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Green Festival DC 2013!

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Last year was the first time Panda and I came across the Green Festivals and got involved volunteering there. You can check out what it was like and some of the goodies I scored! I also signed up to help out at the LA one, but then managed to total my car on the way so I didn’t end up going. This year we were back again and I signed up to help at the Green Festival store, which I had helped out with in the second half of my shift last time. I really enjoyed sharing the products at the store with passersby so I figured I’d do it again!

view of green conference dc 2013 conference center booths in giant room

This year we were in Hall A, which seemed a bit smaller than last year’s.

muffetta cleaning products including wood floor cleaner, nursery cleaner, and glass & surface cleaner bottles at green festival dc 2013

I really liked the concept of these cleaning products and I loved the Minty Thyme scent they had for their kitchen and bathroom cleaner! I got a sample of that an the glass & surface cleaner, both of which I’m excited to try.

rareearth minieral-colored artisan candles made in usa display at green festival dc 2013

These rareEARTH artisan candles had a really cool look that was like gemstones. I didn’t get one but it’s on my list.

volunteer at green festival dc 2013 helping sell items at green festival store and cafe

I was really enjoying my time helping out at the Green Festival store (except for the standing with backache part). The sales kept flowing in!

rock wall in middle of convention space at green festival dc 2013

There was a rock wall in the middle of it all this year!

mandu korean restaurant pan chan cold appetizer dishes

After a long day out, we stopped by Mandu to try a new place for dinner.

view of washington monument with lights lighting it up seen from car driving away in rain

As we drove away I noticed the Washington Monument all lit up like a skyscraper.

pile of free samples of products at green festival dc 2013 including safeway bright green tote bag, bright green laundry detergent, dr. bronner's soaps and lotions, sheaterra black soap, muffetta cleaners, pangea facial scrub, banana, beanitos chips, annie's cheddar bunnies, justin's peanut butter cup, mom's organic market reusable bag, yummy earth lollipop, and stickers

Look at what I scored today!

neal's yard remedies organic facial wipes, white tea facial mist, and skincando combat-ready balm bought from green festival dc 2013

I also bought a few items – I was super surprised to find Neal’s Yard Remedies available in the US!

pile of free samples of products at green festival dc 2013 including ford t-shirt, bananas, beanitos chips, nature's path bars, justin's peanut butter cup, annie's cheddar bunnies, kit's organic bars, popchips, and jovial snacks

As you can see from Panda’s pile, his priorities were quite different from mine.

July Favorites 2013

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Let’s do a recap of the things I enjoyed in July!

collage of july 2013 favorites including julep products, alo drinks, mossimo flip flops, juice beauty skin clearing kit, mossimo bikini, pocket planes, closetmaid cubeicals, dr. scholl's for her insoles, and minnie mouse tank top

1. Julep products – Ok, so this is actually a picture of the trade in which I got a bunch of my most recent Julep products. I’ve actually yet to purchase any Julep products since I’ve gotten much of what I want through trades. Still, if they start selling the green tea blotting papers on their site, I might have to spring for it. I’ve yet to find someone willing to trade! At least I’ve gotten to try their gel top coat, multiples shades of polish, and the cool nail polish dispenser shown here. I’ll definitely continue to try to acquire their products and one of these days I might just subscribe.

2. ALO drinks – I first tried these when they came in my March Goodies box. I really enjoy the bits of aloe floating around, as well as the light fruity flavor of the drink. So when I saw them at Whole Foods, I was pretty happy. I waited until they went on sale and took advantage of the cheaper price, plus the box discount that Whole Foods offers, buying a dozen. I got a total of 5 different flavors to determine which ones I like the most. I’ve now narrowed it down to the original watermelon+peach I got from Goodies and the pomelo lemon+pink grapefruit. Depending on if I want a sweeter or more tart taste, I alternate between the two.

3. Mossimo flip flops – I eyed these at Target for just about two weeks before they went on sale! Of course I had to jump on that the moment Panda told me. The gold tips of these flip flops are so nice and the overall look is casual yet fancy. I love simple things that make you look good but don’t require upkeep – that’s why dressed up flip flops, tinted lip balms, and summer dresses are my friend. Each makes you look like you put in a lot more effort, but they’re pretty effortless. 🙂

4. Juice Beauty skin clearing system – I get emails from Juice Beauty since they’re a brand I wanted to try. When I saw an offer for a 30-day skin clearing kit, I couldn’t resist. I mean, my skin needs help, I’ve been wanting to try this brand (especially the green apple peel), and they have a money back guarantee! Might as well try it, right? I’ve got to admit that the bamboo face towel was a big draw too. I can’t get enough of cute little super soft towels! I got the box on the 10th and have been dutifully using the products as directed. I’ll be sharing my experience in another post.

