Venue

When friends and family first saw us after the news broke, the first thing they want to see is the shiny hardware, and the second thing they do is ask when the big date is. Well...we don't know. Although we have an idea of when we want to get hitched, it's not entirely up to us. Most of it has to do with the venue. There are a few limiting factors: availability, cost, and capacity. Many places get booked up more than a year in advance, so it takes a lot of work to come up with alternatives. Fortunately, I'm not one to have some grand vision of some fairy-tale wedding (too expensive and frou-frou for my blood). As long as the place is affordable yet pretty, not old and stuff, and is flexible enough to handle catering and entertainment, that's fine by me. Given how much the venue alone costs, I first looked to public parks and facilities. There are a few beautiful gardens and arboretums in the area. Some of them do have very good prices, though the hours for ceremonies are often limited (wanna get up early for a wedding taking place somewhere beetween 7 to 9 a.m.? How about literally chilling in the sunless garden after 6:00 p.m.?), liability insurance is required, and there may be limited electrical outlets (which puts a damper on the entertainment part of the party). Some community centers in affluent areas sound pretty decent as reception locations without breaking the bank. I then looked at museums, since I've always been into the more modern, urban, and minimalist style. The ones I've looked into so far strike out on account of capacity (can't hold as many people as we'd like to invite), costs, or potential complications for the catering staff. We then looked at the online brochures for hotels and country clubs, which have varying price ranges, flexibility regarding outside caterers and alcohol, and fees here and there. Some of the private venues, while more expensive than public spaces, can actually be fairly reasonable. In the course of my search, I came across a blog that is fairly helpful: My Quest for an Affordable, Unique Wedding Venue. There is a lot of information on a number of venues gleaned from emails from venue operators in the Southern California to prospective renters. This handles a lot of the initial legwork for me. Let the arduous task of driving around town to check out venues begin...

Ring Ring...

Although the Internet offers wonderful possibilities for staying in touch, there is no substitute for the human voice. Emoticons just don't always do the trick, and it's hard to get irony/sarcasm across through words on a page. There's just something warm and fuzzy about hearing laughter, varying tones, softness, and depth.

When the person you are trying to connect with is half a world away, staying close is hard to do. Fortunately, Skype and popular chat programs like Google Chat allow people to hear as well as see each other, which makes a world of difference--no more accidentally talking over each other on the phone, because we can rely on non-verbal cues to know whose turn it is to speak. But what happens when a) one person doesn't use a computer, or b) an Internet connection isn't available?

Yes, the latter is an actual possibility even today. There ARE places in this world where an Internet connection is hard to come by, or doesn't come cheap, or doesn't come fast enough for video. So what happens then?

Dialing international long-distance through the landline can be prohibitively expensive. Phone cards can cut down on the costs, and certain other third-party phone companies charge reduced rates when you dial their prefix before dialing the international phonen number. With the use of these services, the cost of calling countries with generally good telecommunications networks is in the range of pennies a minute. However, there are situations where some less-popular calling destinations are still quite expensive to reach through these methods.

This is precisely what happened to me a few months ago. I had to turn to the Internet for Voice over IP (VoIP) options, whereby the calls are routed through the Internet. Skype did allow me to reach a landline phone via the web, but the rate was still quite high. I dug around to find a few more VoIP phone services for the lowest rate of my calling destination. Although there are quite a number of them out there (i.e. Jajah), I ultimately chose Jaxtr because, well, it was the cheapest for where I wanted to call. The added bonus is that I don't need a computer to make my VoIP calls--I can get through by calling a local number (even on my cell phone), dialing in the international number, and then chat away. In order to get the lowest rate, I had to subscribe to their monthly plan (which was 35% cheaper than their non-subscription rate). It didn't matter much to me because the savings was quite substantial, and because I use up all of the minutes I bought anyway.

Fortunately, the person on the other end of the line now has a reliaible Internet connection at home--still not as fast as the standard U.S. DSL connection, but it's good enough for Skype, so I get to cancel my subscription and save a ton of money. Nonetheless, the experience was a valuable one. It opened my eyes to the various options, and it also makes me appreciate the technology that I do have access to every day.

Pluses and Minuses

It's pretty nice to spend my Fourth of July with my family, and I especially appreciate some quality Mother-Daughter time with my mom. We lunched, discussed plans for the upcoming trip (i.e. what to bring, what to wear, what to gift), and did a bit of shopping for things that my mom needed. Unfortunately, we came away empty-handed and quite disappointed for a couple of reasons.

Murphy's Law is always applicable when we're shopping for something--the perfect item is available when we're not searching for it, but suddenly becomes elusive during the moment of need. There were a couple of things that we were trying to find. One is a pair of shoes--it had to be comfortable for lots of walking, it can't be too flat or too high-heeled, and it should look stylish. Unfortunately, the "comfort" options yielded shoes that were chunky and fugly, and shoes that had the right height tended to be thong sandals (which my mom didn't like). We'll give it another go at DSW on another day.

Another disappointment came in the form of dresses. I had a pretty good eye for what would look good for my mom's body type, and she tended to agree with the styles that I picked out for her. There were some very cute dresses at Macy's. Sadly, it is unsurprisingly difficult to find anything beyond a Size 10, and quite a few shoppers around us were having the same problem. I was pleasantly surprised that J.C. Penney had a wider range of sizes than Macy's did, and some of the designs are really cute, but the quality and array of styles are far more limited than the better department stores.

