Lookin' Back: September in Review

all photos from my instagram: @atthisvolume

Hello friends, I’m back from the dead! Well, I’m not making any promises about a casual return back here because I gotta tell ya, life is happening to me. I find it really hard to keep up with this here blog, so you guys who blog with consistency are my heroes! And I promise that I do read your blogs I just don’t have the time to comment. That’s pretty much what my bus ride to and from work consists off—catching up on blogs on the Bloglovin’ app. Haha. I was going to give you a detailed recap of what’s been going on but I think I’ll combine that as a September In Review post okay? Ok.  It’s just easier on all of us ;)

• went bowling with D for the first time in FOREVER. okay so it was actually my second time going bowling EVER. so it still counts. i'm still awful! My aunt was a pro at bowling so i remember growing up and going to her bowling matches and such but i never took any interest. now that i'm an adult i'm totally into it though! i wish she was still around to teach me all her tricks. i think we decided that we want to make bowling more of a thing since we live so close so we might just invest in our bowling shoes because that rental fee adds up! hehe

• saw this ART sticker on a door on my way to trivia. i'm too into trivia so i never really have my phone out (because duh i dont want to get accused of cheating), i hardly ever document trivia days. i feel bad right now i havent been to the last two trivias and i'm missing my friends already! anyway, i seem to have trailed off, this was basically a reminder that art is everywhere you look you just have to look closely sometimes.

• this isn't really a specific recap from the month but does this happen to you when you are going out with your partner and then you realize you guys match or are wearing similar color schemes? it drives me crazy sometimes so much that if D and i end up wearing something similar i either change or make him change, depending on who wore it first. haha. sometimes though, neither one of us wins that battle and we end up looking like it's twin day.

• Philip had a bday rager one of the September weekends and it was great time because it was all trivia buddies getting together outside of trivia. I even re-did my hair as you can tell. The night got really crazy and dramatic towards the end though. It was honestly one of the biggest headaches ever so i'm just going to ignore it and move on. oh but during the time i was having fun, someone showed up with Grumpy Cat cake pops for Phil, they were really cute!

• this is a ridiculously fun way to repurpose these blocks don't you think!? the people at Ruche Inc. are obsessed with succulents and i think i am too now! while my internship ended beginning of September, towards the end of September i started at the warehouse as an order fulfillment associate for a few days a week. it's not glamorous work, like styling, but it's not half bad either. it gives me something to do and i enjoy it! i get to be on my own most of the time so it's really cool. only bad thing about it is that some days depending on when i'm scheduled, if i dont have the car, i have to take the bus at 6:00am! SIX. like. i've never been a morning person so this has been particularly straining on me. but it is really easy to get to by bus, it just takes two hours (for a drive that's usually 22 minutes!!!). but whatever, i'm grateful to even have a job.

• on one of the weekends Debbie and i went to the Lululemon warehouse sale at the convention center and it was R I D I C U L O U S. we waited in line for FIVE hours. but we did score on major things. it was my first warehouse sale experience and it was pretty exciting not gonna lie. i'm not that into Lululemon, because hello that price tag is ridiculous, but at a major discounted price how could i resist? We went back the second day because we didnt really have anything to do and wanted to see what was left and how much more discounted the garments were, and i'm so glad we went! we scored even more on the second day. well, i didn't really buy anything for me, but D is the one who totally scored! he didnt have any workout clothes so i decided to be a nice girlfriend and get him some! we're totally prepared for hikes now!

• last weekend of September my childhood friend Angie got married and became Mrs. Catano! I'm really proud of her for hyphenating her name though, hahaha. She had a Mexican style wedding and it was awesome. It was held at a mission! talk about staying on theme. haha. I played photographer that day and while it was stressful work, i'm really glad i did it, and am glad that Angie put enough trust in me to let me do pictures however i wanted. i wish her happiness and all the best in her marriage!

• and while we're on that topic, i have a ridiculous amount of photos to still edit so i most likely will be absent from the blog a lot. life is happening, photo editing, making dinner, and being tired are all things that contribute to my absence, so again, sorry, but i'm taking care of life!

