It's Not Nice To Fool Mother Nature

And I couldn't fool her anyway, even though I tried. It's very hot and humid today, like it was all weekend, because Hurricane Norbert is upon us. But I am welcoming every drop of rain - my poor crunchy yellow lawn needs it badly. Despite this, I managed to wear a really cute dress by BB Dakota.

It's a botanical print, and is made of shiny, silky material. I always wear a tank underneath it, because the neckline is a tad revealing. Here's a closeup of the print and the rhinestone encrusted tank I have beneath it.

I love the delicacy of the print. It also has a full box pleated skirt. When I wear this dress, I always wear the same two necklaces - one is purple Austrian crystals, and one is translucent green beads with Austrian crystals in between.

Om my arms, I have mostly things I have worn before on the blog, with the exception of the ring on my right hand. It's made of two teardrop stones set East-West. One is blue topaz and one is pale amethyst. I also have a gold bracelet and an amethyst bracelet. On my left, a gold/diamond bangle and a diamond/emerald ring.

And what shoes would be better than the famous overdose green witch shoes that have been recently resurrected.

So let's go back to the weekend. On Saturday night, I stopped and got Kenni a new vest at Wal Mart. He is solidly between a medium and a large. The harness I currently have is a large, and he can Houdini his way out of it. So I got a medium vest, which is super snug, but works much, much better.

Then, later on in the evening, I made myself a nice snack of thick cut tater slices.

Yummy!!! On Saturday, we went to see my mom at Villa Valencia. I wore a matching linen set by Norton McNaughton. It's a lovely peachy pink color. I have never worn both pieces together, and upon looking at this picture, I can see why.

It's a bit shapeless, and has a definite grandma vibe ( and not in the cool grannie way, like me, and Mis Papelicos :) . I think that I will revert to my usual, and wear the top with jeans and the skirt with something more form fitting, and heels. I have jeans trimmed at the hem with peach leather that I usually wear with this top. For shoes, I wore my Red Box thongs, because they are flat and comfy.

I got these at Queen Bee in Newport Beach a loooong time ago - they have endured because I don't wear them often. Here's a closeup of the detail on this skirt set - it has lace insets and multiple tiny rows of pleats diagonally across the skirt.

For a necklace, I wore my little gold and Austrian crystal Chihuahua necklace that I bought for myself because I love Elli so dearly.

The cashier lady at Stater Brothers commented on it. Then she woudln't stop talking - the customers behind us started to get all riled. She was odd, to say the least. Speaking of odd, we went to Centerfield's, a sports bar in Huntington Beach, for the opening day of NFL football. Well, there was a problem, and the restaurant was unable to serve any food. They said it was the computer that they put the orders into, but I don't believe that - they take the orders on a paper pad, so why not just use that? So they handed out free bacon and eggs and hashbrowns. My companion was not happy, because he ordered something vastly different from eggs n' bakey, but I was fine. I like free.

For today's link up, I joined LeeAnn at www.jointhegossip.com. Cruise over there and check it out. Her post today is a little sad, since she lost her beloved pet. I can relate, unfortunately. Speaking of which, today is Isabel's cleaning day, so Elli had to be crated. This time I was smart, and bribed her with some rib eye that I froze from last week's dinner, specifically for this day.

Score : Rosie 1, Elli 0. Have a great day!!!

I'm So Sad That It's Friday. I Wish It Was Monday Already

Said No One. Ever. And certainly not me. As an added bonus, we get paid on Friday. Double Dog Dirty YAY!!!

So last night, I went to a focus group on patient bathing practices. It was at the Wells Fargo building in Irvine. Outside, there was a little man made lake with some modern art statues behind it. It in in the middle of several tall office buildings, and looks like a nice place to have your lunch.

We were supposed to get a $200 Visa gift card for participating, so imagine my surprise (and Delight!!) when they handed me a thin envelope with 2 Benjies inside - $200 cash. Cold hard cash. Oh yeah. So I may just buy myself a present this weekend.

