After living in Louisiana for half a decade I became a food snob. “The Boot” is highly regarded for its seafood and cajun cuisine, but the truth is, all food prepared there is absolutely divine. This is especially true with Mexican food. Confession: I dream about El Gato Negro at least once a month. To me, there are certain criteria that make an ok Mexican restaurant a great one. Sounds ridiculous, and my hubby rolls his eyes at me, but it must be something in my hispanic blood (at least I have that!) because, “great” Mexican food is the only thing that San Francisco is lacking. So what takes Mexican food to another level!?

Margaritas

Right now you are either confused or rolling your eyes at me too. I kid you not, in the Mission, where “all of the best Mexican food is,” 95% of the joints do not serve margaritas. I am sorry, but there is nothing more satisfying than washing down your chips and guacamole with a marg.

Burritos/Enchiladas

Aside from the chips and salsa, what is the next most common item you would expect to find at a Mexican restaurant? Burritos and enchiladas…that is what I thought. Again, unless you are at a taqueria, sippin’ on a diet coke, you will not find them on a dinner menu at SF establishments. Thank you Tia Margarita!

Queso Fundido

There is a difference between liquid ballpark nacho cheese and queso fundido. Queso fundido or flameado is a baked cheese dish that is broiled with vegetables and often times Chorizo, the Spanish sausage. To date, the only San Fran restaurant with queso fundido is Colibri. It is delicious, if you are willing to settle for a taco, burrito, and enchilada-less dinner.

Corn tortillas

I do not maintain a gluten free diet. In fact, I do not think that I could because I love bread, and pasta. However, to me, corn tortillas are not only tastier than flour, but they are lighter and often handmade. Think of them as the Mexican version of a pancake. Luckily Colibri and Tia Margarita offer them.

Moral of the story…if you live in SF and want queso fundido and a margarita for dinner, go to Colibri. If you can do without the extra cheese, but you are craving burritos and enchiladas with your margs, go to Tia Margarita. Considering we got our fundido fix earlier this week, we indulged at TM for Cinco de Mayo. Now do you see why my husband cuts me off when someone asks us about Mexican Cuisine in the Bay Area?!

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Levi’s Stadium (the San Francisco 49ers stadium) is home to Superbowl 50. Over the next week, football themed events and concerts are taking place throughout the city. Guess who is going to the Metallica concert Saturday night?! This girl! While I do not leisurely head-bang to heavy metal music, my hubby often listens to Metallica in the OR – to each his own. Head-banger or not, it happens to be the perfect occasion to rock my Super Bowl outfit. The ladies at Jest Jewels hooked me up with this festive black and gold tee (there’s still time to get yours – choose rush shipping if you’re outside of SF). Sports memorabilia can be ladylike when paired with the right accent pieces, that is why I styled this tee with sequined shorts, and a peplum leather jacket. There is nothing more feminine than sparkles and a fit and flare silhouette! I accessorized with a bejeweled football-shaped cocktail ring, and a floppy hat – both available at Jest Jewels. Polishing off the look with a pink lip, ready or not, here I come!

Recreate this look with the shoppable links below:
Top | Jacket – old – similar here and here | Shorts – old – love these and these | Ring | Hat

Thank you to Jest Jewels for sponsoring this post. All opinions are my own.

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My favorite five minute outfit is black on black with a pop of color. The color can come in many shapes or forms. Maybe it is your shoes, lipstick, or purse. In this instance, the turquoise cape cardigan was my splash of color. Underneath I paired skinny flares (this is not a typo) with a cold-shoulder mock-neck top from Current Clothing. When your ensemble isn’t amenable to a necklace, a good compromise is to wear a top with an interesting neckline. I accessorized with a gold tassel bracelet and fab floppy hat (thanks to the ladies of Jest Jewels!).

About those skinny flares…where have they been my whole life?! I cannot adequately describe my excitement when I came across ’em at H&M. A tapered leg like your go-to skinny jeans, flaring out to a modest bell bottom. The perfect happy medium if you ask me! This pair features distressed details and are only $34.99.

