Business

Woman crush of the week: Tracey Stewart

Posted on by elemonated

I know I’m supposed to wait until tomorrow, but I have time now that I don’t know when I’m going to have later on this week, so I just wanted to make a short post high-lighting how cute I think Mrs. Stewart is!

(Also, I WILL put up a post detailing my Saturday at the Sniffapalooza Fall Ball, hehe. Once I get some time and regain some energy!)

Tracy Stewart Counts Her Sheep, and More – NYT

You may have heard that John and Tracey Stewart are opening up a Farm Sanctuary branch in Middleton, NJ. Read More

Business, Food

The Definition of Hospitality

Gallery | Posted on by elemonated

Sean Brock (left) and Kevin Mitchell (right)

Food history is hands down my favorite subject. It’s amazing how a meal can shape a culture, and that’s what we’re faced with when the people of Charleston sit down for the recreated Fuller Dinner. The delicious and historical dishes against the rich and conflicted backdrop absolutely make this event worth writing about, definitely beyond the dime-a-dozen new restaurant openings in NYC. I wish I could find something as cool as things happening near me, but I think I might have to drive down to Philadelphia to get anywhere close.

We Are Chefs's avatarWe Are Chefs

“Yes.” That was Kevin Mitchell’s answer when he was approached by food historian Dr. David Shields to take on the part of 19th century African-American chef Nat Fuller and reenact an 1865 iconic biracial banquet that took place in Charleston, South Carolina. A year later, along with key Charleston community members, Mitchell and Shields pulled off one of the most significant post-Civil War events to happen in the South—again.

Chef Nat Fuller
Nat Fuller was born in 1812 on a plantation on the Ashley River in Charleston. He was sold several times before he was bought by William Gatewood, a 20-year-old lottery agent from Virginia. At age 15, Fuller began his training as a butler and a gourmet cook, because Gatewood was interested in increasing his social standing in Charleston. Fuller apprenticed under some of the best cooks in the area. He had a talent for cooking and became…

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H&M features hijab-wearing model in new campaign

Posted on by elemonated

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/30/fashion/trends/hm-features-hijab-wearing-model-mariah-idrissi-in-new-campaign.html?_r=0

This new campaign of H&M’s is pretty insane if we’re looking at where the fashion industry, where the people featured in these series are either considered “fringe” or not considered at all. Beyond Mariah Idrissi’s hijab, the video features a young man wearing a simple pencil skirt, full-blown cross-dressers, Japanese lolita dress, traditional Japanese dress, Sikh turbans, mouth guards, a sheikh, and an amputee boxer.

Personally, having attended one of the most diverse universities in the world, where I’ve fostered friendships all across the board, and where the Muslim Girl blog got its beginnings, I actually think there are other characters way more interesting to me. I’d like the US to stop being so surprised that people who look and dress differently exist within their worlds, and I honestly thought we were getting somewhere with Muslim and Sikh dress, but I guess that’s just within the bubble of my university life and my friend group. Figures.

One thing that surprised me a little is that Elnaz Barari maintains that H&M does not take political or religious stands; unfortunately for Ms. Barari, the H&M’s board, and Ms. Idrissi, this, and everything else they’ve been doing to create a sustainable business model, is a political stand. Showcasing fringe and saying that everyone is welcome is taking a stand. At least according to conservatives it would be. And so here we are, where “It might be because hijab fashion has boomed in the last few years and to finally see a hijabi in mainstream fashion is a big achievement.”

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Makeup for the selfie generation

Posted on by elemonated

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/24/fashion/selfie-new-test-makeup.html?smid=tw-nytimes&smtyp=cur&_r=1

I take a lot of selfies. I don’t usually post them because my phone’s camera quality is around potato, but when I’m bored or when I’m messaging Mr. Chokkattu, my friends, or my parents, I will take at least one picture of my self to relieve my boredom, or show people where I am just in case I get kidnapped. However, I do really like when Mr. Chokkattu takes my picture and have used his pictures for professional profiles before; namely my freelance profile. Read More

Michelle Phan’s Fall Lookbook and smelly things

Posted on by elemonated

First of all, this is the most creative approach to a video lookbook I’ve ever seen anyone do, though I admittedly don’t look at a lot of people’s lookbooks so that might not mean much. Still, Michelle’s been one of my top YouTube loves since I was 11 so I’m fine supporting.

I’m currently sitting in a Starbucks enjoying my small coffee-priced WiFi and electric connection and feeling happy I put on Westbrook instead of the TF Plum Japonais that is slightly inappropriate for the warm autumn day. Read More

Why Americans dress so casually and my #WCW

Posted on by elemonated

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonkblog/wp/2015/09/08/why-americans-dress-so-casually/

Introducing Deirdre Clemente, a historian of 20th century American culture at the University of Nevada in Las Vegas! Her research focuses on fashion and clothing and the patterns and trends she’s followed are really interesting. She did an interview with Robert A. Ferdman of the Washington Post and it’s really educational. For example, individuality is obviously a big part of today’s culture, what with the lower barrier of entry for startups and freelancers and the acceptance of some more counter-culture type groups. In terms of clothing choice is more important than ever, and something that is no longer class-restricted.

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Scent Trunk Box Review!

Posted on by elemonated

A fellow smelly had done a review of what they got from the baby company (May 2014!) Scent Trunk in a Youtube video a few weeks back, so I decided I’d try it out! I’m a sucker for the niche and the indie, and I was excited when the box got here so quickly after only about a week’s time. My referral code is 8522, or you can click here to sign up.

I did have a few technical difficulties regarding the site, but their customer service (aka Will Yin, who is also CEO; love that entrepreneurship) cleaned that up quickly, and I can see that they’re still going through a few design transitions, which doesn’t bother me at all. I kind of feel like they sent me the regular starter pack though; two of the fragrances sent to me were on their back-to-school blog post, and while that is admittedly my demographic, it’s not as though this was my first foray into niche fragrance. (I’m about to get to reviewing the glut of Imaginary Authors samples I have by the way!) But I mean, it’s not as if they knew that, and I haven’t tried any of the brands they sent, so that’s definitely a plus.

They did send Mr. Chokkattu almost explicitly feminine and floral scents though he ordered unisex and I helped him move his sliders to where we thought we’d get something in his ballpark of woody and oriental, so that was rather strange.

However, I’m holding on until the next box at least! Hopefully it works out a little better. On to the reviews!

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Budlet’s Florida Water review and NYC rent hikes

Posted on by elemonated

Review’s at the bottom! I got a little carried away with the opinion part.

Florida was a fun find while browsing NYC’s famous (opened in 1971) Pearl River Mart before its depressing brick and mortar close in December because of a giant rent hike at the end of this year’s lease. Pearl River Mart houses tons of Asian/Chinese clothing, plateware, mugs, teapots, cooking utensils, chopstick designs, a small selection of instant noodles, various sauces, and Asian snacks, as well as a tea balcony, a bunch of random knick-knacks downstairs, and plants.

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Things I adored about Iceland

Posted on by elemonated

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A picture Mr. Chokkattu took of me while we were on a kayak.

This will be my last post explicitly about Iceland!

So we all know now that I adored the country of Iceland, and I want to go back some day really, really badly, with maybe a job long enough to support me for a few months or just some more cash in my pocket. And that the scenery is beautiful and the landscape breathtaking, etc. But I have to share some of the specifics I jotted down. Some of them are important, some of them are surprising, some are less about Iceland and more about trips in general, and some are pretty stupid but whatever they seemed important enough to write down at the time. This list is a little long, so let’s get started:

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