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10.31.2014

tricks or treats. sales roundup.

after the kiddies are done trick or treating, grab some treats of your own with all of the great sales happening this weekend. i've rounded up some of my favorites. promise, no tricks here!


BAUBLEBAR: additional 20% off sale items with code: SPOOKY
(i've been wanting to try the ear jacket earrings!)





DELIA'S: 30% off with code: CHILLY
(get your [not-so-ugly] christmas sweater!)




OLD NAVY: 25% off with code: SAVE
(the puffer vest you know you want!)





Piperlime | 25% off with code: EXTRA
Steve Madden | 25% off with code: SUNSHINE
JCPenney | 25% off with code: PUMPKIN
Macy's | 15% off with code: BRIGHT

10.30.2014

marathon chronicles 10. race recap 30k.

HMSA 30k - Honolulu, HI
5am, 10.26.14


at almost 19 miles, this was was not only the longest run of my training, but the longest run of my life! this race covered the last 18 miles of the marathon course including two hills and a 10-mile stretch of flat highway running. i ran the hills in a previous race and the highway stretch in a training run, so i was familiar with the course. my only concern was the growing distance. game plan, as usual, was to keep it slow and steady and walk if i needed to.

it was another 2am wake-up call for the early 4am start. really starting to dislike those early wake up calls...you never get good sleep because you're worried you might not hear your alarms.


this race had a lot of walkers/early starters, so it took me a while to get out of the pack. once i did, it was pretty smooth sailing until mile 13.

the course starts off with hills through miles two, three, and four. going over this hill in the beginning is a non-issue...it's coming back over that hill at the end of the course that kills my legs.

mile 1: 12:40
mile 2: 11:38
mile 3: 12:21
mile 4: 12:24
mile 5: 11:52


mile six began the 10 mile stretch of flat highway running. easy running, but all that concrete and the constant use of the same muscles really take a toll on your body.

mile 6: 12:38
mile 7: 12:32
mile 8: 12:54
mile 9: 13:30
mile 10: 12:04
mile 11: 12:19
mile 12: 12:23

by mile 13, i started to feel the dreaded twitch in my calves and toes signaling the onset of muscle cramps in my right foot and leg. as soon as i felt the first tingle of a cramp, i walked it off until i could run again. had to do this several times which slowed me down in the next four miles, but it was better than cramping up and having to stop completely to stretch and massage it out.

mile 13: 13:39
mile 14: 13:43
mile 15: 14:24
mile 16: 14:04


the photos above are coming down from the hill into the final stretch towards the finish line.

mile 17: 13:49
mile 18: 12:35
mile 18.6: ? forgot to stop my app at the finish line.

official time: 4:03:07



overall, i was ok with my time. my pace was consistent with previous races, if not slightly faster, but it would have been nice to come in under four hours. i felt mentally prepared for the hills and flats of the course, but a little unprepared physically. i hadn't been eating well and didn't even touch my protein powder since the last race.

race gear: adidas top; roxy siren top ; fabletics running shorts; new balance 890 v4 shoes

race fuel: honey stinger gold energy gel (miles 5,8,12,16)

the good: water stations were ready for the early start, 10-mile stretch of flat running, the hills weren't so bad this time around...they were bigger in my head.

the bad: high humidity in the early morning as we ran along the ocean, onset of cramping, sore knees and hips, my phone in my pocket rubbed against my hip irritating the skin.

in the days following: i actually skipped my ice bath and recovery drink this time. i iced my knee on the drive home and threw on my compression socks for the rest of the day. 

actions to take: work on upping the effort towards the end of my runs as i get tired. 

next race: mizuno val nolasco half marathon, november 16th.


10.29.2014

weekend randoms.



just a few randoms on this wednesday...
had an awesome weekend of running, food, and friends.

after our usual saturday morning classes and errands, we grabbed some icees and headed to one of my favorite parks. i was a little bummed to see that the grass and hedges were so overgrown that it blocked some of the amazing views that this park has to offer...but it was still nice and we were able to shoot a few pics for this week's east vs west. the rest of the day was spent resting and hydrating.


sunday was race day (recap to follow), and while i normally rest and do absolutely nothing after my races, i ended up having a busy but equally relaxing day. i had lunch by the beach with a friend followed by a pumpkin carving/birthday party. it's always nice to catch up with friends over food and drinks.


pumpkins carved by the kids.
can you guess which one belonged to the mini-he?

hint: it's not orange.

10.28.2014

east vs west style. beauty.

time flies when you're having fun! it's the final week of this [fall 2014] east vs west series, and we're signing off with beauty. your lips and nails are the finishing touches to your outfit. there are four key colors that carry me throughout the fall season...a nude, a pink, a classic red, and a dark shade like plum or black. 

