One of my friends in LA introduced me to cronuts back when I was visiting him and his girlfriend in DTLA. There’s this one bakery that makes them in Little Tokyo and they are faaabulous. A donut-shaped fried treat with the texture of a croissant, filled with sweetness, rolled in sugar, and topped with fruit/chocolate… I mean, this is just madness. I tried to go get one from the original place in NYC but they’re so popular you have to get up before the crack of dawn to stand in line for hours. The one in LA will set some aside from their next batch if you call in, which is what we did. I had the blueberry one and OMG it was all kinds of amazing. I’m looking forward to getting some more when I return to the area for Thanksgiving. They’re expensive at $4 a pop, but they are oh so great.
365great Day 256: cronuts
I <3 nerdy boys
I had fun being a nerdy girl for a performance at UCLA Orientation’s Cabaret.
I love myself a nerdy boy. The ones who are engineers or scientists or other such south campus* majors. The ones who may not be eloquent (in fact, often their English could use some work) but can calculate and code and create incredible things. The ones who may be socially awkward and/or completely clueless but have the sweetest hearts and souls. I love how they’re smart like nothing else, work harder than anyone else, yet are humble like no one else. I think they’re so cute with their silly mannerisms and geekiness for science, technology, math, and all kinds of other bodies of knowledge. These are the types of guys I can really respect, admire, and trust. It may take some extra effort to get through to them, but it’s well worth the effort for the solid connections. These are all-around good guys who make loyal, caring friends. That’s also why I chose one to date! 😀 I had to do some chasing to win him over, but he treats me right and I know I can always rely on him.
I guess part of it is also that I’m a nerd at heart too. I grew up reading books, with very few games or toys to play with. I don’t know much about sports, drinking/partying, or entertainment. I rarely watch TV or go to the movies and the only sports team I sometimes follow is my UCLA Bruins football. I don’t drink and I only went partying a bit during college. None of that stuff interests me – I’d much rather spend a quiet night in talking, playing card games, and drinking tea. I also love going out to eat together! That always makes for great bonding time. Oh, and I’m a sucker for anyone who loves cats. If I can’t connect with someone in one of those ways and all they want to do is drink beer, party, watch sports, and talk about TV/movies… well, they’re not my kind of guy. Sometimes I just want to share my heart and know that the person on the other end will keep it safe.
What’s your type?
*At UCLA, we were split between north campus (the arts) and south campus (the sciences).
365great Day 255: ATVing
I’ve only gone ATVing once and it was in the beautiful hills of Hawaii. That’s hard to beat! We got to zoom around on those things with gorgeous views of the ocean. As a teenager midway through high school, it was basically a dream come true to be hanging out with peers from across the country as we enjoyed an experience like that. I remember grinning so hard that I had a layer of dust on my teeth after all that fun. It was absolutely worth it! Unfortunately, since then I haven’t gotten a chance to ride one again, but I sure hope I do. It’s so freeing to be able to race across all sorts of terrain while enjoying the breeze, the sun, and the bumpiness. I don’t know if I can ever top that memory from when I was sixteen, but I’m sure ATVing anywhere is still great.
Escape Monthly November: Vermont Box Review
Vermont is one of those states that I keep meaning to go to, but have yet to make the trip yet. I can’t help but think of the Vermont Teddy Bear Company, which I heard a ton of ads for on the radio back in the early 2000s when I was living in New York. I’m pretty clueless about what they have to offer, so this month’s Escape Monthly box is a great one for me to explore something new!
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 must admit, when I first opened the box I was kind of disappointed that there were only nine items, but once I started digging in, I was pretty pleased with what they included. I think part of it is because there was no tool type item this time, whether a brush or scrubber or what have you – I really enjoy getting those items! Despite that, I was pretty impressed with the products in this box, which were all quite eco-friendly. I’m liking Vermont!
Here’s what came in the box:
Moon Handbooks guide to Vermont – As always, the knowledge packrat in me enjoys getting these so I can learn a ton about Vermont. Now the issue is actually getting around to reading them… I figure I’ll get around to it whenever we plan a trip to the area. Until then, I’m getting a nice collection of these handbooks to reference.
