Fall Fashion

OK, so Calgary doesn't really get a Fall season, but it's my favorite season for fashion. Plus, I love all the colors of the leaves. And the tempture is usually just perfect...not too cold, and not to hot. Perfect for layering and tight wearing :)

One of the biggest fashions this Fall/Winter are over the knee boots. Also known as OTK boots. Below are some pictures of high fashion outfits with OTK boots, along with one of my fave boots of the season (the Chloe boots *drools*). Now, none of these boots would be in my price range. But oh, how I wish some of them were! Or better yet, I wish that high fashion didn't cost an arm and a leg.

Chloe Tied Leather OTK boots

LOVE LOVE LOVE

($1295) *eek!*

And now for some OTK boots that normal people could afford....

Aldo boots (ones that I might buy)

From Chinese Laundry

So guess what's on my shopping list this weekend? OTK boots of course. Along with a new winter jacket since it's already bloody cold out here. Damn Calgary. Happy turkey day!

Grrrrrr

I deleted this post because blogger was not cooperating with me in the slightest. Pictures were inserting wherever they wanted (which they are still doing P.S.), and text was going wherever it felt like going. I wanted to stab the computer over and over again. So, I had to redo the entire thing...posting the pictures only in the center, and working backwards (the last picture in the post had to be posted first...). Stab!

I despise you today blog. Thank goodness I have red wine.

Masquerade!

I've always wanted to go to a real Masquerade ball. Ever since seeing them in movies like "Ever After" and "Man in the Iron Mask"... Also, I discovered Venetian masks one year while on a holiday in Vegas. I must have been about 13 years old. My Dad and I were wandering around the Venetian Hotel (dur) and came across a booth of Venetian masks. I wanted to take them all home with me. They were so beautiful! Too bad we lost almost all of the pictures from that trip. Ever since then, it's been a dream of mine (perhaps even a slight obsession?) to attend a Masquerade. If only I could hop in a time machine, and go back to 13th-16th century Venice and attend a real Masquerade ball when they first started *day dreams*. But alas, I am no inventor.

Feast your eyes upon these beauties! How could you not want to wear one? Heck, I would even love to display them in my home.

Venice still has a Carnival every year. It is held about two weeks before Ash Wednesday and ends on Shrove Tuesday (Mardi Gras), the day before Ash Wednesday. One day, I will go. It looks amazing! Like a dream come true. Check out some of the fantastic costumes from the Carnival of Venice:

*squeal* How amazing would it be to see all of that! Or dress up like that and take a gondola ride and attend a Masquerade ball! Ahhhh....it would be magical.

The closest I will get to that dream anytime soon though will probably be something like Mascherari. Which would still be really cool. And I already have a mask (it's a court jester). I was going to have a Masquerade grad party, but that didn't happen because a couple people were offended. I'll leave that story at
that.

Now I have "Masquerade! Paper faces on parade... Masquerade! Every face a different shade. Masquerade! There's another mask behind you! Flash of mauve... Splash of puce... Fool and King... Ghoul and goose... Green and black... Queen and priest... Trace of rouge... Face of beast..." stuck in my head. (Phantom of the Opera)

Cherry Blossoms at last!

I finally got some cherry blossoms on my painting late last week. Still a fair amount left to do on this, but I think it's looking better and better... I can't wait to get all the blossoms on there. I love cherry blossoms.

Painting is so relaxing. I love listening to music and concentrating on the brush strokes. It's so soothing and peaceful. Anyhow....here's the painting again:

Bloggity Blog Blog

So, I'm not so awesome at the whole keeping up with my blog thing... Mostly because I get inspired to write late at night when I'm falling asleep, and in the morning... it's gone. But I'm going to try harder... I pinkie swear.

I thought I would tell you about a little slice of heaven called the Oolong Tea House. This place is such a peaceful sanctuary.

