A Little Bit of Rock 'n' Roll

For my last entry, I ranted on and on about my last purchase, an Hermes red Kelly dog extreme.  I feel a little silly for ranting on and on about it only to exchange it for something else.

You see, after mulling over it over the weekend, I decided that, although pretty, the KDX just wasn't worth its price tag.  Not when the Collier de Chien costs just a little more.

I know the CDC is very hard to come by, so I went back to Hermes the next day, intending to either get a classic Kelly dog bracelet (still a relative bargain of $490) or a store credit for when a CDC become available.

I saw the sales associate who sold me the KDX and told her I wasn't too happy with it.  She just nodded her understanding, but before she could say anything else, I made a beeline for the bracelet counter.  Aha!  A CDC!  In black leather, nonetheless, perhaps the CDC color hardest to find!  I took it out, tried it on, and said yes.  The more shocking thing to find was that they actually had 2 of these, so she gave me the one that was not on display, so it came in a shrinkwrapped box, and it's totally new!

So I returned the KDX and paid a difference of $218 (including our exorbitant Los Angeles County sales tax) and walked out being able to check off a box on my mental bucket list.

In my mind, when I would picture myself with a CDC (I've had this picture in my mind for a long time!), I pictured it with gold hardware.  However, I think of the CDC as an accessory that adds a hint of "rock and roll" and youth to an outfit.  Probably because I'm still young, this was the look I was going for, so I decided to go ahead and get the CDC with palladium hardware.  However, would it be excessive to own the same CDC with gold?  Let me know what you think.

So since the KDX didn't work out and it went back to the boutique, THIS is my first piece of Hermes jewelry!  I started off with a bang, didn't I?!

If Hermes Beverly Hills Were Open on Sundays...

...I'd be in trouble!

Background: For 5 years, I worked under a crazy woman.  For the first 2, things went well.  She was supportive back then.  For the last 3, though, she revealed her true colors.  She turned out to be a jealous witch, and for a long time, no one believed me.  She'd been at the company for 20 years and established a reputation as a reliable and dedicated manager.  She criticized me to higher managers by telling them I was rude to patients, but when asked for examples, she never gave any.  I knew this was wrong because I'm not a rude person.  I'm in a positive place now, so I don't want to go on too much about it, but I'll just say that her behavior toward me included yelling, calling me names, and coercing me into signing false documents.  One day, last fall, when I refused to sign one of these documents, she started yelling again and shoved it in my face.  I refused again and attempted to leave the room, and she literally chased after me and attempted to block me from leaving.  She uttered an insincere apology a week later, but when the situation was brought up again in a meeting with human resources, she didn't deny it.  In fact, she justified herself by saying she was "not feeling well that day" and "her buttons were pushed".  I gave up, thinking life was just unfair.

Then an opportunity presented itself.  I was offered the chance to work at another site.  It meant a longer commute and more work, but I'd no longer be supervised by Crazy Lady.  I didn't think about it for more than a minute.  I took it.  I thrived there.  After less than 2 months, I got written up by patients for providing excellent service to them, and it was published in the company newsletter!  I got a glowing performance review and a bonus in my last paycheck.  What did I do differently?  Nothing!  I continued being the same great employee I always was, but the jealous witch tried to keep a lid on my excellence.  I just kept the faith in myself, and it paid off.

Every Sunday morning, if I'm awake early enough, I tune into Joel Osteen's show.  One of his messages today was: "Go where you're celebrated, not simply tolerated".  It always seems to me as if his messages hit the nail on the head at just the right times. 

