MCLV Style: Animalistic
Northern California is all about layering during the Fall – The mornings may start off foggy with a chill in the air only to end up in the mid seventies with the sun beating down on you by lunchtime. Since moving to San Francisco I’ve become something of a self-taught layering expert.
{You can shop similar pieces by clicking these hyperlinks: Leopard Knit Moto Jacket – Express, Siren Skinny Jeans – Victoria’s Secret, Black Tunic Tank – Club Monaco, (faux) Patent Leather Chainlink Bag – Express, Gold Geometric Bracelet – BCBG & Over-The-Knee Seude Boots – Chinese Laundry}
{You can view this outfit on both Lookbook.nu and Pose}
{Check out outtakes from this shoot here – Just log into Facebook to view}
This ended up being the perfect amount of layers, I could easily unzip the moto jacket to get some air, and take it off completely when it got too warm. We spent the day wandering around Sonoma Square and enjoying wine tastings, window shopping, and a tasty lunch at The Girl And The Fig.
Do you like to wear multiple lighter-weight layers when the weather starts to get colder in the Fall/Winter? Or do you prefer to wear thicker outerwear during the chillier seasons?
MCLV Style: Sergeant Pepper
This past weekend we participated in one of my favorite San Francisco Saturday morning rituals – A lazy walk along the bustling, sun-drenched Embarcadero to the Ferry Building Farmers Market. The vendors, shops & food stalls are amazing, the people watching & street performers are hilarious, and the view is unparalleled.
{You can shop similar pieces by clicking these hyperlinks: Sgt. Pepper Coat – H&M, Cropped Black Leggings – Victoria’s Secret, Bow Ballet Flats – H&M, Tortoise Shell Sunglasses – Aldo, Star Cocktail Ring – BCBGMAXAZRIA via Bloomingdale’s, Spiked Bracelet – ASOS & Shoulder Bag – OASAP}
{You can view this outfit on both Lookbook.nu and Pose}
{Check out more outtakes from this shoot here – just log into Facebook to view}
I ordered this handbag after swooning over Smile For Style‘s bag a few weeks ago {included in this Looks of the Week post} and I’ve been quite pleased with my first OASAP purchase. I’ve always loved High Street Fashion and shopped online at UK-based sites like Asos, Miss Selfridge & Topshop, so I’m thrilled to add another British store to my list.
Personally, I’m of the mindset – Why run errands in your workout gear if you can throw on a chic coat and make a stylish morning of it? Do you have a weekend uniform when you’re running errands? Will you keep your workout gear on when you go out into public or change into street clothes?
List Girl
My June Listing post was such a success that I thought I’d make it a semi-regular offender, so get ready for some information about me and details about what I’ve been doing lately.
What I’ve been eating:
I can’t seem to get out of the kitchen actually, something which I blame this new 11-Cup Cuisinart Food Processor for. I was thrilled to upgrade from the 4-cup to the 11-cup but I haven’t stopped baking since it arrived, and that’s rough on the jeans!
I’m still eating tons of veggies, cooking healthy meals for Arianna at least once a week, and eating my body weight in fruit every day, but everything I eat seems to come with a side of baked goods these days…
{JL Goes Vegan’s Cherry-Oat Ice Cream Bars, Peanut Butter Protein Balls & OhSheGlow’s Oil-Free Chocolate Zucchini Muffins}
The boy has been thrilled by this little development and no one in my office is complaining about the abundance of cookies and zucchini muffins, I can assure you!
What I’ve been reading:
It seems like lately I’ve spent a lot of time on the train or in the car, so reading materials have been a must. The benefit is that I’m all caught up on my favorite magazines now, which is a relief, and I’ve read a handful of books over the last few weeks.
Recently I’ve gotten through the too cute Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky, Martin Cruz Smith’s Russian crime novel Stalin’s Ghost, and the international espionage novel Moscow Vector by Patrick Larkin. Now it’s on to Robin Maxwell’s Signora da Vinci and Lucrezia Borgia by Sara Bradford, both of which have been gathering dust on my bedside table.
What I’ve been writing:
Um… I take the 5th. I swear I’ll have an answer in my next Listing post. I swear!
What I’ve been wearing:
I’ve been making an effort to trade in my easy-to-wear dresses for fun separates and that’s given me a chance to be more creative with colors and prints and accessories so far this Summer.
Hopefully I can keep this up through the end of Summer and start Fall off right with lots of great skirts and pants paired with fabulous tops and all the cold weather accessories I’ve been missing!
Some Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Me:
- I spend most of my waking time thinking about food – I love to cook and eat, and trying a new recipe is one of my favorite parts of the day.
- I compulsively double lock my front door whenever I walk inside my apartment. Even when Sean’s just walked out to drop off the garbage. I can’t help it!
- I love swimming and spending my vacations in the water, but I’m afraid of lake monsters. Don’t ask.
How have you been spending your time lately? Have you eaten anything great? Read anything new? Worn anything fabulous that you’d like to share?
Summary Saturday
For this Summary Saturday I want to share some of my Instagrams from the past week or two with you all. Everything from jewelry and clothes to snacks and vegan recipes – Enjoy!
- Instagram – You can follow me on Instagram @moicontrelavie
- Twitter – You can follow me on Twitter @moicontrelavie
- Pinterest – You can follow my Pinterest boards here
- Facebook– You can LIKE my Facebook page here
- Lookbook – You can see my Lookbook looks here, you can FAN me to get an email update when I post a new look, or you can HYPE my looks if you like them!
Have a great weekend!
MCLV Mange: Farmer’s Market Fare
Welcome to the second installment of my new reader requested series called MCLV Mange, where I’ll be discussing quick, easy and healthy meal ideas, desserts and snacks, entertaining and even wine pairings. You can read the first segment of this series on using healthy coconut milk to cook your vegetables here. Please feel free to email me with any questions or topic suggestions.
Now let me ask you, is there anything more delicious than a simple meal made from fresh ingredients?
This past weekend I went to the Carmichael Park Farmer’s Market in Sacramento and picked up some fresh produce and when I got back to San Francisco Sunday I made a delicious dinner for myself and a friend.
So what did I make?
A massaged kale salad with Trader Joe’s hummus salad dressing. Your hands get pretty gooey when you massage the dressing into the leaves, but the end result is definitely worth the effort and minimal mess. Here’s a basic How To from the brilliant Gena at Choosing Raw.
Some people find that kale is an acquired taste, but it is definitely one that you should acquire – kale is high in fiber, Vitamin A, easy to absorb calcium, antioxidants and smaller amounts of Vitamins C and B. Like I said, its worth getting to know!
Brightly colored vegetables are another extraordinarily healthy addition to any salad. Purple cabbage is high in Vitamins A, C, K and iron while radishes are rich in Vitamins C, K, B6 and dietary fiber. They are both also sources of antioxidants.
Did you get a chance to watch the lecture by Dr. Terry Wahl’s that I included in Sunday’s Links You’ll Love post? If not you should take a quick look at her Minding Your Mitochondria lecture, which will explain just how beneficial kale and bright vegetables are for your health.
Since it was such a chilly night I also wanted to serve something warm so I sliced up some of the multicolored carrots that I had picked up and a sweet potato, and roasted them with extra virgin olive oil, cumin and Himalayan sea salt. Carrots are high in Vitamins A, C, K and potassium and sweet potatoes are a good source of Vitamins B6, C, D, iron and magnesium.
What was the final product?
I hope that the simplicity of this meal inspires you to make a trip to your local farmer’s market and try a healthy, fresh, vegetable-based dinner as well.
Moi Contre La Vie 