Thursday, July 12, 2012

Macaron Madness

Last week before my boyfriend left for vacation to Europe, we decided to hop on over to our local mini downtown and grab a bite. Since we still had time after dinner, we decided to get something for dessert. We were waiting in line at the extremely popular ice cream parlor that has a unique environment that reminds me of Mary Poppins (Yes, they do wear those flat top hats! and the full on outfit like in the 60's!) but we got tired of waiting and heard from my friend that it's not worth it, simply overhyped. We walked around and found this super cute macaron and cupcake shop!

This was my first time stepping foot inside a macaron shop. The display and the setting of the store was just beautiful. I loved how they used very soft yet vibrant colors. I think I was more into the decor of the store than the actual desserts.


The cupcakes looked so perfect and the frosting looked SO marshmallow-y and squishy!! I didn't get one to try. I'm not a huge fan of American sweets, as most of them are too sweet for me.


The macaron display -- it looked like a pastel color palette. So pretty!


At the back of the shop, they had their cakes and macaron displayed for customers to admire from afar. 


A macaron tower -- I absolutely adore the soft pastel colors. Okay, I can't stop emphasizing how much I love the color, the decor, everything I love love love! The shop was just really cute.


Isn't this store just so pretty? There's a few more really famous macaron shops in LA that I haven't had the chance to visit yet.

What is your favorite bakery and what is your favorite macaron flavor?

Thursday, July 5, 2012

When I'm left alone with shopping withdrawals...

Happy belated 4th of July! My boyfriend and his family took off to northern Europe for vacation, while I'm staying behind in LA because of work. So, what happens when you leave a gal like ME behind + day off because of holiday + haven't gone to the mall in ages??

This is what you get:



Wasn't feeling well this week to begin with, and who wouldn't want to go outside and spend their beautiful day off? My body wanted to stay in and rest in bed all day, as I've been extremely busy and exhausted from the office, plus spending my weekends working on property. I told myself, no, I better go outside and enjoy it, even for an afternoon.

My boyfriend left for Europe in the morning, so I have the next few weeks alone. I decided to go to South Coast Plaza and Fashion Island (my two relaxation places!) and just browse to see what's new and most importantly, get my mind off of anything work or pain related. No intention to buy anything, and I end up with something I've been dreaming of -- Chanel flats.

A few years ago, I bought my first pair of Chanel flats along with my Dior flats. I ended up returning the Chanel flats because they were too flashy for me. It was the one with the giant CC's smacked on the front side of each foot. Instead, I exchanged them for Tory Burch Revas, which quickly became a staple item to my wardrobe. Long story short, now my Revas have a hole in it from excessive wear and tear, literally, the size of an entire quarter could slip through --- literally. My other flats that I've been wearing to work are getting beat up, and I've even used super glue gel to hold it together.

Walked around, nothing interests me. I sat down and decided to chat with my mom, and she suggested I visit Ferragamo or Nordstrom for some shoes. I decided to first stop in Chanel at Bloomingdale's, since the Chanel boutique downstairs didn't interest me. Oddly enough, I always find something in particular I love at first sight at this specific Chanel, but none at the others! Weird? Fate? Who cares.

I spotted a bag that fitted perfectly within my criteria of what I want in a bag -- handbag/shoulder bag/crossbody + not crossbody awkward. Make sense? I wanted an all-in-one but at the same time, cannot be any bit hideous. Of course Chanel would be the perfect solution.

I really liked the way the bigger one was constructed, but I love how the smaller one looks.



To be honest, I think all Chanel bags look very similar. If I was given one, I couldn't distinguish much of a difference except for type of leather used. If there's any advice out there on which type of leather works best with wear, please advise! I would be using it as a hand bag/shoulder bag/crossbody. I definitely prefer something that doesn't get beaten up easily, and is a size not too big nor too small that I'd later regret, or some bag that ends up in my closet never seeing sunlight because it's uncomfortable to use (Epi Speedy).

Any great work flats/classy flats/extremely comfortable flats out there anyone can recommend? I'm afraid that the Chanel flats with the ruffles pictured above will stretch out too much, as the sides are all elastic. Recommendations please!