August « 2013 « ((little fat notebook))

365great Day 170: Treatsie

laelene Posted in 365great，Tags: 365great, boxes, candy, food, pictures, products, snacks, subscriptions, treatsie

31 August 2013

I’ve been subscribed to Treatsie for a few months now and I’ve been enjoying the sweets they send. I love how you get to dabble in a bunch of delicious treats to find what most appeals to you. I’ve tried some really tasty stuff that I definitely plan on repurchasing and their site makes it super easy! After all, part of the point of these subscription services is to introduce you to new products and brands that you’ll fall in love with and become a loyal customer of, right? I enjoy how Treatsie consolidated the shopping experience for the products featured in their boxes, so you don’t have to hunt down each company’s website or locate them in a nearby store (if available). I can just order directly from their site without all that hassle. So kudos to them for first making it easier to discover artisan confections and then making it so simple to purchase any of them! Making things easier is always a great idea.

[This post contains affiliate links. Signing up through them helps support my subscription and I’d be ever so grateful. 🙂 All opinions are my own and I received no compensation for this review. I just purchased this box and wanted to share what I got!]

The forgotten city of York

laelene Posted in general blog, photo blog，Tags: experience, panda, pictures, study abroad, travel, uk, york

31 August 2013

When I told people I was studying abroad in York back in the day, they said, “Cool, New York!” *cringe* It was a common encounter with my American friends and one that baffled me – I mean, I just told you I’m studying abroad… which means out of the country. Somehow that didn’t click with them and as soon as they heard York, they automatically added the “new” part. It’s kind of like when they first try to spell my last name and even though I say “Q with no U,” their brains sort of filter out that fact and continue on with “Quin” as if I’d never said a thing.

People don’t seem to be aware of (or care) what New York was named after. In fact, many don’t even realize its namesake is over in the UK. I guess they’re just not curious about how New York (or New Jersey or New Hampshire for that matter) got its name. It’s kind of sad because York has gotten rather overshadowed by its far more famous counterpart. Granted, it’s nowhere near as large or populous, but it has a charm all its own. So today I’d like to share with you what the original city of York is like…

Welcome to York!

toffs green street in york with black fence on one side and red brick buildings ahead

Here you will find a picturesque town with many quiet streets.

clifford street in york with york dungeon entrance and lots of red buildings

The busier streets contain many attractions like the York Dungeon.

overlooking part of river ouse in york from street bridge

The River Ouse makes it way through the town and offers fun boat rides. Watch out for when it floods!

view of clifford's tower from side with staircase

One of the more distinct landmarks is Clifford’s Tower, high atop its own hill.

view of merry-go-round and york castle museum from clifford's tower

Clifford’s Tower offers great views of the town!

clock tower of all saints pavement parish in york

You’ll find very historical spots here and beautiful old architecture.

York Minster is a major attraction and the largest building around! Check out their evensong generally at 5.15pm.

mansion house at st. helen's square in york in plaza with flowers

There are some plazas where you’ll find beautiful flowers and space to sit.

university of york vistior welcome centre

Over to the southeast, you’ll find the University of York (where I spent my year abroad!).

view of university of york lake and department of mathematics building

The campus is quite nice and always improving!

standing outside browns bakery of heslington where they specialize in quality sandwiches

On the far end of campus is a teeny town called Heslington, where you’ll find this awesome deli/sandwich shop. Go try their food!

And that’s the York that I know and love. There is plenty more to see and do, which I will try to highlight another time, but you can see it’s got a character far different from the big city lights that people mistakenly envisioned (thinking NYC) when I said I was studying there. I’m happy that I got to share this place with Panda and I hope to continue coming back over the years.

365great Day 169: trains

laelene Posted in 365great，Tags: 365great, childhood, experiences, pictures, trains, transportation, travel

30 August 2013

Learn more about 365great here.

I’ve always enjoyed traveling on trains. In my childhood, I’d go back to China each summer and ride a 12-hour train to get from Beijing to Shenyang. Oftentimes it’d be the overnight one, where we got fun bunk beds. I loved being on the top one because it was do high up and since I was small I fit easily. There wasn’t enough room to sit up properly since it was just meant for the sleeping portion of your trip. If you wanted to sit you could use the bottom bunk if the person let you, or stand around the aisles and snag a seat. They gave out these fabulous 3D puzzle keychains that I couldn’t get enough of. I trained myself to be able to put it back together with my eyes closed! During the day, I really like how the landscapes pass by and you really get a feel for the countryside. Plus, it’s nice to be able to get up as you please. For the most part the price is also great if you’re willing to spend some more time on the road. The best part? No tedious security checks!