I've read a number of articles and blog posts about retailers cutting back or cutting out their plus-size offerings in stores, or limiting their plus-size options to the online stores. Some of those retailers rationalize their decisions by citing high production costs for plus-size clothing, or lack of demand, or some other excuses, but they are really just shooting themselves in the foot. The demand is certainly there, and woefully underserved; there really has to be something more out there than Lane Bryant or Torrid. The customers are stylish women with discerning tastes. They are willing to spend the money, but the options are just not there. My mom is by no means a frumpy woman--she knows what looks good. I was willing to spend a pretty penny for a nice dress at the store, but apparently the store doesn't want my money. That's fine--I'll go someplace that does.

In order to survive and thrive in an economic downturn, businesses with their backs against the wall should try out new ideas. The plus-size market is a ticket out of the minus-sign territory. Forever 21 is getting into the act, and Topshop is too (but only after Beth Ditto took a stand). Hopefully producers of quality clothing will follow suit.

Straighten Up and Fly Right

Straighten up and fly right,
Straighten up and stay right,
Straight up and fly right,
Cool down, Pappa, don't you blow your top.

-Nat King Cole, "Straighten Up and Fly Right"

By this time tomorrow, I would probably be driving off to another remote location for work, a place where the address is a highway mile marker (that's a first). Even though business travel can be awfully tiring, I do like to take a look at how life is in different parts of the country, even if only for a short time. Another bonus is that I get to collect those frequent flier miles.

As of last week, I finally travelled enough to get my free flight from Southwest. Instead of wasting my free ticket for somewhere fairly local, I decided that I want to head over to Philly to visit a friend who is there for school. I've never been there before, so I figured it would be a good destination. I've been trying to plan this thing for a while, and was quite excited about going until a few days ago, when I found out a case I'm working on has been assigned a trial date at the same time I wanted to go on this trip.

I felt like I was about blow a gasket at that point.

Oh well...it is possible that I may end up going at a different time, or if that doesn't work out, I might switch to a different location. New York is another place I'm considering, as I did not get enough time to really see the place the last time I was there, and I really miss the friends who are now living there.

I'll open this up to you guys--what's there to do/see in Philly? What are some other places you'd like to use your free ticket on? Other suggestions/comments? Fire away.

Happy Feet

As you can tell, I love wearing high heels, and I wear them quite frequently. They just make my work outfits look a lot sharper. I am generally pretty good about buying shoes that I can walk comfortably in, but let's face it, heels stop becoming comfortable after a few hours of constant walking or standing. The balls of my feet would eventually hurt from having to bear my entire body weight, and the problem is especially pronounced with the cheaper shoes (at least good leather soles feel a bit more pliable and absorb some of the shock). I generally try to make my feet last longer through good posture, putting more weight on my heels as I walk, and so forth, but I definitely need a little bit of help. As much as I like fashion, I am not stupid enough to sacrafice podiatric health for it. Potential medical costs clearly outweigh the stylistic benefits.

A couple of weeks ago, I decided to try a couple of things in pursuit of comfort. After spending a better part of the day walking around in my Maison Martin Margiela wedges (the lucite ones), my feet were quite unhappy. I decided to stop by a Walgreens to get a pair of $5 private label gel pads that are made specifically for the balls of the feet. While they provided some cushioning, they failed to do enough.

The next time I went to the store, I came across some Dr. Scholl's insoles that claim to take the weight off the balls of the feet. The insoles are a bit pricey ($8-10 a pair), but I thought I'd give them a shot. I figured that padding the balls of the feet is merely a short term remedy--the real solution is to shift and spread the weight. To my surprise, the insoles worked quite well...to an extent. For heels that are of medium height (2-3 inches), I could really feel the extra cushioning at the arches, which redistribute the pressure over a larger surface area and off the balls of the foot. However, for the 4-inch heels, they don't seem to do much good at all, at least on their own. When I inserted a ball of the foot pad underneath the weight-shifting insole, I instantly felt the difference. The balls of the feet became sufficiently padded, and the arch support portion is lifted up such that it finally does some work, though not quite as well as they performed on the lower heels.

I still can't say that I swear by my insoles, but they do make a discernable difference in terms of comfort. Foam insoles have been fairly useless for me, so this is definitely a step up. Because the insoles aren't cheap, I just bought a few pairs and rotated them amongst the shoes I wear. I dare say the rotation method works out quite well. Three pairs of insoles are plenty to keep the fleet of footwear ready to roll at all times.

I have heard of the roll-on sticks (look kinda like deodorant) that can be applied to the back of the foot to reduce friction, but I have not tried it yet. Those should be good for the summer sandal season.

Know of any good and affordable footwear-related products out there? Comment away.

Forever 21?

[UPDATED 5/27/09--The whole thing came crashing down on a mistrial, which means both sides have to start the trial process all over again. In my personal opinion, I think the odds are slim for a second trial to go all the way to verdict, if it gets tried at all. Then again, people thought it wouldn't have gotten tried in the first place...]

