Hipsters and Bohemians

Lens flare, pipe, beard, glasses, deep-v, weird hair...  Catnip for hipsters.

I just read a pretty good article about the "Fall of the Hipster."  What do you think?

For ages and ages, there have been bohemians.  As the article says, we may have called them punks, hippies, beatniks, flappers, or any iteration of the word "bohemian."  But, they are the cutting edge of the new guard (avant garde), and where they lean, the rest of society, including the squares and basics, follow (even if it's a few years later).

This explains why, after the "squares" of the 60's admonished the damn stinky hippies, ten years later they were wearing bell bottoms and sandals (with no nylons!) gotten from JC Penney.  The article shows a similar thing happening now, as ten years ago hipsters were ridiculed for their tight jeans and ironic shirts, but now, every suburbanite teen has the same uniform, gotten at Target.  And every Brentwood mom is wearing bohemian boots and a scarf, because it's what everyone else is doing ("I'm trendy").

The other interesting part of this article is how the fashion industry is constantly struggling to remain relevant.  So, they try to see what's on the cutting edge, and they lucked out with hipsterdom.  Hipsters have been dressing more or less the same for the past ten years.  It helps, as the article says, that the look is based on what's in the thrift store, because bohemians usually are running on a lower amount of funds than the average bear, and generally shop at thrift stores.

But what about the new hipster?  The article says this is more of a "Portlandia" hipster than a "Vice" hipster.  It's kinder, gentler, softer, and more conscientious.  It is a hipster who worries about where their food comes from, worries about what we are doing to the environment, worries about America's actions and their effects on the rest of the world, and most importantly to clothing retailers, worries about where their clothing comes from.

The new hipster doesn't mind dressing in full-on normcore.  As long as the clothing is AUTHENTIC, it doesn't matter.  Give us some Levi's, a plain sweater, and a pale blue button-down oxford.  Some well-made, maybe ARTISAN-made, shoes as well.  Sure, we may look like our grandparents, but it is COOL now that mainstream and basic has co-opted the hipster aesthetic.  The substance behind this is intriguing, and I hope that the new trend is responsibility all-around.  I'm excited to see what us 30-somethings will accomplish. 

Make Out Like A Bandit

Gun, hat, and mustache not required, but nice to have.

Looks like I need to dig out all those gorgeous scarves I never use in my scarf drawer.  Fashion week shows so many looks with them, ranging from fancy knotted silk scarves, to the classic western bandana.  I'm loving it.  A new way to accessorize!  I'm loving them paired with ponchos and shearling.  Cowboy style is a classic, always.

Welcome to Googletown

I read this great article in the New York Times today.  It's about the constant back and forth debate over how the Bay Area is gentrified with all its industry, including the tech boom.  But the article focuses mostly on the town of Mountain View, which has always been a lovely bedroom community since the government put Moffett Field on it, and then NASA arrived a few decades later.  My dad used to work there.

Then, industry arrived, including tech and pharma.  Years ago, I worked near Shoreline Ampitheatre.  It was glorious because you could overhear concerts and I had a great spot to view the annual fireworks.  It was also hilarious because our building was the only one on our street not owned by Google, and this meant watching "Googlites" not know how to cross the street, wear pajamas to work, and have "meetings" on a bicycle contraption where 8 people pedal at once while facing each other.  That situation changed in short order, and a year after arriving, we were booted out and Google took over our building.  In the ensuing seven years, housing prices in the area have skyrocketed, to say the least.  The same goes for most of the rest of the Bay Area.  And, we see the same in Facebook's town (Menlo Park), and Apple's town (Cupertino). 

Is this a good thing?  The comments in the article from people in places like Nebraska and Pennsylvania say "gee, you IDIOT.  I WISH I had your town's problem!  Bring the industry to us."  Well, be careful what you wish for.  I don't think that such industries as tech would go elsewhere.  There is TOO MUCH money to be had in the Bay Area, and money attracts more money.  Nevermind the gorgeous weather.  Oh, and the many, many world class universities, such as Cal and Stanford at the top of the heap.  Tech is not going to be picking up and moving elsewhere anytime soon.  It may all bust at some point (as booms are wont to do), but I don't think Zuckerberg is thinking "gee, I'm tired of California.  I should move to Pennsylvania..."

