adiaphane

2011-11-13T15:08:00.000-08:00

Hello again. While I am no longer blogging about clothes, Anthropologie and such, I have made a new space for myself. It would be lovely to see you there, but if not, thank you for taking the time to read my little blog and following along. It will still have pretty things.

Since I've swapped out my clothing hobby to a photography hobby, I thought it would be more appropriate to a have space for photography--a place where I can be proud of the work I do. It's definitely something in progress since I'm still learning how to take photos. A couple of years ago, I just wanted a log of pretty clothes and outfits, but I've outgrown that desire.

Visit me here.

In a week, I'll be off to Bali, and I hope to come back with tons of pictures. Hope to see you soon.

Dirty Ruffles: The Truth About Anthroholic

2011-09-19T08:26:00.000-07:00

This is a message from the forum Kim used to belong to and you can find the original post here:

Hi there! Thanks for stopping by. Here are the collective thoughts of the women (and men!) who participate in the forum Fashionism.org. While I don’t speak for every member individually, I hope that these comments capture the group sentiment about her criminal behavior.

We knew this would happen. When she announced her personal shopping service, many members were aghast that (1) anyone would pay such a service when our forum provides it free of charge and (2) that anyone would give her any money whatsoever and expect her not to blow it on her own personal purchases. We have known her for many years and she scammed members of the forum, which caused her to be banned. She has never not had money problems and while issues with money are not necessarily a harbinger of criminal behavior, certain actions and interactions of hers with members of the forum cast aspersions on her ability to spend others’ money wisely.
We tried to warn you. Yes you, the anthro reader at home. We posted comments on her blog and others but they were deleted and ignored. Other than taking out an ad in the newspaper, there wasn’t much more we could do and no one really reads newspapers anymore anyways. No one wanted to listen. Even Kim called us haters and jealous girls. But what is hatin’ about telling the truth? And why would anyone be jealous of a common thief?
We brought her stalker to justice. Even after she left our forum, we helped her out. A former acquaintance of hers began to email me and others with damming information about Kim that he wanted us to use to bring her down or some other nonsense. In reality, we gave absolutely zero shits about this information but wanted to help her. One member traced this guy’s IP and discovered his identity while on her honeymoon. We really went above and beyond and provided Kim with all the necessary information to take action against him. We had no interest in seeing our former member harassed by a weirdo loser. However, this was is 2010 and she claims the internet postings from 2007 are his. This is completely untrue and laughable. She has tried to lie and tell half truths to get herself out of every situation possible.

We are sorry that many people lost money. We have had a system in place to do “custom purchases” for years, without charge, and the only person who abused this system was Kim. Her scam was absolutely criminal and you should report her to the authorities if you have lost money.

EDIT: Hey I am all for actual proof. So here’s a screenshot of a comment one of our members left in 2010. We tried to get the word out. No one cared!

EDIT 2: Welcome all our new members who have joined and are searching for “anthroholic”. Most of our activity takes place in our members only forum and access is only granted by meeting a posting requirement and a vote of the members. This keeps us able to provide a friendly, tight knit online community. Also, that’s why none of our members get scammed doing “custom purchases” for each other.

2011-09-16T19:29:00.000-07:00

I went for a very long walk today at Land's End, and got myself a little lost. This afternoon I was certain the blog would shut down. Old issues were dragged to the forefront where neither introspection nor forethought were given. Finger pointing started to happen. Instead of looking at oneself, looking toward others and saying, see, see how this happened. You let it happen.

Maybe.

Honestly, truthfully, complete disclosure: I am sort of grossed out, turned off, and in disbelief. At the magnitude. At the finger pointing. It doesn't really matter since I have felt like my blog has lived on the periphery for a quite some time. I'm not going to participate. Sorry. I can't. Whatever you may think of me, I know who I am, and I won't participate. That's my stand. It may be cowardly, but I don't think so.

One person thinks that by providing intimate details on one's life is "keeping it real" and is attacked for being immoral when certain details of her life comes out, while another person doesn't reveal everything in an attempt to keep at privacy and is being attacked for being dishonest, sugar-coating, and glorifying a skewed perspective.

But you know what, a blog, no matter whose, is just going to show one aspect. It's never, ever going to give you the complete picture of a person. As it turns out, PEOPLE LIE. They do it all the time. Especially on the internet. Have I lied? I'd like to say no, and that I have been as honest as possible, but sure, I lie. If you search to see who owns the domain, you won't see my real address. Or my real number. I'm not stupid. I like to think that what you see here is what you get, but I've had people tell me I am different in person than I am on the blog. Also, I've gotten older. My tastes have changed, too.

