Instagram Lately + Favorite San Diego Eats

Modcloth cropped cardigan in navy sz S, Ann Taylor shirt 00p (also worn here)

Halogen leopard heels sz 5, Prada tote bag in caramel, J.Crew skirt 000p

Just popping in to share some recent sale finds and another Instagram roundup! I stumbled upon this very good sale of Nike sneakers (including my favorite Free 5.0) that don't often get marked down, with free 3-day shipping and returns! There's also no sales tax for orders shipping outside of NJ or NY. Outside of sneakers, NAP also has a pretty big sale selection of designer shoes, clothes and accessories which the site is more known for. Many items are left in small sizes so try filtering by size on the left.


Rag & Bone is also having a big sale with free ship & returns. Includes several styles of premium skinny jeans (this looks like a classic pair for half off) and ankle boots, like their popular Newbury, Margot, and Harrow style booties. Please note the Harrow boot is known to run small, so may even fit ladies who usually need a tough-to-find size 34.

Next up, the outfit above from my Instagram - got so many questions in the comments about how to tuck both a shirt and cardigan in a pencil skirt without bulges! That is the beauty of a cropped-length, 3/4 sleeve cardigan. No tucking-in needed, plus allows for a cute cuffed-sleeve looks without bulk at the lower arms. This one comes in so many versatile colors and runs small - mine in size S measures 15" from top to bottom, and my guess is this length will vary with each size. If it's too short for you to wear as shown above, it'll still look cute worn open over dresses to show off your waistline.

Cauldron nitrogen s'mores ice cream in a "puffle" waffle / egg-puff cone

On to my favorite part of this post - the most memorable eats from our last SoCal trip! We look for new places to try each visit, and these did not disappoint. Cauldron is actually quite a bit outside SD in Santa Ana. We were passing by and it looked interesting on Yelp, with nitrogen ice cream finished science experiment-style in front of you, and their signature "puffle" cone which is a hybrid of mini Asian egg puffs and a regular waffle cone. You can tear off the slightly warm little puffs one by one and dip into your ice cream. To further entice the ladies, they can carve any ice cream into a rose shape if you so desire.

We got the S'mores puffle above, and although Nick rather liked it (probably b/c he's a big fan of the traditional egg puffs as seen here in # 6, ha!), I'm not really been into those and would get a regular waffle cone next time. We also wished there was more of the creamy ice cream inside the cone - ended up gobbling this one up and had to get another cup to fully satisfy our cravings.

Tajima signature ramen (requested spicy) w/ added corn

I am perpetually on the lookout for good ramen, and this had most of the components I love plus a few pleasant surprises. You also get to choose from a variety of noodles including thin, thick, or gluten-free. We both got thick and they were wonderfully springy in texture. Also I'm a huge fan of "garlic chive" (the longer ones at the top of the bowl) in dumplings, stir-fries, etc, and found them to be equally tasty in noodles. I would get the Tajima non-spicy next time in order to better appreciate the broth flavors.

Oscars Mexican Seafood tacos and shrimp + fish ceviche

No trip to San Diego would be complete without fulfilling Nick's taco fix. These large ones are from Oscars, where I hope to try the "surf & turf" next time. The tacos were good (with sauces aplenty for this condiment junkie) but I thought the ceviche was the star.

Poke Go brown rice combo (ahi tuna, salmon, octopus) + avocado

Oh my poke goodness, I can't get enough of these bowls. It's the perfect light but filling lunch or post-workout treat. Boston is a few waves behind all the food trends of the west coast, so although these are old news for many, I was quite giddied up to eat it every chance I got (which was 3x during this last visit...mmm). Orange County seems to have a plethora of options, but Poke Go was the only dedicated poke bowl shop we found in San Diego, having opened just a few weeks ago. I got a combo in their lighter soy-based sauce, with a little spicy mayo on the side. The bowl was fresh and delish, but I'd request less onion next time and more of the cucumbers for added crunch.

The diced fish in sauce concept is technically very easy to make at home if you have access to fresh ingredients...but you can't beat the convenience of picking up a bowl. Wonder if I can convince my favorite sushi take-out joint to start adding this as an option ; )

For anyone planning a SoCal visit, here are my other favorite spots from a past trip.

