Since the day you came along, I look at life so differently.

This how I looked on December 25:

cabled knit cardigan: JC Penney.....tanktop: Kohls.....jeans: Charlotte Russe
socks: Target.....shoes: Chuck Taylor hi-tops
plastic right-hand ring: gift from the niece~!!
scarf: American Apparel, gift from Alannah~!!

Alannah sent me this tie-dyed circle scarf for Christmas, and it's safe to say it is my go-to scarf! I love it! Thank you, Alannah!

Brian and I spent Christmas night at my family's place. My siblings really know how to throw down a food feast: standing rib roast, turkey, potatoes au gratin, green bean casserole, stuffing, and mashed potatoes and gravy. There was so much good food! The niece and the nephew both got what they wanted, and as always, these two kids are the bestest.

So, all in all, it was an awesome Christmas!

It's an 80s Christmas~!

Happy Christmas!!

Because I heart Sheena so much....
Sheena Easton - "It's Christmas All Over the World"


Because I need to hear and see hot British guys...
Band Aid - "Do They Know It's Christmas?"


Because this is my most fave Christmas song of all time...
Wham! - "Last Christmas"

Glimmering under neon lights, I can see the look that's in your eyes.

This is how I looked on December 22:


I got into the holiday spirit by sprucing up my black outfit with green tights~!



sweater: Nordstrom Rack.....top: Kohls.....skirt: Ross
tights: Target.....shoes: Payless
hairclip: Target

You can see so much in me, so much in me that's new.

This is how I looked on December 21:


sweater: Loehmann's.....top: Kohls.....paisley print skirt: Lane Bryant
secret socks: Payless.....boots: Payless

Yes, this skirt is loud. But it's the loudness that drew me to this skirt in the first place. I wanted something really random and different to add to my skirt collection, and this certainly fit the bill.

The waistband is cinched with a safety pin because it's about three inches too big. I'm kinda sorta not a size 14/16, but I liked it that much. Plus, it was on clearance.

Saturday, December 19, 2009 - Part Two

- me & Rachel at Old Ironsides, Sacramento -

Rachel said she got her lovely purple dress from Overstock.com. She rocked this outfit with brown suede boots.

It's a tradition for us to see the Baby Grand Christmas show at Old I. This year, I dragged Brian along.

The highlight of Baby Grand's holiday spirit set is always their cover of Wham!'s "Last Christmas".

The first Baby Grand Christmas show I ever attended was also the first Baby Grand show I've ever been to. This was way back in 2002. I will never tire of this band. Never. :)

Saturday, December 19, 2009 - Part One

This is how I looked on December 19:



sweater: H&M.....tanktop: H&M.....jeans: Charlotte Russe
shoes: Payless


I think these shoes are from 2005. I remember seeing a couple of my coworkers wearing this style shoe, and I just really liked them. So, on my lunch break, I ran across the way over to Payless and bought a pair in black. Ah, the beauty of a mall job!

Anyway, these teal ones were ordered online.

***

December 19 was a special day because Brian and I drove up to Sacramento to see my bff Rachel and her husband Shawn~!

To be continued... :)

Because when I arrive, I bring the fire.

This is how I looked on December 18:


sweater: Target.....sleeveless top: Ross.....skirt: Target
tights: Kohls.....boots: Payless

The morning of December 18 was my doctor's appointment. Round two of allergy prick testing. Last week, it was inhaled environmental samples. This week, it was food samples. My arms looked just lovely, with prick marks and numbers written in pen all over them.

Amame como la rosa a la espina.

This is how I looked on December 17:

pullover: H&M.....tanktop: Kohls.....skirt: thrifted
purple tights: Payless.....shoes: Payless

After work that night, Maria and I had dinner at a Thai restaurant at the nearby mall. Then we walked off our heavy meals by checking out the stores. We ended up buying matching sweaters at JC Penney because we are cool like that!

I won't be taken in by fire and ice.

This is how I looked on December 16:


cardigan: Nordstrom.....top: Kohls.....skirt: Wal-Mart
tights: Loehmann's.....shoes: Payless

I really like the print on the skirt.

