Sunday, July 29, 2007

OY!!!
Yes, it's me! Pick your shattered spectacles up from the kitchen floor and wipe off your computer monitors (no, I don't know), for it is I! I am so excited to be rambling off on one of my sunny midmorning rambles (actually, it's two-thirty in the afternoon and pouring rain. But, as usual, go with it). As Brick Tamland would say, LOUD NOISES! Personally, I don't think I needed to add that link, because any person of true soul and strength of character would implicitly understand that Anchorman reference without the help of Wikipedia. Still, I do what I can for the soulless among us.
It has been a crazy month full of long, steaming, fry-a-sausage-on-the-street summer days and carefree, halcyon summer nights. In fact, I wish this amazing month of belly-dancing classes and bad haircuts and freshly cut grass and faraway sojourns wasn't behind me, but it is, which means it far past time to get cracking on Blogger and churn out some fresh insanity for you loyal readers.
I have just bid adieu to the beautiful Seattle, WA and resignedly returned to the tri-state area. So, as an homage to my completely amazing week here I want to do a little photo post. Be warned, ye townspeople and villagers- don't prepare yourself for traditional holiday photos. There will be nary a frightening beaming blond child in sight- obligatory Hawaiian shirts and bunny ears are replaced by enormous stuffed hot dogs and scads of vintage clothing. Enjoy!
My first stop on the Emma Tour de Seattle was the Sculpture Garden.

For something that was vaguely educational (or at least, not detrimental to my education) it was a lot of fun. Yes, that's an Alexander Calder...er...odd pointy orange sculpture thing, and yes, I think that tree is wrapped in cellophane. I also got to try out my rebellious new personality at the Sculpture Garden.

Yup. Despite the "Thank You For Staying On The Path" sign, I declined to stay on the path. I touched the grass with my toe. I veered off the path. I am nothing short of a fierce, troublemaking hellion. Perhaps I am even a scoundrel. Who can say for sure?
Next up...the Pike Place Market! Lots of noise, and tourists, and angry T-shirt vendors and such.
Yes, that is an enormous stuffed hot dog hanging from the ceiling. Even in New York, street dog capital, we have not such miraculous inventions. I expressed some interest in buying it to adorn my room, but according to the oddly smiley clerk (EVERYONE is oddly smiley in Seattle. After three days, I was positively longing to see the familiar scowls of the sullen, inattentive waitresses working at my favorite NYC haunts) at the hot-dog store, it is Not For Sale. Shame.

Now, the below picture may just look like an innocent furry-boots-and-mukluks stall. However, if you look closely you will start to see the shape of a scary, glowering old man amongst the boots. That is mostly because there IS a scary, glowering old man amongst the boots. He seriously looks like he is about to jump out of the computer and do me bodily harm, and when I took the picture (not realizing he was there) he grumbled and groaned loud enough to wake the dead. Well, as Andy Warhol says, Mr. Mukluk Man, we all have our fifteen minutes of fame...

I like this below T-shirt picture. It says that It is All Good. I choose to believe the gospel of the T-shirt.

After Pike Place Market, there was...

