Tired of teaching your parents?

Let google do it. Everytime I visit my parents I have to reteach my mother about email and browsers. This time google will do it for me. They have a site that is simple enough to use. With Teach parents tech  you just check a series of boxes appropriate to your situation, and they send how-to videos about what your parents want to learn. I've just sent one to my mom, now I just have to wait till I see her to show her how to access her email and watch the video.

Hello Beauty

Was just wandering if Sephora had any Hello Kitty products, and so a search on their site turned up this message indicating that they will have some soon. Yay! Hopefully its not too childish looking. But who am I kidding its Hello Kitty!

Lanvin for H&M

I'm all for collaborations between designers, and H&M is notorious for theirs. This is one I actually like because H&M managed to make it still look like couture with out compromising Lanvin's designs. Lucky mag has a preview and a video.

Update:
The release day quickly approaches and you have to decide if you want to wait in line for a piece of Lanvin. I'm having 2nd thoughts since the H&M in DC will be opening at 8am tomorrow and I don't wake up at 8 for anyone. Last time I did that was for the Running of the Brides and that was a tremendous waste of time.

But I do have my eyes set on this skirt and that dress up top. The dresses are priced at 199 and 249. The skirt below is 59.95.

LANVIN FOR H&M. SEE THE FULL COLLECTION AT HM.COM

Hipsterburg NY

Wandering around Willamsburg for the first time we came across the darling jewelry shop Catbird. They carry designs by independent artists. Most of their jewelry is quirky, cute, and delicate. I immediately fell in L O V E. I wanted everything! Tiny diamond rings, bunnies humping silver rings, and mini books with mini revolvers hidden in them. I didn't get anything that day but no worries, I can shop online at Catbirdnyc.com

Tokidoki Sephora bringing more cuteness to you

Tokidoki is releasing more eyeshadow palettes, eye liners, and beauty tools all adorned with our favorite characters. Obviously available at your local Sephora and online.

Cynthia Rowley Dresses up Band-Aids

Limited Edition Band-Aids designed by Cynthia Rowley and Housed in a classic metal tin.

One dollar from the sale of each tin will go to Design Ignites Change, an organization that engages high school and college students in design and architecture projects that address social issues in their own communities. You can get them online at www.cynthiarowley.com

Chinese paper cuts

I finally started to get the hang of putting on false eyelashes so I've been on the look out for a good brand. So far I really like the soft eyelashes of Dolly Wink. But I just came across these falsies on Urban Outfitters beauty shop. Its Chinese Paper Cut-out inspired. I'm curious as to when would be the appropriate time to wear them. Halloween? New years? Chinese new years?

My 1st Digital Perm

Having craved wavy locks for ages, I finally decided to get a perm after reading about digital perms. So its supposed to give you looser curls. I went to a Chinese beauty salon after looking up every salon in NOVA that had one. Most were Chinese or Korean salons and there was one American salon that charged 300! I paid $150 and that included a cut. First there was a wash, then a cut to thin out my hair. Now I have never gotten a perm ever so I dont know what these steps are called so I'm just gonna make em up. The 1st was some kind of conditioning with a hot rotating halo for 20 or so mins. Then the hair was rolled and hooked up to the digital perm machine for like 20mins. Then I sat under a blowdrying dome for 10mins. They then put a horseshoe shaped dish around my neck and rinsed the perm with a solution. Finally wash and blowdryed a bit. She insisted that my hair be air dried. And this is the result after air drying.

Here I'm nervous about the perms cause the rollers looked small.

I have to wait a week before I do any major styling, but I think I can get the big waves I want with blow drying. And then color! I'm leaning towards a dark caramel color but that may be too far on the blonde side. But then again its almost fall so I could do a red color. Decisions Decisions

Paul & Joe gets Catty

I just got my Paul and Joe Beaute Fall Cat lipsticks! So so cute. I want it to meow or purr every time I twist the barrel. I also got the matching eye shadows just to have. The size is smaller than your typical tube of lipstick but the pussy cat makes up for that. You can get yours at your local Paul and Joe Cattery. I got mine at Bergdorf Goodman.

 

ROTB (Running Of The Brides)

Filene's is having their annual Running of the Brides. You know the event where anxious crazy women line up to horde bridal gowns in the hopes of getting that perfect gown for their wedding day. Well one in my area is coming up on July 30th. And I don't have anyone to go with me. Everyone works on Friday! I'll just make one person take off and go with me. You know who you are. I don't care if your a guy! You're going!

Its gonna be tough. (start "Eye of the Tiger" tape now) I'm gonna have to hit the gym so I can carry the gowns, and load up on power bars so I don't get dizzy from hunger. And no coffee, cause there ain't no facilities to relieve yourself. Then study bridal mags to mesmerize what I want and get mentally focused. I'm gonna have to wear something that I can put a dress on over. Cause there are no dressing rooms or not enough. They say women just change in the aisles. I'm actually scared and excited at the same time. Hope I get a dress and not knock anyone out in the process. The eye of the Tigeeeer~  the eye of the Tigerrrrrerrrerrerer (stop tape)

Boater Hats

Currently the accessory to have in your wardrobe. Boater hats you ask?? You mean the ones the GOP party goers wear at conventions? and the hats favored by Barbershop quartets? and, and the ones those Venetian canal singing-boat paddlers wear in Vegas? Yes.

Unfortunately they're hard to find here in the states. Its taken awhile to catch on. Marc Jacobs had them for his Spring 2009 line but that didn't last. So Tokyo has reignited the trend fast and furiously like all trends they embrace. So well probably be seeing more hats soon as the trend trickles down.

