HAPPY HOLIDAYS

With the holidays upon us and in the wake of the recent snowfalls we've experienced, there hasn't been as much time as I had hoped to get out to take new photographs. With things being busier at work and home, I also haven't had any time to update this blog. My new year's resolution is to get out more often and take more pictures. Stay tuned and from my family to yours, Happy Holidays & New Year!

Happy New Year 2010!!!

(This post is pre-schedule for automatically posting)

Hi everyone,
When you're reading this post, I'm already at Colorado for our family winter ski trip. I can't believe that it's almost 2010! I'd love to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to you all for your wonderful continuing support and your love of my blog. I appreciate it very much and I hope your support and love continue on into next year. I wish you all a new year full of love, peace, health, happiness and may your wishes come true!!!!
What are you doing for New Year's Eve? staying home or going to party? If you're going out for a New Year's party, what would you wear? My outfit below, which I may or may not wear (haven't decided yet) is for a New Year's Eve party at the Ritz- I'm so excited to share it with you guys. This is my favorite dress ever, because I wore it at my wedding, and here I style it with Ann Demeulemesster 14 buckles belt. I don't know if you all are tired of seeing this belt but I'm never tired of wearing it. Here is the outfit!

Fully buckled.
Fully buckled in the back.
Here is the dress without Ann D belt. I accidentally found this dress at the old Calvin Klein boutique store in Dallas ( used to be in Highland Park Village) after months of looking for my wedding dress at lots of bridal salons. The ones at the salons have mostly more details and lots of things going on. I just wanted a white, simple, sleek and stylish dress, because I also wore two other dresses (one traditional Vietnamese for my mom's family, and old century Chinese style dress for my dad's family) which has more details and busy. This dress is two pieces; the opened back top and the full long A-line skirt and it was perfectly worn for my first dance (I had my hair up with crystal tiara). Another reason that I chose this dress is because it's less expensive than a real bridal dress, and I want to wear it again for a fancy party or gala night or something like that...I don't want it just hanging in my closet, and after all, who knows if my kids will want to wear it for their special day. But when they saw me wearing this dress for the photo shoot, they say that they want to wear it for their high school graduation day. I hope it will fit them ;-)

Once more wishing you all and your family a wonderful, joyful, peaceful, healthful, delightful, successful new year 2010!!!!!!!

See you next year ;-) when I get back home!

Big hugs and kisses...Hanh ;-)

Ps: Necklace by Annie Costello Brown. It can be worn single layer (as you see I had it on in the previous post in the first outfit with Yohji grey top) or doubles layers.

Rick Owens Jacket with Blue Scarf

Hi everyone,
Thank you very much for your Xmas wishes. I hope you all had a wonderful time with your family and friends on the Christmas holiday, and Santa brought lots of presents to you all. I know that he did for my kids and he brought for me a fabulous umbrella which is the only present that I wished for. I love this Louis Vuitton umbrella, it's more glamorous than I expected. I just wanted to have a nice umbrella and big enough to keep me out of the rain. Thank you sweet Santa!

This blue scarf from Club Monaco is one of my favorite scarves in my closet, its color is perfectly pops out in winter time. Wearing with Rick Owens strong-shoulders leather jacket, the Row leggings, Zara black turtle neck, Yohji grey top.

Pierre Hardy shoes.

Rick Owens jacket is something that I can never say no to. I'm just crazy about his jacket creations. Again, I style it with the Row leggings (these leggings are such a great investment piece, they look fab on and I've worn them countless times. It's worth it to buy), Phillip Lim black turtle neck and Zara creamy sleeveless dress.

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday weekend!!

Kisses...Hanh ;-)

PS: The gloves in both outfits are no brand and DIY cut-out to be fingerless gloves

Red

Hi everyone,
Before I talk about "Red", I have exciting news. Life-in-Travel got featured in an Irish Fashion Magazine called EVE. Big thank you to Vicki who made this article happen! she has her own fabulous blog at magpie-girl.

RED

I got the cutest tag from Mads to find 7 red things in my room or house. I'm not a red person. But luckily, my living room has been transformed with lots of red during the Christmas season,

so there are tons of red things around me. I'd like to pass this tag to Mom and Son, Bisou-Joue, Mode Junkie, for 7 blue things around the house. I hope you have fun with this tag. Here are my red things:

The Tibet art- watercolor hand painting hanging over fireplace brought home from Tibet; red candles on the mantle; red ribbon; red stockings; red Xmas Santa toys...

Xmas tree with red ornaments. This hand made red quilt with mirrors was bought home by my hubby from India.
Red throws.
This is also something red; Tao sweaters paired with second hand Comme des Garcons skirt, Jil Sander thigh high boots. It was below 40 F degrees when I had these photos taken, I had a thick jacket on but it's not showing in the pics. This year, the weather is much colder, and this reminds me of 15 years ago when I just moved here. The first couple of winters was pretty cold like this year, then it started getting warmer...I've been enjoying this cold, so that I can dress in layers and bring out the leather jacket, sweater, hat, scarf, gloves, boots...especially sitting in front of the fireplace, drinking hot chocolate, telling stories with my hubby and my kids - it is such a cozy feeling. Nice thing about winter in Dallas is that it's cold for a week or so and then it has a couple of warm days to take a break from the cold. It normally snows a couple of times during winter, I wish we had more...beautiful snow! because my kids just love it. Although it's uncomfortable if it's too cold, as it is up north.
Remembering the past posts, we had pics taken for the family Xmas card and this is what it looks like. The kids' pic is more clear in person.

I wish this holiday season brings peace, love, joy to you and your family!!!

Merry Christmas!!!!

Kisses...Hanh ;-)

Pearly Gray

As you can see at the Rick Owens runway fall 09, it started off in dark black (we see this color most at his show). After a few solid black monochrome looks, all that suddenly shifted into icy blue, pearly gray, palest beige. All the genius of his vision came to light-the color of future, but classic. After that, we've seen those colors all over the runway of spring 2010. It's become fresh and it has the color for this fall and for the future.

You also see every look was constructed around a high-necked, strong-shouldered leather jacket at his runway fall 09. This is one of the looks.

Long coat version.
From Net-a-Porter. com

I have to say that this futurist-classic jacket is the ultimate style statement, an investment piece. I paired it with similar shades for a fresh fall aesthetic; Madewell tee, F21 leggings, Nicholas Kirkwood for Rodarte shoes. These shoes are also a statement piece in this outfit, so I keep jewelry free and light make-up.
GOOD TIME FOR BAKING
December is an exciting month of the year; Xmas lights, Xmas music, Xmas shopping, Xmas party, time for family and friends to get together with joy. All of this gives you a great feeling of Xmas spirit. It is also the perfect time for baking. I've been enjoying baking with my kids; pumpkin bread, banana nut bread, fruit pie, cookies... things they love to do, too. Every year, this month is a baking-marathon for us and we love it!

My kids enjoyed helping me to repair the crust for baking berry pie.

Berry pie.
They enjoyed doing cut-out cookies.
Enjoy conversation with sister.
This is how the cookies turn out. The cookie cutters were recently bought at Williams Sonoma. The fun thing about these cookie cutters is that you can create your own messages. And here are: Happy Holidays, Season Greeting, Life in Travel...really fun!

Hope you all have a joyful weekend with family and friends!!Happy holidays!!!

Big hugs...Hanh ;-)

PS: Don't hesitate to ask for the berry pie recipe if you want it!