adventures in seoul: the beginning

I have arrived in seoul, south korea! very excited to add another stamp to my passport.  I arrived in the wee hours of the morning on tuesday (tuesday in seoul...monday afternoon in nyc...) and have been doing a bit of exploring as I recover from jet lag. I'm staying with my little brother in the city hall neighborhood of seoul. here are a few highlights of the first two days of my trip!:

watched the sunrise in seoul a few hours after I arrived

first subway trip! 

went to lotte mart and found an exciting selection of nail polishes

highlight of lotte mart was the mini "greenhouse" with lettuce in the middle of the store

huge bag of rice

bought a few colorful goodies for myself

kimchi!

had a hot pot (beef, veggies, dumplings, and green tea noddles) for dinner the first night

yum!

cool sculpture 

colorful iPhone cases at lotte mart

interesting architecture

came across this really cool art on a city wall

mul naengmyeon for lunch

colorful drain in insa dong

sparkle in seoul!

this weekend I am off to seoul, south korea! I am very excited for this new adventure. I will be visiting my little brother, who has lived in south korea for a few years. I'm planning on spending my time eating lots of korean bbq and exploring the sights of the city. I'll periodically post photos of my travels, but you can also follow me on twitter (@KNBsparkle) or instagram (KatieBartels). 

how to wear it...the newport necklace

1. tibi striped crepe tank // 2. katie bartels newport necklace in red // 3. bop basics raffia tote // 4. repetto metallic textured leather ballet flats in gold // 5. rag and bone skinny jeans // 6. scotch nail polish in seaboard

how to wear it: the kauai necklace

1. scotch nail polish in lemon highlander // 2. katie bartels kauai necklace // 3. sheridan french neve dress in fluoro lime // 4. anya hindmarch valorie matte-rubber clutch // 5. jimmy choo agnes patent-leather pumps

wine and sparkle pairing

I'm really excited to announce a new column on the blog "cocktails with the winetender". my friend meg, of the winetender, and I are going to be exploring wine bars in nyc and sharing her wine picks and my jewelry pairings! definitely a winning combination.

we went to one of my favorite west village spots, sweet revenge. at sweet revenge, you can pick from a delicious selection of cupcakes and pair them with wine or beer. we went on a warm sunday afternoon and chose the malaysian coconut cupcake and paired it with santa rita chardonnay from chile. it was a sweet and refreshing combination.

get excited for our next adventure!

click here for more details about the necklaces I wore!

what's new for june!

exciting news: the montauk, chatham, and newport designs now come in additional colors! 

montauk earrings in jade

newport necklace in blue

newport necklace in green

newport necklace in pink

chatham earrings in blue

chatham earrings in green

chatham earrings in pink

chatham earrings in purple

new home for my designs: Zoe Boutique!

I'm thrilled to announce that Zoe Boutique in Alexandria, VA is now carrying my designs! owner Susan Gerock selected some of my favorite colorful and sparkly pieces that make the perfect summer statement. I'm very excited to have my designs featured in her chic store. if you are in the DC area, make sure to stop in and visit!

Zoe Boutique

130 South Union Street

Alexandria, VA 22314

how to wear it: the hyannis necklace

1. katie bartels hyannis necklace // 2. rikshaw design anchor kurta in navy // 3. j. crew 3" chino short in white // 4. kate spade wicker park sherri // 5. essie mojito madness nail polish // 6. j. crew seville wedge espadrille in flax