°˖✧✝ R.I.P. The Dove Parlor ✝✧˖°

Source: The Dove Parlor website photos

Due to the current rent increase in New York City, many businesses, both small and fairly large, are put up to the regrettable task of closing down their storefronts, with The Dove Parlor being one of them. Though not as renowned as other parlors in the city, Dove provided an interesting cocktail bar meant for those with a curiosity of the underground culture. And it was literally underground! Down the slabs of steps and through a worn wooden door painted white, Dove opened up into a dark lounge with red, textured baroque wall paper, which coupled with the dark mahogany wood finishes throughout the lounge. The hearth with a group of flickering candles in place of a kindling fire added to the romantic atmosphere. Natural light came through the glass panels of the door, but dimmed lamps mounted on the walls and glimmering candles created most of the lighting inside.

The Dove was also the venue where a tea party was arranged for Misako when she visited New York City for a lecture, Lolita Fashion: Costume or Culture, at Japan Society last year. I wasn't able to go to either event, but dreamed about experiencing Dove myself, Misako or no Misako.

Though pretty, there are people in my community who infamously call this event the "Tea-less Tea Party."
It was labeled as a tea party, but there turned out to be no tea at all!

Never lie to a Lolita by saying there's tea when there isn't any.

There was a picnic arranged for the New York Lolita community the day before Dove's closing, and my friends and I originally planed on attending. However, the high possibility of rain forced the host of the meetup to postpone the event to a day with more favorable weather. Dishearten, some of my friends looked for other activities we could do that day instead. Remembering Dove's closing day, one of my friends decided that one last trip to the lounge would be more than sufficient.

My friend made our little gathering an open invitation, which garnered a fair amount of new Lolitas I've never met to come along with us, which is always great! Going to Dove in the evening seemed more fitting, so we agreed to meetup for a late lunch first. For fun, we chose Food Gallery 32 in Koreatown. Basically, it's a food court, but looks more like a food mall with its three floors. Asides from the the Red Mango and the eatery that sells taiyaki at the entrance, the bottom floor is reserved for savory appetizers and entrees. The top floor housed an interesting selection of desserts. There were so many choices!

Source: Food Gallery 32 website

After lunch, we brought some taiyaki on our way out to eat while at the lounge. Dove had a no outside food policy, but seeing as they were closing the next day, we assumed that it wouldn't be a problem. Thankfully, it wasn't! The staff was very open to us being there and didn't mind our little snack.

To show our support, everyone at least bought one drink. Yes, we were all of legal drinking age. I bought two, but because this meetup was some time ago, at the end of June, I've forgotten their names and ingredients. Though, I do remember the first one involved ginger and the second one used cranberries. I really wanted to try their absinthe, but they ran out.

First group shot of the day. Also, obligatory kawaii peace hand gesture.

Don't my legs look long in this photo?! 

We were at the lounge for I decent amount of time, playing games and exchanging stories, but decided to end everything before it got dark. The dimmed lamps with the lack of natural lighting didn't produce many desirable photos, so we tried outside, even though it was still raining!

The lighting looks so much better.

Everyone had brought an umbrella, so there was no real problem with taking pictures outside. This is why it's important to have accessories that coordinates well with your outfit. I opted out using an umbrella for my pictures. It seemed okay without one (but it really wasn't).

Jacket & Skirt Set: Metamorphose temps de fille
Blouse: Alice and the Pirates
Accessories: Handmade

This set has a detachable layer of organza ruffles underneath the collar and bottom of the jacket, but I took them off for a more relaxed outfit. I'm saving those attachments for an outfit that's more OTT. But even without the ruffles, this set has become my favorite piece in my wardrobe. I love the silhouettes of Metamorphose's sets. They always make me feel like a princess. Though, I'm pretty sure the reason is because of their bell sleeves.  

Here's a picture of me posing for another picture. I didn't even notice!

My sleeve just didn't want to cooperate that day, or my ribbons.

Without any context, it looks like my friend is scolding me!
"You can't do that in Lolita!"

