I Moved! And Don't Ask Me Why. (But I Could Whip Up Some Answers)

I moved to BANANAMAP.
It's more fun there.  I mean it.
There are B A L L O O N S.  No kidding.  Yeah, I knew I could entice you!

(Laura George, Etsy)

But, cuz I like the blogger setup so much (better than ahem wp), I may return someday... (I'm looking off into the distance)

Everybody Lies But Me.

Let's get meta.  I will blog briefly about blogging.  I like it.  Selfishly, it's good for me because I feel better afterward, almost like I took a painkiller. It's like the weird craze over Psy and his not-just-Korean following --I admit that I watch that Gangnam Style video (incidentally: my parents used to live in Gangnam, in Seoul, for a few years in the 90's) and my pain is gone for a bit.  Therefore, Gangnam Style and blogging are painkillers.  And they don't ruin your liver.  (V Good)

I can't take NSAIDs because of my grody GI bleed (I will speak of this no more) a year ago, and it's weird to say it, but I really miss the comforts of ibuprofen.  Vicodin is just too scary to take because I remember how hard it was to get off of it.  It hurts MORE than the original pain it takes away.  Frightening. I didn't mean to get on this topic.  I am doing some nighttime therapeutic auto-writing, and hopefully tomorrow I won't be  a g h a s t  !
I don't know who reads this really, but I am getting better.  I am getting better.  Should I go watch The Secret on Netflix ?

BTW: Can someone tell me about LASER spine surgery?

C A M P I N G

New: i slept near a beautiful enchanted stream, drank the most delicious water, ate the best pasta (spicy), peed outside (with head-lamp), sat by the most aesthetically-pleasing artfully-crafted fire, BREATHED in fresh air and silence, did work online in the CAR by moonlight (hotspot)...

Believe it.

picture does not do it justice.  it was truly beautiful.

YES, please do

N E W S F L A S H: magic jewelry does wonders for neck pain

FOR REAL:  magic necklace that i got in the mail yesterday from my aunt in la ACTUALLY WORKS! and i don't even believe in it!  not only am i skeptic of new-agey stuff, i really don't think i am very suggestible either.  i don't think it's a placebo effect i'm experiencing.  seriously.
       the wicked, persistent, unflinching neck pain i've had since mid-march has actually lessened* since the afternoon opera rehearsal i had yesterday. (of course i've also been attached to a constant ice-pack, inhaling advil and took muscle relaxants...but! i've done that for months with no relief.)
       i have no idea how they work.  i will do investigative work (googling) and report back.  this is what they look like, and i saw them here for the same price that my aunt paid.  wow, i sound like an infomercial: 

"Believe me, I was the biggest cynic out there, but I scoff no longer...cuz it worked for me!! AND IT'LL WORK FOR YOU TOO...

only $19.95!"

i think my aunt got mine at MARUKAI, the japanese market in southern calif. 

(can't find it, but WOW there's tons of fun stuff...)

oh and btw they have a new store in cupertino (bay area/no.calif),

(and also in osaka and hawaii!!)

(ooh they're having a "June Bikkuri Sale" !! ...who needs five different kinds of SPAM?)

*******

*ok, disclaimer time:  i might be a little bit of a  ばか (DUMBASS).  

*full disclosure:  i realize that at this moment i must honestly report that i am experiencing some really annoying, disheartening pain, but i swear it's not as excruciating as pre-necklace...omg, it is a placebo, isn't it?  (no it's not!)  (but it is; it MUST be!)

OK, due to my embarassingly obvious inner conflict,  i am modifying/clarifying my official recommendation for neck pain relief: 

hot/cold pack + muscle relaxants* + violin-avoidance + magnetic necklace + prayer + [i give up, i want some] VICODIN.   (now we're talking real magic...)

ANOTHER WARNING:  do not use ice-pack directly on skin like i just did !?@# like a total  ばか, even though it feels sooo good...i can't resist...

THANKS ANYWAY, MIRIAM!  also for the new hot/cold pack with washable-cover (with cats on it!) !!

