A group of sixth graders in Oakland, Calif., doing their weekly cleanup along the the shore of a local lake, stumbled across something that was not the usual tree limbs or old junk -- it looked like treasure.
"I was picking up some trash and I saw a bunch of people in my group gathering, so I quickly ran over there," said Simone, a sixth grader with the group.
"There were two bags almost full of pretty jewelry that had gold and silver."
The students, from St. Paul's Episcopal School in Oakland, had found two 15-pound canvas bags full of jewelry and other valuable objects including rings, pocket watches, two silver candlesticks, a silver spoon and a switchblade.
"We usually just think there is gonna be water or sludge in the bag. We were definitely not expecting anything like that," said Simone.
There were an estimated 75 to 100 pieces of jewelry and other valuables.
The students were skimming through the water on Thursday when they saw the bags in about two feet of water. One of the students needed help because she could not lift them.
"I put on hip boots, retrieved the heavy bags and gave them to the students," said Dr. Richard Bailey of the Lake Merritt Institute, a local group that organizes community cleanups.
Oakland police informed St. Paul's they are investigating the discovery and trying to match the items with records of stolen goods. If unclaimed the goods will return to St. Paul's.
"They are going to try to find the owners," Jane Adams, the communications manager at St. Paul's, told ABC News.com. "It looks like stuff that possibly came from an estate sale."
Adams said she thought the location of the bags and their contents, one with a Wells Fargo logo on the side, was odd.
"It appears to be stolen property, some of it old," said Bailey. "There is an engraving for Thomas F. Graham, 1931 or '32 on the back on one stopwatch. He was apparently president of St. Joseph's school for boys in New Jersey from 1921-25. A man by that name is buried here in California, having died Oct. 10, 1935."
Other items that have been found in the lake along with normal trash include a bowling ball, a tiny ribbon-wrapped casket with a gerbil inside, a college football trophy and a hand-carved pumice candle holder, Bailey told ABC News.com in an e-mail.
"The kids were going crazy, they were so excited," Adams said. "Our school mission is service; we were very excited that we were able to serve the Oakland police as well as the community. It's a great lesson for our kids; they're hoping the goods get returned."
Oakland police did not return ABC News.com's request for comment.
Sixth graders at St. Paul's have been participating in "The Clean Lake Program" for the past 15 years. A group goes every Thursday. Volunteers remove up to 6,000 lbs. of trash from the lake each month.
"For the most part, they're pretty excited about it," said Susan Porter, a sixth grade math and science teacher. "Some treasure that they find in the lake, most people would not think of as a monetary treasure, but it's something that they're fascinated by."
2012年3月30日星期五
Paper sacrificial offerings burning hot
The price of paper-made sacrificial offerings has increased by up to 50 percent ahead of the Qingming Festival, or Tomb-Sweeping Day, in Guangzhou, mainly due to the rising costs of labor and raw materials.
Paper-made imitations of famous brand-name luxuries, including Louis Vuitton bags, cars, laptops, watches, garments, wine and cigarettes, were among the items that saw the largest price hike.
"A paper-made foreign-brand car, Louis Vuitton bag or a set of Western-style suits now sells at 40 yuan ($6.35) in many sacrificial offering shops in Guangxiao road, up about 50 percent compared with the price recorded a year ago," a shop owner who revealed only her surname, Chen, said on Thursday.
"And business has been brisk in the past two weeks," she told China Daily.
"The superstitious Cantonese people, who usually pay a great deal of attention to Qingming Festival, which falls on April 4 this year, will buy and burn the paper-made products for their dead ancestors, despite the price hike," said Chen.
"I'm not concerned that business will be affected by the price hike, because few Cantonese will refuse to spend money to worship their ancestors during the festival," she added.
In another shop that sells false bank notes for the dead, the shop owner, surnamed Zhang, said ceremonial money of a bigger face value is selling like hot cakes at the higher price.
"A pile of ceremonial money with a face value of more than 500 billion yuan now sells at 28 yuan, about 10 yuan more than a pile with a smaller face value," he told China Daily.
It seems inflation is as serious in the other world.
Zhang said ceremonial money has reached a face value of 980 billion yuan and it is the new product this year.
In addition to the traditional items, such as paper money, sacrificial articles available in Zhang's store include villas, sedan cars, garments, bras, wine, computers, cameras, watches, cigarettes, seafood, pianos, violins and other "luxury goods", and high-tech products, such as iPhones and iPads.
Even paper-made concubines and nannies have been added to the traditional offerings for the Qingming Festival.
Zhang said the new products would certainly help attract young buyers.
"As society progresses, offerings should also keep pace with the times," he added.
Yi Chongming, a young Guangzhou white-collar worker, said that although prices have increased, he will buy the paper offerings to mourn his grandfather.
"In addition to demonstrating my filial piety to my grandfather, who died of illness two years ago, I hope my grandfather will bless me in the coming months, after I burned 'luxury' paper offerings for him during the festival," Yi said.
And every year across the country, more than 1,000 metric tons of paper products are burned as offerings during the Qingming Festival period, costing more than 10 billion yuan, according to China Consumers' Association.
As Qingming Festival draws near, sales of other festival-related products, including fresh flowers and roasted suckling pigs, have also witnessed big growth in the past weeks.
Zhao Liping, a senior executive from Guangzhou Restaurant Group, said the number of people who ordered roasted suckling pigs has increased 10 percent this year, despite a price hike. A roasted suckling pig now sells at about 648 yuan, up more than 40 percent from a year ago.
Zhao said the price hike was due to increases in wholesale and production costs, chefs' salaries and seasoning.
Paper-made imitations of famous brand-name luxuries, including Louis Vuitton bags, cars, laptops, watches, garments, wine and cigarettes, were among the items that saw the largest price hike.
"A paper-made foreign-brand car, Louis Vuitton bag or a set of Western-style suits now sells at 40 yuan ($6.35) in many sacrificial offering shops in Guangxiao road, up about 50 percent compared with the price recorded a year ago," a shop owner who revealed only her surname, Chen, said on Thursday.
"And business has been brisk in the past two weeks," she told China Daily.
"The superstitious Cantonese people, who usually pay a great deal of attention to Qingming Festival, which falls on April 4 this year, will buy and burn the paper-made products for their dead ancestors, despite the price hike," said Chen.
"I'm not concerned that business will be affected by the price hike, because few Cantonese will refuse to spend money to worship their ancestors during the festival," she added.
In another shop that sells false bank notes for the dead, the shop owner, surnamed Zhang, said ceremonial money of a bigger face value is selling like hot cakes at the higher price.
"A pile of ceremonial money with a face value of more than 500 billion yuan now sells at 28 yuan, about 10 yuan more than a pile with a smaller face value," he told China Daily.
It seems inflation is as serious in the other world.
Zhang said ceremonial money has reached a face value of 980 billion yuan and it is the new product this year.
In addition to the traditional items, such as paper money, sacrificial articles available in Zhang's store include villas, sedan cars, garments, bras, wine, computers, cameras, watches, cigarettes, seafood, pianos, violins and other "luxury goods", and high-tech products, such as iPhones and iPads.
Even paper-made concubines and nannies have been added to the traditional offerings for the Qingming Festival.
Zhang said the new products would certainly help attract young buyers.
"As society progresses, offerings should also keep pace with the times," he added.
Yi Chongming, a young Guangzhou white-collar worker, said that although prices have increased, he will buy the paper offerings to mourn his grandfather.
"In addition to demonstrating my filial piety to my grandfather, who died of illness two years ago, I hope my grandfather will bless me in the coming months, after I burned 'luxury' paper offerings for him during the festival," Yi said.
And every year across the country, more than 1,000 metric tons of paper products are burned as offerings during the Qingming Festival period, costing more than 10 billion yuan, according to China Consumers' Association.
As Qingming Festival draws near, sales of other festival-related products, including fresh flowers and roasted suckling pigs, have also witnessed big growth in the past weeks.
Zhao Liping, a senior executive from Guangzhou Restaurant Group, said the number of people who ordered roasted suckling pigs has increased 10 percent this year, despite a price hike. A roasted suckling pig now sells at about 648 yuan, up more than 40 percent from a year ago.
Zhao said the price hike was due to increases in wholesale and production costs, chefs' salaries and seasoning.
2012年3月29日星期四
Pharrell Williams
In the highly imitable world of hip-hop, producer Pharrell Williams has cut a unique path, never content to run with the pack. Among the first to challenge the baggy-pants ideal of hip-hop attire, he champions the work of cutting-edge designers like Rei Kawakubo and Alber Elbaz and has made possible the once absurd notion of a tough young man toting an Hermès handbag.
Williams, who turns 39 on April 5, formed the production duo the Neptunes with childhood friend Chad Hugo, and from there established his distinctive sound. In 2009, Billboard named the Neptunes the top producers of the decade. Williams has become a behind-the-scenes mastermind, producing, writing and appearing on hits for rap royals like Jay-Z and Snoop Dogg and less expected acts, such as Britney Spears and garage band the Hives. He also performs with his own band, N.E.R.D.
