Wrap me in gold, pearls, and fur

Emily wasn't the only model this weekend. Merlin helped model vintage too.

We uncovered boxes of "new with tags" jewerly from Casual Corner, the 80's mall store my mom used to live at. There were gold chains, pearls, and even some furs. 

I like to live in a bit 'o luxury while I'm checking my interweb.

If You Like It Then You Shoulda Put A Ring Sweater On It

All the single ladies! Who wants just a ring when you can have a ring sweater? This bejeweled beauty works in tandem with the 100% pure cubic zirconia ring! 

Emily visiting from NY looks like wedding material here. She was kind enough to model all sorts of threads, from curvaceous wrap dresses to Limited Express harem pants. More to come!

 

The Haunted Mansion Secret Panel Chest

Here's the Haunted Mansion Secret Panel Chest which isn't so secret because it says so on top. You slide the two side panels (which look like mini parquet floors) down twice to reveal a tiny drawer. And then slide the top off to open the heart and a bottom drawer. It's a good place to store your jewels, drugs, or secrets. I could see how a kid could play with this for hours. 

This isn't my childhood toy and I feel guilty for having it. It belonged to someone I dated briefly in college who really shouldn't have given it to me. I Googled him and it turns out he's an attorney and happily married so I don't think he's missing the Secret Panel Chest. Sorry regardless!

The Haunted Mansion would be my first choice in residence if I had to live in Disneyland. I told Parisa it was my favorite nightmare. Where else can you find a horse-drawn hearse and a ballroom with drunk dancing ghosts?

Stuff White People Like: Uprooting Racism

I can never manage to chuck this because the title is so cool. I love the subheader, "How White People Can Work For Racial Justice", even more. It's a how-too book for white peeps, but I bought it for Professor Hamamoto's Asian American Studies 101-type class. No one in our class was white, so it was like preaching to the converted. 

The book is so direct, with chapters titles like "What Color Is White?"and queries like "Do you and your children know about Native American in contemporary America?" and "list three things you can do to strengthen affirmative action in your workplace, community of state." Whoa there! But I think a good challenge would be handing this book to a white person without offending them. Any takers? Any white people want this book?

Freeway Nostalgia

If LA is your home you know this scene well. Freeways are what keep us together. So looking at this photo of the 110 freeway near 3rd street make me nostalgic. It's kind of gross I admit to be nostalgic for old traffic! It's like Stockholm Syndrome or something, where I grew to love and romanticize something keeping me captive.

Photo is from Best Coast's single Sun Was High (And So Am I). Here's what it's like to drive and listen to them at the same time.

Online Garage sales are a "thing" now

Yup, you heard it here first.

Fashion ladies Vena Cana will start selling their things such a social security card, a mispelled friendship bracelet, mix CDs, and an old Volvo at their online garage sale. Oh and they're selling via text message on their site. Maybe I can start hawking weird items from exes, ex-friends, etc. Check out the Vena Cava blog that posts everything cool, old, and crazy. Photos lifted from there:

Reminds me that I should sell this ill-fitting Vena Cava dress that could only look good on the Serena Van Der Woodsens of the world. It was at the Fred Segal sale (90% off!) and thought I could work it. I have to accept that we Asians just aren't build like that.

Interestingly, my brilliant gaming scholar friend Davey is also having an online garage sale. He's moving to Aussie land and selling all his cool ish.

Via Refinery 29.

Invisible Cities have pigeons

My dad at Piazza San Marco in Venice, early 70s

Invisible Cities

This inlaid wood wall piece is a bit beat up, but it's still a dreamy place to visit.  

Reminds me that labyrinthine cities like Venice or Hong Kong are the best places to go and get lost.

Hong Kong's Central, Goldfinch's from In The Mood For Love, Thai restaurant in Kowloon, and Soho

Venetian alleyway, view from the clock tower, on the vaporetti

This post is inspired the band of the same name. Check out their awesome stop-motion video!