CLARA C -"Use Somebody" + "Fallin' For You" by Kings of Leon and Colbie Cai...

Two posts in one day, both featuring the same peeps. This one was too good not to share. Diggin' on Cara C's voice...

mad skillz

A search for "electric violin" on YouTube led me to this. Two uber talented artists' cover of "Nothin On You." Clara C and Jason Yang completely rock it here. Cute, charming and obviously endlessly creative (not to mention again, enviably talented).... Check 'em out on YouTube. They've got several collaborations with other aspiring musicians and singers.

60s ranch-style furnishings

I recently watched the original Parent Trap movie and I couldn't help but notice how kitschy cool the Napa House was furnished. It sort of reminded me of my grandparents' home back in the 1970s when they still had many of their 1960s furnishings.

First off, I'm loving the openness of the Napa House. How cool would it be to have a living room entry that's as spacious as this? I'm loving the stone walls and dark wood beams. The heavy, dark wood furniture is a nice complement to the big open space.

White furniture and light earth tones helps give space a lighter, more feminized feel. I wonder if that circular table is made of stone? My grandparents had a similar coffee table. Round, big and heavy, it was made of carved marble. Sigh... what I would give to have that table now.

I've always loved narrow feet on furniture. I think it makes the piece so much more elegant.

As a teenager, I would have loved having this as my bedroom. Heck, I'd love it for me now. The lamps, the ornate headboard, the white furniture with gold accents. So fun and feminine.

This hanging vanity is genius! The gold chains give it a nice touch. I can totally see using this idea for my daughter's room when she gets older.

While I'm not completely sold on the color schemes used here, I think the overall design idea of the Parent Trap set is still so relevant today. A change of color palette could be all that's needed to completely update the look.

to my dad

My dad... He's usually the one laughing the loudest in the room. His booming voice is really quite good for that. Easygoing and affable, he's game for anything. Besides golf, I really do believe that his most favorite thing to do is share a meal (and a raucous laugh or two) with friends and family. He also happens to be one of the most generous people I know. Always ready and willing to give. No wonder he is so loved by many.

Thanks Dad, for showing us the value of faith, family, kindness and generosity. Happy Father's Day!

crossbody bags

{image via everythingfab.com}

I spotted this photo last winter and archived it for the following reasons: 1) I love her classically casual ensemble. Her ladylike pointy heels chicly complements her tan, crewneck boyfriend sweater. And 2) I covet that 80's-style cross-body saddle bag. It's polished, simple and understated. But they just don't make simple, unadorned, smooth leather bags like that anymore. Or do they...?

Enter Nordstrom's most recent catalog (see below). Mini 80's-style, cross-body saddle bags are everywhere. Designers have resurrected their classic designs and reissued it for another go-around. I can already see these bags becoming this summer's accessory staple.

{image via nordstrom.com}

Still, I didn't want to pay $200 for one when I knew that there's a treasure trove of classic finds on Ebay. A quick "vintage Coach bag" search yielded me a plethora of classically chic bargains. So that black cross-body saddle bag I was coveting? I believe it's a vintage Coach Prairie bag. and I bought one off Ebay in mint condition for a mere $30 including shipping. Such a steal!

wouldn't it be nice

{image via weheartit.com}

Wouldn't it be nice...

...to just pack up and go somewhere warm?

...and while away the time swinging in a hammock?

...or snuggling with your sweetie?

...eating freshly made ceviche?

...drinking an ice cold drink?

...while listening to the ocean waves crashing in the background?

Dreaming of a beach vacation, yes I am.

Happy weekend my lovelies!

This song always makes me happy!

a-line skirts

{Image via LIFE.com}

I was exploring LIFE magazine's online archive of fashion covers when I spotted the August 1969 cover above. I love that whole look -- a-line miniskirt, lace blouse and metal chain belt. It reminds me of Ali MacGraw in the movie Love Story. It also reminds me of all the pretty, 60s-inspired, a-line skirts in Zara's spring line...