He has moved into fashion himself, with his line Billionaire Boys Club (which has stores in New York City and Hong Kong), and has designed jewelry and eyeglasses for Louis Vuitton. He calls himself a "kidult," referencing his man-child tendencies, which might make sense for someone who rocketed to fame—and riches—in his early 20s.
But while Williams is increasingly seen as a businessman, creating new songs occupies the bulk of his time. Over the course of a 16-hour day in Los Angeles, he records four songs and also works on the score for the Oscars. (He was chosen by composer Hans Zimmer to help produce the show.) In the studio, Pharrell's concentration is unyielding. He throws out an easy freestyle rhyme and then sits down with a keyboard and laptop and slips into a trance. Layers are added, and a few errant beats turn into a full-bodied song with a sound likely to reign on the charts.
Williams, who turns 39 on April 5, formed the production duo the Neptunes with childhood friend Chad Hugo, and from there established his distinctive sound. In 2009, Billboard named the Neptunes the top producers of the decade. Williams has become a behind-the-scenes mastermind, producing, writing and appearing on hits for rap royals like Jay-Z and Snoop Dogg and less expected acts, such as Britney Spears and garage band the Hives. He also performs with his own band, N.E.R.D.
He has moved into fashion himself, with his line Billionaire Boys Club (which has stores in New York City and Hong Kong), and has designed jewelry and eyeglasses for Louis Vuitton. He calls himself a "kidult," referencing his man-child tendencies, which might make sense for someone who rocketed to fame—and riches—in his early 20s.
But while Williams is increasingly seen as a businessman, creating new songs occupies the bulk of his time. Over the course of a 16-hour day in Los Angeles, he records four songs and also works on the score for the Oscars. (He was chosen by composer Hans Zimmer to help produce the show.) In the studio, Pharrell's concentration is unyielding. He throws out an easy freestyle rhyme and then sits down with a keyboard and laptop and slips into a trance. Layers are added, and a few errant beats turn into a full-bodied song with a sound likely to reign on the charts.
2012年3月28日星期三
Martin, Morrison killings hit home
In light of widespread public attention and outcry over the shooting deaths of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin of Florida and 20-year-old Bo Morrison in Slinger, Wis., earlier this month, members of the Madison community gathered on Library Mall Tuesday to push for racial equality.
A crowd of about 150 students, teachers and community members joined together in support of Martin and Morrison and to spread awareness about their views on the issue of social inequality in relation to both cases.
Martin, an African American, was shot and killed Feb. 26 by 28-year-old George Zimmerman, who has not been charged or arrested in the case. Zimmerman claimed self defense, though police reports show Martin was unarmed and carrying only a bag of skittles and an energy drinking while wearing a hooded sweatshirt.
Morrison was killed in Slinger, Wis. after a homeowner found Morrison hiding on a back porch. Adam Kind, the man who fatally shot Morrison, was not been charged in the shooting.
At the speak-out event, University of Wisconsin junior Tiffany Schroeder said Morrison was a close friend of hers, and she has felt frustrated as she feels the media has portrayed Morrison as a "young black criminal."
She described the "baby Bo" she had known since age nine, and shared anecdotes of Morrison and his calming qualities including "giant bear hugs."
"I never thought it would be like this. What has happened to Bo and Trayvon are extreme tragedies," she said. "These boys need justice. We must not focus on the past; we must focus on the here and now. We must do what we can to make sure these young men haven’t died in vain."
Christine Bohm, a friend of Morrison who attended the party in Slinger on the night of his death, expressed her feelings regarding the Castle Doctrine, which presumes people using deadly force against intruders are justified regardless of if the illegal trespasser is armed.
She said she feels the law circumvents a due process of law for the Morrison case.
"What this law does is give the next person in this situation the idea that killing is lawful and acceptable. It’s barbaric; it’s inhumane," she said. "In both cases, these laws seem to have protected the wrong person. That’s 100 percent failure."
Savance Ford, a 17-year-old African American student at Madison West High School, attended the rally and said he felt shocked upon hearing of Martin and Morrison’s killings.
Ford said his mother has not allowed him to go out alone in the past two weeks, despite their neighborhood’s safe reputation, for fear of violent discrimination because of his age, gender and race.
A crowd of about 150 students, teachers and community members joined together in support of Martin and Morrison and to spread awareness about their views on the issue of social inequality in relation to both cases.
Martin, an African American, was shot and killed Feb. 26 by 28-year-old George Zimmerman, who has not been charged or arrested in the case. Zimmerman claimed self defense, though police reports show Martin was unarmed and carrying only a bag of skittles and an energy drinking while wearing a hooded sweatshirt.
Morrison was killed in Slinger, Wis. after a homeowner found Morrison hiding on a back porch. Adam Kind, the man who fatally shot Morrison, was not been charged in the shooting.
At the speak-out event, University of Wisconsin junior Tiffany Schroeder said Morrison was a close friend of hers, and she has felt frustrated as she feels the media has portrayed Morrison as a "young black criminal."
She described the "baby Bo" she had known since age nine, and shared anecdotes of Morrison and his calming qualities including "giant bear hugs."
"I never thought it would be like this. What has happened to Bo and Trayvon are extreme tragedies," she said. "These boys need justice. We must not focus on the past; we must focus on the here and now. We must do what we can to make sure these young men haven’t died in vain."
Christine Bohm, a friend of Morrison who attended the party in Slinger on the night of his death, expressed her feelings regarding the Castle Doctrine, which presumes people using deadly force against intruders are justified regardless of if the illegal trespasser is armed.
She said she feels the law circumvents a due process of law for the Morrison case.
"What this law does is give the next person in this situation the idea that killing is lawful and acceptable. It’s barbaric; it’s inhumane," she said. "In both cases, these laws seem to have protected the wrong person. That’s 100 percent failure."
Savance Ford, a 17-year-old African American student at Madison West High School, attended the rally and said he felt shocked upon hearing of Martin and Morrison’s killings.
Ford said his mother has not allowed him to go out alone in the past two weeks, despite their neighborhood’s safe reputation, for fear of violent discrimination because of his age, gender and race.
2012年3月27日星期二
Double life of Revenge for Sarah
IT'S a warm evening and from this multi-million-dollar Manhattan apartment, the sun setting over Central Park and the New York skyline is magnificent.
The interior has exquisite furnishings and the walk-in wardrobe is filled with Chanel, Gucci and other designer clothes, shoes and handbags.
Thing is, it's not an apartment, but a set on TV drama Ringer, the twist-and-turn-laden drama starring Sarah Michelle Gellar as two characters - Siobhan and recovering addict twin Bridget Kelly.
The apartment is not in Manhattan. It's a set in Stage 3 on Los Angeles' landmark Culver Studios.
To make the balcony view realistic, a 24m x 6m canvas print of the sunset over the city skyline and Central Park was erected.
"I think we've done a pretty amazing job," Gellar says. "I mean, I'm a born and raised New Yorker and it's important to me that we keep not just the look of New York City but the feel of it."
Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar.
End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar.
Ringer marked Gellar's return to starring in a TV series.
After her seven-year run on Buffy the Vampire Slayer ended in 2003, she concentrated on films, but that changed in September 2009, with the birth of daughter Charlotte.
When the 34-year-old, married to actor Freddie Prinze Jr, was offered the roles of Siobhan and Bridget, and the opportunity to executive produce Ringer, she signed up.
With the series shot in LA, she could work and always be close to Charlotte.
"I realised, 'I can be somewhere the entire year. I can take my child for the first day of school'," she says.
"Two weeks ago my daughter was very sick and I got to go home and be with her."
Gellar created a creche on the Culver Studio lot so the actors and crew could bring their children to work.
The interior has exquisite furnishings and the walk-in wardrobe is filled with Chanel, Gucci and other designer clothes, shoes and handbags.
Thing is, it's not an apartment, but a set on TV drama Ringer, the twist-and-turn-laden drama starring Sarah Michelle Gellar as two characters - Siobhan and recovering addict twin Bridget Kelly.
The apartment is not in Manhattan. It's a set in Stage 3 on Los Angeles' landmark Culver Studios.
To make the balcony view realistic, a 24m x 6m canvas print of the sunset over the city skyline and Central Park was erected.
"I think we've done a pretty amazing job," Gellar says. "I mean, I'm a born and raised New Yorker and it's important to me that we keep not just the look of New York City but the feel of it."
Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar.
End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar.
Ringer marked Gellar's return to starring in a TV series.
After her seven-year run on Buffy the Vampire Slayer ended in 2003, she concentrated on films, but that changed in September 2009, with the birth of daughter Charlotte.
When the 34-year-old, married to actor Freddie Prinze Jr, was offered the roles of Siobhan and Bridget, and the opportunity to executive produce Ringer, she signed up.
With the series shot in LA, she could work and always be close to Charlotte.
"I realised, 'I can be somewhere the entire year. I can take my child for the first day of school'," she says.
"Two weeks ago my daughter was very sick and I got to go home and be with her."
Gellar created a creche on the Culver Studio lot so the actors and crew could bring their children to work.
