Cutest Bike Helmets Ever

Everyone always tells me how I should wear a helmet when I bike, and I know they are right. But I am shallow, and I think bike helmets usually look horrid. Plus, they don't fit over the sloppy bun I'm usually wearing. But these bike helmets are so freaking cute, I think I'm going to update my safety quotient!

All helmets and images from Adeline Adeline bike shop.

Bottega Louie Macarons - the Light at the End of the Tunnel

While you are likely sitting at work refreshing your browser constantly to get a glimpse of Kate Middleton's wedding dress from another angle, I am stuck studying for an exam I definitely not prepared for. (But thank goodness its only pass/fail!) My first final is this Saturday. (A Saturday final, isn't that the cruelest thing you've ever heard of?) I've got another on Monday too. I cannot wait until Tuesday. With my 2 hardest finals behind me, I am going to treat myself to some macarons, a drink from that kindly looking bartender, and probably an entire pizza. Bottega Louie always takes me away from whatever is going on in real life and makes me feel like I live this fabulous, European fantasy life. I'm thinking that's exactly what I'll need come Tuesday.

PS: On Tuesday, I am also starting my LA Stay-Cation! More on that coming soon!

PPS: What are those blue and gold cookies you ask? They're earl grey macaroons. I don't know if they really taste like tea, but I love them. Not that there's a macaroon I don't love, but you know what I mean. They're really good.

Yellow Loafers

How insanely adorable are these loafers? I wish so much they were my size. I think they are perfect the summer.

Dining and Culture and Shopping!

Although my friend Amy was only here for about a day and a half, we accomplished so much! I already talked about Villains Tavern and Church & State, but they were only the start. The next day we got up for an early brunch (we were the first table sat!) at Bottega Louie. I got the mini muffins, like always. They are so good and never get boring because the flavors regularly change. Then we went to the La Brea Tar Pit Museum, which is one of my favorites. It's got enormous/awesome dead animals and cute live animals (see turtles below) and is not too big so there's time to read all the plaques. After that we stared at tar bubbles for awhile and enjoyed Urban Lights at LACMA. By this point the day was only half way done!

After getting our dose of culture for the day we got lunch at Alcove. I tried something new - the turkey, cheddar, hummus sandwich. So so so good! I've been putting humus on all my sandwiches now. Then we went shopping at Steven Alan (where Amy got an adorable tunic) and browsed some of the boutiques in Silverlake. Finally we came back to the apartment for a quick dip in the pool and then got sausages at Wurstkuche for dinner. Phew. I am exhausted just remembering it all.

PS: How great is that electrical box painted to look like an outlet? I love that Silverlake does its best to dress up the ugly El Pollo Loco corner.

Dyed Eggs and Rubber Ducks

Here are a few pictures I took of the eggs Jeremy and I dyed on Easter posed with a few of the rubber ducks from my collection. (Confession: I am the hugest nerd ever, and I collect rubber ducks. I can't help it. I love them!) I had fun dying them, but it was not easy to get different colors on one egg. I think next year I will just stick with mono-colored eggs with white patterns.

Perfect Tomboy Fashion

So inspired.

Images from The Sartorialist - Dave Austria - Tomboy Style - Pretty Much Penniless - Vanessa Jackman - Swagger 360 - Garance Dore - Atlantic-Pacific - W Magazine.

I know I've mentioned my love for menswear inspired fashion before, but it only continues to grow. So I felt like sharing some images that are inspiring my wardrobe these days. Brogue shoes, knotted belts, button downs, and blazers are now my go-to pieces when putting together any outfit.

Vintage blazer (from mom), Express button down, Zara sweater vest, Old Navy belt (from bf's closet), Seychelles wedges in grey and brown, unknown brogues (from Endless.com), Gap button down, Old Navy ribbon belt, and an unknown oversized white tee from the FIDM Scholarship store.
PS: Speaking of tomboy fashion, I am still looking for a perfect pair of loafers, but while I search, I might pick up some fun pairs in the mean time! Rachel Antonoff has produced the best collaboration with Bass. The look is quirky yet adorable. Since I will have a desk job this summer, it is a perfect excuse to get a pair. I'm thinking the Wendybird in Red & White!

