The Guitar

Jake Shimabukuro and Tommy Emmanuel are playing "While My Guitar Gently Weeps."

Rodrigo y Gabriela playing "Diablo Rojo."

Justin King is playing "Phunkdified".

Five Sisters

I paid a visit to a neat little shop called Five Sisters to find something unique for my friend's birhtday. I hit the jackpot. This store is loaded with all sorts of unique things. It's like a spiritual, ethnic, New Age store. They have books on religion, necklaces made from reused material, statues, incense, instruments, and many more interesting things. I spent nearly an hour finding the gift because there were so many good gifts to choose from.

What a pretty bag!

She gave me this bracelet and some incense after I told her I was looking for a present. She was so nice.

I finally decided to get my friend this instrument. She loved it.

If you're in Miami, the store is definitely worth checking out.

12265 South Dixie Highway

(305)251-9642

http://www.fivesisters.biz/

Men and Style

The main problem is that guys don't have as many options as girls do. Women can wear pants, skirts, dresses, leggings, purses, high heels, sneakers and strappy sandals but men are limited to a few items. There's only so much one can do with so little options. Still, well-dressed guys exist. They don't have to be gay or flamboyant or a youngster to be well dressed.

Here, Bill Cunningham explores menswear on the streets.

Even though men's style evolves at a very slow pace, I have noticed two trends that are quite popular.

Dandy

Dandy has existed for decades, but it's making a come back with the recent rise in top hats, bowlers, bowties and such. The point is to look as dapper and spiffy as possible. This is the men's version of dressing up but it's updated and given a fresh new twist.

dashing and adorable

Indie/Hipster

This style is a mix of assorted years and styles. In a way it is partly dandy because many hipsters don dandy accessories, such as the bowler hat, the fedora, the bowtie and the skinny tie. This style includes retro items such as the hippie headbands and the wingtip shoes. Many pair ultra skinny pants with big, colorful shirts. Doc Martens and wayfarer glasses have also made a comeback through this trend. This trend redefines the man silhouette, with slim fitting clothes. The resulting form is androgynous. In the wrong hands, this style can look trashy.

Here is an example of the rolled up pants and boat shoes. Others wear combination with oxford shoes.

a mix of dandy and hipster

big shirt, skinny jeans

layers

This outfit is teetering between stylish and trashy. Beware.

One doesn't have to follow these trends to be stylish though. It's best to wear something simple and well fitted. You can throw in a few trendy things into the outfit, but don't forget to throw in something original as well. It's important not to follow trends blindly.

a classy look

Outfits

This outfit's not that complicated. I was a apprehensive about posting this picture. It makes me feel self conscious. :P I really like the picture though.

This is just the outfit from the last photo I put up. I liked how put together and preppy it felt.I was feeling retro that day so the jewelry is all vintage. (By vintage, I mean that I stole it from my mom. :P) Those pink shoes are the Coach shoes I bought from the Recycled Closet for $30. (See  http://searchforawesome.blogspot.com/2009/04/recycled-closet.html . ) 

iCan't Stand iCarly

Not only is it a mediocre show with poor writing and bad acting, but iCarly sends out a bad message to young kids.

In the show, best friends Carly and the tough and gross Sam (short for Samantha, I assume) do live webshows that are supposed to be funny while their pathetic friend Fred, who is one of the many boys who have a crush on Carly, produces the show. Their brand of humor is totally random and nonsensical. If you're into that kind of stuff, great. But I feel like it's just weirdness for the sake of being weird. They have a segment called "Random Dancing" in which they just dance randomly as the name implies. How is that funny? Maybe if they danced in a funny way it would be entertaining. Maybe if they dance well it would be entertaining. They also have stupid skits. One was about some sort of space cheerleader. Another was about a girl who thinks a guy's mustache is a squirrel.

I would be okay with all the weirdness if my sister weren't copying everything she watches on T.V. She's like a parrot. I caught her repeating lines from a J.G. Wentworth (a company that gives out loans) commercial. "It's my money and I want it now!"

Let's start with the name of the show. Why are they promoting Apple?

What really ticks me off is how these weirdos make fun of people who are just as weird as they are. Spencer's (Carly's older brother and guardian) strange antics include owning a ostrich, owning a collection of crazy socks, swimming in a giant coffee cup and making tacos filled with spaghetti. Sam has bad hygene, violent tendencies and a mother who neglects her. Fred is a mama's boy, a geek with a crazy, overbearing mother. Yet when a chubby kid takes off his shirt and dances around, they all run out of the restaurant because they are weirded out. I feel bad for the kid who plays the chubby kid, Gibby, because the writers make him take off his shirt frequently. I can't believe they would exploit his physique like that. That boy may have self-esteem issues later on in his life.

Another instance is when they have freakshow segments on their show. Once they had a little kid come and drink blended food. I think it was a spaghetti smoothie. The "freaks" are treated with as much respect as those "freaks" exploited in the circus.

In one episode Carly dates a bad boy with a pretty face. The fact that my sister watches this pubescent girl suck face with a delinquent makes me want to bang my head on the keyboard repeatedly. Carly is attracted to bad boys. Then she starts sneaking around to make out with him. Are we still talking about a kids' show here? Then, when she finds out that he is an avid collecter of pee wee babies, she dumps him. I mean, just because he has an unmanly hobby? Just because it's weird? Thanks for teaching my sister how to be shallow and a hypocrite at the same time, Nickelodeon.

The fact that a show about a web show doesn't explore issues with internet safety is unsettling. Wouldn't Carly regret posting videos of herself sticking things up her nose while wearing a coconut bra a few years from now when she needs a job?

What do you think about iCarly and other recent TV shows?

HATS

I've spent the whole morning being fascinated by hats.  I know. This is very sad. But my morning hasn't all gone to waste! I found this amazing website called Hats in the Belfry. 

Check it out:

http://www.hatsinthebelfry.com/

I've always wanted a beret, but I never got one. I guess it's just not one of my priorities.

 I want to wear this hat with a loose guayabera shirt. Or with a tight striped shirt, steering a gondola. Ha.

This has to be one of the cutest cloche hats I've ever seen.

Aren't these neat? The black one looks like it belongs in a noir film on the head of the femme fatale.

Bowler hat

Top hat

This is another hat I want. I don't have a yacht and I don't go on boats frequently, but I want to look like I do.

They have an assortment of fun hats too, like this British pith helmet...

and this top hat that looks like it belongs to the Mad Hatter...

and this Turkish fez...

and this beanie.

You can find all these hats at Hats in the Belfry.

It's been fun doing this, but I really should get to work now. I don't want to waste my entire Saturday like this. I hope your Saturday is lovely!

Light

AP Exams have finished!!!!!

I feel relieved. Too bad finals are in less than a week. Blegh.

Well, I still have time for a quick post. I've been experimenting with indoor light. It's a nice change because all my previous pictures were outdoor pictures.

Yes, that is my little sister in her Tae Kwon Do uniform.

Let me know what you think please, even if it is critcism.