Moving on up!

Hence, my inability to keep up with my posts. I'm quite a busy bee, but I love what I do.

Stuff and 2016 Vintage Purchase #2

It's hard to find really good antique shops in the heart of San Francisco. Many tend to be ultra high end antique shops that service the 1% of the population. The prices are astronomical. If you want to find really good antique shops that house several dealers, you usually need to go down the peninsula or across the bay. Then I discovered Stuff. This is a post long overdue as I had discovered them over a year ago.

Stuff is a large warehouse of antique dealers selling all types of antique products: furniture, lighting, appliances, decor, jewelry, clothing, etc. I made my first purchase of a 1930s chandelier last February. Since then, I just browse the inventory until something catches my eye. 

 

One of my favorite artistic expressions is Art Deco. I try to collect as many pieces as I can; within reason of course. However, many Deco items are priced extremely high. Once, in awhile, I do get lucky. I bought an Art Deco dresser for $45 at an estate sale. At Stuff, there is an Art Deco display where nothing seems to be reasonably priced. The cheapest item I found was $175 for a tiny compact. This particular dealer isn't the only selling Deco, though. There are many others spread throughout. You just need to take the time to search all the inventory.

Around the time I bought my chandelier, I saw these two Art Deco chairs that I thought would look cute in my dining area. It was priced along with a table that I didn't need. I asked one of the workers if the dealer was insistent on selling with the table. He was. Some dealers are just too stubborn. I figured I'd just wait him out, and if it's meant to be, the chairs will still be there. Fast forward another 6 months and the table is gone but the chairs still there. This time they were priced at $90. I was still hesitant. Again, if it's meant to be, they'll be there. Another six months go by. Yesterday, I finally went back to Stuff. As I was walking up the second floor, I thought, if they're there, I'll take them no matter the price. 

Lo and Behold! The chairs were still there. This time they were priced at $65. I told one of the workers, "I'll take them." Then he dropped a bombshell. "You came at a good time. This seller is leaving this booth. Everything is 75% off!" Good knight! I wish he had more things available to my liking, but I walked away with those two Art Deco chairs for a whopping $17! I just love antiques on the cheap!

Next week, I'm planning on returning for this other Deco piece. It's pricey, but I wanted to wait until my next paycheck before I splurge. If it's meant to be, it'll be there. Stay tuned...

New Beginnings

It's been awhile since my last post. Mainly it was due to either stress or lack of time. Nonetheless, the new year started off with a struggle. 

I was hospitalized last month for severe migraines. I've suffered migraines since I was a child (my first one at age 9), but they only lasted a few hours before it downgraded to a headache. This migraine was different. It lasted 3 days. I couldn't hold down any food. I vomited all contents including plain water. I couldn't even take medication because I couldn't keep it down. Eventually I had to go to urgent care to get well. What led to this could be several factors but stress was probably number 1. 

I knew what was making me stressed. My job. It began when I applied to and was interviewed by UC Santa Cruz. They were extremely interested in my skills, but I didn't get the position. I wasn't really broken up about it because I felt that getting an interview was a big enough accomplishment. Then I learned later that my director never submitted my teacher evaluations nor a recommendation. He had even admitted that he didn't send them because he didn't want me to leave the school. I was disheartened by that. He promised to increase my pay. 

Throughout my time there, I was constantly on the receiving end of his wrath. Not just me, but others at the school were also mistreated. He was always stressed out for reasons unrelated to work, but I guess he needed a punching bag.

Late last month, due to declining enrollment, two classes were collapsed. Rather than letting the teacher go, the director gave her two of my classes resulting in a very large salary decrease. Considering my contribution to the school, I felt it was completely unfair. Why put it mildly? I was angry. 

I decided to find another position elsewhere. Today I was offered a full-time administrative position at another school where I would develop curriculum and work more with teachers as the master teacher. I hadn't thought about leaving the classroom. It never occurred to me. I was also offered a much higher salary than what I was making before my pay cut. It's also much closer to home. I've been driving 70 miles round trip to my current position. Now it will only be a short BART ride to San Francisco.

After much reflection, I'd realized that I was no longer happy at my current position. Though I enjoyed teaching my students, I felt that my director never appreciated my dedication, work, and effort. It's time for me to move on.

This will be a new experience to embark on, but I welcome the new challenges.

