The Look - Sunday morning church

Another Sunday, another challenge. Specially when you do have a mental checklist of goals you are looking to achieve with your outfit: looking elegant being the first one, also avoid looking vulgar in any sort of way and looking age appropriate are always things I think about when getting dressed for church. So this was my pick:

Here you can see a close up of these amazing Louboutin's!

My look:

Jacket - Theory

Top - D&G

Skirt - Elie Tahari

Shoes - Christian Louboutin

Bag - Michael Kors

Make up class - learning from an amateur

My last post had a disclaimer that I find very important: I am no MUA, nonetheless I love make-up! The shiny packaging, palette of colors, the different textures (powder, cream, foam, liquid, mousse, spray), the smells and most importantly, how make-up empowers women.

Just a touch of red on the lips and we are ready to conquer the world! I know it, I feel it too, the days when I roll out of bed straight to the shower and out in 5 minutes without my glam on I feel closer to Norma Jean than to Marilyn Monroe. So here is one easy to do make-up that will make you look fabulous in less than 5 minutes, promise!

The look: fresh and healthy, with a little smokey on the eye lids.

1. Building the Foundation - I have been using this all in one foundation from Chanel for years. It doesn't look cakey and at the same time gives me great coverage. It used to be called Teint Innocence but after it has been reformulated for additional moisturizing it's called Vitalumiere. My color is number 20.

2. Staying put - on my everyday make-up I just use the Vitalumiere, but since I was going to a party I wanted to stay put all night long. So I add a layer of loose power by Mac.

3. Looking peachey - next step was to add some rose to my cheekbones. I like to do this in a 45 degree angle across from my cheek to sculpt my face. I think it makes me look thinner, Hallelujah!

4. Priming the primer - In the past, before I knew Benefit's primer Stay don't Stray, I used to suffer from a horrible condition: smudging eyes! God knows how I would sweat under my eyelids and end up with eye shadow all over. So this how it's done: apply a small dot of primer on the palm of your hand and then apply it all around your eyes and eyelids. This will also prevent those horrible concealer bumps. Next use a good liquid or pencil eyeliner to draw a line close to your lashes.

5. The glam momento - eye shadows are the best part of the whole make up routine, it's where we can take the biggest risks without looking like bozo. So I chose the one sweep by L'Oreal, which has a curved large brush which allows you to put on three complimentary colors at once! This saves you a loooot of time! 

6. Fake the mascara - No make-up looks done without the stiletto lashes. I just recently found this new Voluminous false lashes from L'Oreal and it works! I feel borderline drag queen with my 5 inch lashes. 

7. Kiss and tell - The final touch is the lips, but since I had already smokey black eyes I decided to go a little more neutral. I combined Chanel's #34 lipstick with their new lip gloss. It's almost like a collagen injection, the lips look plump and daring.

What about you guys? What is your favorite 5 minutes make-up?

The Look - Karaoke Birthday Party

I love Karaokes, it is just the perfect excuse for people to support my bad singing! So yesterday I was very excited to go to my friend Russel's karaoke birthday celebration which after a loft of brainstorming he called To honor thy Virgo. This was my outfit for the party:

Disclaimer: I am not a make up artist but thought this look pretty good for an amateur!  I will show this make up step by step on my next post, very easy and quick to do.

Coat - Zara

Dress - Veronica M bought at Ambiance SF

Shoes - Andarella

Clutch - Salvatore Ferragamo

Beauty Tips - Hair Care

Having curly, thick and colored hair is definitely a challenge. Specially if your color includes highlights like mine does. The secret? Moisturize! Moisturize! Moisturize!
So here are the products I use on a daily basis to keep my hair at check:

Kerastase Noctogenist - this night mask is a life savior! Simply apply it before going to sleep (I usually use a towel to wrap my pillow to avoid any mess) and wash your hair as you normally would in the morning. The hair looks shiny, silky and the frizz is gone.

Kerastase Reflection - indicated for colored hair, this line has a wonderful scent and is light enough to be used on a daily basis. I wash my hair twice with the shampoo followed by a 15-20 minutes mask. It is a TLT (total life transformation)!

Moroccan Oill mask by Organix - I recently found about this one on a trip to Walgreen's down the street. I've heard wonderful things about moroccan oil products for a long time now but have never had a chance to try them (I'm very faithful to Kerastase!). So I picked one of these up and guess what? It works! It leaves your hair very smooth and the smell is just delicious!