Take that any way you want. For my own sanity, things will be silent for a while. And if you're from GOMI, it will be full of cupcakes and rainbows and sunshine and unicorns and maybe even cats with rainbows coming out of their asses.

For the record, I hate macaroons.

La Isla Bonita (Long, Picture Heavy Post)

2011-09-12T12:11:00.000-07:00

Recap
Day One:
We flew TACA from San Francisco to San Salvador, which is their hub, and from there caught a connecting to flight Belize City. Total flight time was about 6.5 hours, though transit time was about 7.5 hours. I like TACA, and found their seats to be comfortable--with the same space as say Jet Blue--but then, anything after Air Tahiti is going to be comfortable and roomy. From Belize city, we hopped on a 10 minute flight from a prop plane to get to San Pedro. Since our flight left SFO at 1:11 am, by the time we got there, I was frazzled. We checked into Ramon's, left our things in our room, then went off to schedule our activities for the next couple of days. Of course, I jumped into the beautiful Caribbean water that was about 83 degrees. Then we wandered up the beach to Wild Mango's, where we had some of the best smoothies ever, and a delicious dinner all while watching the sun set and the waves lapping on the soft sandy beach. Just perfect. Considering that Steve had been working 12-16 hour days, every day, for something like 30 days in a row, this was exactly what he needed.

Day Two:
We met on the dock at Ramon's to disembark on our cave tubing and zip lining tour. It was going to be an all day trip: one hour boat ride back to the mainland, an hour drive into the interior, then the zip lining, then the 30 minute hike into the woods to find the cave, and when you include the return trip, that made it an 8-9 hour excursion. Honestly, it was an expensive activity, at about $210 per person, and I'm not sure it was worth it. While I liked the idea of drifting into a pitch black cave, floating in a cool river while the temperature is around 90-100 degrees with 90% humidity, I couldn't see much. The zip lining was short and less exhilarating than I thought it would be, plus, there was sweat running down my face and back because it was so hot. Not to mention I was being eaten alive.

Although, the cave was dark and there was not much to see, it was still pretty neat. There are other caves you can play spelunker in that would have gotten your heart pounding like ATM, which I would have love to see. Unfortunately, this was a short trip, and we just went with what was available rather than what was best.

The river and the jungle were easily the most beautiful things I saw in Belize. As much as I love the ocean and tropical fish, I am head over heels for plants, in particular the family orchidaceae. Encyclias and dendrobiums clung to the trunks of trees with arching inflorescences dangling in the air. The few minutes I spent floating on the milky aqua river looking skyward and trying to identify the plants overhead were some of the best few minutes I've ever spent, short as it was, but it made the orchidphile in me shriek with delight. That made the whole bumpy journey to get there almost worth it.

Day Three:
We scheduled a snorkeling trip out to Hol Chan Marine Reserve. I had checked several times to see how shallow the water was, and was always told that it was going to be 4-6 ft. Perfect. Once we got there, I asked the tour guide, Will, and he told me, we start out in 4-6 ft of water, but we'll be moving toward the pass where the ocean enters past the reef, where there will be a current, and where it will be about 28 ft deep. Steve is not the best swimmer, but he tried anyway, but the current was strong and hard to move in. I was proud he was able to stick through snorkeling excursion most of the way, despite being way out of his comfort level.

There is not as much of a variety in terms of fish and color as there is in the South Pacific, but man, these were some huge fish! I saw all sorts of Jacks, damselfish, octopus, and I even saw an enormous purple and blue parrot fish that I unfortunately did not take a photo of. I love being in the water; I could snorkel for hours, and was pretty pleased about what I got to see here, though, I can tell you, I don't much care for sea grass.

We got back to the resort around noon, and then just hung out on the beach. The past part of the trip was spending hours laying in hammocks, rocking back and forth, while talking to each other, and letting the breeze naturally cool us in the heat. It was a great way to spend our anniversary.

Day Four:
Not much to do this day. We just wandered around some more, looked at the water, packed up and headed home. We couldn't leave without one last trip to visit Wild Mango's for a smoothie. They really are that great!

