Christmas Red

Hi ladies! Do you like Christmas red? It's a striking festive color that can't be missed in holiday season, but you don't have to be dressed as an old-fashioned Santa. It actually works really well with black and gold to create an edgy outfit...

BTW I'm already on the road to my winter vacation. Guess where I'm going this time? Hint: somewhere warm... :)

Dress: Searle
Sunglasses: Karen Walker Super Duper Strength
Mink infinity scarf: bought from Neiman Marcus years ago
Leather arm warmer: Vince Camuto
Purse: Chanel Large Camera Bag
Boots: Cole Haan

Holiday Bling

One of the many benefits of holiday season is that you don't look as over-board if you walk down the street in bling bling at day time. Sequin pieces tend to add urban chic to every outfit as long as you keep the rest of the outfit simple and elegant. Now that Christmas is only steps away, strolling down the street with a cute sequin mini skirt sometimes seems just the right thing to do!

Express has quite a few cute sequin mini skirts this season. I picked one with tribal pattern in neutral tone. It absolutely brightened up my past weekend. Check them out!

Silk sweater: Joie (also seen in this post)

Sequin mini skirt: Express (here, similar, similar, similar, similar, similar)

Downcoat: Burberry Brit (also seen in this post) 

Sunglasses: Karen Walker Super Duper Strength

Mink infinity scarf: bought from Neiman Marcus years ago (similar, similar)
Leather arm warmer: Vince Camuto (also seen in this post) 

Purse: Chanel Large Camera Bag

Over-the-knee boots: Stuart Weitzman 5050 in black napa leather (here, here, here, here, here, ) 

Eat Smart Stay Warm

昨天晚上，我突然特别想吃热干面，于是晚饭就成了半盘热干面，半盘西芹炒牛肉，几根水煮小白菜苗。我一边吃一边回想起周末逛街的时候还喝了一杯热巧克力奶，不由得感叹：冬天果然来了。

很多人，尤其是女孩子，到了冬天就会手脚冰冷，那寒意仿佛是从心头升起的，怎么也不暖和。而有些人，到了冬天则会比以前更渴望吃碳水吃辛辣吃热乎乎的火锅。这些反应正常吗？怎么才能暖和呢？怎么才能不打破减肥健身的计划呢？

人体就像一个火炉，要想烧得旺，一来需要源源不断的柴火，二来需要高效的炉子。冬天保持暖和，当然也要从这两个方面着手。

先说能量来源。大家都知道，基础代谢的一个重要功能是保持体温。冬季寒冷，人体的基础代谢升高，所以需要更多的能量是很正常的。渴望碳水，其实就是身体的自然反应之一，因为碳水是最快捷的能量来源，精细碳水最容易消化。冬天适当吃点精细碳水，就跟养病的时候吃精细碳水一样，没有什么大不了的，只要控制住份量。但是，吃高热量的食物，不一定能让身体暖和起来。吃cheese cake吃冰激淋能让人暖和吗？不能。同样是吃，也是有吃的学问的。

再来说说炉子。人体的炉子就是线粒体，而肌肉细胞中的线粒体密度远远大于脂肪细胞。所以，肌肉多爱运动的人，即使很瘦，也不怕冷。这也能解释为什么女人通常比男人怕冷。而那些皮包骨头的小姑娘，既没有强大的炉子，又没有厚厚的脂肪小袄，自然就是最怕冷的人群。

那么，我们怎么在冬天保持身体暖和呢？

首先，要保证饮食中微量元素的供应。比如缺碘会导致甲状腺分泌下降，代谢水平下降，人就会发冷。全面的营养是身体健康和温暖的保证，切不可因为怕冷而只吃热乎乎的阳春面。

其次，要多吃肉，尤其是红肉。蛋白质本身有很高的食物热效应，能促进体表散热和提高基础代谢，红肉里面还含有丰富的铁 锌 铜 锰等元素，能防止贫血，而贫血的人血红蛋白低，送氧能力弱，小炉子是烧不旺的。

第三，要多吃香辛食品，比如辣椒 姜 葱 蒜 胡椒 韭菜。这些辛辣食品能促进消化和血液循环，也能让人更暖和。

第四，要多吃热乎乎的食物。冷的食物会降低胃里面消化酶的活性，无论是淀粉还是脂肪，冷却以后的消化速度都会变慢。消化既然不好，小炉子的能量来源就难以为继。

最后，多运动多长肌肉，打造强大高效的小炉子，这才是保持身体暖和抗寒的根本。

First Step of Long Run

纽约的冬天真是不配合。刚打算重新写博了，就开始阴天和下雨。那今天就接着说说跑步吧。很多人跑步是从减肥跑开始的，跑个五分钟就痛苦万分，于是认定自己不能跑步，或者跑了没两天就膝盖疼脚丫疼，于是只好趴窝。今天我们来说说新手怎么起步，怎么防伤病。

除非你有特别严重的伤病，一般说来，人人都是能跑起来的。就拿我自己说吧：我从来就不善长跑，小时候是一直在体育及格线上徘徊的主儿，每次800米考试都跟上刑场一般。后来锻炼多年，身体好多了，但是去年的这个时候我才正经开始跑步，那时我一般跑三英里，最长也就跑五六英里而已，现在能一口气跑16英里。我的个人经历说明长跑能力的提高是完全可能的。上图上真相：

