Day at the Museum

I know I've been neglecting my blog lately and I apologize for that. Who would have thought that I'd be so busy and active in June? :) Anyway, I'll be back with regular fashion posts soon (and Style Posts will be back soon as well!). But for now, I have pictures from my two latest adventures. First up is my day at the Natural History Museum in Los Angeles.

My friend Kathy (center) had to go to the museum for an extra credit assignment. She invited me and Melissa along so we could catch up. (The three of us haven't hung out since my After Christmas Party!) We had a lot of fun exploring the museum and all of of its natural curiosities.

Dinosaurs! This was our first stop on our tour of the museum and the first part of Kathy's extra credit project.

Here's an early human skull that was on display. Look at the size of those teeth!

This taxidermied penguin was just one of the many specimens in the bird exhibit.

I love, love, LOVE this photo! This was the amazingly beautiful stained glass ceiling in the rotunda. It looks just like what you'd see in a kaleidoscope.

Out of all the exhibits we visited, our favorite was without a doubt the gemstone gallery - particularly The Vault. I love sapphires the most, especially green ones. Too bad they look black in this photo.

I had no idea that our state had so many gemstones, nor was I aware that we actually had a state gem. This benitoite sample was really sparkly and looked just like a grayish blue sapphire.

These green gems were so pretty! I was seriously in awe of not just how colorful and sparkly these were, but also by how HUGE they were...

...like this beauty right here. 362 carats!!! This wasn't even the largest gem in The Vault. There was a blue topaz that was 4,644 carats. Yes, you read that correctly. :)

FBFF: Personal Style and Style Blogging

1) Since you began blogging do you notice a change in the types of things you gravitate towards while shopping? Well...yes and no. I always loved floral prints, lace, and other vintage-y, girly fashion even before starting my blog. The difference now though is that I tend to gravitate more towards lighter, pastel colors. My favorite colors to dress in before were dark, saturated shades; think burgundy, charcoal gray, and dark pink. And I always loved black lace! I don't know if it's because of the warmer seasons or just simple style evolution, but now I'm more drawn to pale pinks, mint green, and white or ivory lace. We'll see, maybe I'll start wearing darker colors again come fall.

2) Do you find, as a fashion blogger, that you dress differently from your family and friends? Do they comment on that? It's not that apparent now, since a lot of people wear sundresses in the summer. :) But I definitely think I dress differently from everyone else in the winter time. I'll admit, winters in Southern California aren't that cold and a sweatshirt and jeans outfit will usually suffice. I prefer nice coats with scarves and cute matching gloves! And I seriously think I'm the only person living in SoCal who owns a pair of earmuffs. Haha. In general though, I guess I do dress differently from my friends. I don't really wear jeans that much anymore and I really do prefer looking a little dressier.

3) What’s the weirdest fashion that you secretly like, even if you aren’t bold enough to wear it? I'll wear anything as long as I like it, even if people think it's weird.  I'm not trying to sound like total hipster, but I loved feather fascinators and veiled headpieces even before they started becoming popular. I remember being completely annoyed because I needed a black birdcage veil for a costume for my dance class. I couldn't find a single one in any of the stores I checked. The solution? I made my own using black tulle and a poof of black feathers that I found at Michaels. Flash forward a year later and Forever 21 and H&M have tons in stock. :) But I digress. The point is, I don't think you should limit yourself on what you wear just because you think not everyone will like it. Be bold and wear what you love!

4) Looking at current trends – what would you like to try but need to build up the courage to do? It's not a matter of building up courage as much as adding several inches to my height. I love the look of wide leg pants, both in basic black and fun candy colors. I absolutely LOVE these pants in mint green. Sadly, I know I would look stumpy in them, even with my highest heels. ::sigh::

5) Toot someone’s horn – what fashion blogger out there inspires you with her bold fashion choices? Lately, I've been inspired by the two ladies of two birds, who always manage to create lots of cute outfits with unexpected pieces. I love their "Style Me" feature. Basically, they take a thrift store find (usually something so ugly that most people wouldn't even give it a second glance) and somehow style that piece to be part of a super cute outfit. I am in awe!

10 Ways to Beat Summer Boredom

Now that summer has officially begun (today was the first day - yay!), I thought I'd put together this list of things to do. The days are longer and most of us will have more free time, but that doesn't mean you have to succumb to boredom. Whether you want to spend time with your family, friends, or significant other, I hope you'll be inspired by my list of summer activities.

