beyond the valley of the blonde

Moving on up...

2011-07-13T12:24:00.000-07:00

New blog! It's time to grow up now. Please follow my new site where I'll be bloggin' my little heart out from now on...

www.btvotb.tumblr.com

follow or else!

A not so love letter...

2011-07-06T09:51:00.000-07:00

Dear Mr. Dolce and Mr. Gabbana,

On a recent flight from the U.S. to Asia I was flipping through the June/July issue of my favorite Magazine NYLON, it's the issue with Florence Welch on the cover. It was my first go around with the issue so it's the one where ravage through the pages strictly on a visual stimulus mission when all of sudden it was like being at a house party and someone unplugs the stereo to announce the cops are there. Basically it was like this...eeerrrrrrkkkk! Stop. Huh? Umm yeah, that looks devastatingly familiar. What I saw on page 88 of my magazine was this...

"oh hello, have we met?"

"Yes indeed we have, many years ago when you were a struggling designer you had a bag that is close relative of mine."

"Ah, Yes that's right." "I distinctly remember that no one bought that bag because it was 2003 and if they did I wouldn't have had to work as a bartender serving tap water to a bunch of "swing kids" that didn't want to face the fact that WWII was over!!!!!!" Or... mostly because at the time people were not interested in buying a leather clutch that looked like a keyboard for a mere $225.00... but NOW, the world is ready to buy a leather purse that looks like a keyboard for oh, I don't know ...$1275.00??!!"

So, Domenico and Stefano I'm sure your asking yourself where's the proof as you sit in your decadent studio filled with inspirational photos of Keith Richards receiving a blood transfusion and Kate Moss naked wearing only a skinned leopard that is on the verge of extinction, sipping your espresso and eating a biscotti. BUT, I do have proof and here it is...

See it's the one on the top left in case you didn't recognize it and yes, I agree that yours looks better!

Anyways, the point is that as someone that has worked in the "INDUSTRY" I know more than anyone that nothing is original and everything gets recycled but maybe just a little shout out would be nice as being that this was something my line produced almost a decade ago.

Now, I'm sure you're asking yourself "How can I make this better?"

Well fortunately for you I have the answer to that. Maybe you could... oh I don't know...Gift me one of these bags? It would be a great token of appreciation and a peace maker. If not, I understand (NOT REALLY) I will just have to boycott your clothes and accessories from now on. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know I have never bought D and G before because I can't afford it (thanks for rubbing it in) but one day I might and you will miss my business!!!

Best,

Lalaina Duncan

by the way... Are you hiring for a designer???

air castles...

2011-07-05T06:58:00.000-07:00

A wise woman once said to me "it doesn't cost anything to dream".

Fortunately for me this wise woman was also my mother and as the saying goes... mom is always right! I was lucky growing up that my "day dreamer mentality" was never ever crushed in fact, it was encouraged and the BIGGER the BETTER. I still to this day will fade out to some distant location of elusiveness...I swear to God it happened just then! As I was saying...I would often be brought back to reality by either a co-worker or classmate snapping their fingers and asking "where did you go just then?" Well, it wasn't really where I went but rather what I was doing. One time I had a day dream that Joey from the New Kids on the Block had picked me out of the crowd of thousands of screaming fans to serenade me on stage at one of their concerts and then he gave me a kiss at the end. Not unusual for a pre-teen I suppose. But from that point on the piercing blue eyes of my Joey Mc'Intyre poster were following me around my bedroom, I was like "Oh my God, it's fate!". I had to make sure that I looked my best while in the presence of Joey, after all I was totally convinced this was a sign that we would be together someday. I'm not really sure why that dream is the one I remember so vividly, I know there are better ones like my dream to become a Jet-fighter pilot in the Air Force with Iceman from TOP GUN or the one where I was to be discovered on Ed Mc'Mahons Star Search and receive a 5 out of 5 stars (I'm dating myself now). Then there was the re-occuring one about how I would overpower the school bully with my speed and precision and the next day walk the hallways being feared and respected ( that was a real situation and in my mind that's how it happened) but the details of all the other dreams escaped me. There are just too many to remember...

I guess all this is brought upon me again by the fact that I have more time to day dream now that I am traveling and not working in a dead end job anymore. I also just finished reading the Kelly Cutrone book...Yes people, I actually read a book! Ironically titled "If you have to cry go outside". Why ironic? Because I ALWAYS cry! At work, at the movies, instead of laughing at something funny I will cry. If I had to go outside everytime I cried... well, I would never get to be inside I guess. Anyways, back to the book, I wanted to read this book not because I wanted to be like the author, in fact I hated her. She had a reality show and she came across as complete and total bitch and nightmare to work for! Even my husband was like "why do you want to read this book, this is not someone I would aspire to be like." True. I don't want to be like her but I have to say I do admire how someone can be ruthless, hurtfully honest and super successful. This was a dream I have all the time; being the ultimate "power bitch" and having someone else thread belt loops, sew on buttons and take the trash out for a change! So in this book, Kelly talks about acting on these dreams, diving in head first and being that B.I.T.C.H- Babe In Total Control of Herself. That was something I could get on board with. Now this post has not ended up being the way I had envisioned it mostly because I was day dreaming the entire time I was trying to write this. Lately I have this dream that I own a super successful, trendy restaurant and wine bar. I have every detail from the nails in the dark wide-planked hard wood flooring to the way the wine bottles are arranged to the number of chairs and even the script of the name of my restaurant. It is all in my head. It seems so real that I can almost taste it. There is just one slight problem, I am not a chef or even that great of a cook. I have 5 recipes that I use and then I rinse and repeat. I'm going to keep working on this idea because after all it's not costing me anything to dream but not dreaming at all could cost me everything!