Way Out Wax Escentual Love Tea Lights – These little tea lights are scented with lavender, patchouli, and rosewood for a soothing scent that reminds me of many of the items in the Whole Body section of Whole Foods. This type of smell also reminds me of the calm of yoga, which is perfect for relaxing with. I love that they are made with soy wax with the simplest ingredients you could imagine. I can definitely feel good about burning these!
Distler’s Maple Pretzels – I’m a fan of mixing salty snacks with some sweetness, so these are a nice snack for me. Usually pretzels are too dry and salty for me, but the sweetness of these is perfect for counteracting some of that feeling. I still can’t eat too much at once since they’re very crunchy and I can feel them grinding, but I enjoyed them! If I see them in a store, I’d likely get another pack.
True North Ginger Gluten-free Granola snack pack – Mmm, yum! I like this granola a lot. It has a lot more variety of seeds and other bits and the flavor is nice and strong. It’s not too hard and dry like some other granolas so I could definitely eat this frequently. I’d love to get some yogurt to also eat with this – then I’d feel so healthy!
Quinn Popcorn in Vermont Maple & Sea Salt – I’m not usually a popcorn fan, but this flavor does sound intriguing. It’s been ages since I’ve microwaved a bag of popcorn and I want to save these for a night in when I want a nice hot snack. I’m starting to learn that this whole Vermont maple must be a popular thing. I usually think of Maine when I hear about maple!
Whisper Hill Olive Oil Soap in Bergamot – This is a good-sized soap with a really nice scent. I have a ton of soaps so I won’t open this one just yet. I like the concept of olive oil soap though and bergamot’s a lovely scent. I can imagine this being one of those super lathery soaps that makes using them super fun.
Nature’s Mysteries Twilight Face Creme – Ooo, this is super rich and hydrating. Exactly what my skin needs in this chilly weather! It’s not as thick as I thought it might be, but boy does it apply and absorb well. It’s vegan and contains no synthetic ingredients, which is wonderful. I’m definitely adding this to my face routine so my skin doesn’t get dried out from the winter air.
Belle Savon Lavender & Mint Whipped Shea Butter Cream – This shea butter is sooo creamy and it smells fab. I love the combination of lavender and peppermint for a refreshing sweet scent. It smells so good I want to just gobble it up. My hands will be thanking me when I apply this! I’ll have to check out their line of other products. I know I’m going to want more!
Lake Champlain Chocolates of Vermont – What adorable chocolates. Each comes with a fun design, whether shaped like a mountain or pressed with a maple leaf design. I enjoyed them all but have a particular weak spot for the Maple Crunch’s toffee bit inside dark chocolate. The other flavors are Honey Caramel (gooey caramel in dark chocolate), Evergreen Mint (peppermint crunch in dark chocolate), and Green Mountain (roasted almonds and dried fruit in milk chocolate).
Do you like this month’s Escape Monthly box? Do you think it represents Vermont well? Get Escape Monthly for yourself! Sign up here and try one of these codes (not sure which ones are still active): ESCAPENOW for 20% off the lifetime of your subscription, ITALIANESCAPE for 20% off, GIFTESCAPE for 25% off.
Next month, we get to go outside the US for the first time!
[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!]
365great Day 254: Trism
Trism is a pretty simple game, much like Bejeweled or Tetris. It makes uses of blocks of different colors arranged a certain way – you just manipulate those pieces to make your moves. Rather than swapping pieces or adding blocks to the screen, it makes use of sliding things around until you make matches of three or more. What I like about it is that it’s not just up and down, left and right. That third axis adds a whole new level of challenge, sometimes leaving empty spaces for you to have to work around. Plus, you tilt your device all different ways to make the new pieces “fall” the way you want them to. Triangular pieces are a pretty novel concept in these kinds of games and I’ve yet to see another game make use of it. It’s a great game that gets your mind thinking in a new way.
