Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology.

Every year I admire the amazing fashion that comes down the carpet during the annual Met Gala, while simultaneously wishing I could be at the event to witness it first hand and be a part of it. This year was no different! Where some people might think the fashions at the Met Gala are outlandish and strange, I appreciate every single piece of clothing that is brought to that carpet. The weirder, the better! I mean, what other event can celebs just take such big risks with their red carpet looks?

This year's gala theme was Manus x Machina: Fashion In an Age of Technology. It sought to bring to light technology as it relates to fashion. I always hope to see celebrities follow the theme of the gala with their outfit choices...some did and others didn't. Some took the technology thing way too literally and dressed like they were beautiful, sexy robots. But overall, I loved almost all the looks this year! 

My style senses are tingling! Let's get started on my favorite looks. Let me know what you all think along the way...

Couples 

Gigi Hadid in Tommy Hilfiger

Zoë Saldana in Dolce & Gabbana

Kim Kardashian in Balmain

I wish I could have fit Zoë Saldana's entire train in this photo because it was immaculate! I love Zayn Malik's robot arm, it was such an interesting juxtaposition with his suit. And of course, Gigi Hadid can do absolutely no wrong in the fashion world. I actually really liked Kim's sexy robot look, especially her ear cuffs. I didn't, however care for Kanye's look and his piercing blue eyes. When asked why he wore colored contacts, his answer was simply, "Vibes". I don't get it, and I kind of don't want to. 

Jenner Girls 

Kylie Jenner in Balmain 

Kendall Jenner in Atelier Versace

Both Kendall and Kylie's looks were gorgeous. I love that Kendall's dress has strategic beading on the parts of her body that need to be covered and open netting everywhere else. Kylie's dress, to be honest, wasn't that innovative or new, but I have to give it up to her for her hair and makeup. That short hair looks amazing on her! 

Hair & Makeup 

Beyoncé in Givenchy

So speaking of hair and makeup, I think these obviously complete an entire look. Hair and makeup can literally make or break your look, no matter how beautiful and expensive your dress is. My honorable hair and makeup shout out goes to Beyoncé! I usually obsess over her looks from previous Met Galas, but I wasn't taken aback with her dress this year. BUT...her hair and makeup...oh my god! So beautiful, so fierce, she keeps slaying! 

90's Vibes 

Katy Perry in Prada

I really quickly want to mention how cute Orlando Bloom and Katy Perry were sporting Tamagotchis on their outfits as an homage to technology. Wrong decade, but still awesome. 

White and Silver 

Karolina Kurkova in Marchesa

Rita Ora in Vera Wang 

Kate Hudson in Versace 

White and silver was a big theme this year. I guess those colors are reminiscent of technology. But either way, some white and silver looks slayed and others didn't. These looks are killer...like I'm dying for them. Can I somehow borrow these dresses? Literally any of them. 

What is so fantastic about Karolina's Marchesa dress was that it was designed by designers and a cognitive computer! Marchesa worked with IBM's computer, Watson to design and create this dress. A true Manus x Machina collaboration! 

Hot Honorable Mention 

Alicia Vikander in Louis Vuitton 

I've admit before that I have a small girl crush on Alicia Vikander and she's not making it any easier to get over her! This look is amazing and weirdly I see how it reads "technology". What I love most I are those boots! They're so modern and fashion forward. 

Best Dressed 

Claire Danes in Zac Posen 

No dress tonight followed the gala's theme more than Claire Danes in Zac Posen! Fashion plus technology equals Claire as Cinderella coming to life in front of our very eyes. She glowed, she shined, she killed. Manus x Machina all encapsulated in one fabulous dress. I love you, Zac Posen, call me! 

What are all your thoughts? Please share them with me in the comments! 

The Broad Museum.

In LA, there are a bunch of beautiful museums to visit where you can see art, look back on history, or learn about a new culture. I've visited a lot of them, but when I heard there was a brand spanking new contemporary art museum opening in Downtown LA, I knew I had to check it out. Especially since entry into the museum is free!

Before opening, the museum teased everyone with its beautiful architecture of the building. It's a super modern look that looks almost like a mesh net(?)...that's what I thought of it anyway!

Upon walking inside, we were instantly greeted with this interesting piece, resembling a stack of plates by Robert Therrien.

Moving over to the left, was this lamp that looks like its sort of melting. This reminded me so much of a prop straight out of a Tim Burton movie.

All the art in this museum was very modern, which I actually really like. I think it allows the audience to use their imagination to delve into the deeper meaning of what the piece is trying to convey. Noting the date and location the artists created the pieces also influences the interpretations of the artwork, so I always make a note to read the placards next to them.

