Mercury Rising

Ahhhhh, the signs of summer- Temperature goes UP, legs go bare, rooftop bars get flooded with breeze seeking party-goers, and you're sleeping off the morning hangover under an umbrella while LIVING in your swimsuit for the rest of the day- before you do it all over again at night. But just when you think you have it made in the shade, you get hit with a wave of a different kind. WEDDING INVITATIONS. Every summer like clockwork, lovers who waited patiently all winter to be wed descend upon this fair city to kick off their matrimonial bliss.

With my first wedding of the "season" being next week, my dress-less-ness, brought on by laziness, is spurring quite the ulcer. Add to that, upcoming expenses budgeted for summer getaways and shopping extravaganzas, wedding gifts, and just daily life in general, all leave me with with no choice but to shamelessly, "repeat offend."

Coincidentally, my boygriend's play director recently quoted me the following, "Repeating is not repetition." So I thought, good point- I'll re-accessorize. Starting with my HAIR. Sure, jewelry or a clutch can switch up or down any look but don't stop there, when hair can DO so much more...

Pucci's super straight half-up half-down simplicity & Ralph Lauren's low slung bun

Rodarte's romantic braid & Balmain's school girl nostalgia

Calvin Klein's deep side-part & Etro's black ribboned pony-tail

Valentino's "Girl with a Pearl Earring"

Edited by Olivia Red

Bekaachella?! Is that what they're calling it?

Zah-"le"? Why Not!

Just this past weekend, while Dubai dished out a whole new Celsius in "Bieber fever" and New York prepped for their Met Gala, Beirut boasted it's own festivity of sorts. The less "glamorous" but oh so charming village, Tel Chiha, welcomed us to overlook the picturesque Bekaa Valley and ring our fashion stylist friend, Amine Jreissati's, DIRTY THIRTY.

The crowd

An eclectic mix of faces, known and new, heavily saturated with fashion photographers, stylists, designers, consultants, and editors. The kind of guest list any remarkably talented birthday boy would warrant.

The tunes

The incomparable Caline Chidiac owned the decks keeping our bodies abuzz with aural pleasure. Valley vibes that so perfectly expanded across every ridge and field- MAGIC.

The fashion

The great outdoors, day to dusk, trees, birds, and sunrays all call for spring style staples- So, while some of us went the straw fedora, statement sandal or fresh-espadrilles route, others packed on prints with a punch, and grass grazing dresses- though almost ALL of us paid tribute to our inner John Lennon sporting mirrored sunglasses and one guest even took it a step further representing 80's grunge in a notable pair of oxblood Doctor Martens. It was a feast for the eyes! Which brings me to the feast...

The bites

While you can't go wrong with a Lahm bi 3ajeen platter (that's me)- everybody else went RIGHT to devour the sweet sacrificed kharoof who I learned didn't die in vein.

The bevs

A bevy of tough girls tended a tricked out bar serving up mouth puckering Singapore Sling's, Mai Tai's, and Arak Pastek under the scorching sun. There was no surviving without them! Cheers.

The scene

People watching, cat napping on artisanal converted prayer mats, with shisha billowing into the air, was the scene unless you were up and about eating, dancing, or strolling to the setting sun. It was a magical day with magnetic people, and if it weren't for my boyfriend Tino's significant role in 3aj2et Seyr, we would've probably stayed until sunrise...

Now whittling down the snapshots was no easy endeavor so I decided to take the guesswork out and post as many pictures as I desired.

 

Sally La What?!

Two things intrigued me about these Sally LaPointe high-waisted shorts when I first noted them on The Man Repeller's Instagram: One being its uneven hemline and the other, the unexpected color contrast against a nude Maison Martin Margiela, for H&M bodysuit-- that I JUST so happen to have hanging in my closet. Yellow and beige make a good team!

Then, two weekends ago, at Palm Spring's Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, she nailed it again rocking the on-trend black & white version of the same Sally's only this time with a Lacoste shirt loaded up with lots of trinkets. 

And I ask myself: "Would she lend them to me if I asked her?"

Red Hot Taylor

Lucille Ball quotes, "Once in his life, every man is entitled to fall madly in love with a gorgeous redhead." For me, that person would be Taylor Tomasi Hill.

There's nothing more transcendently stylish than scarlet hair... It's undeniable ability to add so much power to any look. And unlike other outfit-finishing accessories that are thrown on just before leaving the house, this flaming accessory is part of the individual.

Taylor Tomasi Hill is the style and accessories director for US Marie Claire and artistic director at Moda Operandi AND the woman who I look out for the most on the streets of every fashion week.

"When I grow up, I want to be as cool as Taylor," writes famed blogger and photographer, Candice Lake.

That makes the two of us...

Taylor is 32.

I'll be your MIrror

My tribe sister Jessica who I have introduced here before never makes a trip back home without bringing me generous gifts from America. Last summer, she surprised me with a pair of kickass sunglasses by San Franciscan label, Westward Leaning.

Prior to spotting this hot brand on the pantheons of fashion like Man Repeller, Style.com, WhoWhatWear, Westward Leaning was the unborn project of two of Jessica's Stanford Business School classmates, really quirky-cool people that I had a wonderful time meeting (sidenote: one of them also happens to be her ex-flatmate).

So for the sake of some good ol fun, TinoK & I made a stop at a toy store on our way to Lazy B one morning and dug out some props for a little impromptu photoshoot we later cooked up as beach-goers questioned what in the world we were doing with inflatable turtles. 

And voila some of the iphone pictures he snapped, while I bossed him around, and that I never got around to posting...

We're Back!

A young artist once told me, when I inquired about her ability to seamlessly juggle between her full time job and personal projects, "Real dreams are made after 6 PM."

ILGB is short for ilovegarlicbread, the blog I launched in May 2011 and entertained for several months before it went completely idle. My 6 PM was no rainbows & waterfalls but full of trivial excuses: catching up with my boo, going to the gym, feeling fatigued after work, etc.

So to remain true to myself, I've made the resolve to pull my act together and carry on what I first started. In this occasion, I aspire to update my layout, refine my narrative, and dedicate my free time to creating content. So be on the lookout! Also, it doesn't hurt that I have an art director boyfriend who volunteers to help me with photography and anything else I may require, so what more can I ask for?

If you're curious to see whether I stick to this regimen, click here.

Sidenote: I've recently been featured in Kuwait's B Magazine. High fives!

Sitting on my Desktop

Love the sheer/bow combo-w!

Moroccan tiles & copper faucets... This image is pinned here.

Who needs a tailor? 1) Just fold up a good chunk of your jeans at the bottom. 2) Fold the hem down again. 3) You're good to go.

Short suits, I'm diggin you...

Pillow talking in style...

The man in the burgundy beanie can be mistaken for my man Tino... When he's at his scruffiest.

This reminds me of an adorable ad Lynn & I worked on as wardrobe stylists...

Split skirts interet me. And minimalism more so.

A shirt I procrastinated buying for too long only to find out that it was out of stock. Lesson learned? You snooze you lose.

Vans are back! No, really!

A DoItYourself hair-do I can see myself sporting on a fun night out & later at a poolside party!

The reason why my boyfriend calls me Micheal Jackson is due to my affinity with androgynous shoes. Wait till he hears I've set my eyes on these puppies.

Hi there!