我不能说自己做到了100% 无伤跑。事实上是，我刚开始跑就伤了左脚，这个毛病至今仍象躲在暗处的怪物，时不时地就跳出来吓唬吓唬我。但是这一年来我没有增添新的伤病，尤其是膝盖没有任何不舒服，脚伤也没有太大的困扰，所以我觉得还是不错的。

不管是哪里的伤，不管是意外伤害还是慢性积累，受伤的主要原因是肌肉或关节承担的力量超过了可以承受的范围。虽然说人体可以通过锻炼越来越强大，但是拔苗助长是不可取的，说白了，人得自知。

长跑基础为零的人，一开始不要追求速度，而要保证距离。可以从快走开始，然后过渡到走跑结合，再过渡到慢跑。很多地方建议速度控制在心跳在(180-age)左右。如果你以前没怎么跑过，用心率表对照一下，就会发现这个速度慢得让人不好意思。这就解释了为什么新手跑个5分钟就趴了－－因为跑得太快。只要坚持这么跑，不出三个月，同样心跳下，你的速度就不会那么难看了。没有心率表也没有关系，可以边跑边褒电话，只要气息平静不影响说话不气短心虚就是好速度。跑的距离上去了，你可能会发现心跳上升或者气息变急，那么就减速或者走走，把心跳降下来。这样的慢跑，是长跑的基础，基础打好了才能追求速度。

一周跑多少才合适呢？这个真的因人而异。刚开始的话，建议每次跑3英里左右，隔天跑，周末跑个5英里。从这个开始，慢慢加里程，每周增加的里程不要超过上周总里程的1/10。里程加得太猛，是伤病的主要诱因。

除了跑步，cross training既能提高身体素质，也能休息跑步用到的主要肌肉。跑步的传统cross training是游泳和骑车，都是有氧训练，能加强心肺功能，但是用到的肌肉跟跑步不一样，建议每周做一次。

最后，不要忘记了热身和拉伸的重要性。如果是慢跑，热身相对没有那么重要，只要起动不太快就行了。但是跑后拉伸还是需要的，尤其是长距离以后。我主要用foam roller和medicine ball，Youtube上面有很多视频，大家可以翻一翻。每周一次yoga也是很有帮助的。

Say "Yes" to Blood Red Lips "No" to Bleeding Wallet

Sorry for being absent from blog for quite a while. I have been so swamped with family obligations as well as office deadlines. The good news is: now I'm officially in the holiday mood!

True red is always one of the best colors to wear for holiday parties. Since last winter, however, dark blood red lipsticks have taken the center of fall/winter fashion stage. I'd collected a handful of dark shades from designer brands (e.g. Fire Down Below, Afghan Red, and Scarlet Express are all fabulous dark red from NARS with different tones) since last year. This season I'm so excited at my recent findings: you don't have to break your bank account to get those awesome blood red shades. 

I might be late to the game, but the L'oreal Paris Infallible Le Rouge Lipsticks are impressively creamy, pigmented, and long lasting. If you are willing to do without exquisite packages, they are ideal substitutes for brand name lipsticks.

I bought both 737 Persistent Plum and 741 Bold Bordeaux. The picture below is sourced online and true to color in real life. 737 is a cooler shade with purple/pink undertone, and 741 is a warmer brick red with brown/coral undertone. Both colors are rich and sophisticated, yet not overly vampy. Both can be used for work and fun. As a rule of thumb, 737 works better on cool skin tones and 741 works better on warm skin tones. And of course, if your skin is more or less neutral, just like mine, both colors work for you and that explains why your lipstick collection usually doubles in size! :)

I was wearing 741 in the past weekend. I really loved it! I need to add this to my forever growing list of new year resolution: exploring more bargain lipsticks and sharing them online! :)

Down coat: Moncler (similar, also like this, this, this)

Jeans: DL 1961

Lipstick: L'oreal Paris Infallible Le Rouge Lipstick in 741 Bold Bordeaux (here, here) 

Shawl: Louis Vuitton Monogram Shine Shawl in gray

Purse: Chanel Large Camera Bag (old, current season)

Studded leather gloves: Portolano (similar, similar)

Sunglasses: Karen Walker Super Duper Strength

Booties: VC Signature by Vince Camuto

Finally, the holiday booths in Union Square are now open! It was sheer fun checking out those little cuties. I hope everyone a happy holiday!

Cocoon in Pastel Pink

Oversized cocoon coat is white hot this season. You just can't avoid it in fashion blogs or mainstream stores. This simple boyfriend cut gives you a polished yet laid back look that makes winter layering piece of cake.

Being petite, I don't want to indulge on a cocoon coat as I look way better in a more slim cut silhouette. So I searched up and down to find a bargain piece, until I saw this Express cocoon coat in pastel pink. This coat is so light that I don't think I can survive the brutal Northeast winter in it. But this light texture and soft color do make it a refreshing alternative to my dark sober winter wardrobe on those relatively warm days. When I walked into the subway station at rush hour, this coat stood out so beautifully among the famous New York black.

In summary, it's not the warmest wool coat you'd expect, but it feels soft to the touch and on the body. It feels more like a trench coat in terms of warmth. If you live in an area with mild winter, you may find more mileage in it.

