"VINTAGE KEY"

…you know how once you start noticing something, it starts popping up everywhere?  Well, that’s the case here with these vintage keys. When we went to Side Door the other day for brunch, they have a vintage key hanging right outside which reminded me of the one I saw decorated the Parker wall once.  I remember thinking then that I totally wanted one in my house.

I also love how the Parker use the key image on their key card…

Cool right?  It’s modern (electronic key) and vintage (old key image) all at the same time.  Love the subtlety.

Then Tiffany’s started having the key collection, and I just cannot have enough of these keys!

I especially love this black bone china one from Tiffany’s Australia.  For some reason, the Tiffany US does not have this on their site.  How gothic glam.  I totally want one! 

I also found these adorable stud earrings from Juicy Couture

And this beautiful key ring is from Valentino

Awesome earrings from Tom Binns

This one is a ring from House of Harlow 1960.  

This one is from my fellow tumblr, aliceintumblerland.  She liked one of my posts so I went to check her blog and found this!  How cool is that since I already had this post in my draft folder long before she found me.  Of course, I had to add her stuff to my post.  I love it.  She has a store on Etsy called Unexpectedexpectancy.  Check it out.  

And lastly, this super cool necklace from Muku Jewelry on Etsy.  

I need to get myself a key ASAP!

“WHAT’S IN MY PURSE”

…I tried not be one of those crazy ladies that haul everything around with them in their gigantic purse, but I also don’t like to be caught unprepared.  I’d like to think that I carry just enough supplies to survive any mini emergency that may arise on a day-to-day basis.  I’m not saying that I can avert all crisis like a superwoman, but may be this will inspire you to inspect your own purse content to see if you are prepared for the next emergency…

1.  Gucci Carry All – Big enough to lug all my stuff around and still leave room for more stuff…in case I go shopping.  This was a present from E, but the great thing about this limited edition tattoo-print bag is that 25% of the sale profit went to UNICEF.  It’s like being charitable while being fashionable as well.  Love it.

2.  Keys – I’m embarassed to say my key ring is GINORMOUS!  It probably weighs like 5 lbs.  I love the Juicy fake engagement ring though.  How outrageous is it?  E also got this for me because he thought it was hilarious.  I have this funny picture of him proposing to me with this ginormous fake ring.  Out of control.

3. Kate Spade make-up bag.  This is my magic bag.  Some of its content are displayed like the single-application Refresh Plus eye drops, Hello Kitty bandages, Viva La Juicy mini perfume, Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb mini perfume and body cream, nail clipper, and Colgate Wisp disposable toothbrush.  Some are not displayed like a mini Prescriptive eyeline, a Shishedo mini moisturizer, and boys…cover your ears for this one…a tampon *gasp*!  Hey, in case of emergency right?  I can’t tell you how many girls in my old office I’ve saved because of my magic make-up bag.  I get a lot of “mini” items or samples from cosmetic/perfume counters, and I just keep them in my bag.  Once they get old, I just toss them out.

4. Kleenex

5. iPhone (mine)

6. Blackberry (work)

7. Ray ban aviator and case

8. Orbit gum and Hello Kitty Raspberry Sours (because some people don’t like gum so I have both)

9. Blotting Tissue

10. Blistex Lip Medex Lip Balm

11.  MAC Hello Kitty Tinted Lip Conditioner SPF 15

12.  MAC Viva Glam Lady Gaga Lipstick

13.  Chanel Blush Leveres lip blush that also doubles as cheek blush

13. LV Monogram Wallet.  Super tattered.  Time for a new one may be?

14. LV Epi Coin Purse

15. LV Epi Agenda

Lastly, I ran out of my Tide To Go pen.  It’s such life (or outfit) saver!  I need to go get a new one soon.

So what’s in your purse?  I’m curious to see…

"MULTI-STRANDS BRACELETS"

…so I really can’t figure out why, but lately, I’ve been obsessing over these multi-chains, multi-strands, chunky bracelets.  I just love, love, love the messy combination of different materials – metals, crystal, pearl, beads, etc. in different shapes and sizes.  It’s like you’re just throwing whatever you’ve found in bottom of the jewelry box on, and you’re out the door.  

Check these out…

Lee Angel Etienne Chain Bracelet from Net-a-Porter

This is also Lee Angel but from Shopbop

This stars one is from Kenneth Jay Lane at Stylebop

This one is Ben-Amun from Stylebop

Alex and Ani Mixed Chain Bracelet from Shopbop

All 3 below are from David Yurman

TEM Charm Bracelet from Barneys New York

These two are from Janis by Janis Savitt

The next two are from Anthropologie

And this next one is from…wait for it…J Crew!  Can you believe it?  Who knew J Crew can be so rock n’ roll!  Thanks to Dana Lorenz from Fenton/Fallon, who collaborated with J Crew for a limited jewelry collection.  LOVE it.

