{ diana } in puerto rico

lately i've been experimenting with taking real-deal film photos on my diana mini camera. it's like the original instagram ~ it makes for surprising, nostalgic color combinations in an old-fashioned, square format. and it's so much fun waiting for the film to develop, while anticipating the surprises inside! a delightful indulgence in today's digital age. here are a few favorite frames i just picked up, from last month's trip to puerto rico:

last week { in san juan }

my friends are still teasing me for giving in to the allure of instagram on twitter (i foolishly fought it for so long), but i have to admit, it DOES make for good (and easy on the go!) travel snaps. this is a little peek behind the scenes on last week's shoot in san juan, puerto rico.

{ minding our B's & Q's }

as you may know from twitter, i spent this past weekend at brimfield antiques market in massachusetts with the bodacious beckerman bunch, in what has become an annual tradition. i'm working on getting all of my fab finds photographed for you soon (i seriously FILLED the back of a large SUV), but for now, here are a few fast snaps of our flea marketing fun:








{ pics by me and the beckermans // many more photos on my facebook page }

{ westward bound }

you've probably noticed me griping about the weather lately; it's been an especially long winter in new york. luckily, i have a quick trip to california booked for next month, and i'm looking at the planning of it as an opportunity to invest in a few accessory updates, which will help carry my existing wardrobe into the impending spring. usually i (irritatingly) wait till september to find the perfect pair of flat sandals ~ but this year i'm happily embracing a more proactive approach. here are a few things i'm currently stalking online ~ in fact, several of the sandals and sunnies are already on order:

{ above: karen walker 'number one' sunnies ($180), loeffler randall 'ondine' sandal ($325), j.crew 'silvana' sandal ($98) }

{ above: sam edelman 'gigi' sandal ($60), karen walker 'the village' sunnies ($210) }


{ above: house of harlow 'chelsea' sunnies ($138), michael kors 'zen' sandal ($150), cydwoq 'heli' sandal }

{ flight suit }

{ travel gear: F21 laptop case (i carried it as a clutch HERE), coach carry-on, tumi suitcase // wearing: lanvin for h+m sunnies, eskuche headphones, leifsdottir cardigan, missoni shirt, anya hindmarch bag, gifted elizabeth & james 'jimi' jeans, stuart weitzman boots }

i snapped these pics en route to the airport over the weekend, and am coming to you now from las vegas, where i've decamped for a few days' work before fashion week kicks off. traditionally, i'd prefer to wear something drapier for the flight, but after being patted down in surprisingly suspicious palazzo pants too many times, i've finally given in to more mainstream travel togs ~ ie something less likely to arouse unwanted attention at check-in. luckily, these elizabeth & james dungarees (which i feel very lucky to have scored in two colorways, these being the 'warm rinse') are so soft and stretchy that i barely know they're there! add in a silken tee and ruffled cardi and it all made for a pretty easy compromise ~ and an impressively pain-free flight.

{ never say goodbye } the legacy of liberace

as i mentioned yesterday, i had a game-changing, borderline-religious experience while visiting las vegas. no, i didn't get married. nor did i hit the jackpot. i didn't even go all fear & loathing. instead, i dragged my dear friend and vacation-mate cleo (who just started a blog!!), and our beleaguered boyfriends to the liberace museum. it was incredible.
for those of you who are not familiar with his legacy, liberace (pronounced liber-ah-chee) was a famous pianist, known for his over-the-top showmanship, a longstanding career on the vegas strip, and for being the highest paid entertainer in the world from the 1950s-70s.

from the looks of things, most of that money was reinvested into his wardrobe (a solid choice, in this case). apparently, he once single-handedly saved swarovski (the crystal company) from bankruptcy. an american hero, obviously:

but back to the museum. instead of being housed in a gaudy, glittering castle on the strip (as the lib's legacy so clearly deserves), it's nestled in some seedy suburban strip mall, next to the creepily-windowless good times bar (which offers 'recession specials' and opens at 8am! yikes.).

{ i wore: my most vegas-worthy, self-titled 'elvis sunnies' by devi kroell for vogue eyewear (last seen HERE), the glamourai necklace, s2vs shirt, betsey johnson dress, coach bag, lamb shoes }

luckily, this lousy locale belies the awe-inspiring splendor of what hides inside:

{ indeed, we have just seen a disco-ball rolls royce ("boy, it really stops traffic when i shop at safeway!"), a pink feather cape (with train!) and a swarovski crystal-encrusted piano with lucite lid & matching bench. OMG. }

perhaps my favorite thing about the self-described "one-man disneyland"? his intense dedication to finger-bling...


...though the details in all his attire were truly breathtaking. i mean:





like the man himself says in this video, "look me over! i didn't get dressed like this to go unnoticed." amen, mister.

if ever you find yourself visiting vegas, please make time for a trip to this hidden gem!

{ photo diary } bright lights / sin city

{ 1/ all packing woes were resolved by a quick trip to forever21, where i stocked up on a surplus of cheap, sparkly earrings and rings //2/ saturday night in sin city //3 & 6/ friday fashion: coach necklace & bracelet; chloe blouse; F21 skirt; earrings & rings; vintage clutch; badgley mischka shoes //4/ the glamour guy commands the club in a burberry suit //5/ lady luck }

the blurriness of many of these images encapsulates the aura of las vegas pretty effectively. i suppose that is a big part of its appeal! besides being unable to make photos in the casinos, we had a great time ~ and at least one delightfully life-altering experience, which i promise to report on tomorrow...xoK

{ crystal method }

i keep going crazy for the look of mega-watt rocks littered about the house!


{ pics: ryan korban via theselby.com }

in other news, i'm headed to vegas tomorrow for a little weekend fun with some friends. only problem is, nothing in my closet seems sparkly enough for this trip!! so far i've found only ONE appropriately casino-esque getup in there. everything suddenly seems far too practical. how did i let that happen?! where did i go wrong? more importantly, do i have enough time to go shopping before takeoff?