T h e P a r k S i s t e r s

Ruhrohhhhhhh

2012-02-08T00:25:00.000-05:00

My mom somehow found our blog and got really upset that we put up a Playboy spread. So i deleted that and am currently considering revamping our page and starting anew.

Til i decide what to do and get a rare day off, we are under construction!

(i cant believe how tough it is to type on an ipad. Ridonk.)

Dentist appointment early tmrw! Goodnight neverlaaaaaaaand!!!!!!

Xoxo, Liz

2011-12-27T00:59:00.001-05:00

I miss this hair on my sis. I think we honestly must've spent a little over 2 g's/yr each on maintaining this color. That is nuts! No girl should have to spend that much just to MAINTAIN! ewwwww. but ohhhh it was soooo fun having blonde hair.

The holidays were very unholidaylike. We didn't do anything particularly festive and i felt like a scrooge. I think it's because my sister and I were both working our tails off while it seemed the entire world was shopping. We shopped on our lunch breaks, stuffing pretzels in our mouths while we browsed, speedshopped, and powerwalked through the department stores.

This is going to have to be short because i have to go watch Homeland. I'll update later!

2011-12-18T18:37:00.002-05:00

My sister hates selcas with a passion but she should make an exception for these which i took in the bafroom all drunk at a karaoke somewhere in Lville Suwanee which feels like it is 40 mins away (which... it pretty much is when I drive). She should be appreciative of my selcas cos she bought me my holiday dress at some cheapie store for like 9.99 which IS HELLO? AWESOME. And i never wear black except for work! i love it and it fit like a glove. Plus I left puddles of glitter everywhere i went like Tink. So... thank you, sister!

Speaking of TINK!....how hot is the little boy who plays the title character in Peter Pan (2003)? I realize he's like all of 12 yrs old but I find him unbearably hot. And the little girl who plays Wendy is exactly how i always envisioned Wendy to sound/appear. She is like the perfect little piscean woman child. Who is the casting director of that film? They need to cast every movie I hold dear. (although it'd be Michelle Williams starring as... everything). Of course, right after I had watched it, i imdb and wikipedia'd it and rottentomatoed it to get all the names of the actors, film history/trivia, and ratings and i discovered that Dodi al Fayed's father Mohammed backed the film. millions and millions of dollars. it is also in loving memory to Dodi who when he was alive, executive produced Hook~ another one of my childhood favorites! I can basically quote you that movie by heart. you do not want to watch that movie with me. i'm sure my glee is not infectious but grating. BANGARANG!

I am soooo hungover from last night's Christmas party so i've been lying on my sheepskin rug in the middle of the living room floor watching encore! family movies all day and eating ice cream from the tub. SO. HUNG. OVES. Astrid just left for her company holiday party w/ Nalee and she left a frickin mess of dresses, poofy skirts, shoes, and makeup everywhere. I'm just staring at it whimpering cos the ocd in me wants to clean it up so bad, but i can't move around much or i feel like fainting. So! That's why I couldn't go to the party with them and i'm blogging on my stomach and researching Celine luggage totes. I'm in love with that bag. That is my next major purchase. I want that bag so much i have a headache when i look at it. Orrrrr maybe that's just the hangover.

Lates loves! xxooo

Shame

2011-12-09T01:09:00.002-05:00

Today was soooo cold. I had to put a scarf / bandana on the Meems cos i feel like she might get strep throat. Can dogs get strep? I dunno~ Meems tends to copy me so I feel like she could get bronchitis. I went grocery shopping again for my brother because he's in finals week in his second year of law school so he deserves to have yummies stocked everyday. I got him an 8pc box of fried chicken (freshly deep fried), a gallon of Simply Orange (which is the only orange juice we can drink), 18 extra large eggs, lenders egg bagels and philadelphia whipped cream cheese, a pint of apple cider, 32oz southern style potato salad (uhhh, wth is NEW YORK style potato salad~ southern all the way, baby!), ballpark beef franks, hotderg buns, and some chips. and bleach cos i had to bleach out all his drains just in case fruit flies appear. i HATE fruit flies. when i got to his place he had friends over for a nightcap. i didn't stay for a drink like they asked~ instead i went all OCD spaz styles bleaching out his drains and setting fruit fly traps all over the place. My brother went, "eww that smelllllllls" and i'm all like "WHATEVER! HERE PUT THESE IN UR BEDROOM!" and his friends are all like "OMG ure the sweetest sister ever~he has sooo much food in his apt!" damn straight! I'm so obsessive when it comes to stocking fridges and pantries. i get depressed when scoobs supplies get depleted. you should look at my phone. i have a groceries list in my blackberry and it's NEVER empty. there is AAAAALLLWAYYYYYS something to get from the grocery store. anyways, so yeah, i have a tendency to smother my brother in that sense but i mean he better be thankful!

I must admit, Skyrim has some amazing graphics and music. The music sounds like it comes from Lord of the Rings or some epic fantasy or war film. I love the music. And did you know this game features the voices of Max von Sydow and Christopher Plummer~ both from The Sound of Music? and also Joan Allen who is omazing with all her political thriller films. There is this line that one of the characters says... i really want to quote it because it's so poetic and inspiring. I actually went on these geeky threads and forums searching for it. I googled "quotes from Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim" and i felt a teeeeeny bit sheepish. But i gotta find that quote! I'm about to search again right now.

I want to see this movie so badly. The Fassbender is amazing. Was he not badass in Xmen? And Carey Mulligan... all of her performances are brilliant. I can't wait to see her as Daisy Buchanan. Will someone go watch Shame with me? I have no one to go with. :( I heard Fassbender has ridonk full frontal scenes. Like, so many that you go, OMG WHEN DOES IT END? :O shweet.

2am blog! (again)

2011-12-07T02:39:00.012-05:00

I feel like I accomplished so much today! It's 2am and I just finished applying self tanner over every inch of my body (including my buttcheeks that are so white they look like two mini marshmallows). I can't tell you which product I use because it's sacred. FINALLY after 10 yrs of trying EVERYTHING on the market, I've discovered the holy grail and it's my babysecret. Tricks of the trade, my taterprostitots! (ahhh who'm i kidding. if you email me, i'll prob tell you). The reason for my selftanscapades? Tis the season of company holiday parties and i have to wear a few cocktail dresses that show some skin. Oh and of course ~ can't forget the New Years Eve festivities! This year we are hitting all the major party circuits! Nowadays, I reserve clubbing for vacations in other cities in the US. Here, at home in the Atl, I am too tired from the busy work weeks and too lazy to get all dolled up and paint the town red. Ok, where was I? Ah~ self tanner. Summer is when i frequent the pool and get drunk there and baste in a delicious combo of oil, sweat, and beer. That's the Lizgravy and I am the rotisserie chicken. It's the recipe for the Roberto Cavalli tan. Have you seen that man? Ridonk. Prob more ridonk than Donatella. Summer is also when we go on holiday to Mexico or somewhere hellishly hot where the people look slippery. I get SO SO DARK in the summertime and then I lose track of my tan in the fall 'n fuhgeddaboudit and then bam! It's winter and i'm taking a shower and i look at myself and realize my panty tan lines are gone! (I don't get boob tan lines because in Mexico we sunbathe topless). And I get out of the shower, turn around and take a look at my bum and i want to make s'mores out of my minimarshmallows! So yes, my point is, I resort to self tanner in the winter because I'm not high-maintenance enough to take my freezing ass to Hollywood Tans and get nekkid. I don't even like trying on clothes in the winter; I tend to walk in stores and buy and try them on later in the luxury of my superheated home.