2012年3月26日星期一
Swept through the workplace wonderful handbag
A beautiful handbags, in addition to the lovable style, excellent material, but also have a specific purpose, for example, used to accompany you battle workplace or BALL field. In general, this section of the package in style is more elegant, gorgeous some occasions, they have to face than in a normal street to be more serious, responsible for much.
Summer workplace packet pairs with a single band?
Elegant handbag is definitely the best choice for this summer workplace, which are divided into the with PRADA Pyramide package as the representative of the dual-band models, as well as the FENDI Peekaboo single-band models of two types, in a single, pairs, hovering between the end which one best suits your personality.
In general, dual-band models will become even more retro, such as CELINE "Handbag handbags, is the classic double-belt handbag launch in the autumn and winter had last year. Since its launch last year, PRADA series of dual-band package shall sell the full house, make persistent efforts this spring and summer, with a multicolor choose the Pyramide one introduced the much-loved, not only to become the darling of the star in the hands of all kinds of stores, take on the good sales performance, fame and fortune. If you would like to again lady a little interpretation, of course, the package section of the DIOR, its dual-band models handbag, especially a special customized version of the high-priced goods, occupy a seat position in the workplace package fierce competition. Of course, has always been highly welcome by the local lady ring, Louis Vuitton, never forget their line of work --- discussion in favor of white-collar workers, the design director Ma Ying-jeou in recent years, generous type of package models to work, not to mention with a handbag, as long as the market, even the "three zones" can play, who told their imagination has always been rich?
As for looks more capable of single-belt handbag, the overall design simple, join point a lot, from Hermes to achieve miraculous FENDI repeatedly, and Ferragamo are found in which the continuation of the minimalist style, but be careful point is that the single band handbags, as well the design constraints, their zipper or opening and closing position did not come easy to operate double band style, but added some of the difficulties in the use.
Summer workplace packet pairs with a single band?
Elegant handbag is definitely the best choice for this summer workplace, which are divided into the with PRADA Pyramide package as the representative of the dual-band models, as well as the FENDI Peekaboo single-band models of two types, in a single, pairs, hovering between the end which one best suits your personality.
In general, dual-band models will become even more retro, such as CELINE "Handbag handbags, is the classic double-belt handbag launch in the autumn and winter had last year. Since its launch last year, PRADA series of dual-band package shall sell the full house, make persistent efforts this spring and summer, with a multicolor choose the Pyramide one introduced the much-loved, not only to become the darling of the star in the hands of all kinds of stores, take on the good sales performance, fame and fortune. If you would like to again lady a little interpretation, of course, the package section of the DIOR, its dual-band models handbag, especially a special customized version of the high-priced goods, occupy a seat position in the workplace package fierce competition. Of course, has always been highly welcome by the local lady ring, Louis Vuitton, never forget their line of work --- discussion in favor of white-collar workers, the design director Ma Ying-jeou in recent years, generous type of package models to work, not to mention with a handbag, as long as the market, even the "three zones" can play, who told their imagination has always been rich?
As for looks more capable of single-belt handbag, the overall design simple, join point a lot, from Hermes to achieve miraculous FENDI repeatedly, and Ferragamo are found in which the continuation of the minimalist style, but be careful point is that the single band handbags, as well the design constraints, their zipper or opening and closing position did not come easy to operate double band style, but added some of the difficulties in the use.
2012年3月25日星期日
Last Week's Top Stories
In what was our top read story for the past week, accused burglars who allegedly had robbed a home in Warren Township were stopped last Saturday, March 17, on Martinsville Road by a Bernards Township police officer when their vehicle supposedly failed to have a rear license plate.
The officer reportedly noted a bag with gloves and jewelry inside, and his questioning allegedly prompted the three men within to speed off, head onto Interstate 78 east, and reportedly exceed 100 m.p.h. before crashing at the ramp leading to exit 40 in Warren Township. The arrests of three men within were announced by the Somerset County prosecutor's office on Monday.
On Thursday afternoon, Verizon union employees who expressed discontent with negotiations on a contract that expired last August were back at the Verizon Center at North Maple Avenue in northern Basking Ridge. The union employees also protested the pending layoff of copper wireline repair workers. The company's official response was that the contract would be settled through negotiations, not rallies, and that about 300 Verizon "Connected Solutions" unit had been "let go" about six weeks ago due to a declining workload.
There was continuing discussion in our Moms Talk column about whether the school's administration would benefit students at Ridge High School with a decision to eliminate midterms and finals at the high school next year. Those tests are due to be replaced with assessment tests each marking period.
In other school news, residents were reminded that the Board of Education will on Monday vote whether to approve a $75.85-million local tax levy to support most the proposed $93.26-million school budget for the 2012-13 school year. By moving the school election to November, the board gained the right to adopt a school budget without a public vote if the tax levy increase remains at or below the cap of a two-percent increase.
And, over at the Senior Wellness Center, a celebrity landed in town when Elvis entered the building last Tuesday. His fans were not disappointed, and we captured some of the show (and kisses) on video.
The officer reportedly noted a bag with gloves and jewelry inside, and his questioning allegedly prompted the three men within to speed off, head onto Interstate 78 east, and reportedly exceed 100 m.p.h. before crashing at the ramp leading to exit 40 in Warren Township. The arrests of three men within were announced by the Somerset County prosecutor's office on Monday.
On Thursday afternoon, Verizon union employees who expressed discontent with negotiations on a contract that expired last August were back at the Verizon Center at North Maple Avenue in northern Basking Ridge. The union employees also protested the pending layoff of copper wireline repair workers. The company's official response was that the contract would be settled through negotiations, not rallies, and that about 300 Verizon "Connected Solutions" unit had been "let go" about six weeks ago due to a declining workload.
There was continuing discussion in our Moms Talk column about whether the school's administration would benefit students at Ridge High School with a decision to eliminate midterms and finals at the high school next year. Those tests are due to be replaced with assessment tests each marking period.
In other school news, residents were reminded that the Board of Education will on Monday vote whether to approve a $75.85-million local tax levy to support most the proposed $93.26-million school budget for the 2012-13 school year. By moving the school election to November, the board gained the right to adopt a school budget without a public vote if the tax levy increase remains at or below the cap of a two-percent increase.
And, over at the Senior Wellness Center, a celebrity landed in town when Elvis entered the building last Tuesday. His fans were not disappointed, and we captured some of the show (and kisses) on video.
2012年3月20日星期二
Venus & Mars: Women Are Not the Only Ones With an Eye for Style
I have a cousin who spends hours digging through the closet to find the perfect outfit, only to spend a ridiculous amount of time in the bathroom, trying that outfit on.
Whenever we want to go out together, I usually end up waiting a long time before we actually hit the road. Typically female, many of you might think. But you're wrong — this cousin is a guy.
Fashion and style used to be something that seemingly concerned only women, but boy, has this changed. And boy, are we glad that it's changed, because it is nice to see well-dressed men from time-to-time, instead of sloppy ones.
But the operative phrase here is "from time-to-time."
Even though women are expected to spend a considerable amount of time leafing through fashion magazines to keep up with the latest trends, and to run to the mall to get discounted Kate Spade shoes, there are exceptions to that rule. Me, for example.
Sure, when I am invited to a wedding, a fancy dinner at an expensive restaurant or a formal reception at an embassy, I like to dress up, and have fun doing it, too. (Even though it often causes my friends to make remarks like "Oh my God, you look like a girl," or "I never knew you had actual legs beneath those jeans.")
But besides special occasions, casual is my motto. I never understood how women can torture themselves in the name of style by wearing high heels the whole day when sneakers are simply much more comfortable. I still feel sorry for ladies of centuries past who had difficulties breathing because they wore tight corsets to make their waists look slimmer.
It doesn't make any sense to me at all to buy branded clothing items and accessories just for the fun of it, and to show off to my friends. There must be better ways to spend my money. Instead of purchasing a ridiculously overpriced Louis Vuitton handbag or a dress from Valentino, I'd rather buy new books, toys for my dog or save for my next trip to Europe.
And the same goes for men. Sure, I like to look at them when they are well-preened, but I'm highly skeptical of a guy who spends most of his salary on Armani suits and Rolex watches, because fashion trends change and beauty fades.
We all want to look our best, but that can also be achieved without going bankrupt.
Katrin Figge is deputy features editor at the Jakarta Globe.
It's many men's chief complaint: Women spend too much money on fashion, buying clothes and shoes that they already seem to have in their closets. Not to mention accessories; having only a handful of bracelets and necklaces at home is not enough. If they could, they would buy accessories in every color to match their dresses or bags.
"Honey, don't you think that dress looks very similar to the one you bought a month ago?" a man might ask.
"No, it doesn't. This is the latest trend," she will likely reply. It's an understanding accepted in every country in the world that women have a good sense of fashion and style, while men tend to their own interests — cars, for example.
But things are changing. More and more men are starting to care about fashion, just as women do, or even more so. Is it wrong? Well, I don't think I'm the right person to judge. Let's just call it men's emancipation.
Whenever we want to go out together, I usually end up waiting a long time before we actually hit the road. Typically female, many of you might think. But you're wrong — this cousin is a guy.
