

Anyway, so I went to Forever 21 recently (so sue me) and was browsing their expansive accessories section when I came across the cutest necklace.  Yes folks, it was an OWL necklace.  I almost didn’t buy it cause I didn’t want Saam to tease me but at $4.80, I couldn’t pass up this cute steal!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Isn’t this necklace just so fun?  I love the bright colors and the black beady eyes.  I went to a cocktail reception this past week and people were complimenting me on it.  Even the dudes!  And here I thought they were staring at something else.  So, if you want a fun accessory I suggest you go to Forever pronto.  Just try not to buy the whole store while you’re there.

xoxo,
andi

modern mexican?

What is the first food that comes to mind when you hear the term modern mexican? Some kind of tex mex or tacos? What about the name “zengo“? It was a rainy Saturday afternoon when me and my teammate Andi decided to hit up Chinatown in DC for some grub before we met up with some buddies. We came across the most appealing restaurant on the block, Zengo, which is japanese for “give and take.” Now let me tell you, nothing about the resturant looked or tasted Mexican. But I’ve got to say, it was one of the most hip and modern asian fusion resturants I have exprerienced. The modern decor with the floating artistic hangings and amber accented walls stood out at me immediately. I do believe I have somewhat of an eye and appreciation for art and interior design. But let’s just say, if I were to ever open a reasturant of my own, it would be closely modeled after Zengo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The menu was rather small yet refreshing. We tried everything from sushi rolls to peking duck taco to chicken tandoori. Each individually delicous and well decorated with a simple modern touch. Here is a good chance for me to clue you in on a little secret about me. Well me and seafood don’t really get along well, especially raw seafood. The farthest I’ve gone is a variety of fish, calamari and maybe if you’re lucky you’ll catch me eating shrimp. So this was my 2nd time attemping to eat sushi. So I decided to take it slow and start off with the “vegetarian roll” which was suprisingly tasteful. I promise to be brave next time and try some rolls with actual fish/seafood. Oh did I mention the elegant design of the diningware?  (Side note – the dinner pics are not the clearest since I took them with an iPhone and it was dimly lit inside – nice ambiance but not conducive to great shots using the flashless iPhone).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ok, you’re probably still wondering where “modern mexican” came from? I was wondering the same thing untill I got my hands on a Zengo business card. Modern mexican is the name of the company which owns Zengo and 6 other restaurants, including locations in Mexico, Qatar, and Dubai. All resturants are the invention of the fine chef Richard Sandoval. Appears to me that most of the other 6 restaurants do infact have some type of a Latin/Mexican taste to it. I will try to check out La Sandia, the only other one close to me when I get the chance! I suggest you do the same!

~Saam

online boutiques – part deux

As promised, I am here to talk about another online boutique that I frequent. This one has even more high-end and non-mainstream designer brands. Meet Gilt Groupe, purveyor of designer goods from brands such as Helmut Lang, Hervé Léger, Ali Ro, Rachel Roy, Chloé, and more at discount prices. This site is also by invite only, so if you want one, just lemmie know.

So finally, on to my “designer” bag.  I had been wanting this Botkier Jackie satchel ever since I saw it and felt its buttery soft, can’t-stop-touching-it leather at Nordstrom.  It retailed for around $600, so sadly I couldn’t call it mine (yet).  I tried to search for it online but the cheapest I could find the black in was $400ish.  Then one glorious Monday in the weekly Gilt email, there it was – a Botkier boutique.  I purchased my purse right away (a lot of the items sold out quickly).  Price tag? $278 (and that includes shipping). I sure love saving money. The pics below do not capture the awesome suppleness of this bag.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hope you found that helpful. Until next time, happy shopping!

xoxo,
andi

i have only been to 3 of the world’s 21 sexiest beaches

I caught this show on the Travel Channel the other day and it made me long for summer and reminded me I needed to hit the gym badly. It was an hour full of sand, surf, and sex appeal (alliteration is awesome).  They “circled the globe to find the world’s best stretches of sand. These sun-drenched locales offer dramatic landscape, romantic appeal, world-class sports action and, for some, a great place to party. They all have one thing in common – their unique sex appeal.”  There were several beaches in the United States and several others in exotic places such as the Grenadines and New Jersey (just kidding).  View the full list here.

Yes, I have only been to a paltry 3 out of 21 sexiest beaches.  BUT, my friends, these 3 were in the TOP 6.

Coming in at number 6 is everyone’s favorite hot spot down undah: Bondi Beach in Sydney.  Travel Channel says: Thirty minutes from Sydney. An international hot spot known for clear blue waters and active surf.  I say: This beach is Kim Kardashian approved (Just stating facts, she was there a week before I was).

Next up at number 2 is our very own South Beach in Miami.  Travel Channel says: Constant energy and a hot nightlife.  I say: South Beach is muy caliente but not the  most productive place to take your company to for an offsite meeting. Don’t party with the boss while in Miami, kids.  No need to see pictures here.

And finally, at numero UNO (or i should say “um”) is Ipanema Beach in Rio de Janeiro. Travel Channel says: Beautiful people, tiny swimsuits and mountain views. I say: By “mountain views” they mean of thong-clad derriere. And lots of it. Seriously, I loved Rio. It is one of the most beautiful places I have been to, full of beautiful people like Adriana Lima. And they sell you everything on the beach like swimsuits, jewerly and blocks of cheese on sticks which they grill in tiny, portable grilling devices in front of you. I will probably do a post just on Brazil later on since i love it THAT much.

For now, hope you all enjoy the official start of the summer this weekend!

xoxo,
andi

online boutiques

Ever wanted a designer bag but reluctantly smartly kept your credit card in its rightful place after seeing the retail price? Yeep, that’s me, Miss Broke Savvy Shopper. Last year, I was invited to join a members only online boutique, Rue la la. It’s owned by smartbargains.com (another savvy shopper must). Rue la la’s boutiques are open only for 2 days, which is sometimes too long for a really popular boutique which sells out in an hour. There’s a new boutique that opens each day, so there’s lots of choices! Marc Jacobs, Balenciaga, Dior, Tourneau are just some of the designer brands they’ve had.

Sometimes if you don’t act quickly, a really popular item will sell out immediately. Like the Kooba Jaylin bag, which I missed out on. Twice. I’m also super indecisive. And those bags are cute. Happy to say, I am a proud owner of a cute pair of Betsey Johnson pumps and Phoebe Couture dress, both purchased at deep discounts from Rue la la.

Next up, I will post about another one of my fave online boutiques (where I actually bought said designer bag at half the retail price). So check it (tomorrow)!  P.S. If you want an invite to Rue la la, just holla at me.

xoxo,
andi

buddakan

So I don’t know where to start and break the ice. I was going through some of my old pics from chritsmas and came across our day trip pics. I believe it was a few days before chritmas when me and some buddies decided to take a day trip to Atlantic City. After a long day of gambling we all decided to treat ourselves to a nice dinner. We came across “buddakan” located right outside the Caesar Hotel by the pier shops.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 
The food, the restaurant design, and the service were all amazing! From the elegantly lit communal dining table to the golden life size Buddha statue. My meal consisted of the Wok Cashew Chicken with plum wine sauce along with the Cantonese spring rolls. And let’s not forget drinks and desert. The thai coco martini was just the perfect blend with coconut rum, lemongrass syrup, and fresh lime juice. Lastly the pagoda chocolate desert really topped off our diner experience. Chocolate mocha chip ice cream, frozen mousse,  hazelnut praline, and the design speaks for itself.

And not that I hadn’t already been “wowed”, you must take a second to check out the design of the buddakan website!

 

~Saam