¡Ay, caramba!

S ummer is (supposedly) the season characterized by warmer weather but apparently, Minnesota did NOT get that memo! Today was colder than usual; our high was only in the low 70's. But we did not let that get in the way of our plans for some taste of Latin music at the Mill City Museum!

-- Calvin Klein floral top -- white shorts from Woolies (in Aus) -- Calvin Klein sunnies (useless today) -- Prada Vit. Daino hobo -- Forever 21 necklace -- Banana Republic mettalic flats -- Banana Republic cropped bomber jacket --

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It brought back memories of our few months stay in Miami last year where on some weekends, we'd skip going back to the Twin Cities to enjoy some Latin singing and dancing at Bayside Marketplace. And after losing all energy from dancing and watching other people dance, we would mosey down to David's Cafe (corner of Lincoln and Meridian) for an authentic Cubano treat!

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If not for the cold breeze and the fact that I had to wear a light jacket, I would have been taken back to Miami just by listening to this band, "Charanga Tropical".

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Their style of “charanga,” is a unique sound that is rarely heard outside of Cuba and so it was a treat to hear and dance to!

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Can't wait for the warmer weekend!

One Bridesmaid Dress, 101 Ways

-- Custom-made bridesmaid dress -- Old Navy leather skirt -- Stuart Weitzman patent pumps --
After three years of hiding inside my closet collecting dust, this Swarovski-encrusted bridesmaid dress is now finally making a grand comeback!

W hat to do with my old bridesmaid dresses has been an age-old question that's been bugging me for years now. Finally, that "Aha!" moment came a few days ago after seeing the fabulous blog post by Thumbelina Fashionista. Thanks Thumbelina!

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I bought these leather skirt 8 yrs ago and I didn't know how to wear it either... until now!

Same outfit but pairing it with a red sandals with yellow heels and green flower stitches. They perfectly pick up the color of my bridesmaid top!

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Love the exquisite detailing of this dress. My friend even had her designer travel from Manila to Thailand in search for the best silk. And those Swarovskis and mini-pearls and beads were all handsewn!

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...And these glass drop earrings were 25 cents from Target!!

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So there, here's one way to wear your old bridesmaid dress. Now I have to think of the
other 100 ways... =)

One Wrap, Many Ways

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-- Kariza vintage wrap -- Mossimo stilletos -- Shell earrings from a peddler in Cebu --
"With limitless creativity, these timeless pieces can be worn in numerous ways for any occasion." Karizadesigns.com

I love things that have dual or multi-purpose. But this wrap? It's got bazillion purpose! It can be a dress, a skirt, a wrap, a halter (and insert any other article of clothing you can think of!).

I'm wearing it here as a halter dress.

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..and here as an assymetrical dress with ribbon and x-back.

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Love that it's so floaty and airy...

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...and 100% girly! =)

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Excuse me as I take my dress for a spin!
(pose inspired by Lynn's post here)

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I traded the heels for a metallic flats and went for lunch at Spoon River. It's an organic restaurant that's been making so much buzz among the locals here. And true to their "100% organic" creed, they don't serve pop (Coke, Sprite and their siblings). Instead they have this China cola that's made of herbs and ginger!

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Adding a long cardigan for warmth, we ended the night with a bang (literally) watching the Aquatennial Fireworks. Sponsored by Target Corp, it was twice longer and three times better than the 4th of July one.

From MSP to TX in 5 Seconds

-- Banana Republic blazer -- Ann Taylor top -- Lucky Brand Jeans --
-- Ferragamo ribes & varina -- Forever 21 coin necklace --
From office casual to casual dinner.

O f course NOT Texas the state, but just the restaurant. In particular, Texas Roadhouse - home of the best rolls & cinnamon butter known to mankind!

We met up with our friends early so I didn't get a chance to do a change of outfit so I just cuffed my jeans, changed into some comfy flats, dropped the jacket and off we went for a sumptuous dinner of bbq ribs and fried chicken. It was every calorie so worth it!

PS - The flats were fresh from the box from my lunchtime purchase at Off Fifth. At 60% off, it was practically begging to be bought and I was too weak to resist. =)

One Kimono Dress, Many Ways

A good friend gave me this dress from Forever 21 and it's really so flattering and versatile! I can wear it dressy or casual, from workdays to date nights, all through summer and even 'til winter! Ooops, I take it back. I do live in the frigid tundra and as a matter of survival, I have to wear 10 layers of parka in the winter!

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Hair pulled back to a chignon and I'm ready for a dinner date with hubby.

-- Calvin Klein bandeau --Banana Republic cutout handle clutch -- Liz Claiborn faux python peep toes stilletos --
-- oversized pearl earrings --

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To make it office-worthy, I'll simply cover-up a bit and show less skin!

-- The Limited lacy cami -- Forever 21 leggings -- Kate Spade tote -- Nickels cut-out peep toe --

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Layering it up for warmth will make this my staple for fall.

-- Banana Republic chain belt (worn as necklace) -- Forever 21 leggings -- Steve Madden tall boots
-- Banana Republic belt -- Bisou Bisou from JCP cashmere short-sleeved sweater --

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This I'll be wearing for those quick trips to the grocery, why not?! =)

-- Hollister furry jacket -- Ugg-like boots =) --

Mini Skirt

-- white button-down cotton jacket -- Ann Taylor satin ruffled top -- Gap mini skirt -- Banana Republic platforms -- LV speedy 30 --
One of those rare times I'm wearing a miniest of mini skirts.


Dinner at Sawatdee. There are many other Thai restaurants in the Twin Cities - some better, some cheaper, some nicer, but this place will always be special to us! After hubby and I got engaged 7 years ago, we went here for a simple dinner. We always love to reminisce how simple and uncomplicated life was then...