Trademark and Copyright are definitely on the list of my favorite classes throughout my very long stint in academia (along with 20th Century American Literature, Shakespeare and, oddly enough, Physical Chemistry). They are loads of fun, but definitely not easy (copyright is particularly intricate). One of the topics we studied in Copyright was fashion, which, of course, got my attention. It was quite shocking to me that some things that seemed like blatant copying was not infringing, while certain uses of copyrighted materials, which resulted in some very different products, were infringing. Yes, it is that complicated. It really depends on how the issues are framed, and what the facts are, but generally speaking, it has been very difficult to prove copyright infringement in fashion design.

Forever 21 is an establishment that epitomizes "cheap chic." While it was not a case study in my classes, everyone pretty much knows that sooner or later, it would become one. It would have been very hard to catch the people who run it for copying designs alone under the existing state of copyright law, and so, runway- and red carpet-"inspired" styles have been made abundantly available to the masses at a tiny fraction of the cost of the Real McCoy. Most designers are irate about the inability to do anything about it (and rightly so, for the most part), and it seems as if stores like Forever 21 would be able to copy with impunity for, well, forever.

Until now, perhaps.

Trovata sued Forever 21 for copying its designs. This would have been just a splash in the pond, as Forever 21 predictably gets sued all the time for the same thing. What makes this stand out from the many lawsuits Forever 21 got involved in is the theory under which they were sued--trade dress infringement--and the fact that it got tried in the first place and went all the way to the jury. [Since I was doing edits for grammar anyway (I was tired when I wrote the initial post), I figured I'd go back to my old notes and find a definition of trade dress. It is defined as "the total image of the business." Two Pesos, Inc. v. Taco Cabana, Inc., 505 U.S. 763 (1992). It includes the shape or general appearance of the exterior, the inside floor plan, color/color combinations, etc. (if you haven't guessed by now, Taco Cabana is a restaurant).]

I find that going after trade dress is an interesting and arguably stronger approach than plain ol' copyright infringement. Trovata claims that certain elements of their clothing, such as the buttons, stitching, stripes, etc. make them unique in such a way that people who see it would associate the clothing with the Trovata label. Hence, stealing the design is more than just stealing a design--it's almost like stealing or taking advantage of an established brand. (An oversimplification, but you get the idea.) I'm a total geek about this stuff, so I find it interesting, but I think some of the deposition testimony would be rather entertaining to the casual observer. [If you want to learn more, I found a very instructive and easy-to-understand white paper from the Morgan Lewis firm.]

So what does this mean for bargain shoppers? I don't know whether Trovata's arguments would prevail, but if a verdict comes down in its favor, it might have a big effect on copycat fashion. But then again, the case may settle and the status quo goes on, or the ruling might not do much for designs that are not associated with branding. Either way, I think it may create a short-term situation in which retailers would be a little more cautious; even if the outcome is uncertain, it might not be worth the cost of slugging it out.

In the long run, it might not matter much. There will always be accusations of who is copying who, but in fashion, many creations are inspired by others, so there will always be a place for some copying (just not blatantly). From a business standpoint, a lawsuit might be a "cost" that copycats are willing to take if they think enough people buy the knockoff to offset it. There is certainly enough consumer demand for "inspired" pieces, since many people who want to look stylish can't afford to spend that much on "the real thing."

Personally, I don't think this whole brouhaha will affect me much. I don't have a particular interest in buying knockoffs just so I can dress like a celeb or look trendy; it is my belief that people in the know can always tell when it's not the real thing, so why bother trying to pretend? However, if something in Forever 21 happens to be "inspired" and I like it, I'll buy what I like. While I may find something that resembles the "real thing," I just won't seek out blatant copies.

What do you think?

Father Knows Best

When I'm back visiting my family and want to, say, watch TV or be the first to get online that day, I have to turn on a couple of power strips. When I'm done, my dad makes me turn them off, or I'd hear him grousing about it the next day. I thought it was going overboard and was a bit dismissive of the power strip thing, since it's such a hassle and it couldn't possibly make that much of a difference. But guess what? He's right.

I came across this LA Times article last week about "vampire" energy use--that is, energy that is being used up when the appliance isn't actively being used. I've always been good about turning off lights that are not in use, or not leaving on the TV when it's not being used, but I haven't been so good about taking chargers out of the power strip when I'm done with it. I'm definitely paying attention to it now.

As for the TV, maybe it's time for me to get a power strip and do what good ol' Dad does.

Business Travel: Home(wood) Suite Home

One thing I dislike about travel is having to eat out. Trying out new restaurants may seem fun at first, but after a few meals, I'm sick of the grease, even from the "healthier" options. Worst of all, eating out is just plain expensive. In the past, I have cut down on breakfast costs by a) eating the free breakfasts at hotels, or b) stocking up on bagel, buns, and granola bars where the free breakfast is not available. However, without a refrigerator, the other meals are hard to manage. There is usually a microwave in the vending areas, but what good is that if there isn't a spot to keep food fresh?

