Fashion Slow Lane!

Sunset taken from my iphone MOMA area La Jolla, CA

I have not designed footwear for several years.  It used to be my passion until I fell into handbag design by accident.  I have decided to pick up my sketchbook and work on a small collection of ladies shoes for Summer 2014.    I know how shoes are made.  I have been inside shoe factories in Italy and China.   I have worked for five different footwear brands in my career.   So why not? Here is a rough sketch...I never know what the design is going to look like until I pick up my pencil, and then markers.  I draw footwear by hand, its not something you can do on a computer if you are sketching as you go.   I can sit in bed and sketch if I want to.   The designs flow from the stroke of a pen,  its not that technical in the beginning its more of just sketching concepts, then after the concepts you can go through all your rough sketches and edit the collection. Rough Sketch:  Sea meets Sexy meets Sporty?  Time will tell. ...

My friends have taken shopping around the world to a whole new level.   These fabulous career women shop on their vacations, purchase amazing pieces at wholesale and then put it on their website for all of us to enjoy.  Two BFF's Allison and Lori put their love of travel and jewelry into a new website devoted to bringing high end jewelry to the rest of us! Love unique pieces of jewelry from around the world, but don't have the time or the plane ticket to find them?  Instead,  head to www.allielorcollections.com and shop online!  From Thailand to Belize, they have you covered... one of a kind treasures from around the world! Let me know if you see anything amazing..or check out my favorite things here.... My favorite items from their latest collection are these raw rock and gold pieces from India! Divine! Happy Shopping! Ciao! Rocco (Ps. Actually Rocco is a pug that sleeps all day, but the ladies love him! (:) I want this... ...

So I was just on Skype with my business connection from the Middle East to talk about belt manufacturing and etc.  During my time on Skype I got 3 invitations from Russian hookers looking to marry me!  Wow!  Such luck I have these days.   Instead of travelling the world,  I just need to open Skype and I get proposals left and right. I did not dare crush their dreams and let them know that I did not have a penis or a big fat wallet. Where are you going next?  Will your travels take you to Russia to find a mail order bride?  or where will you go?  Without a penis I am not invited to Russia or so it seems...maybe next year...

About six years ago we flew to Bangkok to pick up our daughter from a Thai orphanage.  She was a toddler with a mind of her own and spoke Thai.  Luckily I speak some Thai!  It took weeks or months for her to stop trying to go with strangers we met in the elevator of our building..that is what happens when you grow up with random rotating caretakers in an institution like setting. There were many other challenges along that way, but she was healthy and happy.   Fast forward to today...my Thai girl is 9 years old.  She is spunky, cheerful and likes to eat Thai food.  To celebrate her 9th birthday we went to a local Thai restaurant that I have not tried yet!  The food was AMAZING!  Try the Lobster for example...to die for!  So amazing that I have to blog about it!   www.chedithaibistro.com in La Jolla, CA They had the best Thai food I have tried so far in the area!  Aroy Maek Maek!

In the past five years I have been to Italy several times to go to the Linea Pelle show, meet with factories,  check out tanneries and hardware suppliers.   I  also lived in Milan for six weeks to take a course on leather handbag pattern making!  That was an amazing journey..(that sounds like something that a contestant from "The Bachelor" reality TV show would say).  When I was living in Milan I went to Lake Como several times and travelled all around Italy.  It was an adventure and I made some really great friends along the way. Vintage Scooter in Milan The next leather show in Bologna is this fall and I have no plans to go.  Since I closed my leather handbag line Rocco e Dante late last year  I don't have any production needs that require me to go to the leather trade show this fall.  Very disappointing!  I used to love to go to just to eat the amazing Italian food and to run into old friends in the fashion industry. P.S. Bu...

They say it takes 3 weeks to get a new habit formed.  I am going to start by cleaning out my closets and  samples.  I have over 500 bags in my life, some old, some junk.   Its time to give everything to Goodwill that I don't want.   Then I will have more room for new stuff and more space to work and relax. I have a lot of other habits I am trying to work on right now, such as running 4X a week (because I can) and eating less.  I realize the older I get the less calories I need or its just going to end up in my spare tire around my middle, which by the way is already big enough! #DeClutter. I also need to get rid of leather swatches from 2008 and all the old handbag patterns I will never revisit again.  #doIreallyneedthis We need so much less than we think to get by on a regular basis.   I mean do I really need 8 winter coats new that I live in Southern California?  I think not. More later..I am not in the mood for blogging lately......