Rambling
This has turned out to be a much longer post than I had initially expected. I have so many mixed feelings. While I had a great time, there was one particular moment that really struck me, and I don't know exactly how to parse through it. We were walking along the beach back from dinner and I had my camera strapped to me with a really expensive lens. We passed by two local people standing there on the beach, and as soon as we walked past, they started moving, walking along behind us. I jumped, and checked to make sure the camera was firmly strapped to my body. Then one of them greeted us, and says, "Do not be scared, we are friendly and are not going to hurt you." When I explained that I was startled and not scared, he continued, "It's just that some people, when they come here, and they see certain people, like us, they are scared."

A kind of shame took over me. I strongly believe you should always be aware of your surroundings no matter where you are. Stay alert, stay smart, and stay safe. I had spent weeks researching Belize and San Pedro on tripadvisor, and there were mentions of crime in certain places, locals who seem friendly, but will rob you, people being mugged, hotel rooms being broken into, etc.. The way the resorts and hotels are set up in San Pedro, there are no clear lines of demarcation, nothing really that says this is the hotel property line, and this is the public space. It's actually kind of nice because I do not believe that a beach should be reserved only for visitors while the locals have to make do with a less desirable stretch of land--where is the fairness in that?

Another thing I noticed is that while it was low season, there still were a lot of tourists in terms of ratio of visitor to local, and the majority were American. Nothing bad here, not really complaining. The proximity to Houston and Miami (two hour flight) makes it a no brainer for people who want to escape somewhere else for the weekend. Often it felt like being home, rather than another country. The town of San Pedro and country of Belize cater very, very heavily to tourists. They have some of the best guides. Selvin, our guide to the cave tubing, is an encyclopedia, not only knowledgeable about Belize, but also other countries, cultures, and customs. He had worked his way up, from being a caretaker of a private island to doing tours. (He's with Seaduced by Belize and I would highly, highly recommend him.) One thing is that will become apparent immediately is that the Belizeans are extremely proud of their country and they really want visitors to like it. Almost anywhere you go, they will ask you how you are liking your trip so far and when you will be coming back.

Belize is not as densely populated as the other neighboring Central American countries, and they have set aside a vast part of their natural resources for conservation--rather than cutting their forests for lumber, they are protecting it in hope that the ecotourism business will bring in the money. They have a fairly tolerant policy of allowing people in, Caribs, Menonites, Cubans, Chinese, etc. are all live here. There are also ex pats from the US, including people who are retiring in Belize because the dollar can go a little further.

So this is where the conflict comes in. In this beautiful country with these very generous people, I felt shame that my first reaction was fear, although I know it was only natural to react that way. But what it led me to question was how do you resolve the issue of being a privileged person travelling to a poorer country? And it doesn't matter what your means really are, if you can afford to travel, you are by comparison privileged, there is no getting around that. I don't know. I mean, I would never travel somewhere where food is a scarcity and whip out my iPad and flash my nice things--that would be in poor taste, but how do I justify the camera? I don't know. I don't have any answers for that--it's just something I've been thinking about since being back.

When traveling, safety is really important, but I don't want to get to the point where I am so paranoid I fail to see what is around me. That I came to Belize for a long weekend to enjoy warm weather and perfect temperature water and doesn't mean I should neglect to see that I am just a visitor. In comparison to its neighbors, Belize is not that badly off, but there is crime (mostly in gang activity and the drug trade in Belize City, don't worry, the country is relatively safe to visit) and there is poverty and the beautiful people have less than I do. I am not sure how to reconcile that other than to keep visiting other parts of the world and keep it in mind, and hope to just let the experience become a part of who I am and recognize it for what it is.

The sand in San Pedro is really soft, and you can walk for miles without shoes (in the sand, not on the boardwalks or sidewalks or you will burn your skin off). I want to go back and visit the other parts of the country, particularly the interior and see the Mayan ruins, and then head to to the south, to the less visited parts, too. While four days in San Pedro was enough, we barely got to see much of Belize.

Stripes, Red, and Purple

2011-09-09T11:48:00.000-07:00

Urban Outfitter Blouse | Anthropologie Thousand Days Skirt | F21 Camera Necklace | Delman Pumps from NM Last Call

Much thanks to Anjali for bringing these pumps to my attention. We both share an almost blinding love for stars, and love things that have them in prints or shapes for jewelry. These pumps from Delman are comfortable, and just high enough without making me feel like a wobbly newborn giraffe. The color is listed as indigo, but I think they are more of a royal purple. The stars are formed but the cutouts on the suede, revealing the gold material underneath--and this makes me extremely happy because if they were sequins or beads attached, they could fall out, and I would be left with just a pair of deep purple suede pumps. I waver between a 6.5 an a 7 in shoes, and ordered a 7 in these, and the fit is just right, so I would say these are very much true to size.

