In Spades

I can’t believe today marks the beginning of July. The summer has already flown by! Next week I’ll be back with my regularly scheduled posts, along with some exciting beauty reviews I’ve been promising. But first, I wanted to share a yummy outing my dear friend Lisa and I had last month at Plant Food and Wine in Venice Beach.

Lisa is always up for trying new restaurants so when she invited me to join her for vegan food at Plant Food and Wine I jumped at the chance. I had heard incredible things about their locally sourced ingredients (some grown right at the restaurant) and while neither of us is vegan, we knew we had to check it out.
We started off with their flora artisanal cheeseboard. I know what you’re thinking – how can dairy-free cheese be any good, but trust me, this was delicious. Made with nuts and truffles, each varietal was so incredibly creamy I couldn’t believe there wasn’t any dairy. Accompanied by their gluten-free fennel crackers, it was the perfect first course.We moved on to smoked hummus, smashed avocado and their MK salad with mixed greens, sprouts, avocado, hemp seeds, olives and lemon dressing. As an avocado lover, this course pretty much made my day. I could have stopped there and left a very happy lady, but we moved on to their curried cauliflower tacos and socca, which only got better. Socca is like a pancake made from leeks and garbanzo beans. They top it with fresh asparagus, heirloom tomatoes and mint. It was filling and savory in the best possible way.After dinner we of course had to order dessert. I normally can’t eat cheesecake so I was delighted to try their pistachio and ginger concoction (again, dairy-free!) topped with rhubarb. We also ordered a plate of their gourmet chocolates, bon bons and truffles. It was the perfect decadent end to a fabulous meal.The best part about our dinner was how satiated I felt afterwards. Rather than feeling like I needed a nap, I was energized and ready to take a walk around their organic garden. After dinner we ventured up to the culinary school with General Manager, Joey Repice. He gave us a tour of the space and we got to observe their chefs working on assignments for the day. It was so interesting to see the incredible care and focus that goes into creating each dish. Like fashion, it’s a form of artistic expression, and I love watching masters in their element.If you’re ever in Venice Beach I highly recommend stopping by Plant Food and Wine!

Statement pieces are what I live for.  When I first laid eyes on these pants, I felt like I had found the Seinfeld equivalent of the puffy shirt, but in a remarkably cool I-would-totally-wear-those way. Since volume and texture suit my wardrobe well, I went on the hunt for a more affordable alternative and struck gold with this pair. They are incredibly fun to wear – just try to walk down the street without dancing – and make for a nice substitute to standard black pants.  Paired with my newest shoe obsession, the mule, and a crisp popped collar, it’s classic sophistication with a twist.  Carolina Herrera would be proud.

I’m really excited about today’s post because I teamed up with one of my favorite San Diego boutiques to style a spring lookbook. La Femme Chic is a designer consignment boutique in the Cedros design district of Solana Beach that carries an amazing selection of clothing, handbags, shoes and accessories. If you’ve never visited their store, you must go. From Chanel, Hermes, Lanvin and Chloe, it’s a treasure trove of designer pieces at a fraction of the cost.

Spring time is all about spending time outside, whether it be dining al fresco, outdoor parties or wedding season, so I put together six looks for just about every occasion.

If you want to shop these looks (or their other amazing merchandise) La Femme Chic is offering 15% off to my readers. Use code INSPADES16 online or print this coupon to shop in store.

I’m always looking for an excuse to dress like a modern day Audrey and this look hit it out of the park. The pleated button-up and tuxedo pants are true classics that never go out of style. I love the little Chanel train case and two-toned heels paired with this to die for Nina Ricci jacket. Although velvet isn’t normally synonymous to spring, it’s voluminous sleeves and vibrant cobalt color are a great compliment to a classic ensemble.