Long Weekend in the Sunflower State

-- dress: Johnny Was --- necklaces: Rochas vintage & Michael Kors chain belt --
-- wedges: Banana Republic --

For the long weekend, we followed I-35 for 400 miles south and after 7 hours of driving, we were back to where it all started for us, in Kansas!

The in-laws treated us to lots of love and lots of food over our 3-day stay! I swore I gained weight just by staring at all the food! We felt so pampered and didn't want to leave anymore. The long weekend was certainly not long enough.

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I really wanted a maxi dress but for some reason, every dress I try on fits oddly...

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Found this at Neiman. Not exactly a maxi dress but it'll have to do.

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It's very soft and flowy and seriously discounted, so I'm all happy!

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For a small town in Kansas, my layers of accessories is probably a bit much. A lot of folks were staring at me like I just I stole Dorothy's slippers!

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Hope everyone had a great long weekend!
Can't wait to visit all your blogs tomorrow and resume on regular programming of work, blog and shopping!

Sets in the City '09

I learned that the wrist action derived from blog-stalking all of you does NOT improve my tennis skills in any way whatsoever. I don't get it. The hours upon hours of mouse clicking should at least help with the wrist pronation in serves and rallies!

Another thing I don't get is that in the many years I've played tennis, I have not gotten any award ever. None. Nada. Nill. Zilch. While I've only been blogging for just 2 months now and already I got this one award from the fabulous Sofie of ModeDiktat.

Sofie, I promise to work on this very soon and so sorry for picking this up weeks late. I thought I would have come up with a list by now but I need more inspiration, and thus more blog-stalking!

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Too bad there's no award for showing up with the best tennis outfit or I would have won that, NO DOUBT! Oh heck, win or lose, I know my outfit is a WINNER, bwahaha!
Sorry, humility is a virtue my fingertips has yet to learn. Trust me, I tried to stop them from typing those words but they're just unstoppable and simply won't listen to me.
Bad fingers! Bad fingers! .

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photo credit: flickr - chance98
Wearing the same dress that Maria Sharapova wore in the "I Am Pretty" Nike commercial for US Open '06. The annoying Sharapova screech do not come with the dress, thank goodness!

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The good thing is, the hubz was ranked #1 this week. And I therefore invoke on Section 10.08.02 of the Marriage Manual which instructs that tennis rankings must be shared between couples. Afterall, how good is this vow we once took: "For loves or for aces, in singles and in teams, til double faults do us part".

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If you don't hear from me for days, it means I'm desperately trying to improve my miserable tennis ranking OR I'm glued on TV watching the US Open OR I'm attending Luau parties. Luau?! Where the heck did that come from?!

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OK, serious now. Someday, when (take note of the usage of “when” NOT “if) fate requires of me to get up on a stage to collect a trophy and say a little speech, I will do so wearing this Diane von Fursternberg wrap vest worn over the Nike dress. Hey, a girl can dream, right?

Here's to BIG dreams, fabulous outfits and bottom-most tennis ranking!

Happy mid week everyone!

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!