Is this a good thing?  Well, why are WE here to begin with?  And isn't change good?  Well, I am here because I was born here.  My parents were, too.  In fact, both sides of my family have been in California for nearly 100 years.  So, I guess you could say I feel comfortable here.  Also, the job opportunities are excellent.  Look at a job site and put your search in the Bay Area.  Then move the search to Phoenix, Portland, Denver, etc.  Sure, people live there, and live there happily.  But the amount of industry in the Bay cannot be beat (even, I would argue, in the New York Metro).

So it follows that if you want a shack in Palo Alto, you'd better be prepared to pay at least a million smackers, and at that price, and in this market, have a huge down payment (or all cash).  Because of the housing boom (a whole other post I could devote to this), people cannot afford to live in certain places, and they are being priced out.  So they move to a place like Fremont, and price out Fremontonians (one of whom I am), and Fremontonians move to Union City or Hayward and price out the original residents of those cities.  It's life, it's capitalism, it's economics, and it happens.

The bigger question is, is this a good thing?  Why are we still here?  It must be.  But every day it takes me nearly an hour to travel a few miles, since I have one of the worst commutes in the country going from the East Bay to the Silicon Valley.  One of the commenters complained that he is having trouble surviving on 70K.  Many commenters from back east snapped at him for that one.  What they don't understand is since housing is many times the price of what it is back east, salaries have to be as well.  Teachers who earn 50-60K per year cannot afford to even rent apartments in some areas.  These are professional people with post-graduate degrees.  And this, my friends, disgusts me.  I "get" that it's capitalism and it's the "price we pay" for living in the Bay.  But it wasn't always so, and it won't always be that way.

In the mean time, in the land of plenty, we scrimp and save so that maybe in a few years we can afford to compete with cash offers for a 900 SF shack.  Life could be worse, and I'll just go to the beach in February to lick my wounds.  Dem's da breaks.

And when the next crash happens (I've been through several real estate booms and crashes in my lifetime), and all the interlopers move back to their respective hometowns, I'll be there to buy their house with the money I saved.

West Coast = Best Coast

Just a friendly post to let you know that California, and the entire West Coast actually (including Oregon and Washington--heck, let's even include British Columbia in that!), is the best thing in the world.  I am so lucky that my happy place is one of the most beautiful drives in the world, a draw the world over, and only 30-45 minutes from my house.  How can it get any better?  Sure, I could move to the Happy Place and then it would only be a one-minute drive...  But then the drive to my work would be longer.  Ah, decisions.

Buzzfeed, my favorite (who doesn't like Buzzfeed?  Definitely better journalism than The New York Times), posted this article to remind us why West is Best.  How can you argue with that?

Tubular!

Joan's Way of Life

Joan being dressed by the legendary Golden Age costumer, Adrian.

 

Recently I had the pleasure of reading Joan Crawford's book, My Way of Life.  It's another of those obscure, out of print books that I believe is a treasure.  I first heard about it, and got it via Link+, several years ago.  However, I ran out of time to finish it, and forgot about it for a few years.  I decided to try for it again, seeing as a purchased copy goes for about $100.  It's not really a memoir per se, although there are some tidbits (none very juicy) about her Hollywood life, very little about her childhood and pre-Hollywood times, and a few more anecdotes about her various husbands and "friends," her life married to the CEO of Pepsi, and her family life.  Of course, when you read about her times with her daughters, it is hard not to envision Mommy Dearest.  For more juicy stuff, click here.

 

Her style tips are very intriguing.