dedicated to the ultimate dreamer RLD

Inspiration: Christiania Denmark

2011-07-04T06:24:00.000-07:00

Christiania is a must to visit if you ever find yourself in Denmark. This "free town" as it is called, is a virtual time warp and a progressive community all at the same time. I was told ( by my 20 something canal tour guide) that it was started in the early 70's as a social experiment funded by the Danish government. A portion of undeveloped land, formerly military barracks in the city of Copenhagen, was set aside to house a commune and basically build a society from scratch. As the story goes, again this is just what I have been told, the government allowed for homeless and drug users to congregate in this area freely and even provided clean needles and other paraphernalia for its occupants. One thing the government never counted on was that over the years this would stir interest and popularity with locals of Copenhagen as well as other people from Europe and all over the world as some sort of a "hip emerging neighborhood". Today, Christiania is home to about 850 residents and it is ordained as a "free town" with it's own governing and society separate from the rest of Denmark. I'd be lying if I said it's not dirty and filled with drug addicts and pushers, I mean the main walkway in Christiania is called Pusher Street. Despite it's shanty town feel, on any given day you can find all kinds of tourist, locals young and old alike, as well as families riding bikes through the grounds. On Sundays there is a flea market, arts & crafts, live music and cheap beers along with other things that are legal in Christiania. The day I went it was a cross between Jamaica, Woodstock and the movie Eastern Promises. There was Danish reggae on stage and high school graduates with what looked like their grandparents smoking pot with Russian mobsters in the crowd. Like I said, it is a free town so to each their own and no matter what your stance is on drugs and their use you have to admit that there is something inspiring about a free society!

They don't allow photos to be taken once you enter Christiania so the photos are limited to the outside and the entrance

colorful graffiti all around the premises of Christiania

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!

Malmo, Sweden

2011-06-30T10:10:00.000-07:00

Saturday I hopped on a train for a day trip to Malmo, Sweden. I had high hopes of going to a museum, sipping wine in the Centrum and dining on a Polsner. Unfortunately, I was not aware that it was a national holiday and EVERYTHING in the city was closed for business. Luckily the canal tour was operating and the Netto was open so that I could at least buy a snickers bar to eat or else I would have turned into a Diva! Better planning next time...

Left: train station in Sweden and Right: City Center in Malmo

Welcome to Sweden! From top left: Lighthouse in Malmo, The Turning Torso in Malmo (the 2nd tallest building in Europe), the National flag, Old Towne by the canals

from top left: the old windmill which is now a museum and a brewery, canals of Malmo, City Center and People St., old Viking ship from 1500's that was restored

The Swedish Zoo!

Now I am off to London tomorrow and hopefully it's not a holiday so more exciting post to come...

Out in about in Copenhagen...

2011-06-24T13:23:00.000-07:00

It's no secret the affinity I have towards Copenhagen. Being here again is feels almost like home and for once I don't mind blending into the crowd of blonde haired blue eyed locals. Great friends, good fun and less than perfect weather. Maybe one day I won't have to leave...

One of my favorite boutiques, Pico in Osterbro, has the best selection of dance/street booties, glitter jazz shoes and ballet flats

Concert in the Park in the rain...

inside the Royal Cafe

Vintage dress for sale at Royal Cafe

piano that we saw in the window of a gallery. Have you ever seen anything like this?

the harbor at Nyhavnd

The Queens yacht awaits her Royal Heiness

today I had the pleasure of stopping by designer Violise Lunn's amazingly inspiring studio on Gothersgade

After leaving Violise's studio, I stumbled upon this amazing antiques market in the City Central

This is Carla, my new friend that I met at the beach...Oh how I miss my frenchie!

colorful houses line the canals of Copenhagen

Another reason to love Copenhagen is the fact that you can buy yellow tape toilet paper! Love it!!!

Now I'm off to Sweden for a quick day trip...

goodbye to the land of mocktails and birkini's...

2011-06-15T01:46:00.000-07:00

I have now been in Northern Europe for a few days and although the weather is beautiful I can't help but dream of the hot, humid days and nights in Perhentian and of course all the friends we made along the way...

Perhentian Island resort view from our cabin

Our humble abode for the week...emphasizing HUMBLE

This is Raji (name I gave him) our 6ft. monitor lizard that we found out lives in the pond next to our cabin...by the way we figured it out on our own no thanks to any notification from the resort that we would have to share our living quarters with these guys. Actually Raji had 2 other roommates even bigger!

Water at Long Beach Perhentian Kecil

Since our resort was mostly Muslim locals it was "dry" so in order to grab an ice cold beer for Kenny's birthday we had to hire a boat taxi to take us to the small islands Long Beach where all the European backpackers party. Much different than our island, Long Beach had beer, music, topless sunbathers and trannies! Happy Birthday baby!

Stock up because it's back to our island of "Mock"tails and Birkini's!

On our last morning we received a visit from this monkey. He actually got pretty close to our table before some annoying tourist decided that he was going to try and pet the monkey...come to think of it, we didn't see him anymore after that. The tourist that is.

After another 13 hour train ride from Malysia back into Singapore we had another 9 hours to kill before flying out. This pool on the roof top of the Changi Airport with a bar and showers is just another reason why I LOVE Singapore!!!

Thank you to all the amazing people we met along the way...Ming our new friend from Singapore that we met on the train and bought us the most amazing cup of coffee after 13 hours of jungle trekking. Andy who shuttled us from island to island in search of an ice cold beer. See you all soon!

