Time Flies

Is it just me or is there something about this time of year that makes time speed up?

You hop from one Christmas party to another, a birthday bash in between, visit a friend or two (or five), allow yourself to cry a little (or a lot) when you know your friends are going through things you can do absolutely nothing to help with, decorate your home to infuse some cheer - including some adhesive "wall art", which once you've slapped on seems slightly very likely to take paint with it when you plan to peel it off in 4 weeks time, make some meals and drop them off for people who've been sick, buy Christmas cards (which you don't actually sign or mail), manage to hit the dry cleaners but fail to pick up your go-to winter coat in time for the first five snow falls, stay away from TV and Blogger for 5 days so you can do all the things you "need to" and still you're barely left with just enough time to have a semi-decent shower. But definitely not enough time to deal with your sasquatch slightly fuzzy legs. Sigh. Sigh. And then some.

 Dress-BCBG, Patterned Tights-???, Earrings-Vintage
Pretty sure K is over 6' tall when she's in heels. I'm such a hobbit next to her.

I've been meaning to tell y'all about S' company holiday party but in the interest of saving time, I'll just list some highlights:

1. Telling S, for future reference, that being 2 hours late is NOT fashionably late. He told me 7:00 when it really started at 5:30. We got there at 7:30. Granted cocktails were ending at 7, just before dinner but nothing like getting to a sit-down dinner after the orders have been taken.

2. I learned that sitting while wearing a dress somewhat covered in sequins is not at all comfy. It's like sitting on eggshells. Oh and it made my butt sound slightly like a popcorn maker. At least while seated.
3. Dessert looked amazing. Like take a bite out of heaven amazing. But tasted, imagine if you will, like plastic shalaqued play-doh.

4. It's always fun to call the President of the company your spouse works for on a comment he made to your spouse about "buying" him a "new wife". A comment made in response to S turning down some pretty crazy perks and incentives to lure him into accepting a 4 month assignment in a far away land, after he said "my wife will never go for it." 4 months got turned to 3-4 weeks, sans a new wife, but S still turned it down.

5. Watching said President turn a shade of pink and later have him call S a "big mouth".
6. Being told by S' co-worker that I looked "just like Thandie Newton". BAHAHAHAHAHA Ms. Newton is drop dead gorgeous! I could only wish. I would more than love to accept the compliment but I'm Asian not delusional.

7. It finally hit me who my gorgeous friend K(my I have a LOT of friends named K) reminds me of...

Coco Rocha! Do you agree or is it just me?

Either way this gorgeous girl makes me wish I could be a redhead. Even for a night.

How are YOU all doing, loves??? PLEASE, fill me in on all I've missed!
Can't wait to catch up on your blogs!
xx Ela
p.s. Special THANK YOU to Jaime for posting my Christmas Wish List! 
And thank you for the sweeties that left me well wishes, with YOU rooting for me, 
I feel like it'll happen. Sooner than later.

Crush(ed)

First, thank you for all your sweet comments and well wishes with regards to my previous post, I truly heart you guys! 

It's funny, thinking about my hopes for the future led to some pretty random memories from the past...

 

...or not so much [via weheartit]

I met MF in the 6th grade. MF was a guy that had a crush on me in the 6th and 7th grade. He was cute...just not cute to me. Good thing because two of my BFFs - N and M were in love with him. M made sure to remind me time and time again tell me that she and MF were a "couple" in the 2nd grade. Um, not sure what that entailed but I think it was limited to holding hands during one recess.

Anyhoots, N and M would remind me that MF was off limits. No biggie to me. Frankly, MF bugged me. BIG time. One day he sent a friend to ask "why don't you like him?" To which I replied, "because he cries." It's true, he did. And even back then, I knew I needed a manly man. An *Alpha Male* as S would say. Well, lo and behold I had to stay and talk to the teacher after school that day...MF was in tears. Again. And I was to blame. Buddy didn't quite get he was only driving the point home.