Winter Pink + Gray // Portland, Freeport Maine travel + food diary

Sorel Winter Fancy boots c/o, H&M coat, mug, YSL crossbody bag (review)

Banana Republic jeans, Talbots tee, Macy's sweater, Old Navy mittens & hat

We love heading up to Maine every so often for a change of pace, and more importantly, the food & drink! The food scene in Portland is amazing with a lot of fresh ingredients and creative culinary minds. We like gorging at restaurants there but staying somewhere with a little more rustic charm, like Freeport. It�s a small town about 20 minutes north, home to a big outdoor outlet mall for all your holiday shopping, a 24-hour LL Bean flagship store (because you might need duck boots at 3am), and don't forget the Maine Beer Company tasting room, Nick adds!

Packing essentials: ASOS plaid blanket scarf / wrap, Sole Society Cassidy bag 

Hunter foldable rainboots (the best! also  at Zappos or Bloomingdales), Sorel snow boots

Here we are toasting our feet back in our room at the charming Haraseeket Inn, after stuffing ourselves during their complimentary tea & treats service. I adore a room with a good cozy fireplace & reading nook! Nick's tartan PJ pants are a bargain from Old Navy (he also has the snowmen print I stole here which several of you guys asked about). They're 100% cotton and shrink a bit if machine dried, so size up for your men. My husband gets quite riled up when I borrow his favorite PJs, but they're just so comfy and festive I can't help myself : ) Btw, I also picked up these cable mittens & pom pom hat while at ON - the mittens are soo soft and cozy with fleece lining on the inside!

Men's flannel PJ pants (lots of prints), Target sweater leggings

On to Portland food�our first meal was at Eventide Oyster, co-founded by a chef who worked at Clio in Boston. They make a mean brown butter lobster roll on an Asian-style pillowy bao bun. Out of all the ways to have lobster, I prefer mine in the shell (Cantonese style over noodles! mmm...see my family recipe) but if I have to have a roll, this wasn�t bad at all. Nick on the other hand is all about the lobster rolls (and any Asian bao, pretty much), so naturally this one ranked pretty high on his list. The oysters were also oh-so-fresh and briney�it kills me when I go to places and they pour out or spill the brine before serving!

For brunch the next day, we were back in Portland at a spot called Central Provisions. The cornbread with bacon & filled with an egg was TDF! This dark photo doesn't do it justice...I'm still dreaming of all its crispy bits and runny goodness. Nick has been working on perfecting his recreation of this back home. 

I did manage to get my lobster pasta fix at Street & Co, which has been at the top of my to-try list. Apparently they take reservations 2 to 3 months ahead of time (nuts!) but thankfully also have some space for walk-ins. Their famed lobster diavolo was served piping hot & fresh, with all the seafood cooked to tender perfection for about $30 less than The Daily Catch's version in Boston. It's listed as "for two" but we made about two more meals out of the leftovers alone.

Aside from the yummy food, another common theme during our Portland trip were the strong drinks. I can usually do a few cocktails before needing to call it a night, but was a 1-drink wonder everywhere we went there (cheap date for Nick!).

You guys may remember this mock-neck sweater from this post tucked into a skirt and this post styled under a vest. The cropped length lends itself to so many different layered looks, including being worn over a longer button-up plaid shirt or patterned tee like I did here. They sell a lot of tops with that faux 2-in-1 look, which is very easy to create just with two shirts of differing lengths. 

Would love to hear some of your favorite towns & places to visit in Maine for our next trip!

San Francisco outfit layers & food travel diary

LOFT sweater (review; also worn here) xsp + jeans 24p, Burberry trench sz 2 (similar)

Clare Vivier bag (old), Stuart Weitzman Lowland boots sz 5 c/o (review; also here)

Hello hello ~ This is a little belated, but I wanted to share one last outfit post from San Francisco as well as some yummy highlights from my visit. You guys certainly knew the hot spots, since most of the places I called from your suggestions were booked or had hours-long waits. I only made it to a few, but now all the more reason to go back! My trench coat and flat boots came in handy for all the "hiking" up and down those steep hills, necessary for working off the good eats.

pretty painted ladies in Alamo Square

I'll start with my favorite meal of the trip - garlic noodles & peppercorn crab at PPQ Dungeneses Island, a must for fellow crab lovers. Please pardon the low-quality image taken from my Snapchat. Not the most compelling visually, but I'm practically drooling at the memory! I hate the fussiness of eating crab, but the shell was so soft we didn't even need cracker tools. Not recommended for those who don't like to get their fingers messy and probably not for first dates. I can't wait to go back and try their other items, as well as their crab-petitor restaurant Thanh Long for comparisons sake.

