Sunday, June 30, 2013

Travelogue: European Roadtrip Part 7 (Wattens, Austria)

Part 1 - Hamburg, Germany
Part 2 - Berlin, Germany
Part 3 - Dresden, Germany 
Part 4 - Prague, Czech Republic 
Part 5 - Salzburg, Austria
 
From Salzburg, we headed east and had a quick stop at Wattens, Austria to visit the famed 
Swarovski Crystal World!   It was bling bling overload for all the senses!   
     I'll let these pics do all the talking to see why.
 
 
eingang to swarovski kristallwelten swarovski crystal world swarovski crystal world exhibit swarovski crystal world exhibit swarovski crystal world exhibit swarovski crystal world exhibit swarovski crystal world exhibit swarovski crystal world exhibit swarovski crystal jewelry swarovski crystal world exhibit swarovski crystal world exhibit swarovski lounge chair d-cube crystal d-cube swarovski crystal rock display swarovski retail shop 

Please scroll down to see these very special souvenirs I took home with me! 







































swarovski crystal shoes swarovski crystal necklace swarovski crystal bra swarovski crystal elephant swarovski earbuds swarovski purse  

 Just kidding. I wish though!!! 

See you next week as we head east to Innsbruck, Austria!
 
 
 

Thursday, June 27, 2013

Postcards from San Francisco


We had a whirlwind trip to San Francisco to attend my roommate's wedding 
to her boyfriend of 6 years.   
I was so overcome with emotion to see her walk down the aisle and say her vows to the man who was just perfect for her.
She was the very first person who found out I was engaged and the also the very same reason
I almost did not.  (Long and funny story). 
 
We had a few hours to kill before her wedding so we made our way leisurely walking to
the Embarcadero and Fisherman's Wharf enjoying the rare time when the city is not hazy, nor foggy, nor breezy!  

Her wedding, the weather and the city  -- it was just a perfect day that day! 
vera wang top - jlo kohls shorts - ferragamo vara - chanel GST1 - Copy vera wang top - jlo kohls shorts - ferragamo vara - chanel GST3 vera wang top - jlo kohls shorts - ferragamo vara - chanel GST2 vera wang top - jlo kohls shorts - ferragamo vara - chanel GST4
 
                                                                     TOP: Vera Wang Lavender label embelished top.  Other ways to style here.
                                                                     SHORTS:  JLo for Kohls boucle shorts.  Still avaialble here.                                                  
                                                                     ACCESSORIES Prada baroque sunglasses.
                                                                     PURSE Chanel GST in black caviar
                                                                     SHOES Ferragamo black bow 'Vara'
 

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Rain, Rain


We had so much rain this year and our lawn is loving it. 
I too am also loving it because it's an excuse to wear my wellies. 
I got it last year for our trip to New York, which coincidentally was when Sandy hit so I got good use out of it. 
Since then, it has been sitting unused until now.
 
Rain, rain, please don't go away. 
Hunter and I would really love to play! 
 
moschino white keyhole - gap shorts - hunter boots5 - Copy moschino white keyhole - gap shorts - hunter boots4 moschino white keyhole - gap shorts - hunter boots3 moschino white keyhole - gap shorts - hunter boots1  
                                                                     TOP: Moschino Cheap and Chic keyhole white top.
                                                                     SHORTS:  Gap (gifted by my friend Faye)
                                                                     ACCESSORIES Zumba headband.
                                                                     SHOES Hunter 'Andora' wedge rain boot
 

Sunday, June 23, 2013

Surprise Wedding!


We got an invitation to a friend's surprise 40th birthday party thrown by his 
long-time girlfriend of 11 years.
The venue was at the  poshest part of town with sweeping views of the city and the mighty Mississippi. 
Everyone there was laughing and kidding their spouses not to expect 
to be thrown the same grand party when it's their turn to celebrate 40. 
 
As it turned out, all of us we were the one who ended up being surprised!  
 
The invitation was really for a surprise wedding ceremony!  
As we saw the couple enter through a secret door in their their wedding attire, 
everyone had mixed emotions with varying ranges of disbelief and shock which quickly 
turned into an overwhelming tears of happiness for both of them! 
 
These are things you only read in magazines that celebrities routinely pull off to their friends. 
In a way, with all the glamour, drama and shock factor, it was really very Hollywood.
 
It was a surprise we will not forget!  
And what an honor to have been invited to share that special moment with them!  
 