You'd think that'd stop him but it didn't. He was determined. One day after recess, I came back to my desk to find a teddy bear. A little brown bear with a red bow tied around his neck. I picked him up and read the tag hanging from its ear, "To Ela, Love MF". I thought it was a sweet gesture but it didn't win me over.

The bear was cute. But also wet. Not soaked, but definitely wet. First thing that popped in my head: "Wtheck? Did he cry all over this thing??? Eeuww."

Well, N and M's desks were right next to mine. 
"Cute bear," they said. 
"Do you know why it's wet?" I asked.
Giggles ensue. 
"Um, we kinda took it by the window (it was drizzling outside). You don't mind do you?" They smiled.
"Oh...that's fine...I guess." I replied. I'd take rain over tears any day.

N and M knew I didn't like MF. But no matter what I did or didn't do, whenever MF gave me attention of any kind, N and M made my life unbearable. They called me names. The stupid kind that'd make me laugh now but at the time only left me speechless. And ocassionally, in tears. I never said anything back because as mean as they were, they were my BFFs. Right. So instead of being upset with them, I blamed MF. He was causing me so much grief and I wanted nothing to do with him.

Fast forward to the 8th grade. While sitting in class one day, I suddenly noticed MF. He seemed different somehow. His face had matured a little. His voice had gotten deeper. He seemed to dress better. He no longer cried like a girl baby. Nor did he carry himself in a way that screamed sissy pants. Somehow...he had manned up.

N and M were over MF by this time. So I decided to ask MF to our girl-asks-boy dance. 
Ela: M, would you like to go the the dance with me?
MF: [Smirks then pauses] It took you two years?
Ela: [Blinks]
MF: It's a little late now isn't it?
Ouch. I was not expecting that. I guess it was written all over my face because this is what came out next...
MF: Now you know...how it feels.

Apparently, MF was over me. And grudgeful at that. Later N and M confessed that the reason why my bear was wet all those years ago, was because when they saw MF leave it at my desk, they cried spat all over it.

I got rid of the bear shortly after that. Along with my crush for MF.

xx Ela
Ever had a boy come between you and a friend?

p.s. I'll be out of town for the day but I'll catch up when I get back :)
Have a great weekend loves!
p.p.s. Nicole's Etsy shop is open for business!There are so many beautiful earrings...but I can't help but love the elas :) Thank you, Nicole, they're absolutely gorgeous. Love you! 

The Truth Is...

So on my last post I promised I'd answer the question I asked you: growing up, did you ever leave the house then change into something else that you knew your parent(s) wouldn't approve of?

The truth is, no I didn't. Whatever I left the house in, I stayed in. I would however sneak make-up. Yup, I did. Starting in the 8th grade, I was allowed to wear lipstick once a week...funny rule I know. But in HS I started wearing it twice a week. Then one day I just started wearing it all the time - left the house with it on - with my parents driving me to school. I promised myself I'd stop if they told me to, but lucky for me, they never did.

I have a small teeny tiny dot of a mole above the left side of my lip. Well, remember the Niki Taylor craze in the 90's? People went nuts for her. I went nuts for her trademark mole. The truth is, I used to take a dark brown liner and dab my mole to accentuate it. Dork much? This little phase of mine didn't last very long.

I haven't dyed my hair in at least 8 years. The truth is, I may start again. A few weeks ago I found one blonde hair growing out the crown of my head. It's not white. It's blonde. I freaked out. A little. Then a lot. Especially when I thought it'd go from blonde to white. It hasn't. I emailed one bloggie friend about it though. Just one. It was her that I wanted to tell. Not that I thought she could make it go away. But cause I thought it'd make me feel better. It did.

I may joke about S, the lil stinker, not reading my blog. The truth is, a part of me is glad he doesn't. I love him more than anything. He is my best friend and we share everything. But sometimes it's nice to have something that's just mine. He is however, always welcome to read it.

