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Fall Wishlist 2017

September 26, 2017

(this post contains affiliate links which may be monetized)

hey all!

i have an absolutely crazy life right now – and i can’t even begin to explain it you guys – yet! – but i’m so excited to continue sharing fun things on the blog and many great things ~coming soon!!!!

since its officially ~fall~ i felt like i needed to do a wishlist! i mean its like 90 degrees today yet i still feel like i needed to do a fall wishlist – of shoes, bags, and clothes! i am totally into fall, eating my maple pumpkin spice walnuts and drinking my pumpkin spice tea i am in it! for some reason, i am really ~feeling~ fall this year.

again, just as a note to all my readers – ‘wishlist’ does not mean i own any of the above, or that i will buy any of the above. it just means that i like it visually and (unless noted) i do not own it; all that i will write about is stuff i hear from friends and other users of the product as well as the visual aspects of the product which i will mention in the comment below!

so let’s get to it why don’t we!

  1. j.crew “rue saint-honoré” t-shirt: i have been totally into styling t-shirts with jeans and denim skirts – and i think that the look is so adorable for fall. i also just love j.crew, this ‘rue saint-honoré’ is so so so cute – because it has lowkey france vibes with a super simple vibe too!
  2. kate spade polka dot mini wallet: wallets are so necessary – and like whenever i wear matching items for some reason i feel better when my wallet matches my purse. since black is such a basic color, i think this wallet would look so cute with any black purses. also kate spade just has the best wallets.
  3. tory burch georgia stripe leather tote: i love this purse, i always love tory burch purses but this one is so adorable! i love the green stripe down the front and think that its honestly so so perfect & a really good size.
  4. levi’s wedgie straight leg cropped jeans: i love mom jeans – these jeans are supposed to be amazing on – and perfectly fit your body and hug your curves perfectly. just in general i love this jean style and think they’d be perfect for fall.
  5. topshop patch pocket a-line denim miniskirt: this skirt has a great 70’s vibe, i feel like dark green, mustard-like 70’s would totally be this vibe and i think that would be perfect for fall. the zipper on the front with the circle zip is just so cute!
  6. topshop studded miniskirt: i love topshop’s denim skirts. they are super soft and well made, they also fit really well. i love this specific skirt because of the studs on the denim. i love the studs and think it would pair really well with any of the t-shirts – and i love pairing my t-shirts with denim skirts.
  7.  nike ‘classic cortez’ sneaker in bone: i LOVE my cortez, i have the blue and red ones – and they are so cute with my school uniform, but i think these cortez in bone and gold are so perfect for fall. i think this would be so cute with the j.crew t-shirt and the a-line miniskirt with the tory burch bag and the kate spade wallet.
  8. fjallraven ‘mini kanken’ backpack: i also love this backpack, this green color looks all good for fall. i love this kinda olive neutral color, and think this is a perfect size backpack to wear anytime, i love my fjallraven while traveling or at disneyland.
  9. topshop ‘females of the future’ t-shirt: this is my go-to t-shirt. i honestly wear it all the time with my embroidered denim topshop skirt and my red and blue nike cortez. i think this t-shirt is also an awesome statement – and i honestly have so many people comign up and talking to me – its a great conversation starter!

do you see a color theme here? lol!

anyway, i hope you guys really enjoy my favorites! let me know down below what your ‘fall wishlist’ includes!

xoxo

kwe monogram

(aka kate wins!)

 

 

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Pumpkin Spiced Maple Walnuts Recipe

September 24, 2017

hey all!

DONT HATE ME – okay i waited this long – for that you should be proud of me! but i had a pumpkin spice latte last saturday (and not yesterday, the saturday before then). its september so i am feeling the ~fall vibes~ and i started making this snack – its perfect to bring to school, work or stash in your bag as a snack, and i love them on top of oatmeal or in a trail mix too!

so here we go why don’t we!


Pumpkin Spiced Maple Walnuts

  • Servings: 2-4
  • Difficulty: simple
  • Print

Ingredients


2 Cup of Walnuts

1/3 Cup of Maple Syrup

Pumpkin Pie Spice to Taste

Sea Salt to Taste

Directions

  1. Cut or prepare walnuts to the desired size. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or wax paper.
  2. Measure out the maple syrup.
  3. Use a medium-sized frying pan, under a light heat – and heat up the maple syrup till its lightly bubbly.
  4. Throw in the walnuts and stir in the desired amount of pumpkin pie spice – I prefer about 1 tsp but you can decide.
  5. Then after a few minutes of combining the ingredients,  dump the walnuts onto the prepared baking sheet with lined paper. Immediately, sprinkle some sea salt over the top of the walnuts – as desired.
  6. Once the walnuts have cooled ~ about 20 minutes, enjoy!

i hope you guys enjoy this recipe! please let me if you try it out and like it!

xoxo

kwe monogram

(aka kate wins!)

