pancakeFEATURES: IFB's Links à la Mode & MTV Style's Top Style Blogger Looks

Thank you, Independent Fashion Bloggers for picking pancakeSTACKER's post as one of your "20 best links" for the week of November 25th! What an honor to be featured!




Giving Thanks
Edited by: Holier than Now
It's Thanksgiving here in the U.S. and many of us are looking forward to the Black Friday sales - oh wait, I mean spending time with our families and friends! But it's wonderful (and kind of weird) that so many of the people that influence and support us on a daily basis won't be gathered around our table; they'll be hanging around our web address, retweeting our (sometimes) witty comments, liking our latest post on Facebook, etc. Whether or not you celebrate turkey day, as a blogger it's hard not to be full of gratitude for the resources we share on a regular basis. This week, Tickle Me Chic helps ban the blogging blues, Previously Owned does your holiday gift shopping for you, and Make the World a Prettier Place sums up the reason so many of us are grateful just to be alive (hello? fashion!) with a visual history.


Links à la Mode: November 25th

• Be Fabulous Daily Applying old-school academic standards of original content and citation of sources to fashion blogging
• Boheme Noir Best outfits 2010 of style icon Giovanna Battaglia
• Fashion Butter: How to DIY Fur Collar with Chains
• Fish Monkey's Writing Stuff Lanvin + H&M: Is there a downside?
• Frock and Roll A code of ethnics for advertorials on your blog
• Grit and Glamour RSS and Sharing for Dummies—and Lazies
• Haute Halifax Out of sight, out of mind? A look at the impact of the textile industry in Africa
• Holier than Now The Under $50 Gift Guide: Fashion, guy-friendly goods, eco and charitable finds and more
• Independent Fashion Bloggers: Are you addicted to blogging?
• Make the World a Prettier Place 30 Vogue covers from 1922 to 2005
• Mary Van Notes A vintage style post from a tree house
• Pancake Stacker Lessons from "Changing Fashion: Internet and Blogging" featuring Liz of Late Afternoon, Yvan Rodic of The Face Hunter, and more
• Positively Bleak Tips on staving off the winter blues - with a bonus compilation of free demos and EPs from alternative rock bands!
• Previously Owned A carefully selected gift list for the foodie, fashionable, beauty obsessed and generous
• The Chic Curve Winter coats for everyBODY. No matter what size or shape, there is a fabulous jacket just for you!
• The Coveted: Frock Luxury Vintage: A local NYC discovery
• The Fashion Pawn The Business of Blogging: Your Blog Brand
• The Lingerie Addict: 5 things Every Woman Should Know About Her Lingerie
• The New Professional A bloglover's tips for keeping up with your blog reading
• Tickle Me Chic: Get rid of those blogging blues: Tips and links to ban discouragement
• Wanderlost 10 things to look forward to this winter

SPONSOR:
Shopbop bags: Burch, Matt & Natt, Minkoff, IRO, Botkier, Gryson, LAMB, Chloe, BE&D, DVF



UPDATE: Two features in one day?? Thank you, MTV Style for including me as one of your "Top Style Blogger Looks of the Week!" Words cannot express how exciting this has all been! To check out what MTV said, head on over here, or to see which outfit post they're talking about, click here.

BARE-ing It All

Hello everyone! I hope you are all having a relaxing day before Thanksgiving! If not, get rested up, as it takes a well-prepared body and mind to take full advantage of all that feasting. As you might remember, a couple posts back, I promised to show you all some of the shots I was able to take at the Fashion and Internet forum held at UC Berkeley. Well, here they are! I spotted a lot of stylish students, and before everyone rushed back to hit the books, I made sure to stop a few and steal a few minutes of their time.

Structured shoulders, high-waist trousers with amazing button detail, a killer satchel, and a touch of color on her finger -- this CAL girl brought her best.

John Kim, BARE Magazine's Editor-in-Chief, stands out in his belted, army green jacket and quirky style.

Back in black: This trendy girl kept it simple with the all black ensemble, while letting her accessories speak for themselves. Can we talk about those shoes?

