that little black dress

Wilfred dress and cardigan, tights from Japan
Dolce Vita booties, Kate Spade sunnies, NARS Funny Face lipstick

The versatility of this dress is endless. What initially drew me to it was it's simplistic, minimalist shape, and once I put it on it was all over from there. It's made entirely of silk and is what easily takes this dress from day to night in an instant. It's also perfect to wear year round- tights, booties and a chunky sweater in the winter, a denim jacket and flats in the spring, a statement necklace and sandals for summer, and a scarf and boots in the fall. I can't wait for it to carry me through the seasons.

lipstick addict

When it comes to makeup, my routine is pretty much that, routine. My eyes may get a wash of a neutral shadow, definitely some black liner (on occasion I'll switch it up and use a deep orchid, mahogany, or dark, almost-black navy), and lots of mascara. I'll go through waves with my blushes- I'll use the same one for a while and then move on to something else in my arsenal. While everything else pretty much stays the same, the one thing I love changing on a consistent basis is my lip color. I love how it can transform a look. I can be wearing a lace top, add a dark red lip and all of a sudden it becomes a little more vampy. I can wear a t-shirt and jeans, throw on some bright pink and it becomes playful. You get the idea. My lipstick repertoire has gotten a little out of control over the years, but through it, I've discovered some really great favorites, shared below by color category. I'd love to hear what your favorites are!

Neutral

1. Bobbi Brown Beige - The perfect there-but-not-there nude
2. Bobbi Brown Brown - A nude with a hint of chocolate
3. Tom Ford Cocoa Ravish - That polished, "grown-up" lipstick everyone should own

Pink/Coral

1. Bobbi Brown Creamy Lip Crystal Pink - A light, pretty pink
2. NARS Niagara - The perfect coral
3. Makeup Forever Rouge Artist Natural N31 - Bright hot pink
4. YSL Lip Stain #15 - A long-lasting, glossy stain in a bright, juicy pink

Orange/Peach

1. Makeup Forever #39 - A light pastel peach
2. YSL Rouge Pur Couture #13 - A satin orange-red
3. Bobbi Brown Creamy Matte Jenna - A modern orange-red
4. MAC Morange - True orange

Red

1. Bobbi Brown Creamy Matte Red Carpet - A bright, matte red
2. NARS Cruella Lip Pencil - A deep blue-red in a jumbo pencil
3. Makeup Forever Rouge Artist Intense Moulin Rouge - Satin cherry red
4. Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet #39 - Like a good red wine

Berry/Fuchsia

1. Bobbi Brown Creamy Lip Blue Raspberry - An everyday, wearable berry
2. NARS Lip Pencil Never Say Never - Limited Edition, matte purple berry
3. NARS Funny Face - A punchy, bright fuchsia
4. Bobbi Brown Creamy Matte Crushed Plum - Opaque plum
5. Dior Rouge Dior #862 - Dark like bordeaux

Lip Care

Bobbi Brown Lip Balm - Fave, fave, fave

homemade potstickers

Potstickers, gyoza, dumplings, whatever you want to call them- we made around 240 of them all from scratch this past weekend. It is my grandmother's recipe that changes a little bit each time we do them, but they always turn out delicious no matter the variance. Making them in bulk is awesome because you can freeze them for later. It's great for when you're in a pinch and want something homemade but are too lazy to cook, or perfect if you need to whip up some appetizers for a dinner party, or wonderful if you want a little afternoon snack.

Bobo's Potstickers

2 lbs. ground pork
2 heads of napa cabbage
10 shiitake mushrooms
1 red bell pepper
1 cup pickled chinese vegetable (looks light brown)
1 bunch of clear, dry vermicelli
2 large eggs
Oyster sauce
Soy sauce
Salt and pepper
4 packages of your favorite potsticker wrapper
Small bowl of water (for sealing wrappers)

Soak dry vermicelli until just softened, but still firm. Cut vermicelli into small pieces. Julienne cabbage, mushrooms, bell pepper, pickled vegetable (I suggest getting out the food processor for this one, it will go much quicker). Mix all julienned ingredients with the pork, vermicelli, and two eggs. Add salt, pepper, oyster sauce, soy sauce to taste (we go very light on all these items because you usually eat these with a dipping sauce). Fill each wrapper with one spoonful of filling keeping it to one side of the wrapper. Dip your finger into the bowl of water and wet the entire circumference of the wrapper. Fold wrapper in half and press sides to seal (I like to pleat mine, but feel free to just fold it in half).

To freeze: Place potstickers on a parchment lined baking sheet making sure that none of them touch and place into freezer. Once frozen, you can place them in a ziplock bag and stick back into the freezer. Use within 3-4 weeks.

To cook (works both for fresh or frozen): On medium heat cook potstickers until one side is crisp and brown. Add 3 tablespoons of water to steam the wrapper. Once water has evaporated continue to fry. Flip potstickers until crisp and brown on each side. Enjoy with your favorite dipping sauce (I like mine with vinegar, soy sauce, and a little sriracha).

a whale's tale

Aritzia beanie, jacket and t-shirt, old Nine West boots
handmade whale's tale silver cuff, Bobbi Brown Red Carpet Creamy Matte Lipstick

We went out on a really nice day to take a visit to Sutro Baths and do a bit of exploring. It's an easy walk down from Land's End Lookout and gives you gorgeous views of the Pacific Ocean and a chance to walk through a cool cave. What I love most about this location is the land itself, you can see all it's history in the rocks. The different layers of rock that make up this place is so cool to see. Who knew it'd be right in your San Francisco backyard.