Punk Rock Mice

They're not Vegas.  They're not food.

They're my new shoes via my iPhone.

My Grandma Is Coming in August

It's exciting news, folks.

I haven't seen her in two years.

And those of you who've been reading for awhile know just how epic Grandma's visits are.

Wintry Wardrobe

Yes, it's another cop-out[fit] post. I have a bunch of food pics on the back burner. We shall see when I finally get to them. This is what happens when I don't like a restaurant, or I don't like the pictures I took. I delay.

So you get the cop-out[fit] post.

OUTFIT 1:
Coach wool overcoat, Banana Republic black tee, Kasil jeans, Stuart Weitzman kitten heels, Tarina Tarantino necklace, Paul Frank bag.

I'm generally not a fan of Coach bags. Ok, I'll be honest. I quite dislike almost all of them, and I hate anything splashed with all the damn C logos. However, I do own two Coach items: (1) a plain black leather briefcase that I use when I go to court and (2) this coat.

I got this coat several years ago on a whim when I went to the outlet store. I'd gone inside to escape the cold while Mr. Monkey was at Brooks Brothers. I blame that arctic day for this coat; the cashier cut off the tags for me, and I wore it right out of the store.

I'm glad I got it, despite the billions of stupid Cs on the inner lining. It's long, sturdy, warm, and durable, even if it's not particularly interesting. The only things of note are the silver turnlock at the collar, which you can sort of see here, and leather trim on the collar and pockets. I wear it a lot. It's very practical.

OUTFIT 2:
Vintage silk Mandarin jacket, Banana Republic gray swing blouse, 575 jeans, Manolo Blahnik sequined flats.

It was a slightly warmer day, so I pulled out this shiny little thing. And it's really little -- too little for me to actually button up. Why? I got it from Mr. Monkey's late mother, who was much tinier than I am.

When Mr. Monkey's father sold their large home to move into a smaller condo, he told my sister-in-law and me that we could take whatever we wanted from our late mother-in-law's extensive closet before he donated everything else to charity. You'd think that there would've been quite a tussle between us for the luxury loot, but it turns out we have vastly different taste and both left with exactly what we wanted.

I came away with a bunch of bags, but this Mandarin silk jacket was one of only two pieces of clothing I pilfered. It has no labels, and there is something simple and luxurious about it. It is even reversible -- the inside is a brilliant turquoise. I sometimes wear that on the outside with a little black dress.

OUTFIT 3:
Andrew Marc wool coat, yet another boring Banana Republic top (have you noticed a trend yet?), Ann Taylor herringbone pencil skirt, Cole Haan Nike Air light bronze ballet flats, Louis Vuitton Monogram Vernis Rosewood Avenue bag.

I wear white after Labor Day! And carry a white bag! Technically, the coat is cream, and the bag is "Perle," but who am I kidding? I might be ok, though, because the archaic rule purportedly applies only to things below the waist (i.e., pants, skirts, shoes). The jury is out, however, on the bag. It could be a violation. What do you think? I am going to say my bag is "winter white."

The shoes were one of the items I scored while shopping in Vegas. I love love love them. I've had bad experiences with Cole Haan in the past (with Cole Haan Nike Airs, no less), but these shoes have definitely changed my mind. I feel like I could run in them. Adorable and comfortable. It should be noted that, this time around, I got my Cole Haan shoes in a half size bigger than I usually wear. Perhaps this is why my old Cole Haans were no bueno.

Who knew I could write so much about my clothes? Don't worry. Your regularly scheduled food talk shall return soon.

Rain Dance

Remember my Kate Spade rain shoes? I finally wore them! In the rain!

Left: Banana Republic cotton argyle sweater, Banana Republic charcoal wool skirt, Kate Spade Kerry rubber ballet flats.

Right: Gap wool coat, Paul Frank umbrella, trusty Prada bag hanging in the background.

Love love love these shoes. They worked perfectly in the rain, although it's a bit hard to walk quickly in them. But, really, if it's raining, it's probably not such a good idea to walk so quickly anyway.

And a bonus pic for you -- sometimes I actually look like a responsible adult.

Anne Klein pinstriped wool suit, Ann Taylor tee, Ann Taylor kitten heels.

Ugh. So boring. Responsibility and adulthood suck.

Too Much to Do, Too Little Time

I'm drowning! I'm drowning! It would take too long to go into details, so here are my cop-out outfit pics. They are my cop-outfit pics. Har har har.

Left: Banana Republic puff-sleeve knit top, Edme & Esyllte skirt (from Anthropologie), Gucci watch, Tory Burch Randy slingbacks.

Right: Same as left, plus Gap velvet blazer and Prada Tessuto bag with leather corners.

Here are some bonus pics for you, inspired by Dunc's posting of her high school senior photo today. These were taken my senior year of college.

Oh, to be that young and carefree again.

'Tis the Season

It's been a year since these festivities. Here's the 2008 version.

