Happy Weekend

Happy Friday!  I'm checking out for the weekend since I'll be here...



Go on... feel a little jealous...

I'll be in Tahoe for one of my best friend's bachelorette parties - going boating on the lake, soaking up lots of sun (and margaritas) and celebrating the impending end of her "single" life...

Happy Weekend!
xo

Girl's Weekend!

This weekend was so fun... so fabulous... and now I am in some serious recovery!  Between the food, the cocktails, and the sunshine, I don't know how people in Southern California get any work done!

We flew down early Thursday morning, and checked into The Standard around noon - perfect timing for a lunch poolside and our first cocktail!  If you've never been to this hotel, you really must - not that it's fancy, but it kind of feels like you stepped back in time, and walked into the 1960's.  The lobby is awesome - shag carpet, tall cacti, orbital swings, and let's not forget the girl in a glass fishbowl behind the reception desk - naked, and browsing through magazines.  No I am not kidding.  It's one part jarring, one thousand parts awesome.  (Unfortunately in the below picture, the light from behind her is so bright, you can hardly see her!

Our first night we ate dinner at an amazing restaurant called Firefly - it is perhaps one of the most romantic restaurants I've ever been too - it's mainly outdoors under a canopy, and nearly 100% candlelit.  Candles lining the fireplaces, in little lanterns over the tables and built into the walls.  It feels like you stepped into a little fairy land.  And the food?? Ridiculously good.  If you are in West Hollywood, make the drive over the hill to Studio City and try this place!

This is what Firefly really looks like...


This is what Firefly looks like with the flash on... oopsy!!

After dinner we headed back to our hotel to try out the club there.  Turns out that Thursdays at The Standard are "Simon Says" parties... aka Tranny Night.  Again... amazing!  We danced until the wee hours with some of the most gorgeous gay men, and their tranny entouages.

The next morning, none of us were feeling well, so we put on our bikinis, and layed by the pool, keeping the Cabana boys busy getting us food and drinks for hours.  My kind of day!  I read my book, listened to music, and ate a lot of sweet potato fries :-)

After about three thousand pounds of fried food, and a catnap, we were feeling refreshed and ready for dinner. We went to Katana - a swanky sushi restaurant on Sunset.  I don't know if this place attracts straight male models, but we were nearly mute the entire meal watching the most handsome (and straight) men in the world come through with their lady friends.

After dinner, we walked across the street to the Mondrion Hotel's Sky Bar - another super fun spot.  They have a big pool lined with sofas and it really is so beautiful.  

Unfortunately, something happened to their license for amplified music, so it was eerily quiet inside - not the dance party we were expecting it to be.  Not to worry - some of our friends from SF were also in LA, so they came and met up with us, made us laugh, and made us forget that there was zero music.

On Saturday, we learned that The Standard throws some pretty incredible pool parties each weekend, so the next day was spent people watching poolside.  The DJ set up around noon, and the pool became quite a "scene" - lots of thongs, lots of spray tans, and lots of gay guys in their speedos.  In short, it was pretty much the opposite of my life in SF... except for the gays, but they are normally clothed here :-)

Our last night we went to Katsuya in Hollywood which was by far the BEST sushi I have ever had.  We headed to the W afterwards, and ended up on the rooftop club, Drai's.  Had I known what an awesome place this is, we would have been there all three nights.  It was HUGE, filled with glowing lanterns, fluffy cabana beds, and had incredible views of LA.  What surprised me the most was how kind everyone was in LA - I had thought everyone would be a snobby aspiring model, but we met some of the friendliest, most genuinely nice people.

Anyway, it was a whirlwind weekend that has left me totally and utterly exhausted - I have sworn off alcoholic drinks for the foreseeable future, and I really need to get back on the work-out wagon, BUT it was such a fun summer escape, and I'm already dreaming of our next one!

Girls Trip: LA Weekend

I am SOOO excited...  I am headed off to La-la Land just after the Fourth of July with some girl friends for a quick getaway, and it could not come sooner!  We are all in need of a little sunshine, girl time, and some summery cocktails by the pool.

