Crabby in Chinatown

Leather Jacket: Mason
Red cashmere sweater: Vince
Tee: Old Navy
Skinny Pants: 7 for All Mankind
Eel boots: Devi Kroell
Bag: Fendi

A friend suggested that I post about my regular haunts in Chinatown. My husband and I absolutely adore Yeah Shanghai Deluxe, an unassuming gem tucked away on Bayard Street.

Making soup dumplings in the storefront window

Crab soup dumplings, or xiaolongbao, miraculously contain hot delicious soup in their core. Lightly sprinkle one with the ginger soy sauce dip, place this ball of goodness on your spoon, take a small bite out of the top, and sip the soup before you enjoy the yummy crab meat and chewy dough. (If you don't like crab, they have a pork version that's equally popular.)

Crabs in brown sauce with edamame and rice cakes. I'm a huge seafood lover, and crabs hold a special place in my gustatory heart.
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Sacre bleu! What is this?

How on earth could I miss

Such a sweet little succulent crab

Quel dommage. What a loss

Here we go in the sauce

Now some flour, I think just a dab

Now I stuff you with bread

It don't hurt cause you're dead

And you're certainly lucky you are

'Cause it's gonna be hot

In my big silver pot

Tootle-loo, mon poison, au revoir!

--"Les Poissons" from The Little Mermaid

Beef with Bean Curd over Rice

Right next door, Chinatown Ice Cream Factory has amazing home-made ice-cream with a slew of exotic flavors for even the most jaded ice-cream eater. I personally love the red bean flavor.

Chinatown has several of these candy/dried fruit emporiums. I managed to get one shot of the display case before the saleslady barked at me. I got 1/4 lb of the dried plum and dried yam.

Green Tea Cafe has the best bubble tea, in my humble opinion.
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Have a wonderful week, everybody!

DIY Idea: Scarves on Shoes

Prada Resort 2010

Balenciaga Fall 2009
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I smell an easy DIY project here. Scarves, anyone?

A Vested Interest

Wayne Spring 2010

Balenciaga Spring 2010

Karl Lagerfeld Spring 2010

Black Out

What's your preference: black beauty or color story? (Photo Credit: Jak & Jil Blog)
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A quick perusal of my closet will unequivocally remind you that I am a New Yorker: a torrent of black, a deluge of gray, and a barrage of denim dominate my limited storage space with occasional but meager sprinkles of color. Like the atmospheric amnesia I suffer every fall (is this what 38 degrees feels like?!), I am reminded by the recent cold, premature blast of winter how dark my sartorial choices have been lately.

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It's undeniable that the fashion gods have dictated that fall 2009 would be a season of black. (Remember, they were designing when the economic gloom was at its peak.) Admittedly, I was lured by the promise of the easy chic: black goes with everything; black is edgy; black is the new black. Now, looking at my shadowy wardrobe and sighing through the spring runway shows, I am seduced by the promise of warmth and the color of joy. Alexander McQueen's psychedelic sci-fi dresses, Lanvin's candy-colored jeweled concoctions, and Proenza Schouler's tribal blues and greens all signaled a meaningful industry reappraisal of the power of--and need for--bright colors.

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Of course, this newfound worship of all things color does not mean a scorn of all things black. When the winter chill pierces the bone, somehow a suit of black armor seems like the most appropriate choice when facing the elements or huddling with a crowd of fierce fellow New Yorkers, who are all, like me, secretly dreaming of spring.

Seeing Red

I snapped up this amazing red velvet YSL vest at the Decades Two Sample Sale this past weekend. Decades Two, an upscale consignment store in LA, decided to fly to NY for a weekend-only grand sale in Soho. My electric blue YSL vest is one of my most prized sartorial possessions, so I thought I'd add another YSL vest to my collection.
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Some details:

Does anybody know what season this vest is from?

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I paired this vest with my Miu Miu "ruby slippers":

Hope everybody is having a fabulous week!

Brunch at Five Points and The WINNER of the LNA LEGGINGS!

Jacket: Theory
Tanks: F21 and Old Navy
Leggings: Old Navy
Pumps: Chanel
Bag: Fendi

I apologize for being MIA this past week. I've been swamped at work and preoccupied at home. Last weekend, I went to Five Points with one of my dearest girlfriends. I'm always looking for a quality brunch place, and Five Points, an excellent restaurant in NoHo, did not disappoint. We also heard that Gossip Girl stars Blake Lively and Penn Badgley were there the week before!

