Stanley Do

Thank you for always being there for me …late nights trying to get illustration homework done, my breakdowns, my men drama, and for whatever else I need to bitch and vent about in life. You are like a little brother to me and I just want to wish you the most amazing birthday. Next year when you actually turn 21 we will slut it up and go men hunting together. <3

I don’t usually blog about anything else other than fashion or fashion related topics on this site, but I must tell all of you about this amazing, orgasmic, mind blowing experience I had at the Bazaar restaurant in LA last night. Although I love fashion and live for it, I also love food, maybe even at the same level.

Last night we had the pleasure of having our friend, Nathan, who is a chef at the Bazaar restaurant, join us for dinner. Ever since we watched Iron Chef America and the whole idea of molecular gastronomy food came into play, we have been waiting for an opportunity to try this interesting food. The closest restaurant is Moto in Chicago, and we were all planning a trip out there to indulge ourselves with such goodness until we discovered that Jose Andres opened one six months ago at the SLS hotel in Hollywood.

The Bazaar is breathtaking when you step into it, the entire creative atmosphere was designed by none other than Philippe Starck, who is the furniture/interior design god (saving that for the next blog). Basically, the restaurant is split into five sections, there are the tapas bars, Blanca and Rojo, one is the modern side and the other is the traditional side, each has their own menu, but you can order from both. In the middle there is Bar Centro with the most beautiful mix of modern and traditional elegance, each table has unique chairs that looks as if they came from some strange corner of the world, and most likely from a different time period. On the other side of the bar is the bakery where you go for dessert, and lastly there is gift shop Moss, where you can find random stuff from toys to jewelry, to paparazzi photos. Yes! You move around the restaurant from bar for drinks while waiting for friends, to dinner, to the bakery for dessert, and lastly to the shop to take something home. The main goal of Bazaar is to create an entire experience in one night, and what an experience it was!

I don’t think there is one thing that we tried, that didn’t just explode in my mouth. This is what the chef ordered for us:

We started with drinks: (sad to say that their most famous drink wasn’t available because they ran out of liquid nitrogen)

Bellini
Fresh peach juice, Japanese peach and sparkling wine

“Magic Mojito”
Served in a shaker and strained over cotton candy

Even their Gin and Tonic was amazing!

Food:

Jicama-wrapped guacamole     $9
Micro cilantro, corn nuts

Sweet potato chips $10
Yogurt, tamarind, star anise

Foie gras (3 ea)   $12
Quince, briochebuns

Sea urchin pipirrana, Andalusian vegetables  $14

Kumamoto oysterslemon, black pepper  $12

Not your everyday Caprese $12
Cherry tomatoes, liquid mozzarella

Catalan spinach apple, pine nuts, raisins $8

Tuna toro “Nigiri” $18
Wasabi, watermelon, red wine, soy, jalapeno

Wild mushroom rice Idiazábal cheese $10

Lamb loin mushrooms, potato $16

Beef hanger steak piquillo pepper confit $10

Dessert:

Drip El Otoño Blend                         $4
Our blend of Central American and African
coffees displays astounding silkiness and depth.
The underlining tangerine acidity highlights soft
stone fruits and white grape, followed by a
finish of Swiss chocolate and freshly grated
nutmeg

Espresso $3
Black Cat -The hallmark of this blend is its
body, balance and sweetness. Designed
specifically for espresso extraction, with notes of
dark chocolate, cherries, mild spices and a
syrupy body

Hot Chocolate Mousse   $10
With pear sorbet and salty hazelnut praline

Nitro Coconut Floating Island $10
With passion fruit and vanilla

Traditional Spanish Flan    $10
With vanilla and oranges

SLS Tres chocolate mousse    $10

Greek Yogurt Panna Cotta $10

With apricots and muscat gelatin
Ice Cream and Sorbet Selection    $10

Coconut –white chocolate and passion fruit $10

A selection of chocolates and candy
10 pc. / 20 pc. $25 / $50

I just realize…we ATE THE WHOLE DAMN MENU LAST NIGHT.

Nathan I am publicly confessing my LOVE for YOU

Summer is here and it’s time to do some extra crunches and run a few miles to get that body in shape for bikini season. I went shopping for bikinis a few weeks  ago and cried quietly in the fitting room…actually I cried outloud until the lady in the stall next to me asked if I was okay, but I’ll save that blog for another day. When I go shopping for bikinis, I not only think about the fit and color, but the tan lines it will create, and also my wallet. Here are some cheap, but super cute bikinis I found!

To best describe the past year at Otis all I can say is that it was memorable. I started my second year in Fashion, the first being a foundation where my previous classmates were all split up into our majors. My second year was a brand new start, with uncertainties, and much anticipated anxieties. But as I walk away from this year, I feel really proud to have gained not only skills, but also a close group of friends that I can call a second family. As my friend Lauren Gayle usually calls it, section E aka section EXCELLENT.

I am sure my classmates can confirm with me on this that our section was anything but excellent. According to our Model Drawing teacher, we are the only section that had the worst attendance record, and our Studio teacher can say that we always needed more time to finish our projects. Even through the endless sleepless nights, burning fingers from irons, hundreds cups of coffee we consumed, and countless cigarette breaks, we had a great time. I will always remember the shit talking during lunch breaks, the nasty talks during knitting sessions, and the sex advice from my very good friend Andy. THANKS HON.

