Holiday Gift Guide with Minu Jewels!

Hello loves!

Happy Friday! Are any of you shopping today for Black Friday deals?  I can't believe its already almost the end of November, and thanksgiving has come and gone! Now to the December holidays and the new year!

I am trying my best to not spend money, as I am on a graduate student budget and my credit card bills and utilities are through the roof, and I have to save money for my upcoming trip, but a girl can dream right?? So making a wishlist/gift guide is what I am doing instead!

I am gearing up for a trip to visit my boyfriend's family in two weeks, and I am flying to Jordan, my first time in the middle east! I am really excited because it is the first time I have ever not spent Christmas time with my family, but it will be worth it to explore new things and places! My wanderlust bug is in full effect!! And what better way to prep for a trip to the middle east than by indulging in some mediterranean inspired jewelry from Minu Jewels. 

I was introduced to this brand by my good friend Chantal from Boyajian Trend Gallery, who curated a selection of jewelry from various designers, including Minu Jewels. I instantly fell in love with the various collections, handmade by the designer herself, Mina. And those of you who have been following me from the start, know about how much I LOVE statement jewelry and pieces; it is part of my identity at this point.

Here are some of my picks, for those of you who need gift ideas for that special fashionista, and not quite sure what to get. These are so pretty and fashionable, excellent statement pieces for any occasion, even wearing to the lab! 

           

STATEMENT NECKLACES
Tye Necklace	Turquoise Slice	Egyptian Turquoise Necklace
Rasha Necklace	Felisa Necklace	Bedouin Turquoise Necklace
Hala Necklace	Daria Necklace	Druzy Necklace

Fabulous Accessories for the Holidays - Accessorize with Montana Silversmiths

Hello!
Happy Thanksgiving! Here in the US this week is all about giving thanks, and appreciating what you have. And more importantly, its about taking some much needed time off from the lab!
I just finished some long days/late nights of just writing writing writing, and sent off a final draft to my labmates for revisions before sending off to the journal for *hopefully* acceptance for publication! So I left lab early on this pre-Thanksgiving afternoon, and I jumped right on to get some blog posts written for you that I have lined up!
I have a small holiday wishlist, and a lot of those things on my list are accessories, and pieces I can match with clothing and outfits I already own. A great way to spice up your outfits is by adding some extra bling and pizzazz with your accessories, including earrings and necklaces!
I am a big lover of dangly and sparkly earrings, in addition to pendant necklaces, so when I discovered Montana Silversmiths Jewelry, I was a huge fan of their selection of really pretty pieces. They have a lot of timeless, classy earrings and necklaces, and it was hard just choosing a few to style!
Here are a few of their pieces I was sent to style, and they are my favorite! I fell in love, and they are super affordable and great quality pieces that will last.

First, I styled these Retro Flair Open Fan Earrings with a casual outfit I wore to the lab, and they were super pretty and stylish. In addition, because they had some bling on them, they really stood out in contrast with my dark hair!

Coachella/Casual Inspired Look Part 2 - Tobi Skater Dress

Happy Hump Day!
So glad this week is flying by, so ready for the weekend again!
I have an important week next week coming up that I'm trying to prepare for (two interviews!) but I am trying to keep my cool!
Today I am bringing you another Coachella inspired Casual look from Tobi.com- can be worn to a festival or even just the lab - I think this pretty dress is super versatile and can be worn different ways! It was originally a dress - the Together Forever Skater Dress  in black! It was a really windy day so I decided to wear pants underneath to avoid any windy day mishaps if you catch my drift! But it can be worn by itself or as a longer shirt/tunic over pants or leggings! I like both styles! Wearing it with pants is a lot more appropriate for lab during the week, wearing as a dress is easier during the weekend, for example, going to brunch with friends!

Simple Chic work outfit - and a JazzyKreationz Statement Necklace

Hello!
Happy Friday!
Another week, another post! What a busy crazy week it has been, and its only been a 4 day week, with the day off on Monday!
The weather in LA has also been a little crazy, cold, then warming back up into the 80s/90s, to rain, to back to warm... what is this!? I would expect this weather from back home in MA but not in SoCal! Though I can't say I didnt love the rain!! I'm so excited for the weekend to relax and recharge, it has been a really busy week running around to different obligations and experiments/gathering some really great data!
Here is a simple chic outfit I wore to work, featuring the Brown-gold statement necklace, that is a handmade statement necklace from JazzyKreationz - a handmade and customizable necklace and jewelry store I discovered on instagram! This necklace is so simple yet so chic - I love the beaded pattern and detail! It definitely steals the spotlight from the rest of the outfit, which I kept simple to focus on this necklace! I also love the colors, perfect for a conference or simple outfit, have it be the focal point! I got a lot of compliments on this outfit and necklace, so I am so happy with it! Definitely check out Jazzy's store and see her other "kreationz!" She can customize a necklace or make one to order, so if there is something in mind that you want, definitely let her know! I love the other necklaces she makes as well, they are super chic!
I just wore a simple white t-shirt with a sparkly cardigan from a local store, along with my YMI jeans and ankle boots from Target! This is one of my go-to outfits since it is so simple and can be paired with a nice statement necklace to really add some style!