I'm slowly whittling down my fall wishlist from this post. I haven't seen much more to add to the list. For this coming fall season, I am really drawn to whispy silk skirts and warm sweaters accented by a pair of great shoes. What's on your wishlist? Anything you're dying to have? I'd love to see what it is you've been coveting.

The View from Above

2011-09-07T10:38:00.000-07:00

We caught a prop plane from Belize City to San Pedro. The flight is about 10 minutes, but my oh my, is it stunning. The ferry would have been cheaper (and longer), but the flight was worth every penny to view this beautiful country from another angle. The interior is covered with lush jungles that you can see even from a jet, but the coast is lines with mangroves and swamp lands, while the barrier reef protects the cayes and mangrove islets. The water is all sorts of incredible colors, green where there is sea growing, and turquoise where there is a shallow, sandy bottom. The sand is very soft--I hardly wore shoes this past Labor Day Weekend, which is a great indicator of how relaxed I was. In some of the photos, you can see a little pier on the water leading to someone's home.

More photos to follow.

Taken with Canon 5D and 50 mm f/1.4 USM or 17-40 f/4 L USM lens.

Madewell Silk Canyon Skirt

2011-08-30T20:52:00.000-07:00

F21 Starry Night Blouse | Madewell Silk Canyon Skirt | Anthropologie Ring of Plumes Belt | Kate Spade Kap Heels

After checking every day for this skirt to go on sale, it finally did last week. It is unlined, but the silk is of a very nice quality. I wasn't sure of the olive color at first, but it is such a rich tone in person. I ordered a size 2, and it fits high up on the waist. It's definitely going to be one of my go to pieces this fall, worn with boots, tights and heels, and definitely with warm and cozy sweaters. I wasn't planning on it, but it is definitely accompanying me on my trip this weekend. This is definitely going to be a versatile piece: wear it now on its own with silk blouses, dressed down with tees, and in the fall with thick tights. I'm very glad I made the plunge and bought it--final sale is a bit scary, but this is definitely a great buy.

(My apologies for looking down. My remote does not work with my new camera, so I had Steve snap these photos really quickly this morning, and I get very self-conscious when someone else takes photos.)

New Camera + Great Subject

2011-08-28T16:26:00.000-07:00

My nephew is a little terror, destroying everything in sight, unlocking doors and wandering out into street, unafraid to tell the truth ("You stinky!" while pinching his nose and running away), picking up jars of coins and dumping them onto the floor, and sticking his food into spots that have not seen the sun, well, since ever. I find him endlessly amusing, and cannot wait until he can hold a conversation and say what he really thinks.

Also, I got my new camera! I'm still going through the manual, and learning all the various functions. Sometimes I'm not so bright, and it took me several minutes of staring at the manual to figure out how to control the aperture! Maybe it's much better to claim the camera is not intuitive. Anyway, I am totally in love with the camera, and am itching to take it to some beautiful exotic places for some long exposure shots.

Have a great rest of the weekend everyone.

In the Nude

2011-08-20T16:17:00.000-07:00

Club Monaco dress | Anthropologie belt, headband, and necklace | Poetic License Shoes

I have been stalking my local Club Monaco for this dress the moment I saw it on their Fall Lookbook, however, it seems that it is only making an appearance at selective stores throughout the country. I asked the SA about it, and she said she could order it for me from Brooklyn, and if I didn't like it, I could return it to my local store, and just be out the shipping. Okay, fine. I had to try the dress and the $7 didn't seem like a big deal. A couple of days later, I got an email from the Brooklyn store with the FedEx tracking number. Now that is customer service! No needing to worry if the store forgot to put my order through. I really appreciate this extra step in customer service and it would not make me hesitate to order from them again.

Once the dress came, I was a little unsure. It seemed sort of plain, just a lot of fabric. But the low cut back made it different enough for me to decide to keep it. Off to the tailor's it went where it was shortened by three inches. It's definitely one of those dresses that needs accessories to play it up. I love how the material drapes and billows around me as I walk. It's simple, but beautiful.

The necklace I am wearing is one of my favorite Anthropologie pieces ever. From the moment I spied it in the Anthro catalog, I stalked it every day until it went on sale (when its price became more palatable). I shorted the chain myself. I love the lines and the differentness of it.