I've mentioned that I wear bright colours when it's gloomy outside. The truth is, I also wear them when I feel "gloomy". It'd be easier to throw on head to toe black but wearing something cheerful...well, it cheers me up.  When I'm down, the last thing I need is to catch a reflection of myself looking like how I feel. Maybe that makes me superficial. Call it what you want, it makes me feel better. Now don't go sifting through old posts trying to figure out which days I felt "gloomy". Cause I also just wear whatever I want when I feel like it.

Everyone loves getting pressies right? Unravelling a beautifully wrapped box and hoping it contains the latest thing you've "always wanted". The truth is, for the past almost 3 years, I've only wanted one thing. Just one thing. Unfortunately, it's not something you can buy. Or have gift wrapped. It has however been my birthday wish, my Christmas wish, my Mother's Day wish...my sole wish. And I hold onto it knowing one day, I'll get my wish. I just know it.

xx Ela
p.s. Any truths you want to share?
[Images via weheartit]
p.p.s. My lovely friend Nicole opens her Etsy shop on Thursday, Dec 3rd! Do check it out :) 

Too Fancy for Pants

Hope y'all had amazing weekends! We attended S' company Holiday party on Saturday. That's a story on its own...I'll save that for another post. But here are some pics for now...

  Wool Sweater Coat - Vintage, Scarf - Winners, Satin Clutch - Prada

Since I knew S wouldn't let me post a photo with him in it, I did the next best thing and I found someone else who'd hold my hand....

Yes, I'm a dork...

Anyway...I recently met up with my friend K...remember the one I met at the Jimmy Choo for H&M launch, that snagged a bag for me? This time we went for dinner. And didn't even have to wait in line :)

We went to a resto chain that recently opened. It's not new but new at that location. The food was awesome, especially the dessert - a warm white chocolate brownie topped with whipped cream and served with vanilla ice cream....unbelievably good. But the girls that worked there, seemed...um...a little *underdressed*.

No, we didn't hit a shady wing joint. And it certainly wasn't a 5-star resto. But *classy* enough that you'd spend about $35-40/person without drinks or dessert. Yet management seemed to think it'd be a good idea to establish a dress code that left you wondering time and time again, "Um, why isn't she wearing...pants???" The Servers wore pants but the resto also had girls prancing around, mostly just walking back and forth...perhaps igniting fights amongst couples on their first dates. And occasionally bringing dishes to your table. One girl came to our table with a huge dessert plate asking if we'd ordered it...um, we were just about to take the first bite of out of our entrées - poor thing was utterly perplexed when we told her we hadn't ordered it. Too cold to think clearly? Perhaps.

Right now it's friggid cold in Toronto. My glasses have already started to steam up when I get indoors from being out in the cold. Minis are one thing. But stretching and pulling a top down, no matter how much you fidget with it, still makes it a top. All K and I could think was "Where are your pants?" or "But, why'd you leave your pants at home?" or "I can't take my mother here". She'd love the food but the *scenery* not so much.

Anyhoots K and I had a really good time. 2 1/2 hours flew right by. And we left with our stomachs full, and hurting just a little from all the laughs. We are definitely meeting up again.

Seeing as some of these girls looked young enough to still be living at home, another thought that crossed our minds was "There's no way in heck your parents let you leave the house like that". Which brings me to this question: growing up, did you ever leave the house then change into something else that you knew your parent(s) wouldn't approve of?

I di...I'll tell you my answer in my next post ;)
xx Ela

In The Spirit of Thanksgiving

Lately, I've been feeling overwhelmed.

BIG time.

Sometimes life is hard.

Or at least it seems hard.
At times, it can be.

But then I stop and remember, it's all part of a plan.

And that I have much to be thankful for.

And I am.
Even the bitter, not just the sweet.

xx Ela

p.s. Have a wonderful weekend, see you Monday :)