She wasn't, though. She was telling what she was doing before the meetup.

After pictures, we eventually split up, with some going to the BABY store or finding a place that sold desserts. Not wanting to wait another hour for the train, I decided to go home. But when I got there, I found the courage to do something bold- take a picture with out my glasses!

I am pretty and I am allowed to feel as though I am pretty.

This is something I don't tell myself often. 
I have to start being comfortable with myself.

On the way to Dove, we were joking around about how it's frustrating to wear glasses in the rain and having them fog up, when I said that I could never go without wearing my glasses because of how insecure I am. One of my friends, who wears contacts, said that she felt the same way when she transitioned from her glasses, but insisted that I would look just as nice without them and hoped that I would be able to realize it for myself one day. I don't know why, but her words got the best of me and pushed me into doing such a thing. I still feel compelled to hide part of my face with glasses, but I am starting to consider contacts in the future.

°˖✧ 'Till next time

°˖✧✝ 2015 Summer ILD with KAMIJO & Friends ✝✧˖°

KAMIJO and his support band thanking their New York City concert attendees
one last time.

Source: KAMIJO U.S. Official Street Team L.A. and N.Y.C. 

If you couldn't tell from the picture above, I was one of the lucky people to attend a concert during KAMIJO's World Tour 2015, and on International Lolita Day (ILD) no less! I was not only an attendee, but also a VIP, which meant I was a part of a special meet and greet that allowed me to interact with KAMIJO personally! I was preparing for the day of the concert for months and could only considerate on meeting KAMIJO. It was for that exact reason why I was completely oblivious to the fact that the concert fell on the same day as this year's summer ILD. I even went as far as making different ILD plans with a friend of mine! It was my friend who notice the shared date and made me aware of my mistake. Going to the concert was my main priority, but celebrating with my friends was just as important. So what did I do? I made a compromise. I always have time for my friends!

In the end, we agreed on going to Laduree Soho, one of the U.S. store fronts of the luxurious Parisian bakery and restaurant, thanks to a friend's recommendation. We decided that going there would be our best option at such a short notice. I've never been to Laduree before, but always wanted to. For some reason, I thought the boutique was exclusive and would be hard to reserve. Though, I was pleasantly surprised when my friend booked seating for us easily. Thanks to her, I was able to fulfill another one of my dreams on an already special day.  

The first two pictures are of the entrance alone! Can you imagine picking out sweets in the presence of marble statues?

The third picture is of their Blue Room setting area. We were seated in the green room.

Laduree is extremely gorgeous, and I plan on returning one day so I can experience it without being on a tight schedule. Because this was last minute, we had to arrange a time before the concert. We thought two hours before would be enough, but we really should have went for three instead.  

We still made time for pictures, though!

The venue that was hosting KAMIJO's concert, the Highland Ballroom, had a selection of food for dinning, and I wanted to taste what they had to offer. So, not wanting to fill myself up at Laduree, I only ordered from their dessert menu. And with it being my first time at Laduree, I had to sample a few of their macrons, of course!

Rose ice cream with four frozen macrons.

After Laduree, I had to head straight to the concert venue for the meet and great. Though, I wasn't going to be alone. Two of my other friends who made it to Laduree were also going to the concert with me! 

There was a strict no camera policy during the concert, so this part will only show pictures of the venue before the show.

Of the two friends who were going go the concert, one of them bought a VIP ticket also, so we went to the venue earlier together. VIPs were brought up stairs to balcony where there was a small room each one of us would be lead into to meet KAMIJO. My friend and I couldn't help but giggle the entire time in line and practice what we were going to do and say when we meet him! I prepared three sentences to say to him in Japanese, but half way through the line I was too nervous and thought it would've been best not to try and get tongue-tied. 

VIP's claiming their spots after the meet and greet. Look how close we were to the stage!

There were quite a few Lolitas there at the concert too.
Can you spot one in this picture?

