A Little Piece of History.

A highlight from my stay at The Plaza Hotel was meeting author, Patty Farmer. Several months ago, I "met" Ms. Farmer via twitter which is how I learned about her book, The Persian Room Presents: An Oral History of New York's Most Magical Night Spot. Since The Plaza is my favorite place to stay and I love its history, I was thrilled when Ms. Farmer (and her dog, Sabrina) kindly made some time to sit and chat about her life at The Plaza and shared some of hundreds of stories collected of what used to be the place to be - The Persian Room. Dream. Come. True.

Reem Acra Showroom + Giveaway.

Last February, I was lucky enough to go backstage at Reem Acra's runway show (see here) and earlier this month, I visited her at the Reem Acra showroom in New York.Ms. Acra spoke of her inspiration behind her latest collection that had just shown the evening before. I browsed through racks full of the most glamorous gowns I've ever seen, hot off the runway. They are truly wearable works of art.

Ms. Acra's designs may be most recognized on celebrities on the red carpet, and often worn by royalty. In addition to her beautiful bridal gowns, she is now making a name for herself in fragrance. This past Fall, Ms. Acra introduced Reem Acra Eau de Parfum, a warm and elegant scent - which brings me to the giveaway ....

Upon entering the showroom, I was greeted with a red velvet pouch containing a small bottle of Ms. Acra's perfume. It happens that I have an extra one to share with you. All you have to do to enter the giveaway is to leave a comment below with your name and email address. Winner will be chosen at random and I will announce next Wednesday. Good luck!

Vera Wang A/W 2013.

Mostly pieces in black, shades of gray and deep navy blues with a couple of fun twists at the end. Vera Wang's show was a runway full of separates in classic silhouettes that I would love to mix & match to my hearts delight.

3 Things.

This weekend I took it easy and stayed in San Francisco without anything planned. I finished cleaning out some drawers and made some room in the closet for my favorite; I can't believe in less than a week our drive across the country begins. Until then, I'm enjoying my nice, quiet space since I'm about to share my tiny apartment very soon, hopefully filling it with more love and laughter.

1. Letting off some steam and bowling at Lucky Strike on Friday after work. So. Much. Fun.

2. Ate sushi standing up on Saturday night while watching tv. Sounds ridiculous, I know. I realize I probably won't be doing this much anymore now that my favorite is moving in -at least not without having him look at me like I'm crazy. BUT I'm am excited to have someone to share the kitchen table with in less than a week.

3. Watching the Academy awards and critiquing the red carpet beforehand with Val & Emily

Time Out.

More to come next week from my trip to New York. For now, I'm taking a little break to enjoy the California sunshine.

So Fresh So Clean.

Elizabeth and James // BCBG Max Azria // Belstaff // Reed Krakoff

Little to no make up had quite a presence on the runways during fashion week, which I am loving. Now don't get me wrong, I'm all for a cat eye and/or bold lip, but am finding myself drawn to a clean, more polished look to subtly play up features. Sometimes this is when the true beauty naturally shines through.

Badgley Mischka A/W 2013.

Black & white with fur details and sequins for days - I loved each look Badgley Mischka sent down the runway after the next. The show had a certain lady-like appeal that no woman can resist. Though nearly impossible to narrow it down, here are a few of my highlights from the runway.

Fashion Direction.

Heels are making a major move by stepping off their platform and bringing things back down to more solid ground. According to Bergdorf Goodman Fashion Director, Linda Fargo and Fashion Director, Amanda Ross of Departures Magazine, the BB pump by Manolo Blahnik is the "it" shoe every woman must add to their closet. In a rainbow of colors and variety of textures the options are endless. I'm particularly drawn to the green suede stunners. How classic & sexy are these heels?

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7

3 Things.

A 3-day weekend to top off my vacation is almost more than I know how to handle; it's been years since I've had time like this to simply enjoy life. While I soon head back to reality, it won't be too long until things shake up again and can't wait to share what's in store. Until then, here are a few things that continue to linger on in my mind as I adjust back from my New York state of mind.

