Crème de la Crème: The 86th Annual Academy Awards

I'm keeping this short and sweet because I'm sure you're sick of all the Oscar talk by now. Care to discuss? If so, leave a comment below. Don't really care? Then at least do yourself me a favor and watch John Travolta screw up Idina Menzel's name. Okay, at the very least, Travoltify your name. Now.

Shields Date Garden

Nope, not getting married. Not even engaged (not complaining). This weekend, in effort to avoid the rain, the mud, and the shitty drivers of LA/SGV, I fled my suburban life (AKA my parents' house) for the desert to hit up one of my new favorite spots: Shields Date Gardens.

Fresh Kicks: Nike Free 5.0 V4

Okay, I realize that I'm super late on hopping on this whole "sporty chic" train, but it took me so long to find a style/color scheme that I knew I wouldn't get sick of. Well, I finally found the perfect pair of Frees right before my SF trip because I knew I was going to do a whole lot of walking. I brought approximately four pairs of shoes to SF: some riding boots, a pair of Madewell flats, my Free People kitten wedges, and my Frees. Can you guess which pair I ended up wearing the entire trip? Yuuup, you got it. I hate to say it, but Free Runs definitely live up to the hype. Not only are these babies comfy as hell, but the army green/brown combo compliment so many pieces in my wardrobe. Plus, I get a lot of compliments on 'em. :) On da real doe, when it comes to shopping and fashion, versatility is key for me (and should be for you, too!). Oh, I guess I should also work out in these since my old New Balances have seen better days (to New Balance's defense, I've had them for 7+ years and they still feel great; they're just really gross now). Anywho, cop a pair of these shoes here. Trust me, you won't regret it.

Bloggin' Ain't Easy

There, I said it.

But seriously, I started yet another new job and things are going great so far. I may have said that last time, but things quickly went downhill after my last post. Let's just say I found out first hand what it was like to be Andrea Sachs in The Devil Wears Prada, but instead of a glamorous high fashion job, I had a shitty job. A really shitty job. Anyway, my new gig allows me to do something that I actually kind of love. Yep, you guessed it: write.

A couple of things to note before I start this thing again...

1. I'm not living in LA for the time being, which means you'll be seeing a lot of the SGV and other areas that are more east. Yeah, I never thought I'd be frequenting areas that are more east than my parents' home. You'd be surprised though; I've found a lot of gems.
2. Speaking of my parents... I have two new roomies and their names are mom and papa (hi guys!). That's right, folks, I'm typing this post in the room that I grew up in. Surprisingly, it's not as bad as many would assume (free food, no rent, free parking galore, etc.). So once my company moves to the new office in LA (it's under construction), I'll be moving back.
3. My new living sitch doesn't mean I won't be in LA at all for the next several months. My sister and most of my friends are still out there, which means I have an excuse to visit a lot. Plus, I still have the keys to my old place, so I guess I could sneak in when the tenants are sleeping? Lolz.

Stay with me, guys. I promise to share some goods eats, laughs, pop culture/fashion insights, and hopefully bring some purpose or meaning to your guilty pleasures. Like why you're still obsessed with The OC and why you wish Jennifer Lawrence was your best friend and -- okay, I'll stop there. Feel like you've been missing out? Here's a mish-mash of my life as of late (well, sorta).

snippets of my birthday in SF, where I finally got to see the Painted Ladies on Steiner St. AKA the place where Uncle Jesse used to live / my birthday dinner at the new Plan Check location on Fairfax and a little birthday dessert at Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour in Rancho Cucamonga / the puppies of my life that don't belong to me, but I like to pretend they do / my fancy broiled avocado with heirloom tomatoes and sea salt; so Pinterest and so perfect / just because peonies from my boyfriend's mom that blossomed right before my eyes / cronuts, which were exactly what they were hyped up to be / delicious date shakes from Shield's Date Garden in Indio and a killer view from the Palm Springs tram / beach day in Santa Monica because, duh, I'm a Cali girl; plus, it was still warm in January / finally found Colette Miller angel wings at the Century City mall / Lock & Key in K-Town, which is just as hip as their sign suggests / my bestie threw a surprise birthday party for her BF, which included a cameo by his favorite animal: a sloth

The Big 24 in San Diego

I'm a little late (5 months to be exact), but here is a little something I put together from my birthday in San Diego with the bf. In this video, you'll see good eats from Hash House A Go Go, the scenery at Balboa Park, little critters at the San Diego Safari Park, and The Keating Hotel in the Gaslamp District. I have to admit, I developed a little crush on San-D while we were there, but alas, Los Angeles still has my heart. Enjoy!