Originally from Arkansas, Michael, from The Art Institute of California - San Francisco, shows us that cutouts really are the next big thing. Michael let me know about his great upcoming event, so if you are in the SF Bay Area, make sure to check out the Arts of Fashion Foundation's symposium and fashion show happening this Dec 3-7! (Feel free to email me for questions)

 Wearing knit socks with black booties, a casual denim shirt dressed up by her fantastic overcoat, and a simple black skirt, this fabulous first-year embodies the perfect fall semester look.

Photos by: Chandamheer

So what do you all think? Who sported the best look and why? I know this post is a little short, but I assure you that I have some fun news and some more fantastic posts to share with you all soon, so I hope you will all be on the look out for them. And, before you leave, don't forget to enter my $55 giveaway, if you haven't already.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!  And remember, tomorrow, just like every other day, is the perfect time to let everyone know just how much they mean to you, and how thankful you are to have them in your life!

pancakePRIZES: $55 CSN Stores Giveaway

Hello everyone! I hope your Monday has been going well so far, and if not, I hope to bring you something that will liven it up a bit. In the spirit of Thanksgiving (also known as MY FAVORITE HOLIDAY, EVER), I wanted to show you, my followers, just how thankful I am for your continued support of my blog. So why not start off the week with a giveaway??

As I mentioned before, I have been saving up some of my best goodies to share with you all! This time, I have partnered with the kind folks of CSN Stores to bring you a $55 giveaway!  In case you are unfamiliar with them, CSN Stores is comprised of over 200 online stores where you can purchase anything from handbags and luggage, to counter stools and for your new apartment! They've got just about everything you need, and they're only a click away.

HOW TO ENTER:
Entering is simple and easy! All you need to do is: (1) become a google follower of my blog and (2) comment on this post only with a direct link to the item(s) you'd buy with your $55 gift code from CSN's website. It's that easy! Don't forget to leave your email address, so I can contact you if you win!


BONUS ENTRIES: Leave a comment for each additional entry if you...

• Become a follower of my TWITTER 
• Become a follower on BLOGLOVIN'
• Subscribe to my RSS FEED
• Become a follower of CSN Stores on Twitter
• "Like" CSN Stores on Facebook
• Tweet about my giveaway with this message: "Have you entered @pancakeSTACKER's $55 @CSNStores giveaway? Enter here: http://pancakestacker.blogspot.com #pancakePRIZES" (3 entries max per day)
• Post about my giveaway on your blog with a link back to this post. Please post the link to your post as well. 
• Add pancakeSTACKER to your Blogroll.  Please post the link to your blog as well. 
• Tell me what YOU are thankful for this Thanksgiving season :)

This giveaway will be open for two weeks, until the 6th of December at 12:00pm PST. The lucky winner will be chosen at random (via random.org)! Good luck, everyone!

This giveaway is open to all readers, but please be aware that CSN Stores only ships to the US & Canada, and shipping rates may apply to those with Canadian addresses.

pancakeREVIEW: My Name Necklace

Before I begin this post, I just want to say that I have never been so excited to receive a package in the mail. A few weeks ago, I was asked by My Name Necklace if I wanted to receive a personalized necklace to review on my blog. You better believe that I jumped on the chance! I mean, when you have a name like Chandamheer, finding a personalized key chain, necklace, bracelet, you name it, is comparable to finding a needle in a haystack. As soon as I was told my that my necklace was on the way, I made sure to check my mailbox right when the mailman arrived, in hopes that my little package would find it's way into my hands. Lo and behold, one afternoon, I finally received it! And let me tell you, it was everything that I could have wanted!

Dress: Vintage; Sweater: Guess; Belt: Forever 21; Flats: Target; Necklace: gifted by My Name Necklace; Photos of me by: DJ Lan; All other Photos by: Chandamheer

My necklace is silver and 18-inches long, but you can customize yours to fit your own size and style.  It's comfortable to wear around my neck, and the best part is that it's personalized just for me! Even before I was asked if I wanted a necklace, I used to play around on My Name Necklace's website to view how my name would look around my neck. I highly encourage you to visit their website if you'd like to see how your Name Necklace will look on you, or to view their other fantastic products!! If a necklace isn't for you, they also have customizable rings, bracelets, and more (and they offer FREE SHIPPING!). I've already gotten many complements on my necklace, and I'm just so happy to be able to wear something as unique as this. Carrie Bradshaw, eat your heart out! 

