Live High

I have a serious confession: I have not written anything of substance since graduation in May (save for the occasional diary entry). As a person whose lifelong dream is to be a writer/editor/author/etc., this is somewhat of a tragedy. And a horrible embarassment.

The truth is, much like my fellow 2009 graduates I have felt lost for a majority of the time period between the beginning of summer and the end of the first semester I was out of school. It didn't hit me until finals week started for my collegiate friends (and I had no exams to study for, no papers to finish at the last possible moment) that I am officially a degree-holding individual in the working world. If I thought a semester went by quickly when I was in school, I've found that a week passes in the blink of an eye now that I work every weekday from 9 to 6.

Not only does time pass quickly, my wallet seems to empty faster than it did during my school days. Even without the full responsibilities of a working adult, I still have trouble paying for the lifestyle I seem to want so badly. A lot of conversations I have with friends have gone from the usual girl talk about boy problems to the more "mature" topic of ambition and financial success.

This past week, L.A. has finally run into winter. There was a rainstorm on Monday followed by a very chilly rest of the week. In honor of the cold weather, I often chose soup for lunch. On one particular blustery day, I walked down the block to one of my favorite lunch spots. Dressed appropriately in a winter coat and scarf, I encountered a man who asked me for spare change for coffee.

Having grown up in San Francisco, I am no stranger to strangers and homeless people. Having graduated from St. Ignatius, I am no stranger to the idea of being a person for others. However, as the daughter of my mother, my paranoia immediately came into effect; I would never open my purse/wallet on the street, especially when I am walking alone. I apologized to the man, said I didn't have any, and continued walking without missing a beat.

The minute that moment lapsed, I felt guilt. I don't know this man's story; I don't know what he goes home to every night, if he has somewhere to go. But the fact that I couldn't help him find comfort in a cup of coffee on a cold day opened my eyes.

The next day, my sister forwarded me an email from college students preparing for a service trip to Central America. There was a list of donations they were asking for, and my sister asked me to go with her to pick up a few things. We went to a discount store less than a mile away from our home on the Westside, and again I was confronted by circumstances unusual for me. I seemed to have entered an alternate reality, where people moved up and down the aisles without common social graces. No one said "excuse me." No one made eye contact. No one waited for fellow customers to move aside before grabbing something out of reach. I looked at a few of the customers and, for the first time, didn't write them off as "rude."

In an extreme comparison, it was like Leonardo DiCaprio's character Jack in Titanic; it wasn't that he was intentionally rude... He never learned the etiquette that the elite class held as second nature. The people in the store were there not because they enjoyed a discount but because these are the products they could afford for their families. They lived under circumstances where survival was first and foremost. Perhaps manners and courtesy are things they never had to learn. When we left the store, I didn't know what to make of our experience so I commented on how depressing it was in there.

Tin: Yeah, did you see the girl's shoes?
Me: No. What shoes?
Tin: One of the women's shoes was taped up.

Consumed in my own selfish problems for months, maybe years, made me forget that other people around me in the same two-mile radius still lack the basic necessities that many of us take for granted.

The fact of the matter is that money is not the only answer to the problems of the world. Money will not solve ignorance. In some cases, it often aids ignorance. Many go from day to day caring only about themselves and never once face the issues that plague the rest of society. We forget to look away from the mirror and look to the world around us. It may not be our responsibility to solve poverty (or oppression, or terrorism, or hunger), but it is our responsbility to learn. To know. To understand. To lend a hand.

Disney Theme Parks seem to agree: Especially in these difficult times, it is important for all of us to step back and help each other out. Starting in January 2010, if you give a day to those in need they will offer you a day-pass to one of their parks. For more information, click here.

