BIRTHDAY DAY - PICNIC AT THE BEACH

Hey Everyone! I just wanted to share a few pics from my B-Day. Spending it on the beach, was sort of an impromptu idea. You see, a friend of mine got me my favorite wine for my Birthday. I really love this light, sparkling wine, because it has the most amazing fruity and refreshing taste, with a hint of apples, pears, citrus and honeysuckle. Not to mention the pink cellophane wrapping, which makes it look so feminine and pretty! I am also a big fan of Sofia Mini, because you get the same amazing wine but in a super cute and convenient packaging, perfect for any occasion, really! And so, since the weather was absolutely spectacular, we decided to spend the day outside, and what better way to spend your B-Day then have a picnic on the beach! We had an amazing time! In fact, I would say, this was one of my favorite Birthdays ever!

As I mentioned before, my family flew in from Toronto especially for my B-Day, and since I don't get to see them often, every visit is really special. I also want to thank you for all the wonderful Birthday wishes! You guys are absolutely amazing! Reading your emails always makes my day better! Thank you very much from the bottom of my heart!

Francis Ford Coppola Sofia Blanc de Blancs | Francis Ford Coppola Sofia Mini | World Market picnic basket & table runner - sold out { very pretty similar option here } | Free People striped top - old { similar here } | J Crew sunglasses - sold out { similar here }

Thank you for reading

& Keep On Smiling,

LOVE,

Annabelle

IN PUR{SUIT} OF SUMMER...

I don't think I will ever get over brightly-hued Summer suits, especially the ones as cute as this one! I mean, one word, NEON! You know how I feel about bright colors! I wore this outfit on Friday, because I had a bunch of meetings during the day and an event at night. And, I absolutely love how it works for just about any occasion!

Initially, I got it for Fashion Week, but I have no willpower, so I gave in and wore it a bit early:) Ok, maybe a lot early:) I am only human, after all! What about you guys, how do you feel about Summer suits?

Zadig & Voltaire suit { also here } | Rag & Bone top | Vita Fede jewelry: mini titan crystal bracelet, original titan bracelet, ultra eclipse crystal midi ring, ultra mini titan crystal ring & Capri 5 wrap bracelet | Saint Laurent classic duffle bag via Ssense { in blue here, also love this hot pink version } | Schutz Arieli lace up booties { also love this version in black } | Essie nail polish in "Play Date"

Thank you for reading

& Keep On Smiling,

LOVE,

Annabelle

BURBERRY BEAUTY + TACORI CITY LIGHTS JEWELRY

I think I mentioned before that when it comes to make up, my philosophy is less is more and today's look is no exception. I like to choose colors that are soft and natural. I swear, I tried red lipstick so many times, but it just looks wrong on me:) Normally, I skip foundation all together and simply go for a bit of bronzer or blush. The Burberry Beauty blush, I'm wearing in this post, gives the softest, pretties glow without being too obvious. Just make sure you blend well, and build intensity gradually.  

I don't like to wear lip pencils but always apply lip balm under my lipstick and use my finger instead of a brush to apply lip color. I find, this way the product goes on sheer and looks much more natural. 

I do spent a bit more time on my eyes, I'm sure you noticed I am completely addicted to my eye liner! But even so, I like a more understated approach. For a very soft smoky eye look, I like to apply Burberry Beauty sheer eyeshadow all over the upper lid and line the top and bottom of my eye lashes with eye shaping pencil in a very pretty shade of greenish-brown, extending the eyeliner just beyond the outer corners of my eyes to achieve a cat-eye look. And voila! All done:)

Bracelet, ring & earrings via Tacori | Cameo dress | Burberry Beauty Lip Velvet long wear lipstick in "Antique Pink", Light Glow natural blush in "Russet", sheer eyeshadow in "Dark Sable" & Eye Definer eye shaping pencil in "Midnight Ash"

Thank you for reading

& Keep On Smiling,

LOVE,

Annabelle

FITTED FLORAL

Just got this dress, and simply couldn't wait to take it for a walk. You know how it is with new, cute things :) Since Emil and I had dinner plans, I though it would be the perfect opportunity to dress up a bit. For me, this dress is a perfect example of sexy and classic. Love the way long sleeves and high neckline balance out the sexy front slit and dramatic floral print. Definitely one of my favorite dresses at the moment! 

In other news, I just found out my mom and brother are flying in from Toronto for my B-Day, which is coming up just at the end of the month! As I mentioned before, my family lives in Canada and I don't get to see them nearly as much as I would like. So, every visit is super special to me! I promise to take lots of pictures of our adventures, in the meantime, CLICK HERE, if you want to see a few from one of their previous visits:) 

Maurie & Ever Madison Floral dress via NastyGal { also love this color } | Saint Laurent classic duffle bag via Ssense { in white here, also love this red version } | Zara heels | BanLook Rococo Licorice sunglasses | Vita Fede jewelry: mini titan crystal bracelet, original titan bracelet, ultra eclipse crystal midi ring, ultra mini titan crystal ring & Capri 5 wrap bracelet 

Thank you for reading

& Keep On Smiling,

LOVE,

Annabelle

ROSE SANGRIA RECIPE

Happy Monday, Everyone! I want to take this opportunity to share another one of my super-easy and quick recipes. As I have mentioned before, as much as I like going out to eat, I love staying in just as well. Sometimes, all you need to create a special evening is your favorite bottle of wine, something yummy to munch on and a chance to cuddle up with a great book. So, whenever I'm in a mood for such an evening, I like to grab a bottle of Sofia Monterey County Rose, a particular favorite, and make a super refreshing Sangria. Reason why I like to drink it this way, is because fresh berries help to bring out the delicate notes of strawberries, lavender, cherry, raspberry and citrus zest in this wine. So, I hope you enjoy this recipe and please let me know if you have any questions! 