Self tanner is SO difficult to get just right. It can come out streaky and orange and gross. It takes some kickass technique if i do say so myself. Not easy. So now that I'm looking at myself, I feel a small accomplishment. The little things.

Today was an awesome day at work. I finally got my allotment for ready-to-wear and legwear and regardless of the fact that I can only choose black or white everything, I'm so ecstatic! Do you want to see the pieces I chose? Of course you do! ;) not too shabby, eh? i have to go watch Dexter now to see what happened to Tom Hanks son! i liked him so much better as Alex in Roswell, didn't you?

bonny dots string body

tunis skirt

colorado string body

merino rib dress turtleneck

tacoma trousers

dazzle fishnet stay ups

ecrue bailey knee highs

satin de luxe

velvet de luxe 50

velvet de luxe 50 stay ups

Watching Michelle Become Marilyn

2011-12-05T18:36:00.006-05:00

Watch this photoshoot for the New York Times. How she turns it on. It's unbelievable. Click the link to see the video! I wanted to see this movie so badly, but I didn't get to. :( I need to!

Magic.

2011-12-01T02:44:00.008-05:00

So our apartment complex officially changed its name to Parc at Perimeter. I don't like that C, though. It kind of irks me when Marks spell their name like Marc. Like that chef and restauranteur Marc Murphy who went and named his restaurant Landmarc. Dddddohhhhh. *grasping throat* Elizabeth should always have a Z. None of this Elisabeth Hasselbeck. No! Z is a very important letter!

In other news, as you can see by my multiple pictures galore, ma hurrs has grown out now, finally. I haven't worn my extensions in a long, long time. Maybe there hasn't been a special enough occasion, that's why. Well now, i won't need the extensions so much for length as i do for body. i'm a sicktwistedfiend for voluminous hair. BIG is better. The higher the hair, the closer to God. Big, touseled waves has, like, biblical importance to me. Dolly Parton is my idol! I will tease the living daylight out of my hair until it falls out of my head, basically. Teasing til smoke comes out, like a cartoon. Til it freakin catches fiya!

Obviously, ma hurrs is not so healthy, y'alls. Anyways, things have been going really well. Work has been a lot of fun and a lot of, well, work. As it turns out, I feel nice and cozy in my tinylilnew work enviroutique slinging luxury legwear in all its Austrian bondagey glory and being around Wolford tights, legcesseries, lingerie, and thigh high stayups all day makes me feel super slinkay and sexay like a secretary. loooosy goosy. sorry, y'alls. i'm all geeked on cold/flu meds amongst other things i had to take today. 2 tramadols. half an alprazolam. a great big vitaminC pill, lots and lots of amoxycil. PINTS of robitussin. 1 roosterbooster. 1 bacchas energy. ludens, like 30 ludens. mucinex, which is also an obnoxiously large pill. i've had a little tummy troubs from overmedication, so i took some makeupoop meds. these tiny little orange pills (for ants). i'm so sick of being sick. i am TRULY over it. i've been sick enough this month of November to give me a free pass next year. Maybe i should really consider getting a flu shot! Tina says she got the flu shot this year, and she has never ever evereverrr had the flu...IN HER LIFE. Deeeeeaaaaaaaaangirrrrrl ya don't say?!
Oh, and another thing about my new jaab! i must wear head to toe black. All day errday. i am so not used to wearing black. I hardly ever wear the color black. Black is for funerals and hair colorists (cos they look kewl in it). Another thing: i get lotsa pretty tights to add to my ridonk collection! What i really want is the Wolford roses tights, but they are $325 US. That's a lil crazy for lace tights, don't you agree? I sold those to this Middle Eastern man who smelled really nice... like cinnamon? or clove or something punkin pie-y. Note to self: must get Satin de Luxe tights. They look like dropdeadgorgeous leather pants. SO. Stunning. I'd have to say they are my favorite. And the Synergy 20 which (psst. it's built to give you a bigger butt~it works!!!) Tights are so perfect for our ridonkulous weather, here. I think it's 30 degrees outside. But! I wouldn't know - coslikeisaid - i'd rather turn tricks to cover the $782 heat bill in the dead of winter than cut back and be cold. And this concludes my loopy blog. it's a blob of superficial jibberjabber, but you'll have to forgive me~ i have this undying need to blog right at this moment even though my head's not on straight and it's almost 3inthemorning. in fact! i've been fuzzy all day! in my tramdaze, i went to the market and bought 6 packages of gourmet cookie dough~ the expensive kind. two peanut+chocchunk+caramel, two regular chocchunk, 1 sugar, and 1 triple choc. *shrug. i have no room in my fridge! i went there for 1-150watt light bulb for my Asian shelf lamp! jeez...

Victoria's Secret Fashion Show

2011-12-01T00:59:00.002-05:00

I missed it so I watched it like this on someone's blog. So I'm sharing it w/ you, too! :) Here's segments from the 2011 VSFS runway! My fave? Of course, Miranda. Miranda and Orlando. Doesn't it have such a grand and regal ring to it? They're a Shakespearean couple! <3

And since I love Miranda so much, here's a VSFS ONLY MIRANDA compilation i found! That face... she has such a perfect face w/ perfect dimples and eyes! I LOVE HER!

Vintage Christian Dior Pumps FOR SALE!!

2011-11-28T00:27:00.003-05:00

taupe 35.5; fits more like European 36 or US womens size 6 - $80

tan and black capped toe 35.5; fits like European 36 - $120

gold 35.5; fits like European 36 - $120

white European 35.5; fits like 36 or US womens size 6 - $55

And finally, I found these hidden deep inside my sister's closet. These are brand new, mint condition puma athletic shoes because obviously, I don't ever exercise. They've never been worn, are still in the box w/ original stuffing and I've tried them on a total of three times. They are a womens size 7, so they're too big for me and my sister anyway.

Brand new US sz 7; $15

Shipping and handling are not included. For any questions and more pictures, please feel free to email us! I love these shoes (minus the athletic shoes) and am only selling them because they'd probably bring more joy to someone else and only get neglected by us. And we are willing to negotiate on price, of course!

Logging JEANS into my style file...

2011-11-22T18:06:00.005-05:00

(but only bellbottoms and high-waisted wide A-lines~ no skinnies or bootcuts for me)

I used to never wear jeans. Ask anybody. I spent all of college and most of my 20s rarely if ever wearing them. Jeans, to me, is "slummin it." Jeans, to me, are so vanillabean. I will wear jeans to a pyjama party.

Remember, I'm a girl who doesn't own a single pair of Nike's or whatever. Minnetonkas or ballet flats are my running shoes. I can get away from an assassin in my ballet slippers. I can kick someone's ass in uggs. jyeah.

Howeves.... my boyfriend encourages me to wear jeans because he thinks women look so sexy in them. They're tasteful yet still manage to show off your best assets--long legs, tiny waist, etc, etc. He always says my butt looks really cute in jeans. He's just being nice to me becos I actually don't have enough of a butt to pull them off and plus i have hips like a 12 yr old boy; I hate the feeling of not filling out the butt area and the thigh area. Plus, I am short, so jeans in my size are always an inch too long. My sister and i are almost the same height; she is 5'5 and I'm 5'4 and we have every pair of pants we own, including jeans, professionally altered.

