I am embarrassed to admit that I like shopping. My gender disposition ought to give me a free pass. However, as computer programmer and athlete, many of my girl friends turn up their noses at such traditional stereotypical activities. Shopping is for girly girls and we ought to engage in much more intellectual or athletic pursuits. Sorry girls, I love beautiful things and they don’t just land on my lap serendipitously.
The simple act of aimless browsing can be divisive and that is why I prefer to shop alone. I don’t necessarily have a specific item to look for but when I see something I particularly love, the discovery is akin to unearthing a treasure. Obviously I am highly interested in kitchenware and my recent find of Hello Kitty cake pan proved just that.
I spent last weekend in St Paul / Minneapolis. The reason for the visit was an inline skating race. Those who are keeping tabs on my concussion recovery, I skated. Despite missing six weeks of training, I crossed the finish line in very respectable time. I received a conditional clear all from my physician this week and the hard work of mounting a comeback has begun. Spending a long weekend at the Twin Cities gave me an opportunity to explore the little neighbourhoods that give the city its flavour. I found these etched beech wood mini spoons from local company Talisman Designs. I saw their cheeseboards and salad servers before but the diminutive size of these spoons (think ice cream spoons) with the little bird is absolutely adorable.
I am not particularly keen on making cupcakes and when I do, I go for no non-sense foil liners. However, I recently spotted Reynold’s range of free-standing printed liners and bought a bunch. These Baked For You Staybrite liners are cute, obviously. What’s more, the interior is foil-lined so that the pattern remains vibrant and visible after baking. If I need to make cupcakes for fancier occasions, these would be good choices especially to highlight the colour scheme.
A girl can’t live on pretty kitchenware alone. As cliché as it is, I enjoy my fair share of shoe shopping. I know, I know, what’s the deal with girls and shoes? I don’t know the answer to that burning question either except shoes are integral part of an outfit. I sure love to look put-together!
The gladiator sandal trend of the last few years have yet to show any signs of waning and I am dismay. I spend so much time in those stiff carbon fibre skate boots so suffice to say my feet are not that great looking. I count myself lucky that I found these beaded sandals from Aldo. The delicate suede straps and muted colour of the beading offer coverage without looking bulky. I wore them with a flowing maxi dress, straw hat with wide brim, wooden bracelet, aviator shades, and straw woven handbag. It was perfect for a stroll by the lake.
As much as I enjoy balmy summer days, I prefer winter a whole lot more. Outfits are more interesting because of all the layering pieces. Shoes can afford to be more hefty without looking out of place. That was the reason why I bought this pair of black lace-up nubuck suede wedges from Fluevog. They are the 5th addition to my small collection of Fluevog shoes. Check out the studded details on the gracefully sculpted heel! I would love to show these off with brightly coloured opaque tights, Second Female Copenhagen romper, and All Saints black wrap cardigan.
To be honest, I haven’t cooked for a whole week and that is the real reason behind the lack of new posts. I barely get four hours of sleep every night with the excitement of watching live Olympics broadcast. Let’s hope this slacker can get back into the cooking and blogging rhythm soon now that my training is back on track!
