![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
Chelsea Clinton and I have something in common. We both have the same Vietnamese seamstress - Trinh of Tuyet Lan.
Neighbor T, who has been going to this tailor for the past couple of years, brought neighbor U and me there this morning. Although the shop is virtually indistinguishable from other tailors catering to foreigners in the tourist area, Dong Khoi, there were pictures of Chelsea Clinton on the wall wearing the white linen tunic and chartreuse silk skirt that they made for her during the Clintons' visit in 2000.
The other two women did not bring their children with them, but as always, I had Stephen in tow. Unfortunately, combined with his usual fear of windowless spaces, the stuffy shop with the chemical scent of fabric and the two unfamiliar looking tower fans sent Stephen into a howling fit. As long as we stayed out on the sidewalk, he was fine, but as soon as I tried to go into the shop, he would start screaming and crying again. He finally entered the shop peacefully an hour after we arrived when a plastic green bracelet enticed him in. Later on, he behaved like a darling at the cafe where we had some drinks and a pizza. I'm sure my friends were wondering why I didn't just leave Stephen with a babysitter, but that's just not my style. I enjoy bringing him along so that he can see and experience different environments. Anyway, it's not quite as bad as the attachment parenting gurus, William and Martha Sears, who brought their infant son in a sling to a formal dinner party.
Back to the shop. The racks were filled with stylish clothing in all sorts of different fabrics ranging from simple to elaborately embroidered. There were shimmering blouses, tunics, pants, sundresses, skirts, and evening gowns in a full range of colors. In the back room, three walls of fabric provided ample selection. In addition to clothing, the shop also had shelves overflowing with various embroidered fabric handbags, shoes, and scarves with abstract and floral designs, feathers, sequins, and other ornaments. We spent almost two hours there, but I could have looked around for at least another hour.
My final count was two blouses, two skirts, one pair of pants, and a large sequined bag. One of the blouses I wanted to have made is actually a re-make of a Harold's blouse that I had outgrown (read "got too fat to wear"). The same goes for the pants, it will be a replica of my favorite pair of pants from Hanna Andersson but in black. My final total was about $100 USD.
I first fell in love with this sequined bag
when I saw someone carrying it
during my first week in Vietnam.
ETA: I forgot another thing Chelsea and I have in common. We're both Stanford alumni.
Neighbor T, who has been going to this tailor for the past couple of years, brought neighbor U and me there this morning. Although the shop is virtually indistinguishable from other tailors catering to foreigners in the tourist area, Dong Khoi, there were pictures of Chelsea Clinton on the wall wearing the white linen tunic and chartreuse silk skirt that they made for her during the Clintons' visit in 2000.
The other two women did not bring their children with them, but as always, I had Stephen in tow. Unfortunately, combined with his usual fear of windowless spaces, the stuffy shop with the chemical scent of fabric and the two unfamiliar looking tower fans sent Stephen into a howling fit. As long as we stayed out on the sidewalk, he was fine, but as soon as I tried to go into the shop, he would start screaming and crying again. He finally entered the shop peacefully an hour after we arrived when a plastic green bracelet enticed him in. Later on, he behaved like a darling at the cafe where we had some drinks and a pizza. I'm sure my friends were wondering why I didn't just leave Stephen with a babysitter, but that's just not my style. I enjoy bringing him along so that he can see and experience different environments. Anyway, it's not quite as bad as the attachment parenting gurus, William and Martha Sears, who brought their infant son in a sling to a formal dinner party.
Back to the shop. The racks were filled with stylish clothing in all sorts of different fabrics ranging from simple to elaborately embroidered. There were shimmering blouses, tunics, pants, sundresses, skirts, and evening gowns in a full range of colors. In the back room, three walls of fabric provided ample selection. In addition to clothing, the shop also had shelves overflowing with various embroidered fabric handbags, shoes, and scarves with abstract and floral designs, feathers, sequins, and other ornaments. We spent almost two hours there, but I could have looked around for at least another hour.
My final count was two blouses, two skirts, one pair of pants, and a large sequined bag. One of the blouses I wanted to have made is actually a re-make of a Harold's blouse that I had outgrown (read "got too fat to wear"). The same goes for the pants, it will be a replica of my favorite pair of pants from Hanna Andersson but in black. My final total was about $100 USD.
I first fell in love with this sequined bag
when I saw someone carrying it
during my first week in Vietnam.
ETA: I forgot another thing Chelsea and I have in common. We're both Stanford alumni.
It's so easy to get gifts for my girl friends there. :)
As a matter of fact, I swear that one of the women I was with yesterday made a face when Stephen was carrying on even though I was outside on the sidewalk and it was not disrupting her shopping. I could have been imagining it I guess.
During our first week in Vietnam, we were invited out to an upscale place for dinner. Little did we know, the other couples weren't bringing their children! And there wasn't a single child at the restaurant. There is a babysitter service that we could have used, but I would have rather stayed home with Stephen than use it. Anyway, it turned out ok because he slept in the sling through the entire meal. haha
Another example - one of my profs (man) used to take his grade school son to graduate seminars, etc. and he not only behaved, he learned from them!
Imagine that, a kid learning from a seminar! ;)