Downtown Kansas City Art Fair

Over the weekend I wandered a few blocks from my home to the Downtown Kansas City Art Fair. I had walked through last year but nothing memorable stuck with me. This year I was greeted by these giant animal sculptures which is a good start in my opinion.

I liked these because they remind me of my blog, Hearts Are Floating.

But the winner of the show was Sugarpost. I saw the crowds gathered around the booth long before I knew what everyone was smiling at. I immediately fell in love with the gnome be gone creatures. They reminded me of gremlins getting into all sorts of trouble. 

I left the show and went home but I couldn't stop thinking about one gnome in particular. A few hours later I went back and bought her.

This is Ellie. She now sits on my bathroom counter among my infinite tubes of lipstick. She likes lipstick.

I also found this fun video about the artist, Fred Conlon, and how Ellie and her friends came to be.

Dinner - San Francisco Style

Last week, I was fortunate enough to travel to San Francisco on a business trip. I fell in love with the city which to me is a mixture of the quaintness of Boston with the laid-back, easy vibe only found in California. It is also a city filled with amazing food...much of it prepared with fresh, organic ingredients. I was there for four nights and was able to experience some of the top restaurants in a variety of cuisines. Each was amazing and I would definitely recommend if you are ever in the Bay Area!

Night #1 - The Slanted Door

This is Vietnamese food at its finest with a beautiful view of the Bay Bridge. Make a reservation weeks in advance as this is not a restaurant you can walk into without notice. We gorged ourselves on oysters, yellowtail, slanted door spring rolls, barbecued willis ranch pork spareribs, green papaya salad, grass-fed estancia shaking beef, stir fried organic chicken, caramelized wild gulf shrimp, and chue farm sugar snap peas.  

Night #2 - Dosa 

Dosa serves up South Indian cuisine using organic and sustainable ingredients. But the real star of the show is the drinks. The Bengali Gimlet and I became fast friends (Tanqueray Rangpur Gin, curried nectar, lime juice, served up). The other must-have: the classic masala dosa...an enormous crepe-like dish that is perfect for sharing.

Night #3 - Foreign Cinema

Hands down one of my favorite restaurants of all time. I was in love the second I stepped into the outdoor courtyard with white lights strung above and a documentary playing against a white, brick wall. If the atmosphere wasn't enough, the food was even better...an extensive oyster bar where I sampled a variety of west coast options, ahi tuna, and a halibut dish that was so good I had to restrain myself from licking my plate. And to top it off, Valrhona chocolate pot de creme with caramel popcorn 

Night #4 - Gott's Roadside

The last night I was on my own for dinner so I chose Gott's Roadside, a casual and iconic gourmet burger stand. All the reviews I read raved about the Ahi Tuna Burger so I had to see for myself...and they were right. Paired with garlic fries and a glass of wine, it was the perfect way to end my trip.

Patiently waiting for my food.

The Embarcadero - Outside of The Slanted Door and Gott's

* Photos of Nights #1-3 taken from restaurant websites. Gott's photos belong to me!

In Bloom

Banana Republic Tessa Printed Blouse & Indigo Skinny Ankle Jean

When shopping for clothes, I really do try to aim for a variety of styles and colors with my purchases. Lately though, I've noticed a very distinct trend - skinny jeans/pants and soft, flowy blouses often with a floral pattern. Wide-leg and boot cut silhouettes always  feel overwhelming on my 5'2 frame so a tighter fit feels more proportionate. To balance out the look, a loose top is a must. My collection of patterned blouses is growing quite fast but I expect this easy look to take me through to fall. 

Cellar Rats

We drink a lot of wine. I don't think that is any secret. However, we don't really know much about what we are drinking outside of - it's good or not. In an attempt to learn more, we took a two hour wine class at the Cellar Rat. Our instructor was an encyclopedia of knowledge...not one question stumped him. As we tried each wine, we were encouraged to identify the various smells and tastes. Apparently this is not something I've gotten the hang of seeing that another class member was able to pick out the smell of petroleum in Riesling. (And yes, that was correct.) I can't say that I am much of an expert after our lesson but the one bit of advice that I retained is: "If you only drink red wine (yes that's me), then you are missing out on half the fun." 

Murphy-Goode Sauvignon Blanc, Cuvaison Chardonnay, Fess Parker Riesling

Heron Pinot Noir, Tangley Oaks Merlot, Angeline Cabernet Sauvignon, Morse Code Shiraz

Failed our class: two bottles of red purchased. I guess we're still missing out on half the fun.

For Keeps

I once had this friend/colleague who I would spend far too many lunch breaks scouring the racks at H&M and Filene's Basement (RIP legendary store) in Downtown Crossing. We'd leave and I would have my small bag with an item or two and she would be toting multiple bags filled to the brim. You see, we had very different shopping styles. She didn't try on a thing...but would bring it all home and then return what didn't fit. I was always slightly envious because I have a very hard time returning anything. Once I walk out of a store, it's mine. 

This makes online shopping a difficult and risky process for me. For instance, I recently fell in love with this Three Dots Cardigan. I took a chance and bought it. When it arrived, I found to my disappointment that it was a bit too big. Every night for a week, I would put it on and try to convince myself that it was perfect. After nagging Bill, he told me it was great (likely to shut me up) and straight into my closet it went. I'm hoping it will shrink down a bit after its first wash. In the meantime, it's so warm and snuggly that it's become my go-to sweater when I need an extra layer in my ice cold office.

Pastel Polish

I have a slight obsession with nail polish. It's such a fun way to quickly change up your look without any commitment. Also, it's cheap, so those days where you need something to cheer you up, a stop at CVS provides lots of colorful options. (And it's a lot healthier than a trip down the Easter candy aisle!) Lately, I've been leaning towards pastels that are reminiscent of Spring. There may still be snow on the ground but my nails will be right on par with the season.

Left to Right: Chastity, Fiji, Cute as a Button, Tart Deco, Turquoise & Caicos, Mint Candy Apple, Kristen, Play Date, Lilacism

Everyday I'm Shufflin'

Recently we had a brief bout of Spring weather which prompted me to go on a small shopping binge. Last year I had just moved and wasn't working. I lived in yoga pants, shorts and running shoes and didn't think much about updating my wardrobe for the new season. On top of that, I donated 75% of my clothing before the move. All that adds up to the fact that I own about 3 warm weather outfits that can be worn to work. In my moment of panic, I headed to Amazon where they make shopping far too easy. One afternoon, during my lunch break, I began my spree by buying these Nine West Shufflin' shoes in about three short clicks. I love that they are a neutral but a bit unexpected by the tan, brown and white color blocking.