Erika S. fun stuffs, outfits

Dekalb Market

B and I rode our bikes over to Dekalb Market today.  The weather has cooled a bit and I’m getting used to riding my single-speed (no more jello legs).  I know I need to stop comparing NY to SF, but the Dekalb market is a larger version of the Proxy Project in Hayes Valley.  It’s pretty cool and I love the design sensibilities of a “mall” out of old shipping containers.  Salvaged materials, an urban farm, artisanal foods, an Etsy pop-up with a vintage tool shop and you’ve got yourself a thriving hipster mecca.  We overheard some dude with an epic beard lamenting the presence of a jump-house and screaming kids–> “there should be an adults only hour or something if they’re going to make this cool”.  Like B says, at least they’re in a cage.  I really wanted to buy a bike basket/Bambi holder from this shop (seriously cute stuff), but alas, the weight limit is 12lbs.  Bambi is a fatty.

I have been on the search for a great pair of denim shorts for a while.  Granted, I need another pair of shorts like I need a hole in my head, but I want a good fit with a high waist to offset my freakish long torso/short appendages proportions.  These fit the bill, and they’re not ridiculously expensive.  Normally BDG stuff is made for stick-like teenage girls and aren’t made to fit my birthing hips.  Surprisingly enough though, these do.

sunnies: f21 – tank: madewell (on super sale last weekend, similar here) – shorts: BDG from UO – shoes: vans – bag: freitag – nails: revlon scandalous

Erika S. fun stuffs

DC again

I took the Bolt bus down to DC again this past weekend.  B was in Berlin for a work meet-up, so I figured it would be a good time to visit again, and before I start working again.  That’s right folks, I got a job!!  I’m super excited to be joining the team at Expeditionary Learning School for Community Leaders this fall.  Things are happening fast though…I’m heading to a week long training program in Boston next week, then immediately into teaching a summer intensive program for my new school’s ELL (English language leaders) students.  So I’m waving goodbye to my summer this week.

While in DC, we celebrated my brother in law Dave’s birthday with cake and a family brunch.  Isn’t my sister’s dog ridiculously cute?  Woody is such a cuddle bug.  Army is camera shy, but I managed to get her in the background with her tongue hanging out as usual.

We also managed to get in a lot of shopping, so I have more than a few new additions to my closet.  Madewell was having a major (extra 50% off!!) sale!  I got this dress right before I left, when J.Crew had an extra 30% off sale items (still going on at jcrew.com).  A great deal at $24.50.  Whenever B goes out of town, I go shopping.  This time I did quite a lot of damage, so I need to start a new shopping ban…after I buy myself a birthday present of course!

dress: j.crew (mine is sold out, but solids are still available) – purse: f21 – sandals: worishofer

Erika S. outfits

Dev!

My friend Devon is here!  She’s here for some Physical Therapist conference, getting smarter in her field.  That stuff all starts tomorrow, so today we got out our walking shoes and made our way all around midtown Manhattan.  I got to check off some touristy stuff such as the Empire State Building and Rockefeller Center.

I started the day off wearing black booties.  Big mistake, as I ended up with a big blister very soon after I got off the subway in Manhattan.  Shoulda known that heat –> sweat –> rubbing on feet –> blister = horrid pain.  So I popped into a shoe store and picked up these lovelies, which coincidentally I’ve been eyeing lately anyway. It was a fantastic excuse to finally buy them, as I was approaching to hobbling mode.  My new granny-chic shoes.  By the way, the skirt I’m wearing is made by my mom.  She sewed it for me right before I moved.  She came home one day after spotting a skirt at J. Crew determined to copy the design.  So she dug out some random fabric and sewed it up in a few hours, adding in a couple folds to make it special.  I love it.  It’s my mommy skirt now.

tank: f21 – skirt: mommy – shoes: worishofer – bag: freitag and baggu – belt: j.crew

The view from the office of Dev’s friend.  72nd floor of the Empire State Building.

Insane red ball of plasma setting behind us.  It was pretty.

