This morning I had breakfast with Blake, another middle school teacher, at a great place hidden down a side alley - Jaspa's. We each had a bowl of muesli, yogurt, fruit, and honey. I also had a latte and mango/coconut juice. It was all pretty perfect.
From there I met up with Sarah - again! I love this girl; feels like we're old friends. We went fabric shopping near my neighborhood. She found some great fabrics for cushions and I ended up happily finding a few more fabrics for work clothes - awesome! It rained most of the afternoon - hard! Non-stop thunder. I made good timing getting back to the apartment before the sky let loose and just enjoyed music and catching up on emails at home.
(Noticed I just called it 'home' - whoa. That feels good.)
Sarah and I met up again later for my appointment at the tailor's. I really like this place - it's the one that I found an article about before even arriving in HCMC. Dung and Phuong are the sweetest ladies and do a really good job of taking my measurements and being able to make something beautiful from a photograph that I bring in.
It's pretty funny though because some things I feel I have to fight a bit for. They always want to line a dress or shirt with this really scratching netting-type material. It's not pleasant - especially in this heat! I have to push to get them to line the pieces with a thin white cotton. It's actually quite funny and we're all laughing because they try to get me to go with the other stuff for EVERY piece. Sarah agreed with me that the netting material is pretty horrendous to think of actually using.
Most things however, Phuong is amazing with. She knows her stuff. She will ask me about a seam, for instance, and show me what she means on another top that's already made... it will be exactly perfect for the piece we're discussing.
Same with the length of skirts and dresses - she will ask me... point to a place on my leg... and yup! That's it. :)
I'm having about 8 pieces or so made right now - I love it and am so excited to pick them up. The four that they began making a few days ago fit really well so far and I am so happy with the fabrics that I found.
Having work clothes tailor made here was a goal of mine... I didn't bring many clothes and planned on having some made. What a fun hobby!
It was raining pretty steadily while we were at the tailor's... when we left, Dung gave us each a packaged raincoat that she had snuck out to buy us! It was so sweet of her... this culture is really full of caring. Before coming, I remember hoping to find a tailor that I liked and could go back to each time... be 'friends' and know one another's name. It's crazy that I'm already at that point! 27 is going to be a good age. Saleshni was telling me last night that 27 is actually a big year - it can often be a big turning point and awakening in people... well, I'm on the perfect endeavor at apparently the right age.
We did a bit of shopping around on the street then - there are some really cute gift shops on the same street as the tailor - Mac Thi Buoi.
In the same area, we went to Warda's for dinner - it is one of the first restaurants that I went to with some of the returning teachers a week or so ago. It was one of my first meals that I loved here... the restaurant is like a Mediterranean / African style and both the food and atmosphere are great.
...OTHER THAN the rat that we saw tonight! It kept crawling around under the table over from us... thankfully we first spotted it after we had eaten and we put our feet up and asked for the bill! It seriously was a good-sized rat and I felt like it was more of a cartoon. I don't think I've ever seen a rat of this size in real life. Gross... but also kind of cool. haha
Here's a picture coming down from an upstairs cafe from earlier today (another hidden treasure found through a side alley) - L'usine:
I don't know the girl but am glad she wanted to pose so perfectly for the picture. :)
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