Why Hello Sexy Beast

Exciting things to come in my crazy mind.

Art Geek and Fashion Freak: NYC Edition

Dear world of infinite possibilities,

Hello. I am alive and well (minus the bloody scrapes on my heels... sacrificing fashion for comfort? I don't know...my feet need to be kept in tip-top condition if I want to last in this city.) I know I am liar for saying that I would revive my blog, but how can you revive a zombie? The energy and time I used to have for this poor baby is just gone, but I wanted to give you people out there (those who still read and those who are spamming on my comments with chinese words that I cannot understand even though I'm Chinese. I'm pretty sure it's something vulgar.. but innocence is bliss) a chance to see what's up with Lala.

So I have graduated and moved from west to east. I'm finally living in Manhattan in one of the trendiest neighborhoods and attending one of the best fashion schools in the world. It's funny how life is so unpredictable. Going from one field to another and never really knowing where you'll end up. I like life that way the best.

It's been a whirlwind of craziness since my blog took it's slow decline into oblivion. Perhaps I craved the craziness over blogging. Having priorities suck, don't you agree? Anyways, I have graduated and am attempting to enter the gates into adulthood. I think my shoe got stuck on some gum somewhere so I'm still taking awhile getting there, but boy does it smell close and I'm not sure if it's a pleasant smell I'm smelling or an unpleasant one. I don't want to be all deep and sentimental because I'm rather shallow (yes I did just insult myself) so I won't be all deep and sentimental because I'm tired.

I'm in a one year fashion design program. It's only the second week into the semester and I did not get back to my lovely crooked floor apartment until nearly 1:00 AM. Of course the subway screw ups and a mini midnight dinner to McDonalds prevented me from getting home before the next day, but it was all good. Being in NY makes me realize how badly I want to succeed and to carve myself somewhere in the world. I want people to know me or at least know my company. I want people to worship the ground I walk on and get tattoos of my name over their bodies. Okay maybe not... but yes, NYC I believe is the place that young people who are full of ambition conglomerate to pursue their dreams. Hopefully I stay as optimistic as I am right now a few weeks later. I've been told my optimism is a west coast thing. Oh west coast, you can never be replaced in my heart.

It's my third week in the city and it's been surreal. It's hard to make myself understand that I am actually living-living here and not just traveling abroad and fooling around like I did in good ole Milan days. There's so much to see and so much to absorb. I feel like I need to become mega sponge. But then again sponges ain't too cute so maybe not... (that was an example of my shallowness).

I miss writing. I miss my incorrect grammar. I miss posting pictures of myself for the whole world to see and then having my sister call it ugly. I've been meaning to do more daily posts of my outfits but 1) my camera is hard to focus with self-timer 2) there are so many other great stylish bloggers out there that I really can't compare and 3) I feel like I have become unstylish as of late. But still I will try my best because all the sweet emails and comments I get make me smile. And yes I do get them even if I haven't been the best at responding... sorry. You can smack me in the face if you ever run into me sometime.

I should sleep. It's 3:35 am. I just wanted to type some words on my laptop and this was the perfect outlet. Killing two birds with one stone. Everyone wins.

Goodnight from nyc. My room has no windows so I can't tell you about the sparkly lights. But perhaps you can just close your eyes and imagine it with me.

Revival?

Lala the art geek, Graduated? Off to NY in a few months. Holy. Cowbells. Time flies by so fast. no?

Look for a resurgence in blog posts now that I have nothing much to do over the summer.

A New Calling in Life?

Apparently, my claim to fame will not be fashion.

The Manllow buzz has started. Now I just need to figure out what to do.

Is any publicity always good publicity? haha

Buzz 1

Buzz 2

Buzz 3

Buzz 4

The stress of growing up...
like putting on a pair of heels while standing up.

Weekend.

I'm on the cobrasnake? Seriously? This weekend couldn't be more awesome.

Link. hehe.

It's a Goodbye Guys.

I've found my true calling in life as a plumber.

Today I discovered new talents I never knew I had such as how to unclog a toilet and what to do in a moment of crisis when your bathroom becomes a lake for poop fish to swim (sorry for the graphic imagery).

Goodbye fashion.