5. Mossimo bikini – The last time I bought a bikini was in Thailand about four years ago and that set was quite worn! I finally decided to get a new set this summer so I could enjoy the pool without oddly droopy swimwear. I had hoped to use our Disney gift cards in Orlando to find a cute Minnie Mouse bikini, but apparently Disney’s adult swimwear consists of boring black and white pieces best fit for older generations. So, where else would I turn but Target? They had a ton of styles to choose from and I’m most picky about the shape of the bottom, so once I picked that out I just found a top that matched. This one was super cute with the little twist in the front. I also got a reversible triangle top that I can pair with the bottoms, since this top is better for lounging and not too much movement.

6. Pocket Planes – Many years ago, I started playing Pocket Frogs, where you grow and breed frogs in an effort to “collect them all.” Every now and then I get back into it and the last time this happened, they showed me an ad for another game from the same company. I decided to give it a try and now I’ve been playing Pocket Planes consistently. I’m not sure what the draw is, but I sure do want to conquer the world and build airplanes at every available location. As you can see I’ve done pretty well in North America, but have yet to venture far from that. And so the flying continues.

7. ClosetMaid Cubeicals organizer – When I “moved” out here to live with Panda last month, it was the first time I knew I’d be staying for a long time. I finally started to feel like I could make this place home, so my first order of business was to get a piece of furniture I’d wanted. I then found this perfect cube shelving solution that I can use to store my stuff and as a pseudo desk when I’m sitting on the bed. We moved it out to the living area when Panda’s dad came to visit and I’ve yet to decide where it will go in our new place, but no matter what it makes my clutter a little less crazy.

8. Dr. Scholl’s For Her – I got not only the high heel insoles pictured, but massaging gel insoles as well! Both were free – the high heel insoles came in my Sunkissed VoxBox from Influenster and the massaging gel insoles came from BzzAgent. I’ve enjoyed trying these out in my shoes and I found the high heel ones particularly helpful in my recent interview, when I wore those shoes. Not only did they make it less painful to walk in the heels, they helped my feet fill them in better. Without the insoles, my feet would have slipped in and out of the shoes as I walked since they’re more spacious than my feet require.

9. Minnie tank top – I found myself wearing this shirt quite a lot in July! It’s the perfect summer shirt – loose, light, soft. I also love the design that is cute without being too over-the-top. It was the very first item I knew I was going to buy with the Disney gift cards we had. As soon as we were down in Orlando, I made sure to track down my size in a store and claim it. I may not be a huge Disney fan, but I do enjoy my sweet tank!

Alright, that wraps up July for me. Have you tried any of these products? What would you have highlighted in your July favorites?

Frolicking in Orlando

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Many months ago, I was trying to change a hotel reservation for my uncle when I unwittingly agreed to a discounted vacation in exchange for a timeshare presentation. I chose to go to Orlando since it had been so long that I don’t remember last time I was there. Everything actually worked out really well – Panda and I got a nice little vacation out of it and right before we went, he was able to earn some free Disney gift cards that we could use on our trip. Plus, he actually had some training out there a few weeks before we went so he got to scout out the area first. Here’s a picture tour of our trip:

annie's mini hot dogs wrapped in pretzel bread

Our trip started with a snack I’d never tried before! Hot dogs + pretzel bread = delicious!!

old school united plane design

Our plane had a cool retro look.

rainbow arching over planes at iad dulles international airport as seen from window seat of plane

As I buckled in for takeoff, I saw nearly a full rainbow!

planes stuck on tarmac waiting for storm to pass

After leaving the gate, we found ourselves stuck waiting for a storm to the south to pass.

sitting waiting on plane with other planes on tarmac grounded due to storm

We waited for nearly three hours! I was lucky Panda gave me his first class seat so I got served drinks the whole time.

united first class meal collage with shrimp salad and hot tea

Once we finally took off, I got a nice meal to tide me over. The pattern in the tea reminded me of cirrus clouds!