Treatsie August review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions，Tags: boxes, candy, caramels, chocolate bars, coconut milk caramels, pictures, products, reviews, subscriptions, treatsie

30 August 2013

The sweetest box out there has made its way to my doorstep, in my suitcase, and now to my tummy! Here’s what came in my latest Treatsie box:

The Treatsie box. So nice for repurposing!

First look at the August box.

Treatsie is $15 per box and comes with artisan candy from 3 brands. That usually means 5 or 6 different flavors of treats. Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. They offer a referral link program.

This Charming Candy blackberry + hibiscus and watermelon~basil lollipops: What cool flavors! I really like how they use some more unique pairings that you wouldn’t typically find in a candy. I tried the watermelon basil and it reminds me of a watermelon basil lemonade I had at a Gogobot event. The flavor is a wonderful blend of sweet and refreshing, perfect for the summer months! I’m really looking forward to the blackberry hibiscus as well, which I think will be a nice sweet and slightly tart taste. Super cute candies for slowing down with. I can definitely relax with one of these and take a few minutes to stop what I’m doing.

Seattle Chocolates Birthday Cake Batter milk chocolate truffle bar: I’ve seen these around and planned on trying them at some point, so this is perfect! Apparently you could get one of three flavors and I’m pretty happy with this one. I wouldn’t have minded the S’mores flavor either! There’s a layer of confetti cake mix in the center of this chocolate bar, giving it some grittiness and a crunch. The chocolate is rich and creamy and the bar as a whole is super sweet. Just a small piece at a time will satisfy that sweet tooth!

Slade Grove Creative Gourmet Watermelon Infused & Vanilla Latte caramels: Wow, just when I thought I’d seen some pretty creative caramel flavors (like coconut milk caramels), I’m proven wrong. I never would have thought to include watermelon flavoring in a caramel! It’s pretty cool – kind of like eating a caramel AND watermelon taffy in one. The vanilla latte is a strong flavor and in not a coffee fan so I’m passing this on to someone else.

Did you get this box too? What did you think?

365great Day 168: scarves

laelene Posted in 365great，Tags: 365great, accessories, clothing, pictures, products

29 August 2013

Learn more about 365great here.

I never fully appreciated the usefulness of scarves until more recently. I didn’t really start wearing scarves until I studied abroad in England. There, the brisk air made it almost necessary to step out with something wrapped around my neck. Still, I stopped wearing them once I returned stateside. Now that I’m going to be back in an office that is quite chilly, I think I’ll be breaking out the scarves again. What a perfect way to keep warm without putting on a full blown parka and looking insane in the hot months. Plus, I can wrap it around my shoulders like a shawl if I want to feel like I’m wearing a jacket without actually wearing one. I can even use it as a light blanket on my legs if they get cold! A scarf can be so versatile without really weighing you down. And with all the different materials they’re made of, the sizes and shapes, as well as the colors and patterns, you’re bound to find something you like! Isn’t that great?

On My Mind, episode 10

laelene Posted in on my mind，Tags: experience, food, los angeles, on my mind, pictures, products, travel

29 August 2013

Linking up for Thursday Thoughts with Jennifer of Ramblings of a Suburban Mom!

cat sitting on shelf in pantry among various food products

Hehe, how fun it is to find a cat in my pantry.

a. ~I miss having cats around. It was really nice to have Missy and Molly at home and I’ve been thinking about when I could possibly bring Missy out east with me. I’m afraid Molly might flip out if we moved her so it’s probably best for her to stay put. At some point if it seems like I’ll be home constantly, I definitely want to consider moving Missy and even getting her a friend. I’ll have to see how this job pans out – while it looks like I will be working out of the Reston office for the most part, there is still the slight possibility there might be some travel involved. If that’s the case it would be too much trouble to find care for the cat(s) while both Panda and I are gone for work. I also want to wait until we move to the condo so I can minimize the number of moves the cat would make. I’m really looking forward to the day I get my kitty back!

b. ~My visit home was too brief. I felt like I just got back and got some stuff done and it was already time to pack up and head out. I guess that’s how it will be now when I return home to my parents’ place. I arranged to meet with my former coworkers down in El Segundo and got a chance to see how much the company has changed. They’ve hired a ton of new kids (mostly fresh college grads) and seem to be constantly changing the seating arrangements of different departments. Some of the old business focuses have died as new ones picked up and overall they’re expanding quite well. A few people have left and they now have a New York office open as well. Oh, and there are quite a few girls now! Pretty amazing since I’m used to being either the only female or one of just two or three.