On a different note, this morning it was sunny, and now we are covered in fog again. I grow weary of this cold weather, and cannot wait until we are off to Belize for Labor Day Weekend. It's our anniversary, and technically, we are not supposed to get each other gifts as the trip is supposed to be the gift, but Steve went ahead and upgraded my camera equipment anyway. I haven't received it yet, but soon I will be a proud owner of a Canon 5D Mark I. It's an older model, but just right for my needs, and now I am scheming for new lenses. I have my eye on this one. Now I really can't wait to go to Belize and take lots of pictures!

Hope everyone is having a great weekend.

White and Coral

2011-08-13T15:43:00.000-07:00

Theory cashmere cardigan | Club Monaco silk maxi | J. Crew glitter sandals | Marc by Marc Jacobs Pedal to the Metal bag | Ray Ban Boyfriend Glasses

It took me a long time to find the maxi dress I wanted. My requirements were pretty simple: white/cream, silk, fitted at the bodice, and flowing skirt. I love the delicate white on white pattern that makes this dress casual, rather than formal. If the pattern had not been there, I think it would feel a little stuffy, which defeats the whole effortless look of the maxi dress for me.

Normally, I would not spend more than $40 on a pair of sunglasses--not after my expensive pair of Swarovski encrusted Dior sunglasses got screwed up years ago--but when I saw these oversize frames, I could not resist. The lenses on these are top notch, and for the price, Ray Bans just don't hurt as much as other designer sunglasses, so I won't feel too too bad if these got scratched up. I am, however, taking very good care of these as I do intend them to last years.

Oh, and then there's this:

Tracy Reese Tangerine Flicker Dress at Anthro $358

This is a 0 I have on, which is a perfect fit. By perfect, I mean perfect. My only hesitation is the sleeves, which fits like a second skin over my arms. Because the the material is silk, there is no stretch, and I'm a little paranoid that some kind of sudden arm movement might cause the seams to burst. I tried on a 2 for comparison, and while the sleeves are looser (enough that I could easily roll up the sleeves) the bodice is too big on me. I didn't bother taking a photo. I know people don't like the low back because they do not know what bra to wear with this, but the bra I had on when trying the dress was low enough on my back, I didn't see the backstrap. In fact, I think this dress is very beautiful, and well made. It's not something I would prance around in all the time, but I am in love with it.

To be honest, it took a lot to put this back and walk out without buying. The price is a little high, but I recently bought the dress in this post, which I have not yet received, and my budget does not allow me to pick up another dress so soon. Not especially since I have other items on my wish list that I still would like to have. Oh, this is a beautiful dress indeed. Where do I plan on wearing this? Probably just out to nice dinners. Really, it's the perfect combo: great food and beautiful dresses.

Club Monaco Fall Lookbook 2011

2011-08-03T15:36:00.000-07:00

Lately, I found myself inside Club Monaco frequently. I love the fabrics (cotton, silk, cashmere, delicate beading, lace, embroidery!) the clean lines, the effortless styling, the simplicity of the pieces, and most of all, I just love the looks. This dress.

It has been sometime since I have seen an image that took my breath away. Just patiently waiting for this dress to show up. And then I will have to get some ankle boots like the ones the model is wearing.

Club Monaco Fall Lookbook 2011

Coveting for Fall

2011-07-29T13:55:00.000-07:00

Madewell Silk Canyon Skirt $158

Alice + Olivia Sterling Sequin Boatneck Sweater $396

Tangerine Flicker Dress $358

On Air Skirt $198 (love this whole outfit!)

As I type this, it's about 60 degrees outside. Now, it's not unusual weather for us, it's just the temperature in San Francisco pretty much all July and August. Sometimes I wear tights. And coats. At night it gets worse. Along with the cold weather, I'm already yearning for warm sweaters like this beautiful, sparkly number from Alice + Olivia, which I have tried on at Bloomingsdale's and just loved. The price is a bit too dear for me right now, so I will happily wait for a sale. The skirt from Madewell might just by my answer to the maxi dress since I cannot find one that I like. This one is long enough to be worn with tops and even has a nice waistband for a belt, the olive green would transition well into the fall (I can see myself wear this with a light top and sandals when I'm in Bali).

The last two items are of course from Anthro. I know I'm not the only who has been a little turned off by the recent offering. I don't know if it's as much the store as my tastes are just perhaps slightly different. The Tangerine Dress is a brilliant flame of orange red that I cannot help but be drawn to. I can already hear the swish!swish! of the full silk skirt. I want this dress in a bad, bad way. And the On Air Skirt? Oh, silk and nude and so lovely. Not just any kind of silk--we're not talking silk georgette, but light as air and gracefully billows behind you as you walk silk chiffon which is my absolute favorite kind of silk. How many nude/blush/petal pink things can I possibly own? Well, there is no need to fight what the heart wants.

