That didn't really transpire, unfortunately. Just a few short weeks after our meeting, I woke up to the tragic news that James Canete - esteemed young fashion designer, make-up artist, photographer, and a man of many other skill sets -  has succumbed to an illness and passed away at 23.

Though I've had these outfit photos for the past two years, I realize now that this would be the first time I would actually post them on the blog.

I always feel somewhat underdressed whenever I attend events with my blogger  gals Lil Miss JB Style and Leah of Beauty and The Muse. Talk about #stylegamestrong ! It's definitely been fun checking out the scene with these two every now and then -- it's definitely coaxed me out of my shell and got me to start dressing up a little bit again.

Sometime ago, we got invited as press partners for the Amor de Moda fashion show in Detroit -- check out some of the btw and outfit details after the jump!

Nothing else signals the start of "going out" season (spring, of course!) like taking the family out to see some adorable animals! A couple of months ago, the fambam took our tiny little babies to check out the Detroit Zoo, which just opened for the spring season -- I've been wanting to check out the zoo since we got to Michigan as I've heard nothing but good things about it. And also, seeing a giraffe alive and in the flesh was such an exciting prospect for me! We did have a ton of fun and we did get to visit a lot of the sections, but unfortunately it ended up being a really chilly day still and we couldn't stay that long (Michigan weather, what can you do?). And no giraffe sighting for me, for now! Totally planning to swing by sometime this summer though to finally meet that giraffe. You best be looking out, adorable long-necked animal!

Pro-tip: the Detroit Zoo is HUGE so you have to wear comfortable shoes and bring something to quench that thirst. Take it from me, I came unprepared, definitely learned the hard way.

I have not been to a place in awhile that quite literally took my breath away in the same way as the Russell Industrial Center did. What was once a bleak reminder of Detroit's storied past (it once housed the now defunct Murray Auto Body Corporation) is now coming back to life in the form of a creative hub for many visual artists and other creatives. Though the complex looks dilapidated on the outside, it is absolutely teeming with life and art on the inside, and that really speaks a great deal to me. Hoping to someday lay groundwork on the Russell for some of my own creative pursuits, soon...