Erika S. fun stuffs

things

A few things that have been tickling my fancy lately:

Kiehl’s essential oils I found on sale at the Nordstrom Rack in Manhattan (I think they’re being discontinued, thus the sale).  They’re small, strong and I love the scents mixed together, grapefruit and gardenia.  I once had a saleslady tell me that gardenia was the scent of old ladies there therefore it was not for me.  My mom loves gardenia.  I’ve been keeping these at my desk so that I can roll them on right after my morning coffee.  Right away they smell like you’ve been wearing them all day…like your skin smells like grapefruit and gardenia naturally.

Small dish I got from West Elm on crazy cheap sale.  I got B a “B” one also.  I use mine as a coaster most of the time, but sometimes to hold my little pocket nick knacks, like my Burt’s Bees Tinted Lip Balm.  I’m not a mama, but I like the Mama Bee body oil as a moisturizer.  It smells lightly of honey and lemon.  I just have to remember that I’m not allowed to touch B’s iPad with my “grubby hands” after I use it.

New artwork I got from this Etsy shop called Retrowhale.  I love it, it makes me smile on the inside every time and sometimes on the outside also when I look at it.  I’m totally rooting for Team Darwin, all the time.  It reminds me of Eric Chase Anderson‘s illustrations (the shop also has a lot of work straight from the Wes Anderson movies) .  I want to get this one and this one also.

Cheap $2.50 tanks from F21.  I like the fall colors, the slight 70’s V-cut at the bodice and the soft smooth fabric.  Not to mention the price.  Ridiculously cheap, because they’re probably made in a sweatshop with little tiny children hands.  Joke, but kinda/probably true.  I’m a bad person.

Anchors B and I brought from SF, and a winter creature also from SF.  We don’t really have a decorating theme or anything yet.  Just a bunch of white Ikea furniture.

Erika S. outfits

summer uniform

New York is HOT.  Today it was like 100˚F out (it’s now 11pm, and it’s 83˚ outside).  I’m used to 50˚-65˚F weather every single day in SF.  This whole summer/fall/winter/spring weather thing was foreign to me, till now.  So now I have a summer uniform.  Every morning, I throw on one of two pairs of denim cut-offs, a tank, sunnies, and I’m done. Granted it’s not very exciting, but it’s functional on my bike, maximizes ventilation, and provides enough surface area for sweat evaporation without making me feel like I’m a stripper too naked.

These jeans used to belong to B till I saved them from the Goodwill pile and chopped the legs off.  There is a hole in the back pocket created from years of packing his “daily carry” knife, so I almost lost my current favorite lipbalm the other day.  I’m planning on stealing patiently waiting for B to get rid of another pair of jeans so I can stop wearing these everyday.  

sunnies: f21 – tank: h&m – shorts: levis 501’s from b – bag: freitag – sandals: dv by dolce vita – watch: marc by marc

Erika S. fun stuffs, outfits

horsie

There’s my favorite horsie shirt again.

B and I live in Brooklyn now, about 3 (Avenue) blocks from Prospect park, which I would say is roughly the size half the size of Golden Gate park in SF.  We’ve been in and out of this park already, checking out the farmer’s market and riding around the loop on our new bikes.  B snapped these photos the last time we strolled over to the Farmer’s market at Grand Army Plaza.  The park is such a nice reprieve from the noises of the city (even with the 200 family BBQs that happen all the time there, and the crazy screaming little kids on their razors).  I’m thankful to have an apartment close to park.  I plan on getting a lot of use out of my new super awesome park ready timbuk2 bag.

By the way, Saltwater Sandals are seriously the best summer sandal ever.  Super comfy, never rubs, never pinches, lasts forever and super affordable.  Same can be said for these new Native shoes that B and I bought.  They’re like crocs, but way cooler looking.  And, they’re beast free, which I know would please a few of my friends.  They’re squishy (absorbs impact), waterproof (perfect for the NY summer rains), breathable (lots of holes for ventilation) and grippy (great for bike riding).

sunnies and tote: f21 – horsie shirt: urban outfitters (hella old) – shorts: j.crew – my shoes: saltwater sandals – b’s shoes: native

Erika S. outfits, teaching

evaluative

I made my seniors evaluate my teaching this year.  A simple survey and with a few short answer questions.  I got some real gems of advice from these ‘adults’, so I just have to share them. 

If you could say anything about this teacher to the students who will take this class next year, what would you say?