collage of dragonfly on ground right side up and upside down

The first thing we saw upon arriving at the hotel was this dragonfly! I went to poke it and it flew off only to land upside down. That can’t be good.

tiny frog blending in with wood chips

Then we nearly stepped on this little guy as he hopped on by!

bright moon over hotel in distance

The moon was super bright and our parking spot was rather far, but it was a nice walk.

collage of anole lizard on porch

The next morning, I found myself a new pet!

square outline created by mirror light in pupil of eye

The mirror in the bathroom made square outlines in our pupils. Fun!

lush green grass growing thickly

I haven’t seen such thick grass in years! I miss that.

downtown disney marketplace entrance

Off to Downtown Disney!

taking a go at the t-shirt designing machine

The first shop we stopped in had these t-shirt designing machines! We just had to play around with one.

giant mickey face rice crispy cake

Goofy’s Candy Shop included all sorts of yummy sweets.

giant world of disney store at downtown disney orlando

Here we go into the Disney store, gift cards at the ready!

testing out the basin lip scrubs

I loved the Basin store with all its skincare goodies, like these lip scrubs that I tried.

collage of basin store products

Panda knew right away I would love this store! Can I bring it all home??

collage of various bath bombs at basin store

They had so many bath bombs, including adorable mini ones!

basin sinks with body scrubs and body butters to test out

Everyone enjoyed the sinks the middle, where you could try out their body scrubs and butters.

caffeine and mosquito fighting soaps

I found some pretty cool soaps with other purposes too – one with caffeine and one to ward off mosquitos!

large soap logs stacked up

I wonder if they ever sell their soap by the log.

basin products including solid shampoo, conditioner, and facial soap

I got two solid shampoo bars, two solid conditioner bars, and a charcoal facial soap.

bird standing by waterfront with wings outspread

That random bird stood motionless with wings spread out for so long I started to think it might be fake.

collage of fulton's crab shack in day and night

Panda made a reservation weeks ago so we could eat here. 🙂

view of sunset, clouds, and water from fulton's crab shack

A great view where we sat!

collage of bread, crackers, seafood pasta, and crab leg meals

The bread and crackers with dip were delicious! I also gobbled up my crab legs. NOM

collage of bird on tip of pointy tree and bird poo on table

The area was plagued by birds. They even attacked a squirrel!

string of lights at dusk on boat

These lights are so nice; I want some for my own home!

collage of pleasure island area of downtown disney

The Pleasure Island part of Downtown Disney is much more adult-oriented.

la nouba cirque du soleil mug

Love the pattern on this mug. If we actually saw La Nouba I probably would have gotten it.

twinkling lights in trees at downtown disney

They had twinkling lights in the trees to make it feel like there were fireflies. I wish there actually were some!

disney institution graduation mickey ears cap with tassel

We brought along Panda’s graduation cap that he got just a week or two before.

minnie mouse red and white polka dot bow tank top

One of the very first items I decided to buy. So cute! See what else we got.

comparing murano glass on tous ring to disney mickey ears

I just had to compare my Murano glass to theirs. I like mine. 🙂

sonic's chili cheese tater tots and hot dog

I love all things chili cheese. I’d never had chili cheese tots before and they are my new fav!

bright sun shining over dark cloud

You never know when you’ll get sun or clouds around here.

red car with crazy air fresheners

That red car strung up like 50 of those tree air fresheners. Can you see it? Hilarious.

disney boardwalk lake

We arrive at the Boardwalk area and explore the stores overlooking the lake.

small turtle in lake among plants

I found some fish and a turtle to feed!

disney tugboat on lake

As we crossed a bridge, this tugboat came scootin’ along.

collage of girl feeding ducks bread

On the tiny beach they created, there were ducks eager to eat my bread. I had so much fun feeding them!

mickey golf globe

These fun globes tested your ability to get the ball to balance on the peg.

disney character pens with ends bent into head shapes

Such cute pens!

disney credit card swiping machine

Even the credit card machines have Mickey’s head on them.

collage of handicapped room features including automatic door, bars in restroom, and no closet doors

We got a handicapped room, which I quite liked – our door had an auto open button!

collage of buena vista palace rooms

We stayed at the Buena Vista Palace and our suite was nice and spacious.

collage of buena vista palace public areas

Here are some of the public spaces at the Buena Vista Palace.