This one is from Banana Republic

These two are from Juicy Couture

And these last two are from Henri Bendel.  They are awesome in person, but I only had my iPhone with me so I can only take a quick snap of them.  The definition is horrible, but you’ll get the idea…

[Off the topic a bit…I totally HEART Henri Bendel!  I will have to blog about this jewelry heaven soon.  Everything there is so amazing.  It literally feels like a (inedible, but wearable) candy store in there with all the beautiful colors.  Soon, very soon.  I promise.]

Aren’t they super fun?  I can totally imagine rocking a pair of jeans and a simple tank with one of these bracelets.  That’s really all you need.  They are definitely statement-making on their own.  Totally heart.

“VEIL”

…I’m so excited to share that I’ve finally ordered my veil!  Yay!  I’ve been looking EVERYWHERE since I bought my dress back in April 2009.  Since I consider myself a “non-traditional” bride, you will not be seeing me in a cathedral length veil.  These are some of the ones I’ve considered…but you won’t find out which one I’ve ordered until after the wedding (or at the wedding if you are invited ;-)…)

“DESIGNER TRAVEL ADAPTOR”

…yep, because a plain old Radio Shack travel adaptor just ain’t good enough for a jet-setter like me.  Check out Yves Saint Laurent’s Travel Adaptor…with a leather case.  Now that I know they exist, I can’t imagine living my life without one.  They even have one from Prada.  May be I’ll get it for E so we’ll have a matching his & hers designer adaptors.  Yes, really!  It’s so out of control that I totally must blog about this.  I would definitely file this under “Overindulgence.”  Love it.

So what’s next – designer extension cord and multi-plug surge protector may be?

"BRILLIANT BOWS"

…I saw these exact Valentino shoes a (long) while ago displayed at Neiman Marcus, and I just thought they are the most exquisite shoes ever – so prim and proper but also devastatingly stylish and glamourous.  How could you not heart them? 

Fortunately for us, Valentino’s gorgeous bows also come in the form of pretty bags and clutches…

I’m loving these clutches so much…I want one in every color!

I mean how ridiculously awesome is this stripe clutch?

I’m so in love with these bows I just wanted to see how many things I can find that are all tied up as pretty packages.  As it turns out, the rest of world also seems to appreciate beautiful bows as well…  

Short Bow Dress from weddingchicks.com

Bow Shorts and Skirt from mulberry.com

Alexis Mabille Clutch from colette.fr

Christian Louboutin Satin Pumps

Giambattista Valli Leather Bow Belt

Moschino Bow Bag

Tiffany Bow Earrings

Kate Spade Bow Bag

Bow Gloves from modcloth.com.  I would totally wear these while I’m driving.  I may get odd looks from people in the cars next to me, but I know they’re just jealous and wish that they could wear cool gloves while driving, too.  Ha!

Striped Bow Flats from yesstyle.com

Satin Bow Headband from misselfridge.com

Matthew Williamson Satin Shoes

Marc by Marc Jacobs Anabella Bow Bangles from Nordstrom

Damaris Silk Tulle Bow Brief from net-a-porter.com.  Not exactly practical, but pretty nonetheless.  Who cares about practical panties anyways?

Marc by Marc Jacobs Bow Tie Necklace

Gold Bow Dress and Gold Bow Necklace from polyvore.com

Enamel Bow and Stone Ring from Topshop

YSL Bow Sandals

Stripey Bow Stud Earrings from monsoon.co.uk

Aerie by American Eagle 

Betsy Johnson Bow Watch

Bow Necklace from modcloth.com

Sequin Bow Peep Toe form asos.com

Seersucker Bow Tie from blackbirdballard.com

Judith Leiber Clutch from net-a-porter.com

D&G Bow Bag

Kate Spade Bow Cuff

Tiffany Diamond Bow Ring

"BLOOMINGDALE’S BRIDAL REGISTRY"

…so I really, really didn’t want to add another place to our registry since we are already registered at, like, 15 different places.  Ok, well, no, more like 4.  Nonetheless, I’d rather be registered all in one place, but the items that we want/need are from many different stores.  I think it is acceptable to register at a couple of places because it would be more convenient for your guests in case they are not able to order from a particular store for whatever reason.  This way they have options.   We are pretty much almost done with the registry (at 4 stores) when I get this email from Bloomingdale’s regarding their Bridal Registry.  If you registered with Bloomingdale’s for more than $3000 worth of gifts, you will receive a free gift from Juliska.  It’s a set of ceramic ring holder trays.

How pretty are they???  And here’s how my ring will be resting in it…

I’m so excited I finally have a proper place to hold my ring when I’m in the shower!

