Confessions of a (poor) shopaholic

Hello. My name is Emma.







I am a poor shopaholic.







I have explored the deepest regions of the shopping meccas they call Harrods and Paris. One, I went to willingly. The other fell upon me like a house falling on the Wicked Witch of the East. There was a time when Vogue and InStyle were my bibles. Thick magazines weighed down my backpack and I made sure to read them cover to cover. Every month. Without fail.







My education in fashion had begun.







Once upon a time, I craved Guess Jeans, Esprit clothing and Vuarnet t-shirts. I rocked the Ray-Ban glasses and went through a period of surf culture. Over time, my tastes became more expensive. Esprit turned into Burberry. Vuarnet turned into Paul Frank and Harajuku. Even my eyeglasses became an extension of this obsession. Versace, Dior, Vera Wang... they became the couture that insurance paid for. Flip Flops: Havaianas. My summer dream would be the flip flops with the Swarovski crystals. But... I'd trip and lose the crystals immediately. Waste of money... but it would be awesome to have blingy flippity flops.





My opinion of Harrods had been influenced by my (not so fashionable or hip) parents who called Harrods a "tacky place". All I had to go on was the Green/Gold color scheme and the fact that they had a large food hall. Little did I know... it held a majority of the world's fashion secrets in stalls and nooks all over the store.





Walking into Harrods on British Mothering Day (exactly like Mother's Day in the US) was inSANE. Much like Americans, the Brits rush into fancy places to get mom perfume, sweets or couture to show their appreciation. It was like an ant farm that had crashed onto the floor. People milling around all over the places, turning heel then walking another direction. They had a guard at the door and a woman who was handing out maps. MAPS! Oy!





Lizzie was right. Harrods is set up like a casino. There are tons of rooms and misleading signs that force you to travel like lost lemmings all over the casino floor... or er... store. Our map did no good. It failed to give us true direction and only gave us generic names of more sinister floors: Womenswear (translation: a glittering floor of famous designers seen at Fashion Week that cost more than my salary), Stationary and Gifts (Translation: gifts for rich peeps), Childrenswear (Translation: Dolce&Gabbana for Scout? Um... no $124 tee for you) and the all encompassing Food Hall (Translation: mmm... chocolate. Oh wait... that one truffle costs £10 ? I'll pass! Thanks!) . It didn't look as if Harrods was hurting in the face of the faltering ecomomy. Every single branded stall had a minimum of 2 people. It was crazy! Then again, people who are ready to spend gads of money have no time to wait. You know... because time is money.

Hellooooooo Dere...

Just because Lizzie and I have come back from Europe, it doesn't mean that our journey has ended. Visit us often!

xoxo
Emma

Prom Redeux....

I got stood up twice on Friday. By 2 different people for 2 different appointments.

It was my day off and I drove into a neighboring town to have lunch with my friend who was getting off of work at 2:00 PM. She said she would call me after work to meet up with me. She never called. I tried calling her house and eventually drove past her work (car was not there). I waited until 3:30 until I made my way back home. My friend eventually called around 4:00 PM. By that time, I was already home. When she asked if I was mad, I made sure to tell her that I wasn't mad, but was highly annoyed. I made a special trip out to the city. It wasn't as if I was running errands in the city and wanted to get together. We had also made plans, so it wasn't a last minute endevour.

My high point of the failed lunch trip was purchasing $35 worth of stuffs at the local secondhand record/DVD store. I got the Broadway soundtracks to Les Miserables (*2 Discs for $10!!!) and In the Heights. I also purchased Season 1 of Extras and the movie Camp. I enjoyed watching Camp on my lazy Sunday. It's a *ahem* campy movie... but the kids are so talented! A fun tidbit, the girl who plays Jessica in the movie adaptation of Twilight is in Camp also.

Scout and I were supposed to have game night with friends. One friend failed to tell the other one about said game night. Both of the friends made plans. Scout and I were left disappointed and had to make our own night. That fun consisted of Sephora, Best Buy and Der Weinerscnitzel. Scout has the same genetic disease I was... AM...afflicted with..... Expensive Taste Disease. Scout loves to try on perfume. There are times that she comes out reeking like she fell in a vat of rotting flowers. This time was different. She tried on only 2 perfumes (rejoyce!) and the sample she chose for herself was Escada: Ocean Lounge . Since, we were able to get 3 samples, I chose Burberry. Yes... the perfume is the closest I can get before I eventually purchase the Cashmere Scarf. I got The Beat and Sheer. I have a friend that has a Coach Obsession. Mine is a Burberry Longing. lol One day I will have the scarf. For now I have a Fauxberry purse and wallet.

The day wasn't too bad... but it didn't feel good to be stood up. Something similar happened to me at my Senior Prom many moons ago. The good thing: my friend from the neighboring town took me to Prom that same night because he said that "No girl should be stood up for the Prom". This very nice boy is now expecting a baby with his wife! :D I don't think he reads this... but if he does, I wish him all the success in the world. Yay Mee-ay-Kay!

xoxo
Emma

Admitting you have a problem is the first step

Exactly one week ago I returned from Europe. So of course, this weekend I'm in SoCal with my parents to visit my brother and sister-in-law. They live in Garden Grove, 5 minutes away from Disneyland. Everyone in my family has annual passes. Here is how my day went:

5 a.m. Woke up earlier than I meant to. Didn't bother to go back to sleep.
6:30 a.m.- Went to pick up mother from Grandmother's House
7:00 a.m.- Picked up father. Got on the road
2:30 a.m.- checked into hotels-- Long story. I managed to book a room at the wrong hotel from where parents were staying. Oops.
3:30 Went to brother's apartment. Talked for a while
5:00- Dinner at Kings Fish House in Orange.
8:30- Back at apartment. Chatted some more
9:30- Went back to hotel room. Too close to Disneyland... I have a premium pass... not blacked out today.
9:35- Left hotel room. Walked to Disneyland. I have problems
9:45 Got to Disneyland. Happy now. Fireworks ended, crowds leaving park. Fighting way up Main Street like salmon going upstream. Ride Pirates and Haunted Mansion.
10:45- Start walking back to hotel
11:00- back at hotel. Must go to sleep.... can't tell anyone that I couldn't make it through the day without getting my fix.
I need professional help.

Lizzie

G20 Summit

Boy am I glad we didn't choose this week to go to London!