*i have several prescriptions---carisoprodol, tizanidine, and amrix.  i only take them at night, and/or i don't have to go anywhere for several hours because they all make you severely drowsy.  actually, i have not taken the samples of amrix that i have, because i am scared to...it is advertised as "the first and only 24-hour muscle relaxer."  translation: 24-hr coma.  osteopath told me to take it and drink coffee all day...but still, it's like giving up a day of your life... which i guess i would do, if it helped my neck.

ESSENTIAL. listen to me!

after how many trips to nyc and many desperation sneaker-buys (so lame!)  i finally found the thing that cushions the ball of your foot and makes walking a pure joy.
i walked from 125th to juilliard (66th) with nary a blister...PROOF.

easy installation--even a woman could do it!

HELLO MOTO part deux

PRPS

PRPS grey leather (on forward)

RAG & BONE bowery leather moto

Helmut Lang

combo cracked moto

kinda unrelated to moto:

this snowboard jacket by Holden is what i want.  it is super-insulated and has warm hood, apparently.  it is on sale.  it is still cold and i'm getting a really wussy phobia of going outside.  i want to wear something that feels like a huge puffy sleeping bag but looks like a cropped mini moto.  HHAHAHAHAHAHA.  i just cracked myself up.

ah, this looks springy, and while we're off-topic

SEE BY CHLOÉ

belted parka on lagarçonne

and, again, off-topic:

Proenza Schouler

perfect one-button blazer

i am big hypocrite. who knew?

i am a 공주.  honesty=best policy, esp. dealing with yourself.  i like valentines, it turns out.  i guess i never got that kind of personalized attention before so i decided to just hate the whole thing, flowers, chocolates, barf barf barf.  and of course the swedes sealed the deal for me by hating the fake holiday. and i always try to emulate the swedes.  but... if someone knows you hate the CHEEZE but somehow they also know you really do like someone being genuine and thoughtful (genuinely thoughtful, i guess i mean) even if you yourself don't even know that (brilliant huh) it is then SUPER DUPER cool.  valentine's day can be done subtly, i have just learned.  it's genius, especially here in the midwest where cheeze rulez.  (provel: ewww)

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for this wholly new experience! whoa, sincerity, qu'est-ce que c'est?  we are ALL too cool for that!  wait, why is this sooooo cool?  oh someone with a really cool genius brain behind it... ahh so.  what a diff a brain makes.  seriously. wow.
(ok, i'm still a hypocrite.  i told you, i know.  honesty, good policy.)  but check it!:

ORCHIDS WHEN IT'S SNOWING ??  QUOI?!  with eucalpytus and subtle minimalist greenery? what? no!! oh but 'tis true.  Y E S:

i separated all of the diff elements so the orchids could BREATHE

CHOCOLATES THAT ARE UNPRETENTIOUSLY AMAZINGLY DELICIOUS AND LOCALLY GROWN???  IMPOSSIBLE, you say?  MAIS NON!

made in st louie; believe it.   and they're so good i cannot inhale. believe it!

[i just tried a bit of the above.  it has a really stimulating and fascinating ko-ju-jang (i'm serious.. seriously!) delayed-SPICE that just made me cough. (not cuz i'm a wuss, but because it caught me by surprise)  and i only had a tiny corner.  must be korean cowboy candy.  oh and--

i was going to include pic of the thrilling (incroyable) sea salt caramels but they're GONE!  wha' hap'nd?]

most over-looked/BEST dinner (understated, nonsalty, delicious) in st. louis is at MAYA'S in maplewood.

you MUST go there.  everything is fresh and amazing.  the people there are super nice and smart and funny.  and musically-inclined!  they are starting as a live music venue soon-- a real stage and green room and everything!  since i am starved for responsibility i volunteered to be in charge of the classical music. yes moi.

also, margaritas are "best in st. louis"--says so on their website! but also i tried--very good.

i had never even heard of this place or seen it, nothin.  the decor is also understatedly witty-cool.

we sat by this:

 

this work was done esp. for Maya's by the unofficial official interior decor genius

 at Maya's, who originally was...a sign designer.  neat-o, eh?