All of these products are available on most cosmetic stores, but you can get them directly from Strawberrynet which is the website I usually use for my beauty products. I hope you enjoy these as much as I do! XOXO

The Look - Apero

 Last Saturday I was invited to the Apero (French happy hour) at my friend's Gregory Saramite and Chloe Battesti. He works in the prestigious social networking industry here in the Silicon Valley and she is very talented and renown make up artist and photographer. You can see her work here.

Since Greg's parents are in town straight from Bordeaux, they've decided to do a low key at-home long happy hour with lots of hors d'oeuvres and champagne. We had a great time! This is the look I had on:

Top - Moda.com

Cashmere - Lord & Taylor

Jeans - Diesel

Sandals - Gucci

Clutch - Michael Kors

P.S: I know the quality of the picture isn't that great, the camera's battery died last minute and I had to use my cellphone! :-(

Jean Paul Gaultier - The Exhibit

This weekend the magnificent Jean Paul Gaultier exhibit has left San Francisco. After several months in the rainbow city, the end came and of course I went to see it.

I have to confess, I went to see it twice. I love Gaultier, so I felt like I had to dissect every single seam, button, crystal, bead and lace. The first time I went by myself which allowed me to take everything in like a sponge, the second time I went with my lovely students from Visions of La Moda Fashion Studio for Youth which was great for sharing opinions.

As a fashion designer, I could not stop my self from taking pictures for my personal archive. Without further delays, here are some of the high points of the Gaultier exhibit:

Loved the opening definition for the exhibit! Such a statement!

The mermaid on crutches. How more creative can you get?

The boudoir, so daring ... 

This is my favorite look of the entire exhibit, love the whole ensemble and could definitely see myself walking wearing this in Monaco. Charlene, watch out!

 

The Look - Working in Style II

So this is how I decided to dress to go to work:

Cardigan - Valentino Red

Top - Eloise (sold at Anthropologie)

Skirt - Valentino Red

Shoes - Giorgio Armani

Bag - Louis Vuitton

Here you can see a close up of these amazing and comfy Giorgio Armani flats.

Travel Guide #2 - Paris Part 2

Continuing this guide about the city of lights (which I personally love!), I will share some of the best addresses in town, or how the French call it: les bonnes adresses, alors, a retenir!

3. Happy hours + Late night
Paris is the city of light, love, of the arts but also of great parties. There are great places to go from the apero (French happy hour) to late night clubbing, from jazz soirees in Montmartre to techno escapes close to the Bois de Boulogne. So here is my list of favorites:

1. Buddha Bar
One word about the Buddha Bar: atmosphere! This bar/lounge/ restaurant is located in the 8th district in Paris, very easy to get to, a bit pricey, good service and great drinks. The highlights of this place are the people and the music. Here you'll see the beautiful people of Paris, some tourists and some movie stars. You'll also listen to the best lounge music in the world (yeap, they've lauched several Buddha Bar cds). Come in, grab a seat or not, a glass of kir royal and enjoy!

Buddha Bar

8 Rue Boissy d'Anglas

Paris 75008

2. Carmen

When I've first heard about the Carmen, it made me think about my grandma since her name is also Carmen, and I'm glad they used such a lovely name for such a great top of the notch spot!

Really, the place is magnificent! This is an ancient mansion that has been remodeled and turned into a club, but still kept all his elegance and most of its original decor. It is open even on weekdays with the coolest DJ's in Paris. The drinks are great too, although a higher price point than usual (about 15-20 euros each). But hey, totally worth it!

Le Carmen

34, Rue Duperre

Paris, 75009

3. Favela Chic

Looking for some Brazilian style clubbing in Paris? Favela Chic is your place! It's a cool, low key venue with an unique decor (think old warehouse meets the Amazon meets lounge), you are barely able to notice it from the outside. Once inside, it's an explosion of colors, flavors and sound. 

The restaurant serves Brazilian dishes, such as feijoada (black beans) and moqueca (fish stew). Definitely worth a visit!

Favela Chic

18, rue du Fauboug du Temple

Paris, 75011

4. Interesting things to do in Paris:

Instead of waiting in line for hours at the Eiffel Tower, or running through the Louvre without seeing much, or even facing the crowds at Notre-Dame de Paris, change your pace. Enjoying life is the French way of life, spending long afternoons reading a book at a Cafe's terrace, having 4 hour lunches or dinners and actually enjoying the experience, talking about anything (politics, economics...) and then laughing about all things. So when in Paris, let's do as the Parisians do:

- Instead of trying to go up the Eiffel Tower , have a picnic on Let Champs de Mars. Pack local bread and cheeses and feast while looking at the magnificent Dame de Fer.

- Take a stroll at Les Jardins de Luxembourg. It's absolutely beautiful throughout the seasons.