c. ~I got a chance to visit a friend in the Little Tokyo area of downtown and had a wonderful time out there. It’s a great place to live if you want easy access to that region, which has a ton of delicious food. We had udon at a place where you can watch the noodles being made and then stopped by a tea room where I got two baggies of tea. I was also introduced to this thing called a cronut, which is a cross between a croissant and a donut. You get the light fluffy layers of a croissant in a donut shape, fried and covered in sugar granules. They offer a couple of different flavors, with the sauce/jelly/custard not just topping the cronut but also piped inside. It’s pretty fabulous and I’m going to have to eat a lot more. I could definitely get used to that sort of living, though I don’t like being so crowded in to one giant building when it comes to my living situation. It is really nice to be able to go to high traffic areas like that and not have to worry about parking though!

chef at japanese restaurant chopping line of udon noodles

Chopping up a line of udon noodles!

bags of loose leaf tea bought from chado tea

Treated myself to two of the loose leaf teas sold at Chado.

collage of cronuts croiisant and donut cross

I got the blueberry flavor. Yuuum!

d. ~I’ve done too much walking in shoes not meant for long distance. I really need to get around to buying a pair of sneakers! Ideally I’d get those Nike FlyKnit ones, but I don’t need something so high performance. What’s most important is a pair of shoes that my feet won’t hurt in. Even though my flats have padding, it’s not enough to keep my feet from throbbing after wandering the streets for miles. I’ll have to go try out these shoes to see if they soles are comfortable enough for walking and walking and walking in. While I’m open to other options, I would really fancy getting a pair of these! Might actually motivate me to go running now and then. 🙂

e. ~I bought some American Eagle jeans (and a pair of slacks) at a steal and I’ve been enjoying having more than one pair of skinny jeans. In fact, I’m probably going to be on the lookout for a few more. For the longest time I always got jeans with flair legs because I thought my calves were too big for the skinny jeans. This might have been true in past years, but lately I’ve slimmed down and have normal legs now. So, my newest thing will be skinny jeans! I have a dark blue pair and now this lighter blue pair with ripped knees. I’ll need some more shades of blue in various styles and maybe a black pair as well.

Alright, that’s it from me for today. What’s on your mind these days?

365great Day 167: international roaming

laelene Posted in 365great，Tags: 365great, international, mobile phones, pictures, roaming, services, technology, travel

28 August 2013

Learn more about 365great here.

When I left for my trip to the UK, I went into my mobile phone account and added international data to my plan. For $30, I can use 120 MB in most countries around the world – perfect for a medium-length vacation where I’d like the freedom to hop online to get directions or look things up. I don’t feel imprisoned by an inability to use mobile data and that is quite liberating. I am so much more empowered this way and it’s especially useful in a foreign country where you easily get lost and need help finding things. I only turn it on when I need to use it and then I disable it right away to ensure no crazy overages. I did accidentally forget how much data it takes to upload a picture so I used up a large chunk of the allowance early on, but have since learned my lesson. This time I opted just for data because it’s more useful to me, but being able to easily allow roaming for data, text, or voice for a decent price is pretty great.

Escape Monthly August: Napa Valley Box Review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions，Tags: baths, boxes, candles, cookies, escape monthly, face masks, food, gift cards, lip balms, loofahs, lotions, napa valley, pictures, products, reviews, scrubs, skincare, snacks, soaps, subscriptions, travel

28 August 2013

Woo hoo! I got the very first Escape Monthly box last week and it turned out great. When I heard the destination for this box would be Napa, I was a bit concerned it might be too focused on wine. Since I don’t drink, that wouldn’t make a very fun box for me. Luckily, it had a great mix of food, skincare, relaxation products, and travel info. I had to rush off before I could get proper pictures of all the products, but here’s an idea of what it all looked like:

Escape Monthly is just under $40 per box (with code for 20% off your subscription – see end of post) and comes with a variety of food, home, skincare items themed around a city. Each box comes with a Moon Handbooks guide for that region. Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. They offer a lovely recurring referral commission program.

(click to enlarge and read full messaging)

I love that they really took the time to write out messaging that fits with their theme and explain how each product can contribute to your experience of this destination. The variety is great, though I think another snack item might have been nice since the products were rather spa-heavy. Still, I liked that there were bath items, skincare items, household items, a food item, a drink item, and of course a tour book of the region. I definitely feel a lot more prepared for what Napa Valley has to offer and I am definitely set for creating a relaxing experience in the comfort of my own home!