Coat: Express Textured Cocoon coat  in light pink (more colors, thicker version from JCrew)

Sweater: JCrew (also seen in this post)

Pants: Club Monaco

Boots: Cole Haan

Sunglasses: Karen Walker Super Duper Strength

Treadmill or Outdoor?

最近纽约太冷了，实在不想拍照，就码点字吧。今天详细讨论一下跑步入门问题之一：跑步机和路跑，哪个更累/更减肥？

对这个问题最简单的回答是：在其他条件相同的情况下，这两者的运动消耗差不多，减肥效果也差不多。

1996年英国University of Brighton的研究人员发现：当跑步的配速(pace)在不超过每英里8:03的情况下，跑步机跟路跑得消耗相当；当配速增加到7:07或更高的情况下，跑步机会略为轻松，因为风阻更小，只要你把跑步机的坡度提高到1%，这个差异也就消失了。

很多人可能不同意了：“我在跑步机上跑得不费力，可是一上路就累趴了，这两者怎么可能一样？”

我想问的是：你路跑的时候有没有用带GPS的心率表？有没有精确控制速度？能不能保证路跑的速度跟跑步机是一致的？如果没有的话，这两者根本就不是一回事，没有可以比较的前提，谁都知道100米冲刺的速度通常不能维持400米。

在没有速度控制的情况下，人对速度的感知通常来自身边事物的参照。路跑的时候，人往往会不知不觉地提高速度，因为在较为广阔的环境中，人会感觉自己的位移更小速度更慢。这跟在游泳池里觉得自己游得很快，可是在平静的湖面感到对岸怎么也游不到是一个道理。既然路跑的速度快了，人自然也疲劳得快。

又有人会说：“我正好相反，在路上怎么也跑不累，跑步机上十几分钟就要完蛋了。”

在路跑和机跑速度一致的前提下，这种现象是心理疲劳造成的。路跑有不断变化的风景，而机跑则相对乏味，于是便容易厌烦，这是个mental challenge。

长期严格控制速度进行跑步训练的人，往往能克服这种心理疲劳，也能精确控制速度，他们会告诉你这两者的消耗其实区别不大。

当然，路跑的情况还是要复杂得多。大家都知道，匀速跑比变速跑更省力，平地跑比上下坡更省力。所以，如果你路跑的线路路况复杂，上下坡较多，或者红绿灯较多，路跑都会比跑步机更有挑战性。天气也是影响心率和消耗的重要因素，尤其是酷暑季节，路跑消耗会比在空调房里更大。不过，这些都属于“其他条件”，超过了“在其他条件相同的情况下”这么一个讨论的前提。

Red Leopard

It felt like winter this weekend in NYC, and I decided to pull out my down coat. To brighten things up, I wore a red leopard sweater dress, a new purchase from Express, under it. I didn't even remember how many years have passed since I stepped in an Express store last time. That said, I am pretty happy with my purchase. It was soft and cute, although a little too short even for business casual. After all we do need a little bit color and fun occasionally, right?

Dress: Express Red Leopard Print Sweater Dress (also available in gray)
Down Coat: Burberry Brit (current season, similar available in Nordstrom, Bloomingdale's, Saks)
Boots: Cole Haan
Purse: Rebecca Minkoff Mini Perry Wave Embossed Leather Satchel in burgundy
Sunglasses: Karen Walker Super Duper Strength

Burgundy and Green

This is just an experiment of paring burgundy with green. Unlike the risky red and green combo, these two dark muted colors seem to go easily with each other. The warmth of burgundy adds more fun to the cool sober green shade, and together they form an elegant polished look. What do you think?

Shirt: Rugby (discontinued)
Skirt: Banana Republic
Coat: The Row (similar in black, also like this)
Sunglasses: Karen Walker Super Duper Strength
Booties: VC Signature by Vince Camuto
Purse: Louis Vuitton Damier Hampstead PM

Burgundy

Rich dark burgundy / wine is a fashion staple that consistently remains a truly classic color, especially in fall/winter. The deep tone works well with a range of other hues, and instantly adds a degree of sophistication to your outfit.

Burgundy goes easily with black and white. When worn together, these three colors lead to a refined and effortlessly chic look. Black forms the neutral basis of your ideal outfit. Burgundy serves as an understated dose of color, and white offers a needed bright contrast to the two darker hues.

Various shades of brown plays up burgundy's classic appeal. Darker brown shades blend well with burgundy, while lighter browns and tan tones serve as complementary contrast.

Burgundy also looks great with a range of blue shades. Burgundy and navy is a timeless color combo: let navy serve as the base of your outfit and add burgundy accents. Because navy and burgundy are both deep, rich tones, keep accessories neutral so they don't compete with your clothes. Another color in the blue family that goes well with burgundy is turquoise. Burgundy base with a pop of turquoise makes a pleasant eye-catching contrast.

Metallics makes burgundy modern chic. Gold brings out burgundy’s warmth, while silver gives you a perfect, cool contrast to the deep red. When wearing burgundy with gold or silver, stay classic by keeping accessories simple.