Back to the weather. I'm really sick of this fog. It's cold all the time. I used to love it, used to love the gray sky and the thick fog rolling in and spreading like a cover just a few feet above my head, the street lights these radiating orbs of orange yellow casting a surreal, almost supernatural tinge to the gray streets of San Francisco. I still do. But. I just want to be somewhere I can sit by nice, warm water (not the perennial 50 degrees of the Pacific here) and just dig my toes in the sand.

Our anniversary is coming up (Labor Day weekend), and this year, we will forgo presents. Instead, we are hoping on a plane and heading to Ambergris Caye, Belize for the weekend. Take that, cold San Francisco fog! I am fully aware that it is hurricane season, and you know what, even if it rains the entire time, I'm still going to be happy because it will be WARM rain.

Namu: Korean Fusion

2011-07-27T11:16:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things about living in San Francisco--okay, maybe my favorite thing--is the food. Last Saturday at the Ferry Building Farmer's Market, I finally got to try some Korean tacos from Namu. Seaweed shells, rice, bbqed meat, and some kim chee salsa. They were bite-sized with such amazing flavor. I aslo tried the gamja fries, which were topped with beef shortribs, more kim chee, kewpie mayo (not exactly sure what that it, but I didn't mind it and usually, I dislike mayo), and green onions. We also had some green tea lemonade, which was perfectly balanced between sweet and sour.

Food trucks are all the rage right now. Namu also does Off the Grid, but the wait for each food truck can be about 40 minutes or longer, which is a bit tedious when you're starving and everything smells good. But the Ferry Building Farmer's Market didn't seem to have as much of a wait. I love food trucks, and I especially love the idea of mobile street food, however, if you'd rather have more of a sit down kind of place with plates and napkins, Namu does have a physical, non-mobile location in the Inner Richmond.

If you come to San Francisco for a visit, you must absolutely, definitely give the food trucks a try.

Hello, New Love

2011-07-23T10:53:00.000-07:00

Loosened Shelby Blouse, $58

This is coming out more cobalt than it really is. The navy is lovely and the green just pops against it. I am a sucker for bird prints, and an even bigger sucker when you throw in something botanical. Birds + twigs = I cannot resist. Fits true to size. I am wearing it with black skinny jeans and a mint cardigan. It's so comfortable and just perfect for a day of running errands.

Hope you are doing well.

Something Simple

2011-07-15T19:42:00.000-07:00

Anthro Lead Study Blouse | Joe's Jeans | J. Crew Marled Cardigan | Kate Spade Kap Heels

Sometimes all I want to wear is just a blouse and a pair of jeans. A simple outfit. But a great pair of heels can bring a little something extra to make even jeans seem a little extra special. Thanks to a certain blogger friend who clued me into these Kate Spade Kap Heels being on sale, my trigger happy fingers couldn't hit the checkout button fast enough. They are comfortable and beautiful and they make see almost eye to eye to my 6'1" boyfriend. Who am I kidding, even with these on, I'm at best 5'6.5", maybe I can say 5'7" if I stand really, really straight. Sadly, I had to part with them for a few days as the cobbler are putting on the sole savers.

I actually wear pants frequently, but I don't always post the photos because I think my legs tend to look too thick. Eh, you know, I can't fight the camera all the time. The truth is I don't have a perfect body, and I'm okay with that. I'm comfortable in my own skin despite having my insecurities. It's okay to not be perfect. And despite whatever anyone else may think about how I look in jeans (thinking about a certain anonymous commenter I once got), I felt pretty good wearing this, even if it's just an otherwise pretty simple outfit.

Scraggly Oaks

2011-07-10T15:37:00.000-07:00

Anthropologie Bianka Blouse | Club Monaco Pleated Skirt | J. Crew Glitter Sandals

I went for a drive up into the hills alone with barely any gas. The place I wanted to go to is this gorgeous verdant piece of farmland nestled in the woods with bubbling brooks, gently cascading water, and the melodic singing of birds; however, it was closed. Instead of turning back, I continued driving, and somehow ended here, greeted by rolling yellow hills, a lake in the mountains, then to this green pasture with scraggly oaks. It was hot. It was stifling. It was deserted. It was beautiful. I walked around until my hair became sticky with sweat and my synthetic clothes stuck to my body and it became too uncomfortable to move. Because I had no water, I was alone and no one knew where I was, and sparkly sandals do not count as proper foot wear for hiking, I decided it was best to turn around and head back to where it was 10 degrees cooler. It was nice to escape the temperate 60-something degree weather of San Francisco and spend a few hours where it ranged 80-90 degrees. Makes me feel like I got a real piece of summer.