In the past, I have enjoyed my stays at the Hampton Inn, which is pretty comfortable and provides great breakfast and snack options. I remember that when I checked in, there were fresh baked cookies at the check-in desk. That was pretty nice. The Marriott Courtyard hotel is another good option as far as being big, new, comfortable, and quiet, but there is no free breakfast. This week, I heard learned of another good option: an attorney indicated that the Homewood Suites is actually a pretty good option for the same price as other hotels, and it has even more amenities. The one that was "reviewed" was fairly new and quiet, came with meals that people could order off a menu (which came at no additional costs...wow), and had a kitchenette in the room. That is definitely an option I'll consider for my future business trips.

Anyone have experiences with the Homewood Suites? What are your favorite hotels for travel, business and otherwise? Any special perks? Do tell.

Chain Gangsters

Hope everyone had a wonderful Valentine's Day/Presidents' Day weekend! I had a blast of a weekend in Mammoth Lakes, CA on the slopes. The very cold atmospheric conditions and a few minor injuries/illnesses had put a small damper on things, but the snow was absolutely wonderful. Here are a few scenes heading to, skiing at, and returning from Winter Wonderland:

[What I wore for the trip home: Gap stripey top, Splendid cashmere henley, cloud print hoodie from Fred Flare, COH jeans (plucked from the Loehmann's clearance racks for a very successful hemming job on my trusty ol' sewing machine), Nike airwalks.]

After each ski trip, I bring home a different set of memories and musings on things:

-My skis and bindings match my outfit. It is completely unintentional, of course, but it worked out pretty well. Being the poor student (and now young professional), I could only afford to buy my ski gear piecemeal. Making the decision to buy gear can be a bit scary, especially when it's expensive. Thus, it's important to assess at least several things: 1) your budget, 2) your commitment to the sport, and 3) which piece is the most crucial for your sport of choice given your budget range. If it is not a sport that you intend to carry on for the long run, it could be a waste to spend all that money on gear that you would likely be using for only a few times. If you are only going to engage in the sport at a leisurely pace and frequency, it might not make sense to invest in top performance gear. Just like you would calculate your cost-per-wear ratio, the cost-per-use ratio applies.

I started off with the boots a few years ago because it was a) the most important component, in terms of control and comfort, and b) it was the least expensive of the components I needed. Now that I have enough experience and know that I want to do this for a while (and finally can pony up the necessary capital), I decided to commit to buying my skis. Given the rising costs of ski rentals, and the inconvenience of having to driving around to hunt down rental gear locally (in lieu of renting at the resort, which costs even more), and the number of times I anticipate I'll be using skis, it made sense to buy my own pair. I went to a local ski and snowboard liquidator store to get a ski and binding package at about half off of retail, had the bindings installed to suit my needs, and they were ready to go. The downside to shopping at a liquidator store is that I was essentially sifting through the "leftovers" from past seasons, so sizes and styles were limited. But as long as the equipment did what it was supposed to do, who cares? These babies are far superior to the rental gear I had to contend with in the past, and that is good enough for me.

-One day passes, or multi-day passes? If this is one of your first times trying out a sport, I would advise a wait-and-see approach: take it one day at a time. Most likely, you'll find that you're a natural and want to go back for more, but it is also possible that you may regret ever giving it a go. If it is the latter, you will walk away even more unhappy if you feel like you're forced to make a difficult decision: go back and do more of what you don't want to do, or sit out and swallow the losses on the second day of the pass.

For non-beginners, the decision comes down to the sum of past experiences. If you have had a good track record for going multiple days, and the multi-day pass cuts down on the cost per day, it might be worth it to go for the multi-day pass. However, if you tend to get tired and not do much the second day (if anything at all), or if you have been prone to injury, I would advise going one day at a time.

-Whole-day pass, or half-day pass? That depends on when the prime conditions for sporting is. If the best times are in the morning, but the half-day pass does not start until noon, you may ultimately gain very little enjoyment for your hard-earned buck, especially if the conditions deteriorate in the afternoon. This would not be good if you have already spent a lot of dough (i.e., tranportation and lodgings) just getting there; in an attempt to save a few bucks, you may end up losing a lot more. However, if you only intend to work up a sweat for just one or two hours, a half-day pass would be quite sensible.

-My biggest peeve of ski trips is chains for the tires. Putting them on is not the most fun, but that is not what bothers me--what really troubles me is the 21st-century version highway robbery in the form of "chain installation services." The official-looking "chain installers" would offer to "help," but at a price, of course. The price is surprisingly steep: I have heard a quote of $40 just to put chains on, and I saw a sign for another $15 to take them off. Chain installation may seem intimidating, and can be time consuming, but it is certainly not worth $40 of labor. The only times I would be willing to pay that price is a) if I was really in a hurry and can't take 15 minutes to put them on, or b) if I have a car full of young children who could not withstand the wait without driving me crazy. Therefore, I would strongly encourage skiers and snowboarders to learn how to buy and install chains from friends and family who have done it before, or simply learn it from a self-help source.

"Money can't buy me love..."

Valentine's Day is coming up, and people everywhere are making plans. It might mean flowers and chocolate for some, a getaway or nice dinner for others, or just something plain and simple but meaningful. However, the holiday might be a source of consternation, especially in this economic environment. Love really can't be bought (if it was the purchased kind, then there's a problem), and it is a little disconcerting to think that it takes a pre-set date on the calendar to get someone to make an effort to show the significant other some appreciation. Nonetheless, it is a nice day to do something special. Given how consumed many people are with the financial crisis, it really is important to put that aside to care about and support the person who really matters.

