Can...did

I normally have a well-stocked fridge because I love to cook, but ever since I got home from all that business travelling, I've become too lazy to. When I first got back, I made a few meals (you've heard me whine about how sick I was to eat out all the time). But when I was hit with a lot of work, and gas prices shot up, and food prices also jumped, grocery shopping became a chore and got less and less appealing by the day. Good thing the cafeteria in a building near my work offers relatively healthy fares in large portions for a budget-friendly price. Otherwise, I would have gained a good number of pounds by now.

Today I had to work all day again, but once I was done with the day's work, I was truly done and satisfied. I was actually excited about the prospects of spending some of that free time in the grocery store, walking down the aisles and planning my meals when a certain meat or produce strikes my fancy. Alas, the market I normally go to for such things was closed at an unnaturally early hour...maybe for good. There were rumors that the supermarket was already struggling through the bad times, and if a partnership deal isn't struck with new investors, it'll go under really soon. Perhaps the white flag has already gone up.

Feeling a little sad, I headed over to the 99 Cents store to see what cheap-but-not-cheapy grocery items could be found. I read/heard a story on either the New York Times or NPR a while back (can't remember anymore) about how the bad economy is driving hordes of people over to dollar stores, which you'd think would be great business for those stores. However, that's the wrong conclusion. It sounds counterintuitive, but it make sense once the economics were explained--by virtue of their store names, such merchants have to keep selling things for a dollar even when the wholesale prices of goods are starting to cost much more, thereby cutting into an already-slim profit margin. It's just a matter of time that the practice of selling everything for a buck will no longer be sustainable.

There are 2 options for survival--either raise the prices of some items so that they're no longer a dollar (which defeats the purpose of calling the outlet a Dollar Store), or shrink the portions but keep the price at a dollar. The 99 Cents Store I went to today apparently took the latter route. I've noticed that many of the items have shrunken dramatically in size, particularly the pasta sauces. I used to be able to get a really nice bottle of pasta sauce (which sold for several dollars at a regular market) for a buck. Today, however, a dollar gets me a squat little "trial size" bottle with perhaps a third of the former volume. Likewise, the can of chili I purchased was in a much-reduced volume from what I saw before all the price hikes.

I know that in a free-market supply-and-demand economy, every businessperson has to make adjustments to keep the business afloat. Still, the practice of selling reduced-size things for the same price first struck me as being a little shady, as it goes against the expectation of returning consumers who aren't getting what they thought they'd be getting. However, it's not like people won't notice the difference in the Incredible Shrinking Can.

Sigh...it's just a bit disappointing. My former bargain spot isn't what it used to be. But then again, economic change is a way of life. Just as we heard stories of the nickel-and-dime store, the 99 Cents Store may become the lore for our children and grandchildren.

And the bands played on...

I just got home after a day full of work and fun. After dealing with work, errands, sample sale, and more work in the first half of the day, I spent a good chunk of the afternoon catching a number of free shows in Pasadena. Too bad time was limited and I missed some that I really wanted to see, but it was pretty fun nonetheless. The first band my friends and I went to see was Dengue Fever. It was really fun. When we first got there, the crowd was a bit thin...


...but the streets filled up really quickly soon after I took this picture. Good thing we got there early, because we had the best standing room in the house (or rather, just outside of the Pasadena Playhouse):

As evidenced by the lead singer's expression, it was quite hot. And she said so. When someone from the audience shouted, "No, you're hot!", she reiterated that it was the weather. And they've got the water bottles on stage to prove it.

So I relocated to the side. Muuuuch better. I was in the shade, and the view was still great.

The funny part was how me and my friend both noticed the singer's shoes. Check them out!

It was a really good show for an hour, and after that it was time to hop over to the next one. After much walking in the blazing sun (which followed much standing in the blazing sun), we got to see the Raveonettes, with a stand-in singer for the pregnant Sharin. The music was thumpin', but the heat had already drained me by then. The place was filled with young scenesters/hipsters. I think I would have enjoyed the music more if I was up closer, but that would have put me in the sun again.

