Another Visit to the Ventura Flea Market

Despite a little bit of rain and wind, I paid a visit to the Ventura Flea Market in search of vintage goodies. Instead of the usual turnout where parking is hard to find and vendors fill the space, there was a notable absence of sellers (and buyers) due to the less than ideal weather conditions. Since I'm not one to let a few raindrops get in the way of a day of shopping, I continued to browse the sparse amount of stalls, even as discouraged vendors packed up their wares two full hours early. Despite the dismal turnout, I managed to snap a few photos, shoot some short video clips, and snag the last small bag of kettle corn as the vendor was putting his equipment away. As for the vintage maxi skirts, antique teacups, woven handbags, silk blouses, and fur coats, those will have to wait until next time, when the vendors aren't packing them into their trucks as I approach the racks to browse.

Please enjoy my second attempt at amateur filmmaking with this short video. I make my acting debut around 1:10 while browsing sweets from the Yankee Doodle Bakery.

Getting Outdoorsy in Ojai

I took my dog out to enjoy the sunny weather and explore some parks in the Ventura/Ojai area yesterday. My first stop was a place nestled in the hills outside of Ventura. There lies an abandoned outdoor ampitheater built in 1928, complete with graffiti, overgrown ivy, piles of leaves, shy squirrels, and gorgeous views. Despite its state of decay and disrepair, I think it's the ideal place for a peaceful picnic. After exploring that area, we traveled to Ojai, where a stubborn sweater-clad Chihuahua decided to initiate a standoff in the middle of Ojai Ave, blocking dozens of cars in the process. Nonetheless, I made it to Libbey Park without incident, where we explored the bike trail, nearby tennis courts, and local businesses, all the while ensuring that my dog got plenty of exercise. Regarding all this warm weather we've been having in southern California, I feel as though I'm being cheated out of winter because my heavy jackets are not getting much use. On the plus side, however, it's great for wearing open-toed footwear and transitioning into a floral, 1970's-inspired spring wardrobe with light layers.

10 Things I Wish I Knew When I Was Younger

Sometimes an idea for a blog post will pop into my head at the most inconvenient time, such as when there's nowhere for me to jot my ideas down. This morning, while in the shower, I reflected back on what I've learned about health, beauty, blogging, and life in the past fifteen years. Hence, the idea for this post about ten things I wish I knew when I was younger. I had to learn these lessons the hard way. If you have anything you'd like to share, I welcome your insightful comments.

1. Focus on what you like about your body and learn how to highlight those areas, while camouflaging your least favorite features. Don't like your neck but love your arms? How about a sleeveless top with a scarf? Don't like your curvy hips? Balance them with bootcut jeans or trousers.

2. Wear sunblock every day, especially on your face, hands, and neck. You'll be grateful in a few decades, when you appear younger than you are and your skin shows fewer signs of sun damage. Also, tanning=sun damage=premature aging.

3. By the time you reach 25-30, you can't get away with eating junk food and not exercising because your muscle mass decreases and your metabolism slows down. The older you are, the harder you have to work at maintaining or losing weight. (This is why I spend 10+ hours per week exercising. It helps me feel and look my best.)

4. Eating unprocessed food such as blueberries, tomatoes, and avocados will improve your health and make your skin more radiant. These foods will also give you more energy. Food that comes in a box, can, or package is probably going to have sugar, sodium, or preservatives. It'll be less beneficial to your health and won't provide sustained energy.

5. Don't surround yourself with people who are negative, jealous, abusive, manipulative, or opportunistic. Eliminate toxic behavior and focus on having positive energy around you. Visualize yourself reaching your goals.

6. This may sound random, but my iMac has changed my life. Compared to the inefficient and disappointing Dell laptop my former employers bought for me a few years ago, my iMac has made my life more enjoyable and productive. Mac>PC. This is something that both of my current computers (a Compaq and an iMac) affirm for me every day.

7. When going to a job interview, interview them as well. Ask yourself what it would be like to work there. Research the company and your interviewer, and ask detailed questions. You're potentially going to be spending lots of time there and you should make sure you are a good match.

