Skirt Stalker

-- skirt: Moschino Cheap & Chic --- vest: Sisley -- satin blouse: from Manila --
-- belt: Calvin Klein -- bib necklace: from Manila -- pumps: Louboutin --

If this skirt had feelings, it probably would have already issued a restraining order against me. Why wouldn't it? I know I would if somebody stalked me every single day for the 3 straight weeks!

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When it eventually went down to a price point to my liking (aka: sale), I snagged it right away. And now its mine, all mine!!

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Why would they call it "cheap & chic" when it's just chic and far from cheap??

I demand a further markdown from such misleading branding! =)

Wishing everyone a fabulous work week!

The Tale of the Halter Skirt

-- halter top: Carmen Marc Valvo (skirt) --- vest: Sisley -- jeans: Lucky Brand
-- belt: Calvin Klein -- flats: Ferragamo Varina -- purse: Prada Vit. Daino --

Once upon a time there was a frilly skirt that magically turned into a flouncy halter top....

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One of the good things about blogging is getting a lot of creative ideas from other bloggers! Last weekend, I was in the mood for some fashion experimenting and decided to wear this Carmen Marc Valvo skirt here as a top.

I opened the zipper to create the v-neck, belted it to make it less flouncy and added a vest for some structure and voila!

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Had lunch at "Spill the Wine".
I had grilled salmon over tossed salad in raspbery vinaigrette dressing while the hubz had a lamb gyro & potato chowder. For dessert, we had banana wanton with vanilla ice cream in cinnamon sugar sauce and yumm, it was good!!!

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...and so the halter skirt and the girl lived happily ever after. THE END.

Happy mid week everyone!!

Mango Girl

I had the privilege this week of meeting in person the wit behind the style blog, Mango Girl.
We instantly clicked way before our first meet-up when we realized that we share so many things in common! It turned out we went to the same university, have a common friend (her schoolmate in grade school was one of my best friends in college!) and live a block from each other here in the fabulous city of Minnnnnnneapolis!

Our meet-up was a mere confirmation that we were bff's since birth; we just didn't realize it until now. Mango Girl, my online blogger friend a few weeks ago, is today Kat, my ever so charming and pretty photoshoot buddy!

Armed with a few doses of style and Kat's trademark dimple smile, we posed and strutted our stuff in the Mill City Ruins, a historic landmark along the Mississipi River. And borrowing Tyra's line from ANTM, "here's our best shots"!

I'm wearing:
-- top: Forever 21 -- linen pants: Armani Collezioni -- shoes: Ferragamo Ribes
and my personality tucked behind my ear: a pink satin flower pin

The Sweetest MIL

My mom-in-law is the simply the nicest, sweetest and most thoughtful!

Every year for our birthdays, she always gives us a check to spend on anything we want! This year, I'm not investing it like I normally do. Instead, I'll use it for a healthy dose of VitaMinn style and stimulate the retail economy starting with this...

I spotted it on eBay last week listed at 60% off retail! I contacted Thumbelina right away for a second opinion in terms of authenticity, sizing, etc... Thanks Thumbelina!!

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I still have no idea from which season these are from but who cares?! They're a keeper! I mean look at those camellias, nothing can ever be so girly! =)

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They're brand new and all but the only catch was the box was a bit damaged... but I really didn't mind.
Photo credit: from the eBay seller hippieprincess

I'm a happy girl!! Thank you Mom!!

happy birthday CHOO me...

-- halter vest: YaYa Aflalo --- jeans: Lucky Brand -- belt: Michael Kors --
-- chain bracelet: Banana Republic (necklace twisted around) --necklace: F21 --shoes: Jimmy Choo --

Weeks before my birthday, on AIM:

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Me: Hon, can I have a Jimmy Choo for my bday, please...?

Hubz: Up to you hon.

Me: They're on sale and I really like them.
I promise I will sell those Coach bags that still have tags on them so I could make up for the cost.
Is it OK then?

Hubz: That's fine hon. It's your birthday, get whatever you want.
I'll just close my eyes...

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happy birthday CHOO me... happy birthday CHOO me!

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On a more serious note, my birthday is that one day in the year when I really try to reflect on a lot of things.
I'm so thankful to God for so many things in my life: I'm blessed to have a hubby who's always the first one to greet me at the stroke of midnight; I'm happy to have lot of friends who remembered and flooded my Facebook, mailbox and AIM with birthday greetings; I'm grateful to meet new friends in this new blog -- I seriously thought I would be toiling for at least a year before I get one fabulous fashionista to comment here!!

Thank you God!
Thank you dearest hubz!
Thank you dear friends!

Tiger VS. Me

Photo credit: TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images

My hubz is such an avid golf fan to the point that his admiration for Tiger Woods almost spoiled our engagement 7 years ago!

It was the 2002 PGA and he went with my roommate who was lucky enough to win tickets for the event. I was busy at work and couldn't come with them. And so he promised to be back by a certain time to take me out for a walk, but only to be 3 hours late!

