cocktails, couches, cupcakes & cashmere

if you are a reader/follower/fan of emily schuman's cupcakes & cashmere (honestly, has anyone not seen her blog?  she's kinda a celeb in the blogger-sphere), you probably saw that she was co-hosting the grand opening party for the new west elm store in LA on beverly blvd.  since i am currently obsessed with practically everything from west elm, i had to go!    

love this living wall!  i took a peek - the plants are actually planted in little pot like things attached to the wall!

"snowflake" decorations

moscow mule

glass lamps with gorgeous shades

holiday soap

owls are super popular in home decor right now.

yup.

sittin' on my future couch.

now i don't go to that many events because usually they fall on weeknights and i can't stand to sit in traffic that long but i had such a good time at west elm!  plus, i got to sit on my wishlist couch (soo comfy btw)!
 

the bright and the bold

i was invited to the launch party for nail couture los angeles' the bright and bold collection at live! on sunset in west hollywood this past thursday.  free cocktails? yeah i'll have one. free mani?  sign me up!  driving to west hollywood during rush hour? oh geez.  luckily the drinks and manicures were enough to lure me to the party cause i am so glad i went, it was so much fun!  i went with my bff anjelica (duhhhh), i invited her to go with me but she was already invited! turns out that one of her friends works for the company that was putting the whole thing together, small world, right?

they had skinnygirl margaritas!

anjelica getting her nails done

anjelica's nails - gemstone

we saw this alex & ani bracelet bar and almost bought a bunch of bracelets... but then we didn't.

american apparel v-neck, madewell jeans, frye wedges, african bead necklace

please ignore my face in the full body shot - its the look of a starved blogger.  i hadn't had dinner, i'd driven from my office in rancho dominguez to eagle rock, picked up anjelica and then to weho for the party.  anjelica and i were both starving by the time we left, but we had such a good time!  the nail strips are amazing (and you know i'm obsessed with those sally hansen strips) and i was told that each pattern from the new collection is designed for a (famous) blogger (not me.  follow and maybe some day i'll have my own nail strip design!).  the event its self was hosted by the ray and the ro, although i didn't see either of the girls there (or just didn't recognize them.  oops)!  i did meet the designer of ncla who was totally sweet and let anjelica and i get our nails done right away!  can't wait to see what's next for ncla!

scenes from THREAD show

this past sunday was another busy day for me and i ended it at the thread show at the cooper design space in dtla.  my usual shopping partner anjelica went with me and we had a a lot of fun shopping all the jewelry!  the biggest exhibitors seemed to be jewelry and accessory designers, which is great for me because i love buying my jewelry from small, independent, local designers!        

sponsors

trying on druzy rings from love tatum

various jewelry displays

tiny gold necklace by marida jewelry

i love these little terrariums by bumblebees!  although they could use some oilcloth on the table!

cotton candy dress, zara sweater, gap denim jacket, jeffrey campbell boots

so tired after a loooong/busy day/weekend

i didn't take as many pictures as i would have liked, i was too busy shopping around!  my favorite booth was the betsy & iya booth, the jewelry is beautiful and totally my style.  i tried on a few different necklaces but ended up deciding on a pair of the stacked dakota drip earrings (below).

i really did enjoy the thread show and will definitely be attending the next one.  i found some great new jewelry lines to follow although next time i will be sure to get there earlier!  we didn't get over to the show till around 1ish, so the wait for the manicure was about 4 hours long.  if you didn't get a chance to make it to thread show this time around, do not fret!  the show is returning to the cooper design space this coming november!

THREAD show pass GIVEAWAY!!

THREAD show hits los angeles this sunday, june 12th, at the cooper design space!  what is THREAD show?  read below to find out all the amazing stuff waiting for you in dtla this sunday!

THREAD Show Launches 8th Annual Independent Designer Shopping Tour

THREAD Show lands in San Diego, San Francisco, Orange County, Los Angeles and Seattle in 2011

THREAD Show, the multi-city shopping event promoting emerging designers and artists, is travelling to San Diego, San Francisco, Orange County, Los Angeles and Seattle on the 2011 tour. At each show, THREAD will showcase 100 of the top independent designers in each market, as well as complementary music, art, food and entertainment from locals. In 2011, attendees can expect new interactive spaces with the additions of a DIY Lounge, Nail Bar, Live Style Series, THREAD Well Lounge and a Man Cave complimentary with entrance to the event.

“By allowing shoppers to skip the third-party retailer, THREAD gives trend-setters an opportunity to meet the designers face-to-face, feed the local economy, be kind to the environment and ensure products are locally-made and ethically produced,” explains THREAD Show spokesperson, Danielle Gano. “This one-on-one connection also allows designers to get direct feedback from their consumers and lifts the veil for consumers to know exactly where their products come from.”

For eight years, THREAD Show has encouraged cities across the country to shop local by presenting a curated showcase of the most skilled and creative designers in each market. In addition to shopping prices lower than retail from the top independent designers, attendees will enjoy a Style Lounge, live music, seasonal trend showcases, a pop-up local art gallery, photo booths, live screen printing and giveaways all day. Additionally, 2011 will introduce a DIY Lounge with make-your-own fashion designs and accessories, a Nail Bar with complimentary manicures all day, a Live Style Series, a THREAD Wellness Lounge featuring massages and holistic living tips and products, and a Man Cave with beer, magazines, darts and entertainment for male shoppers.

In 2011, THREAD Show is also announcing a new Premium Ticket, available to the first 300 at the door. Serial shoppers will be granted entry one hour prior to general admission. The shopper who prefers wide open isles and plenty of room to browse will be able to enjoy first access to the collections. This limited availability ticket also comes with a gift bag packed with THREAD Show swag and a complimentary cocktail. The preview hour for each show will be from 11 a.m. to noon. Premium Tickets will be available for $25. Doors open to general admission from noon to 6 p.m. General admission tickets will be available for $5 if attendees pre-register up to 24 hours prior to the show at www.threadshow.com. $10 tickets will be available at the door.