Aquatennial 2009

-- Ann Taylor satin ruffled top -- Fendi sunnies -- Glass necklace from Kohls -- LV speedy 30 --
Our first time at the Minneapolis Aquatennial, now on its 70th year.

I can't believe that in our 6 years here (9 years for me), we have not gone to the Aquatennial Fest ever. And so this year, we made it a point to go. The verdict? Quite interesting but won't mind missing it for next year... and the year after that... and the year after....

The sandcastle contest with the city as the backdrop.

Milk carton boat race. Simply ingenious.

Heirloom Pieces

-- Heirloom jewelry circa 1940's to 1960's --
As a kid growing up, I learned about the four C's shortly after I learned my ABC's.

My late mom's love affair with jewelries is like mine with shoes: we hoarded them by the dozen. It never failed to amuse the entire family on how she stored (hid) them in inconspicuous places like inside a coffee jar in the kitchen cupboard, in the bathroom next to the Cloroxes and cleaning agents, and sometimes even inside the fridge! She reasoned out that it would be the last place a thief would go to and look. To which my brother, without fail, would sarcastically blurt out the possibility of the thief getting thirsty or needing to use the bathroom.

She justified her collection by saying that one day, it will save the family. And true enough, it did on several occasion. One of her solid gold coin pendants (from the 1890's) rescued us from an emergency, another sent some of us through College.

Her other reasoning for collecting is quite silly. She said that in case our hubbies could not afford to give us any of the "girl's best friend", at least we'd still have something! And so she had four engagement-style rings made for all four of her daughters.

She accumulated a lot over her lifetime that even after dividing it among my 4 sisters and 4 sisters-in-law after she was gone, I still got a handful. At first, I told them that I'm not taking any because I'm really not into jewelries. But they insisted I should because it's heirloom and there are memories attached to each piece telling the family's story. So I carefully selected those that are the oldest in her collection with the most intricate handcrafted detailing. It's something jewelers no longer do now.

Among us siblings, only one of my sisters followed suit in the same love affair with blings. We always give her a hard time that it's not good to be wearing a luxury sedan on one's ring finger. As for me, I probably will never be a jewelry kinda gal but I can't wait to pass on what small I've go to a special little girl someday, tell her the story about each piece and the special lady that collected them all.

Intervention Needed

-- Chanel patent pumps -- Prada Vit. Daino -- Stuart Weitzman black pumps -- Ferragamo Ribes peep toe --
Growing up in a province south of Manila, I never would have thought that Chanel was in my future... and Pradas and Ferragamos and Fendis....

A typical year's worth of shopping is what I spent this month just for one purse and three pairs of shoes. However, I can justify this as a necessary but temporary spending. I am currently rebuilding my closet with items that are classic and practical that I could use for a long, long time. The shopping spree is going to end very soon (or else hubby's going to drag me to a Shopaholic Anonymous meeting for an intervention), so I'll enjoy it while it lasts.

Cold Summer Day

-- Banana Republic pink halter top -- Banana Republic white bomber jacket -- Pepe Jeans -- Fendi flats --
A temp in the low 60s in the middle of summer... only in Minnesota!

A bit nippy today so our plans to go to the Aquatennial festival had to be postponed. We stayed mostly inside and only went out for lunch and dinner. We've always wanted to try two restaurants around the area so finally got to do just that.

We went to Kin Dee for lunch -- a small place big on decor. We shared fried calamari, fresh spring rolls and panang curry.

After lunch, we walked off what we ate and saw this mirror-covered utility vault by the Guthrie theater. It was perfect for a photo op.

My lovely new flats passed its first comfy test. I have a feeling we will be together for a long, long time.

One Top, Many Ways

TOP: Banana Republic flutter-sleeve ruffled pink top paired with mostly other BR items.
Taking on Lucky Mag's tips on how to style "Now and Later", here's a few ways I can wear this top for the rest of summer and through fall.

I've always wanted to get this top ever since it came out this spring. But I could not go against my cardinal rule of shopping of "buying only when it's at least 50% off" so I had to wait. Just a short 2 months later and this cute flutter-sleeve ruffle top is now mine! They even had an extra 25% off deal going on, so I got a little crazy as usual and bought a few other summer staples as well.

A Chance for Halter

-- Georgette halter from Myer (Aus) -- Lucky Brand Jeans -- Banana Republic sandals -- LV speedy 30 --
Three months out of the year is all the opportunity I have to go out and wear something like this.

When asked how really cold the winter is in Minnesota, a wise friend had this for an answer: Imagine taking a shower in iced water and heading to the freezer straight after - that's like summer compared to a Minnesota winter!

My advice to those who live here: LEAVE. My advice to those thinking of living here: DON'T!

Banana Republic Long Cardi

-- Georgette babydoll halter from Myer (Aus) -- Banana Republic long cardi -- Lucky Brand Jeans --
A cute little addition to my Banana Republic obsession

I am a total sucker for Banana Republic tops, pants, accessories and shoes (basically their entire line!). If their design team decided to sell a band-aid, I might just fall for that too. (If only to have those bold "BR" logo bandaged over a cut or a wound, I probably won't mind getting bruised here and there!).

But really, the reason I am a huge fan is that most of their stuff are simple, classic and affordable. And you can count on them to eventually go on sale and run on several rounds of clearances.

Last week, my purchase from the store was a long cardigan, originally priced at $89, marked down to $38, down to $28 which I ended up getting for $10! How did that happen? Well, my Luxe card did its "mathemagic".

This evening's overcast skies was perfect for a cardi weather so I asked (begged) hubby to take outdoor shots and he happily (or forced to) oblige...