Fashion and style used to be something that seemingly concerned only women, but boy, has this changed. And boy, are we glad that it's changed, because it is nice to see well-dressed men from time-to-time, instead of sloppy ones.
But the operative phrase here is "from time-to-time."
Even though women are expected to spend a considerable amount of time leafing through fashion magazines to keep up with the latest trends, and to run to the mall to get discounted Kate Spade shoes, there are exceptions to that rule. Me, for example.
Sure, when I am invited to a wedding, a fancy dinner at an expensive restaurant or a formal reception at an embassy, I like to dress up, and have fun doing it, too. (Even though it often causes my friends to make remarks like "Oh my God, you look like a girl," or "I never knew you had actual legs beneath those jeans.")
But besides special occasions, casual is my motto. I never understood how women can torture themselves in the name of style by wearing high heels the whole day when sneakers are simply much more comfortable. I still feel sorry for ladies of centuries past who had difficulties breathing because they wore tight corsets to make their waists look slimmer.
It doesn't make any sense to me at all to buy branded clothing items and accessories just for the fun of it, and to show off to my friends. There must be better ways to spend my money. Instead of purchasing a ridiculously overpriced Louis Vuitton handbag or a dress from Valentino, I'd rather buy new books, toys for my dog or save for my next trip to Europe.
And the same goes for men. Sure, I like to look at them when they are well-preened, but I'm highly skeptical of a guy who spends most of his salary on Armani suits and Rolex watches, because fashion trends change and beauty fades.
We all want to look our best, but that can also be achieved without going bankrupt.
Katrin Figge is deputy features editor at the Jakarta Globe.
It's many men's chief complaint: Women spend too much money on fashion, buying clothes and shoes that they already seem to have in their closets. Not to mention accessories; having only a handful of bracelets and necklaces at home is not enough. If they could, they would buy accessories in every color to match their dresses or bags.
"Honey, don't you think that dress looks very similar to the one you bought a month ago?" a man might ask.
"No, it doesn't. This is the latest trend," she will likely reply. It's an understanding accepted in every country in the world that women have a good sense of fashion and style, while men tend to their own interests — cars, for example.
But things are changing. More and more men are starting to care about fashion, just as women do, or even more so. Is it wrong? Well, I don't think I'm the right person to judge. Let's just call it men's emancipation.
2012年3月19日星期一
Indian icon succumbs to charms of Louis Vuitton
For generations it has been an Indian icon, the place where the country's left-leaning, intellectual elite get their village-made homespun clothes and, more recently, their organic mango chutney and ethnic-design furnishings.
But fans of Fabindia, though much too mild-mannered to be outraged, have been really quite concerned to discover that the internationally known ethical retailer with an annual turnover of 65m is now part-owned by a private investment firm sponsored by Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy (LVMH), the luxury goods giant that includes brands such as Dior, Donna Karan, Thomas Pink, Bulgari and the eponymous bags.
"My friends have been sending me a Fabindia kurta (a traditional long-tailed shirt) on my birthday for decades," said Sadanand Menon, a well-known artist, choreographer and cultural commentator. "What are they going to send me now? I hope it's not a matching luggage set."
The association prompted questions from Tehelka, a campaigning magazine, which asked: "What will lefty intellectuals now wear to smart parties?" and from shoppers outside the Fabindia branch in Delhi's exclusive Khan Market.
"I suppose Louis Vuitton is all about craftsmanship and so on, but it's a big jump from some socialite's handbag or some fancy wine to dhurris [traditional rugs] from Rajasthan, isn't it?," said Pooja Chandra, 31.
A spokesman for Fabindia repeatedly stressed that the purchase of an 8% stake by L Capital Asia, a fund opened last year by LVMH to invest more than 400m in so-called aspirational brands, positioned between the luxury and the mass market on the continent, would not alter the company's outlook, products or working practices.
"Fabindia is going to stay Fabindia," said Prableen Sabhaney. "It is one of India's iconic brands and we are not going to change. But Fabindia is also a very successful mainstream business and this is our way of raising capital."
Established in 1960 by an American who had come to India on a Ford Foundation grant to advise the government on creating a market for handloom fabrics produced by artisans in remote rural areas, Fabindia originally focused on export. One big customer was Terence Conran's Habitat; Fabindia ended up supplying rugs and textiles to western living rooms for nearly three decades.
Unlike more conventional suppliers, John Bissell pioneered the idea of "fair trade", paying local communities much more than most retailers and allowing artisans and craftspeople to participate actively as suppliers and shareholders.
Crucially, too, Bissell adapted traditional designs to western tastes.
"He added colour, changed designs. It made a huge difference," said Radhika Singh, author of The Fabric of Our Lives, a book about the company.
A shop in Delhi was opened in 1976, but real expansion came following liberal economic reforms in India in the early 1990s, which not only boosted the purchasing power of the urban middle class, but simultaneously created a desire for "authentic" rural Indian products in a rapidly changing society.
"Fabindia took [clothing] which had once been associated with Gandhi and village life and converted it into a symbol not just of the poor, but of chic, too. It became very popular," said Menon, the artist.
Over the last decade, said Singh, the author, a new strategy has aimed to turn Fabindia into a global brand satisfying "different kinds of clients and consumers", with new stores opening in the Middle East and Europe. There are now 148 shops in 63 cities in India and eight overseas, with more due to open soon.
But fans of Fabindia, though much too mild-mannered to be outraged, have been really quite concerned to discover that the internationally known ethical retailer with an annual turnover of 65m is now part-owned by a private investment firm sponsored by Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy (LVMH), the luxury goods giant that includes brands such as Dior, Donna Karan, Thomas Pink, Bulgari and the eponymous bags.
"My friends have been sending me a Fabindia kurta (a traditional long-tailed shirt) on my birthday for decades," said Sadanand Menon, a well-known artist, choreographer and cultural commentator. "What are they going to send me now? I hope it's not a matching luggage set."
The association prompted questions from Tehelka, a campaigning magazine, which asked: "What will lefty intellectuals now wear to smart parties?" and from shoppers outside the Fabindia branch in Delhi's exclusive Khan Market.
"I suppose Louis Vuitton is all about craftsmanship and so on, but it's a big jump from some socialite's handbag or some fancy wine to dhurris [traditional rugs] from Rajasthan, isn't it?," said Pooja Chandra, 31.
A spokesman for Fabindia repeatedly stressed that the purchase of an 8% stake by L Capital Asia, a fund opened last year by LVMH to invest more than 400m in so-called aspirational brands, positioned between the luxury and the mass market on the continent, would not alter the company's outlook, products or working practices.
"Fabindia is going to stay Fabindia," said Prableen Sabhaney. "It is one of India's iconic brands and we are not going to change. But Fabindia is also a very successful mainstream business and this is our way of raising capital."
Established in 1960 by an American who had come to India on a Ford Foundation grant to advise the government on creating a market for handloom fabrics produced by artisans in remote rural areas, Fabindia originally focused on export. One big customer was Terence Conran's Habitat; Fabindia ended up supplying rugs and textiles to western living rooms for nearly three decades.
Unlike more conventional suppliers, John Bissell pioneered the idea of "fair trade", paying local communities much more than most retailers and allowing artisans and craftspeople to participate actively as suppliers and shareholders.
Crucially, too, Bissell adapted traditional designs to western tastes.
"He added colour, changed designs. It made a huge difference," said Radhika Singh, author of The Fabric of Our Lives, a book about the company.
A shop in Delhi was opened in 1976, but real expansion came following liberal economic reforms in India in the early 1990s, which not only boosted the purchasing power of the urban middle class, but simultaneously created a desire for "authentic" rural Indian products in a rapidly changing society.
"Fabindia took [clothing] which had once been associated with Gandhi and village life and converted it into a symbol not just of the poor, but of chic, too. It became very popular," said Menon, the artist.
Over the last decade, said Singh, the author, a new strategy has aimed to turn Fabindia into a global brand satisfying "different kinds of clients and consumers", with new stores opening in the Middle East and Europe. There are now 148 shops in 63 cities in India and eight overseas, with more due to open soon.
2012年3月18日星期日
Meghan McCain in Playboy: GOP Race 'Has Been so Lame'
There's been plenty of talk about how had John McCain won the 2008 presidential election, we would have a lightning rod vice-president in Sarah Palin.
We might have had quite a first daughter, too. Meghan McCain, the 27-year-old daughter of the veteran Arizona Republican, appears in the April edition of Playboy magazine and sounds off on number of issues.
Also read: Ann Coulter: I Called McCain 'Dickweed,' Not Douchebag
"You would have the craziest first daughter ever, who'd be making ridiculous headlines and hurting the administration every step of the way," McCain told Playboy. Any doubts she meant it were cleared up when she dished to the men's mag on everything from Briston Palin and the state of the GOP to shotguns.
We might have had quite a first daughter, too. Meghan McCain, the 27-year-old daughter of the veteran Arizona Republican, appears in the April edition of Playboy magazine and sounds off on number of issues.