This holiday season, I challenge everyone to get the f*** out of your comfort zone. Give up your time to do something 100% selfless. Walk down the street. Read the newspaper. Smile at someone. Keep extra change in your pocket in case someone asks you to help them buy a cup of coffee. When you see strangers as individuals with a story, you'll remember that no one should suffer alone. It's not about simply writing a check to a charity; it's about opening your mind. If everyone truly cared about others, we could change the energy in our lives and start to change the energy in the rest of the world.

As I grow up in a society where capitalism and wealth prevail, I hope that I don't lose sight of the values I learned from St. Ignatius. If we climb the ladder of success that higher education promises, I hope we continually look back... and still care.

I Think It Might Kill Me...

Heal the World

As the day of Michael Jackson's awesome memorial officially comes to an end, I thought I'd use his words as the title of my message for today. We all want MJ's legend to live on, so what better way than to ensure that our planet stays healthy enough to accomodate the generations to come? Despite the quick expansion of the Green movement, many people I know continue to neglect their responsibility to Mother Earth. This recent article from Reader's Digest offers 13 simple suggestions for everyday life... things even the most wasteful and non-green people can consider and incorporate into their routine.

Going Green, The Reader's Digest Version

Timeless

Photo Credit: Kevin Mazur / WireImage; Found on: Style.com

a pastoral for LA

(a poem I wrote, as published in The Los Angeles Miscellany 2009)

millions of cars on endless pavement
zoom past palm trees on abbot kinney
to get to venice beach
i had my feet in california sand,
pacific ocean water
that chilly shade of blue—grey—dirt

i felt the santa ana winds on my face
and saw fire on the hills somewhere in the distance
smoke replaced the smog
so cal sunshine dulls, almost disappears
but no one takes off their sunglasses

i look down from the bluff across the vast expanse of
buildings and streets to the hollywood sign
that shines more brightly than the sun
like the bigger than life celebrities who
always seem smaller in person

walking down rodeo drive to buy prada and chanel
doesn’t beat melrose in the middle of a sunday
afternoon when shabby chic finds new levels of
timeless elegance and grunge never smelled better
we pass on the moca and the getty
so i can have my picture on sunset boulevard.

Happy Birthday

Photo By: Smiley's Sweets and Creations

Today, I am no longer 21. However, the past year has given me more love than I ever could have imagined. A new chapter is about to begin in my life, and for the first time I have absolutely no idea where that will actually take me. As my friend pointed out to me, I begin this week with my birthday and end it with graduation from college. For now, I am just enjoying the ride.

To see more delicious treats, click here.

Changing a life begins with a single step...

Photo Courtesy of TOMS Shoes

Today I purchased my first pair of TOMS Shoes from a store on Abbot Kinney. Who knew they were actually really comfortable too?! I'm definitely a fan, so these will not be my last...

"TOMS Shoes was founded on a simple premise: For every pair you purchase, TOMS will give a pair of shoes to a child in need. One for One. Using the purchasing power of individuals to benefit the greater good is what we're all about.

Since our beginning in May 2006, TOMS has given over 140,000* pairs of shoes to children in need through the purchases of caring customers. Because of your support, TOMS plans to give over 300,000 pairs of shoes to children in need around the world in 2009." -Taken from TOMS website

*As of April 2009

To learn more about TOMS, click here.

Life is Good.

Photo Credit: PostSecret.com

I am behind on posting, but I felt compelled to share this PostSecret with you in this time of recession, depression, and stress.

With three and a half weeks left in my college career, I seemed to naturally ease back into my 2008 life perspective.. We can't control most of the things that happen to us, but as long as we make decisions whole-heartedly and with a purpose we can regret less and live more. College is too short for second guessing. Every choice you make can affect the person you become. So listen to your heart, choose wisely, live passionately, and no matter what you can be happy with the results.

(Unless you're a really negative person, then I can't help you.)

Your Vehicle Is Illegally Parked.

