I dream in garlic butter

The most incredible gourmet garlic fries to ever grace your tastebuds, at Wayfarer, Cannon Beach, Oregon.

Burak Uyan

Do you think there's a way I can legalize my shoe addiction? Maybe I should just call it a day and go to rehab. I hear the clinics are pretty swanky these days. Bipolar withdrawal tendencies make the cleansing distinctly unfun though - last time consisted of broken tableware that was definitely not Greek and bouts of bunny boiler behaviour. Anyway, this shit is INSANE. My dreams of sculpture, serpents, and fluro stars bursting across my vision are so vivid I know I must be hallucinating. Best hit EVER. Ride the high.

The Edit: gin, jewels, and gems of a different sort

Another incredible concoction born of the talented hands of my favourite Czech bartender: a Squirreltini. Basically a chocolate martini, I'm not even sure if it has any gin in it - it just sounded good in the title! Seriously though, this cocktail is liquid heaven.


The DANNIJO Court necklace: my must-have fall accessory.


Kelly Wearstler's SICK jewellery collection.


The Bar Method, Pure Barre, Cardio Barre...I'm obsessed with all of them! Change your body? More like transform your body! Love love love.





The Chocolate Cafe at Cannon Beach, Oregon, and the most DIVINE chocolate shake you will ever taste. Seriously. I'm making a return trip just for this shake. It's that good.




Images (from top): ChocolateMartiniRecipe.org, DANNIJO.com, Net-a-Porter, BarMethod.com

It's all about the Miu Miu

The most impressive shoe of the season...


...as seen in the Harper's Bazaar September issue...


...and the Vogue September issue...


...and the Marie Claire September issue...


...and the Elle September issue. So, basically, either editors really like these shoes, or they've gotten a lot of freebie mail recently.



Images (from top): Net-a-Porter and Refinery29

Wrist wars

After spotting this story on the best-braceleted wrists on Refinery29 (Rachel Strugatz, pictured here, totally wins BTW), I remembered how much I adore bracelets, cuffs, and general wrist-and-hand adornments. Here are some of my favourite picks:


The EPIC Dinosaur Bones cuff from nOir, worn by Strugatz above.



A couple more picks from nOir. Find them here.


Kenneth Jay Lane Sculpted Branch Cuff


Pamela Love 7 Crystal Cuff


Made Her Think Mini Metal Thorn Cuff



Images, as attributed.

Romantic gothicism

Unlike, well, pretty much everyone else on the northern hemisphere, I am already dreaming of shorter evenings and a windchill factor. Fall! Ah, the beauty of autumn. Think about it: there's velvet, lace, and fierce shoe boots, not to mention the social acceptability of sequins and the reappearance of the hallowed Starbucks Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate.

As you can tell, what really gets my blood running about fall is the rebirth of certain trends, predominantly that of romantic gothicism. Luckily for me, this trend was a major presence on the fall 2011 catwalks (hallelujah!). Look out for my article on how to make romantic gothicism work in real life in the September (and the first!) issue of JENESEQUA iPad magazine (I just recently signed on as fashion editor, and I can tell you, I'm so excited for everything that is to come! I'll let you all know when it's available), but for now, some inspiration:



Inspiration on the Alexander Wang and Antonio Berardi Fall 2011 catwalks


Rue du Mail Top at Forward by revolve


The Lake & Stars Bra at Net-a-Porter


Young, Fabulous & Broke Jennifer Skirt at Revolve Clothing


Alexander Wang Devere Bag at Net-a-Porter


Low Luv X Erin Wasson Bone Armour Ring at Revolve Clothing


CC Skye Mad Max Pendant Necklace at Ideeli


Pelle Moda Famous Open Toe Booties at Shopbop

To see more, check out my Romantic Gothicism Pinterest Board.



Images: all copyright belongs to the respective sites, links above.

The Edit: Bloody Aztecs and ballet and bargains, oh my!

As a bit of a globetrotter, it’s fair to say that I am exposed to a fair amount of culture simply by stepping outside. Today, I’ve decided to showcase some of my favourite global finds. Enjoy!


1.) They say it all begins and ends with a drink. Well, I do anyway. I’m most open to being plied with Don Julio tequila. I always try to get my Brave Bulls and Bloody Aztecs made with this, mostly unsuccessfully.

2.) I’ve mentioned this before, but I am TOTALLY OBSESSED with Mary Helen Bowers’ Ballet Beautiful fitness method. This ex-New York City Ballet dancer trained Natalie Portman for her role in Black Swan, and has produced a fantastic method that I adore. It’s hard, but in a rewarding sort of way. I fit it into my routine four times a week, along with cardio (I prefer Tracy Anderson’s dance aerobics), pilates and yoga. I actually got stopped not so long ago in Starbucks by a guy who politely asked me if I do ballet. Result!

3.) This photo encompasses two of my new favourite places: Crossroads Trading Co. on Hawthorne in downtown Portland, where I snatched up this practically unworn (and yes, real!) Louis Vuitton bag for $25 (whoaaa, you say whaaaat? Uh huh), and Yolo Lounge on 4th, also in Portland. A swanky sushi lounge and martini bar, this place serves fantastic food (the spicy fries are TO DIE FOR) and the decor is sublime (think crystal chandeliers, red and black walls, and geishas rising out of 3D murals).



4.) The latest spoils of my online shopping habit: imported Italian leather handbag by Michael Rome, crystal bib necklace by Amrita Singh (love her; just ordered her Jitney necklace in green) and Invicta watch (originally $500, purchased for $50!).

5.) My favourite book, basically of all time. My copy is currently all marked up with squiggels and excessive underlining as I pick apart Murakami's lyrical prose for my own gain. It's an incredibly different process, reading a book for pleasure and reading a book from a writer's perspective. I'm currently engaging in the latter, as I struggle through the first draft of my own novel. But more on that later!



All images, my own, except for the photo of the crazy-beautiful, crazy-flexible Mary Helen Bowers of Ballet Beautiful.

Read this, bitches

Just kidding! (Kind of - you really do need to check this out.)

I was recently asked by the wonderful folks at Bloggers Wardrobe to audition for a spot in the BW network of top fashion bloggers (including some of my very favourites, Shini of Park & Cube and Anya of Pneumonia White). So, without further ado, here’s why I’d be a great addition to the BW team:

I’m not a famous blogger (yet!), but my readers are highly engaged (my Klout True Reach is 81), so if brands want customers, rather than just an audience, I’m your girl.

Keep your fingers crossed for me! I’m sure crossing mine (and my toes, arms, legs…eyes…). And make sure you head on over to www.bloggerswardrobe.com to check out the deets and the fabulous bloggers already selected. Plus, if you're a blogger and you want a chance to be involved with Bloggers Wardrobe, you can contact them via their website - good luck!


Image: a collage constructed from screen shots, all copyright Bloggers Wardrobe.