All posts by Shirley

All Posts, Food, Travel

Sunday Brunch at St. Regis Monarch Beach Hotel at Dana Point

During the past weekend I visited my family in California. We went to St. Regis Monarch Beach at Dana Point for Sunday brunch. Dana Point is known for its beautiful beach view and the St. Regis is always a nice hotel to visit (regardless of location). The opportunity of eating at the St. Regis at Dana Point was too good to pass up.

The restaurant we went to in the St. Regis Monarch Beach hotel is called Motif. It was named the best brunch place in Orange County, California. I booked the reservation a few weeks before my trip. Being a Seattle person, I got tired of the rain and cold. I was longing for the Sunday brunch in the sunny Dana Point.

We arrived at the St. Regis Monarch Beach a bit early before our brunch reservation. We walked around the hotel and enjoyed the stunning view as well as the hotel’s interior and exterior designs. I’ve stayed in the St. Regis in San Francisco before, but the hotel design completely different from the St. Regis Monarch Beach at Dana Point.

The Sunday brunch at Motif was great. There was a variety of food options, including international dishes, and a dedicated dessert bar. In addition to the typical brunch items, such as made-to-order omelets, pancakes, classic eggs benedict, and French toast, Motif also offers sushi, Korean beef BBQ, dim sum, salad, fresh seafood, desserts, etc.

One especially nice thing about Motif’s omelet and pancakes/French toast bar was that they offer about sixty toppings. My three-year old niece was excited to order her ideal pancakes with chocolate M&Ms and sprinkles, with fresh berries on the side. I even added Macaroons to her plate from the dessert bar. I ordered French toast with Grand Manier and fresh berries. The combination was perfect for me.

Another thing I like about having Sunday brunch at Motif is its intimacy. Unlike typical brunch buffet places where they were too crowded with too many tables, Motif is just about the right size. I didn’t have to worry about running into people while I was getting food.

Motif Sunday brunch is more about quality than quantity. They might not offer as many items as other brunch buffet places, but their dishes are freshly made in small quantity. They replenish their items continuously.

The service at the Motif was excellent. I have to say no matter how delicious the food a restaurant offers, the dining experience wouldn’t be as memorable without great service. I really enjoyed my Motif Sunday brunch at the St. Regis Monarch Beach at Dona Point. When I return to CA to visit my family in a few months, we will definitely visit Motif at St. Regis Monarch Beach again!

Some people said that Motif offers the most extravagant Sunday brunch in Orange County. After my first-hand experience, I can’t agree more. The beach scenery, the quality of the food and the services made Motif stand out!

  • The price for an adult is $69 ($79 with unlimited Champagne) and $39 per child (age 5-12).
St Regis Monarch Beach at Dana Point, CA
St Regis Monarch Beach at Dana Point, CA
St. Regis Monrach Beach at Dana Point, CA
St. Regis Monrach Beach at Dana Point, CA
Sunday Brunch at Motif at St. Regis Monarch Beach
Sunday Brunch at Motif at St. Regis Monarch Beach
Sunday Brunch at Motif at St. Regis Monarch Beach
Sunday Brunch at Motif at St. Regis Monarch Beach
Sushi Boat at Motif
Sushi Boat at Motif
Oversized Omelet and Korean QQK at Motif
Oversized Omelet and Korean BBQ at Motif
Desserts at Motif
Desserts at Motif
Desserts at Motif
Desserts at Motif
Pastry at Motif
Pastry at Motif
Pancakes with fresh berries and macaros
Pancakes with fresh berries and macaros
French toast with Grand Manier and fresh berries
French toast with Grand Manier and fresh berries
Fresh Berry Crepe with Coconut & Berry Sorbet
Fresh Berry Crepe with Coconut & Berry Sorbet
All Posts, Fashion

Overalls is the New Trend for the Season

When I was a freshman in college, I was really into wearing overalls. I thought they were very comfortable for school and easy to put together for an outfit. I had five pairs of overalls in different materials and colors (blue jeans, white jeans, and brown cords). I wore either black oxford or tennis shoes with the blue and the white overalls. I also had a pair of brown Mary Janes (with chunky high heels) dedicated for the brown cords overalls.

A classmate of mine once asked me a question while I was in school: “Hey, Shirley, my uncle is a farmer and he wears overalls all the time. But you are not a farmer, why are you wearing overalls so often?” This showed how obsessed I was with the overalls. My passion for overalls phased out after the first few years in college.

