Our weekend in a nutshell

Mizuno-runnersThis weekend was fairly uneventful up until yesterday afternoon. I’ve been taking a few weeks off running since I’m experiencing a bit of pain in my right shin. It’s like a bit of a shin-splint feeling, even though I land properly (flat) when running. We are assuming it’s because I need to replace my sneakers. I’ve had these same Mizuno’s for a few years, and it’s time to get new ones. I think I’ll stick with the Mizuno brand, since I’ve had no problems ‘breaking them in’ or any issues, up until now that they’re worn out. Then again I’ve only had experiences with Saucony, Nike and Mizuno — never any other running shoe. If you guys run… let me know what are your favourite brands please!

Lexus-Find-Your-EdgeOkay so if you’ve followed me along Snapchat yesterday, you would’ve seen a whole slew of a fun day at the Westfield Valley Fair Mall parking lot in San Jose. Lexus was there for their #FindYourDrive event. Basically anyone could go test drive (with a Lexus driver, too) one of their new launches – cars a plenty were there for the pickin’s. It was awesome — there was the Lexus RX, along with the IS, GS-F and a few others. Brings back the fun memories of the Palm Springs trip I took with Lexus in December as some of the same vehicles were at this event, too.

Lexus-VR-and-Flag

Lexus-VRBut first we were sat down to watch this amazing virtual-reality of being in one of the Lexus vehicles on a race track, so fun and you definitely had to sit down to watch. I was giggling and I still wasn’t even in a “real” car, yet haha.

Lexus-GSFThough, I wish we could’ve taken it out on the highway, we did a few-minute drive around a big square block around the mall.

Driving-GS-FMr. Spiffykerms getting his chance at finally driving one of the review cars.

Lexus-drivingStill fun to put the pedal to the metal (I didn’t, but Mr. Spiffykerms and the Lexus driver did — I get scared, especially in a new fancy car!).

And to thank us for attending, Lexus treated us to a fantastic meal at LB Steakhouse in Santana Row. I’ve always walked past by, but never inside until yesterday.

OOTDAfter we finished the drives with Lexus in a few of their vehicles, we walked around the Valley Fair Mall a bit to work up a bit of an appetite. Popped into the Microsoft and Apple stores (snore!), and I popped into Nordstrom to look at the new Tom Ford beauty section (yay!). Plus, I wanted a little OOTD taken of me at this cool painting near the water station. Lol.

LB-Steakhouse-SRow

LB-SteakhouseObviously we were super stoked for a nice feed. I mean, anyone that knows us, knows that we never go out to eat! If we do, it’s usually our favourite fast food place (yes. McDonald’s. Hey, no shame! I love that spot).

Steak-at-LB-SteakhouseHeck yas look at that steak (the Misters).

Chicken-at-LB-SteakhouseMy chicken! You know I cleaned that plate. I’m still drooling with whatever sauce they used.

LB-Steakhouse-MenuDefinitely opt for the vanilla cheesecake with blueberry sauce. Worth it.

We had fun this weekend! And now this upcoming weekend it’s July 4th, so I’m excited to have my husband off work for a couple of days to spend some quality time together.

How was your weekend? Don’t forget to follow me on Snapchat, Instagram, and Twitter for live updates daily!

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Top 10 Father’s Day Gifts at Santana Row

sROW-HEADERDads are pretty special, and no matter what your Father’s style is, Santana Row will probably suit his needs just fine. Plus he deserves to be treated extra special on Father’s Day. It’ll be a tough one for those who have lost their Father’s. After all, I’m talking about the man who taught me how to ride a bike, how to play catch, and have so much patience with me learning my times table, coming up with songs and silly tunes to easily memorize them. father

But it doesn’t stop me from showcasing some unique, fun, gift ideas for all the father’s out there. There ya have it. Easy as that. My blog post featuring Top 10 Father’s Day Gifts at Santana Row. It’s coming upon us, Father’s Day is on June 19! Let’s get crackin’.

All photos taken by me at Santana Row. 

Classic-Dad1| For the Classic Dad
Shop Makers Market the newest store in Santana Row where local artists selling US Handcrafted goods such as beard oils, genuine leather monogrammed wash bags, wallets and more. Perfect for unique gifts, and supporting local artisans. (Photo: Display at Maker’s Market)

aTHLETIC-dAD2| For the Athletic Dad
Icebreaker Merino store always has great wool athletic wear that you can wear in winter, and summer. Those lightweight merino wool layers are great to throw on for an early-morning bike ride or a nighttime cookout. They have the most comfortable clothes and it’ll be the only extra layer he’ll need come warmer weather. If you’re feeling extra spendy, buy him some workout gear at Lululemon, then upgrade his gym membership for one at The Bay Club in Santana Row! (Photo: Lululemon yoga mats)

TRAVEL-DAD3| For the Travel Dad
If your father is a jet-setter who travels for business a lot, update his carry-on with something new and fresh. These three super sleek carry-on suitcases above are from TUMI.