This CIA goes holiday wacko, no?

Even my outfit today was sort of red and green.

For the curious: Gap pea coat, Banana Republic v-neck tee, Donna Karan silk skirt, Louis Vuitton Damier Canvas Tribeca Long bag, Salvatore Ferragamo suede ballet flats with bow accents.

Mirror in the Bathroom

I rarely take pictures of my outfits, but I got four compliments at work today, so I snapped this before I left the office.

In honor of Diabolina and Tam Pham, I list for you the components:

Design History black pleated detail crewneck dress
Saks Fifth Avenue brand round-toe pumps with bow detail
Gucci watch
Marc by Marc Jacobs turnlock bag

Oh, and I wore my Obama barrette today, too.

Mr. Monkey is in the Midwest for work this week, so this was the best I could do with the back of my head.

Even Republicans were impressed by the hair accessory.

Being Green

I've been ordering a number of things from Bluefly recently. There's always some "sale" in progress. "Sale" is in quotation marks because it's not really a sale if there's almost always an extra 10% to 20% off beyond the regular discount, is it?


In preparation for the rainy season (yes, it does rain occasionally in Los Angeles), I got these darling Kate Spade rubber shoes.




I love my red Paul Frank wellies emblazoned with little Julius faces, but I can actually wear these emerald kicks into the office without having to bring an extra pair of shoes. They are very comfy, and I'm contemplating getting the brown loafer version with yellow trim and bow, too.

But I'm going to wait for yet another "sale" to do that.

Dumplings and Divas

********THIS RESTAURANT IS NOW CLOSED.********

A few of you were so sweet to comment on my seemingly sad week. Thank you! But it wasn't that bad. Yes, the Dodgers lost. Yes, Weezer sucked. But here are some lovely things that I had yet to share.

Some co-workers and I tried Dumpling 10053 (10053 Valley Blvd., El Monte).


I don't understand the comparisons to Din Tai Fung. Apples and oranges, folks. Din Tai Fung is known for xiao long bao. Dumpling 10053 specializes in jiaozi, including shui jiao (boiled dumplings), zheng jiao (steamed dumplings), and guotie (potstickers). Not the same thing at all! Thus, if anybody ever asks which you prefer, you can demonstrate your Chinese food prowess and proudly explain, "These restaurants don't even serve the same things, dumbass."

The "dumbass" part is optional.

Dumpling 10053 offers a wide array of options, including vegetarian-friendly versions, which turned out well for our friend Fooz. There are also beef versions, which worked perfectly for Giggles. Dumplings for all!

Fried pork guotie ($5.75 for 8). Golden brown and pretty delicious, but not nearly as scrumptious as the traditional long guotie at Mandarin Noodle House.


This sorry specimen of a scallion pancake was pallid and limp. Sad face.

Boiled rock cod dumplings ($6.95 for 10). I found the fish mealy and bland. Skip!

Boiled shrimp and leek dumplings ($6.50 for 10). Very good. Get these!

Steamed pumpkin and shrimp dumplings ($6.50 for 10). The best dish in my opinion. Rather creative and out-of-the-ordinary in Chinese cuisine.

Steamed beef dumplings ($6.50 for 10). Fine for non-pork eaters, but not worth ordering for those who do dine on swine.

Now on to the "divas" part of this post. Prim loves pizookies, so we went to BJ's for her birthday lunch. See? I do eat at chains sometimes.

Before I get into pizookies, though, I must share a Prim outfit with you.

These yummy chocolate suede Tod's boots were just $120. Original price? $1200! The sweater dress is from Target. Pretty neat mix-and-match.

Here's the birthday girl.


Here's Capri and her incredible Yves Saint Laurent downtown tote in a gorgeous rare blue. Let's all thank her (and Cate Blanchett and Salma Hayek and Jessica Biel) for stimulating our failing economy. Diva!

Here's a gigantic pizookie party platter in all its glory.

I'm not sure what was more delicious -- the YSL bag or the pizookie. Oh, who am I kidding? I wanted to devour that YSL bag.

Shop Goes the Monkey

The Nordstrom Half Yearly Sale started today.

I went after work and hung out with Wan, the Teen, and the Bean for awhile before I went on my personal mission to find an outfit for the wedding of Mr. Monkey's cousin this Saturday.


Wan and I got scolded (ok, I got scolded) for taking pictures in a teenybopper store.




Whatever. It was worth it. See?


I snapped this while the Teen looked at High School Musical 2 posters.

After I bid Wan and her girls adieu, I started my hunt for a dress. I got this little MICHAEL Michael Kors halter shift ($94.90 down from $159.50). It's hard to tell from my pictures, but it is a bright orange and hot pink print.

Then I got these cheapo Brass Plum shoes ($22.90!) that are extraordinarily comfortable -- not very cute at all, but utilitarian and perfect for dancing.

That's all, folks.