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My Favorite LA Places

September 21, 2017

hey guys!

i hope you enjoyed my previous #LAGUIDE post on my favorite LA restaurants, since i covered food (truly the most important aspect of travel) i am moving on to my favorite LA places to go!

all photos are either from me or my amazing photographer sister alix! like always, these places i share photos from are places that i like to go to – and i honestly highly suggest looking at each of these places.

in no particular order, here we go!

for a place to take cute pictures outside…

the girls tour wall on melrose

my sister and i went here a few months ago and we took some cool photos there because the wall is super cool and easy to get to. we just parked on the street and walked up to take photos with the wall!

if you are interested in attending a sports game here, try out…

dodger stadium

if you know LA we didn’t used to have football teams here – and for most of my life (up until about last year) we didn’t have teams – we had USC and UCLA for football and i feel like pretty much everyone here is a dodgers fan.  nothing beats going to a dodgers game – seriously if you have never been you should go because it’s so much fun.

if you’d die for the #aesthetic then you should go to 

beverly hills hotel

i know i said that the girls tour wall is aesthetic – but for me the beverly hills hotel is the ultimate aesthetic. all pink and green, you can go and visit, you can go and stay, you can go and have brunch – honestly its just one of the prettiest places ever to take pictures!

if you want to visit a super cool and FREE art museum go to the…

the broad

the broad is so amazing! there is so much cool art there – but the advice i do have about the broad is to look for tickets in advance, don’t expect to just walk up to the broad and get in for that day – because it won’t happen!

if you are interested in going shopping / eating and having fun in a super cool community you should try out…

the arts district

the arts district has good food, good ice cream, good coffee and cute and cool shops and place to visit. its honestly not in the ~best~ area but it is really getting better and since there are so many people walking around its pretty safe!

if you are in DTLA and are looking for a place to eat and walk around, try out the…

grand central market

i’ve definitely talked about GCM before, and places in it. GCM is super fun because you can go with friends, shop around, each getting something different – and all get some mcconnells ice cream – so there is no way to lose there!

if you love modern art which some super cool exhibitons, go to…

lacma

i feel like most people have heard of lacma, or even see pictures of it. its a super cool museum with many cool pieces and exhibitions inside and its super easy to go with family and then get food – it makes a really fun morning or evening!

if you wanna go somewhere that is totally classic LA go to the…

griffith observatory

now if you have seen LA LA LAND you definitely know about this one, its the scene where they are having a date and then they dance in the stars, you one the one. anyway, the observatory is great to walk around and see LA from all angles and see the stars if you go there at night!

if you are here in the summer, and you wanna go to a concert, go to

the hollywood bowl

many people live in LA without ever going to the hollywood bowl, and i can’t believe that because its honestly such a cool place! you can go and find tickets for the nosebleed seats for a cheap price – but i also think that you can just go and check it out!

if you wanna go to a super #basic place for shopping and eating go to

melrose

melrose has so many cool shops and restaurants to stop at. and even though it might be above you budget, its super fun just to get coffee and look all around and walk in melrose!

and honestly, last but not least,

downtown la

obviously DTLA has so many places to go, and just walk around!

i hope you guys enjoy my LA favorite places! and if you need more LA suggestions, honestly just contact me on instagram or on the contact page on my blog.

xoxo

kwe monogram

(aka kate wins!)

 

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Whats in my Bag – September 2017 Edition

September 19, 2017

(this post may contain links which will be monetized)

hey all!

how’s life? mine is so crazy right now, i have so much going on – as always but this week is absolutely crazy which isn’t the best thing because all i want to do is watch jane the virgin – but i am staying off the netflix which is probably for the better.

but i should just get to the article…

here is my purse:

tedbaker92017

i have this adorable ted baker bag from the #NSALE, i honestly love this bag so much because its so big – and carries most of what i need almost all the time!

next onto the contents of my bag!

beautyandstuff

i have a glossier cosmetic bag – which comes whenever you make a glossier order – filled with little beauty stuff!

i always carry:

/some dental floss

i don’t even know how but somehow i always get food in my teeth, so dental floss always comes in handy!

