found

One of the best salads I have ever had. Surprisingly enough, the discovery was made at a brunch place in the middle of nowhere... You should try it too, that is, if you like the stuff that is in it. I tend to like weird foods that no one else really enjoys, weird mixtures too.

Bean sprouts, purple onions, small cubes of honey ham, feta cheese crumbles, hardboiled egg, crispy noodles, freshly grounded pepper, all topped with a ladle of Greek dressing

guess who is back

a vacation is having nothing to do and all day to do it in

Hi, everyone! After a six hour long drive, the family and I have finally arrived in Charleston. We lunched at a fast food place, and my brother and I just ordered in room service. The parentals went out to a seafood place for dinner and brought back some really really good scallops, but I was too full to have any.

Tell me what you guys have been up to for the holidays!

style is the mind skating circles around itself as it moves forward

hmm, so I might have said I wasn't updating before I came back from Charleston, but I felt that I needed to release details of my winter break thus far in some way or form! Today, or I guess yesterday since it's 1 in the morning, I went skating and then out to dinner with a few friends. I have not been ice skating since 6th grade, and I call myself lucky that I didn't fall flat on my ass. The rink was very very small, but it was only a seasonal rink, and it is geared towards little kids so I guess you can't expect that much. Afterwards, we went to a western grill place where I shared a burger, a side of onion rings, banana peppers (favorite food ever) and endless fries. Not very healthy, no, but it's the holidays and I promise to spend extra time with my recumbent bicycle in the next few weeks...

PS: I go to Charleston today and I'll be back Sunday in time for New Years! I'm going to spend New Years at a family friends' house. They have karaoke machine room, it should be fun.

come fly with me, let's fly, let's fly away

I need to finish up college apps, and then I'm off to Charleston! I will update about my holiday in full with details and photos on the side, when I get back. So see you in a few days, happy holidays!

daily dose of fash fash

Another little outfit I made for a contest on a forum I go to, the secret ingredient was black flats. Funnily enough, I was the only one who submitted an outfit, so I will assume I won. I lack inspiration for anything these days...

MBMJ black patent flats

ASOS handbag
Jcrew black brass button cardigan
graphic print tights by Missoni
Johnstons sand cashmere wrap
black dress from Topshop
Urban Outfitters Paul Frank brickred jacket
Urban Outfitters "oui oui" studs
Max and Chloe Blu stud bangle
Max and Chloe Blu stud stretch bracelet

the countdown to christmas and charleston rehashed

so uh, four days until Christmas. I can't say I'm as psyched as I should be. I am really not in a festive mood at all, but I am up for Charleston and the shopping that is involved.

pictures from the last time I went (from top to bottom), excuse bad camera quality they were taken with a cellphone:
- itinerary I typed up because I am somewhat obsessive compulsive
- really really good sandwich on rye and dill pasta at a restaurant next to the aquarium, I forget the name of the place
- Urban Outfitters in a building that used to be a theater!

don't get your feathers rumpled

I have always loved feathers, but now that they are readily available to mass markets and relatively cheap to come by, it makes them even easier to love. Feather headbands, headpieces, earrings, dresses, brooches... Feathers just add that something extra that is necessary for an otherwise blah outfit.

slightly off center

The dress seems cool in theory, and it doesn't look half bad on the model, but on your average person I think it'd look a little odd just because of the buttons. Don't get me wrong, if someone shelled out the money to buy me this dress I would be ecstatic. The color-blocking, the gold buttons, the cuffing of the sleeves, wool pique material... all the details are dead-on, but I've tried things like this on before (think Ralph Lauren polo with a single thick, white diagonal stripe down the front, looked like I was trying to be some kind of Miss Universe or something!) and it looks off?