[all images from we♥it]

1) Enjoy a pitcher of fresh lemonade. Or if you prefer, try a refreshing fruit smoothie or homemade sangria. Whichever beverage you choose, be sure to invite a few friends over to share drinks on your porch. What could be better on a hot summer day than fresh lemonade and good company?

2) Sleep with the window open. You can save on energy costs while being able to enjoy the cool night breeze. For added sleepy time ambiance, you can also enjoy the sounds of crickets chirping before you drift off to sleep.

3) Spend a day at the beach. Or better yet, extend the seaside festivities by having a bonfire with all your friends. Just be sure to bring a sweatshirt or a blanket for when the temperature drops. It's also nice to have a friend who plays the guitar while you and your significant other cuddle by the fire. :)

4) Enjoy the county fair or carnival. County fairs somehow always encourage feelings of nostalgia. Perhaps you remember your parents taking you to see an outdoor concert or taking pictures as you go on a pony ride. Maybe your favorite memories are marching in a parade with your cheerleading squad in 8th grade or your marching band in high school. Whatever your favorite memories are, you'll be sure to enjoy the county fair, no matter how old you are. From all the different vendors and their booths to the wide variety of deep fried treats you can sample, you'll be sure to create many more memories this summer.

5) Have lunch or dinner al fresco. Why not take advantage of the gorgeous sunshine-y days or the cool summer nights? There's just something magical about eating a nice meal outside, especially if you're lucky enough to live in a beach town. (I live only about 20 minutes away from the beach, so yay me!)

6) Watch fireworks. The 4th of July is less than two weeks away, and you can bet that I'm super excited about backyard barbeques and fireworks. (It'll also be my grandma's birthday!) I have the option of watching fireworks either at my old high school or at Downtown Disney in Anaheim. If you live in a city that allows sparklers and ground fireworks, why not take advantage of that and have some (safe) fun?

7) Toast marshmallows. Mmmm...s'mores! Whether you're at a beach bonfire or you're camping in Yosemite, there are very few things that are more amazing than toasted, slightly burnt marshmallows. My favorite marshmallow toasting memory was the summer after I graduated from high school. My color guard teammates (most of whom were incoming seniors) all had a small get-together at one of our houses and toasted marshmallows with an outdoor fire pit. One of my teammates accidentally set her entire marshmallow on fire. :D Good times...

8) Create a summer scrapbook. It doesn't matter if you travel this summer or if you do most of your traveling in your daydreams. You'll be sure to make tons of amazing memories as long as you spend time with your loved ones. Be sure to take tons of pictures so you can document your adventures in a scrapbook or photo album. (Think beyond just making an album on Facebook!) Add ticket stubs from movie theatres or baseball games, and even receipts from your favorite meals for a truly personal touch. At the end of the summer, you'll have a keepsake that you'll enjoy looking at for years to come.

9) Go outside and read a book. It sounds simple, but I think it shows that you can have a rewarding summer even if you have some alone time. On a warm, breezy day, spread a blanket under a shady tree and just relax as you get lost in your book. My favorite book for summer reading is The Time Traveler's Wife.

10) Grab a jar and catch fireflies. Sadly, I have never had this experience. In fact, I've never even seen a real live firefly. Instead, I spent many of my childhood summers catching crickets or lady bugs. (Don't worry, I always set them free soon afterwards!) Summer is all about nostalgia, after all. Why not take this time to relive your favorite childhood memories?

So there you go, 10 Ways to Beat Summer Boredom. I hope you all enjoyed my list of fun activities. Now I'd like to know what all of you do to have fun when the days get longer. Feel free to share and enjoy your summer! ♥

Putting Things Into Perspective

[image source: unknown]

I don't know exactly where this image came from. All I remember is that one of my friends on Facebook posted this a while ago and it inspired me so much that I saved it. It sure helps to put our lives into perspective doesn't it?

I'm thinking about my day-to-day life and I am just now realizing how much I complain on a daily basis. And you know what? They're pretty silly complaints in the grand scheme of things.

Examples:
Me: "I'm starving! There's no food in the fridge and I am way too lazy to go to the store!"
But I'm not literally starving, am I? In fact, I've never had to worry about where my next meal is going to come from.

Me: (looking through my closet, trying to figure out what to wear) "Ugh, I have no clothes!"
The truth is, I have tons of clothes. So much that I often have to get rid of some items to make room for new ones. And don't even get me started on my shoe collection!