Sweet '16

It didn't seem so long ago when I wrote about 2015 goals. But alas! A year has flown by. Did I accomplish my goals set forth? Nope. Nor am I going to beat myself up for it. 

It was definitely a busy year for me professionally. I was promoted to Coordinator of Staff & Curriculum and Master Teacher. Yes, it came with a nice pay raise. In addition to teaching my core classes, I develop curriculum, and mentor & train new teachers. The new title means extra responsibility and less time for anything else. It also means putting my pursuit of a Ph.D. on hold.

I have limited my time on the dance floor. I'm lucky if I go to Verdi even twice a month. However, I have joined a new dance troupe, and we begin rehearsals next week. This will be a good diversion from my work life.

So what goals will I set for myself this year? Continue my professional successes. Get more tattoos. Increase my vintage wardrobe and antiques. Get more involved in arts and culture. Buy a house (and yes! This time it's more realistic). Whatever else happens...happens. But overall, I just want to be happy and wish others continued happiness.

Here's hoping that 2016 is definitely a sweet one.

Dickens Fair 2015

After constantly saying, "next year I'll go," I finally made it to Dickens Fair! I had no idea what to expect other than San Francisco (actually Daly City) being transformed to late 19th century London. Was it a re-enactment? Was it a dance? Is it just a themed flea market? Well, it's all of the above, but I must say that I certainly enjoyed myself.  I don't have any wardrobe that fits the Dickensian era, but my friend, Shelly, assured me that though many people do dress up, it's a hodgepodge of different eras: Victorian, Edwardian, Dickensian, early 20th century and modern. So I opted to go with the Christmas colors with a more 40s flair.

Let me tell, you those candy cane stockings and my Edwardian era shoes were a major hit. Oh and the red bow was a nice touch, but many vendors were itching to attach a feather to my hair. There were so many hat vendors and if I had the means, I would've come home with at least a dozen. My latest craze is the fascinator. I really need to learn how to make them because according to Shelly, they're so easy to make. (Right)

Fascinators Galore!

I was mostly in awe of all the fashion and the effort people put into their costumes. You can tell some people's costumes are off the rack and yet many others who are probably professional seamstresses. 

People really got into their character even so far as speaking English with a very British accent. And I couldn't understand the lingo. I kept looking at Shelly, and she also shrugged. Then I said, "I'm sorry. I only speak American. Wow! I never thought I'd here myself say that." Still, though, it was enjoyable to hear.

All throughout the fair, there were re-enactments, music and dance. We sat and watched the shows while enjoying our Hot Buttered Rum. T'was buttery.

As we reached the end of the fair, we decided to watch the dancers at Fezziwig's Warehouse. There was a live band, Bangers and Mash providing an assortment of music of that era; Waltz, Polka and country dancing. Myself a swing dancer, I could not turn down a request for a dance. However, I had to warn them that I am only a swing dancer and chorus girl, thus I have no experience in waltz. They were very gracious. I never laughed and whooped so much while I was dancing. It was truly fun. I really want to expand my dance repertoire, so I think I will start taking lessons in waltz and prepare for the upcoming Edwardian Ball.

Every Day is Halloween!

Well at least for a week. My costume choices came down to whatever I had in my closet, but they all worked well for the festivities between October 24-31.

October 24, 2015

I'd recently been invited to a Halloween Ball in Marin County: The Saints and Sinners Ball. Originally, I was going to go as my original choice, Dorothy. However, my dance partner stated that we should go as either a saint or sinner. So I went the sinner route. I whipped up a little something and headed on out. Devil or Angel? I let the other dancers decide. And boy did I have a lot of men asking for a dance. I guess it was more about the costume and less about my dance skills. Nearly every lead kept moving their hand down to my lower back before swinging me out. Hmmm...anyway, I had a wonderful time out on the dance floor.

Gotta love Chewbacca in the prom dress.

October 29, 2015

This was our Halloween festivities event at my school. I decided to go out as a Sutro Baths bathing beauty. Most of my students (and surprisingly other teachers) have never heard of it beyond its current status as a San Francisco ruin. So they got a bit of a history lesson, too.

My Monster Mash with a few of my students.

