All posts by Shirley

All Posts, Food, Travel

Sinatra at Encore in Las Vegas

Out of my list for top ten restaurants in Las Vegas, Sinatra at Encore property is the BEST. I am a fan of Frank Sinatra music. I love the decoration and Sinatra’s music they play in the restaurant, not to mention the delicious Italian food, cocktail drinks, and great services they have.

For starter, I recommend Polpettina (housemade meatball and polenta fries). For entrée, I recommend Lasagna Bolognese (fresh pasta layered with veal, pork and beef). It’s served in a little hot metal pan. I always wondered how they keep the handle so cool while the pan itself was hot. I finally asked them on my most recent visit. It turned out that the lasagna is baked in the little pan in the oven and they cooled the handle with ice before they serve the dish. If you like rib eye, try Tagliata (bone-in rib eye grilled with cherry tomatoes, capers, and basil). I am usually a filet mignon person, but the Tagliata I had in Sinatra last time was so juicy and tender; I really like it.

If you drink cocktails, try Sinatra Smash; it’s mixed of whiskey and blackberries. It’s fruity and refreshing. If you have room for dessert, try the tiramisu. The tiramisu is made of mascarpone cream and espresso soaked ladyfinger biscuits, served in a martini glass. The texture is so smooth; it melts in the mouth with every bite.

I’ve been going to Sinatra every year since they opened (near the end of year 2007). I love the restaurant so much because of their food and the atmosphere. Frank Sinatra played an important part in the history of fabulous Vegas. What can be more classic than a restaurant tribute to his music and achievements!

Sina at Wynn, Las Vegas
Sinatra interior with special chandelier
Sinatra at Wynn, Las Vegas
Polpettina-house made meatball and polenta fries
Sinatra at Wynn, Las Vegas
Lasagna Bolognese-fresh pasta layered with veal, pork and beef
Sinatra at Wynn, Las Vegas
Agnello-lamb chops, goat cheese mashed potato, fagiolini
Sinatra at Wynn, Las Vegas
Tiramisu-mascarpone cream and espresso soaked ladyfinger biscuits
All Posts, Fashion

Louis Vuitton Spring 2013 Handbags

I watched Louis Vuitton Spring 2013 runway show a few days ago. I was very excited to see what LV offers for the upcoming spring and summer 2013. Damier (LV’s classic check print) was definitely the main theme of the show; you can see it on the handbags, clothes and even on the runway stage. I am sure any Damier lovers would love this collection very much.

A few minutes into the show I was a bit disappointed. I saw too much of Damier and wanted to see something else in the rest of the show. I do like Damier and have them in both Damier Azur Canvas and Ebene Canvas, but I was hoping this collection to be as sophisticated as the Cub from Louis Vuitton Spring 2011, or Kalahari from Louis Vuitton Spring 2009. Those collections definitely offered eye-catching handbags that I always love! Also, the color and shapes of some Spring 2013 bags reminds me of Spring 2012 bags. I wish there were more differences between them.

However, as I continued to watch the rest of Spring 2013 show I saw many nice handbags that I would love to have (see below images from Purseblog.com). Now, I am looking forward to see what will be available from the runway show next March.

LV Spring 2013 Handbags from Purseblog.com

All Posts, Food, Travel

Allegro at Wynn in Las Vegas

Allegro at the Wynn hotel in Las Vegas used to named Stratta and was classified as a casual Italian restaurant. After Chef Enzo Febrravo joined the Wynn he changed the name to Allegro, which debuted on Monday, August 6, 2012.

When I made a dinner reservation for Thursday, August 19, I expected Allegro to be a similar casual Italian restaurant like Stratta used to be. But I was surprised at how great and unique the food was at the new restaurant.

My friend and I had Osso Buco D’agnello, made with a bone-in lamb shank, vegetable stew, and Pappardelle pasta (freshly made), and Baked Lasagna Napoletana, made with Sunday meat ragu sauce, meatballs, and smoked mozzarella cheese. The stew with the lamb dish was tasty and the pasta was chewy. The lasagna was the best lasagna I ever had!

We told our server how much we loved the new Allegro food compared to the old restaurant. He came back with the manager and the Chef Enzo Febrravo to talk to us. The chef told us that he wants his restaurant to be unique with authentic Italian flavor. His dishes are crafted with an at-home cooking style.