So...what does Hermes have to do with this?  Quite a bit.  Because I'm content with my bag collection, I'm reducing buying Hermes to only when I want truly something special, such as a reward for myself.  And what better way to reward yourself than with Hermes?  Since it's now down the street from my new work, I drove to Hermes Beverly Hills after work on Friday afternoon.  Some of the sales staff there is familiar with me, and I was warmly welcomed back by them.  It had been a very long time since I'd shopped there.  I thought of picking up a twilly or scarf, but decided those weren't what I was in the mood for.  I walked over to the bracelet display.  Oooh!  There it was--an orange epsom Kelly dog with gold hardware!  My heart skipped a beat!  Any Hermes collector knows how hard it is to find a KD with GOLD hardware, and the leather band was in the pretty Hermes orange leather, too!  I nearly scooped it up for myself, but for some reason (love, I guess), I decided against it and thought it better for my sister, who'd been searching for a KD with gold hardware for a long time.  I called her immediately, and she said she wanted it, so I scooped it up for her.  I felt a little bummed.  I wanted to reward myself with something, but quickly changed my mind, knowing I'd made her happy.  Besides, I'm more of a red fan...wouldn't it be great to find a KD with a red leather band and gold hardware?  Yes, it would...

Yesterday, I decided to go back.  It was a Saturday, so I knew traffic wouldn't be so bad, and if I went in the morning at opening time, I'd be among the first to scope out the newest shipments.  I also remembered there were a few shrink-wrapped boxes sitting on the bracelet counter near closing the day before.  I got to Hermes around 10:30 am and walked straight to the bracelet counter.  My heart skipped a beat again.  In the case was a Kelly dog extreme with a red epsom leather band and gold hardware!  OMG!  The universe heard my request, loud and clear!  I asked the SA to show me the other KDs just to see the selection, but I knew I wanted the red KD extreme and walked out with it 5 minutes later!  Hermes purchases 2 days in a row.  It may be 3 days in a row...but since Hermes Beverly Hills is closed on Sundays, that's not happening (good for my wallet!).  If I really wanted to, I could drive for an hour and a half to the South Coast Plaza store, but thank goodness it's too hot outside for me to be in the mood to do so!

So here they are...yay!  Because the bleu electrique KD I bought in 2011 didn't quite work for me, this is my first Hermes jewelry piece.

Christian Louboutin Spring 2013 Sale

I was planning on posting a pic of a brand-new pair of Christian Louboutin bleu saphir Lady Highness shoes, but sadly, that didn't work out for me.  I bought them, but had to return them, due to a defect.  I chose not to name the boutique involved cuz they actually had satisfactory customer service...so far.  If it turns out to not be satisfactory, I'll not hold back from typing out their name.

Anyway, until now, I'd held back from buying any new Louboutins for over 6 months.  I had heard the boutiques were having their semi-annual sale, but wasn't been able to take advantage of it on the first day, as I normally do.  I finally got a chance a few days later.  I went in thinking that I'd missed out on anything good, particularly in my size, which is always in the range of 37-38 1/2.

I was wrong.  They had on display a Ron-Ron, in Rose Paris suede, a pinkish color.  I liked it, but didn't love it.  I missed out on the turquoise suede Ron-Ron a couple of seasons back, so I had that hopeless feeling in my stomach again.  So I tried the Rose Paris.  Then I asked my favorite salesgirl if there happened to be any other colors, and she said that there was a "blue" that also went on sale.  I got my hopes up and asked which blue color it was, thinking that it might be turquoise, but she answered, "blue sapphire, like the shoe you returned".  My face lit up.  She said she was told the "blue" suede Ron-Ron was sold out, but she'd look for it anyway and went to the stockroom.  A few minutes later, she emerged holding a box and wearing a big smile.  The box had a sticky on it that read "LAST PAIR".  She happily declared that she did indeed find the "blue sapphire", and it happened to be a 37 1/2, my Ron-Ron size.  Perfect!  And to top it off, this is my first pair of Ron-Rons.  To a longtime CL collector like me, it's sort of shocking that it took me this long to get a pair of Ron-Rons, a classic CL style that's been around several years.  Another milestone checked!

After having lunch with my SA, a delicious crispy kale salad, I went back to the boutique with her to purchase my Ron-Rons.  And the grand total was...$375 plus tax!  Wowee!  I'd never find a gem like this in the department stores.  This is why I'm almost always partial to buying from namesake boutiques.

Like probably most of America, I watched Game 7 of the NBA finals.  Probably almost like most of America, I rooted for the San Antonio Spurs.  I'm a Lakers and a Kobe Bryant fan, so I looked forward to the dethroning of King James, but it didn't happen.  However, I may actually be relieved that the Miami Heat won.  If the Spurs won, that'd give Tim Duncan his 5th NBA championship ring, and he'd be on par with Kobe.  LeBron James has only his 2nd, so he's still nowhere near catching up with Kobe.  And LeBron hasn't 3-peated, either.  Til next season...in basketball...and shoes!