Also read: Ann Coulter: I Called McCain 'Dickweed,' Not Douchebag
"You would have the craziest first daughter ever, who'd be making ridiculous headlines and hurting the administration every step of the way," McCain told Playboy. Any doubts she meant it were cleared up when she dished to the men's mag on everything from Briston Palin and the state of the GOP to shotguns.
2012年3月15日星期四
Stay-at-Home Dad: The Black Market
Just the term "Black Market" incites thoughts of society's underbelly. A place where actual pirates may sell pirated DVDs or even imitation Louis Vuitton leather goods that are made out of plastic. I recently found out about another seedy market right under our noses and none of our children are safe from it–the local school cafeteria!
My youngest son's elementary school doesn't have a proper cafeteria, and most of the kids brown bag their own lunches. As I may have mentioned in the past, my wife is a physician. It's not just the fact that she is a doctor, but she is a skinny doctor whose knowledge of nutrition has worked its way into our daily existence. This is a very good thing for my boys. My children seem to have not only inherited my side of the family's passion for chicken wings but also my genetic disposition for a large caboose. At this point I'm not even sure which comes first, the food or the butt; it's all a vicious circle. Regardless, since I do the grocery shopping, I can hear my wife's voice over and over in my head that I keep the junk food down to a minimum.
This ensures that when I make my kids' lunch bags I can regulate what their daily caloric intake is…or at least what I think it should be.
The other day I was a little surprised when I went to retrieve something from my son's backpack and I found a collection of Oreo wrappers and half-eaten candy bars at the bottom. When I asked him about my findings, our relationship quickly transformed from father and son to warden and inmate. It was like I had just found a prison shiv during a room shakedown.
Upon questioning, I found out that he was "trading" items at lunchtime. Not only was he trading, but he also seemed to be the kingpin of this operation. He told me of different "street" values of certain things. His organic turkey sandwich on gluten-free bread was practically worthless, but his bag of veggie puffs was worth its weight in gold to a select group of kids. He added that mustard wipes out the value of ANYTHING, and juice boxes were also marketable as some parents sign their kids up for school milk. All of his "healthy" choices carried some market price to be traded for junk.
He knew who had a penchant for certain things, had specific allergies, and even what kids brought in on specific days of the week. As he went on he told me that sometimes he would broker certain deals between kids and take a small percentage of the booty. You know, do a deal and grab a few cheese doodles and a chocolate chip cookie, a disgusting pairing for almost any adult but I guess if you are ten-year-old boy, cookies taste better when you have cheese powder residue still on your fingers.
All I could think of was Morgan Freeman's character in the Shawshank Redemption; a guy who knew how to get certain things for you. I was actually proud of him. I just hope next time he picks me up some Nutter Butters.
My youngest son's elementary school doesn't have a proper cafeteria, and most of the kids brown bag their own lunches. As I may have mentioned in the past, my wife is a physician. It's not just the fact that she is a doctor, but she is a skinny doctor whose knowledge of nutrition has worked its way into our daily existence. This is a very good thing for my boys. My children seem to have not only inherited my side of the family's passion for chicken wings but also my genetic disposition for a large caboose. At this point I'm not even sure which comes first, the food or the butt; it's all a vicious circle. Regardless, since I do the grocery shopping, I can hear my wife's voice over and over in my head that I keep the junk food down to a minimum.
This ensures that when I make my kids' lunch bags I can regulate what their daily caloric intake is…or at least what I think it should be.
The other day I was a little surprised when I went to retrieve something from my son's backpack and I found a collection of Oreo wrappers and half-eaten candy bars at the bottom. When I asked him about my findings, our relationship quickly transformed from father and son to warden and inmate. It was like I had just found a prison shiv during a room shakedown.
Upon questioning, I found out that he was "trading" items at lunchtime. Not only was he trading, but he also seemed to be the kingpin of this operation. He told me of different "street" values of certain things. His organic turkey sandwich on gluten-free bread was practically worthless, but his bag of veggie puffs was worth its weight in gold to a select group of kids. He added that mustard wipes out the value of ANYTHING, and juice boxes were also marketable as some parents sign their kids up for school milk. All of his "healthy" choices carried some market price to be traded for junk.
He knew who had a penchant for certain things, had specific allergies, and even what kids brought in on specific days of the week. As he went on he told me that sometimes he would broker certain deals between kids and take a small percentage of the booty. You know, do a deal and grab a few cheese doodles and a chocolate chip cookie, a disgusting pairing for almost any adult but I guess if you are ten-year-old boy, cookies taste better when you have cheese powder residue still on your fingers.
All I could think of was Morgan Freeman's character in the Shawshank Redemption; a guy who knew how to get certain things for you. I was actually proud of him. I just hope next time he picks me up some Nutter Butters.
2012年3月14日星期三
Growing wealth gap
The surging ranks of millionaires and the concentration of wealth in the commodities sector highlight how the benefits of Indonesia's revival are far from being evenly spread among classes and regions in the huge archipelago.
While Hermes bags change hands for up to US$50,000 (RM150,000) and buyers face a six-month wait for a US$1mil (RM3mil) Lamborghini super car, far-flung regions like Papua and Maluku struggle to provide basic public services.
About 100 million Indonesians – about 40% of the population – live on less than US$2 (RM6) a day, the World Bank says. Average wages at US$113 (RM339) are a third of China's.
About 60 million of Indonesia's 133 million-strong "middle class" spend between US$2 and US$4 (RM6 and RM12) a day, the World Bank says. A 1,500 rupiah (50 sen) per litre cut in fuel subsidies being considered by the government would push 2.4 million people below the poverty line, a study by the University of Indonesia found.
"I don't feel middle-class, I feel poor," said 21-year-old Siti Aisah, who runs a shack selling snacks to construction workers that is almost in the shadow of Fitria's sprawling house in a Jakarta suburb. She said her family can afford to spend about US$10 (RM30) on good days – middle-class by some measures.
Corruption-prone governance, poor infrastructure, low spending on social welfare and health, and the business dominance of a relatively few families contribute to entrench inequality.
"Indonesia's tiny stratum of ultra-wealthy citizens continues to be plumped up by a process of wealth extraction from natural resources rather than by wealth creation through industry and production," said Jeffrey Winters, an associate professor at Yale University of the United States.
While Hermes bags change hands for up to US$50,000 (RM150,000) and buyers face a six-month wait for a US$1mil (RM3mil) Lamborghini super car, far-flung regions like Papua and Maluku struggle to provide basic public services.
About 100 million Indonesians – about 40% of the population – live on less than US$2 (RM6) a day, the World Bank says. Average wages at US$113 (RM339) are a third of China's.
About 60 million of Indonesia's 133 million-strong "middle class" spend between US$2 and US$4 (RM6 and RM12) a day, the World Bank says. A 1,500 rupiah (50 sen) per litre cut in fuel subsidies being considered by the government would push 2.4 million people below the poverty line, a study by the University of Indonesia found.
"I don't feel middle-class, I feel poor," said 21-year-old Siti Aisah, who runs a shack selling snacks to construction workers that is almost in the shadow of Fitria's sprawling house in a Jakarta suburb. She said her family can afford to spend about US$10 (RM30) on good days – middle-class by some measures.
Corruption-prone governance, poor infrastructure, low spending on social welfare and health, and the business dominance of a relatively few families contribute to entrench inequality.
"Indonesia's tiny stratum of ultra-wealthy citizens continues to be plumped up by a process of wealth extraction from natural resources rather than by wealth creation through industry and production," said Jeffrey Winters, an associate professor at Yale University of the United States.
2012年3月13日星期二
Miranda Kerr Spends the Afternoon With Frankie Following a Morning With Flynn
Miranda Kerr looked chic and ladylike while walking in NYC yesterday. The model sported a printed coat and sleek straight hairstyle while toting both her maroon Sofia Coppola for Louis Vuitton handbag and her Yorkshire Terrier, Frankie. Miranda's son Flynn Bloom wasn't with her, but we did get to see him in a cute pair of sneakers when the two touched down at JFK over the weekend.
Miranda has been staying busy this month with her whirlwind work schedule, including a Miami photo shoot for Victoria's Secret and a turn down the runway at Chanel during Paris Fashion Week. Her husband Orlando Bloom has been traveling as well, and was spotted landing at LAX on Saturday.
2012年3月12日星期一
Mob Wives – Episode 9 – Some F—ing Trip
What happens when you take any of our shows on the road? Mayhem, usually. And this week's installment of Mob Wives was no different. There was fighting, there were security guards, there was drunk-dialing, and then there were the fake teeth. Sexeh! In short, it was indeed "Some f—ing trip."
It might be Junior's birthday, but Renee's not giving him a completely free pass, she's noticed that he's been calling his ex-girlfriend, so she pesters him to see if the girlfriend sent him a birthday text, and he denies it. (Little does he know, Renee and the rest of us all know your phone's password, Junior!) Carla and Drita give Renee a call and she vents to them that she knows something is up.
"Going away to the Poconos should help me get rid of some of my stress," Renee says. SHOULD being the key word. "I'm so excited to get out there and maybe see a bear or a deer. I like all that sh*t," Carla says when they arrive at the house in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by God knows what kind of murderers in the woods.
