Saturday's here!

Well, not the day Saturday, at least, not quite yet.

I'm talking about Kate Spade's little sister line, Kate Spade Saturday, just launched today. Brick-and-mortar stores are currently just in Japan, but it seems like other locations will be opening soon as well.

Until we get some of those stores States-side, we can 'window-shop' online to our hearts' content. Kate Spade Saturday offers relaxed, fun, and chic styles, playing off the love for colors and graphics that is the hallmark of its big sister line. There are clothes, accessories, and home goods. The price point is also a bit friendlier, though from habit, I'd still wait for a good sale. :)

Here are some finds that caught my eye (all images from Kate Spade Saturday online, at www.saturday.com):

Shirttail Tank in Signature Zig Zag

 I love the bold, pieced-together stripes here. They are flattering for the figure and provide a great 'pop' - on its own, under a blazer or cardigan, or layered with another tee. It's 100% cotton that looks substantial. At $30, not a bad price at all for a great statement piece that can be worn year round.

Half-Circle Scarf in Abstract

 

It's a bird, it's a plane, it's...a half-circle scarf! The print here is beautiful, and I bet it's sneakily versatile in ways we wouldn't normally expect. It can be a scarf, tied many ways due to its size - 33 inches (height at center) by 64 inches (width). It can also serve as a wrap/sarong for beach days, and I bet you can wrap and tie this baby around yourself as a halter top. Ah, the possibilities. 100% cotton for $60 does seem a little steep to me though, so I'd probably wait for a sale to snatch this one up. 

Half-Circle Stacking Mugs

 

These are just adorable -  a set of 4 stackable mugs, in stoneware, that are microwave and dishwasher safe, and go with just about everything while adding a fun touch. They are 3 inches by 3 inches, and $30 for the set. If you're in need of mugs, these may be a good addition to your cupboards and table/desk/wherever!

In short, I'm a fan of Saturday. Both the day itself and this line :)

Sometimes, it's good to be bad.

Especially when 'being bad' means having fried chicken and buttermilk biscuits that knock your socks off. From one of the best food trucks, in my humble opinion :)

That's right, juicy, tender chicken, coated in light and crispy batter with hints of sweet and savory. Perfectly balanced with cool and slightly zingy buttermilk ranch dressing. I'm a convert thanks to this dressing, and I usually don't even like ranch! And to finish it all off, a buttermilk biscuit that is flaky, tender-crumbed, with the wonderful buttery goodness that makes you say 'ahhh...' Delicious enough to make me want to blog about it, right here and right now!

Er, sorry about the image orientation. I'm not sure how I can get it to rotate on Blogger. If you don't mind tilting your head to the left, you'll see how it looked when I took the photo. But in any case - there is the beauty. My lunch today :)

Philadelphia friends, and anyone who visits Philly - do make sure you check out Street Food Philly, a wonderful food truck with a constantly changing menu of goodies. You can follow them on Facebook and Twitter.  You can find them on the Drexel University Campus, near the intersection of N. 33rd and Arch Streets. You should definitely try their food if you get a chance - I promise you won't be disappointed!

Until my next trip, I'll be thinking of nothing but fried chicken and how to re-create this deliciousness at home. Do you have any favorite fried chicken or buttermilk biscuit recipes? Please share in the comments!

Happy Wednesday!

I stumbled upon a wonderful blog and poem today.

Some of you may already be familiar with Ms. Maureen Abood's work. She cooks, photographs, and writes for her blog Rose Water & Orange Blossoms: Modern Musings on Lebanese cuisine, and has been published in the Washington Post and Chicago Tribune (among many others).

I have been a lover of cuisine from the Levant ever since I had my first bite of hummus and billowy pita, too many years ago to remember. That opened up new worlds for me; before then, I didn't know that I was missing these savory, fragrant, delicate, hearty and healthy foods from my life. The colors and flavors are utterly enticing, and I was hooked for good. Ms. Abood deftly captures the wonder inspired by the flavors of the food, but she does so much more than that. She gives us, in her lovely and moving prose, and through glimpses into her family's life, the history and the love that stands behind the dishes. It's a reminder of how deeply we are bound to each other and how food and love can transcend all. It's wonderful. 

