Post-Christmas Post

Bedroom Makeovers

Apartment Therapy posted their top 10 bedroom makeovers, here are my top 2. I only chose the 'afters' because frankly who cares about what it used to look like? It's all about the transformation!

What makes this room one of my favorite transformations is the repainted bed frame. It was a clunky, dull, brown mess (maybe I should have included the before picture on this one). Bonus: this room looks huge with the mirror placed slightly behind the bed:

Image via Apartment Therapy

I'm not really a fan of sports, but consider me a fanatic when it comes to awesome headboards. The owner said they took the design idea from a vintage ticket stub: 

Image via Apartment Therapy 

Michael Pitt's Prada Campaign

He may have met an untimely demise on Boardwalk Empire, luckily he lives on for Prada!

Images via Nylon

Spin: Best Live Photos of 2011

Minus the inexplicable ICP photo, Spin's Best Live Photos of 2011 gallery pretty much sums up an awesome year in music.

Wild Flag in Brooklyn, NY, Image via Spin

Shout-out Speakers

Ahhh too cute! Speak-er by Sherwood Forlee and Mihoko Ouchi:

Image via MoMA

Pride and Prejudice Journal

Although I never write much more in them besides the occasional to-do list, I love journals. I like journals that are designed to look like old books, so I was ecstatic when I saw this cloth-bound one from online retailer Out of Print. What makes this journal stand out is all of its details. I love the old-school library card holder in the front, but the best detail is how the words of Pride and Prejudice make up the lines of the journal's pages. It's a clever way to be inspired by one of my favorite novels.

All images via Out of Print Clothing

Immigrant Song 2.0

This song has been in my head all day, so  thought I'd share. As much as I love Led Zeppelin, I love this darker, grittier version by Karen O, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. It's the song that plays during the awesome teaser trailer for the upcoming film, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

Daily Dress: 2009 Edition

I was looking through my Lookbook Hypes and found this Topshop dress I bookmarked back in 2009. A couple of years later and I still want it!!

Rodarte's 'Fra Angelico' arrives at LACMA

I was beyond excited when I found out Rodarte will unveil its Fra Angelico collection this Saturday at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). Presented in LACMA's Italian Renaissance Gallery, the collection will feature gowns by Kate and Laura Mulleavy-the duo behind L.A.-based fashion house Rodarte.

The collection is inspired by two iconic Italian art pieces-the Renaissance frescoes in the Monastery of San Marco by Fra Angelico, and the Baroque sculpture, Ecstasy of Saint Teresa, by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. The frescoes provide the rich color palette for the gowns in the collection.

Staying true to their signature style, the Rodarte gowns feature beautiful draping silhouettes and delicate silk fabrics. Several of the gowns are adorned with custom-made details, including silk flowers, hand-forged gold metallic accessories and Swarovski crystals.

LACMA says that the collection will enter its Costume and Textiles Department. The Department currently houses over 25,000 objects, each piece showcasing 2,000 years of development in textiles. The exhibit is housed in the Ahmanson Building, Level 3, and will run from December 17, 2011 to February 5, 2012.

Image via Nylon

Christmas Lights

My lovely $5 string of lights purchased at Target. Now I need to figure out where to put them. Having only one outlet in your living space is tough!

Daily Dress

Cutest. Dress. Ever. Love the multi-colored owl print! Thanks, Megan!

Wish List: Silver Bark Candle

Silver bark candle from Z Gallerie

Holiday Bokeh

One of my favorite photography techniques is bokeh, which means 'blurred' in Japanese. I love these images from EverKelly.com, who goes over how to make your own wintry bokeh scene. Check out the whole post here.

Tangerine Tango

This week, the Pantone Color Institute revealed their official color of 2012-it's an energetic red-orange hue called Tangerine Tango, specifically known as 17-1463. The Pantone color guide is the universal authority on color. Throughout the year, the Pantone Color Institute scours the globe to determine what will be next year's hottest color. From interior design to traveling art shows, Pantone studies many industries to determine which hue is trending.

Last year's pick, Honeysuckle, suffered a lukewarm reception. The melon-pink hue is not easy to wear, and is tame compared to the electric warmth of Tangerine Tango.  