A train, a cab and a boat ride later...

2011-06-08T17:34:00.000-07:00

Making our way out of Singapore has been rather adventurous. On Saturday night we boarded a train to head to Malaysia. Since I did not book the tickets I had no idea what I was in for. We get our passes and head through the immigration line. The lady looks at our tickets and our passports and says we can go on in. Kenny asks the lady "where do we get our passport stamped?" She replies annoyingly with "later." Kenny says to me "I've heard that they do this so that when you come back they charge you a fine for not having it stamped" I said "it's fine let's just get on the train and get settled". When we walked through the gates I saw this amazing old green train and I was super excited, I have never traveled by train and I thought "Wow, this so cool!" because I thought this was the train we were boarding...

But then we crossed over to the other train tracks and I realized that this was actually the train we were taking...

"We are sleeping on this thing?" I asked. Kenny says "oh come one, this one looks much nicer than the sleeper train I took in India". So I am trying really hard to be a good sport as we make our way to the bunk. We put our stuff down and walk around the cabin for a bit when I see the door for the restroom. Kenny says to me "do not go in there!" Wonderful, I'm going to be stuck on a train for 13 hours with a restroom that I can't use because it's a hole in the floor and might I add that the train ride was very bumpy. Luckily we met a nice Singaporean man that traded bunks so that we could be across from each other. I think Kenny just wanted to see the horror on my face at all times of the trip. We apparently got too settled on this rickety old train because we forgot to get off at the second Malaysian customs check to get our passport stamped. Yup! We fell victim to the scheme and now we are in Malaysia ILLEGALLY!

First class all the way!

13 hours and no sleep later we finally arrived in Tenah Merah, Malaysia. We couldn't even get off one foot off the train before being hit up by a "taxi" driver. Exhausted and not in our right mind we broke all the rules and accepted a ride from some guy who was not actually a taxi driver. We told the guy we just needed to get some coffee first before we leave. I learned that they call it "take it away" here instead of "to go". So when I asked for a coffee for take away and this is what I got.

Coffee for people on the go!

So anyways after an hour cab ride we finally arrived at the jetty where we could board our boat and head to the island.

I was bummed that one of these were not our boat

Perhentian Island Resort, our home for the next 5 days

A woman on an island on an island in the middle of the South China Sea

more pics to come from paradise...

More from the S'pore...

2011-06-03T23:53:00.000-07:00

I can't believe my week in Singapore is up and already I feel like I've been here a lifetime. I would have liked to have been able to post more but I have been having trouble with internet connection here which is odd to me considering everyone here is always on their IPhone, IPad or laptop.

I wasted no time getting into a routine everyday. I walked to the Hawker centre for breakfast coffee with condensed milk and fried noodles egg, then off to the gym to work it off, watched some MTV Asia then hit the hot, humid and clean streets of Singapore. I have found all the locals to be extremely friendly and accommodating and the city/state/country itself is extremely easy to get around. I couldn't help but get a kick out of the fact that in certain areas the subways open up into a GIANT mall. This is one economy that loves to shop and there is no lack of outlets for people willing to fork out their hard earned Singaporean dollars.

In an effort to immerse myself in seeing as much of Singapore as possible and given the time I think I accomplished my goal. Aside from all the shopping and eating I did manage to soak up some of the local culture and the blisters on my feet are proof of all the walking on this island that one can do. Note to self...must wear comfortable shoes and don't bring all silk dresses because they will get ruined by either your sweat or the torrential downpours that often sneak up on you about mid-afternoon. Here's the cliff notes version to my week in the S'pore...

Orchard Road- religious shoppers come here to "pay" their respects to the Gods of retail. I don't shop at Gucci or Prada in the states and I wasn't about to here in Singapore. What I did find was a shop called P.O.A. (People of Asia) which had really adorable dresses and in another store across the mallway was their more avante guard clothing all of it is rather affordable. ISETAN houses boutiques within the dept. store such as MANGO or TOPSHOP but they also sell smaller Asian lines. One in particular that I loved called DIP DROPS was very girly and over the top cute! A little too young for me but I found it to be different from all the other lines in the store. ION which I believe to be the newest shopping plaza on Orchard opens right up from the MRT exit. It is at least 7 stories and every single store was packed at all times of the day.

Dip Drops at the ISETAN

The MRT Orchard station opening up to the ION shopping plaza

Shark tank above the ION...I'm kidding I think it's just digital projection

Kampung Glam- this very well could have been my favorite neighborhood. I felt right at home with all the fabric and trim stores and of course all the haggle(ing). Kampung glam or "Malay Town" is the pre-dominatley Arab neighborhood here in Singapore. I had heard that by day you could find beautiful fabric and furnishings, men praying and lot's of great cafe's and restaurants and by night you could find "working" women just trying earn an honest living! Needless to say I went during the daytime. Kampung glam did not disappoint. I found a slew of adorable independent boutiques on Haji Lane such as BlogShop, Wicked Laundry, Mod Parade and Salad Shop just to name a few. Over on the main streets of the Kampung Glam neighborhood, Bussorah St. and Kandahar St. are store after store of Muslim owned shops with the most amazing silk, ikat and batik fabrics, cashmira rugs and hand tufted ottomans. It was KILLING me that I couldn't buy any fabric or one of the hand tufted silk rugs even though I'm sure if I tried I could have bargained a pretty good price for one. I was determined not to leave empty handed so I picked up a few hand dyed silk scarves and some contacts to ship one of the ottomans to the U.S.