This season overalls have made their way back into the fashion trend. This time, it’s no longer a relaxed fit as it used to be. They are in a more fitted design, often with straight leg hems. This enable us to create a more stylish look. You can pair them with a simple tee shirt and sandals for the day time, or pair them with a fashionable black pump for a evening out.

Many name brand jeans companies are offering overalls for this season. For example, you can get Paige Denim-Sierra overalls for $279 (on sale for $186.93), Citizens of Humanity-Drama Quincey overalls for $297 (on sale for $198.98), and True Religion for $358. I think these are a bit too pricey! Whereas you can get a less expensive pair from Nordstrom for under $100, or from H&M for just $39.

Is it worth it to buy a pair of overalls for over $300? I really like Citizens of Humanity’s Drama Quincey overalls, but I am not sure if I want to pay $300 for a pair of overalls that I only plan to wear a few times. Will you invest this much for a pair of overalls for this season?

Paige Denim-Sierra overalls
Paige Denim-Sierra overalls
Citizens of Humanity-Drama Quincey overalls
Citizens of Humanity-Drama Quincey overalls
All Posts, Food, Travel

Joel Robuchon at MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas

Image

Joel Robuchon is one of my favorite restaurants in Las Vegas. It is located inside the MGM Grand Hotel. The last time I was there I had one of their preconfigured four-course meals. The food was very good and the experience was great!

Before my meal began, the server pulled up a cart full of freshly baked bread for us to pick. There were about twenty options and each of them looked very tasty. I wished I could just sit there and sample the bread the entire night. I had to stop myself from eating the bread, so I could leave some room for my meal.

Each part of my four-course meal was delicious, but especially the grilled spiny lobster wrapped in buckwheat frill. The dish was cooked perfectly; the lobster was tender and full of taste. So was my beef cheeks braised with red miso and ginger.

My last course was Joel Robuchon’s famous Le Soufflé. It was a freshly baked chocolate soufflé. The server put it right in front of me and placed the ice cream on it. Although I was already beyond being full, the anticipation of watching the ice cream been absorbed by the hot soufflé raised my appetite again!

Just when I though I was done with my meal for the night, the server pulled up another cart. This time, instead of variety of baked bread, it was chocolates and sweets. I am a weak person when it comes to desserts and chocolates. It was hard for me to limit my option to five treats, but I had to.

After my first time eating at the Joel Robuchon in Las Vegas, I highly recommended it to anyone who is into food. Joel Robuchon is an upscale fancy restaurant. The food was delicious and the service was great. Although it was pricy (the four-course meal was $190 per person), the experience is priceless. After all, you are in Vegas, why not indulge yourself!

Joel Robuchon - Fresh Butter
Joel Robuchon – Fresh Butter

 

Joel Robuchon - Bread from the top of the cart
Joel Robuchon – Bread from the top of the cart
Joel Robuchon - Bread
Joel Robuchon – Bread
Joel Robuchon - La Langouste (girlled spiny lobsters)
Joel Robuchon – La Langouste (grilled spiny lobsters)
Joel Robuchon - Soup
Joel Robuchon – Soup
Joel Robuchon - Le Bceuf (beef cheeks braised with red miso and ginger)
Joel Robuchon – Le Bceuf (beef cheeks braised with red miso and ginger)
Joel Robuchon - Le Black Cod - semi smoked black code with eggplant puree
Joel Robuchon – Le Black Cod – semi smoked black code with eggplant puree
Joel Robuchon - Le Souffle - Chocolate Hot Souffle
Joel Robuchon – Le Souffle – Chocolate Hot Souffle
Joel Robuchon - Chocolate and Sweets
Joel Robuchon – Chocolate and Sweets

 

All Posts, Fashion

Louis Vuitton Spring and Summer 2014 Show

A recent exciting event was the debut of the Louis Vuitton women’s Fall and Winter 2014 show, by Nicolas Ghesquière, the new LV Creative Director. While we are enjoying the new season’s show, the collection’s pieces from Louis Vuitton Spring and Summer 2014 are now hitting the stores.

This Louis Vuitton Spring and Summer 2014 collection is the last show designed by Marc Jacobs. I can’t help not to watch the Louis Vuitton Spring and Summer 2014 show for one more time. While I was watching the show, I observed some similarities with previous Louis Vuitton fashion shows by Marc Jacobs.

The runway that the models walked through at the Spring and Summer 2014 show included a fountain, elevators, carousal, clock, escalators, and doors. These elements can be found from the previous season shows (see the images below). Since the Spring and Summer 2014 show is the last one by Marc Jacobs, I am not surprised to see he completed his last Louis Vuitton show with all the unique themes that were presented in the past. See below for some screen shots from Spring and Summer 2014 and previous shows.