13-Year-Old Boy in Georgia Commits Suicide After Being Bullied

I stayed up late in order to work on a job-related issue that has been a PITA for me lately.  Tired, I was just about ready to go to bed, but I came across the title of this article:

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/04/05/17616979-georgia-middle-schooler-commits-suicide-after-bullying-being-called-snitch-dad-says?lite

I had to read it, so I did.  It moved me.  After I finished reading it, I thought that maybe I should be crying.  I did feel a little heat in my eyes, but no tears came out.  Then I realized I was too angry to cry.  I don't know the boy, but I picture him as a kid with a pure heart.  One sentence in this article stands out to me, a statement made by his father: "'He came home one time and had some peanut butter pies he had made for school. When he walked through the door he had some pie left, and he had it all over him. Someone had jumped on him and smeared it all over him.'" 

Why did it stand out to me?  Because I was this kid.  It's painful to admit this, but I was bullied in grade school and high school.  I was smaller and quieter than the other kids.  I was called names; spit balls landed on my desk; I ran as fast as I could to reserve the shady table at lunch (this was LA in the spring) for me and my friends (we were all labeled as "nerds", but we didn't care), but it wouldn't matter cuz the "jocks" would follow and edge us out, forcing us to again eat at a table under the sun.  And yet, I would bring candy or buy the most highly-coveted item on my high school cafeteria's menu, chili cheese fries, hoping that the other, more popular kids would be drawn to me and like me.  But it lasted only a moment.  They would get what they wanted and flit back to their groups.  Devin, I'll bet that's the reason you brought the peanut butter pies to school. You wanted to go to culinary school, and you wanted to be liked. So you baked the pies in hopes that the other kids would recognize your talent AND pay attention to you. Instead, they smeared your hard work all over you because YOU DID THE RIGHT THING. A teacher is alive today cuz of you, but you're not alive, and it's so unfair. 

I was happy to leave high school.  I have my days, and I hate to sound cliche-ish, but IT GOT BETTER.  I'm 34 years old, and I believe it'll get even better.  I have exciting things in the works for me.  I can feel it!  God help those who felt it all go downhill at 30!  Life didn't end in high school or even in college or even in graduate school.  Not for me.  Every birthday is a reason to celebrate, even if it's with just a movie at home, even if it's alone.  BTW, Happy Birthday, Dad!  April 5 was Dad's 74th birthday, the 3rd birthday he's had since his stroke.  Every birthday is a blessing cuz we could've lost you 3 birthdays ago, but God decided you needed more time with us.  I promise to try to not forget this.

Please, God, have mercy on Devin.  Please take him straight to Heaven to be with the angels.  Please let his suicide be a lesson to kids everywhere (and grown kids like me) to never underestimate your self-worth.  The problem is your bullies, NOT YOU.  One day, you'll look back on your bullied days and will smile at how far you've come.  Someday, you'll see your bullies get smaller and smaller in your rearview mirror.  Then they'll disappear, and you'll be driving on your road to success.  It gets better.

OK, now I'm getting more tears into my eyes.  I'll say a prayer for Devin when I lie down in a few minutes.  It won't be the last time.

The Drama Queen Travels to Phoenix

It was really out of necessity that the DQ headed southeast.  I needed to take a required course for my advance-practice certification, and the closest city that didn't involve waiting several months was Phoenix.  Well, the DQ loves to travel, and she'd never been to Phoenix before, so why not?  Considering Phoenix is only an 80-minute flight from LA, the expense wasn't too great, so I chose to look at it as a new adventure, with no expectations, so I was hoping to be pleasantly surprised.

It didn't start off too well for me.  I got hives the minute I stepped off the plane.  Darn my very sensitive skin!  I definitely didn't expect it, especially since I'm from the Southwest, and I'm very used to desert weather.  Oh, well.  I wasn't going to let that ruin my trip.  I'd have 4 days in Phoenix. I might as well make the best of it and explore the best of the city.

