A fabulous book review

Recently I was able to purchase a book that I had been wanting to read for years: Victoria Beckham's That Extra Half Inch: Hair, Heels and Everything in Between. I've been reading everything she has to say slowly and carefully, though the first night I got it, I just flipped through all the photos in the book the same way I would a fashion magazine.  

Victoria could help anyone pull anything off with style!

Can I just say: Every time that I study Victoria Beckham, I see instant improvements in my personal style! The last time I had a kick when I really looked up Victoria, I was crushing on a guy who loved Manchester United. David Beckham was his favorite player. I decided to investigate, and dressed slightly edgy and plenty sassy for weeks!

In this book, she professes a love a T-shirts and jeans, two items that I rarely use, but am learning to love (see some posts from this summer, if you wish). She says that she's true to this favorite pairing, despite a love for high fashion, and if she were a chef she'd be true to her love of toast- no denying one's true preference. I admire that decision, especially because people can get so excited to see her in couture gowns as well.

The book is broken up into sections: What to wear for summer, when on holiday/vacation, skirts, dresses et c. I get the feeling that within those headings, some of the topics come at random. This isn't necessarily bad however; it's as though she were carrying a conversation with the reader. With that being said, it makes it a little bit harder to use it as a reference book (and I love doing that-- I'll have to make a post about the Bombshell Manual of Style later.)

Teacher knows best, so I'm reading her textbook!

I love reading about and getting to see photos of events she went to, and her impeccable memory for what she was wearing years after the fact (although it might have been because there were photographs taken, too...). The book frequently employs models and water-coloured designs, as well as couture sketches by famous designers.

Reading before bed...

 But something that I really love is how real and human Victoria comes across through her writing. For example she tells about how she altered her favorite jeans to fit the baby-bump when she was pregnant with each of her 3 children. She also tells about how to hide diaper wipes in a Fendi purse, stating that you have to keep your personal style even when you become a parent. That sounds both really healthy and determined to me.

Just because I love learning about communication and other cultures, it was a lot of fun (and a little confusion) to see the differences between English and American turn-a-phrase. I knew what she meant when she said "waistcoats" (vests) "the boot" (the trunk of the car) and "on holiday" (on vacation), but it took me almost the whole chapter on shirts to figure out that "vests" mean fitted tank tops.

I'm so looking forward to finishing this book, but I'm waiting to read the second half until after my seasonal work is through. If you get a chance to check out this book, you'll either be a bigger fan of fashion, Victoria Beckham herself, or (if you're like me) both. 

Just in case you were curious what my shirt said... : p

Adventures and the Journey Home

Hi everyone! I have a few more adventures in retail and some travel photos as well. After my one week hiatus, I'm glad to be back (and to have a computer to borrow again! Did you know I always borrow one for my posts? I don't actually have a computer of my own.)

Okay, so! This was a family of 5 that came to see Santa and take photos. The eldest son reminds me of my cousin Whit, who is just a smidge younger than me and is way more than a smidge taller than me. :p What I loved about said customer was his shirt: A pug in a Santa suit! Everyone had T-shirt in the family, but his made me laugh out loud.

Oh, look at these fun T-shirts!

 As a manager I got to hire my sister for the santa clause set. My sister was going to come up to spend time with us, so I hired her as my photographer (big surprise, right? She's awesome behind a camera!) Here she is holding a little puppy that came along to see Santa. Santa couldn't hold him that night, so one of the little brothers in the family held him for the photo. :) My photographer had hand sanitizer, though!

Photographer and pup

 This little boy showed me his lightning-breathing dragon that some fairies made him. If only N. Tesla could dream of such a creature...

Lightning-breathing dragon

This box made me think of my buddy Markus, who wears a penguin hat to class some days. Shout-outs to the photographer/actor friend of mine! ;)

 If you're ever in San Leandro and pass through the Bayfair Center, bring this lovely lady some business. She owns a little cart and sells all kinds of feminine goods like fans and parasols. I also just adore a little perfume shop just down the hall from her. The manager and his wife are salt-of-the-earth people with great fragrances and better prices. Check them out and send them my love, if you're ever in town. :)
 On my way home, we passed through the Monterey Bay, where I used to live. These are the beautiful trees of Carmel. Through these passages you can find the wonderful sports/exotic car event, Concours d'Elegance. Also, you might find the rehearsals for the Bach Festival, a great memory for me.