My favorite room by far was the Takashi Murakami Room! Murakami uses his Japanese heritage and American pop culture to influence his works. His art spills into fashion and film as well and has been compared to Andy Warhol.

I also really loved a video piece by Ragnar Kjartansson. I couldn't get any footage of it, just because it wouldn't have done it any justice, really. The piece was a looping video of a group of musicians who rented a dreary cabin in upstate New York. Each musician was set in a different room of the mansion each with different instruments and they all sang and played the same song from their respective rooms. Videos were taken of each room and displayed separately, but became harmonious when they were all played at the same time. This exhibit was totally worth seeing, I would even recommend it before the infamous Infinity Room!

We came across some very random but interesting pieces throughout, like this Double America by Glenn Ligon.

My boyfriend even found some height competition with this Charles Ray number.

I was feeling a little tiny standing next to this Robert Therrien piece.

There were even some Jeff Koons works like these basketballs.

I loved seeing some Roy Lichtenstein artwork as well!

Finally, we saw the infamous Infinity Room! Note that when you go to the Broad, come early and make a reservation to see this! Since everything is free, the museum has to track the number of visitors in the most popular exhibit so by the time we arrived, the reservations for the room were filled and we had to go on a standby list and we couldn't see it until 8:30pm. But it was totally worth the wait (kind of). We had (a full) 15 seconds in the room where you stand on a platform surrounded by water below you and mirrors on the walls. Lights are projected in there to reflect on the water and the mirrors. It really looks like you are in a room of infinite sparkle. My favorite part of it was looking down below me...it felt like I was floating in space!

I really recommend checking this place out guys! It's very different and unique and you can't beat the price.

Met Gala 2015.

Somehow, my invitation to the Met Gala always gets lost in the mail every year! But that doesn't mean I still don't admire the fashion from afar and this year was no different. Last night, the most fashionable elite strutted their designer looks to fundraise for the Metropolitan a Museum of Art Costume Institute in New York City. The theme this year was "China: Through the Looking Glass" and I was pleasantly surprised that many of the attendees dressed for the Asian theme.

I was majorly stunned by all the fashion. I loved the risks people took with their looks and while some might have missed the mark, others were spectacular!

This year was all about the barely there nude dresses. I loved them all but Beyoncé killed it with her look! She was my favorite of the three. 

Beyoncé in Givenchy

Kim Kardashian in Roberto Cavalli

Jennifer Lopez in Atelier Versace

These were all stunning looks but my top three favorite looks of the night were what I thought were most elegant and fashion forward looks...I die for Gigi Hadid's dress! 

Rosie Huntington-Whitely in unknown 

Gigi Hadid in Diane Von Furstenberg 

Kerri Russell in Altazurra 

But of course I can never forget my Met Gala queen who always slays the Met's red carpet, Sarah Jessica Parker! She may look like her head is on fire, but damn she looks good with it! SJP, you get it girl! 

What did you guys think of the fashion at the Met Gala this year? Let me know if I missed any other beauties! 

Clean Lines.

I'm always on the lookout for the newest nail trends, because let's face it...they don't change that often! I'm not that big of a risk taker on nail shapes because I'm obsessed with my own squoval shape, but new designs are always on my radar.

This season, I'm obsessed with clean lines on nails. Letting your natural nail shine through alongside a cute spring color makes your nail design look really modern and cool. I love the geometric and architectural lines in this look by Buff and Tweeze...

And I'm head over heels for these tiny shapes traced onto nails by Olive and June...

This was my attempt at creating this look. I used masking tape and French tip tape to create the clean lines and painted over them. I removed them when the nail polish was completely dry...

Whether its at a salon or a DIY at home, this look is sure to keep you ahead of the trends and is a perfect spring look!

Exploring the Super Cute World of Hello Kitty.

Hello! Hello Kitty is one of my favorite iconic characters and this year, she is celebrating her 40th anniversary! I remember as a kid always asking my dad to take me to the Sanrio store to buy me Hello Kitty stickers. I was obsessed and I still think she is the cutest. When I heard the Japanese American Museum in Downtown LA was holding an exhibit for Hello Kitty for her 40th anniversary, I knew I had to check it out. If you're a fan of hers or even a fan of Japanese art, this exhibit is really worth seeing.

The entrance to the exhibit with this Hello Kitty block sculpture.

She's ageless?! Girl's gotta tell me her secret...

The exhibit included relics from the 70's and 80's like backpacks, notebooks, and stickers designed with Hello Kitty on them. 

I had a lot of these items as a kid.