Right now, I am watching my grand daughter, Calista, while her parents are busy for a couple of hours. I parked her stroller outside my office, and she proceeded to fall fast asleep. Here she is, before the crash.

So, enought about an adorable baby. Onto me!!! Today, I am wearing my pink Express slacks with the grey pinstripe. On top, I have a pink tank that I got at Nordstorm. It has an attached silver and pink stone embellishment at the neckline. I love it, and have washed it numerous times, and the trim stays intact and shiny. On top of that, I have an white eyelet crop top with big puffy sleeves.

Calista and I match. Here's a closeup of the neckline on the tank, and my necklace, which is a mother of pearl "spaceship" set in sterling silver.

As I am sporting second day hair, today I swept one side back with a pink crystal barrette.

It's the side with less bangs. As for my arms, on the left, my amethyst,agate, and sugilite bracelet and an amethyst and opal ring. On my right, two silver bracelets, and a tanzanite ring.

Today, I am linking up with www.lifeofthepartyblog.com for Fashion Informant. Check our Sherry and all her beautiful friends!! PS. I am reading "What Remains" by Carole Radziwill. Unable. to. put. down. Awesome book!

Did Someone Say Cocktail??

Why, yes they did !!! And they said it twice!!! So first, I painted my toenails in Cocktail by Victoria's Secret.

It's a really pretty pearlescent coral color. Then, I attempted to have a cocktail.

MMMM. A Manhattan. Haven't had one of those in a while. I had it at Harvey's Steakhouse. We had to go to Harvey's for a specific reason, and the reviews on Yelp were less than stellar. So I wasn't expecting much. Boy, did they fool me!!! Everything was delicious. The crowd was elderly, but that's because they have early bird dinner specials. Anyway, I started with a garden salad with caper vinegrette.

The Yelpers said the salads were drenched in dressing, but mine was perfect. The french bread was warm, and the butter was soft. Then I had a rib eye steak.

It was done perfectly medium rare, and had sauteed mushrooms and onions on top. It came with a broiled tomato with Parmesan on top, and fresh veggies - spinach, zucchini and carrots. My friend had surf and turf, and said it was excellent as well.

The portions were huge - we had plenty left over for another time. But I couldn't help giving Elli a bite.

This morning, she was hovering around the refrigerator, looking for more. Boy, was she disappointed when she got her regular slop.

So onto my outfit of the day.

My coworker said I looked like a dork taking the picture. Tell me something I didn't know. The top was a gift from my mother in law, and the white jeans are by Daisy Fuentes, from Kohl's. I haven't gone to Kohl's in a very long time. The jeans have a surprise in the back.

Purty pockets on my tiny heinie. I remember why I don't wear these jeans too often - they grow over the course of the day. So I cinched them up with a pretty tight belt, to prevent them from sliding down and giving me plumber's crack. Then, I went all artsy with my necklaces.

The shorter one is two shades of citrine, and the longer one is just an orange costume crystal. I also have some different stuff on my arms - I guess I become creative after sucking down a Manhattan.

On my left arm, I have a pink crystal and bead bracelet, and a silver/Mother of Pearl ring. On my right, a wide pink leather cuff with silver studs, and a pink crystal ring with a Swarovski accent band.

All in all, I am happy with this outfit. It's fairly casual, but I don't have any important meetings today. At noon, we have Grand Rounds, which is our continuing medical education lecture. The topic is Spine Surgery. Then tonight, I have a focus group on patient bathing products, but I do get a $200 Visa gift card, so YAY!!! And today, I am linking with Erin at www.simplyjustlovelyblog.com for Working Girl Style. She is lovely, indeed!!!