For a weekend away, Renee has packed all her furs and Ramona has packed her entire Louis Vuitton luggage set, including a garment bag. (what Poconos-appropriate gear requires a garment bag? I'll never know.)
Renee says she's not planning to take her anti-depressants all weekend, and that, coupled with the devil water (a.k.a. vodka) she's pounding equals Renee going off about Junior's ex-girlfriend that she repeatedly threatens to stab in the neck with her barber scissors. The ex keeps trying to contact Junior and Renee's not about to back down. I get that Renee is riled up about it, but it's not making for a very relaxing vacation. Ramona looks ready to zip herself into her Louis V garment bag to get away.
It might be Junior's birthday, but Renee's not giving him a completely free pass, she's noticed that he's been calling his ex-girlfriend, so she pesters him to see if the girlfriend sent him a birthday text, and he denies it. (Little does he know, Renee and the rest of us all know your phone's password, Junior!) Carla and Drita give Renee a call and she vents to them that she knows something is up.
"Going away to the Poconos should help me get rid of some of my stress," Renee says. SHOULD being the key word. "I'm so excited to get out there and maybe see a bear or a deer. I like all that sh*t," Carla says when they arrive at the house in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by God knows what kind of murderers in the woods.
For a weekend away, Renee has packed all her furs and Ramona has packed her entire Louis Vuitton luggage set, including a garment bag. (what Poconos-appropriate gear requires a garment bag? I'll never know.)
Renee says she's not planning to take her anti-depressants all weekend, and that, coupled with the devil water (a.k.a. vodka) she's pounding equals Renee going off about Junior's ex-girlfriend that she repeatedly threatens to stab in the neck with her barber scissors. The ex keeps trying to contact Junior and Renee's not about to back down. I get that Renee is riled up about it, but it's not making for a very relaxing vacation. Ramona looks ready to zip herself into her Louis V garment bag to get away.
2012年3月11日星期日
This week in China
China's political elite have but one opportunity each year to put the "party" into "National Party Congress," and darn it, that time is now. While there was the usual yada yada about slowing growth, those-in-the-know know the hottest news is not found in the speeches. Kreminlogists came out of the woodwork to note that Bo Xilai's chair was slighty distanced from Xu Caihou, proving he's been completely cut off from the Politburo. Fashionistas displayed their bling in full force: Marc Jacobs and Birkin bags were only some of the more subtle touches. "It's a suit of fury," Li Xiaolin told reporters of her US$2,000 bright-pink Emilio Pucci suit. "Gotta be dressed to [expletive] kill." (The proletariat masses just don't appreciate.) Media was also in top form: The always-edgy alternative newspaper People's Daily wisely trained its taxpayer-funded cameras on the fairer sex, from killer event staff to hot journalists (who were themselves busy with lamestream mainstream media activities such as asking questions). Of course, every party has a pooper. Property developers spared no opportunity to moan about impending doom, and steel industry magnates waxed lyrical about their bloated industry. "I do think that [government property] measures are overly strict and in effect for too long," said Huang Wenzai, chairman of luxury-property developer Star River Group. "Unlike this baby," he added with a smile, pointing down to his Hermes-branded belt.
Don't know what you've got till it's gone
This week saw the bust of one of the largest counterfeiting rings in US history, as authorities charged 29 people with smuggling US$325 million of fake products into the US. No doubt with the help of some down-on-their-luck Frank-Sobotka types, the group was smuggling in products including fake cigarettes, Nike and UGG footwear, and Coach and Louis Vuitton handbags. Port authorities caught wind of the plot when a middle-aged Chinese lady approached them waving a card with pictures of handbags and shouting "Cheaper for you!" In the days that followed, America began to collectively mourn its loss of cheap UGG boots – moving quickly through denial and anger, spending a bit more time bargaining, before taking a quick dip into depression and, finally, acceptance. Experts say this could be a preview of the emotional rollercoaster the nation faces in coming months as DC's new bipartisan legislation designed to turn the nation into the leader in global shopping-bag-making comes into effect. Opined the People's Daily: "Experts said that cheap but good Chinese products have brought tangible benefits to Americans by giving them more choices and reducing the country's inflation rate." No one knows the truth of this better than Chinese commerce minister Chen Deming, who took that sword of righteousness and brought the smack down. We at CER all cheered to see a Chinese official become, for the first time, quotable. "We follow the rules of the WTO, but we have no obligation to follow domestic laws or regulations in any specific country that go beyond international rules," he said. Zing! Chen also noted that China's overall trade surplus was only US$150 billion, but its trade surplus with the US was US$200 billion, adding, "Every man, free from prejudice and armed with common-sense economics, can come to the right conclusion." Ka-bam! Take that, America.
Don't know what you've got till it's gone
This week saw the bust of one of the largest counterfeiting rings in US history, as authorities charged 29 people with smuggling US$325 million of fake products into the US. No doubt with the help of some down-on-their-luck Frank-Sobotka types, the group was smuggling in products including fake cigarettes, Nike and UGG footwear, and Coach and Louis Vuitton handbags. Port authorities caught wind of the plot when a middle-aged Chinese lady approached them waving a card with pictures of handbags and shouting "Cheaper for you!" In the days that followed, America began to collectively mourn its loss of cheap UGG boots – moving quickly through denial and anger, spending a bit more time bargaining, before taking a quick dip into depression and, finally, acceptance. Experts say this could be a preview of the emotional rollercoaster the nation faces in coming months as DC's new bipartisan legislation designed to turn the nation into the leader in global shopping-bag-making comes into effect. Opined the People's Daily: "Experts said that cheap but good Chinese products have brought tangible benefits to Americans by giving them more choices and reducing the country's inflation rate." No one knows the truth of this better than Chinese commerce minister Chen Deming, who took that sword of righteousness and brought the smack down. We at CER all cheered to see a Chinese official become, for the first time, quotable. "We follow the rules of the WTO, but we have no obligation to follow domestic laws or regulations in any specific country that go beyond international rules," he said. Zing! Chen also noted that China's overall trade surplus was only US$150 billion, but its trade surplus with the US was US$200 billion, adding, "Every man, free from prejudice and armed with common-sense economics, can come to the right conclusion." Ka-bam! Take that, America.
2012年3月8日星期四
She means business! Dakota Fanning wears over-the-knee socks and miniskirt for meeting
She wore a very vibrant red pleated skirt which showed off her long legs and which she accentuated even more with knee-high black socks and wedged ankle boots.
Dakota teamed the skirt with a white blouse and black jacket and she carried a navy blue bag by Sophia Coppola for Louis Vuitton which costs and eye-watering $4,000.
And her long blonde hair hung loose over her face and she hid her eyes from the sun with big black shades.
But it was a very different Dakota who was snapped a few hours later as she headed to the gym.
She was snapped as she left her workout texting furiously on her phone as she walked home in trainers, short leggings and a denim shirt - but she still had her very expensive designer handbag on her arm.
Dakota, who shot to fame aged ten when she starred alongside Denzel Washington in Man On Fire, will soon start promoting her new movie Now Is Good.
The film, which is released in May, sees Dakota in the role of Tessa Scott, a terminally-ill teenager who makes a 'bucket list' of things she wants to do before she dies.
As well as some high octane stuff it also includes losing her virginity.
Jeremy Irvine, who is starring in Steven Spielberg's upcoming film adaptation of War Horse, plays her love interest Adam and it also stars Paddy Considine, former Skins star Kaya Scodelario and Olivia Williams.
Fans of the actress will also have seen here lately in the last two instalments of the Twilight series, Breaking Dawn Part 1 and Eclipse before that.
Dakota teamed the skirt with a white blouse and black jacket and she carried a navy blue bag by Sophia Coppola for Louis Vuitton which costs and eye-watering $4,000.
And her long blonde hair hung loose over her face and she hid her eyes from the sun with big black shades.
But it was a very different Dakota who was snapped a few hours later as she headed to the gym.
She was snapped as she left her workout texting furiously on her phone as she walked home in trainers, short leggings and a denim shirt - but she still had her very expensive designer handbag on her arm.
Dakota, who shot to fame aged ten when she starred alongside Denzel Washington in Man On Fire, will soon start promoting her new movie Now Is Good.
The film, which is released in May, sees Dakota in the role of Tessa Scott, a terminally-ill teenager who makes a 'bucket list' of things she wants to do before she dies.
As well as some high octane stuff it also includes losing her virginity.
Jeremy Irvine, who is starring in Steven Spielberg's upcoming film adaptation of War Horse, plays her love interest Adam and it also stars Paddy Considine, former Skins star Kaya Scodelario and Olivia Williams.
Fans of the actress will also have seen here lately in the last two instalments of the Twilight series, Breaking Dawn Part 1 and Eclipse before that.
2012年3月7日星期三
Miu Miu's Fall 2012 Show in Paris Gets an Amazing Young Hollywood Showing
Miuccia Prada showed one of her very best Miu Miu collections for fall winter 2012 in Paris on Wednesday, filled with strong suits in bright color combos -- very Carnaby Street - and mini dresses festooned with giant matte rock crystals. Even the eyemakeup had a strong sixties/seventies element. Just remember you heard it here first: the dress over pants look is baaccckkkkkk . . .
