I’m not sure why a female with that much armpit hair thought a sleeveless dress was a good idea, but perhaps I’m getting ahead of myself.

I love jewelry, pearls, diamonds, pearls, onyx, turquoise, pearls, rubies, emeralds, and I should add pearls. Yeah, I really like pearls. I suppose it’s lucky that Suzhou is one of the pearl trading centers of Asia. Now, before you look at that list and think me uppity, you should also know I’m the gal who scours thrift stores for the ugly but solidly built nightstand that can be sanded down and repainted—$1O vs. S250, works for me. So when I buy my pearls I don’t go to the jewelry store with the flattering lighting that subtracts ten years from everyone’s face and adds a thousand bucks in sparkle to each engagement ring. Rather I head for one of the pearl markets in Suzhou, Shanghai or Beijing where jewels are heaped in great pirate piles of lapis, aquamarine, onyx, coral, and jade, all strung raw, just waiting for a customer to strike a bargain and decide how they will be configured. Read More