Now, this is the kind of bookstore I wish I could live out the rest of my life and afterlife in. I, being the biggest reading nerd this side of Hermione Granger (HP reference #1. Seriously, if you have an ounce of coolness within you, do yourself a favor now and exit my blog. I may slowly but surely suck it out of you. God knows I could use it), expressed a distinct desire to be buried in the fiction section (always my favorite section of any bookstore).
Shelves. But you probably got that. Yeah, no, I totally knew it was a book before it was a movie. Knew it the whole time (awkward laughter and knee-slappage to convey familiarity with important global warming tome). You can never have too many copies... New Yorker cartoons are a Manhattanite's A-B-Cs. Surprisingly excellent short stories when you get past the...ahem...assertive cover. Finally answering the age-old question, "What to get your stoner friend for his or her birthday/the holidays". Perhaps Emily Post should make note of this in her next book. Or maybe Miss Manners. I once read an entire Miss Manners book when I was eight and bored. It was actually quite fascinating in a car-crashy way, and now I know how to politely turn down a panhandler on the subway. A cute retrosexual boy and I reached for the same copy of this at the bookstore, but unfortunately since my life is not a chick flick we did not partake in exchanging witty pleasantries and exchanging contact information in order to meet up at a dimly lit bar and flirt over Cosmopolitans. He just gallantly let me take the book and then took the copy underneath it. Ehh. What're you gonna do.
And now for the stuff everybody seems to find the most interesting...the CLOTHES. Seattle has a fantastic shopping area. I got to go around to vintage stores introducing myself to the owners as a fashion blogger (so pretentious! So snotty! So much fun! I felt like the Queen of England, if she deigned to leave the palace and make a pilgrimage to the Emerald City vintage scene) and taking pictures. Therefore, consider me your guide to thrift/vintage/cheap shopping in Seattle!
1. Synapse Clothing
The supercool owner, shown here holding up an amazing pink vintage raincoat, let me wander around and take photos of the shop.

She also told me that she salvaged these funky tiger-print stools from an old Seattle nightclub. The store was kind of pricey and maybe a little too offbeat for me, but it was great and she was really sweet.

2. Le Frock



This was the most amazing store, practically a shoe haven which was fine by me seeing as I completely adore vintage shoes (a little skeevy, you say? Nah, not so bad once you've Lysolled the crap out of 'em). There was a whole staircase dotted with sporadic shoes on each step. There was also a Local Designers rack featuring mainly the fantastic Suzabelle. I bought two things, which I will show off at the end of this post with my other purchases. Basically, if you only have time for one vintage shop in Seattle...go to this one.
And finally...
3. Red Light Vintage

So, quite obviously, I want to live here, if not for the awesome clothes and shoes and storefront mannequins, then at least for the Elvis bust.
Check those stores out if you're ever in the Seattle area.
And now, for the feature presentation...all five bajillion of the clothes, etc. I bought in Seattle (before you get the impression that I'm loaded and rolling in the dough and such, you should know that I am, not to brag, a supreme bargain shopper so this was all fairly cheap)!!!
My gray, black and white eye-pattern minidress, which is so much cuter than it looks in the picture. My funky striped rugby shirt which looks great belted at the waist with my purple cinch belt and blue skirt. It only cost $3! My standby new electric blue T-shirt-dress which I will pretty much be living breathing eating sleeping walking reading blathering foaming raving and generally existing in for as long as the weather permits me to. My belts! My prides! My joys! Two dollars each at a thrift shop near my hotel! My pretty gray skirt, fairly nondescript but I needed some new skirts. Little vintage canvas bolero such as an army dude might wear, only perhaps not so cropped (it'll be cute with a sloppy tank and jeans, I think). I love this skirt, especially since it cost $6 and it goes with everything and it isn't a Predictable Denim Mini (although I have a few of those in my closet as well, including one mysterious size-00 one from Abercrombie which has been there forever and I know isn't mine as I haven't been a size 00 since the doctors cut the umbilical cord and probably not even then). This is the skirt I want to wear with the rugby shirt. This shirt is like a normal shirt on acid. It makes me want to wear neon and run about splattering canvases with lead paint and having affairs with artists and so on. This is the Suzabelle tunic top I bought, but since the website's picture of it is better than my own, there you go. I plan to wear a tank under it, for modesty's sake. New favorite shoes. 'Nuff said.
I also got a purple shirtdress which isn't photogenic and an Emma Brite charm bracelet and a purple tote bag which inspired the dippy salesgirl at the store I bought it from to expound for twenty minutes upon the unadulterated cuteness of bunnies (the bag has a cartoon bunny decal on it, you see), but I am on picture overload so you'll just have to trust that they exist and are currently making me very happy with this embarrassment of riches. Seattle was seriously one of the coolest places I've ever visited and I can't wait to go back.
Oh, by the way, TOUCHE19 YOU LUCKY THING I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU'RE MOVING TO SEATTLE HAVE A CUP OF COFFEE FOR ME AND PERHAPS A BLUEBERRY SCONE BECAUSE DAMN THOSE PASTRIES ARE GOOD IN SEATTLE AND WHAT WAS I DOING? OH, RIGHT...

