04 February 2010
Home Sweet Home: Alice.com
Finally! Alice.com is open for business! Just in time too as the toilet paper is running low here at chez TIWAW. (Well, kind of old news I guess, but I had heard about it awhile back and missed on its grand opening I guess. Oh well!)
Seriously, this service is a godsend for urban-dwellers without a car like me. What could be more tedious than having to pick up overpriced toilet paper every couple of days from the bodega because there is no place to go to buy the stuff in bulk (let alone carry it back on the subway)? Few things, let me tell you. Few things!
01 February 2010
WIWT: Ski Edition!
The last time I skied, parabolic skis were still in their infancy. I was 11 and on a class field trip. I recall demonstrating my perfected abrupt stop complete with a wave of misty snow at a the base of a lift-line. My elegant form was witnessed by the boy, Jon, whose name populated my 8th grade diary with plenty of hearts. He said, "Wow, you're really good." I think my heart melted.
Then there were what I refer to as the dry and subsequently flat years. Moved to Texas with step-family who did not ski. Moved to Chicago where the nearest "mountain" had 500ft of vertical which was effectively an icy graveyard (I broke my wrist on those icy molehills!).
But finally, sometime in my senior year of college, I returned to the mountains--to Whistler, actually. This time, I was armed with a snowboard of my very own. First run I decide, instead of taking a lesson, to ride the gondola to the mothereffin' summit. I used to ski, I thought. How hard could this snowboarding thing be?
Very hard, apparently--at least at first.
I cursed my life as I hesitantly edged my way down the mountain, falling here and there, over and over. Oh, I swore. And how! So Whistler, if you are unaware, is huge. It is a monstrous mountain--biggest in North America--with the longest trail being about 7miles top to bottom. It took me about the entire afternoon to barely make it half way as I was falling--a lot. Finally, the lifts had closed and ski patrol was doing its last run. They spotted me, clearly in distress, and gave me a ride down on one of the injured-skier toboggans. Embarrassing, yes, but a hell of a lot of fun!
Well, despite that tremulous start, I have somehow stuck with snowboarding over the years (broken wrist, mild concussions, injured shoulders, and all). I've also since returned to Whistler and without requiring the assistance of ski patrol. I'm curious to try skiing again. I wonder if I'll still remember how! Well, regardless of which version of the sport, the obsession returns annually. This time of year, I can be found frequently ogling trail maps at work.
All right, long introduction aside: what to wear to the ski hills, bunnies?
As demonstrated by Mrs. Beckham (google it), not this:
Yes this:
Yep. So basically this is on the wishlist right now. Have no real reason to purchase it because, well, I have two ski jackets (arguably three) already.
Now, what do I actually wear? Well, when it's pretty cold there's this:
Man, I shurrr do miss the Rockies.
Then there were what I refer to as the dry and subsequently flat years. Moved to Texas with step-family who did not ski. Moved to Chicago where the nearest "mountain" had 500ft of vertical which was effectively an icy graveyard (I broke my wrist on those icy molehills!).
But finally, sometime in my senior year of college, I returned to the mountains--to Whistler, actually. This time, I was armed with a snowboard of my very own. First run I decide, instead of taking a lesson, to ride the gondola to the mothereffin' summit. I used to ski, I thought. How hard could this snowboarding thing be?
Very hard, apparently--at least at first.
I cursed my life as I hesitantly edged my way down the mountain, falling here and there, over and over. Oh, I swore. And how! So Whistler, if you are unaware, is huge. It is a monstrous mountain--biggest in North America--with the longest trail being about 7miles top to bottom. It took me about the entire afternoon to barely make it half way as I was falling--a lot. Finally, the lifts had closed and ski patrol was doing its last run. They spotted me, clearly in distress, and gave me a ride down on one of the injured-skier toboggans. Embarrassing, yes, but a hell of a lot of fun!
Well, despite that tremulous start, I have somehow stuck with snowboarding over the years (broken wrist, mild concussions, injured shoulders, and all). I've also since returned to Whistler and without requiring the assistance of ski patrol. I'm curious to try skiing again. I wonder if I'll still remember how! Well, regardless of which version of the sport, the obsession returns annually. This time of year, I can be found frequently ogling trail maps at work.
