Sweet To Me, Like Sugar To My Heart

Cardigan: H&M; Jumper: Urban Outfitters; Tights, Ring, Necklace and Socks: Forever 21; Beanie: REI; Boots: Nine West; Photos by: DJ Lan

Candy - Mandy Moore

Two outfit posts in a row, can you believe it? You will laugh when I tell you that these photos were taken in a bathroom. It's okay, I don't blame you (I would laugh too). Last Monday, I accompanied my friend to karaoke bar in Menlo Park for a birthday. We took a break from all the singing we weren't doing (not my choice, by the way, because I happen to be a pro at karaoke) to snap some photos. The only reason this actually took place was because the walls coincidentally matched my beanie. Obviously, it was a sign that outfit documentation was meant to be. This was actually the first time I had ever worn this beanie, and I got it as a gift almost five years ago.  I don't know why I never put it on, because it is a real heat producer, and all I ever do is complain about how cold I am! I have been spending some time slowly cleaning out the contents of my room and closet, and, among the old One Tree Hill posters, 8th grade overalls (yes, I really wore overalls in the 8th grade), and high school cheerleading outfits, I have rediscovered many hidden treasures (e.g. my beanie!).  Don't you just love it when you find new old things in your closet? It's like finding $5 in the pocket of a pair of jeans you haven't worn in a while. I am confident that you will see a lot more of these little gems in some upcoming posts, so look out for that. Anyways, I hope you all had a wonderful and relaxing holiday with your family and friends! Oh, and for the record, I LOVE karaoke (you can ask anyone that knew me in college, and they will tell you that on Thursday nights, I was often found first in line for karaoke at Brew Co.), and my song of choice is and always will be Candy by Mandy Moore. This is not a lie. 


PS: Mary of StyleFyles has graciously asked me to write a guest post for her blog. So, if you're in need of an extra serving of pancakeSTACKER in your life, head over to her blog and check out my food post which will be up later today! Thanks again, Mary! Annnd, don't forget: if you'd like to work with pancakeSTACKER, shoot me an email :) 

Happiness Hit Her Like a Train on a Track

Shirt: Gap; Coat and Pants: Nordstrom; Shoes: Urban Outfitters; Vest: Forever 21; Necklace: Old Navy; Photos by: DJ Lan

Dog Days Are Over - Florence + the Machine

I'll be the first to admit that I never saw myself moving back to the Bay Area after college. I was convinced that I would have my dream job in sunny Los Angeles, a cute little apartment to call my own, and my Tuesday nights would consist of Bikram Yoga in a peaceful studio on the Third Street Promenade. Alas, as you and I both know, my current situation is quite the opposite. I'm back in San Francisco, where I find myself, more often than not, freezing my poor little butt off, I do not have my own cute little apartment with photograph-filled walls, and, while I am fortunate enough to be employed, I wouldn't go as far to say that it is my dream job. Oh yeah, and my Tuesday nights currently consist of Miguel's 7:45 Zumba workout. The first month or so of being back, I was such a whiny little thing. I'm still surprised that my family was able to put up with my mopey self. But yesterday, something was different. I mean, it was a day just like any other. I woke up, ran some errands, enjoyed my day off from work, had a killer work out at the gym, and spent a good chunk of the afternoon cultivating my blog. But somewhere, in yesterday's full day of hustle and bustle, I felt an overall feeling of happiness that lasted throughout the entire day. Don't get me wrong, I've been generally happy for some time, but yesterday's happiness came from a different place. Maybe it was the endorphins from my workout, the chocolate I bought myself just because, or maybe my daily affirmations have finally embedded themselves so far into my psyche that I'm oozing with positivity. Well, whatever the case, best not to question it and just embrace these simple moments in life. As Florence and The Machine said, "The dog days are over. The dog days are done," and not a moment too soon. 

Marie Claire & Chambord Holiday Cocktail Party

A few weeks ago, I was invited by fellow Bay Area blogger, Carlina of the blog, Allergic to Vanilla, to a holiday cocktail party by Marie Claire Magazine and Chambord Vodka. As soon as I checked my work schedule and realized I was off, I quickly confirmed. It rarely happens that my hectic work schedule coordinates perfectly with any leisure activities. I was so excited to put on a cocktail dress, get dolled up, and make it out for a classy evening in the city. Once I arrived at the Hotel Vitale, where the event was held, I made sure to make the rounds and scope out all the sophisticated cocktail-wear. I do have to admit, however, that I spent most of the night mingling and enjoying a nice night off, rather than snapping photos and putting on my usual blogger badge. While I wasn't able to play photog all night long, I did manage to stop a few stylish ladies and gents for your viewing pleasure. My apologies for my lack of personal outfit pictures, but I'd like to point out the one picture I posted of me shows my naturally curly hair, for all those who have asked! Many thanks to Carlina for inviting me, and it was so wonderful to meet you and your sister!