ARTIST4| For the Artistic Dad
My Dad would’ve loved Maido, especially since he was quite artistic and was an Architect back in the day. It has all sorts of writing utensils, calligraphy supplies, and all the perfect paper for writing, sketching and etching. Any time I pop over to Santana Row, Maido is a must-see to catch up on all their latest items. (Photo: Wide selection of pens at Maido)

coffee-loving5| For the Coffee Loving Dad
Whether it be Peet’s Coffee and Tea, classic ol’ Starbucks, Fantasia Tea Cafe, or Lisa’s Tea Treasures, your Dad will probably love a hot cuppa before he gets his day started. Bring him a freshly brewed tea or coffee and hey — bonus, maybe breakfast in bed too! If he loves espresso as much as I do, take him over to Left Bank Brasserie and order the ice cream dessert. I had it there once, and it came with a shot of espresso to pour over top. Mmm-mmm! (Photo: Menu at Fantasia Tea Cafe)

grill-master6| For the Grill Master Dad
BBQ season has already hit where I live, I can smell the steaks and veggies on the grill almost every evening and it’s simply glorious. Does you Dad need an update to his grilling tools? Maybe some new wine/whiskey glasses? Sur La Table will surly have it all, and Crate & Barrel has a huge selection of outdoor gear to suit your Fathers entertaining needs.

stylish-dad7| For the Stylish Dad
For the sharp dresser there are a variety of stylish men’s shops at Santana Row, with Bonobos, Ted Baker, and Donald J Piliner (for shoes) being my top three choices full of premium clothing and footwear down to the best swagger-inducing socks at Tommy Bahama. (Photo taken of the men’s shirts at Bonobos)

silicon8| For the Silicon Valley Dad
No doubt if your Dad is into tech gadgets and gear, he’s going to enjoy any fun gifts from Best Buy. Garmin watches, fancy drones to fly, and Canon cameras, you name it ∞ it’s all there. 

rugged9| For the Rugged Dad
Hook up your Dad with some new fishing or camping gear from Orvis, then sit on this comfy leather club chair while you wait for him to come back with a nice big catch for supper. What a feed!

10| For the Steak Loving Dad
This one is a total no brainer. LB Steak is an excellent choice for a perfectly cooked steak and it’s a fantastic looking spot inside — treat him this time, for once!

Bonus:
And not to mention, of course gifts don’t have to cost a penny. Gather your kids around and make him something extra special. I love home made gifts from my nephews, and I know Father’s out there would appreciate a sentimental keepsake too.

Santana-Row

Gucci

Bonobos

Santana Row StarbucksSantana Row
377 Santana Row, San Jose, CA 95128
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Outfits of the Week

It has been so long since I did a casual/informal outfits of the week blog post on here! I miss switching up my outfits and styling them differently each day, but when I’m at home most of the time, I often find myself reaching for the same pair of jeans (those comfy Zara ones!) and a plain tee. Boring ol’ OOTD’s day in and day out, but it works, and it’s easy.

I’ve switched things up a bit this week and decided to document a couple of days worth of outfits, especially since I am working with Tobi clothing, an online clothing store similar to Forever 21 or H&M quality. It was hard for me to pick out a few pieces to review because their collection of everything from Necklaces, Pencil Skirts, to High Low Dresses was absolutely huge. I decided to stick with my comfort zone and pick out some classic pieces that I’d wear more often.

Pink-Sweater-OOTDCalifornia Casual /// Warmer Than Life Sweater + Zara Jeans + Charlotte Russe flip flops
A perfectly oversized off the shoulder knitted sweater, flip flops ‘n’ jeans? Doesn’t get any easier than that for a California casual day. This has to be my favourite outfit from the entire week. The sweater fits perfectly and is going to be a staple in my wardrobe for sure. For reference, I got a medium in this sweater and I’m usually a small — but I think I made the right decision because it hits just below the hips and looks great off the shoulder.

OOTD-1Layering Made Easy /// Suzy Shier jacket + Old Navy light hoodie + Zara Jeans + American Eagle Belt + Target Sneakers + Banana Republic clutch
If you follow me on Instagram you probably got a sneak peek of what I wore when I went to the Bay Area blogging meetup at a coffee shop in downtown Los Altos. This is pretty much what I wear on an everyday basis — those jeans are my favourite with distress marks in the perfect spots. I now need Target to get back on the ball and bring back these slip on faux-Vans. They’re the best thing ever!

Pink-top-OOTDNot My Go-To Top /// My Go To Top + Lululemon tank + Forever 21 Jeans + Charlotte Russe flip flops
My least favourite outfit and I would not recommend buying it from Tobi unfortunately. As soon as I held this shirt up when I opened the parcel my eyes widened. It was shaped like a square. I tried it on immediately and my husband asked me if it was a flying-jump-suit. You know those dare devils that jump off cliffs and glide back down to the ground? It honestly looked like that. Now, this time I paired it with jeans, something more suitable. When I first tried it, I was wearing leggings – and the shirt was noticeably shorter in the back than in the front. I’m not a fan of it mainly due to the square shaped, and the short-body (although looking at this photo it doesn’t look as short as it does in person). It’s also pretty pricey at $46, so if you’re into this shirt then it’s right up your alley, but I think there are better options on Tobi’s website than this tee.

Black-OOTDCozy Every Day /// Stolen Nights Swing Tee + Target Pants + Target sneakers + eBay sunglasses
These swinging type of tops where it’s longer by the hips and shorter in the front/back are my favourite types of tee’s to wear. I already own a couple of them in grey and white that I purchased from Forever 21. I think it pairs fantastic with the olive coloured jeans I picked up a few months ago from Target. A cozy every day outfit.

Thanks for Tobi for sending along some great pieces to me for review. New customers get 50% off their first order, which is pretty sweet, so take advantage of that if you’re looking for new additions to your wardrobe. Shop Tobi for more outfit ideas: Coats + Hoodies + One Piece Swimsuits.

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