The night of December 16 was the work Christmas party, and it was super low-key. It was at the bar of a Chinese restaurant in San Ramon. We basically chatted it up, had drinks and ate appetizers. The fried wontons stuffed with cheese were delicious. Sadly, I didn't partake in any cocktails because I had to drive home to San Jose.

Giving sweaters a break today.

I finally made my way to the apartment to get my tripod. Now, I can do photos sans flash and I don't have to have someone take my picture.

I was so happy to finally get my tripod back that I didn't bother to look in a mirror to straighten out my blazer lapel. Oyee. That's a cheap-o Steve & Barry's blazer for you! I like that it's a wool/polyester blend, but it sure is flimsy. I really shouldn't complain because it was $8.95. I miss Steve & Barry's.

blazer: Bitten by SJP, Steve & Barry's.....tanktop: Kohls.....skirt: Ross
tights: Loehmann's.....shoes: Payless

any way the wind blows

There was a crazy storm last Saturday. I braved the wind to get some footage of the palm trees swaying violently.

***

This is how I looked on December 12:

sweater: H&M.....pullover under sweater: H&M.....tanktop under pullover: Wal-Mart
jeans: Steve & Barry's.....boots: Bakers Shoes
novelty yarn scarf: X-mas 2008 gift from Brian's bff

The layers were necessary to keep me warm under my purple wool coat.

Todo me recuerda a ti. Tu sombra sigue aqui.

Here's a dose of Sheena en espanol. Love!

I've been listening to this song a lot lately
and have been kinda sorta singing along to it in my car.
***

This is how I looked on December 10th:


sweater: Nordstrom.....top: Ross.....skirt: Target
tights: Payless.....shoes: Payless

I was originally going to wear black tights with this outfit,
but the purple tights prevailed.

night star crossed. i wait my turn.

This entry consists of photos of me standing in my two favourite spots in the condo.

This is how I looked on December 6, 2009, on the balcony:

Volcom hoody: PacSun.....green shirt: Von Iva show.....skirt: NY & Company
tights: Loehmann's.....checkered Vans: PacSun

This is how I looked on December 7, 2009, in the kitchen:

sweater: Nordstrom.....tanktop: Nordstrom Rack.....skirt: Ross
tights: Target.....shoes: Payless

I haven't been able to enjoy the balcony that much this past week because of the brr, cold. As I've written before, I truly am a cold weather wimp. Also, as much as I love the view of downtown SJ, I get a much bigger kick out of looking at the eyesore that is the old Miami Beach Club building that is right across the street. It's hot pink and the name of the club is written in a totally 80s font.

The kitchen is the reason I promised myself to make at least three home-cooked meals during the week. The stove is awesome because of the radiant glass cooktop, which is easy to clean.

I am a cold weather wimp.

In order for me to survive the 40-degree weather on the half-mile walk from my place to the Shark Tank, I had to bundle up.

jacket: courtesy of Brian.....hoody: PacSun.....sweater: H&M
tanktop under sweater: Ross.....skirt: Ross
tights: Wal-Mart.....boots: Bakers Shoes
teal Santa hat: The San Jose Sharks Store

I am so spoilt by the usual mild weather in the Bay Area. This cold front is not fun.

By the way, I'm not a big fan of these Wal-Mart tights, but I purposely chose to wear them with these boots. These boots will pill up tights like no-one's business.

40 Things About Me

This survey was stolen from Rachel of Internal Sweetness.