PS: I hope you will all take a moment to visit My Name Necklace by clicking here! 

If you'd like to participate in a pancakeREVIEW, please visit the pancakePARTERNSHIPS section of my blog, or email me for details!

Changing Fashion: The Internet & Blogging

Liz of Late Afternoon, Laura of Shop It To Me and On The Racks, Yvan of the Face Hunter (photo from here)

So, as I mentioned in my last couple of posts, I had the pleasure of attending a fashion and blogging forum that was put on by UC Berkeley's BARE Magazine and Fashion and Student Trends club last week. I was surrounded by fellow Bay Area bloggers and budding fashionistas, as we all listened to Liz Cherkasova of Late Afternoon, Yvan Rodic of the Face Hunter, and Laura Ellner from Shop It To Me and On The Racks answer questions and speak about their online journeys. Some of the topics covered included: the future of blogging, the role of the blogger, and the how the internet has changed in general. Since many of you mentioned how much you wish you could have attended this enlightening event, I thought I would try to do my best to make you feel like you did. After a few photos, read the top ten things I took away from last Wednesday's event.

Liz chats with John Kim, Bare Magazine's Editor-in-Chief

Yvan signs his book for an attendee

Liz shines in her shimmery gold skirt, colorful H&M scarf, and sky-high JC Lita's

So You Want to be a Blogger? Ten Things You Need to Know, Now.

1. WHAT CAN I DO TO MAKE IT BIG IN BLOGGING?

• I am sure you will relate to many of the attendees who wondered this. Liz says there is no key recipe on how to make it big in blogging. In fact, she thinks a LOT of it is luck -- just like with acting, or singing. You might have a lot of talent, but you also might never get "discovered." 
• Liz warns, DO NOT BLOG TO BE FAMOUS. 
• I really do agree with this one. You can't just blog because you want to be the next Fashion Toast,  Cupcakes and Cashmere, or Song of Style. Blog because you love it, and believe me, it will show. I pour out a lot of love into my posts not because I want to big the next big blogger, although believe me, I wouldn't mind that at all being a poor post-grad girl such as myself. I do it because I care. I care about my readers, I care about how my posts reflect me and how I am presenting myself, and mostly, I care about the topics I write about (I'm sure you could taste my passion for food and my love of fashion with all the photos I bombard you with, ha!).

2. THE THINGS YOU CAN DO TO ESTABLISH YOURSELF AS A BLOGGER

• Build relationships with other bloggers. 
• Not just any ole relationship, but loyal ones, people! Don't just comment on someone's blog and say "cute dress!" (I for one really, really, try not to do this unless from the bottom of my heart, I really think that it's a cute dress...). Engage and write meaningful comments showing that you've READ their post, but only if you mean it.
• Liz advices that when you are leaving comments, do not leave your blog url at the end because "no one ever clicks on it." 
• This, I have to say, I don't actually agree with, and not because I desperately want others to click on my blog link, but because I think it helps to have a signature. Would you ever send an email and not sign it at the end? But hey, this is just personal opinion.
•  Although he acknowledges that this is already obvious, Yvan advices others to join social networks if you haven't already. Five years ago when he started his blog, he got big by promoting himself on Myspace and Facebook.

3. STAY TRUE TO YOURSELF

• Laura says you have to stay credible. Align your blog with sponsors, posts, etc. that belong on your blog based on what you have presented. 
• Liz says it may be tempting when sponsors invite you to fly out and sample their products in exchange for a post, but if it doesn't fit your audience or your blog, why would you feature it? She says, "I wouldn't promote a sponsor for Wrinkle Cream when my demographic is 18-25 year olds. It just wouldn't make sense."

4. ARE BLOGGERS TRENDSETTERS?

• Simply stated: No. While at a Chictopia conference, Liz remembers that one of her take away points came from Women's Wear Daily, when they said, "Celebrities will always have more influence than your biggest blogger." This was an interesting point, but I do think as social media and the internet begin to grow even further, bloggers are going to be even more influential than they already are. 