Me: (looking into the mirror and seeing that my hair still isn't growing fast enough and I still have PICC line scars on my arms) "This SUCKS. What could possibly be worse than this?"
Oh, I could think of several things that would be worse. I'm just happy that I'm healthy now.

The lesson? No, we shouldn't feel guilty about living relatively privileged lives. Life is too short to not enjoy. Whether you are a foodie who enjoys eating delicious gourmet meals or a fashion/personal style blogger who's obsessed with clothes, there is no reason to feel bad about doing what you love. The only time we should feel guilty is when we lose perspective and forget just how lucky we are...

...especially when so many others are not.

FBFF: Summer Food

Today's FBFF prompt is to share the recipe for one of my favorite dishes. Since I'm still learning how to cook, I don't have a lot of amazing recipes to share yet. However, I do want to try making homemade lemon bars this summer. Lemon bars are one of my favorite desserts and this recipe I found from Betty Crocker seems simple enough.

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel, if desired
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs

Directions:
Step 1: Heat Oven to 350 Degrees F.

Step 2: Mix flour, butter, and powdered sugar. Press in ungreased square pan (8x8x2 or 9x9x2 inches), building up 1/2 inch edges.

Step 3: Bake crust 20 minutes.

Step 4: Beat granulated sugar, lemon peel, lemon juice, baking powder, salt, and eggs with electric mixer on high speed about 3 minutes or until light and fluffy. Pour over hot crust.

Step 5: Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until no indentation remains when touched lightly in center. Cool; dust with powdered sugar. Cut into about 1 1/2 inch squares.

Step 6: Enjoy!

Bicycle, Bicycle

Just a heads up: This is a very picture-heavy post.

With the days finally getting warmer and the gas prices being as ridiculously high as they are, I've been considering getting a bike for going on short rides around town and running errands. I really love the look of classic beach cruisers in candy colors. I would love to have one in either pink or mint green (right now, I'm leaning more towards mint green). I'm already having daydreams of me on a warm, sunny day, riding a mint green bike with a wicker basket full of pink flowers and a loaf of French bread.

 [all images from we♥it] 

The thing is, I haven't ridden a bike since I was about 10 years old. (Fun Fact: During my freshman year in college, I used a skateboard to get around campus. This was before campus police started giving out tickets for riding on campus. Booooo...) Anyway, I figured that one can never really forget how to ride a bike anyway. So we'll see how it goes. :)

FBFF: Summer Trends

This week's FBFF post is all about the five trends I'm most excited about wearing all summer. (Pretty ironic considering that we're experiencing a June gloom right now.) Oh well, the sun has to come out sooner or later! :) Anyway, I wouldn't say that I'm a hardcore trend spotter. It's more like, I see something I'll like and I'll wear it, regardless of what's "in." Case in point: supposedly 70's inspired-bell bottom jeans are "in" now. I refuse to wear anything but skinny or boot cut jeans, just because those are the only kind that are flattering on me.

Well, enough of my babbling, here are the five things that I'm looking forward to wearing this summer:

1) The Little White Dress - Here's a summery alternative to the classic little black dress. Paired with a colorful cardigan, these would be perfect for brunch with your best friend. These dresses could also be dressed up for nighttime with metallic heels and jewelry. And for those nights when it's too cold to go out with bare legs, black tights would look amazing under these dresses.

Top Row: Square Neck Dress, Beaded Eyelet Dress, Eyelet Shift Dress

Bottom Row: Corset Sundress, One-Shoulder Dress

2) Maxi Dresses - I used to think these wouldn't be flattering on me because I'm so short. However, I've discovered that it is actually possible to wear a maxi dress even if you're under 5'4" IF you 1) wear some kind of heel or wedge, 2) choose a dress that isn't too voluminous, and 3) wear a belt to define your waistline. These dresses are great for trying out the 70's trend that's supposed to be really big for this summer.

Top Row: Eyelet Maxi, 70's Print Maxi, Leopard Print Maxi

Bottom Row: Floral Print Maxi, Surplus Maxi, Peacock Feather Print Maxi

3) Coral - I'm not usually a fan of orange, but I love this pinkish shade of orange.This color would look very pretty paired with white (perfect for the beach!) Add aqua to the mix and you'll have a perfect retro-inspired color palette.