I had such a great experience on my first visit to Allegro. I went back there again three days later with a different group of friends. I was surprised that the manager and the chef recognized me (given that they were packed with guests every night). The chef came to our table to greet us and offered his special sampling menu. We sat there, enjoyed our drinks, and were overwhelmed with appetizers, special dishes, and desserts. Everything was so great. My friends loved the food and the special treatment.

Although Allegro is categorized as casual dining at the Wynn hotel, it’s on my top ten best fine dining restaurant list and I will definitely go back to again. The next time you go to Vegas I encourage you to check out the Allegro restaurant at the Wynn.

Osso Buco D’agnello at Allegro, Wynn
Osso Buco D’agnello at Allegro, Wynn
Baked Lasagna Napoletana at Allegro, Wynn
Baked Lasagna Napoletana at Allegro, Wynn
Special Fish Dish by Chef at Allegro
Special Fish Dish by Chef at Allegro, Wynn
Desserts at Allegro, Wynn
Desserts at Allegro, Wynn
All Posts, Beauty

YSL “Dare to Glow” Illuminator

I recently purchased a Yves Saint Laurent “Dare to Glow” Illuminator. It is a light gel highlighter with shimmering in a small tube. The shimmering is so subtle; it helps to enhance the face without adding too much shine. It is versatile; can be put on eye lids, blend on cheeks, or tab on lips as lip gloss. It is available in three colors: Tempting Gold, Fatal Red, and Naughty Pink. I like Fatal Red the best, because it has a hint of natural pink that blends into skin perfectly to create a natural effect-it’s like wearing makeup without feeling or looking like you have anything on your face! Buy Yves Saint Laurent “Dare to Glow” Illuminator from Nordstrom.com

All Posts, Fashion

Top Five Picks for Handbags

There are so many fabulous handbags available for this fall. I’ve narrowed them down to my top five picks. They are Emily Antique Rose Guccissima Leather shoulder bag from Gucci, Speedy Bandouliere 25 from Louis Vuitton, Rockstud New Tote from Valentino, 2Jours Calfskin Tote Bag from Fendi, and Floral Spazzolato Doctor’s Bag from Prada. See below for more details.

Emily Antique Rose Guccissima Leather Shoulder Bag-Gucci

It is a classic piece with Gucci’s iconic horsebit details. I love its rose color and the leather tassels. It will go well with classic black dresses for day and night.

Buy Gucci Emily Antique Rose Guccissima Leather Shoulder Bag from Gucci.com

Speedy Bandouliere 25 in Aurore-Louis Vuitton

Speedy bag is one of LV’s iconic designs, which has been reinvented all the time. This bag in aurore, Monogram Empreinte line, is perfect for fall.

Louis Vuitton Speedy Bandouliere 25

Rockstud New Tote in Prun-Valentino

I mentioned how I like the Rockstud Calf Hair New Tote in my earlier post. This bag also looks good in textured leather in prun. Both bags are classic and stylish, but one is more sophisticated and the other is more versatile.

Valentino Rockstud New Tote in Prun

2Jours Calfskin Tote Bag in Forest Green/Cape-Fendi

This is Fendi’s latest iconic bag, also available in black, honey, dark red/cherry, etc. The two green shades complement each other well; makes this already sophisticated bag stands out even more. This bag can be paired with a simple dress for a professional day look.

Fendi 2Jours Calfskin Tote Bag

Floral Spazzolato Doctor’s Bag-Prada

When the bag first came out, I thought it was a vintage bag with a girly and cheesy look. Now I learned to appreciate its beauty. The design is unique and playful. The flowers definitely stand out!

Prada Floral Spazzolate Doctors Bag

All Posts, Fashion

Accessories in Handbags

I am always amazed with how much stuff my friend carries in her handbag on daily basis. Besides her wallet, cell phone, card keys, and sunglasses case, she has a makeup bag full of stuff, such as floss, loose powder, hand lotion, hand sanitizer, and etc. I can’t believe how much extra weight these little things can add up. For her, this is part of her routine.

This might sound a bit mean but when I see a girl or woman with a bag that is filled with stuff, it reminds me of a mom with a diaper bag. Most nice designer bags aren’t intended to hold everything from groceries to a sleeping bag. So my point is, if you have a nice bag, please don’t become an old lady and fill your bag up with ten years worth of expired supplies.