To be honest, I wasn’t totally impressed by this Spring and Summer 2014 collection. I fe3lt it was a bit too dark and not lively enough for spring and summer, especially compared to previous year’s Spring and Summer shows. On the other hand, I do admire how Marc Jacobs concluded his final chapter at LV with an echo of previous years.

Spring/Summer 2014

Louis Vuitton Spring and Summer 2014 Clock and Escalators
Louis Vuitton Spring and Summer 2014 –  Clock and Escalators
Louis Vuitton Spring and Summer 2014 - Fountain and Elevators
Louis Vuitton Spring and Summer 2014 – Fountain and Elevators
Louis Vuitton Spring Summer 2014 - Carousel
Louis Vuitton Spring Summer 2014 – Carousel
  1. Fountain – Fall and Winter 2010
Louis Vuitton Fall and Winter 2010
Louis Vuitton Fall and Winter 2010
  1. Elevators – Fall and Winter 2011
Louis Vuitton Fall and Winter 2011
Louis Vuitton Fall and Winter 2011
  1. Carousal – Spring and Summer 2012
Louis Vuitton Spring and Summer 2012
Louis Vuitton Spring and Summer 2012
  1. Clock – Fall and Winter 2012
Louis Vuitton Fall and Winter 2012
Louis Vuitton Fall and Winter 2012
  1. Escalators – Spring and Summer 2013
Louis Vuitton Spring and Summer 2013
Louis Vuitton Spring and Summer 2013
  1. Doors – Fall and Winter 2013
Louis Vuitton Spring and Summer 2013
Louis Vuitton Spring and Summer 2013
All Posts, Fashion

SJP Shoes and Handbags by Sarah Jessica Parker

SJP Shoes and Handbags by Sarah Jessica Parker

One of the latest news items in the fashion accessory world is the upcoming debut of the new SJP, by Sarah Jessica Parker (the famous “Sex and The City” actress). Her success in starring as the fashionable shoe-loving character Carrie Bradshaw in the show brought many high-end accessories to the spotlight, including Manolo Blahnik.

SJP is the new shoe and handbag line Sarah Jessica Parker designed by partnering up with George Mulkemus, the Manolo Blanik’s president. The line will launch exclusively with Nordstrom on Feb. 28, 2014.

I was not surprised when I heard about this news. Sarah Jessica Parker has been one of the icons in the fashion world over the past fifteen years. I have always admired the bags she used when she was spotted in fashion magazines while she was photographed while running her errands. And I like her effortless fashionable style. I can’t think of anyone else better suited than SJP to launch a new accessory line.

The shoes from SJP look simple and yet elegant. They actually remind me of Manolo Blanik shoes. However, I think the SJP prices, a new line launched by a celebrity instead of an existing famous shoe designer, are a bit high.

For example, a pair of Manolo’s iconic BB cost about $595, whereas a pair of SJPs is around $350. My initial hunch for the price of a pair of SJPs was around $250, since it’s a new “non-designer” line.

I hope the SJP shoes will live up to my expectations as a made-in- Italy celebrity line. Based on the pictures, they look very classic and are available in several unique colors. If that’s the case, when the SJP line launches on February 28, I will definitely give the line a serious look. I am betting on the fact that someone who wears designer shoes, like Sarah Jessica Parker, will make high quality products that resemble some of the uniquene features of the designer lines.

SJP Accessories by Sarah Jessica Parker

All Posts, Fashion

Louis Vuitton Alma BB in Rose Angelique

The Louis Vuitton Alma BB has been very popular since it was introduced in several lines (such as Vernis and Epi) and colors (from yellow, red, to blue) more than a year ago. My latest favorite is the new Alma BB in Vernis in a new shade, Rose Angelique. Rose Angelique is a light pink color; it’s almost like something in between a subtle pink and beige. The hue looks different based on the light in the environment.  The first time I saw it in the Louis Vuitton store, it totally caught my attention. It’s petite and shinning, especially when placed next to my other favorite Vernis color, Pomme D’Amour (red).

The Vernis in Rose Angelique reminds me of the Rose Florentin that Louis Vuitton debuted in the Winter of 2010. Both colors are light pink (lighter than the Rose Velours that came out a while ago). Without looking at the color of Rose Florentin, one might mistakenly think that Louis Vuitton has brought back its discontinued Vernis color.