1. Do you like bleu cheese? I think it's all right.
2. Have you ever smoked? Once and I hated every second of it.
3. Do you own a gun? No way.
4. Favorite type of food? My mom's cooking.
5. Favorite type of music? Pop music, mostly.
6. What do you think of hot dogs? Yum!
7. Favorite Christmas movie? Christmas Story.
8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? Water.
9. Can you do push ups? Currently, a few girly ones.
10. What’s your favorite piece of jewelry? My wedding ring set.
11. Favorite hobby? Knitting and crocheting.
12. Do you have A. D. D.? Totally.
13. Do you wear glasses/contacts? Both, but mostly glasses.
14. Middle name? Roslene, pronounced "roslyn".
15. Name three thoughts at this exact moment: 1. Why am I watching Jewelry TV. This channel sucks. 2. Brian sure is snoring loud. 3. Okay, I gotta change the channel.
16. Name three drinks you regularly drink: Water, tea, hot chocolate.
17. Current worry? My outfits for next week, since most of my work clothes are still at the old place.
18. Current hate right now? How cold my feet are. The Sharks losing the past two games. Having to finish packing and moving.
19. Favorite place to be? Bed.
20. How did you bring in the new year? Chilling out at home.
21. Someplace you’d like to go? Anywhere that "Man V. Food" and "Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives" have been.
22. Name three people who will complete this. HA!
23. Do you own slippers? Yes, for moseying around the home.
24. What color shirt are you wearing? Green.
25. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets? Nope.
26. Can you whistle? I can't whistle.
27. Where are you now? On the couch.
28. Would you be a pirate? No, because I don't want to get scurvy.
29. What songs do you sing in the shower? I sing in my car.
30. Favorite Girl’s Name? Dominique. Michael -- hey, I'm a huge Bangles fan.
31. Favorite boy’s name? Christopher.
32. What is in your pocket right now? My coat pocket has a Sharks ticket stub.
33. Last thing that made you laugh? The random fans at the Sharks game.
34. What vehicle do you drive? A silver 2001 Hyundai Santa Fe and a grey 1999 Hyundai Sonata.
35. Worst injury you’ve ever had? Spraining my ankle during my freshman year of high school and cutting my finger on the orange juice machine at Jamba Juice in college.
36. Do you love where you live? I LOOOOVE it!
37. How many TVs do you have in your house? One, but with two satellite receivers and two TiVos attached to it.
38. How many computers do you have in your house? Right now, 3 laptops. 2 of them are Brian's.
39. If you changed your job, what would it be? Beats me. Maybe something that's creative.
40. If you were granted three wishes, what would they be?
 That I can eat whatever I want without risking allergic reactions, weight gain or indigestion. That everyone I know is happy and well. That the Sharks win the Stanley Cup.

There's always something there to remind me.

Earlier today, I ate lunch while watching GemsTV on mute and listening to Dionne Warwick. All this in our brand new home. I am loving it!

Brian and I got the keys on Monday. So, we're in the process of settling in. :)

View from our bedroom window at night:

The HP Pavilion is off in the distance in the top left corner of the photo.

I did manage to get in two outfit shots this past week. Notice how joyous I am in the first shot and how worn out I look in the second shot. That's just how I normally look as the work week progresses. ;)

Also, I'm wearing the same shoes in both photos because the rest of my shoes are still packed away somewhere.

This is how I looked on Wednesday, December 2nd:

cardigan: Loehmann's.....dress: Old Navy.....tanktop worn under dress: Kohls
tights: Payless.....shoes: Aerosoles

This is how I looked on Friday, December 4th:

cardigan: Target.....secret tanktop: H&M.....pants: Wal-Mart
shoes: Aerosoles.....buzz: Barefoot cabernet sauvignon

a brazen thief who walks right in

Brian and I are in the process of packing up our apartment, so there have been no outfit photos taken this past weekend. As tempted as I was to photograph myself in a big oversized men's XL sweatshirt, baggy jeans, and sneakers, I was just too busy for that.

But I'm taking a bit of a break right now to post a few of my favourite b-sides.

Garbage - "Never Be Free" - b-side to "Run Baby Run"


The Raveonettes - "Wanna Dance" - b-side to "L.A. Girls"


Kylie Minogue - "Tightrope" - b-side to "In Your Eyes"

Note: As much as I love this version, I much prefer the version of "Tightrope" that's featured as a bonus track on the Australian release of Fever.

Sheena Easton - "Fallen Angels" - b-side to "Swear"


So...What are your favourite b-sides? :)

Give me no heavenly knight, make him a devil in a fast car.

My fave combination right now: tights + ankle boots.

Case in point.

pullover: H&M.....tanktop: H&M.....skirt: Steve & Barry's
tights: Payless.....booties: Payless
purse: Dooney & Bourke

At work, a client gave Maria and me boxes of See's Candies. On those boxes were these gold elastic bows. For the heck of it, I put a bow on my head. Maria styled my hair. Totally random.