No doubt I totally wanted the [FREE] cute ring holders so I gave in and signed up to register there for a few more items.  We didn’t register for any fine china yet (because we didn’t see the need for them at this point in our lives) so I figured we can register for them at Bloomie’s because they do have great selections of fine china.  Since we were not planning to register at Bloomie’s to begin with AND if no one bought us any fine china, I think we would survive not getting any gift from this registry.  All I really wanted was the [FREE] ring holders anyways 😛  

Check out what I’ve found there though.  Delicious-ness.

I am totally head over heels for these Missoni Margherita dinnerware.   Are they the chic-est plates you’ve ever laid eyes on or what?  Talk about being the hip hostess all the way!

Clearly, I had to register for them.  And all of these below…

I also registered for this exquisite Kate Spade Larabee Road place setting.  Polka dots…hello???  How could I not?  Totally heart everything polka dots.  Such a great contrast to the uber trendy Missoni Margherita set.

These below I did not register for…trust me, I wish I could.  I just have to share them since they are so fabulous.

This is the Missoni “Tropical” Dinner Plate…

Missoni Bianco Nero

And here’s the Kate Spade Laurel Canyon – I have a matching Kate Space make-up bag to these plates!  

Who knew fine china could be so fabulous?  I’m so enjoying this.

They even have an online tool to guide you on how to mix and “(un)match” your settings.  You definitely have to check this out…

For a new wife-to-be learning how to be the next Ina Garten, this is a great tool. 

While we were there, E, being restless as usual, wandered around and found this bridal registry guide book.

OMG, this book is so awesome! For once, I don’t want to trash some random papers he always seems to be picking up everywhere we go.  It not only guides you on what to register for, it basically gives you tips on how to be the savviest hostess of all!  It teaches you about proper plate settings, different types of wine glasses, what kind of basic kitchen gadgets you should have, and anything and everything that is essential for at-home entertaining.  It even has recipes!  You could shame Martha Stewart.  I totally heart this little guide.

They even have the “Thank You Card Manager,” which keeps track of which guest bought what gift(s) for you.  I wish I had registered here from the beginning!

So if you are looking to register, stop by Bloomie’s and check out their registry. Your guests may not even buy you anything from there, but you will still end up with 10% off everything you registered for anyways.   And those adorable [FREE] ring holders…worth an hour of your day.  Trust me.

Happy Registering~

"SIDE DOOR"

…the latest cozy hang out in Corona Del Mar (CDM).  Side Door is attached to the Five Crowns, a part of the Lawry’s restaurant group.  The Five Crowns is modeled after an old English country inn so converting its bar into a gastropub seems like a natural transition and good news for all of us OC’s foodies who are always searching for a new taste in town.

The ambiance when you first walked in is dark and moody…just as you would expect an “English Pub” to be, but they do have fireplaces and a lot of cozy nooks so the place will warm up to you eventually.  E and I went there for brunch on a Sunday so not all the items on the menu are yet served.  The full menu is only served between 3:30-9:00 pm on Sundays.

This is the sample menu from their website.  When we were there, the menu was a bit different.  The items we could order at that time were the ones with the “half moon” symbol next to them.

They also have a charcuterie station that plates up cured meat and cheeses per order, and the selections change all the time.  When we were there, my favorite cheese of all time, the “Barely Buzzed” from Beehive Cheese was on the menu so I was very excited to see that.

E ordered the signature Bloody “Murray” with has double shots of Absolut Vodka.  Well, I kinda pressured him into ordering it because I’ve never had a bloody mary in my entire life, and for some reason, I felt compelled to try one on that day.  Not wanting to commit to drinking the entire thing, I made him order one.  Hey, it’s his day off…might as well, right?  

It’s supposed to be served with a jumbo cocktail shrimp as a garnish, but our server stated that they don’t have any shrimp at the bar and that he will have to go over to the Five Crowns to get us the one shrimp for garnish.  Not wanting to be a picky customer, I told him to forget it…even though I totally felt jibbed.  I should be able to experience the drink the way it was meant to, but whatever.  That sort of ruined my first bloody mary experience.

E started with the Duck Pate and followed by a crisp Cuban Reuben Panini.  I know…he ordered a Reuben sandwich just the other day at Eat Chow, too!  How un-adventurous for being a chef, but the sandwich was awesome, nonetheless (according to E…no beef for me).

Since majority of the food (namely those I wanted to try) on the Side Door menu cannot be served yet, I ended up ordering the champagne brunch from the Five Crowns, which can be served at the Side Door.  It’s a 2 course meal served with bottomless champagne.  Sold.  

The first course is the Wild Mushroom Chantilly soup, which tasted great, except for the fact that it needed a bit of salt and was not quite hot enough.  I think soup should be served piping hot…don’t you think?  

I then ordered the special for that day, Crustless Quiche Loren, for my main course.