October 30, 2015

So I suffered a major injury. I went out for my usual hike in Purisima Redwoods Preserve. I was taking a snapshot of an ominous looking tree before I slipped and lost my footing. My right ankle twisted clockwise almost completely before I fell to the ground. It took awhile to get my bearings. My ankle went completely numb, but I was still able to move it. I kept thinking how I was going to get off the trail. My phone had no reception, and I'm in the middle of a mountain. This is how people die. So what to do? Tough it out and limp back to my truck. I drove myself to San Mateo Hospital and was immediately received by emergency. After x-rays, tests and other observations, it was determined that I suffered a severe ankle sprain. No breaks and no tears. Thank God! However, I have to keep off my foot for 2 weeks. That means no dancing, no hiking, and no walking around my classroom. Last year I suffered a badly twisted knee (from which I've completely recovered), and I ended up missing the Halloween festivities. This year, I was not about to miss Halloween a second straight year.

Halloween Night!

I planned to attend the Halloween Masquerade Ball at Presidio Officer's Club. I messaged all my friends letting them know about my injury but that I was still going to attend. My costume this year was to dress as Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz. I went with it anyway. 

I wore my right shoe just for the pic.
I went back to the splint and boot immediately after.

Everyone loved my hair, make-up, and attire. Then they looked down my leg. What happened? I just shrugged, "Well, that Wicked Witch is no joke. She unleashed her flying monkeys, and I got a little roughed up." They laughed and asked if this was indeed a real injury. Unfortunately, yes. Every request for a dance was met with my sad face pointing at my ankle. So I got plenty of hugs. It was still a fun night with great music from Lee Presson and the Nails. I especially enjoyed all the costumes.

One thing that I was super bummed about was the cancellation of the Zombie Prom. I always look forward to that event. However, it will commence in 2016, so this time I'll be ready and healthier.

2015 Hike #7: El Corte de Madera Preserve

It was back along Highway 35 for a trail along the Santa Cruz Mountains. This weekend, I ventured El Corte de Madera Preserve. Just prior to my excursion, I learned that there was fatal plane crash in the mountains. There is a memorial marker before the trail that leads to the debris field. I found it quite spooky to be venturing into what is potentially a graveyard, but I do love hiking trails with historical significance. 

Before getting to the preserve, I had to stop and snap a panorama of Half Moon Bay to the East Bay. There is one section along Skyline where you can get a view of both ocean and bay; usually it's one or the other.

The preserve was about 10 miles from highway 92 through the middle of the mountain range. Once I got to Skeggs parking area, I unloaded my gear and went on my way to the trails. 

It was a meandering trail up and down the mountain with endless enclaves of sequoias. Many trees looked like they were straight out of a horror story. The birds hidden within make it creepy as well. But once you reach the peak, it is a gorgeous view of the ocean beyond.

The trail then splits into two different directions. I chose the one leading to Resolution Trail; site of a 1953 plane crash. You can see the damage the accident caused to the mountain. Many trees had been sheered. Some were completely burned. One sequoia tree had been burned at the base, yet it continued to grow to the immense height it is today. As you look closely, you'll find debris spread out. I don't know if all pieces of the plane remain; if they do, they're hidden among the brush. But I did find a few pieces. As I continued along the trail, I felt a bit of a chill and even the most minute sounds spooked me out. I thought I was in a Washington Irving story, especially since I've been teaching his stories this term (we're studying early American ghost stories this quarter). I stopped for a moment of silence and said a prayer to those who perished. 

I continued out of the mountain without taking any additional photos. At that point, I became rather pensive about life in general especially after seeing the accident site. It really makes you appreciate the time you have on earth.

This was by far the longest trail I've hiked. It was 7 miles (and I didn't even hike every trail on the mountain) and took me nearly 3 hours to complete. By the end of the hike, I was spent. 

Next week, Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve.

2015 Hike #6: Windy Hill Preserve

Oh my! This is only my sixth hike of the year? I've been a little lax when it comes to my outdoor excursions. I've spent most weekends staying indoors. Plus, I've hiked most of the Peninsula which means having to venture out further. However, since driving along Skyline in the Santa Cruz Mountains, I've found a few county parks off the highway. 

I've passed Windy Hill Preserve several times on my drives between Half Moon Bay and Pescadero (my two favorite places). On a whim, I decided to go today. The area certainly lives up to its name.

It was super windy! While hiking, I utilized my earbuds and listened to Mozart off my iPhone. Classical music is the only way to go when hiking. The trail offers great views of the Peninsula and East Bay. It was relatively easy with minimal inclines. Perfect the first hike after a long absence.