INGREDIENTS:

Sangria:

1 bottle of Francis Ford Coppola Sofia Monterey County Rose

1 bottle of sparkling water

1 cup of sugar

1 cup of raspberries

1 cup of white peaches, diced

1 cup of strawberries, diced

1 lemon, juiced

2 oranges, juiced + 1 orange for garnish

Hours D'oeuvres:

1/2 cup of cottage cheese

1/2 cup of cherry jam 

1/2 cup of toasted almond

1 box of crackers or crisps

PREPARATION:

Sangria: 

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl, and stir well to help dissolve the sugar. Once you are done, refrigerate Sangria for about an hour. Next, pour the mixture into individual glasses and garnish with orange slices. 

Hours D'oeuvres:

Top each crisp with half a spoon of cottage cheese and cherry jam, garnish with almonds. 

Francis Ford Coppola Sofia Monterey County Rose | Michael Aram cheese board & knife set | Crystal bowl - old { similar here } | Pottery Barn mercury glass vase - sold out { similar here }

Thank you for reading
& Bon Appetit,
LOVE,
Annabelle

BLUSH N' BLACK

Back in my uniform, while indulging in some Fashion Week shopping with my girls. BTW, love having Fashion Week as an excuse to buy all the shoes I've been eyeing for a while:) When it gets super hectic, there is nothing I miss more than spending a day with my friends, hitting a few of our favorite stores, grabbing lunch and just catching up.... Ah, wish I could do it everyday:) But I suppose, then these days wouldn't be as special, huh? 

Truth & Pride silk blazer | A.L.C. Scotty shorts { in white here } | Pamela Love for Zadig & Voltaire snake ring & bracelet | Joie top - sold out { similar here } | Tibi shoes | Saint Laurent classic duffle bag via Ssense { in white here, also love this red version } | Essie nail polish in "Go Ginza" & "Bond With Whomever" 

Thank you for reading

& Keep On Smiling,

LOVE,

Annabelle

HELLO MOTO

Suppose by now, it's pretty obvious cobalt is one of my favorite colors, if not the favorite color. Something about this vibrant shade of blue makes me want to wear it over and over again, few recent examples { here, here & here }. And black, white & cobalt color-combo happens to be my particular weakness:) But then of course this outfit is a combination of  lot of my favorites... I mean, you know how I feel about structured & tailored pieces, like this coolest-ever slit sleeve, leather trimmed silk cape. Super versatile, I'm also thinking of pairing it with leather shorts or tailored mini skirts. So, I guess it's pretty fair to say, this cape will be making quite a few appearances on my blog:)

P.S. Today is the last day to enter BonLook INTERNATIONAL GIVEAWAY to win 5 pairs of sunglasses, including the ones I'm wearing in this post! So, CLICK HERE to enter if you haven't already done so:)

Hudson Stark moto jeans { also love this version in black } | Rag & Bone top | Friend of Mine Captains Cape via NastyGal | Emporio Armani shoes | Vita Fede jewelry: mini titan crystal bracelet, original titan bracelet, ultra eclipse crystal midi ring, ultra mini titan crystal ring & Capri 5 wrap bracelet | Proenza Schouler PS11 bag |  BonLook Honeybadger in Bondi Blue sunglasses - out of stock { in Gray here }

Thank you for reading

& Keep On Smiling,

LOVE,

Annabelle

CASUAL CROCHET

Not sure what's happening with LA weather lately, but it feels like it can't make up it's mind. It changes momentarily, and cold, cloudy mornings sometimes turn into beautiful sunny days. Of course sometimes they don't, that's why when the sun does come out, it certainly much appreciated:)! Because the weather was so nice yesterday, Emil and I decided to visit one of our favorite places, the Getty Villa. Since I knew we were going to be walking around quite a bit, I decided this was the perfect occasion to wear my new Aleeyas sandals. Aside from being super comfortable, I am quite obsessed with the gorgeous jeweled uppers, made with real crystals. I also love the fact that the jeweled uppers come in a variety of colors and styles and are interchangeable. At the moment I can't decide between the Glamour and Desire sets. Which one do you guys like best? Or should I just get both?:)

P.S. If you like the sunnies I'm wearing in this post, you're in luck! CLICK HERE to enter INTERNATIONAL GIVEAWAY via BonLook to win 5 pairs of sunglasses, including the ones I'm wearing in this post!  

Aleeyas Romance set sandals in silver | Crochet sweater - old { similar here & here } | BonLook BlueSteel Tomato sunglasses | Saint Laurent classic duffle bag via Ssense { in white here, also love this red version } | Shorts - old { similar here & here } | Vita Fede jewelry: mini titan crystal bracelet, original titan bracelet, ultra eclipse crystal midi ring, ultra mini titan crystal ring & Capri 5 wrap bracelet | Essie nail polish in "First Timer" & "Maximillian Strasse-Her" on hands and "Play Date" on feet

Thank you for reading

& Keep On Smiling,

LOVE,

Annabelle