The Music, Movie & Book Corner- HARRY POTTER HARRY POTTER HARRY POTTER. Good lord. The one thing I pride myself on is that I wasn't camped out at the store when it opened on the night it came out. I just. Er. Sped down to the Barnes & Noble as early as possible the next morning to get that 398439483-page book in my hands and Complete The Journey. Being a confessed Potter nerd, I spent the next 12 hours in a wizards' reverie- 6 reading, 6 contemplating. It wasn't my favorite in the series, and don't even get me STARTED on that crappy epilogue what the hell was THAT J.K. Rowling but it was really good and oh God it's over now and I may need to go boil my head. I used to wear a Harry Potter backpack. Sad, but true. And now it's the end of an eraaaaaaaaa...At least Ron and Hermione ended up together. Also cheering me up is the Hairspray movie, which I disturbingly enough kind of enjoyed. What can I say, I like John Travolta as a woman, I like dancing, I like integration. So all the core parts are there. Right now I have the Rolling Stones on heavy rotation (I bought a Stones tee at the Experience Music Project, which was perhaps the most incredible experience of my life in Seattle. It's a music museum which was featuring a Jimi Hendrix exhibit when I went there, and I would have taken pictures except you aren't allowed and the guards get all pissy and take away your camera phone), as well as, oddly enough, Rihanna's "Shut Up and Drive". Rihanna's not my favorite (so help me God, if I hear about her damn umbrella-ella-ella-e-e-e one more time I am going to STAB SOMEONE WITH IT), but this song is so helplessly catchy.

SIGHTINGS- Instead of doing a traditional Sightings log, can I scan in some cool pictures that didn't fit in anywhere else? Great. Thanks.



CURRENT ATTIRE- Stones tee, black terrycloth shorts, knee-length stripy socks, flip-flops (ONLY AT HOME, mind you. Only at home are socks and sandals permissible, and not even then, really. I'm just feeling jetlagged and lazy) I'm BACK, baby!

Insane, inappropriate amounts of love (and apologies for jumping ship for a month),
Emma!!!

54 comments:

Susana Rodrigues said...

wow you're back! thanks God!!! i missed your posts :)
great photos :) specially the ones from the vintage stores :)
love your new buyings! great, great pair of shoes :D
xoxo
Su
P.S: welcome back!!

alexa said...

Yaaaaaay, you're back.

All of your stuff is insanely cute.* I was getting tired of that "If these models could talk" post.

Due to the fact that you're now professing your love to Seattle, I'll assume you had an even more fabulouso time then the pictures you've shown us. Welcome home!

*Insanely cute in the OMG, I so wish I had that stuff and/or some money to buy my own stuff!

The Beauty Mum said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
AVA said...

Seattle looks great! and saying you're a fashion blogger and enjoying some benefits is a great idea, though I doubt people here in holland would take me seriously!

maya said...

I finshed it. (Harry Potter not your post, even though sometimes after some of your extrememly long posts I come out of reading it and realize that a whole day has gone by and I'm still sitting infront of my laptop in my pyjamas reidng your post. ok, bit of an exageration but I am a pretty slow reader). Oh my, I would so love to discuss the wonderful beautiful brilliance of the book with you but am worried that someone might read my comment and I might spoil something for them so I suppose we will have to use our, um, telapathic expertees and discuss it that way. To test the brain waves I am sending you a picture of an m&m via my mind and you have to tell me what colour the m&m is.

Seattle sounds like a complete and utter rave and the vintage shop looks really cool but I suppose you know that otherwise you wouldn't have taken the pictures and posted them. I'm glad you have fun but I'm even more happy that you're back.

Eddie said...

The Suzabelle tunic top is hands-down my fav. Every female should own at least one of them...

I'd have to agree with Maya. After I read one of your posts I feel like my eyes have done a 30 mile hike up the WORD MOUNTAIN. I absolutely love it.