Fortunately for you I did some shopping for you. You're Welcome. Forever 21 has a black or tan one, and UO has a felt one, which I imagine wouldn't be wise to wear in this heat.

They're all over the Japanese fashion mags, and even on Gossip Girls. What you think? I like them, they remind me of the 90s when hats were really in. I'm also a lover of old movies, so I've always wanted one since seeing them on actor-dancer-singer Fred Astaire.

Check out Tokyofashion.com it shows the craze in Japan. In fact it shows girls going into the shops wearing boater hats just to get more boater hats. Its that hot.

Its Summer!! and that means shopping for Fall!!

So you should check out your local shops and see if they have a pre-season sale going on. Like Nordstrom's does right now. They put all their new fall pieces on sale for a couple weeks. I just provided some of my favorite samples of this Fall's offering. You'll notice they're all jackets and coats. Cause that's all I usually shop for. Everything else under the jacket I'll just layer up.

 

Tibi Ritz Tweed coat
I love that its convertible. I feel I get more for my money. 

And Tweed is a must for Fall. 

 

This Burberry coat is a throw back to the 50s Big Baggy Coats that hid everything, but you know lurking under there were some curves. Also a timeless classic that will last generations.

 

Catherine Malandrino textured wool coat

Loveeee Oversized, coats with this one its all about the Ruffles.

Don't forget the boots! or booties.
Sam Edelman Torin Booties, Suede also a must for fall.

L.A. Food Trip

So I was Pei's eating buddy on this food trip to LA. And I have to say I failed her. Her appetite has surpassed mine. Which is not saying much, since I eat a lot less now. But on this trip she managed to awe me with her endless appetite. So here are the pics of stuff we ate. I recommend clicking on them to see the food in all their macro glory~

Din Tai Fung

Better than when I had it in Taipei. But probably because we were ravenous from our plane ride. 

Shin-Sen-Gumi Hakata Ramen

Apparently we went to the wrong branch...it was average. I got the ramen with char-sui bowl. That's not char-sui btw~ thats just deep fried pork chunks. I was dissapointed.

Father's Office

Cozy lil bar with every man for himslef seating and order at the bar. Though we didnt get a chance to eat our burgers till they were cold, it was still good. So I imagine they would have been even better. 

Daikokuya

BEST DAMN RAMEN EVER. E  V  E  R . EEEEEEEVER!!

Do you see the long strips of succulent pork in there? Do YOU?!?! because that was the best part!

Sea Harbor Seafood

Super sized portions~ so we ordered what we would usually order in TX and it turned out to be too much because of the gigantic portions. Still it was good.

Duck House- No pics here cause we just met our friend's friends and were too embarrassed to act like tourist and bust out the cameras. But the Peking Duck was gooooooooooood. 

Inbetween that we went to Laguna Beach to tan and burn. I like how efficient this boutique is.

Anime Expo to let out our inner child, and Club to get our drink on till 1:30 in the morning cause thats when last call is in LA apparently. Boo~ Checked out Ktown and Little Tokyo~ next time, I have to get my Korean BBQ on!

We must go back soon, the weather was pleasant as always, and the people were lovely.

Its about Time!

Forget the Iphone 4, and Droid. My next phone is gonna be Hello Kitty~~ Someone has finally made a 3D Hello Kitty Head Shaped Phone! I've been waiting for well over 10 yrs now. But there are some design flaws, like when you open it and talk into it, the Face should be on your ear not upside down by your mouth =(  I think it retails for about $11900NT = $370 US and comes in 4 colors. White, pink, fusia, and black. I'm not gonna deny that I want it. I WANT ALL FOUR! But I will settle for a black one to use and a Pink one to keep on ice. I'll have to remember to pick up one up in Taiwan when we go back. Taiwan is a hotbed for hello kitty phones. None have been worthy of high sticker price, but at least this one got the concept down. You can check Katoon's site, they got a video where its featured on some talk show.The light colored ones come with straps, earbuds  and some other junk. While the black and fuscia one comes in a black makeup case, with strap and ear buds.

They also make a Doramon one~ ^-^*

UO beauty dept.

Urban Outfitters (one of my favorite retailers) has overhauled their Beauty Dept to include hard to find brands like Paul & Joe and Anna Sui. You will now be able to order cute cat bags and nail polishes with that ironic t-shirt. They don't carry everything in the beauty lines, but at least its one more retail outlet.

Sephora OPI nail art

Sephora OPI has released a line of nail art created by Minx. Stickers you stick onto your nails just like the Minx ones, but without all the hassle of going to the salon. Though the current designs are ok. The Chrome Lace and the Fishnet are the only ones I want to try. They run for $15/ set, no word on how long they actually last. 

Twitter Parade

A cute site from Japan IS Parade. Type in your twitter account name and then all your followers follow you in your very own parade. With pop up message bubbles. Notice I only have 19 followers  =_='

Nerdy by Nature

I don't see why anyone would want to get laser on their eyes when you can wear glasses! But thats just me. I love dressing up my eyes. I just have a hard time finding pairs that fit me since I have a non existent bridge.  
I had totally forgot about these 3.1 Phillip Lim eyeglasses by MODO. They also have lines by Derak Lam and Jason Wu. I 1st came across them in the Japanese Nylon mag last year and instantly needed these. But the nearest place for me to try em on is in NY =( boo, but I guess that means I have to go to NY! =3 Road Trip!

I'm a lil teapot, short and stout~

I want these teapots!! available at modcloth.com they also have one on fredflare.com