When I became the next one in line to enter the room with KAMIJO, I could feel my heart beating faster and faster. I knew I had to show some composer so I wouldn't come of as creepy fangirl, but it was extremely hard, especially when KAMIJO is standing in front of you smiling. As soon as the door was closed behind me, he extended his hand and greeted me with a "Bonjour~~." Honestly, that was enough, I could've turned around and walked out of the room at that exact moment and it would've been the highlight of my life.

I was going to wear gloves that day, but I so glad I didn't! I put my hand in his and he ushered me besides him for our picture. His hands are the softest! I kept holding onto his hand and turned to face the camera. But the cameraman was in a resting stance like he was waiting for something. Confused, I looked up at KAMIJO and he was looking down at me smiling. Apparently, we weren't supposed to be holding hands for the picture and he was waiting for me to let go! Embarrassed, I let go and started blushing. It look like he didn't want to, but he laughed slightly, which made me blush even more. Quickly regaining my composure, I turned with him towards the camera and posed.

My purse made me look frumpy, but I think it still looks good.
We look great together!

I'm pretty sure I stood the closest to him than any other VIP.
(Not purposely, though. I swear!)

After the photo, KAMIJO thanked me for coming and shook my hand. I was still in a daze about the experience and got swept into his eyes again (he looks RIGHT at you, I couldn't escape). Even after the security pointed for me to leave, I stood there still hold his hand swooning over him. Thank you, Kamijo, for being so patient with me!

My new friend, Annette.

With the meet and great over, I meet up with my friends to hung out before the concert. But of course I made sure to keep our spots in the crowd. I even made a new friend! There was someone who recognized me from online and came to talk to me also. I was seriously flattered. If there's anyone who sees me around, please, feel free to say hi!

I over heard someone in the VIP line say, "Is anyone as excited as me to see MASHASHI?"
I turned around, looked them straight in the eye, and gave a serious, "YES."

I'm also pretty sure I was screaming MASHASHI's name the loudest.
(This one was purposely.)

Source: KAMIJO Official Facebook

The concert was amazing and had its fair share of adorable moments. One of the cutest was when KAMIJO was singing one of Lareine songs (its been so long I forgot which one!), and an audience member pulled out a bouquet of blue roses for KAMIJO and he accepted them! He even performed with them for awhile. I was also lucky to be noticed in the audience by KAMIJO! I was sending him kisses from the crowd when he came to the edge of the stage. As he was walking away, he saw me, came back, and sent kisses back to me!!! I can't write everything that happened at the concert, but if you're curious about how it turned out, Maria Tolentino from My JHouse Rock Events Promotions Inc. wrote a great recap for the night. Please take time to read it!

After the concert with my friend, Ashley.

This is the closest thing I have as an outfit shot.
I was a bad Lolita an forgot to take a clear one. 

But I guess this closeup shot of me with fairly decent lighting
from my bathroom is a bit better.

Blouse: Algonquins

°˖✧ 'Till next time

°˖✧✝ Birthday Gifts from Myself ✝✧˖°

The crucifix wrapped in thorns is gorgeous,
but check out that custom lace!

I splurged a lot more this year for my birthday than last year. But I didn't end up spending a large amount of money like most would for their birthday. I wanted to try to get as many gifts as I could for the price of paying for one or two gifts. So, instead of dumping my money on a new BABY release, I hunted down five main pieces to add to my closet! And I consider at least two of them being rare items.   

◊ Metamorphose Set

Some of you may recall that I bought a Metamorphose set last year for my birthday too.
I guess this is becoming a tradition.

The first thing I bought was this amazing jacket and skirt set from Metamorphose. I've been eyeing this set for awhile online and watched it get lowered two times. When it was first posted, it was more than $100, and I didn't have the money for it. But when it was lowered to about $80, I knew that I had to get it. I felt as if the price was as good as it was going to get. I paid over $120 for my first Metamorphose set, so getting this one for $85 was a huge bargain for me. And this one is even more detailed than the first!

