Weekend Update

1. I’m always on the hunt for affordable summer sandals, and wanted to share another great option I just tried on yesterday – these simple low stacked heels.

These Lucky Brand sandals are very close to the always popular Sam Edelman Trinas (the cognac are on sale here by the way), but a bit more sleek, with a less flashy heel. I found the comfort level of these quite close to the Trinas. A great option for summer, and the sub $100 price point means you won’t feel too bad if they get kicked around during casual outings.

By the way – if you are looking for a higher end version, these Guccis are lovely and the leather is supremely soft and comfortable.

Yes I’m on a Gucci shoe kick lately – what can I say?

2. I can’t get enough articles about fuerdai – aka China’s “rich kids”. Its like watching my favorite Bravo reality shows, only the characters look more like me (aka Asian), but with way more expensive clothes and superior Mandarin!  This NY Times article’s title is explanation enough for why you should read it – My Daddy’s Rich and my Lamborghini’s Good Looking.

3. A fascinating piece, via Esquire, featuring four different men – with incomes ranging from $1,000,000/year to the poverty line – sharing how they budget and what they can afford. If you’re going to read only one article I from this post, read this one!

4. Another great fashion read by Vanessa Friedman of The NY Times – Hedi Slimane’s Dangerous Legacy. Really interesting analysis about some of the major forces currently at work in the fashion industry.

5. This week, I’ve been reading Alexander Hamilton, by Ron Chernow. Yes, the only reason I would be reading this biography is because of the musical – which I don’t think I’ll have the chance to see for the next few years, anyway.

I’m not usually a biography person – the last one I read that was on a US President was more than a decade ago – Truman by David McCullough, and it was such a slog towards the end for me that I really had to push myself to finish it. I just have a hard time getting into biographies. Alexander Hamilton however, was quite compelling – his life was so fascinating, with so many dramatic events, it felt almost like watching a soap opera at times (without the cultural guilt!). After reading it, I understand why his life would make such a fantastic musical.

That being said, if you’re looking for a light beach read, you shouldn’t expect to fly through Hamilton the way you would with say, The Girl on the Train. However if you love non fiction or US history (and especially if you love biographies), I recommended Alexander Hamilton!