Full Bloom: tasty Tuesday!

-Enjoy Blossom in DTLA! Yummy!-

My happy hubby, enjoying his rare beef steak pho! I drank all his broth when he was done as well as knocking back some sake and my tofu curry and it was delish! We celebrated here, at Blossom, two times and at Mignon two times getting the call saying we are hired, sign the contract, for two new jobs! He is at USC, event planning with the Professional Writing Program and I am at Beverly Hills High teaching Theatre and Producing! Oh the life we will lead. This is an exciting new path and there are changes for both of us on the horizon with time to freelance!

New Denim Dress For a New Occasion! 

BB Dakota Dress and a supple, soft, green Tano bag! Everything else you have seen before. Of course my Quay sunnies, homemade earrings and Jewel Mint Necklace! Shoes are cheap and from the garment/fashion district near Santee in DTLA! I bet I spent $5.99 on them! I now need to buy myself a sweet Dean bag like D did!

 *Happy work week for you worker bees! I have 2 wks of freedom before I start buzzing about and I am using each day wisely to enjoy my spare time and random moments that come and go! Summer.

-xo-Brooke 

PS: We're going hiking in Malibu early today so I need to sleep!

WTW-WED? Birthday's and the Theatre: styling your dude

-My Hubby Turned 35!- 
And He Landed a Cool New Job at USC! Go Cort!  -We are Both Lions(4 years & 4 Days a part)!-

Outfit #1-What He Wore: Short Sleeved Plaid Shirt: Ben Sherman (his favorite!), Tortoise Shell Prescription Glasses: Polo by-Ralph Lauren (not Ray Ban like his script sunnies)!
I Love my Babesy.

As you can see, we are still rockin' the I Phone a bit longer for our pictures unless we beg, borrow or steal from friends, family and loved ones who like sharing dope cameras. That's how we are deciding what to purchase!

Men's WTW? My Husband is Stylish!

Outfit #2 -What He Wore: T-shirt: Quicksilver, Medium Rinse Jeans: Diesel, Slippers, a wedding ring and his Polo Ralph Lauren signature glasses (refuses contacts, but wants Lasik one day)!

"I like my new FMS shoes, Brooke, just don't take my picture!"

"It's our new french press and that is not cancer on my arm, that's the hipstamatic app on your phone. Look, Brooke, I have a new Lifetime tank. Men wear tanks too, but this is my first one!" He received a lot more presents, so did I, but I am waiting on the pictures from a dear friend before I post my Birthday. I may have to post them though since it's been almost a month. I simply thought camera phone pictures would not do the decorations justice at all. I got crazy! Really crazy! Then, I had to remove a lot before Cort's Birthday since he doesn't love pink so much.
-Dinner Date. I Was Late. Hey, I Make Mistakes-
Then, We Saw This at the Kirk Douglas Theatre

Outfit #3 (4 technically since our tradition is to hold and put on all our presents! Yes, we know that we are dorks!): Instead of slippers and medium rinse denim he upgraded and wore a new Birthday present! Shirt: Aknowledge (yes, that is spelled correctly. Lol!) Prison Stripes, Dark Wash Jeans: Levi's skinny 511s, Yummy Medium Brown Boots: Palladium.

Yummy Mediterranean food from Mezza. The labne was so good!

This is the best dessert ever with orange oil and rose water!

Take two: See that amazing Lebanese wine?

The exterior is colorful and fabulous!

The lovely Kirk Douglas Theater is a keeper!

Happy Birthday! I love you! xo

WTW-Wednesday: Macaron Magic at Bottega Louie, a DTLA Favorite!

Black Lace, Pink Tulle, Feathers and Accents of Gold Sparkle

Baby pink soft tulle ballet skirt: BB Dakota, Circa 1980s lace scoop neck tank: Cache Petite (gift from mom's closet), Super comfy to walk anywhere without worry black wedges: knock off designer look from Nordstrom's (spacing the brand right now, but they were under $70), Off-white quilted Chanel inspired bag with gold wrapped chain strap, thrift store in Highland Park around the corner and so near to my Manic Panic hair salon, Edgy gold and off-white necklace: Jewel Mint, Brand new edgy/exciting long gold chain with long neutral/turquoise feathers-turquoise stones and orange stones (purchased last summer in the Redwood forrest) are combined  with tough hardware: made by yours truly on my Birthday while we crafted, Gold Bangles with flowers and pink details: (Birthday gift from my husband), 24k gold chain: gift from mom originally from dad on my DOB, braceletBlack feather and ribbon rosette fascinator: mad by yours truly for an outing last week!

These are a few of my favorite things! I love rose and earl grey macarons and the captivating colors. Bottega Louie knows how to appeal to all you senses by displaying with such perfection.

Still Stuck With the iphones a but Longer so Here's Some Fun Hypstamatics From Dinner!

We will miss seeing Cort's bothers who both visited. We went to dinner with Adam, the second youngest, and saw/played outside at BloomFest with Robbie, Cort's youngest brother, a few days earlier since he's attending flight school in LBC. What a busy week!