A common Carmel sight

It keeps happening. People never quite hear that my name ends in "A"...

In the East Village Cafe

May I have those hair combs?

And these rings?

Trying on a shirt for you guys. Express' Nature of the Beast ;)

The awe-inspiring sunset over the cliffs of Santa Barbara California

Back at home, now, and enjoying a white mocha espresso.

See you next week! Thanks for reading!

More from the Mall

This week at the mall, I got brave and asked people for pictures of themselves. If I keep getting more and more outgoing, I'll become the Sartorialist! By the way, I just looked him up now, and I'm a little addicted. I first heard about this blogger in 2009, when the cook at a summer camp I worked at mentioned that the Sartorialist was publishing his blog thus far as book. For some strange reason, I never forgot the name of blog...

Anyway, a little girl took a picture with Santa on my set this week. She had Disney's The Little Mermaid socks underneath her black mary-jane shoes. I asked her mom about it, and the mom said "We love that movie around here," and showed me her Ariel tattoo. This has to be one of the most beautiful unofficial images of Ariel I've ever seen. I asked to take a picture right away. She obliged me. :)

Another little girl came to take pictures at my set and I was stunned to see how neat and presentable she was. Then I looked at her mom (I assume) and my eyes beheld this lovely lady you see here. She had pointed spider bites on her lip that matched her lipstick perfectly, stunning hair, carefully and neatly applied makeup. She told me she's a makeup artist, as well as a hairdresser. She was kind enough to let me add her photo to my blog and even gave me her card! Thank you, to the lovely Malaya! If you'd like to meet her or have your hair/makeup done by her, look for the Total Package Salon in Hayward CA.

We agreed that unconventional makeup keeps life interesting...:)

In my adventures through the mall I found that the co-founder of Caterpillar was from the San Leandro area, where I'm working for the season.

Daniel Best, co-founder of Caterpillar, in the white shirt

Yeah, that Caterpiller. The big yellow cranes and tractors.

A machinist and wood logger, Daniel Best branched out on his own and later merged with Benjamin Holt to form this famous company. 

The mall has musicians perform sometimes in the main plaza, just beside my set. I met a man who played the hammered dulcimer, and he let me take pictures to show all you, my dear readers. 

...intricate details...

There's a shop that sells lots of Sanrio items and I stepped inside to make a purchase (a Christmas gift) ;), and I finally allowed myself to buy some Hello Kitty and Keroppi chewing gum. Isn't it cute? I've never bought a Hello Kitty purse, so many people don't know I'm a fan of this cute little kitten. But if you ever got letters from me, or looked at my collection of journals, you'd know! I also have a few writing pens/pencils.

Also, I met a little boy with a green Luigi T-shirt. I told him "Luigi is one of my favorites." He looked up in surprise and exclaimed "How do you know who he is?!" LoL!

I will leave you with a song, this lovely, moonlit Thursday evening. It's one that was stuck in my head for a little bit, yesterday.



Each time I hear it, I always imagine stepping out into the rain and dancing to make the one you love smile.

Adventures in Retail

In the past month, I've had a few unexpected moments, some of them good and some of them bad. I feel they've all made me more aware and even a little more fearless. They've also made me realize what joy there can be even during stress and chaos and hard work. I'll share some of the following.

 My mom saw that I work with a mouse and mouse pad on a daily basis. She found me a special mouse pad with a crown on it, and said it reminded her of something I might like. I use it everyday.

 This is one of the trees on my photo set. Two L-shaped stockings frame a round ornament. Is it just me, or does it seem like this tree is trying to spell out "LOL"?

