April 2015 – Will Bake for Shoes

Beauty
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- Makeup

YSL Mascara Volume Effect Faux Clis Review

Posted on April 29, 2015by Brandy Saldana

I was lucky to be chosen by Influenster to test out the Yves Saint Laurent Mascara Volume Effect Faux Cils in a recent Voxbox. I was pretty excited since the Yves Saint Laurent brand represents elegance and high-fashion to me. I have always admired the packaging of the make-up, especially for the lipsticks, but I could never bring myself to splurge on it. Getting the chance to try out the mascara and its remastered formula changed my mind about the beauty line and to consider trying out other products.

At first glance, I am already in love the packaging. The tube is a nice gold with the simple YSL logo. The brush is nice and thick with various sizes of bristles, ideal for adding volume to your lashes. My eyelashes are pretty long, and I noticed they looked fuller when I used this mascara.

My favorite mascara is the Marc Jacobs Volumizing Mascara , but the YSL Mascara ties with with that mascara since it does provide volume and since the mascara is not clumpy. They also last a long time, even when my eyes are wet. I’ve noticed that when I was my face, neither of these smear or drip down, which is a nice bonus. I have not taken any photos (that I can remember) wearing the YSL mascara, but it is on my to-do list and I will note it in blog post if I am. This mascara also comes in 6 shades, but I am a big fan of the black.

I loved the mascara so much that I decided it was time to splurge on some of the Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupte Shine lipsticks I had been eyeing for awhile. I became a VIB member at Sephora almost 6 months ago and had a 15% off coupon I was able to use on these earlier this month. I am pretty obsessed with these colors and enjoy the candy smell that comes off of these lipsticks. Pigment is a lot lighter than I expected, but these are pretty different from the usual Givenchy Rouge lipsticks I use. I don’t know why I ever doubted whether it would be worth it, but thanks to Influenster I was able to experience some dramatic and luxurious lashes and finally get myself some new lipsticks.
What are your thoughts on YSL Mascara? Will you be splurging or do you have a go-to mascara already? Let me know!

Disclosure: I received the YSL Mascara complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own

Everyday
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- Outfit
  - Weekend

Vintage Florals

Posted on April 25, 2015by Brandy Saldana

Denim Jacket Heritage 1981 | Cream Floral Chiffon 3/4 Dress Ya! Los Angeles c/o Pinkblush (here) | Crystal Statement Necklace Urban Gem via Rocksbox | White Vintage Cross Body Coach | Red Suede Ulltra Heels Steve Madden |
Weekends sometimes call for a little extra effort, and pairing a denim jacket with a chiffon floral dress is just what a weekend brunch calls for. I am so excited to share another dress from Pinkblush while they are currently having another 30% off sitewide sale this weekend. (Use code SHOPFORMOM30).
I love that this dress has a fun vintage floral print and I have spotted it before on a midi skirt from Modcloth. I loved the print, and have contemplated getting this in its midi skirt form, but I am really happy with this in this style! I can dress it down further with flats or sandals, add a hat, and drive off on a road trip or go to a flea market. I love clothes that make me envision doing something, and this one is no exception.
Don’t forget to check out the Pink Blush sale to pick up a floral dress that you’ll take with you this summer, or that will take you places.

Food
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- Restaurant

A Taste of Agreeno at Pathos

Posted on April 22, 2015by Brandy Saldana

Last month I was invited to a culinary event at Pathos Organic Greek Kitchen in Berkeley to try out some expertly prepared mezes paired with wines and to see a culinary demonstration by celebrity chef/author Diane Kochillas. This demonstration was intended to highlight a new and healthy risotto by a Greek brand named Agreeno that is coming to the states soon. Pathos has been on my list of restaurants to try ever since it opened in Berkeley, and I was excited to get a taste of it here during this event. Here are some photos Armando and I took from the event and a glimpse of some of the food and wine I got to try.

One of my favorite appetizers were these pieces of grilled octopus. I also loved how fresh everything tasted. It has definitely convinced me that I need to make a reservation for dinner soon.

I also had a chance to meet Diane Kochilas. She presented her own cookbook as part of her presentation and we tried two different dishes using the Agreeno rice. As I mentioned earlier, Agreeno rice will be making its way stateside soon and I am pretty excited about it. The samples we had were very tasty and it sounds like it is pretty easy to cook. The best is that the rice is cultivated in Greece by Farmers responsibly. Ethically grown food is always good, but it was also cool to learn that they develop a unique flavor by being grown near the Mediterranean Ocean.

What are your thoughts on Greek cuisine? I would love to hear your thoughts and suggestions so I have a better idea of what to order when I visit Pathos for dinner!