Just kidding. But you didn't actually believe me right? Or did you...

Cuz I'm Cleaning Out my Closet... with a little update of Lala's world.

Greetings chicos and chicas. So yes, I am cleaning out my closet and I have a ton of things I need to get rid of. Actually, I would totally keep some of these things just because they make me smile like a clown but alas I am low on the moolah and if I plan to get through my upcoming China trip eating things other than rice, I need to sell sell sell!! A recent realization that I have credit card bills has also forced me to re-examine the things I buy. Sigh.

So here is where you come in! Buy buy buy!!! There are some gem items here, my favorites are the sequined pieces. That hot pink full body sequin dress is totally my dream outfit for my Vegas trip but sadly with the reasoning powers that be my sister and friends she says that it is impractical in my everyday life so I should sell. Sigh. If only I were a showgirl. I could wear that dress and maybe star in that movie too! Nomi watch out! I may be pushing you down a flight of stairs the next time.

If anyone got that reference. Congrats. You have now been accepted into the hall of coolness. I have a thing for tacky movies. And tacky things. But we already knew that.

So yes, please do bid. And if you find a repulsion to these outfits, maybe just imagine that I'm not wearing them. I would rather be the reason for your disgust than the actual clothing itself. I'm really desperate to sell as you can see.

I think have over 25 things up for bid and almost all start at 9.99. And with the economy these days people aren't bidding. So as sad as it may be for me but as good as it may be for you, you could probably win these babies for only $9.99.

Click here to start shopping!

Now if you're still reading this, I'm assuming that you were not completely annoyed by my shameless self promotion. Thank you for your attention span. I appreciate it greatly. So now on to the tales of my life in lalaland- where adventures are so magical that you just might pee in your pants.

Life is full of thinking these days - thinking with a mixture of bumming around. It feels like my last summer summer as in the last summer before I have to get an actual job and work the hours like an "adult." The word brings shivers to my spine. I've been hanging out with friends and just enjoying life. Although I'm a bit afraid that I'm not really doing "anything" I will not take for granted the simple acts of just having fun.

My latest fun adventure was a trip to the beach. In my world, my adventures always seem to be a little bit screwed up. Nothing is ever normal when you travel with me and my homies. Hehe. Homies. I'm so ghetto fab now it's almost scary. So yes, the beach it was last Friday. I drove. By myself! Props to me. But that was the easy part. Now I had to parallel park. And I just couldn't do it despite the generous amount of room I had. I had my friend help direct me but even then I was still unable to get to the side. Hall of parallel parking shame for sure. The street wasn't some quiet side street, it was a pretty busy street. People passing through the PCH drive through that street so I felt the pressure. About ten minutes in my friend pointed to some guys looking at us and I got even more embarrassed. What makes me most embarrassed is when people see me embarrassed. With my I-will-not-be-defeated attitude I attempted again. Fail. Round 8.

All of the sudden in my side mirror I see the guy coming over.

He goes. "Here. Let me do it." Actually he didn't say anything but his face just said it all. Fail. Round 9.

And with a twist of his wrists, he steers my car in. Perfectly.

I thanked him graciously and thanked him that he did not steal my car or kidnap busababe for she was in the car with him.

So we made it to the beach. But before the real beaching began we encountered other problems like witnessing a pedophile run away, having seagulls eat our tortilla chips, and realizing I left my blinkers on the whole time.

The water was worth it though. So win. Round 1.

My latest adventure has got me thinking about the things I love most. One of them is spending time with the coolest friends ever. Sometimes I like to reflect on these little things and it just makes me smile inside. Discovering Susan Boyle as my new hero (I know, a bit late jumping on the bandwagon. Hey what can I say, I can't catch up to such a fast moving vehicle) also makes me smile on the inside.

Other developments in lalaland have been trying to relaunch lalaliu.com which is taking a lot longer than expected. Grand opening 2009? Psh. Try 2010. I'm working hard to create inventory but little things like beach trips or Susan Boyle come up out of the blue and distract me from these other goals. Blogging has also been on the downlow too. But once again I just want to thank all those people who still read. You are the Susan Boyle to the Lala's happiness.