Haji Lane at North Bridge Road

trimming store on North Bridge Road

All along Bussorah St. were these lights that spelled out Kampung Glam and depicted the local fare

Bussorah Street

Kandahar Street after the mid-day rain

Silk shop where I bought the scarves

Temple in the middle of the Kampung Glam neighborhood

Glitter oxfords in the window of Wicked Laundry at 76 Haji Lane

S.A.M-Singapore Art Museum 71 Bras Basah Road.

I don't consider myself to be a Art connoisseur by any means and often I feel a little overwhelmed at museums but after several days of walking around in the humidity I was welcoming the fact of seeking some culture in the confines of air conditioning. SAM is a relatively small museum and it was free to get in although they accept donations. The exhibition that drew me to the museum was called NEGOTIATING HOME, HISTORY AND NATION-Two decades of contemporary art in Southeast Asia 1991-2011. Not really knowing a lot about Southeast Asia or the Artist that hail from there I found it to be rather interesting and cool both literally and figuratively speaking that is.

Wings: Alfredo and Isabel Aquilizan from the Philipines; using a collection of old flip flops from the Singapore prisons

considering the strict laws here in Singapore I'm sure it's not hard to get your very own pair of prison flip flops. I wonder what crime inmate #84897 committed?

Heritage tunnel: Briccio Santos from the Philippines 2009

Under Estimate: Apotik Komik from Indonesia 1999. Using old ink drums and paint this installation "pokes fun" at the sudden boom of Contemporary and Urban Art in Indonesia in the mid-90's

Committing Suicide Culture: Vasan Sitthiket from Thailand. "The only way Thai farmers escape debt". Below the hanging farmers is a pile of husk. It has been said that most suicides are based on bad credit are not uncommon in developing countries such as India and Thailand.

Money Suit: Vincent Leow from Singapore 1992. Making a suit entirely of American $100 bills
to depict the booming Singaporean economy in the 1990's. In the mid-90's Singapore had proven to be
the 9th richest economy in the world.

Queensway Shopping Centre- We were told that for a complete "locals only" experience that we must try the Laksa at a food stand in the Queensway Shopping Centre which is strictly a mall dedicated to sporting goods and sneakers. Laksa a traditional Singaporean dish that originates from Chinese and Malay culture. It's a spicy noodle soup with a secret ingredient of shrimp paste (ground up shrimp). At first the smell is overwhelmingly pungent but when you take the first bite you'll be hooked.

The famous Laksa dish

Sugar Cane before...

Sugar Cane after!

Clarke Quay- Pronounced "kee" the Quay is neighborhood set along the river with tons of shops and eateries.

View of the city skyline

Little India- I couldn't help but try to go back to Little India during the day when it was more calm. I had read that there were some new hotels and restaurants that opened up there that were a must try. I had high hopes of buying some amazing trinkets and jewelry but honestly the shop owners and the bargaining was just too intense for me. I did however have an amazing lunch at the french cafe Cocette.

Wanderlust hotel in Little India

lunch at Cocette No. 2 Dickson Road. Pan seared chicken with pine nuts, mushrooms and port sauce.

Inside the Wanderlust hotel

just window in the courtyard, I love how colorful Little India was

Sands Sky Park- We decided to wrap up our last night in Singapore exactly where it started at the Marina Bay Sands hotel and shoppes. Before our delicious dinner at Pizza Mozza we took the 57 floor elevator ride to the Sands Sky Park. For $20 Singaporean dollars you can walk around the park and experience the amazing Singaporean skyline. It was absolutely breathtaking, I had no idea how massive the cityscape was and at night it was stunning. I'm so happy that I had the chance to experience Singapore and all the amazing people and things that it has to offer.

Goodbye, I will miss you Singapore but now I'm hopping on a sleeper train to trek thru the jungle and spend a week on the beautiful beaches of the Perhentian Islands!
xo-lala

What's in a name...

2011-05-30T20:21:00.000-07:00

From the first day that I started this blog people have asked me why I chose the name beyond the valley of the blonde. Honestly, I didn't have a reason as to why other than the fact that I couldn't think of a better name that wasn't already taken. So as time went by, I have been trying to figure out the direction that I want this blog to go in. When the opportunity to travel came up it became apparent to me that the name of my blog had an underlying meaning that sub-consciencously explained exactly what I wanted it to be all along...going beyond all the things that I have known, going beyond the life that I have lived in Los Angeles for so many years. I'm finally excited to say that I am going beyond the valley of the blonde and it starts now...

somewhere between Hong Kong and Singapore

Singapore day 1. Finally after almost 21 hours of traveling I arrived in Singapore at noon on Sunday. A little jet lagged but mostly ecstatic to be beginning this adventure and of course finally getting to see my husband. In true Duncan fashion, we waisted no time getting the day rolling. A little freshin' up and off we went to get as much exploring time together as possible. Our first stop was Chinatown which was only a few blocks from the hotel and on the way we stumbled upon the famous "hawker" food centre and had to make a pit stop. If there is one thing I love equally as much as shopping it's eating and this was the Forever 21 for food lovers, huge selection and super cheap!

Tg Pagar Road on the way to Chinatown

I think that Kenny thought he had literally died and gone to heaven at the Hawker food court

Hiananese chicken and rice dish

you can't see it very well but there was a picture of Anthony Bourdain in the window endorsing this vendor as the best place for Hiananese chicken and rice. BTW...I spared you the close up shot of the dead chicken hanging in the window.