- Get lost in the streets of the 6th.

- Visit the local bakery, fruit market, cheese market and bookstore.

- Go to Centre George Pompidou, visit the venue and then go upstairs to have a drink at the bar.

- Go to la Villete, visit the science museum and be amazed by all the gadgets and discoveries.

- Finally, go shopping for beauty products at a local pharmacy and find treasuries you won't be able to live without afterwards.

Hope you all enjoy, Paris! Gros bisous!

Cooking with Paula - Figs + Prosciutto

One thing that I love to do in my free time is to cook. I create new recipes from scratch, mix different flavors, colors, French and Brazilian cuisine, and of course I add a little touch of American here an there. I often think about my grandma Carmen while cooking, she was an outstanding cook and left us with a void in our hearts and a massive cooking book when she went to heaven.

So I've decided to share one of my recipes with you, very easy and quick to make and very low in carbs, which is great since I'm back on my Paleo diet.

The ingredients:

- One small basket of figs

- One pack of Italian prosciutto 

- Olive Oil

Start by washing the figs and cut them in halves. Then, heat a pan with a table spoon of olive oil. Add the figs. Cook for about 3 minutes turning the figs often. Place the cooked figs in some paper towel to dry the oil, let it cool down for another 3 minutes.

On a big plate or tray, lay the slices of prosciutto and place one fig in the middle of each slice. Roll the fig inside of the prosciutto slice and use a toothpick to finish. That's it!

You can enjoy this dish with a nice glass of rose wine or champagne. But I've chosen to enjoy it with a nice glass of lemon Italian soda (available at Wholefoods).

As sides I had some very nice dates, muenster cheese and almonds. Mmmmm delish!!!

The Look - Working in style

The weather has been a bit nicer here in San Francisco, so I've chosen a lighter look to wear to work (no parka, no boots, no sweaters! lol). Here is to summers in San Francisco!

Dress - Zara

Jacket - Elizabeth & James

Shoes - Gucci

Bag - Louis Vuitton

Watch - Tiffany & CO

Travel Guide #2: Paris - Part 1

Let me start this by saying: I love Paris! I really do! However this guide is the non-touristic guide to Paris. The reason being that I truly believe in experiencing the city as locals.
Skip the going up the Eiffel tower, why waste time in a 4h line? Only go to the Louvre if you have the whole day to stay there and really see things, that place is massive! Hop on, hop off buses? NOOOOOO! You want to walk and take the subway only if necessary. Ready? So here we go!

1. Where to stay:
If you are going to be in the city for a period of 7 days or more, renting and apartment is probably the best option. You'll have more space, have the possibility of cooking or at least eating breakfast in (of course you'll go to the closest boulangerie and grab some freshly baked croissants, no corn flakes are allowed in the city of lights!). In addition to that, you'll save money this way, and that means: More money for shoe shopping!
Use an online agency, never pay the full amount up front (SCAM!) and read the reviews about the apartment prior to signing anything, pictures can be deceiving sometimes.
The arrondissements you want to say in: 6th, 7th, 5th if you are next to the Pantheon area. Of course, if you are going to an event, you want to stay close to the venue. Don't forget, Paris is huge!

Here the agency I always use for apartment rentals:
Paris Attitude
http://www.parisattitude.com/

My favorite cartier is: Luxembourg (6th)

However, if you are going to be in city for less than seven days, then you probably want to stay at a hotel. Although more expensive, you'll have all the comforts of room service and won't worry about grocery shopping for such short period of time. If you can afford to stay at the Ritz, then great! But remember the whole shoe shopping philosophy? This is an address I recommend:

Hotel des Carmes
5, Rue des Carmes
Paris 75005
+33 1 43 29 78 40
http://www.hoteldescarmesparis.com/English/hotel_carmes_paris.htm

2. Where to eat:

1.La Batisde Odeon
This is a little bistro style place in the heart of the 6th. No frills, not crowded (yay!), the service is very friendly and the food is delicious. The wine list is also very complete.

7, rue Corneille
Paris, 75006
+33 1 43 26 03 65
http://bastideodeon.com/index.html

2. Bonaparte

A gem in St. Germain des Pres. This place is a bit more upscale, situated just across from the church and surrounded by all the big couture names (Chanel, Dior, YSL and more!). Shop until you drop and then come here for a glass of champagne, foie gras or a delicious espresso.

42, rue Bonaparte
Paris, 75006
+33 1 42 27 36 78

At the Bonaparte, waiting for the foie gras to come!

