Why Runners Can't Eat Whatever They Want

This is a translation of the article, Why Runners Can't Eat Whatever They Want, not word by word, but close enough to catch the essence. It's written in Chinese for my friends who have language preference. The original article is well written. So if you care about health and have an active life style, please go ahead and read the original. It not only applies to runners or other endurance athletes. It applies to all of us who believe in the health benefit of cardio training.

59岁的Dave McGillivray一直坚信，只要跑得足够多，就能想吃啥就吃啥，反正都烧掉了嘛！这位老大每天跑10英里，完成了130个马拉松，还搞了好几个铁人三项比赛，还是挺牛的。谁知道6个月前他被查出来有冠状动脉疾病，搞得他老人家很没有面子，很后悔在关于耐力训练的回忆录中写了一个巧克力曲奇饼的配方。下图为他1978年越野跑的英姿。

Photo credit: The Wall Street Journal

有的马拉松跑者吃得很垃圾，他们跑步里程超高，体重 血压 心跳 胆固醇都降低了，于是他们（甚至连他们的医生）都认为他们的心脏非常健康，不管吃什么都没有问题。可是现在越来越多的例子对这个想法提出了挑战，而Dave McGillivray身为波马的比赛主管，不过是其中比较显眼的一个。

Paul Thompson是个跑马老手了，现在是Hartford医院的心脏病主任，他说：““吃啥我都能跑掉”，这个态度在马拉松跑者中非常普遍，有时候甚至有点自大。”

越来越多的研究证明这种想法是错误的。最近一期Missouri Medicine上有篇研究表明，相对不爱运动的人群，50个在过去的25年之内每年至少跑了1个马拉松的人有比较高的冠状动脉粥样硬化。British Medical Journal今年也发表了一项研究，他们对比了42个波马达标的人和他们相对不爱运动的配偶，研究的假设是这些人在动脉粥样硬化方面的风险相对比较小，可是统计的结果证明这个假设是不成立的。

有的研究显示极端的耐力训练可能会造成心脏问题。有的心脏病医生就此推论：当超过一定限度以后，运动不但不能防治心脏病，反倒能导致心脏病。

“研究表明，马拉松跑者有可能会增加冠状动脉硬化，心肌纤维化和心脏性猝死的风险。” Baylor大学的心脏病医生Peter McCullough在这期Missouri Medicine中写道。

但是很多心脏病医生对此表示怀疑。“建立剧烈运动和冠心病之间的联系至少是不严谨的，”Aaron Baggish说。他是麻省医院的心脏病医生，平时搞三项和马拉松。即便如此，他也说：“我从来没有告诉我的病人跑马拉松或者玩三项比赛才是最健康的，因为事实并非如此。”

跑者患心脏病的报道促使一些马拉松跑者去检查冠状动脉。Ambrose Burfoot 是1968年波马冠军，Runner's World 杂志的编辑，现在67岁，身高1.82米，体重只有147磅。他终生素食，主要吃水果 蔬菜和坚果，也吃曲奇饼和各种奶制品（奶酪 冰激凌之类的）。他说：“去年3月，我发现有冠状动脉钙化，可能跟Dave McGillivray的情形差不多。”

医学界对这些有心脏病的跑者态度不一。James O'Keefe是Kansas City的心脏病医生，以前也是玩三项的，现在相信长期的耐力训练会损伤心脏，他建议的运动量是每周中速跑不超过20英里。而Thompson 和Baggish则相信很多被诊断出心脏病的耐力运动员仍然可以继续跑马和搞三项，只要他们的毛病得到了治疗。Thompson认为衡量风险的时候必须考虑生活质量，Burfoot对此深表赞同。Burtfoot 说：“我深深地相信一句古话：运动吧，它也许不能让你活得更长，但是能让你活得更丰富。”

但是，心脏病医生们有一点是团结一致的：高消耗的运动并不是你能敞开肚皮乱吃的通行证。

那些每天跑几个小时的人通常会渴望曲奇饼和冰激淋。当McGillivray在1978年横跨美国的时候，他每天都以Dairy Queen为终点。“不光是为了补充能量，也是一种心理上的补偿：那个香草奶昔就是我的奖励。”他说。

光靠吃健康食品来补充这几千大卡的确不容易。自从去年10月确诊以后，身高1.62米的McGillivray完全改变了饮食习惯，短短时间就从155磅减到了128磅，这让他很高兴。

McGillivray没有减少训练，相反，他把周里程从60提高到了70。作为4月21号波马的比赛主任，他计划像以前一样，在最后一个跑者完成比赛以后自己也跑一个全程。为了庆祝60大寿，他还计划在8月参加一个铁人三项比赛。图为他在6月根波马选手亲切握手的领导照。(Photo credit: Boston Globe/Getty Images)

尽管McGillivray说他的医生Baggish给他开了绿灯，Baggish却在email中写道：“我不给病人开什么红灯绿灯的。我们在一起开诚布公的讨论风险和好处，不管是已知的还是未知的，然后一起做出一个合理的个人化的计划。” 他又说：“在Dave这个病例中，他完全知道自己比普通人的风险更大，他仍然倾向于去迎接这些挑战。”

有些人批评说，这些明知道自己有心脏病还要继续做耐力训练的行为等同于上瘾。“我从
来都承认自己在运动上是个瘾君子，” 来自Runner's World的Burfoot说，“我总是担心自己跑着跑着就死翘翘了。但是我现在想想，跑步并没有害死我，相反，它大大提高了我的生活质量。当然，它还可能会引发我生命的终结 ，而如果我不跑步的话，我说不定死得更早。”

Lace Up Dress Down

人笨呢，那是一点办法也没有的。卫生间光线不好，我一直在微调相机的设置，试图找到最优解，今天弄出个高噪点的，只好后期狠狠柔光了一把，算是笨人笨办法，哈哈！

这条Rowan Skirt是Club Monaco的新款，非常女性优雅，穿件衬衣踩双高跟鞋，扭呀扭呀总是不错的。不过我今天刻意dress down，用宽松的套头衫儿和长筒皮靴来冲淡一下裙子的女人味儿，觉得这样更年轻和有趣一些。脖子上白花花的那圈是原本很好看的水晶珠链，以后还会出镜的，今天就。。。就。。。就先埋没了吧！拜托大家耐心点，让我这个笨人慢慢摸索相机的设置。。。:)

This Club Monaco Rowan Skirt just hit the market. Feminine and elegant, it goes well with shirts and heels for a perfect lady look. However, this morning I was in the mood of dressing down. So I paired it with a loose fit silk sweater and a pair of knee-high boots to tone down the girliness of the look. Well, I know you can't see it clearly due to the photo quality, but I did also use a crystal statement necklace... Still trying to figure out the best settings for restroom shots... Give me some time, please. It's your continuous support and patience that keeps me going... :)

grey silk sweater: Joie
lace skirt: Club Monaco Rowan Skirt
knee high boots: Burberry

Go Skinny! Go Waxed!

卫生间自拍实在是光线不好，本来今天的主题是讲这条裤子的，结果拍出来黑乎乎一片，啥也看不到。我讲我的，请大家自行脑补。

Club Monaco Carolina Skinny Waxed Pant 的布料挺特别的。的确是斜纹布，但是没有牛仔布那么厚重，延展性也比一般的牛仔布好得多，所以加上coating以后一点也不厚重，非常轻盈贴身，比市场上的大部分waxed jeans要服帖柔软。wax也不是特别闪亮的那种，很subtle，阳光下隐隐有光泽，室内就显得比较含蓄，所以我有胆子穿到办公室来。我家里有好几条waxed jeans，有的太硬太厚，有的太闪太亮，都不如这条合我的心意。这条裤子号码略小，如果你在他家跨号的话，也许需要size up。这裤子很versatile，可以在办公室配西装配衬衣配毛衣蒙混过关，也可以休闲的时候配宽松的大毛衣大衬衫大套头衫，很修饰腿型。我知道自己图上腿不细，那是铁架上面练出来的肌肉腿，真不能怪这裤子的。

配的毛衣来自JCrew，冬天的时候买的，穿出来不少美国人大赞充满爱国情怀，建议我在Memorial Day穿，晕！

Club Monaco Carolina Skinny Waxed Pant is made of very unique fabric. It looks like denim at the first glance, but is much lighter and more stretchy. Even with the coating, it still feels soft and comfortable on the skin. It moves with your body and highlights every bit of your curve. And the wax is quite subtle as well. Nothing flashy or over the board. I have a couple of waxed jeans at home, and this is definitely my favorite. It's a little on the tight side. So if you are between sizes, you may consider sizing up. It goes well with both office staples and casual pieces.

