What I Wore: Everything Old, Nothing New to Soyka's Media Dinner

In getting dressed for Soyka's media dinner recently, I ran into a bit of a dilemma; the 'I have nothing to wear,' stand-in-front-of-your-closet-for-thirty-minutes-moment. But what I really meant in translation was 'I have nothing new to wear.' My closet is no where near the size of some of my fellow bloggers and definitely not small by any means, so I decided to kick myself in the ass and figure something out - fast. 

By rearranging some older pieces I came up the above ensemble, which got complimented by fellow guests and strangers a like. Thus, I decided to breakdown my old-is-new outfit, so that fellow fashionistas  Recessionistas don't always have to feel like they have buy something new to have something to wear. Just get creative. Each of the above pieces had been worn before with something else, but never together. 

The Breakdown:
Jacket - thrift find, $7!
T-shirt - Ashley G and Drew illustration on Black Poppy tee.
Jeans - Banana Republic.
Shoes - Bondage black stilettos by Guess.
Clutch - Actually has no brand label on it, but I think I got it at Ross...?
Earrings - My "signature" triangle silver studs. I'm sure they are on this blog already somewhere.

P.S. If you're on a tight budget or just want to get creative (or clean out), spend one of these rainy afternoons putting together outfits. Then snap your ideas so you don't lose track of what you did and have an automatic reference for impromptu outings.

That's me on the right, clearly in mid-sentence. Snapped by fellow guest, Jipsy. 

Luv,

Li

TOMBOY TALK: MIAMI HEAT GEAR FOR GIRLS

The unofficial leader of the female Heat Nation, Wade's g/f Gabrielle Union. 

In case you didn't know, I'm a die hard Miami Heat fan. I've been going to games since they were at the Miami Arena, during the heyday of Hardaway and Mourning. But since then, it's always been tough to find Heat fan looks that don't make me look like a small young boy (my Wade jersey is kid-sized and given my new short hair, solving this problem is especially imperative). After peeping a Refinery29 article highlighting one sole team tank, I decided to scour the internet some. The Heat super trio also dons the best dressed dudes in the league, so there's really no excuse for Miami fans not to follow suit (pun intended). 

To segway into this post, remember wayyyyy back when Mya rocked a North Carolina jersey dress and everyone swooned? Well, I'm having similar moments with these girl-worthy Miami Heat looks and gear. I promise that nothing is bedazzled.

Charmdeliers Shop Heat Bracelets

Peep them here. They're perfect for stabbing annoying opposing team fans. 

Drobe via LadyFanatics.com

Antigua Miami Heat Ladies Frisky Henley Tank Top - $27.95. Buy here. Yes, we can have boobs and cheer for sports teams without looking like sluts! Woohoo!

Ne-Yo Performs at the Fontainebleau for the Malibu Red Launch and BleauLive Series Kickoff

Saturday, May 12, recording artist Ne-Yo took to the Ocean Lawn stage at the Fontainebleau to mark the official Miami launch of Malibu Red and the hotel's BleauLive series. The tequila and rum fusion spirit served guests four new signature (and complimentary) cocktails that played off traditional tequila and rum mixes (see photo after the jump). Ne-Yo's set was backed with a full band, complete with three background singers, a keyboardist, drummer, guitarist, trombonist, saxophonist, and trumpeter.

Despite the event being dubbed "live" series, I was still surprised by the band's presence and Ne-Yo's lack of a backtrack: I'm not sure if my surprise says more about my expectations or the state of today's live performances. Regardless, Ne-Yo serenades and struts the stage seemingly effortlessly: He popped and pulsated on cue, compising the band through their synchronized crescendos. 

Though Ne-Yo's collaboration with Malibu isn't the first artist+alcohol brand, sales-driven team-up, Malibu sold me by fusing my two favorite spirits into one. I'm not sure if this increases or decreases the chance of  a "mixing drinks" hangover, but I'll let you know when I find out. 

In the meantime, feel free check out some cell phone snap shots after the jump. 

My pal Janelle (left) and I (right). 

Concert Review and Photos: Maná at the AmericanAirlines Arena

Maná: Friday, May 11 at the AmericanAirlines Arena

I will start by saying that I am fully aware of Maná's reoccurring themes - love, heartbreak, forgivingness, blah, blah, blah - but I don't really care, they were still (French warning) fucking amazing. I would rather listen and watch Maná share their longings than some bachatero with plucked eyebrows, background dancers, and tight pants. As a bilingual individual, I find that there are only a handful of Spanish-speaking bands and artists that can truly transcend language barriers, and I'm convinced that Maná is one of them.

Friday's concert had no opening act, with Maná delivering an exhilarating, two-and-a-half hour show that was free of overly-done gimmicks. Miami's pitstop also marked the close of their Drama y Luz U.S. tour, one that broke the record for the most performances held at Los Angeles' Staples Center (surpassing mega-stars like Madonna, U2, and Britney Spears).

I won't go too much into details about the band's history and laundry list of awards (just plug in some Googling), but I will say that if you have the opportunity to catch them live, do so. Lead singer Fher Olvera's voice live is as pure as it sounds on any record. He's also a captivating performer, whose awkward dancing gestures often illicit a chuckle, but still add to his overall intrigue. Guitarist Sergio Vallin and drummer Alex González each got respective solos, but it was the latter that stole the show. González' set sat on a hydraulic stage that rotated to face each side of the audience. After a fifteen minutes of  (French warning) banging the shit of his drums - i.e. standing on his chair, flipping his sticks, drumming his hands behind his back, slamming a gauntlet, and pulling a bottle of tequila out of his set - González was met with a rip-roaring standing ovation that lasted almost two minutes.

Midway through the show, the band popped-up on a secondary stage at the back of the floor, playing a more intimate showcase of songs. They performed on the platform for almost 45-minutes, serenading a lucky lady in the meantime. After completing the set, Maná walked through the floor high-fiving spectators and retook the main stage for the closing selection of songs. Appropriately, the encore was mega-hit and tortured love song, Labios Compartidos.

My tickets were generously provided by Univision, but next time the tour rolls into my home city, I'd gladly pay to see them again.

Luv,

Li