That did not make any sense.

Whatever.

I need to sleep because lately I've turned into an owl. So away to dream land I go. Dream land also makes me smile on the inside.

Take care kids.

Oh yah. And bid/buy.

Suburbian Summer.

Summer time means time for deep thoughts.

♥ Inspiration collection agency.
♥ Ruffles & obnoxious headbands.
♥ LalaLiu for reals.
♥ Life for reals.
♥ School & job.
♥ China, Korea, Japan.
♥Un-fail july fourth BBQ.
♥ True Blood & Weeds.

Really Unleashing It All.

I fail at updating this blog. Okay. Moving on.

The past few posts having been about unleashing it all. Well, I got the theme from the title of this years fashion show theme "Unleased." Yep. There's the answer to the mystery all you readers have been pondering about for hours. (I just like to think that my blog is all you guys think about. It helps feed my narcissistic ego).

So I "unleashed" it all this year for my fashion show. Okay, I'm a bit sick of typing out that word over and over again. I did 12 pieces this year, four mens, and started basically three months later than last year. The week before the show I was up every night till three in the morning but if this is what passion is, then I am definitely passionate because I would not trade it for anything. But this post is not about my show. This brief paragraph is just to explain or give an excuse for my lack of updates.

This post is about something else entirely. Undie run.

At my school we have a tradition that during the Wednesday of finals week each quarter. Students come together and run a brief course around campus in their undies. A bit pervy? Why yes. But fun nonetheless especially when one is a little over elated due to certain substances that alter the brain and one's emotions. Men and women, fat and skinny, dark and pale come out to celebrate and release the stress each quarter by running around in boxers, boy shorts, bras, and dear lord, socks. They run around care free uninhibited by their nearly nude attire. For the past two years I have stayed inside, fully clothed, and criticizing the point of undie run - "why isn't this just a great excuse for guys to see girls dressed all skimpy or isn't it just sexual assault waiting to happen?". That was then.

This last quarter I, Lala, donned my sequined bra that I picked up in a flea market in Milan (my roomie chose the red satin bra with white feathers) and my trusty ole south park boxers and ran around campus like all the other undie runners that I had once criticized. I titled this post "Really Unleashing it All" because literally and figuratively I did. I have never thought of myslef as having a great body. In my happy moods and perhaps after running four miles I would see myself as having a good body at most. Other times it would be decent or average but never would I see myself as someone who would be brave enough to wear anything not covering my tummy or my thighs. I'm not the type of girl who wears bikinis. When I go to the beach with my friends I cover my suit up with a giant tee and shorts. Perhaps it was the conservatism I grew up with in my family or just the fact that I was not comfortable enough with my body to wear something so revealing. But this time with my undie run experience, I was ready. I think I have finally reached to point in my life that I really love my body and appreciate the way I look (although morning mirror scares are still common) that I was able to for that one hour to be free with myself and not care what other people think.

It has been a slow process to loving my own physical appearance. But I think I finally have and it has been the most "unleashing" experience ever. I used that word again. Oops.

If you see my photos, you know that I am not a model figure. In the world of fashion blogging out there, I know that I cannot compare to some of the people out there. I have calves that would make Achilles proud and a bouncy stomach that would mirror the movement of jello. But that's okay. I like to describe my body as womanly with athletic potential (even though I aint no athlete by any means).

In this process I have grown the self esteem to be confident in what I wear. But I have never really been confident in what I had going on underneathe what I was wearing. Being able to look in the mirror nude or almost need is sometimes the hardest thing to look at ever. Something has changed in me this past year. I turned 21 so yes technically I am a fully legal and "mature woman" now but it was something more. Perhaps it was my experience away from everything I knew or just a combination of all these different events that happened this year. But something has changed and it has been for the better.

So that night when I was out on the field in my undies and staring up at the stars (okay I didn't really but it just helps with the message of this post), I realized that I am beautiful and wonderful just the way I am.

I didn't quite realize it then and there because of all the shocking things that I was seeing around me but I didn think those thoughts that night when I went to sleep.





P.S I am a traitor to the anti-mainstream-establishment. I went to the mall for 4 hours. In normal Socal mall wearing gear. and Enjoyed it. terribly.