All Posts, Fashion

Fashion’s Night Out

I went to the Fashion’s Night Out event and had a great time. Although the runway show was shorter than I expected, it was stunning. I like the ways they mix and match clothes, shoes, bags, and accessories from various lines. It helps to bring out the best of each piece. For examples, pairing a Diane von Furstenberg’s Kate studded leather jacket and dark color legging with Miu Miu’s eye-catching bootie shows off the unique materials on the shoes, and pairing a red fur coat with a graphic print dress and Christian Louboutin’s bright green animal print pump helps to balance the contrast of the mixed color.

Among all the fabulous items I saw during the fashion show, I have a few favorite picks: Miu Miu Glitter-Heel Lace-Up Bootie, Christian Louboutin Very Prive Python pump (Menthe Green), and Valentino Rockstud Calf Hair New Tote.

Miu Miu Glitter-Heel Lace-Up Bootie-The bootie stands out when paired with legging or skinny jeans. The navy suede front caught my attention and the glittered-fabric back makes me love it even more!

Buy Miu Miu Glitter-Heel Lace-Up Bootie

Christian Louboutin Very Prive Python pump (Menthe Green)-The dyed green iridescent python and coral peep-toe make it a great accessories to go with outfits in various hues.  Buy Christian Louboutin Very Prive Python Pump

Valentino Rockstud Calf Hair New Tote-The exotic leopard-print on this ladylike bag makes it one of the classic items on my want-to-get list. I also like its mini studded trim, which blends with the leopard-print nicely.

Buy Valentino Rock Stud CalfHair New Tote

All Posts, Fashion

Accessories for Animal Print Dress

Neiman Marcus will be hosting a Fashion’s Night Out event (the fashion’s biggest night of the year) tomorrow night. I missed it in the past years because I had to work late. But this year, I am planning on going. I am excited to see the trend presentations and get some beauty tips & tricks for fall.

For this event I am going to wear an animal print dress bought from BCBG for this summer. The dress is in light beige color with brown animal prints. To go with the dress, I am thinking about wearing my Stuart Weitzman “Daisy” pumps in red and “Cub” clutch from Louis Vuitton’s Spring-Summer 2011 runway collection. I am also debating if I should wear nude color pumps instead of the red pumps. I guess I will have to wait and see what I feel like tomorrow.

Stuart Weitzman “Daisy” pumps and LV “Cub” clutch

 

All Posts, Fashion

Cashmere Polka Dot Sweaters

I love to wear cashmere sweaters in fall and winter. The cashmere is so soft and keeps me warm in the cold weather. I also like clothes with polka dots. For this fall, J.Crew rolls out polka-dot sweaters in cashmere, which is a perfect combination for me. The sweater is available in five colors, see J.Crew cashmere polka-dot sweater for details. My favorites colors are dusk black and cabernet fuchsia.

Dusk black-wear with jeans or black slacks. I will pair it with Valentino’s Extreme Printed Patent Pumps. See my post-“Cap-Toe Pumps for Fall”.

J.Crew Collection cashmere polka-dot sweater-DuskBlack

Valentino's Extreme Printed Patent Pumps

Cabernet fuchsia-it’s a fun color combination for fall. Goes well with light color jeans or gray ankle pants.

J.Crew Collection cashmere polka-dot sweater-CabernetFushsia

Classiques Entier Molton Weave Ankle Pants

All Posts, Fashion

Wool Speedy “Kaki” (Khaki)-Continue

In my previous post I described the design and the materials of the “Wool Speedy Kaki”. Here is an additional thought.

The bag has a leather luggage tag attaches to a skinny belt that wraps around the top handle. And here is where I learned something new when the store manager showed me the “Wool Speedy Kaki” bag he reserved for me. The luggage tab and its skinny belt came in separately in one clear bag inside of the “Wool Speedy Kaki”. I watched him put the pieces together and learned the differences between the traditional versus Marc Jacobs’ way on how the luggage tag showcased on the bag. The traditional way is to hide the buckle of the belt inward (facing down); as a result, the luggage tab flaps up slightly. However, on Fall-Winter 2012-2013 collection fashion show, Marc Jacobs put the buckles on the show pieces outward (facing up), which keeps the luggage tab close to the body of the bag. After seeing the differences it makes on my “kaki” bag, I like Marc Jacobs’ way much better for two reasons: First, I like the luggage tab to be placed close to the body of the bag, and second, I like the buckle facing out with the luggage tab, which adds “flavor” to the accessory itself. As always, thanks to the manager of the store, I learned another new thing about the LV bags!

Buckle with the Luggage Tag