We are staying at The Sandard, West Hollywood, and for any fellow Sex and the City lovers, that's the hotel the ladies stayed at during their LA trip.  It's totally 60's mod, with a great pool, and it's just steps from all the hottest restaurants and bars on the strip.  CAN. NOT. WAIT.


For anyone who has ever been to LA (or So-Cal for that matter) you know that it's a total scene, and it's all about what you are wearing 24/7, so I'm using this little trip as an excuse to go shopping... I have a few very clear images in my mind of what I'm looking for... we'll see if I can make these "wants" become a reality...

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Daytime

La La Land I by beckyc1923 featuring a lip stick

Asymmetrical dress
Sam Edelman cork wedge sandals, $153
Feather jewelry, $10
Lanvin wide belt, $595
TOMS gold sunglasses, $139
Lip stick, $32

This high-low dress is eerily similar to one of my favorite looks from Pinterest (remember #10 from this post a few weeks back?)  This outfit is easy-breezy, while still being totally on trend... perfect for a bit of shopping, lunching at The Ivy, Star Spotting, and throwing over my swimsuit after a bit of sun-bathing by the pool.  Must find....

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Dinner

La La Land II by beckyc1923 featuring a coral lipstick

Wallis lace top, $49
Denim skirt, £12
Giuseppe Zanotti platform shoes, $850
Oasis clutch handbag, $55
Amrita Singh 18k jewelry, $300
LK Designs 18k jewelry, €97
Giorgio Armani coral lipstick, $30
Essie nail polish, $8

This flirty little circle skirt will still be flattering after a big dinner, while the high necked blouse keeps it from being over the top at a restaurant.  It's LA - not SF - so edgier is always better.  I love the studded clutch next to the soft skirt.  I'm imagining something like this for dinner at Katana or FireFly...

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Dancing

La La Land III by beckyc1923 featuring aventurine jewelry

Bodycon dress, $157
Promise Shoes high heel pumps, $55
J Crew clutch handbag, $80
Aventurine jewelry
Miso set of bangle, £10
Bare Escentuals lip gloss, $18
Urban Decay black eye makeup, £12

I am thinking something white at night to compliment my new LA tan... this dress is sexy without being too much.  I love the deep-v, and the flattering pleats.  That belt is very mod itself, and a few sassy accessories like the leopard clutch and coral drop earrings keep the focus on the dress.  I'll be wearing this at the top of Skybar, for a little dancing and cocktail sipping under the stars.

San Francisco Bucket List: Day of Pampering in the Wine Country

Since I was little, Napa and the surrounding towns in the wine country have absolutely blown up.  When I was growing up, St. Helena was the halfway point between home and our summer escape in Clear Lake.  We'd always stop at V. Sattui, and lunch on the grass with a picnic of cheese and charcuterie.  Our parents would pop a bottle of rose, and the kids got a treat with a bottle of Martinelli's.

As opposed to the sleepy little town we visited as kids, the wine country has become a total destination for weekenders and vacationers alike.  Despite the inflated prices and hustle and bustle, I still think it's one of the most enchanting places I've been, and if you do a little searching, you will find some untapped restaurants, wineries, and hotels hidden in the valley.

At the top of my wine country bucket list is the Indian Springs Resort and Spa.  It sounds hoity toity, but the prices for treatments are comparable with what you'll find anywhere else, and the price to stay there is astoundingly reasonable!


The mineral pool here was built in the early 1900's, and is heated by local geysers to a toasty 102 degrees in the winter, and a more "refreshing" 92 degrees in the summer.  For $20 per person, you can enjoy the pools (and the off pool steam room), and soak up some sun.  Bring along some champagne and snacks, and make a day of it!


Treat yourself to a massage or mud bath - when in Rome right?  Indian Springs is famous for the pure volcanic ash mud bath and for $85, who can resist!  Massages are $125 for a full session, and facials start at $140.


Afterwards, sit out by the reflective pond for some quiet time to reflect or just mellow out.


For as little as $195/night, you can rent a cottage on the property - how sweet, and what a fabulous idea for a bachelorette party or big birthday.

My sister is turning 30, so maybe I'll surprise her with a fun sister's getaway here...