March 26, 2015

Fashion Friday: Kira's Spring Wishlist

Spring Wishllist



Spring Wishllist by akablog 


Spring is here!  Let there be shorts and dresses! This Spring I'm ready to be all about simplicity, light layers, and being comfy but put together! I'm on the look out for a great striped shirt dress and easy comfy pieces that are as effortless as the Spring breeze. I'm very excited to do some Spring cleaning especially of my closet and to make room for new pieces. Wednesday we did a great Interweb Goodies on Spring cleaning that has got me super motivated. I have also been doing well selling my unwanted items on Poshmark! AKA I'm making room in your closet and making money! What could be better? 

Happy Spring!


-K

We're Obsessed: 50 Shades of Grey Soundtrack

The past Valentines Day we went and saw 50 Shades of Grey with one of our friends. We were super excited - Ashley has read the books and Kira had been avoiding all of the trailers to go in completely unknowing of what was going to happen.

We had some wine beforehand - and got some at the theater (seriously if you are in the Bay Area go to the El Cerrito movie theater, it's great). We wore different shades of grey and got settled in for the film. 

We both really liked it and one thing that made it even better was the great soundtrack! We love it. The Weeknd croons, Ellie Golding kills it, and Beyonce is of course flawless!

Take a listen below and become just as obsessed as we are! 




A&K

March 25, 2015

Interweb Goodies

Spring is here! Let's Spring clean!



Lucky brings us two great articles to help you get that closet conquered, Check them out here & here!

Elle also dishes out some great tips on how to get your closet ready for new Spring styles

Now that your closet is tackled, here is how you can get the rest of your house in order.

This article will give you a checklist and a plan for every area of your home

Not so amped to clean, check out some of these great apps to get you motivated!

Go forth and clean!


-A&K

March 20, 2015

Fashion Fridays: Ashley's Spring Fashion Buys

Ashley's Spring Fashion



Happy First Day of Spring!! Something about Spring makes me want to go through my closet and really decide want I want my look to be for these upcoming warm months. I recently took a look at my closet and decided what I want to completely update my wardrobe! 

- Floral printed pants - perfect for work or the weekends, paired with a basic white button up or t-shirt
- Statement earrings - I think they would be great to pair with a more basic outfit to glam up my look
- Black maxi dress - I have a black maxi dress that I love, but I think it's time to update it
- Floral romper - I'm loving the idea of a light weight floral print romper for parties and brunches
- Simple grey dress - Perfect for running errands on the weekends with a pair of sandals
- Nude envelope clutch - Great for have for going out with friends
- Simple rings - I don't want my jewelry to be too fussy in Spring and Summer, simplicity is key
- Light sunglasses - These would add a touch of glam whenever I put them on
- Striped Espadrilles with laces - Super specific but I think they would be great for day trips!

What's on your Spring Fashion list? 

-A

March 19, 2015

Throwback Thursday: Ashley's Ireland Adventure

The summer before my Senior year of college I studied abroad in Rome. It was a glorious summer and I cherished every minute of it. You can read all about it here! While Italy truly captured my heart, I also spent some time in Ireland and Scotland before stating my program. Every year around this time, because of St. Patrick's Day I become incredibly nostalgic about Ireland and the time I spent there getting back to my family roots!


 

Exploring Malahide just outside of Dublin

Castles were the norm in Ireland, so gorgeous!


Malahide also had beautiful beaches, who would have thought?

Spending time on Howth, a small fishing village

A trip to Ireland is never complete without a lot of Guinness and Jameson, I was able to take a tour of the Jameson distillery and became an official Jameson taste tester!

 
Spent a lot of time wandering around Dublin, where I stayed, and found beautiful old churches!

 
Exploring the countryside with my person! 

 
The Cliffs of Moher were a dream - and so windy!

 
 Beauty scenes were around every corner! 

If you are ever given the opportunity to go to Ireland - do it!! It is a beautiful country filled with friendly people! Dublin was a fun city with great nightlife - Temple Bar is just as cool as it sounds! Take advantage of day trips while you are there, it was a great way for us to see all that it has to offer! 

My Top Things To Do: 

1. Have a Guinness everywhere and anywhere! 
2. Take a day trip through the countryside
3. Spend a day wandering around Dublin - you never know what you might find. Old churches, street performers, delicious food! 
4. Talk to people - everyone is so nice in Ireland, you will meet many new friends!
5. Go to The Confession Box on Marlborough Street. We went on our last night in Dublin and let me tell you - it was an experience. It was filled with there little old men who go to drink there every night. They were so friendly and loved to talk. It was one of the funniest nights of my life! 
-A

March 18, 2015

Interweb Goodies

Another Wednesday, another round up of fab links!


Check out this epic reading list! Ashley and I definitely have plans to tackle this list together!

Nobody likes stress yet everyone experiences it. Check out these great tips on how to destress hour by hour!

Everyone also likes to be HAPPY too! Here are 5 easy habits to get you feeling happy!