One thing I liked about Phoenix was the Light Rail. This is an above-ground train that stops at the most popular destinations in the city, including the Phoenix Sky Harbor airport and Chase Field stadium, where the Arizona Diamondbacks baseball team plays their home games. It also travels east, cutting through Tempe (home of the Arizona State University campus) and Mesa. It costs $2/ride, but only $4 for an all-day pass. So even if you plan to go to only one destination and come straight back to your point of origin, it's most practical to buy an all-day pass. A 1-week pass costs just $20. I found this sign at one of the stops, each one containing a piece of work by a local artist. I thought it was very fitting to post as my first picture in this entry.

I was hoping to post a picture of a stereotypical Southwestern sunset, but I couldn't get a picture of both a sunset and cactus together. However, I did get a picture of a red mountain at sunset and a picture of a few different cacti. 

I had Googled "high end shopping Phoenix" a couple of weeks before my trip, but was disappointed to find that my search yielded a bunch of shops in Scottsdale, except one. It was Frances. It was labeled as "the best boutique in Phoenix" and "very Phoenix", but I gave up hope of going there, too.  I had no idea if I'd be able to find it...Now back to the Light Rail...after picking a few select stops, I explored the area around each one.  After getting off at Central/Camelback, I looked across the street...and there it was!  I had to go in!

I expected the clothes to be in the $200-500 range, but surprisingly, most of the pieces were under $100.  I browsed the sale rack, but didn't find anything I liked.  I finally found a dress on a dummy that was $75.  Perfect!  However, even the smallest size was still too big for me.  The teenage salesgirl was just helpful enough, meaning she wasn't snotty or mean, but she wasn't enthusiastic.  I chalk it up to her being young and it was nearly closing time on a Friday night.  Then again, I'm the kind of shopper that likes to be left to browse at my leisure, so her lack of service didn't bother me too much.  However, if it wasn't for her, I would've missed this piece:

Sometimes I wonder if I should've been born in the 1930s so that I would've been a young woman in the 1950s cuz I'm a sucker for feminine A-line dresses!  This particular one is not the most flattering dress I own, but I love polka dots and it's washable by hand.  What also makes this dress special is it's from a brand called Mata Traders, whose materials are hand-printed by women in India and Nepal, so their local economies are boosted. 

My return flight home wasn't until the afternoon, so on my last day in Phoenix, I hopped back on the Light Rail and headed back to Frances.  I was hoping for a better experience, as I actually had a whole hour and a half to browse this time.  It was.  The salesperson was a middle-aged woman who appeared to be very enthusiastic about the boutique and seemed to appreciate that I went out of my way to visit, particularly since I'm from out of town. Even though I spent just $20 on a T-shirt off the sale rack, the saleswoman wrapped it up nicely with a fuchsia ribbon.  From the pictures and store website, I expected all the items to be locally made, but the only things I found that were were kitchen accessories, soaps, and candles.  I really didn't need any of those, so I passed.  I got a picture of the baby-items display.  If I had a baby of my own, I might have picked something up from it.  I just love the bright yellow wall!

I read the reviews about Frances on yelp.com when I got home, and I'm so glad I waited until then to read them.  I disagree with most of the posters.  Almost all of them said the items were too expensive, but maybe I'm just used to seeing high price tags, so I didn't think Frances items were expensive at all.  A few posters also stated that the sizing on the clothing was too small.  As someone who wears small sizes, I found that the selection was quite limited.  The only dress in the store I was able to find that fit my body was the one I walked out with.

On another stop on the Light Rail, I found a bakery called Kick Ass Kakes.  I could've used a cupcake for a little sugar kick and was eager to buy a treat or 2 to take home to my family, but it was a Monday, and it was closed.  I saw pictures of their work in the window, and this particular cake stood out to me:

OK, no cupcake, but that was good for my waistline!  It was time to get to the airport, so I took my last ride on the Light Rail and headed back to my hotel.