5. YOUR BLOG IS YOUR BRAND

• Respond to your readers if they they ask you questions. Market yourself just like any other brand out there and stay professional.

6.  YVAN'S FAVORITE BLOG?

• The Showmanship. This gal is half Filipino (like me!) and gorgeous! I can see why Yvan loves her site! She has a very particular vibe and is amazingly stylish. 

7. LIZ'S FAVORITE BLOG?

• Fancy Treehouse. A very quirky blog, from a girl who has unique style.

8. BE ASPIRATIONAL

• You have to keep some mystery for your readers. "Give them something to aspire to," Liz advises. 

9.  SNOOKI, WHO?

• This is just a random fun fact, but Yvan seriously doesn't know who Snooki is. Now what does this say about the 75% of us who DO? 

10. This one is from me: NETWORK, NETWORK, NETWORK.

• I loved mingling and meeting people at the event. And, although I was way too shy to say hi to the famous bloggers that night, I'm now kicking myself for not doing so! Don't miss opportunities to make new connections, guys! 
• Say hello, give out your business card, and don't be afraid to branch out.
• Sometimes there is no second chance, and you never know who you will meet if you just say hi!

And there you have it. What do you guys think? Do you agree with what Laura, Liz, and Yvan had to say? Which point was the most helpful? And, how will YOU change the way you blog, now that you've read this?

Psst: Don't forget to be on the lookout for my future post on some of the stylish audience members I spotted!

We're Going to Paint the Town Orange and Black

I wanted to take a break from my NYC overload and share some photos that were a little closer to home. As some of you might know, my dear San Francisco Giants won the World Series a few weeks ago! It has been a very exciting time for us here in the Bay Area, and the streets of San Francisco have never felt more alive. You'd think that weeks after the win the lines to enter the Giants Dugout stores in the malls would die down a little,  right? Well, guess again. Scores of people still want a piece of SF history, and who can blame them? I would be lying if I said I was a die hard baseball fan, but I've always enjoyed spending parts of my summers at home at the park. When you're rooting for your home team, stuffing your face with garlic fries, and enjoying the company of old friends, what can be better? While I wasn't able to make it inside the ballpark for any of the games this time around, I did take advantage of the Giants atmosphere all around the city. Below are some photos I took from the last game at home before the Giants took Texas. Can't you just feel the excitement?

Gotta hand it to those who waited in the freezing SF bay hoping to catch a fly ball!

Them be fightin' words: The message to Texas was loud and clear

Fear the Beard.

Photos of me by: DJ Lan; All other photos by: Chandamheer

PS: If anyone has trouble seeing any of the photos in my previous post, will you please let me know! I think I've exceeded my photobucket bandwidth for the month, which means time to upgrade. On this note, what do you guys use to host your photos? I appreciate any feedback! 

UPDATE: Sorry, everyone! I'm having a bit of blogger trouble with my photos. It seems that my bandwidth for photobucket won't be restarted until next week. Hopefully, all my future posts will be ok. Sorry for the inconvenience!! I've been trying to fix it all day :( 

What's Up Buttercup?

Hello everyone! I just wanted to leave you with a quick little Friday evening post to update you on what you can expect to see on pancakeSTACKER in the weeks to come! I'll be taking a little break from my NYC photos, but don't worry, I'll be sprinkling them in sporadically. Along with my favorite Angel, Adriana Lima, here are some of the exciting posts that I have in store for you!

• Early next week, I'm going to feature my first sponsor and the beautiful item I was sent for my pancakeREVIEW series. If you need a hint: Think signature Carrie Bradshaw. 
• For all my loyal readers and amazing followers: another new sponsor is offering a great giveaway to their online store! Handbags, shoes, cute items for the home? What could be better? 
•  I'm thinking about launching a Facebook page. Does this sound like something you'd "like" to see?
• Read a recent interview I did for another amazing blogger! Once it's up, I'll tell you all about it!
• For all my Bay Area lovers, this one is for you: Giants win the World Series, SF Food Diaries, and some scenic SF photos? I'll show you why I love to call San Francisco Bay Area my hometown. 
• I have a some CAL street style to feature from a recent stop to Bare Magazine's Internet & Blogging forum. Did I snap your photo or leave you with my business card? If so, stop by soon and let me know what you think!
• Photos of Liz from Late Afternoon and Yvan Rodic from Face Hunter. See what they had to say about growing social media platforms and their advice for bloggers!
• And of course, more food and outfit posts to keep you coming back for seconds.