Luckily, I have a French Wallet in Rose FLorentin Vernis I bought in 2010. I compared it with my new Zippy Coin in Rose Florentin. It turned out that both colors are very similar. Rose Florentin is just slightly darker than Rose Angelique. (See the comparison pictures I took below for the color difference.)

Now, we know that the new Venis color is similar to the one-time offering Rose Florentin Louis Vuitton had in the past, but how does it benefit you? Well, if you missed the chance to buy the Alma PM bag (bigger than petite Alma BB) in the fancy Rose Florentin three years ago, here is your opportunity now. Rose Angelique is available in both Alma BB and Alma PM. Also, in 2010, Alma BB wasn’t available in Rose Florentin. If you really liked the Alma BB and Rose FLorentin back then, you were out of luck! Now, you are in luck. You can have the combination of both Alma BB and Rose Angelique. Who says that you can’t have your cake and eat it, too!

Louis Vuitton Vernis in Rose Angelique and Rose Florentin
Louis Vuitton Vernis in Rose Angelique (left) and Rose Florentin (right) – picture taken in natural day light
Louis Vuitton Vernis in Rose Angelique and Rose Florentin
Louis Vuitton Vernis in Rose Angelique (left) and Rose Florentin (right) – picture taken in darker setting

Louis Vuitton Alma BB has been so popular since it was available in various line (such as Vernis and Epi) and color (from yellow, red, to blue). My latest favorite is the new Alma BB in Vernis in the new shade, Rose Angelique. Rose Angelique is a light pink color; it’s almost like something in between a subtle pink and beige. The hue looks different based on the light in the environment. The first time I saw it in the Louis Vuitton store, it totally caught my attention. It’s petite and shinning, placed next to my other favorite Vernis color, Pomme D’Amour (red).

 

 

All Posts, Holidays, Travel

The Venetian Macao Hotel Light Show

Video

While I was in Macao visiting the famous Cotai Strip, I watched the light show presented outside of the Venetian Macao Resort Hotel. The show was designed to celebrate the winter holiday. It included a Chinese dragon running across the screen, gold coins, fireworks, a snow storm, and a gondola (which reminded me of the Venetian in Las Vegas). The winter holiday theme of the show was perfect for the season. I think the light show was amazing!

Venetian Macao Winter Holiday Light Show

All Posts, Fashion

Winter Fashion Essentials in Black

1 Comment

Fashion style changes all the time, but there are some items of clothing and accessories that will always be fashionable. For example, a black wool jacket that you can dress up or dress down, a black cardigan, or a pair of black boots that you can wear with a skirt or pants. Here are some winter essentials that I think are worthwhile to invest in for your wardrobe.

Wool Toggle Coat –  We can never have too many black wool coats for winter! We need a formal black coat for the holiday parties and special occasions, we need a casual black coat to pair with our relaxed outfits, and we need at least one more black wool jacket that can go with both semi-formal and casual attire. And for that, I recommend a nice wool toggle coat. (The JCrew coat shown here is sold out. Try Burberry Brit .)

JCrew Wool Toggle Coat

Cashmere Sweaters – I am a big fan of cashmere sweaters for fall and winter, because they are soft on skin and keep me warm. I have a collection of cashmere sweaters in various colors (such as purple, red, green, etc.) and in different styles (turtleneck, v-neck, hoodie, etc.). Out of all the cashmere sweaters I have, there’s one I wear often, which is a black cardigan by JCrew. )

This black cashmere cardigan is great because it is so versatile. When I wear short sleeves/or a sleeveless top in summer, I would bring it with me in case it gets colder during the night. Smething similar is a must-have for anyone’s wardrobe.

Cashmere Cardigan Sweater by JCrew

There’s another cashmere sweater I highly recommend. And that is a turtleneck sweater in black. I have one from Ann Taylor for several years now. I don’t wear it very often, because winter is already a bit gloomy for me and I prefer to wear colorful cashmere turtlenecks sweaters (such as in pink and orange) to brighten up my days.

During my past holiday trip to Seoul, I brought my black cashmere turtleneck sweater because I thought it would be easier to match with anything I packed for the trip. I wore it with my skinny jeans plus my Frye boots, and wore it with my boot cut jeans with my UGG. The black cashmere turtleneck sweater instantly upgrades the look of my casual attire. I was very glad I packed it in my language!
Cashmere Turtleneck Sweater by JCrew

A Pair of Frye Boots – Another essential item for the winter is a pair of black boots. I’d recommend my favorite, Melissa Harness Riding Calf Boot by Frye. It goes well with both skirts and skinny jeans.

Melissa Harness Riding Calf Boot by Frye