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……

Vegas, Vegas, Vegas....

I just had my weekend in Vegas - thought it would be good for me to be surrounded by endless retailers - I wanted to check out Palazzo and Barneys New York. More than that, I needed to see my friends.. The Vegas Shopper, Westcoast Fashionista, and Chrome Hearts Queen, the Vice Guy... and Hermes Hombre and his wife Jockin' Jill.

I knew something was odd even before we landed Vegas. Every single flight to Vegas I have taken in the last 7 years was a loud party - people were ready to gamble and they were intoxicated even before they boarded their planes. This time, I thought I was going down to attend Bar Association's Estate Planning conference. I actually slept on my way to Vegas.

When I stepped into the Vegas Airport terminal - again, I thought I arrived at St. Paul/Minneapolis.... no blinging lights.... no chiming of slot machines. Very serene for once.

As we checked in our hotel - again, for Friday.... the Casino looked very empty. Oh well, that's ok - I never gamble anyway, and I come to Vegas to see my friends, to shop and to dine. In less than two days, we strolled through Bellagio's Via Bellagio, Caesar's Forum Shops, Venetian's new Palazzo. I noticed... over and over, I see same stores with bored employees... and same porn-chic girls all dressed the same - cookie-cutter outfits - made to look like strippers - strolling along British tourists which added a nice pseudo-sophistication to the mega pseudo-city.

We used to say, if the girls' skirts hemline gets shorter, that means we are in recession? Even on holidays, I could not help myself quickly doing some cost accounting.... why do Bally, Ferragamo, Coach and all have to have 5 stores within 1/2 mile radius? Let alone.... mostly empty? Did you hear Louis Vuitton will open 30,000 sqr food store in City Center? That's their 3rd within 5 blocks! Like Westcoast Fashionista says... it's testosterone-driven craziness! I hope the retailers are thinking of 20 years ahead to break-even in Vegas... no way you make money - or if they actually make any profit in Vegas now or soon, that proves that we the shoppers are simply dumb...

which put me back on the porn-chic young women we encountered in Vegas.... Barneys New York should hold some seminar for them and give out Simon Doonan's new book Eccentric Glamour..... I read it, feeling.... I am not alone!..... (Blond-Ambition Partner-in Crime knows beside Tory Burch, I had Rachel Zoe passionately!)

No I did not buy anything from Hermes... I did not buy anything Lanvin..... but I made my Am Ex scream while at Chrome Hearts! .... now that's Socialite mixing with Existentialist!

Perhaps, I should attend that Estate Planning Conference in July......

I Love Paris!

I woke up early this morning, as I do everyday, with my NPR morning news. In my half sleep, I heard - "Paris".... "Torch"...... "Fire"...... I woke up thinking "My Paris is Burning!!?? My Lavin!! My Hermes!!"

Much to my relief, as we all know - it was about the Olympic relay torch that was NOT burning because of protest. I listened to the news with nice, warm, fuzzy feelings.... since the Bastille Day, has French actually protested violently that involves fire?? ...well, besides their regular labor and student strikes that make the City of Light smelly.

It reminded me our version of infamous '99 WTO protest in our sleepy, tree-hugging, java town. That was violent. I could not leave office because I was too stupid to go to work which was 2 blocks away from the WTO venue. I saw people wearing gas-masks walking around downtown. Even police horses had high-tech masks. People walked around naked in our wet, cold November weather...

When I saw photos of my beloved Paris protest, I realized, even under these stressful situations, Paris gendames look chic in their "inspired by Tour de France " inline skating gears. Even protestors with banners dress nicely - look even regal -over there. "Droit de l'homme" sounds more intelligent and sophisticated than... "human rights"...

Everything they do in Paris - it's done with Class and Style.... Everything we do in Seattle, it's done with grunge as by Sadgasm.

I know Dalai Lhama is coming to our town in a few days after the Olympic torch comes to The City (=San Francisco, of course). I hope we the West Coaster can decorate Golden Gate Bridge and Space Needle with Panache....

That Asian Touch....

I had a rare occasion of having some time for myself just last weekend. Determined to have some exceptional, and unusual time, I have decided to got to a Spa - not just any relaxing spa playing Enya and Kitaro with Lavender candles... I mean a real Korean spa.

For some of you who have not heard of Korean Spa.... imagine - a great big place that has several different relaxation room in different temperature... my favorite is "Salt Room" where the floor is literally, heated salt, with linen on top - you lie down there... listen to the sound of breeze, ocean and seagulls.... nice, right?! Imagine a huge hot tub hall - where there are 4-5 different tubs - again with various temperatures from 60 to 104.... making you feel like you are in a Roman Empire (without being in Vegas....). On top of all these - imagine getting a invigorating body scrub with warm moisturizing body wrap.... And if you though that was too good to be true - to have all these at your disposal in one place.... how about a restaurant and tea room... .. You are talking about 5 hour stay at this Spa.

Well... what's that saying.... if it is too good to be true.... it is... Don't get me wrong - this is a great spa - just very different from what we normally think of... spa.