Photo Credit: PostSecret.com


For the first time since I was 17 (that time was on Irving for an abandoned parking meter), I got a parking ticket. There is a two-hour limit, and I had left my car from 9 AM to 2 PM. Surprisingly, I was not angry or upset when I saw the god-forsaken piece of paper waiting for me on my windshield. Maybe because I knew I had it coming, and maybe I was glad it was a ticket and not a tow.

I drove down the block to my usual lunch place and decided to eat-in today so I could avoid having my car on that street for a while. A man on crutches and his parents walked in about ten minutes after I sat down. While I was eating, I felt him look at me and assumed it was because I was eating by myself. (This eating alone thing was a first for me today, and I must say I am not a fan.) When I finished my meal and paid the check, I glanced over at their table and realized I'd seen that man before.

Last week after I picked up lunch, I backed out of a parking spot in a tight alley and stopped an inch before an illegally parked car behind me. Right after I stopped, I heard a guy yell "Hey!" I opened my window and told him that I had seen the car, and please notice that I stopped. He said "Okay. You came this close" and proceeded to give me this smile that probably meant "You're an idiot. Learn how to drive." I was heated as I drove away and wished evil on him and his vehicle.

Looks like The Secret works after all.

Oh, and I came online to pay my $50 of civil duty only to find out that my citation won't be in the system until 2-5 days after it was received. If you're going to give me a ticket, I beg of you to let me pay for it and move on with my life within 12 hours.

So, to you, Officer ***, I wish you a lifetime of paper cuts.

Who Needs an Outfit When You Have Great Shoes?

Photos for Jimmy Choo

These images are part of the Spring 2009 ad campaign for Jimmy Choo. As we all know, sex sells. And I heard in this time of recession, condom sales have gone up. I suppose it makes sense: Love is free.

Revisiting a Classic Movie Musical

Photo Credit: Vanity Fair

Featuring Camilla Belle, J. Lo, and a couple other mentionables, this recreation of the school dance scene in West Side Story, brings me back to my childhood of hours upon hours of watching and imitating movie musicals with my sisters and my cousin (this, The Sound of Music, and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang were among my favorites). Oh, and it was the first musical I was in; my dance school did a ten-minute production of it.

Coco on Screen: April 22nd

More than ever, I want to learn French.

Coy: Stylist in Training

sort of fairy tale - by vianacoke on Polyvore.com

This is my cousin's winning entry for the Carrie Bradshaw/Sex and the City contest at Polyvore. By putting together an outfit fit for Carrie's quirky style, Coy won first place.. and she didn't even get the bonus points for having a picture of SJP in her set. Congratulations!!

Patterns

Photo By: The Sartorialist

I always envy people who can wear different patterns together and look good. I have trouble matching colors, etc. I blame it on the fact that I'm color-blind. But maybe that's a cop out.

More Cardboard

Photo By CardboardLove.com

Backstage Dash

Photo found on FashionToast.com

Backstage at the Alexander Wang show, New York Fashion Week Fall 2009.

Lovin' Cardboard

Photo By CardboardLove.com

Click to see more Cardboard Love (in a digital world).

Post Secret Celebrates Love

All Photos by PostSecret.com

I was an anti-Valentine at one point, but I always go back to a movie I saw in the fifth grade about the real story behind St. Valentine. Google it, and discover the true meaning behind our beloved feast day.

Beat Freaks: She's The Man

MTV Shows

Video Credit: MTV.com
ABDC. Season 3. Week 5.

Speechless.
First Girl Crew to win ABDC?

A Reminder of My Sexy Summer

Photo Credit: Nylon Blogs

I follow Nylon religiously, and as I've posted before... They share grafitti from around the world. Today's picture came from someone who was in Florence. I instantly recognized the image and was really excited. I probably have a picture of it myself amongst the thousands I have from those weeks in Firenze. It's on a street that my friends and I walked down on our way home from one of our favorite gelato places, Vivoli.

Ah, the warm fuzzies are delicious on a cold day...

Click here to see more from Nylon.