BTW this Rebecca Minkoff Mini Perry Satchel is my new love. Perry bag is a marriage between the classic Givenchy Antigona and the cool 3.1 Phillip Lim Pashli, at a fraction of their price. This mini Perry is big enough to hold my everyday nonsense plus winter accessories such as a scarf and a pair of gloves. I can see myself carrying it a lot this season. :)

Trench coat: Burberry London
Silk scarf: Hermes
Purse: Rebecca Minkoff Mini Perry Wave Embossed Leather Satchel in burgundy (here, here, here, here)
Leather armwarmers: Vince Camuto

Last Day of Sephora's VIB Event

Just a reminder that today is the last day of Sephora's VIB event that offers 20% off store wide.

This year's VIB event turned out to be pretty nasty. Sephora's server crashed for a long time on the first day, some VIBs' accounts got blocked out, some products were removed from the invoice by Sephora, some products got sold out within hours online, and if you had the guts to buy in store, you would be waiting in the checkout line much longer than you'd like to.

Despite all these, I managed to restock some of my favorite items as well as try a couple of new items during the event. And here is my list:

NARS lipsticks. Well, I confess that I've been hooked by those lipsticks for years. They are not the most moisturizing lipsticks, to be honest. But I like how weightless it feels on my lips. For everyday use, I like Love Devotion (not available on Sephora) and Niagara. Both have just a tad peach/coral/pink on top of the nude base. Dolce Vita is the most popular nude color of NARS, but I look a little washed out in pure nude. Love Devotion and Niagara brightens up my complexion without appearing artificial. For winter/fall everyday use, however, I stick to Autumn Leaves. In most of my pictures, I wear this warm brandy color that look both natural and polished. Of course, I have a bunch of dressier colors from NARS too for other occasions... This time I got Jungle Red, the most popular red lipstick in NARS family that is considered true red with no orange or blue undertone. It looks younger and brighter than Red Lizard and Future Red (last year's limited edition). Finally I got NARS Hardwired Lipstick in Femme Fleur to test out this golden/brandy new color.

Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupté Shine lipsticks. YSL lipsticks are quite popular on some Chinese makeup forums. They are moisturizing, but feels heavy on my lips. So I usually do not get them. This time I decided to try the orange coral shade of #14 Corail in Touch. Let's see how it goes.

Thierry Mugler Alien Eau de Parfum. If you are looking for a refreshing jasmine perfume, look no further. This is THE perfume that you need to stock up. Sexy, mysterious, sultry yet clean, this feminine scent will win you tons of compliments from young and old. Give it a try.

Shiseido Bio-Performance Advanced Super Revitalizing Cream. This is what I bring to the gym on warmer days when my typical La Mer seems a little heavy on my warm post-workout skin. It's a little lighter than La Mer. It's sold out online, but I was able to find it in store.

Shiseido Extra Smooth Sun Protection Lotion SPF 38 PA++. My favorite sun lotion. Enough said.

Fresh Soy Face Cleanser. I like how gentle it feels on my skin. I've been using it for years.

bareMinerals Original Foundation Broad Spectrum SPF 15 in Light. I have oily skin and do not usually use foundation. On rare occasions that I do, I use this powder foundation that is light, transparent and oil-absorbent. It feels weightless, but has the ability to build up.

OK. That's my shopping list. What did you get?

Casual Friday Basics

Chunky oversized sweater, wool skirt, and knee high boots are my fall/winter staples. Fashion comes and goes, but these basic pieces stay. Stock them up when they go on sale, and save money and headache in many seasons ahead of you!

Have a good weekend, everyone! Stay warm~

Sweater: JCrew (similar)

Skirt: St. John

Brooch: Chanel

Sunglasses: Karen Walker Super Duper Strength

Boots: Cole Haan

Purse: Louis Vuitton Damier Hampstead PM

Winter Accessories

We had a couple of cold days here, reminding you that winter is not that far away. New York is a city of black, especially in winter. That doesn't mean that we do not use colors to spice up our outfit. Warm cozy accessories with a pop of color are our favorites on a chilly day.

This outfit features some of my favorite cold weather accessories.

Missoni scarves explore your imagination of color combos. My red/green scarf has gone quite a bit mileage since I got it in 2007. A couple of my friends also got Missoni scarves after they saw how many times I'd used mine.

This Vince Camuto arm warmer is a recent purchase and I love it! It comes handy when you wear a short-sleeve or sleeveless dress under neath your coat. Apparently it magically makes even the most classic simplistic outfit look edgy and chic.

And of course, don't forget to throw in a purse that you are in the mood for. I have to confess that I'm totally in love with blue bags this season. Blue is such a rich and sophisticated color for cold days that brightens an black outfit without appearing over-the-board. I've got three blue bags this year, and you-know-whom would roll his eyes whenever I pulled out one of them. What can I say? Men are color blind. They think all blues look the same... *_^

Wool coat: Marni
Scarf: Missoni (similar, similar, similar, similar, similar, also like this infinity scarf)
Purse: Loeffler Randall Rider Bag in cobalt leather (also seen in this post, similar, similar, similar)
Leather armwarmers: Vince Camuto
Sunglasses: Karen Walker Super Duper Strength
Boots: Cole Haan

Foodie Chat (12): The Mermaid Inn

Hey, New Yorkers! Make sure you squeeze a dinner at the Mermaid Inn in your busy schedule before it gets too cold, if you haven't done so in the summer. This New England fish shack style restaurant frequents the list of NYC's best oyster bars year after year, and the price is unbeatable.