Besos

Anonymous said...

ohemgee, iloveem. I love that you were seattle!!! I adore it there and so want to move once I am over nyc, if it is ever possible to get over nyc. I also love that you are back bitch, mucho love tambien.

maya said...

i got it all apart from:
And don't even get me started on _______!!!
but don't worry, i am working on deciphering it.
also i was sending you a red m&m which was your second guess, so I do believe we are pretty slick.

Anonymous said...

YOU'RE BACK!

and i'm back! yay!

i've always wanted to go to seattle, now i have more of a want to go there :)

cute finds, i love your idea of how to wear the rugby shirt, see this is why we're fashion bloggers, we all have our own awesome spin on things!

aww and HP7! was effing amazing! i can't even comprehend that it's actually over, i'm just trying to remember everything that happened in that novel- it moved so fast, plus i read it within 2 days, in 200pg chunks, at early hours of the morning, with a cold, sooo i'm missing things. only more reasons to reread it, except i'll def skip that cheeseball epilogue on the second time around...yuck. but as much as i was deeply satisfied with the book and some of it was genius, you're right it's not the best

looking forward to hearing from you more!

sophie said...

seattle looks awesome! my dad's going next week- maybe i'll ask him to pick up that INSANELY FABULOUS suzabelle tunic top.

HP- i cannot get myself to read past the second page, i have no idea why. i really need to finish, though, because when i get back to school everyone's going to spoil it...hate 'em...

ohhh im so glad you're back..

Jaclyn said...

Omg, your blog is very amusing to read. I LOVE IT! I really like the shoes.

blushing apples said...

its good to see ya blogging again, i love the photos of the vintage store, and i love your finds! ^-^

Isabel said...

Oh my God. I missed your blog so much, Emma! You didn't even mention that you were leaving, I thought you were dead. And now you have no idea how glad I am you're not.

sara said...

Gosh, everything sounds so AMAZING!

Love that shirt that makes you want to wer bright pink, porb my favorite out of all, and I LOVE those shoes!

x sara o

Frasier said...

Lady.....you have been missed sorely But I forgive you because this was a great come back post!!
Love those outfits you picked up.You are the third person to talk about Seattle so thats going to be on my wish-I-could-visit-list!!!

Miss Zoe said...

I LOVE that bookcase pic. Welcome back!!! looking forward to more posts..... xx

Snookums said...

Okay ... where to start?

The upside: I'm so glad you churned out some fresh insanity.

The downside: I hate to break your heart, but I have yet to see Anchorman. I know, slap me. Hmm ... wow. It doesn't hurt half as bad when you're expecting it.

Anyway, moving on ...
I confess: I rebel, too. "Please Stay Off The Grass" signs (which are just ironic at rehab centers) beg for rebellion. I heard that some people feel the urge to defy "No shirts, no shoes, no service" signs; unless they possess some toned stomach muscles and the like, I shall steer clear.

I apologize in advance for this comment kind of being all over the place. It's just me, with the random(osity?) and such.

I'm so glad you enjoyed Seattle. That must have been so fun. I'm not one for jetting off. I've been to Europe, but not America (this being the United States variety, instead of the South, Central, Latin, etc.)

The Experience Music Project defines a photographic need, so those prissy guards better learn to loosen up the next time around someone pulls out a snapshot-producer or they'll enjoy a nice little suckerpunch in their pouchy bellies (or toned abdomen, you never know). None of these actions will be from me, of course, seeing as I'm not even remotely violent, but I'm sure some aggressive individual with a lot of rage and no medication exists. And one day, he (or she?) shall be a tourist in Seattle. Then the rules will certainly change.

Oh, yes, the fashion! Oh, the glamour! Oh, the attire! Oh, the bolero, rugby shirt, and grey "non-descript" skirt! But by far, the tonic top is the most gorgeous. And I'm sitting here in a Fantasia graphic t-shirt I bought from the Disneystore. I must say, those shoes of yours, I do, in deed, admire, which is kind of odd, seeing as I'm not a shoe person. Sunglasses and persons, yes, but not the shoes kind of girl. To each her own, but yes, beautiful shoes. Peek-a-toe, or whatever they're called. Are they wedges? They're angled and such, so I can't really tell ... I insist that the fact that I wear contact lenses has nothing to do with the matter.