8. Don't sign up for credit cards on your college campus. Who cares if there is a free T-shirt? It's not worth it. It's a dangerous debt trap.

9. If you're an independent fashion blogger, you probably won't gain widespread popularity unless you A) showcase yourself and your style by playing model to the camera or B) you repost pretty photos and have fashion industry connections. Readers are interested in you and the details of your life. Ask yourself how much you value your privacy.

10. Challenge yourself to be polite and patient in frustrating situations. Yes, it's tough, but the positive energy will come back to you.

One Forty Nine

I've spent some time playing around with iMovie and the result is a brief compilation of some amateur video I captured while on the way back from my trip to Solvang last week. I couldn't resist capturing the peaceful beauty of the area with my point-and-shoot camera. (The Santa Ynez Valley is a great place to shop for antiques, meander around small towns, enjoy the scenic views, and engage in some wine tasting.) I apologize for any shakiness or blurry effects, since this is my first video, and I'm still learning. I'm excited to learn more about video production and editing, and I can't wait to spend more time experimenting with iMovie in the near future.

Simple Spring 2011 Updates

Finding Solitude in Solvang

My sparse presence on Twitter and the blog can be explained by a quick road trip to the charming town of Solvang and the peaceful Santa Ynez Valley. During my two days there, I: ate more Danish pancakes and pastries than I could count, brought my dog along to enjoy the scenery, marveled at the beauty of the Mission Santa Inés, explored the local Farmers' Market, browsed a few upscale antique stores (where prices reached the $50,000 range), unwittingly entertained two dozen Japanese tourists by letting them ogle and pet my dog, and found some Sally Hansen Salon Effects nail stips at a random CVS in rural Buellton, of all places. It was exactly what I needed to feel rejuvenated by the kind, relaxed vibe of Solvang and the old-world feel of the surrounding pastoral towns. If anyone plans on visiting the area, I highly recommend the Wine Valley Inn for its large rooms, convenient location, colorful interior furnishings, and pet-friendly policies.

Salon Effects Minus the Salon

Confession: besides being obsessed with shoes and fashion trends, I'm enamored with nail polish. I probably have over forty bottles of laquer in my collection, and I often mix my own custom hues when inspired to do so. While browsing a fashion blog last week, I stumbled upon an intriguing new product by Sally Hansen called Salon Effects. It's basically nail polish strips (or a more affordable D.I.Y. version of Minx) that are applied almost like stickers and come in various prints and colors. After reading several blogger reviews and watching three tutorials, I decided to hunt them down at Target and CVS. After an unsuccessful afternoon of shopping, I ended up buying the Kitty Kitty (leopard print) ones on eBay. My intention was to recreate the leopard print manicure I first attempted by hand in October 2009.

Two days later, I was the proud owner of a new nail kit that included a cuticle stick, mini file, buffer, and sixteen nail polish strips in a metallic leopard print. Having no experience with nail polish strips, I was able to easily follow the 5-step instructions, and 29 minutes later, my manicure was complete. I only used five of the sixteen strips, since my nails are so short that each strip could be used twice (which takes care and precision not to tear the strips in the wrong place). If I'm careful, I should be able to get 2 more manicures out of this box.

As I type this, it's been three days since application, and I'm amazed to report that there is no lifting, peeling, or chipping at this point. (I can rarely get two to three chip-free days out of regular nail polish with a base and top coat, so this is truly impressive.) In addition, it's just as shiny as it was the first day, and has held up nicely through all of the housework and typing that I do on a daily basis. I believe the strips retail for about $10, and as soon as my local Target or drugstore stocks them, I'll be buying them in multiples.

Trend On the Rise - Wide Leg Trousers

images from dorothyperkins.com, topshop.com, newlook.com & freepeople.com

I can finally place my skinny jeans, mini skirts, and harem pants in the back of my closet in order to make room for the new kid in town - wide leg trousers. Perfectly in line with spring's 1970s trend, they are both intriguing and tricky to wear. Also known as palazzo pants, they can sometimes appear to be a maxi skirt due to their voluminous shape and generous leg girth. In order to balance out the volume, they're best paired with high platforms or wedges, a form fitting or tucked in top, sleek hair, and a small handbag. Above are four of my best picks, all under $110.

