What to do in the City of Sin

Hi All! Sorry for the radio silence the last few days. I was in Las Vegas this past weekend with my hubby and friends for a off season trip (and a little birthday celebration for him). Let me start this post by saying I love going to Vegas, but a trip in December is not the same as a trip during the summer. Because the pools are closed, your daytime hours need to be filled with other activities, many of those gambling.

We all made the decision at the start of this trip to do Vegas on the cheap and spent our nights at the recently remodeled Flamingo and spent our gambling hours at New York, New York, Harrah's and Casino Royale. The Flamingo was a pretty decent choice for a Vegas hotel. We were able to stay Friday and Saturday night for $84 a night after taxes and the rooms were decent, but what makes Flamingo is its strip location. Caesar's Palace is directly across the street and we are centrally located to a lot of the casinos we want to hit, especially since we found ourselves ending our nights at the $3 craps tables at Casino Royale, which was just down the street.

Our Humble Abode for the Weekend Debauchery

I have to say we were lucky this weekend with the weather. In past years, December can be down right cold, but this weekend was great with temps in the low 70s/high 60s all day and more importantly all night long. This allowed for us to not worry about bundling up and rock our fun outfits both day and night, even during Las Vegas winter.

Friday night we went for a more casual night out. Having just drove 4 hours from LA, we weren't relaxing and mixing up some drinks in the room until just before 6pm. As a result no one was getting ready for a super fancy night out. Instead we all decided to rock our skinny jeans get the night started. We hit some Mexican restaurant at the Flamingo at 10pm for dinner and then we were off to play $3 Craps and $5 Blackjack at Casino Royale. The tables were hot that night and I earned the nickname Sparkles with a roll that lasted over 45 minutes. Everyone was having a great time, and I found myself wrapping up for the night around 3:30am with our friend Daniel - I was glad that he was still with me to walk back together. I will also say that my decision to wear flats Friday night was one of the best choices I made. First of all, I am already taller than all the other girls and some of the guys in our group, so I don't have to wear heels, and having stood at Craps for over 4 hours, I am glad I could walk home comfortably.

Friday Night...Sin City Style by preppy-lizzy featuring photo jewelry

Saturday during the day, we enjoyed brunch at The Bellagio. If you ever go, get the Maryland Crab Cake Eggs Benedict. I try to go every time we are in Vegas because they are that good. We then spent the rest of the day wandering the strip, hitting New York, New York where we redeemed our futures bet on the Heat winning the NBA finals last year, and Heather, Kathryn and I played Roulette for the first time. It was a really fun day and the dealer working the Roulette table was so helpful and fun that the time went by fast. Again I went for comfort first and was glad when we were getting ready for Saturday night that my feet were fresh and I was ready to go.

Saturday Day...Sin City Style by preppy-lizzy featuring j crew

Saturday night we hit this really cool outdoor bar with tables and a kick ass live band. It was situated between Harrah's and the Flamingo. The tables were cheap, the drinks not too bad and if you were gambling they actually gave you decent drinks (not all casinos give out decent drinks). I was so happy to get our dance on and the tent ceiling had heat lamps so we were not cold, but also not sweaty either. Perhaps the most perfect dancing conditions I have ever experienced in Vegas.

Now I will say that I am just not a club person, I love lounges and bars with dance floors but I hate how pretentious clubs are (especially Vegas clubs), so I try to avoid them if at all possible. You have so many other options in Vegas so why put yourself through the torture of paying a bunch of money to get into a club, only to pay for drinks that are double the price of any Vegas bar, and then be yelled at by bouncers if you even try to sit down at a table that you did not reserve. Ugh, not for me. But this night was amazing and I am glad my hubs and friends were there with me.

Anyways, it was my goal to keep my Sparkles nickname alive and I did my best to live up to the expectation. Still, I am not sure if I can ever go gamble at Casino Royale again, unless I am rocking something sequined.

Saturday Night...Sin City Style by preppy-lizzy featuring a cuff bracelet

Finally Sunday morning, we checked out and headed to Caesar's Palace to catch the morning football games and grab some brunch. We ate at Munch Bar which has great burgers and then hit the road. Honestly if you are in the mood for some good burgers with great topping choices, hit Munch. You will be satisfied when you leave.

Sunday Day...Sin City Style by preppy-lizzy featuring a leather shoulder bag

Holiday Obsession: Candles!

I adore candles. I love having the three wick scented candles from Bath and Body Works all over our house throughout the year, but I think I go even more overboard during the holiday season. I adore that they turn our house into a winter wonderland and help disguise the fact that our Christmas tree is actually plastic!

For the past few years I have made sure I always hit the Bath and Body Works Candle sale to pick up their three wick candles for $10 instead of their regular price of $20. I get 4 candles and they last me all season long (and I light 2 every night for a few hours a night).

There are tons of great options out there for Holiday Candles and they make a great hostess gift during the holiday season. Mix it up and bring one of these to you next holiday party instead of a bottle of wine. Here are some of my favorites this year.