Hello Kitty's family, minus her twin, Mimmy. 

These adorable Hello Kitty bride and groom!

How Hello Kitty looked the year I was born.

Her bows lead to the next room of the exhibit. 

There was also a hall of different takes of adapted Hello Kitty art, which was super creative. 

My favorite part was the room of Hello Kitty fashion, where different dresses were on display made of Hello Kitty dolls and fabrics. 

This dress made of Hello Kitty dolls was worn by Lady Gaga. 

I'm about 14 apples tall. 

The sculptures throughout the museum were also very artistic. 

Pharoah Kitty. 

Kitty hieroglyphics.

Japanese Kitty. 

And the man who put up with my Hello Kitty fever. 

The exhibit is going on until May 31, so make your way there before its gone! 

Thanksgiving.

I love the fall season and one of my favorite parts of it is Thanksgiving. I love everything about it...the food, the family, the Black Friday sales. So this year when Thanksgiving was held at my house, I was so excited and so ready to get into the spirit. 

Usually, my mom makes the entire feast, but this year I offered to make all the side dishes and leave the turkey to her. I hope to one day be able to make a turkey as good as hers, but making the sides was a good start for me. In addition, I went crazy over making the table setting this year and actually prepared for it for weeks in advance. Everyone's Thanksgiving is special and I hope mine can inspire some of you for next year!

So I began preparing the table setting a couple of weeks before the big day...

I made these burlap place settings with burlap ribbon and washable fabric glue. I did it by folding different lengths on a 4 x 22 inch cut of ribbon. See next photo...

On a 22 inch ribbon, fold 2 inches one way, 6 inches the other way, then 5 inches from the side you folded 2 inches from. Glue with washable fabric glue and place a heavy object on it to seal thoroughly.

Then I made the centerpieces using a large cylindrical vase and adding small pumpkins, squash, and walnuts and topping it off with a candle. I wrapped it up in the leftover burlap ribbon from the place settings and a festive bow. 

I wanted keep a rustic undertone to the table so I arranged mason jars as glasses instead of regular cups. And to top off I added paper straws that fit in with the Thanksgiving color scheme. 

The drinks I made for our guests were so yummy. In a pitcher, I just added 4 cups of orange juice to 1 cup of vodka, a few tablespoons of the syrup in maraschino cherry jars, 3 rosemary sprigs, and 2 lemons. 

Appetizers should be kept light so people save room for the Thanksgiving feast! I decided to make a veggie tray shaped like a turkey. Gobble Gobble! 

This was my take on stuffing. To 1.5 pounds of rosemary olive oil bread, I added simmered onions, roasted mushrooms, parsley, sage, thyme, and garlic and I mixed it all with 3 cups of chicken stock and 2 eggs. Baked it at 375 for 30 minutes and voila!

My Brussels Sprouts were a huge hit this year. I halved and  roasted the sprouts in olive oil, salt, and pepper at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes. When they came out of the oven, I mixed them with cranberries and walnuts and finally topped it off with crumbled Gorgonzola cheese. The balance of the ingredients can be tailored to your liking! I like the taste of tart cranberries so I added a lot of those. 

Okay guys, this green bean casserole was by far the favorite side dish of the night and I like to attribute it to the fact that I did NOT use canned cream of mushroom soup! Instead I made a Bechamel sauce, which is just 5 tablespoons of melted butter mixed with 4 tablespoons of flour. Add 4 cups of heated milk and season with 2 teaspoons of salt and 1/2 a teaspoon of nutmeg. I mixed this sauce with blanched green beans, roasted mushrooms, and French fried onions in a buttered pan. Finally, I topped it with more French fried onions and baked it at 350 for 25 minutes. So delicious!

Sorry (not sorry) that half of these mashed potatoes were eaten before I could get a picture of it, but apparently it was that good. My favorite potatoes to use are red potatoes because the consistency is really thick but still smooth. It's easy to get lumps out with red potatoes, and I like my mashed potatoes without the lumps! You can even leave the skins on, as the skins on red potatoes are actually nutritious and have been said to improve cognitive function. I added 1 cup of warm milk and 4 tablespoons of butter to make it extra soft and creamy.

Not pictured: Cranberry sauce made by adding 1 cup cranberries to 2 cups of boiling water with orange zest in it. The cranberries will burst in the heat to make the sauce!

I finally finished off the meal with a Rose Apple Pie. I wish I could take credit for this recipe, but I got it from acozykitchen.com and it is to die for. It's topped with a bourbon glaze and it's oh so decadent. 

I hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving this year and that this post served as some inspiration for next year! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!