 The tips in the book read like a "Happy Homemaker" guidebook, albeit one written by a slightly deranged and very rich lady who came of age during the Silent Film era of Hollywood.  All of us can have double-decker closets (i.e., two stories tall), right?  You know, for our out-of-season items.

The pencil marginalia was already on the book.  NO WIRE HANGERS!!!

Some of the book made me a bit sad, as she definitely seemed like someone who had an undiagnosed case of OCD.  I'm not sure how good it is for your shoes to be rubber-banded together and put in plastic bags.  You really have to feel for her "help."


Diet tips are somewhat sensible, surprisingly.

 For an interesting party, invite a variety of guests.  You know, maybe a CEO of a large corporation, a poet, an artist, etc...  Oh yeah, just the usual bunch.  And if you want to be a good hostess, get help (as in, hire a maid) so you can enjoy your own party.  If you aren't too well off, just one will do, but two maids and a butler is better.

I'm sure she was a lovely woman.

 This book is really a good read if you like movie history, actresses of the Golden Age, or retro homemaker guides.  Some of Joan's advice is actually pretty sensible, while other bits are just a little on the loopy side.  Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but I do get a feeling of her loneliness, sadness, and struggles in life, even though she works hard to gloss over everything and make everything sound picture perfect.  I'd like to think that if I met her, she would be a woman who just needed a friend and was a bit misunderstood for the route she took in life.

At the Ridge

California poppies appearing on rocks!

Last weekend, we wanted to do as much as we could to take advantage of the gorgeous weather, even if it was completely weird for the season, and even if it means these gorgeous green hills will turn a sad brown in a couple months, and even if it means we will be rationing water again this summer, more than likely.

 

My favorite local place to hike is Pleasanton Ridge.  Long live the East Bay!  I like Don Edwards/Coyote Hills too, but for a strenuous (for me at least) hike, I like P-town.  You can keep your Mission Peak nonsense, with its weird curfews and angry rich neighborhood residents (look, rich folk--sorry you didn't buy in a gated community.  But for now, even though City of Fremont would love to kowtow to your needs and make the park accessible to only you...  For now, the park is EAST BAY, YO!  I OWN IT, along with my fellow residents, because we pay taxes, FOOL!).  Sorry.  I could go on in my rant against rich people limiting access to public lands!

 



This is one of the trails off the main fire road--that is darn steep, but beautiful.

Pleasanton Ridge is typical East Bay hills, with cows everywhere, and oaks, too.  After the rains in December, we were treated to many, many NEWTS trying to cross the road (and I almost stepped on several--wait, I wonder how many I didn't realize I stepped on??).  When it was very dry in November and we went for a night hike, I kept on feeling like I was being watched, turning around, and seeing little frogs everywhere!  Owls, hawks, ground squirrels, and more can be seen.  Don't you love wildlife?

This is a tiny tiny flower, but pretty, no?  That grass is thin grass; flower is about half an inch wide.

Our walk on this particularly sunny day was refreshing with a spring breeze, and easier than usual because of my new, now-broken-in hiking boots.  However, going up the "shortcut" offshoot from the main fire road was steep, and for part of it I sort of wished I had brought my walking stick.  We went past the "saddle" or main gate, and did the long loop since we had time.  Five miles total.  Since there are a few offshoots from the main trail, even on a crowded day some peace and quiet can be found.

And, all that hiking means I can have a beer afterward!  Woohoo!

Another tiny wildflower.  Isn't Mother Nature awesome?

Cheap Chic Forever

1974...  or 2015?

Cheap Chic is my fashion bible.  Forget Vogue.  Well, maybe don't forget it, but it's not my bible.  I'm not alone.  Peruse Amazon and see that my fellow fans wished they printed more copies of this, are willing to pay hundreds of dollars for the rare, out-of-print book, and are stoked that it will be reprinted this September!  I just got on the list.  Woohoo!

