Salt and Straw ice cream - Portland

I am a big fan of ice cream... as in, I can easily finish a pint in one sitting and am a frequenter of the homemade ice cream shops in Seattle. So I was ecstatic when we luckily stumbled upon the adorable Salt & Straw while down in Portland.

Local and organic ingredients + handmade + awesome flavors.

I love this old-school pull down kraft paper roll for frequently changing items.

iPad for customer check out.

Cool vintage chairs.. of course, it's Portland.

So hard to pick flavors since I wanted to try everything, but in the end I got sea salt with caramel ribbons and almond brittle with salted ganache. Both were amazing!

White summer denim

Zara cardigan (similar)

Nasty Gal blouse (similar)

Forever 21 destroyed jeans (similar)

Zara patent leather python flats (similar)

Céline sunglasses (similar)

Marc by Marc Jacobs wallet clutch

White pants have the effect of making an outfit look more crisp and summery, but they can sometimes be too formal. So white jeans that are a bit beat up is just the right balance for this outfit to be daytime appropriate. This is one of those mindless outfits that is simple enough for a chill coffee and cookie run.

Weekend trip to Portland

Madewell knit

Helmut Lang tank top (similar)

Madewell skirt (similar)

Céline sunglasses

Prada leather tote

Gap jelly sandals (similar)

Forever 21 necklace (similar)

I like a good knit skirt because it layers well with slouchy tops for a casual chic look that can be dressed down with sandals or up with heels. It's versatile and the cotton makes it not look as high maintenance as bandage skirts. I wore this outfit when we drove down to Portland this past weekend for a mini-vacation. The first photo is while I was hungrily waiting to eat at Pok Pok (food post to come, and I'm on my phone probably checking in on Foursquare), and the rest are taken while we leisurely walked off our lunch by the waterfront. Lots more trip photos soon.

Shop Pretty Thing: UPDATED!

Updating Shop Pretty Thing in real time! Follow Hey Pretty Thing on Twitter for live updates. Putting up tons of goodies all day today. (PS: Upcoming major update next week: SHOES!)

Engagement photos (part 1)

On me:

Nordstrom dress (similar)

Michael Kors neon pink belt

Zara python patent leather flats (similar)

On him:

Foundry chambray shirt (similar)

Love Moschino khaki pants (similar)

Sperry x Band of Outsiders boat shoes (similar)

Photography by Benj Haisch

A couple weeks ago, my fiancé and I + our wedding photographer packed into a car crammed with clothes and headed east on I-90. Mission: basically...drive until we found a cool spot, pull over, and take pictures. This first location really captures the beauty that is only a couple hours away from Seattle.. lush trees, calm blue waters, and snow-capped mountains illuminated by the sun. This 3-part series document the spontaneous adventure that was our engagement session. We had so much fun and we loved our photos! There are literally hundreds to choose from so here are just a few. Huge thanks to our talented photographer Benj Haisch, and also to the most amazing makeup artist and one of my best friends, Yeji Kim Sakoda, for making me look pretty. More to come!

End of the quarter celebration!

This photo pretty much sums up the elation I feel from being done with the first quarter of grad school. I love my program and what I'm learning, but it's relaxing to have a break after what seems like a month of finals. During my week break, expect:
1. A HUGE update on Shop Pretty Thing. Let's just say a change in lifestyle means I'll be selling most of my existing wardrobe..
2. More consistent blog posts. Thanks for bearing with me through this busy season in life.
3. Sneak peeks from our engagement photoshoot.

Anyway, the photo above is from the night of my birthday. And I realized one of my peace signs is like a perpendicular 90-degree angle lol..

Bitterroot - Seattle

BBQ and bourbon are two of my fiancé's favorite things, so we had to check out Bitterroot in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle. I love the no-nonsense menu... choose your meat and two sides.

Grape Jolly Ranchers at the bar counter as a little pre-dinner treat while waiting for our table.

Fries, good. Chili, good. Chili cheese fries... you already know.

Fiance picked brisket with asparagus and collard greens.

My entree of pulled pork with cheddar cheese grits and cornbread with honey butter.