The Coffee Shop Mission

So my Sissy-in-Law Tracey and I have been on a mission. We are attempting to dine (and by dine I mean an Iced Cappuccino and chocolate croissant for me, and a Chai Tea Latte and fruit pastry for her), at as many different coffee shops in Los Angeles as possible. Although it will take some time, we are at an advantage; you see, we look to these coffee shops for our weekly business meetings. We have a venture of sorts, currently available for viewing (and hopefully enjoyment) at www.fashionbackwardsla.com, and need a distraction free and inspirational environment to have important discussions. And after we are done catching up on our personal lives, we get down to business =).

Coffee Shops are synonymous with that artsy, motivating, inspiring and "we are gonna make it!" mindset. So, we started out at our favorite spot on Tujunga Ave in Toluca Lake, Aroma Coffee and Tea Co. But as much as we LOVE Aroma, they don't have Wi-Fi! And as our business meetings become more and more involved, Wi-Fi is really a must. There's only so much our 3G smart phones can handle. So after a few weeks of Aroma, we decided to move on to Marie et Cie in Studio City. Filled with a homey Parisian charm, Marie's was a great next stop. But after another couple of weeks, we started getting restless, and alas, The Coffee Shop Mission was born!

So once a week (sometimes more) we begin to visit a different Cafe, with Wi-Fi locations taking precedence of course. Besides the above mentioned Cafe's, we have since been to Le Pain Quotidien in Studio City. They boast multiple Los Angeles locations and can also be found world wide. With a very cute and modern interior, and a decent breakfast/lunch menu, they also offer some tasty in-house baked fresh bread, and of course Coffee. This past weekend, we also stopped into Buttercelli in Sherman Oaks. I don't think they have Wi-Fi, but for this Sunday afternoon's unpreparedness, it was quite alright. All pertinent info was properly scribbled on a bakery napkin as I devoured my affogato. Just a note about Buttercellii...they have an extensive selection of organic, gluten free, sugar free, vegan and paleo cupcakes, cookies, brownies, pastries, danish's, and well, you name it. So what's left to eat you ask right? My thoughts exactly. However, the everything-free blondie sample the friendly barista man gave us to taste was absolutely ah-mazing. They also offer individual ice cream portions by a Haagen-Dazs acquired organic company that I really should have written down. AND, they also brew their own organic coffee. I think I am definitely going to have to sneak in a visit back here while on this crazy coffee shop mission.

Updates to come!

Copyright Tatyana Scherbanova

www.freepresshouston.com

www.ralucatudorphotography.wordpress.com

Shopping 101

Labor day is upon us, which clearly means one thing: no, you can still wear white. In fact, it's encouraged. What it means is...shopping season is upon us! This is probably the biggest shopping time of the year. Think about it...we have back to school, followed by Halloween, and then all of the holiday parties, holiday gifts, all ending with the perfect New Years' Eve attire.

With all of this money spending (or DIYing) approaching, a good way to not get overwhelmed is to make a sort of plan. I found this great little cheat sheet in Glamour a while back and I want to share it with all. We may have missed the mark for the first half of the year, but think of this as a way to get ahead for next year. With all of the fall/winter shopping coming up, hold off on a few things that will be much more budget-friendly for you if saved for future shopping.

August - Best time to buy sleepwear, belts and shoes. Check out Nasty Gal's Shoe Cult, which just launched today.

September - Jeans and Handbags.

October - Swimwear.

November & December - Get that last minute holiday shopping done!

January - Shorts, dress shirts, T-shirts and jewelry.

February - Suits and skirts. Although I did find the most adorable mini skirt at Free People yesterday for a slammin' 70% off! It happens.

March - Intimates, outerwear and coats.

April - Dress pants.

May - Sunnies.

June - Take a break...

July - Sweaters. You might actually throw it on with all of the AC madness everywhere you go. Nordstrom's Anniversary Sale is a great place to start!

Google Images

My Fashion Hero Installation Begins With...

The Man Repeller.

I first read about Leandra Medine in a mid 2012 issue of Glamour. Immediately intrigued, I tore out the article and added it to my "file" of "interesting fashion individuals to keep an eye out for." Since then, I have read countless more articles and mentions of The Man Repeller blog, and now brand collaboration (launching earlier this year).

Man Repeller / Man Repelling definition reads as the following on the self titled blog:

man·re·pell·er1  [mahn-ree-peller]

–noun

outfitting oneself in a sartorially offensive mode that may result in repelling members of the opposite sex. Such garments include but are not limited to harem pants, boyfriend jeans, overalls (see: human repelling), shoulder pads, full length jumpsuits, jewelry that resembles violent weaponry and clogs.

I think this idea is just pure genius. And although the idea behind man repelling was not recently invented (how many times have your heard in fashion that girls don't dress for guys, they dress for other girls?), I think the way this idea has been portrayed is definitely original. I myself am always trying to explain to my husband that just because it is not completely trendy, and just because everyone in our laid back Los Angeles part of town is not quite wearing it, AND just because it does not elude to the most sexually provocative thoughts of the opposite sex (or same for that matter), DOES NOT mean one should not wear it.

I dress for myself and no one else. When I go shopping, I can tell you with much conviction that my very last thought is what the boys (or girls) outside of my fitting room are going to think. However, if my shopping endeavors are solely for a not-so-quiet evening in with my husband, then I can say with even more conviction that I will be purchasing some unmentionables with him in mind, for sure. But, that would be the only time =).

With that being said, I name Leandra of The Man Repeller my first fashion hero in an on going installation. I think she is amazing, and not particularly because of the obscure TYPES of fashions she may highlight, but because of that fact that she DOES highlight them, even when other's don't understand. Her first book, "Man Repeller: Seeking Love. Finding Overalls" will be released 9/10/13. Pre-order yours today. I did.