The Perfect Weekday

June 16, 2018June 4, 2018Leave a comment

I love a casual weekday where I can do things that I love. These ideal weekdays are a rare treasure. However, when they do occur, although understated, they are beyond special.

I started the day poolside with a homemade breakfast parfait. It had greek yogurt, fresh berries, granola, almonds, and a drizzle of honey.

After this delightful breakfast, I went to Rolling Greens, a local nursery, to get some indoor trees for our house.

This was an adventure in itself. I love Rolling Greens.

I ended up getting this tree for our living room. It adds so much freshness and a splash of color to our otherwise monochromatic living room.

They had some rustic flowers laying out on the counter.

For lunch, I decided to make a Cleo inspired Grilled Halloumi, Watermelon Salad on a bed of lettuce with a light vinaigrette. Halloumi is a Mediterranean semi-hard cheese and its flavors are released when grilled.

This was scrumptious.

Afternoon snack

Would it even be a relaxing weekday, if you didn’t watch your favorite tv show? I had to make some stove top hot chocolate with dark chocolate, some half & half for added creaminess, and a sprinkle of cinnamon. I also cut up some fresh strawberries and had a mini chocolate croissant from Whole Foods.

Ramekins make everything better, right.

cheese board.JPG

For dinner, I arranged a cheese board with three types of cheeses, grilled crostini, fresh grapes, walnuts, raspberry jam, and a drizzle of honey.

XOXO,

Shiza

Spa Night

February 11, 2016February 11, 2016Leave a comment

With all of the stress, work, and everything going on in our busy lives, it is important for us to occasionally RELAX. I mean put down our phones , turn off its notifications,and spend a couple of hours devoting some time to doing what we love and DE-STRESSING ourselves both mentally and physically.

To me a spa night consists of my best friends , some yoga, a luxurious Bubble bath, some baking , and tons of LAUGHTER and a good Old Hollywood movie to watch at night ( Breakfast at Tiffany’s and How to Steal a Million are some of my favs ) .And thats what I did this past Sunday. It truly made all the difference and has helped me clear my head and gave me amazing vibes. I swear vibes are everything.

Bubble Bath Essentials:

A good bubble bath NEEDS

dark chocolate ( Godiva has the best)
Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
Pink Grapefruit Italian Soda Cocktail ( its virgin) with a splash of orange juice, ginger ale, Pink grapefruit Italian soda, and fresh fruit (sliced strawberries and tangerines) + mint & plenty of ICE
A good body scrub
Candles
Classical or Relaxing Spa music (pandora has some good stations)

The ultimate comforting dessert is PECAN PIE and since baking is like the most therapeutic thing EVER to me, I had a lot of fun making it and devouring it with tons of whipped cream

This is the opening scene from Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Your Fifth Avenue outfit cannot get any cuter than this ? It can if Hubert de Givenchy was your designer and stylist.

A little yoga with a watermelon lemonade candle from Bath & Body Works burning on the side, is the perfect duo and the best way to get some relaxing exercise into your Spa Night. I love the after feeling of yoga, my body and mind feel rejuvenated.

I hope my version of a Spa Night has inspired you to have your own. Good vibes only.

XOXO,

SHIZA

(Water) Falling in Love | Santa Ynez Falls Hike

January 3, 2016January 17, 2016Leave a comment

A super fun and relaxing way to unplug while also exercising is hiking! There are so many great hiking spots here in LA, but I totally fell in love with Santa Ynez Falls in Pacific Palisades. It’s a pretty easy hike; perfect for beginners, although there’s a few rocks to climb and streams to cross at the end towards the small waterfall, but nothing too hard. We were there at about 9, and we had the whole place to ourselves! It was cute and quaint, if you could describe a hiking trail as that. I had just finished The Scarlet Letter, and Santa Ynez gave me the woods in Boston vibes although it probably wasn’t like it, besides the stream and the sun peeking through the trees ever so often. It was pretty chilly and shady, so it was a good idea that I had brought a light jacket. Anyway, I’ll for sure come here again to take some better pictures and maybe have a lil photoshoot with friends. Free parking and free entrance- just another reason to spend the day at Santa Ynez Falls. Some photos of the reverie below! Let me know what your favorite hiking spots are!

XO,

Firda

another world

surrounded by the trees

as the light hits the fall leaves

nature

rock ‘n streams

action shot!! drought in California what?

we made it! cutest lil waterfall! would be a lovely dip in the summertime

nice leaves

edgy tunnel

art!

drives on the PCH with Spanish music> anything else ever

Through One Lens & Another: A Series

November 25, 2015November 23, 2015Leave a comment

So hey- I was scrolling through my photos and found some gems I took at the Hermosa Festival during Labor Day through the lens of my sparkly phone & sunglasses. Just a simple beach day with the fam- sissy featured. I don’t know what I was trying to accomplish that day; I think I was inspired by Shelby Hamiltons ‘s blog and how she did some cool photos with her sunglasses but I sure am glad I did. Also, I think I was trying to see Hermosa through the lens of someone from a distant time with vintage-y photos. It’s weird thinking about past intentions. I call this work “Through One Lens and Another”. Enjoy and please tell me what you think!