(his name is Bill Christman.  here is an excellent blurb i found about him.  he apparently really is a genius.  did the sculptures at the singularly cool --not just st. louis, but really just VERY COOL--City Museum. (it's like a mini late-nite amusement park, with a bar. i'm not kidding.))

the surprise "valentines" dessert was a delicious un-cheeze perfect fresh single jumbo-sized STRAWBERRY which tasted better than anything in the whole world on this snowy cold day. better. than. ANYTHING.  (not hyperbole. in this case.) 

whew: took picture before completely devouring:

this was actually strawberry #2, since my companion is selflessly generous and gave me his. 

(i ate both with several utencils, it seems.)

i am still marveling at it all.  i even got to talk continuously through three episodes of the BEST SHOW ever, my companion completely unfazed.  if that isn't sincere kindness...  (continuously, seriously)

i will officially start my (MY) year of the tiger tomorrow.  no sugar (less headache), better sleep habits, no more hideous flakiness.  it is MY year.  MY YEAR!!  

(OMG that sounds SO george constanza, e.g.-- "it's the SUMMER OF GEORGE!")

angelina (please! not brange----)!! my unabashed admiration

i know i'm making myself (i accidentally wrote "meself" which cracked me up, sorry) prey to deserv-ed mockery, but i have something huge in common with angelina jolie.  i did not canoodle with Lady Gaga (yes she is capitalization-worthy)..."ANGELINA JOLIE HAD AFFAIR WITH LADY GAGA"   (from China Daily [wtf?], Feb. 1, 2010)...
let's back up:  i was watching The Actors Studio this morning and she was on (yes it's on at 7am)--it was an old episode, pre-saving the world (i don't mean that in a mean way/ i was being glib, sorry--actually, i genuinely think she is doing what she feels is right, doing as much as she can within her life and her power as a big name, taking on a lot of responsibility, more than she "needs to" and in a way that makes her a spotlit personality for good; i don't believe as some others do that she is just this insatiable exhibitionist/attention-getter--no, not at all. -->) and the beginning phase of Life w/Brad... and despite James Lipton's insipid, irrelevant, fake-controversial (what a phony he is--example: a.j., very natural, trying to strike an honest, open note, then he butts his big bald head in, "IN MR. AND MRS. SMITH YOU AND BRAD PITT WERE INCANDESCENT--" (and he honestly wonders why will ferrell's portrayal of him is so hilarious---scrumptuLEScent" ---" and his unfathomable, irritating, consistent habit of veering the conversation when it starts getting good..(!!!) she struck me as shockingly sincere and not sincerely shocking or candid for controversy/attention.  She is not a sensationalist, really, but quite the opposite; i think she is like me, a truth-addict. an Honesty Addict. 

[she does say in the interview that she knows addiction "in all forms"--(then of course ol' perv LIPTON presses her, drooling, "drug addiction?" )]

 i think her fast-track youth, her complex and conflicted relationship with her hollywood dad, Jon Voight, her parents' divorce early in her life, consequent sympathy (extreme empathy) with her mother, and women in general, etc. etc., drama galore, wild-child antics/exploration led her to a place of real wisdom.  she's experienced it all, seemingly, and, instead of escaping or hiding, she has actually reflected and learned stuff and was/is comfortable embracing the public, the world, can express herself very well--she could at a.relatively young age, which made everyone suspicious. the Crazy in her did not brand her for life and did not cause her to crumble--and i think she did it herself, relying on the truth that she learned how to face head-on through her trials, public and private (or the blended public-and-private experience that is the truth of her life) = this truth, her ability to speak about her quest for it and her convictions about it w/in herself--about her ACTIONS toward it-- is compelling, not just her beauty and ridiculous bee-stung lips (of course that is part of  the  whole of her compelling public figure of course, duh).  actually, her beauty and helium-filled lips could have allowed her to have quite the opposite life, floating on the admiration and the attention, meaninglessly...

she makes me want to get tattoos. of Latin phrases. and windows. (or--too cheezy?-- a quote of oscar wilde?)  her "tats" are her indelible reminders of what she finds truth in, words that allow her to access the truth like if she finds herself veering or (is it possible?) or confidence in truth waning.