collage of exterior spaces at buena vista palace

And here are some of the exterior spaces at Buena Vista Palace.

large three-row golf cart outside buena vista palace

That golf cart is practically a tour tram!

ming court dim sum

Before heading to the airport, we stop for some dim sum at Ming Court.

anole lizard blending in with sidewalk

Tons of lizards around here (or anoles). Masterfully blending with the sidewalk.

silver tea pot with spill-free spout

This tea pot’s spout is perfect for spill-free pouring!

long escalator going up multiple floors

After returning the rental car, we took a super long escalator up to the gates.

collage of disney character-shaped crayons and green turtle t-shirt

We did a little more browsing at the airport before checking in.

disney tron-themed airport tram terminals

The tram terminals were Tron-themed, I believe.

hangers in first class seating

If you need to hang up your coat in first class, they’ve got that handled.

reflection of sunlight on ring

As I wait for takeoff, I admire how my ring catches the light.

jetway outside airplane viewed from window of plane

Back in Dulles, I actually see the jetway from my seat. And soon enough we were home!

In the mail: a sample, a splurge, and some winnings

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Just like my first “in the mail” post, these are all items I received in the past month or so. Most were free, but some I paid for and each package was just as exciting as the next. I especially love when I’m not sure what is in a box because I wasn’t expecting it. It’s like a mini celebration each time. 🙂

cat eating purina one smartblend healthy metabolism out of bagI received this very generous size sample of Purina One SmartBlend in Healthy Metabolism (a new variety that just came out) from Walmart. They were offering it for awhile but have since moved on to promoting dog food. Missy, as you can see, loved it. Molly, the other cat, doesn’t eat it though. I doled it out to Missy slowly and only as a snack aside from her normal dry food and made it last about a month! I have since bought a bag of it because she enjoyed it so much and maybe it’s my imagination, or is her little belly less flabby? Maybe her metabolism is healthier now.

zoya nail polishes in harley, zuza, crystal, pandora, skylar, ziv, sienna, and bottle of nail polish removerThese are the polishes I chose for the Earth Day exchange (missing: Penny, a coppery shade – it was sent later since it was backordered). In order, they are Harley, Zuza, Crystal, Pandora, Skylar, Ziv, and Sienna. Since my order was over $30, I got a cute little bottle of nail polish remover as well. The box included some brochures and “spoons” with samples of some of their other colors. I have never bought this much nail polish at once, but I figured since I’m swapping out my old ones I’d do a few more.

lumnique deluxe candle set with candle, card, matches, and fancy boxI won this really cool Lumnique deluxe candle set from Monica of Creative Me. This is a very unique brand that allows you to customize your own candle creation – check them out! It was really fun going through and picking out an intention (something to be mindful of every time I light it), a color (my favorite), and a scent (this was hard with so many great choices!). I ultimately went with the Good Luck intention “to remind you that impossible situations can become attainable miracles,” the Royal color “representative of intuition, idealism, honor, royalty, spirituality, nobility, transformation, wisdom, enlightenment,” and the Green Tea Lemongrass scent “like savoring a cup of relaxing green tea with invigorating lemongrass, this citrusy scent renews, refreshes and restores balance and harmony.” I love that it came with a cute box of matches too!

klorane bag with dry shampoo bottle and facial wipesThis set of Klorane products was a SheKnows giveaway that I won… except that I won the Citrus Pulp Giveaway offering the Klorane Citrus Pulp Shampoo and Leave-In Spray. But what they sent me was the prize pack for their other Klorane giveaway offering the Klorane Eco-Friendly Essentials Earth Day Kit with a reusable pouch, dry shampoo with oat milk, and biodegradable make-up remover wipes with cornflower water. While this kit is cool, I was really looking forward to trying the leave-in spray so I was a bit disappointed. When I emailed them to say they sent me the wrong items, they got back to me with the reply I predicted: they substituted my prize. I wish they had at least thrown in something else to make the value  of the prizes the same – my original prize was worth $30 but this one is only worth $20. Oh well, winning is still better than nothing!

