A Perfect Gift

December has been a particularly crappy month and the last week or so has been exquisitely bad. So this morning I was very pleased when the postie delivered this surprise gift from England. It was, indeed, the perfect gift for the girl who couldn't get home for Christmas and her Christmas Viz Annual and Cadbury's selection box (the part of my gift that Giles gets me every year to the same rapturous reception). I'm looking forward to ploughing through this one. There is nothing like a good laugh and Viz gets me (practically) every time. By the way, the contents aren't scatalogical, just the cover. Instead it's full of delightful parodies of British tabloid journalism along with lots of retro 1970s-80s bad British pop culture references. It's not as good as going home but it takes away some of the pain.

Meanwhile, this beauty is awaiting me at home, in Giles and Carol's cupboards. We're having a Christmas redo sometime this spring/summer, complete with crackers and presents (including the Viz annual below).

Christmas Sales

I tried not to indulge in Christmas sale shopping but a couple of things made it difficult. The first one was the anthro sale but all I got there was the APC quilt and a couple of pairs of black wooly tights that were a mere $7.50 each. The other problem was that when I feel sad, I shop. And having gone through a ton of things last week that wrecked Christmas for me (one of my favourite times of year) and kept me apart from my family and my home, my resolve wasn't at its best. It could have been worse, I guess. I spent my Gilt Group credit on a black Phillip Lim dress and went mad in Club Monaco, not Barneys. That choice in itself limited me--there was far less I wanted and it was all far cheaper, especially as there was a 40% off sale on all reduced items. I got a thick v-neck boyfriend cashmere cardigan in a light tan color ($119), a black cashmere crewneck sweater ($74) and a cream cotton lace skirt for $41. With my striped J Crew bateau shirt and black tights, I have some new great wearable options. I know I got my money's worth but I'm just hoping I have no more major crises and set backs ahead in 2012, particularly three that land in my lap in one 24 hour period, as I cannot afford to spend like this right now.

Daphne Guinness at FIT

In the midst of the rain, I walked over to FIT after acupuncture to meet Emilie, who had suggested we catch the Daphne Guinness exhibit. She was the perfect partner and we spent a happy hour looking at the formerly unseen McQueens and Chanel haute couture, Givenchy, Gareth Pugh, Alaia and assorted others. It was a pretty engaging exhibit, beautifully staged (six stages showcasing various themes--armor, exoticism, sparkle, chic, etc). One immediate thought--Guinness is skinny--she's 5' 8" but her thighs are the barely bigger than my arms. There has to be some major discipline involved as well as some fortunate genetics to stay that thin after 40, but there is no way someone bigger than sample size could wear some of those McQueen catsuits.

My favourite looks from the exhibit were some of the McQueens and, surprisingly, some of the Chanels (one black and gold beaded Chanel minidress was a standout, as was a black bias cut gown with beautiful rhinestone trim on the back and train). Possibly the most beautiful piece was the diaphanous ivory McQueen empire waist dress above that I thought would make a perfect wedding dress. Some of the most eyecatching work was also McQueen's (a black feathered cape over a gold rhinestone catsuit, some beautiful black dresses and, of course, the suiting).

But the strangest part was just how few extreme garments or looks were presented. One section of little black and little white (and gray) dresses had some nice looks but several pieces were very "ladies who lunch," including little suits that were conservative and minimally interesting. Her accessories were pretty incredible--as were the shoes, most of them heel-less, and all of them insanely high. Certainly, there was a clear presentation of her style, as well as some beautiful clothes, but I would have liked more detail on the garments and their narrative. That said, it was nice to see these clothes in a beautiful setting on a quiet afternoon where you could actually look at the garments without crowds. It's certainly an exhibit that you have to look at more than once--to see the clothes individually and in the context of their staging. And then go back one more time to see your favourite pieces once more.

Happy Boxing Day

Remy hopes you enjoy the day as much as she does. This is evidently a particularly fine box.

Happy Christmas

Happy Christmas from all of us. The cats dressed up in their festive clothing (Peeps being the sole kitty to do so willingly, even happily, as you can see). As you can see, it's a struggle for Blue but they want to extend their seasons greetings.

I want to thank all my wonderful friends, near and far for being such wonderful people. I wish I was home with family but am looking forward to seeing Alyssa later. In the meantime, listening to Rufus Wainwright, playing with my iPad (hello instagrams above) and eating Godiva chocolates.

Breaking from my miserable mood

(And apologies for alluding to my personal disaster/crisis on this blog), I wanted to share the following link. I didn't have much time for Matt Damon at one point--a not so pretty pretty boy, he just seemed a little smug. Then I saw The Talented Mr. Ripley and admitted that, yes, there was acting talent there even if his looks left me cold. Then I saw him on TV (on Bill Maher, most likely) talking politics and he seemed pretty smart.

Flashing back to the last election, I was not happy at the selection of Obama. People thought I was crazy but something bothered me. I have a pretty good set of gut political instincts and an even better sense of how the public will respond to candidates (even if I don't agree), but something bothered me. Not as left wing as I would have liked for sure, but more that I sensed something ineffectual, naive and even a tad self-seeking. Hilary Clinton seemed a better option as she was the kind of battle hardened yet not cynical survivor who I felt had the better political instincts once in office--the kind of figure who'd end up surprising everybody and a person that would get things done. Granted, I'd have preferred entirely different options but they weren't available or were squandered (John Edwards). Now all this is old news and I feel vindicated if not happy with the way these events played out.

Which was why I was pleased to see this interview with Matt Damon today where he expressed similar thoughts. OK, it doesn't change anything but in a world where I feel more politically cynical than at any other time, it's good to know that I'm not alone.

Tough Day

Today was one of those days that I don't want to experience again. Suffice to say, a lot of tears, lost hopes and frustration were not what I wanted at this time of year. Going through this in the run-up to Christmas when I still haven't finished grading makes things even worse. If I had received my A.P.C. quilt today, I would have wrapped myself up in it and hibernated.

I had bad news about my health insurance yesterday that puts me in a quandry. The one I currently have is ending sooner than I thought and I have to decide whether to opt for very expensive COBRA or switch to a less desirable one that my doctors don't accept and find new physicians. None of it bodes well, alas.

I didn't get anything at the Mayle Gilt sale either. While I liked the black lace dress, it sold out in my size and given my health insurance woes, I probably shouldn't be shopping anyway.