/my favorite mario badescu rose water spray/

this is an amazing product that i love to spray on my face – so my makeup doesn’t get too too cakey and on my hair whenever i get drier/frizzier than normal!

/lash domination mascara

although i use the better than sex mascara ~religiously~ this “lash domination” is some awesome touch up mascara, because it has a little brush and make it so much easier to put on mascara in a flash!

/scrunchies/  

i just picked up these adorable scrunchies from urban outfitters and i love using scrunchies in my hair because its better for the curls not messing them up too much and leaving a crease

i also need to carry

othercontents

i also always bring

/kate spade wallet/

my kate spade wallet is so trusty to me, its the perfect size, and i got it a few years ago for christmas and i love it!

/illesteva sunglasses/

i love my sunglasses, i think they fit my face so well and the mirror parts are perfect and really trendy now!

/mentos gum/

this is my holy grail. i chew this gum in the morning before school, after school and really anytime that i get into my car. basically i have one in my car and one in my purse because i am addicted!

/portable charger/

these are so neccesary these days because i am a ~phone addict~

anyway! i hope you guys all enjoyed getting to see in my bag!

xoxo

kwe monogram(aka kate wins!)

 

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Hamilton the Musical – My Review

September 17, 2017

hey all!

last night was the best night of my life –

okay so maybe that was hyperbole, a little bit, but i have been waiting to see hamilton for two years and last night i finally saw it.

you might have remembered that i had a tweet retweeted by @hamilton on twitter, so i am basically ~famous~

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all that aside, i was wayyy to excited to see hamilton in LA, my hometown.

yesterday was the day,

my sister and i were lucky enough to score tickets to this magical show at the pantages theatre in LA for 8pm.

we got to the theatre and i was already IN LOVE – truly i had been in love for like 1 year + now but you understand my vibe. so we had to buy a souvenir (so i picked this hamilton lapel pin, i am so gonna put it on my backpack!) sat down to wait for the performance.

the performance started – the first song came on aptly titled “alexander hamilton” and i started crying because i was so excited – not like heavy crying but like teary eyes. if you know the song: the characters come out and sing before we know anything yet about them – and then layfayette / jefferson came on stage and he was AMAZING. such a good singer & rapper i just died.

honestly, i can’t even explain the purely ~etherial~ experience i had at hamilton. i honestly will never forget my experience – ever and i hope i can get lucky enough to see it again soon!

if you haven’t listened to hamilton yet, i HIGHLY suggest you give it a try – i linked the album down below – if you are hesitant, just try out the first song, just give it a listen – i am sure you won’t be disappointed!

i hope you enjoy!

xoxo

kwe monogram(aka kate wins!)

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Activewear Outfit Ideas

September 14, 2017

hey all! 

it’s kate coming back to ya! i feel like i am so disconnected from the instagram but guys last night i went on and saw lost of cute activewear! i think it’s because the season is changing and we are headed into ~fall~ that everyone is getting darker in color scheme and longer in sleeves and pant legs! 

so here we go i’m sharing with you guys a list of my favorite new active looks! 

#1: 


via*

#2: 


via*

#3: 


via*

#4: 


via*

and there’s more! check out my pinterest! 

xoxo

kate wins! 

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Kate’s Korner – Early Onset Senoritis

September 12, 2017

hey all!

its tuesday, or in my mind its 3.5 days away from friday. seriously i am already thinking about it that way.

i just have so much during the week, i have homework, golf, my coding class, SAT prep, and blogging. and in case you didn’t know all of those things take up a lot of time during my week. luckily i am able to utilize two free blocks that i have – which totals up to almost 3 hours or free time every other day – up to almost 5 hours to almost 6 hours a week of free blocks.

and don’t get me wrong, i love my free blocks and they are very helpful, however my free blocks all have friends in them. i love my friends and classmates – and sometimes they make homework so much easier, and sometimes they make homework so much harder.

i don’t even know how to explain my lack of determination – even though i am pretty dang determined. i think the first thing to start lacking is my other activities. i typically post everyday on instagram but its getting so much harder to post!!! like i don’t go out enough and take enough pictures. and sometimes when i am just out, i don’t wanna take photos because i am just out having fun!

anyway… i will update later!

xoxo

kwe monogram(aka kate wins!)

