Apothica $50 GIVEAWAY!

Starting today, I am giving away a $50 Apothica gift card to one lucky reader!!

A lot of you have been asking what types of makeup, skin care, and hair care products I use. Well, Apothica is one online shop that I can always go to for the latest beauty products. They have all of my favorite brands: Smashbox Cosmetics, Bobbi Brown, La Mer, Nars, Too Faced, YOU NAME IT, THEY HAVE IT! I'm really excited to be giving away $50 to my favorite online beauty store. (The gift card can be used at SkinCareRx.com, Apothica.com, and SkinBotanica.com!!)

To enter this giveaway simply:

1. Follow me on BlogLovin'
2. Comment below and leave your email address!
3. Visit Apothica.com and either Tweet us (@Apothica and @Natalieoffduty), write on Apothica's Facebook, OR tell me what you think about Apothica in a blog post and link it in your comment! The choice is yours!

This contest will run for 2 weeks, until Thursday, January 6th, where the lucky winner will be announced!! GOOD LUCK!

Don't forget to follow me on TWITTER for timely updates as well as to see who won the contest!

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Slots of Fun Part 2

(Vintage salmon blazer, Rich & Skinny Jeans)

Here is part 2 to my holiday trip to Vegas! I had lot of fun frolicking the old streets of downtown for a morning. It was nice to get away from the Vegas Strip for a little bit and see the older hotels and a little bit of Vegas history. It became obvious why everyone has migrated over to the brightly lit Strip where the hotels are new and the people are trendy. Right now, the "it" hotel is definitely The Cosmopolitan. It is absolutely beautiful! It was strange walking through a quiet and much less crowded Venetian. Makes me think that one day in the future I will look back at this post and laugh seeing that The Cosmopolitan hotel is "old". One new hotel, and suddenly the others seem like old news. Anywhooo, back to what I wore.
I packed this lovely vintage blazer that I found thrifting in Silverlake. It's such a nice coral, salmon color. Made of cashmere and wool, it is priceless! Once again, I had to wear the dotted sweater. Sorry, but it's one of my faves! I only brought one pair of skinny jeans by Rich & Skinny in my suitcase. I swear they never stretch out and fit like a glove. I did so much walking, eating, and shopping in Vegas. It was definitely an unforgettable mini vacation! I'm so happy that I still get one more free week at home before the new year. I'm taking advantage of this time to meet up with old friends and finally pick up the books I've been wanting to read.
I cannot believe 2010 is coming to a close. I'm excited for whats to come, but also a bit nervous. I've got a lot on my plate but I promise to make the best of it! I'm wishing you all a very wonderful week and signing off this year with a kiss!

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Slots of Fun Part 1

(Vintage skirt, H&M dotted sweater and parka, Cole Haan boots, Bally Bag; Urban sweater and vintage shirt top)

Hey guys! I'm back! I was gone on holiday for a bit this past week. This years destination? VIIIVVA LAS VEGAS!! My family and I took a road trip out to Sin City for a short getaway. We escaped the drab, rainy days here in LA for something a little more... alive! This was probably one of my favorite trips to Vegas. I feel like we really got to see everything Vegas has to offer. There was great food, entertainment, and shopping. I took a bit too many photos, but I love them all! As for my wardrobe, I found myself mixing polka dots, florals, and cargo into a single look. Usually I opt for basics, but it's Vegas, so why not go a little crazy with my wardrobe?! I'm pretty much obsessed with this dotted sweater and will wear it with anything, even if that means clashing prints! Part 2 of my Vegas trip to come!

Most of all, I want to wish each and every one of you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Thank you for joining me on this crazy ride this year. I'm so happy to have such amazing, supportive readers. 2011 is bound to be crazier and I can hardly wait!

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Rain Rain Go Away!

(Doris Apparel sweater, Issac Mizrahi shirt)

These photos shockingly turned out to look a lot like something you'd see in a J. Crew or Gap catalog. Playful and fun, these snapshots were taken on my front porch. I love the put together, buttoned to the top, collegiate look at the moment! This sheer black top is perfect for layering under a pullover sweater. Right now I am living in this one from Doris Apparel, one of my blog sponsors.

It's been raining so much here in California the past few days and I haven't been too enthusiastic about what I wear. Seriously, it has not stopped and it is driving me nuts! I cannot wait till this storm passes. I want it to be safe to drive over 10 mph on the road again aaaaand I want to wear something remotely blog-worthy. Until then, I'm trying to stay dry all while gearing up for the holidays!

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Me photographed and filmed by Sharon Gong

fever from Sharon Gong on Vimeo.

(Photography and Video by Sharon Gong)

Sharon Gong and I have been planning to shoot together for months and we finally got to meet up last Sunday for a little photo/video shoot! I'm so happy I got to meet this lovely lady in person. I've been such a fan of her all her work even since stumbling upon her blog a year ago. I was shocked at how humble and smart this young lady is for her age. She is only 16 and has such a fresh take on photography and art. I love how her work is so mysterious, haunting, but most of all, just completely beautiful and magical. It tells a story. We had the best time shooting up high on the side of a mountain in between the trees and the brush. Surrounded by nature with gorgeous views of all of Los Angeles. I'm so pleased with the result and am so happy I got to work with this talented ingenue! I can only see bright things coming for this great girl! See all of Sharon Gong's artwork and photography here!

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Through the Fog

(River Island cable knit sweater from ASOS, Vintage Versace shorts, 80%20 ankle boots, H&M parka, Bally bag)

This week has been so busy! I've been on so many castings I can't even count, shot for Joe's Jeans, and still managed to take a few outfit shots. I've gotten to the point where it's hard for me to even remember what I did the day before, but then I look through my Canon, and I'm like "Oh yeah, that was fun!" Welp, we had a very foggy day here in Los Angeles this week. This type of weather really gets my hair feeling all wet and slimy, not my favorite! I stayed cozy in an amazing wool blend cable knit and a pair of vintage denim shorts. In fear of rain completely upsetting my high-maintenance bangs (i kid), I trampled about town with my giant parka. Overall, it was a beautiful day in an outfit I plan on putting on repeat.

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