All photos taken from Elle Magazine, March 2009

I hope you are all as excited as I am to see all of the pancakePOSTS I've been waiting to serve. I promise they will be equally, if not more, filling and delicious as all the posts you've read up to now! Stay connected and follow me with google friend connect and bloglovin' for your latest pancakeSTACKER updates. Have a wonderful weekend!!

New York: A Food Diary (Part One)

Get your napkins ready, because this post is meant to make your mouths water. For me, one of the best parts about traveling besides the beautiful people, the phenomenal cultural experience, and the cheesy tourist spots that I always seem to fall for, is the get-in-my-belly-because-you-look-so-good FOOD. To prepare for my NYC trip, I Yelped like a madwoman, Googled "New York eats," and re-watched every episode of Sex and The City as I channeled my inner Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte, and took notes on every notable place the foursome dined in. Some will call this extravagant. I, on the other hand, call it being prepared. A serious eater takes serious steps. Below are some of the many places I had the pleasure (or displeasure) of tasting.


Serendipity 3  225 E 60th St.

The gist: I arrived to Serendipity right as the restaurant opened to try their famous frozen hot chocolate. I was practically first in line, but I found that being early was a good choice, as the place filled up rather fast. I knew I was walking into one of the biggest tourist traps NYC had to offer, but how could I visit and not make a stop here? I ended up ordering a peanut butter frozen hot chocolate, because I read it was better than the original. What I hated: Not only are they extremely overpriced (would you expect otherwise?), but they have a minimum amount PER PERSON, which makes having a romantic, John Cusak-Kate Beckinsale dessert sharing moment utterly impossible. What I liked: Well, all in all, the frozen hot chocolate was delicious. The portions were pretty big, which makes finishing one to yourself seem like a recipe for an angry dentist and/or a date with diabetes. Overall, I'm happy I went once and would only go again on a cheesy date. 

Yes, that's really as far as I got. Shameful, I know.

Lombardi's Pizza 32 Spring St.

 

The gist: While on a free walking tour of the SoHo district, our less than enthusiastic tour guide (his happiest moment was when he was talking about how we were his last tour group...ever) pointed out the very first pizzeria in the United States. Not one to pass up something as historic as the first US pizza place, after the tour, I stepped inside for a bite to eat. Since I had already overloaded myself with an abundance of cheese pizzas thus far on my NYC trip, I ordered a cheese pizza..WITH sausage. What I hated: Something about accepting CASH-ONLY in a plastic card driven society really irks me. I mean really, you're a restaurant and you don't believe in credit cards? Situations such as these make me feel like I'm in rural America (no offense), where cable TV is the hip new thing. For that reason, Lombardi's was already at -10 points for me. When I saw their outrageous menu prices, this girl was not happy. And then, when the food entered my mouth, the game was OVER. Not to be rude, but you'd think with all the years they have on every other pizza joint, they would have had enough practice to make a decent pizza. What I liked: Eh, this is a very hard thing to answer. Come back to me on this. 

 
Gray's Papaya 402 6th Ave.

The gist: After a free walking tour (yes, another one) of Greenwich Village, I quickly remembered that Gray's Papaya was just around the corner. Now, if you are a religious SATC viewer, such as myself, you will remember that after Carrie's successful book launch soiree, her limo driver treats her to a good ole New York hot dog. Well folks, this is the spot she was taken to. I ordered their signature papaya dog & a pina colada fruit smoothie to wash it down. What I hated: Nothing. That's right..NOTHING. The folks were friendly, the space was large, the price was more than right...what's there to hate about a quick, cheap, easy meal? I guess the only thing I wish they had to offer was a chair, but that's only because I just finished a two back to back, four hour total, walking tours. What I liked: The price point was amazing for my poor, post-grad student self (oh, what student loans will do to one's bank account). Two hot dogs and a drink for under $5?? I'm sold. The hot dogs were yummy too! 