Kira has recently become obsessed with broad city and you should too! Watch full episodes and clips here!!!

I had no idea what this link was at first when Ashley suggested it, but it quickly became apparent! She recently fell in love with Andrew J. West at Walker Stalker Con when we met him - he was so nice!! You can check out our post about that here.

This link however will take you to his gorgeous wedding. These photos really are stunning as is the bride and groom!

Enjoy your Wednesdays

-A&K

March 12, 2015

Fashion Friday meets Amazing Apps: Poshmark




Today your in luck because this post is basically a 2 for 1 deal! 1 amazing app which doubles as a great fashion find.

I have been on Poshmark for the last couple of months and I love it. I am a huge fan of thrift stores and other second hand & consignment shops. What I don't love is when I try to resell my clothes and get very little back. This is what brought me to Poshmark and my experience there so far is keeping me!


The app allows you to be in control of your listing and the price! Its as easy as taking pictures of your items, describing them and setting a price. The app is very much community based. Its fairly easy to grow your followers and you are able to share other shoppers items in order to show your love and be a good posh friend.


I highly recommend checking out the app for both buying and selling! There is everything from fast fashion items on the super cheap to great designer finds. Here are some tips I've picked up using the app!

Buying:

  • Not ready to pull the trigger? Like the item and it will be saved in your profile. This way you can easily check back on the item and you'll be notified when the price drops!
  • Bargain! Price to high? Make an offer, but don't lowball
Selling
  • Better pictures = better sales
  • Think about your pricing! Would you rebuy your item at that price? Is the condition of your item worthy of that price? Be fair. 
  • Interact with those interested in your items!
  • Bundle items for buyers and you both save!
  • Share items to Posh parties in order to get to buyers looking for that particular brand/style
Have fun and enjoy! You can check out my closet here!

-K



White Elephant Sale

White Elephant Sale you say, what is that? 


To put it shortly it is the biggest rummage sale/ thrift store you've ever seen! It is pretty incredible. Every year during the first weekend in March the Oakland Museum's Women's Board hosts the sale as a fundraiser for the museum. thousands of people show up at this huge warehouse in Oakland and thrift until they can no more. 





Ashley and I went on Sunday. It is busy and hectic and I can't imagine what Saturday looked like. The amount of stuff is incredible! Saturday may have the better items but the great thing about Sunday is nearly everything is half off!


You may be wondering what all this stuff is, well they have a little bit of everything. Clothing, accessories, kitchen items, crafting supplies, art, furniture, books and all organized into different shopping sections. The sale is overwhelming but they do a fantastic job organizing the event. Which is not so surprising when you realize the board has been putting on the sale for over 50 years! Go Women's Board!


The sale was very cool to check out and I had been wanting to go for years. If your in the Bay next March I suggest you check it out! 

-K

March 11, 2015

Interweb Goodies


A new round up of our favorite finds from the Interweb!

 http://ispydiy.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/ispydiy_sidetable5.jpg

Loving this DIY side table! It looks so chic yet is pretty simple to make

Ashley is loving the fact that you can rent out Leonardo DiCaprio's Palm Springs home!

We can't stop laughing at Zoolander's appearance at Paris Fashion Week

Looking forward to trying out some of these morning habits

An interesting look into what we buy and then regret.

Any interesting finds this week? Let us know in the comments!

-A&K 

March 10, 2015

I'm Obsessed: Podcasts


Podcasts have been around for some time but they are growing more and more popular all the time. It wasn't until recently that I really started paying attention to Podcasts and starting consistently listening too them. The other day while hanging out with Ashley, every other story or piece of news I had to share began with "I was listening to this podcast..." Safe to say I'm hooked.

What is so great about Podcasts is that they have so much creativity and open endedness. They can be 20 mins or 3 hours, they can drop F bombs or sing children s songs.The world of Podcasting seems limitless and able to provide creators with a unique opportunity to deliver content that cannot be found or duplicated on TV or in other entertainment genres.

I am by no means any authority on Podcasts, but I do however have some recommendations! Here they are in no particular order, enjoy!


  • Serial: Ashley and I became obsessed last year and even dedicated a whole post to the series, which you can check out here
  • Grownups Read Things They Wrote as Kids: This podcast is exactly what it sounds like and is hilarious and heartwarming. Brave souls stand up in front of an audience and read their childhood work. Its taped in Canada so its extra fun to hear their accents!
  • Death, Sex & Money: Great podcast on all the things we often think about yet don't always discuss. I genuinely love this podcast but it's also pretty cool that my brother is currently working on this show!
  • Savage Lovecast: Host Dan Savage will answer anything and everything having to do with love & relationships and really any other topic. He is frank and in your face and if he can't answer it he'll find an expert who can. 
  • The Read: Kid Fury and Crissle dish out their take on pop culture and celebrity news with blunt honesty and humor. This Podcast is the opposite of conservative. They are fun, witty and a bit over the top.
Do you have any podcast that you like to listen to? Let me know in the comments below.