“As long as you don’t mouth off, nothing bad will happen”

“Don’t procrastinate like a fool.”

“Don’t take it your senior year because you will slack off.”

“Ms. Schenck is an awesome teacher!! Forget all the bad things others say about her!!”  (omg, what bad things?)

“Ms. Schenck is a very interesting person, she’s funny (that’s wassup!), open-minded, friendly and fashionable!”  (I got props for fashion!)

On that note, here is a camera awesome photo of my outfit today.  Pants were last seen here and sweater last seen here and the flats are by Frye.  Oldies but goodies.

Erika S. outfits

three days strong

I’ve worn these sandals three days in a row now.  Still comfy.  score.

I really have nothing else to say today.  Except that I sent a kid (well, two kids) out from health class today because I just couldn’t take their behavior anymore.  I have mixed feelings when I send kids out.  First off, sending kids out is not a punishment to them, but a reprieve for me.  It doesn’t help them see the error of their ways, instead it denies them access to the lesson.  So in order to keep MY sanity, I have to take away their learning opportunity.  I feel bad about that.  But not until my blood pressure drops back down to normal.  These pictures were taken at lunch time, before I developed the perma-scowl that is inhabiting my face for the rest of the day.

sunnies and bag: f21 – v neck and belt: jcrew – skirt (last seen here), blazer and shoes: madewell

Erika S. outfits

blown to bits

My school is on top of a hill in SF, in the southeast section of SF.  This means it’s really windy up here, all the time.  So photographer Aimee and I were blown all over the place.  It was hella cold.  That’s right, I said hella.  I am a Northern Cali native after all.   Hella.

Those of you who follow me on pinterest (specifically my “things I lust after” board) know that I’ve been wanting these Madewell Whistlestop sandals for a little while now.  I saw them online when Madewell came out with them, and they are muuuch cuter in person.  B had to listen to me whine about how cute they were but how expensive they were at $138 for a few weeks.  I finally broke down and forked over the hard earned cash for them. Are these really worth a half a day’s pay?  The jury is still out on whether they were worth the $$.  They are cute, they are super comfy and they will be perfect for summer.  But I guess I could have settled with these or these that I already own or even Madewell’s own cheaper sandal here.  These better last at least 2 summers!  On Another note, I love my new bag!

cardigan (old) and belt: j.crew – top and sandals: madewell – pants: anthropologie (old) – bag and sunnies: f21 – necklace: hand-me-down

Erika S. outfits, teaching

in between the storms and the races

It stormed like crazy last night.  We don’t get real lightning and thunder very often here in SF, so when it does happen everyone talks about it.  City dwelling high schoolers reverted to grade school kids sharing their fears.  It’s funny here in SF: earthquake? “Meh, no biggie.”  Thunder? “OMG that was sooo scary!”  The storms cleared today, but it looks like another one might be rolling in this evening.  I took advantage of the lunchtime sunshine.  Too much blue?

My mom gave me this necklace about a year ago when she was going through a rough time.  She picked this necklace out when she was 12 years old in Saigon, Vietnam.  Her favorite uncle had given her money for something like this just before he died.  The character (in cantonese, which we speak at home) is “fook”, which means good luck or good fortune.  These necklaces are not meant to be taken on and off frequently, so I just leave it on all the time.  Wearing it all the time also means I tend to get sideways glances/stares from chinese people on the street.

Asian people tend to think I’m Caucasian and and vice versa.  Kids are usually obsessed with questions like “what are you Ms. Schenck” at the beginning of the year.  Last semester, I made it a point to tell them flatly, “I’m San Franciscan American” and left it at that, redirecting each time.  Mostly, they would get visibly frustrated and try to guess.  Eventually, after much explanation and discussion, they stopped asking.  They laughed when I pointed out that other countries don’t obsessively classify their residents by skin color (hello, I’m Chinese Brazilian!  or hi, I’m African Australian!).  They agreed that knowing my ethnic background would in the end have no relevancy.  But they still just wanted to know.  So they went out and asked around and eventually figured it out.  I understand when they talk shit in Chinese, after all.

shirt: levis (last seen here) – dress: many belles down (orange version seen here) – belt and tights: j.crew – boots: h&m – other necklace: unicorn crafts (last seen here) – bag: f21