As I was sitting on the Flyaway bus at LAX headed to Van Nuys, I spotted a paparrazzi mob scene at the Tom Bradley International terminal.  As long as I've lived in LA and as many celebrities I've seen mobbed by papparazzi, I've never been in a position to get a photo, so I took the opportunity to get my first.  I saw a tall blonde woman wearing a beanie and huge sunglasses. All around her, flashes went off and people held out headshots and pens.  She signed a few, but then was whisked away in a town car.  Who was she?  I couldn't figure it out.  She looked like Brandi Glanville of the "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" to me.  I Googled "celebrities spotted at LAX March 11" on my phone the whole ride home, but couldn't get an answer.  The next day, the answer was on perezhilton.com.  It was Victoria's Secret supermodel Candice Swanepoel.  Of course!  On March 12, she was at an event at the Victoria's Secret store in the Beverly Center.  Here's my photo of the mob scene.  I was quite far away, and it wasn't as if there was any time to make the proper adjustments (and I'm not an experienced-enough photographer to think of what adjustments need to be made quickly), but I circled Candice's face.  If you study it for a minute, you may be able to make out her features:

Overall, a memorable weekend.  I don't know if I'll ever return to Phoenix, but I'm always happy to expand my travel knowledge and gain new experiences.  If I ever do return to Phoenix, I know where to go and how to get around =)

Prabal Gurung for Target Collection: the DQ Perspective

I was very excited about this collection.  I look forward to these Target collaborations, but the last 2 were a bit of a disappointment.  So when the lookbook became available online, I went to the Target stores near my home and work to inquire about them.  The responses were a lot of blank stares and, "Hold on.  Let me ask someone".  I had heard that the sale starts online in the wee hours of the morning, so at 11 pm last night, I was actually online.  I rarely ever stay up past 10:30 pm these days, so I was about ready to give up, but I lucked out with a few clicks.  I ordered a few of my desired items, plus another one that I dismissed earlier, but changed my mind at the last second and added it to my cart.  The shipment will be here any day now!

Even though I got most of what I wanted online, I just had to join in on the frenzy.  After all, I'm an early riser, so it wasn't a big deal for me to get up early, even on a Sunday.  I had to strategize.  There are about 8 Target stores within a 10-mile radius from my home.  After much thought, I decided to go with the one with the most traffic.  Risky, but I knew this store would have plenty of stock.  I left my house at 7:15 am, thinking I'd get my fave Starbucks drink and sit in my car for a few minutes before leisurely strolling into the store.  Wrong.  I got to the Starbucks drive-thru (I was NOT getting out of the car in 39-degree weather...yeah, yeah, normal for this time of year in most other parts of the country...but I'm a true sunny Cali girl), and there was actually 3 cars in line-at 7:35 am on a Sunday morning!  I decided to ditch the Starbucks idea and headed straight to Target.  There were about 12 girls in front of the store entrance already-so scratch the reading-in-the-car idea, too.  I parked my car and joined them.  By 7:57 am, the crowd swelled to about 40 people, including a couple of elderly folks and 2 couples.  There was a group of 4 girls, each with papers in their hands and discussing strategy.  One would head straight to shoes, another 2 to clothing, and don't forget to get these specific sizes.  It was sort of funny, until one elbowed me to get a little further ahead in the crowd.  I was a little peeved, but I didn't think it was worth it to get upset, so I moved a little out of the way for her.  It ended up not making a difference for her cuz I ended up getting ahead of her in the crowd anyway (being little and quick really helps sometimes!).  I ran straight for the dresses and grabbed the floral crush and red/black shift dresses in sizes 2 and 4.  As I grabbed the last size 2 floral crush dress, I heard a few, "Awwws".  I did feel bad, but these things are "first-come, first-serve", right?

So the floral crush dress is the quintessential piece of this collection, in my opinion.  I'm definitely keeping that, but the red/black dress is...well, not.  I must've been expecting different material, but later on, I figured out that it's just that it's too similar to the Jason Wu for Target black shift dress I got last year.  Why get 2 of the same dress?  I took the red/black Prabal dress home, but will likely bring it back.  I wonder if other people felt the same way cuz I found so many of them left when I checked out.  I traveled to 2 other Targets, and I found so many of that dress on the racks at them, too. 