I think it makes you look like you pulled your dress too far one way, or it makes your body seem unsymmetrical. Thoughts?

the puffah

I never really understood the concept of the puffer vest. I thought, "it doesn't even cover your arms, how could it possibly keep a person warm?" I wore my friend's down puffer vest for half the day and quickly realized that it keeps you nice and toasty. Hers is really cool too because it's reversible and one side is solid and the other side is a graphic print. So now, I want one of my own. They are really easy to wear and very versatile in terms of layering. You can wear a lightweight sweater underneath and your pretty much set for 30 to 60 degree weather. I just want a simple, black one...

Adidas plus Olympics

makes for a v. cool commercial

Advertising Agency: TBWA, Shanghai, China
Creative Directors: Yang Yeo, Elvis Chau, Sarawut Hengsawad, Lesley Zhou, John Merrifield
Copywriters: Leslsy Zhou, Sarawut Hengsawad, Nicky Zhang, Michelle Wu
Photgrapher: Mark Zibert
Illustrators: Luming, Lance Ma

because there are only so many raves

Glowsticks, food, strobes, black lights, Asians, friend of a friend of a friend's basement, heavy beat, color. It was v. fun. Saw a bunch of people I haven't seen in what seems like ages. Music was remixed hip-hop and rap, not what I expected, but you win some you lose some.

pearls of the Orient

The new Pirelli calender shot in Shanghai, China is out, hard to believe that a tire company could produce such amazing high-fashion photographs, v. unexpected. Well, I guess it could be attributed to the photographer Patrick Demarchelier. Models in the shoot? Catherine Mcneil, Caroline Trentini, Agyness Deyn, Mo Van Dan, Coco Rocha, Du Juan, Sasha Pivovarova, Lily Donaldson, Maggie Cheung, lots and lots of notable names!

I really like this, lots of Oriental, traditional Chinese elements to the photographs and they even worked in the origami-ish Dior from SS07 shows. It seems as if they were playing off the idea of a geisha with all the underpinnings ensembles. The hair pieces are incredibly creative, I like the bright green-white baicai leaves.

*all photos credit pirelli.com

global warming yields a revamped wishlist

It does not feel like winter at all. Today's high was close to 80 degrees Fahrenheit and people were wearing little tank tops, shorts, and flip-flops. The news has said that we have been breaking record highs and the average high temps should be around 55 degrees for this time of year. Believe it, global warming is real.

I returned the Gap coat I bought a few weeks ago and I think I am glad I did with the weather being so crazy and all. However, I would like to drop some cash at American Apparel. Namely the hoodies, because the gray one that I had lived in for about six months has been put to rest. I would like a bunch of other things from there as well, but hoodies are at the top of my list. I think that the AA stuff will suffice in the weather because it is layerable, unlike a more tailored jacket where its simply difficult to deal with when your classrooms vary in temps so much. Anyway, the wishlist.

To be dressed down by dark, somber colored sweaters and cardigans, lots of neutrals, thick opaque tights, lots of layers etc. Actually, if this were a true wishlist, I think one of every single thing from American Apparel would make me a very happy camper.

should I put out a whole holiday album?

hahaha have fun watching, I'm not going by the song at all even though I printed out the lyrics, and I might have changed the key and I know I stressed words that didn't need to be stressed.

"All I want for Christmaaaa-aaa-aas iiiiii-iiiis youuuuuuuuuuu"

we aim for the highest utility

So I've been a bit lame with the updates lately, but there is a legitimate reason. Teachers have been bombarding us with projects lately. I just finished my macroeconomics presentation last week on Friday, and this week I have an English project as well as an IB theory of knowledge presentation.
I'll keep this update short and spiffy because there's really not much I want to say but that mynext update will be a video (vlog? no, I hate that word). I won't disclose too many details, but just know that it involves me and a Santa Claus hat. Curious? then you should look forward to my next entry. Oh, and the picture on the left, was taken immediately after making the video, note the frizz fest hair as a direct result of the hat. Actually, my hair was not much better pre-hat, but anyway...

until next time, ta-taa!

PS: If you didn't notice already, I now moderate any comments posted because there have been a few inappropriate ones that I really don't care for.