 

The above picture could have been taken this past summer, or perhaps summer 2015.  Did you know that jelly shoes are a classic French maritime sandal?  Can you picture all these macho fishermen wearing these super cute shoes?  A style classic, I tell you.  Her chic beach coverup, glasses, and large bag can all translate well 40 years into the future.  You see, for even though this book was published forty years ago, and was of the moment then, about 90% of it still translates to current days because it is modern and classic.  Classic is modern.

 

The picture I wanted to share with you that would not rotate properly for whatever reason was a fashion photo from 1978, from the Cheap Chic "Update."  It looked like it could have been for Fall 2015, the current fashion season being shown at NYFW.  Oh, and let's talk for a moment about NYFW 2015.  Just do a google search and see that basically every trend from the 70's, from bell bottoms to feathered hair, is back.  (And let me remind you that various aspects of 70's style were actually stolen from the 40's golden age of style...)

 

Cheap Chic has different chapters for various aspects of style--classic, sporty, work wear (including surplus), vintage/antique (which at the time could also mean gorgeous slips from the 30's!), ethnic (breaking down amongst countries and continents).  It guides you on how to incorporate whatever aspect of this you'd like into your own wardrobe.  You can do it on the cheap.  Or, you can get a lovely pair of boots for $$$ but they will last you forever, which is probably a better thing than buying a cheap pair that will fall apart in a season. 

 

The tone of the book is like going shopping with a friend.  A fun, cool friend who wears really cool clothes!  And, dispersed throughout the book are short interviews with fashion stalwarts like Betsey Johnson, Yves St. Laurent, and in the Update version, even a fun interview with the legendary Gilda Radner.

 

This style guide really is the best.  With all the talk of capsule wardrobes, responsible fashion, American made classics, thrifting, etc., that we see in 2015, this book is so ahead of its time and still relevant.  For an even better writeup of this gem, click here.  The blogger at into-mind has also included more photos of the book, so you can see just how much coolness oozes out of every page!

 

Hope you have a chic weekend.  :-)

Sunny February Weekend

Our Happy Place:  Pescadero State Beach

While the rest of the country is buried under feet of snow, here out west we got some unseasonably warm--or actually HOT--weather.  As the coast remained clear as a bell and temperatures climbed close to 80*F, and seeing as it was also Valentine's Day, President's Day Weekend, etc...  Seemed like it would be a good day to drive out to the coast.  Valentine's Day, we were in good company--half of the rest of the Bay Area seemed to have found out our secret of the San Mateo Coast (I thought I didn't have too many blog readers?).  Could you blame them?  It was a perfect day for a beautiful drive, sunny beaches, relaxing waves, and cute little roadside attractions.  Not to mention, all National Parks were insane not only because of the long weekend, but also free admission.  So, we tried to steer clear of other usual haunts like Yosemite.

We went out via Hwy 84, and turned our usual route toward Alpine and Pescadero Rd.  The super cute farm road that takes you in the back entrance to the hamlet of Pescadero was void of cars, even on a crowded day like this.  All the telephone poles in town were affixed with little hearts bearing positive messages, such as "I Love Geeks" and "You're Home Now!"  It was super cute.  I love this little town and area.

Having said that, since the place was so crowded  due to the nice weather, we skipped Pescadero in its entirety and just hung out at Pescadero Beach (along with everyone else).

Since I took a long weekend and was off on Tuesday, why not head back out to the coast?  Most people were back at work or school, and the weather had cooled off and was closer to being its "old" self--foggy, overcast, dreary, yet very romantic and much more Nor-Cal coast.

NO ONE was in Pescadero, the beach, or anywhere along the coast that we drove on Tuesday.  However, this meant that Arcangeli Grocer and Highway 1 Brewing Company (two places we frequent when out at the coast) were both closed.  Heck, I don't blame them.  I'd be closed the middle of the week, too.