Now that I'm older and more mature (ha!), I find that i'm beginning to understand the not-so-loud, subtle, classier, and understated fashion that my sister tends to gravitate towards. Here I am wearing high-waisted, ridiculously short pleated tap shorts and funky tights in the fall, paired with a ridonkulous wedge so my legs look even skinnier and longer, and polkadotted cropped sweaters, bows in my curled hair, and red lipstick. I really enjoy compliments and the looks i get and i feel so funkyfresh. Howeves....

nowadays, I feel like want to adopt the sleeker lines. The flowy silk blouses topped with long furry vests over high-waisted straight leg jeans or crazyFLARED jeans and tons of simple gold accessories~ that Rachel Zoe look~ I love it. I get it now! You don't have to show off your boobs and wear supertight clothes all the time to look and feel sexy! I tend to be an extremist, so nuance/innuendo/delicacy is not my forte. I'm more KERBLAM! IN YO FACE camel cake! in your rear cow derriere! Lying, crying, spying, prying ultra-pig. You lewd, crude, rude, bag of pre-chewed food dude. BANGARANG, PETER! (i'm so sorry, train of thought derailed by Hook....).

Anyways. Look at Rachel Zoe's jeans. Look at how well she wears them. This is divine.

Astrid is so happy that I'm learning. She's like "finally! you can start dressing your age now!" I've spent years shrugging off her disapproving glances at my crazy repetitive purchases and my closet. (I never buy tops~ always bottoms: paperbag tie skirts, tutus, silk shorts, pleated mini poof skirts, tap shorts, etc. And I'm not going to ever give up my collection of colored/textured/patterned/opaque/sheer/various denier nylons, thigh high stay ups, knee highs, and schoolgirl ankle socks to wear with heels and skirts.... nor my flouncybouncy allkindsabottoms. These are my forever staples. I cannot live without these items. I cannot live without my beloved breton stripes and angora. Breton stripes are everything. Touch/texture and patterns are everything.

I will always be a skirt girl at heart!

Another Recent Discovery

2011-11-19T16:34:00.000-05:00

House of Holland tights. It's basically all over for me now. You know how extreme i get with likes/dislikes/preferences/OBSESSIONS. I just spent the last hour buying them out. Now i'm a penniless waif.

This is pretty embarrassing but how i discovered these tights?

Selena Gomez! AAACK! I saw this picture of her with Justin Beiber in Paris and i thought, "oh my GOSH i HAVE TO HAVE THOSE TIGHTS!!!!!! LIKE NOW??!?!?!?!" I did my research and that's how i fell upon the psychotic, zany House of Holland. So without further ado, here are some tights I love! Lotsa pix. I have zero restraint with pics. I need to see millions, don't you?

Cuckoo for Coconut Water... aka Mermaid Tears

2011-11-18T23:23:00.001-05:00

aka "the elixir of life" as my gf euniebelle says, aka God's contact saline solution. So i've become a hardcore flavored coconut water fangirl in the past few days that i've been out of commish with the flu. Out of the three major companies: Zico, Vita Coco, and O.N.E, i've found that i like O.N.E best because their coco H2o is the sweetest of the three.

Interruption: college football is on. My bf is screaming for OKLA ST. onside kick.... I'm not even sure what that means but apparently, it's crazy. it obviously doesn't happen in the NFL coz i wouldve learned that one by now.

Zico is apparently big with yoga aficionados. Zico is affiliated with Coca-Cola. So being an Atlien, I should love Zico. Engk. x_x I think it is a little too salty. It tastes like sweat. Gisele likes Zico. She also probably likes to lick Tom Brady after games. That's why Gisele likes Zico.

You can have Zico, Gisele

...and Tom Brady.

oh no.


you see? it even looks salty.

Vita coco is like the boring middle sibling (ha! jk). Caribbean island girl Rihanna reps Vita Coco looking so mermaidy and beguiling, so i'm tempted to love it.... just like i want to love Cheo-eum cheo-rum because of how pretty Hyori is...

But alas, I dislike soju. It's one of the few alcohols that give me a headache AS i'm drinking it. Vodka being the other. But if that's what everyone's drinking, I drink it happily. Vita Coco is just OK. To me, it tastes like milky gatorade. Or pocari sweat. I wish it were sweeter.

Sweeter like O.N.E Coconut Water! YAY! Confetti!! ohhhh i laaaaav! i'm telling you, mango is THE BEST! it is SO delicious. and so full of amino acids, antioxidants, potassium, electrolytes, minerals, vitamins, BASICALLY EVERYTHING! AAAAGHHHH! IT REALLLY IS THE PEEPEE OF ANGELS!

hope y'all enjoyed my taste test analysis! C:

Ketchingup

2011-11-17T18:43:00.009-05:00

Astrid and I tore up Target in the days following Halloween. It was like...

a Halloween Massacre. I was running around like a child with adhd in an assortment of Target shoes, speed-tip-toeing about in itty bitty steps like a hippopotamus ballerina--you know, cos of that friggin elastic between the shoes--while she jeerahled about in costumes causing people to kind of.. not stare, but casually gape.

We now have 7 or 8 bags of reese's pbc and 9 boxes of quakers granola bars w/ orange sprinkles. I didn't know what to do with all these reeses pbcs, so i mailed most of them to Chicago for my little cousin Dianne. cousin curr pckg.

Other life news flashes: as I mentioned before, we're going to New York right after New Years. To work by day (well, me anyway) and party TO THA SO SO DEF by night. I don't particularly like NYC's Korea block but i'm willing to troll for nice men for my sister. She needs a really good boyfriend. a wonderful one! i know you're out there somewhere, oh future brother in-law! and guess what, I already love you! My sis might potentially move to NYC by the end of January, because the higher powers that be at Bally of Switzerland really liked her when they came down to the Atl storefront. She even shared a dessert w/ the Italian director of merchandise. I'm sure she turned on the snakecharms. Anyhoos, being the tracy flick that i am, i made a few new banners for our blob, so that it might be a bit more attractive to the few dear readers we have. Howeves, i feel like they look kinda cheap so i stuck with the plain impact black. Whaddya think? Stuff like this shouldn't occupy my time, but it does. I'm very lame. I was furiously cutting and pasting on a Friday night while Astrid was piling on the hwaj to hit the town like a clown. i also spend hours upon hours searching for and posting up my latest favorite artists and songs so that you might enjoy. most of them i find on nylon's music section or hype machine. lots of treasures there, like a thrift store of musical tossaways-potential-liz-gems. i take major pride in discovering but i'm probably way behind everyone. don't! be a killjoy.

So so lame, right? I'm soo not a graphic dejainer. I need help.

Love, Liz

Ps. i'll update again real soon. particularly to post pictures of shoes in my vintage collection that I'd like to sell. for now, i'm closing up the store and heading home to a warm napoli's cheese pizza which Astrid better have ready with my ranch salad. besos!

EDIT! I just chugged two of these

mango flavor is my favorite. I AM OBSESSED. GAHHHH another fluid addiction. bacchaus canned energy drink is my other DAILY FLUID. picture...picture... AH! here he is!

my blood is so diluted i think with O.N.E coconut water mango flavor and bacchaus canned energy drink at this moment. my peepee is like SO full of vitamins.

W Mag, December 2011 Issue: My Favorite Dec Spread -- The Fanning Sisters.

2011-11-13T18:37:00.001-05:00

my, these two grew up!

Something that only happens in the movies...

2011-11-12T14:44:00.006-05:00

i got this knit sweater at the new Salvation Army in Roswell, right by our store! it was $3.99! C: i also look like an alien here~ prit tee cool

my new work shoes from Target! (they're only in the kids' section tho)

Last night, we went to go watch Immortals (henry cavill's gonna be uuuuuuge, btw!) right down the street at Regal Perimeter. We got there 45 mins early because, as you know, i hate crapola seats~ really stresses me out and i always think eeeevery movie i go to will be sold out and packed and noisy~ hence the fact that i rarely ever go to the movies. We got bangin seats right mid and center and as my sister and i were cozying up and getting indian style and moving the arm rest separator and pulling out our massive candy collection and peeking out from behind our big fluffy sweatercoat blankets, Challs got up to use the restroom.

