My Sinful Past

Daniel Rainn Silk Top, Carla Mancini Penelope Bag, Forever 21 Leather Shorts and Wedges

In college I had literally zero fashion sense. I cringe in disgust just thinking about the heinous outfits I allowed myself to walk out the door with back in the day. I mean platform foam thong sandals themselves should be considered a fashion crime, but paired with pink Adidas tear-away pants and mid-riff baring tube tops?  VOMIT.  Words cannot adequately describe the foulness of my style (or lack thereof).  I’m seriously surprised my friends didn’t beat me unconscious with a chemistry textbook and force a change of clothes upon me before showing their faces in public in my company.  I’d like to think I’ve come a long way since then, upgrading to semi-sheer silk tops, leather shorts, and piles of chunky jewelry.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that five years from today, I can look back on my current style in a slightly more positive light than I do the platform-sandal-pink-pants-combo!

Michael Kors Watch, White Vintage Bracelet, GARDEN bracelet Handmade by Moi, Vintage/handmade Rings, Vintage Copper Necklace

This is the Life

Spontaneity is the key to life, something which is only a couple clicks away with Priceline.com's new 'name your own price' option. I've been dreading the dreary fall weather for some time now, so on Sunday night  I impulsively purchased a ticket to the beautiful island of Oahu. Not only does the sun shine year round in Hawaii, but the people are exceedingly friendly and the selection of exceptional food is truly unsurpassable. Experiencing the island requires venturing outside the tourist trap of Waikiki and into local grocery stores and hole-in-the-wall restaurants where you can expect to find homemade plate lunches, fresh poke (bite sized pieces of raw-fish doused in seasoning), and tantalizing chunks of thick juicy sashimi. Some vacations are all about adventure and exploration, but not this one. I fully intend to simmer by the pool/at the beach, consume an unprecendented number of alcoholic beverages, and shamelessly gorge myself on island cuisine.

Sesame Taco (octopus) Poke, Lomi Lomi Salmon, Ahi (tuna) Limu (seaweed) Poke

Twelve piece of the most tender Ahi tuna I've ever tasted.

    

Life is a Neverending Excuse to Shop

It's that time of year again, when the leaves start falling and you find yourself being abruptly woken by the familiar high pitched sound of children screaming/roaring of ratty old yellow school buses every single weekday morning.  In college, being an exercise major and all, the majority of my classes took place in the 'field house' aka dingy windowless school gym which hasn't been penetrated by a vacuum in the last three-and-a-half centuries.  After one hour of quality classroom time, you could expect to have dust in your eyes and the lingering smell of roller-skating-rink-lost-and-found-socks all over your clothes. Let's just say that there was hardly any pressure to look presentable.  However, with graduate school just around the corner, I feel that it is time to turn over a new leaf and upgrade my reliable-but-generic North Face backpack to something slightly more sophisticated.  As much as I would love to saunter around school with a smooshy pebbled leather bag slung across my shoulders, the sporadic bouts of torrential downpour in Washington makes such a thing rather impractical (so I'm leaning towards canvas or polyurethane). Please help me decide! Which one is your favorite?

Clockwise from top left:
1. ASOS Faux Croc Bar Day Bag $60.66
2. ASOS Urban Academy Canvas Bag $53.92
3. J. Crew Rugged Twill Messenger Bag $128
4. ASOS Leather Slot Through Satchel $109.53
5. Marc by Marc Jacobs Modern Military Messenger $260
6. J. Crew Bowery Messenger Bag $98

Maxi = Perfection

H&M Garden Collection Maxi Dress, Marc Jacobs Baby Aidan Bag, Cynthia Vincent Wedges, Earrings  handmade by moi

For the past week I've been stranded without a photographer (due to an impromptu Hawaii trip on his part), but my partner in crime has returned at last!  We celebrated by treating ourselves to an always-too-spicy but oh-so-tasty meal at the smallest jankiest restaurant you could ever imagine aka Thai Tom in the University District (I swear we eat meals that require forks and not just chopsticks, but for some odd reason those pictures never make it to the blog).  Gosh, I would relinquish more than fifty percent of my vital organs to have tropical weather year round, but since the state of Washington is allergic to sunlight I have found that maxi dresses are the perfect investment.  They are A) immensely comfortable, B) much warmer than a mini dress -- hence removing the necessity of a sweater, C) long enough to hide a pair of footless leggings if you so desire, AND last but not least: if you enjoy the luxuries of commando-ness you can do so with class (we don't all aspire to become Lindsay Lohan).    