The LA Times has a nice little feature for 8 great 3-hour dates on a $25 budget. Even for those who are not from the LA area, the ideas could be adapted for local specialities. I think that a good time can be had for little or even no money at all, but I do think it is important to put in some thought and care into making the day special--a combination of attentiveness and savvy savings is hot, but focusing on going cheap is not.

Mani's Bakery Survey (and $5 gift card)

When I have to stay up late but still want to catch a few hours of sleep, I use a good chai latte as my midnight oil instead of coffee. However, very few places make it exactly the way I want it. Thus, after I get off the freeway from work, I'm willing to drive out to Mani's Bakery to get my large chai latte, and occasionally, a delicious organic baked treat. While I can't afford the cakes and tarts on a regular basis, the inexpensive day-old muffins serves as a healthy breakfast.

Sadly, I've noticed some changes recently. The operating hours have shrunken, and the price has gone up a little. According to their blog, the drop in sales compounded with rising operating costs may result in the end of the business. That would be quite sad. To look for ways to improve the business, Mani's is offering a $5 gift card to those who complete a customer satisfaction survey. Depending on your initial responses, it can be a fairly lengthy survey, but I think it is well-constructed to seek out honest opinions. I had planned to go there tomorrow before my LACMA trip anyway, so the gift card comes in handy.

If you've been to the cafe before, want to support it, and plan to go back sometime this month (before the gift card expires), you can take the survey here.

Last Minute Gift Ideas

[Edited because I used the word "thought" way too many times.]

I never thought I'd place myself in this position, but I haven't completely finished my gift shopping yet. That's what happens when I have to hunt down the bacon, drag it home, and fry it too. I'll be out the door soon to complete my mission.

There are plenty of heavy discounts in the retail sector as the stores try to court last minute shoppers, especially the stores slated to get the ax. The discounted items can be fairly eclectic, and I really like the idea of putting gift sets together--instead of spending money on just one thing, which may look dinky, the same amount of dollars can be stretched into something more. I am not kidding about this--this year, $40 got me a nice combination of things for 10 or 11 different people, which is a fraction of people I got gifts for, but every bit of savings helps. On top of that, a good amount of non-perishable deals can be kept for other gifting occasions later in the year.

-Fragrant candles with shiny caps look way more expensive than they are. Sometime last year, I picked some up for $3-$5. In fact, they look great enough that I am completely comfortable with giving just that one thing as a gift.

-Bath and body products are always useful, and they can easily be paired with other things for a themed set, like towels and candles and slippers for a luxe spa set.

-Some may say that gift cards show a lack of thought, but I've always been an advocate of them--the recipient can get whatever he or she wants. However, the downside is that the person will know just how much you've spent. It shouldn't matter, but in reality, sometimes it does to some people or their family members, especially when everyone are at the same gathering. I usually get around that dilemma by pairing it with something inexpensive but complementary, like popcorn and candy with a movie gift card.

-CDs and DVDs require some understanding of the recipient's tastes, but I think it would work out just fine even if there isn't enough time to do homework. Since it's free for the recipient, he or she can experience something that he or she wouldn't have picked out for his- or herself. Who knows? You just might open that person's eyes to something new and exciting.

-Make-your-own gift baskets much less expensive than the pre-packed variety. It also shows that you've given it some consideration and effort. This is probably the ultimate last-minute gift--places like CVS and Walgreen's are typically open even on the holidays, so you can literally wait until the 11th hour (though I'd advise against it) and still be hailed as that sweet and caring person you really are, but just didn't have time to express.

-Mani/pedi set. You can get a set of $1 nail polish of all different colors, and maybe throw in a nail file and some foot cream. Yet another last-last minute gift that can be put together by heading to your local 24-hour drugstore.

-Lastly, something as simple as a thoughtful handwritten note or a handmade work of art can mean more than any gift on the market. A jar of origami cranes or stars is colorful and very affordable. Once I made a bunch of origami cranes, in fairly large sizes, and used them as cards on which I wrote my thanks to each individual recipient; it was very well received and proudly displayed by the recipients, even by those I did not expect to find it moving. At the end of the day, even the ol' cynical me truly believe that it's the thought that counts.

Happy Holidays, everyone. I hope you will enjoy this season wherever you are and with whomever you keep company.

Bread or Circuses? Or Bread and Circuses?

If history serves as a guide, succumbing thoughtlessly to decadent desires will bring about ruin. But that's not to say that bread and circuses always spell doom and disaster. After all, we all need to eat, and given the pressures of modern life, a little bit of folly may actually be necessary to keep us sane.

Given the tough economic conditions today, everyone are getting less and less of both. Although I am fortunate to be in fairly good standing, I am nonetheless concerned about what tomorrow may bring, so I have definitely cut back on eating out. I've been bringing leftovers for lunch more frequently (including all week this week, just like the old days). I've also noticed that brown-bagging is on the rise for everyone else, just as cafeterias and restaurants have become less crowded.