Because of that, we drove up to Half Moon Bay and ate at the Half Moon Bay Brewing Company, across from our usual Barbara's Fish Trap.  We usually head to Barbara's because it's "our" restaurant and has nice memories attached.  Oh, and it's also fantastically delicious.  Combine that with the fact that even on a crowded day, you can order from the "to-go" counter outside, get some fish-n-chips and some of Barbara's famous dairy-free clam chowder, and enjoy harbor views--what a cheap thrill.  Having said that, both Barbara's and HMB Brewing have similar price-points, especially for sit-down.  Usually we don't go to HMB because it is so crowded, but on this particular Tuesday, it was sparse, so we thought we'd try.  Verdict:  Both places are good, but we prefer Barbara's atmosphere and vibe a bit better, and would not wait at either for a seat because we just don't roll that way.  We had beer, Dan had tacos, and I had clam chowder.  It was fine.

Hope you enjoy these pics of our two visits.

Dan being pensive in the tide pools.  Looking for hermit crabs.  :-D

 

Sandals in February?  Only in California, I guess.  I'll take it!

I didn't make this but it made me laugh.  Happy Valentine's!

Slightly cooler on Tuesday meant wool coat and shoes.  Super-calm beach was making neat "flow" patterns with the tide.

Lifestyle Inflation: Darnright American, or Downright Idiotic?

I never did get how he could dive through what must amount to solid metal.

"You've traded stability and security for stuff and status."

Pretty no-nonsense advice from a blog article I found here. 

It's the modern American way to live beyond your means, to carry as much debt as you think you can (the estimate is never right), and to have the newest and best items you can "afford" (put on charge).  How else will people know you're a success?  I'm not sure, but I think matching furniture will help.

I feel that this way of life is phasing out as more people realize that going into debt to get flashy stuff is not the business.

Maybe people thought there was something secure in having stuff?  I don't know.  But most people who are up to their eyeballs in debt can tell you that they don't exactly feel secure.

This bit of similar wisdom can be found in one of my favorite SNL skits.  Just don't buy stuff.  Don't buy stuff you have to go into debt for.  Don't buy stuff you can't afford!

I ran into this when I planned my wedding.  I did not want to go into debt for one day's party.  Cash was king, and we were saving for a house down payment (still saving...).  To us, a house was more important than being princess for a day.  Now, if you have zillions of dollars and won't go into debt if you have a fancy wedding, have at it.  It's not really my thing, but if you have the money, who am I to stop you?  It's a free country.

Going into debt for it, though, or for a couch, or for anything...  No bueno.

Our wedding turned out pretty neat, actually.  We paid for the little ceremony at the county registrar in San Jose, which got us ten minutes in the chapel that had COLUMNS (yes!).  The officiant wore a purple robe with shorts and tennies on underneath.  It was awesome.  We then went to a nice lunch (along with our parents and siblings, who also attended the ceremony) at our favorite restaurant, The Vine.  A few weeks later, we had a house party with cupcakes and food from our other favorite local restaurants, and invited around 40 people.  People get really weird about weddings, and we did have to explain many times that we were keeping it small.  I am not so sure any Bridezilla has to explain why she needs to have seat covers that match the aisle runner.

It's just the way our culture works.  Big white weddings are expected of us.  They're TRADITION.  Even though big weddings, and going into debt for them, is only a recent development in the scheme of things.  In fact, look at vintage wedding pictures to see that the wedding dress wasn't even really a "thing" like it is now.  But, a whole industry has built up around weddings, just like with anything, and they will gladly facilitate you parting with your money, even if you have to put it on credit.

Down the line, will you be grateful that you put that $20,000 (or more) toward the one party that one weekend, even as you continue to rent and be further from your dream of homeownership?  The same goes for anything else you put on credit.

Obviously sometimes in life, we need to put stuff on credit, or finance things.  Just make sure it's not something that's going to decrease dramatically in value.  Don't be that guy, foreclosing on his house, and bragging that he spent $10,000 on that antique couch.  Having a bunch of expensive stuff doesn't guarantee you won't go bankrupt...  Sometimes it just expedites the process.

Besides, don't we all want to figure out if you can really dive into a bunch of coins?  I'm thinking not, but it would be fun to have the opportunity to find out.