Return to New York: Re-Exploring the City
Alright, here’s the continuation of our Veteran’s Day mini vacation! To see what we did the first day, go back here.
Started off the second day with a lovely breakfast at HGI Danbury.
After packing up and checking out, we left the Connecticut side of things where I used to go to the mall, YMCA, and Stew Leonard’s. Back to New York!
One more drive through my town of Brewster, admiring the lakes in the area.
Oh that steep hill that pictures can’t seem to do justice to. I remember many a bike ride down and walk up that thing.
At the base of the hill is this giant house, which was always a great mystery to me. I think it’s two units. Looks so grand!
Once we arrive in the city, we swing by Dominique Ansel Bakery, which I am told is where the cronut originates.
No more cronuts, so I went for the magic souffle instead, which they cooked in something like 10 minutes.
As we walked towards the World Trade Center area, we saw this cool tent set up for #TalkingTransition.
Fancy a bike ride? No problem! I’d rather walk though.
I saw a bright sculpture and just had to have some fun with it.
Underneath that bench and bike racks you’ll find a vent for the subway station. Strange sort of place to sit.
Have you ever tried stacked parking? I haven’t.
Upon arriving in the WTC region, we were greeted by this large balloon sculpture.
We were told to check out the Canstruction exhibit and this rollercoaster was my favorite.
A very poignant memorial for 11 American Express employees lost in 9/11.
We got tickets for the 9/11 memorial and came across these cute trees on our way over.
Just as we neared the 9/11 memorial, the sun came out to light up the new One World Trade Center building being built.
Here we go into the memorial… first it took us through a line winding around buildings and through a security check.
The brochure and tickets we got.
Aw, that’s so sweet of them.
A ton of people were there looking through names and taking in the rushing water.
I think they did a good job designing this memorial. It’s a powerful image paired with impressive sound to give you enough of a haunting feeling.
Adorned with yellow ribbons… this tree got plenty of visitors.
Memorial guides were available in many languages.
When we left, I saw this police guy watching the entrance to the memorial.
And another funky watching station the NYPD uses.
Check out this massive mural for those who have fallen and those who have carried on.
Random eyes in the subway station are kind of awkward.
For dinner, we went to Ollie’s! I gobbled down hot and sour soup meant for 4.
Panda shared some of his wonton noodle soup.
I also got the xiao long bao (juicy pork dumplings).
Panda helped me eat one and loaded on the ginger. The couple next to us literally stared at him as he ate it, apparently in disbelief that he could have all that ginger.
I was so excited that they have potato strips! One of my favorite dishes, but few restaurants offer it. They’re so crisp and wonderful! This one was SPICY though.
Panda gets his all-time fav dish: salted pork chops. We were very full by the end of it all.
After taking the bus back to the New Jersey side, where our hotel was, I noticed the skyline visible in the distance as we walked. Nice!
I got back to the hotel to find that 1. a friend on Yelp had seen me checking in and was wondering where in New Jersey I was since she was in the area too 2. two friends/former managers from Singapore had seen me posting on Facebook and wanted to meet up since they were in NYC and 3. a friend had seen my pictures on Instagram and was wondering where I was since she was in New Jersey too! Lol, way to go social media. So I arranged to meet up with my college friend who reached out on Yelp and my Singaporean friends who reached out on Facebook. I couldn’t make plans with my college friend who commented on Instagram, but maybe next time!
The next morning, we had breakfast with my friend and then went to meet up with my Singaporean friends. Saw this randomness in the subway station.
We found the Singaporeans at the MoMA gift shop browsing. It took me a sec to figure out these calendars!
I almost got these at the MoMA store, but they weren’t large enough for the measurements I wanted.
After a brief visit to the city once more, we were back on the New Jersey side, getting a great view.
The rest of the day was spent driving home. As the sun lit up the sky in pink, Philadelphia came into view and I passed out for part of the ride.
For dinner, I found a Mexican place in Delaware and tried something new.
They gave us such cute little dessert lollipops!