After our mid-day snack of chicken and rice and some Tiger beers we scoured the streets of Chinatown which had a striking resemblance to the Chinatown that we have in Los Angeles but in our efforts to find a restroom we came upon a mall where you can find ANYTHING from electronics to clothing, food to reflexology, massage therapy which includes tiny little fish nibbling on the dead skin cells on your hands and feet to a hemroid doctor or at least that what I think. There was a sign written in Chinese but it had some pretty explicit and up close photos for advertising.

Since we were not in the market for a massage or hot electronics we jumped on the MRT to head to the Marina. I had read online about a new shopping center that opened at the Sands Casino and was dying to check it out. It of course exceeded my expectations. Our equivalent would be South Coast Plaza with all the major stores like Gucci, Prada, Chanel etc... but this was even better because it housed a full on river with gonadola rides and water fall, an ice skating rink and the most exciting thing of all...it has a Pizza Mozza and Osteria Mozza! If you're an Angelino you know what I'm talking about!

View of Sands Casino from outside. Check out the roof top terrace

After we made our reservations for Friday night dinner at Pizza Mozza our next stop was to try and find the famous Raffles hotel the birthplace of the Singapore Sling. Getting lost in a foreign country is something we do best but almost always we find something worth while along the way and this time it happened to be ice cream wrapped in bread. Trust me, it's good. We were actually thinking that this is a great idea to bring back to the states just needs to be updated for us Americans...you know what I'm talking about...yup, Deep Fried!

The Raffles Hotel

The Raffles was not very successful for us, we didn't realize how exclusive or fancy it was. We'll just to have to go another day this week for the Singapore Sling. However, we were dressed just fine to explore the madness of Little India. A far cry from where we were and too exhausted to try and walk we had to hail a cab. When I got out of the cab I was almost run over by a rickshaw, Kenny said the look on my face was total culture shock! Up to this point everything we had seen in Singapore seemed similar to things we have in LA but Little India was different. Instantly, I was overcome with the smells of onions, cilantro and spices. I couldn't help but feel overjoyed. I have yet to go to India but Kenny said that it was just like being there. It was a Sunday afternoon about 6 p.m. so swarms of people, mostly men, were gathering for what I'm guessing is social time after work. The average speed of things were at best a crawl. Store after Store of fresh foods and spices mixed with restaurants and amazing gold jewelry and beautiful crafts and fabrics. We were trying to find a restaurant that we had read about but it was just so overwhelming and distracting. By far it was the most authentic and amazing thing that I have experienced. I'm hoping to go back this week to check out some of the fabric shops.

Streets of Little India

Finishing up the day we ended up back in China town on Scott Road which had turned into an evening dining center. A few skewers, some noodles and more Tiger blood, I mean Tiger beer to wrap up a perfect first day! So much more to come and so far I love SG!

Ethnic Eclectic look #3

2011-05-19T09:43:00.000-07:00

So this might be one of my favorite looks for this trend
because it's a look that every woman can wear...
Choosing key pieces that most women have in their
wardrobe like the crisp white trouser, rugby stripe tank and a
the pearl studs are the base for this look. You can easily update
these basics by adding a ethnic printed scarf, colorful ballet
flats and Ikat bow clutch to finish the look and make it
trendy and fresh again.

Use your imagination...Just think Audrey Hepburn after a
trip to Zambia cruising the streets of Paris on her pink bicycle.
Now you got it!

ethnic romantic by LalainaLee featuring flat shoes

Ethnic Eclectic look #2...

2011-05-18T09:17:00.000-07:00

If you're still hesitant about this trend and the printed pants aren't in
your wardrobe vocabulary...No problemo, you can try this trend out
in the skimpiest of ways and get an even bigger effect! Whether
you're going to the Perhentian Islands this summer or just lounging
poolside, the seasons "must have" swimwear is a bold, colorful suit.
And just because it's the beach or the pool doesn't mean that you can
skip styling it out, finish the look with fun, tribal accessories, bright
nail polish and don't forget bronzer to make that suit pop!

Happy Summer!

Beach by LalainaLee featuring logo sunglasses

Ethnic Eclectic...

2011-05-17T16:19:00.000-07:00

One of my FAVORITE trends for this summer is ethnic prints
and jewelry. So often I hear people say how difficult they think
this trend is to wear or how specific it is but over the next few
days I want to show 3 different ways to wear this trend
that won't have you feeling like a feature in
National Geographic magazine...

Look 1: The urban explorer, the city gal on vacation...
armed with her camera, coffee and freshly painted nails,
this look easily takes her from exploring all day to dinner
and drinks all night.

Urban Explorer by LalainaLee featuring vintage jewelry

Want a more affordable option of something that you see here just email me and I'll help you find the look for less!

xo-lala

what would you do before you die?

2011-04-26T13:01:00.000-07:00

That's exactly what New Orleans based artist Candy Chang wanted to know. Candy Chang, public installation artist, designer, urban planner and co-founder of the Civic Center, likes to make cities more comfortable by allowing it's citizens to be a part of the art that she creates. This project called Before I die... took an entire month and 7 hours to transform an abandoned house on the corner of Marigny and Burgundy in a New Orleans neighborhood into a giant chalkboard. The concept was to invite the neighborhood to share their thoughts on what they would want to accomplish before they die.

abandoned house at 900 Marigny Street in New Orleans

responses from locals in the neighborhood

After 1 day the chalkboard was completely filled up. The artist documented all the responses to later be included in a book before wiping the slate clean to allow for more people to share their thoughts.

I became so inspired learning about this project that it got me thinking of all the things that I want to do before I die...here's just a few...

What would you do before you die...

Visit Candy Chang's website here

save the llama for yo mama!