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Model Andrej Pejik Plays Both Sides at Paris Fashion Week
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STORY: Model Andrej Pejik Plays Both Sides at Paris Fashion Week
It's not everyday a brand gets a strong row that's got Mia Wasikowska -- an avowed fan of the brand, who wears it often -- Katy Perry, Midnight in Paris star Lea Seydoux, Kate Mara, Brit Marling, British singer Corinne Bailey Rae, and a number of young French stars. It's the best celeb turn out in Paris so far, so the Wednesday night opening of the Marc Jacobs-Louis Vuitton museum show at Les Art Decoratif in Paris will certainly be a hot ticket tonight.
Wasikowska wore a bicolor dress with a Miu Miu orchid pink top and a black flared skirt, with nude patent pumps; Seydoux wore a Prada (sister brand) black lace dress, a clutch and two town leather wedges with flames; Perry wore a blue coat and a flame print chiffon dress by Prada -- plus the bag of the season, the Saffiano lux Pyramide with studs - and Mara wore a red nappa leather trench and red silk shorts by Miu Miu. Quite a nice showing for all -- but particularly, for the brand.
our editor recommends
Model Andrej Pejik Plays Both Sides at Paris Fashion Week
Paris Fashion: Kristen Stewart Rocks Leather Pants at Balenciaga, Mila Kunis Does Demure Dior
STORY: Model Andrej Pejik Plays Both Sides at Paris Fashion Week
It's not everyday a brand gets a strong row that's got Mia Wasikowska -- an avowed fan of the brand, who wears it often -- Katy Perry, Midnight in Paris star Lea Seydoux, Kate Mara, Brit Marling, British singer Corinne Bailey Rae, and a number of young French stars. It's the best celeb turn out in Paris so far, so the Wednesday night opening of the Marc Jacobs-Louis Vuitton museum show at Les Art Decoratif in Paris will certainly be a hot ticket tonight.
Wasikowska wore a bicolor dress with a Miu Miu orchid pink top and a black flared skirt, with nude patent pumps; Seydoux wore a Prada (sister brand) black lace dress, a clutch and two town leather wedges with flames; Perry wore a blue coat and a flame print chiffon dress by Prada -- plus the bag of the season, the Saffiano lux Pyramide with studs - and Mara wore a red nappa leather trench and red silk shorts by Miu Miu. Quite a nice showing for all -- but particularly, for the brand.
2012年3月6日星期二
Chanel Fall-Winter 2012-2013 Collection
I'm frowning ladies collection of Chanel autumn / winter 2012-2013. It's the penultimate day of Paris Fashion Week schedule and finally we can admire the collection designed by Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel. A very easy chic collection that revisits actualizes some basic pieces of the house. Among the models on stage, there is also a new mom, and Victoria's Secret Angel, Miranda Kerr.
And after the grand parade of Yves Saint Laurent, Stefano Pilati for the last, which closed the day yesterday, it's time we talk about today's catwalks. The penultimate day of Paris Fashion is full of big names. Soon I will talk about the collection designed by Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel, but I want to remind you that today we will see on the catwalk, including Valentino and Alexander McQueen. And good morning opens with the great Louis Vuitton sgfilata! But back to us and talk about what happened this morning at Chanel.
What we saw on the catwalk? Cool colors, from blue and cold climate denoted by the white ice. Among these are grafted with a warmer tone to brighten the atmosphere.
In the evening she prefers Chanel elegance and transparency of pleated blouses, and full of bon ton. Back to black for formal occasions, but for the most easy, Chanel offers leaders declined in metallic blue and silver.
Among the accessories are proposed new version of it bag of the house, the legendary 2.55, and also some important news that we have right now as fascinated Bag Boy. I remember the backpack typical of 80-90 years of Chanel? He was there too! Every now and come back!
And after the grand parade of Yves Saint Laurent, Stefano Pilati for the last, which closed the day yesterday, it's time we talk about today's catwalks. The penultimate day of Paris Fashion is full of big names. Soon I will talk about the collection designed by Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel, but I want to remind you that today we will see on the catwalk, including Valentino and Alexander McQueen. And good morning opens with the great Louis Vuitton sgfilata! But back to us and talk about what happened this morning at Chanel.
What we saw on the catwalk? Cool colors, from blue and cold climate denoted by the white ice. Among these are grafted with a warmer tone to brighten the atmosphere.
In the evening she prefers Chanel elegance and transparency of pleated blouses, and full of bon ton. Back to black for formal occasions, but for the most easy, Chanel offers leaders declined in metallic blue and silver.
Among the accessories are proposed new version of it bag of the house, the legendary 2.55, and also some important news that we have right now as fascinated Bag Boy. I remember the backpack typical of 80-90 years of Chanel? He was there too! Every now and come back!
2012年3月5日星期一
Teen Mom star Jenelle Evans arrested AGAIN
Teem Mom star Jenelle Evans has been arrested AGAIN - this this time for stalking a former friend she is engaged in a feud with.
A spokesman for the Brunswick County Sheriff's Office confirmed the 20-year-old reality television personality was arrested in North Carolina today.
She was booked into the Brunswick County Detention Centre and received a bond of $1,000 for the charge.
She was bailed out of jail shortly after surrendering to the warrant filed against her by a former friend James Duffy.
Her arrest came a day after she was spotted stuffing her face with pizza while carrying an $800 Louis Vuitton handbag in New York City.
She was arrested on a misdemeanor charge of cyberstalking, said Sgt. Del Routh, a spokesman for the Brunswick County Sheriff's Office.
Nice bag: Jenelle Evans twinned her $800 Louis Vuitton handbag with a hooded top and pizza
James Duffy, the man against whom Evans has filed a cyberstalking charge, told Hollywoodlife.com that he filed a cyberstalking charge against Evans late last week.
Evans' attorney, Dustin Sullivan, did not immediately return a call Monday afternoon for comment.
She posted a $1,000 bail and was released by 2:30 p.m., according to online custody records.
Her court date is scheduled for April 2, a release from the sheriff's office stated.
Evans, 20, has been having an ongoing legal battle her former roommate Hannah Inman and James Duffy.
In January she filed a complaint against Duffy, accusing him of permitting a Twitter account to be used to 'hreaten, embarrass and post address of plaintiff.'
A spokesman for the Brunswick County Sheriff's Office confirmed the 20-year-old reality television personality was arrested in North Carolina today.
She was booked into the Brunswick County Detention Centre and received a bond of $1,000 for the charge.
She was bailed out of jail shortly after surrendering to the warrant filed against her by a former friend James Duffy.
Her arrest came a day after she was spotted stuffing her face with pizza while carrying an $800 Louis Vuitton handbag in New York City.
She was arrested on a misdemeanor charge of cyberstalking, said Sgt. Del Routh, a spokesman for the Brunswick County Sheriff's Office.
Nice bag: Jenelle Evans twinned her $800 Louis Vuitton handbag with a hooded top and pizza
James Duffy, the man against whom Evans has filed a cyberstalking charge, told Hollywoodlife.com that he filed a cyberstalking charge against Evans late last week.
Evans' attorney, Dustin Sullivan, did not immediately return a call Monday afternoon for comment.
She posted a $1,000 bail and was released by 2:30 p.m., according to online custody records.
Her court date is scheduled for April 2, a release from the sheriff's office stated.
Evans, 20, has been having an ongoing legal battle her former roommate Hannah Inman and James Duffy.
In January she filed a complaint against Duffy, accusing him of permitting a Twitter account to be used to 'hreaten, embarrass and post address of plaintiff.'
2012年3月4日星期日
Shanghai is too big to fail to be enjoyed
A rainy night in Shanghai. Neon lights reflect violet-pink-yellow-red in puddles along Nanjing Road East, a pedestrian-only commercial district where 21st-century high-tech buildings bump against 1930s Art Deco wonders. Umbrellas snap open as shoppers scurry past Westernized clothing boutiques, electronic stores, high-end jewelry shops, and brightly-lighted fast food emporiums with familiar names: KFC, McDonald's, Pizza Hut, Wendy's.
I am dodging raindrops with Jenny O'Connor, my niece, who traveled to meet me from her home in Guangzhou. (She moved there two years ago with her husband and their four children for his job at the State Department.) We are hungry, but I have not endured 14 1/2 hours on a plane from Chicago to eat a fast food burger with fries, so we turn down a side street and wander till we find an appropriate place to dine.
The menu, with glossy photos and English subtitles, offers all manner of duck - spicy fragrant neck, delicious duck feet, glutinous duck tongue, spicy hot duck's head - as well as stir-fried ox tongue, snake head hot pot, natural bean dregs soup, hot and spicy cooked gizzard's blood, brine pig's tail, sauteed old frog, and palatable black fungus.
Off Taikang Road we discover an artsy tangle of lanes and old brick buildings. Galleries abound as well as crafts and clothing boutiques. It is where the young come to shop, eat, see, and be seen. It is big enough to feel as if we are getting lost but not so big that we worry we are. We find a book on Art Deco Shanghai in The Old China Hand Reading Room, a bookstore, art gallery, and tearoom run by photographer Deke Ehr. In Woo, we are tempted to buy luscious pashminas, woven capes, and scarves. I almost spring for an industrial-inspired bag but decide to save my money for lunch.