ANTM takes on GWC

Apparently, the Great Wall of China has become the location to hold events concerning fashfash (recall that Fendi show!). Especially for aspiring models on the ANTM show. Exciting? quite. The photos are fierce, girls in full-on Chinese warrior gear? yes yes yes!

I've been to the Great Wall before. At some points it was really pretty scary because the steps were so steep and it felt like if you missed one you would just topple down the 70 degree incline to your possible death or paralysis, but I do encourage anyone who gets a chance to go though! It's definitely a day's worth of exercise and the scenery is unparalleled. I made it to the highest point, got a tshirt to commemorate (which I still wear sometimes), and went off to go do more sightseeing. This was almost six years ago, I'm due back for a visit! Maybe not this summer, because Beijing Olympics has seriously but a strain on things, but v. soon v. soon.

last christmas I gave you my heart

Wow, this was from two years ago around the holiday season. Pictures were taken from that year's Urban Outfitters holiday catalog, and that jacket! I have no idea where the fur trim went...

I'm excited for the holidays, the family's going to a city near the sea (oh, how poetic). There's some fabulous shopping to be done there, and it is oh-so-pretty because it's a historic street and the architecture is amazing. The Urban Outfitters down there used to be a theater! Lots of fun to be had, I need to finish college applications before I go though! What are your plans for winter non-denominational vacation?

China wins miss world pageant

Last weekend, the final competition was held in Sanya, China where Zhang Zilin took the crown.

Twenty-three years old and the tallest of all the contestants at 182 centimeters, 6 feet, she is said to be fluent in her second language, English, and excels in school. Prior to becoming a Miss World contestant, she modeled. Beauty and brains, and apparently, she doesn't seem fazed by it all; reports say she is incredibly nice and genuine. Honestly, who wouldn't be jealous of her?

better late than never, better now than ever

I'm sorry I've been bad about updating this thing.

So maybe in some twisted form of apology, or guilt or whatever...to the small readership I have, the photo shoot from Vogue Russia. A bit dated (April 2007, ok I guess in the fash world that'd make this ancient) and scans have been circulating the Interweb like no other, but still, it's worthy of a post. People have deemed it racist, said that it made the Asians look like animals. Hmm, I think it really captures to some extent the nature of the culture? I enjoy the contrast between the tall, angular form of the model and the mass of Asians gathered around her. And I definitely agree with Bryanboy that Asia has become the new sort of exotic, out-of-Africa place to provide that contrast and photograph the "natives." Whatever that might be, you decide. The shoot was photographed by Michelangelo di Battista and the model is Diana Moldovan.

This photoshoot tops my list (I have saved every scan I could possibly find, I plan on printing them onto nice photo paper), I wish Russian Vogues, actually no, magazines around the world for that matter, were more readily available to State-siders. Innovative, exciting, and I think I might be slightly biased, but who isn't?

lomo cameras

Lomography camera with a 170 degree view that compacts everything into a distorted circular image, making whatever you are shooting look extra awesome. Seriously, take a random picture of your bedroom wall with a fisheye lens and it instantly turns into an introspective piece of art. Uses 35mm film that can be processed anywhere. Built in flash; glass lens. The super-sleek all-white color is exclusive to Urban Outfitters. Imported.
* Includes: fisheye camera, wrist strap, editorial booklet
* 1 AA battery required
* 4.5"l, 2.5"w, 2.75"h
* Plastic
* 1 Year Warranty
Obsessed with lomography cameras. A lot that shoot on film are relatively cheap too and you don't need any special film for them. The one pictured above shoots with a fish-eye lens that puts the view in a slightly distorted circular image and it's only $38. If you're not serious about the quality of the photos and just want some trippy ones for fun, it's basically all the lomo you need. Photographs below are shot with a fish-eye lens camera attachment and a holga camera, respectively. Credit to Stefanie and Jenny of friends on myspace!