Don't get confused with the word "Inn" in its name. This is a sophisticated yet casual spot with a Cape Cod vibe known for its fresh unfussy seafood. If $10 for half dozen oysters is not a good enough deal for you, go for its happy hour (all night Monday and 5-7 pm otherwise) when you can have $1/each oysters. Those oysters are juicy and super fresh. The blackened catfish will melt in your mouth and the lobster sandwich is just perfect. At the end of the meal, you will get a complimentary mini chocolate pudding and a fish fortuneteller that literally tells everyone that he/she is in passion -- now you understand why it's one of the most popular dating places in NYC?

BTW, the service is incredibly fast and attentive.

Address: 96 Second Ave, NY, NY 10003
Telephone: 212 674 5870

Bir...Bir...Birkin!

爱收藏包包的女人不可能不知道birkin。要说birkin贵，其实也不尽然，现在一只小香包也差不多是birkin三分之一的价格了，而且birkin比小香要结实耐用许多。如果根养房子养孩子比，就更不算什么了，曼哈顿几个月的daycare（还不包括饮食）就够一个birkin。在很多人看来，birkin的地位主要在于它的难买，而我研究的结论则是，birkin的购买本身就有很多窍门。因为价格不菲货源难求，买一只称心如意的birkin是需要花一番心思的。

我今天来分享一下自己购买birkin的一些体会。

颜色。有些人买包的时候只要是有现货就买，不太看重自己的喜好，可是我觉得这是很个人的问题，需要好好考虑，毕竟买一只包很不容易。很多人喜欢鲜艳的颜色，尤其是喜欢爱马仕的标志性的橘红色。其实，根据爱马仕店员的信息，黑色是最难买到的。为什么呢？因为birkin皮质优异制作精良，其实是很好的上班包（我在金融区工作，经常看到拿birkin穿pant suit的女人排队买午饭），这跟大部分小香包的主要用途是不一样的。既然是everyday bag，就不能太招摇。黑色 灰色 棕色 金色（他家管米粽色叫gold），这些低调中性的颜色一来不那么耀眼，二来容易搭配上班的衣服，都是很好的选择。如果是第一只birkin，我个人倾向于买这类低调耐脏的颜色。金属件要么金色要么银色，就没有那么多讲究了。

大小。常见的birkin有30, 35, 40这三个尺寸。像我这样的小个子，拿着30和35都很好看，但是40就太大了。170以上的姑娘，可以在35和40间选择。难怪35是最流行的大小，在二手市场上，35也是最好卖的。不过，30和40更容易在店里买到，因为需求量相对较小。

皮质。这是个很复杂的问题，birkin的皮质选择比小香要多得多，我来多说几句。

我有十来只小香，但是没有一个是用来上班的，一个是因为经典好看的小香普遍偏小，装不了我的那许多宝贝，一个则是因为小香皮质普遍比较娇气。我日常主要背的是Louis Vuitton或者Coach的布包 -- 大妈我年纪大了，不在乎别人看我背logo包有什么想法，就图它们个大轻巧防水耐磨，那个shi黄shi黄的颜色，买来也没多新，用几年也没多旧。但是birkin是著名的workhorse，又能装又耐用，如果你选对了皮质的话，用上10年20年也依旧挺括好看，跟新的差不多（除了边角稍有磨损以外）。大家看过“花儿与少年”吧？如果小香包是许晴，那么birkin包就是刘涛，前者是用来看的，后者是拿来用的。

除开死贵的exotic skin（比如鳄鱼皮），birkin用的主要是牛皮和山羊皮。我见过很多赞美chevre（山羊皮）的，据说比牛皮更轻，但是我个人没有见过实物，应该比较少见。更常见的是用山羊皮做内胆，用牛皮做外层。-- birkin都是里外全皮，所以比较重。

牛皮又分为两大类，一种是textured leather，也就是有纹路的，一种是smooth leather，也就是光面的。如果你跟我一样，希望物尽其用，尽量多用这只包，那么，我建议把选择缩小到texutred leather里面，因为光面皮更容易有划痕，用用就显得旧了。最常见的光面皮是box，建议避免。

Textured leather里面，有的是天然纹路，有的是人工纹路，品种又有许多。最常见的是togo, clemence, epsom 和 fjord。这几个皮里面，epsom比较轻和挺，不容易软塌塌，但是手感不如另外几个厚软可爱。fjord不怕水，也有很多人喜欢，但是似乎是这几个里面最重的一种。Clemence这种皮非常软，手感巨可爱，但是用了几年以后包就渐渐塌了，空包站不住，尤其是大包，我觉得更适合爱马仕别的款型，比如Lindy就更适合用软皮做。Togo呢，比epson手感好，比fjord轻，比clemence挺，也比较容易排到，但是togo容易有vein，是皮子的天然纹理，找到一个没有vein的togo皮包也是很不容易的。

总之选皮子，是比选颜色大小要伤脑筋的事情。有兴趣研究的话，可以看看网上的信息，比如这篇和这篇。

Dress: DVF (also like this, this, this)

Wool coat: Marni

Brooch: Swarovski (also seen in this outfit)

Handbag: Hermes Birkin 35

Sunglasses: Karen Walker Super Duper Strength

Booties: VC Signature by Vince Camuto

Roadrunner's Gear in Spring/Fall

Spring and fall are the two best seasons in the Northeast for running. Crisp air, cool breeze and golden sunlight easily boost up your energy and keep you going, as long as you've got the right gear to keep you warm at the start and wick away the sweat on the road.