Here I paired it with a JCrew merino wool sweater, in a very patriotic color combo. :)

sweater: JCrew Tippi Sweater in Pop Art Dot
black pants: Club Monaco Carolina Skinny Waxed Pant
boots: Prada

A Tale of Two Schoolboys

上次Wardrobe Staples for Business Woman一文中推荐了JCrew Schoolboy blazer，其实JCrew家有两款Schoolboy blazer。上次那件海军蓝的叫"classic schoolboy blazer"，是他家的经典款，今天这件burnt orange的叫"schoolboy blazer"，是他家的改良版。这两款的区别在于：

• 改良版更长，身长有25 1/8英寸，经典版只有24 1/4英寸。
• 改良版右边两个口袋都是带翻盖的，经典版右侧上面的小口袋没有翻盖。
• 改良版袖口4颗扣，经典版袖口3颗扣。

主要由于身长的不同，这两款各有千秋。改良版因为长了那么一点点，扣起来更服帖，看起来更正式，也更适合配裤装。经典版是短款，所以更适合搭配裙装。两款我都觉得不错！

看来最近两周都只能卫生间自拍了，这段时间那个办公室都有人用。:)

In my previous post titled Wardrobe Staples for Business Woman, I recommended JCrew Schoolboy blazer. One thing I forgot to mention is there are actually two different schoolboy blazers by JCrew. Well, it may be confusing, but we love schoolboys, and the more the merrier!

The one I wore last time is called "classic schoolboy blazer", and the one in today's picture is a more updated "schoolboy blazer". Compared to the original schoolboy that is now referred to as "classic", the new kid has the following updates:

Length: The body length is now 25 1/8'' and the classic length is 24 1/4''.

Pocket: the new blazer has two flap pockets on the right while the classic one has one flap pocket and one welt pocket.

Buttons: the new blazer has four gold buttons on the sleeves and the classic one has three.

"So which is a better schoolboy?" You may ask. Well, it depends on your personal preference and body shape. Compared to the relatively minor changes in the pocket and buttons, this less-than-an-inch change in body length makes significant visual difference. The new one fits better when it is buttoned up, goes better with pants, and creates a more formal business outfit. The classic one is more or less a shrunken fit and goes better with dresses and skirts. Busty ladies may find it difficult to button up the classic schoolboy blazer. I own both styles (in the same size) and find both quite versatile.

Blazer: JCrew schoolboy blazer
Silk leopard print shirt: Joie
Black riding pants: Paige
Boots: Prada

Boxy Urban Chic

JCrew的照片太多了，其实我是Club Monaco的粉，只是他家的衣服有点edgy，有点不适合办公室的氛围，所以我比较少穿到办公室里来。为表粉丝的死忠，我捡了个老板不在也没有重要会议的日子把这件大毛衣穿到办公室来，还搭配了短裙（再短就真的不适合办公室了），本来搭配了很漂亮的flats的，可是袜子上勾了个小洞，只好把上下班走路用的长靴穿起来掩饰一下，结果就越发不像上班的样子了。常用的办公室被欧洲过来的同事征用了，于是躲在卫生间里咔嚓了一张，光线就不讲究了，大家凑和着看吧！

这件Claudia Tweed Sweater我很喜欢，线条简明，宽松休闲，颜色百搭，皮袖则增加了一点都市小酷妹的态度，不管是搭配超短裙，还是紧身长裤 or 宽松短裤，都非常青春时尚，有都市感。同样款型的还有这件Claudia Striped Sweater，也很好看，当时这两件挑了半天，似乎后者比前者更宽松肥大一些，而且我觉得白色不耐脏，所以最后选择了黑白混线的那件。这个cut不怎么挑体型，高挑宽肩的瘦姑娘穿是最好不过的了，苹果体型 香蕉体型都可以，可能就是梨型身材不太合适。那麻豆是刘雯吧？估计大部分人穿起来就跟刘雯穿的效果差不多，虽然矮点儿，哈哈！

黑色小短裙是在Intermix买的，牌子是Privee，是个挺小众的英国品牌，Intermix这点非常好，经常能在里面看到不常见的小牌子，整个店也是urban chic的路子，我经常去逛，是我休闲服装的主要来源之一。靴子是Burberry的，靴筒非常的服帖，我喜欢穿这么矮的跟儿走路。

说真的，我不上班的时候，穿衣服基本上就是这么个以舒服为第一需求的风格，跟上班的打扮是不是差别挺大的？:)

Club Monaco is one of my favorite brands for casual wear. Edgy, simple, and sophisticated, it perfectly illustrates "urban chic" in my fashion dictionary.

This Claudia Tweed Sweater features a relaxed silhouette that is both cozy and chic. Its simple cut brings out the confidence of your sophisticated youthful self. Faux leather quilted sleeves completes the cool-girl attitude. it goes well with mini skirts, shorts, leggings or skinny jeans. An alternative is the Claudia Striped Sweater, same cut and different color. This cut looks good on most ladies with apple- or banana-shaped body. It might be a bit tricky on pear-shaped women. (Wonder what these body shapes mean? Click here.)

The Privee mini-skirt is from Intermix. This boutique chain carries quite a few hard-to-find contemporary brands. I am always drawn to its downtown chic style. Many of my casual pieces are bought there.

leather sleeved sweater: Club Monaco
black pencil skirt: Privee
knee high boots: Burberry

Dying for Spring Colors

Warm sunny weekend turned out to be just a teaser. Now we are back to the 30's. Freeeeeezing outside! Where did Miss Spring go? It's OK for a young lady to be fashionably late to her appointment, but being this late is unforgivable.

Another flashback from 2012 to remind us how beautiful spring/summer colors could be: this Elie Tahari dress has two clashing colors, purple and yellow, that transition smoothly from one to the other. Instead of using neutral color accessories, I used a fuchsia skinny belt to highlight the waistline. I found it more interesting than black, white, gray, silver or whatever neutral color. To keep things simple, I also used a pair of matching fuchsia pumps. I believe a pair of nude, gold or silver pumps will also work well with everything else in the outfit. Mix or match, that's the question I always ask myself. :)

Dress: Elie Tahari
Belt: JCrew
Pumps: Manolo Blahnik

Avoid Weight Gain While Travelling

Photo credit: http://globalgraphica.com/

旅游是保持体重的大敌，长期保持的健康饮食和运动习惯常常因为旅游而被打破。怎么能够在旅游的时候保持体重呢？让我们从旅游中的隐患谈起。

隐患1：机场的垃圾食品

等飞机很无聊，于是大家就开始吃。机场又没有什么可吃的健康食品，到处都是甜点啊薯条啊，高热量高碳水，一不小心几百卡就吃下去了，万一飞机再晚个点，借酒消愁，吃点炸鸡，热量就4位数了。

对策：
1）随身携带一些健康果蔬，比如水果，洗净切好的芹菜黄瓜胡萝卜，煮鸡蛋，cheese条。
2）只喝水，拒绝酒精饮料和碳酸饮料。
3）带本书/杂志，kindle/iPad，或者其它可以阅读的东西，帮助分散注意力。