I have been hungrily perusing her blog and recipes this afternoon. Her beautiful writing, recipes, and photos come together in what feels like a virtual hug. Good for the eyes, mind, and soul, and reading through her thoughtful recipes, good for the stomach and taste buds too!

These are some of the recipes I'm bookmarking:

Lebanese quick pickles

Kibbeh nayeh

Lebanese butter cookies

And of course, the poem:

In one of her posts, she refers to a poem - Kindness, by Naomi Shihab Nye - which touched me deeply. I am sharing it with you below. I hope it inspires you as much as it did me.

Kindness

Before you know what kindness really is
you must lose things,
feel the future dissolve in a moment
like salt in a weakened broth.
What you held in your hand,
what you counted and carefully saved,
all this must go so you know
how desolate the landscape can be
between the regions of kindness.
How you ride and ride
thinking the bus will never stop,
the passengers eating maize and chicken
will stare out the window forever.
Before you learn the tender gravity of kindness,
you must travel where the Indian in a white poncho
lies dead by the side of the road.
You must see how this could be you,
how he too was someone
who journeyed through the night with plans
and the simple breath that kept him alive.
Before you know kindness as the deepest thing inside,
you must know sorrow as the other deepest thing.
You must wake up with sorrow.
You must speak to it till your voice
catches the thread of all sorrows
and you see the size of the cloth.
Then it is only kindness that makes sense anymore,
only kindness that ties your shoes
and sends you out into the day to mail letters and purchase bread,
only kindness that raises its head
from the crowd of the world to say
it is I you have been looking for,
and then goes with you everywhere
like a shadow or a friend.

"Kindness" by Naomi Shihab Nye, from The Words Under the Words: Selected Poems

Happy Pi Day!

Today is March 14, or 3/14. Therefore:

Happy Pi Day!

Sign courtesy of Justin :)

In honor of the gloriously irrational (and delicious) number that is pi, some of my awesome colleagues at work have been busy in their kitchens. And some of us in the office have been busy too ;) Witness below:

Clockwise from top left: Michelle's caramel apple pie, Molly's Italian Easter pie, Justin's French silk pie, and someone's portion of caramel apple pie.

I would show you my plate, which contained a nice sample of each of these delicious creations, except that I have finished everything on it :) They were each wonderful! As you can see, the caramel apple pie is going quickly, probably because everyone wanted it for breakfast. The Italian Easter pie is a close second. I have a feeling we are all saving the French silk pie for dessert later on today :)

Italian Easter pie is new to me; apparently it is one of Giada's recipes. It was light, faintly reminiscent of rice pudding, custard, and cheesecake, and the orange zest was refreshing. I would love to try making this one day!

Will you be celebrating Pi Day? If so, I hope it's filled with lots of delicious pie and a nice sprinkle of whimsy :)

For anyone who is looking to spruce up your wardrobe for spring, here's a tip - check out your local JCPenney. This longtime mall mainstay has been steadily updating and improving their clothing choices. A recent perusal of the website had me impressed by the offerings: with lines from the likes of Marchesa's Georgina Chapman, Nicole Miller, Mango, and most recently Canadian import Joe Fresh and Nigerian-born/London-raised Duro Olowu, there is something for every style, at budget-friendly prices.
 
Here are my top 5 picks (all images from jcpenney.com):

Joe Fresh Lace Pencil Skirt 

This is a beautiful cotton skirt, with a cotton/elastane lining, that perfectly combines romantic bohemian vibes and modern functionality. Also comes in black. At $49, it is a reasonable price for the lovely and on-trend detailing. I'll have to assess it in-person to see whether it merits buying at full price, or waiting for a sale/coupon offer. I imagine this could be worn for spring, summer, and well into fall with tights, booties, and layering a cropped sweater over a buttondown shirt. Substitute with simple top and blazer for work! So many options for this piece.