Photos of me by: Alex L.; All other photos by: Chandamheer

And there you have it: part one of pancakeSTACKER's New York food diary. There's more to come, obviously, as a girl like me eats more than you can imagine. I hope I've provided you with some helpful tips to navigate your way through the concrete jungle of delicious dreams and savory sights. Stop by very soon for a big sponsored giveaway, my first sponsored pancakeREVIEW, and much, much more. As always, don't forget to follow me with google friend connect and bloglovin' if you liked this or any of my other posts!





PS: If you are in the San Francisco Bay Area, there's a wonderful event being hosted at UC Berkeley this Thursday, 11/11. The Face Hunter and Liz of Late Afternoon will be speaking regarding "the ways the Internet has changed fashion publications, blogging, street style and consuming patterns in the age of Web 2.0." I will be there and would love to meet anyone else who is thinking about going!

pancakeLEFTOVERS: October

Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see...

Hello everyone! It's been a busy October filled with the usual highs and lows, but now that it's November, it's time to keep pushing forward. I am steadily working towards my goals and making plans for some (hopefully) exciting life changes in the next upcoming months. I've decided to take back control and start embracing the moment. My first change? Natural November! What's that you might ask? I'm glad that you asked! Natural November is my personal quest to get back to basics and unearth the things that make me truly happy. One part of this is getting back into shape, and although this might sound silly, not straightening my naturally curly hair for all of November (Willow Smith's Whip My Hair, anyone?), so that I may appreciate my natural self. I don't want to get too profound or sound too preachy, but after reflecting back onto the past month(s), I realized just how much I'm looking forward to a change for the better... and that change has to start from within, both mentally and physically.
And, since you don't know where you're going until you know where you have been, it's time for a final reflection on the month of October. The end of one month and the beginning of another wouldn't be complete without a hearty serving of my favorite past moments, so I hope you'll pull up a chair and fill yourself up with my pancakeLEFTOVERS. My apologizes in advance, as you may find that most of my favorite moments were spent in Central Park...

If you ever find yourself in Central Park, make sure to take a seat and surround yourself with some of the most beautiful landscape that nature has to offer

How could I be mad that I walked around aimlessly for an hour when this was the breathtaking reservoir I walked around?

Casual, but trendy: this downtown gal had just the right vibe to get her spotted

I'm a big fan of the arts and all, but me and musicals, eh..they just don't match. Sorry, Phantom, but at least I tried?

It was more than necessary that I channel my inner Felicity by grabbing a Chai Latte at the original Dean and Deluca in SoHo. Yes, I also channeled my inner New Yorker by taking advantage of the SoHo shopping.

I stopped into the giant M&M's store in Times Square and found myself wishing I could stock up on "Central Park Green" M&M's

In fact, I was so smitten, that I had to show my love

I stalked this painter because I was sure there was no way he really painted that, but after standing there and watching him paint, he proved me wrong. Amazing stuff, no?

“Which road do I take?" asked Alice. 
"Where do you want to go?"
"I don't know," Alice answered.
"Then, said the cat, it doesn't matter.”
“If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there.”

Photos by: Chandamheer

The rest of this month, I will have a ton more New York City snaps to share with you, so much so that I'm afraid you'll get sick of them! (But, hopefully not, because the rest are just too good not to share). Before I go, I'd like to give a special thank you to Rach from Visual Basic for the CSN prize! You should all check out her blog! She does an amazing Blogger Sketch Sunday series that I look forward to every week. Well, that's it for now -- come back soon for my first Sponsored pancakeREVIEW, a preview of a blog interview I will be featured in, an inside look into why my heart will always beat for San Francisco, and some more exciting goodies. Thanks for reading, everyone! Happy Monday to you all!

As usual, don't be afraid to follow me with google friend connect and bloglovin' if you liked this or any of my other posts!