All right, long introduction aside: what to wear to the ski hills, bunnies?
As demonstrated by Mrs. Beckham (google it), not this:
Really, Chanel? Really???
Yes this:
Arc'teryx "Sidewinder"
Holla, Canadian roots! I love Arc'teryx. As far as outdoor gear goes, Arc'teryx is really top notch for quality and design.*
A run down of why this is an awesome ski jacket:
- Material: 3 layer Gore-tex pro shell (translation: You will never be wet or feel the wind, and yes, it does get windy on those chairlifts)
- Taped seams (again, you'll never be wet)
- Powder skirt (keeps the snow from gettin' in your pants if you're prone to falling)
- Stowable helmet-compatible hood (good, again, for those wet conditions)
- RECCO avalanche reflector (you know, for all that off-piste, backcountry stuff I do--ha)
- Finally, BRIGHT, BOLD COLOUR! (easier for your mates to spot you in the masses of people crowding at the lift lines)
* Admittedly, the REI store's own brand of sporting apparel is probably 1/2 the price of Arc'teryx and just as good in terms of quality... but you know, we are label/design whores, and I'm a sucker for the better designs of the Arc'teryx gear. Plus, REI's stuff doesn't have RECCO reflectors hehe.
Now, what do I actually wear? Well, when it's pretty cold there's this:
The latecomers' BFE parking lot at Breck
Insulated ski/snowboard jacket (Roxy, hehe) / hyvent snowpants that I love (North Face) / fleece "turtleneck" / not shown: helmet & goggles, of courseAnd this for when it's warmer:
Posing in front of M's amazing "gingerbread" haus
Gore-tex shell (Arc'teryx) / those same North Face snowpants / Gore-tex mittens with snot guard and goggle wipers (Kombi--so warm!) / not shown: again, helmet (!!) & gogglesUh, in conclusion: I love snowsports... and always wear a helmet! Oh, and I recommend goggles with yellow lenses.
Man, I shurrr do miss the Rockies.
30 January 2010
The Uniform
Things I hate wearing:
There was a girl with whom I used to work who also wore the uniform. Every. Single. Day. Literally. I couldn't help but feel uncomfortable for her whenever I saw her... and then I would imagine the closet of neatly hanging pressed shirts organised by colour. She was that type of girl.
It's just not comfortable, right? I mean there is the not being able to lift your arms to tie your hair up because the shirt will come untucked, the omnipresent gap between the buttons for those who are even just slightly endowed, and the constant need for professional cleaning because ironing those shirts with all the darts and the intricacies at home is an undeniable pain.
- Office-appropriate pants
- Fitted button-up shirts
- Especially in concert with the button-up shirt tucked into the pants
There was a girl with whom I used to work who also wore the uniform. Every. Single. Day. Literally. I couldn't help but feel uncomfortable for her whenever I saw her... and then I would imagine the closet of neatly hanging pressed shirts organised by colour. She was that type of girl.
It's just not comfortable, right? I mean there is the not being able to lift your arms to tie your hair up because the shirt will come untucked, the omnipresent gap between the buttons for those who are even just slightly endowed, and the constant need for professional cleaning because ironing those shirts with all the darts and the intricacies at home is an undeniable pain.
20 January 2010
Update
Yikes. The New Year has been busy o'er here. Have been working with a couple of organisations (more on that later) and have been partaking in a couple of ski weekends. So far, 2010 is off to a great start. I'm in a really good mood today ;p
01 January 2010
Nikon+Ipod=Happy New Year
Inherited the Old Man's old introductory Nikon D50 over Christmas as he's upgrading to the D-whatever. Had some fun with a slow shutter speed!
Happy new year & decade everyone! <3<3
27 December 2009
21 December 2009
Non-Fashion: Get those buggers out!
Had my wisdom teef (2 of them) extracted on Friday. [Insert expletives].
The evening was spent writhing in pain. Did not get to sleep til about 4-5am with my body sort of hunched over so a pack of ice could rest on my head. The prescription Tylenol 3 (with Codeine, my ass) were not doing it.