On our way through Baltimore, we passed by Johns Hopkins as we avoided the toll roads. Soon enough we were home!
365great Day 253: jumping
Jumping is generally a lot of fun, especially if you capture that mid-air moment. Sometimes it’s just hopping and skipping along the sidewalk and sometimes it’s as crazy as jumping from a cliff into water below. I love getting a picture right when you’re floating in the air, pure joy on your face, hair flying wild, and limbs all over the place. It’s so fun and carefree! And when you’re jumping around, you can’t help but feel energized. It gets your blood going and puts a pep in your step. I grin every time! I’ve gotten shots on the pier, off a boat, on the beach (spelling out letters), on stairs, on a diving board (not diving in the pool though), and so much more. They’re some of the happiest-looking pictures you’ll find in most people’s albums. There’s just something about jumping that brings out the joy in us and that’s absolutely great!
Treatsie November 2013 review
It’s Treatsie time!
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.
Danny Macaroons in Salted Caramel, Chocolate Banana Nut, Spiced Pumpkin, & Black Chocolate Stout: These weren’t quite the macaroons I’m used to – for coconut lovers, they’re great. If you’re allergic or not a fan, you’re fresh out of luck. I enjoy bits of coconut like this, so I liked the macaroons. I couldn’t quite tell the flavors apart, but I did enjoy the special taste of the spiced pumpkin. I gave the salted caramel to a friend, who liked it with its gooey top. The two chocolate variations were kind of similar to me and I couldn’t quite tell them apart. While I definitely ate these happily, I wouldn’t usually get this kind of treat.
Sweeteeth Salted Caramel Dark Chocolate bar: Fabulous!! This dark chocolate bar is soooo delicious. You can see the bits of salt all along the bottom and then when you break the bar, a wonderfully gooey caramel filling comes out. I love the contrasting texture of the crisp chocolate and the soft caramel. Even better is the flavor of the dark chocolate, salt, and caramel – perfectly blended for an amazing taste. I love their naming style too – Sea is for Caramel for this salted caramel bar and A’chocolypse for their “popping ginger” flavor. They’re a cute brand with a fun personality and I’d definitely get more of their bars! Yummy.
Das Foods Man Bait, Naughty Ginger, Caramel Me Happy, & Fab-O-Pom: What funny little lollipops with cheeky names! I tried the Fab-O-Pom (orange & pomegranate flavor) and it was decent. There were little bits in it that made the texture interesting and brought out more of the fruit flavor. I’m curious about the maple bacon Man Bait one… quirky stuff that I’d try from time to time.
[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!]
365great Day 252: music
Music can move us in ways that are much more profound than anything else. Sometimes I hear songs that evoke strong emotions and memories. They take me back to a period in my life when I used to hear those tunes and a whole slew of memories associated with that. Whenever I want to feel a certain way, all I need to do is pick out music that creates that sort of mood for me. I’ve chilled out to more soulful stuff and gotten energized from more upbeat stuff. Even better than that is when I can sit down at a piano and play out something that reflects my feelings. We sold our piano years ago and I missed playing whenever the mood struck, so when I saw this piano on the street, I just had to play around a bit. It was such a moment of pure joy to tap out a few notes and connect with music by creating it. Nowadays I don’t really have access to instruments, other than the Chinese piano that sits at my parents’ place. I’m looking forward to getting a piano again someday and refreshing my memory on songs I learned as a kid. The way I feel when I can play a beautiful melody is so special and truly great.
365great Day 251: fractals
Fractals are absolutely fascinating to me. They can just keep on repeating a pattern in a way that creates beautiful images. You can see them at play around you: in snowflakes, in cauliflower, in blood vessels, in coastlines, in lightning bolts… nature’s got her way of expressing herself in a simple yet complex way by using fractals. I think it’s so cool how you can look at those physical phenomena and see self-similarity as you zoom in or out. Is this something nerdy? Do you get excited about fractals too? Or am I geeking out again? Whatever the case, visual representations of fractals are infinitely beautiful to me; they’re quite artistic and I think they’re great.
