Inspirational

laelene Posted in general blog,Tags: , , , , , , ,
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when i think of you
i think of that smile
your resilient spirit shining through

when i think of you
i wish we had met in person
so i could hug you and hear you laugh

when i think of you
i can’t help but shed a tear
as i remember the day i found out

found out the cancer had taken you

i always believed you’d beat it
you were so strong, so brave
you had the kindest heart

you made such an impact on so many lives
inspiring them, encouraging them
and bringing awareness to the need for asian donors

who else deserved to live more than you?

oh janet, how i wish it didn’t
didn’t have to end
end like that, end so soon

how i wish you were still here
sharing your beautiful soul

janet liang potrait with quote

A tribute to you, Janet, over a year after your passing. Thinking about you.

Please put yourself into the donor registry, no matter who you are. You could save a life. Learn more at Asian American Donor Program (not just for Asians) and get registered to be a donor.

365great Day 276: fresh figs

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365great challenge day 276: fresh figsMost of us probably first had figs in a snack or as a dried snack itself. I’m pretty sure my first encounter was with fig Newton’s. I loved the sweetness and the bits of crunch that the seeds provided. It was gooey yet crispy all at once. It wasn’t until I was much older that I ever saw a fresh fig, with its bulbous shape and skin that didn’t look edible. Every now and then I crave that funky fruit and I find it extremely hard to find it offered in dishes at a restaurant. There was a fabulous salad from Bottega Louie that reignited my desire for figs, but it’s seasonal, so I struggled to find another option. When I was traveling to San Francisco once, I was thrilled to find a tea house that offered it along with other fruit, so I got that plate. Then I started to see them at Whole Foods, so I totally need to make my own salads with them. It’s gonna be great. 🙂

Ipsy December 2013: Celebration!

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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The December days have just fallen away from me without me realizing! How did half the month creep by already?! So of course Ipsy was not even on my mind yet when I got the notification that it had been sent out. Since I hadn’t already checked my glam room, I decided to let it be a complete surprise this time. At first glance, I really like the bag – it’s a super fun texture and great for use in any situation. The black exterior isn’t too flashy and the red interior is a lovely touch.

Ipsy is $10 per glam bag and comes with 5 or so beauty/skincare products. Bags are sent monthly with no option to skip. There’s usually a waitlist to get the subscription. They offer a referral program that earns you points towards free products.

ipsy december 2013 bag items with card including nicka k new york nail color in classic taupe, demeter roll on perfume oil in snow, be a bombshell the one stick in flustered, pop beauty eye shadow trio in smokin' hot, and j.cat beauty big lip pencil in caramel mocha

The theme this month is Celebration! Each of these items is definitely something I can see people using when getting ready for a holiday party (in fact, I used the perfume oil and lip pencil for the one I went to last night). I think they could have gone a little more glittery or bold with red to really give me that celebratory feeling.

nicka k new york nail color in classic taupeNicka K New York Nail Color in Classic Taupe – While I’m always a fan of nail polish and this bottle is really cute, I’m not sure about the color. It’s a neutral shade that is quite mature for me and a bit too dark for my liking. I’ll give it another try though and see how I like it after wearing it for a few days. I might still try to trade it for one of the other options that were sent out this month, like the purple one that was another brand. I am intrigued by this brand and will definitely look out for them in the future. The nail polish applies really well and were it not for the shade, I’d totally keep it!

demeter snow roll on perfume oilDemeter Snow Perfume Oil Roll On – I’d heard of these roll on perfume oils from other subscription boxes. I forget which one it was that included the Salt scent, but I remember a ton of people were really excited about it. I was pretty surprised to find it in my bag and I’m more than happy to try it out. I don’t ever wear perfume, but this fun little roll on glides on effortlessly and has a light scent that I can totally handle.

be a bombshell the one stick in flusteredBe a Bombshell The One Stick in Flustered – When I first saw this, I figured it was an all-in-one type of solution, but I couldn’t quite figure out what exactly that entailed. Apparently it’s good for your tinting your cheeks, eyelids, or lips. I tried it on my cheeks and whoooa it’s bright! Panda even asked me if I was feeling flushed, lol. I might have to stick with using it for my lips then. I’ve been getting into red lips lately and have a lot of fun with that at night and occasionally on the weekends. I guess next time we have an event, I can put it on for kicks and experiment like I did with eyeliner/eye shadow yesterday.

pop beauty eye shadow trio in smokin' hotPOP Beauty Bright Up Your Life Eye Shadow Trio in Smokin’ Hot – Ok, this is the definite no product for me in this bag. I just am not into eye shadows. It’s a cool palette and I can totally see how it’d be great for the season, but I’m putting it up for trade. While I did enjoy putting a little bit of shine on my eyelids last night, it happens so infrequently that it would take many lifetimes to ever use these eye shadows. How do I make Ipsy stop sending me this type of product?! It’s super adorable though and I wish I could put it to good use.

j.cat big lip pencil in caramel mochaJ.Cat Beauty Big Lip Pencil in Caramel Mocha – Based on the color of the stick and what you can see, I definitely expected this color to be more bright. Instead, it’s a very creamy and rather nude shade against my lips. That actually works out quite well for when I want a little something without being super bold. I also love how smoothly it applies. I’ll be keeping this handy in my bag for touch-ups!