Mostly vintage bracelets except: Humongous white bangle from Australian boutique and Anthropologie Jeweled Cuff. Mostly vintage rings except: Green ring (featured in tacosandfreecandy banner) made by moi

Dear misfit tooth: I'm not sure how you turned out so white? Funny thing is, the actual fake tooth (which is one to the right) looks completely normal. Guess the camera must have favored just you today.

Chase the Giant Tin Pig, It's Worth It

Lately I have been encountering an unusual amount of extraordinary food as well as some unexpected good luck.  Topping this list would have to be last weekend's adventure to St. Vincent's de Paul thrift store, where I inadvertently discovered seven hundred and fifty dollars tucked into the right-side pocket of a sparkly cobalt blue blazer!!!  Yes, I kept it (Mom, please don't be angry).  My friends and I spent a considerable amount of time speculating where this money could have come from (drug deal gone wrong/forgetful rich old lady/prostitution ring?) but couldn't come to a final conclusion.  Have any interesting theories? Please share.

Second on my list would have to be the most delicious sandwich I have ever tasted in my twenty three years of life!  This mouth-watering pulled pork sandwich, purchased from the eccentric Maximus/Minimus giant pig truck circumnavigating downtown Seattle, features the perfect balance of spicy and sweet.  The succulent meat, the layer of fresh crunchy cilantro, and the generous sprinkle of shredded Beecher's Flagship cheese accompanied by a side of tangy cole slaw make this meal absolutely to die for (especially when followed up by dessert of beer and fluffy pink cotton candy).    

Last but not least, my boyfriend kindly gifted me a box of creamy chocolates from Fran's Chocolates.  The milk and dark chocolate salted caramels, which were by far my favorite, are a harmonious blend of soft buttery caramel and rich smooth chocolate topped with bold crunchy salt.  One dainty bite of these organic chocolates and you will no doubt experience an intense orgasm of the mouth! 

Hour of Happiness

Hello, my name is Joy and I am a happy hour addict. Truthfully speaking, I'm not enticed by the drink specials nearly as much as I am obsessed with the idea of munching on an assortment of delightful food items without having to wash the dishes afterwards. Kozue, one of the Japanese restaurants that I enjoy visiting on a regular basis, has a fantastic happy hour from five to six-thirty every day of the week except Sunday (closed). The menu options are plentiful, the food is consistently delectable, and the outdoor deck seating is easily prime people watching real estate. On sunny days such as this one, a plate of crunchy salmon skin rolls and an ice cold beer followed by a leisurely stroll through the lovely neighborhood is my idea of a perfect afternoon adventure!

Forever 21 Tank Dress, Cynthia Vincent Wedges, Von Zipper Elmore Sunglasses

Antik Batik Fringed Bongo Bag, Mexican Beach Vendor Turquoise Ring, Taiwanese Street Market Pyramid Rhinestone Ring 

ABACUS necklace handmade by me, Vintage Rings, Michael Kors Watch

Please Don't Shoot Me

Last night I fired my very first Heckler & Koch P30 aka. pistol (for those of you who are non-weapon savvy, like myself). I anticipated that this whole gun range experience would be liberating and epic, but in actuality I found it exceedingly frightening. Aside from being intimidated by the badass lady firing a nine-foot-ground-shaking cannon in the lane directly to my right, my lack of skill resulted in the 'range instructor' being terrorized into providing me with free lessons (apparently he feared for his life from the opposite side of the plexiglass window). So today, feeling like an immense failure in my manly endeavors, I decided to ransack my closet for the most feminine outfit I could dig up. Who needs guns when you can have a dresser full of dainty floral skirts and buckets of chunky shiny jewelry?



Urban outfitter skirt, Gap tank, Jessica Simpson platforms, Chloe sunglasses, vintage scalloped clutch

Corona and Lime, forced upon me by the photographer.

Handmade beaded dreamcatcher necklace, Michael Kors Watch, Vintage Rings and Belt

Rain Rain Go Away

This morning I woke up to dismal grey skies and the familiar sound of heavy raindrops splattering on the window above my bed. I always find less than ideal weather as the perfect excuse to hide in the house, devour a plethora of soft-bake cookies, and make jewelry (today's project involved two rectangular pale pink agate stones and some gold wire). Feeling a little depressed from the weather I decided to treat myself to an afternoon of thrift store shopping followed by a trip to Than Brother's Restaurant, a delicious little Pho joint in Ballard. Not only are the steamy bowls of noodles drool worthy, but the service is lightening quick, dessert (creme puff) is brought out BEFORE the meal, and the prices are utterly unbeatable.