• lastly, this past month i've spent less time online, giving me more time to explore real world and see the beauty of the details. it's weird, i know, because i spend a lot of time on the internet, lurking blogs, on facebook, job hunting, but taking a walk across the street to get cucumber lemonades is enough to freshen up my soul and make me feel good. i suppose vitamin D IS actually good for you. haha. 

well friends, thanks for tuning in! add me on instagram if you'd like! it's more up to date with the daily haps! let's keep in touch!!

print on print

hello there friends. today is actually a cool and overcast day. and it's kind of chilly! yaaaaay. tights season is upon us! so i should probably go ahead and get a move on and update all my outfits from the last few sunny days we've had. haha. 

let's see things that have been going on...we signed the lease for our apt for another year so i've already gotten into remodel mode. i've got lots of ideas to give this little nook of ours a little revamp. also i want to get back to sewing so i want to create myself a nice work space. ive been going crazy on the pinterest this week looking for organization and design ideas. so if you seen any good ideas holla at me! 

now, let's get to this outfit. um i love this skirt. there i said it. when i first started at threadsence it was a new arrival and it sold out in a few days. so when i actually had some money for it it was gone!!!! sad sad sad. but don't worry because i lurked every corner of the internet until i found it, and i found it over at urbanog!  (and it's now on sale!). this skirt has two slits and it has a mini skirt lining inside but the best part of it? the print makes wrinkles very forgiving. nothing bothers me more than wrinkled clothing, but let's be real, most of us sit and move and do things all day so there's no possible way of not ending up with wrinkled clothing, so when it can be hidden it's always a major plus.

skirt: urbanog, top: urban outfitters, plaid top: thrifted, boots: urbanog, bracelets: vanessa mooney via threadsence  & amrita singh, sunglasses: rayban via macys, necklace: erica weiner, rings: thrifted & erica weiner, lip color: tarte matte lip tint in lively

 i know, i know, this outfit got a little crazy with the addition of that plaid shirt. but i'm trying to step out of my comfort zone and trying more print on print combinations. My bestie Marc will be very proud! He's the king of print on print. 

when i wrapped up my internship i bought myself this vanessa mooney cuff as a present for doing so well and surviving a summer internship. it's a copper band so it stains my skin green but it's totally cute so i find it totally worth it. hehe.

and last but not least these shoes are totally rad!! they are really well made and they look expensive even though they were actually very inexpensive! i'm on a budget yo! haha anyway i love these because when i wore them to my sisters house a few days back, my youngest niece who is 4, found a moment to tell me that she really liked my boots and that she wanted a pair lol. she's seriously the cutest kid ever. also, the side buckles make this click-clack noise when i walk, and i actually like that! it makes me feel like im wearing spurs hahaha.

Aquarius

i find it weird whenever people ask me to describe my style. mostly because i just can't ever find words to give a proper descriptor. i find that my personal style depends deeply on how i feel that day. so can i say my style is moody? or i think probably mood-dependent would sound better. another thing i could say is eclectic but that's sort of ironically a generalization don't you think? maybe it's because i'm a costume designer by trade and i find costume history important that i find it hard to just "define" my style. i like everything. past trends certainly inspire new ones and silhouettes get recycled as do certain styles. the other day i went shopping with a friend and i asked "should i get this jacket? i love it" to which my friend replied "i don't know it's not really you". what does that even mean? it's not me? but i like it.  what does anyone else know about something being me? doesnt me liking something justify something as being me? naturally i was offended by that response, but it's okay, no harm was intended. i just think from now if i like something, i get it solely based on that fact. (and if budget allows of course).

and don't worry friends, i got the jacket anyway and it's definitely ME. 

let's talk about this graphic tank--the sides are so open it's ridiculous. i would never wear this with just a bra under without a jacket or a sweater because i just don't feel comfortable doing so. however, i found the secret to feeling comfortable in this shirt! a bra crop! it gives you more coverage if that's your thing (certainly is my thing).  i suppose you could also wear a small tank underneath too. my plan was to just sew up the sides a bit more but i think i like this idea of wearing color tanks under because sometimes playing with color is my thing.