In an environment where people are preferring day-old bread over the daily bread in order to save some dough, you can bet that discretionary line-items like clothing and entertainment are going by the wayside. Clothing can be optional, but sometimes laughter is still the best medicine for mental health; it may be urgently needed now more than ever. However, the last thing we want is having to make a choice between nourishment and fun. Fortunately, thanks to the public libraries, you can have your bread along with a side of the circus (sans clowns, of course).

According to the LA Times, there has been an upswing in the usage of libraries. People have been cancelling their Netflix subscriptions to save some money and checking out movies from the local library for free. I've long shunned the library for movies, since the one back in my hometown had a very lousy A/V selection. Now that I have access to a library that is at least 10 times the size of that dinky library, I should take advantage of it more often.

Unfortunately, due to the fiscal emergency in California, I'm concerned that free won't stay free for long. Either some libraries may close, or fees will be charged. Either way, libraries will still be a great source of relatively cheap thrills.

Elements of Surprise

[Edited mainly for grammar, plus a few neglected details. Writing while tired is never a good idea.]

Business travel can be weary, but I try to take advantage of being able to do a tad of sight seeing, if only on the way to the airport. It's fun to explore someplace new, especially when I don't have to pay for the plane ticket. At any rate, the exploration may help if I choose to go to that locale again when I travel for fun.

Here are some potentially money-saving observations I made so far from business travel, including but not limited to my most recent trip:

-With respect to accomodations, you get what you paid for...right? Well, it depends what you're looking to pay for.

Last year I took my licensing exam at a pretty fancy hotel. Quite a few people stayed at the hotel, since they were going to take the test there anyway. A good number of people decided to pay less and stay at the other business-travel type hotels a block or so away (i.e. Holiday Inn Express). Luckily, due to the sweet, generous kindness of a friend, I did not have to do either, but I've heard stories from friends in both camps. The nicer hotels get you a pretty room, a fancy gym, the use of a pool. With the cheaper hotels, you get a clean room (albeit not so nice), use of a less fancy gym (if there is one), sometimes a kitchen, or if not, at least a refrigerator and a microwave.

I had the same experience when I travelled recently. I always want to save money, whether for myself or for a client. With accomodations, I only care about having a decent, comfortable place to sleep, and Internet access for work. It'd be nice to have a refrigerator to store leftovers so that I could eat it the next day instead of leaving behind food at the restaurant. But there lies a balancing act. The budget hotels usually do not have free Wi-Fi, but the mid-tier ones (like Marriot Courtyard) are more likely to have that. Some of the budget or mid-tier places also have breakfast in the morning; the quality may vary, but it saves a few extra bucks. The more expensive hotels, ironically, often do not have free Wi-Fi access in the rooms, if at all in the hotel--it's an amenity that costs extra, which is often infuriating, considering that a room already costs a lot. Also, based on my experience, the likelihood of getting a free breakfast is inversely proportional to the quality/image of the hotel. In any event, the mid-tier and higher-grade hotels do not have the refrigerator or the microwave. I'm assuming that the nicer hotels are assuming that those who can afford to stay there tend not to be part of the brown-bagging crowd.

If I'm travelling for business, I could live without the refrigerator and microwave, since staying connected and comfortable is more important. But if I was travelling for pleasure, I'd probably opt for the cheaper places--I would only care to have a clean bed to sleep in, and since I'd be vacationing, emails could wait. And as an added bonus, I can save on food.

-When driving in a different locale, pay attention to the roads and fellow roadies. Go with the flow of traffic. It can cost a lot if you don't.

I'm used to roaming amongst LA drivers who take speed limit signs as a suggestion rather than as a rule. Thus, I am often surprised to find people actually obeying speed limit signs, either elsewhere in California or in another state. When I was in Arizona, I was driving around rather nervously--there were tightly-packed photo enforcement zones on the freeways. I'm not sure how fast one would have to go before triggering the cameras, but I have no desire to discover that for myself. Curiosity, after all, does kill a cat. The lethal dose is somewhat higher for human beings, but you get the idea.

-Filling up a rental car before returning it can be tricky. The places with cheaper gas prices tend to be in the outlying areas, but if I fill up there, I would not have a full tank by the time I get to the airport, and I would get dinged for it. I usually would try to find a gas station that is near the airport, but far enough out that the price would not be affected by a "proximity tax" of sorts. It is still tricky to pin down that appropriate target distance, but I'm working on it.

GASp

OK, short posts like this isn't my "normal" program, but I just had to throw this out there.

I was in Sacramento today and had to fill up the tank of my rental car before returning it. I was debating whether to fill it at the Safeway gas station in a town near the airport, or whether I should wait until I get to the last gas station before the rental returns.

I ended up going with the latter, and I'm glad I did. Regular unleaded was $2.19 per gallon. $2.19!?! I haven't seen a price like that for what seems like years. Unfortunately, when I flew back to LA, gas prices seemed to be running in the opposite direction. The first gas station I saw after getting off the freeway had the same gas for $2.43. This is a 20-cent jump from about a week ago. Let the sulking begin.

How much is gas in your neck of the woods?

Politically Motivated

The people who know me best know that I'm pretty outspoken when it comes to politics. I've always felt a strong sense of duty to head to the polls, particularly because it's a privilege that many people around the world do not have.