隐患2：飞机上的垃圾食品

飞机上说实话也没什么可吃的健康食品，加上旅途中人容易缺水，更容易吃到垃圾食品。

对策：
1）要注意补水，水分不足的情况下人常常会多吃。在机场和飞机上要注意多喝水。
2）免费饮料方面，注意喝水，不要喝碳酸饮料和果汁，前者会影响激素，后者会影响血糖，都是开胃的东西，如果水喝腻了，可以喝牛奶。咖啡和茶都有咖啡因，利尿，容易导致身体进一步缺水，也不建议喝。
3）免费零食方面，水果好于花生好于其它诸如饼干之类的。如果旅途短的话，完全可以拒绝不吃，或者吃自己带的果蔬。千万别觉得花了机票钱不吃白不吃，吃肥了你不还得减肥么？身体健康才是最重要的，钱都是浮云啊浮云。
4）长途旅行飞机上会有免费餐，可以把肉 蔬菜 水果吃了，那些米啊面啊甜点啊都可以扔了。如果旅途很长，可以自己带些健康的食品上飞机，比如 chicken salad，几乎所有的机场都有卖的。别舍不得钱。

隐患3：过度饮酒

这是商务旅行中最常见的问题，大家一喝起来就没完没了，不醉不归，天天喝，顿顿喝。酒精不光高热量，还伤肝，还会造成人缺水，影响工作效率。

对策：
1）自律是最重要的，必须给自己限定一个量（比如2杯），喝完以后就改喝水。不要担心同事会笑话你，你可以找到很多理由来拒绝，比如“要开车”，比如“明天早上有个重要的会议”，比如“医生说我脂肪肝不让多喝酒”，尤其在美国没有劝酒的文化，喝醉了只能怪你自制力差，怨不得旁人。
2）选择升糖指数（GI）低的酒，通常说来，就这个标准来说，由好到怀的次序是：烈酒 红葡萄酒 白葡萄酒 啤酒 鸡尾酒。甜甜的鸡尾酒是大忌，啤酒里面“light”的啤酒热量较低。

隐患4：餐馆里的陷阱

旅行的时候外出吃饭非常普遍，美国餐馆里的分量大，热量高。而商务餐就更糟糕了，因为可以报销，一旦有了不吃白不吃的心，一顿几千卡轻松下肚。

对策：
1）旅行一定要mindful eating，阶级斗争的弦不能松，出差人士千万别觉得公司的钱不吃亏了，自己掏腰包吃饭的千万别为了省钱去吃垃圾快餐，身体是自己的，别的都没有那么重要。
2）主菜尽量点lean protein，比如鸡肉 鱼肉 火鸡肉，牛排可以吃，但是注意分量。尽量选择烤或蒸等清淡少油的做法。不要点pasta，risotto之类的碳水主食当主菜，少吃免费面包等等。
3）多吃蔬菜，如果主菜的配菜是淀粉类的土豆或者米面，可以要求换成绿色沙拉。
4）不吃甜点。如果桌上有人吃甜点，你可以点杯咖啡陪着。
5）吃饱了就停，不要为了怕浪费而全部吃光，该剩的剩，该扔的扔，吃多了都是负担。
6）尽量避免吃自助餐。

隐患5：房间里的诱惑

酒店里有全天供应的room service，房间里有minibar悄悄招手，这些都是over-eating的隐患。这些东西不光是贵，而且通常热量很高，随时可得，也就意味着随时都有吃肥肥的机会。

对策：
1）对minibar说no。可以问问酒店附近有没有grocery store or 便利店，买些健康的零食放在冰箱里，比如酸奶 奶酪 果蔬，以备不时之需，不仅省钱而且健康。
2）如果万不得已需要room service，不要被菜单上的稀奇菜名诱惑，点最简单健康的东西，比如chicken salad, grilled fish with steamed vegetables 之类的，早餐点oatmeal and fruit, yogurt之类的。这些东西都很基本，即使菜单上没有，你打个电话过去，厨房一样会为你准备的。

隐患6：缺乏运动

很多人在家会经常运动，可是一出差就懒散了，这样不好。无论是饮食还是运动，只要一个方面出了问题，平衡被打破了，就可能会增重。保持每天至少30分钟的运动量是很重要的。

对策：
1）利用酒店的健身设备。好的酒店会有健身房and/or游泳池，虽然不能跟专业健身房比，但是保持体重是绰绰有余的了。据我的观察，虽然它们没有很好的器械和力量训练器材，但是跑步机 椭圆机 室内自行车一般都还是有的。
2）随身携带轻便的健身器材。比如TRX，ab wheel，弹力皮筋，都是很方便的器材。还可以随身携带Insanity之类的徒手健身操，每天在房间里跳半个小时，烧烧热量。
3）多散步 逛街 观光，能步行的距离尽量不要坐车。

还有啥隐患我给漏掉了的？大家说说。。。:)

Spring Cashmere

经历了漫长的冬季，今天终于有了点春天的痕迹。我按捺不住心中的喜悦和期盼，穿上了草绿/紫红的JCrew Collection cashmere Tippi sweater。就像我以前所说的，我喜欢JCrew家的Tippi毛衣，样式非常学院派，松紧适度，很容易搭配，每季都有丰富的颜色可以选择。我这里搭配了非常简单的白裤子和米色风衣。如果你不喜欢cashmere，也可以看看JCrew merino tippi sweaters，同样的款式，不同的质地，也很不错的。

It finally feels like spring today! Nothing could express my ecstasy better than this cheerful JCrew Collection cashmere Tippi sweater. Its cheerful colors scream "spring" from the bottom of my heart. As I mentioned before, Tippi is my go-to style of office sweater. It's neither too loose nor too snug, and goes easily with almost everything. Here I paired it with simple pants and trench coat to give this fabulous color combo a pop! If for any reason you don't like cashmere, JCrew merino tippi sweaters work just as fine.

green/fuchsia sweater: JCrew Collection cashmere Tippi sweater
white pants: Emilio Pucci
trench coat: Burberry London
yellow pumps: Nicholas Kirkwood

2014 NYC Half Marathon (2014-03-16)

"What I lack in speed I make up for in cute." This was the line embroidered on my hairband, and illustrated my attitude towards my first race ever: I just wanted to have fun!

And it turned out to be a fun experience. I finished almost 20 mins ahead of my estimated time. No heart burn, no short breath, and no muscle sore. I wanted to thank everyone who had been supportive for me to complete this 13.1-mile journey, from start to finish.

No, I was never a good runner. When I was in high school, 800m was always my biggest nightmare. I would inevitably fail the first test, took the pain of getting up early and running a couple of loops around our building in the next 2-3 weeks, and struggled to pass the make-up test. This pattern repeated for a good six years until I went to college. I was a physically weak and clumsy kid.

What has changed in the past ten years is my life style. Better nutrition and active life style have gradually built up my strength and endurance. Six long runs right before the race have remarkably improved my cardio capability. When I first hit 9 miles on the road, I was literally dying. I even doubted my sanity of entering the half marathon race. Surprisingly, the 11-miler in the following weekend turned out to be less taxing. And the 12.5-miler a week after left me with nothing but desire to keep running and complete the once intimidating 13.1-mile journey. I myself was amazed by the progress I'd made in the past six weeks.