sweater: tulle (old), skirt: tulle, graphic tee: wasteland, bra crop: urban outfitters (on sale now!), sunglasses: rayban, boots: doc martens, socks: american apparel

Independence, My Origins, and a Dress

As some of you  may know, yesterday was Mexico's Independence day. Since i have dual citizenship i feel like it's only my duty to be patriotic on that day as well. I mean, i was patriotic this fourth of july so why not right? I guess patriotic would be the wrong term actually because that would probably imply that i would wear green, white and red. whoooops. Okay i guess we can say festive. Yeah, festive is a good descriptor here. hehe. 

We didn't really celebrate the holiday because it was a Monday but we did get together on Saturday night at my parents place to watch the boxing fight between Saul "Canelo" Alvarez & Floyd Mayweather Jr. That was really special to me. Now that i'm older i feel like i'm learning to truly appreciate my family and spending time with them is very important. Also i really like boxing (so what?) and Canelo Alvarez is my maaaaan. I love gingers and maaaaan have you seen those freckles? He didn't win the fight, but it's okay guys, he's only 23, he's got a long career ahead of him. But everyone at my parents house was pretty damn bummed (i kind of still am). 

Oh yeahhh, I'm not sure i have mentioned it here but I'm Mexican-Vietnamese. In case you were wondering why this asian girl is always talking about "growing up mexican",  i was born in beautiful Sinaloa, Mexico and moved to the states when i was six. Yes, i am fluent in Spanish and i'm deeply connected to my roots. I can't say the same about my Vietnamese side, although i do know all the curse words and words about eating and food, so i mean, i know all the important stuff, right? Hahaha but in all seriousness i'm really ashamed that i didn't apply myself and stick it out learning Vietnamese--i want to travel to Vietnam someday but i know that in order to get the experience i want, i will need to speak the language first. Perhaps that will be my goal next year, to learn Vietnamese (obviously i won't be a master at it but my goal is just to get by haha).

dress: from Guanajuato, MX, belt: thrifted, shoes: urbanog, glasses: coastal, necklace: erica weiner

So the thing you actually wanted to know: where did this dress come from!? This dress i purchased on a trip to Guanajuato in 2009. I went to visit my good friend Angie who was at the time studying aboard. It was quite honestly one of the most amazing trips i have ever been on. Guanajuato is a college town and it's full of beautiful colors and amazing people and of course the yummiest food. Guanajuato is also known for its mummy museum. Yes, you read that right. hahah maybe i'll post photos from that trip someday. i dont think i even wrote about it on LiveJournal...you know,  back in the LJ days haha. Anyway the dress was actually floor length and had short sleeves that fell down to my elbows! I really had a hard time cutting the dress because the embroidery work is just so delicate and beautiful i didn't want to wreck it! Luckily though the embroidery design on the middle of this dress fell right where i wanted it to be and i didn't have to break up the embroidery too much and then i just removed the sleeves with a seam ripper and added a hem. I wear this dress all the time (even during winter with tights) and i have a feeling it's a dress i'm probably gonna keep forever, or until the very last thread falls apart. Sometimes i wear it unbelted too!

Lookin' Back: August 2013

all photos from my instagram: @atthisvolume

I know it's September but i totally just realized that i hadn't posted August 2013 in review! whoooaaaaa. Also how is it like already mid september? why does time go by so fast! i don't like it one bit.

August was pretty chill overall.

• spent a lot of August catching up on Fall Fashion reading several September Issues at the park while D skated. although i love print magazines i have to admit i was pretty bored by the september issues. this has to do with having to search the internet every day for trends and new editorials for moodboards at the internship. i feel like the importance of the september issues is now in this day and age undermined by the instant gratification we get from the internet.
  
  
• i made pancakes for the very first time! and they were amazing! D worked overtime one day and i really wanted pancakes but since he's the king of pancake making but he wasn't here i had to do it myself. they were pretty damn good if i do say so myself. i will post that recipe soon!
  
  
• D & I enjoyed many days at the park. He skates there while i read. that ground is soooo rough so i don't even try to skate. i know falling on that ground will probably leave a nasty scratch/bruise/whatever.
  