Oh, Mr. Holmes, how I wanted to love your famous cruffins! Like madwomen, my friend and I made a cruffin plan of action to ensure that we'd get some, and even went to bed early the night before. The filled muffin-croissant hybrids come out at 9AM each day, and apparently on weekends lines start as early as 8 (each person is limited to buy 2). They bake only 1 flavor each day so we had our fingers crossed for matcha green tea w/ strawberry filling, but were met with chocolate hazelnut. Nick enjoyed them back in Boston, but I likely wouldn't line up for them again. However, for fans of savory pastries, their pastrami + sauerkraut croissant was de-lish...we fought down to the crumbs for that one.

The frequently-Instagrammed Rotunda at Neiman Marcus, where I ended up a few too many times during my stay. Such a pretty place to meet over their fresh popovers and huge lobster clubs.

Dim sum at Yank Sing - I'm usually wary when my favorite familiar cheap eats are served in a more upscale setting (I mean just look at that teapot!), but it was pretty good here. And anywhere I can get a full range of dim sum, crispy roast duck buns, and juicy soup dumplings all in one place gets a thumbs up from me.
My first time trying okonomiyaki - had to Google it at the table as I couldn't decipher what it was made of. Apparently it's a popular Japanese savory pancake made commonly with a shredded cabbage base and a variety of mix-ins. Quite yummy with interesting textures! We had this at Namu Gaji, a farm-to-table type of restaurant.

And I'll leave you guys with this satisfying treat from Bi-Rite Creamery, just a few steps down the street from Namu Gaji. So many interesting and unique flavors available for packing into little ice cream sandwiches. I defaulted to my usual green tea, which did not disappoint!Thanks to my friends Ping for playing tour guide and Wendy for taking these photos!

Wine + Gray: fall weekend in Napa Valley

J.Crew turtleneck xxs, Prada bag in "pomice," ASOS square blanket scarf

LOFT coated legging jeans sz 24p, Sole Society hat + booties (also sold here)

Just popping in with a quick hello from Napa! Burgundy + gray is my current favorite color combo, perfect for fall and also for my klutzy self to conceal spilled snacks and drinks from wine tasting fun. As mentioned in my last post, I would highly recommend these coated legging jeans or the sateen version (my review), which both come in several versatile colors. They rival some designer coated denim I've tried on, at a pretty affordable price!

I had been looking for a wool hat in the perfect taupe-gray color, and this one did not disappoint! I got it a few weeks ago and have been excited to wear it at every opportunity. The versatile color pairs well with most fall neutrals and colors, and the fit is like an H&M Medium which works well on my head. I sometimes feel a little silly in hats (Nick teasing me as "Indiana Jean" doesn't help), but I found this one to be easy to wear and more classic than "western."


I'm also excited to share this plaid blanket scarf is back in stock! (Update: it's sold out again but here are all of their oversized square blanket scarve patterns - I also have the white-based check on which you guys see often!). Here's my old video tutorial again on how to style these blanket scarves. When eating or on long car rides, I usually just have it folded in half in a triangle and draped over my shoulders like a shawl. The quality is fair for what I would expect for the price. A few ladies have told me their scarves shed fuzz most visible on black garments, so you may want to keep tape or a lint roller handy.

Fall camel brown + olive // casual comfy travel outfit

Sole Society Devyn booties sz 5.5 & scarf (color sold out), Leith cardigan xs

Sole Society Cassidy weekender bag c/o, Bric's 21" suitcase

7FAM jeans (similar in petite on sale w/SHAREIT), J.Crew turtleneck xxs

We snapped these pics before a recent quick trip up North�was hoping to pack this light again for San Francisco but no such luck! My friends kept telling me to pack sufficiently for changing temps, so I ended up bringing enough layers to clothe a small family. I was buried under about 4 of these layers when I spotted my cooking idol Giada De Laurentiis just now at the airport, and huffed my way over to fangirl out. She is very petite in-person and kindly humored me for selfies (& complimented my outfit�eek!) even while running late for a flight.

If you�re looking for a lower-heeled ankle boot that also comes up lower at the ankle, these Sole Society Devyn booties are very comfortable and made of real leather or suede. They didn�t need breaking in for me and I walked in them for over a mile during the first wear. I have them on again now at the airport as I�m typing up this post! The low 2.5" stacked heels give a little boost but are manageable for those who don't love high heels. Sizing is unfortunately now limited for this style but they have several similar low-heeled booties as well.

