Swing

 

When was the last time you were on a swing? I remember I screamed "higher..higher..." when I was little taking the swing...Happy Monday!

Top: Club Monaco
Skirt: H&M
Belt: Jcrew
Bag: Coach

Every day shoes

 

My new every-day shoes have arrived. Before, I always have mixed feelings toward Tod's flats. Why? Once I was in its store in Rome, the salesperson wore a pair of orange loafers which looked fantastic so I asked her to bring the same pair in my size. When I tried it on, it didn't look bad but it just didn't look as fabulous as that on her...... I finally realized what's the difference - that salesperson was 178 cm tall while I was a mere 164. The 14 cm translated to the different length of our legs. Out of upset, I swore off Tod's flats for several years though it had nothing to do with Tod's. I actually sticked to heels/wedges during that period. Gladly I am over the childish era and now I truly embrace what I have. 

This is another beauty from Miu Miu. Though I like it a lot, I have to return it because the strips actually eat in my feet. This pair is supposed to be another everyday sandals; however, I feel it hurts even by trying them on. It doesn't seem the patent leather will give in in a short time. Bye bye Miu Miu.

Waiting for lunch

My boyfriend's mom is visiting us from Russia; sometimes she brings us lunch. Lunch on the grass is the best! Here I am patiently(impatiently) waiting for my lunch.

Top: Ann Taylor
Jeans: Banana Republic
Wedges: Jessica Simpson

Office Appropriate

Despite all the inappropriate outfits I have sported in the office, sometimes I want to dress as an elegant office lady. However, it's tricky to do so in the summer. First, it's so hot that I can't bear to wear a suit. Second, as I am concerned, there is still some conservative working environment where females are not encouraged to wear open-toe sandals or no-sleeved dress. The combination of a soft-colored short-sleeved top with a white pencil skirt fits the purpose well. It's visually (and actually) airy so you don't feel hot. It has all the right elements (sleeves, length of the skirt) so you don't feel too exposed. Mission accomplished.

Top: Ann Taylor
Skirt: Jcrew

 Shoes: Nine West

Dear my love Adeline, Happy Birthday - welcome to my box!

I did something bad. With my extremely busy schedule, I forgot my dearest friend's birthday. There is a Chinese saying "Bring the whip to the person who you want her forgiveness " ( I am pretty sure it is so wrong but hey, it's my blog) . So here I am, Dear Adeline, I come with a whip , please punish me for forgetting your birthday and neglecting your email. I am an asshole.

She is one of my best friends.  Me, her and a small cutie, Amerie, we were "Charles' Angels" in my graduate school. Both girls are my love.

It's hard to describe Adeline. Yes, she has a very pretty face (if she is willing to lose her glasses) but sometimes I am not sure if she is a man trapped in a woman's body - she likes sports and plays all well than majority of men. She likes 3C products. She watches too many movies that some movie critics should feel ashamed of themselves. Most importantly, She eats a lot ....and as fast as a man. However, at the same time, she is way more girlie than I am (not saying I myself am a good benchmark). She speaks soft all the time....mmmm...that's pretty much about all of her girliness.

It's love at first sight - me and her clicked so much. We spent all our classes (or the classes we were supposed to attend but didn't) laughing at our classmates. In short, we were the mafia in the class. One of my classmates who we became very close told me afterwards "I am so afraid to speak up in the class because everytime I did so, you and Adeline would stare at me and instantly said something to each other so I always think you were making fun of me." Dude, you were correct. We did laugh at you.

Yep, that's us. We spent 1.5 years living 2 seconds from each other. She was and still is my best support. I can count on her at eveything. Though she always tries to pursuade me of watching some movies which I dislike (did I mention she was a major movie junkie?) , I love her soooooo much!

A belated birthday wish - dear Adeline baby, Happy Birthday. Wish you all the best of the deepest of my heart.

A love story - a man who worked in Walmart ...and turns out to be more than that

Several years ago when I was still a graduate student.

"Do you know there is a handsome Russian in our PhD program?" my classmate asked me.
"Nope but I don't like PhDs. They are nerds." 

Weeks later, I went to a happy hour hosted by my school. My friend and I stood in the corner happily judging everyone; she suddenly pointed at one man : "Hey check him out!"

That was a handsome blonde man - I never saw him before.
"hohoho very cute!"
"Yeah but he is so weird. He is not our student; he works in Walmart."
"How do you know he works in Walmart?"
"Last time I was introduced to him and his friends said he worked in Walmart but he shows up in every happy hour."

A freebie for our drinks I sense.

Later that night when I was standing at the bar that blond walked toward me. He spoke with an European accent "Hey, how are you?"
"I am okay."
"What's your name? Are you a MBA?"
"My name is Karen. First year MBA. How about you?"
"My name is Egor; I am a PhD."
Please, first, all PhDs are nerds. As far as I am concerned, this one is nothing like a nerd...Second, I am glad that I have heard you are a bullshitter who works for Walmart "Oh suresuresure, where are you from?"
"Russia."....wow
"Why do you want to come for PhD?"
"Who is your advisor?"
"How do you feel about Walmart?"
.....

Anyway, I did my best to investigate him because I wanted him to reveal his true identity as a Walmart employee. The mission failed - he insisted on himself being a PhD.

The next morning when I woke up, I got an email from him.......suddenly I jumped up "he has my school email address...so he is really in our PhD program." And for fuck's sake, he is a Russian PhD? He IS THE HANDSOME RUSSIAN PHD MY CLASSMATE MENTIONED!

We went out the following night and the following night....
The rest is history and today is our fourth year anniversary.

To my baby, my love, my heart.

kid's clothes

 

I have been shamelessly purchasing clothing from kids department recently. First of all, it came in my size. Second, kid's clothing usually comes in more vibrant colors, the trend of this season. Third, they are way cheaper.

It started as one day I got a Boden kid catalog in which the teen models looked way taller than me - "lets check the measurement" and surprisingly found I could easily fit into the 14-year-old girl clothing. So, I instantly bought three pairs of color jeans. I was looking for color skinny jeans for long time; I had an eye on the ones of Jbrand but couldn't bring myself to spend $176*3 colors because I don't actually know how often I will wear them.

Moreover, yesterday when I shopped in GAP baby for my niece, I picked up a very cute yellow tutu skirt (when I was young, my parents loved to dress me like a carpenter; I think they thought that was adorable) and on my way to pay, voila! I found an exactly the same skirt which came in my size, a tutu skirt which could heal my still-broken heart for lusting for one in my youth while never getting any. As a result, I bought two!