Be Fully Alive

Photo Credit: PostSecret.com

Just a challenge to everyone... And a reminder that 'the good life' is all about perspective.

So You Can Cry

Photo By: JJ Casas

...tears of happiness and admiration, of course.

To see more by JJ, click here.

Confession

With lines by Ralph Angel

I only know what people don't tell me,
The looks on their faces before they have their morning coffee.
For all you know it's a question of bread
Because it rarely is anything more.
"The salsa's on aisle five," next to the dust mops
But we reject consumption and look in the other direction at
A pile of bricks. A ladder. Packages and paper, I miss everyone
Once the guests are gone and the leaves change,
Arranged like magazines and bones, a Coke bottle
Broken on the side of the road like the
moral upbringing of tomorrow's youth.
In the dream I know by heart, all is forgotten.
All that's left is the ideas for change,
begun on a paper napkin and folded into a coat pocket.
Someone will find it in a year and throw it away
Because it's not a twenty dollar bill.
Sometimes we go dancing
Though the world doesn't stop turning, mixing up
the good and the bad but never neutralizing the problems.
A virgin answers all her questions.
And it serves her right to leave experience out. It's
Impossible to make sense of one face
But that's the only thing I know how to do.

British Daisy

Photo Credit: Pringle of Scotland, style.com

Pretty Little Thing to Start Your Weekend

Photo By: Dana Dramov

TGIF. This week went by so quickly that I can barely remember what happened. I've been at a computer putting in numbers and data for recruitment and for my internship so much that I really feel the need for creative expression, even if it isn't my own.

Click to see more by Dana.

Taken For Granted

Photo By: Nylon Blogs

A recent post on Nylon Blogs featured this image of interesting street art. It reminded me of the chalk drawings I used to walk by every afternoon on my way to the Ponte Vecchio in Florence. Artists would be on their hands and knees for hours, perfecting religious images and art inspired by famous paintings from the Renaissance, in vain as every night the images would be washed away by street cleaners. I can't remember if I ever took photos of them, but the post made me sad about the possibility that I really only have the memory of them.

Then again, I am lucky that I will always have the memory of them... and everything else that happened that wonderful summer in Italy.

All the Rage

Photo for BCBG Max Azria

Olympic Gold medalist Nastia Lukin is the face for BCBG Max Azria's new campaign. She amazed us all in Beijing, and now she's wowing the fashion world. Can't wait to see the rest of the featured images (in store, online, and in the Lookbook).

A Very Merry (Un)Birthday!

This year, Disneyland and DisneyWorld are offering free admission to park guests on their birthdays. All you have to do is register on DisneyParks.com.

Click to Register your Birthday!

Joining the Fight Against Fakes

Ad from Harper's Bazaar

I've always been against conterfeit designer bags, but after reading an article in the January issue of Harper's Bazaar I will take an active role in making sure people I know do not support this business.

"It is estimated that up to 7 percent of our annual world trade--$600 billion worth--is counterfeit or pirated; that fakes are believed to be directly responsible for the loss of more than 750,000 American jobs; that everything from baby formula to medicine is counterfeited, with tragic results; that counterfeiters and the crime syndicates they work with deal in human trafficking, child labor, and gang warfare; and that counterfeiting is used to launder money, and the money has been linked to truly sinister deeds such as terrorism... I recall the raid I went on with Chinese police in a tenement in Guangshou and what we discovered when we walked in: two dozen sad, tired, dirty children, ages 8 to 14, making fake Dunhill, Versace, and Hugo Boss handbags on old, rusty sewing machines." (Dana Thomas for Harper's Bazaar)

So if you're thinking about purchasing something fake, stop and consider the facts. Do you want to contribute to child labor abroad? Do you want to deprive American workers who are supposed to be protected by copyright of their hard-earned reward? Get real. Buy genuine goods. Support artists. Stay classy.

To learn more about Bazaar's Fight Against Fakes, click here.