So yes, once more, I must thank you for returning and writing.

Char Ruiz Manjarrez said...

I love me some Seattle and looks like you had a blast! Loved all the pics.

C.

Robin said...

Some of my favorites aren't photogenic either, I feel your pain and can imagine them as they are, 100x better in real life.

indigomast said...

I'm jealous, sounds like a hell of a time!!

great pics :)

Bella said...

YaY...you're back! I was missing your obserdly long and entertaining posts...it is pathetically sad that i live in CA a mere like 1,000 miles from seatle and i've never been there...now i want to go...and btw I am in LOVE w that little cropped army jacket...i wanted to grab it out of the computer and steal it from you.....

Diana Coronado said...

Nice post !! & good choice bout your clothes!!

Courtly Love said...

Harry Potter had me in a blubbering fit of TEARS. I don't want to write any spoilers because I think that would be incredibly rude [did you see those youtube videos of people yelling out spoilers to people at midnight when they got their books?] but I just had to get that out. It tore me UP. Anyway, I'm glad you're back and that you had a great trip!! For some reason all my other blog comments never got to my inbox so I completely forgot about blogger until I got the comment from you this afternoon.

WAT said...

I can't wait to go to "oddly smiley" Seattle now! WOW! LOLOLOL!

Yes, I was missing yer exceptionally long and picture-ridden posts, especially those pics where ya hold up clothes, purses, and shoes of course to the camera! Good ta have ya back in fine shape and full form!

Jaysus, another Harry Potter fan in the house. This HP craze amazes me! I like me da boy wizard and all, but not to the extent some of ye red-blooded Americans do.

Life's a Wardrobe said...

Great post! Love the pictures. I've linked you =)

Meg said...

Oh how I have waited for this moment! I can't really write a proper long comment as |I'm being harassed by a bunch of bratty, loud 4 year olds who won't shut the f- up. No, I haven't got a job as a child-minder (that would be sheer insanity) but I'm at my fancy new gym which has a starbucks inside it! I'm not sure if this is common in the US but England is a little less fanatic about gym/fitness. Of course I only worked out for like 30 minutes before getting a latte and sitting down for some internet loving (we should be geeks together.)
I'll check in again tomorrow probs!

Siru said...

what a post :D !vintage is .. <3

and thanks for commentting !

juliet xxx

I'm A said...

I'm sooooo glad you are back. I was going a little crazy. Thanks for linking me. You're blog is the best. Literally.

Unknown said...

yayyy, I missed your posts and you are back!! your buys are fabulous!! I especially love the t-shirt dress. The first skirt is really cute, too. and seattle sounds like so much fun, ohhh vintage stores <3

shallomj said...

Aaaa, you're back! Seriously I've been checking this site every day for the past month, and pouting every time I see that silly model with her white romper at the top of the page.

You should have come up to vancouver while you were iN Seattle, we Canadians are soo much cooler! lol

I really should go to Seattle sometimes and check it out, those vintage shops look amazing.

Anonymous said...

YAYAYAYAAY SEATTLE
You have no idea how perfect this post is for me!
grrrrreat timing my dear
I plan on venturing out today because it is finally sunny and perhaps browse through some of the vintage stores you listed.
I also happen to be craving a blueberry scone/muffin....

Emilieee said...

wohoo you're back, finally!! It seems you had a great time in Seattle!! Your new favorite shoes are beautiful! Love the blue. And the hot dogs looks yummy!

Jamie said...

Oh how we've missed you! Glad you had fun, and I am loving that tunic top you bought. What a skilled shopper you are! I too am a Potter nerd and I totally agree with you about the epilogue. So cheesy...so cliche...oh well.

Baby Owl. said...

i love all your holiday pics missus, if i lived in america i would jump on a plane to seattle... you've made me want to go shopping there, it looks brilliant
I LOVE LAMP

-S said...