Since we were all beaten by the sun, my group headed to a bar for a bit before heading off to see Meiko. I've been looking forward to this, and it was well worth the wait. I really enjoyed the set, and it helped that it cooled down by that point.

It seems like all the female performers I saw wore dresses. Good call, because unlike the audience members, they can't really duck and hide in the shade when they feel like it. It also looks more glamorous, especially the long dress (I love the print). I, on the other hand, went with shorts and a loose top that I bought at the aforementioned sample sale. It was just perfect for the occasion--loose enough to keep me from overheating, and it just seems like something one would wear to a concert.

[my own Granny Smith Rocks earrings, Ella Moss top, an old pair of Fossil shorts, Payless wedges]

There should be more of these shows during the summer at both Pasadena and MacArthur Park (near Downtown LA). With high gas prices these days, it's a pain to pay for parking and gas on top of concert tickets. But with these free concerts, you won't have to--both locations can be reached with the Metro Red Line and Gold Line, respectively. Now, that's a real bargain.

Free and Freely

My brain gets hampered by great limitations when it comes to writing for long stretches of time, but tonight I must surpass those bounds. I have to finish something for work before dawn's early light, but after working really, really long hours for the last couple of days, I just need a little break. So, of course, I break by doing more writing. Makes perfect sense.

It's starting to get very hot these days, and it's getting tougher and tougher to wear suits. After getting soaked to the skin yesterday in a collared shirt, I opted for a light, stretchy sleeveless top underneath my suit jacket today. It's nice to wear things that lets me move freely, particularly when my day is far from being free.

This weekend I'm going to treat myself to doing something fun. In the morning, I'll head to the Splendid/Ella Moss sample sale in Downtown LA. Due to my work schedule, I hardly ever go to sample sales anymore. This would be a good one to hit for me. Ever since I got my Ella Moss dress from that same location for the work Christmas party, I've wanted to get more light, flouncy, playful yet graceful (and wearable-under-suits) pieces from the line. Unfortunately, they usually don't come cheap, so I'm glad this opportunity came up. I also like the basics from the Splendid line, since they're soft and colorful; they're easier to come by at Nordstrom Rack for a pretty good price, but a sample sale saves me the trouble of having to dig around. The sample sale will be in the 8th floor of the Cooper Building (860 S. Los Angeles Street) in the Fashion District this Friday and Saturday from 9 to 4.

In the afternoon, I'll hit the free Make Music Pasadena event in Pasadena. A number of awesome artists are going to be there. It's been a while since I got to go to a concert, so I'm pretty excited. Plus it's free!

All cut from the same oily cloth

Here's the 6th gripe about oil prices--too many things depend on oil. Including fabrics. That's right, fabric.

I finally got to hit the FIDM Scholarship Store this weekend, the first time in what seems like months. I had really wanted to get some of the quilted fabrics so that I can make padded cases for some electronics, as a lot of the fabric there was quite cheap ($1 a yard!!!). I also wanted to load up on cute prints and pretty colors to work with as I learn how to sew.

To my great dismay, the price has gone up to $2 per yard. Apparently this happened about a month ago, when the gas prices lifted off for the outer limits. Some of the cost increase is attributable to transportation, but another factor may seem unexpected--some of the fabrics actually depend on the oil as an ingredient. This is not surprising, given that a lot of what we wear are made of synthetic polymers that are generated from petroleum products. To be sure, $2/yard is still a terrific price for fabric, but when the price has literally doubled, it does feel a bit painful--instead of spending $20 like I had planned, I ended up spending about $40. I wonder when the price of oil starts to impact the price of fashion. The Forever 21's, H&M's, and Charlotte Russe's might not be so affordable anymore.

The pretty prints do offer a little consolation. The scallop-print fabric may become a dress someday. And I don't know what's with me and green--I have a couple of shades here. The emerald green fabric was very much in demand, so I had to grab a few yards before they disappeared.