This is how behind I am. Today I’m posting about a lovely day I had in Dallas a few weeks ago as I’m sitting in my hotel room in yet another city I sometimes wish I lived in that I’ll write about later. I meant to write about that visit to Big D when it happened because, if you are in the area, I would encourage you to stop by the Jean Paul Gaultier (JPG) exhibit (The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk) that will be leaving the Dallas Museum of Art on February 12, 2012.

Even if you don’t love the often over-the-top and sometimes S&M imagination of JPG, it is quite an experience to behold so many of his couture gowns and outfits in one place. I attended the show with my good friend E, who’s like my brother from another father. And mother. More on that later when he’s ready for me to share him with you. He’s not a rabid fan of JPG like yours truly, but judging from his reaction, I think it was a pretty cool experience for him, too. I wish they’d let me take pictures of the many gowns I’d only before seen from runway photos or magazine editorials or of the mannequins, including one of JPG himself, on whose faces were projected images of real people. So when the mannequins talked, they became more real than they should be! Very cool.

Anyway, before E and I moseyed into this exhibit, we–and by we I mean E sweet talking his way into getting us to poke our heads into rooms that were closed off to the public–wandered around the downtown area where all the new theaters and concert halls have mushroomed around the museums:

In the next entry I’ll feature something we saw at a particular museum that I’d like to try to find on my next trip to China. But remember, if you’re anywhere in Texas, run–don’t walk–to the DMA and catch an eyeful of JPG. Your imagination will thank you.

You know how I always preach about the one-in-one-out rule…that before I bring home a new bag I have to let another one go? Sometimes it helps with the guilty conscience but often it just fuels seller’s remorse. Let’s talk about the latter. Remember the 2008 reissue camera bag that I adored in black and gray?

Yep, I got rid of both of them. I felt sick as soon as I boxed them up. But nausea and all, I did the same to this gorgeous deep, dark chocolate brown caviar tote from 2010:

Yes, more pangs and deep sighs. But as you know by now, the fashion gods and I have a decent rapport. So within the last couple of months, they admitted me into the bag buy back program (BBBP) and I re-found the black medium camera bag (brand new with tags!) which I featured a few days ago on my disastrous golf outing:

Bad golf, good bag. Still looking for the grey version also in the medium size. I think the large size was too heavy for me, as much as I loved carrying it:

What about the large brown tote, you ask? Well, just when I thought it couldn’t happen, I hit another jackpot with this (totally fictitious) BBBP and found a brand new one from a reseller when it’s been sold out for months now at the stores. The black version is still available at some stores, but it was the dark chocolate that I missed:

Yummy and delicious! It’s coming with me on my trip next week. So what’s the moral to today’s story? Well, none actually. Usually there are no regrets after a bag leaves my closet because there’s something else to replace it. But next time, I should think hard about a bag that I do use a lot before letting it go for something possibly prettier but also more frivolous.

Yes, today I’m announcing that we’re finally going live with boomersrama.com, which is a project I’ve been wanting to do with my parents for a very long time. Right now it may still sound like a science experiment in my head, but once we get going there, I think it’ll be a very cool way to showcase how awesome my parents are.

New year, new blog. I hope you’ll all join me there!

I’ve only been to one other golf tournament in my life, and that was a bunch of years ago when the huge crowd and I followed someone named Tiger Woods from hole to hole. This weekend we had freebie tickets to the Humana Challenge…

in La Quinta, California

and I was hoping to follow some upstart named Bill Clinton, but this time from the Champions’ Lounge at the 18th hole:

And BTW, yes, that’s the reissue camera bag that I recently bought back after selling it for some crazy reason:

But wait, let me rewind a bit. La Quinta is the golf destination in the desert area because of its predictably beautiful sunny weather in the dead of winter. Except for today. I woke up to a rainy Pasadena, and the weather forecast was so dire for the Palm Springs area that I chose to leave my (cute but white) planned outfit at home. But as we got closer and closer to Palm Springs, the drizzle stopped and the clouds parted till all we could see were wind generators:

And by the time we pulled into the parking lot for the PGA West, it felt like 80 degrees, especially in my black pants and sweatshirt..

so it was quite pleasant to get to the lounge for some shade and a cold drink. We get settled in for about an hour and grabbed lunch…

when I looked up and saw this rainbow halo effect around the sun:

And then it got weird thirty minutes later. The winds started coming in, blowing huge ripples across the water. The tent’s roof suddenly looked/felt really flimsy and flower pots fell over. Then ladies with headsets came in and asked us to evacuate the tent. We all filed outside and while it looked so deceptively beautiful…

signs and scoreboards bent over then fell into the water:

Kiosks also collapsed…

and that’s when the sheriffs showed up to clear out the entire event. By the time we got to our cars and filed out of the city, a dust storm blew in so quickly that in an instant visibility was down to almost zero:

But a few miles later, it was as if nothing had happened. There was not a single cloud in the sky:

So much for finding Number 42 at number 18. I’ll just have to settle for this:

Today’s ODJ is about transitioning a Chanel 08A jacket from work to play. Last night I took the (sparkly) jacket down a few kilowatts by pairing it with black jeans and a black t-shirt to watch the Clippers play the Mavs:

The Kardashian clan (Kris, Kim and Kloe) was courtside…

and each time they were shown on the Jumbotron, the crowd booed. Tough audience. I wouldn’t want that kind of fame for anything, but on another note, I wonder if mama Kris was wearing something Chanel like she usually does …

So speaking of doing other things while watching the game, I just realized, after all these years, that the ceiling of the Staples Center looks like it belongs in a spaceship:

And I also examined my purse–as I’m prone to do when I have to sit still for too long–and thought how weird it would be if one day my forehead looked like the inside of my 2.55 flap…I’d resemble my bag, sort of like dog owners and their pets:

At least there’s Botox for me. But till that day happens, I’m going to heed my mom’s recent advice and enjoy it while I still can.

So if that means wearing a fancy jacket to a basketball game, I might show up at the Spurs game in a ballgown!

I don’t know what you were doing at 8am today, but a nurse came to my house to measure my weight, height, blood pressure, and to draw lots of blood. Then I had to pee in a cup. It’s routine that I get blood work done at my primary’s lab, but this was for a new life insurance policy. I followed the fasting precautions they instructed last week, but while she was jabbing my puny vein and telling me that she only gets $10 per visit (and no mileage!), I thought about this particularly buttery-artery-clogging meal I had at a steakhouse in the last 48 hours and wondered if maybe I’ll fail the test:

There was so much butter in the sizzling seafood plate and mashed potato that I think I heard a cow mooing with every bite. It’s not right to intake this much dairy. I’m still not feeling right 48 hours later!

Just how long does it take for all that evil food (which also included a chocolate cheesecake for dessert!) to leave your system anyway?

Anyhow, shall we get back to the fashion bit? Yes, dinner was the perfect opportunity to take the Chanel dark white mini flap out for a spin. So in today’s ODJ, the bag is paired with a 10A cardigan (love the zipper that can open in either direction), theory pants, and 11C camellia slingbacks:

It must be odd for those of you in wintery climates to see us California softies still in our capri pants or open-toe shoes with our sweaters in January. But don’t forget, I think it was the West Coast that spawned off the Daisy Duke shorts with furry Ugg boots look. I blame it on too much sun. It fries our fashion sense and sensibility.

and kicked myself for not being successful in finding the matching racerback tank top. Not that I would wear them together lest I blind everyone I encounter. Fast forward almost four years, and look what showed up on eBay in brand spanking new condition at a fraction of the price!

NOT that I would wear them together…

well, maybe I would!

PS: dear eBay gods, how about the matching shorts, too ?

As much as it pains me to pack Chanel RTW for the road (bad experiences with lost luggage), it’s often when I’m somewhere other than LA that I get to enjoy the heavy tweeds. In today’s ODJ I’m wearing an 11P color blocked, padded jacket–that I think makes a fun substitute for a parka–

on my maiden trip with the Missoni for Target luggage:

The rolling case fits easily in the overhead cabin, and the matching travel tote is perfect for all my snacks, magazines, essentials and purse. Love that the tote is vinyl and can take a little water should a careless fellow passenger spill a drink on it. In all my years of travel, I’ve never gotten so many comments on my luggage till now. Women love that my bags match and men comment that someone is finally carrying something not black!

More RTW photo ops in the next entry…as for now, another day, another airport…

So January is already zipping by like a calendar on speed, and I can smell 2013 on my heels. As a way to de-stress and still have fun here at this blog, I think I’ll try to post more ODJs (outfits du jour) this year to document my addiction to you know what. I think besides looking at the fantastic editorials in magazines and online glossies featuring Chanel, it’s just as fun to see Chanel in action, on every day gals like me doing mundane things. And maybe come December 31, 2012, I can review the ODJs I’ve posted during the year and assess whether I can keep doing what I’m doing or totally revamp my look (what a fab excuse to go shopping!).

In today’s entry, I’m in my LA dress-down mode to watch the “new and exciting” Clippers demolish the Rockets:

The 2.55 flap is my favorite go-to small bag for the moment. It transitions seamlessly from day to night. The only problem is I often forget to close the lock:

Did I already say Blake Griffin and Chris Paul just killed it tonight?

We love having two professional basketball teams in LA; two reasons to have fun at LA Live on warm December nights…especially when you can have veggie sliders and a dark beer before the game starts (this was the first time I tried a chocolate-flavored ale)–hmmm, there goes one of my resolutions (eat better) already:

On this first day of 2012 I’m thrilled to convene the first meeting of the 1/1 Club, whose official members are my dad and Lil A’s new brother, Mr. T. He wasn’t due for another couple of weeks, but just like his big sister, he was in a hurry to join us in the fun world! His arrival is a heck of a way to kick off this new year. Can’t wait to meet you, sweet cheeks! I suspect Lil A and I may poach him for our own 4/18 Club though.

And happy birthday to my dad!