a year in outfts and in life; 2011 highlights

 

My dears, before we delve into the New Year, I wanted to take a moment to reflect a bit on 2011. This post began as Outfit Highlights of 2011. But as I was sorting through favorite pictures and posts on kellygolightlys, it quickly morphed into highlights from the year both professionally and personally. For me, they’re often the same. I feel so privileged to be able to share bits of my world here with you, and couldn’t be more grateful for the community and friendships built through blogging. So, without further ado, a few highlights from 2011…

Above: What I wore when we walked to The Golden Globes; adventures in the high desert; brunching at The Parker Palm Springs; hiking in Joshua Tree; having my first bacon doughnut at the Nickel Diner after a LA Fashion Week party; twirling in the desert.

 

 

 

 

I made some of my best friends this year (truly the best gift of all) and got to spend time with some of my oldest and dearest. My love affair with Richard Simmons started…

 

 

 

Despite the affair, K and I celebrated our five-year wedding anniversary in the desert with sunshine, double rainbows, and moonbows; I modeled for a Style Network segment; we celebrated my friend’s film premiere at South by Southwest; and Adam Levine ran me over. 😉

 

 

I crafted with my hombres; attended Lucky Shops (twice); built a towering Oreo cake for my birthday; met the hilarious Giuliana Rancic; became a Contributing Writer for Inside Weddings magazine; and embarked on a mall modeling career (ha!).

 

 

I indulged in all things LA: I developed a thing for celebrity yard sales (and met Teri Hatcher and Susan Bloom!); attended the Concours de Elegance on Rodeo Drive; attended my first awards show season celebrity gifting suites; and, I learned the only way I would exercise with someone other than Richard Simmons is if a town car is sent and physically drives me there (lazy alert!).

 

 

 

I was featured as a guest editor on Sole Society; had a blast modeling for another Style Network video at the E! studios; rode an elevator with Dustin Hoffman at the Soho House; twirled around Rock Reach; met my favorite Million Dollar Decorator, Martyn Lawrence Bullard (daaahling), at Veranda magazine’s House of Windsor; Windsor Smith made my year when she told me I had written her favorite article about her that anyone has ever written (!!!); and gawked at Kimora Lee Simmons.

 

 

I finally met Trina Turk (and Adriano Goldschmeid) at Fashion’s Night Out; shopped Paula Abdul’s estate sale and unearthed this gem of a leopard-print corduroy pantsuit to wear to a Dynasty-themed party; chased down Colin Firth at the Four Seasons QVC Oscar party; dipped my toes in the ocean; had a blast at the Two Point Oh! LA Snowball; attended some really great fashion shows; and celebrated friends getting engaged!

 

 

 

 

It was a colorful year! I was invited to host the Directives West Fashion Show; we moved to Silver Lake and hosted our first Christmas (in which I striped our walls in neon candy canes).

 

 

I had a glamorous girls night out with Jessica Alba thanks to Swarovski; celebrated Emily Henderson winning Design Star and getting her own show, Secrets from a Stylist on HGTV; Adam Levine insisted on having his picture taken with me (wink) and my best friend from high school (who I hadn’t seen in 15 years!); I made a new friend thanks to a fashion faux pas (we were wearing the same shirt!); finally met some wonderful bloggers in person who I have admired for years; smooched on top of the Empire State Building at midnight; and had my first recipe published.

 

 

 

Made memories with friends old and new; watched The Jerk at Hollywood Forever and then tried lavender ice cream for the first time; watched my hubby become Holmes on Holmes for Halloween (spooky!); and actually woke up in time to see sunrise in the desert.

 

 

 

 

 

I tried not to cry as my darling niece turned five, and giggled when she beat her “Huncle HoHo” at bowling (to be fair, he didn’t have any bumpers!); met old friends (from elementary school!) at the Chateau Marmont; enjoyed Venice Magazine’s annual picnic at the Hollywood Bowl; stuffed ourselves silly at the Food & Wine Festival’s film noir night and watched Looney Tunes at the Orpheum; caught up with friends in New York over ladies lunches, teas, and boisterous dinners.

 

 

 

We discovered Ojai and Simi Valley; hosted Thanksgiving for my parents for the first time (tip: don’t put Pyrex over a gas flame!); and walked over the Brooklyn Bridge for a pizza-and-ice-cream picnic.

 

 

 

 

We traveled to Georgia and watched a polo match; beamed as my husband’s company won a major AIA award; celebrated dear friends becoming parents; enjoyed a very old-school Palm Springs night out; rode the roller coaster at the Santa Monica Pier on Christmas Day; and rang in the New Year 1920s-style with good friends, a Sinatra singer, and lots of bubbly.

Thank you to everyone for making 2011 a year to remember xx!

 

 

related posts

want more?

OUTFITS
INTERIORS
SHOP
ENTERTAINING