Happy Holidays! Winter kawaii outfit post: Meemers Scottish Fold cat hat, Eat Your Kimchi.
Happy Nightmare before Christmas! Basil Farrow and I send you lots of snuggles.
Like many of you, we’re taking this time to be with family and friends. If you’re looking for holiday outfit inspiration, then this post is for you. I’ll also share the elegant Xmas decorations I saw in New Orleans, including the Anne Rice house.
“Baby it’s cold outside….” But that doesn’t mean you have to wear bulky, unattractive jackets this season. What’s the stylish solution?
My friends at Alice’s Pig sent me this retro-inspired coat from their latest collection. It’s got a unique zig zag front with double-buttons, and is lined to keep you warm. I haven’t seen a design like this anywhere else, and have been wearing it non-stop.
♥ Psst: here’s where you can buy the exact same coat! ♥
Basil looks like he approves of my Miffy purse. It’s from the 2% Miffy store in Shanghai (here are photos of the Hong Kong location).
This is my go-to winter outfit: a big graphic-print sweater and leggings. Comfortable, warm, and J-poppy. “The Bitter End” is by Japan’s Banana Fish, which is sadly no longer in business.
My witchy tights are from Killstar. This brand is so awesome that they make an Egyptian print maxi dress!
♥ Shop my outfit and favorite labels below:
If you’re still feeling chilly, Basil is ready to warm you up with a furry hug.
What a sweet teddy bear. Here’s a profile view of my new hair color, by Stephanie Hoy in Vancouver. It’s an ombre fade from blue to purple to red.
My Scottish Fold kitten may not have ears… but my purple winter hat makes up for it. (We call this a “tuque” in Canada.)
Do you see a folded-eared cat on the brim of the skullcap? That is Dr Meemersworth, the Scottish Fold companion of my Seoul friends, Eat Your Kimchi.
Anyone who lives with a Scottish Fold can attest that they’re very special creatures. They have quirky personalities, love to cuddle, and want to take part in everything you do.
Look at that round head, and those sideways-paws! More photos like this are on our Instagram — @lacarmina.
You can get this kitty cat winter hat from the Eat Your Kimchi online store. They have a Meemers canvas bag too, and more.
Since we’re in holiday mode, let me share some photos I took of Christmas decorations in New Orleans. On top of a home near Audubon Park, I spotted “Santa Ducky.”
In NOLA, the stately manors get dolled up with lights, wreathes and bows. Or in this case above, nutcrackers.
Above is a home formerly owned by Anne Rice, author of vampire novels. It is now House of Broel, a Victorian mansion and dollhouse museum.
I couldn’t get enough of the elegant Southern architecture, particularly in the Garden District.
Can’t wait to show you more from my New Orleans travels. Cemeteries, voodoo shops, and devil parties are on the way.
Until then, Basil sends you warmth and cuddles.
We hope this gave you some inspiration for what to wear, in cold weather and to holiday parties. Merry Festivus, or whatever you celebrate!
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How to visit Hong Kong’s Buddha Statue: Tian Tan, Ngong Ping cable car, Lantau Island.
I’ve been to Hong Kong over 20 times. Many of my relatives live here, and in recent years, jobs have taken me to HK at lest once a year. Despite my frequent visits, I’ve never visited one of the biggest landmarks: the giant Tian Tan Buddha statue, on Lantau Island.
On our last trip, my film friends and I had the perfect excuse to pay Buddha a visit. We were shooting a video for sáv Hong Kong, a new hotel in Hung Hom centered around the theme of love. What better place than Tian Tan to represent loving kindness?
First, here are instructions on how to get to Tian Tan, located on Lantau Island.
1. Ride the subway to Tung Chung station. Since this is the end of the line, give yourself time (from Hung Hom, it takes about 45 minutes). If you’re like Line Friends Moon and miss the train, don’t worry, they run every few minutes!
2. Walk out of Tung Chung station through exit B, and follow the signs to Ngong Ping cable car.
3. Purchase a ticket for the cable car: there are options for standard, private cabins, and glass bottom ones. We went for the standard ($19 round trip) and the three of us had the lift to ourselves anyway.
The ride takes about 30 minutes. We sat back and enjoyed the 360 degree view of the Lantau Island mountains, South China Sea, and praying big Buddha in the mist.
I wore a plum tiered Valance dress from Gloomth & the Cult of the Melancholy. You may recall that I met up with designer Taeden in Toronto.
My sunglasses are these exact ones by House of Harlow 1960: Nicole. I’m carrying a bouquet of violet flowers to offer to the Buddha.
We arrived at Ngong Ping Village, which held traditional Chinese jewelry shops, tea houses and other cultural attractions.
The enlightened one is still a good 15-20 minute walk away. The Buddha is 34 meters tall, and constructed in 1993.
Since the cable car station was built not long ago, some of the attractions are quite touristy. There’s a live action Stage 360 that celebrates another Hong Kong hero, Bruce Lee. Here, you can watch stuntsmen perform martial arts sequences in front of your eyes.
However, the adjoining Po Lin monastery dates back to 1906. Anyone is welcome to visit the monks, and join them in the kitchen for a vegetarian meal.
Who else lives on Lantau Island? Wild cattle and buffalo!
I offered a cow a flower, and she chomped it down. Suddenly, I was surrounded by hungry cows trying to bite at my bouquet of flowers! They fenced me in and I had nowhere to escape. Somehow, I got out of this fiasco unscathed.
Filmmaker Melissa learns from my mistake, and keeps a safe distance from this cow and her feeding calf. (Photos in this post by La Carmina, Melissa Rundle and Eric Bergemann.)
Buddhist deities pointed us towards Siddhartha. This funny one has a rooster on his head, and appears to be doing a Saturday Night Fever disco move.
Buddhism x Goths? Why not. How nice to run into two of my friends here, Lam and Hin Ng. (Remember them from my Upper House penthouse party?)
Here we are, at the base. Now we have 268 steps to climb, in the drenching humidity.
The Buddha sits on a lotus, and raises his right arm in blessing. Such a serene expression on his face.
On each side him, three Devas give offerings. I bowed to them and extended a flower (you’ll see how this all fits in with the video, once we release it.)
We saw some Buddhists circling the platform and kneeling in front of the statues.
We went inside the statue, and saw a collection of traditional Buddhist art. After giving away most of my flowers to strangers — as a symbol of bringing love into the world — I left the rest for the Buddha.
Landmarks can be cheesy, which is why I try to avoid them. However, the scenic Lantau Island and Tian Tan Buddha were a pleasure to visit.
On the ride back, we saw the sky turn pink as the sun set over the mountains, just like an ancient Chinese painting.
Hong Kong is known (and loved) for its fast-paced lifestyle and trendy shopping, which I’ve written a lot about. But if you want to see the serene side of the city, I encourage you to spend a half-day with Buddha and his Bodhisattvas. (Note that the last cable car descends at 6pm on most days, so try to go early.)
I leave you with my own big Buddha: Scottish Fold kitten, Basil Farrow! Cats are naturally Zen-creatures, aren’t they?
LA CARMINA
