auld lang syne.

A toast for old times sake.  To remembering both new and long standing friendships and for all the things that have transpired over the past 365 days.

two thousand eleven.

via the huffington post

This year I'm looking forward to making dinner, curling up next to my husband and ringing in 2011 with a bottle of Cakebread, fresh olliebollen and maybe a movie or two.  Whatever your plans, I wish you a wonderful night and a 2011 full of reflection, growth and everything you hope for. May the food be better, the wine pour freely and your conversations be joyous and full of laughter!

What are some of your hopes for the new year?

twenty six candles.

As a kid I was always on hand to help blow out birthday candles, especially if those candles were attached to a chocolate cake.  I was looking through old family pictures recently and there are plenty of pictures of me blowing candles out (like this one of my mom and I), but I'm in serious doubt that any of those cakes were ever mine.Today is my birthday so hopefully I'll be blowing out my own candles later tonight, unless karma comes for me this year and my five year old self plows through the crowd to blow them out first. If she does, I hope she wishes for a fantastic year full of great family and friends, great food and of course lots of chocolate!

babycakes.

Last week we ventured out to Babycakes in Downtown LA where my Dad and I stocked up on some gluten free goodies for the holidays. I picked out all the delicious treats I have a hard time recreating at home (doughnuts and red velvet cupcakes) and I can't tell you enough how much they taste like their gluten-filled friends.  I especially loved the adorable seating section they had set up outside, if it hadn't been raining that day I don't think I could have resisted sitting down and enjoying one of my delicious treats right then and there. If you live in LA and are looking for a fabulous gluten free bakery, head over to Babycakes (check out their website here). 

pizza pizza.

If you're in Canada this holiday season, please enjoy an extra slice of gluten free pepperoni from Pizza Pizza for me (and remember to use a lot of the garlic dipping sauce).

marc jacobs tweets.

Marc Jacobs Salome Bag

When Marc Jacobs and Robert Duffy tweet during Fashion Week, I am addicted to my twitter account.  They are hilarious, and they have the best giveaways (like this completely outrageous but i-want-it-now Salome Bag).  

home sweet home.

Marc by Marc Jacobs High Heel Buckle Mid Calf Boot

How fun are these boots? I can't help it, I lust after other designers but I always come home to Marc.  

rainy day blues.

We haven't seen the sun since late last week and I've definitely been feeling the rainy day blues. So yesterday I slipped into my brightest rain boots, put on my yellow jacket and we headed out for a day under the dreary LA sky. Luckily the sun is peeking out from behind the clouds today, so before we start our tamale making assembly line later this afternoon I'm going to toss the umbrella aside and head out for a walk.    xoxo... naat.

birthday wishes.

My birthday is next Wednesday and all I want to do is head to a theatre in LA that's playing Alfred Hitchcock's Rebecca. It's absolutely, without a doubt my favorite movie and I can't wait to see it on the big screen.  

can-american.

Like I mentioned in this post, there's been a lot of good, life changing events happening around our house lately.  One of those life changing events came in the form of 2 tiny but very important immigration papers that arrived a couple of weeks ago.  Let me tell you a little secret friends, those american channels that inundated my Canadian TV set as a child and made me feel like an honorable American were deceiving. It's not easy to immigrate to another country even if you speak the same language and try to impress the immigration officer with your knowledge of lovable 90's American sitcoms (hello, Full House). Remind me to share a few of the most memorable "cultural shock" experiences I've had since I impulsively hopped into a car as a wide eyed and naive 20 year old and drove out to California.

the great alexander mcqueen.

I spotted this Alexander McQueen scarf at Bloomingdale's this week and immediately had the urge to twirl around like a princess as soon as I draped it around my shoulders.  I have to say, it was love at first sight and this silky number is now at the top of my Christmas wish list (in multiple colours).

rain drops.

Marc by Marc Jacobs - Save the Birds

The forecast is calling for rain today and I have my fingers and toes crossed that it holds off, because my poor umbrella (seen here) can't handle another windy, rainy day in LA.  This Marc by Marc has the splash of color I desperately need when it's dreary outside and Miss Marc's pigtails remind me that at least my hair doesn't look that bad on the worst of rainy days.

meet alexandra.