i will paraphrase her answers to the silly questionnaire by the French dude, Bernard Diveau (?) (i can never understand what hiss name is--i blame monsieur lipton's shitty french).  i think you will believe me!  and let me preface this pretty-exact transcript (i took frantic, but good notes) by letting you know that she answered every question immediately, almost before he was done stating the question (in his annoyingly fakey hushed-modesty hummm voice).  I couldn't write it this way, due to clarity issues, but imagine every answer right next to each question mark, on TOP of the question mark!:

Your favorite word?   "Now."
Your least favorite word?   "No."
What turns you on?   "Anything that's raw. Raw."
What turns you off?   "Anything that's false. Falseness."
What noise or sound do you love?  "My son.  My son's bubbly unstoppable laughter."
What sound or noise do you hate?  "Children in pain"
What is your favorite curse word?  "Fuck"
What profession would you like to attempt if you weren't an actor?   "Explorer."
What profession would you hate?  "Something that was the same everyday, where i would be locked up in a small space."
What do hear God say, if Heaven exists [the Pearly Gates question]?  "YOU are allowed in...?"

unlike many actors i've seen on the show, she actually took the questions seriously; no cheap jabs, no attempts (tempting i am SURE) to mock james lipton or the questions... admirable, right?
also...the Q/A !!
--"Angelina... here  are  your  students ..." *gag*-- was very revealing too.  some douchey dutch schmoe (nothing against the dutch, they are great, very organized, multilingual, cool) asked her about sex scenes and she replied simply and openly: "I have no problem with sex scenes.  Sex scenes are easier for me than a soul-connection moment, an emotional scene let's say across a dinner table." 
i guess generally i am impressed/touched/surprised at her genuineness (and i think it's real) (tho' i'm a known sucker, 'tis true) and her ability to show real humility, not afraid to be seen in a bad light.   she wasn't careful.  she wasn't hesistant at all.  she seemed to really --sorry so trite-- comfortable in her own skin.

oh god, there's someone on my balcony.  what? spiderman?
no it's a worker guy in orange. how'd he get up here?  gotta go.

winter tribute to my birthplace...

...the much-maligned LA!!

drool.. (and bitternesss!)

my top referring location for this week:  STUDIO CITY, CA. ! 

THANK YOU, EVEN THO' YOU ARE PROBABLY RELATED TO ME!!

(above: martha stewart's favorite cupcakes--Vanilla Bakeshop-- featuring my dearest cousin EMMA QUAN, now studying partying a sophomore at UCSD!)

balboa park, san diego (ok, not la, but still so.cal)

mom doing stretches (?)--she's very fit

my dad (left)..ok, that's not fair, haha, here's my dad:

FUN at IKEA

(which we do not have in st. louis--very bitter!)

i have a crush on you...Jag älskar dig!

oh you are so good; i cannot resist you---beauty and brains, compassion and wisdom..
what i learned from swedishlanguage.net:

In English: Valentine's Day
På svenska (in swedish): Alla hjärtans dag
Swedes don’t care for Valentine’s Day as it is considered a commercial, Hallmark and chocolate candy soul sucking holiday... You will see a little bit here and there of stores having red hearts and little chocolates. But if you want a gift, roses or gold, the good people of Sweden will not entertain you.

Thank you again, Sweden. i ♥ u. 
i got u some flowers and chocolates...HAHA

my hats don't fit anymore now

ARIGATO MUCHO MUCHO!!
thank you to JOHN who to my knowledge is not a relative, friend, nigerian prince, or even acquaintance for giving me huge boost of confidence and validation of my questionable blogging skillz.  you are SO nice to write me.  and now i will blatantly show off what you wrote because i'm trying to develop a healthy yet non-interfering ego.  (i know, shameless front-door bragging):

Received: 11:24 PM CST, 11/22/2009

From: John D
To: lisa.chong@stanfordalumni.org
Subject: the absolute best STL blog


Greetings,
My name is John and I have been most intrigued by your blog. I have been a
secret admirer for more than a couple of months now.

I believe you might just be the most interesting Saint Louis based blogger
I've discovered. I have had the opportunity to read many web logs, mostly
political in nature, but your writing is hilarious, smart & nonchalant. I
totally dig it.


Cheers!