seabuck wonders himalayan sea buckthorn exfoliating facial cleanser and himalayan sea buckthorn facial creamAnother great win from Creative Me! This set of SeabuckWonders products is my current skincare routine and I’m loving it. If you’re not familiar with sea buckthorn, it’s a bright orange “superfruit” found in the Himalayans (so exotic) and because of the harsh environment it grows in, it has a ton of defensive mechanisms that translate to all kinds of health benefits of us humans. You can consume things made with it (and presumably eat the fruit directly if you’re lucky enough to have access) or use products made with it to get some of those benefits. One of the most unique things about it is its Omega-7 property, which is rare, though I have no idea what Omega-7s are good for. I love how both these products feel and that they will last me a long time since such a little amount is needed each time.

sibu beauty sea buckthorn balancing facial cleanser with box and brochureWhat great luck that I was also able to win this Sibu Sea Buckthorn Balancing Facial Cleanser! I will have to try this out to compare with the SeabuckWonders one. I could see myself using both since one is exfoliating and one is not. I like to switch it up! I previously got Sibu soap in a Yuzen box and it was the first time I’d heard of sea buckthorn. I am now obsessed with that special berry so I love it when any of my beauty products incorporate it.

Gogobot 500 Days of Summer

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In celebration of reaching 500 members in Gogobot’s West LA Facebook group, the lovely community manager and her interns put together a party that also featured the premiere of the Gogobus Thrift Shop music video that we filmed at the Gogobus Stop Spring Break Party. Of course I had to be there! We took over the outdoor patio at the back of Rush Street in Culver City. It was nice to see some familiar faces from the last event and also get a chance to meet some new ones.

Stay tuned for an update to the music video when it’s posted! [Update: it’s up!! GO WATCH IT (and like please) – I’ve also embedded it below. Enjoy! :)]

rush street in culver city

Approaching the venue.

gogobot 500 days of summer venue

Love the outdoor patio!

gogobot event check in goodies

Upon checking in, you were given a cute beach ball stress ball, some bubbles, and a greeting card and postcard. Photo credit: Steven Lam

gogobot free stuff on tables

Free swag was strewn across the tables. 🙂 Photo credit: Steven Lam

rush street food including pizza, sweet potato fries, and mac & cheese

Quite a delicious spread! Photo credit: Steven Lam

rush street mac & cheese

Perfectly cooked.

cupcakes with blue frosting 500 sign

And of course there was dessert. Some people already snagged a few before I could get a shot.

grabbing cupcakes

I wanted a chocolate one and this looked right but it turned out to be vanilla, lol.

gogobus music video premiere

The Gogobus music video premiere! Photo credit: Gogobot West LA Community Manager Audrey Lo

gogobus music video awards

The awards for the music video! Photo credit: Gogobot West LA Community Manager Audrey Lo

Back to Bruin

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I enjoyed a lovely day back on campus with Panda and a ton of other UCLA alumni today for Alumni Day 2013! It’s the first time most of us have ever seen or been in the new Pauley Pavilion and wow, it is nice. Our day started off by checking in outside and getting our reusable tote bags with the programs inside. We had nice large name tag lanyards displaying our graduation year. Inside Pauley’s food court/concession stand area were a bunch of stations filled with food options! The Chancellor was about to speak inside the arena, so we rushed to grab some breakfast before heading in. I got a couple of quiches and Panda got a parfait.

inside newly renovated pauley pavilion concession stand area on ucla alumni day 2013

It’s bright and beautiful in here.

We sat down just as the Chancellor was introducing the keynote speaker: Guy Kawasaki. One of our friends happened to notice us and beckoned us to join her. We then settled in to learn the art of enchantment from Guy (and I was so enchanted that I totally forgot to take a picture or video to commemorate the event!!). We learned that crow’s feet are good, you’ve got to accept people, you should have a “yes” mentality, you should find something small in common to start building a connection, and so much more. When he was done speaking, we returned upstairs and found all kinds of tasty treats awaiting. We got some dessert items and a cup of Jamba Juice, but weren’t hungry enough for the hot dogs, nachos, churros, etc.

crowd of ucla alumni climbing up stairs inside pauley pavilion

I can’t believe I didn’t take a picture until we were leaving Guy Kawasaki’s speech.

ucla alumni day 2013 desserts including diddy riese cookies, macaroons, blue velvet cupcakes, and chocolate truffle pops

smiling with chocolate on teeth, lips, and mouth from eating chocolate truffle pop

I’ve got chocolate all over my teeth and lips but I don’t mind!

ucla alumni day 2013 speaker lounge in pauley pavilion

Speakers had some couches to hang out at, where we could find them to chat.

