HautePinkPretty

NYC

photo taken when I was about 75% done packing 🙂 lol

We’ll be on vacation in NYC this week and next so if you don’t see comments and responses from me, I apologize in advance… I do have a bunch of posts scheduled though so as to not disappoint you guys! Probably more posts than I usually do anyway – weird. Apparently I’m overcompensating for being away lol!!

Last time we travelled to NYC, it was just a couple of months before we got engaged in Fall of 2008. It was also when my then boyfriend (now husband) bought me the best souvenir to date; my very first pair of Christian Louboutins at the Louboutin boutique on Horatio Street in Greenwich Village. The Decollette 868 100 Glittart Pumps. It’s crazy looking back at our first trip and seeing how young we were. It’s been 3 years since and now we are traveling during the same time of year, married and celebrating our 1st wedding anniversary in the Big Apple.

My first pair of Christian Louboutin shoes – 2008

NYC 2008

It was also during this trip in ’08 where I realized I needed to bring extra luggage space with me. When we were there, I ended up buying a brand new Diane von Furstenberg set of luggage (carry-on + check-in) for our trip back home – shopping too much? Maybe. LOL I don’t plan to shop that much again this trip, of course… but I must admit, I’m a little bit excited that my husband is bringing a check-in bag this time as well. He’s one of those “I can fit everything I need in my carry-on” type of guys so I know he won’t fill his up 😉

All packed up!

I normally don’t plan out what I wear – it usually depends on my mood, so packing for me is typically throwing whatever I have that’s laundered and ready, into my suitcases. I figure it out when I’m there. This usually works when we go places like Vegas or for our honeymoon last year to Hawaii (bikini’s, shorts, tanks and maxi dresses were easy to throw together). However, going to Manhattan is a different story. It’s going to be freezing and when it comes to packing coats and boots, every bit of space counts so the last thing I want to do (and what usually happens) is bring a bunch of stuff I don’t even end up unfolding. I decided to plan out my looks in advance. I looked at the days we’ll be there and guesstimate on what I’d want to wear (whether or not I’d need a different look come evening time for dinner or drinks etc). Then I took my list of looks (i.e. casual site-seeing or dressy dinner) and built outfits around it. I took pictures of each look before folding them up and then labelled them on the computer as I saw fit. Now, this is really exciting for me lol I’m curious to see if it will save me time and if I’ll really follow through with the looks. I have a bad feeling I’ll end up tearing the outfits apart and putting together completely different looks… again, depending on my mood. We’ll see…

NYC Pre-Planned Outfits

Xox,
An

*Okay, I use the term “freezing” loosely. We’re from southern California so to us, the 50-60 degree F weather expected in NYC is freezing. We’re wimps, I know.

DIY

Shoes can change your life… ask Cinderella!

This cute sign was from our wedding – it was displayed alongside my three pairs of wedding shoes

**UPDATE: Click here to see my NEW 2015 closet!**

My husband recently (by recently, I mean two months ago lol) built me this amazing shoe display. It’s my favorite thing to wake up to, only second to him of course. It took me an entire day to arrange the shoes the way I like that’s both aesthetically pleasing and convenient. Unfortunately for him, it isn’t large enough to house all of my shoes – just about half of them, actually, lol! Luckily for me, though, 😉 he’s going to make me a second one that will hopefully fit the rest of my ever so quickly growing collection. Above the closet, I stacked some old Louis Vuitton boxes, cute Juicy Couture heart-shaped hat boxes and the Cinderella sign I made as a prop for our wedding last year. I decided to arrange them by displaying my high-end designer shoes on top along with some of my colorful shoes, nudes and neutrals in the middle, then, blacks and darks on the bottom. When the second one is ready, this will all probably get completely rearrange again xP

Inside An Dyer's Shoe Closet - High End Designer Shoe On Top

High-end designer shoes on top including Christian Louboutins, Stuart Weitzmans, Vivienne Westwood, Nicholas Kirkwood, Jimmy Choos, Miu Miu, Marc Jacobs etc.

Nudes and neutrals in the middle since I tend to wear those the most

Black and other dark colored shoes towards the bottom

Xox,
An

Foodie Lifestyle What To Wear

FIG Restaurant Santa Monica

Forever21 Tee, Nordstrom Gold Studded Belt, Charlotte Russe Jeggings, Jeffrey Campbell Lita in Taupe Suede

A[nother] favorite of ours from Los Angeles Magazine’s 51 Tastiest Places To Start Your Morning, mentioned here, is the gorgeous Fairmont Miramar Hotel’s FIG Restaurant in Santa Monica. Beautiful beach views (meer steps away) combined with delicious eats, tasty cocktails, close proximity to the 3rd Street Promenade and free valet bumped this brunch locale to the top of my list.

Free valet meaning if you dine at FIG valet is free for 3 hours. Enough time to enjoy an amazing meal, take a stroll around the beach and maybe squeeze in some Promenade shopping… maybe.

FIG Fairmont Miramar Hotel Santa Monica Bloody Mary

Their signature Bloody Mary: refreshing, perfectly seasoned, dangerously yummy

FIG Fairmont Miramar Hotel Santa Monica Open Faced Meatloaf Sandwich

Open-Faced Meatloaf Sandwich: savory, hearty, just plain amazing

FIG Fairmont Miramar Hotel Santa Monica Fish and Chips

Fish and Chips: crunchy, moist, finger-licking good

FIG Fairmont Miramar Hotel Santa Monica Sea Salt and Silverware

Love the details! Pretty silverware and exotic tableside sea salt.

Xox,
An

Shop:

Jeffrey Campbell Lita in Taupe Suede

What To Wear

Jessica Simpson Trixie Platforms

An Dyer in popKiller Feather Batwing Blouse, Forever 21 Black Ruffle Shorts, H&M Clutch and Jessica Simpson Trixie 2

I love edgy, chunky shoes like these Jessica Simpson Trixie’s. I like to think of them as being secretly versatile; they’re quite sexy as is but worn with a whimsical flowy top and loose ruffly shorts mutes the sexiness a bit making them not too over the top for a nice dinner date with the hubby and friends – think less clubbing, more romantic. Although these are quite comfortable like most Jessica Simpson shoes, her manufacturers really mastered the sole cushioning, these Trixie’s were a bit tricky (lol!). They’re borderline too small; I could probably get away with a half-size bigger but was too lazy to exchange them and even though I have tons of huge, chunky, what-the-hell-are-those shoes, these are on the wobbly side. I’ve had a couple close calls walking out and about; stay the hell away from cobblestone lol. Definitely not for the faint of heart.

Xox,
An

Shopping

Black Tiered Crochet Lace Shorts

I love the texture of these adorable shorts I scored at Nordstrom (Brass Plum). They’re so whimsical and sweet with a touch of sex appeal. The look would be so sweet paired with a simple white tee or a flowy chiffon top or even to the beach with a cute bikini! They also came in creme and now that I’m looking at these shots, I’m hoping they still have the creme version in my size in stock…