Yesterday I woke up before my alarm, had my lunch ready and even had extra time to  hold my morning coffee and catch up on news and my favorite blogs (like Oh Me, Oh My and Cupcakes & Cashmere).  Just as I was pulling up to work, I had a client cancellation and suddenly I found myself with an unexpected day off and nothing to do (a weird feeling after a hectic two weeks).  I wasn't sure how to feel about this since I was so unusually prepared for a Monday, but I guess it was meant to be since I came home and happened to come across these sunglasses on Rue La La that I would have missed if I had been at work.  Not only are they fabulous Tom Ford's, but they're the exact pair I've been trying to find for almost 3 years.  Luckily I was able to scoop them up and they should arrive just in time for my birthday!

p.s. i miss you.

via Beyond Boston Chic

I know I haven't been writing very much lately, it's been a hectic couple of weeks around our house and I've been craving some serious time with this little blog.  We've had a lot to celebrate (as I mentioned here) and I can't wait to share some of those things with you over the next couple of days! Until then, I miss you lots.  xoxo... natasha.

P.S. Check back tomorrow, because I can't wait to share what I found on Rue La La.

tuxedo jackets.

I love that both of these blazers are longer than most of the blazers in my closet, but I'm not sure I need yet another dark jacket in my collection. The J.Crew Blazer is $228.00 (you can find it here) while the Zara version is a more modest $60.00 (here).

Would you splurge?

conquered.

In my senior year of high school I managed to talk my parents into letting me take a part time job at a recently opened gym.  This meant as many spin classes as my heart desired and my legs could take. Unfortunately, it also meant being familiar with all of the other fitness classes, and that included step aerobics.  I dreaded that class more than anything and I did everything to avoid it until I was forced to take it. Begrudgingly I forwent a spin class, walked through those intimidating glass doors, set up my steps and hoped it wasn't obvious I had no idea what I was doing.  The first few minutes were great and I started feeling the tiniest bit of confidence creeping up until I went to step off the step in a particularly difficult sequence and plop, I fell flat on my behind.  Completely embarrassed, I managed to make it through the rest of the class and bolted straight home afterwards. I want to tell you it was the middle of winter, that I ran out of the gym in my shorts and tank top, that it was immediately after an ice storm and there was no way I could actually "bolt" home in that kind of weather, but it would be purely for effect, since I can't remember what time of year it was.  But we'll say it was winter anyway.  I  avoided high impact aerobic classes for years until yesterday when I made it through my first high impact aerobics class in almost 10 years.  I punched and kicked until my arms felt like jello and my legs were this close to colliding with one another. I might have left as the class began to warm down, but my parking validation was going to run out and I still wanted to do some ab work before I left, so I felt it was justified.   Even if my punches were wimpy and my kicks weren't as high as the instructors it felt good to stay in the class longer than 10 minutes. Maybe next I'll work on my fear of balloons (yes, I know ... you don't have to say anything.)

I promise you I'm not as healthy as it might appear, I promptly went home and consumed a giant piece of milk chocolate from my Laura Secord advent calender (and it was not the last piece of chocolate I enjoyed yesterday).

glitter. gold. sequins.

via anthropologie

I am absolutely loving this blazer I picked up from Anthropologie this past weekend. Since I have a lot to be celebrating lately, I have big plans to include this jacket in the many, many celebrations.  It goes well with amaretto on the rocks, don't you think?

shop my closet.

Welcome to my closet!  All inseams are 32 inches and these items come from a smoke free home. Shipping is $8.99 per item for Priority USPS (will combine shipping for multiple items). E-Mail me at naatdlopez@gmail.com if you're interested in any of these items from my closet.

 

J. Brand Bootcut Jeans (Anthropologie spring/summer 2010)

Size 26 

Never Worn 

(I bought these at the same time as my first few pairs of skinny jeans and never went back to bootcut)

Price: $100.00

 

J. Crew City Fit Straight Leg Corduroy (J.Crew 2008)

Size 27R

Price: $25.00

 

J. Crew City Cut Corduroy Bootcut (J. Crew 2008)

Size 27R

Price: $25.00

 

Paper Demin Cloth Cropped Jean (2008)

Size 27

Price: $20.00

 

J. Crew Bootcut Corduroy (J. Crew 2008)

Size 2R

Price: $15.00

 

Adriano Goldschmeid Angel Bootcut Jean (2008)

Size 27

Price: $20.00

 

Gap Wide Leg Jean (Gap 2008)

Size 2

Price: $10.00

i wish it was christmas today (in the good old u.s of a).

I hope you're as excited as I am that it's finally December!