When he returned, threw off his leather jacket and plunked down into his seat, i thought he'd gotten into a fight.

He was seething. I saw steam coming out of his nostrils and big ears.

Alarmed, I quickly asked "What's wrong?"

He didn't even look at me; before answering he stuffed a handful of popcorn into his mouth. Finally after what seemed forever and after panic had risen up to my throat, he deadpanned:

"I just caught two dudes boning in the bathroom."

"What?!?"

"I'm fucking PISSED right now."

"Wha--I mean--how-how d'you... are you sure?"

He still wouldn't look at me as he continued to smash giant handfuls of popcorn into his mouth, staring straight ahead.

"I heard the grunting. nom nom nom. I thought some guy was taking a shit and i was like nomnomnom 'oh wtf, gross, thas kinda rude' and then I heard two different voices. pause chewing. thoughtful. I thought it might be a guy with his son but it was 'fucking' noises.

"Oh my gosh, did you tell someone?" I felt bad for Challs. He was acting like someone who'd just caught the post traumatic stress disorder. He turned and looked at me, obviously bewildered that I'd even question it.

"OF COURSE I DID! I told the woman attendant who was standing outside the bathroom and he told this white guy. I'm fucking traumatized right now. I am so pissed."

I left him alone after that to wallow in his PTSD and i quietly got up to go outside and take a peek. Yep. They had sealed off the restroom with yellow tape. When i reported back to Challs, he shrugged. "Of course they did, it's unsanitary."

The previews were about to start and I turned to whisper to my sister what had just happened. She mused, "wow, people actually do that? I thought it was just in the movies! Ha ha ha, that's so gross! leaning over me. Unkie challs! Are you ok?"

I hugged my knees and was left to swim around in my own thoughts for a brief moment. Challs is the most NON-homophobic man i have ever met. He is so open and kind and although he can be the biggest comical dick in the world and the toughest guy's guy ever, he has a soft spot for anyone who has a tendency to be disenfranchised. He will beat up a bad guy and put a arrogant little kid in a chokehold, but he also fawns over Meems and smothers her with kisses.

I thought, this is the kind of thing that people do that ruins it for guys like Challs. I know he is not naiive and stupid enough to think that all gay men have sex in public restrooms, but this sort of experience puts a bad taste in his mouth. Sort of in the way that my getting robbed 5 years ago at gunpoint by a bunch of hoodlums in baggy jeans--who happened to be black--affected him in such a way that now, he feels a pang of distrust every time he comes across a young black youth in baggy jeans. It is our experiences that shape our reasoning and conceptions; our attitudes and assessments of one another. But my mother always taught us that we should never be closed-minded. There are so many different kinds of people in the world~ stay positive and try to get to know them, or at least learn something about them all.

After the movie (which was pretty good I thought, but disappointing for Challs and my sis cos they thought it'd have more fighting in the vein of 300--what's wrong w/ you, Astrid... she always has to see the max amt of blood, guts, gore or she gets quietly disappointed...creepy), we piled into the car shivering because it's like 30 degrees at night in Atlanta these days! We heard Challs reflect aloud, "It's disturbing to hear anyone having sex in general...that's the last thing i wanna hear when i go to take a leak." And for some reason, my heart filled up with pride.

In other news: I've only just discovered Eliza Doolittle. She's adorable with her cockney accent and that She & Him Zooey Deschanely vocal coloring. Her music is jazzy, upbeat, and quirky and her songs are always used in American commercials. quite catchy! check her out.

It's been a busy fruitoftheloomful year, blogettes!

2011-11-03T16:47:00.003-04:00

These days I've been taking care of my mom a lot and working really hard for our business... we've finally completed the transformation and officially become a convenience pay / moneygram agency / tmobile dealer. Why didn't anyone tell me how much money there is to be made in the wireless business? especially in phones? geez! it's crazy. who knew? so yeah. i've been basically shakin dat thang day in day out doing the typical 9.5hr days six days a week and pimpin phones while sending wire transfers and taking utility bills for a bajillion folks all while keeping a super happy smile on my face because...

no matter what you do, when u see the monetary returns from the work you put forth, it makes life that much more fun. can i get an amen? to reinvent your own business and shake things up and spend that much physical effort into marketing (big thanks to challs, boobies and my brother) and then witnessing the fruit of the ~~loom~~ labor?... let me tell you. i've tried a lot of drugs in my past life, but there ain't no high like it. i get it now. i get why people get so annoyingly all-consumed w/ their jobs. i'm obsessed. not obsessed w/ the money, but the joy in my mom's face. wth. have i been unmotivated all my life? uh. obviously!

While all that was going on, I started freelancing at Americasmart in downtown ATL working market week (fashion and apparel). It's a lot of prancing around in to-die-for clothes and writing up orders from buyers and boutiques. a lot of "this is an amazing seller" and "this would be perfect for spring/summer" with a dash of fit modeling and spinning on the side. Lisa Adams' Therapy showroom is amazing and massive! and she has fantastic buyers like fabrik and K-la. For me, basically, notwork. And it's so much fun getting paid for notwork. A word to the denim lovas.. check out Bleu Lab. It's reversible denim (one side regular denim and the other side coated so it looks like leather pants). new technology, yo! It's gonna be big! actually, i heard it's already big at neiman marcus, nordstrom, and kitson. it is the hottest premium denim i've ever seen besides j brand. and i love j brand.

So anyhoos, I'm going to New York on two different occasions in January to do Coterie and then to Vegas in Feb for Magic. I'm thrilled! As my sister says, this is how you network. Meet. Greet. Impress. Outwork. Outparty. Etc. I have to take her advice because she has always been better than me in the social butterflyzing&networking department. It's weird. what happened to my little sister--who cried on the playground everyday because nobody would play with her while i begged kids to let her join our foursquare games and when they'd refuse, i'd cry too and sit on the swings with her, just the two of us? How'd that little girl become this well-connected, deadly-charming chica w/ a gazillion buddies all over the place? I'm kinda not charming. I'm actually really awkward and tend to tense up. I lament this all the time to my mom and she says that awkward can be endearing and I need to use that to my advantage and that everyone has different gifts and talents, and blah blah momspeak. Astrid will take off from work to tag along most likely. She knows NY like the back of her hand and she says she will introduce me to some preeeettyyy cool industry types and plus some friends of hers i haven't yet met so~ i'm excitedexcitedEXCITED. eeeep!

2012~ please be continuously fruitful.
maybe i'll even be m-a-r-r-i-e-d by then?
and by the following year, have a beautiful daughter so i can name her Brigitte.
please, nobody steal my baby name! i have to keep changing it cos my sister keeps stealing them.

Heart and arrow,
LizStarsnStripes!
*salute

So you all know how obsessed I am with Michelle Williams...

2011-11-02T18:35:00.002-04:00

My Week With Marilyn has been something I've been anticipating since it was announced almost 2 years ago that she'd be tackling the iconic superstar! Astrid and I are holding our breaths. The first is a clip of Michelle singing in the tub, the second is the trailer, and lastly~ Michelle as Marilyn singing Heatwave!

HI my lovelypets! Here are my photocandies to share... with you.

2011-10-31T14:23:00.001-04:00

This pretty much sums up the material things I love.
Shallow post, but total visual pleasure.
Enjoy!

Friday Night...

2011-10-28T23:42:00.002-04:00

Hey guys! I'm boppin to JayZ and Kanye w/ Joydi!
Throw ya diamonds in the sky, ATL!
Now off to Gabriel and Dresden. Then the afterparty.
Work is going to suck tmrws.
Love + Diamonds,
Astrid

2011-10-28T18:23:00.004-04:00

<3

http://www.shopnastygal.com/brands/Jeffrey-Campbell.html

...........