2011-04-20T13:05:00.000-07:00

Ever have trouble saying how you really feel? Do you walk away from situations afraid to express your true opinions? Be shy no more...Say all the things you wish you could say to your spouse, your parents, your boss, your neighbor, your ex-boyfriend/girlfriend, your dog, your neighbors dog, the annoying people selling tamales outside your building at 6 a.m....With Llama Font you can say all the things you wish you could say in person but can't muster the courage...use these cuddly cute animals in compromising positions to get the point across!

please note, these are "hypothetical situations" I in no way and referring to personal situations of my own...well some of them at least.

Thank you Refinery 29 for turning me on to this...who needs therapy when you've got

www.llamafont.com

random sketches...

2011-04-12T10:21:00.000-07:00

You know me...I can't resist a competition, especially one that shows off what an artistic crackerjack I am...thoughts anyone?

I know it's hard to believe that I did this without looking...

home sweet home...

2011-04-06T16:43:00.000-07:00

anyone that knows me knows how much I love to decorate. An addiction per se, perhaps I chose the wrong line of work...since I'm not quite ready to show pics of my own house, I will share all the many pics of homes around the world that I find beautiful and inspiring...

Belgium apartment

cool looking desk

Tuscan home

Barcelona kitchen

Barcelona

Copenhagen flat

artist home

just spools of thread

in living colour...

2010-12-06T16:39:00.000-08:00

Baker Overstreet


Giuseppe Capogrossi

Guerra de la Paz

Frank Stella

Juan Usle

Rahbar

Morris Lewis

Images via Art Tattler

big sky gypsy & drum horses...

2010-11-29T13:43:00.000-08:00

nomadic and wandering inspiration for Fall 2011

workshop YSL/Dior

2010-11-18T13:45:00.000-08:00

I'm always fascinated by other people's work spaces. For most visionary people it's a very intimate place to be...I stumbled upon these photos of Yves Saint Laurent in the Dior studios. Please pay close attention to his little furry friend...creative minds think a like

YSL in his own studio 1986

sketches for the Dior Spring Couture show 1988

Oh deer!

2010-11-17T15:28:00.000-08:00

Christopher Coppens - Deer Cape

dollar deals...

2010-11-16T13:26:00.000-08:00

this is pretty much all you can get with a dollar...a dollar

photo by Nat Sin

life's important questions...

2010-09-30T17:25:00.000-07:00

life is filled with important decisions and questions...does he really love me? should I go back to my natural color? pay my rent this month or live on ramen and buy that Chanel quilted bag that I've been wanting for-ever? is there life on other planets? Republican, Democrat or neither? And while we may never find a suitable answer for some of these, okay maybe only the first question I can think of answers for the rest...I was able to find the answer to the most important question of my generation...Coke or Pepsi? And somewhere between The Biba Experience and Henry Darger I got my answer...

If it's good enough for Karl it's good enough for me!

Appreciation: The up and down life of an American Vernacular Modernist

2010-09-08T14:24:00.000-07:00

Earl Cunningham most known for his imaginary landscapes of the New England Coast, Florida Swamps and his fascination of Seminole Indians wearing elaborate headdresses, his paintings depict a make believe world that is nostalgic of a simpler time void of modern extremities. He is also very well known for his daring thirst for color. The coral, blue, pink and saffron yellow colors mixed with lavender, rust and olive green are used to bring intensity to the people, events and landscapes of his paintings and therefore what I find most beautiful and inspiring about them.

If you're not familiar with his work, Cunningham was born in 1893 in Maine and left home at 13. After various stints as a peddler and working on a fisherman's shack, he began painting boats and farms on scavenged wood. In 1915 while driving a truck for a naval yard, he visited Florida for the first time. He spent the many years traveling up and down the eastern seaboard before finally settling down in St. Augustine, Florida in 1949 and opened the Old Fork Gallery. Like most artist of his time he suffered from severe depression and paranoia and took his life in 1977.

Blue Sail Fleet Returns, 1949

Plantation, somewhere between 1955-1965

Red Sky Over Folly Beach, South Carolina, about 1975

The Twenty One, around 1977

images from Arttattler

lazy days are here...

2010-08-22T15:05:00.000-07:00

now that "summer" is winding down in most places it's FINALLY starting to warm up in L.A. and I don't have go far to enjoy the best rooftop pool in downtown...it's just an elevator ride away

from A to B and back again...

2010-08-10T12:03:00.000-07:00

I had meant to post this last week but since I never remember anything that I write down or look at a calendar the timely opportunity passed me by...On August 6 print maker, novelist, commercial artist, filmmaker and America's leader in the visual art movement, Andy Warhol, would have been 82 years old. So better late than never... Mr. Warhol you are the BTVOTB Blonde Icon and for that I salute you...I know you would have been so proud!

tromp'a per...

2010-08-04T16:26:00.000-07:00

Three amazingly talented artist, Australian Anna-Wili Highfield, Danish born Peter Callesen and Violise Lunn, whom I had the unique honor of visiting her in her studio while in Copenhagen last fall, will change the way you look at paper...

Anna-Wili Highfield

Peter Callesen

Violise Lunn

eye candy...

2010-08-03T17:38:00.000-07:00

my new favorite sight for inspiration...arttattler

out of Africa...

