detail shots of some of my current loves from my closet ♥:

1. nude h&m lace blouse

2. 80's sequin blouse with scallop details from mom

3. vintage printed blouse

4. web-y, lattice top of dress from nastygal

5. metallic/gold thrifted cardigan

i've been a huge fan of mario badescu products for the last couple of years: my tried and true products include their facial spray with aloe, herbs and rosewater (i carry one in my purse and leave the other at home), seaweed cleansing soap and night cream.  after a couple of stressful weeks and after having just had a facial earlier in the month, i yearned for some at-home products that could improve my skin's overall appearance...enter nordstrom's anniversary sale beauty exclusives.  they've packaged three of mario's most popular products - the glycolic foaming cleanser, the whitening mask, and the vitamin c serum - in an awesome $45 bundle (retail value - $65).  

the glycolic foaming cleanser formulated with herbal extracts soothes and breaks down build-up on the skin's surface.  the whitening mask helps even skin tone by minimizing discoloration and scars while the vitamin c serum is like hope in a jar: antioxidant vitamin c protects the skin from free radicals and helps boost collagen production. the three products work together to enhance your skin's natural radiance.  these products have won a permanent place on my nightstand...alongside one of my favorite books, domino: the book of decorating which is giving me so much inspiration to fix up my new place...which i haven't found yet, but i always like to think ahead ;).

searching for my keys...

(lace sweater, rodarte for target; knit dress, t by alexander wang; mirte boots, alexander wang; gold & mint bracelet, unknown; floral bracelet, forever 21; leather rucksack, ebay)

but in regards to a real search, i finally got a backpack for my trip!  i scoured all over the internet until i found this unisex leather rucksack on ebay.  it's the perfect size for toting a couple of travel books, an extra sweater, a bulky camera...you name it.

take advantage of what's left of the summer (though the chilly temps make us think otherwise) and head to the third annual renegade craft fair in san francisco.  the fun lasts from 11 am - 7 pm at the festival pavilion in the fort mason center on both saturday and sunday.  over 250 artists will be featured, including a couple of stellar ones we've already bragged about: intwined (read A's write-up here) and nous savons...and i can't wait to check out the adorable paper goodies from paper pastries and the pins, studs and lace pocket mirrors from oh, hello friend.  workshops + live music + craft eye candy at every corner?  we couldn't have asked for more!

samantha harris for vogue australia, august 2010

(photos courtesy of studded hearts)

(photo courtesy of 7x7: main lobster, tokyo turnips, snap peas and carrots on top of a bearnaise custard and finished tableside with lobster bouillon)

i have never felt such a rush of adrenaline as i did a few hours ago by pressing a couple of buttons on open table.  in what i anticipate to be one of the most life changing epicurean adventures of my life, i just booked reservations to benu, the highly anticipated restaurant brought to san francisco by thomas keller's star protege, corey lee.  sometimes i can't deny the woman inside me who craves the haute couture version of food and since i'm saving french laundry for just the right moment, benu has just given san francisco's its newest and brightest fine dining establishment.  

corey lee's track record is as good as it gets: former french laundry chef de cuisine, opened per se in new york and working at countless other michelin restaurants across the pond and in the u.s.  the restaurant will serve up a prix fixe menu like french laundry but will also have an a la carte menu on hand in their 66-seat space.  i have been infatuated with the establishment since i first started reading about the development process: from the name (egyptian for "phoenix"), the logo (six fonts overlaid on top of each other), lee's personally designed custom porcelain pieces from famed korean ceramic maker kwangjuyo, the use of equator for teas and espresso and la mill for coffee, and wine lockers for investors and regulars (yes, wine lockers).  sure, my reservations are in september but i'm counting down the days until i get to be part of culinary history...now that the reservation is set, now i must decide who to take (not to mention what to wear).  any takers?  

(photo courtesy of inside scoop sf: uni with buckwheat capellini)

benu.  22 hawthorne street, san francisco.  www.benusf.com.  doors open august 10th.  

A + her other C (her bf) are coming over to my apartment in a few minutes for a midnight snack...such is the beauty of living a building away from each other!  i whipped up this easy blueberry buttermilk cake recipe from one of my kitchen idols - the smitten kitchen - and in no time and with very little effort, i had the perfect treat to serve up.  the blueberries burst in your mouth and with a 1/2 teaspoon more of lemon zest than the original recipe calls for, the cake has a nice yet subtle citrus flavor that compliments the buttermilk cake.  and the cake batter?  one of my absolute favorites to eat while "cleaning up."  ;)  i'm also putting out chilled sparkling limeade to help wash the cake down, poured in my favorite glasses of late, pale pink hiball glasses embellished with a fleur de lys motif.

the display of nous savons's goodies at last sunday's portrero hill indie mart caused me to make a beeline for their table, leaving other customers in the dust!  how could i NOT resist these tempting treats offered up by nous savons, an oakland based reconstructed clothing & jewelry designer.  my head was spinning while trying to take in the glory of all their pieces - each with an air of both vintage and contemporary seamlessly weaved together.  i love these descriptions of their work - "like wandering in your crazy great-aunt's attic" and "if anthropologie had a flagship store in grey gardens."  as you can see here, there was a necklace i couldn't resist wearing right away (less than a minute after i purchased it, to be exact)!  lucky for you, nous savons has a wonderful etsy store so you can take home these trinkets; also try to track them down in person at an event near you because chatting it up with jocelyn and how passionate she was about her jewelry was one of the highlights of my day (that and the mini chai spiced cupcake i ate soon after meeting her).

 p.s.  i need this measure up necklace in my life!