Personally I love 2012's color prediction, orange has been growing on me and tangerine is the best way to dive into the hue. Basic orange can be a bit garish, but there are many chic options when it comes to implementing Tangerine Tango into your wardrobe. Yahoo Shine put together a great budget-friendly shopping guide that showcases great tangerine finds, including a fitted blazer and a bold party dress.

Tangerine Tango is already being embraced by the fashion industry, largely because the vibrant color is energizing and fresh. As we dive into the depths of winter, this color definitely has me longing for warmer weather.

Image via Pantone

Newest Discovery: MoMa Online Store

I was browsing some gift guides for the people on my Christmas list, and I came across MoMA's online store. MoMA is best described as a collection of carefully chosen gifts that reflect "good design". The curators at New York's Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) are the ones who choose products that exemplify the latest in design concepts. The best part of the MoMA store? You can find a lot of really fun and creative gifts in all price ranges. I compiled a list of my top 5 favorite things (ALL under $25) I found while browsing their online store. Take a look!

1) MoMA Pocket Calendar

2) Spilt Milk Bowl

                                                               

                                                    

3) Sparrow Clips

4) Cookie Bookie Notebook

5) Floppy Disk Sticky Notes

Blush + Gray

I spent my Sunday afternoon at Ikea to pick up my desk for my home office. While wandering around their showroom, my favorite "room" they designed was this adorable living room. It had muted pink walls, and plenty of gray accents to offset the pink. I love how the wall unit/TV-stand combo ties the whole look together with its gray and pink finish. It really looks like it was made for the room! 

An Owl and a Semi-Neon Scarf

Today I hung out in Santa Monica, which is always sunny and gorgeous, even in December. I'm trying to stay on a budget, but there are so many good deals right now because of the holidays that I couldn't resist picking a couple of things up! I found this cute owl watch/necklace at Tilly's, of all places. I haven't been to Tilly's since I was in middle school. While their clothes skew on the younger side, their accessories are actually really cute and reasonably priced. I love how this necklace includes a clock!

I also picked up a gray scarf with flashes of neon pink woven in. I love knits, and this scarf from Forever 21 is so soft. Perfect for this insane windy weather!

P-A-R-T-Y

I love parties, and I love dresses-so the holiday season means another excuse to dress up and throw on some glitter and a sparkly dress. Living in L.A. means I don't have to cover up my cute find with a drab coat, so I was beyond excited when Lucky found 20 party dresses under $50. They all hit just above the knee, which means they will pair perfectly with some lace-up booties I recently ordered (which were so NOT under $50). The one pictured is definitely my favorite of the bunch. I love the sheer overlay, and the colors coordinate so well together. The detailed neckline is also quite adorable. Of course the list does have some duds, an ill-fitting number from H&M and some velvet material posing as a dress from American Apparel don't make me want to part from my $50. Luckily, those lame offerings are buried beneath unique designs from Pixie Market and Zara. Let the holiday party season begin!

Album Review: Summer Camp Welcome to Condale

I think I was introduced to the glory that is Summer Camp through one of those free mixes Urban Outfitters puts out.  They have really grown on me, as I'm a sucker for the upbeat, dreamy sound they create-or "chillwave" as they have been described. I was craving new music from them after only having a few songs from their 2010 EP, Young. 

The duo that is Summer Camp consists of Elizabeth Sankey and Jeremy Warmsley. They have a unique sound, many of their songs are peppered with iconic 80's film references. Perhaps this is why I like them so much. The name summer camp itself brings on a wave of memories, sometimes this band feels so familiar that it's hard to believe they have only been around for a couple of years. 

Welcome to Condale was released this November and picks up right where Young left off. 

One of my favorite songs on the album is where Sankey and Warmsely duet. Losing my Mind has the two bandmates going back and forth, each voice adding another rich layer to the dreamy melody.

I have yet to hear the bonus tracks of Condale, but I'm sure they are nothing short of amazing.