Outfit
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- Work

Minty Florals

Posted on April 14, 2015by Brandy Saldana

Mint Green Floral Print Chiffon Dress Pink Owl c/o Pinkblush (here) | Trench Coat Banana Republic Factory Store | Pink Chrissy Cross Body Bag Kate Spade | Stack of Pink Idiom Bracelets (Three Cheers, Et Ceterea Et Cetera & #teamkate Kate Spade | Gold Bracelets LE TOTE | Nude Ulltra Patent Heels Steve Madden | Le Rouge 207 – Rose Plumetis Lipstick Givenchy (here)Spring calls for pastel colors and cute floral print dresses, and this dress fits both of those criteria. When I first did a google search for Pinkblush, I was surprised since the first thing that popped up for me was maternity clothing. I am not going to be in the market for maternity clothing anytime soon, so needless to say I was surprised when Pinkblush invited me to a little happy hour one Friday night in February to talk fashion. I discovered, to my pleasant surprise, that Pinkblush is not limited to just maternity clothes anymore. They have a super cute selection of clothing for woman for all walks of life and aside from having fun and trendy items, they are also pretty affordable.
This dress appealed to me because of the print and fun color, but also because of how versatile it is. I could easily pair it with flats and a jean jacket to give it a casual feel. I decided to play up the girly color and print, by pairing it with pink accessories and some nude pieces. I picked up this dress and two others from Pinkblush that I’ll be sharing in my next outfit posts. I would recommend checking out their site now because everything is 25% off until April 15 (tomorrow.) I would act fast and pick up a new dress like this one! Use promo code: 25SITEWIDE at checkout.
Hope you are having a great start to your week so far!

Outfit
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- Work

April Showers

Posted on April 8, 2015by Brandy Saldana

Black Wool Hat Express (here) | Black Princess Coat Steve Madden (here) | True White Portofino Shirt Express (here) | Navy and Black Color Block High Waist Skirt Express (here) | Crystal Statement Necklace Express | Black Scarf Marc Jacobs Neiman Marcus x Target | Silver Bow Bracelet Kate Spade (here) | Silver and Black Bracelets Forever 21 | Black Thigh High Boots Nine West (old/similar here) | Le Rouge 307 Grenat Initie Lipstick Givenchy (here)
I am not sure how you feel about rainy days, but I tend to think as I am half-asleep how I’ll be able to put an outfit together that is warm yet stylish when I never anticipated rain in the first place. (My other thoughts when I hear rain outside is to stay in bed, but that is another story completely.)
I’ve been saving this outfit for a rainy day (pun intended) since I took these photos before Christmas. My outfit is more geared for a really cold day in the winter, but it was also raining the morning of this photo shoot. I went on a huge shopping spree at Express during December and purchased this classic wool hat, portofino shirt and color block skirt. I’ve been obsessed with their skirts lately, and I feel I am finding really great pieces that flatter my body. Armando has always liked Express, and I finally get why – their work appropriate clothing is affordable and on point.
Although it seems like I bought a whole new outfit from head-to-toe (which I kinda did) I am actually wearing some of the very first pairs of shoes I ever purchased from DSW. These Nine West boots are from my first year of college, and they have been one of the best boots I’ve ever purchased (and they were even on sale!) I wore these to class a few times and to my work-study job and I always felt they were comfortable while they gave me the look of longer legs. The heel cap wore down quickly, and I took them to a shoe cobbler (another first for me) who gave them some new life. Shoes can last a long time if you take care of them, and I’m glad I have taken care of these because they are great staple to my wardrobe. The coat and scarf are also old favorites that I am constantly reaching for during the winter. There is just something about a black coat and simple black scarf that is hard to resist.
To ease my decisions of getting dressed for a rainy day, my new formula for rainy days will be: hat + boots + coat. And of course an umbrella, can’t forget the umbrella.
Hope you are having a great week so far!

Outfit
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- Work

Floral Midi

Posted on April 6, 2015by Brandy Saldana

Black Shoulder Ruffle Top Diane von Furstenberg | Floral Attach Me Not Midi/Mini Skirt KTR Collection (here) | Starry Night Necklace Urban Gem via Rocksbox | Black Cedar Street Elissa Tote Bag Kate Spade (here) | Black Bejeweled d’Orsay Sedaraby Heels Manolo Blahnik (here) via The Real Real | Le Rouge Lipstick 315 – Framboise Velours Givenchy
Happy Monday!
For today’s outfit post, I thought I would share one of my latest purchase from the KTR Collection. This is a floral midi skirt at first glance, but it also has the ability to be worn as a mini skirt. (I know, I’ll let that sink in for a minute.) Talk about double-duty! I am always looking at pieces that can last and be worn multiple ways, and this skirt provides me with a lot of options considering it can be dressed up or down. I opted to wear the skirt as a midi first since I have been obsessed with that style lately. I also feel it is a great way to wear a skirt on a colder day with the extra length. I am very excited with it, but I also have a few other pieces I purchased from the same designer I am equally as excited about.
Since the floral print is strong and bold, I kept the rest of the look subtle with some nice black pieces. I found the Manolo Blahnik heels from my favorite online consignment store, The Real Real. They were in amazing condition, and work with so many clothes in my closet. They felt like a pretty good investment, and I would buy them in every color if I could. I’ve also mentioned thredUP on my blog before as being one of my go-to sites for shopping, and I found this DVF top through that site. I love the sleeves and how they almost look like flowers petals.
Hope you had a great Easter weekend with your family. I was unable to spend it with mine this year, but one of these weekends I will be heading home to celebrate a few important birthdays. Maybe I will be wearing another one of my new KTR Collection pieces.
Until next time,