Can You Tell

It is still winter in New York. I'm going through a closet cleanse, which feels great. Kinda like chopping off all your hair, and getting that light, free feeling, until the next day when you cry.

Topshop Parka, Frye Boots.

Soundtrack: Can You Tell, Ra Ra Riot

The Luckiest

I became a Mrs.

Married my best friend, my crush, my first love; the funniest, sexiest, sweetest man I know, the only man I've ever wanted to become a family with. Today is Mid-Autumn Festival. I call it Chinese Thanksgiving because growing up, it was always spent gathering with family. What a most beautiful way to celebrate today, being in the new family that A and I have created.

We are both still buzzing from our wedding day. The amount of love and joy we experienced on that gorgeous, clear Friday in July left us speechless. A historic downtown church, a rooftop in Tribeca, a Soho loft; surrounded by beloved family, and cherished friends; it was our most perfect day. Everything went by so breathtakingly fast. Photos, recaps, and reviews to come.

May Showers, Flowers, and More...

Hello there.

The bullet points :

Fiance and I returned from a stint in Singapore, spent a week living on the peaks of Hong Kong where we found our dream house, I've decided to leave my job, and we are getting ready for our big day, which is just one short month away.

I've never been a bridal shower kind of girl, but after some convincing by my BFF, I'm glad I did it. It was intimate, just the way I like, with lots of drinks flowing, and good food. Here is what I wore to the very girly occasion : UO Dress, Bloomingdales Gold Flats ( which I just realized are not visible in the picture ).

Fiance brought home these coral peonies to cheer me up during a week of 15 hour work days and endless wedding tasks :)

True Affection

Fast approaching wedding, long work weeks, business trips... I need a vacation. I need some air.

Paper Plains' recent post made me crave mountains, open landscapes, and lush colors. Until I can get there again, some pictures from my most recent adventure, taken in Jiu Zhai Guo National Park, Sichuan, China.

Soundtrack : True Affection, the Blow

Too Young...

Last day, of the first month, of the beginning, of a new decade. Lots to do, lots.

I don't just dislike winter in New York because of the cold, and sunlight deprivation. It is also dreaded because I'm never quite prepared for the holidays and the inevitable questions that follow : what have I done this year, what will I do next year, what am I doing with my life?

Sometimes, a buttery t-shirt, a cozy blazer, and a steaming, silky bowl of Ramen help get me though the toughest season in this city. Duck into a tiny space, away from 20 degree weather, and allow myself to take some deep breaths before heading back out again to face the questions of life. A little bit of Sake helps, too ;)

UO Tee, Madewell Wool Blazer, AA Winter Leggings :

Soundtrack : In the Morning ( Junior Boys )
Ramen : Menchanko-Tei ( 131 East 45th Street )

From 2010 365 Project

365 - Day 2

Benches Under the FDR :

Views of the ocean always make me feel calmer, but on days when I'm stuck in the city, the East River or Hudson will have to do. Went for a post lunch walk with A under the FDR.

Follow my 365 project here :

http://picasaweb.google.com/peregrinationsfrom212/2010365Project#

365 Project - Day 1

Fiance and I are each starting a 365 project : one photo a day, for a year.

I wanted to make more effort to document the little moments that make up life, and capture memories not just on special occasions, but everyday.

Day 1 : New Year's day, view from our living room window.

Daylight

Had my wedding hair and makeup trial, so I wore a sweetheart neckline to get more of the effect without getting really dressed up. Since I didn't want fiance to see the trial results, these pictures were taken after everything was removed.

UO Cotton Bustier, UO BDG Skirt, AA Opaque tights. Current Soundtrack : Matt and Kim - Daylight.

Stretch

Latest love : legging jeans. Snow is starting to fall in the city, paper thin leggings just don't cut it anymore. Soft, stretchy Jeans that fit like leggings? Genius.

Cold weather makes me want to wrap myself in cashmere and cotton and sleep all day. Year end makes me want to throw away all my clothes and start afresh. Here comes the long stretch of winter...

Madewell Legging Jeans, F21 Cutoff Sweatshirt, Corduroy Pumps

Work Wardrobe Chronicle : Summer Uniform

For business casual, I pretty much wear variations of the same exact outfit everyday : pencil skirt, silk top, boredom...

Club Monaco Pencil Skirt, UO Silk Top, Top Shop Shoes, F21 Belt.

Changed into shorts for running around town after work.

I'm a Nomad

Pictured : Double Layer Silk Wrap Skirt ( Worn as a Dress )

I'm a nomad, I think it's in my blood. I've moved at least twenty times to date, and have traveled to more than twenty countries. When I don't leave a place for more than two months it starts to make me feel ill. It's been one month since I left New York, and five months since I was on another continent. I so desperately want to wake up in a foreign land.

