Striped-out weekend

Forever 21 sunglasses // Forever 21 dress (similar)// Kate Spade purse // H&M sandals

Besides polka dots, stripe is another pattern I can go back to indefinitely. The dress and the sandals were purchased years apart, yet I feel like they just belong to each other for a deliberately match-y outfit.

Work has been busy, I can't wait to get back to weekends like these with coffee + beignets!

Anchor

J.crew sweatshirt // Uniqlo jeans (similar by MNG) // H&M sandals

Sweatshirt is one of those casual tomboy-ish thing that I did’t gravitate towards. Lately I’ve discovered it’s the perfect opposites against frilly pieces. Granted, I do not have anything frilly going on, I think the floral pattern plays well on the sweatshirt. What could be better proof: floral pattern against an anchor—feminine vs. masculine—no rocket science here.

Sh

Vintage emerald

Banana republic factory shift dress (old, similar in style 1, 2, 3), J.crew wedge (leather version), Kate Spade bag, Revlon white nail polish, Tissot watch

Having a Mad Men-inspired kind of day at work. Still rocking white (nail polish + watch) after labor day.  Speaking of, I came to know the saying “No white after labor day” after I came to the United States. The reason of this rule is more symbolic than these days. Here in Austin, summer temperature really does not go away until late October. So we won't just be rocking white, but sleeveless and sandals for a while.

Smoothie Ninja

Kale-ginger smoothie: frozen kale + frozen ginger + store bought apple juice + kiwi + apple cider vinegar for cleansing benefits

Juicing is all the raves these days. From Austin to Asia, I see friends detoxing left and right. I have yet to commit to a deep system juice-only cleanse. I can already see myself fainting after hour 4 of my cleanse.

A few weeks ago I bought a Ninja food processor. I have always wanted the fancy Cuisinart food processor but I really don't want another big piece of equipment sitting on my small apartment kitchen counter. My friend had recommended the Ninja, I was skeptical on how much I was going to use it, but when I saw how small it is and the $20 price tag, I had to try it out.

This little food processor has been a dream, easy to use, little parts to clean up, perfect size for my needs. The first week after my purchase, I was making smoothie every day of the week for a solid week. Initially I just used whatever is in my fridge and adjust the portion accordingly. Knowing that I’ve had some antioxidants + fiber in my system before taking my first bite makes me feel good. I now hunt for smoothie ingredients on purpose when I grocery shop. At week 3, I’m proud to say that I am still making smoothie 3–4 times a week.

Banana-peach: frozen banana + peach (skin-on) + yogurt + milk

Here are the combinations I keep coming back to :

Kale-ginger smoothie (Excellent energy booster!)
frozen kale + frozen ginger (5 slices) + store bought apple juice + sometimes kiwi (optional frozen) + 1 t. apple cider vinegar for cleansing benefits (optional)

Banana-peach:
frozen banana + peach (skin-on) + yogurt + milk

Purple berries:
frozen blackberries + frozen blueberries + yogurt + milk + honey (1 t.)

Pink berries:

frozen strawberry + frozen raspberry + yogurt  + milk + honey

Purple berries: frozen blackberries + frozen blueberries + yogurt + milk + honey

For 1 serving, I use:

3/4 c. milk
2 T. yogurt {adds tanginess and brighten the flavor}
About 1 c. of fruits {The more fruits are frozen, the thicker the smoother. Adjust amount of fruits frozen to control consistency}

Powerful little Ninja.