A New Take on the Brooch

Image from Another Day to Dress Up.
What a totally brilliant way to wear a brooch! Right in the middle of a turtleneck like its a pendant. I am going to try this out immediately.

PS: I am loving the blog this look is from. Have an hour to kill? Check out the way Megan puts vintage and modern pieces together. She is totally inspiring me to rework some pieces lost in the back of my closet.

Dinner at Church & State in the Midst of Downtown LA Warehouses

Right down the street from Villains Tavern is an amazing little French restaurant called Church & State. As I mentioned a few posts back, I had been trying to get a weekend dinner reservation here and couldn't get anything before 10 pm. When Amy came to visit, we were successful in getting a reservation at 9 pm which was good enough for me! I have to apologize for the pictures with this review, though. It is very very dim in the restaurant, and I didn't want to take pictures with a flash because it would have annoyed all the people next to us.

I'm sure you can have healthy meals at Church & State, but I pretty much only had cheese, bread, and wine. So this is my very unhealthy perspective on the restaurant. The bread the comes out first might just be kept warm, but it feels fresh baked. It is much tastier than the crostini that come with the honey-herb goat cheese appetizer, so we asked for extra to eat with our appetizer. The goat cheese itself was so yummy. It was served warm in a mason jar, and there was plenty of honey and herb so you could really taste them in every bite! For dinner I had escargot and mac'n'cheese. The escargot came with enough butter, garlic, and puff pastry that it was impossible not to love. The mac'n'cheese is very classic with no frills just lots of creamy cheesiness. I tried Amy's lamb loaf type thing and thought it was amazing, although she was not a fan. Jeremy's bouillabaisse was definitely the weak link, just not as flavorful as everything else. Jeremy got the seafood bouillabaisse and really liked it. I tried the broth and though it could use a little more flavor, but I didn't try any of the seafood. Overall, though, a great great meal. I can't wait to come back!

Los Angeles City Secrets from the Mulleavy Sisters

Image of Bob Baker Marionette Theater from Nowness.
Nowness did an interview with the Mulleavy sisters (of Rodarte) about their favorite things in LA, and they came up with a great list! Some of these things I knew about (checking out Caravan Book store has been on my to-do list for ages), but some I had never heard of, like Rose Tree Cottage and The Prince. I love hearing what city insiders do versus reading what you find in city guides. No matter how many times a guide puts "not for tourists" on its cover, its never going to be able to give you the same experience as an insider. Point in case, I lived blocks from the Prince for a year and I had never heard of it even though I scoured Yelp for cool things to do in the neighborhood!

Villains Tavern Hidden in the Downtown LA Warehouses

Have you been to Villains Tavern? It's understandable if you've missed it up until now because it's in the middle of a bunch of abandoned warehouses. You would never just stumble upon it. You have to know it's there and be willing to make the trek. But that's kind of why it's so awesome. You feel like you're in a secret club and everyone around you shares in your secret.

Also, the bartenders make the best drinks I have ever tasted. And unlike other bars that put a heavy emphasis on mixology and taking time to craft a good cocktail, it really works at Villains Taverns because there is not a line of 30 people in front of you each getting a cocktail that's going to take 10 minutes to make (think Seven Grand). So the wait time is pretty minimal. This past trip, the bf ordered the bartender's special, which changes depending on the night and the bartender you have. We had Paul. He made a Strawberry Steve, and let me tell you, that drink was so complex and delicious it kind of changed my life. So if you go, ask for Paul and his Strawberry Steve.

PS: The mirrors behind all the bars? Imported from a de-consecrated church in Utah. I thought that was pretty cool.