For Fall

2011-07-08T11:12:00.000-07:00

Cat and Trees Printed Blouse, See by Chloé

Wide Leg Corduroy Pants, Chloé

Kate Spade Kap Heels

The blouse is the perfect touch of whimsy. The pants the perfect color for fall. As much as I love wearing dresses and skirts, there is just something so effortlessly polished about wearing a pair of well cut pants and heels. Thanks to Anjali letting me know these were on sale at piperlime, the heels are on their way to me. It feels a bit strange to be looking toward fall when I haven't even purchased any real summer clothing. The last piece of clothing I bought was the Verdant Slip Dress back in April. Now mid-way through July, I'm looking to add a couple of pieces to my wardrobe. A well-cut pair of pants. A beautiful blouse. A diaphanous dress. A knock-out coat. For these pieces, I'm willing to spend just a little more, and create the outfits around them. Of course, let's not forget the shoes.

Our hotels for Bali have been booked. All that is left is to purchase the plane tickets. I can hardly wait.

One thing I would love to try, but am having a hard time finding is a maxi dress. Well, not something that will drag on the ground--I am 5'3". What I would like is something that has a lining, straps, and one layer of material that will billow behind you as you walk. I am having such a difficult time finding something like this. Everything is made from polyester, rayon, or cut from strange graphic prints. Any suggestions?

2011-06-24T16:10:00.000-07:00

Some more photos from Moorea

All right, so I've been away a for while. First, I got really sick, and then I had dental implant surgery (which isn't as bad as it sounds, just a screw gets drilled into your jaw is all). And honestly, I haven't really been feeling the outfits lately. Mostly, I've been watching nature documentaries (I love you, Sir David Attenborough), and researching all the places in the world I want to go to.

It's funny how tastes change. A couple of years ago, ask me where I want to go, and I would have almost always answered Paris. But after Hawaii and French Polynesia, my desire to go to Western Europe has faded. I've also turned into a warm weather lover. The fog in San Francisco makes my skin prick with gooseflesh, and has me longing for warmer nights. I know that post-vacation blues is purely a first world problem, and I am doing my best to curb it. So the best thing I did was start planning another trip.

I do think Western Europe will be in the plan someday, but for now it's taken a backseat. Places whose cultures are drastically different from my upbringing in a western civilization are higher on the list. We debated Bali, Costa Rica, and Belize... and Bali won out. I was born in Indonesia, although I am not Indonesian. I'm Vietnamese, but I've never been to Vietnam, either. I'm not quite sure what I am beyond American, and I'd really like to go see the place from which I came. There is history there, but it's unknown to me. Vietnam would have been wonderful, but I'd want to go there in conjunction with Cambodia, where my mother hails from, and spend several months roaming around, trying to understand the complexities that have all led to me. That probably sounds pretty self-involved, but what I mean to say is, I don't really know from where I came, only where I am now, and that piece of lost history is something I feel is vital for me to know.

Although plans have yet to be finalized, we are settled on going to the Aman Resorts in Bali, splitting nine nights between Amandari and Amankila.

Photo from Amankila

Photo from Amandari

I am looking forward to rice paddies, monkeys, forests, cooking, coffee (kopi luwak), textiles, ceremonies, masks, dolls, shadow puppets, and oh my goodness the fusion of various cultures in the cuisine. I realize Bali is only a part of Indonesia, and by no means representative of the whole country, but it will be so interesting. I looked up on how to get to the refugee camp I was born in, but it's so off the beaten track, I would need longer then the allotted 10 days (plus around 2 days to get there and another day to get back) that we have.

So that's what I've been up to. Not so much into looking at pretty things, but at beautiful places. And with that, I feel that the blog will shift as well, as my tastes and focus change.

Thanks for sticking around with me.

New Addition

2011-06-02T10:57:00.000-07:00

Upon seeing his bride for the first time on the aisle at the church, my brother broke down. It was totally sweet to see so much emotion overcome him.

And after at the reception, they were just flowing with happiness.

I, unfortunately, didn't get to take a lot of photos as there were professional photographers on site, and I didn't want to step on anyone's toes (plus all those cameras and lenses are a bit intimidating compared to my small camera!).