My childhood friends all know how I struggled to pass the physical education exams every year. If I can go this far, everybody can do it. Believe in yourself, set a goal and go for it. Rome wasn't build in a day, but it is never to too late to start your new adventure. How do you know what you are capable of if you have never tried? :)

For those who are interested in the cute outfit I had (oh, I'm the one wearing a pink top and black pants in the background! I'm Asian,  not African American.)... The Lululemon base runner 1/2 zip is both functional and stylish. It breathes well and dries fast. I felt both comfortable and cute whenever I was running in it. And its front pocket is big enough for all necessities (keys, money, credit card, lip balm, moisturizer) plus a pair of gloves! And the CW-X compression tights secure my leg muscles and joints. It might explain why I did not feel any muscle sore after the race. Good stuff!

pink top: Lululemon base runner 1/2 zip
compression pants: CW-X Stabilyx tights

Travel with Beauty Essentials

出门在外，我不喜欢带很多东西，总是精简行囊。可是有些护肤品和化妆品是不能不带的。

Creme De La Mer 是我用过最好的润肤霜，我连跑半马的时候都在口袋里揣着一小瓶。旅行的时候，我不光用它擦脸，还用它当眼霜，反正够温和。

LANCÔME BI-FACIL Double Action Eye Makeup Remover 也是必不可少的。旅行的时候，我不仅用它卸眼妆，还用它卸脸上的化妆品：用棉球蘸着它先擦一遍脸，然后厚厚的涂一层酒店里的免费身体乳，再用面巾纸擦掉，彩妆就卸干净啦。

遮瑕膏是不能不带的，谁知道会不会突然长个豆豆或者被蚊子咬一口呢？我喜欢Clé de Peau Beauté concealer，颜色自然，遮盖力好，虽然贵了点，倒能用很久。BENEFIT COSMETICS Erase Paste 也不错，延展性很好，容易涂抹开，尤其适合干性皮肤。

眼影强推Urban Decay家的Naked Basics，跟Naked系列的其他盘一样颜色基本好用，但是盘子够小，容易携带。这个比我以前用的Dior 5-Colour Eyeshadow 便宜多了，好东西。Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil 或者MAC Pro Longwear Eye Liner 是我随身携带的眼线笔。Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion 和 Too Faced Shadow Insurance 都是很好的眼部打底霜，也是要走哪儿带哪儿的。

我不喜欢带巨大的腮红刷，所以旅行的时候我把NARS Multiple 当腮红用。一根大棒子可以用好久呢，而我都用了3根了。这东西还可以用来当高光啊唇膏啊什么的，功能很多。

Packing is the best time to review what makes my beauty essential. Being a minimalist and obsessed with travelling light, I always try to bring as little as possible.

For skincare products, sample size is my solution. My all-season skincare product is Creme De La Mer, I always bring it in a sample-sized jar with me, even when I was running a half marathon! It is the best moisturizer I've ever found, and it's so mild that it can also double as eye cream when I'm on the road. Well, you don't have to use La Mer. Just get your favorite skincare products in sample size and take them with you. :)

I also bring LANCÔME BI-FACIL Double Action Eye Makeup Remover (sample size) wherever I go. It is so strong that it takes off the most water-proof mascara, and so mild on the skin that I use it to remove all makeup on the face when I'm on the road. No face make-up remover is needed. I use this Lancome eye makeup remover for the first round and wipe it off. Then apply a thick layer of free body lotion (from the hotel) on my face, and wipe it off with tissue paper. Done!

Although I don't always use foundation, I do bring pressed powder with me. It's very useful for mid-day touch-up when my face gets too oily. There are a lot of brands and I haven't found anything standing out yet. Besides, I always bring a concealer with me just in case I've got a breakout or a bug bite. I really like the natural seamless coverage of this Clé de Peau Beauté concealer. It may seem pricey at the first glance, but a small tube goes a long way. A less expensive alternative is BENEFIT COSMETICS Erase Paste. It may feel a bit oily at the touch, but it spreads out effortlessly on your skin. In fact, if you have dry skin, this may work better than the expensive CPB concealer -- you might need its silky texture for a barely-there coverage.

Urban Decay Naked Palette series have got lots of acclaims from makeup gurus. However, Naked, Naked 2 and Naked 3 all come in big cases -- at least too big for my travelling purpose. Fortunately I discovered Naked Basics. Six versatile earth tone shadows that work just right. And it only costs half as the Dior 5-Colour Eyeshadow I used to carry. For eye liners, I use both Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil and MAC Pro Longwear Eye Liner. They are both great. Do they smudge? No, as long as I have the right eyeshadow primer! Both Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion and Too Faced Shadow Insurance work like magic.

Another staple in my beauty bag is NARS Multiple. As its name suggests, it serves multiple purposes: highlighter, blush, lipstick...and whatever you deem appropriate. For me, I use the multiple in Orgasm as a cream blush. With this in my purse, I no longer need to carry that big blush brush with me. It goes very smoothly on the skin. Do you know how much I love this magic stick? I am already on my third! Yes, this stick goes a long way, too.

OK. That's the list of beauty products I cannot live without when I'm travelling. I do bring other stuff with me, but they tend to shift from brand to brand. As most women in the world, I'm constantly tempted and always curious about "the next big thing". But these products have earned my loyalty. What's your beauty secret?

Photo Credit: travelingfashionista.com

Safe Hemline for Office

人人都爱长腿妹，可是你可能已经注意到我的职业装的裙子都在膝盖左右长度，有的甚至在膝盖以下。短裙显腿长，对我这种小个儿来说尤其重要，可是在办公室里却可能带来麻烦。

看看这条JCrew Emmaleigh dress，我站直的时候，裙子刚刚到膝盖上缘，并不短，可是坐下来的时候就将将盖住那些不得不盖住的部位了。姑娘们，如果你不想在办公室有出糗的危险，这个裙长差不多就是安全线啦！

我刚开始工作的时候，有一次老板叫我跟他一起去见客户，我面有难色地说：“今天不行，裙子太短了，不合适。”其实那天的裙子并不是特别短，站着的时候也就大腿中下部的样子，可是坐着的时候我得很小心。老板哈哈一笑，说：“既然知道，为什么要穿到办公室来呢？”于是我把这个教训牢记在心，绝不再让臭美之心碍我的大事啦！

We girls like showing off legs. But you might have noticed that my business dresses or skirts always hit around or even below the knees. Sure, short hemlines highlight your asset, and are especially instrumental to create a leggy image for us petite women. However, they could bring unnecessary trouble in the office.

Look at this JCrew Emmaleigh dress, one of my favorites from JCrew. It hits right above my knee caps when I stand straight, but as I sit down, it is just long enough to cover what is not supposed to get exposed. Ladies, if you don't want to risk any wardrobe malfunction in office, you probably don't want to go shorter than this.

Honestly, when I first started this job, I once made a mistake of wearing a short dress to office -- it was not insanely short, of course, but short enough to make me aware of the issue. My boss asked me to go to a client meeting with him. I looked down and said:"Sorry, sir. I can't go today. My skirt is too short for client meetings..." He laughed and asked:"Why would you wear it to office then?" Lesson learned: I will never again let my fashionista obsession get in my way. :)

dress: JCrew Emmaleigh dress
blazer: JCrew puff-sleeve blazer
belt: JCrew skinny leather belt in fuchsia
pumps: Jimmy Choo 100 mm

Stay Comfortable in Heels w/o Compromising Style

怎么才能买到又舒服又好看的高跟鞋呢？这是很多女性头疼的问题。好看的鞋子不舒服，舒服的鞋子不好看，似乎是永恒的真理，其实事情没有那么糟糕。鞋子好看不好看一眼就能看出来，好穿不好穿就有窍门了。挑选鞋子要注意以下几点：

• 材料。里外全皮最透气，皮面革底次之，全革的鞋子最好不要买。
• 鞋跟。除非你的脚很大，前后落差3寸（75毫米）左右的鞋是最好的，走起来不累，看起来还是高跟鞋的感觉。4寸（100毫米）和4寸以上的跟很少有走起来舒服的。我的大部分高跟鞋，都是落差3寸左右的，4寸的鞋也有，基本上就是出门打车进门坐下的场合才穿。
• 前脚掌。有软垫的鞋子比薄薄的前脚掌要舒服。比如Cole Haan Nike Air系列的鞋，走路就很舒服。
• 稳定性。把鞋放在一个水平面上，用手从旁边轻轻推一下，如果鞋左右晃悠老半天，穿的时候就很费力，好穿的鞋子重心应该很稳，不应该有剧烈和持续的晃动。

这些都检测以后，就可以穿上走走。别不好意思，多走几步，地毯上硬地板上都要走走，直走，拐弯，上下楼梯，都试试。这个试穿跟买车前的试车一样，很重要的，你要理直气壮不嫌麻烦。

照片上是一双非常舒服的Cole Haan air Juliana pump 75。 Cole Haan 的鞋说不上最骚，但是在同等价位里绝对是最舒服的。如果你喜欢低跟鞋的话，他家还有Cole Haan air Juliana pump 45。也不一定非买air Juliana啦，他家凡是名字里带air的鞋子都还挺舒服的。除了Cole Haan Nike Air系列，再找舒服的高跟鞋基本上就得几倍的价钱了。Taryn Rose 也挺舒服的，价格也不贵，但是样式不如Cole Haan的秀气，可选择的样式也少。 

照片上的紫色真丝衬衣来自Ralph Lauren black label，花花铅笔裙来自Elie Tahari，银色细腰带来JCrew。

We New Yorkers walk a lot. One question I keep getting from ladies is: where can I find a pair of comfortable heels that's not too ugly? It seems that style and comfort do not co-exist. This is not true.