LAQA & Co. has me covered with their lip pencils and nail polishes. their fat lip pencils have great pigmentation and never need sharpening (bonus!), while their nail polishes pack a punch of color in just one coat.

i hope that you enjoyed this fall edition of our east vs west series. what was your favorite trend?

as always, a huge thanks to our amazing sponsors.

east
Jackie / Living After Midnite / New York
Meaghan / District Sparkle / Virginia
Tracy / TheRightShoes / New York

west
Ashley / Pursuit of Shoes / California
Danielle / Envision Pretty / California
Becks / oomph. / Hawaii



a little sparkle never hurts either...loving this ring set from INPINK and the sparkly clutch from Lulu's.
l to r: lambchop, nookie, ring of fire, plonk
lambchop and nookie are the perfect shades of bright pink, ring of fire is a bright red, and plonk is a beautiful deep reddish-brown.

wearing from LAQA & Co:

wearing from INPINK:
(take 30% off with code: EASTVSWEST)

wearing from Lulu's:



in case you missed it:



10.24.2014

a week of high-waisted shorts. cardigan.

finishing off this week of high-waisted shorts with a look i love. again, playing with the short and long proportions, a simple white tank tucked into high waisted shorts is topped with a statement red plaid blanket cardigan that is oh-so-fall. the black and silver accessories adds a bit of edge to the outfit.

hope you enjoyed this 'week of'...
did you have a favorite look?


high-waisted shorts
(Topshop sleeveless topPlaid Blanket CardiganRiver Island shorts3.1 Phillip Lim ankle bootsLeather tote bagMidi ringLong necklaceD&G sunglasses)


a few tips for wearing high-waisted shorts:
- keep them looser and longer (i like at least a 2.5" inseam)
- when tucking in shirts, layer a longer piece over it to balance the short torso
- shorter the shorts, lower the heels


you might like these:











10.23.2014

a week of high-waisted shorts. blazer.

today i'm tucking a simple tee into these high-waisted shorts and topping it with a blazer. tucking into a high-waisted short will accentuate a short torso, so just make sure the blazer extends below the waist.

i'm gearing up for my 30k race coming up this sunday. at almost 19 miles, this will be the longest training run before the marathon. i'm already dreading this course as it ends with a hill that gave me major cramps in the first race i did in august. i can only hope that my body is better prepared now.

love & sunshine clutch; Forever 21 blazer; Paula & Chlo necklace)

in case you missed it:

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click image to enter.


10.22.2014

a week of high-waisted shorts. kimono.

i have to admit...i wasn't always a fan of the kimono. they're usually floral and they're usually styled in one of a couple ways...over denim + a crop top, or over a dress.

but let me tell you why: it works. something about the proportions - the length of the kimono, the high-waist and shortness of the shorts (or dress), the midriff bearing crop top - it just works.

i first tested the waters with a long leopard print kimono that i won in a giveaway and paired it with a dress. here i'm pairing a shorter kimono with these high-waisted denim shorts for an easy, casual look. you are guaranteed to have all the pieces in your closet already - tank top, denim shorts, sneakers/sandals/slippers, and lots of jewelry.

have you embraced the kimono trend?
how would you style it...out of the box?

(Deb shops high-waisted shorts & kimono;
Sole Society bucket bag; Ray-ban aviators; Nine West sneakers)

a few you might like:


10.21.2014

east vs west style. boots.

boots, boots, boots! another fall favorite that needs no introduction. i love the mix of styles here from stiletto booties to knee high boots.

when i selected this outfit weeks ago, we were experiencing unusually warm and humid weather. so i opted for shorts instead jeans. then on the day of shooting, we were hit with hurricane ana's non-stop rain. perfect weather for the outfit (and the would-have-been-jeans), not so much for photographing it.

east
Jackie / Living After Midnite / New York
Meaghan / District Sparkle / Virginia
Tracy / TheRightShoes / New York

west
Ashley / Pursuit of Shoes / California
Danielle / Envision Pretty / California
Becks / oomph. / Hawaii




this mixed media sweater is the second basic black sweater i added to my wardrobe this fall. i have been wearing it constantly because it is thin and slightly oversized, perfect for throwing on over denim like these Dittos misty cutoffs.

and this cozy beige infinity scarf kept me super warm. it was like being wrapped up in a blanket.


photographing in the rain was a total fail...the umbrella was not a wanted and intentional prop! plus, my hair was starting to frizz, haha.

luckily, i happened to snap a few photos of the outfit last week as part of my 'week of' series. i hadn't received the scarf and shorts yet, but at least these photos are clear and free of rain!

love the mesh details at the shoulders.
wearing from Sole Society:

wearing from NYDJ:

wearing from Lulu's:

wearing from Taudrey:


in case you missed it:


10.20.2014

a week of high-waisted shorts. monochromatic.

the high-waisted short is something i usually steer clear of. i have a shorter torso, and high-waisted bottoms usually accentuate that. i bought these high-waisted denim shorts for mini-she (she wears them well), but decided to take them for a spin before passing them on. i'll be styling these shorts for this 'week of'.

this look combines textured and patterned blues for a seamless transition through the waist. while i like the clean look of the front [of the shirt] tucked in, leaving the back untucked helps to elongate my torso.

luckily, i took these photos last weekend. this weekend we were hit with another hurricane-turned-thunderstorm, and it has been raining non-stop since friday. last night i was able to step out for a little me time to go to a fun wine tasting party. the cool rainy weather was perfect for this outdoor get together.

how was your weekend?
do you wear high-waisted bottoms?

(BaubleBar ring; Capwell & Co. necklace)
we tasted four reds and four whites, guessing the aroma, body, taste, etc...
...and my friend and i won. love the cool merlot bottle.
(Deb Shops high-waisted denim shorts (on sale!);
J.Crew shirt (on sale!); Sole Society boots; JustFab bag)