  
• this is the month i learned how to ride the buses in Orange County! pretty exciting things there. i mean, this way i have some freedom back and i don't have to stay cooped up indoors all day. it's super easy to take the bus to my internship and the other day i took the bus to the Brea Mall and had my sister pick me up and take me to her house that's only 15 minutes away. so truly, now i don't really have an excuse to not hang out with my family.
  
  
• speaking of family, at the end of August we had to go to a funeral for my Aunt (my mom's first cousin really, but you know Mexicans, everyone you know is your aunt!). it was really sad of course but it was a really pretty funeral. there was a mariachi band and they played amazing songs, something i know my Aunt Linda would have loved. While at the funeral though, i saw a lot of family that i haven't seen in years. And why? School or work or doing hoodrat things with my friends. And that really made me feel weird, like i havent seen these people in ages! The adults are not getting any younger and all the kids my age have kids of their own. So many new kids i have never met before, so many people who hadn't seen me in probably ten years. it was so i dont know, weird? Then it dawned on me that i have sacrificed precious time with my family for stupid reasons and i just don't want to do that anymore. I want to see my sister's kids grow up. I want to be a great aunt to me like my Aunt Mari was to me. i want to be there for my sister whenever she needs me and i want to be there for my mom. I just want to spend as much time as i can with my mom because i know that unfortunately one day, she won't be here. So spending time with my family and getting to see my nieces and nephew grow up will be at the top of my priorities from now on.
  
  
• we did a lot of hiking over at Crystal Cove state park. we hiked 9 miles one day and it was crazy! we saw a coyote and the fear set in and made me run the entire way back lol. (how's that for inspiration!?) another day when we hiked less, we came across the steepest hill on a trail and i was literally in tears because i was so afraid and knew there was no way i could make it down. D was ridiculously encouraging and waited for me at the bottom while i had to scoot my butt down there. lol. it was pretty funny even though at the time it was the most frightening thing ever. I love D, he's always pushing me to do my best!
  
  
• um. i bought the cutest ugly sandals ever from urbanog and although i didn't think i'd actually end up loving them, i totally do. they were so ugly they were cute to me. is that...weird? it probably is. haha. but yeah theyre the BEST sandals everrrrr and i get compliments on them all the time so it was a super rad purchase after all. isn't that always the best?
  

• while i didn't get to go to FYF like i thought i was, i ended up making an amazing pot roast for two. i definitely spent a lot more time in the kitchen this month. that's what happens when you don't have a car and youre hungry. haha
  
  
• i reunited with one of my besties, Marc Defiant, and it was refreshing. most of my friends moved away so having a few friends left in socal is a blessing except i've been a recluse lately and not seen anyone. but i've decided to stop being a crazy person and reach out to my buddies because i'm just a lot saner and happier when theyre around.

Tuneage: Pop Noir - "Jealousy"

New music video from pals, Pop Noir, make sure to take a look. This one will give you all the feels, come on, you know that feeling of jealousy, we've alllllll been there.

Super stoked for their September 25th show at the echo! i hope things work out and i get to go!

What are you waiting for? Just listen already, you're totally gonna wanna dance to this one.


if you can't make it to the show, their new EP "Jealousy" is available now on itunes!

ThreadSence Fall 2013 Lookbook: Inspiration Never Sleeps

So remember when i mentioned that the ThreadSence Fall Lookbook was coming soon? Well, the day has finally arrived! Woo! Check out Inspiration Never Sleeps at ThreadSence.com with the queen of all babes, Natalie Suarez of Natalie off Duty. Make sure you watch the video too, it's really cool.

So here are a few looks i styled (just clothing, not jewelry):

(this one is my faaaaave)

this hat. i need it.

And some favorites I didn't style:

sooo i suppose it's now time to mention that my internship with ThreadSence is now over, but i learned sooo soo much, and i'm super bummed it's over. It was work that didn't feel like work. I'm going to miss my styling team a lot but i hope that i will see them sometime soon.

Here's to a Summer well spent!

