I cannot wait for spring. It's not even the end of January but here I am yearning for warm weather and an excuse not to bundle up like a marshmallow. Let's face it. The challenge of looking cute during winter exponentially rises as the double digits become single and God forbid negative. It's tough showing off your 'fit when you have to cover it up. Which gave me a sigh of relief when the temperature rose this past week.

Albeit, it was quite warm and almost confusing. In the tri-state area we were slammed with snow, then 5 degree mornings (yes, I am not exaggerating), followed by a high of 70 midweek. Unfortunately, I was scheduled to work so I was only able to enjoy a glimpse of the warm weather when I left the building on an errand. A taste of spring as I call it.  I think it made me even more excited for the upcoming spring. How about you, loves?

 In honor of that spring spirit, I decided to dress up a bit more the following day and luckily it worked out because I visited a local lounge called Aja for sushi. I recommend this look for a casual night out with friends or even as a transition from work to play. I paired some high rise blue jeans with a staple silky black camisole from J. Crew. I decided to elevate the look by adding a blush blazer. If you didn't know already, I've been having more than a moment with blush and rose gold. A pair of flats from Zara were a must to keep up with the theme. I loved the gold detailing on the flats that complimented the metal hardware of the suede and leather belt. Similarly, my taupe cross body bag also shared some gold hardware to tie in the look. To finish it off, I went for my current favorite accessories. I never leave the house without my rose gold Kate Spade watch, nor my silver studded earrings or family bracelet. Originally, you would never witness me mixing metals, but I've been more open to experimenting with this lately.

As for the sushi, I want to say my craving has been satisfied. I haven't been craving sushi for months until now. We ordered a signature roll which consisted of soft-shell crab tempura, eel, and avocado as well as the usual spicy yellowtail, spicy tuna, spicy salmon and an interesting crunchy white tuna roll. Between the two of us, we split the rolls and a delicious peppered steak cube entree. The entree came with rice and miso soup which really satiated our hunger. I decided to take advantage of the happy hour and ordered some cocktails and beer. Fortunately, as I have learned no one can go wrong with a purple haze. I'd definitely pay a visit to Aja once more and regret not have had trying it sooner. It's definitely one of those places that I pass almost monthly but never thought to try. Are there any places in your town that you've not bothered trying? If so, I'd recommend giving them a chance. You could be surprised! Let me know in the comments below if you have had any pleasant local surprises like this. I'd love to try them out next time I'm in your area.

Love,

Christine Celine