 

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Royal Court Tryout Look

September 10, 2017

hey all!

so if you aren’t new to macarons and must haves then you know i am from beautiful, sunny pasadena.

and if you don’t know, now you know (insert hamilton meme)

since pasadena is home to the rose bowl game and the rose parade every year the organization called the “tournament of roses” calls on all of the 17-21 year olds in high school in the area or at pasadena city college for being on the royal court. the royal court is made up of 7 girls – 6 princesses and one queen who embody pasadena and who the people represent.

since i am a high school senior this year, i decided to try out! my sister (who is two years older than me) tried out and loved the process and i thought why not! i have always thought it would be so cool to be riding a float in the parade – but the other perks of being on the royal court include a wardrobe by macy’s, a pair of pearls, a scholarship and proper etiquette and speech training. not too bad huh!

anyway, for the first day of tryouts roughly 1,000 girls (in past years) come in and get to talk to the committee for 15 seconds on why they want to be on the court. if you are called back, you wear the same dress – and go by your number, not your name so that the whole process is fair!

for the first try out day, i opted for my lilly pulitzer dress with my steve madden wedges!

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lilly pulitzer dress (similar) / steve madden wedges / kate spade bag

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and check out my sweet golf tan! lol – my polo shirt tan is soooo real! and my feet are so light!

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i just wore my hair naturally – for me is my super curly thick hair and natural makeup!

i so enjoyed trying out and the day – along with the tour of the house was super fun, just dressing up and going and trying out with my friends!

i hope you all enjoy – and i will be giving more updates via instagram soon! so catch up with me there!

xoxo

kwe monogram(aka kate wins!)

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Activewear Wishlist for Fall

September 7, 2017

activewearwishlistforfallM&MH

(this post contains affiliate links which may be monetized)

hey all!

happy fall!

(that rhymed!) to me

to me its fall already.  i mean we started back to school already, the weather is (sorta) starting to cool down and we had labor day (which for me at least) is the official end of summer. since for me its fall, i thought i should go on an activewear path. i am now a fan of exercise – which i totally gained respect for in the summer – and i just love running and walking outside. even though i am currently in my school’s golf season so running and walking – outside of my sport – are kinda going to the wayside because the pure amount of time i lack in my schedule. but in honor of my looking forward to running and walking, i thought i should put together a fall activewear wishlist!

are you sensing a pattern for my fall colors? i know they say no white after labor day but hey black and white is a classic color combo and i love the white skirt for golf – it would look awesome with my red polo!

again, just as a note to all my readers – ‘wishlist’ does not mean i own any of the above, or that i will buy any of the above. it just means that i like it visually and (unless noted) i do not own it; all that i will write about is stuff i hear from friends and other users of the product as well as the visual aspects of the product which i will mention in the comment below!

anyway, here we go!

  1. zella mirage longline sports bra : i have been sorta coveting since its been on the #NSALE but i think its so cute. ~at least in CA~ i can kinda still run in this longline sports bra and leggings – with a pair of high waist leggings as like a crop top. this also is just super supportive – i tried one on in my store.
  2. nike ‘windrunner’ hooded windbreaker jacket : this is so adorable and is ON SALE right now for 40% off. i know it would be awesome for running in the rain – or just wearing honestly. this was also on sale during the nordstrom sale but its actually an amazing price right now too – almost anniversary price!
  3. nike dry tempo running shorts : i mean you truly can’t go wrong with any running shorts. i just like these ones because of the length and the design. nike shorts are made really well so they are almost always perfect – but my other favorite running shorts are these from lululemon shorts and these zella shorts.
  4. nike pro cool capri leggings : leggings are my jam. i am sure you guys know but i am pretty anti-jean so i typically wear leggings. for me, good leggings are an investment – and although these nike ones are on SALE right now for a good price, they are also just beautiful quality. my other favorite leggings are ones with cool patterns, i love these from beyond yoga leggings and these lululemon leggings.
  5. north face osito jacket : this is probably the softest jacket ever. i think that it would be so cute on top of the zella longline bra with the nike leggings on a run, to a class or more. honestly, if you get cold easily this is a very nice hefty warm and soft jacket that you can wear for active or just over clothes!
  6. nike pro – indy mesh trimmed sports bra : nike bras are always super supportive and are made for exercise – so you honestly couldn’t go wrong with this one. i love the mesh paneling on it and as i mentioned before – how could you go wrong. its a black sports bra so it can be really paired under anything.
  7. adidas performance warp cropped panel strecth t-shirt : this t-shirt is super cool and when i first saw it on net-a-porter i thought it would be so cool for fall. it has some holes and mesh – but it looks generally pretty thick and perfect for exercise or just you know – anywhere else – and i would totally pair it with any leggings because its just white and can match with anything!
  8.  nike victory pleated skirt : as i mentioned before, yes no white after labor day but when you wear a red polo – the white skirts look super clean and nice with the red polos. i love the pleats and just pleated skirts are just so much cuter than non-pleated ones!
  9. nike versa printed sweatshirt : this was on the anniversary sale too, and i loved it then and i still love it. it was so soft inside and would be cute with shorts, leggings, and even jeans for a cute look! its black and super clean looking – there’s no font on it, just the logo so it has a super cute look.
  10. nike roshe two sneaker : OKAY, you guys know my absolute addiction with my own nike roshe sneakers – but honestly i seriously suggest them for anyone who is looking for a new sneaker that is not only cute but good for going here and there and exercise – like when i have to condition for golf i turn to these babies! i love the gray ones – but i have the classic black ones!