YOU'RE BACK! welcome back. thankyouthankyouthankyou for the picture post! and for well, returning to the blog world!

Weekly Blogette said...

So happy ur back weeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! okay that the only time I do the girliest of all girl screams online. So you were on vacation I see....I love all of ur pics. Especially of Le Frock, I couldn't help but eye that shoe collection its awe-dropping!
MUCH LOVE!

Mrs Fashion said...

Emma is back and blogging.
England had sunshine this morning.
All is right with the world.

Mrs Fashion
x

Anonymous said...

Ahhhhh! I missed your acerbic wit and biting comments.. So jealous of all the cool stores you saw. Ahhhh! Late for work. Will finish later.

Teresa said...

Whoo thank god you're back. Seattle sounded wonderful, the only time I've seen Seattle is on Grey's Anatomy.

Anonymous said...

Hey! So remember when you were all "Hey, lets link!" and I was all "LIKE OMG YESS". *looks seductively at link list* Anyway! I'm glad you're back. I love Seattle sooooooo much. Did you notice the Starbucks on every single streetcorner? Haha. And, books! And re: The Epilouge of Cheese, I think J.K went to, like fanfiction.net or something and ripped it off. :D

Ella Gregory said...

ooo the peep toe wedges are nice and i love that tiger print stool
that shop looks amazing

molly said...

AWESOME
i adore seattle
its pretty close to where i live (except i live in canada haha)
the EMP is my absolute favorite
i loove that electric blue dress, its my favorite colour ever

Meg said...

So I read it again...properly. I missed my daily dose of silliness and interesting things. You seem to have a constant gravitational pull on cute guys within a 2 mile radius of you. Plus, you went to Seattle. Which sounds like a fun place to go to.

PS. You're such a rebel, stepping on the grass?! That is just not like you.

jungle dream pagoda said...

Love the tour ofthe vintage stores!I think I had heard of Le Frock,but in the end I would have to go with that Elvis bust vintage store as my MUST SEE,because it looked the most atmospheric!
So happy your back,now I'm off to NYC and Boston!

Eritia said...

Thank God you are back! During your agonizingly long hiatus, I would sit hopefully staring at my computer screen, clicking the Reload button over and over on your blog's page, hoping that you had somehow, amazingly managed to post a new post in the splitsecond before the last click, but, alas, I was left only with the jumpsuit-clad, pouty visage of the model in your previous and farewell post.

Bobbypin Bandit said...

I was going to say flipflops and socks!!!! But you saved yourself before I was about to strangle you. I am glad you are back from your trip. I wish I could take a trip. Love your photos. Can I carry your luggage next time?

maya said...

im going away for a while so see you when i get back.
xxxxx

Style Spot said...

thank you so much emma! Of course, I'd love to exchange links with you!

love the photos from the vintage stores <3 you must have had such a great time!!

-ciao bella- said...

cute pics, i'm going there this fall so i'll definitely have to visit some of those stores

Jen (MahaloFashion) said...

I can't keep up with your blog, it's so long and packed with information. look slike you've been having a good summer, belly dacing classes, I always wanted to take those! I'm jealous of all your shopping woo weeeeeeeeeeee

s.i. michaels said...

I can't believe you were here going to *my* thrift stores ( I love Le Frock & Red Light) and I never knew it!!!! Or maybe I passed you by and you were pointing at my shoes thinking 'Don't I know her from somewhere...?' never realizing the blog connection. Which actually sounds far creepier than the 'Love Connection.'

Anonymous said...

I agree about anchorman...anybody whose anyone must have seen this....my fav part :Years later, a doctor will tell me that I have an I.Q. of 48 and am what some people call mentally retarded.

alexgirl said...

Sooo good to have you back, Emma!
Your trip sounds fabu. Seriously. I love the giant hot dog, and all your other snapshots.
And all those clothes... I'm drooling!! Those blue wedges=awesome.

Suzabelle said...

Hey! I accidently came across your blog. Thanks for buying the top and saying such sweet things about my designs!