Take heed, young readers, get those suckers out of your mouth while you're still living under your parents' roof so you can:
1) have the expense covered
2) get it down while your young bodies are still quick to heal themselves
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY
3) have your parents to coddle you!
Oh, how I longed for some coddling.
Thankfully, it was just one night of unbearable pain. The rest of the weekend was spent with much more tolerable pain and a grotesquely swollen jaw. Yeah, jowls--not so attractive.
That is all.
Heading back to the south tomorrow for the holiday! More later...
The evening was spent writhing in pain. Did not get to sleep til about 4-5am with my body sort of hunched over so a pack of ice could rest on my head. The prescription Tylenol 3 (with Codeine, my ass) were not doing it.
Take heed, young readers, get those suckers out of your mouth while you're still living under your parents' roof so you can:
1) have the expense covered
2) get it down while your young bodies are still quick to heal themselves
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY
3) have your parents to coddle you!
Oh, how I longed for some coddling.
Thankfully, it was just one night of unbearable pain. The rest of the weekend was spent with much more tolerable pain and a grotesquely swollen jaw. Yeah, jowls--not so attractive.
That is all.
Heading back to the south tomorrow for the holiday! More later...
13 December 2009
Shoes: New Discovery
Was in the DSW in Union Square the other day while in the process of doing some holiday shopping and discovered this brand: No. 704b
I tried to google it and really can't find anything on it except that it's sold in DSW--perhaps exclusively? It seems to be a Canadian company as well so maybe they have other outlets in Canada? Or is this just a DSW brand? Anyway, the MSRP price point seems to be around $200 and default DSW prices about 2/3rds that and much less once the shoes hit the sales racks. Although I didn't end up getting anything, the brand does seem to have some very cute styles and the quality seemed to be pretty good too.
Go check it out: click click!
These pretties are only $30!!! (Would totally get them if I didn't already have 5 other pairs of the similarly styled shoes.. heh heh)
I tried to google it and really can't find anything on it except that it's sold in DSW--perhaps exclusively? It seems to be a Canadian company as well so maybe they have other outlets in Canada? Or is this just a DSW brand? Anyway, the MSRP price point seems to be around $200 and default DSW prices about 2/3rds that and much less once the shoes hit the sales racks. Although I didn't end up getting anything, the brand does seem to have some very cute styles and the quality seemed to be pretty good too.
Go check it out: click click!
These pretties are only $30!!! (Would totally get them if I didn't already have 5 other pairs of the similarly styled shoes.. heh heh)
03 December 2009
Undergarments: Old Ladies Know What's Up
Control top pantyhose with reinforced toes. Stick with the brands your Aunt Gertrude wears.
The other day when I had a run in my stocking I made the foolish, rookie mistake of popping into the first store I could find for a replacement pair. The store happened to be Express. $16.00-some odd dollars later, I had a pair of black sheer pantyhose that didn't hold a candle to the cheapo $18.97 for a pack of 5 (or was it 6?) of Silks from CostCo. Unsurprisingly, this $16-Express pair busted over my toe in the six hours from purchase to the end of the night. Never again. I would have probably been better served getting the really cheapo kind from a CVS or something.
Earlier this evening, I stopped into Century 21 for some more tights-reinforcements. Since my latest modus operandi has been to never wear pants (gah, don't pants just suck sometimes?), I really need a lot of tights to survive the winter months. No Silks, but they did have this "Berkshire: In Control" hose. I bought a black sheer and navy sheer and was happy to discover that they have the built in biker shorts annnd reinforced toes. Pretty unsexy if you're trying to seduce Mr. Right, butttt for the casual office wear? Oh yes. Ohhh yes. And they were only $5.97 a pair!
The other day when I had a run in my stocking I made the foolish, rookie mistake of popping into the first store I could find for a replacement pair. The store happened to be Express. $16.00-some odd dollars later, I had a pair of black sheer pantyhose that didn't hold a candle to the cheapo $18.97 for a pack of 5 (or was it 6?) of Silks from CostCo. Unsurprisingly, this $16-Express pair busted over my toe in the six hours from purchase to the end of the night. Never again. I would have probably been better served getting the really cheapo kind from a CVS or something.