Beauty Talk: September Wishlist

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hey guys just droppin in for a quick one. i still havent gotten around to catching up on all your awesome blogs but i swearrrr that it will happen soon. i've been kindasortanotreally working on my portfolio and wrapping things up at my internship so i've been super busy around here. i've also been trying to stop being such a recluse and actually hanging out with friends and spending time with the boyfriend and my family. 

anyway, here's my current beauty wishlist! 

1. this living proof style extender is amazing! i got a sample of it in the beauty awards birchbox and it seriously is the best hair product ever. i dont wash my hair every day because it's colored but i usually feel weird about it because i feel that my hair gets limp and lifeless real quickly, but when i started using the living proof style extender it feels like it has more volume and it feels soft and looks shiny without being too shiny. on top of all that it smells amazing! i put it on after i wash my hair and towel dry a bit and just leave it in. i highly recommend it and i definitely need to buy this in a larger size. you only need about a quarter size droplet and you're good to go! (you could probably use half of that if you have short hair though) 

2. i'm not usually a big eyeshadow user (because ive spent my time in high school being an eyeshadow abuser) but i'm really into that "no makeup" makeup look now and i def. want to start working that into my daily routine.

3. since i want to start using eyeshadow i need a good eyeshadow primer because i have the oiliest eyelids on earth (gross, i know). my sister uses this primer and she only has really good things to say about it. 

4. D bought a clarisonic last year when we were in portland (hello no sales tax) and he seriously has used it like twice. whaaaat? so i'm just going to buy a new brush head and take it over because he's letting such a good product go to waste.

5. OMG. so i bought this lipstick in cherry bomb and it is so rad! and definitely not bad for $1.99! my sister has a few colors and suggested i give it a try and let me tell you at $2 these guys are a steal! they last quite a long time, which is perfect for me because i HATE to reapply lipstick, just hate it. and the colors are really rich. i bought another color, which name i can't recall, but i can easily compare it to NARS' scarlet empress. VERY impressive for a $2 lipstick. I've been on the market for a nice nude lip color so i feel like this would be nice to try, and safe, because i'm not sure if a nude color would even look good on me.

6. lastly, sephora has this awesome gift set for $25! that tarte lip stain costs $25 on its own so this is definitely a steal. i think i might buy my sister one for xmas, she's really into makeup if you already couldn't tell.

August of Last Year, Before the Leaves Disappeared

Ummmm. So i definitely dropped the ball there on updating. Sorry guys! I've mostly been out and about so i never have time to sit at home and update. I'm not one to plan posts which explains why i'm all over the place all the time! oh well. maybe one day i'll sit down and figure out a schedule of sorts. i promise to catch up on all your blogs sometime soon. i would say this weekend but let's be reallllll. haha. No seriously though, i looked at my online portfolio yesterday and i almost cried from its hideousness. Okay it's not THAT bad, but i've definitely made some layout choices that i hate. And i used to be so happy with it! lolololol. Now that my internship is coming to a close it's time to revamp that resume & revamp the portfolio so i'll probably spend this weekend doing that, so forgive my hiatus. But whatever you're all going to probably be having BBQs and all while i sit at home and yell at my computer when i can't figure out some coding. haha.

Anywayyy, it's been ridiculously hot and once i get home from work i take off whatever somewhat presentable outfit i was wearing and throw on shorts and a band tee. I definitely jinxed the weather! Remember that time i was like ohhh it's been the coolest August since 1919...blah blah blah...and then the heatwave came. I KNEW not to be trusting at all! And now it's super worse for me because in the office it's really cold then on the bus ride home i'm like DYING. When i get home i immediately take off my clothes and sit in front of the fan for several minutes to just cool down.