2010-07-23T21:05:00.000-07:00

this week I went on a mission to "save the collection" a term loosely used here in the design office in a state of panic meaning "oh shit! Lalaina go find me something fabulous at some random dumpy fabric store in downtown LA to make sense of all this craziness", says CLC. So somewhere between the 99 cent lingerie store and the El Pollo Loco is a hidden gem we call, crazy African fabric store. It's a secret amongst a few select "designers" (Vena Cava I know you shop here too) for amazing authentic African cloths. I can't say which one I chose for the line but the rest might just end up in my house somehow.

bon prix et stylees...

2010-04-16T16:08:00.000-07:00

One of the up sides of having an shopping addiction like I do is that I am constantly looking for a deal. My friends are always asking me where they can find something for less so being the good friend that I am I make sure I don't dissapoint.

Just last week when having dinner with my friend Nikki she gushed over the Mathew Williamson rug from The Rug Company that runs upward around $6000. Being that she is a new mom and a new homeowner that price is totally out of the question especially with a burping and belching baby crawling around. So today in my searches for Thomas Paul plate sets I found a rug that rivals the M.W. one for a mere $1464. Here are some more "looks for less"


The Rug Company $6000

Thomas Paul tufted wool rug from www.2modern.com $1464

Lulu Guiness "glamour girl" rug from The Rug Company $5000

Twinkle by Wen Len "glamour girl" rug $1792

I originally wanted this Cole & Sons "woods" wallpaper from Anthropologie but at $198 a roll and it is paper which is not a suitable option for my bathroom

instead I decided to buy this version from Sherwin Williams for a steal at $46.49 a roll and it's vinyl coated perfect for the bathroom

Banksy back in LA again...

2010-04-14T16:25:00.000-07:00

and this time it just happened to be in the parking lot next to the building I live in (Eastern Colombia) Can't believe I missed this... happened on Monday when I was still in New Orleans...

Images via High Snobiety

save a tree buy a saarinen table...

2010-04-07T16:57:00.000-07:00

No paper...No problem... after a few mid-day cocktails and the presence of a 3 year old we discovered that you can use dry erase markers on a Saarinen table from Design Within Reach.

Thank you to Trace and Lindsay for letting us borrow your kid and Brian for letting Katie and myself make sweet drunken art at your expense...

Cruel Joke...

2010-04-01T09:27:00.000-07:00

When checking my email this morning I saw this headline...
Zomg! Chanel is the next Go International for Target designer collaboration! Click through for a sneak peek. (Fashion Spot)

Against my better judgment, I got sooooo excited I couldn't wait to tell everyone, I might actually camp out for the night at a Target just to get me some Chanel...I should've known better...
Cruel Cruel Joke!!

Dear Mr. Karl Lagerfeld,

So I just have to say, this really urks me...I was just eating my lunch thinking about how great it would have been if Chanel were doing a colab with Target. I personally have never been able to purchase anything Chanel...there was the time that I bought that fake Chanel wallet in the Alley but I was too embaressed to actually use it and my boss did give me a pair of Vintage 60's Chanel go-go boots which are a size 8 1/2, I'm a size 6, I didn't have the heart to tell her that I'll never be able to actually wear them but at least I can look at them. Anyways, Mr. Lagerfeld, I am begging you to please, please, please consider this cruel joke as a possible future business venture that would make a lot of people but most importantly ME ME ME very happy!

Thank you and I love your line! Lalaina

I beg your pardon...

2010-03-31T09:43:00.000-07:00

Who says that you can't look good while working out...Just in time for the beginning of summer, model Eniko Mihalik catches a quick workout at the local gym for her latest work shot by Alasdair McLellan. Published in the first issue of Gentlewoman, Eniko is lean and sexy in revealing outfits styled by Jonathan Kaye.

images via Fashion Gone Rogue

Wild Girls...

2010-03-23T13:29:00.000-07:00

Bad ass girls playing bad ass music...The Runaways movie was pretty good and the 70's "costumes" (my mom had a lot of these clothes) were out of this world! I think I'm gonna cut my hair into a sweet mullet shag...

Monumenta

2010-03-18T16:47:00.000-07:00

Carlos Carmona, the brother of my dearest friend Gaby and world traveler, was nice enough to let me share these photos from his most recent trip to Paris. Anytime I see a huge pile of clothes, I mean aside from the one that already exist in my house, I get really excited and so I had to ask him what this was all about. This installation at the Grand Palais by Parisian artist Christian Boltanski is called Monumenta. In addition to the giant pile of clothes with the crane, there were 60 squares mapped out on the floor made out of coats and jackets with 60 speakers blasting out 60 different heart beats.

to Read more...

the real glee club

2010-03-10T15:54:00.001-08:00

Somebody give this guy a "Teacher of the Year" award!

Little Red Riding Hood

2010-03-05T17:00:00.000-08:00

Paris 3/5/2010: Part Little Red Riding Hood and part Ingo Montoya from the Princess Bride equals Vivienne Westwood F/W 2010

Rick Owens F/W 2010

2010-03-04T17:06:00.000-08:00

Paris 3/4/2010- Not being able to afford a single one of his masterful creations, Rick Owens will forever stand at the top of my list of favorite modern day designers. Forging on to bigger and better things in 2003 by relocating to Paris, we still would like to claim him as a Southern California designer.

images via Stylesight

inspiration: Gypsy woman

2010-03-04T10:52:00.000-08:00

vintage YSL 1973

do not go into that dark night...

2010-03-03T17:57:00.000-08:00

3/3/2010-Paris F/W 2010: Gloom prevailed over the first day of shows in Paris with designers like Limi Feu, Peechoo Krejborg and Gareth Pugh casting a dark spell of cimmerian shades and enveloping layers...

Limi Feu

Gareth Pugh

Peechoo Krejborg

my favorite things...