Basket Weave Pink Agate Earrings

Thrift Store Treasures: Blood Orange Glass Bowl, Rings, Vintage Mirrored Tray.

Noodles and broth only for me, I love to stuff my stomach with carbs and sugar!

Little bits of heaven. Golden-baked Banh Choux a la Creme with swirled tops.

Pillow Talk

While flipping through my haphazard collection of clippings this afternoon I re-discovered a hidden gem: House Beautiful magazine's December edition spread featuring pillow arrangements. It is rather ironic that I instantly fell in love with this article (considering the fact that I have made my bed less than four times in the past decade), but the thought of pillow displays as a reflection of personality is oddly fascinating to me. IF I were to begin organizing my bed on a regular basis, I would definitely favor the Bohemian setup. What about you?

A BOHEMIAN personality likes to toss the pillows although keep some coordination as well.

A TAILORED pillow arrangement could mean that you are organized and that your ducks are in a row.

Lots of pillows, including ruffles, may be a sign of someone who is ROMANTIC.

The MODERNIST prefers to lay pillows flat and organized.

If you perfectly prop the pillows with a single accent pillow then you are TRADITIONAL by nature.

Images via House Beautiful 12/08/2009

Creme Brulee

This weekend we celebrated my Dad's birthday with a massive seafood feast at the Crab Pot in Bellevue. After hammering away at an assortment of shelled goodies and watching my toothless Grandma dunk her dentures in a water glass (SUPER unappetizing) it was time to order dessert. My Dad studied the menu for what felt like three hours, then finally pushed the menu aside and asked the sever for a "Cweeem Brew-Lee, please." Of course we couldn't help but erupt in laughter. Yes, we all felt a little guilty for laughing at the birthday boy, but at least it was a comical way to end the lovely night. Happy Birthday Dad!

Ali & Kris Romper, Jeffrey Campbell Platforms, JJ Winters Suede Fringe Bag, Ray Ban Aviators, Earrings and Necklace handmade by Joy, Vintage Rings and Bracelets

Salsa Overload

The weather in Seattle was rather uninspiring today, so I opted for staying home and eating copious amounts of tortilla chips and salsa. One whole 14 ounce bag of Cabo Loco and a one pound container of Rojo's Fresh Cut Salsa later and I felt like an obese panda. Aside from nearly snacking myself to death, the only other productive thing I accomplished today was photographing some of the jewelry I made semi-recently. My picture taking skills could probably use some improvement (or a perhaps a new camera would suffice) but here are some of my favorites:

Bluish-teal seed beads, white seed beads, gold wire, opaque Swarvoski crystal eyeball

Seafoam beads, cream colored prism-shaped seed beads, copper wire

Random thought of the day: A donkey/zebra hybrid is called a "zedonk."

Melting...Ice Cream in My Lap, that is.

Forever 21 lace tank, Aldo Caudle Cutout Wedge, Thrifted Fish Necklace, Carla Mancini Penelope Handbag, Ray Ban Aviators

Yes, spilling already. Thank God for Tide pens.

If you've been following the blog thus far, you know I've been obsessing over this tree I ran into last week. I plan to put this unfortunate event behind me, however I would just like to point out that the day after my incident THEY CUT DOWN THE TREE and put a giant fatty fluorescent orange cone next to the stump! Clearly I wasn't the only person that found this plant hazardous. If only I had walked down that street one day later... sigh. Okay so on a more interesting note, I have several things to report:

1) For all those sweet lovers out there, you absolutely must go try Molly Moon's Handmade Praline Ice Cream Sandwiches... Ohhh they are to die for (although I must admit that their Scout Mint ice cream in a fresh crispy waffle cone is pretty epic as well). If you visit the store post dinnertime you will most likely wait a minimum of one hour, so I would suggest making a trip earlier in the day and requesting a split single scoop (which is huge and allows you to experience two delectable flavors for the price of one!)

2) If you are a fan of the shoe brand Dolce Vita, the designers secretly did a collaboration with Target! The collection was supposed to be exclusively sold at the grand opening of their new store in Harlem, but lucky for us that is no longer true. You can find an assortment of boots, flats, and oxfords on sale now at Target.com!

3) I am currently on the lookout for an easy-to-use sewing machine. Any suggestions would be very much appreciated!