It's easy to know whether you like the style or not at the first glance. But sometimes it's a bit tricky to tell whether you will be able to walk in this pair for hours without any foot pain. From my experience, you need to run a quick check list even before you put it on:

Material. Leather breathes better than synthetics, as a rule of thumb. If a pair has both leather upper and leather insoles, most likely you won't get a pair of sweaty cold feet after a while. Your second choice will be leather upper and synthetic insoles. I would avoid all heels labeled "faux leather" or "man-made material".

Heels. Unless you have big feet, I recommend a heel-to-toe drop of around 3 inches. I've been wearing heels for years and still find anything above 4 inches challenging. Well, I am a tiny size 5 and may have fewer options, but in general, 3-inch is the sweet spot that you can find both style and comfort.

Foot bed. Apparently cushioned food bed tends to protect each step you take. A good example is Cole Haan Nike Air series, where you have soft cushion under your balls. Other brands may not have an air cushion underneath your foot, but they should not be too thin or too hard to the touch. 

Stability. If the shoes are well made, they will stand tall and have a stable center of gravity. Put the shoe on a flat surface and push it from the side. If it swings left and right for quite a while before it stops, it will be a nightmare walking in them. Your foot has to work hard to keep your steps in line. A well made shoe shall be able to hold its center of gravity and not move side to side crazily on a light push. 

If the shoes have successfully passed all the above check points, put it on and walk. Make sure that you feel it on both carpet and hard surface. Walk for a decent distance, make turns, and, if possible, walk up and down a couple of stairs. This test walk is as important as the test drive of your new car. Take your time and don't be shy. You are entitled to check out the shoes thoroughly.

In this picture, I was wearing a pair of Cole Haan air Juliana pump 75. Cole Haan may not have the most sexy heels in the world, but it definitely offers the most comfortable pairs in its price range.  If, for whatever reason, you prefer even lower heels, Cole Haan also have low heel options such as Cole Haan air Juliana pump 45. This brand has other comfortable styles too. Just look for "air" in the product name to enjoy the cushion from Nike Air technology. Taryn Rose is another brand that offers comfortable heels that won't break your bank. But its style selection is very limited.

Dark purple silk shirt: Ralph Lauren black label
Floral pencil skirt: Elie Tahari
Silver skinny belt: JCrew

St. Patrick's Day Green

3月中旬了，今天19F，昨天62F，精神错乱就是这么搞出来的！前天穿了特别春天的一身儿，把St. Patrick's Day green 穿出来亮相了，自娱自乐一下，今天又上羽绒服了。

今年的St. Patrick's Day green来自JCrew Collection。上周25%折扣，买了这条pencil wrap skirt in photo lace。本来是打算买那条No. 2 pencil skirt in antique floral的，可是那条的布料硬邦邦的，不高级，觉得不值那个价钱。这条就好多了，微闪的面料挺括而柔软，有存在感，看起来有点小奢华的感觉，走起来面料有明暗闪动，实物比照片上好看得多。号码很正常。这个是春季新款，已经断码了，卖得相当好。

配了件白色的puff-sleeve blazer。我比较了一下schoolboy blazer in linen，schoolboy blazer是亚麻面料，穿在身上很僵很不舒服，这个要舒服得多，而且我也喜欢单扣设计，简洁明快，适合春夏。

图上的白tee是旧的，Ann Taylor LOFT家的。黄色pump是Nicholas Kirkwood，舒服又明快，非常喜欢。

JCrew家的东西，还试过几件别的。 camo sweatshirt满酷的，不过我真没啥机会穿，放下了。这双Tybee metallic slide sandals非常in，正好把握住金属镜面鞋的流行节奏，不过我的脚背有点点高，穿着不合脚，建议大家试试。几件印大字儿的tee都有点薄透，不喜欢。

Next Monday, March 17, is the St. Patrick's Day, and I will be travelling for business. For me, this is the official start of spring. After this insane winter, I just cannot wait to put on the Irish green!

I picked this year's green from JCrew Collection. Thanks to last week's 25% off promotion, I got this beautiful pencil wrap skirt in photo lace. As I mentioned in my previous post, I was drawn to JCrew by this No. 2 pencil skirt in antique floral. But when I put it on, I realized that the material was really uncomfortable -- what makes cotton/silk blend so stiff was absolutely beyond me. I may still get it later at a deeper discount, but not now. This green wrap skirt, however, looks way better than in the catalog. The material has a subtle sheen and a luxurious feel to the touch. True to size. Apparently this new arrival is running off the shelf quite fast. I'm glad I've snatched one!

This year, I also plan to update my white blazer. A nice crisp white blazer always creates a neat professional look in spring/summer, and mine is getting old. So I tried on both the schoolboy blazer in linen and the puff-sleeve blazer. The schoolboy blazer is really stiff on the body. The puff-sleeve blazer, however, has a tiny stretch, hence feels a lot more comfortable. Also I like its single button design. Sharp and neat, perfect for summer.

So here comes my St. Patrick's Day outfit: puff-sleeve blazer and pencil wrap skirt from JCrew, white tee from Ann Taylor LOFT, and yellow pumps from Nicholas Kirkwood. :)

I also tried a couple of other items in JCrew. I really liked this camo sweatshirt, but I didn't think I had many opportunities to sport it. These Tybee metallic slide sandals are quite edgy and we all know metallic mirror shoes are white hot this summer. Unfortunately they did not fit my high arched feet. I would suggest you ladies give it a try! Also tried a couple of printed tees, but they are all on the flimsy side. Not my cup of tea.

More on Plantar Fasciitis

Due to positive feedback, it may be a good idea for me to cover a little more on this topic.

First of all, PF may happen to anyone, not just runners. Anyone who's overstretched or overused his/her foot is subject to this foot injury. It happens a lot among the overweight population due to extra burden on the foot arch. Also, PF occurs a lot to people who have to stand or walk a lot on daily basis, such as nurses, cashiers and sales associates. And in my case, I'm not really a runner. It so happened that I stepped on a loose tile and overstretched my arch on my first run on the road in years! A split-second unlucky incident, and I had to use months to get out of it. Life is unpredictable. :)

At the bottom of the foot, we have this fibrous tissue called plantar fascia. When the muscles that support the arch are overstretched or overused, the arch tends to collapse and the gravity draws it downward, which in turn stretches plantar fascia. Unlike tendon, fascia has no elasticity, hence it gets torn and damaged. In short, PF is the structure damage of the overstretched fascia.