Sizing-wise, I took a 5.5 and there�s just enough room inside for thin socks (I�m usually between a 5 and 5.5 in most brands). The opening is not too wide for narrow ankles and is low enough so that you don�t need to cuff your skinny jeans up too high. The entry to these boots is via a zipper down the back center.
I see this scarf from last year is now sold out again in the �hunter green� color�hope anyone who was interested was able to pick it up when I posted about the re-stock earlier! It truly is a great scarf both size and color scheme-wise, so hopefully they�ll bring back more. Speaking of hunter green I also wanted to point out these Ayla ankle strap heels that are a lower version of my beloved Cadena heels from last year. I tried these on for size (a 5 fit, so half size down from the booties) - the design is classic and the colored suede looked good quality.

 Thank you to Sole Society for sponsoring this post!

Instagram Lately + SoCal Food Guide (tacos, mochi, poke, hot pot)

Anthropologie petites dress (old), Steve Madden sandals (runs narrow), Chanel bag

Whenever we travel, scouting out and trying the best local eats is one of my top priorities. I'm constantly bookmarking / screenshotting yummy-looking places and badgering Nick to go a little out of our way sometimes for a bite. I wanted to share some of our favorite spots along the route of San Diego to Los Angeles from our trip last month, for anyone planning a visit. I would also LOVE some recommendations around those areas for our future visits!

Guess boy-fit shorts (on sale), Ann Taylor top

Starting in San Deigo, we landed and made our way to Hammond's Gourmet Ice Cream. Move over, beer flights...this place has the cutest mini ice cream flights with your choice of sugar or house-made waffle cones. You can get singles or flights of 3, 4, 5...up to 32 for enthusiasts who want to try every flavor! I called up a local hungry friend who eagerly ditched work to help us polish this off. If you're having trouble narrowing down options, the Banana brownie storm, POG (pineapple orange guava) sorbet and thai iced tea were a few of our favorites.

One thing Nick always misses from home are the tacos, so we make sure to get our fix whenever there. TJ Oyster Bar is a small chain outside of San Diego with delish seafood tacos and ceviche. I'm not even a big taco person but I loove the tasty octopus and garlic shrimp tacos (so many shrimp for the price!) here, and the fish or shrimp cevice - be sure to ask for extra tostadas for scooping it up.

Kawamata Seafood - in Dana Point, CA right off the 5 freeway. I can't believe this was our first time trying poke bowls, a Hawaiian specialty. As an avid sushi and chirashi lover who usually spends a good 5 minutes at dinner cutting everything into bite-sized pieces, I felt like this dish was made for me. You get to choose from ahi tuna, salmon, octopus (or a mix) with a variety of sauces and add-on toppings, and white or brown rice. Soo good and felt light but filling.

Boiling Point - Irvine, CA (also right off the 5 freeway) and multiple other locations around the US. We read there's usually long wait times but we went during a non-peak time and were seated right away. I'm the biggest hot pot enthusiast but this was the first time we tried it Taiwanese-style! I've never ordered hot pot with all of the ingredients coming out already stewing in the pot. For adventurous eaters, there are interesting, authentic items to choose from like stinky tofu (very palatable name, I know). I can't wait to try to Seattle location when visiting my brother.

Brodard - almost 4,000 reviews on yelp say it all for their famed pork & shrimp spring rolls or nem nuong cuon. My friend Wendy first took me here for these (I had never seen her so enthusiastic about food!), which are apparently high in the ranks of Vietnamese comfort food. I can see a platter of these being the perfect late-night drinking food.
Cafe Maji - two locations in Artesia or Arcadia, CA. Within a few moments of posting this on FB and IG several of you guys asked if this was a pregnancy announcement...rest assured no baby bear on the way, it was just the barista's choice that day : ) Everything looked amazing but the green tea latte and green tea/strawberry/red bean waffle were a little too sweet for us. We did however love the regular cappuccino and the tasty little cream puff it comes with. Looking forward to trying their other drinks and quesadillas next time.

Mikawaya mochi - in Little Tokyo, LA. Home of the boxes of mochi sold at Trader Joe's. My mind was blown to see "mochilatos" on the menu...little glutinous rice balls stuffed with creamy gelato instead of regular ice cream. At $1 to $1.50 a pop, these are perfect for satisfying a sweet tooth after a ramen meal in the area.

Photos are all from my Instagram. As mentioned above, we visit every so often so I'd absolutely love more recommendations in the SD to LA areas!

Lady in Red at LA Urban Light

Ann Taylor coat & dress in xxs petite c/o
Steve Madden heels (runs narrow)

We flew to SoCal recently for our friends' wedding and decided to spend some extra time in the area. Compared to Boston it's a bit of a heat wave here, but the abundance of good eats sure makes up for it! These photos were taken by the Urban Light display in LA - it's a tourist favorite but still leaves me in admiration each time.

