Halloween 2011 - Samurai Princess?

Some last minute Halloween planning (or lack thereof) lead me to borrow a piece from my friend Danny Nguyen, who just so happens to be a fashion designer. His Japanese inspired pieces from his S/S 2010 line were perfect. With an undeniable dexterity to create stage ready pieces, this dress was more than suitable for the occasion.

Although I had no clue what I'd call my "costume," I felt there was an appropriate mix of girly geisha crossed over with the daunting samurai, with a frilly flower blossom pattern and a leather waist belt reminiscent of samurai armor - I dubbed myself a "Samurai Princess." All I was missing was a sword.

Brasserie Max & Julie

Brian and I went to Brasserie Max & Julie in Houston a while back for brunch. I ordered a waffle with duck confit and wild mushrooms and he got the steak tartare. For dessert, we had an ice cream filled crepe with fresh fruit. I would say that the dessert crepe definitely was not their strong suit (nothing special, just a crepe filled with vanilla ice cream and topped with chocolate syrup). The duck & wild mushroom waffle was pretty good and very rich in flavor, but got increasingly salty with each bite, making it difficult to finish. The steak tartare, however, was excellent.

I'd recommend this restaurant for a brunch date. It's a very cute spot located in Midtown Houston right on Montrose.

Onset of Fall

Forever 21 outfit; Zara shoes

A very much welcomed chill has taken over Austin this week, and I couldn't be happier about it. My hangers full of coats and sweaters have finally started to get some use within my clothing rotation. I've also adopted a newfound adoration for the color brown. It's as if I just discovered how flexible and classy brown can be, while being low-key at the same time.

Work has kept me plenty busy over the last few weeks. I'll be attending two conferences next week. Nothing interesting enough to share, but if you're in the hotel or real estate industry in Texas, you just might just see me.

Danny Nguyen Couture Fall/Winter 2011

A couple of weekends ago, I had the pleasure of attending Danny Nguyen's Fall/Winter 2011 show. Danny is an up-and-coming designer based in Houston with a flair for grandeur mixed in with with a bit of scandalously clad designs. I've known Danny since high school (he hasn't changed one bit) and it's been amazing to watch his growth from his early days in dressmaking to his gorgeously ornate designs now. Below are a few of my favorite picks from his F/W 2011 collection. Congrats on a fabulous show and thanks for the awesome front row & center seats!

Congrats again to Danny for the fabulous show. The theme of this collection was The Caribbean, albeit not the sunny paradise one may think of. Instead, it focuses more on the destructive nature of the dark seas, and pulls from the darker elements.


Keeping in theme, the host of the show was none other than Captain Jack Sparrow.


The designer himself, Danny Nguyen.



Post-show dinner at Philippe in Houston.


Beef tartare with quail egg yolk, capers, onions; some sort of fish and mashed potato thing (the menu changed and I have no idea what it was called, ha - but this was by far my favorite dish of the night); my darling clementine: roasted duck magret, crispy duck confit ravioli, carrot flan, asparagus, clementine-Cognac sauce; burgundy beef cheeks, pearl onion, bacon + mushrooms with macaroni + cheese.


H&M dress; Christian Louboutin shoes

Black & Gold

Forever 21 tank; Zara skirt; H&M flats 

An old outfit post. Expect lots of updates soon. I am completely backlogged with content. Regularity really doesn't seem to be my thing.