Can i tell you something ridiculously fun about this skirt? So i tried it on at urban outfitters right, and i didnt end up getting it because of the price tag. but i was so in love with the color i knew i had to save up for it. then when i had the money it was sold out! OF COURSE. but thennnnn it went on mega sale, but in white. i got it either way and since i was in college at the time and had access to an industrial vat (think of a big giant pot with fancy buttons) and figured i would dye it whenever i had the chance. then sure enough, one day i needed to dye some pants this mint color for a show i was designing, and what do you know, i threw in this skirt, gave a little prayer, and everything worked out amazing! i can't say the same for those pants, but eh, you win some, you lose some! sucks you can't really tell it's minty in these photos...oh well another day another photo i promise.

oh look my socks actually match. it's such a battle trying to find matching socks in the morning. sometimes D & i just grab whatever socks so we totally mess up the sock balance and then they NEVER match. story of our lives. so seeing matching socks is quite a luxury around here.

this shirt. i love this shirt. Jonathan Rice merch from when he opened for goddess Jenny Lewis at her Rabbit Fur Coat Release show at the Vista Theatre. that was a beautiful evening! is it silly that i especially love wearing this shirt during shark week? hahaha i never watch shark week but i make it a point to wear this shirt. lololol.

okay i'm going to celebrate my friend Marc's bday now with burger time, so i guess i should get dressed in something other than a band shirt. adios!

deets:

band tee: jonathan rice merch, skirt: urban outfitters (old), lakers snapback: stolen from D, socks: target, boots: thrifted (timberland), glasses: coastal

Nomz o' Clock: Pot Roast for Two

so you guys, i didn't end up going to FYF buuuut i did make a killer pot roast! Ree Drummond, aka The Pioneer Woman, is my freakin' hero. I just LOVE her. She has the best recipes and she's hilarious. If you're into american classics like i am, you'll definitely want to check out her site if you've been living under a rock this whole time and haven't checked it out yet. I think it's the whole growing-up-mexican that's made me truly crave American dishes ALLLLLL THE TIME. whenever we go to Mimi's Cafe i always end up getting their pot roast even though i know it will be dry as hell and will never ever come close to home made pot roast. 

anyway, if you couldn't already tell, this recipe is from the Pioneer Woman and you NEED to make it. i won't repost the recipe here because you have to read the way she wrote hers--she's too funny. buuut i will tell you the ingredients list if you're making this for two. A lot of the recipes i come across are always for a big family and while D & I love having leftovers, sometimes we don't get around to them, or it's just impossible for us to heat up due to our lack of microwave and probably a mix of laziness. Last time i made this delicious pot roast we used this huge pot we bought at ikea and we ended up with a tonnn of leftovers. we had some at work the day after and still had tons leftover. then we forgot about it and the rest of the pot roast died in the fridge...if you know what i mean. so all that yummy yummy food, wasted! sigh. it's really a big problem for us so we're trying to make things that won't produce more that one day's worth of leftovers. hah

ohhhh and speaking of that giant ikea pot...we had to throw it out after some pasta died in there. it was probably the grossest thing i have ever seen/smelled. lololol. oh dear. so yeah i got this super awesome lil baby 2.75 qt cast iron casserole at macys because duh it was cheap. (and it's so cute!)

and while i will forever lust over the Le Creusets, owning those is just not possible right now. but just watch me, one day i will have them! But yeah, i figured this little casserole would be good to have since it's small...but you guys, i left it unused for over half a year. HALF A YEAR. also we've been not even cooking lately so that's probably why. anyway so it just felt like i should use it for pot roast since our giant ikea pot was dead. since i have never used it before i totally freaked out when it smoked a bit when just heating up! apparently this is normal, so don't freak out. oh the joy of being relatively new to cooking. my mother wouldve probably laughed at me. haha. this is all her fault though! for never allowing me in her kitchen i'm left to experiment now that im in my twenties. okay okay enough babble. 

ingredients for two:

• 1.5 lb (or close) chuck roast
• 1 large onion (or two medium ones)
• 6 carrots (if you love carrots add more, i wish i had used more they were so yummy)
• beef stock (you only need a cup and half)
• kosher salt
• pepper (if it's freshly ground it's better!)
• 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary (trust me this is necessary)
• 3 or 4 sprigs of fresh thyme (if you dont have fresh this one is okay if you use dried)

-follow the steps for Ree Drummond's Perfect Pot Roast Recipe

• side note: since our meat would  not have fit in my small casserole in one piece, i cut it in half and then seasoned all sides. in the step where Ree says to brown your meat, i browned each piece separately, but once it was time to put it in the casserole i put them side by side and they fit perfectly. 