A Leopard Can't Change Its Spots

Well, I am going to prove that wrong !!! I managed to find a leopard who changed to beautiful tones of blue - probably in honor of MY 100th POST!!! Unbelievable. Here's how it looks

I like the blue, but I must admit, nothing can beat the natural beauty of animals. The real leopard did it better. This skirt is an unknown item that I have had for years. The white blouse is by a brand called Antija Femme, and I got it at Saks long ago. Underneath it, I am wearing a thin sweater knit tank with paillettes around the U neck.

You can kinda see them here, but they are mostly obscured by my turquoise cross from Southwest Indian Foundation. I took a closeup of my belt. I got it a long time ago, and the buckle part, which is made of a thick fabric, is disintegrating. I am going to find a way to take the silver squares and McGyver them onto another plain grey belt.

In the meantime, I turned the belt backwards, so nobody can see the mess. All of my jewelry has been featured before. On my left arm, a turquoise cuff that Doc got for me in Gorman, California. That's the tiny town in the Cajon pass that links Los Angeles with the San Joaquin valley, where all our produce comes from. I also have a blue topaz ring and a Swarovski crystal wide band. On my right, another turquoise cuff and a turq/mother of pearl ring that Luke, Ashely, and Preston gave me for Xmas one year.

Lastly, my hairdo. I got sideswept bangs and extra layers cut into my frizzy mop over the weekend. In order to get it to lay flat and look normal, I oiled it with Caudalie oil last night and then twisted it into a knot while I showered. That made it sleek enough to put in a ponytail, so I could use this cool leather pony wrap that I have had for a long time.

I will leave you with a photo of my boss' daughter's dog, who had a cyst burst on her hip. She ended up with the cone of shame.

But she still looks happy!!! Her expression reminds me of how the late Black Jack used to smile at me.

I love smiling dogs. Since today is Wedesday, I am once again linking up with www.thepleatedpoppy.com for What I Wore. Go over and enjoy!!!

Going For The Gold

So it's back to work today, after the long weekend. But I only have a four day week, so that's a definite plus. Also, I called the city of HB, and they will be out today to clean up my tree branch and inspect my giant pine tree for disease and other loose branches. The only other emergency I am working on is this little snafu:

When Doc went to open the fridge to get a snack, the handle snapped off. I've never seen that before - he must be REALLY strong. HAHA - or really hungry. So I'm on hold right now with Fridgidaire, trying to get a replacement.

So onto my outfit, and the reason for the title of this post. Voila:

I know it doesn't look all that gold in this picture, but just wait one little second for the closeups. The pants are by Carlisle, and the top is by Loft. IT's a pinkish tan with gold lurex floral embroidery. Here's a closeup of the tie neckline with my chosen necklace of the day - a delicate gold heart with some multi gemstone accents.

You will notice that this top has cutaway shoulders, and I made a pathetic attempt to wear a racer back bra. I figure the straps add to the allure (NOT). I also had a meeting the first thing this morning, so I needed a jacket to cover up the bareness. I chose a matte gold jacket by Trina Turk.

It's kind of a short bellhop/waiter style - the bottom of my top hangs beneath it. It looks okay, not great, so I will not be wearing it for the rest of the day. It did the trick as far as professionalism goes.

So You have already seen my necklace. Onto my arms. On my left, a gold INC cuff that I got in Fort Lauderdale, and my Montana peridot ring. On my right, two gold bracelets, one with gemstones, and a custom amethyst ring that Doc gave me. You have seen all of these baubles before.

My polish is Ulta, Set the Nude. I like it for a neutral color when my nails are short, like now. For the final accessorization, the only two purchases I made over the Labor Day weekend. One is the Mondani bag I got at the Assistance League, and the other is a pair of Madden Girl elastic and cork wedges that I picked up at Macy's. The sale was just as good as on the 4th of July as far as prices go (these were $9!), but the selection was very minimal. That's okay, I managed to find something. Also, the five of us waiting for the poor harried shoe salesman to get the mate bonded and had an uproarious good time kidding around while loitering.