On my way up to the summit, the wind was stronger to a point where I had to struggle to maintain balance. In a strange way, I felt as though I were flying especially when at the peak of the summit. Strange, though, I didn't see any birds gliding above. Just lizards scurrying about. I tried to get one full panorama shot, but I had to break it up in two. 

 As I headed home, I noticed another preserve along Skyline, and I said to myself, "next weekend." I really need to get back in the groove of hiking.

Tanti Auguri A Me

September 22, 2015 - my 39th birthday. It started with a text message from my mom at 6am. I decided to do my hair in a sideroll and let my hair hang in curls. I've been lazy about doing my hair in recent weeks favoring a Gibson roll suitable for ultra hot weather. I decided to go pink for the day and wore my 1940s day dress that I purchased in Portland. 

Delayed Commute

As I was ready to leave for the CalTrain station, my gut feeling told me that it would be a bad day for public transportation; perhaps I should drive. I should've listened. While aboard the train, we stood for about 10 minutes; apparently someone was evading fare and was being cited and escorted. Cheater. Finally we were on our way. Then all of a sudden, the train slowed to a crawl and was ready to stop. I looked out and noticed we were in Mountain View. Wait a minute! This train does not stop at Mountain View. Is the engineer a rookie? Finally the train gained speed and I was off to Santa Clara.

Classes in Session and a Major Sugar Rush

Thank goodness I arrived with minutes to spare before student arrival. Each came one by one with one of those smiles that seemed suspicious. Of course they knew it was my birthday, but then one of my former students showed up with a cake. That was unexpected and a very pleasant surprise. I then showed my class an email from their fellow classmate who just had her baby. We were cooing over the pictures of her new baby boy. Then one of my students said, "you have a new email." So I opened the message and I was floored. I mean really, REALLY surprised. Apparently some of my students pooled money together and got me a gift certificate to one of my favorite shoe reproduction stores. They know my love for shoes and vintage. I truly was touched. So very thoughtful. The rest of day was filled with endless text messages from family and friends wishing me a Happy Birthday.

Part of the "mi" in my name cracked a bit.

Enjoying some cake

My afternoon class surprised me with yet another cake! One student made chocolate by hand and brought it for the class. I knew I was going to have a major sugar rush. A somewhat smaller class than morning one, we pretty much shot the breeze and did some literature discussion. It's a good thing it was the last day of the quarter before finals, so all content had been covered.

Mmmm...Mascarpone Cheesecake

Another Commuter Delay, Yet Adventurous

Now that classes were done, it was back on the Caltrain for my commute home before having dinner with some friends. Recall how I mentioned having that gut feeling earlier in the day. I definitely should have driven. It went smoothly until we stopped at San Carlos. The conductor stated, "And this is as far as we can go. There's been a collision on the tracks in San Mateo." I looked out and saw the marquee; 90 minute delay! It was already 6:45 and I'm supposed to meet my friends at 8:00. I immediately got off the train and arranged for an Uber ride.

The driver arrived in less than a minute. When I opened the door, I rambled, "Caltrain is down and I have to get to Burlingame. It's my birthday and I have to meet my friends for dinner." Then I sat and smiled. He was very gracious and smiled and continued driving. He was pretty quiet and suddenly I noticed there was Spanish music playing. He was ready to change it until I started speaking in Spanish saying that the music is fine. He was surprised - ¿hablas español? When I confirmed, a sense of relief came over him and he started to relax. We conversed about language and education as we were flying down Old Country Road. I completely forgot about the roadblock at Hayward Park. Since it was a small barrier I told him he could go around it as the car way ahead of us was doing the same thing. He sped through the first barrier and again the second barrier before we were legally driving down Delaware. By the time we caught up with that car, we realized it was San Mateo Police. Oops! My bad! But hey we got through, and we didn't get pulled over. He had a good sense of humor about it. Once we got to Burlingame, we noticed there were still no trains in sight.

Birthday Dinner

I'm very simplistic when it comes to my birthday, so when asked what I wanted for my dinner, I just said, "Mexican Food! I have a craving for tamales and champurrado!" So it was off to Taquería Vallarta, my favorite taquería in The Mission. I ordered my usual tamales de rajas (cheese and roasted chile) and smothered it in tomatillo salsa. Mmmm...heavenly.

