Almost reaching AARP

New Year=Older me = almost AARP. I just learned that Michelle Obama is about a month younger than I am. It's very irrelevant but because I am older - I think I can dish her style.

I know it's boring but.. she flopped on 1/20/09.... i.e. that Fluffy Dress. Why did she choose this fluffy silhouette.... instead of sleek, simple elegance - say like Carla Bruni in Dior?

I know Michelle has to wear American designer - remember... Hillary and Laura both solicited Oscar de la Renta (and he probably would not have lost the White House account if it were Mrs. McCain=First Lady....). So for Michelle to wear Toledo, and Wu - that's already 200% improvement - at least she is out of the box - and a bit more respectable than J Crew. And I always loved Toledo and Rachel Roy - especially at 75% off at the Bergdorf.

But then.... French Elysee Palace has unfair advantages over La Maison Blanc.... Carla can wear Dior and Hermes and Lacroix and Chanel - and of course, The Divine Lanvin. Compared to that... what do we have here? Wu, 2 Wangs, Lim, Toi... besides the obvious "pedestrian" Kors, Klein, Lauren (aka Ralph Lipschitz) and Karan. Even though Hollywood/Richard Gere made him famous, Armani is Italian.

One thing in common though..... both Carla and Michelle have to protect their treasurers from their hubby's cigars/smokes!

I told you....

I told you..... Naughty Monkey Shoes.... Sorry but they cannot be associated with our country's executive offices. Imagine these shoes, next to... say Carla Bruni's Hermes boots?! From now on, I am calling her, "Hooker Mom" with $80 shoes!

The black jacket she was wearing on the last day of the convention - after McCain's speech.... it had huge, hideous shoulder pads that went up and down as she moved her arms - bunching fabric all over! Ill-fitted, to say the least!

As my Partner-in-Crime says... "what's up with that hair!?!!? a la Big Love?!??!?!!"

This election will be .. Potter-Dumbledore vs Fudge-Umbridge - Isn't it clear which is the Good??!!

Very Anti-Fashion.....

Normally, I am not political. Wait! I am very political but do not share that with the world. Only Loquacious, Vegas Shopper and my Partner-in-Crime know my inner political thoughts - which tend to be very politically incorrect.

So, when I was driving to my early morning client meeting this morning, and found out that Leader of the Geriatric Brigade decided to pick former Miss Alaska-Runner-up to be on his Election ticket as VP, my head was spinning at 100 mph with evil thoughts.

First.. she looks so old for 44 year old! My goodness, I am 44 turning 45. No excuse for the last-minutes long flight from Alaska to Ohio - she had the comfort of private jet!

Then... she could be VP of the US of A... from Alaska?!! - the state with the population of... 600K? 700K? where 52% of that is male - whose signature fashion is to have the faded circle on the Levi's from toting Copenhagen?! I have not yet recovered from the trauma of witnessing horrific "spitting" scenes in the white-collar offices in Alaska - even after 17 years...

And she has a nerve to call Hillary a whiner!


Mrs. Geriatric Brigade can coach her on some refined fashion... like Oscar.... that is... only if Mr de la Renta allows himself and his fine creation to be anywhere near the woman who probably smells like fish and gun powder?! No.. the best Mrs. Palin deserves is.... Tory Burch! Yuck!!

I told ya - I am very politically incorrect - it's nice to be female, non-Caucasian and over 40 because I cannot be politically incorrect on my own types!

Maybe, as my political contributions EVER to GOP - I should give a gift of 3 year subscription to Harper's Bazaar to Miss Alaska-runner-up.....

I feel generous!

ελληνικά, ιαπωνικά, ένα πρόσωπο, μία φυλή

My Partner-in-Crime is in Greece....Rhodes Island to be exact. I have "a thing" for Greece. I have never been there - I cannot even read Greek except βαψ. The closest personal encounter with anything "Greek" for me is to go to Opa! in Las Vegas and do those "swirling" Greek traditional dance, drinking some Greek red wine I cannot prounce.

But I do have this itch for Greece ever since I saw Mediterraeo over 15 year ago. I can't explain what or why - I just love to watch this movie - ALONE (yes, it is very important that I watch this ALONE!). I even bought a region-free, PAL compatible DVD player so that I can buy the DVD from U.K. and watch it on this side of the Pond.

The story is set in Greece (in Megisti Island to be exact...) -but in Italian - which makes it even more pleasant to listen to (though I don't understand Italian at all....). I know I won't survive a week on a remote island like Megisti - where there is no Sushi - no English - forget Japanese. I doubt very much they have high-speed internet access. I know for sure, there is not Lanvin. I know people are probably very "traditional" (=even chauvenistic?!) and I will forever be a foreigner there. But then, there still lives a very optimistic (or stupidly naive) "moi" - longing to move there - yes not just to visit - but to move. Same sort of itch I have for France- to move to a village where you walk to your village boulangerie and butcher shop every morning for your baguettes and carne...