Here’s what came in the box:

Moon Handbooks guide to Napa & Sonoma – A very handy thing to have when preparing a trip to the region!
Napa Valley Wine Soap – How cool is this? Made with grapeseed oil and local products – perfectly incorporating relaxation with the wineries.
all natural loofah bath sponge – I’ve wanted to have one of these for ages and kept telling myself I’d grow them, but now I don’t have to!
deluxe floating bath candles (set of 2) – Pretty little flower candles in my favorite color… you know I’ll be making good use of them. I feel so motivated to take a bath.
100% Pure Juicy Sugar Body Scrub – Yes, yes yes! I love trying out this brand and I can’t get enough of scrubs.
Cookie Zen Cookie & Cork Pairing – Well, I’ll skip the wine part and jump straight to the munching on cookies part!
7th Heaven natural face masks – Another brand I’ve been interested in so I can’t wait to use this mask. I’ve been meaning to use masks more!
Mixture Luscious lip balm – I’m looking forward to smelling what scent this is. Lip balms are always useful and I’ll probably throw this in a purse or car so I can have it handy.
mystery soap – So when I get back to my box, I will check on the brand, but there was actually another soap in this box. It was a smaller bar of soap and might be the bonus item mentioned in the info card.
Suki lotion sample – This is a brand I learned about through Yuzen and I’m always happy to try their products. Adding this to my samples baggie that I’m working through!
$50 NakedWines.com gift card – Here’s the wine portion of the theme! I won’t be using it but for those looking to create that Napa experience this would certainly help. If you’d like the code let me know and I can share it with you. Terms do apply so I’ll let you know about those if you’re interested.

My favorite product is the 100% Pure Juicy Sugar Body Scrub, which combines my love of scrubs with my fascination with 100% Pure, which I’ve received sample lotions of before. I can’t wait to try it out when I get a chance! I’m also really happy that there was a loofah included since that’s just the type of bonus accessory item I was hoping for. I’ve gotten tons of food and beauty products from subscriptions and I always appreciate when I get an item that works well with them but is more of a tool. It allows me to enjoy my products that much more!

Did you get an Escape Monthly box? What do you think of their introductory Napa Valley destination box? If you’re interested in signing up, they’re still offering 20% off for the lifetime of your subscription with code ESCAPENOW. Oh! And each month some lucky subscriber wins a trip to the destination!! How amazing is that?? 🙂

365great Day 166: pillows

laelene Posted in 365great，Tags: 365great, home, house, pictures, pillows, products

27 August 2013

Learn more about 365great here.

I’ve got a bit of a love affair with pillows. I love them in all shapes, sizes, fabrics, and uses! I mentioned body pillows before, which are awesome for their huggability, but really any type is good in my book. I have super fun moshi ones like the star and round one here, not very practical but too cute to pass up ones like the Tootise Roll one, and functional ones like a sweet kitty pillow with built-in speaker for listening to music. I like smooth ones and fuzzy ones and coarse ones and stretchy ones. I use them for my head or to hug or keep my lap warm or to pad my butt. They’re such a versatile product! You can find them on beds and couches (and in my case, strewn all over the house). I love when my bed is just covered in them so I can grab whatever suits me at any moment. They’re like little clouds of awesome that you can use to be more comfortable or just to decorate a space. For such a simple product, that’s great!

Window or aisle?

laelene Posted in general blog，Tags: flights, flying, opinion, pictures, planes, preferences, travel

27 August 2013

I’ve been traveling a lot lately and in my flight back to LA not long ago, I had an aisle seat for the first time in ages. In fact, I can’t remember the last time I didn’t have a window seat. I always get a window seat. But, since I was given an exit row seat I figured it would be nicer than cramped in a normal aisle by the window, right? Little did I know how uncomfortable it would be for me to not be able to look outside. As it turns out, being able to stare blankly at the clouds, towns, and landscapes going by is actually really important to me. So that makes me wonder: do you prefer the window seat or aisle seat? (I’m assuming most people wouldn’t go for the center seat.)

I’m all about the windows because I love looking out. I don’t mind being squished in a small space and I rarely need to get up to move around or use the restroom. If the flight is around 5 hours or less, I almost never get up. It’s only on more long-distance (typically international) flights that I would get up. Plus, I love having the wall to lean on.

Meanwhile, Panda is an aisle seat kind of guy. He prefers the extra space to spread out a little and the freedom to get up as he pleases. He doesn’t mind not seeing out and when in first class, he gets to choose his meal earlier!

So what about you? Do you always sit in a window or aisle seat? Or do you like the center seat??

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((little fat notebook))

365great Day 170: Treatsie

The forgotten city of York

365great Day 169: trains

Treatsie August review

365great Day 168: scarves

On My Mind, episode 10

365great Day 167: international roaming

Escape Monthly August: Napa Valley Box Review

365great Day 166: pillows

Window or aisle?

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laelene

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