Starting off the night with a tasty holiday cocktail*

Sittin' On The Dock of the Bay

It's been a while since I've done a blog post about food. Okay, rewind. It's actually been a while since I've done a post. My apologizes for my absence! With the holiday season upon us, I've been running around on empty and spending 90% of my time at work. In fact, I have been so tired, that twice this week, the action of momentarily closing my eyes really lead to an unexpected three to four hour nap. Imagine my dismay when I woke up at 2 in the morning and realized that 1) It's 2 in the morning and 2) I've slept through a Lifetime movie. Yes, I am serious about the Lifetime movie. (Fun fact: Lifetime happens to be one of my favorite channels, haha). Anyways, enough about my old lady status, and on to the good stuff. I know you are all dying to feel your tummies rumble, so for that reason I knew I had to make this one extra yummy. Enjoy!

Palomino  345 Spear St. 

PopSugar's FreshGuide, FabSugar, & Saks Fifth Avenue Present: "Girls' Night Out" (Part Two)

Hello my loves! I hope you all enjoyed all the photos from  part one of my "Girls' Night Out" post. As promised, here is part two. I trust that you will all enjoy these photos just as much as you did the first!

Black Bombshell: I'm an avid believer that one can never own too much black in his/her closet. This gal's black furry vest is something I'd love to have in my own collection.

PopSugar's FreshGuide, FabSugar, & Saks Fifth Avenue Present: "Girls' Night Out" (Part One)

After work a couple Wednesdays ago, I hopped on the train and arrived in San Francisco's Union Square. I met up with my friend and budding photographer, Danielle, and we made our way to Saks Fifth Avenue for a "Girls' Night Out" fashion and shopping event that featured free makeovers, a "sweet treats" candy bar section, mini cupcakes from SusieCakes, cute giveaways, and a colorful array of champagne cocktails (you might remember them from here). I filled up on pink strawberry belts and pink salt water taffies from the candy bar and enjoyed a few glasses of delicious cranberry champagne. Sadly, I did not treat myself to a much-needed massage, as I was too busy gawking over some stylish San Franciscans. Not one to be found without my camera, which is often found glued to my hip, I made sure to snap a few photos of some of the night's best dressed.

pancakeLEFTOVERS: November

I know what you are thinking...this is NOT my usual serving of pancakeLEFTOVERS.  If you are a follower of my blog, you know that I typically begin the start of a month with a series of my favorite outtakes from the previous month. So, you are probably perplexed as you stare at this post and see nothing but new pictures on your screen. The truth is, as I was trying to decide which leftover photos to include in my post, I was lacking a lot of inspiration. As I skimmed through my November posts, I realized that each one was already filled with photos that were uniquely and perfectly chosen to convey my feelings for that day. I didn't want to share a post with photos that just didn't do it for me, because if they don't do it for me, they surely won't do it for you. So, I hope you will all forgive me for my unconventional pancakeLEFTOVERS and enjoy this fresh stack I've cooked up for you.

Sweater, Dress, and Necklace: Forever 21; Boots: Chinese Laundry; Socks: Random; Photos of me by: DJ Lan

Nonetheless, I do want to take a moment to reflect back onto the month of November, so let's hop to it! After a series of events that forced me to get downright pensive about life, I pledged to take some time to work on myself and my happiness. Some of you might remember that this involved something I called "Natural November." For those of you who need a little reminder, Natural November was my way of shedding myself of the falsifications of life, so that I could truly embrace and appreciate everything around me. Overall, I am very happy with what I was able to accomplish in just 30 days. I joined a gym and found a new-found love for Zumba, after faltering twice in my attempts to shed myself of my beloved Chi hair straightener, I found the most amazing curly hair styling products ever created and haven't touched my Chi since, I shed myself of unnecessary negativity and cut myself loose of "dead weight," I kept myself busy by surrounding myself with people whom I absolutely enjoy working with and being around day to day, I worked harder to pursue my goals for the future, and now, everyday, I am one step closer to achieving what I know is waiting for me. In sum, November was a month that taught me never, ever, ever to settle for less than what I know I deserve.  So with that, here is a toast to an even dreamier December.


(Just a friendly reminder to ENTER my $55 giveaway, if you haven't already. Contest ends on Tuesday!)