Turquoise-tastic

Wash my face, brush my teeth, daily dose of caffeine, get dressed, check Apartment Therapy. That is pretty much my morning routine. One of my favorite features is their House Tours series, and today I found a great article on color. A couple in Tennessee transformed their home into a Crayola-worthy color explosion. Personally, I love bright colors (the name of this blog is Neon Love!) but I have always erred on the cautious side when it comes to interior decorating. I contemplate painting a wall in my apartment gray and I think that's bold. However, the way this home is decorated shows that color (even bright ones) can be tastefully applied to your home. What it comes down to is coordinating your colors and sticking to one or two key elements. I love how they paired red seat cushions with the turquoise walls in their kitchen. The fashion world has embraced mixing prints, so interior design should start stepping away from 'bold accents' and maybe start embracing a little more color. I think it's time to bury the beige! Now, to choose a color for my accent wall. Any suggestions?

Image via Apartment Therapy

Autumn Glow

Some pictures I took during my weekend in Rancho for the holiday. The trees in my parents' backyard glow with sunlight every afternoon.

Cookie Monster

The holidays in my family always include these cookies. They go by many different names, each culture seems to have their own. Since my Italian great aunt is the one who makes them, we always referred to these as 'Aunt Ann's cookies'. I was on Wordpress today catering to my other blog when I found these awesome pictures in a blog called Cooking-Spree. Here's my favorite photo from the 'Mexican Wedding Cookie' post, I'm now more than inspired to make my own batch this year:

Build-a-Burberry

I ran across a Time article that was about Burberry's new customization service, Burberry Bespoke. Unlike most luxury brands that offer customization options, Burberry's service allows customers to build a trench from scratch. According to Time, customers can create up to 12 million different combinations by having a vast amount of options such as fabric color, fox-fur collars, and brass-studded sleeves.  

While it's great that an iconic major fashion house is allowing customers with the means to personalize such a large purchase, a work of art from a major fashion house is not a car. Would you buy a painting from Monet, but customize it by incorporating your favorite colors? Of course not. You spend that much on a work of art because you love the artist's unique style. Minor customization options such as monograms are offered by other luxury brands, but they don't take away from a piece's overall aesthetic. 

Burberry does take some precautions to ensure the customized trenches do not become victims of the fashion-challenged. The most amusing aspect of Burberry Bespoke is that in an effort to preserve some of the brand's integrity, you can't choose options that clash. Time mentioned that they had attempted to pair an olive trench with a fuchsia and red checkered lining, but thankfully Burberry Bespoke's concierge service politely steered them in a different direction. Personally, if I were to purchase a Burberry trench, I would want it to be unmistakably Burberry. I don't think red and fuchsia checkers would get that.

Image from Ingridslifeandluxury.com

Treasure.Island.2011.

Thanksgiving

This year, we went to my Aunt's house for Thanksgiving. She lives in a gorgeous house up in the mountains. Each year, despite wearing our best, my cousins, sisters and brother climb up the hill behind her house. We usually find deer or a hidden road, but this year we made it to the star that is illuminated every year for the holidays. We made it up there just as the sun was setting, so the views were perfect.

Desi <3

Chinatown

My friend Jasmine and I went to Chinatown near Downtown L.A. last week, where I found these awesome lanterns. We stumbled upon a shop that sold lanterns in all shapes and sizes. After much deliberation, I decided on these ones-they came with lights that emit a beautiful, soft glow.

Century City skyline

Cities are prettiest at night :)

Dos and Don'ts of eye contact

As a fan of both bananas and eye contact, I thought this was hilarious. Via Tastefully Offensive (http://www.tastefullyoffensive.com/). 

Masquerade

Awesome masquerade mask my aunt had laying around. Suits me, don't you think? :)

M-O-N-E-T-I-Z-E

After months of playing around with themes, names, and content-I FINALLY have my first post on what will be my official and soon-to-be-only blog. I have a few blogs over on Wordpress I need to take down and place here, but first-my inaugural post. I plan to post a lot more now that I'm finally settled in my new apartment in Los Angeles (after 3 months! So not like me-oops!). L.A. has always been one of my favorite cities, so stay tuned as I share my newest finds around this amazing city. It's time to dust off the digital camera and start writing, because I think I just unearthed where my creativity had been hiding. More to come :)

-AnnaMarie