It was also very tasty…but again…could definitely use some salt and was not hot enough.  My brunch was $22 so it was reasonably priced considering it was served with champagne (did I mention it was bottomless?).

Overall, brunch was ok.  We probably should go back there during the pub hour so we can try their pub food which came highly recommended and from checking out their menu, it does sound very appetizing.  I’m hoping that the lack of salt and the temperature issue will be fixed the next time around.  We’ll see.

So if you’re ever in CDM and are in the mood for some pub food served somewhere with a laid back and cozy atmosphere, look for the big, red key on the side of an old English Inn-looking building.  Don’t forget to grab a pint of frothy beer while you’re at it (or a glass of bubbly if you’re like me).

Cheers~

"ERIN FETHERSTON"

…I heart Erin and her ethereal, flirty, floaty frocks.  What about some of these dreamy dresses for your bridesmaids…or even for a modern bride who’s not afraid to be a little different.  These dresses are so precious, they will make your heart skips a beat.

For the bride…

And for the lovely ladies that stand beside her…

Totally dreamy, right?

"WEDDING CAKE ALTERNATIVES"

…traditional wedding cakes are beautiful.  They allow you an opportunity to express your style and bring your wedding theme to life. 

But guess what, they are also pricey!  Many venues also charge the bride & groom to cut and serve the cake by the slice.  So if you have 150 guests, you’ll have to add a few more hundred dollars to the cost of the cake, which could range from hundreds to thousands of dollars already.  Ouch!  Since many of us brides are on a budget, having other options for the traditional wedding cake is a not a bad idea.  Some couples don’t even like cake to begin with so why force yourself to eat cake if you’re not gonna enjoy it?  It’s your wedding day, I say eat whatever you want.  

Cupcakes have gained popularity in the past few years because of their versatility.  You can customize them to have the flavors and looks that you want, and they cost less…sometimes.  Sprinkles Cupcakes charge $3.25 per cupcake so it can add up quickly, but if you do the math, that is still cheaper than most wedding cake bakeries that charge $5-$10 per slice.  I’m actually enjoying a Red Velvet cupcake from Sprinkles right now as I’m typing up this post.  How appropriate *stop typing, reaching for cupcake, biting into it*  …hmmm so scrumptious *putting the cupcake down*…ok, I’m back.  I really wouldn’t mind if I got invited to a wedding that serves Sprinkles instead of a traditional cake.

How about pies?  I think these are wonderful for homey backyard or rustic barn weddings.  They compliment the wedding theme and these types of venue quite well.  And pies are definitely not expensive, and you can have as many flavors as you like!

If you’re a chocolate lover, how about a tower of chocolate truffles?  Just thinking about all those chocolate makes me hungry…*taking another bite of the cupcake*

I just went to my good friend’s wedding recently who served croquembouche.  Tres French.  Well, her husband is French so it makes sense, but if you love cream-filled pastries, croquembouche may be a good choice for you.

Photo by Judy Tran Photography

What about cheesecakes?  If you love cheesecakes, serve cheesecakes instead of a wedding cake.  You can still decorate them and stack them into a tower just like a wedding cake, and you’ll get to eat what you love.

Don’t laugh at me about this next one.  If you’re a donut lover like me, you’ll appreciate this…

Ta da!  It’s adorable right???  And be honest, how many weddings have you been to that they serve donuts instead of a cake?  None for me!  

And this next one I found through Daily Candy.  It’s a company in South Carolina called Charleston Crepe Company that makes Crepe Cake!  If you love crepes, this could be an option for you.  How good does this look?

Or you can have brownies!  That’s right.  You can stack brownies into a tower, and voila, who needs a cake when you can have brownies instead.  With a glass of ice cold milk, I’m sure your guests won’t even notice that there isn’t a wedding cake.

I found this on weddingchicks.com

  

They didn’t say what it was, but it sure doesn’t look like a cake to me.  Cookies, perhaps?  Bake them in varying sizes and stack them into a tower…now that’s an idea.

I’ve also read about a wedding where the bride & groom love cheese.  Yep, just plain cheese.  So they set up wheels of cheese in the shape of a wedding cake, and cut into them instead.  How genius is that?!  I searched the web everywhere for the picture of this, but I can’t find it.  It was so long ago that I read about it.  Sorry!  But it’s still a great idea nonetheless so feel free to do it if you’re a cheese connoisseur.  You can even keep with the theme and send your guests home with a mini wheel of cheese and a cheese knife as a favor.  Now, that’s unique.

So there you go with many alternatives for a wedding cake.  I hope you are inspired to make your wedding your own and not conform to the tradition of having a cake at the wedding for the sake of tradition.  Bon Appetit!

Photos are from Martha Stewart Weddings, Inspired Bride, and Style Me Pretty (except for the cheeses…source unknown).