2010-03-01T16:46:00.000-08:00

I'm starting a feature of some of my favorite things, as if anyone cares... but if you do that's great and if not that's cool too.

My favorite thing last week was the fiery hot margarita made by super cutey bartender Santana at Barrio Chino in the lower east side of Manhattan. Every time I'm visiting New York City I make a pit stop at this place for the vibe, the food and most of all the Habanero infused tequila margarita with grapefruit juice and raw sugar on the rim. My mouth is watering just thinking of it.

became the special man...

2010-02-25T15:29:00.000-08:00

On my flight back from New York flipping through the channels on my small t.v. screen I came across Ziggy Stardust the movie on VH1 classic, which I love...spending 4 days at a fashion trade show where the majority of lines existing lack creativity or even taste I was exhausted of bad fashion and tacky personal style...coming across this movie energized me in a way...I almost forgot how amazing the costumes were...flamboyant, adrogenous and sexual...

freak of the week...

2010-02-18T13:52:00.000-08:00

Jeremy Scott Fall 2010 New York City. Jeremy Scott puts the FUN in completely and totally not-functional but that's why I love him. His fall 2010 runway show was...well, umm...tame you might say in comparison to seasons past.

future perfect...

2010-02-17T09:56:00.000-08:00

Three as Four Fall 2010 New York:

Alexander McQueen 1969-2010

2010-02-11T09:43:00.000-08:00

I was saddened by news this morning of the death of Alexander McQueen. Not only was he an amazingly talented designer that has left us far too soon but a designer that always encouraged young designers to follow their dream. We in the fashion industry have truly lost an icon and he will be sorely missed.

Jogger...

2010-02-09T16:52:00.001-08:00

wish I would have gotten off my lazy ass to go see these guys Friday night...love, love, love

hello lover...

2010-02-09T16:09:00.000-08:00

I had a split moment of D.I.Y. insanity where I thought I might be able to replicate this with an old pair of pumps and scraps of leather but then I sobered up. I'll just drool over this picture instead.

image via trendy crew

into the woods...

2010-02-04T12:58:00.000-08:00

Lately I've been channeling the movie Pan's Labyrinth for visual direction for our fall collection.

femme fatale: Nico

2010-01-29T10:00:00.000-08:00

Space Age Romantic

2010-01-26T13:55:00.000-08:00

Paris January 26, 2010: Chanel set the bar for the upcoming Haute Couture shows this week. Gold is out...Silver is in, declares Karl Lagerfeld who for the first time ever in his career has put out an collection completely void of any black, navy or even a single gold button.

Here are just a few of my favorites from the collection that ranged from short suits to buttercream froths to fluid togas. Each piece is nothing short of masterful. Just one of the techniques used to create that "frothy" effect is described as horizontal bands of mille-feuille chiffon minutely frayed at the edges and then tinted in a way that gives it an almost fur like appearance.

To view the entire collection go to www.style.com

lesson #2: don't get high on your own supply

2010-01-25T13:47:00.000-08:00

was shocked when one of my girlfriends told me this weekend that she saw Scarface for the first time...Michelle Pfeiffer in this movie is absolute Perfection...everything from that blonde bob hair cut to her sunken and frail limbs to that potty mouth of hers is Ce' Manifique!

up in the air

2010-01-25T09:53:00.000-08:00

last nights sunset from the rooftop of my building

Banksy spotted at Sundance

2010-01-23T11:35:00.000-08:00

I know I'm late but this picture was sent over to us by our friend Dre who spotted this on Wednesday when he was at Sundance.

For the full story...Banksy's First Sundance Strike!

darkness on the horizon

2010-01-22T13:04:00.000-08:00

The view from my office today...something about the dark skies me happy inside.

the lost farmer

2010-01-21T10:36:00.000-08:00

I came across these photos one day while doing theme research for our summer collection. I kept them because I thought they were beautiful and it reminded me of my childhood. As a child in north Florida, I spent every summer since the age of 7 working in tobacco warehouses just like this. My family even worked the burly market in Asheville, NC and we spent most of our winters there. I don't smoke nor do I condone smoking but I do miss the smell of tobacco cooking in molasses and the robust leafs that lined the fields that is almost extinct in America today.

images via google

artsy fartsy tights

2010-01-20T17:38:00.000-08:00

http://www.les-queues-de-sardines.com

Got 2 feet? Love firearms? Hate when animals are actually alive?

2010-01-19T12:53:00.001-08:00

Kind of disturbing...kind of amazing. German artist Iris Schieferstein wasn't happy with her first hoofed heel because it was well..."plain" meaning that it was just the dead goat's hoof with a plain heel so she decided to kick it up a notch by adding this golden pistol. I'm glad she went with her gutt on this one.

Iris Schieferstein

Posted using ShareThis

Singing in the rain...

2010-01-18T09:37:00.000-08:00

It's pouring today and I really wish that I had these shoes by Melissa Plastic Dreams when I got dressed this morning.

www.epauletshop.com

www.melissaplasticdreams.com

Jeg savner Kobenhavn

2010-01-15T16:56:00.000-08:00

My fascination with Copenhagen came about 3 years ago when my husband started working for Maersk a Danish ocean carrier. It was a never a city that a lot of people talked about or even visited which is why I think it was so intriguing to me. We would often spend hours daydreaming of what it would be like to live there, would we fit in, would we be able to learn the language or eat the food, more importantly what would I wear? Which leads me to www.copenhagenstreetstyle.dk...before I even stepped foot off the plane I had a keen idea of what the locals would look like. Oh how I miss you Copenhagen!