First- when you check in, they issue you a hand towel, bath towel, a bath robe in the same quality as hospital gown, and shower cap. Then this middle aged Korean woman tells you - you must wear your cap at all time.... I thought "ok... strange, but no big deal". Then soon you notice.... you don't understand background chit-chatting.... when you realize - you are surrounded mostly by Korean women. Oh, by the way, spa is for women only. No men allowed.

I was then escorted to the hot tub hall area. I have never seen soooo many naked Asian women in one place. I think they knew right away that I was not one of them because they stared at me, turned around and started to yap yap in Korean. My idea of Roman Public Bath time was.... ruined a bit - but I just grabbed my April issue of Harper's Bazaar and ignored Korean background noise.

I decided to navigate myself to "Salt Room" - relax on the hot salt floor.... close my eyes... imagine I was back in the Caribbeans...... As I opened the door to the Salt Room, I was greeted by about half dozen walrus.. or at least that's what I thought. I went in - lied down - closed my eyes - to deny the situation I was in.

After spending about 90 min. or so - immersing myself fully into this Korean spa culture... it was my appointment time for body scrub with moisturizing wrap. Now this is Korean spa. There is no individual room for treatment - the treatment area is right next to the hot tub hall area... no Enya, No Kitaro - you hear other people taking hot tub. There were about 10 plastic covered massage tables (I guess they are tables, not massage beds...). The surroundings made me think, "I guess this is what ( Turkish steam bath + Bangkok massage ) divided by 2 for men is like....".

This Korean lady came to greet me. She told me her name is "Bobbie". Just like being at any nail salons in big cities.... my first word after the greeting was ,"huh?" Then she repeated, "MY NAME BOBBIE". I pretended I could not hear well because of background noises of people splashing hot water.....

I climbed up where she pointed - face down. Then the scrub started.

Oh when they scrub, they mean scrub. Nothing gentle, No soothing lavender oil.... just scrub with those Korean scrubbing mittens on their hands. I knew they were taking revenge on me personally for what Japanese did to their ancestors during the World War II..... I was sure they were related to Kim Jong-Il. As they scrub and sandpaper my body, they splash bucket full of hot water to rinse away my skin.. dead or alive..... That torture lasted 45 min. Yes, I was so awake during the "relaxing, yet invigorating scrub" I kept looking at the clock. Then Bobbie explained to me that moisturizing body wrap has some ... "blah blah blah honey blah blah olive blah blah milk massage, OK?" I just said... "no problem..."

I felt something "moisturizing" poured on my body all over... then comes slapping and shaking massage. By then I was convinced that the whole place was feeding these images from our torture chamber to North Korea - so that The Supreme Commander would not feel lonely.... especially when I hear Bobbie talking loudly about something with fellow Korean comrades. Me, telling myself.... "this is not Canyon Spa - I didn't pay the Canyon Spa price...." - like a mantra.

After about 90 min being on the massage table being scrubbed, scraped, and seasoned with olive oil, honey and milk, shaken and slapped. I actually felt pretty good - I think I became Korean!

I felt so good... it did not bother me that restaurant only served Korean kimchi, bibimbap, and yuk ke jang. I happily ate my dolsot bibimbap... drove home as I kept feeling my smooooooth arms.

ps - This is my very first "photoshop" - I know it's crude but I will be better in a few years....

As much as The Vegas Shopper cheers the Tar Heelees,  I cheer the Blue Devils.  Yes, it is sad to see that our Blue Devils are out of the March Madness so early this year... but hey, does Tar Heel hoop coach has his own website?  Everybody knows Coach K.... but who is the Tar Heel coach?  

For as long as I remember, Coach K has been the Duke Coach....  I think Carter was our President when he joined Duke...... I was a senior in high school.

When I was a senior in high school,  Coach K was not our regular conversation topic at school.  Even though our high school is the "real" State 4A Basketball champion (before Shadle Park "the nemesis" took our glory after a hearing-impaired referee gave points for this after-the-buzz-shot), none of our players were "Duke" material.

That, of course, changed with the Class of 1985.  This time, my lucky sister happened to be in the same class with our future Duke player, Quin Snyder.  And again, my lucky sister got to witness the first Championship trophy - the one we were supposed to get in 1981.

That was the beginning of my relationship with Coach K.  He recruited some very handsome players - like Christian Laettner.  Oh, his last-second shoot that brought '92 Duke championship was a sweet revenge after our bitter loss from more than a decade prior.  (Sadly, though... I have put him along with Andrew McCarthy... "not-aged-well" column....)

Last week, I received boxes of "stuff" from my parents - stuff, they claimed, are mine that are taking up their space.  I opened them - and they were old photo albums - oh so innocent moi growing up.  Then I found this big big binder that I did not recognize.  It was a binder-full of Quin Snyder and other high school basketball stats from 1984-85 that my sister collected.  Pre-Duke-fame-Quin and his buddies - no wrinkles, no love-handles.... certainly not 41 years old....

Hmmm.... The Vegas Shopper loves to collect anything... I wonder if I should send him this binder...  After all, I know that he is a "closet" Blue Devil....  Oh and what does this have to do fashion??   I must say our Blue is more slimming and "blue State" blue than Your "made for George Bush's Hermes tie" blue....