-K

P.S. FastCompany just did a great article on Podcasts which you can check out here!


March 9, 2015

AKA Bookshelf: Water For Elephants

Image result for water for elephants 

Monday is here! We are so ready to start off a new week with a great book review. We have both been doing a lot more reading since our commutes have started to include public transportation. I picked up Water For Elephants at a garage sale in the Fall since I had heard the movie was fantastic and because it was only 25 cents. 

This book did not disappoint. The author, Sara, completely encapsulated you in the world of a 1930's traveling circus. The sights, smells, and sounds felt so real. The story is about a young man named Jacob (played by Robert Pattinson in the film) who joins the circus at the veterinarian. He falls in love with one of the performers, Marlena (played by the always fabulous Resse Witherspoon). It is a great story filled with memorable characters and an easy-to-follow plot line. 

I am excited to watched the movie and bumped it up on my Netflix queue! 

I definitely recommended this book for a quick easy read to bring to the beach or on vacation! 

Any other good books out there that I should read? Let us know in the comments! 

-A





March 6, 2015

Fashion Fridays: Wine Tasting

Happy Friday folks! Today we are recapping our wine tasting day up in Napa. It was a beautiful day and we had so much fun! Check out some details of our outfits as well!


We started off the day at Mumm's with sparkling wine and an art gallery!





Kira is wearing a hat, H&M, Shirt she stole from her mom and scarf and pants from her trip abroad!


Next we went to Rutherford Ranch for wine and chocolate tasting





We ended our wine tasting at St. Supery which had beautiful grounds!


Kira and her parents, they were nice enough to drive us around all day and let us enjoy their wine club membership!




Ashley's wearing a dress from Macy's (on sale from last summer), hat from Urban Outfitters, purse from H&M, a Michael Kors watch, and a scarf that was a gift from her Aunt.


-A&K

March 5, 2015

Wine Tasting 101

A few weeks ago we headed up to Napa with Kira's parents to do some wine tasting. It was a beautiful Spring-type day! We went to three different wineries, did tastings, and enjoyed each other's company! This was our first time wine tasting together and we definitely learned a lot so we have complied some tips and tricks for those first-time wine tasters!




1. Eat a large breakfast

You will be having so much fun drinking and chatting with friends that you will probably forget to stop to eat! Make sure you fill up beforehand and bring a snake and some water for the drive between wineries.

2. Don't be afraid to ask questions

The people working at the wineries have a lot of great information that they would love to share. They might let you know what flavors you should be smelling/tasting, where you can buy the wine locally, or what's best to pair your wine with.

3. Drink water

While tastings are pretty small, you might be doing up to 5 or 6 tastings per winery which can add up.  Make sure you are drinking water so you don't get dehydrated!

4. Bring your camera

When you are wine tasting it will most likely be in a gorgeous setting, make sure to snap lots of pictures from the day.

5. Let your taste buds wander!

Truly try to taste the different flavors of the wine. Take a nice big whiff of the wine before you taste, then let it sit on your palate for a couple of seconds before swallowing to get the full effect of the flavors. Take your time with it and remember what you like about each one, that way you will learn what you like/don't like about different varieties.

Do you have a favorite type of wine? Let us know in the comments!

Make sure to follow us along on Twitter and Instagram!

-A&K

March 4, 2015

Interweb Goodies

Happy Wednesday!!!



Loving these ideas for how to create more room for your clothes in a small space

Q&A with one of our faves - Anna Kendrick. (PS, her Twitter is amazing)

Loving these designer's takes on a very magical shoe. 

All of Kim Kardahsian's beauty products, it's a pretty long read!

Some great healthy bites to always keep on hand in your kitchen.

Let us know what you have found this week in the comments below!!

Remember to follow along on Twitter and Instagram as well!

-A&K


March 3, 2015

Monthly Mood: March






We're Loving

Spring time!!! It has felt like Spring in California pretty much since January but with a more "official" start of the season we are looking forward to all of the fun spring brings. We're loving the softer, sweeter side of Spring pastels and fun spring prints - Ashley is on the hunt for a lavender cross body bag, while Kira loves anything with a leafy or fruity print!

We're Doing

A little of this and a little of that this month! St. Patrick's Day means a big party with Ashley's family, lots of yummy food and drinking! We are looking forward to spending some time outdoors - maybe some hikes will be in our future. Ashley is hoping to take a day trip to the coast to enjoy the nice weather and some delish seafood. As always we are looking forward to some birthdays as well as looking ahead and planning some fun things for summer!

We're Blogging

Ashley will be bringing you some old-school Irish recipes just in time for your St. Patrick's Day party. We recently went wine tasting, so look our for a post about some wine-tasting tips and our fashions from the day! Kira is hoping to do some de-cluttering of some aspects of her life and will walk you through some easy ways to do it too!

-A&K