Ann Taylor let me pick out pieces from their most recent collections to review - I chose the flared sweater dress last shown here, and also wanted to post these bold red pieces that I thought were notably petite-friendly. The style of the jacket feels like a nod to the timeless coats that Audrey Hepburn liked to wear. It first reminded me of this one, from the flattering swing silhouette (one of my favorite cuts) down to the collar and bracelet-length sleeves. With the collar popped up (see stock images), it felt reminiscent of her bright tomato funnel-neck number made famous in the movie Charade. The fit of an xxs petite is slim in the shoulders and sleeve width, which I think is key for swing-style pieces.

The material of the coat, although an entirely synthetic blend, feels of sturdy weight and good quality, as mentioned in the online reviews. Some said it's a very heavy coat, which I think will definitely differ based on where you're from. In my opinion it'd be suitable for ~60 degree F weather down to ~40 with a sweater layered underneath. The buttons are sturdily sewn on and covered with fabric, the jacket is fully lined, and there are two front pockets. The curved "shirttail" hem on both sides gives the swing cut a little something extra.

On to this sheath dress - I usually get my Ann Taylor dresses altered to fit so was surprised that this dress was fairly fitted on me off the rack. Reading the online reviews, several shoppers mentioned they had to go up one or two sizes from their usual size. I found the cap sleeve and V neck cut to be flattering at the d�colletage area without revealing too much. I wore this, sans coat, to some pre-wedding festivities.

The stretchy fabric in a poly blend feels reminiscent of lightweight wool crepe on some of my Theory pieces. The downside is it is unlined, and I can see it'd be unforgiving with bra and panty lines if it were any more form-fitting, like some reviewers also noted. For dresses like this, I hope AT will listen to their customers and include a lining in the future.

Measurements of coat in xxsp: 13.6" across shoulders, 16.5" across bust, 20" long sleeves (bracelet length), 30" long. These are outer measurements, so please account for thickness of the material and lining.

Measurements of dress in xxsp: 15.25" across bust, 12.5" across waist, 33" long

Cape Cod weekend: New England Clambake + ASOS floral swimsuit

ASOS swimsuit (runs small, fit review below) - filter by size on all their cute swimwear here

H&M hat, Ray-Ban 58mm aviators

The one-piece swimsuit made a major comeback recently and I hope it's here to stay. What's not to love about tummy coverage, especially in all the cute prints and designs that this year's suits came in? We spent a weekend with friends in Cape Cod where the highlight of the trip was an authentic New England clambake. With chowing down heartily on the agenda, a one-piece was a no-brainer.

Being small-chested, I usually shy away from styles without underwire cups or some kind of padding. I ordered this suit anyways to try on because it was so darling. Despite the lack of a boost in the bust, I was really pleasantly surprised by the look when on, and encourage fellow small-busted ladies to not be afraid to try things outside of your comfort zone...
Nick loved it as well which always serves as a double vote for me. I will say it runs very small on the bottoms and the waistband. I am wearing a US 0 and heard the sound of some stitches ripping as I pulled the waistband on over my hips. In hindsight I probably should've sized up to a 2, but wasn't going to return it after busting a few threads! I think the stitches that broke were not critical, since I've worn and washed it 3 times since with no issues, holes, or signs of it coming apart, so I'm not concerned. The higher-style bottom kept my tummy tucked in all day comfortably despite large meals.

The suit is lined but not padded in the bust. I tried it on at home and it was not see through for me, but not wanting to leave anything up to chance (or potentially cold breezes), I used needle and thread to tack in (stitched and knotted just at the corners of the triangular shapes) a few thin liner cups that I took out of an old swimsuit. These cups are also sold at Joann's or other fabric/craft stores where the bra clasps are. So many swimsuits that I browsed only are only lined and not padded these days...must be a lot of brave souls out there. I also want to note that the butt coverage on this is less to medium. Definitely not brazilian style, but in between there and full coverage.

An authentic clambake involves a lot of labor and love, and the end results get scarfed down in minutes! The boys had gathered wood and stones the day before, and were up at 5AM digging a sandpit and heating them up. The heated pit is then layered with seaweed before the goodies go on and get covered by a tarp. Everything is steamed together under the tarp for a while, and the tarp lifting below is truly magical to hungry bystanders.

Lobster, clams, potatoes, corn, and sausages oh my

PS - ASOS also has some great padded/cupped swimsuit options in extended sizing, ranging from 30A to DDD/F cups! See my past review on their underwire cup swimsuits and also their full swim selection (you can filter by size, which is the easiest way to browse for me).