John D

WHAT THE WHAT?  maybe Leos do live off flattery like oxygen? i think i'm taller too, now.
oh, john, i hope u don't mind that i posted this...whoops is this faux-pas de blogging?  now i'm really asking too much, but can you be an official follower so i feel like i gots more readers?  god i'm greedy.

since i actually have at least 3-4 readers who don't know me, and now that i'm completely wrapped up in myself, i will share some completely random personal details:
1.  i'm 5'10"
2.  i had previous career as actress/model
3.  i'm blonde, 22" waist, 32........................hahahahahaha, i can't keep this up
honestly, i'm such a big liar.  no, HONESTLY, i'm really an honest person (wink)--no REALLY i am.  i am constantly thinking how do i really really truthful pursue truth? i think about it like hourly some days.  and these days i'm disagreeing with the krishnamurti stuff--"you must see the false, to see the truth"  i find that sorta negative.  hahaha. sorry, this is an excellent way to segue into my flaws:
1.  i tend to laugh at my own accidental humor (and intentional attempts at humor, also, to be honest.)
2.  in the last 3 days i have had about...let's see, 3+4+3... rounding up, around 10 hrs of sleep.
3.  i cannot drink more than a 1¾ alcoholic drinks (i was going to say "generally", but it's kinda accurate)
4.  BUT, if i am having a really really good 'conversation' (ok, euphemism, sort of) then i can have 2+ depending on level of into-ness. ( i'm sure there's a scientific reasoning behind this.  does anyone know?  cuz i also realized that i always lose at scrabble to a guy that i'm also uh drawn to and it's become like a predictable test of how much i like someone.  do u get dumber and drunker when you are attracted to someone?  someone told me it's hormones or something. vague explanation that i didn't really buy at the time. please let me know.  am i the only one?  seriously, the scrabble-test --embarrasssingly telling.  can't focus. can't get a bingo.  and the harder i try, the worse it is)
5.  recently i've gathered from a variety of sources that i need to put duct tape over my mouth so i can stop interjecting and interrupting---it's become a real chronic problem.  i just get all revvvvved up and 5 things pop up in my head and i want to tell you sooo bad!!  it's not that i'm not interested in what you have to say! the more i interrupt is an indicator of my rising enthusiasm.  please understand that i'm REALLY into what you are saying.  but i'm working on it.  i've been subtly putting my fist in my mouth and carrying a pen/paper to scribble down little hints of what i'm thinking so i can politely express them later.
6.  i have tendency to over-share, i think.

THE END

[figuratively i am applying the duct tape now]

your turn! i'm listening

truth

"I have nothing to offer anyone except my own confusion."

-jack kerouac

thank you; i find this the perfect place to start.  if krishnamurti says that one cannot really actively pursue truth; one needs to first see what's false---then really, this is the Truth Starting Point for me.  wandering around through darkness and seeing it as dark and scary and unknown/unseeable--well, that's better than pretending you see false bright lights, right?  it's honest.  and i think it's where artists and writers must have to linger in for disturbing periods of time, with help of maybe coffee and cigarettes as their only palliatives.  to stay in the "learning curve" you have to have your own sense of balance first, so if i need to take some time-out to look at norwegian sweater-dressing or cute animals to restore some peace and calm, then i think it's part of learning the "learning curve"--it's O.K.   staying there forever would be complacency and non-progress..but just looking is such a relief from all the OVER-DRIVE of  reading and trying-to-try info ("Six Tips To Make You Feel Instantly Calm" and stats ("New Research: Blaming Others Is Contagious")  and advice ("5 Most Common Workout Mistakes") and of course guilty distraction ("Tiger Woods a Sex Addict?")]...(&*@&!

iiS of Norway, winter oasis:

Nygårdsanna from Sweden:

(also stolen from truly beautiful place,  lifeiscarbon®/scandinavian æsthetics)

moment that slayed me, then haunted me for last 2 wks

i know the internet doesn't need more about don draper (or jon hamm) or mad men.  i just want to share anyway!
please indulge me:

I have been watching my life.

It's right there.

I keep scratching at it,

trying to get into it.

I can't.

(second season, penultimate episode that is off-puttingly in california--"The Mountain King")