I also found the floral sweatshirt and a couple of pairs of shoes.  The black shoes are very similar to the Christian Louboutin Balota that came out a couple of seasons ago.  I wanted them, but couldn't fork over $1300 at the time.  I'm debating keeping them, but I'm leaning toward no, since I currently own a few pairs of Louboutins I have yet to wear or have worn just once or twice.  The sweatshirt, well...it's not really worth $29.99, in my opinion, but it's a great casual piece.  But $29.99 (plus tax) is still money, and I don't have any to waste. 

floral crush dress

red shift dress with black trim (sorry, I don't know how to rotate it and save it on this blog)

black lace-up sandals

There's still one item to comment on, but my dear readers will have to wait for its arrival to hear my take on it.  Until then... =)

A Lux Fashionista's Milestone Was Met Today

There are milestones in a "normal" person's life.  As a child, this milestone is reached when you learn to crawl and walk, and another is met when you utter your first word.  As an adult, milestones are met when you start your first job or get married.  Luxury fashionistas have certain milestones that don't factor into a "normal" person's life.  I consider myself a luxury fashionista, and my milestones included the following: the first time I walked into a designer boutique and the first time I bought a designer handbag.  Then these milestones became associated with fashion houses: the first Chanel bag, the first pair of Christian Louboutins, the first Hermes accessory...the first...time I tried on a Herve Leger bandage dress. 

Sometime in 2009, I put an HL dress on for the first time.  I was not impressed.  The sales associate told me that HL bandage dresses were flattering on everyone. I looked at myself in the mirror and decided "everyone" didn't include me.  I was overweight and not happy with the way I looked, so why would I want to wear a piece of clothing that showed off my body?  I avoided the dresses for over 3 years. 

In late 2012, as I was shopping online, I found a gorgeous black HL dress for a steal.  I had lost a significant amount of weight and was ready for more body-conscious fashion, so I took a chance and bought the dress.  It arrived the next day, and I was again disappointed.  It just didn't look right.  So I reluctantly took off the dress, folded it back up, put it into a box, and dropped it off at the post office.  I was hoping to surpass the milestone of trying a HL dress and actually own one, but it didn't happen.

A few weeks later, I went shopping with a mission to find a HL dress that I could finally call my own.  I found one and loved it, but alas, even on sale, it was still over $1000.  I may be the size I want to be, but my budget isn't what I want it to be, and this girl needs to save. 

Still determined, I went on my mission again today.  I visited another store, and I found the dress I liked again, but it was still over $1000. I almost walked out, but the sales associate was so nice and warm I opened up to her and told her I was looking for my first HL, yet was on a tight budget.  She seemed genuinely happy for me and said she understood, so she found me several dresses on sale.  I didn't like some of the styles, and some of them weren't my size.  She found me 2 gorgeous black dresses for under $600.  I told her I was hoping for color, but I'd try them anyway.  I put on the one with cap sleeves and loved it, but I needed 2 people to zip it up, and I felt like I was wearing a medieval corset.  Unfortunately, that style ran small and the next size up (small) was sold out in the whole country.  I put on a classic strappy style with a sweetheart neckline and loved it, but the S was actually too big.  The SA went in the back and said she didn't have a XS, so I contemplated buying the S, but she said that she wouldn't sell it to me cuz she knew I'd be unhappy with it.  I love honest SAs!  Disappointed, I took the dress off and began putting my clothes back on, then she said to me through the curtain, "I have an idea.  I have a feeling this will work".  She said she found a XXS in the strappy black dress and felt like it would work for me cuz the S looked really big on me.  I said I'd try it, so I did.  And voila!  It worked.  Now I know why I never buy clothes online (only if I've already tried the item on in person before).  I never would've guessed I could fit into a XXS.  And as a bonus, as body-conscious as this dress is, I can actually zip it up myself! 

To add a little twist to the story, the SA told me that the dress I originally went in there for did get marked down some more, so I had a choice to make. That dress was multi-colored and beautiful, but I decided that, since my budget is pretty tight, it may be a while before I get another HL dress, so I went with the black. I finally met the milestone of buying my first HL dress. I hope I made the right choice. What do you think?