Xo- Firda

Sitting, waiting, wishing

Sparkly vanilla cones

The flowers (?) reminded me of my old house when one time we used them to make a stew and then a cat peed in it. Don’t know the name of this plant to this day..

Labor day beach mob

I want a boat

Would never get tired of this view

A perfect imperfection

All smiles

Pier people

Manhattan , New York

November 11, 2015November 22, 20156 Comments

Hey guys , I know its been a while, but we are finally back on! Last month, I went to Manhattan for a short five day trip. It was truly a dream come true moment for me, because it was my first time visiting and I have been obsessed with Manhattan since I started watching Gossip Girl. Manhattan was truly everything I expected it to be and more.

Here are pictures that I took from my trip…. Enjoy!

Times Square at Night

Times Square in the day time

5th Avenue (I was definitely having an Audrey Hepburn moment!)

Flatiron Building in the Flatiron District , one of my favorite buildings straight across Madison Square Park

Empire State Building when I was having an Affair to Remember Moment here!!

View from the deck at night at the Empire State Building

Manhattan Skyline

Statue of Liberty, Liberty Island

New York Stock Exchange, Wall Street

Being an APUSH nerd, I was very excited to see Federall Hall, where President George Washington was inaugurated

Being an APUSH nerd, I was very excited to see Federal Hall, where President George Washington was inaugurated

I had a Gossip Girl moment at Grand Central :
Spotted Serena van der Woodsen getting off the train at Grand Central, look whose back… XOXO Gossip Girl

Chuck Bass’s Hotel, the Empire, in the Upper West Side ( Gossip Girl lovers would know)

Manhattan from a helicopter’s view

The lovely Central Park

Metropolitan Museum of Art in the Upper East Side

The cutest building EVER in Little Italy

Winter ice skating at the Rockefeller Center

The aesthetic of Manhattan is so fun, energizing, and upbeat. It’s almost as if the city never sleep, you will se people walking around at midnight. Its really truly beautiful. I can’t wait to go back. Xx

Shiza

5 Things to do on a Sunday @ Home

April 21, 2015April 22, 2015Leave a comment

1) Bake. Nothing is more aesthetically pleasing than baking something delectable that you can devour afterward. I find baking to be relaxing and stress-relieving. I can be having the most chaotic week, but when I put on that apron, I forget everything and drift into a world of sugary dreams.

I made my favorite crispy chocolate chip cookies ( I have a blogpost on the recipe) along with a lovely darjeeling chai.

2) Read or Watch a Good Movie
Most of us have busy schedules and our fridays and saturdays are packed with parties and fun. We often don’t have time to do things as simple as watch a movie or catch up on reading. I believe that Sundays were made to do the things you love and most of all relax. Curl up with a good book or put on an old hollywood movie on netflix and have fun!

This is an excerpt from one of the cutest books on style by Nina Garcia, “The Little Black Book of Style”. This is one of my favorite quotes❤️.

3) Go for a long walk
Long walks are always fun. I love going on a walk and taking pictures of the beauty of nature and perhaps doing a mini-photoshoot while I am walking… It depends on my outfit / mood. But it is honestly so fun and adveturous.

Here are some flowers , I picked up from my front yard after the walk. I love fresh flowers. It looks so rustic and crisp. Placing flowers in a mason jar or cute bottle makes your floral arrangement look vintage and unique.

4) Take a bubble bath
A hot bath with some good music, “spa water” or tea , and a fizzing bath bomb or bubble solution is all you need for a pleasant bath. Baths are calming to the body and often require alot of time. That is why I prefer to take long bubble baths on Sundays. I love addig some essential oils to my bath for a calming aroma and some bath salts.

This is my all time favorite bubble solution. I have been using it ever since I was a little kid and still love it! You can find in the baby section of Target. It smells like berries and last forever. I also love using this lemon sugar scrub. Its exfoliating and has a lovely citrus scent that lingers on your skin throughout the day. I am not exactly sure where its from, but bath & body works sells great scrubs. A combination of these two make for a luxurious and relaxing bath.

5) Exercise
This means do anything athletic. It can be anything from yoga to playing dance games on the x-box or just going for a run. My definition of a workout is jumping on the trampoline. It is a great workout for the lymphatic system. I also love doing yoga. It relaxes me. I think sunday’s are a perfect day to do fun workouts if you get lazy during the week! Make sure your playing some of your favorite music while doing so. Music radiates energy and motivating vibes during workouts.