Typical early symptoms include discomfort in the foot, especially pain at the bottom of the foot, after standing, walking or running. Most people have the pain in the middle of the foot or towards the heel. But in my case, the pain was the worst on the ball, as the ball of my foot sank into the gap as the incident happened. The pain may go away after rest. But if the arch is overused constantly, the pain grows more severe and may not go away easily. As running is an intense exercise that involves many parts of your foot and leg, a tight ankle, a sore calf, a couple of numb toes, or even a minor cramp in the foot may indicate weak foot muscle or lack of ankle mobility, which may also increase the possibility of developing PF due to overcompensation of your foot muscles. Don't ignore these signals.

When I looked back, I realized that I had weak foot muscles in all these years. I do not stand in lines unless I have to, as my foot may hurt if I stand too long. That's why I've never been to a Hermes sample sale. I had this early symptom since elementary school, but I never took it seriously. As I grew up and adopted a more active life style, this condition gradually went away. -- Maybe I should try a Hermes sample sale? --But, as most people, I always work out my big muscle groups and have totally forgotten those little ones that hold the foot arch in shape.

To prevent PF, you'd better strengthen your foot muscles and improve ankle mobility. Now that I've tasted the bitterness of PF, I always do the following stretches after each workout, being it running, cycling, or weight lifting. They are also helpful in PF recovery. (Photo credit: here.) 

Footwear is also important. I always like soft ballet flats and I've been working out in 4mm drop minimalist sneakers for over a year. Apparently they are not good for PF recovery. I need solid arch support from hard shoes and traditional sneakers. These days I run in my good old Asics Gel Cumulus. So glad that I didn't trash it last year. This video explains what kind of shoes you should wear. As I mentioned before, Superfeet insoles also offer nice arch support. 

Finally, I cannot over-emphasize the importance of rest I rested two weeks after the injury and the symptoms were gone. So I hit the road again, but after two miles, my foot hurt so much that I could barely walk. I took a cab home -- always bring $20 with you when you are on the road; you never know when and how you will need it. I didn't step on a treadmill until another four weeks later. Even now, I do not run every day. I only had one long run over the weekend. During the week, I only had cross training such as cycling, swimming and weight lifting. I plan to rest my foot for months in the second half of the year. Absolutely no speed work until after my long rest. My advice is: Rest. When you resume training, start with relatively short distance on treadmills. Run slowly. Don't run long distance or hit the road until your foot is used to the workload. Rest and stretch between long runs.  

Hope this helps. Happy running!

Statement Accessories & Clashing Colors

概要

上次我们讨论了怎么穿撞色。今天谈谈另外一个撞色的小技巧：除了使用中间色以外，配饰在撞色中也非常重要。

一般说来，穿撞色的时候配饰要尽量简单。除非你品味超群，最好少用亮晶晶的吸引眼球的配饰，因为那样就看起来太busy了。用一两个大号的能增强整体感的手镯　项链或者耳环可能会是个好主意。

比如这身打扮里面，resin的大项链(Anthropologie)就非常重要，里面既有上衣(Free People)的珊瑚红，也有裤子(JCrew)的绿色 ，能够把不搭边的上下两件拧在一起，于是整体感就出来了。

题外话，我发现Anthropologie家的配饰挺不错的，建议大家有空经常看看。


We talked about how to wear clashing colors last time. Today I'm here to show another important tip to make clashing colors work together. Besides neutral colors, statement accessories are also instrumental in creating a harmonious outfit of clashing colors.

When you wear clashing colors, you'd better keep your jewelry simple, just as I did in my red+green post. Unless you are really confident about your taste, you'd better keep "bling blings" (shiny diamonds / CZ / rhinestone accessories) to a minimum. They tend to create distraction and noise in your overall look. Instead, pick one piece of large chunky bracelet / necklace or one pair of chunky earrings that blends in and provides a sense of continuity through the clashing colors.

Take a look at this outfit: I used a chunky resin necklace (Anthropologie) that has both coral and green that united the coral top (Free People) and green shorts (JCrew) and created a continuous look in the outfit.

BTW I find Anthropologie has a good collection of unusual accessories. Keep an eye on it! :)

Plantar Fasciitis Product Review

My left foot is improving remarkably. I ran 12.5 miles last Saturday on the road without being bothered by plantar fasciitis (PF). Besides traditional R.I.C.E (rest, ice, compression, elevation), I've tried quite a few treatments, including some products easily available to general public. So here is my review of these products.

Before I move into the product review. I have to say icing is especially important. After each and every run, I sandwiched my foot with two ice packs, one on top and one on bottom, fastened with a rubber band. I could feel a pulsing burning sensation in the nerve running all the way up to my hip, which diminished gradually as the icing progressed. If you have PF, icing your injured foot immediately after injury and along recovery is the most cost-efficient and effective treatment.

With proper icing, you may also consider using these products to expedite your recovery. Click on the links below to see where I bought mine.

Massage ball. PF is caused by structural breakdown of plantar fascia, the thick fibrous band that supports the arch of the foot, due to overstretch or over training. Massaging helps a lot in recovery. I started massaging my foot with a golf ball whenever possible. That soreness vanished in a couple of days and I upgraded to a more professional foot massage ball. My foot felt a huge relief after each use. Strongly recommended.

Night splint. Night splint is another good treatment to your injured foot. It helps to keep your arch in the right position in bed. I experimented sleeping with and without my night splint. As you may know, PF is most severe in the morning. If I slept without it I would wake up with a stiff ankle and a sting in the heel. Wearing a night splint significantly reduced the morning symptom. Strongly recommended.

Superfeet insoles. I learned about this from a youtube video on PF. It turned out to be very helpful. I put it into my everyday boots, and walking immediately became pain free. It is sold both on Amazon and Zappos, but I got mine from a Paragon local store. The reason is Superfeet has different insoles that give you different level of support. You have to try them in your own shoes to see which one works for your foot. Recommended.

Compression sock. This is the most expensive gear I got for my PF problem. I won't say it's useless. In fact I may use it in my race to help my arch stay in shape. That said, it's not very comfortable if you wear it for a long time, say overnight. It is so tight that it cut blood circulation. I won't endorse it without any reservation.

Sport tape. Sport tape may be the first aid you will get if you see a podiatrist for PF. You can easily get a tape from a drug store and tape it yourself by following instructions on youtube. It worked as a compression sock in the first a couple of weeks, holding your foot arch in shape without cutting circulation. As your foot condition improves, you may want to rip off the tape and train your foot gradually to get used to walking and running again. Still, I find it useful in the early stage of recovery. So I recommend it.

Foot rocker. This toy helps to relieve PF by increasing ankle mobility. Not as direct a cure to PF, but definitely works in the long run. Recommended.

BTW here is the best video I've seen in this topic. Check it out if you want to learn more!

NYC Half Marathon next Sunday! Run, Forrest, Run!

Photo credit: http://www.regency-clinic.co.uk/

TGIF: Bring Your Sweatshirt to Office

概要

我爱卫衣！它们柔软舒适保暖，能洗能烘好伺候。可是，大部分卫衣都是＂小孩子＂和＂运动服＂的代名词，怎么把它们穿到办公室来呢？今天分享一个我在办公室蒙混过关的打扮。其实核心就一条：你得把它弄得象毛衣。

首先，你得找合适的卫衣。AF那种一般都不好过关但是JCrew和Theory都有比较成熟简洁的款式。图上是JCrew 2013年的款式。这件Theory和这件JCrew也不错，看起来没有那么运动，穿起来长长大大的，象宽松毛衣。我一般避免买紧袖口紧下摆的款式 (like this)，也避免胸口有大字儿特别六一的款式。JCrew有时侯玩些花样，但是并不总成功。比如这件看起来挺高大上的，可是实物很让人失望，白色衬衣太薄，跟卫衣的厚实各种不搭。还有这个带金属色三角的，那些三角质量很差，跟撒在新娘新郎身上的金属色碎屑差不多。还有那些带jacquard字样的卫衣，都各种廉价感，通通不建议。总是往宽松简单里买最保险了。

然后，你得用一些更正式的配件来打扮这件卫衣，让它也沾点阳春白雪的气味。这里我穿的是JCrew No. 2 pencil skirt in double serge wool和Dolce Gabbana 尖头鞋。为了使整个look不过于沉重，加了一条Stellar McCartney项练和一双猫咪绣花的丝袜。

大功告成，蒙混过关啦～

I'm a big fan of sweatshirts. They are comfortable and warm. A quick swirl in the washer and drier puts them back to shape. No iron, no steam and no dry clean. Plus they set me into weekend mood. That's why I always want to sport it on Fridays and break away from my business routine. We all know 99% of straight men are fashion illiterate anyway. If my honey mistook tortoise as animal print, chances are my male senior managers won't be able to tell a sweatshirt from sweater, as long as I style it the right way. The fact is, I've sneaked a couple of sweatshirt outfits into office successfully. Once I even got a compliment from a senior manager:"Nice sweater!"