This getup is made of Indian Sari silk, and was purchased from a tiny Japanese store in Australia. Yet another little reminder that I need to be far, far away.

Bunch of Animals

I work in an intense environment heavily dominated by males. In most meetings, I am not only the only female present but also one of the youngest. I'm very conservative and cautious about what I wear to work because I don't want people to focus on my outfit and would like to be taken seriously.

I wore this dress to work, because it's a great shape ( bloussant top, pleats... ), plus the length is about as short as I can go at the office. However, check the print on this dress, full of sizable bunnies, bears in tutus, mushrooms, ponies, and ducks wearing big hats. Mulled over this for half a second, and decided oh well, can't always take yourself too seriously. Plus, adding pearls to anything makes it classy, right?

Pinkyotto Satin Dress, Top Shop Peep Toes :

Petal Pusher

What I wore for a Cuban brunch and afternoon cocktails. This is a wedding budget friendly outfit ( less than $50 ) : F21 Pleated Cotton Shorts, Tank, and Sandals.

Trunch Wear

On rare weekends when we are blessed with beautiful weather and free time, A and I have Trunch ( Tri-Lunch ) : Saturdays and Sundays when we indeed eat three lunches per day. We spend hours walking around ( which we use as justification for our gluttony ), with the sole purpose of discovering new places to eat.

My requirement for outfits worn on such occasions are : cheap, comfortable, washable, and roomy enough to conceal an inevitable belly. Then I just hope to not run into anyone I know while working on my third meal before 3PM.

Wearing : Zara Plaid Blouse, Billabong Cutoff Shorts, Foley and Corinna Bag :

F21 Cotton Tank, Skirt and Cardigan, Foley and Corinna Bag :

Rundown of a recent Trunch where food was good, cheap, and plenty:

$12 Dim Sum ( Too hungry for pictures )

$4.75 Hand Pulled Beef Noodles at Super Taste ( 26 Eldridge Street )

$1 Pot Stickers at Prosperity Dumpling ( 46 Eldridge Street )

$1 Mini Cakes ( Cart on Corner of Grand & Bowery )

$2 Fresh Watermelon Juice ( Random Chinese Bakery )

All these eateries are tiny spaces where customers shout out their orders as they walk in the door. Hand pulled noodles are al dente, with a flavorful broth. Fresh, plump pot stickers, finished with fresh off the iron mini cakes :

Work Wardrobe Chronicle : the World Needs More Seersucker

My memories of childhood summers always involve my grandmother wearing some form of seersucker. Even back then I was smitten with this magical fabric. It's made of cotton, it's textured, and I need more of it! I've had this seersucker blazer for so many years and have since been searching for another. I may resort to making my own.

Seersucker Blazer found overseas, Sisley Satin Pencil Skirt, Club Monaco Belt, Kenneth Cole Peep Toes.

Waiting...

Waiting for a thunderstorm to pass before going out for dinner and drinks. Wearing F21 Cotton Skirt & Burnout Tank, AA Suspenders & Bandeau:

Philippines, Beach & Green Mango Shake

Local green mango shakes are my favorite drinks in the Philippines. Made from unripe mangoes, these refreshing smoothies taste like sour green apples with a hint of fragrant mangoes.

Enjoying a tart, slightly sweet green mango shake at a beach side cafe in Punta Fuego. Wearing : UO Dress, Dior Shades.

Work Wardrobe Chronicle, the Shirt Dress

A combination of work, chilly temperatures, and chronic rain has gotten me down. This usually translates to extra snoozes in the morning. When I'm running late to work, shirt dresses are always my first pick because they save me the trouble of having to put together an outfit.

I realize that my fashion posts have been lackluster and slightly infrequent. I've been wearing a ton of black due to aforementioned reasons, and in pictures they show up as inky blocks and all details are lost. Hope to be out of this funk soon!

Club Monaco Shirt Dress, Pinkyotto Belt, Bloomingdales Earings :

Petals & Tights

Weather in NYC has been pure crap for over a week.   I started a new job,  which has kept me very busy.   Went out for drinks for the fifth night in a row (I'm ready for a break).   Here's what I wore :  AA Tee,   F21 Skirt,   AA Tights.   The skirt reminds of elementary school.   

Philippines, Punta Fuego

Three hours, and one buko ( coconut ) pie after leaving Manila, we arrive at Punta Fuego.  This resort of private villas, guest houses, secluded beaches, and dramatic cliffs, is very reasonably priced by US standards.  For a few hundred dollars per weekend, a huge, gorgeous Spanish style house with a small stretch of beach can be rented.  

We stayed in a one bedroom casita ( equipped with a bathroom that had its own garden ) and made trips to hang out at the beautiful houses that F and P rented with their families.   Our first glimpse of sunset at Punta Fuego :