 When I least expected it, I was suddenly surrounded by a bunch of mariachi players who serenaded the shoppers with Jiggle Bells, Feliz Navidad and even Schubert's Ave Maria. It reminded me of a similar performance that happened at my College last year. :)

I heard otherworldly singing coming from the set when I stepped away for a moment. When I walked back, I saw a caroling vocal quartet, in full Victorian winter garb. I sang along quietly, and one woman who worked with them said I should consider joining the group in the future. :) I would love to! 

Velvet Gent

Gotta love those ruffles!

Sadly, I didn't get a picture of a lady named Rose. She told me today that she'd like to have me photograph her 10 (ten!) grandchildren and after introducing herself with a handshake, she didn't let go of my hands until the conversation was over. It shocked me to realize that even when I get to work with people every day, and I truly enjoy being kind, accommodating and making my customers happy, I still have so many walls and boundaries up. Perhaps that's because of my nationality (living in the US my whole life) or because I really am quintessentially shy. I'm still so much more outgoing than I used to be, but I see that I'm also just naturally an introvert. No ifs, ands or buts about it, I guess.

Believe me when I say that I've seen even more weird and wonderful things going down in this mall (like fairies that paint faces and make balloon animals for kids for free!), and I'll do my best to bring all my awesome readers photographic evidence. Haha!

Or should I say:

That's all for now. See you next Thursday!

My Thanksgiving night

Can I first say that I just saw that I just had my first readers from Cypress, Denmark and Portugal! Yes and yes! Thank you so much to my readers near and far for your interest in my blog! If I don't emphasize it enough: I'm so glad that we share enough in common to keep people checking out my posts! : D

Thanksgiving night, my family decided to check out the movies. My parents saw Delivery Man, which didn't sound quite as exciting as Thor II: The Dark World! (...at least to me...) When we stepped inside to see our respective films, though, we were greeted by quite the sight.

The lobby stairs

This theatre was built in 1935 and featured what I can only describe as a late art deco decor. Perhaps there's another word for the 1930's style, as opposed to the 1920's. We were surrounded by all things mauve, gold and crimson. Gold leaf was applied on the wall reliefs. The original screen stood in a room with no doors; all were welcome to walk in briefly and see what was the largest screen in the United States through most of it's glory days.

The lobby's ceiling lamp

Guilded Fresco

A 1930's lamp

Beyond that, the theatre opens up into the new sector, which is fully modern and has multiple screens available. The stairs and two escalators were impressive to me.

The stairs in the new section of the theatre

former phone nook

An arm guard fit for ARMTGARD

Someone made a display for the lobby to show their appreciation for the Mocking Jay/ Hunger Games series. I'm told they're excellent books and excellent films.

More nice architecture down the street.

If you're ever in Alameda, CA, check it out, too.

Thanks for reading!

Google Memoriam: Maria Callas

Today I went on Google (because I was meaning to look for t-shirts with specific rock band names on them...) and I found this as the main picture! The beautiful Maria Callas, singing at some classic, lush opera venue. 

I don't think my last blog fully captured/expressed how much this lady impresses and inspires me. Today Maria Callas would have been 90 years old. My late grandmother would have been 84 this year, and always took the time to read every newspaper clipping and article about Maria she could get her hands on. My grandmom was also a soprano.

Maria Callas, a coloratura, possessed a strong voice that could project over a large orchestra. My grandmother's voice was soft and delicate, powdery almost. I imagine my grandmother would have been happy for the extra power, though she had a sweetness of tone to make up for it. (I fall somewhere in between the two ladies.) 

The thing that always stuck out in my mind: Even though Maria's background was from Greece, and my Grandmother's background was from Puerto Rico, they both had the same accent! I heard a recording of Maria instructing as a guest professor at the Juilliard school. I turned my head to the side and said "Abuela?"

Maybe it's silly, but Maria seems like the long lost aunt that I've not met yet. But she's also something to look up to in the world of both music and performance. I've learned so much from her by just watching youtube videos. I'll stop myself before I wax poetic or start recounting her biography to you guys. : p

I suppose I'm always glad to know that others love her as much as I do, and I really sense that my readers appreciate her, too. So this post is for you, my readers, and our common interests (I know opera is not everyone's cup of tea, but hey!)

Hopefully, I'll have another post for you on Thursday about my adventures in retail!