And I'm glaring at the camera in this pic whyyy?


Ah! A smile!

Earlier tonight, Brian and I had dinner at The Grill at HP Pavilion right before the Sharks vs. Blackhawks game. This was to celebrate our getting a new condo! We are spending this Thanksgiving weekend packing and clearing out the apartment.

Sadly, unfortunately, terribly, etc., the Sharks suffered a devastatingly mind-numbing loss against the Blackhawks. 2 to 7. What gives? The sugar on top was that the Sharks had given up THREE short-handed goals! Oh! The pain! I had to listen to Sheena on my iPod to get through the game. Brian and I don't leave a game early just because our team is losing because we are masochistic that way.

Here's how I looked after the game:

personalised jersey: San Jose Sharks store
hoody under jersey: San Jose Sharks store
scarf: knitted by me.....shoes: Aerosoles
Asian glow and purple lips: courtesy of a few glasses of Cinnabar "Mercury Rising" wine

Why yes, I just threw on a hoody and the jersey over my work clothes and changed into flats. I am just that lazy!

Because I love Dooney & Bourke's green tartan wool fabric.

I can't decide between this bag:

North/South Triple Zip

YT298

$43.00

L 7.5" W .5" H 8"

Two outside zip pockets

Adjustable strap

Strap drop length: 25"

or this bag:

East/West Triple Zip

YT297

$48.00

L 9.5" W .5" H 8"

Two outside zip pockets

Zipper closure

Lined

Adjustable strap

Strap drop length: 25"

Maybe I'll just buy both, but one in red. Hmmm.

Let's go, Sharks!

Saturday morning, Brian and I flew down to O.C. for a Sharks @ Ducks game.

This is how I looked loungeing about our hotel room:

youth large Sharks shirt: San Jose Sharks store.....thermal: PacSun
jeans: Steve & Barry's.....Etnies sneakers: PacSun
merino wool watch cap: Banana Republic

This is how I looked at the game that Saturday night:

teal coat: Target.....scarf: Eddie Bauer
beer: Blue Moon served with an orange slice = YUM!

The Sharks beat the Ducks, 3 to 2. What made the win even sweeter was that half of the arena was a sea of teal! I also heard that 3 charter buses full of Sharks fans made it to the game that night!

Sunday, to kill some time before catching our return flight home, we took a short detour in Huntington Beach. We had lunch at Aloha Grill on Main Street, then we walked up the street to the pier.

This is how I looked on a nice warm day at the beach:


Garbage shirt: gift.....thermal: PacSun
jeans: Steve & Barry's.....Etnies sneakers: PacSun
Rx sunglasses: LensCrafters.....purse: Dooney & Bourke

Mi amor se va en el primer tren.

I haven't been in the mood for outfit shots lately, but I still want to keep this blog going until I do get another outfit post. So, today's post is dedicated to an album I've been listening to a lot lately:
Todo Me Recuerda A Ti by Sheena Easton (1984).

**Look at how friggen FIERCE she is on the album cover!**

Yes, Sheena Easton en espanol. I don't even understand Spanish, but yet I am obsessed with this album. This goes to show how much power Sheena's supersonic soprano vocals have over me.

The concept of this album was simple: Let's introduce Sheena to Spanish-speaking countries by having her sing a greatest hits compilation kinda-sorta translated in Spanish but with a few new numbers thrown in there. Cheesy concept, but such a great album. I have to admit, her songs are awesome in Spanish. Also, her vocal quality was very substantial and solid in 1984 as opposed to the young green tone she had in 1981 and in 1982, so the re-recordings are truly lovely. And whoever coached her on how to sing the lyrics did an outstanding job.

By the way, Sheena is so bad-ass that she even won a Grammy for best Mexican-American performance for her duet "Me Gustas Tal Como Eres" with Mexican teen heart-throb Luis Miguel.