We snag a cab and hand the driver a card for the spicy Hunan restaurant Guyi. We have heard it is a local favorite, always busy, no reservations, expect a line. We arrive at 3 p.m. and find it empty. No one sits beneath the crystal chandeliers at tables set with crisp white cloths, except the staff dining in the far corner. It is open? Yes. We are handed a voluminous menu with snappy color photos and order by pointing. Jenny knows the word for beer: "pi jiu."
Chicken with fresh bamboo shoots, chilies, and cilantro arrives in a cast iron wok. Purple baby eggplant and green beans with red pepper are eye-popping bright and sufficiently spicy. The only thing missing? Napkins.
"I rarely find napkins in restaurants in China," says Jenny, confessing she often slides the tablecloth across her lap.
I am dodging raindrops with Jenny O'Connor, my niece, who traveled to meet me from her home in Guangzhou. (She moved there two years ago with her husband and their four children for his job at the State Department.) We are hungry, but I have not endured 14 1/2 hours on a plane from Chicago to eat a fast food burger with fries, so we turn down a side street and wander till we find an appropriate place to dine.
The menu, with glossy photos and English subtitles, offers all manner of duck - spicy fragrant neck, delicious duck feet, glutinous duck tongue, spicy hot duck's head - as well as stir-fried ox tongue, snake head hot pot, natural bean dregs soup, hot and spicy cooked gizzard's blood, brine pig's tail, sauteed old frog, and palatable black fungus.
Off Taikang Road we discover an artsy tangle of lanes and old brick buildings. Galleries abound as well as crafts and clothing boutiques. It is where the young come to shop, eat, see, and be seen. It is big enough to feel as if we are getting lost but not so big that we worry we are. We find a book on Art Deco Shanghai in The Old China Hand Reading Room, a bookstore, art gallery, and tearoom run by photographer Deke Ehr. In Woo, we are tempted to buy luscious pashminas, woven capes, and scarves. I almost spring for an industrial-inspired bag but decide to save my money for lunch.
We snag a cab and hand the driver a card for the spicy Hunan restaurant Guyi. We have heard it is a local favorite, always busy, no reservations, expect a line. We arrive at 3 p.m. and find it empty. No one sits beneath the crystal chandeliers at tables set with crisp white cloths, except the staff dining in the far corner. It is open? Yes. We are handed a voluminous menu with snappy color photos and order by pointing. Jenny knows the word for beer: "pi jiu."
Chicken with fresh bamboo shoots, chilies, and cilantro arrives in a cast iron wok. Purple baby eggplant and green beans with red pepper are eye-popping bright and sufficiently spicy. The only thing missing? Napkins.
"I rarely find napkins in restaurants in China," says Jenny, confessing she often slides the tablecloth across her lap.
2012年3月1日星期四
Why Drive to Vegas? Mayra's Wedding Chapel Is Right Here in East Hollywood
Here comes the bride, all dressed in cream satin, with a sparkly brooch on her hip. "They've been together for a very, very long time. Like, two years?" says Yesenia Villanueva, 22, the bride's classmate in nursing school.
Driving north on Normandie Avenue, just before the road crests and the Griffith Observatory comes into view, signs advertising the only business between Beverly and Melrose ask, "Why go to Vegas? Marriages -- $170.00 -- Matrimonios."
Why indeed? This is Mayra's Wedding Chapel, and officiating today, as on most days, is Lindabelle Montero, imperious in her burgundy minister's robe and black, high-heeled ankle boots. Montero, 40, lives with her sons in the back of the house, works at a desk in the foyer and performs weddings in between.
It was Montero's mother, Mayra Sossa, who decided to transform the living room into a nondenominational wedding chapel in 1986, much to her then-teenage daughter's dismay. Despite dreams of being a singer and an actress, Montero became a notary at 18, a Universal Life Church minister at 21 and her mother's eventual successor as East Hollywood's marriage and legal-work linchpin.
"Thank you all," Montero says. "We're gathered here today in the presence of these two people to unite them in legal matrimony."
The bride and groom, Emily and Manuel, stand before 12 friends on ceramic tiles that look like wood, beneath a $600 fiberglass bower with Ionic columns, brimming with fake flowers. The chapel seats about 20, with a love seat, a couch and 17 mismatched chairs cloaked in white and adorned with translucent gold ribbon. Chiffon billows over doors and windows, and angel figurines -- some gold, some sparkly; some clothed, many not -- pepper the room.
On the couch in the back, a voluptuous woman answers her iPhone in a low voice, listens intently and begins rifling through her fake Louis Vuitton bag.
"Raise your right hands," Montero says. "Do you both swear that the information you provided on your license is true, and so help you God?"
Most clients are Filipino or Latino and live within walking distance of the chapel, Montero says. But she's also married numerous Koreans, Scandinavians, Russians, Armenians, Jews, Hindus and Africans, along with a man who claimed to be an executive producer on the movie As Good As It Gets (via their assistants, the men credited as executive producers of that film both deny any Mayra marriages). Once, at 3 a.m., Montero married an Oakland Raiders player ("I got the kick of the alcohol as he was repeating his vows. We got, like, five calls from his attorney the next morning").
Montero married several gay couples in 2008 and still offers commitment ceremonies, but she draws the line at Muslims, "just because of what's happened since 9/11."
Not that any terrorists could make it past the security cameras, barred windows and bolted locks. Those were installed after the family was robbed at gunpoint in 2001, when Montero was seven and a half months pregnant. When the disheveled woman aiding the robbery attempted to tie up mother and daughter, Montero's mother slipped away and ran screaming onto Normandie, forcing the criminals to flee.
"Girl, my mom is no joke," Montero says. "Snap, she's dynamite, a feisty little lady."
Sossa, Montero's mother, emigrated from Costa Rica in 1969 and established the chapel after a day care center proved too stressful. Though she still answers phone calls and monitors the video feed, the 65-year-old Sossa no longer lives on-site. She spends the majority of her time at her nearby home with Lindabelle's half-brother, 31, who is mentally disabled.
Driving north on Normandie Avenue, just before the road crests and the Griffith Observatory comes into view, signs advertising the only business between Beverly and Melrose ask, "Why go to Vegas? Marriages -- $170.00 -- Matrimonios."
Why indeed? This is Mayra's Wedding Chapel, and officiating today, as on most days, is Lindabelle Montero, imperious in her burgundy minister's robe and black, high-heeled ankle boots. Montero, 40, lives with her sons in the back of the house, works at a desk in the foyer and performs weddings in between.
It was Montero's mother, Mayra Sossa, who decided to transform the living room into a nondenominational wedding chapel in 1986, much to her then-teenage daughter's dismay. Despite dreams of being a singer and an actress, Montero became a notary at 18, a Universal Life Church minister at 21 and her mother's eventual successor as East Hollywood's marriage and legal-work linchpin.
"Thank you all," Montero says. "We're gathered here today in the presence of these two people to unite them in legal matrimony."
The bride and groom, Emily and Manuel, stand before 12 friends on ceramic tiles that look like wood, beneath a $600 fiberglass bower with Ionic columns, brimming with fake flowers. The chapel seats about 20, with a love seat, a couch and 17 mismatched chairs cloaked in white and adorned with translucent gold ribbon. Chiffon billows over doors and windows, and angel figurines -- some gold, some sparkly; some clothed, many not -- pepper the room.
On the couch in the back, a voluptuous woman answers her iPhone in a low voice, listens intently and begins rifling through her fake Louis Vuitton bag.
"Raise your right hands," Montero says. "Do you both swear that the information you provided on your license is true, and so help you God?"
Most clients are Filipino or Latino and live within walking distance of the chapel, Montero says. But she's also married numerous Koreans, Scandinavians, Russians, Armenians, Jews, Hindus and Africans, along with a man who claimed to be an executive producer on the movie As Good As It Gets (via their assistants, the men credited as executive producers of that film both deny any Mayra marriages). Once, at 3 a.m., Montero married an Oakland Raiders player ("I got the kick of the alcohol as he was repeating his vows. We got, like, five calls from his attorney the next morning").
Montero married several gay couples in 2008 and still offers commitment ceremonies, but she draws the line at Muslims, "just because of what's happened since 9/11."
Not that any terrorists could make it past the security cameras, barred windows and bolted locks. Those were installed after the family was robbed at gunpoint in 2001, when Montero was seven and a half months pregnant. When the disheveled woman aiding the robbery attempted to tie up mother and daughter, Montero's mother slipped away and ran screaming onto Normandie, forcing the criminals to flee.
"Girl, my mom is no joke," Montero says. "Snap, she's dynamite, a feisty little lady."
Sossa, Montero's mother, emigrated from Costa Rica in 1969 and established the chapel after a day care center proved too stressful. Though she still answers phone calls and monitors the video feed, the 65-year-old Sossa no longer lives on-site. She spends the majority of her time at her nearby home with Lindabelle's half-brother, 31, who is mentally disabled.
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