Misericordia

Another adding to this stylish series. I just love with how much detail and thoughtfulness the story goes.
Now I'm officially a fan of Ms Ava Lee and Mr Ian Hamilton's writing.

Still I can't help myself mentionng a bit of funny idiosyncrasy about this book: Ms Lee is an accountant. This is punctuated by a certain repetitiveness of her mundane choices, namely the stuff she wears and the drinks she drinks.

In this installment Ms Lee is still depicted as one of the most Starbucks VIA instant coffee-loving persons under the moon:
1/ She made herself a cup of Starbucks VIA instant coffee and collected the South China Morning Post that was waiting for her at the door.
2/ She rolled out of bed, boiled water in the hotel kettle, and made her first Starbucks VIA instant coffee of the morning.
3/ She quickly made a Starbucks VIA instant coffee, downed it, brushed her teeth and hair, put on her running gear, and headed downstairs.
4/ She boiled water in the kettle at the bar and made a Starbucks VIA instant coffee.
5/ She made herself a Starbucks VIA coffee, downed it quickly, put on her running gear, and headed downstairs.

And oh boy, does she love her pumps:
1/ When she put on a bit of makeup, let her black, silky hair hang loose or wore it swept up with one of her collection of clasps and hairpins, and slipped on a slim-fitting skirt with a pair of black leather Cole Haan heels, she turned heads — male and female.
2/ It was almost noon when she walked out of the Ocean Terminal with her Brooks Brothers bags and another from Cole Haan with a pair of black leather pumps.
3/ Ava chose the black cotton slacks and the more modest Cole Haan pumps, and offset the dark palette with her new pink Brooks Brothers shirt.
4/ She chose her pink Brooks Brothers shirt and the black linen slacks, completing the outfit with her black leather Cole Haan pumps.

Aaand her Brooks Brothers which are definitely the winner here:
1/ “There’s a Brooks Brothers store in Tsim Sha Tsui,”
2/ The Brooks Brothers store was on the third floor of the Ocean Terminal.
3/ Ava had been dressing in Brooks Brothers for years. The crisp, tailored look fit the image she wanted to project as an accountant, as a serious professional.
4/ There were four Brooks Brothers stores in Hong Kong, but Ava knew from previous trips that this one was the largest and had the best selection of women’s clothing.
5/ It was almost noon when she walked out of the Ocean Terminal with her Brooks Brothers bags and another from Cole Haan with a pair of black leather pumps.
6/ Ava chose the black cotton slacks and the more modest Cole Haan pumps, and offset the dark palette with her new pink Brooks Brothers shirt.
7/ The other women eyed Ava, in her pink Brooks Brothers shirt and black slacks, with either suspicion or disdain.
8/ She stepped out of the shower and towelled herself off, then put on her blue-and-white pinstriped shirt and her cotton Brooks Brothers slacks.
9/ She dressed, the second Steinum sweater going over the black Brooks Brothers shirt.
10/ She put the black Brooks Brothers shirt and cotton slacks in the first bag, and in the other the laundry bag from Aalborg with her running gear.
11/ She pulled a Steinum sweater over her T-shirt and Brooks Brothers black linen pants and headed downstairs and out onto the High Street. (right after she got the VIA Starbucks down, yep :))
12/ She put on her black Brooks Brothers shirt and cotton slacks, fixed her hair with the ivory chignon pin, and even put on a little makeup.
13/ She put on the blue-and-white pinstriped Brooks Brothers shirt, her black linen slacks, and her alligator heels.
14/ She chose her pink Brooks Brothers shirt and the black linen slacks, completing the outfit with her black leather Cole Haan pumps.
15/ She packed a fresh set of clothes: a midnight-blue shirt with an Italian collar she had bought during her previous trip to London, a white Brooks Brothers button-down shirt, a clean pair of black Brooks Brothers slacks, and a light tan pencil skirt that came just above the knee.
Yay, definitely the winner to any ad-fest!

:) Now this is just plain funny and goes to say how deeply the brands have permeated everywhere. :)