We then split up for the smaller sessions, which were about 20 minutes long. Each time slot had three options of topics to choose from and to cover the most ground, Panda I chose different ones so we could learn the most. I started off listening to the co-founder of the Nom Nom Truck talk about change, but I arrived late and kind of missed too much of the presentation to get much out of it. Then it was off to hear from Mike Flynn, co-founder of Opportunity Green, who told a fun story about his own path of growth. Then I heard from a guy who helped launch Startup UCLA, which is sort of an accelerator program for startups that UCLA students and recent grads work on. I actually know two people who participated in the program and worked on two different companies!

mike flynn speaking at ucla alumni day 2013 in james west alumni center

I used to work with Mike, so I had to go support him and listen to his speech!

ucla letters made with photo collage

A cool display in the James West Alumni Center.

ucla pavilion club in basement of pauley pavilion

Some of the presentations were in the Pavilion Club. Looks fancy!

For the last presentation of the day, I went to hear Sue Enquist talk about Coach Wooden’s impact on her and advice taken from him for living a better life. I actually ran into a girl from my high school prior to heading in and got a chance to catch up with her as we went in to the session. Once we got out, I caught up with Panda and we got a chance to explore the store at Pauley, as well as some of the many booths and tables that were set up around the area.

sue enquist speaking at ucla alumni day 2013 in pauley pavilion

Sue Enquist sharing Wooden wisdom.

sign in store at pauley pavilion with ucla fight fight fight incorporated with adidas logo

I love how our 8-clap meshes with the Adidas logo.

By 2, everything within Pauley was wrapping up and many alum were already heading out, but Panda and I went to the SAC pool to enjoy a boat race put on by engineering students! It was a grand old time watching the students putting their cardboard and duct tape creations to the test of staying afloat as someone rowed it one lap in the pool. There were some pretty hilarious sinking moments that seemed to happen in slow motion and there were a few runaway successes too!

zoya crystal nail polish blue with gold flecks on fingernails in sunshine

When I saw a blue and gold nail polish I just had to get it (and of course wear it to alumni day!).

ucla engineering students in cardboard boat race at sac pool

The two-person team in the first heat actually did the best despite the additional weight!

limp wet cardboard boat being dragged off after failing in pool

One of the poor creations that got soaked and ruined in the water, now retired.

guys sitting in sinking cardboard boat during boat race in pool

Even as the boat sank, the students kept rowing…

After all the fun was over, I got a chance to peruse the UCLA Store. It’s one of my favorite stores in the whole world, probably because of all the cool clothing they have with various UCLA messaging on them. I love anything related to my alma mater! I tried on some things and got a chance to purchase my favs. The rest will go on my wishlist. That hat? Not so much. And I was so surprised to find Hello Kitty as a Bruin! Lol.

collage of various ucla bearwear items at ucla store

I browsed a ton of great clothing items at the UCLA Store! I’m a sucker for anything with my alma mater.

To wrap up, Panda and I wandered around campus a bit to enjoy the sunshine and each other. Then it was off again, with both of us returning to our respective parents’ homes. As we were walking out, Panda realized we hadn’t done a single 8-clap all day (what?!?!) – that’s pretty much unheard of at a UCLA event, so I did one in my head. 😉

standing over janss steps' sixth step

I respect the story of the sixth step. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, ask a True Bruin.

set of four jets flying by ucla's janss steps

Those four jets seemed to be practicing maneuvers over UCLA.

ucla alumni day swag including bag & button, ecos products, whitelines notebook, ucla anderson items, raytheon notepad, and wooden usb

Check out all the cool free things I got!

What a great day in terms of goodies! Not only was there tons of food (I later got a salad and sandwich that I brought back home with me, as well as chips and soda), but I got quite a few other treats as well. It started off with the reusable tote and my badge with lanyard. Then there were buttons and wooden USBs for the taking. At the UCLA Anderson table, I got a nice booklet with various sizes of post-its inside and a shiny pen. At the networking area, the engineering table had fun Raytheon post-its for the taking so I got some of those. Towards the end of the day, I went to chat with the people of Ecos and the VP generously offered me one of the full size products they had on display since they were leaving soon! I had already gotten a nice sample of their laundry detergent so I picked the stain & odor remover. And finally, in the UCLA Store, there was a shelf with Whitelines that were FREE. LOVE IT!!!