My family keeps getting bigger and bigger! I am so lucky and fortunate to be surrounded by so much love.

Kids Do The Darndest Things

2011-05-27T11:56:00.000-07:00

My nephew, about to enter his terrible twos. And still... he's just the cutest thing thing ever.

This is him trying to pose for the camera. He cracks me up so much.

In Bloom

2011-05-19T18:41:00.000-07:00

Anthropologie Globemallow Dress | All Black Leaf Flats | Ann Taylor Cashmere Cardigan

This weekend my brother is getting married. It's been a busy and I have to say that I'm nervous about his wedding since we're expecting at least 750 people to show up. I understand why they (him and his fiancée) decided to do the wedding, but a part of me had hoped they went with their original plan to elope in Hawaii. My sister is going to be wearing two different dresses while I will only be wearing one. Just the thought of this wedding makes me want to wear simple, pretty dresses. The Globemallow dress has to be one of my most loved dresses for the pretty rose print and ease of wear.

With all the beautiful things coming to bloom in my garden, both indoor and out, this dress makes me feel like the warmer weather is here to stay, even if San Francisco can be fickle (do you want to rain and be cold or sunny and warm--make up your mind already!).

Tikehau

2011-05-17T11:48:00.000-07:00

It was hard saying goodbye to Tikehau. At first, we didn't even want to leave Moorea--so much to do, not enough time! We knew we wanted to see a coral atoll in the Tuamotu, so we picked Tikehau. As soon as we got there, we were completely blown away. Moorea is beautiful island, but the water in the lagoon of Tikehau is mind-numbing. The sunsets turned the water to glass, a reflective surface I could have walked across on. When you are here, it feels like there is no one else. You can walk across stretches of pink sand into waist deep water across to other motus, and explore at your own pace. If you really want to feel like you're completely disconnected, this is the place. Just be forewarned, there is nothing to do here if you do not like being in the water or exploring. Oh, and the night sky is something you've never seen--all twinkling with stretches of milky color.And the fish--bigger than we've seen anywhere else in French Polynesia with an assortment of colors that will convince your brain you are on some kind of psychedelics. The next time I come back, I hope to have my scuba certificate, so I can really see the fish.

Les Pearls de Polynésie Française

2011-05-13T18:33:00.000-07:00

I've had several emails regarding where we stayed. For both Moorea and Tikehau, we stayed at the Pearl Resorts. In Moorea, the first part of our stay was crowded. There were both families and honeymooners. The location is popular due to the proximity of town. You can easily walk there in a few minutes to pick up supplies, which is a great way to save some money by buying snacks or eating off the resorts. Tikehau Pearl Beach Resort is on its own motu, a coral islet, and you have no easy access to anything else. There is a boat shuttle that will take you to town to get some supplies, but as far as dining choices go, you're pretty limited. Food in Moorea was pretty good, but food in Tikehau not so great. We ended up ordering room service and ate burgers and fries and chocolate lava cakes on our deck. This turned out way cheaper than if we were to dine at the restaurant.

All in all, the locations of both places were perfect, so not really much complaint from me. For more in-depth reviews, check out tripadvisor.com.

I probably have just one or two more posts on this trip, and then will resume outfit posts again. Thanks for reliving my trip with me.

Moorea, Part 2

2011-05-12T18:47:00.000-07:00

My first time making a video. It's shaky in some parts, and I certainly look goofy in my snorkel mask. The song is "Icarus" by White Hinterland.

Moorea, Part 1

2011-05-10T20:03:00.000-07:00

Wearing Verdant Slip Dress, and Edun Organic Cotton dress with a tiare flower in my hair. Tiare is the Tahitian gardenia, which grows everywhere throughout the islands. I've never been anywhere that smelled so wonderful. Wherever you go, the breeze brings the gently wafting scent of gardenias and plumerias.

Moorea is surrounded by a beautiful lagoon, protected from the ocean by a ring of corals. Much of the islands have such a reef, except for the Marquesas that are too young to have developed them. The interior of Moorea is hot, humid, and lush with green. Coconuts and pineapples grow in the valley of a crater.

A marae is a meeting place, like a temple, where all sorts of gatherings took place, including human sacrifice.

Poisson cru is primarily what I ate with lots of fries. It's like a ceviche with coconut milk, except it tastes a thousand times better.

There are still so many photos, but I will have to break them up (hope you won't get bored).

I wish I could share the all the colors of French Polynesia. I've never seen such colors. Pictures will never do it justice.