My favorite fall/winter running tee comes from Under Armour. I have this Coldgear tee in multiple colors. Its super stretchy material feels silky and soft to the touch, and keeps me dry and warm from start to finish. Compared to the popular chic Lululemon tees, this one feels more substantial and seems more durable with absolutely no see-through. Honestly I just couldn't convince myself to buy those flimsy Lulu long sleeved tees even at sales price.

CW-X compression tights keep me warm and dry, when the temperature falls between 30F and 50F. Those rights are designed to help stabilize muscles and joins, and some people claim that they also shorten recovery cycles. I've never got muscle sore from running (well, I'm slow on the road...), so I can't comment on the second part. But those tights are really tight, and they do keep your muscles in the right place. CW-X have different types of compression tights. I've got Stabilyx, Pro, PerformX and Expert. I personally cannot tell the difference among all these tights. They all feel tight and comfortable. If you pressed me for recommendations, my answer would be: "Go with the least expensive pair in the market unless you are a professional runner or have serious joint problems."

Finally I love my Lululemon Forme II jacket! It is stretchy and body hugging. I've never worn it running, but always throw it on on my way to the gym prior to my long run (I usually drop my gym bag in the locker room, go out for a long run, and stretch & shower in the gym).

Tee: Under Armour Coldgear Infrared Crew in Magenta Shock
Jacket: Lululemon Forme II Jacket (current season, similar)
Tights: CW-X Stabilyx Compression Tights (here, also like Pro, PerformX, Expert)
Running shoes: Nike
Sunglasses: Karen Walker Super Duper Strength
Tote: Coach

Cool Rain Boots

We had a couple of rainy days here in NYC, and I couldn't wait to show off my new rain boots. My other two pairs are both tall boots and do not go with knee length pencil skirts I wear for office. Now problem solved! They are cute and comfy!

For review of my recent purchase from Shopbop, including these Loeffler Randall Fenton Rain Booties, check out my previous post.

TBT: 痴人说花

TBT, i.e. "Throw Back Thursday", seems to be quite popular among bloggers. When you have nothing new to post, just throw back an old post or outfit and fill in the blank.

Recently my best friend finally moved back to New York, and she mentioned those good old days that I wrote a lot on my old blog that was only available to a handful of friends. How time flies! I totally forgot that I use to love writing! So I returned to my old blog, and was shocked at those words I was able to put together.

For your entertainment, here is  throw-back of my old blog, written when I was in London on a beautiful Spring afternoon. It reads especially sweet on a cold rainy day like today. :)

2007-04-29 痴人说花

难得不用加班的周末。我穿上吊带小背心和牛仔短裤，屐着拖鞋，抄起yoga mat，夹了一本书一瓶水，到楼下晒太阳。我的卧室阳台朝南，面对一片绿草地，大概有Madison Park的2/3大，疏疏落落的点着几棵树几个人，正是晒太阳的好去处。

我拣了一棵快开败了的桃花树，把mat铺好，头埋在半密的树阴下看书，脖子以下沐浴在阳光里。看的是Hemingway的The Sun Also Rises，讲的是几个颓废的美国人在欧洲的乱七八糟的故事，有点意思。初中的时候尚且很认真地读过Pride and Prejudice，到了大学就只读Hemingway和Jack London了。无他，喜欢他们的句子，简单句式，简单语法，简单词汇，没有上流社会的繁复委婉，只有现实的冷峻残酷。

Hemingway的书一如既往的行云流水，我也就一如既往的一目十行，不知不觉就看了大半，低头一看，已经落了一身的花瓣和树叶。于是仰头看花，看两只蜂儿上下翻飞，看一群蚂蚁来来回回地忙个不停，甚是有趣。又看了不知多久，忽然发现一个两三岁的粉都都的小姑娘正蹲在不远处瞪大了眼睛看我。我对她笑一笑，谁知她却转过身蹒跚地跑掉了。真是“你站在桥上看风景，看风景的人在楼上看你”呢！不知道在她幼稚的眼中，我又是怎样的呢？大概是脱不了一个“痴”字吧？

研究生的同学都知道我痴，而且是“花痴”。

当时班上有一个长得很漂亮的美国男孩，瘦瘦高高的，留半长的头发，刘海厚厚地垂在大眼睛上，对了，就是Leonado DiCaprio的脸加上John Lennon的盖碗头。一个很用功的孩子。有一天，他居然在课上了一半才来，我就随口说了声：“咦，小帅哥迟到了。”坐在一边的J笑得要死，我很痴地问：“我说错了么？他不是迟到了么？他不是小帅哥么？”从此，所有的中国同学都在背后叫他小帅哥，而我就是那个暗恋小帅哥的花痴。我问遍了中国同学：你们不觉得他漂亮么？所有人都同意他的确象DiCaprio，的确好看。我不过是把大家心中所想用语言表达出来罢了，怎么就成了花痴呢？大概，痴的不在这个“花”字，而在我的“花行于色”吧。