At the same time, I feel equally strongly about not pressing my beliefs on others. Hence, you won't find a whole lot of political content on this blog, if any. The only thing I would urge is that citizens should go out and cast their ballots. Most people I know gain satisfaction from their civic participation. If that satisfaction is not enough to drive you to the polls, maybe a few Election Day freebies will:

-Krispy Kreme (mmmm...) is offering a free star-shaped donut with red, white, and blue sprinkles to those who sport an "I Voted" sticker.

-I'm sure that most people have heard about the Ben & Jerry's free scoop of ice cream deal on Tuesday (between 5-8 p.m.). I heard that the company had some concerns that the voting requirement would run afoul of some state election laws, so they're offering that free scoop to *everyone*!

-Today the New York Times website had a big ad that tipped me off to another freebie: Starbucks is offering a free cup of brewed coffee to those who say they voted.

If you hear about more, let us know by leaving a comment.

Up in Smoke

The laptop that I've been using for the past 4+ years has quite literally gone up in smoke. It's not so dramatic as a great blaze of glory, but there was quite a bit of smoke.

Last night I was duly shutting it down when I suddenly heard a "pop," follow by a puff of smoke coming out from a vent on the bottom side of the laptop and and acrid smell of burning insulation. Fortunately, my computer continued to shut down and completed the shutdown, so I think I should be able to safely recover the data on the hard drive. However, I wasn't going to do so by turning the computer back on to transfer files. The computer was pretty much toast.

Under normal circumstances, I would have spent a lot of time researching and I probably would have bought online. Ever since an initial bad experience with buying a computer in a chain electronics store, I tried to avoid said stores like the plague. This time, however, I really didn't have much of a choice. Given the nature of my work and my shuttling back and forth between multiple locations to get work done, I really do need a laptop, and I need it fast--there's no time to wait for shipping. Needing it fast puts me at a great disadvantage in terms of getting a good deal--as a friend said, I was basically buying a computer under duress. Fortunately, because I knew my computer had been on its last legs for a while, I did a little bit of thinking about what I want from my new computer. While the ideas were not as concrete as it was during my first laptop purchase, it nonetheless helped me make a good decision on the fly. More importantly, I got some very wise technical counsel in the form of my friends.

I was advised by some to buy a laptop from Costco due to their generous return policy; if what I bought didn't work out, at least I bought myself some time to do research and find a computer that I really want. I agree that it is a good approach, as a majority of chain electronic stores do not accomodate the try-after-you-buy grace period--a hefty restocking fee is usually slapped on those who are dissatisfied with the product. With these points in mind, I headed to Costco to check out the laptop selection. Unfortunately, the laptops were not appealing to me at all--they were either too big and heavy or small yet expensive.

Next, I followed up on a lead that a tech-expert friend found. He told me about a couple of HP laptops at Office Depot, which would end up being $600 after rebate plus tax. The smaller of the two seemed perfect on paper--it is lightweight, which is an important criterion, yet it has enough juice to do what I need. Better yet, it has all the extras my old computer didn't have, and it costs less. I went to one Office Depot store to see the machine in person, and it is just perfect for me. Unfortunately, it appears to be perfect for a lot of people as well--that store location did not have any in stock other than the floor model, and the same goes for other stores in the area except one store, which had the last laptop in stock. I immediately asked that lone machine be held for me, and drove like mad to get there before the store closed.

I'm completely exhausted by the hours of driving I did (both for work and for chasing down all the necessary computer equipment), as well as the time it took to minimally set the computer up for my use. I will feel a lot better once I can get my old laptop's hard drive in an enclosure and get the important data out. But so far, I'm quite happy with the new laptop. As the icing on the cake, the "special edition" laptop has pretty designs on it, too. Pictures will come later.

[UPDATE: Yay! My hard drive is OK after all. Quite a bit of a scare when I couldn't get data off of it at first, but it turned out to be a couple of bent needles.]

Dime and Dine

I've never been to the iconic Philippe the Original, where the french dip sandwiches have been much heralded. I've heard many people sing it praises (though I did hear one story of bad service), but I've never gone to Philippe's. Until passed by it on my way home from the UPS pickup site recently (to pick up my Sublet cardigan), I didn't know where this place was. When I did finally come across the restaurant (which had parking in the back!), I made a mental note to come back one of these days.

October 6 might be the day I'll go. That is the day when Philippe's celebrates its 100th birthday. Imagine that! To commemorate the occasion, Philippe's will be selling that famous sandwich for a dime. There will probably be several thousands of people there that day, and I'm not even joking about that, but maybe it'll be less crowded when I go there after work.

[The lowdown is courtesy of the LA Times food blog.]

Unconventional Partying

There is no place like home. As much as I enjoyed my short visit to Minneapolis, I am definitely glad to come home. I brought home some fun memories, some shopping loot, and, unfortunately, a nasty cold.

Although the primary purpose of my trip was business, there was ample time for networking and levity. I flew in near the end of the Republican National Convention, so there were some rather interesting political paraphernalia and decorations. You don't see an elephant topiary on a hotel lobby table on just any day.