Earlier this evening, I stopped into Century 21 for some more tights-reinforcements. Since my latest modus operandi has been to never wear pants (gah, don't pants just suck sometimes?), I really need a lot of tights to survive the winter months. No Silks, but they did have this "Berkshire: In Control" hose. I bought a black sheer and navy sheer and was happy to discover that they have the built in biker shorts annnd reinforced toes. Pretty unsexy if you're trying to seduce Mr. Right, butttt for the casual office wear? Oh yes. Ohhh yes. And they were only $5.97 a pair!
24 November 2009
Life (and Death)
I was just in the middle of taking a bite of my bagel when Mom called yesterday afternoon.
"Hi?" she spoke tenuously.
"Yeah mom?"
"Have you heard?"
"What?" I was impatient. Tired. Ready to leave work.
"... I have bad news."
I knew where this was going. Unable to finish chewing, the tears started welling up and that was that. Through fitful sobs, I spat half eaten chunks of bagel into a napkin and nearly choked myself.
I was going to see her tonight. My flight leaves soon, and I should've been there. I was supposed to see her at least one more time and spend this holiday with her which is the most frustrating part of it all--the lack of a proper goodbye, you know? It was so close! It pains me to think about it. The last goodbye was hurried over the phone because I couldn't stand to hear the sound of her fragile voice and that calm, morphine-induced state of unaware bliss.
While I was looking forward to returning yesterday before hearing the news, today I am fearful. I have never felt so anxious about doing anything in my life. As I picked at my lunch earlier today with friends nearby, laughing at the appropriate times, smiling at the appropriate times, and just trying to hold myself together and maintain a semblance of normalcy (a table of stressed out guys probably isn't the best place in which to be a crier), all I could think about was the impending goodbye I'd have with them, and how I'd be thrown back into the wild to face this on my own. We can only escape the feeling of loss and sadness in the company of others for so long. Eventually, we have to retreat into ourselves and process--alone.
So, I prepare myself now for the solitary one hour trip to the airport, the solitary one hour wait at the airport, and the solitary two-hour flight home, and whatever other solitary moments I have between now and when I run into Mom's arms. Nervous, anxious, and.. well, sad above everything else.
My grandmother passed away yesterday morning. We were emotionally prepared. It had been a two year battle with cancer that has been painful to watch. What more is there to say? We all experience loss, and there isn't anything to say really. Just give me a hug. It will just take time.
"Hi?" she spoke tenuously.
"Yeah mom?"
"Have you heard?"
"What?" I was impatient. Tired. Ready to leave work.
"... I have bad news."
I knew where this was going. Unable to finish chewing, the tears started welling up and that was that. Through fitful sobs, I spat half eaten chunks of bagel into a napkin and nearly choked myself.
I was going to see her tonight. My flight leaves soon, and I should've been there. I was supposed to see her at least one more time and spend this holiday with her which is the most frustrating part of it all--the lack of a proper goodbye, you know? It was so close! It pains me to think about it. The last goodbye was hurried over the phone because I couldn't stand to hear the sound of her fragile voice and that calm, morphine-induced state of unaware bliss.
While I was looking forward to returning yesterday before hearing the news, today I am fearful. I have never felt so anxious about doing anything in my life. As I picked at my lunch earlier today with friends nearby, laughing at the appropriate times, smiling at the appropriate times, and just trying to hold myself together and maintain a semblance of normalcy (a table of stressed out guys probably isn't the best place in which to be a crier), all I could think about was the impending goodbye I'd have with them, and how I'd be thrown back into the wild to face this on my own. We can only escape the feeling of loss and sadness in the company of others for so long. Eventually, we have to retreat into ourselves and process--alone.
So, I prepare myself now for the solitary one hour trip to the airport, the solitary one hour wait at the airport, and the solitary two-hour flight home, and whatever other solitary moments I have between now and when I run into Mom's arms. Nervous, anxious, and.. well, sad above everything else.
My grandmother passed away yesterday morning. We were emotionally prepared. It had been a two year battle with cancer that has been painful to watch. What more is there to say? We all experience loss, and there isn't anything to say really. Just give me a hug. It will just take time.
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