以前在本科的时候也曾被当作花痴。一个周末的早上，寝室里几位懒丫头都醒了，却没有人起床，各自躺在床帘背后懒洋洋地聊天。对面上铺的南京女孩说话本来就绵软，加上刚睡醒的哝哝鼻音，我不觉就听得有点发痴，仿佛有一只小手在心上挠着。慢慢的，我的痴劲上来了。我蹑手蹑脚地爬到桌上，掀起她的床帘一角，把头伸进去，屏住呼吸，看着她埋在凌乱长发里红扑扑的脸，心里有无限的温馨和快乐。这时，她睁开眼睛，猛然看见我披头散发一脸痴迷的样子，撕心裂肺地尖叫起来。四个同样披头散发的脑袋齐刷刷地从床帘里伸出来，四双眼睛象探照灯一样雪亮地照在我的身上。唐突了佳人的我站在桌子上，穿着睡裙光着脚咬着手指头，嘻嘻地笑。

爱美之心，人皆有之。我所不同的是，对美的欣赏热爱总是行于颜色，并乐于与人分享。孟子说：“独乐乐，与众乐乐，孰乐？曰：不若与人。”我看见好看的风景，指给同伴看，同伴以为然； 我看见好看的女孩，指给同伴看，同伴以为我不straight； 我看见好看的男孩，指给同伴看，同伴以为我花痴。其实，这女孩男孩在我眼中也不过是一道风景罢了。

若真说到痴，最高境界莫过于醉眠芍药的史湘云。又有酒，又有芍药满身，又有春风拂面，这样的良辰美景，若换了林妹妹只有红消香断的顾影自怜，若换了宝姐姐也只能扑扑蝴蝶摇摇团扇，都不能品味到十足。只有湘云才会糊里糊涂地枕着一包芍药花瓣在石凳上美美睡去，听任春天的滋味浸透每一个毛孔。

痴便痴了。若是因为怕被人笑话而不能尽情尽兴，那才是俗人。

醉卧花阴君莫笑，春光烂漫能几回？

Shopbop FF Purchase Review

Ladies! Have you got your purchase from Shopbop Friends & Family event last week? I've got most of my packages (one more on the way)! Here is a quick review of my precious. :)

Loeffler Randall Lock Clutch. I ordered two, one in Zebra/Feather print, and the other in shearling/wool. The latter has been sold out. Here is the picture I found online.

Both bags are of good size and high quality. I can easily put in my credit cards, cell phone, key and still have lots of room left. Absolutely love its clean cut and interesting play of patterns and materials. The only question is: which one should I keep??? The zebra one is more edgy and versatile, but the shearling one is so cute and cuddle-able in winter! What do you think? In the end, I decided to keep the zebra one because cleaning shearling/wool may not be as easy. Do you think I've made a right choice? See how cool it looks in action!

Trench coat with warmer: Burberry Brit (current season)
Clutch: Loeffler Randall Zebra Feather Haircalf Lock Clutch (here, similar, similar,  similar, also like this, this)
Pants: Club Monaco Carolina Skinny Waxed Pant
Sunglasses: Karen Walker Super Duper Strength
Booties: VC Signature by Vince Camuto

Loeffler Randall Fenton Rain Booties. Aren't they cute? They look like leather booties! I'd got a pair of Hunter rain boots, and a pair of UGG wool lined rain boots for cold days, and I thought that covered all four seasons and I needed no more. But I just couldn't say no to these cuties! With those rain boots on, I could still walk around and look stylish on a cold rainy/snowy day. I'm definitely keeping these babies.

Vince Little Boy Tee. Basic tees in awesome soft material and the white one is not a see-through. I'm keeping both the white and black ones I ordered.

Sophie Hulme Mini Envelope Bag. Another evidence that you can't trust commercialized bloggers. This bag has been so popular among fashion bloggers and it looks so cute! But in real life, the leather feels like rubber, and the bag is simply too small to hold anything - not even my Louis Vuitton wallet. I ordered it in tan, navy and black (navy and black are sold out on Shopbop), and they are all going back.

Rebecca Minkoff Paris Clutch. Still patiently waiting for its arrival.

5th & Mercer Asymmetrical Skirt. Disappointing. The material is really cheap.

L'AGENCE Pleated Side Skirt. Cute. The material has the right weight and is not flimsy at all. This is a keeper. The size is small though. You may consider sizing up if you have strong thighs.

OK. That's all for my review. Did you get anything exciting?

BTW it's getting really cold here. So I pulled out my olive color trench coat with a removable warmer. I like its sleek look, neutral color, and military style. I only saw a mid-thigh version in this season's collection on Burberry's website. Glad that I snatched it last year!

Royal Stewart Tartan Updated

Alexander McQueen

In a season of plaids, Royal Stewart tartan is one of the elements that should not be overlooked. It came into full blossom last winter, and continues to be seen in many offerings this year.

Personally I was not a big fan of tartan prints...until I saw this tartan print dress in the Alexander McQueen exhibition a couple of years ago. The somewhat rustic somewhat preppy thick material adds weight and history to the feminine lace and tully. The dress looks so fresh and young.

