Color Crush < Not So Mellow Yellow

Yellow seems to be popping up all over the place -- from floro to mustard, lemon to pastel, it is everywhere from small accents of color, to bold statements.  With my olive skin tone I used to shy away from yellows and greens, but with so many choices of shades & pieces it's slowly working its way into my wardrobe.

(rae by cwg - american apparel riding pants, theory blouse, zara shoes, quote bag; creativeloungestyle; mickeysgirl; stylepillfiles; anna wolf photography; thatkindofwoman; harper&harley; nestprettythings; elle; scalambre; vogue.it; thebeautyfile; dvf; charlesphillip; asos; mylittlefashiondiary; voguelovesme; alexanderwang; liveandenliven; easyfashionfind; others via pinterest)

Eyeing the Sparkle

Glitter me timbers.  Feeling like a fashion pirate today - sequined hood and all, and it's not even the weekend.  Go figure.  So here to spice up the page mid-week are some lovely sparkles.  From vintage to futuristic, the sequin just never died out.  Hope this brightens up your day! 


(rae by philippe roy // makeup kate noble; images via pinterest; fashioninmysoul; silver boots - jeffery campbell; beaded fringe shirt - victor & rolf; necklace - vintage chanel 1932)

Color Crush < Blossom into Pink

Word on the street in Shanghai is that it's Cherry Blossom season.  So, that means without a doubt this week I need to get myself out of my Former French Concession bubble and get over to the sculpture garden to enjoy these perennial blooms.  My pink post was still in progress, but for the sake of timing here we go!

From mauve-y to bubblegum, muted to barbie -- pink's feminine touch is contagious in spring.  I'll be the one with the pink lips (still debating the hair). x

(rae by rick liston; google; ye rin mok; fab ciraolo; coca-cola; flicr; chanel; the olive shop; seaside park monterey, california; decadediary; oneofeach; shopbop; observando; pinkisalwayscute; dior; google images)

Custom Darjeeling Chest

I am in love with Wes Anderson movies - with their imaginative images, bright colorful backgrounds, and kooky characters they are tantalizing to my senses, and always unpredictable! The vintage Louis Vuitton luggage custom-made for Darjeeling Limited, completely stole the show -- and was a character in of itself throughout the film.  This had me itching to recreate its funky pattern, which turned out to be quite easy.  Talk about a silly DIY project, with great, useful results!  I just sanded down my antique chest (which I found at an antiques shop just downstairs from my flat & had the guy replace the faulty lock), printed out some stencils I found online, and then spray painted those little critters onto my box (using primer first for the colored ones).  Now I'm 1 piece of custom luggage down, 13 to go!

I cannot wait to see Wes Anderson's newest movie this year Moonrise Kingdom.  I'm sure they'll be many more great images and props that will inspire!

Color Crush < Black & Tan

Well, I'm not particularly tanned these days, so neutrals seem like the go-to color scheme before spring is in full bloom.  However, instead of getting muted out in beiges, this combo plays up the idea of contrast and these are great examples of how bold black and subtle tan or cream can go beyond boring, into beautiful.  The YUE fang bag has stolen my childish heart...Since I missed the St. Patrick's Day celebrations last weekend, I think this blog post is a great excuse for a Black & Tan!

<rae by smsh; signs & hallway - a note on design; t-strap shoes - plumprettysugarloungerie; bat dress - jessica chao a/w 2012; shorts streetwear - weheartit; skirt streetwear - veronicalovesarchie; oceana bracelet - kora; guinness cake - designsponge; pillow - arianna belle; yue bags; sofa - theyallhateus; bag - proenza schouler; ipod case - msbucher>

Bangkok, in Black & White

A break from the treacherous cold of Shanghai was a necessity this winter.  This trip could not have brought better food, more spectacular views or an end to an everlasting craving for the best fried chicken ever to have touched my lips (thank you JJ Market).  From a woman on the street pressing fresh pomegranate juice, to the stylish label of thai soda water -- Thailand's visual appeal is undeniable. Enjoy the taste.  Bangkok, Thailand -- Kapun ka!

Homemade Black Cherry Vanilla Vodka

Cherry coke was one of my all-time favorite drinks as a kid, so it only seemed fitting to try and re-create this as an adult with some homemade cherry-infused vodka.  The process was quite simple, and opened the floodgates to a variety of new vodka infusions to attempt (and mostly succeed in).  Here's the steps & ingredients:

- 1.5 Bottles of Vodka (I used Stoli)
- 1lb Fresh Cherries (pitted)
- 1 Vanilla Bean
- Glass Container for Brewing (with a wide neck so you can stir daily) with strong seal
- Cheese Cloth
- Coke
- Ice

All I did was pit the cherries (I attempted to find a cherry pitter with no luck, so resorted to a chopstick with pointed end, and was pleasantly surprised at the ease of removing the pit).  Add the cherries to the glass brewing bottle (Ikea), pour in the vodka.  Store in a cool, dark place for 7-10days.  Stir daily, adding the vanilla bean (you can find it at the Avocado Lady on Wulumuqi lu, or City Shop) only 2 days before you the brewing is finished - careful to taste it daily after adding the vanilla as it can easily over power the cherry flavor.  After the first 4 days, the pigment from the cherry skins will start to add color to the vodka making it look like red wine.  At the completion of the brewing process, remove the cherries & vanilla bean, and then strain your vodka using a cheese cloth (to grab any pulp or particles left from the fruit).  You can store the vodka in the fridge or freezer.

Bottling:

- I used this bottle from Ikea to present it (about 1.5 bottles of vodka will fill it)
- Make your own label using spray adhesive to stick it on to your bottle to customize
*This makes a great gift

To serve, pour a shot of your homemade vodka over ice, and mix with coke.  I like these mini Japanese coke cans (bottles would be even more of a throw back to the vintage feel of cherry coke).  The vodka is so sweet and delicious (you won't even taste the alcohol), you can even enjoy it simply over ice.

Other Infusion Flavors (tried and tested):
- Pear-Mint
- Mango-Orange
- Lemongrass-Coconut-Ginger
- Skittles Candy

Round 2: Pear Infusion

Enjoy these Boozions (Booze-Infusions)!!!!

< Cover pic Richard Leon Liston >