Malibu and Glam Necklace - weekend relaxing

Hello!
Happy Monday and happy February! I can't believe it is already the first of the month! January flew by!
I've been super busy with lab work and some outside things I am involved with, which is great because it gives me more of a work-life balance. I've been trying to leave lab at a reasonable time so I can have enough time to relax and workout when I get home. So far so good, and my stress levels are much lower!
I'm also working on rebranding my blog a little bit, adding a fitness aspect to it, because fitness and health has become a big aspect of my life recently, ever since I decided I needed to take care of myself. I am hoping to start writing some blogposts about lifestyle, fitness and health, and also start a youtube channel as well. I have been doing a beachbody program called 21 day fix and I saw results in 21 days, and I feel sooo much better - no more headaches or migraines! I am trying to help people as well so I signed up to be a coach, so if you are interested in doing a program with me, send me an email, I'd love to forward you some info on the program and have you join the challenge group that is starting next monday February 8!! I've started surrounding myself with a lot of positivity in this group, everyone is so great and posts every day to stay accountable, its exactly what I need right now.

Happy December - Fall Tribal Print Dress

Happy December!
I can't believe it is almost the end of 2015! Time is really flying!

I have been struggling these last couple of months with work and school, and the stress just really got to me. I have mentioned stress in my previous posts, but I have figured out the headaches I was getting every day were from a combination of stress, not sleeping enough or resting enough, and actually I think it was a migraine that remained during the last couple of weeks, which sucks.
Thanksgiving break came and I had a 4 day long weekend where I didn't think about work at all, hung out with different groups of friends, and relaxed. It was a great way to reset and my headache is gone! My baseline stress level is down, and again, it could be that I actually had a chronic migraine but I'm going to assume relaxing during thanksgiving did the body good!

I also found out I wasted three months of my research because things didn't work/had some fatal flaws where the protein I was working with wasn't what I thought it was... so that was pretty discouraging as well.

My goals for December, as it is a short month (with all the holidays), is to not stress out! to be happy in the moment, and to just take every task and every thing one step at a time! What are your goals for this month and into the new year?

Well, anyway, onto the fashion. I wore this really cute Tribal Print Dress I bought from Target a few weeks ago (Dress Similar Here) - and it was only $20! I loved the skater style of the dress, as it was flattering on my figure, and I really liked the lace pieces up by the top of the dress! I accessorized with some simple bangles and a statement necklace from Charlotte Russe (Similar Here) and a pair of simple black heels that I have styled before from Nine West (See Black Heels Similar Here). Also, I'm sporting the Apple Watch that I won, I have mixed feelings about it but it is cool to have a smart watch nonetheless!

What I wore and Cute DNA Necklace by Eclectic Eccentricity Jewelry!

Hi Guys!
Happy Halloween!
Today I bring you an outfit post of what I wore to #FabDILab event last weekend (recap coming early next week along with the winner of the Firmoo Giveaway!), and a really cute necklace that I want to showcase!
#FabDILab blogger conference was a great time, I learned so much, and I decided to wear this really cute Chambray dress that I bought myself from Charlotte Russe. It was nice because it was casual but still chic and could easily dress it up with heels! I decided to go with gold accessories, and it was the perfect opportunity to wear my Eclectic Eccentricity Paired for Life Double Helix DNA Necklace that I received and fell in love with! What a better opportunity to represent my blog at the conference and to stand out than a DNA necklace that is super cute!
I went to their site, eclecticeccentricity.com to look at their necklaces and they were all SO CUTE! I couldn't pick just one favorite! I adored their unique take on accessory main pieces! Everything was science and space themed, I wish I could have everything! From dinosaurs, to planets, to space ships, to DNA, to moon dust, to special element rocks, everything was so unique and beautiful!
The Double Helix DNA necklace is really great, it is a brass double helix pendant along with a small red Cherry Quartz and another quartz and hematite cubes on a gold plated chain! DNA is the basis of our entire world and being, so this is a really cute necklace to showcase the importance of science!

Green and Floral - don't let summer end!

Hello loves!

Hope your week is off to a great start!
I am still struggling with this tooth/head pain, hopefully it goes away soon! I am tired all the time, can't focus, have some headaches... but even in pain, I can pull off some cute outfits with a smile! I am particularly loving this floral green shift dress I bought while I was in Cyprus, and wore out to dinner the other night with my boyfriend, dad and brother! I fell in love with this print, and I have a similar blouse from the same brand, Oasis, and when I saw the dress in Debenham's, I had to get it! It is perfect since it is not so tight, a little looser so even though in some shots it isn't as flattering, I still like the way it looks! Paired with some nude heels to lengthen my legs, I think the outfit was a hit!

Fringe and Metal

Hello loves,

I bring you another outfit post, for an outfit that I am obsessed with, featuring fringe and another statement necklace. 

I had a rather rough week last week, I wasn't feeling so great and I had a recurring headache that evolved into a migraine, so that was fun. Not sure if it was due to stress, allergies, a combination of over working, being tired, stress, environment/pollen??? But I am feeling much better after relaxing this weekend and my paper was officially accepted to the journal! So I was super happy and I treated myself to a manicure, lunch, and drinks on Friday. Laughter really helped alleviate my headaches, and being surrounded by good people really helped! 

