Why I Love My Gucci Bag

I bought my first Gucci bag as a reward for finishing my NP program.  It was a little preemptive since I have not solidified a nice NP salary, but the bag was to provide inspiration and motivation.  I was always eyeing a good Gucci bag, but with such a big accomplishment behind me, I decided it was time. I needed an over-the-shoulder bag that could fit all my essentials - wallet, iPhone, makeup bag, keys and sunglasses.  Turns out the Gucci travel & business / medium messenger bag fits all that plus an occasional water bottle.  It’s the perfect travel bag because not only can it hold the essentials, it hugs close to your body so it’s secure and on your person at all times.  The lady who sold me the purse told me to use a stain protector all over the fabric part of the bag because dark colors can easily rub off on it.  I listened to her, after I wore a pair of new navy blue pants and got a nice hue of blue on the back side of my bag.  I was able to get the blue out of my bag and immediately grabbed a bottle of Scotch Guard and sprayed my bag accordingly.  Since then, I’ve spilled coffee and Jamba Juice on my bag without any new stains.

Overall, although on the pricey side (it is a designer bag afterall), this is a great bag that is comfortable to wear, fits everything, and gets compliments all the time!

Here's the description pulled straight from the Gucci website:

• beige/ebony GG fabric with brown leather trim
• nickel hardware
• adjustable shoulder strap in green/red/green signature web
• zip-top closure
• front flap pocket with magnetic snap closure and inside zip, cell phone and pda pockets
• 12.6"L x 1.2"W x 10.6"H
• MSRP: $730

Run Like a Girl

I was checking my email one day and saw a message I for sure thought was spam. It was from Rock ‘n’ Roll San Diego, confirming my registration. Huh? So, it turns out, my hubby signed me up for the half marathon without my knowing. Thanks, babe. I’ve always thought about running a marathon, but being a non-runner, it mostly stayed just a thought, until now. Check out the course map! I haven’t prepared much for the half - work, clinical and life, has gotten in the way of my so called “training.” But as the date quickly approaches, I hope my training becomes more rigorous. A few things come to mind as I prepare for the big race - race hair and race clothes.

Elijah and I went for a long run last weekend and one of my concerns was not our mile pace, but if my ponytail would stay intact throughout the run. I pulled it up in a ponytail, braided it and pinned it back. Halfway through our 6 mile run, it had already come undone, ugh! Since then, I’ve been looking at runner hairstyles and have been making mental notes of how to tie my hair back appropriately for the big day. I’ll be testing them out in weeks to come.

Last week’s run also made me acutely aware that I do not have adequate racing attire. My friend and I were at the Nike store this past week and I saw many cute and comfortable options there - shoes, shorts, socks - oh my! I will have to go back with the hubby to get his opinion, because we all know he’s into that kind of stuff.

With only 9 weeks left until the Rock ‘n’ Roll, the hubby and I plan to increase the miles we run per week, condition our bodies (I’ve already convinced him to take hot yoga with me this week), and get a good race pace going. It’s going to be an awesome experience for both of us.

It's on pace for another sellout year, so run the full with my hubby or jog next to me in the half! See you there! (register here)

Here's a picture of my hair at the turn around point running with my new Rock 'n' Roll tech long sleeve!

Hey Lady! -- Shoes / My Review

Choosing my shoes for my wedding was one of my favorite parts of wedding planning. There were so many options to choose from - Stuart Weizman, Christian Louboutin, Badgley Mischka, I wanted one of each! But when my friend told me about these twins he knew and their shoe company, Hey Lady, I was curious. I google’d them and after a few minutes of browsing their website, I was already torn between three pairs. What makes their shoes special is not only are they adorable, they are comfortable - a match made in shoe heaven! Of course it was hard to feel the comfortability of the shoe through their website, but with features like a full insole of Nasa-developed shock-absorbent Poron performance memory foam and lined in soft 100% lambskin leather, I was sold. I ordered my pair of Yes, Ma’ams with a few hints and suggestions from Jessica, one of the twins. She was nice to enough to correspond via email with questions I had about sizing and heel height - something you would never get from those high end shoe designers. She was so helpful and I eagerly awaited for my shoes to come.

My shoes arrived in a cute box with a handwritten note from Jessica. She enclosed pads for the shoes because the flower detailing on the shoes has been said to be rub on the toes. After inserting the pads, I tried the shoes on and loved the overall look immediately. The shoes were a little on the stiff side, but would loosen with wear.

The first comfortability test of the shoes came with my dress fitting. I wore a 15 pound ball gown that needed about two and a half hours of fitting time. My seamstress, Ruby, worked tirelessly pinning layers of taffeta and tulle. When she finished, she asked me what kind of shoes I was wearing. She told me most girls would not have been able to endure the 2+ hours without complaining. I told her my feet felt great! She then asked me for more information on the shoes so she could recommend them to the other girls she tailors wedding dresses for and I was happy to do so.

The second test was during my dance lessons that I took with my dad for our Father Daughter waltz. After getting through the hour long dance lesson, my dance instructor, John, asked how my feet were doing and of course, they felt great. He was shocked, but was impressed at the comfortability of the shoe.

The final test came on the big day. I was able to clock in 10 out of the 12 hours in my Hey Lady shoes. I lasted through an hour long ceremony, four hours of picture taking, a rhumba with my husband, a waltz with my dad and a handful of songs on the dance floor. I probably could have lasted the whole night, but the weight of my dress and the sheer exhaustion took its' toll.

My Hey Lady shoes were an essential part of my big day. They were comfortable, stylish and my feet thanked me at the end of the night.  I would highly recommend these shoes to anyone getting married or anyone wanting an amazing shoe for a any occasion.

Check out the site: https://www.shopheylady.com/



photos by Hey Lady and Zelo Photography

Ugg Abilene Boots

So the other half of adellelijah told me I could only buy another pair of Ugg Boots if I reviewed them.  I quickly said yes, mostly because I had already bought them, hehe. I saw them last year during the Nordstrom Half Yearly sale, but since we were in the midst of dropping dollars on our wedding, I admired them from afar.  About a month after we got married, the boots were still waiting for me at Nordies and I just so happened to have a $20 coupon from Nordstrom - it was a sign!

The boots do run on the small side - a few online reviews said this as well.  But they are very stylish - I get compliments every time I wear them, and comfortable - I’ve worn them for hours and my feet are still feeling great. They are perfect with leggings, skinny jeans, and even shorts. I hope the cold weather hangs around a little longer so I can wear these boots more!

picture provided by zappos