{all skirt photos via zara.com}

Aren't these Zara skirts fun? They're vibrant, flirty, and classic. Pair them with t-strap sandals, wedges or chunky-heeled pumps. In the winter months, I can totally see wearing them with bold tights and boots or knee-high knitted socks and clogs.

Brigitte Bardot, 1953

Brigitte Bardot, the little French ballerina the world had never heard of until 1953 when she frolicked on the beach during the Cannes Film Festival wearing nothing more than an itsy bikini... Bardot was relentlessly pursued by the press throughout the entire festival. This was a defining moment for the kittenish ballerina. The combination of the starlet, the venue and the event launched the young beauty's career and propelled the bikini into the French mainstream.

19-year-old Brigitte goofs around with pals that include Kirk Douglas, who at the time had just finished filming Spartacus.

Bardot's bikini caused such a sensation with photographers that

a crowd of onlookers gathered to watch her pose for the press.

Just gorgeous!

Sarah Kay: if I should have a daughter...

Sarah Kay is a Spoken Word Poet and founder of Project V.O.I.C.E.(Vocal Outreach Into Creative Expression). Spoken word poetry is the art of performance poetry. According to Sarah, it involves creating poetry that doesn't just want to sit on paper. Something about it demands to be said out loud or witnessed in person. A series of words so powerful that it must be heard and experienced. Project V.O.I.C.E.'s main goal is to utilize spoken word poetry as an instrument to educate, entertain and inspire. Pretty cool, right?

In the clip above, Sarah talks about the power and lessons of self-expression. She did this for the TED conference, a nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. I'm tellin' ya, this lady is awesome. Watch the clip above to be inspired...

"The world is made out of sugar. It can crumble so easily, but don't be afraid to stick your tongue out and taste it."

~ Sarah Kay

annie hall

Annie Hall... One of my absolute favorite movies. It's witty, eclectic and intelligent. I'm no movie expert, but it seems that they rarely make romantic comedies like this anymore. The dialogue is thoughtful and hilarious. You get to know the characters in depth. And the ending is atypical of most romantic comedies.

For those who are unfamiliar, this is the story of comedian Alvy Singer's (Woody Allen) on-again, off-again relationship with the eccentric Annie Hall (Diane Keaton). It chronicles all the ups and downs of their tumultuous yet endearing courtship. The movie is really quite charming. Extremely well-written and entertaining. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend renting it. Heck, rent it even if you have seen it!

Some of my fave quotes...

Alvy Singer: "If I get too mellow, I ripen and then rot."

Alvy: "Oh stop it, you're having an affair with your college professor, that jerk who teaches that incredible crap course. Contemporary Crisis in Western Man..."

Annie: "Existential motifs in Russian Literature. You're really close."

Alvy: "What's the difference? It's all mental masturbation."

Annie: "Oh well, now we're finally getting to a subject you know something about."

Annie Hall made Diane Keaton a style icon. She made menswear and thrift store finds fashionably chic. Imagine... baggy chinos, mens waistcoats and ties, bowler hat... whodathunk it'd look so good on her?!

Here's how Woody Allen remembers Diane Keaton on Annie Hall...

"She came in,and the costume lady [Nancy McArdle] on ‘Annie Hall’ said, ‘Tell her not wear that. She can’t wear that. It’s so crazy.’ And I said “Leave her. She’s a genius. Let’s just leave her alone and let her wear what she wants.”

Above, some cool, Annie-inspired artwork by Mike Oncley.