After all the business parts were over, I went to a 1970's themed birthday party. I never buy a costume for costume parties, and this time was no exception. Thanks to clothes that I already have in my closet plus a pair of sunglasses from Forever 21, I looked like I walked right out of the 70's. The top was something I got from the Goodwill some time ago; it probably really was from the 70's era. Having to pack an extra outfit in my luggage added quite a bit of extra weight, particularly because one component was a pair of wooden platforms, but it was well worth it in the end.

I also managed to sneak in a little bit of shopping. Although my shopping buddy and I didn't hit Mall of America, as it was too far away in too little time, we did score at the nearby Nicollet Mall. We got good deals at the Saks Fifth Avenue outlet, and on top of that, no sales tax was charged. I picked up a Theory blazer for 30-something bucks, along with this short-sleeved cashmere-blend Saks private label sweater for $26. Short-sleeved sweaters are great transitional pieces, especially for California climates.

The Macy's we went to next was a ginormous one. I spent quite a bit of time looking at accessories when I came across this beautiful and simple cuff for just $5. When I went to pay for it, I made some comment about the lower sales tax. The saleswoman informed us that Macy's offered a 11% discount to out of state shoppers. While I didn't take advantage of the discount, since I was done with shopping at that point, it is definitely something I will keep in mind the next time I shop while I travel.

Part of the outfit that goes with the cuff above came from the very last stop for that day. Right before we had to leave for the airport, we made one last stop at the Gap. Although this ubiquitous chain store is literally everywhere, I was curious to see if different regions stocked different merchandise, or emphasized one thing over the other. Sure enough, there was a lot of outerwear that I would not usually see when I'm back home. The sales racks were full of summery items that were significantly marked down. I picked up an ordinary t-shirt with pretty, fluttery sleeves--something easy to wear for work or play, but not at all bland. I also bought a canvas purse that I had my eye on for some time. Because I had a couple of $10 certificates in my wallet, I ended up paying less than $15 for both items.

An efficient shopping trip was definitely a great way to round out an equally-successful business trip. No money was wasted on frivolous things. I like that.

Budget Cuts

[UPDATED: see below for a better picture of the dress.]

Many of my friends chose June and July for their weddings. Hence, the age-old questions: what ever should I wear? I have a good number of dresses that I've worn for weddings already, and I've been itching for an excuse to buy another so that I won't be seen wearing the same few dresses. But that was just silly.

There was a dress that has been sitting in my closet for quite a while. It has a lot of intricate frills, which is perfect for a special occasion like a wedding. I've worn it a few times over sweaters, but it was simply a little loose in all the wrong places when worn alone. I bought it about 4 years ago at one of those crazy BCBG warehouse sales, but as I figured that alterations would not be cheap, I just didn't want to spend the money at that point. Now that I'm no longer a starving student, I can finally do something to change that. I took it to the neighborhood tailor, and she charged me $20. And now it fits! If I include the cost of tailoring, the dress would be $65. Not bad for something that originally costs $400+.

I've decided to wear this dress to go to a friend's wedding this evening, since it matches with, oddly enough, my haircut. I can't maintain long hair because my dark locks grow wayward and gravity-defying beyond a certain length. Given how hot the summers are, it's the perfect time to go in for a snip.

Although I may splurge on shoes and makeup, I feel no need to go to a more expensive salon. The cheaper places I went to have always done a fine job, and I see no need to go elsewhere. Indeed, my experience is not unique--a friend has found a great stylist at a Supercuts for $15 haircuts. Sometimes it just takes a while to find that perfect cheap place, but once found, lots of money is saved without sacrificing great hair and risking public humiliation.

When I walked into the salon a few days ago, there was a new guy that I haven't seen before. I asked for a haircut, and the new guy swooped in. I then asked how much it would be. Even though I've gotten my hair cut there before for $20 or more, I thought it wouldn't hurt to ask. I don't get haircuts very frequently, and if the price jumped higher than before and became higher than acceptable, at least it's better to find out beforehand than after. To my surprise, the owner of the salon said the cut could be done for $15; perhaps it was a trial run for the new guy, who admitted it was his first day in that particular salon. The new guy spent quite a long time shearing and snipping, and 40 minutes later, my hair was done.

I was quite happy with the shaggy cut. I've cut my hair this short before, but unlike my previous short hair experiences, I didn't feel like I looked like a boy, even when the top of my hair poofed. I was satisfied with a rather flapperish look, and given my penchance for many things vintage, that was a good thing. Later that night, I tried to figure out what I was going to wear for the wedding. To make my short hair stay feminine-looking, I thought floral adornment was in order. Then, inspired by Yulanda, I felt like it was the perfect opportunity to channel Billie Holiday:

Add a bit of a blur for that old-time feeling. You can also see more details on the dress I described above.

[Edited to add:] And here's how I actually wore the dress to the wedding (yes, I wore the flower too). The intricate ruffles are everywhere! I would have worn higher heels, but I'm sidelined by an injury. The low-heeled Issac Mizrahi for Target sandals from a few seasons ago works as a good alternative--woven straw upper with pink trim and a pink bow to match the dress. The May Company bag is vintage, thrifted from the Goodwill in perfect condition. I haven't used it for a while, and since my whole get-up is vintage-inspired, I figured it's a nice accessory to throw in instead of the usual clutch.