1. A bowl of fresh berries and Kusmi tea to start off each day on the right foot.

2. Finally seeing Jersey Boys - while it's passed through San Francisco several times, the timing has just never been right. More theatre is a must in my life.

3. Indulging in The Plaza's ice cream sundae from the world's coziest bed = heaven!

New York State of Mind.

After a long, beautiful week in New York, it's finally time to head home and get back to reality. Typically each trip to NY revolves solely around fashion week, but this time we branched out taking in a Broadway show, spent time walking around the lively city streets, shopping (what's new?) and met some incredible new friends. Now don't get me wrong, my heart will always belong to all things fashion, but it was great to see New York in a different light.

Heart to Heart.

Simply in love with these heart rings recently found at Picnic - one of my favorite boutiques in San Francisco. If ever I find myself with out a gift, I make a beeline to this darling shop located right on Polk Street.

I hope everyone has an indulgent day with the ones they love most. Happy Valentine's Day!

Luke's Lobster.

Is it possible to be addicted to Luke's Lobster? If so, my name is Jessica and I'm a lobster-holic. Literally, the best lobster, crab and shrimp rolls I've ever had. Mmmm

Nude Flats.

J.Crew ballet shoes // Vince // KORS Michael Kors ballet shoes // Ralph Lauren Collection ballet shoes // Sperry Top-Sider ballet shoes // Diane von Furstenberg nude shoes, $255 // Tory Burch flat shoes // Chloé ballet shoes 

Not only do nude flats go with everything, they elongate your legs and are comfortable to wear. How can you go wrong?!

Reunited.

And it feels so good.... to be back to my home away from home - New York City!

You can follow along my fashionable adventure here.

Flight Canceled.

YSL

Two words that make this girl feel about this shade of blue. Fingers crossed I make it out to New York sooner than later.

Happy weekend Everyone!

Animal Instincts.

camel//turtle//elephant//rhino//lion

I don't know of anything better than an armful of animals - they are just that darling! Loving these dainty bangles from Julie Vos and plan on adding a few more in my collection in the very near future.

Win-Win.

This recipe may take some time to cook, but your home will smell amazing because of it. Currently I'm in the market for a new slow cooker; it's perfect timing since my favorite will be here before long. See, we've already figured out how to live together - I handle the shopping and he takes care of the cooking. Win-win situation.

Ingredients
4 cups of chopped kale
1 1/2 cups cannellini beans
1 cup chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, peeled
1 Turkish bay leaf
1 tsp dried sage
1 tsp salt
6 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Dried crushed red pepper

Directions: Place beans in pot with enough cold water to cover about 3 inches and bring to a boil. Continue to boil for 1 minute and then remove from heat. Cover, and let stand for 1 hour. Drain beans and return to the pot. Bring 8 cups of water, onion, garlic, bay leaf, and sage to a boil. Reduce heat, cover & simmer until beans are tender, about 1-1 1/2 hours. Stir in salt and add kale; cook for 4 minutes. Drain beans and kale and place into a large bowl. Toss oil, lemon juice and red pepper to taste.

Enjoy!

Speechless.

Rarely do I find myself at a loss for words, but when I laid my eyes on these Valentino's I felt butterflies like my first crush all over again. Swoon.

3 Things.

I have to admit I am mourning the 49ers losing the Super Bowl. I really thought this was our year, but have very high hopes for next year. Looking ahead, I'm ready to check out of San Francisco for a few days and head to my most favorite place in the world, New York City.

1. Indulging in a gluttonous dinner at the HoPR for my friend Val’s birthday.

2. Celebrating the Niners with a Gold Rush-tini.

3. My favorite commercial tugging at my heartstrings – just so cute!

Forever Faithful.

Everlane oxford//Hudson jeans//JCrew scarf//Steve Madden luxe boots//Chloe handbag//Julie Vos bracelet//VonZipper sunglasses

This time next week I'll be in New York, but before I get too excited the 49ers need to win the Superbowl. Happy weekend and gooooo Niners! xx