I love this outfit because it is rather simple and proper to wear to lab, yet still edgy enough to have some style! I bought this fringe top and statement metal necklace from Express, and I fell in love with how it all looks together! Paired with my usual dark Zara jeans (which, I have to go shopping to get new pants, too much wear has caused some holes... anyone else have this problem?!), some low heeled booties from Sam&Libby at Target, along with some accent bangles (cute Tassel bracelets from Charlotte Russe), I loved this outfit! 

Sunny days and Stress free weekend!

Hello everyone!
Happy Monday! I am back with an outfit post, something that I was able to put together rather quickly based on some new finds from this weekend!
I was very stressed out the last couple of weeks because I was preparing a manuscript/paper for publication, and we finally submitted it on Friday to the journal! I was so happy and excited, and it literally felt like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders! I had some recurring headaches due to stress and now they are gone! It is a relief.
On Saturday I went to a sidewalk sale in Santa Monica, where a store was selling lightly used clothing, shoes, jewelry, etc. for $1, and all of the proceeds went to charity! I bought three pairs of shoes (which I will showcase in some outfits soon!), and some dresses and tops! I bought this really cute button up top from Express, which I am wearing here, and the material is just so soft. The color was a little blah/beige but from how I styled it, it really looks good!
On Sunday, I needed to get out of the house and have a change of scenery. I went to the Getty Villa Museum with the boyfriend, and it was beautiful! It sits on the Pacific Coast Highway, with amazing views of the ocean, and the gardens are just so beautiful. I have been wanting to go for a while now. There is one garden where there is a large pool of water with lots of pretty trees and flowers around it, but the water was drained due to the horrible California drought we are having. But it was still beautiful, nonetheless, and I am happy that the museum is making efforts to conserve water during this tough time!

ExpBio Day 5 - The Final Presentation

Hello everyone!

Sorry for the lateness of this post, but I was exhausted with all the running around at the end of the conference! I bring you the last post in my series of Conference Fashion posts for the Experimental Biology Meeting I went to in Boston this week! The last day of the conference was Wednesday, and I was presenting my data in a poster session (see last photo of the post!). I was sad to be done in Boston, as I fell in love with the city and the city life. I was also sad the conference was over, as I had learned so much going to all of the talks and interacting with all of these great, intelligent people! 

A lot of people came to my poster, and I was excited because most of the people I saw give talks came to talk to me and hear about my research. I got a lot of great ideas and had some amazing conversations about new research in the field! I am inspired to go back and do more experiments!

I wasn't going to photograph my last outfit, as I had a really hard time deciding what to wear (I changed about 4 times, all too early in the AM before I had to pack my things and check out before setting up my poster at the convention center! can you say STRESS??!). BUT, I am really happy with how my outfit turned out, very professional and sleek! 

I decided I wanted to wear this greenish-turquoise statement necklace from Forever21, so I tried to put together pieces that would be simple and work well with the color and piece! (Statement necklace dictating the outfit for the win!)

ExpBio 2015: Day 3 - Reppin the Blue and Gold

Happy Monday!
Today is Day 3 of the Experimental Biology 2015 conference here in Boston, MA, and it is getting good!
I woke up early today to head to a Post Translational Modifications Session on Arginine Modifications, and it was great! I learned a lot about the research that is going on in my field, and I got to meet another professor who I have collaborated with/tested some enzyme activity. The session was 2.5 hours long, but it seemed to fly by. Each talk was about 20ish minutes I believe, and there are some really interesting things going on in the arginine modification world! One of the most interesting things I learned is about Arginine Phosphorylation in bacteria! If you are knowledgable about the eukaryotic proteasome degradation system, you know that proteins get marked for degradation by ubiquitination, which then signals shuttling/entrance into the proteasome and then the protein will get degraded.
Apparently, some bacteria, specifically Bacillus subtilis have an arginine kinase, that originally was identified as a tyrosine kinase. First off, I didn't know that arginine could get phosphorylated. Second, this phosphorylation is thought to work as a degradation marker for the proteasome in these bacteria! I did not know about this. The fact that arginine, which is positively charged, can become a bulky entity with now a large negative charge, I guess it just never crossed my mind!
After this session, I attended a bioinformatics session on how to find proteins with unknown function through online database searches and groupings. I learned how to use new online tools that I will check out to learn more about my enzyme and its orthologs!

Experimental Biology 2015 Conference - Day 1 Fashion and Recap

Hello!
I am reporting to you live from Boston, MA, where I am attending the Experimental Biology 2015 Conference, as a member of the ASBMB! I am going to be blogging about the conference daily, so be on the look out for new posts from now until Wednesday! This is different than my regular posting schedule where I post twice a week on Mondays and Thursdays, so I hope I don't overwhelm you with my posts! And I will be talking about some science, but I will try to integrate conference fashion as a relevant topic!

My Conference and blogging essentials: My camera, my conference badge, my iPad to take notes and update social media, and a staple, a statement necklace!