I was so mad at him for breaking his promise but only to be taken completely by surprise when on that same day, he proposed and promised me forever.

Fast forward 7 years after (before I drown you in such cheesiness), and the man responsible for my almost foiled engagement is back in town! =)

This time, another good friend who's an executive for one of the corporate sponsors was so nice to give us tickets! And so I quickly ditched my earlier plans to check out Nordstrom in favor of seeing in person the man, the myth and the golf legend himself!!

We had two extra tickets to give away but all of our friends already had plans for the day.
It's too bad because even regular tickets are expensive and hard to come by, let alone these Wanamaker Club passes! Tsk, tsk...
Apparently, not everyone is as giddy to see Tiger as us.

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They don't allow cameras & celfones inside so we just had to contend with these photos at the parking lot, BOO!!

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Photo credit: Frip Scratch from flickr
And since this is a style blog, I did attempt to channel my inner Annika Sorenstam (if only in clothing) but decided against it because the weatherman said it's going to be hot and humid and in the low 90's. (He was SO wrong, btw. It poured later in the afternoon)

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-- cap: PGA 2009 commemorative golf cap --- the rest: just grabbed the most comfy pieces in my closet, without much thought --
I'm guilty looking like a tweener in this cutesy white/pink combo but hey, this tweener got to see Tiger tee off on the 3rd hole, was inches away from him as he walked to the 6th hole and again in 12th hole, and was lucky enough to get a grandstand seating as he finished his par putt on the 18th hole!

Have a great week everyone!!

A Big Smile and a Bigger Sigh

-- top: Vera Wang Lavender Label --- vest: Sisley -- tights & earrings: Forever 21 --
-- chain bracelet: Banana Republic --shoes: Saks Fifth Ave --

The hubz is already running out of subtle ways in telling me to stop shopping. Today, when I got home and he saw my "goodies", I smiled a BIG smile and he just shook his head and sighed a big sigh.

I like the long bow at the back of this top. It betrays the edgy vibe that's going on in the front and reveals the girly-girl that's truly me!

Happy mid-week everyone! The weekend's just around the corner!!

Something Frilly, Something Fishy

-- cami: The Limited --- skirt: Carmen Marc Valvo -- belt: Calvin Klein --
-- watch: Fendi -- shoes: Guess --

I spotted this skirt a few weeks ago and didn't want to try it on at first. I'm glad I did because it was love at first try right at the dressing room! The ruffles and the way the chiffon hugs my curves, they're an instant prettifier!

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Close-up of the ruffle details!

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It was such a steal as the dress version of it was still selling for $350 at bluefly.com!

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(End of the "frilly" post)

N ow on the "fishy" side, I'm just so jealous of Thumbelina's recent post about her $15pp 4-course brunch! In my neck of the woods, if I wanted a 4-course meal for $15, I'll have to cook it myself.

Just one shrimp tempura roll is usually at least $15; throw in a few sashimi and sushi and it'll cost you a skirt - a Carmen Marc Valvo chiffon ruffle skirt!!

One of our fave sushi places here is Wasabi.
We are regulars at this place ever since it opened 3 years ago.

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They fly in their fish daily and that probably accounts for half of the cost of the items in their menu!

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Too bad you can't fish salmon, white tuna and squid from lakes because we have 10,000 of those!!

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Wishing everyone a happy work week ahead from the "land of 10,000 lakes" and expensive sushi!! =)

Uptown Art Fair

-- halter dress: Banana Republic -- tights: Forever 21 -- cami: The Limited -- belt: Michael Kors --

T oday was so hot, humid and muggy - exactly how summer should be! We went to check out the Uptown Art Fair - that one weekend in a year when artists from around the country showcase their works in the Twin Cities. We had a 4-hr window to do so because of the afternoon rain forecast.

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This has to be the cutest sculpture we ever saw there!

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Hard to believe but this guy is made entirely of resin.
I hope this is not what Anna Wintour saw when she described Minnesotans as "little houses". We are the 3rd most fit city in the country, hello!! =)

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Performers do break dance and hip hop.

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Belly dancers.

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We took refuge during the rain by having an early dinner at Chino Latino.
We used to frequent this place because it's the only one around here that serve Philippine Paella! We only stopped going when it became apparent that their crowd got hipper while we got older.

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They're fearless in pushing the boundaries of fusion food and run the cleverest of ads on billboards around the city.
This was the funniest from 2005: "Pupu parties til the wee-wee hours".
But they got in trouble last year when they used Chinese characters as profanity alternatives on an ad that said, "A 2-hour vacation from the 他媽的 weather".

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Their misfortune cookie is always so funny.
Mine says, "You think it's a secret but has never been one."
Before, I got something like "Hold that big smile, you've got food stuck in between your teeth" and
"Are you sure the chicken satay was chicken?"

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Tomorrow's itinerary is a toss-up between the Irish Fair or yet another Art Fair in the south side of town.

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Hope you're all enjoying the weekend!