This is the only picture and information I could find of this set.
I pretty sure they're not from the same series, but their styles are the same.

Aside from the picture above, I've never seen this set before. And unlike the other older pieces in my wardrobe, I actually want to find out the name for it! So, if you may know any information pertaining to this set, please leave a comment!

◊ Algonquins Blouse

I wasn't planning on buying a blouse for my birthday, but after looking at the detail shots of this one, I couldn't think about purchasing anything else. I was going to overlook this piece at first because the blouse's color can come off looking blue, and blue isn't a color I think I can wear well, but the bat wing collar is what peeked my interest in the end. I'm such a sucker for bat wing collars! I'm also a sucker for good deals, so this $28 blouse was something I couldn't pass up.

This Algonquins blouse has easily become my favorite blouse in my wardrobe. And the reasons for that are the little details found throughout the blouse. The pieces I own typically have simpler designs, like this blouse, but I love when there is some type of unique tailoring or a whimsical decoration. And this blouse has both of those additions. Although there are many, the greatest adornment this blouse features is the pinned applique of a bat hanging upside down with the brand's name embroidered across it.

◊ Heart E OP

Okay, so this one is by far the biggest shocker on my list. In this current era of Lolita fashion, we're used to Heart E designs leaning more to a Sweet style. Though, even with their soft pink OPs and polka dot JSKs, the brand has dabbled with Gothic designs way back when (but let's be real, at the height of Gothic Lolita's popularity, every brand tried to partake in the style in some way). Be that as it may, this OP transcends all of my expectations of Heart E and the design looks like an early Moi-meme-Montie piece! That's a bold statement, I know. But look at it! I can easily see Mana wearing an OP like this.

I paid very little for this OP, but obtaining wasn't easy. The processes really took me on an emotional roller coaster ride. When the OP was first posted, the seller was trying to sell it for about $140, which was out of my price range at the time. Even though the dress is undeniably gorgeous, after three weeks and three price decreases, the OP was still up for sale! I took it as a sign, and planned on skipping the Metamorphose set so I could bid on the OP when it was about $100. But when I went to look for the post, it was gone! I was beyond devastated. I honestly felt as if I lost something crucial.

I couldn't get over losing such a dress, so I would check the auction site twice a week hoping that whoever bought it would put it back up for auction. That almost never happens, but I was in complete denial. After three weeks, I was able to accept my loss, and gave up looking. But, for some reason, I had the urge to look one more time during the fourth week. I nearly cried when I saw the listing. And here's the most unbelievable part, I only paid $52 for it! I guess the seller noticed how it wasn't selling and listed it at a lower price to get multiple people to bid on it. But I was the only bidder, so I won it easily at such a low price!


◊ Putumayo Skirts

I had my eye on these skirts on Closet Child for awhile, and honestly, just considered them as being pieces I could use to fill in my wardrobe. I'm in a short supply of skirts, so buying these skirts just seemed like a rational decision, while all of my other purchases were more impulsive. Albeit, my approach was reasonable, but my timing was less than sensible. Of course I would buy two velvet skirts in the summertime, that's so me! I didn't even realize what I had done until I confirmed my purchase. I presume I was focused more on only paying $18 for the first skirt, and $23 for the second.

Sure, I knew finding a time to wear these skirts in the summertime was going to be a hard task, but seeing them in person made me uncover another problem- they're extremely short! They didn't look as short on the mannequin in the stock photos, but on me, they're like mini skirts! I was deceived, by the stock photo, but really, it's my own fault for the misunderstanding. I forgot that even though Putumayo is Lolita friendly, the brand is made more for street wear and can be cut shorter than other Lolita brands. I consider myself lucky though, because of the generous amount of shirring on these skirts, I can get away with pulling them down further on my waist so they won't look as short as they actually are.

*The prices listed includes fees and have been rounded up. They don't include shipping.


I can't wait to wear all of the amazing items I've purchased! I already have a couple of outfits planned that I'm eager about. Expect an Ero outfit from me very soon!

°˖✧ 'Till next time