{GBF Life} Good, Bad, and Fab Moments of the Week

My week paralleled the first movement of Beethoven's Symphony 5 in C Minor. The first half of the week was set in allegro tempo as flurries of meetings and deadlines set ablaze a dramatic and hurried pace with intermittent cadences of interlude and peace. The second half slowed to andante speed as the heat wave greatly incapacitated my ability to function much less any fastidious desire to be productive. I spent most of the weekend physically and mentally escaping my sauna. A east-west facing home with a defunct A/C is not cool. At midnight on Friday, my bedroom hovered at a sweltering 90 degrees. Thoughts of camping out on the balcony crossed my mind but the idea was dissuaded by my greater fear of getting yanked into the air by a giant and freakishly strong eagle.

 Here are this week's good, bad, and fabulous moments.

{The Good}
~brainstorming cute outfit pairings for my Nooka Hello Kitty Watch
~being silly at my Lulus pool shoot with some fun props
~pinkberry brunch
~taking over the photo booth at the Stella and Jamie party
~discovering Heirloom Cafe, a fabulous brunch spot filled with all my favorite carbs.
*side note-I found the cafe while spinning out of control at The Cycle Annex Saturday morning. I was pleasantly surprised to learn my spin instructor is an old friend. She was on the AHS pep squad with me!
~finger and arm bling from Lulus and Luv AJ
~I'm planning a beach party just to have an excuse to wear my new suits from Lisa Blue. Outfit changes are nothing new but bathing suit changes? It's on!
 ~cute gift bag from the Mandarin Oriental Hotel summer brunch at Mr. Chow. Executives from every SINGLE MO in the world was at the brunch as they're currently on a US press tour.  Such rock stars! I wish I could be their groupie. 
~when it comes to personal style, I'm a big advocate of versatile day to night, weekday to weekend dressing. But sometimes, it's all about wearing a silk organza Lanvin dress on a Friday and switching into a floral ass-cheek-peeking-out romper on the weekend. 

{The Bad} 
 {The Fab}
 ~a lovely Friday night stroll with nowhere to be.

 ~stepping in a new direction and into a new place. And doing it in fabulous heels one step at a time.

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{live fabulously}

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{GBF Life + Style} Holla at Hauler's House of Harlow

As a Hauler Deals guest guru, I will be curating my own Hauler shop filled with my favorite things from the fabulous site so make sure to check back often to check out my latest picks! The first two items on my "fawning over" list are my House of Harlow double sunburst necklace and RIF pebble ring. I love the subtle statement making impact of both pieces as the intricate details and interesting shapes command attention and deserve their own accessories space in my outfit. 

I  actually attended the Hauler Deals launch party last summer as sort of an impromptu "let's go to Drai's Saturday night and pick up a gift bag" night. I didn't know any of the haulers and spent most of the night exchanging puns with a new friend and contemplating the ramifications of jumping into the pool. A year later, I'm now a part of the Hauler family and get to work with amazing people to showcase amazing products. Life can be quite nifty sometimes.

By the way, not only is the telephone booth the perfect color backdrop for my outfit, it's also a telling revelation of a fabulous July trip across the pond!






top: Stateside {in orange | affordable}
dress: Motel Clothing {similar | similar}
heels: L.A.M.B {similarsimilar}
necklace and ring c/o Hauler Deals

{live fabulously}

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{GBF Life + Events} Life's But a Wet n Wild Slumber Party

In my role as a Wet n Wild beauty ambassador, I co-hosted the first ever WnW blogger slumber party with my girl Taye last week. Held at The London West Hollywood, the night captured the essence of a fabulous over-the-top sleepover. There was girl on girl action (in the form of pillow fights), Clueless looping in the background all night long, two rooms filled to the brim with makeup, a root beer float and candy station, and a hilarious dance/walk off that produced two equally talented winners. And of course, there was wine and champagne. The night was a much needed infusion of estrogen, sugar, and makeup. 

When I was young, I never got to attend sleepovers as my parents were abnormally strict and  threatened to throw me in boarding school if I ever broke curfew. And I almost never did except for one night in October. I went to Knott's Scary Farm with a group of friends and was having an amazing time eating dippin' dots ice cream and pretending to be scared inside the mazes so I could hold on to my date. I was supposed to be home by midnight but completely lost track of time and didn't end up leaving the park until 12:30am. I started freaking out in the car and proceeded to mentally pen sorrowful farewell letters to my friends. I was on my second leter when all of a sudden, I realized it was daylight savings THAT NIGHT which meant I gained an extra hour and wouldn't break curfew! What perfect timing!

 I opened my front door with aplomb and almost ran into my mom who was standing by the entryway, glaring at me. I confidently and excitedly explained I wasn't late at all because time was on my side. I could tell she was struggling with my explanation as she didn't want to admit I was right and couldn't argue that I was wrong. It was the first and only time mom was left speechless. Not wanting to press my luck, I ran up the stairs and into my room and relished in the fact that time saved me from an eternity (four years) of banishment. 









{sleeopver attire}
Celine shirt
Raga butterfly shorts {similar} {similar}
Betsy Johnson fuzzy slippers Slippers {similar}

{live fabulously}

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{GBF Life + Style} Minty Days of Summer with Neiman Marcus

The first week of summer always draws out a yearning to be back in school and on summer break. Back then my summers were spent camped out on the couch with my lazy bones sprawled out like a Cheshire cat, the TV remote in one hand and the other cradling half of a watermelon.  Nowhere to be, nothing to do, not a worry in the world. 

Perhaps that's why watermelon is my favorite fruit as it's a juicy reminder of the bygone carefree summer days. I eat the mint colored rind as well as it's choked full of nutrients that help promote radiant skin complexion.  I incorporated the color into the outfits for my Neiman Marcus day to night to weekend summer shoot. Each of the three outfits showcase a black and white plus a pop of mint color palette, a personal reminder that summer, and all its juicy goodness, is here! 
 {Day}
 I don't necessarily agree that shorts are off-limits in the workplace as it's all about how you wear them. Stick to dressier fabrics, conservative lengths, and amply cover up the upper body to skirt the workplace ban on shorts. Here, I've paired my asymmetrical front zip J. Brand white blouse with a pair of well-tailored metallic Skaist Taylor boucle shorts. I love the vintage look and feel of the blouse and the shorts juxtaposed with a a rather modern Diane Von Furstenberg printed silk blazer.











{Night}
You have to check out this sexy Robert Rodriguez jacquard number in person. It's quite stunning! The texture is rich and layered while the fitted bodice and pleated skirt instantly cinch in the waist and round the hips providing an hourglass illusion that's ideal for nighttime play.



{Weekend}
The unpredictability of weekend adventures beckon a layered and comfy look that can take you from running errands in the morning, lunch al fresco, to an evening of wine and music at the Hollywood Bowl. The polka dot Equipment blouse is one of my summer favorites as it's versatile enough to wear with anything and draws an air of chic to every outfit. A white ribbed panel sweater from Theory complete with a kangaroo front pouch and boxy sleeves paired with luxe mint leather jeans from J Brand keeps the look light, airy, and juicy.







photos by Richard Min

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{live fabulously}

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