Backyard Blogging

I was just thinking today how lucky I am to be able to wear open-toed shoes in the middle of January. All the more motivation for me to update my pedicures more frequently. No snow, salt, or puddles to worry about, at least not for now. Letting the gorgeous spring-like weather guide my wardrobe choices proved to be both practical and predictable. Ok, so I should also mention that I was heavily influenced by the floaty floral maxi dresses on D&G's spring runway. A couple of months ago I uncovered a sleeveless viscose version at Cotton On, and I've been reaching for it quite often since then. Paired with a turband (turban+headband), cashmere blend cardigan, and wedges, it made for a comfortable day of working from home, running errands, and hanging out with the dog.

Trend On the Rise - Block Heels

New year, new shoes, right? At least that's been my mantra for the past two weeks. In an attempt to steer myself away from the clunky wedges I stockpiled last year, I've adopted block heel platforms as my new favorite type of footwear. This is partly due to the ubiquitous Jeffrey Campbell Lita boots and Jessica Simpson Dany heels that I've purchased (like many other bloggers) and grown to love. Not only are they ridiculously high (over five inches), but they're comfortable and easy on the feet due to their thick platforms. Such a thick and sturdy block heel and platform offers the same stability and support as a wedge, but with a sleeker, less bulky silhouette. Furthermore, block heels will look incredibly chic when paired with flared jeans and '70s silhouettes that will steal the spotlight this spring. Below are five block heels that have caught my eye, all under $150.

images via aldoshoes.com, asos.com & topshop.com

1. Basinski suede heels, Aldo, $84.98

2. Layla snake print heels, Topshop, $130

3. Partytime pumps, Asos, $77.58

4. Hessling velvet heels, Aldo, $130

5. Seventy suede heels, Topshop, $145

Rose Bowling

In an unusually busy weekend that involved watching Kathy Griffin live, celebrating my cousin's birthday, and taking home a new road bike, I somehow managed to get to Pasadena for the monthly Rose Bowl flea market. Shortly after arriving, I lost count of the fur jackets, cutoff Levi's, faux LV bags, vintage cowboy boots, antique chandeliers, and varsity jackets. Sometime between my last Rose Bowl visit and this one, the number of vendors seems to have increased dramatically. Now all they have to do is improve the food options (in a healthier way) to go beyond the junk food that prevails there. Sometimes kettle corn, pretzels, hot dogs, tri tip, or churros are not sensible lunch options for me. At any rate, I munched on the apples and blueberries I brought from home, and then photographed a few items that inspired me, including some Jeffrey Campbell shoe porn. As a shoe addict, I couldn't resist photographing one of the very few shoppers who was not wearing Uggs.

Black Magic

As 2011 gets off to a start, I find myself developing a new affinity for block heel platforms. While I typically reserve my limited shoe space for boots and wedges, I've already purchased three pairs of block heels this year, two of which were deeply discounted. Could it be that I'm finally starting to kick my wedge addiction? (No pun intended.)

Having grown accustomed to the sturdy and solid nature of my five and six inch wedges, I'm practically learning how to walk in real heels all over again. Taking inspiration from both Miucca and Marc's recent collections, I'm attempting to channel a 1950's vibe with a lace maxi skirt and towering 5.5" heels from that age-old favorite, Forever 21.

Girlish Flourishes

With the frenzied holiday season safely behind us and a new year ahead, it's time to switch gears in terms of fashion and start preparing for next season. No more Ugg boots or trapper hats please! What better way to start off 2011 than by adopting ladylike details such as bow belts, faux pearl or chain necklaces, ruffled vests, paper bag waist skirts, or Grecian dresses. With some clever layering techniques to combat the cold winter weather, it's never too early to get a head start on spring trends. (As for me, I'm digging up all of my flared jeans and graphic print blouses in anticipation of the '70s trend that Marc Jacobs, DvF, and Topshop have nailed so well.)