The key is making your sweatshirt looks more or less sweater-ish. :) 

It may be hard for traditional sweatshirts or hoodies from Abercrombie to make a pass in office. However a more matured one from either JCrew or Theory could fool quite a few pairs of less scrutinized eyes. The one in the picture is from JCrew 2013 collection. This Theory piece and this JCrew one are also on the less sporty side with their long loose body. I would avoid those with ribbed hem & cuffs  (like this), or with big letters/patterns that scream "high school". JCrew sometimes challenges interesting combos, but unfortunately it does not always work. For example, this one has a very dressed-up feel, but its thin cotton does not go well with the thick sweatshirt material. Also, these metallic triangles look so plastic in reality. I would also avoid any "jacquard" sweatshirts from JCrew. They look cheap. Anyway, stay simple and loose.

Now you need to dress it up by pairing it with more business appropriate pieces. Here I paired it with JCrew No. 2 pencil skirt in double serge wool and Dolce Gabbana black pumps. To add a bit fun, I used a pair of embroidered stockings (see that cute kitty on my left ankle?) and a Stellar McCartney necklace. Treat your sweatshirt like a sweater, and it will look like a sweater at the first glance! :)  

Stuck with My Down Coat for Too Loooooong!

概要

今年冬天无比漫长，一直都在穿羽绒服，真是腻味死了。。。今年买了件Burberry Brit Fletch Leigh Belted Down Coat，倒是很合身好看的，但是质量好差哦，老是往外冒毛，估计穿到明年就不剩几根毛了。非常不推荐！Burberry家的式样好，我买过好多他家的东西，但是明显的不会做羽绒服，羽绒服还是买Moncler更合适。。。里面穿的是Catherine Malandrino的羊绒毛衣裙，好多年了，快退役了，留个念。鉴于本人铁架上把大腿前后都练得很生猛，大腿侧面肌肉发达，就不露全腿吓唬大家乐。。。脚上穿的是上次推荐的DV by Dolce Vita Malika Boots ，蛮酷的吧？就是本大妈腿短，穿平跟鞋美不起来，认命啦~


I woke up this morning and checked the temperature: 17F. Are we really in March? This is insane... I've been in down coats for too long!

Anyway, I got this Burberry Brit Fletch Leigh Belted Down Coat this winter. It has a very slim fit and looks better than my Moncler. The only thing is that it's not very well made. I see white down sticking out here and there almost every day. I wonder whether it can still keep me warm next winter if it keeps losing down like this. I guess I will get a new one anyway. And I will go back to Moncler. Burberry doesn't know how to make high quality down coats. :)

Paired it with the DV by Dolce Vita Malika Boots I recommended last time. See the difference between heels and flats? Flats make my legs look short and big... -_-!!!

A peek at my green cashmere sweater dress from Catherine Malandrino, bought many seasons ago. Is St. Patrick's Day around the corner?

When East Meets West (4): Red Farm

概要

Red Farm 严格说起来不算中国菜，是个fusion餐馆。如果你吃腻了唐人街千篇一律的dim sum，到这里来尝试一下新口味还是不错的。

这家餐馆坐落在west village，装修成纯朴的乡村风格，价格却绝对是west village的价格，不便宜的，绝对的扮猪吃老虎。餐馆中间一张大木桌子很是显眼，顾客群年轻嬉皮，气氛轻松快活。这家用料相当讲究，是唐人街的便宜餐馆不能比的。至于菜么，既有比较地道的中国口味的，也有照顾美式西餐的，就不好说了。我倒是不反对中餐不断的创新和改良，老吃同样的菜也怪腻味的，对不对？我尝试过的菜有几个：

• Shu Mai Shooters 用料讲究，货真价实的鲜贝，比唐人街的假鲜贝做的烧卖要鲜美多了。
• Crab & Eggplant Bruschetta 是很不错的创新，蟹肉放在炸茄子上面，而不是面包片上面，口感上形成有趣的对比。
• Pork buns 外面的面皮蓬松，里面的红烧肉绵软，入口即化，非常好吃。
• Pastrami egg roll 和 Spicy Crispy Beef 都比较偏美国人的口味。.

I hesitated quite a bit before I wrote down the name of Red Farm. It’s not completely Chinese cuisine. It’s the so called fusion. However, if you are tired of those run-off-the-mill dim sums and want some creative experiments, this is THE place to go. Plus, the location and service is hard to beat.

As its name suggests, Red Farm is an unpretentious farmhouse that attempts to deliver green market sensibility. Its wooden communal table, boisterous young crowd, no-reservation policy and one-page menu all echo that long passed old age when every ingredient was fresh and organic. Fusion concepts are always filled with potential pitfalls, but Red Farm’s cooking style is playful and fresh. It serves both spicy crispy beef as an upgrade from the orange crispy beef you find in any Americanized Chinese chain, and pork buns that all real Chinese will die for. I’m a true believer of evolution. If we human beings have evolved in intelligence, knowledge, technology and life style, so should our culinary skills and recipes. I’m always open to new experience and ideas.

In Red Farm, any dish could be a miss or hit, depending on your own taste and acceptance to changes. I personally like the idea of the following:

Shu Mai Shooters win by its quality ingredient. You get a piece of real scallop in each shu mai, which is hard to find in Chinatown dim sum places. Besides, the delicate taste of mushroom and the warm broth reveals the sophisticated layers of flavor and the level of details you cannot find in traditional shu mai dishes.

Crab & Eggplant Bruschetta screams innovation. The buttery tender crab on top of the crispy tempura eggplant is an interesting play of texture. 

Pork buns? Oh, heavenly. The buns come as soft as a down pillow and the pork melts right in your mouth magically.  

Pastrami egg roll is a true fusion between the east and the west. Try it and let me know how you like it. It’s not really my thing, but my western friends went nuts about it. So did the Spicy Crispy Beef. These two signature dishes are too far reach for me. 

Finally, don’t get fooled by its rustic style. this cozy and intimate farmhouse is definitely on the pricey side. You pay for the west village experience and creative new recipe. I hope you will find the experiment worth the cost. J

Address: 529 Hudson St., New York, NY 10010
Telephone: 212 792 9700

Foodie Chat (3): Ocean Grill

Ocean Grill was the first restaurant I tried in this year's restaurant week. My BFF got a promotion. We had a little celebration in this seafood restaurant tucked way in UWS, and ordered from their restaurant week lunch menu.

The restaurant was spacious. Its decor had nothing to write home about, but had both a neighborhood charm and an upscale feel. As the meal went on and customers gradually filled the tables around us, I noticed that the crowd was relatively old compared to the chic places I frequent in Chelsea and Gramercy. Our waiter was warm, friendly, patient with my BFF's one-year old, and at the same time, smart enough to stay at arm length. We felt very much at home in this place.