Pearl Georgina Chapman of Marchesa Floral Appliqué Dress

 

Marchesa is known and loved for its glamorous, ornate, and showstopping designs. This polyester dress embodies this spirit and brings it to us for a cool $70. Consider this for your next party, or perhaps if you're looking for prom dresses, look no further. With an elegant updo, fabulous bracelets and earrings, heels and a little sparkly clutch, this will make getting dressed up a breeze.

 Pearl Georgina Chapman of Marchesa Floral Lace Skinny Pants 

Going out, but in the mood for something a little .. darker? Victorian-inspired, perhaps, and a little bit edgier than pastel pink and ruffles? Try these skinny pants, with a bold watercolor-floral print, and lace overlay, and let them do all the talking. A pale-colored sequined top, light-colored blazer (preferably in the same color family as the top), nude pumps, and gunmetal jewelry says springtime with a more glam and chic twist. 

 Worthington Ponte Circles Skirt 

This fun skirt, in a polyester/rayon/spandex blend, would be great for work all through three seasons - spring, summer, fall.  Plus, it's on sale for $17. Reminds me a little bit of some DVF and Marni designs. The cheery colors and print will pair well with a variety of tops and shoes. Try a white button down top, wide tan-colored belt, and a brightly colored pair of pumps or flats for the office (I'm thinking poppy red or fuschia, or jade green). On the weekends, wear it with a loose fitting gray, white, or black tee on top, and comfy flip flops or gladiators on the bottom. A nice chunky statement necklace or bracelet to play off the circle pattern? Yes please.

 Duro Olowu for jcp Ruffle Front Blouse  

Sorry for the tiny picture! The website itself should have a better photo. Emerald green is officially the Pantone color of the year for 2013. The vibrant hue is fresh and versatile. Use this $30 polyester top as a base for your blazers and cardigans, or wear it alone with jeans, pencil skirts, shorts, etc. The bright color and ladylike ruffles will keep you stylish no matter what.  

 

There are plenty more to be seen where these came from! I enjoyed sharing these with you, and hope you'll find a great new addition (or maybe two, who knows!) to your wardrobe! I'm looking forward to my next mall trip to check out these finds in person. I will share my findings if I do. For those of you who have seen these in person, what do you think of their quality and versatility, and what else would you recommend from JCPenney? Please share in the comments section below. Happy shopping!

There is a slightly sneaky difference between this page, and the actual home-page. Gosh but brackets are useful ;)

Here I will collect inspirations for home-decor, organizing, budgeting - anything that falls under the realm of home-life and making it comfortable and economical. It's a mixed bag to be sure, and I'm excited to see where this may go.

For now, here's my Pinterest page on ideas for the home - a little bit sparse right now, but will surely grow as people are constantly adding great ideas on that platform!

http://pinterest.com/galaxia257/cozy-up-time/

Dear readers, I have just figured out how to customize my blog with labels so that my tabs - the ones that say 'home', 'food,' 'style,' and so on - are stand-alone pages within my blog page that organize all my posts under that category!

Wow, that was a run-on sentence to give grammarians a nightmare, but my point is that I'm really excited about this! I am doing multiple posts today to get these tabs/pages started, and am looking forward to - hopefully - blogging in earnest moving forward.

Please take a look - go ahead, click on the tabs and check them out - and please do say hi! I love comments and hearing what you think as you peruse this blog. It will be a lot of fun to participate more in blogging and participating in the community.

Off to post more - have a wonderful day, and thanks for stopping by!

My interest in fashion and style has much to do with the fact that I've been drawing, doodling, and coloring since I was a small girl, and evolved alongside my discovering the potential of illustration for self-expression.