The staff are all awesome. It's got a hippe, indie, laid back vibe which I dig. And almost everyone in there is some kind of creative.

You go in there, and immediately feel your stress disappear. You can unwind, and just enjoy the moment. Not thinking about number 60 on your "to do" list, but just enjoying the atmosphere and a nice cup of tea. Breathing deeper and easier.

The staff are always happy to chat with you about many interesting things...like their art or music or schooling... Many topics that I find I am unable to have with an average person.

Thursday nights they are open late (until 10) and they have local musicians playing. It's a great place to be on a Thursday night. And much better than whatever Ladies Night the local club is throwing, I assure you. Unless you are all about being in a loud club drinking copious amounts of liqour during the week. But then we are probably not friends.

The only thing that could make Oolong better would be more couches instead of tables and hard wooden chairs. Then if you were on wifi or listening to the local music, you could be more comfy. I'm all about being comfy.

All in all, it's a great place to go. Do it :)

The Geisha

I was also working on my painting this weekend. I think it's coming along pretty good...















I still have to define the Geisha's face more, along with her kimono, but that will take time.

My next step will be to add the cherry blossoms in. They will be sponged and splattered onto the canvas. I think it's going to look pretty cool :)

And I already have an idea for my next painting....

A Weekend at the Box Office

This weekend I saw two movies that I've been wanting to catch...

1. My Sisters Keeper

All I can say is, phew, bring some kleenex with you. This is one touching tear-jerker. I believe I cried (perhaps even sobbed) through the whole thing.

For any who are not familiar...this is the story of a young girl who sues her parents for medical emancipation when she is expected to donate a kidney to her sister (who is dying of leukemia).

It's a very interesting story, and it really made me think...

Was it wrong for the parents to conceive Anna (the child who sues her parents) through in vitro fertilization to be a genetic match donor for Kate (the child who is dying from leukemia)?

This is such a tough one. If you had a child with leukemia, I'm sure you would want to do anything and everything you could to prolong or save their life. It would be a natural instinct. However, having a child for the specific purpose of being donor...? It's not fair to that child. It seems to place more importance upon the sick child than the healthy child. Which, I would venture to say is usually the case, though I would think it would be unintentional.

In the movie, there is a part where Anna's parents are asking her why she is doing this. Her mom is furious. Anna yells "I matter too Mom! I matter too!" and she leaves the room. Water works.

And what about Anna? How would it feel to know that your parents only had you in hopes of saving your older sister? How would it feel to love that sister, and want her to get better, but also want to live your life too?

One of the most touching parts of the movie for me was when Kate meets Taylor. Their relationship was so sweet, and so real. After Kate has chemo, Taylor comes to the hospital. She doesn't want him there understandably, but he knows what it's all about, and he grabs a bucket for her when she pukes. Their relationship is so bittersweet.

Now the ending in the movie is quite different from the book (or so wikipedia tells me). I did like the ending though, and it seemed to fit very well. I won't spoil it, but like I said, you might want to bring some kleenex with you.


2. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

I saw this one in IMAX which was pretty cool. Unfortunately, only the first 15 minutes were in 3D, but what can you do?

As with all Harry Potter movies, I once again felt cheated.

I understand that they have to keep it within a reasonable time frame, and that means cutting some things out, but what really irks me is when they add things in!

There is no need to add anything into a perfectly good story. Especially when you are already cutting things out! It really gets my goat.

I also get very irritated when they change things. There is no need for it! Harry Potter is a saga. Changing vital things messes up the story, and the interwined clues that lead into the next book/movie.

The other thing is that they changed the music in this movie. It is different from the previous 5. A little more froofy if you ask me. It wasn't terrible, but it seemed out of place.

I'm sure I will like it in a few years, once my mind has forgotten all the little details of the book, but still. I just wish the director would stick to the book. The book has made how many millions? "Harry Potter" is worth billions. I don't think you need to change anything.

I still recommend seeing it though. Books will always be better than movies.