Happy Weekend, my darlings!!!

summer dresses by amanda uprichard

I've had my eye on up and coming designer Amanda Uprichard. Popularized by the girls of The Hills (I know, I know, an irritating show), her silk dresses are now popping up everywhere from trendy boutiques to Nordstroms. These are the kind of dresses that have me yearning for summer. Uprichard's breezy silhouettes (I've never met a tulip hemline I didn't like) in candy colors and silk fabrics are decidedly feminine. They make summer dressing look so easy and fresh. Alas, at $200 a pop, I'm gonna have to wait for a sale before these pretty little dresses make it into my closet. But that doesn't stop me from admiring them from afar. Here are some of my favorites.

Okay, so this last one isn't exactly candy-colored. But I love the tiered skirt and the top is a racerback, which I've found to be quite a flattering cut.

the parker palm springs

A girls weekend in Palm Springs... I can't think of anything better or more overdue. We wanted an easy getaway and Palm Springs seemed to fit the bill perfectly. Only a two hour drive from Orange County, this desert oasis has everything a girls' weekend needs -- luxe resorts, full-service spas, good eats, vintage shopping, a viable nightlife and an overall kitschy vibe made for fun and relaxation.

In two weeks, I will be basking in the desert sunshine sipping a mojito and taking in the genius design aesthetic of Jonathan Adler. A New York Times review hailed The Parker as "retro-groovy", "hippy-chic" and "glamorously cheeky." Sounds like my cup of tea! Can't wait!

smitten: Chanel mini classic

Ridiculous how smitten I am with my new Chanel bag. Beige caviar leather with gold hardware, this mini classic makes for the perfect accessory. Love that this can be worn as both a shoulder bag or as a crossbody. It can go casual or dressy. It's quite versatile really. And when it comes to bags, you absolutely can't go wrong with Chanel, right?

1969 denim

Everytime I hit up Robertson Boulevard, I always make it a point to stop by Gap's 1969 concept store. My first encounter with this store was last Fall. Check out that post HERE. I walked in and had no idea I was shopping at The Gap. That's because the Robertson store is carefully and expertly curated to carry only the hippest of their 1969 line. The layout, the selection and the overall vibe is unlike that of your typical mall Gap.

Walking in, you'll find a wide selection of denim in various washes, cuts and styles. There's actually been a lot of buzz surrounding this season's line and I was really thrilled to discover they came out with this season's most coveted styles -- 70's inspired skinny flares, wide legs and high-waisted trousers. But will they fit well? Are they going to work as hard and look as good as my other designer jeans? I was completely rooting for this line to work as I'm really kinda tired of paying upwards of $150 bucks for jeans.

First off, forgive the photo quality. I decided not to bring my SLR (which I completely regret), so these photos were taken with my Nikon Coolpix (decent pics but obviously not as crisp and sharp).

Overall, most of their styles ran a little big for me. I'm typically a size 25, but I had to go a size down. Once I did that, I found that the jeans fit really well! My fave of the bunch was the high-rise trousers (shown above). I completely loooove them! They fit well around the waist, hips and booty area. The denim is substantial -- stiff enough to hold their shape but with enough stretch for comfort. The fit, the wash, the fabric -- all very well done! In fact, Gap's high-rise trouser jeans feel and look better on me than other higher-priced brands of similar style.

Totally diggin' these white high-rise jeans! Perfect for spring and summer. I can definitely see styling these with a simple, striped t-shirt and skinny belt; or a soft chambray shirt tied at the waist, sleeves rolled up; or a yellow tank with piles of gold jewelry. The possibilities are endless. I included a booty shot to show how well the back fits. Finally, great fitting white trouser jeans that don't make you look wide!

Jeans shopping can be a frustrating experience. But I actually had a great time thanks in part to the friendly staff at 1969. Here's Brian and his colleague (sorry I forgot her name but she was super sweet). Brian helped tremendously as I tried on several pairs, sizing up, sizing down, experimenting with different washes... Patient, honest and obviously loving his job, Brian provided awesome feedback on everything I tried on. It was a good time actually!

The best part? I walked out of there with two pairs of great-fitting denim in this season's hottest shape for less than $150!

For more on wide-leg denim, click HERE.