And to wrap up, I couldn’t resist spending some money on my alma mater. I acquired a sweet Spring Sing top to wear it loud and proud for our awesome musical tradition. I acquired a cool UCLA Fund t-shirt for donating money and participating in the North vs. South campus competition. Lastly, I acquired a lovely aqua sweatshirt with the UCLA seal on it in glittery screenprint. I’m so excited about each of these items and can’t wait to wear them excessively. 🙂

collage of ucla shirts from alumni day including spring sing tank, ucla fund t-shirt, and ucla seal sweatshirt

Gogobot Spring Break Bus Party

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Been away all day! I had a grand old time at Gogobot West LA’s Spring Break Bus Party extravaganza. Check out what we did!

across the street from lemonade cafeteria in venice

We met up at 11 to start the day at Lemonade in Venice.

girl hugging giant teddy bear wearing gogobot tshirt

Gogobear always comes along for the fun!

lemonade sign inside back room

We went inside right as they opened and took over the back room.

bag of gogobot goodies with leggings, snap-on wrist band, and friendship bracelet

We each got a little gift! The girls got leggings, those snap-on wristbands that everyone loved as a kid, and a friendship bracelet. The guys got fun ties and bowties.

lemonade cafeteria selection of sides

Time to eat! We got a choice of about 20 different sides. I got the yummy soba on the right!

lemonade cafeteria meal with one side of soba noodles, one curry chicken entree, and a watermelon sage lemonade

It was a tough choice, but this is what I ended up with (though I made two friends and the three of us swapped dishes to try more variety.)

girl dressed in odd assortment of thrift shop style clothing

Time to gear up with the theme of thrift shop wear! The little gifts they gave us came in quite handy and I used all three.

large shaggy dog with ponytail

After lunch, there was time to stroll around Venice and we came across this shaggy dog.

fuzzy leaf

By 1:15, it was time to meet up for our bus tour! The tree we were waiting by had these fun fuzzy leaves.

rastabus colorful la day tour bus

Our ride, the Rastabus, has arrived! Let the party begin. 🙂

Tons of random fun weird costumes. Love it! Nearly ready to load the bus...

Tons of random fun weird costumes. Love it! Nearly ready to load the bus…

settling in to colorful rastabus for day tour

Bright, colorful, and pumping with music! Now this is a cool party bus!

two people wearing sunglasses with moustaches

I meet a new friend and he shares his crazy fun ‘stache glasses with me. 🙂

people sitting on stairs in front of california science center

We arrive at the California Science Center and people stare as oddly-dressed people come piling out of this festive bus.

collage of attempts at capturing a jumping shot on stairs of california science center

Whee, I have some fun with a jumping shot on the stairs before we head in!

california science center entrance with golden globes hanging from ceiling

What a pretty entrance to this place.

standing on escalator looking down towards bottom floor

This is my first time here! We all take the escalators up to the line to view the Endeavour.

posing in front of endeavour space shuttle at california science center

We go admire the Endeavour space shuttle, which only recently made its home here at the California Science Center.

tiles underneath the endeavour space shuttle

The bottom/back of the shuttle is composed of tons of little tiles.

goodyear blimp as seen from california science center

As we head out, the Good Year blimp makes an appearance.

holographic image of eye with earth as iris on wall of california science center

There’s a cool section of the wall that is holographic and the images “move” as you walk by.

gogobot pros waiting to board rastabus at california science center

Back to the Rastabus for our next adventure!

view of downtown los angeles from loft in la brewery district

Next stop, the LA Brewery Art Walk! We checked out a loft with a nice view of downtown LA (which, coincidentally, is where some of my friends live).

altervision 3d blacklight experience exhibit at la brewery art walk

I got caught up in conversations at the loft until it was nearly time to go, but managed to join two others in a quick visit to this Altervision 3D Blacklight Experience!

picture inside altervision 3d exhibit at la brewery art walk

I try to take a selfie inside but it’s hard to see! Now only is it dark, but I’ve got on 3D glasses and it’s disorienting.

neon butterflies inside altervision 3d experience at la brewery art walk

Just some of the amazing artwork inside. They had a bunch of cool rooms to explore!

chocolate soft serve ice cream one with crooked swirl

Before getting back on the bus, I am treated to a wonderfully lopsided ice cream cone.

guy hugging giant teddy bear at griffith observatory while sitting on fence

And our last stop, Griffith Observatory, where we chilled and enjoyed the scenery. Gogobear gets some love too.

