What do you do when you can't read anymore Kate Chopin before finals?
Play dress up. Duh.
Eugh. I know. What an example of eurocentrism. I'm not even Christian but here I am, decking my house out in colored lights, plastic trees, and big red socks.
Ratchet Side Table- My Brother's Storage Boxes from College
Hand Lotion I'm Furiously Sniffing- & Other Stories (Scent: Couture Carnival)
Is it wrong? I don't know. For all of my childhood, I had excitedly celebrated Christmas within my atheist, immigrant, Asian family. Regardless of political correctness, seeing other people excitedly participate in traditions that may or may not have any meaning to them still brings everyone joy... So you know what? Let's just let that happen.
Hat: Walmart?
Giant Cozy Sweater: Some brand called Segue(?) but I got it at Goodwill
Socks: Gifted but I think Forever 21
Sick Mug: Target (Thanks AL)
I used to think wearing short dresses and long boots/socks was counter intuitive and pretty stupid because if it was cold enough, why not just wear pants? Then I grew up and realized a sliver of thigh was chic and that giant sweaters on petite people don't look cute unless they're balanced with tights or bare legs on the bottom.
This sweater is neither red, green, or explicitly of the "ugly holiday" variety, but somehow it seems fitting for Christmas and a chic way to game this farcicality known as a groutfit.
One thing that's really important to me during the holiday season is the theme of homecoming. The idea was that this light-up wall art would feel inviting every time fam came through the door:
I don't know how reasonable it is for me to put up an alias on this blog anymore since most of our readers know me personally. If it wasn't obvious, my last name is Chan. I made each letter by wrapping the string of lights around a thumb tack, then I hung a stocking for each family member under each letter.
Finally! Back to blogging! I've finally reached a lull in my hectic summer schedule where I can catch up on posts.
Last month I went to a two week entrepreneurship camp where I developed a start up idea and pitched it to a board of investors at the Athena Center at Barnard College. Never have I been immersed in such an empowering, positive environment. Check out my video to see more of the people I met and the things I did!
Here's one outfit from that trip:
I was surprised! The sweater and skirt was bought in NYC on sale and ! I love that these two pieces are the perfect transition into fall outfits too (out of season much?) and I can imagine a million other pairings to go with this too. I'm loving the white sweater and shoes that tie the whole outfit together and the necklace that adds some weight and interest against the blank background.
Honestly this outfit was more fit for an autumn day rather than a sweaty humid summer eve in New York but it was cute and worth the perspiration. The suede skirt with the playful laser cut outs instantly caught my eye in the store and they were only $15! I feel like its quirky juxtaposition of material and pattern makes it the perfect piece to transition my closet into something more sophisticated.
You also would not believe how much controversy there was over buying those $20 pair of Birkenstock dupes. Some of my friends questioned our friendships. Nevertheless, I identify as pro Birks (long live the mom sandal) but I'm also not about to pay $180 for something I know is going out of style sometime in the near future.
Right next to Chinatown we went to this hip cafe called Two Hands with my friend Cleo.
The interior had 'grammable ambiance with the crafted clouds, strung lights, exposed brick, and hand written menu on the wall! It set me up for high expectations of idiosyncratic food...
I got the blat sandwhich which was $9.00 but it was disappointingly small. It featured Sriracha, spinach, tomato, bacon and avocado. The bacon and guac gave the sandwich depth while the Sriracha have it an awesome kick. The salad was too boring and plain as it only featured some spinach leaves, some olive oil, and some red chili peppers. Disappointing.
Cleo got a cappuccino for $3.50 which she thought was average. She also commented that the $9.00 chewy granola was very blueberry based but sweet. It featured hemp and chia seeds, blue berries, granola, coconut, and raspberries.
As you can see there was not much mass in the blat sandwich. While I can understand everything is expensive in New York City, I feel like I could have found something that was more worth the price.
Cleo and her adorable cup of coffee. The store did have great merchandise ranging from mugs to shirts with whimsical designs on them. I think the aesthetic of the cafe is what brings in the customers not necessarily the quality of their food.
I will say that the mocha was pretty good but it was less rich than the Mocha Tesora at Philz. (I can't find it on the menu but I believe it was around $4.00).
Right now I'm in Valencia, CA for an arts camp called CSSSA (California State Summer School for the Arts). I'll update you guys more on that in a later post.
Adventures of K and S actually went on an adventure this time! Well really K and A, but S was missed and there in spirit <3 To see more beautiful pictures visit A's travel blog by clicking here: By the Breeze Blog
A took me around the city for my birthday and we visited so many gems within the city! Our first, and my favorite, stop was at the Front St. Cafe, which ironically is not on Front Street. The cafe was nestled in the Mission Bay area and had an industrial theme going on with the exposed pipes, beakers, and test tubes. It is the poster child for the Urban-San-Franciscan-Coffee-Addict aesthetic. Check out A's blog to see the rest of our adventure :)
Walking around the misty city in the morning was refreshing but also very chilly so layers were my best friend. Given the gusting wind, a wide-brimmed hat may not have been a good choice but my fashion muses all have this kind of hat and A got me one for my birthday :) I can now actually call myself a fashion blogger! I love the elegant waves the hat makes on its brim and how the camel color is so versatile.
Taken in front of adorable painted ladies at Duboce.
My lovely friends gave me necklaces for my birthday so of course they're making it on the blog. Thank you EM, LP, and LH!
Taken in the adorable patio seating area of Nopalito, a hip Mexican restaurant near UCSF. The dewy vertical garden complimented the light green theme of the restaurant, contributing to a comfortable ambiance when paired with twinkly string lights. The overused flannel makes another cameo!
Layers being taken off at Duboce—all the walking around midday was starting to warm me up!
The hat just made me so dang excited, also thanking CH for the romper :)