.................. i die.
<3

2011-10-28T17:30:00.001-04:00

Love Letter to a Sister

here is the deepest secret nobody knows

(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud

and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows

higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)

and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart (i carry it in my heart)

There is no better friend than a sister. And there is no better sister than you. ~Author Unknown

She is your mirror, shining back at you with a world of possibilities. She is your witness, who sees you at your worst and best, and loves you anyway. She is your partner in crime, your midnight companion, someone who knows when you are smiling, even in the dark. She is your teacher, your defense attorney, your personal press agent, even your shrink. Some days, she's the reason you wish you were an only child. ~Barbara Alpert

I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones. ~Author unknown, attributed to a 4-year-old named Lauren

A toast once heard: "To my big sister, who never found her second Easter egg until I'd found my first." ~Robert Brault

NOTZRIM

2011-10-26T12:56:00.006-04:00

In worldly terms, 'religion' has always been a part of my upbringing. As a baby, all the books our mother read to us were Bible stories.  All the VHSes we watched were Superbook and Flying House and Hanna Barbera's Greatest Adventure Stories from the Bible.  Our tiny home in Decatur was filled with books books books.  We weren't allowed to have Barbies.  The only time i got a Barbie was when my dad got me one in Korea before a major surgery.  It wasn't a real Mattel Barbie ~ it had Japanimation eyes.  like this --> 8.8

From the time we were babies through elementary school, my mother took us to church every Sunday morning, Sunday evening, and on Wednesdays.  For preschool we were enrolled at First Baptist Church of Atlanta which is led by Dr. Charles Stanley.  It is literally the first place i have ever known besides home.  All three of us learned to speak English in the church.  In Sunday school, my sister and I'd sing worship songs and make macaroni   pictures of what we're thankful for. I made a picture of my family, a   house with a garden and a rainbow.

When we were five, my mother  enrolled us at Dekalb Christian Academy where memorizing Bible verses is  part of the curriculum and then when middle school rolled around we promptly enrolled at Providence Christian Academy.  There we had chapel every Wednesday and had Bible  as a subject (usually 5th or 6th period).  Of course, in Earth Science  we'd learn Creationism alongside the Big Bang Theory and Evolution.  Also during middle school, we started going to Korean church on top of American church.  At Korean church all the kids would wear shorts and t-shirts but for us--coming directly after First Baptist--we'd be decked out in our dresses and dorky Sunday bests so eventually, we began begging my mom to let us change clothes.  We were so embarrassed.  Of course she wouldn't let us so we'd sneak our Bass shoes w/ coiled shoestrings--they were the rage back then--and jean shorts or umbros into our little church bags that held our Bibles, notebooks, and pencil tins and change in the church bathroom.  Then we'd change back before we saw our mom coming out of adult service.

Middle school was filled with Kings Kids (a chorus that my mom led, where we sang Christian songs and did body worship and choreography) and Mission Kids started when we were in 7th and 8th grade.  We performed at huge churches and even at a ginormous black baptist church.  It was exciting and fun and goodness, we were so filled with the Holy Spirit and my relationship with Christ was so strong and I was so earnest in my walk... I hungered so much to be like Him and to be nearer and nearer to my Savior, my best friend.

And then high school happened.  College happened. I wouldn't say I strayed off the deep end, I  just became so busy and so enamored with my new Korean friends in high school and they didn't all have the same background as I did.  I'll admit, it wasn't as bad as it was for my sister.  She went to Christian schools up til 8th grade and then for 9th grade she was basically thrust into a public high school and she'll tell you herself--she went through a profound culture shock and her very first bout of clinical depression.  But with me, I'm a lot more resilient and less impressionable.  I adapt to my surroundings and back then, i had such low self-worth and self-esteem that my instantaneous first mission in ANY social setting was to mimic and camouflage and assimilate.  So i did that with the rest of the public school kids.  My faith took a back seat to what my own desires  were.  I HAD to fit in.

Eventually as a college student, I started really "living it up"-- drugs, sex, alcohol, rebellion,  cheating, stealing, scandal. But you know what?  As ridiculous and hypocritical as this sounds, despite all this and through it all, I never stopped  believing. I couldn't because it's ingrained in me.  It's my IDENTITY.  I basically had learned this way of separating my identities and muting that part.  I just thought that being open about my faith was uncool. I  knew God will always have my back, no matter what. And I tested His  grace, again and again and again.

I've always had a problem being open about my faith. It's in my nature to be more quiet about it because it's personal, you know?  And I  shouldn't be....because in my crazy upside down roller coaster ride of a life,  it's my solid foundation. I feel sorry  for people who don't believe in a higher power.  How exciting is a roller coaster if you don't have a firm ground to end on afterwards?  It's impossible for my mind to wrap around this idea  that there are people out there that believe in... Nothing!  Please.  I beg you to pick up C.S. Lewis' Mere Christianity.  It is life changing.  Even the most cynical person will be affected by it.  

Anyway, I'm 27 now. And I'm still just as flawed and just as broken. But  I've been taking steps to grow. I want to grow. I want to mature. I've  always been afraid that my life will change so drastically when I  decide to go the straight and narrow. I've always been terrified of  completely letting go and letting God. The thought of waking up one day  and being unrecognizable in a mirror really puts me off. But it's only  now at this old age that I realize there's nothing to be afraid of. Yes, it's  hard. And change doesn't happen over night. But this is what growth  requires: sacrifice. This doesn't mean I don't go out. This doesn't mean  I don't drink. This doesn't mean I become one of those Bible Thumpers. I  still can't stand self-righteous churchy people who look down on people like myself because i have tattoos and piercings and have done drugs and partied like a rockstar and sometimes slip up and still do.  What I want is to makeover my heart and reflect God  in every possible way:  to be kind, loving, forgiving, encouraging, etc. I want  to be more vocal about my faith and really push myself to be brave.

Fingers crossed.

I, Esther Astrid Peas Park, am a firm believer and follower of Jesus Christ.

xxoo,

Astrid

oh.  I recently asked my designer girlfriend in LA to help me figure out a tattoo design with NOTZRIM, the hebrew word for Nazarene.... or follow of Christ.  that will be my next one. :)  

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAND WE'RE BACK!!!

2011-10-21T13:31:00.039-04:00

Astrid Peas &

Liz

Have you ever had something happen to you that you thought was bad but it turned out to be for the best? Leaving New York to move back to Atlanta. Leaving Atlanta and moving to Los Angeles for a 6mo sabbatical. I'm not sure... but all the car accidents I've been in were traumatizing but i get new cars and money out of them. Thank you Jesus!

What was one of the best parties you’ve ever been to? My life was a giant warped, glitter-and-blood-splattered, drug-induced haze of an afterparty. Now the party depends on who's in town or what town i decide to drop into. I've toned down a lot. We used to do preparty, party, afterparty, afterafterdrugparty, pass out at sunrise, work through the daylight, and do it all over again at sunset. The most epic parties are not in Vegas. Not in NY or LA. they are in MIAMI. aka sodom & gomorrah. Nowadays, we don't go to Atl clubs anymore and just do the occasional NRB/karoake thing. the past is the past and we move on to clean beginnings. keyword clean. Thank you Jesus.

What was the last movie, TV show or book that made you cry or tear up? Andy Stanley's Louder Than Words. I'll admit that i sob during X Factor. like blow my nose and hiccup sob. but not for that homeless dude dexter and the crybaby stacy. them two gotta go. annoyang!