Enjoy the rest of the week! It's lovely in LA!

Saturday's Stake Out: stalking Sushi-Gen in a new dress!

-Worn to Stalk Sushi-Gen on Mission: Little Tokyo-

Dress: altered vest (found in the outskirts of the fashion district at an overstock store in a men's sz. 4XL...YIKES), Laced Stiletto Booties: Guess from Norstroms, Bracelet Black Leather Clutch-J crew circa 2003, Jewelry: layered multi-colored metal necklace-The Extras from Karmaloop, Attached Jade and Knotted Buddha Charm- found at a trinket shop in Little Tokyo, A turquoise and Jade Buddha Necklace-gifted (from step-mother) high end designer, Turquoise Feather Earrings-gifted by my hubby from EVE in LBC, Sunnies: Quay, Noir Feathered Rosette Hair Fascinator: Self Made from a satin ribbon rose, hot glue and three long black feathers secured with a bobby pin, Red Hair, courtesy of my own Wella color mix of dark auburn and deep cherry with 10 volume developer & Nail Polish-Essie Petal Pink!

-"I want to go to there!" by, Liz Lemon on 30 Rock-

I ate the delicious appetizers (cucumber seaweed sunomono, miso soup, seaweed salads, fried salmon skin salad with a organic spring mix and sprouts etc.)! I received my sashimi deluxe platter, rice, tempura & sauce, and my hubby received his sushi deluxe platter so we were ready to feast. Right there, I have my soy sauce in hand to mix with wasabi. I ate fresh ginger that wasn't dyed pink (right!) and my palate was cleansed and ready to enjoy the freshest way fish in all of Los Angeles! Yelp was correct and Sushi-Gen lived up to all the all the hype, supposed long wait lists and ridiculously "perfect sashimi & sushi" expectations! The chefs were cheerful all night long, singing and chanting as they received high tips and when they served special dishes to the customers sitting at the bar (who were willing to eat and pay for whatever the sushi chefs' made for their delighted customers)! Our server was so sweet and pleasant was quick on her feet and always checked to make sure we were satisfied and enjoying our choices. She explained the menu with expertise as well as the portions. There weren't a gimmicks, hype or up-sales on her end and I personally appreciate that aspect of the service.

 In college, I worked numerous years as a server in upscale and in mid-range restaurants. I loathed being forced to up-sell crappy food/specialty drinks or price pointed not discounted items on are menu or not. Additionally, I hated the gimmicks unless they were truly special cuts of fresh fish, interesting scallops or tuna that came in because the chef got lucky, went fishing or his friends did. Sometimes specials were cool because the sous chef or the chef went to a mid-week farmer's market on a whim and found something extremely special, fresh and in season. This can also happen if an employee working at the restaurant or the chef's garden started exploding with way too many vegetables or fruit and then those specials mean something. That's why you ask questions and determine if the special is actually special. 

Occasionally, restaurants run weekly specials and they purposefully order extra of the ingredients to meet the special's requirements each night. That is not really a special but a price pointed weekly meal plan that is a restaurant gimmick. I think why isn't on the dang menu. Good lord! Otherwise, avoid specials at like the plague unless you are at the most upscale, highly reviewed, perfect palace of a restaurant or you will be unimpressed my mediocre, at best, or miserable food that is rarely fresh and basically tasteless.  That's the American way! 

Fortunately, most ethnic restaurants do not subscribe toe following philosophy! Moreover, no matter how cheap and how much food. Up-sales and specials are meant to clean out the older items in the cooler and I hate when the server gets stuck trying to beg us to buy these things and trying to up-sell drinks and things probably don't not want or that the second in command is still developing as his signature dish when the chef has a night or lunch off. Don't fall for it. Cort and I always know what we want and usually end up making good decisions. We tend to ask if we have questions as expert foodies! This was not a problem at Sushi-Gen. We avoided the lines and made a reservation early (over two weeks before) and we were ten minutes late and there were no problems!

-Costume-Long Sought After Asymmetrical LBD-

-A Light-Weight Sweater Dress, a DIY!-

To make the dress I pinned the shape I wanted around my figure. I took it off, cut straight down the edge where the seam was, put the dress right side together by folding it over, I created asymmetrical sleeves and sewed up the sides leaving tiny slits that are different lengths on each side of the sheath. The finished product is streamlined, classy, sensible and comfortable. I love it, a lot! Make one if you like to sew. This is the easiest DIY projects I have ever completed and I complete a lot, including customized tailoring work! Do it! You know you want to. I can re-do and video when I get a camera and post it on Vimeo for you on here if there's interest! Keep me posted!

I have a slight cold and the camera situation is a bit murky until it's replaced. I am on a hot trail for a nice new canon rebel, but expect some posts next week to be the bare bones basics (i phone pics & hipstmatics). Posting may be a bit spotty until I am feeling less yucky, eew! Thanks for your following and to all the new buzz that's being generated! I am so grateful for your genuine interest and your nice comments! You are appreciated! It's still Saturday! I made it! Phew! Take time to enjoy a fabulous week all! xoxo
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