I started with Port Poached Barlett Pear Salad. It tasted as if the leaves were just picked out of their backyard upon my order. Yes, THAT FRESH. All my other friends ordered Oyster Sampler and they loved it. Classic Seafood Cioppino was a little disappointing in that the linguine was overcooked, just like pasta in 90% of NYC restaurants. That is why I rarely eat pasta in this city. They are so beaten for so long in the boiling water that they've lost all their spongy liveliness before being presented absolutely dead on the table, with pores wide open and pupils diluted. I find it outrageous. Dude, if you don't know what is "al dente", you should simply NOT cook pasta! My BFF, however, prefers soft noodles. So she fell in love with it. That said, I have to admit the sauce was flawless. Simple tomato based red wine sauce with shell fish and hake. Full of flavor. I also had a bite or two of the Lemon Tart. It was OK.

I have to start a new paragraph to emphasize this: for some reason, their regular coffee was incredibly strong! I don't know whether it was the beans, the machine, or something else went wrong that day. It was not drinkable. I had to man-up before taking each sip. My BFF had to order another cup of decaf and it went well. So I guess it was the beans? That coffee definitely left some bitter taste that lingers till today.

If I live in this neighborhood, I can see myself coming back to Ocean Grill, maybe quite often. I'm charmed by its simple recipe, quality ingredients, warm service, neighborhood ambiance and glossy crowd. But I will stay away from any pasta and regular coffee. Its raw bar, especially the extensive oyster selection, seems quite interesting.

Address: 384 Columbus Ave., New York, NY 10024
Telephone: 212 579 2300

Oscar's Fairyland

昨晚的Oscar的主要奖项没有什么惊喜，红毯之上却可谓仙气逼人。很多明星选择了温柔浪漫的礼服，长裙款款，飘飘欲仙。

Cate Blanchett就是优雅的化身。她的Giorgio Armani裸色礼服缀满亮闪闪的装饰，显得华丽而不俗。

Kate Hudson的银色beaded Versace简洁修身，尽显资本又不失高贵。

还有新晋影帝的老婆，妈妈米亚，这个淡粉色的礼服太美丽太高贵了！She stole the show! 为毛不是美女上台领奖和讲话呢？？？

而我最爱的是Lipita Nyong’o的月白色Prada，款式简洁而复古，她身材单薄，百褶裙更衬出纤纤细腰，配上亮闪闪的细发带，宛如仙境中的小公主。深刻领会到ethereal这个词的意义。谁说平胸就不能穿深V领了？

我也喜欢Amy Adams的超简洁深蓝色Gucci，Jennifer Lawrence 的无敌气场红色 Dior， Anne Hathaway 的黑色studded Gucci，不过今年的Oscar的确是浪漫柔色的天下，是不是大家都在渴望迟来的春天呢？

Wardrobe Staples for Business Woman

Ladies, assume that 1) you work in an industry that requires business attire or business casual, 2) every morning you have only two minutes to pull out something from your closet and get dressed, and 3) you want to look professional and neat. How are you going to build an efficient wardrobe from scratch to minimize your daily morning headache? By "efficient", I mean hustle-free, budget-friendly, and space-economic. The last element is especially important for those who live in tiny Manhattan apartments. We need the ability to mix & match and create as many outfits from limited pieces as possible. How can we achieve this and avoid the common always-one-piece-short syndrome?

The lesson I learned from my experience is: stay with basics and play with colors. I find that simple classic streamlined styles usually go a long way and tend to mix easily with each other. The combination has no limit. On the other hand, I'd like to use colors to break the routine and add some personality to the outfit. Neutral hues are classic and nice. I simply cannot live in a colorless world every day.

Today I'm going to use JCrew's website to show how I would start a closet for my business life from scratch. The reason I picked JCrew is that they offer a lot of classic pieces in all colors that may last for many years. Also their sales prices could be incredible for that cut and material. I'm not affiliated with JCrew and I believe there are many other brands that fall into your budget range, Banana Republic, Ann Taylor, Club Monaco, Zara, Theory, DVF, to name a few. I receive JCrew catalog every month and personally own quite a few pieces (sometimes several colors in the same/similar style). This is the brand I'm familiar with. So I will use it for illustration purpose.

Shirts. Honestly I do not own any JCrew shirts due to the fit. I find 00 too tight in the chest and 0 too loose in the waist. So I cannot give any personal recommendations on their shirts. That said, I'd suggest to stay with simple styles like this one. Get a couple of crisp cotton ones in different colors. The brand doesn't matter; what matters is the fit. You want neither a peek-a-boo in the chest nor hanging extra fabric in the waist. Meanwhile you may want to get a couple in silk and/or in patterns (like stripes, dots, or small floral prints). JCrew silk shirts are a little on the flimsy side, but the patterned ones could be interesting, especially if you plan to layer it under solid color sweaters, cardigans, or jackets. Fancy tops like this one should be introduced only after you have a decent collection of basics. They are nice, but not in urgent need.

Tees. As I said in my previous post, perfect-fit ballet button tee is my favorite. I simply love its material. I also have perfect-fit in tanks and long sleeves. They make nice layering pieces under almost everything: no bulging, no see-through, and curve-friendly. I will stay away from the "vintage cotton" series. The material is flimsy and semi see-through. I don't think it will stand many washes. Honestly even without a single wash, I'm afraid that it may rip any time any where.    

Sweaters and cardigans. I own several Tippi sweaters. It's semi fitted. I can either wear it alone or over a collared shirt. I like its preppy style, wide color selection, and of course, nice sales price. For cardigans, both Jackie cardigan and Tippie cardigan can do the job. They go nicely with both pants and dresses. Get them in multiple colors if you tend to wear a lot of cardigans at work. If you prefer longer styles, this long cardigan is also very versatile. In summer, long cardigan + hot shorts makes a nice effortless yet sexy weekend look.

Skirts. A well-fitted pencil skirt is the killer in office, IMHO. Polished, feminine and sharp. For me, No. 2 pencil skirt is a must-have. I have multiple in double serge wool and all colors. -- I will avoid any pencil skirts in cotton or linen. They wrinkle easily and look miserable by lunch time. -- After that, get it in prints. I can't tell you how much I'm in love with this one. When is the next JCrew sales? Anyone?

Dresses. Emmaleigh dress, Gwen dress or Bridget dress is the first dress I would add to my closet. In fact, I already have three Emmaleigh, one Gwen and one Bridget. Those styles are so simple that people won't notice that you are wearing the same style in different colors! That makes mix-match effortless. This short sleeved number is not bad either. I have it in grey. You may gradually add scallops, laces, pipes, color blocks, or fancy sleeves into your collection after you've done with the basics, but don't go overboard. These fancy styles go in and out of fashion pretty quickly. And the even sadder truth is, you may change your heart even faster.

Blazers. Start with solid conservative color and quality materials, like this Schoolboy jacket. Build a decent collection with different colors, length and material. I have four (in wool & velvet, short & long, and different colors). Don't splurge on fancy ones like this until you're done with your basics. They may be stylish, but could appear too loud in some occasions. You may have one or two fancy pieces for fun, but they are not wardrobe staples we are discussing here.

Pants. Oh, I don't have any pants from JCrew either. Black, grey, beige. Wide leg, straight leg, slim leg. There is really not much to write about. A pair of nice fitted pant goes a long way, and it may come from any brand.

OK. That's all I have. "That's really boring!" You may scream. No one says no. But that's just a starting point. Over time you will add more interesting items to it. Meanwhile, use accessories to spice up!

The picture was taken in 2012 when I got this new pencil skirt. Both the top and the pencil skirt are from JCrew. And, yes! This is the same pencil skirt I used in my previous post. See how much relief you may get from a nice pencil skirt? Just in case you are interested, the top is called Painter Boatneck Tee. Nice fit and material. But I won't buy more since the buttons on the shoulder won't stay closed.

Finally, it may be a good idea to find a professional tailor in your neighborhood. I always go to the tailor to have waist taken in and sleeve shortened if needed. See how I pulled the pencil skirt from behind in the picture? I took it to the tailor and fixed the waist the next day. I think at least 50% of my professional look comes from the tailor, not the manufacturer. :)