To end, once again, I am linking up with www.Styleelixir.com for Style Sessions. There are already a bunch of participants, so hop over and take a look!!

There Was An Old Woman Who Lived For New Shoes

And she had so many, she didn't know what to do !!! Hee hee, probably buy more, if I'm the old woman of whom we speak. Anyway, for Shoe Shine Saturday at www.sheilaephemera.blogspot.com, what could be better than to show all you guys part of my astounding collection. So I decided to gear up for the tour

Let's start with two amazing pairs that are fraternal twins - they are made by Nine West, and gather compliments whenever I wear them. They will be showing up a lot this fall and winter.

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These next two pairs aren't twins, but they have to be cousins. They are both by Guess, and are both T strap styles. I got them in 2005, and paid $90 for each pair. The stickers are still on the boxes. They are both multicolored (seeing how I seem to gravitate towards that), but one is burgundy, pink and tan, and the other is black and white. I really like both and plan on continuing to wear them, even if they are slighty and unintentionally retro.

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Next, we have two more related pairs. It apears as though when I have a hard time deciding on which pair to buy, I get both. Both of these pairs are by Leopoldo Giordano. I got them many years ago at a boutique in Newport Beach called the Queen Bee. Both were deeply discounted, since the new owner had some problems estimating how much to buy, and ended up with excess inventory. One pair is black and ivory patent with a butterfly, and the other is brown velvet with patent heels, a flower made of patent and fur, and embroidery on the round toe. Both are ridiculously outrageous, thereby perfect for me.

The next two pairs are almost the Crown Jewels of my collection. Both are by Valentino. The pumps were purchased at Stacy's Closet consignment shop, and the red sandals came from DSW. Both were a great deal, and are so elegant, with cool designer details. Also very comfy and well made.

Lastly, we have a rainbow of espadrilles. I couldn't locate the black ones, but they are identical to the red and blue ones. All are high wedges, and made by Steve Madden. They were all bought on separate occasions. The brown ones are Hillard and Hanson, and the gold ones are Merona, and are both from thrift stores.

That's enough for today. It's obvious that I have a serious problem. Oh well, I believe that this is one of my more minor and inoffensive problems. This morning, I went to tennis, and did a little detective work. Then Elli and I changed for our daily excellent adventure.

So after I came home from tennis, we went down to Laguna Beach for lunch and a walk. Doc googled "dog friendly restaurants", and here's where we ended up.

Husky Boy Burgers and Burritos. Doc said that the menu has changed since he was a kid. Back then, they had something called the kitchen sink burrito, and it had everything but the sink in it. I had a chili cheese dog with onions,and Doc had a pastrami, double patty, avocado burger. We shared zucchini fries.

After this sumptuous feast, we walked for about 45 minutes each way. We crossed PCH, and then headed south. There is a beautiful paved and landscaped pathway that leads all the way down the hill to Main Street Beach, where it ends. Here's the view looking north towards Corona Del Mar.

It actually wasn't all that crowded when we got there, about 12 noon. But when we left at 2:00 PM, there were no more parking spots left. Here's a view from the hill of Main St Beach. The tiny round things are beach umbrellas. They were out in great force, as was the kelp all over the sand.

After that, the rest of the afternoon was a combo of yard cleaning, Kenni walking, and grandson sitting. Now I am struggling to write this post. My email server is very slow, probably because 10 billion people are trying to use it at the same time. Now remember to go see Sheila at www.sheilaephemera.blogspot.com. I guarantee you that it is worth the hassle - Sheila is tres fun!!!

ADDENDUM: This is Elli trying to crash a picnic at the beach. This family was mowing on vegan food, and I guess Elli wanted to try it after our Husky Boy junk fest. DOUBLE ADDENDUM : I was crusing around blogs, and I HAD to link up with www.mispapelicos.com for Share Your Style. Buenos dias, la senora hermosa, y feliz navidad!!!