Tuesday Night Jump

Then it was back to my usual stomping grounds. The Verdi Club. Tanoa waived the $12 as he does for all birthday folks. The other folks thought it odd that I was not having a Birthday drink so I went ahead and had a rum and coke and 2 shots of pomegranate tequila later on. When asked my age, everyone was shocked. They thought I was anywhere between 28-30. Nope. 39. It's the Latin genes. 

During their second set, Stompy Jones played a birthday jam. That is, the birthday gal/guy takes center of the floor and everyone else stands around clapping to the rhythm while he/she dances. Then a series of leads (or follows if it's a birthday guy) will cut in until the end of the song. I was hoping for a faster song, but slower BPMs are okay. I definitely enjoyed my evening of swing dancing.

Despite some of the hiccups, it was definitely a wonderful birthday. Lets see what my 39th year brings...hopefully admittance into a Ph.D. program...my main goal.

Ciao.

Runnin' Wild

A couple weeks ago, a friend and I drove across the bridge to Niles, Fremont to catch a silent double feature at the Essenay Silent Film Museum. They were featuring Clara Bow's first film, Down to the Sea in Ships. Just prior to the showing, we perused the museum shop inventory of silent film memorabilia. Since this was a night celebrating Clara Bow, there were several items displayed and on sale. I found a copy of her biography and it was lauded by the volunteers as a great work and beautifully written. Since it only cost $10, I decided to purchase it.

The biography is entitled: Clara Bow - Runnin' Wild written by David Stenn. It's a fair title and implication of her wild life not because she was thought to be a party girl. Rather, she lived a very hard life with cruel twists of fate. She was railroaded and the only peace in life was achieved at her death.

I don't recall my first instance of learning the name Clara Bow. But I've known of her legacy a very long time; at least 25 years. I knew she was Hollywood's first sex symbol nicknamed The "It" Girl. When I saw "It" I was truly mesmerized by her performance. She really was a great actress. Every appearance on screen seemed to have this glow that you couldn't help but smile. I sought out other films and attended silent film festivals that featured Clara Bow. Not only was she the "It Girl", I consider her to be the original quirky redhead (pre Lucy). She was indeed a comedic talent with great facial expressions. And those eyes! There is no mistaking the sadness that lingered behind those big eyes.

I heard all the rumors that she was a promiscuous flapper known for her lavish parties and alleged servicing of the USC football team. I also heard they were totally untrue. Perhaps the most prominent story was her downfall from showbiz during the advent of "talkies" films due to her harsh Brooklyn accent. Her voice, however, was just fine. I've researched some of her talkie films and I never understood why anyone would find it problematic. But it was indeed true that she suffered from "mic fright" and was often self-conscious about its lurking above her head.

The biography gets to the truth of her sudden retirement from films. She was severely exploited by Paramount; she was overworked and underpaid. The industry saw her as a dimwitted Brooklyn gal too eager to please at any price. And they were right.

Clara was an unwanted child from birth. Her abusive father was in and out of her life. She was left alone with a mentally ill mother, who on several occasions had threatened to murder her. What Clara wanted out of life was a stable home life with loving parents to dote on her accomplishments. She often sought that companionship and encouragement in her co-stars, lovers and friends. In the end, though, they played Clara for her fame and money. Her own father even took advantage of her royalties. 

As I read her biography, I had immense empathy for this poor woman. She was typecast and assumed to live her true life as that on screen. In fact, she was a rather shy and down to earth lady. The press, however, characterized her as low-class, and she became the social pariah of Hollywood despite her popularity among the movie-going public. Her antics were heavily publicized and she made no effort to deny it. She was, after all, doing what EVERYONE in Hollywood was doing; drinking, gambling, having a lover or two (or three). She just chose not to lie about it. She thought those naysayers as hypocrites. Indeed they were, but her antics were not the stories of drunken orgies. By today's standards, she was rather tame. But her downfall was not playing the game. She was too honest and open that her trust and confidence in others often blew up in her face.

Though Hollywood created her image, it essentially destroyed her both professionally and personally. She was never prepared for the transition from silent to talkie; that is the fault of the studio executives whose only purpose was to make money off her fame. Rather than help her through her anxiety, they perpetuated it to a point where she had a nervous breakdown. It was absolutely heartbreaking.

Runnin' Wild offers more perspective on Clara's life from birth to death. It also gives her back the integrity that Hollywood denied her both during her life and in death.