San Diego, Febrary 2013 from Genevieve Capul on Vimeo.

My Top 5 Favorite Blogs

It's been a million years since I last posted, but trust me, blogging has always been in the back of my mind. I've just had a lot going on, okay?! The latest being my new hair and my new job. Yup, chopped off my locks and landed a new gig. Okay, so maybe my new hair has nothing to do with my lack of posting. Anyway, in honor of my possible (not making any promises) re-entrance into the blogosphere, I've decided to share my top 5 favorite blogs that inspired me to start one in the first place.

1. Cupcakes and Cashmere

via Cupcakes and Cashmere

Fashion, food, beauty, and interior design; this blog has it all. Not only do I love Emily Schuman's chic sense of style, but this girl can really whip up some good eats. I'm talking drool-worthy stuff, guys. But what I really love about this blog is that Schuman has consistently stayed true to herself and constantly emphasizes that she only blogs about what she loves and is passionate about. Schuman is the perfect example of the phrase, "Do what you love, love what you do."

2. Man Repeller

via New York Press

If you're not familiar with Leandra Medine's work, I highly recommend reading a post or two. The title of the blog derives from a conversation Medine had with a friend in which she didn't quite understand why she wasn't having any luck in the dating department. She quickly realized that it was her quirky sense of style that was acting as somewhat of a repellant to the men of New York. Thus, the term "Man Repeller" was born. Although some lucky guy did eventually put a ring on it, Medine's style (I'm talking layers on layers on layers with some Dannijo on top) and crazy sense of humor is what keeps me coming back for more.

3. Cakies

via Cakies

True, Brave, Soul, and Glow. These words will probably mean nothing to you unless you start reading Cakies as told by Rubyellen Bratcher. What started as a crafting blog has become a place where Bratcher shares stories about the loves of her life, her vintage finds, and so much more. From birthday parties to breakfast in bed, creativity and thoughtfulness runs deep within this family. Did I mention that the Mr. is a dietitian who grows his own vegetables and creates the most amazing home cooked meals? What. A. Catch.

4. Song of Style

via Song of Style

Aimee like mommy is probably the only blogger I love to hate. But mostly just love. Okay, 50/50. If she's not in Paris, then she is probably in Morocco, and if she is not carrying her Céline bag, then she probably has an A. Wang in hand. Needless to say, Aimee Song is literally drowning in designer goods. Although Song's outfits can be hit or miss, I am inspired by her unique sense of style in more ways than one. I mean, I didn't buy a muscle tank with a pastel colored shark on it for nothing. My recommendation: skip the text and just browse the pix on this one.

5. Refinery 29

via Business Insider

Okay, so Refinery 29 isn't exactly a blog, but it still remains on my list of go to websites. One of my favorite daily rituals is to click the Los Angeles tab under Cities. It is within this tab that I typically find where I should be dining, what event I should be planning an outfit for, and the latest pop culture updates on the celebs that I actually care about, like Amanda Bynes. For example, yesterday was National Donut Day and Refinery was nice enough to remind me. R29 is kind of like Regina George's mom; she's not a regular blog, she's a cool blog.

The Bling Ring Trailer

Ladies and gents, it's here.. The Bling Ring teaser trailer is finally available for your viewing pleasure. If you don't know what the hell I'm talking about, read this first and watch the trailer below second.

The music, the clothes, the crying, the iconic Cali palm trees at the end.. I am beyond excited. Also, can we please start a discussion about how fierce Emma Watson turned out to be? I mean, who would've thought that this:

would turn into this:

via Got Celeb

Sure, HP was a huge part of Watson's childhood, but I predict that it won't be long before she is remembered for bigger and better things. Anyway, stay tuned for more Bling Ring updates!