Asian girl shaped like Asian girl. News at 11.

[beautifulduckweed]

Spent a good chunk of today trying on backpacks. Big ones. For overnight camping trips and such. TWO AND A HALF HOURS OF HAULING 35 POUNDS ON AND OFF MY BACK. Only to go "Owwwww," because the packs wouldn't seat properly--even the smallest women's packs overshot the length of my torso by anywhere from half an inch to two.

Ben finally fitted a child's pack on me, and it actually worked! Everything seated properly, and there was good shoulder contact on the straps. Except the straps cut a little into that expanse of muscle and skin that runs from the clavicle to sternum, which is due to the fact that the manufacturer made this pack specifically for children, and kids don't typically have D-size knockers.

It's almost as if I'm not shaped like the typical white American female, or something.

I was puzzled at how much the whole experience had wiped me out--I'm physically tired as well as suffering from a big case of retail exhaustion--and I realized: DUDE. I'd just spent TWO AND A HALF HOURS HAULING 35 POUNDS ON AND OFF MY BACK.

In other news: Lunch with Ben today was amazing. We stumbled across East India Co., a swanky Indian restaurant smack in downtown Portland. The lunch menu was spendy, but I wasn't especially hungry, so we split the Viceroy's Lunch. Oh my god. So much deliciousness. The naan was, I am not shitting you, the best I've had in America: warm, soft, fragrant and delightfully chewy in all the right ways. And their lamb kebab was amaaaaaazing--strongly spiced, firm, a touch of heat. Their yogurt-based soup (khadi) was also really, really good--savory in a way that coated the back of my tongue in a most satisfying way. I would've been happy eating a whole pot of the damn thing.

This is the best Indian food I've had in Portland. I'm going to have to go back for dinner some time and see what they do with their lamb dishes--I'm eyeballing their rogan josh and lamb vindaloo with serious intent. If you have a spare bit of moolah and you're jonesing for some excellent Indian food, check them out.

Comments

[tinaconnolly.livejournal.com]

oh, excellent tip on the child's packs. I have the damndest time with those things.

[tinaconnolly.livejournal.com]

those full-size adult backpack things.

[misshepeshu.livejournal.com]

Hee! Yes, you and me, both. Even regular backpacks are a pain in the tuchis. The problem is, the kid's backpacks don't always come in the capacity rating I want. Bah. Clearly, when I go back to Malaysia, I should a) go on a shoe-shopping orgy, and b) buy backpacks.

[theotherjay.livejournal.com]

The backpacks by themselves weigh 35 pounds? Dude, what happens when you put things in them?

/I assume that you weighted the packs to see what they'd feel like when full, but that detail was omitted.

[misshepeshu.livejournal.com]

Well, yeah, I omitted that detail, but then I figured anyone could've figured out that trying on an unweighted technical backpack is a rather silly idea--even sillier than creating technical backpacks that weigh 35 lbs. by themselves.

[bonobo23.livejournal.com]

Do they do lunch? I'd be game.

[misshepeshu.livejournal.com]

Why yes, yes they do--that's precisely what Ben and I did, in fact. The Viceroy's Lunch is $12.95 and an excellent value in terms of serving size and quality.

[octi-stripe.livejournal.com]

Would it help to make the strap a bit bigger? You can probably find/make an extension for it pretty easily.

[misshepeshu.livejournal.com]

I think it's more the angle of the strap than anything else--they want to make it snug across the chest and shoulders, and they're not curvy-wavy the way women's backpack straps tend to be.

I'm doomed never to find one that fits properly. Doooooomed.

[piezocuttlefish.livejournal.com]

Man, I hadn't even thought about the troubles of backpacks. Seeing as how I lack D-size knockers, a children's backpack may work for me. But, man, finding men's clothing is hard. It's almost as if, you know, most men aren't wearing size 14 boy's clothing, so all the nice shit isn't made in my size. And don't get me started on shoes and the way my feet are shaped.

You omitted important details: where will you be going camping? Exitement!

[misshepeshu.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah. I hear you about the shoes, except I think I have the exact opposite problem from you: my feet are very short and very wide. Sigh. Though I've found that Chacos work amazingly well for me.

As for the camping trip: Unclear as yet! Ben and I are going to California for Jess and Colin's wedding, and then bopping around some state parks. I want to visit some redwoods. Maybe a rock-climbing trip somewhere. I don't know. I'm excited at all the possibilities open to us, though.

[leahseraph.livejournal.com]

Ha! I did that a couple weeks ago. Then they made me walk up and down the stairs "too see what it felt like". So. Exhausting.

I will have to remember the location of the excellent Indian food for this summer. Muahahaha.

[misshepeshu.livejournal.com]

Yes, you should remember the restaurant. Maybe we can even go there together some time.

Also: the walking up and down the stairs idea is fantastic. I must remember to try that.