-you should then have this:

-then put in the oven at 280 degrees for 2 1/2 hours!
yuuuuum

i totally forgot to take photos of the mashed potatoes process but next time i make em i will. you will want to try them. it's my moms super fattening recipe so you know it's good. haha. 

Festival Style: FYF Fest 2013

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...and the weekend of Summer everyone in LA | OC has been waiting for has finally arrived! Saturday kicks off FYF fest's 10th anniversary and it looks like some fun times. I'm going to sound like a broken record here and admit that the line-up is not really super impressive. Yes, they did manage to somehow get My Bloody Valentine but i'm just going to humble brag right now and tell you that i already saw them! and it was amazing and everything i ever dreamed it would be. so really after that, what could possibly impress me? oh my god that sounds snobby! i can't decide if this festival indifference i've been feeling is because i'm getting older (and crankier) or because i just truly have seen most of the bands on the bills. thats quite an accomplishment though, if i do say so myself. my goal of attending every big music festival at least once is still on though, come on, i have yet to make it out to Primavera, Glastonburry, Roskkilde---ONE DAY, one day. 

oh damn! i'm just realizing that one thing i forgot to add to the guides above for fyf was a bandana and/or scarf! the dust/dirt at the Los Angeles Historic Park is NO JOKE. what is a joke is calling that little piece of land a park! seriously the amount of plain old dirt is crazy. and does anyone ever visit that park other than the craft fair, HARD, or Fyf? whatever, at least we have someplace to have a little festival--i'm not complaining...entirely. haha. but yes, back to the dirt, it is very important that you protect yourself from this nasty ass dirt, because it WILL fly in your face, trust me if you gather a bunch of excited folks about to see their favorite band and they start moshing, or dancing, or what have you, that dirt will fly in your face and if you dont protect yourself, you will be blowing your nose a week after and wondering where that nasty ass dirt came from. serious, true story. and while i'm on the dirt rant, i read some article earlier in the week that was like "bring your fashion game to FYF, this isn't roskkilde, your shoes won't get messed up"...UMMMMM. YES. ACTUALLY, THEY WILL. so bring boots or sneakers you just don't give a damn about. And please, please, for the love of god, leave your heeled booties at home. 

okay okay, i'll step down from my soap box now. but just don't forget to catch Glasser if you kids go. Cameron Mesirow is amazing! just AMAZING. you will not regret it. 

leeds out!

Nomz o' Clock: Zucchini Boats

 

snack time! 

D & i are tryin to spend more time in the kitchen and we're trying to eat healthier. because you know, having too many burgers have made us gain a couple of pounds. yikes! also, we've become really bored with our eating routines--which usually consist of going to el pollo loco or eating chips and hummus. so when my college buddy Kane (who runs the My Fresh Bite instagram) posted this photo i decided to give it a go because it looked so easy and yummy!

prep time: 10 minutes , cooking time: 15 minutes

ingredients:

• 4 organic zucchinis (these were small btw)
• 1 tomato (yes 2 are pictured but i only used 1!)
• 1/3 of a crimini mushroom bag (also called baby bella mushrooms)
• 1 1/2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
• shredded mozzarella cheese (i just grabbed some from the bag, so just eyeball it)
• 1 tbs tapatio hot sauce (optional, we love spicy so this gives it a little kick)
• 1/4 tbs thyme (totally optional, you could probably add parsley if you want)
• pepper  

1. cut all of your zucchinis in half, chop your tomatoes into slices and cut those into fourths 

2. preheat your oven to 375° F

3. place zucchinis on baking sheet (we foil our baking sheet because we're too lazy to have to deep clean it every time) and brush all tops with olive oil

4. sprinkle pepper to your liking on the zucchinis (we use the rainbow peppercorn grinder from trader joe's because it smells amazing! seriously, freshly ground pepper has changed my life)

5. sprinkle thyme generously (this is totally optional, i just like the way it smells)