I can't live without pancakes, and these Lemon Ricotta pancakes were delectably moist and sweet without being overwhelming. My only complaint? No fresh fruit.

Mac 'n Cheese at its finest. If you're the type who lives for real cheese--the smelly kind that's imported from idyllic farms in Europe--then your taste buds will burst into song at the first bite of this cheesy goodness. But as a person who eats relatively less than the average person, I do recommend three dishes for two people, as each entree was quite small.
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And now for the winner of the LNA leggings...

Congrats to Grace of vitaMinn Style, winner of the LNA leggings! Thanks to everybody who participated and to Chickdowntown for this amazing giveaway. I wish I could give all my readers a pair.

She Gives Her Harness Bells A Shake: Gucci Spring 2010

It's been ages since I have so utterly and completely fallen in love with an entire collection.

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A GENTLE REMINDER: Enter to win a pair of LNA leggings! Click here for a chance to win.

Uniforms (and More Blogger Meet-Ups)

From Left to Right: Nini from Nini's Style, Hanh from Life in Travel, Me, and Lynn from All Things NYC

From Left to Right: Style and Beyond, Me, Lynn from All Things NYC, and D. from Dream Sequins

Lately, it seems that bloggers and editors alike have been talking about a "uniform": a dependable fashion formula that one can turn to when life or inertia gets in the way of creativity--or daring. Although I'm not one for formulas--I teach English, not Math, after all--, I do appreciate the familiarity, versatility, and ease of a blazer, top, skinny jeans, and heels (throw in a colorful scarf or belt for distinguishing details). When in doubt, I wear the uniform, which works for day or night.

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Carolina Herrera wears a crisp white blouse. Alexander Wang wears a slouchy top and sweat pants. Karl Lagerfeld wears a black suit, white shirt, and black tie. What's your uniform?

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A GENTLE REMINDER: Enter to win a pair of LNA leggings (see the post immediately following this one)!

Thumbelina's 2nd Giveaway: LNA Leggings!

LNA Leggings in Red, Gray, Purple, Aqua, Hot Pink, Gray, and Moss Green (not seen), Available at Chickdowntown
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I'm thrilled to offer my readers another giveaway! To win a pair of these zipper leggings in your choice of colors, simply leave a comment with your name (feel free to leave your first name and the first initial of your surname if you don't want to leave your entire name) and a brief explanation about how you'd rock these leggings. I'm happy to say that this contest is open to everyone (U.S. and international readers, but the latter will be responsible for any custom fees). The contest ends on Friday, October 2nd, and I will announce a winner shortly thereafter.

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I want to thank my faithful readers (silent or vocal). Your support means a lot to me, and I love hearing from you. Thanks also to Chickdowntown for this amazing giveaway. Be sure to check out Amy's Twitter Page for more information about other giveaways through Chickdowntown!

IFB: When Bloggers Descend En Masse

Last night, I attended the Independent Fashion Bloggers' "Dress-Up Soiree," which consisted of a panel discussion (featuring prominent bloggers) and an after-party. Although I arrived (fashionably?) late, I was stunned to see a monstrous line down the street. The venue was ridiculously incapable of supporting the hordes of bloggers that eagerly attended (look at the above picture to get a sense of the size of the room), and as a result, people crowded into the bar (located downstairs from the panel) and drowned out the panelists. Nevertheless, the real highlight of the night was getting to finally meet so many amazing and super-friendly bloggers!

Geri Hirsch from Because I'm Addicted

Susie Bubble from Style Bubble

The Mosh-Pit (aka the bar)

The glamorous Wendy Brandes (she was on the panel too)

Gisela and Maury from Heights of Fashion, Lynn from All Things NYC, Me, and Wendy from Wendy Brandes Jewelry

Maury and Gisela from Heights of Fashion

Lynn and Lucretia from Fashion is Poison

Hanh from Life in Travel and Nini from Nini's Style

Style and Beyond and Nini

Dream Sequins, Hanh, Nini, and me

Shoe Shot! (Same girls as above shot but with Style and Beyond)

The Bloggerati

Hanh posing outside

Dream Sequins taking a shot of Hanh (love her Nicholas Kirkwood shoes!)

Childhood Flames

Nini and The Glamourai

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To everyone else: Wish you were here!!