What Are You Doing on Valentine's Day?

NO...  Just...  NO.

So...  What's everyone's plan for Valentine's?  No plans?  That's cool, too.  But you can have a "Galentine's" if you aren't attached, or you can just enjoy a damn fine piece of grilled red meat with some alcohol.  Just make it a fun day and no pressure.  I was single for many years before meeting my husband.  The only tip that I would give, single or not, is to AVOID RESTAURANTS AT ALL COSTS.  I don't even care if you can't cook.  Have cereal at home.  But to me, there is nothing more forced, and less romantic, than eating at a "romantic" restaurant on Valentine's Day.  And heck, even if you can't cook, why not try one of my stupid easy recipes?

I'm more into some clever, witty repartee on V-day.  Not schmaltz, unless it's done with a wink.  But that's just my style.  If you like the Notebook, you might want to look elsewhere for advice on what to do with yourself on V-day.  So, let's get started.

To me, the day is all about either funny admiration for buddies, or your significant other, or sex.  Let's be honest, the heart that we all know and love was modeled after a you-know-what, back in Greek times, I believe.  To me, a good Valentine's Day has some rich, indulgent food, and maybe a quirky fun movie to cuddle up on the couch with.  This is not the day for health food.  Oh, and chocolate and alcohol should be in there somewhere, too.  What you do after the movie is your business.  If you're into teddy bears with handcuffs, far be it for me to tell you EW GROSS.  But I just said it anyway.

So, without further ado...

Let's start by selecting some movies.  Why not a classic screwball comedy from the 30's or 40's?  Even if your sweetie doesn't like black and white movies, or old movies, or how people talked back then, believe me--they will enjoy these fun and funny films.  Here is a good list of the ones you can't miss.

Okay, moving on...  How about some chocolates to nibble on?  Classic truffles are always great, or you can go the vegan route with these.  It's all good.  At any rate, you'll wonder why you were paying $2 a pop for the fancy ones before.

Now, how about some snacky-snacks while your steak is cooking (you did get a steak...  didn't you?).  Maybe some surf-n-turf is in order?  Like, crab cakes?  Or maybe some nice slurpy mussels to sluuuuuurp on...  Like these or these?  Maybe some cheese and grapes or something, too.  And, sipping in a cocktail wouldn't hurt.  Maybe some Scotchy-Scotch or a French 75?

Then, about that steak.  Now, if you are not a steak eater, you can do a luscious roast chicken using Thomas Keller's classic easy method.  Just stick the super dry and salted bird in the oven for an hour (plenty of time to make out!) and when it emerges, it will be sticky, crispy, and juicy.  Yum.  If you are a vegetarian, I would say go for Indian or Thai takeout.  The spice is sexy, right?  And it's all about being sexy.

Now is not the time for Brussels sprouts or cauliflower.  :-/  Or beans, really...

Okay, back to that steak!

Here is a good recipe that pairs a nice bloody steak with a simple chocolate mousse dessert.  Red meat and dark chocolate, yum!  Otherwise, I don't really think you need a recipe for steak.  Just make sure you have a good cut of meat, let it hang out outside the fridge for a few minutes while you prep the grill or cast iron, and then sear that sucker on both sides.  Then rest.  Then enjoy.  YUM.  Oh, and pair it with your favorite full-bodied red wine, of course.

Need a side?  How about potatoes?  They're earthy, and sexy, right?  I mean, yeah?  Here are some good potato ideas.  Pasta can be slurpy too, and romantic in a Lady-and-the-Tramp sort of way, but if you're doing steak, I would go with potatoes.  Any of these will work fine.

If you need even more chocolate, maybe try this almost-flourless chocolate cake, with some yummy vanilla ice cream on the side.

And if all goes well for your Valentine's Day, how about some ideas for a bacon-centric morning after?

And if all else fails, buy a card with a train on it that says "I CHOO-CHOO-CHOOOOOOSE YOU."  Works every time!