Express Outfit

A pair of well fitted slacks is are a must.. and if you are short like me, then so is a good tailor! I have two different places I normally go to for alterations: Cinderella Tailors and Adam Tailor & Alterations. Both are located in Seattle. Cinderella Tailors is just a bit pricier, but she gets the job done fast. The quickest turn around time for a pair of slacks was 1 hour! Her average price to hem a pair of pants is $15. Adam Tailor & Alterations are extremely inexpensive. Only $12 for hemming. However he is VERY popular, so the turn around time takes anywhere from a week to two weeks. 

With dress pants, I've noticed they often stretch out after a wears. Try to go with the smaller size if you are in between. They might feel a bit tight and uncomfortable at first, but they will loosen up. Better suffer a bit of discomfort, than end up with a pair of loose baggy slacks ;)

Photographer: Aiyana Yuki

Pants, Top, Necklace - Express

Express is one of my go-to stores for work wear. They ALWAYS have sales, so never buy anything at full price. Just wait a few days and I guarantee they will have some sort of promo going on. Their 00 dress pants sizes are comparable to Ann Taylor's 00 petites. 

Little Black (Work) Dress

Last weekend I had the pleasure of collaborating with the lovely Aiyana Yuki on a shoot!  She is extremely talented, professional and fun to work with. Check out more of her work on www.aiyanayuki.com. 

It was a gorgeous day out on the waterfront. This little black dress is staple for every office wardrobe. It is so versatile and easy to wear. You can dress it up or down pretty effortlessly. Now that the weather is getting colder, I like throw on some cozy tights to help transition it into an outfit for fall. 

Dress - H&M | Necklace - Express | Earrings - Nordstrom | Michael Kors Bag - Nordstrom Rack

I was not absolutely sure about this white cover up when I bought it, but now it is one of my favorite pieces! It is made out of a very light material and adds a little more fun to your outfit than a standard suit jacket. The black toe nude pumps are by Michael Kors. I wear a size 5 in women's shoes, which makes it really hard to shop for heels. This gives me the perfect excuse to make the purchase when I do actually find something I like that also fits. These were a no brainer! They were on sale at Marshalls and miraculously there was a pair in my size. You can definitely find some decent designer footwear there. Nordstrom Rack is another great place to shop for small sized shoes.

White Cover up & Michael Kors Pumps - Marshalls

Fall Booties

I am looking for a comfortable pair of booties that I can wear in and out of the office for fall/winter. Last month I purchased a pair of wedges from Clarks and love them! They are my go to pair of heels because I can literally walk around in them for hours without feeling too much discomfort, so I am deciding to give their booties a go. Below are the three styles I have narrowed it down to. Which pair is your favorite??

1. 

I have a feeling these will be the easiest to wear with both slacks, skirts and dresses.

Wessex Azure:: Black Leather

2.

Love the paneling on these.

Society Round

3.

Suede is so cute, however am a little hesitant because they may not be practical for our rainy weather. 

Wessex Azure:: Black Suede

Simple Pad Thai Noodles with Peanut Sauce

It is really hard to leave work at the office sometimes. During the first few weeks at my job I would literally have nightmares about work. Luckily that doesn't happen anymore. Okay.. it still happens once in a while. It is really important to find a good work-life balance; unless you're one of the few lucky people who's job is also your passion. For the rest of us, our jobs are there to fuel our passions outside of work. 

I find that keeping busy with things that you enjoy after work is the best way to take your mind off of it. Cooking is one of the things that help me relax. However, preparing something that takes too long can be exhausting. During the week I try to keep my meals quick and simple. 

Below is a dish that took me less than an hour to make last night. I used Pad Thai noodles with a peanut and lime sauce. You can add your choice of meat!

Ingredients:

Pad Thai Noodles

3 Tbsp peanut butter

6 Tbsp lime juice

3 Tbsp soy sauce

1 Tbsp brown sugar

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 cup of cooked chicken, chopped

Fresh mint leaves, chopped

Peanuts, crushed (as garnish)

Instructions: Cook Pad Thai noodles according to package directions. Mix peanut butter, lime juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, olive oil and mint leaves. Throw noodles, sauce and chicken together in a large dish. Garnish with peanuts and mint leaves and enjoy! 

By the way, I am obsessed with mason jars. I wish they sold them separately instead of only in bulk. It would be fun to have them in different sizes! They are extremely versatile and inexpensive. I use them as glasses at home or to pack smoothies in for work and picnics.   

   

Fourth of July 2013

   

October Details

Fall is here! I am actually pretty excited for cold weather again. No more sleeping with our fan on and windows open (with the occasional car alarm going off) at night. I've even missed the rain a little; although I'll probably regret saying that in a few weeks. 

The living room is coming together really nicely. We are spending a lot more time out there now that we have the new flat screen. When we first moved in I had very little care for a big TV. We had my parents old 24 inch flatscreen and that was enough for me.  

With that being said.. I must admit I am a huge fan of the TV now. My boyfriend had mainly wanted it for video-gaming purposes, but for me it is more like a very expensive ornament. Besides being aesthetically pleasing, it is pretty fun to watch movies on. My new project now is coming up with design ideas for our entertainment center. 

I finally bought my first coffee table book from Barnes and Nobles last week! I took the book cover off of it because the bright pink with gold lettering underneath looks a lot prettier. Candles are my new obsession this season. I like to buy ones that come in a pretty jar so I can reuse them for something else later. 

Tray - Amazon.com | Candle Holder - Target | Coasters - Ikea | Kate Spade Coffee Table Book - Barnes & Noble

In love with the gold edges of this book!

Kate Spade everything :)

The little ceramic figures hugging are salt and pepper shakers I bought while living in Thailand two summers ago. My boyfriend and I saw these little guys at our favorite restaurant in Vietnam. The restaurant, Green Mango, was nestled away in Old Hanoi. I had read some good reviews about the place online, so we walked around for a while searching for it during our first night there. We were on the verge of giving up when we finally stumbled upon the restaurant. The outside was fairly old, but the interior design was quite beautiful and modern. The salt and pepper shakers were the first things that caught my eye when we sat down at our table. I came across them again at a little street shop in Bangkok and had to have them.