What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever done? Stay in one place for more than 2 months. I get antsy and constantly feel like jetting off somewhere. written an apology email to this beautiful girl in Atlanta who i wronged a few years ago because of my affiliation to her then-boyfriend. I am beyond sorry. I will do everything in my power to make it right again because i was so wrong and so terrible and so not myself at the time.

What did you do growing up that got you into trouble? I subconsciously steal lighters and my guy friends; clothes...when i was younger it was hello kitty mechanical pencils and stickers from Sanrio Surprises. Cute stickers are my crack. As an elementary school student, i went out of my way to disobey my teachers. "don't look at your neighbor's paper"... cue miniLiz TURNING to neighbor and STARING at paper and pretend reading it right in front of teacher before she finishes sentence. I got paddled at the principal's office about 6 or 7 times. abuse! abuuuuse! i was so bad.

When was the last time you had an amazing meal? Everything my sister cooks is amazing. She learned Korean from our grandmother and cooks American like Tyler Florence. She has a photographic memory with recipes. AMAZING. Eating crablegs at The Highlander with my mom, uncle, and sis is always an amazing meal cos my mom is so fast at cracking and she gives me all her meat. Have u noticed that other people's food always tastes better? AW! thank u peajibeh. My last amazing meal was Costco pizza. It's omajeeng. i frigging love Costco. I get in major trouble for using my sister's card all the time. Costco even froze her card coz they thought i stole it which i did. sometimes i walk inside w/ nothing saying "oh, my mom's inside" so i can get a churro real quick and dip.

What’s the best/worst gift you’ve ever given/received? Best thing I ever got was an honest email from the last person I ever thought I would hear from / Worst thing I ever got was the sexandthecity dvd collection. My sister's boyfriend even told me "it's not a present, it's what i'd get for your sister on a Thursday or something..." best gift is my necklace after i lost not one but two of the same necklace. third time's the charm, right? and he got me the biggest diamond this time, around too! worst gift was a juicy couture zip up hoodie and a super tight pink lacoste golf polo because this guy wanted me to fit into his prototype of the perfect korean girl. i secretly returned both for store credit.

What do you miss most about being a kid? Nothing, cos I still yam one. going to the public swimming pools and feeling beyond excited. that smell of sunblock and tanning oil still takes me back to growing up in Decatur, GA and swimming with 65 little black kids during those hot hot Georgian summers.

What is your first memory of being really excited? I was in the hospital and I got to eat ice cream for breakfast, lunch and dinner + my dad got me a beautiful barbie that had a yellow dress. omg her memory just made me cry. omg. crying at work. no good. stoppit. stop! there are things about our dad that were truly good and kind and that i miss. i pray he's doing very well and happy in his new life. my sister had surgery in Korea at age 5 for breathing problems. she was a sickly child and had terrible asthma and my dad spoiled her rotten before and after surgery so she wouldn't cry and be scared. ugh. waterworks.

What was the first thing you bought with your own money? Tithe. she tithed and bought herself a nice bag! i'm still getting used to tithing. i feel like our church is so rich anyway so what diff will it make if i tithe or not? i consider giving my hard-earned money to my mom, brother, sister, and cousin as tithing. they need it more than my super rich church! oh no, is that terrible to say? anyway, first thing i bought was.... a HUGE SMILE from my mom when i handed her the check.

When was the last time you were nervous? About 5 min ago. I thought my sis' bf would find out I took 2 of his xanys. it's OK he knows you take his xanybars. he calls you the pill thief and if yall were on the streets he'd shoot you. Hmm.. the last time I was nervous was for my job interview. I'm still waiting to hear back! It was for Wolford Boutique at Phipps Plaza and it's one of my favorite stores in Atlanta. I just want to BE there all the time and wearing/selling the merchandize would be a total treat/totally not work with omazing pay!

What is something you learned in the last week? Character is the foundation to everything. Be Beyond Reproach. There will always be people (mainly girls) who are mean and say negative things aboutcha. But you can't give them your care. you have to NOT care. instead, redirect that care to being the girl everyone wants to be friends with. that everyone likes. that never says a negative thing about anyone. that lights up the day/mood/atmosphere

What story does your family always tell about you? No stories. But i have many stories about my family. Through the craziest highs you could imagine to the lowest depths of desperation, misery, and despair, we are survivors. My mom always tells people about how bad i was as a kid. I'd dump out an entire bottle of baby powder on my sister's head so she could "be a snowman!" and i'd draw on her with lipstick and pee on the carpet and command her to lick it. i had major probs.

At what age did you become an adult? On my 15th bday on March 11, 1999 at around 4:30 pm when I got off the schoolbus and watched my house burn to the ground and all of my precious belongings and my entire life go up in flames. I didn't feel like a kid anymore at that moment. When i went on a mission trip to Seoul with Mission Kids and we ministered to homeless people, especially the ones that live at Yongsan Train Station and Seoul Train Station. I met a little boy that I totally fell for and I bought him bboo shyuh bboo shyuh (korean ramen snack) everyday until i left. I will never forget him and his drunkaspiss father (he was nice but drunkaspiss). That summer mission trip to Korea was when I felt like I'm an adult and as such I have the automatic responsibility to help people in every way i possibly can.

Which celebrity do you get mistaken for? Lindsey BLohan :*( and i heard Kim Kardashian in NY a few too many times which is strange. My gays say 2Ne1. All the gays know 2Ne1 even the black queens. That or an Olsen gremlin which makes me quite sad to be honest.

What do you want to be when you grow up? Peastronaut. An amazing mom and be a totally stylish/hot mom. i admire the crap out of the girls my age who are supermoms. I don't want to be an old mom! i'm a cool mom. (amy poehler voice)

When you have 30 minutes of free-time, how do you pass the time? Smoke a cig + drink espresso + sms an old friend. do my nails. obsession with keeping my nails pristine.

What would you name the autobiography of your life? the Peacalypse. i like that clothing line... Young Broke and Fabulous. or Crazily Ever After

What songs are included on the soundtrack to your life? Girl in a Coma, Morrissey, the Black Keys, Radiohead, Weezer, Beck, Cake, Charlotte Gainsbourg, The Kills, and Little Boots. oh yoshime they won't believe me but you won't let those robots defeat me. "Mexico" by Jump Little Children reminds me of college and my roommate Brittany. sweetest person ever.i love u brittany!

If you could throw any kind of party, what would it be like and what would it be for? Studio54 Baby. like a vintage treasures trading party where we drink wine and exchange numbers w/ new girlfriends and stuffs.

If you could paint a picture of any scenery you’ve seen before, what would you paint? I'd paint Cory Kennedy and the rest of the cobra snake lower east side kids in NYC because it's sooo weird how hipster they are but at the same time i'd say it's pretty endearing cos they're all like 21. OR my sis as a 4 yr old having gotten into my crib and sitting next to me with my toes in her mouth. my grandfather in his gigantic vegetable garden. i wish he still had his eyesight so he could garden.

If you could choose to stay a certain age forever, what age would it be? blonderedhead23 I just want to stay in my 20s. this year has been a richly blessed year. i'm just so thankful for everything i have. constantly thankful to be alive and have my whole family be healthy. can u imagine families that have to deal with the pain and stress and financial strain of having a sick child or parent? Oh, Lord... i get teary thinking about it.

If you knew the world was ending in 2012, what would you do differently? leave the bougie life and adopt the bohemian in Mexico, my new home. totally agree. walk away from the bougie lifestyle and blow all our family's savings on trips and family dinners and just being all together in the same place at the same time for ONCE! (we are CALI, NY, ATL, SEOUL, PUSAN, PYONGYANG, FRANCE, and GERMANY.)