What I'm Loving.. Holiday Candles by preppy-lizzy on Polyvore

1. 'Tis the Season 3 Wick Candle from Bath and Body Works ($20). This may be my favorite scent this holiday season - I got 2 of them at the sale because I want this scent in my living room all holiday long. They are also great because the 3 wick model can burn up to 45 hours.
2. Winter 3 Wick Candle from Bath and Body Works ($20). A great light wintry scent. It reminds me of being bundled up, playing in the snow at my parents' country house in Upstate NY over Christmas. Like the 3 Wick Candle above, this candle can also burn for up to 45 hours.
3. Metallic Red Ball Candle from Crate and Barrel ($8.95). I adore how this candle looks like a ornament. It is a great decoration for any table and a great hostess gift or stocking stuffer.
4. Holiday Warmth and Light Candle from Aveda ($32). This great soy wax candle has hints of organic ginger, ginger lily and clove. It is an amazing scent and beautiful to boot.
5. DIPTYQUE Holiday Set of 3 Mini Candles ($100). This set is so beautiful and like all DIPTYQUE candles you know they are high quality. The three scents are Feu de Bois (Wood Fire), Oliban (Frankincense), and Opopanax. Each candle can burn up to 30 hours and makes a beautiful gift for the hostess that is putting you up for a week.
6. Williams-Sonoma Essential Oils Box Candle in Winter Berrry ($20). This candle comes in a beautiful red jar and is a blend of pomegranate, cassis, sweet orange, cloves and cedar. All some of my favorite holiday scents. This candle can also burn up to 50 hours.
7. Fantastic Craft "Snow Bark" Pillar Candle from Nordstrom ($14). This is also a great option because it stands out like option 3 as being a decoration as well as a candle. I would recommend putting this candle on a silver coaster or cap to prevent drips on your table, but luckily drips down the side of this candle only heighten its rustic look.
8. Royal Kew Gardens Collection Candle in Wild Fig ($16). While not a traditional holiday candle, this British made candle is a nice choice for those who want to highlight traditional holiday fruits such as figs. It is made of soy wax and can burn up to 35 hours.
9. Pier 1 Holiday Forest Candle Gift Set ($12) is a great mix of a scented balsam fir candle with some decorative qualities attached. Pier 1 is a great source for holiday decorations and their candle section is no exception.

Blazer Obsession

I have a serious blazer obsession. I rock them almost on a daily basis. You may call them my work uniform, but since I work as a engineer, it is important to have an item that can dress up your look but is also removable if you have to get your hands dirty.

Recently I have started working off site at a supplier spending my day between my office and the shop floor. I need to be able to present an authoritative and professional appearance in my meetings, but also be approachable when I head to the floor to work with the technicians. As a result I have fallen back on my standard uniform of black dress pants or dark wash trouser jeans, a blouse or sweater and one of my many blazers.

Blazers are also a great way to put a personal stamp on an otherwise standard cookie-cutter look. I have a wide range of styles and colors in blazers, much like people who have a variety of cardigans. They let me exude some personality while still staying professional and focused.

My last reason that I adore blazers is that I live in Southern California and it rarely gets cold enough for an actual fall or winter coat. As a result I rely on blazers to double as a jacket against the SoCal winters of 50 to 60 degrees.

Here are some of my current blazer obsessions.

What I'm Loving by preppy-lizzy featuring tall jackets

1. The JCrew Schoolboy blazer in grape ($120) is one of my favorite blazers these days. The wool weight is finally not too hot in LA. Also the color paired with the gold buttons is beautiful and rich looking. I like rolling up the sleeves on this piece too. The lining is another great preppy feature (pinstriped).
2. This tuxedo jacket from Mango is amazing ($115). I love the white with the black detailing. It automatically ups the luxe factor and it has a nice sheen making it a great piece for cocktails, parties, etc.
3. This Topshop jacket ($130) is a great standard black blazer. I personally have my Calvin Klein piece that I use when I need a good neutral black choice but I love the dusty rose lining on the Topshop option and this one is very similar to the style i already use regularly. A black blazer is great because it can go from day to night and be easily paired with black slacks or pencil skirt for a quick suiting look.
4. This is another one of my favorite J.Crew wool blazers ($209). I have an older model with grey piping instead of white, but it is a great classic preppy topper. Love navy for a blazer and the wool weight is great for the colder fall months.
5. This is a piece I found at H&M that has an unbeatable price ($40). The style is also a little funkier than a traditional blazer, but the tweed fabric keeps it in the professional range. This would be fun with jeans, pants, crops or a great pencil skirt.
6. I'm obsessed with this 3.1 Phillip Lim Navy asymmetrical blazer. I adore the feminine cut and on sale for $197 its a great price for such a luxe piece. I am hoping beyond hope I am able to find this somewhere because it seems to have sold out almost everywhere.
7. This grey jade blazer from Monki is so cool I had to include it. The draping is really flattering and the zipper on the shoulder is a cool twist. This color is also a great neutral and for $59 its a great price for a different kind of piece.
8. This Helmut Lang blazer with leather detailing is a dream luxe piece at $545 but its structure is beautiful and would last a lifetime. The leather edging is a nice touch on a very feminine cut.
9. This gold sequin blazer is also a dream luxe piece by Alice and Olivia. I have a very similar style from INC that I got for a tenth of the price of this piece but its a few seasons old. If you are looking for a gold sequin blazer look for something that is more boxy and short rather than a traditional blazer shape. It's more versatile and younger looking. I would not spend too much on this type of jacket though since its a piece you will only wear on rare occasions.