3. Deux Magots

A very traditional spot in Paris. This cafe has been here since 1933 and it has a history of its own. Initially a store (the 2 statues inside of the cafe are still there to testify), then it became a cafe in 1885 and finally Les Deux magots in 1933. A great spot for people watching, just grab your newspaper or book, seat at the terrasse and enjoy!

Celebrating my birthday at Les Deux Magots with Florent & my parents

6, Place St Germain des Pres

Paris, 75006

+33 1 45 48 55 25

P.S: Les Deux Magots have a brand of champagne of their own, and it's delicious!

4. Chez Prosper

This is the real Paris! Located steps way from subway station Nation, this is a totally non-touristic place and it's great! The food is simply amazing, the portions are big (think sharing), the drinks are delicious and the service is outstanding. Here we laugh at the waiter's jokes, we talk to people from the other tables, we go outside for a smoke break (for those who smoke) and take our wine glasses with us. Although far from the center, I would come back here in a heart beat.

The guys having a good time at Chez Prosper

7, Avenue du Trone

Paris, 75011

+33 1 45 48 55 25

5. Le Clos Bourguignon

This is also a piece of REAL Paris. Located in the 9th district, close to subway station Opera or RER Auber, this is also a little gem that tourists don't know about. Here you'll eat authentic French cuisine cooked to perfection. Have the combo snails + beer filet. You won't regret it!

39, rue de Caumartin

Paris, 75009

+33 1 47 42 56 60

The Look - Rose's late night b-fast party

My friend Rose Villanueva was transferred from Gucci West Coast to Gucci East Coast, she will now be overseeing the visual merchandising on the other side of the country and moving to NY!
So we decided to do a girls night in at my friend Traci's place as goodbye party to her. The menu: pancakes , hash brown, sausages, loads of bacon, and mimosas! I had a great time!
Here are some pictures of the outfit I had on:

Dress - Catherine Malandrino

Pumps - Christian Louboutin

Leather Jacket - DKNY

Bag - Chanel

Necklace - Effy collections

Garance Dore & Kate Spade

I've been following Garance Dore's blog for a while now and I was sooo excited to find out that she partnered of one of the designers I love: Kate Spade!
She developed some prints that were applied towards a limited edition of pieces and I want them all! So gracious, elegant and fun! Chapeau, miss Garance!
Here are some pictures of the pieces:

Her shirt in action.

Just love this umbrella!!

The cute georgie.

The stylish bag.

Gotta have this Iphone case!

I really love all the pieces in this collection, the items are already available for purchase on the Kate Spade website and at stores. Which one is your favorite?

Beauty - Face

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As a teenager I had a lot of issues with skin, acne being the worst of them. As I came into adulthood I came to terms with my skin, I've learned to work with I've got to look my best.
Lately, I've learned a bunch of new tips and have come to love some great products. So here is how I take care of my face:

1. L'eau thermale Avene - I have a least 3 of these bottles in my bathroom cabinet, can't live without it! What I do is instead of wetting my face to wash it with regular tap water, I spray the l'eau thermale all over my face, it hydrates and leaves my skin glowing.

2. Wash Cloth - since I've met my lovely beauty esthetician Justine, you can contact her here I've learned not to touch my skin anymore, I use a wash cloth to wash my face and my body. It has definitely improved my skin.

3. Cleanser - I wash my face most of the times with a mild soap, SkinCeuticals Gentle cleanser and Vichy's Purete Thermale are my favorites! When I need something to clean deeper, I use Biotherm's biopur, that happens about 1-2x per week.

4. Sunscreen -  I have been a fan of La Roche Posay's Anthelios for the longest time, but once I moved to California, my skin started to behave differently, I found out about Colore Science and fell in love! It's a powder sunscreen that protects your skin without leaving it oily.

5. Anti wrinkle - let's face it, aging doesn't feel that good and I want to look as young as I can possibly do! So when I turned 25 I have made a resolution, to get some anti wrinkle on my skin on a daily basis! I've been using the Vichy's Neovadiol GF which was prescribed to me by my dermatologist Dr. Andrezza Nascimento and so far it has been working like a charm!

What about you? How do you take care of your skin?

The Look

Sunday morning church can be quite challenging sometimes. You want to look your best, elegant, modern, with nothing hanging out (hey!!!) and at the same time to look age appropriate. Here is how I usually dress, not hats, no frills, simple and clean.

Cami - Calida available at Les Cents Culottes

Shirt - Armani Exchange

Pants - Burberry

Tweed Jacket - Marella

Shoes - Guess

Purse - Fendi

Sunnies - Tiffany & CO

And here is the detail of the fabulous Fendi bag!

What do you guys think?