Someday- I will be there..... sell everything I have here and move to a sunny Greek island (tiny one) where I fish my own food out of the sea and make my own sushi.... my skin getting all tanned and leathered from sunshine......

Hmmmmm

Lazy Summer....

I have been very busy hording on 60+% off Lanvin goodies at Barneys - I forgot to write this blog thing!

The Vegas Shopper being on Summer break meaning nobody reminds me of blogspot - until my daughter's Moula Teacher started her blog!

Our Beloved Moula Teacher is on her way to China - to be exact - Hunan Province - the land of General Tso Chicken. She will be volunteering for a year teaching in China - though her original plan was to teach in Georgetown, Guyana. Good-bye Jim Jones , Hello Falung Gong! (wooops now my blog is banned and censored in China....)

I know she will have a great year in a whole new world!! I hope she will have time to go to Wulingyuan - pretend to be Confucius (which by the way - was introduced to the Western world by Matteo Ricci - way to go Jesuit!!!)

Which reminds me... Confucius says, "He who will not economize will have to agonize"

Tough words for the world of Fall-Winter fashion shopping season....

Shopping Euphoria is coming…

Yes, it’s May. It’s nothing but the beginning of Sale season in Fashion industry! First 40% off… then 60-75% off…. It’s high adrenaline time. A few of my friend actually fly to New York to catch Barney’s 60%+ off sales. That fabulous $6,000 Lanvin dress you salivated – will be $2,400 – Those fabulous $890 Christian Louboutin platforms will be $250! Purchases are done on “best discount deal” basis – NEVER on “Do-I-Need-This” basis.

Guys who love to watch women’s wrestling – should come to see the women’s couture sales. Better yet, forget watching Super Bowl and come to Mario’s in Seattle. Stakes are just as high at Mario’s as twice-a-year SOLDES at Hermes in Paris. People line up at the wee-hours in the morning on freezing February morning outside the store – kicking the homeless out of his comfortable bed. Soon the street is filled with estrogen cheers… counting down for the opening. When the doors open… it is scary! Imagine those ants swarming around, aiming into the one ant hole…. Wild buffaloes and mustangs stampedes.......That’s how it is at the Mario’s Super Bowl Sale…. Women will run, knock any weak and feeble down to the floor – any mannequins on the way will be knocked down… they are aiming to the upstairs women’s floor… RUNNING.

Well…. Here’s my confession…. I was one of them… I got to the store first, parked my car right in front of the store. I successfully kicked the homeless out of the doorway area so that I could set up my camping chair out and get comfortable…and cozy in my floor-length mink coat. I even bought AND wore a pair of Uggs for this occasion. When the store opened, I ran like I used to when I was 12 and I lost my daughter in this huge crowed for a while. Luckily, my daughter had much better sense than I did – and stayed out of the Herd.

Ahh…I need to book my JetBlue!

My Book Repot - first ever!

Since I returned from my Vegas trip, I have been enjoying my slower work schedule. I have been attending a various seminars required by the Bar….. which means I have been spending good chunk of my daytime reading a few fun books.

The Vegas Shopper detest this – but I read Michael Tonello’s “Bringing Home a Birkin” – in one day. Now that’s a Christmas miracle – for an immigrant to read a 272 page book in one day! I actually pre-ordered a few copies – one for me, and one for my Partner-in-Crime. On the day the book was to come out, I took a day off and stayed home until the postman showed up. (I knew that Amazon will deliver them to me on the date of publishing…. just like they did with Harry Potter books). Afterall, the book has been labeled "Birkin Expose" by the New York Post.... that's Major!

Here’s my confession….. Michael did secure some very hard-to-find limited Hermes scarves for me. One time, I begged him to go to Belgium to attend a charity fund raising so that he will be able to buy this one special design Hermes scarf. About 4 years ago, I had a dream of crocodile Birkin hopping outside of my front porch, “talking” to me why I did not take her home with me (after I actually rejected a crocodile Birkin from Hermes in New York). Who cured my remorse? Michael! He got me a crocodile Birkin from Zurich and sent to my hotel in Paris while I was there. I sent him Peet’s Coffee and he sent me my “drugs”.

After the book came out, I heard that some people were planning to protest outside the Hermes stores (for what? I don’t know…). I wonder if Hermes will be inundated with people coming to the store asking…. “I know you are hiding some Birkins in the back!! I demand to see a few or I will make a big scene out here!!”

Well, it’s good that Hermes stores have security guards! They are standing at the doors, not just to block Oprah’s entry into the store….but they are there to protect MY Bags hiding in the back for just in case I decide to call or pop in!

That reminds me….what should I do to reward myself for working 60 hours/week for the last three months……