Top Row: Rose Necklace, Lipstick, Coral Necklace

Bottom Row: Leather Bag, Twisted Neckline Top

4) Vintage-Inspired Swimsuits - Not only are these swimsuits amazingly glamorous, but they also tend to be more figure-flattering for curvy girls. I would love to try out a high waisted swimsuit, but I'd be worried about the weird tan line I'd get. :)

Top Row: Red Two Piece, Balconet Bikini, Black One Piece

Bottom Row: Pink One Piece, Red, White, and Blue One Piece, Polka Dot One Piece

5) Floral Prints - I will always love floral prints, no matter what the season is. That being said, floral prints are especially beautiful in the late spring and summer, when the sun is shining and it's warm enough to wear sundresses and sandals. :)

Top Row: Strapless Dress, Floral Wedges

Bottom Row: Floral Purse, Top, Skirt

Good Afternoon, Love

This Polyvore set was inspired by this pretty framed print from Victorian Trading Co. Then I found this dress on ModCloth. It's such a perfect modern interpretation of the dress in the print, don't you think? With its muted colors and perfectly girly details, this is another inspiration board that I would love to live in.

Good Afternoon, Love by Pemberley Rose featuring a strapless floral dress

Ryu strapless floral dress, $100
2-Pack Curtains, 35 GBP
Carved Laurel Leaf Office Armoire | Cabinets | Wisteria, $2,999
Portofino French Dining Chair With Linen Upholstery, 219 GBP
Fleur-de-Lys Shabby Chic Accent Table, $649
Luzzana Bird Cage Plant or Candle Holder, $34
Murray Feiss Chandelier, Vista Collection 3 Light Kitchen, $99
Altar Screen Picture Frame, $40
Table Flowers - 12 Soft Pink Roses in a Vase Singapore, 68 SGD
Perfectly Grounded Birds on Stands | Decorative Accents | Wisteria, $119
Copper Colored Glass Vases | Vases | Wisteria, $119
Objects In Mirror E151 Brogue Wingtip E151-P/A, 315 CAD
Boxwood topiaries, $65
Victorian trading Co. - www.victoriantradingco.com - Pink Roses with a...
Lace. | Shareapic.net

FBFF: Summer Vacation

I will be starting a new feature here on Pemberley Rose: Fashion Beauty Friend Fridays. So what exactly is this? Every Friday, I will post my responses to questions listed in the FBFF Google Group. (Check it out here.) I hope you all enjoy this new regular feature! This week's topic is how I pack for vacations...

1.      When it comes to packing for vacation what’s your mantra? I always try to pack as many mix and match items as I can. Why? For one thing, it helps me with resisting the impulse to pack everything in my closet. Another reason is because I definitely don't want ridiculously heavy luggage, especially if my vacation involves a plane. (Who wants to pay for overweight luggage anyway?) Believe it or not, it is possible to create many stylish outfits from just a few basic pieces.
 
2.      What are your must packs? As important as it is to pack light, I always bring an extra outfit or two, just in case I change my mind about my other outfits. I also make sure to bring miniature bottles of toiletries: shampoo, conditioner, body wash, lotion, toothpaste, and contact lens solution. I also try to only bring one pair of sandals that go with every outfit. Oh, and I definitely can't forget sunscreen! 

3.      What are you happy to leave behind? It doesn't matter what season I go on vacation - I never bring anything school-related. Let's face it, a textbook would just be a waste of luggage space anyway since I know I'll never open it during vacation. :)
 
4.      Any packing secrets that help you get everything into one suitcase? Before putting anything into my luggage, I always lay everything out on my bed to make sure that I didn't forget anything. After double, sometimes triple checking, I roll everything so it fits in my luggage. (I'm not sure why, but rolling my clothes takes up much less space than folding.)
  
5.      Beach reading…what are you taking with you to read in the sand? As much as I love reading, I don't like reading on the beach. I'd much rather frolic in the water or have a picnic in the sand. I wouldn't mind having a few issues of Glamour or Cosmopolitan though.

::sigh:: These questions made me kind of sad about the Big Sur/Monterey vaction that Lucas and I had to cancel last month. He could only take one specific week off and what do you know? That week just happened to be finals week. -_- Still, I'm determined to have an awesome vacation this summer!

Blue Bikini

It's hard to believe that it's already June. You know what that means...we're halfway through the year! Lately, I've been toying with the idea of doing a Style Post featuring the new bikini I got from H&M at the Citadel Outlets. We'll see though. I don't think my body is really bikini-ready yet. :)

In the meantime, I'll let you all see what my bikini actually looks like. Here it is on one of the H&M website's virtual models:

Bikini Top

Bikini Bottom