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Sweater | Pants | Boots | Hat | Bracelet

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It would not be New Year’s Eve without sequins and sparkles. Over the last decade the holiday season has truly become the “glitter season.” Last year I rung in 2015 in a metallic peplum top, but this year is officially a dress year. A bodycon midi is the perfect balance if comfort is a priority. The hip hugging silhouette shows off your curves, while the below the knee length keeps things classy. This glittery dress from Ambiance is classic with a twist, thanks to the mesh back and side paneling. When styling a statement piece, you do not want to over do it with accessories. That is why I paired this dazzler with matching t-strap sandals. To accentuate the gold and silver print, I stacked up some pewter bracelets, put on rhinestone earrings, and rocked a pair of gold 2016 glasses.

I hope you have some fun plans Thursday night. I am trying Rich Table for for the first time. Although I am not totally sure of the attire, fancy is always better in my book! I’ll let you know how it goes. Happy New Year!

Dress (Ambiance – Call Ashley (415)923-9796 to order) | Sandals | Glasses (Find at a Jest Jewels location near you) | Earrings

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With temperatures dropping and the holidays in sight, now is the time to wrap up in the most comfortable garment on the market, an open-front poncho. The Checkered Knit Poncho from Lord & Taylor makes a fabulous statement piece for fashionistas of all shapes and sizes. Add some autumn hues to a black on black ensemble, or create some drama over a mini skirt or dress. Also on a kick for faux suede, I combined the two, creating a cozy yet chic ensemble. The Shenandoah Olive Green Suede Mini Skirt from lulu*s was the perfect piece to peek out from underneath my stylish “snuggie.” Within the same color family as the poncho, yet contrasting enough to stand out, I paired this skirt with a black ruffle hem top and a wooden necklace.

I tied things together by incorporating chocolate brown booties into the mix, and polished off the look with an olive green clutch purse from Jest Jewels. The ensemble would not be complete without my pom-pom! Will you be trading in your fleece snuggie for a knit poncho this season?!

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Poncho (sale alert!) | Skirt | Shoes Joann by Leila Stone | Necklace (similar) | Clutch (Jest Jewels)

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Back in 2009, I wore this dress solo, with my hair long and straight, a nude lip, and a pair of peep-toe booties. Fast-forward to October 2015, and I completely transformed the look with a faux fur stole from Bebe. This simple addition not only fancied up the look, but it brought out the peacock design on the bodice of the dress. I further switched things up by incorporating black Stuart Weitzman over-the-knee boots. Minis and OTK boots is totally a thing this season, so this combo helped me refreshen the ensemble to current clothing standards! I polished off the look with a high ponytail and some glitzy earrings from Jest Jewels.

Think twice before you give that special article of clothing away. Chances are it’ll come back in style and you’ll be able to spruce it up with the latest and greatest in fashionable finds.

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With ample warning of this event taking place, I made it a point to take my time and find a stellar gown that wouldn’t break the bank. There’s nothing worse than spending a lot of money on a fancy shmancy dress that you’ll only wear once. With that in mind, I turned to my go-to online retailer, lulu*s! The Sorella Light Blue Maxi Dress was priced just right ($205!) and in one of my favorite silhouettes. This gorgeous strapless gown features a sweetheart neckline, and princess seams down the fit and flare bodice. Available in ivory and light blue, to me, this simple yet elegant dress is like a blank canvas awaiting the right accessories. Although you cannot see them, I kept it clean and paired this stunner with matching lace-up sandals (as seen in last month’s post, A Crop and a Midi). Knowing I would style my hair to the side, in a 1940’s wave, I was on the hunt for a pair of sizable statement earrings. Leave it to Jest Jewels to carry just the right pair of vintage Miriam Haskell ear bling. These one-of-a-kind earrings were like the icing on a cake – the perfect finishing touch. To go along with the whole old school Hollywood Glam theme, I toted around my belongings in a gold box clutch purse.

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Dress | Box Clutch (similar)| Sandals | Lipstick – Marvelous Mauve

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