i hope you guys enjoy my wishlist! if you buy any of these let me know in the comment bar down below!

xoxo!

kwe monogram(aka kate wins!)

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My Favorite LA Restaurants

September 5, 2017

hey all!

how was your long weekend? mine was super awesome and restful – and i am so glad i’m going back to school already – i know i said i am a little tired of the routine, but i actually miss it after only a few days! and i’m so glad i’m back to school!

you guys all know i am a foodie…

and if you follow my instagram you definitely know that i love food.

since i’m an angeleno, (for those of you who don’t know that’s a resident of los angeles) and i’m broadly angeleno because i live close enough to the city itself – if y’all know where pasadena is, you know what i’m talking about! i have decided to start an LA travel guide – you should check out my link in my upper menu to see some posts coming soon.

anyway… why not get started! in no specific order!

if you’d die for homemade pasta with fresh bolognese made by a man who is literally from bologna then go to…

rossoblu

 

i HIGHLY suggest the bolognese – its ah-ma-zing and literally their fresh pasta is TRULY bomb af! the atmosphere is super cool – but if you have a birthday or event – or if you wanna go you MUST make a reservation in advance!

if cheap – and amazing street tacos with some of the best horchata ever then go to 

guisados

my favorite tacos are the calabacitas with is the most amazing veggie taco, the frijoles con queso taco and the green chili tamale! also – order the horchata with cold brew – you won’t regret it!

for delicious – and beautiful baked goods, make a trip down to

mr. holmes bakehouse

my favorite item is the matcha croissant – which is a regular croissant which is covered in a little matcha green tea chocolate glaze! which is so good and not too *cloying* which is great!

 if you would love to try some amazing asian fusion food, with the coolest atmosphere who are very diet accommodating then try out 

little sister

i love the spring rolls – they were so amazing – tasty and have NO GLUTEN! i also loved the spicy lemongrass fried chicke which was also gluten free! basically little sister was a HUGE win for me!

if you are in the mood for amazing pastrami and perfect new york style bagels then go to 

wexler’s deli

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i love their everything bagels with cream cheese, they totally remind me of my favorite new york bagels from ess-a-bagel!

if you are looking for some pretty good food with an amazing atmosphere, and beautiful photo taking opportunities then try out 

bottega louie

my favorite items are the burrata pizza with prosciutto and i also love the beignets with the AMAZING raspberry preserves and just the restaurant is SO pretty!

if you love dumplings – have never tried them ever and are looking for a great place, go to 

din tai fung

my favorite things from din tai are the pork xiao long bao, the noodles with spicy sauce and their sauteed green beans (which are truly magical)!

if you find yourself in the pasadena area and want to try a really cute and tasty cafe try out 

lincoln

i love the daily quiches that they make. my favorite has been the ham and jalepeno quiche! they also have AMAZING pretzel rolls – i can’t leave lincoln without buying one for myself.

if you are a burger fan (and i know this may be an unpopular choice) then try out 

shake shack

(sorry to all of you in-n-out fans, but i just like shake shack better!) i order an order of fries and the ‘smokeshack’ burger which has bacon and cheese on it!

if you end up farther out of the road in malibu, check out 

malibu farm 

malibu farm is so aesthetically pleasing! you seriously can’t go wrong with their fresh juices and the sweet corn pancakes in the morning.

if you find yourself in the mood for ramen noodles then try out

ramen tatsunoya

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i LOVE ramen and always always opt for the spicy tonkotsu ramen with the pork broth! its so tasty – especially if you love spicy like i do!

this isn’t even including coffee shops or ice cream – which i will be posting about later!

i hope you guys enjoy my recommendations and tell me if you try any of them out – and if you have any suggestions for me to try, check them out!

xoxo

kwe monogram(aka kate wins!)

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