2halston dress - zac posen skirt - louboutin pumps 4halston dress - zac posen skirt - louboutin pumps 4halston dress - zac posen skirt - louboutin pumps 3halston dress - zac posen skirt - louboutin pumps 1halston dress - zac posen skirt - louboutin pumps 
                                                                     DRESS: Halston Heritage dress worn as a top.  Still available here!
                                                                     SKIRT:  Zac Posen pencil skirt worn as a mini skirt                                                 
                                                                     ACCESSORIES Givenchy earrings.
                                                                     PURSE Z Spoke by Zac Posen clutch
                                                                     SHOES Christian Louboutin 'Simple' pumps in patent black
 

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Shopaholics Age Gracefully


We visited an orphanage the other week and played a "guess my age game" with the kids. 
I was nervous at first but when it was my turn to have my age guessed, I was grinning to the moon and back.
 
The girls thoroughly flattered me by starting their age guesses at 20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 28, 30, 31.
When I told them it's way higher, they gave a confused look and asaked, "40???"
 
Well, I'm not quite 40 yet but getting pretty darn close.  
I'll be in my early 40s before the decade ends.  
 
Not too worried though. 
If I'm constantly mistaken to be in the 20s, who cares how old I really am?
Shopaholics age gracefully. 
And for that I'm glad!

kors cardi - levis shorts - mulberry alexa bag2

kors cardi - levis shorts - mulberry alexa bag3
kors cardi - levis shorts - mulberry alexa bag4

kors cardi - levis shorts - mulberry alexa bag6kors cardi - levis shorts - mulberry alexa bag5 
         
                                                                     TOP: Ann Taylor ribbon knot ribbon halter.  MICHAEL Michael Kors striped cardi                                                                                                                                           SHORTS:  Levi's frayed edge dark denim shorts
                                                                     ACCESSORIES Prada baroque sunglasses. Target earrings for 25 cents!!
                                                                     PURSE Mulberry Alexa in dusty pink
                                                                     SANDALS Prabal Gurung for Target gladiator flats
 

Monday, June 17, 2013

Travelogue: European Roadtrip Part 6 (The Sound of Music Tour)


Part 1 - Hamburg, Germany
Part 2 - Berlin, Germany
Part 3 - Dresden, Germany 
Part 4 - Prague, Czech Republic 
Part 5 - Salzburg, Austria
 
The highlight of this roadtrip has got to be the Sound of Music day tour we took from Salzburg. 
I felt like a kid all over again, listening to the all the familiar tunes from the movie. 
Except this time around, I was no longer watching it in front of the TV --
I was right there at the very scene, the very sight and the very place
where my all-time favorite movie was taken.   
 
All my childhood memories flooded back to me as I reminisced those happy times with my cousins
singing along the songs, those endless summer days running around my mom's garden 
and pretending that I am sixteen going on seventeen and needing an older and wiser dashing young lad... 
 
I have found my happy place!  
 
Someday, when I have kids of my own, I hope they appreciate the movie as I did and 
visit this place and reminisce happy childhood as I have! 
And hope they get to visit it too with a dashing young lad by their side as I have. 
 
Below are snippets of the movie's song lyrics and the spot where the scene was shot. 
Enjoy!  

the sound of music 
 

♪ ♫  The hills are alive with the sound of music! 
With songs they have sung for a thousand years... ♪ ♫ town in the lake district the lake district
 
 
♪ ♫ Doe, a deer a female deer
Ray, a drop of golden sun... ♪ ♫ mirabell gardens

 
♪ ♫ Raindrops and roses and blue satin sashes..
When the dog bites, when the bee stings, when I'm feeling sad... ♪ ♫ leopold's crown castle
scenic alpine setting
 
 
♪ ♫ How do you solve a problem like Maria... ♪ ♫ near frohnburg castlefrohnburg castle pretty frau

 
♪ ♫ I am sixteen going on seventeen... 
Totally unprepared am I to face the world of men!  ♪ ♫ glass gazebo

 

The wedding church of Maria and Captain von Trapp inside mondsee church inside mondsee church mondsee church altar
 
 
Not related to The Sound of Music but the town of Mondsee, Austria -- specifically at Cafe Braun, has
undeniably the BEST apple strudel in the world. 
I still dream of it to this day, 5 years after tasting it!
braun café town of mondsee under a pink umbrella
 
 
 ♪ ♫Climb every mountain...
Ford every stream 
Follow every rainbow ♪ ♫ 
near mondsee scenic alpine setting
 
 
Just have one regret on this tour: we forgot to take a picture of an Edelweiss! 
We did get to sing-a-long with it on the bus and I was doing so with all out full emotion.
That is until somebody blurted out, "Oh I didn't know Edelweiss is a flower!
I had to burst into laughter! 
 
 
See you next week for a quick stop at Wattens, Austria! 
 
 

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