That's when I concluded that mixing tartan with other elements may create some really interesting outfit that looks both old and new. Tartan should not be limited to prep school uniforms.

In particular, I like the idea of mixing tartan with leather. This is a combo of tradition and modern, country style and urban chic. This February for instance, Rita Ora stepped out in a DKNY tartan dress with a black leather jacket. I simply loved this look!

That is why I was very excited seeing this wool/leather jacket from Karl Lagerfeld earlier this year. This is my first Royal Stewart tartan print purchase after I finished high school. :)

Wool/leather jacket: Karl Lagerfeld
Pants: Club Monaco Carolina Skinny Waxed Pant (also seen in this outfit)
Sunglasses: Karen Walker Super Duper Strength
Booties: VC Signature by Vince Camuto

Black and White Leather Jacket

We are now officially in the leather jacket season here in the big apple. The temperature did not drop much, but the wind has picked up remarkably. You may not want to get wrapped up in too many layers yet. All you need is a nice jacket that shields you from the wind.

Black leather jacket is classic, but color blocking is also fun. Do you like this black and white leather bomber from Karl Lagerfeld?

BTW the second picture is a pure show-off of my quads... As I was walking down the street in UWS on Sunday, a guy caught me and asked:"Are you a dancer? No? Then you must have done some dancing before. You have dancer's legs!" Haha, that's weight lifter's legs, babe! // feeling proud

Leather jacket: Karl Lagerfeld (similar, similar, similar, similar, similar, similar)
Striped tee: JCrew
Leggings: Club Monaco Rochelle Faux-Leather Legging
Sunglasses: Karen Walker Super Duper Strength
Boots: DV by Dolce Vita Malika Boots

Feeling Chanel?

There is nothing as ladylike as a classic tweed piece. After borrowing a tweed sportswear from a male friend, a Duke to be exact, Chanel was enchanted by this comfortable and supple fabric that was exclusively used in menswear at that time. In 1924 she enlisted a Scottish fabric factory to produce her iconic tweed fabrics for everything from sportswear to suits and coats.

Nowadays quite a few mass production brands offer decent tweed pieces, but the texture and weight are still the key elements some brands have not mastered. It seems to me that JCrew tweed has done a good job in its price range, with its soft texture, right amount of weight and clean cut. This blue jacket is one of the JCrew tweed jackets I've collected in the past a couple of years. I feel so Parisian whenever I throw it on, either over a skirt/dress or a pair of jeans. This season, JCrew has a similar tweed jacket in stripes that fits just like this one. Check it out!

Tweed jacket: JCrew (similar)
Dress: Theory
Sunglasses: Karen Walker Super Duper Strength
Pumps: Stuart Weitzman

Saks: FRNFAM

Saks is running its friends & family event now with code FRNFAM. What did you get? I'm scratching my head as the excluded brand list is growing longer every year. Well, at least this Helmut Lang jacket is on sale. Last time I paired it with skirt for an office appropriate look, and here is a casual outfit with it.

   

Jacket: Jacket: Helmut Lang Sonar Wool Shawl Collar Jacket (here, here, here, here)   

Tee: Anthropologie

Jeans: Rag & Bone

Sunglasses: Karen Walker Super Duper Strength

Suede oxfords: DV by Dolce Vita

Foodie Chat (11): Amuse Wine Bar

I always hesitate on writing reviews on wine bars. First of all, everyone has different taste buds and the same wine may taste differently by different people. To make things even more complicated, I find that sometimes the same wine tastes differently on different days, depending on my mood, diet, activity level and hydration. That is why it's always a good idea to ask for a sample before you order a glass of wine. Secondly, bar tenders play a critical role in running a fun bar. You may go to the same bar and taste the same wine all the time, but one day feel completely different when your favorite bar tender is not there.

That said, I feel obliged of writing a review for Amuse Wine Bar, a hidden gem in Manhattan's lower east side.

Amuse is a super friendly wine bar for everyone. Unlike many pretentious wine bars where you are left with a thick dictionary of unknown foreign names that may potentially dig deep into your pocket, the wine list in Amuse is both extensive and approachable. The menu is informative as every wine has a brief description of its taste under the name. If you are still in doubt, feel free to talk to the knowledgeable staff. They will recommend a sip either to suit your preference or to pair your food. To sweeten the deal, Amuse has happy hour wine tasting special Monday through Saturday between 3 and 7 pm: $15 for three 2-oz wines three kind of cheese and three kind of meat. I had this wine tasting special last Saturday. Man, every wine had a generous pour. It's almost impossible to beat this deal in Manhattan.

Even on a rainy Saturday afternoon, the ambiance at Amuse was charming. The place looked cozy and quaint with simple wood tables, couch and coffee table. The wall was decorated with humorous paints from Wizard Skull. We were served by Yudheer Manandhar, who turned out to be the general manager of the bar. He was a chatty and funny guy who knew everything on the menu. His recommendation on both wine and cheese were very well received. He told us that Amuse also has live music with no cover charge on weekend nights. I will definitely check it out next time.

Yudheer told me that the owner of the bar firmly believed that drinking wine should be as relaxing as drinking beer. Apparently Amuse has done a good job to make her customers happy and relaxed.

Address: 121 Ludlow St., New York, NY 100002
Telephone: 212 477 0100