If you could choose anyone, who would you pick as your mentor? Kate Moss and my pastor Andy Stanley. my mother is my mentor. i'm the eldest daughter so my mother and i are ridiculously tight. my other mentor is her closest friend Jewell Mae, a southern belle who has lived in the Virginia Highlands neighborhood of Atlanta all her life and has been friends with my mother for 30 years. and lastly, of course, His Holiness TDL.

If you could witness any event past, present or future, what would it be? North Korea and South Korea Reunification and the assassination of Kim Jong Il and his entire family and staff and party and anyone with any kind of affiliation with him especially his ssaiko son. Nice, sister! agreed! i'd like to witness my mother's heyday. she was a stunner in college. soo beautiful and stylish and glamorous and teenytiny. like a fashionable mouse. i'd also like to see the Israeli-Palestinian conflict end, but biblically that'd mean the Apocalpyse. (pretty sure...)

If you could learn to do anything, what would it be? learn how to speak Cantonese, Mandarin, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Japanese, Russian, and German. take up interior design as a hobby. or become a classically trained chef on the side. and i envy people who can draw. i have all these beautiful ideas for womens' apparel in my mind, but i can't draw and tracing's so tacky.

If you had to work on only one project for the next year, what would it be? Making clothes again! I need to. As you can see, my sister and I have been extremely busy and unable to do creative fun stuff or even blog. Creating a website where you can buy the treasures we find at thrift stores, for not even half the prices urban outfitters will sell them for. I want to sell so many things that i find and own! i want to share my wealth!

If you were immortal for a day, what would you do? i don't know, i'd be scared. infiltrate North Korea as a spy and take out the entire regime and 2 generations within each and every party members' families just like how kim jong il does to his own people. i'd be the unkillable agent, like jack bauer. all mushissuh and shit.

If you had to change your first name, what would you change it to? I legally changed my name to Astrid. True story. I was at the courthouse all morning yesterday. It's OK! my mom actually gave me her blessing since I've been going by Astrid since i was 21 anyway and plus i kept Esther as my middle name because she named me for Queen Esther in the Bible. and among my Korean friends i still go by Esther or Peas. i love my name. I wouldn't change Elizabeth. but i do love the name Georgia Lou and Gemma. and Stella Louisa Olivia Viviane. etc. etc. My sister's first daughter's name is going to be Georgia Lou.

If you could meet anyone, living or dead, who would you meet? His Holiness, the Dali Lama. I kind of don't want to meet anyone because everyone intimidates me.

If you won the lottery, what is the first thing you would do? Buy my hut in Mexico and retire with my friends and family. duh, what anyone would do. retire all friends and family!

If you were reincarnated as an animal/drink/ice cream flavor, what would it be? champagne w/ sectioned mandarins in it, a koala bear, and i wouldn't be an ice cream, i'd be gelato, boo. i think this is a dumb question! icecream? i guess i am supposed to answer with my favorite ice cream flavor? it's vanilla bean or french vanilla or lemon custard. animal i'd be a lemur or sea monkey because i look like those animals.

If you could know the answer to any question, besides “What is the meaning of life?”, what would it be? "Do you love me for me?" Why doesn't Jesus save North Korea? Why does he allow meaningless suffering and cruelty?

If you could be any fictional character, who would you choose? Elizabeth Bennett. Daenerys Targaryen because she's badass or Arya Stark because she's awesome. (both are from Game of Thrones, duh).

What was your favorite food when you were a child? french fries dipped in chocolate ice cream. my mom used to make these sandwiches that taste exactly like cheesesteaks. she sliced up deli ham really tiny and sauteed it with tiny mcdonalds'-sized slivered onions and egg and served it on hot buttered toast with american cheese. it's still the most delicious sandwich i've ever had.

What’s the #1 most played song on your iPod? the black keys, Howlin for you. i don't own an iPod. i listen to hypemachine. but i like eungks eungks music, floating and spinning w/ flowers in zee hair music, imaginary stripping music (like Muse and Stone Temple Pilots), jumping kicking and punching zee air music (ska, old no doubt), bop to tha feverishly catchy beat music (hip hop).. and basically any and all music that makes me move or moves me.

What is one of your favorite quotes? check quotes on side of zee blog. basically anything daniel tosh or stephen colbert says

What’s your favorite indoor/outdoor activity? Laughing. drinking alcohol with my friends and making them laugh.

What chore do you absolutely hate doing? Cleaning out my cup after I made coffee. i clean out all her cups and i hate it. i hate cleaning the toilet because it's so gross and i hate vacuuming now cos my sister leaves a trail of crumbs and candy and glitter everywhere she goes.

What is your favorite form of exercise? Pilates gives me supertoned legs and Shopping-as it is for every woman-is my cardio. i powershop: invade a store, pick out armfuls, try everything on at once, decide, pay, dip. I HATE EXERCISE. it's pretty obvious cos i'm all jiggly. skinny jiggly is so gross dood.

What is your favorite time of day/day of the week/month of the year? 9PM / Thursday / March. i like nighttime and mornings are so freaky to me. especially if it's the type of morning that comes out of nowhere while i'm out and about partying (i don't ever see those anymore, praise God). i love Sundays coz 99% of the time they're always brilliant days that seem to go by sloowwwwly which is awesome. Basically, Sunday is God's day.... and the game of the gods day, football. i love june july august (summer).

What is your favorite body part? Legs. i guess my eyes. but my gf eunie and i were talking about this... when we take our circle lenses out, we look like DEAD FISH! so, SO ugly. D:

What sound do you love? crickets going crazy on cool summer nights and the oven beeping that my goodies are done. babies/children laughing hysterically

The best part of waking up is? Cig + Espresso. Meems rubbing her soft little face into mine cos she loves mornings and waking up and she's always happy to be alive.

What time did you go to bed last night and were you alone? 11PM, I slept with my chihuahua Pippi and my sister and her dog. 1am and i let them sleep in my giant bed w/ me cos we were having a slumber party last night. i fell asleep later cos my sister and her dog snore like monsters.

If you could be given ANY gift what would it be? Discipline. My name-jihye-means wisdom and i'd like more of it like Solomon. i'd also like all season floor mats for my car coz ppls shoes keep messing it up and i car vac every other day because i'm ssaiko anal. i also keep baby wipes in my car. i can't go anywhere without baby wipes.

Your favourite item of clothing and why? Anything made of Silk. putting on silk is like putting on instant class! i love this cream fluffy knit cape sweater i have. it's so worn cos it goes everywhere with me, always. i accidentally left it at our hotel in LA and panicked n had to get it overnighted to me even though i have 502,005 other sweaters.

If you could have any animal/creature, What would be your ultimate pet be? Lion, Unicorn, or Stitch...from Lilo and Stitch. i love disenfranchised animals like my pipi who's battling morbid obesity :(. i love my blonde little meems so i'd like to have a clone of her so when she passes away i can jumpstart the next meem. i'd also like a southpark character. i want stan. he's so smart and cute - he can be my pet son.

Whats the next planned event you're looking to in your life? a possible move? boyfriend? i think it's time for a boyfriend, someone i could spoil rotten, feed, love, worship! somebody throw her a frickin bone. she wants a boy to torment!!! but yes.. next move: Asterisk and I have big things planned! hence our lack of updates! stayyyyy tuuuuuned.... Y(o';'o)Y

What is stashed under your bed/mattress? about 45 pairs of shoes and an apple nutrigrain bar. old laptops, cash, guns, etc... and yes, shoes.

Astrid's Life Updates

2011-07-01T21:02:00.001-04:00

It's amazing how I thought I lost all these memories, photos, and emails and then one evening, I type something in the search bar and they all reappear. Just like that, I re-lived 2009. I can't help but smile and chuckle as I re-read things I wrote back then. It makes me blush. Amazing how different people can become in just a couple of years....for better or worse...growing up is growing up, isn't it?