Xoxo,
Shiza

Fairytales

March 22, 2015March 22, 2015Leave a comment

Hey y’all! This past weekend I had a wonderful time at my local museum ESMOA. With only 1 floor, and pretty small, it is a gem I adore. There most recent theme is Spark- filled with fantasy and imagination. It was like stepping into a storybook with ogres and princesses. My most favorite exhibit yet! Check out my experience below!

Adored the mystical vibe and everything about it.

XO- F

Valentine’s Day Cards ❤️

February 12, 2015February 12, 2015Leave a comment

With Valentine’s just around the corner, Iove is in the air! Personally, I don’t celebrate it, but I love the concept of spreading love and good vibes all around. This past weekend I was blessed to participate in a community service event by One Incredible Family, Inc. where we made Valentine’s Day cards for kids who were abused, in foster care, homeless, living in shelters, runaways, abandoned, and under privileged. It was a great feeling knowing these cards will make someone’s day. It was so much fun coloring, decorating, and drawing on cards for the children. I felt like a little kid again. I especially liked thinking of cute and funny sayings for each card. Overall, it was a wonderful experience and will definitely join again next year. Here are some of my creations below.

Xoxo,
Firda

PS. Wanna make someone’s day on Valentine’s? Send cards to the Do Something organization which will send your personalized cards to the elderly. It’ll make you eligible in earning a $10,000 scholarship! Check it out here: https://www.dosomething.org/campaigns/love-letters

Bag Essentials:

January 27, 2015January 31, 2015Leave a comment

Hey Dolls💗,
Today I’m going to inform you on some of my everyday bag essentials.
Having a bag isn’t just enough, in my opinion the type of bag you have should reflect your personality and your style. The bag I am currently using is a Michael Kors mini satchel in black, I adore my bag, it easily styles up a causal outfit into a chic look.

Non- beauty products that I carry:
• Glasses from Aldo (case from target)
• BVLGARI notebook
• Last kings wristlet
Beauty Products that I carry:
• Lo’real Extra-Intense Eyeliner
• Benefit they’re real mascara
• Smashbox brush
• NAKED Urban Decay Basics Eyeshadow Palette
• Drug store Liquid Liner
• Marc Jacob’s Daisy rollerball

Hope you all like it.
XOXO
-Zaina S.

Hey Everyone

January 26, 2015January 31, 20152 Comments

We wanted to have the first blog post explain a little bit about who we are and why we started this .

Hello everyone! I am Shiza. I am 15 years old and I love all things beauty, fashion, and food. I have a passion for traveling and experiencing culture through food. Also , I love baking and cooking and I am often asked by friends on what I make, so through this blog I will share my favorite recipes. In addition, I am absoulutely obsessed with fashion and may or may not be a bit of a shopholic. I currently have a kimono fashion line and I aspire to have a major clothing brand when I am older. In my opinion, fashion is an art, the first glimpse of your personality, and as Miuccia Prada said,”Fashion is an instant language”. I will share ootd , wardrobe essentials , styling tips and tricks, and other miscellaneous fashion things on this blog. Hope you enjoy! XOXO

-S

Hey guys, I am Zaina. Currently 15 years old. Fashion, Music, and trying new restraunts and cafes are among the things i love most. Also i am a bit of a coffee bean addict, all my money ends up being spent there Ooops.. My mother thinks i need coffee rehab. One of my weekend habits are going to the hidden restaurants in LA, the obscure places most wouldn’t think of. Music is also a big part of my daily life, my bose speakers are literally on blast everyday 24/7. I have been obsessed with fashion since i can remember, even as a toddler my parents always dressed me in baby couture. I can literally spend all day at the mall, being a shopaholic is genetic. Through this blog i will express my unnique style and share with you guys how i style my outfits, talk about cute DIYs, and all about my food obsession! XOXO

-Z

Hey humans (or not ;)), I’m Firdausi, but you can call me Firda. Currently 15 (16 on Feb 10), and blessed to live in a small beach town in Los Angeles. I am so in love with nature, especially the beach (so California), finding new music, reading books (the library is my 2nd home) and going on adventures around LA, whether it’s an art museum or a hiking trail. I also enjoy taking pictures, painting, and writing really bad poetry in my journal. Also I have a small obsession with space. My main goals in life are to create world peace and stop global warming. I also want to travel, like, everywhere. In sum, I’m just in love with the world. Can’t wait to share my adventures and lifestyle with you all, it’s going to be a blast.
Xx, F

Sapphires in Paradise

the little things in life

Tag: life