Pictures are louder than words: What have I been up to

Nerding it up
(with my new fake glasses from Buffalo Exchange's $1 Sale)





Mannequin as my third roommate




Utilizing my 21 year old privileges with a butterfly on my head.

Woah.

The art geek and fashion freak turns 21.

oh. sh.t.

What has been consuming my life.

Dun. Dun. Dun.

Yes, it's that season again. Fashion show season and this year I foolishly decided to do a 12 piece collection with four menswear pieces. Huh.

I'm turning old in three days. It's a mixture of happiness and sadness. Like when you over eat something really yummy. Like it's really good when you eat it but then you realize you will need to spend the next three days in the gym.

Fashion show + work + internship + sleepiness + oh yah school = a very tired me.

Step One

Hair dye party. Success.

I may not be an Ariel, but a Lala will do just as well.

It's nearing the end of a beginning...

It's 10:44 PM. My head is dry and itchy because I haven't showered in two days. Gross, I know. My fingers are cracking due to the dry weather and my sheer lack of motivation to put on some lotion. Gross again, I know. My book on The Wealth and Poverty of Nations is waiting to be read and filled up with redundant post-it notes.

I can't study. I can't concentrate. All I can do right now at this moment in time is blog about my sudden realization that my 4 month experience in this new and completely different environment is coming to a close. But it is one of those feelings that leaves you with a contradictory state of sadness and inspiration. If my feeling were translated to a facial expression: my lips would be curled in a slight smile and my eyes staring off into a space of memories and experiences.

So right now, instead of doing the massive amounts of studying that I should be doing, I am typing out what I should have written down in a diary or whatnot. I wasn't going to do a post about my studying abroad experience until the very end when I actually got back home but right now I'm in the mood for a little self-reflection. I know it must be a major disappointment that my once in a month post ends up being non-fashion related but I must say that fashion can take a ride in the backseat when it comes to selfish self reflection posts. Bear with me?

Many times it doesn't feel like I am in a different continent at all. Sure the languages, the weather and the lack of the oh so Californian flip flop and hoodie combo remind myself that I am not where I belong, but for some weird reason, I feel like I belong. I have surprised myself at how easily I was able to open up, to befriend friends that seem like such a different crowd from my lovely buddies back at home, to not feel the slightest bit home-sick, to actually socialize and move past my anti-social angst. Have I changed? Or have I been like this all along but I was not able to realize it?

Being here and being independent for the first time has made me realize how much I want to accomplish for myself. These past months have really been a self discovery as cliche as it may sound. I felt like I have been living in a white cube for a long time and now I've finally have the guts to open this box I've created and see the rainbow world outside. And you know me. I love rainbow.

As sad as I am to leave in 27 days, in a way I am happy to go back as wiser girl/woman. I am happy to go back and be able to make chicken noodle soup without having to open a Campbell's can. I am happy to see my friends and share my stories. I am happy to go back and live in rainbow.

It's only the beginning for me.

*end of random rant. Must shower now, itchy, dandruff filled heads cannot wait.*

Hm.

My mom says I got fat.

wonderful.

I think my blog is dying.

For now that is.

We'll see when I get back to reality in two months.

Until then, see you in dreamland.

Sometimes...

you just got to stop, soak it in, and just smile.

I am the Dreamer.

What happens to your dreams when you realize they're just dreams?

Things that make me smile.

Being an overtly optimistic gal, I believe it is important to take some time out of our day and remember things that make you smile. Because as we all know, smiling uses less muscles than frowning.

♥ Going a bit overboard at the Saturday Flea Market. I have found a replacement for my thrifting needs.

♥ My new found friends.

♥ Going crazy at a soccer or football game. I would like to find my own soccer player someday. Big dreamer am I.

♥ Realizing it's been only 3 weeks in Italy and not knowing whether it feels like a lot longer or if time is passing by too fast.

♥ Nice long showers after two days of dirtiness.

♥ Fat things, as usual.

♥ Having class tomorrow but still going on a day trip to Verona.

♥ Life

Thing I Hate Most.

My body looks like a Jackson Pollack painting done in all red. And I thought Taiwan was bad.