6. add cheese to your liking 

7. add your toppings. feel free to mix them up or just individually decorate each zucchini with its own set of toppings. if you have any leftover toppings you could just toss them in on the empty space of your baking sheet

8. sprinkle with hot sauce 

9. pop in the oven for 15 minutes (depending on oven baking times some might take longer than others, i would say 15 minutes is good time to at least check on them. if you can stick a fork in the zucchini and it's too hard then leave it in for a bit longer. or you know you could eat them like that too if you like the crunch)

10. let them cool off a bit and then enjoy! yay!

a side note on hot sauce:

if you are using that fake tabasco sauce then you and i cannot be friends. for the sake of all things holy throw that garbage out and go out and get yourself some real hot sauce. drive to the nearest mexican grocery store or heck i think even your regular grocery store will have it in the mexican food aisle. if you can't find it you can totally order Tapatio online so no excuses. seriously, your taste buds will thank you.

...but if you're not that into tapatio or you're silly and can't find it, then there's always Valentina, Cholula, or my personal absolute favorite La Guacamaya (this one is tougher to find at regular grocery stores & i might be totally biased about it because it's from Sinaloa, la tierra natal, duh), just don't buy tabasco, that's basically all vinegar you're eating. gross. 

adios!

Adventure Time!

you guyssss! sorry i've been a terrible blogger this month. i would be lying if i said life was just happening....it's not really. well it is, duh, but nothing truly exciting has been happening as of late. i mean the most exciting thing was probably i've started taking the bus to work--but that's another story for another day. hehe.

honestly, i've been spending my time reading lurking cooking blogs and watching old movies and adventure time. If you haven't seen Adventure Time then i just, i dunno what to do with you. Turn your netflix on and watch some episodes, then we can be friends. haha. last year of college, when adventure time first was on the air, Marc & Mikesauce were watching it all the time and quoting it all the time and i thought they were nuts, until they forced me to watch it and then i became obsessed. pretty soon we were all walking down the halls of the theatre building laughing and quoting Lumpy Space Princess all day. Because you know, that's totally normal for college super seniors. lol.

tee: target, skirt: thrifted (express / similar), backpack: Fjallraven Kanken, boots: thrifted (timberland), necklace: erica weiner, cuff: threadsence (similar), glasses: derek cardigan via coastal, lip color: nars in scarlet empress

Had to pair this of course with my trusty yellow Fjallraven Kanken backpack! Can't go on any adventures without it. It's excellent for music festivals because my pals can always spot me if i get lost haha. i have this silly picture of me creepin on someone with the same backpack as me at Outside Lands two years ago--i'll have to show it to you guys sometime, it's hilarious! By the way, do any of you college graduates feel this affinity towards backpacks now that you've graduated? it's ridiculous, i assumed that maybe once i got older i'd get over backpacks and invest in a real handbag, but i just can't steer away from backpacks. And sometimes it's just weird because it's like well, what do i actually carry in there? I always end up carrying too many books and journals and my computer. And since i downsized to have a tablet with me everywhere i can leave my backpack at home, but noooo i'm still eyeing backpacks like crazy. oh dearrrr

sorry is my nerd showing? hehe. 

i bought  this Finn Mimobot flash drive at work and it's my new favorite thing everrrr. i sure wish we had carried the Princess Bubblegum one instead but ohhhh well. maybe i'll get it one of these days from the internetz. lord knows i dont need it right away, i dont really need a flash drive haha. i mostly needed a new one to transfer powerpoints and moodboards at my internship since i lost my vader flash drive somewhere. i swear to god, now that i'm out of school i find myself always wanting to buy things that really i'd only need/use if i were in school. is this a sign? maybe i should just go back to school...you know, so i can complain about how much i hate it. hahaha. it's a love/hate relationship, it always has been. 

okay i'll shut up about adventure time for now and let me tell you a funny story about this skirt. so i thrifted this skirt back in high school and it was floor length and at the time, just not in fashion. so i cut and hemmed it and then i would just wear it high waisted with a tee shirt tucked in and belted. buuuuut now, i sure wish i hadn't cut it because i really want a black maxi skirt! haha. such is life.