My sister is glued to the terebision watching Lincoln Lawyer and making random outbursts like "HOOly shit!" and "WHAT DAAAA!" and "dude, you need to watch this, this movie is awesome." And as much as I want to watch it with her, I miss writing. I miss blogging. I miss voicing my opinions and thoughts into the void that is the blogosphere. I'm so sorry I've been neglecting you. Anyway, I'll tell you a bit of what I've been doing lately.

I started working in luxury retail. And guess what, I'm really good at it. I know I've always had a knack for pursuading people to do things/say things/buy things that would benefit me, yet simultaneously getting them to be happy about it too!--but this job really proves it. I'm good at selling expensive shit. I don't see retail to be something I'd do forever...I really hate being stressed out with meeting sales goals and such but for right now, I couldn't be in a better place. I love my co-workers...like this one chick, Naira. She's an Armenian who was born and raised in Russia. She has a wicked sexy accent and all the men love her for it. She's like a hotter smarter version of a Kardashian. My boss is a 42-year-old gay middle eastern man. He's not one of those flaming queens...he's a macho gay man who absolutely adores me and buys me pinkberry for lunch. He lets me wear glittery nail polish, also. He loves my kohl makeup and faux lashes. He says he loves my drama.

It's the best feeling in the world to give my family money. It makes working and busting my ass totally worth it. And for the first time, in a long time, I've been able to do so pretty often. It's strange, when i didnt have any money, I could only think of making tons so I can buy this bag and maybe those shoes, go on vacation here and there...bur now, I just wanna take my brother to the movies or give my sis shopping money or pay off my credit cards. I don't want to get married until I pay off 100% of my cc's. Yes, it's a big feat, but I've got all the time in the world. I mean, it's Atlanta. There aint that many fish in the sea. *shrugs* Might as well accumulate lotsa monies and make everybody happy!

I can't even remember the last time I went on a date. I usually just kick it with my sister and her bf. Yes, I am the third wheel...always. I think it's so sweet how he puts up with me though. He let's me live with them rent free, buys me dinner, helps me figure out bills and tells the world how he "loves his little sister". I feel all mushy gushy inside because I've always wanted an older brother...and now I know what that feels like. I can't wait until it's official. I even began writing my maid of honor speech. HAHA! Since my parents didnt have the best marriage in the world, I never knew where to take my relationship cues from. But now, whenever I see my sister and her bf, I realize what it really means for a man to be a man. They fight big. They laugh big. They support big. And they love big. I mean, do you even know of a guy that treats his gf's younger sister just as good as his actual gf? Didn't think so. I have a front row seat to what a real relationship is supposed to be like. And I can't wait until I have it too.

In the mean time, work, family
and friends take up all the time I have on my little apetizer plate (cos i never have entrees). I'm getting older...and finally a bit wiser.

-Astrid.

PS: I kinda want to become a Sunday School Teacher at the church I've been going since I was a wee little Pea. I know, I know. I'm kinda scared and I don't know if I'm in any position to lead youngins on the straight and narrow, but it's been on my mind lately. We shall see. Is the Marla Singer in me slowly dissipating?

Things I wish I could have taught young Astrid...Part 1

2011-05-12T11:34:00.000-04:00

One of the most recognizable fashion-slave characters is Carrie Bradshaw. Okay, so a lot of the stuff she wore was pretty daring and totally mimicable, but there are those outfits that make you think that patty field musta been on her period, didn't care about the shoot and asked the nearest homeless man to dress SJP that day. Bradshaw had wit and style. SJP is nothing but a horse-face wannabe that is so delusional that she THINKS SHE IS Bradshaw. Redick. I love watching Sex and the City, all girls do...and come on u dudes...you know you love the show too. I love the idea that a group of stylish and successful women with distinct and strong personalities can be friends through thick and thin for THAT long. Yeah, it's a television program, and yeah, the friendships are not likely since we all know women are so catty and conniving...but it's like fat-free-carb-free bread... Such a vannderful thought but far-fetched if not implausible, right? SJP is just one of those people that gets under your skin and pesters the hell out of you. She just exudes bitchiness..and so did Carrie. NO WONDER BIG LEFT YOU A ZILLION TIMES, Bitch you annoying!!

Moving right along...

I decided to start writing about life lessons...you know, the things I would tell a younger Astrid. I'm only 27... i'm not claiming to have infinite wisdom when it comes to life, love, relationships...but if I had known what I know now, maybe I woulda done things differently. So here we goes...

Just because a boy buys you things and takes you places, it doesn’t mean he genuinely care about you.

It really kills me when I see younger girls so easily swept away by the idea that someone really loves them because they get to go on vacations and have nice things. I can only say this freely because I used to fall into this category. During my early club years (pre-21), I used to think I was soooo cool because I had an older gentleman caller…always taking me to new, exciting places. I was enamored by the idea that this guy would single me out and shower me with attention, presents and trips. No, I didn’t sleep with him. I think I was too afraid. Afraid that I’d get germs or something really naïve. It all changed when I saw him at a club, dancing with some hoochie hoe and reality slapped me in the face...I used to be that hoochie hoe without even knowing it. I wonder if older girls have looked at me with pity the way I look at younger girls now. Boys really do say one thing and mean another. Granted, it took me a couple more incidents after this one to realize this important lesson, but at the end of the day, it takes more than pricey jewelry and an all expenses paid trip to win me…bitches.

Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.

I’ve been very blessed in life. I’ve always had certain people in my small circle that I can rely on to take care of me, from joining me for drinks during weekdays, to taking me away for a weekend. I had a knack for exploiting boys who generously gave and gave while I took and took. I ran my mouth around town, saying whatever I wanted to whenever. I was a not a relapsing wildchild…I was on a continuous sideways eight, a neverending roll. . It took me awhile to realize that looks and youth only do last for a moment in time. You're only fresh meat for a minute…and just because you can take advantage of people around you, doesn’t mean you should...in fact, you shouldn't. Duh. In the end, Karma will get you. I promise.

Food.

When you’re flying around being a full-time social butterfly, everything you eat burns right off you. It’s true what they say, as you get older, your metabolism slows way way down. The waffle house you eat at 2am will show up the next morning in your face -I guarantee it. Only one person I know actually lost weight when she got older and that is the freak of nature that is Bunnie. She is the only exception to this Plumping-As-You-Age Rule. She lost more weight than before she was Pregs with the most adorable creature in the world, Dylan Chung. And is now at college trainwreck c.u.b. weight. Anywhoodles...It's great that you wanna diet and not eat in front of guys...but when you stuff your face later when you get home...it aint doing anything for your figure. On the flip side, when you pig out in front of guys cos you think you'll be cooler for not being a "dainty" eater...you'll blow up too. Plus, guys think that looks disgusting. Balance, my puppies. Have a somewhat normal regiment that your body can get accustomed to. I have a gf that runs on redbull. I mean, she goes through a costco batch in about 2 weeks. I worry about her insides. (My current mission is to curb her off taurine!!) I also know someone who eats 3 meals a day, and works out like they're prepping for a photo spread in playboy. yeah...you lose weight too slow in my opinion. Back in my heyday, i ate nothing but except espresso until about 7pm. Then I'd nosh on an amuse bouche...and then club and drink on an empty stomach. I still believe this is the best way to drink btw. By the time I hit 25...my body started wearing on me like crazy...so i began eating more, moving more. My regiment isn't 100% healthy...but it works for me: espresso in the morning, frequent snack/meal during the day, early light dinner, nightcap.

As i think of more lessons for Astrid circa early 2000's i shall share.