After this, my phone died! We had some fun checking out the view, then headed back to our original meeting point and most people went their own ways. A few of us decided to meet up for dinner and spent some extra time together before parting ways. I got back just before 11 pm, after a very full day of activities! Good times. 🙂

Target Earth Day Haul

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peek inside target earth day bag with samples from eco-friendly brandsThis morning, we had a little family outing to Target to get the free reusable bags for Earth Day! The good thing about my town is that store traffic is pretty light, so we didn’t have to worry about them running out. Also, ours came with samples! I’m sure plenty of other Targets only passed out bags mostly, especially if they’re in a concentrated area where a ton of people would come running for free snacks/skincare/cleaning products. That’s the one good thing about living in a quiet suburban area – we may not always have the most things in stock or the best sales, but on offers like this we tend to get a sweeter deal (and an easier time getting it). On the right you can see a sneak peek of the goodies we got from our 3 bags.

And here’s a look at everything laid out:

target earth day haul with reusable bag and samples from eco-friendly brands

target bit tote small reusable bag given on earth dayYou can see on average each bag had 4 samples, plus the coupon book. There might have been other samples available, but here’s what we got in our bags, which I think is pretty representative of what was available: 2 Method Smarty Dish Plus dishwasher tablets, 3 Seventh Generation Laundry Detergent samples (good for one large load of laundry each), 3 bags of Annie’s Bunny Grahams (with honey, chocolate, & chocolate chip) made with whole grains, 3 Burt’s Bees Sensitive skincare Daily Moisturizing Cream samples, 1 Seventh Generation Natural Dish Liquid sample, and three Target coupon booklets with over $44 worth of savings on various eco-conscious brands like the ones shown. Sponsors this year that didn’t have products included were plantbottle, GE, and Neutrogena Naturals.

target bit tote small reusable bag with words made of tiny handprintsThe bags themselves are deemed a “bit tote” because they’re a smaller size and the messaging this year is “each bit counts.” I totally agree with this! People often dismiss efforts to be more green because they think “oh this one time won’t matter” or they wonder “can I really make such a difference?” While we may not see it, the sum of all our little “bits” can add up pretty fast, especially over time. So I hope people become more conscious of this and do a little more each day to conserve, repurpose, reuse, recycle, etc. In addition, with each action we take, we can change our way of thinking and doing so that we become more and more “green” – so I see every small step compounding into bigger and bigger steps for the future.

One final note – I loved that the words were composed of tiny little handprints! Very cute and it goes with the idea that each of us counts. Every bit.

A TOUS holiday

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Panda went browsing at the TOUS store the other day and came back with some free goodies!  Don’t mind Missy, she was just admiring her new toys…

light greenish blue tous gift bag tied with red ribbon

TOUS gift bag!

tous holiday stockings and product catalog

Inside the bag were two TOUS stockings and a copy of their catalog.

Pampered again

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My second time around at Pamper Me Fabulous brought about a heftier gift bag, a taste of the cuisine, and sweet new products. What I did miss were the free services, which I signed up for but came too late to get a chance before the day was over.

room full of gift bags given to attendees of pamper me fabulous

My first order of business was to get a swag bag full of goodies!

expert corner stage at pamper me fabulous with shirtless guys giving out hats

Then I wandered around and attended this panel where shirtless guys gave away hats.

ladies sitting on hillside facing ocean view at terranea during pamper me fabulous event

For lunch I went to enjoy the view like these ladies.

panoramic view of the pacific ocean from terranea resort

It’s a sweeping view up here.

view of rocky beach and red cliffs from terranea resort

What glorious cliffs.

view of pamper me fabulous bazaar area in ballroom of terranea resort

Back to the hubbub of the bazaar!

view of terranea resort and ocean from up the hill

By mid-afternoon I was worn and ready to go. You get a nice view leaving Terranea Resort.

a peek at items included in the pamper me fabulous gift bag given to attendees this year

My baggie was brimming with goodies.

sign showing yield to golfers at terranea resort

Haha, what a golfing community it must be.

small reusable bamboo boat-like tray bowl used for salad at terranea resort

After gobbling down my salad, I noticed the bowl thing wasn’t paper! So of course I had to take it home with me. 😛

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