I can pinpoint for you the exact moment when I became fascinated with creating images by hand. One of my uncles, who is extremely talented, had just finished drawing for me one of my favorite Chinese cartoon characters - Hei Mao Jin Zhang, or 'Black Cat Detective.' I wish I still had it so I can show you. For little 3 or 4 year old me, it was pretty much the best thing ever, to see how quickly and deftly my uncle created that image, with nothing but pencil, paper, and of course his talent. I was hooked, and still draw as much as I can today. (I also credit my uncle with inspiring me to learn how to whistle tunes, but that's another story for another post!)

It's a wonderful hobby for me to delve into, each time discovering something new in terms of technique and aesthetic. I tried out different kinds of drawings, from still life/portraits, landscapes, cartoons, even fashion figures when I went through my 'I want to become a fashion designer!' phase in middle school. Now that was a lot of fun. I loved playing with shapes, colors, and textures and learning how they can accentuate and tell a story in women's wear (and men's, though for many reasons, I'm better versed in women's fashion :)

Then came my more recent era of obsession with fashion blogs. This goes without saying, but there are so many incredible fashion blogs out there, driven by talent and hard work and the desire to push boundaries. It's a sensory feast for me to pore over the outfits and looks that people create. It's endless inspiration, and I want to take part in this exciting melting pot and share my own style journey.

I am excited to share outfit posts, style inspirations, and perhaps even some illustrations on this page. For now, I leave you with my Pinterest board on style - hope you can check it out, and enjoy!

Thank you for reading! 

http://pinterest.com/galaxia257/in-pursuit-of-simplicity-elegance-beauty/ 

(Note: I wrote this post on Thursday, March 7, and figured out how to properly post it on my arts page today - Monday March 11)

I saw Mamma Mia! on Broadway, with my mama (most appropriate!), last Friday.

We both loved this amazing show. The set was beautifully constructed and provided the perfect backdrop of Mediterranean/Greek sun-drenched walls, sand, and sea. The entire cast and crew were outstanding for the energy and vivacity they radiated. I loved every single minute, from the playful banter between the characters, to the bursts of song and dance, and the fantastic lighting and background music (major kudos to the crew, and the pit orchestra, who in addition to the actors, perform this show live every single time. Incredible!).

My favorites, among all the wonderful members of the cast, were Judy McLane as Donna Sheridan, Felicia Finley as Tanya, Lauren Cohn as Rosie (the SuperTroupers!). Three incredibly talented actresses portraying a trio of friends that absolutely stole the show!

Photo via www.judymclane.com. 

Ms. McLane's voice was incredibly powerful and rich in emotional range and conveyance. I had tears falling down on my face as she sang 'Slipping Through My Fingers,' a poignant song of regret, longing, and endless love. I almost pumped my fist in the air as she sang 'The Winner Takes It All' - what a triumphant display of her talent! And I had such a great time rocking out in the audience to 'Dancing Queen' and all the other songs she sang with Felicia Finley and Lauren Cohn.

Photo via www.michaelcassara.net

One of the best things for me about this musical was seeing the friendship between the three female characters: Donna and her closest friends Tanya and Rosie. The strength of the bond, the comfort they took from and gave to each other, the rowdy good times - all of these are the qualities of the long-term friendships I hope to be able to enjoy well into life's later stages. Ms. Finley was absolutely fantastic in her role as the multiple divorcee with an unbeatable love for life (and all the good, and maybe not so 'good' things in it!). I hope to have that shining spark and zest and that I'm always up for a good time, now and later!

Photo via www.imdb.com

Lauren Cohn as Rosie! I saw a lot of myself in this character, and I just loved the way Ms. Cohn brought her to life. Rosie is an independent woman who marches to her own beat in life, the responsible and practical one in her group, the one who cares for her friends as though they were her own children. She is quirky, witty, well-read, and absolutely adorable around the man she ultimately falls in love with - no shyness here! Together the trio represents all the great things about a close-knit group of friends, and the special bond and memories with those friends who'll always be by your side. I would gladly see any of these three ladies in any of their future performances!