it takes tule to tango.

fun with finishings - my sewing table - napa, ca

blaire waldorf might be a fictional character, but her fashion sense is all kinds of real.  she has reignited my love for the mighty headband.  so i've been cutting, gluing, and stitching up a storm.  the response to my finished products have been fantastic, and i've considered turning my hobby into a cash-flow endeavor .  i'll post pictures of final pieces eventually, but for now, only those most worthy will receive an l.c.e. original.

lacquered lips and sailing ships.

my miniature mavens - double dutch - the mission - san francisco, ca

it isn't very often that my mom brings up the fact that i'm without a boyfriend.  in fact, she tends to completely avoid the subject of men entirely, as i consistently respond with an eye roll. simple and plain, i've always prioritized my friendships far above potential relationships.  so when my mom mentioned that once i'm settled back in sf i can start meeting "tons of handsome, tall men," all i could think about was how excited i was to be reunited with all of my incredible friends.  granted, i love me some man candy, but for now, i'm pretty content with being obsessed with those i know.

oh, the ambiance - le colonial - sf, ca

which brings me to the point of this post.  saturday night i hauled it back to the city and scrambled my way over to le colonial to surprise the queen herself, miss victoria dinh.  she's moving to nyc--brooklyn technically--to put her serious skills into motion on the east coast.  so  we wined and dined and toasted and reminisced about first-meetings.  pause. that's what i love so much about dinner parties--that rare opportunity to observe adoration.  okay, that sounds really cheesy, but it's so true.  how great is it to see people love each other and actually express that affection?  i mean, my drinking habits lend me many-a-stage to profess my feelings for people, but i still think that it should be done more often.  sidetrack over.  

we--the women and i--then spent a brief moment upstairs at le colonial.  a kamikaze later, hiking up a cement mountain, i was incredibly thankful to be wearing my fabulous, sparkly flats.  i really can't imagine how hard it must be to actually exist in heels.  on the rare occasion that i'm caught in a heeled shoe, i'm mostly standing and mingling.  never ever walking long distances.  nevertheless worried that everyone's eye-level involves a  view of my breasts.  awkward.  yet another tangent over. 

if brooklyn doesn't work out - strip club - sf, ca

i've decided to keep the rest of the tale brief.  so here's a bulleted version:

*walked uphill for a while

*stopped at a corner store to purchase a redbull for rachel and a screw-top bottle of mondavi sauvignon blanc (to obviously be killed on the way to the bar)

*made it to rachel's car--which definitely donned the club.  i didn't think people actually used them.  but vicki reminded me that she once lived in a sketchy part of the city.  so i guess it's only practical

the club - rachel's beem - sf, ca

*drank wine in the car--yazzy thankfully assisted me

*drove to double-dutch

*met up with kevin

six years running - double dutch - sf, ca

*drank

*drank

*chatted

*left for skylark

*drank

*hugged

*took pictures

*drank

*took a cab home and realized that it's really boring to be hammered alone.  so i went to bed.

all in all, such a fantastic night.  vicki is going to give brooklyn a run for its brass knuckles.  i can't wait to see what becomes of all of us.

brain boosting bonanza.

the british museum - london, england

so you miss college?  not so much the fifteen-page papers and adderall-fueled cram sessions, but more so the simple act of learning--of being in the presence of brilliant professors.  well friends, i've been waiting for this, the right time, to introduce you to ted.com:

"TED stands for technology, entertainment, design.  it started out (in 1984) as a conference bringing together people from those three worlds.  since then its scope has become even broader.  the annual conference now brings together the world's most fascinating thinkers and doers, who are challenged to give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes." -ted.com

i randomly discovered ted two years ago, and have been watching ted talks ever since.  if you ever have twenty minutes to kill, skip your twenty-eighth visit to facebook, and give it a chance. any talks pertaining to the brain and quantum physics are particularly good.  2, 4, 6, 8, who do we appreciate? ted! ted! yeah! 3, 6, 9, 12, who do we like besides ourselves? ted! ted! yeah!  

take it to the coast.

outhouse - coast trail - stinson beach, ca

i'm in need of a beach house.  this one-hundred degree heat is definitely not my jam.  wouldn't it be just perfect to have a little beach shack in bolinas?  somewhere to escape the three digits and relax with wealthy hippies.  so down.

ninety-nine cents plus tax.

hey bird - london, england

true thrift stores are hard to come by.  so many vintage and second-hand places promise great deals and finds, but i normally end up leaving with a frown because the things worth trying on are the opposite of pennywise.  fortunately for me, my beloved value center of vallejo, california is still as affordable as ever.  granted, you have to plow through fields of mervyn's brand t-shirts and tapered levi's, but the gems are there and certainly worth the effort.  

if anyone knows of a great thrift store in sf, please let me know.  i'm sick of wasteland and buffalo exchange.  i'm looking for a major money saver.

closetful of chloe.

stunner - peter som fall 2008 - peter som studio - new york city, ny

my mom and i took a quick trip into the city today.  i squared away paperwork at neiman marcus and saw my bedroom for a split second.  afterword, we shopped for a bit and i found a few great items--can't wait to sport the multi-colored belt.  super retro.  and even though i try to resist, i held a handful of bags that altered my universe (all of which i can't afford in the least).  i've got my sights set on the most beautiful chloe creation--but it kills me to think that something i tote around can cost more than a month's rent.  the bargain broad in me nearly passes out at the sight of the price tag.  

chloe camp: if you're reading, i would love the following to appear as gifts on my doorstep.  at your convenience of course:

boudoir medium tote - stone goatskin and violet lizard (in order of preference)

joan large shoulder bag - honey calfskin and stone python

take a minute to delight in fall 2008 ready-to-wear.  i just sat here in front of my macbook with my eyes closed, imagining what it'd be like to have looks 2, 7, 10, and 15 in my closet.  i wouldn't know what to do with myself.

[D]on't drink the water. [M]other father. [B]artender.

city blooms - somewhere in the marina - san francisco, ca

in twenty hours i'll be watching dave and the band from twenty-three rows back.  can't wait!  too excited!