So…with the year behind us, we partied like rocks stars on the last day of school. We all woke up with shitty hangovers, but that’s the great thing about college. I thought I say goodbye to Section E with some photos that I will eventually use to blackmail any of you that gets famous.

I love you all

as the night continues…

I met up with an old friend today because he is currently working for Viet Bao (Vietnamese Newspaper), and he wanted to do a little piece on me. I am honored. Huy, otherwise known as Justin Huy, went to Tustin High with me. When we were in school, I didn’t really talk to Huy because he was really shy and quiet, and also because one of his friends had a crush on me so I tend to shy away from the group. During our conversation we reminisced about our old High school days, and Huy told me that he used to hate me because I made fun of his X-Men shoes. This comment led me to think about how I used to treat my peers, and how I used to bully some of them … so here are my apologies:

1. Sorry I made fun of you Huy, I actually love X-Men, it was my favorite comic series.
2. Phuc, I’m sorry I used to beat you up. You are such a gentleman because you never fought back. And thank you for letting me drive your car even though I didn’t have a license.
3. Sarah, I’m sorry we made fun of your arms. My arms are fat too…now.
4. Desiree, I’m sorry for calling you ditzy, and trying to fight you because you spread rumors about me. All in the past.
5. Victoria, I’m sorry for making fun of your eyebrows, we are all different and creative in our own way.
6. Annie, I’m sorry for hurting your feelings.
7. Charles, I’m sorry for having a second prom date. I didn’t plan for it to be that way.
8. Huy (my brother), I’m sorry for telling on you….many many many many times. Actually, not really sorry.

I have to add more because people are saying I didn’t include them

9. Dru, I’m sorry for my venomous words

10. Johnny, I’m sorry for beating you. I have a violent nature

11. Matt, I’m sorry for saying that you have a girly figure…I am just jelly.

12. Chris & Johnny, I am sorry for always making gay jokes at you. I know you only think gay thoughts. Never to be fulfilled.

My friends at school think it’s funny that my blogs are so short sometime, but I think sometime you don’t need to say much to get the point across.

http://www.stinapersson.com/

Showing: TODAY 7:30-9pm

A friend of mine introduced me to this during my years at University of Irvine, but since then life has taken me down a different path and I have forgotten all about it. Occasionally, when I hear a good Vietnamese film is showing, I would take my parents or make a family gathering out of it.

Last night, a friend called to let me know that the festival is here again and it starts today! I am really excited because for one thing, I love seeing my people step outside the box and do something remotely creative and innovative, and secondly I just want to show my support. I will update you further on any films I watch today or the following week. Check out the website, http://www.vietfilmfest.com/2009/, for trailers or further information.

As you all may know by now that I am currently attending Otis College of Art and Design. Every year the Fashion Department put together a show for the Juniors and Senior Class. The way it’s structured is that, Juniors and Seniors have mentors that comes in, give them specific directions, and the students are expected to design under the restrictions of their chosen mentors. From what I have learned, students are given their first choice due to their grades.

There are two shows, one is called the Jury show where all of the pieces made will be shown, and 70 judges from the industry will cast their ballots for the best outfits. The Jury show will start next week on Thursday. The pieces chosen will then be in the scholarship show at the end of the school year.

I will be participating by dressing the models backstage, I am disappointed that I won’t be able to see the whole show, but at least I get to see the pieces up close and personal.

I know we always talk about fashion on this blog, but I would like to stray a little bit and talk about beauty. I mean you can have on the sexiest outfit, but if your face looks like a**, then you better be damn talented at something for that girl to notice you. Take it from me, girls like rugged looking guys, but they also appreciate a guy with soft skin and moist elbows.

Here are a few things you should consider to keep a cleaner image:

-    Wash your face twice a day, once in the morning and once at night. Always use face-wash and face moisturizer afterwards. But please don’t stock your medicine cabinet with more than one face moisturizer.
-     Please trim that uni-brow if you have one and even if there are only a few in between the brows…TRIM IT!
-    And while you’re trimming consider your toes, nails, nose, ear, and you know what….
-    Shave that neck fuzz, it’s just not hot
-    Lotion is your new best friend. You don’t even have to get the lavender smelling one. Just make it a habit to put on lotion after showers.
-    AND lastly…Axe it!

Here are some products that you can find in your local Target…

Gwyneth Paltrow, yes! The actress is teaming up with French jersey brand, Zoe Tee’s, the line is called Zoe Tee’s Loves Gwyneth Paltow. When I first read about this, I was irritated by another clothing line trying to gain hype by collaborating with someone famous.

I do believe that some people are just multi-talented and I completely respect that. On the other hand, there are people who think the art of fashion design is just slapping pieces of fabric together and that’s it. I always wonder how much “designing” do these people actually do? Do they sit down, sketch out the garment, draw out the details on flats, choose the fabric, and make the final decision on the garment constructed?

I don’t want to downplay Paltrow and her hidden talents; I guess I will make the judgment when her whole collection comes out.