Bay Area Fashionista

5 mid priced handbag brands to know

5 mid-priced handbag brands to know from top left: lizard print shoulder bag / neutral shoulder bag / teal shoulder bag / black top handle bucket bag / croc print top handle bag / neutral bucket bag /

The anonymous handbag is the current IT bag, and with that being said, you don’t have to break the bank to carry the ultimate bag of the moment. There are so many fabulous, mid-priced handbag brands out there. So, I curated five of my favorite brands you may not have heard of yet. Although, if you have been following this blog and IT bags, you are no stranger to Mansur Gavriel! They are quite well known! But I digress. . .

What makes a chic, anonymous IT bag this year? Well, let’s break that down. The ultimate anonymous handbag is made from high quality materials and is crafted with exquisite craftsmanship. There are no loud logos; of course, brands and designers will put their logo somewhere, so your bag will have a stamp or small logo of some sort. The logo should not be the design of the bag; if you know what I mean.

There are quite a few mid-priced handbag brands out there, but some offer better quality and style than others. My five favorite mid-priced brands, not including Coach because I assume you already know they offer high quality and classic styles, are as follows, in alphabetical order.

APC

APC offers clean, classic styling and high-quality craftsmanship on their handbags. In addition, they are more affordable than other brands with the same quality. Love that!

Aspinal

Aspinal is another brand which offers clean lines, classic styles, and high quality. I might start repeating myself when describing these brands! haha

DeMellier

If you have been following along, you know I love my DeMellier bag! I wear it quite often, and the quality is top notch. I love their chic styles too.

Mansur Gavriel

Well, as you know, we are nearing ten years of my Mansur Gavriel obsession. They offer fabulous handbag styles which are classic, as well as high quality craftsmanship.

Sezane

Sezane is also a chic brand with high quality handbags. Love!

There you have it! Five fabulous mid-priced handbag brands to know and love. They all offer chic styles with high quality craftsmanship.

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO
Cathy

Chanel nail polish summer 2023 review

Chanel nail polish summer 2023 from left: Chanel Cavalier Seul nail polish / Chanel Ovni nail polish / Chanel Muse nail polish / Chanel Immortelle nail polish /

Just in time for the summer 2023 season, Chanel has introduced 24 new nail polish shades to choose from in a protective, long-wearing formula with what seems to me, to be a slightly flatter application brush. While not being marketed as a summer collection, the 24 new hues arrived just in time for the warm weather season, making them summer in my mind!

I am not purchasing 24 bottles of nail polish all at one time, so I picked out the colors which are most on trend for the summer 2023 season, and created this post around them so that you can see swatches of the best colors for the summer season. If these shades are not your thing, that’s OK, there are plenty of classic reds, neutrals, and other colors in the new Chanel nail polish collection which will catch your eye. I will also review a few additional colors from the new collection in the next month.

The summer 2023 season is moving away from neutral nails. Well, that trend was short lived! haha

This summer season, we are seeing vivid pastels and fun colors which will add life to the preppy, understated, and neutral ensembles that are hot on the street this season. These fun nail polish hues will add a little spice to your loafers, v-neck tennis sweaters, and khaki shorts. Love that!

I tested out these four colors with one base coat and two coats of color. What seems to be a new, flatter application brush is not that much different from the old brush, and if I didn’t think there was a change, I would not have noticed that it seemed slightly flatter.

So, without further ado, here are my four color recommendations for the summer 2023 season from the new Chanel nail polish collection launched just in time for the summer season.

Chanel Cavalier Seul nail polish

chanel nail polish summer 2023 chanel cavalier seul

Chanel Ovni nail polish

chanel summer 2023 nail polish chanel ovni

Chanel Immortelle nail polish

chanel summer 2023 nail polish chanel immortelle

Chanel Muse nail polish

chanel nail polish summer 2023 chanel muse

What do you think of these new colors for summer? I don’t have an absolute favorite, so all four of these hues are tops on my list.

Do you think you will go for one of these fun colors for summer? Or will you reach for a neutral or classic hue?

Shop the new Chanel nail polish collection online:

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO

Cathy

5 favorite restaurants in Saratoga CA

pictured: Fettuccine Bianco from Bella Saratoga

Saratoga is a bedroom community nestled in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains and adjacent to San Jose and Los Gatos. It is filled with families, and mainly home to people who work in the tech industry. The town originated as both a farming community and a destination for San Franciscans to go to in order to escape the city. There used to be springs here, which reminded people of Saratoga Springs in New York; hence the name, Saratoga.

In present day, Saratoga is a flourishing town with a quaint downtown known as the “The Village.” This small area is made up of local shops and restaurants. There are so many good restaurants, which are all family owned. No chains! In writing this post, I feel like I am excluding so many good places to eat, but please know, these are just my five favorite restautants in Saratoga, the other restaurants are also delicious! There are no bad places to eat in town, Saratoga is very fortunate. Love that!

So, next time you are in Saratoga, here are five of my favorite places to eat; of course, all of the restaurants downtown are delicious! Please note, these are in no particular order.

Darla Cafe

Darla Cafe is new restaurant which recently opened in Saratoga. They serve breakfast and lunch. I am in love with how they prepare their potatoes! If you are looking for a good brunch place, check out Darla Cafe!

Mint Leaf Saratoga

Mint Leaf Cuisine is my favorite Thai restaurant. The food there is delicious! All of their appetizers are not only delicious, but they are also presented in an artful manner. This is a feast for both your eyes and your palate. Yum! Bring your appetite to Mint Leaf Cuisine! The pineapple fried rice and the scallops are my favorites.

Bella Saratoga

Bella Saratoga is a delicious Italian restaurant. This is where I like to go for special occasions, such as an anniversary. Everything they make is delicious, but my favorite dish is the Fettucine Bianco. It is to-die-for!

Florentine’s

How in the world do I not have a photo to share? We have been eating at Florentine’s since before we lived in the South Bay. My great aunt loved this restaurant, and we had many family celebrations there for graduations, religious sacraments, birthdays, and more. This is a casual, everyday Italian restaurant and it is a family favorite of my immediate family, as well as my cousins. I am kicking myself for not having a photo! How did that even happen? We eat here frequently! Everything on the menu is amazing. My favorite is the ravioli, and the Bolognese is a big hit too. The triangle shaped, herb bread served while you wait is also a big winner. Yum!

Masu Sushi

Well, you know I love sushi! Masu is my favorite sushi restaurant. The fish is always fresh, and the sushi is always made just right. They have a few outdoor tables here, which are ideal in the spring, summer, and early fall. They even have one large table which is perfect for our family of five. Love that!

Well, there you have it. All of these restaurants are located in downtown Saratoga on Big Basin Way. In addition to these five restaurants, there are plenty of other fabulous places to eat. If you are in the mood for Indian cuisine, Mandala is delicious. If you are looking for an extra special experience, La Fondue or Plumed Horse are classic destinations. La Mere Michelle is also delicious. They offer casual French cuisine; I love how they prepare their carrots, yum!

Thanks for stopping by, Mangia!