THREAD Show’s 2011 line-up consists of:
San Diego: Sunday, April 3, 2011 - Horton Event Space
San Francisco: Sunday, April 10, 2011 - Metreon Shopping Center
Costa Mesa: Sunday, May 15, 2011 – THE LAB
Los Angeles: Sunday, June 12, 2011 - The Cooper Design Space
Seattle: Sunday, October 23, 2011 - Fisher Pavilion Seattle Center
Los Angeles: Sunday, November 13, 2011 - The Cooper Design Space
San Francisco: Sunday, November 20, 2011 - Metreon Shopping Center
San Diego: Sunday, December 4, 2011 - Horton Event Space

Each show is held from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., with the 11 a.m. to noon hour reserved for Premium Ticket holders. General admission is open from noon to 6 p.m. Attendance is $10 in all cities – or $5 if you RSVP on the THREAD website or bring a bag of clothes to donate to a local charity in each city. Registration is now open for all cities and interested designers are invited to apply here. For regular updates, to visit the THREAD blog, RSVP to a show or subscribe to the email newsletter, please visit www.threadshow.com.

About THREAD Show   //   Good Style. Good Value. Good Karma.
THREAD Show is a travelling juried showcase of the best independent fashion and home designers on the West Coast, and the music and art that rock their world. This dynamic one-day retail environment has showcased more than 7,000 emerging designers since its inception in 2003.  THREAD allows consumers a unique opportunity to support their local economy, reduce their carbon footprint and discover emerging designers while scoring deals and purchasing one-of-a-kind wares in a fun and unique setting. For more information, visit www.threadshow.com.

seriously, i am so excited to attend THREAD show!  i love to shop and support local designers (local anything really) and this will be such a fun way to do it! annnnnd guess what!  3 of my lucky readers (plus a friend) will have the chance to attend the LA stop of THREAD show!  to enter the giveaway you must:

1. follow the blog - at least one of three ways: google friend connect, networkblogs, or bloglovin

2. like the facebook page

3. comment on this post with your first and last name

that's it!  really not that hard to get two complimentary passes to THREAD show.  your chance to win ends thursday, june 9th at 11pm PST.  winners will be announced on friday, june 10th.  start following, liking and commenting!  contest has ended!  winners are: traci goodwin, michelle williamson, and michelle huynh!  enjoy the THREAD show ladies & thanks for following!

lafw 2011: exotic sausages and stilettos

i attended  the two point oh! la pre-fashion week party at the falls lounge in dtla on march 8th with my fellow bloggers alysha kelley, beth watson and marci michalovitz.  unfortunately i don't have any pictures from the party as i dropped the camera and thought that i broke the lens, only to find out later that the only broken thing was the uv filter that isn't so important and can be easily removed.  so basically if i knew anything about the camera then i could of taken pictures, but i dont..

what i did get pictures of was the dinner we had at wurstküche, one of my favorite places to eat.  if you haven't been its a must!

mango jalapeno sausage with spicy peppers & caramelized onions

fries with truffle oil... omg!  tzatziki and chipotle aoli dipping sauces.

reissdorf kolsch

such a bummer about my camera, but i had a great time at the party, chatting with other bloggers including two point oh! la founder kelsi smith.  i definitely want to check out the falls lounge again!  i also grabbed a gift bag:

tease by paris hilton, gift card to you by crocs, nick chavez flocker, icon india oil, china glass nail polish, see's lollipop, all in a xcvi bag.

lafw 2011: onikai fashion presentation

i'm a little behind on the posting for lafw, as its been over for a few weeks now but still wanted to do a few posts on it.  i wasn't able to attend as many events as i would have liked to due to work and then my bday, but i did attend two shows and one party.  

first up was the onkai fashion presentation: 

 March 4, 2011 - Glendale, CA

 The 2011 ONIKAI Fashion presentation took place Friday March 4th inside the swanky Dragon Lounge of Katsuya in Glendale, California. Red carpet arrivals began around ten o' clock. The guests were ushered from the red carpet, up Katsuya's spiral staircase and finally to their seats where they enjoyed a variety of cocktails. While DJ Will Power and soft ambient lighting set the mood for the guests on the runway, backstage, designer Oni Auer alongside her team prepared the models for the show with hair and makeup as a couple lucky photographers captured the moment. At 11 o'clock all seats were filled as the host, Dan Johnson welcomed the guests and introduced the show. One by one the models took hold of the runway displaying Oni's vision that can only be described as a wonderland of opposites. The show featured exclusively designed cut and sew pieces that included, hoodies, draped jumpers and dresses with convertible straps. The show concluded with the proud designer herself walking the runway alongside her models. It was definitely a night to remember.  

VBPR
Public Relations + Styling + Event Production
www.victoriaberrypr.com

+ 1 4242488150

i went with fellow stylists and bloggers beth watson & alysha kelley, we had a great time sipping on some delish cocktails while checking out the onikai line.  i hadn't heard of the line before and it was great to check out something new, plus its always good to support the local designers! as usual, what i wore:  

rachel pally top, lily white skirt, dolce vita pumps

topshop leather jacket, pendleton bag

unfortunately i didn't take my camera, only my phone so the pictures i took myself turned out pretty horrible.  low lighting and fast walking models don't work well with the iphone.  after the attending the show i realized that digital slr cameras are a hot accessory to have so for the other two events i took the camera.  i had a great night and look forward to seeing more from onikai, and the pr company that put on the event, vbpr!