Fashion Friday: Gothic

My birthday theme started off as a joke. We tease my friend and tell her that she's gothic because she wears black all the time. She has to wear black for work {she's a MAC makeup artist}, but now it's become part of her everyday attire. It's not classic black pieces either. It's studs and lace. Gothic black. So I joked and said that I was going to have a gothic theme for my birthday, and we all have to wear black. But the joke turned into a, why not. Let's just do it! We took it a step further and had her give us gothic inspired makeup. I felt like the girls from The Craft. We spent the witching hour at Teddys at the The Roosevelt Hotel. 

Note: Don't be afraid to experiment with your style.

The Queen Mary

I celebrated Mother's Day touring around the Queen Mary with my mom, aunt and cousin {who I haven't seen in four years..yay reunion!}. Everyone has heard that the Queen Mary is haunted, so we decided to take a tour to learn how it got its spooky wrap. As we walked up to the waiting area, we thought that we accidentally bought the simulation tour, where sound effects, fog, mist, and the chance of getting wet are used to recreate the tales of the ship. Luckily we weren't on that tour. I'm not big on scary stuff, and I know the moms would definitely not enjoy it. 

The Queen Mary Ghosts and Legends tour took us down to a pad locked cabin. It is here that a woman was found dead in her room, and was known to haunt visitors who stayed in the room in the years after her death. There have been accounts of the shower turning on automatically, someone knocking at the door to find no one there, the sheets being pulled off of the guests in the middle of the night, and the feeling of being watched. As you can imagine, guests aren't allowed to stay in the room anymore. 

We followed our guide down the long hallway and into the inner workings of the Queen Mary. In what seemed to be somewhere in the center of the ship was the old swimming pool. Talk about creepy. The ghost that haunts the pool area is a little blonde girl, who has been seen playing hide and go seek behind the pillars. It creeps me out now just thinking about it. I hate ghost stories about kids. I included the picture below because out of all of my shots of the pool, I was able to get one with an orb. This may just be the flash picking up a particle of dust in the air or on the lens, or as it has been broadly interpreted it could be an energy field or ghost. I'm not sure what I believe, but it's definitely interesting to think about given the history of the Queen Mary.

The final spooky areas were the boiler and engine rooms, where a young sailor was killed while trying to make it through the automatic air tight doors. Once the doors start to close, you only have a few minutes to make it through, and there's no way of stopping them. He was found smashed between two doors, but there's no telling why he didn't make it through on time. His family has asked that his real name no longer be used on the tour.

If you're not into scary stories, there's still plenty of ways to spend your day on the Queen Mary. My favorite was walking around the grand ship {which is twice the size of the Titanic. Shockingly}. It was so clear that day we could see Catalina Island.

Long Beach Harbor

Note: You can't believe everything you hear.

Fashion Friday: Nautical

I LOVE nautical prints and style. It's one of my summer go-to looks. It's classic, chic and timeless. Last weekend I went to The Queen Mary to celebrate Mother's Day {more on that later}. It was the perfect opportunity to dress nautical and dust off my blue anchor print dress. Although I didn't bring my boat shoes, I did wear comfortable sandals. Which is key for a day on The Queen Mary. Be prepared for a lot of walking.

 Note: Add yellow or red for a pop of color, they're both nautical.

My 27th Year

I usually think of a year as starting in January and ending in December and analyze it according. But thinking about my past year as in May to May, my 27th year, my life appears a lot different. In the first month of my 27th year I lost a loved one that was so dear to me that it still hurts. Within months she was gone. Things changed rapidly and even now it's hard to grasp the reality. Also in the beginning of my 27th year I started a new career. I took a chance and my path changed in an unexpected way. And for that I'm truly grateful. Sometimes change can be scary, but you just have to take the leap anyway. In the beginning of this year my brother proposed to his girlfriend, another big event in my 27th year. Another positive change in my life. With each year there are lessons learned and experiences that continue to mold you. Now, as I start my 28th year tomorrow I feel more confidant. More like, me.

Note: Hello 28th year!

Mother's Day Gift Guide

There's still a few days left to run out and get a gift for mom. Not sure what to get her? Here are a few gift ideas that will have her smiling. You might even find a Mother's Day gift for yourself. Like mother like daughter.

Note: Enjoy the weekend with your mom or being a mom! xo

Clockwise from top left:

Soludos Classic Stripe Espadrilles, Loft Paisley Pom Pom Pouch, Jute Garden Tote, Tory Burch Printed Robinson Makeup Bag, Murad Age Reform Day Regimen, Kate Spade Pack a Picnic Picnic Basket, Italian Pottery Frutta Mista Pitcher, Teavana Rooibos Tropica Tea, Yoon Colorblock Sailing Sweater, Victor & Rolf Flowerbomb, Rifle Paper Co. Peach Mother's Day Card, J. Crew Color Collage Necklace

Famous Mother Daughter Duos

These famous mother daughter duos share both talent and beauty. It's obvious that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, and being in the spotlight as a child must have only prepped them for their bright futures. 

Rashida Jones and Peggy Lipton

Kate Hudson and Goldie Hawn

Gwyneth Paltrow and Blythe Danner

Liza Minnelli and Judy Garland

Jerry Hall and Georgina Jagger

Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher

Carolyn Kennedy and Jackie Kennedy

Janet Leigh and Jamie Lee Curtis

Note: Appreciate the beauty of your own mother-daughter relationship.

Mother-Daughter Movies

My mom and I have a lot of mother-daughter activities that we love doing together. We do the usual shopping and lunch, but we also enjoy going to high tea, traveling together, spa days, and watching girly movies. Here are some of my favorite films about mother-daughter relationships, just in time for Mother's Day. With this rainy weather we've had the past few days, it's the perfect time to pop in a feel good film. 

Terms of Endearment

Father of the Bride Part 2

Steel Magnolias 

Mamma Mia!

Stepmom

Freaky Friday

Mermaids

The Sound of Music

Mermaids, starring Cher, Winona Ryder and Christina Ricci (1990)

Note: One of our favorite movies is Mommie Dearest, but that doesn't show mom in a positive way.