Here's the track listing and their English equivalents:
1. Telefono = "Telefone (Long Distance Affair)"
2. Todo Me Recuerda A Ti = "Almost Over You" --- My coworker Maria says this title in Spanish actually means "Everything reminds me at you" and is therefore grammatically wrong. Instead, it should have been "Todo me recuerda de ti".
3. Amame = track written specifically for album
4. La Noche Y Tu = "We've Got Tonight"
5. El Primer Tren = "Morning Train (9 to 5)"
6. Una Vez En La Vida = track written specifically for album
7. Mi Corazon Vuela Hacia Ti = "Wind Beneath My Wings" - Wait, "My heart flies toward you"?
8. Me Gustas Tal Como Eres = track written specifically for album
9. No Puedes Dejarme Asi = "Don't Leave Me This Way"
10. Brindo Por Un Amor = "You Could've Been With Me"

So, I subjected Maria to listening to this album, and, wow, she thought Sheena sounded cute singing in Spanish! And I also asked Maria to interpret the songs. Uh, whoa? What she translated didn't really match the original versions! Well, it should come as no surprise that someone had to take great liberties in re-writing the lyrics. There's no way "When you come back around / after painting the town" from "Almost Over You" would even make sense in Spanish.

Before coming across this album, I wasn't really into "Morning Train (9 to 5)". Hearing it as "El Primer Tren" made me appreciate the original English version. So, now, I just adore both songs. Here's the most random bit about the Spanish version that bothers me: Okay, so the lover in the English version works from 9 to 5, but why does the lover in the Spanish version work "nueve a seis", 9 to 6?!?! Why does he work an extra hour??

Even though the entire album as a whole is excellent, I do have my favourites. These are the songs that I can listen to on repeat over and over:
- Telefono -- This is a great New Wave synth pop song in any language.
- Todo Me Recuerda A Ti -- This version has emotions straight out of a telenovela. It is so intense!
- El Primer Tren -- This version is really cute!
- Mi Corazon Vuela Hacia Ti -- I've always wanted to hear "Wind Beneath My Wings" in Spanish, and this is such a beautiful rendition.

To close this entry, I'm going to post my fave example of a liberty taken with the Spanish version.

The closing lyrics from "Almost Over You":
When you come back around
After painting the town
You'll see I'm almost over you

The closing lyrics from "Todo Me Recuerda A Ti":
Cada paso que doy
Cada historia de amor
Incluso el aire huele de ti

The literal translation, courtesy of Maria:
Each step that I take
Each story of love
Even the air smells of you

I really love how the point of the song was completely changed from someone slowly getting over a failed relationship to someone totally obsessing over a failed relationship!

You take me for a spin until I crash into the stars.

sweater: Target.....tanktop: Wal-Mart.....skirt: Ross
shoes: Wal-Mart

My head is in a spin, my feet don't touch the ground.

I love my purple wool coat.




coat: Wal-Mart.....beanie: H&M
sweater: H&M.....skirt: Ross.....shoes: Aerosoles



Purple and teal, for real.

If this is the last dance, then save it for me, baby.

I simply adore The Raveonettes. Sune Rose Wagner and Sharin Foo have this amazing platonic chemistry that I've never seen before. Their harmonising is beautiful, and they both are good-looking. Sune's knack for writing 1950s pop is truly awe-inspiring.

The first show I saw of theirs was at Bottom of the Hill in SF, April 2004, and I've been a true fan ever since. I've had my random fleeting short-term music obsessions, but my Raveonettes love just keeps staying strong. They always stay true to their vision of making good retro rock music, so I will always love whatever they churn out.

(By the way, Whip It On is one of the greatest albums of all time, this I swear.)

2009 was a banner year for me in terms of seeing The Raveonettes. I got to see them at Bimbo's back in January with my fabulous bff Clifford, and I got to see them again at the same venue yesterday with my best friend Em.

What I love most about seeing The Raveonettes live is that their music does sound better live. Also, I appreciate that they are a no b.s. band. They play their set straight through without very many breaks, they play their encore, and then they leave. But when they do take a breather, they thank the audience profusely. And Sune is such the bad-ass guitarist.

Here are a few pictures from yesterday night:

(Sharin always wears fabulous shoes.)

Em and I were up against the stage, right at Sharin's feet. She is one of the most beautiful people ever. Gah!!