 

Would you keep all of these items? If not, what would you trade? If you’re interested in Ipsy, sign up for just $10/month!

[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 bag and wanted to share what I got!]

365great Day 275: goofing off

laelene Posted in 365great,Tags: , , , , , ,
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365great challenge day 275: goofing offYou shouldn’t always take yourself seriously. In fact, I think every day we should be a little goofy, wacky, strange, even. Tonight as Panda and I were getting ready to head out to his company’s holiday party, we took a few moments to be utterly silly even as we got all dressed up. There’s no better fun than that! I had him carry me and then I gave him a piggy back ride. Later in the evening, we got home and took a selfie video of us doing a fake cheers from our silly plastic cocktail glasses. Comic relief can be a useful way to disperse tension and being goofy is a splendid way to have some fun! If you’re not already laughing or even giggling every day, maybe you should try goofing off a bit more. It’s a great way to make more memorable moments and keep a playful spirit alive.

George of Aegina

laelene Posted in stories,Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,
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guy and girl sitting at outdoor table having tea in greece

A most gracious host.

Meet George. I found myself taking a ride with him on his moped all around Aegina when I was visiting Greece back in 2007. My friend and I had explored Athens the day before and we decided to split paths for the day since I wanted to check out this little island and he wanted to see some museums. After arriving, I took a cute little carriage ride before finding my way to the beach. It was not the most welcoming for bare feet (all rocks and urchins and barnacles) but I insisted on at least getting my feet wet in the Aegean Sea.

pile of about two dozen little seashells with white and pinkish orange stripesThat’s where I met George. He was at the beach, picking sea shells. He liked to collect these cute little pinkish orange ones of a similar size. When he found he could speak to me in English, he was excited to practice. So we chatted, he sharing how I could use these shells to make a nice necklace or bracelet and I learning more about the region. He gave me all the shells we found so I could make something to wear. I still have them, but never quite got around to putting something together.

shadows of two people riding on moped

Our shadows from atop the moped!

He was such a sweet man that when he asked if I wanted to see more of the island, I decided to take him up on his offer. He had a little moped that he drove around and we went off, on the one large looping road that takes you all around the island. We first went clockwise along the coast, checking out cool sights like tables and chairs right at the ocean’s edge, beautiful homes and resorts, and an amazing coastline the entire way. After awhile, we turned around and headed back towards the main area of town where the port was. I can’t remember if we kept going along the other side of the island first or if we stopped for tea, but I think the tea came last. He showed me the teeny movie theater where he worked, a nice little shopping area with many vendors, and some old historical sites. As it was nearing time to part, he asked me to have some tea with him at a cafe right across from port. I enjoyed a nice pot of Greek tea with some random plants in there. When I left, he gave me a slip of paper with his address so I could write to him.

After the excitement and insanity of 5 weeks of traveling throughout most of Europe after that, the piece of paper got put to the wayside and eventually misplaced. I think I might still have it buried somewhere in all my stuff, but I haven’t found it. I always regretted not writing to him while I still had his address and I wonder if he thinks of me (and wonders why I never wrote). I hope he’s still doing well, putting on movies for his fellow islanders and enjoying moped rides around town. I’ll think fondly of him from time to time and send well wishes his way. He lives in a beautiful, peaceful little part of the world that holds a special place in my heart. Thanks to him, I got to enjoy it in a way I never would have otherwise.

365great Day 274: kitchen islands

laelene Posted in 365great,Tags: , , , ,
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365great challenge day 274: kitchen islandsMy favorite feature about a kitchen is generally whether it has an island. Ever since the house in LA, I’ve enjoyed having one as a gathering spot. I like how you can stand, lean, or sit by it/at it. It’s the type of setup where you can hang out casually and spend time in other people’s company. Of course, being in the kitchen is also a fabulous location within any building – you can eat or drink while connecting with others. I love the little island we get at our condo and I can’t wait to see how we use the space. It’s going to be great!

Homeowners

laelene Posted in lifestyle glimpses, photo blog,Tags: , , , ,
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Yay, as of today, Panda and I are officially homeowners! Ok, so technically I’m not on the mortgage but hey, don’t ruin my moment. 😛 It was wild going to what is our NEW HOME tonight just to move a few things and check it out… at night it appears much larger and it feels so surreal that all of that is ours. I hope this freshness and awe lasts for a long time. We really have a spectacular place and I can’t wait to settle in.

fancy room at title company for going through settlement paperwork

This morning, we went to the title company and took care of settlement.

set of four house keys on folder

When it was all said and done, we got our keys!!!

happy girl prancing in kitchen of brand new condo balancing on one leg with arms and other leg outstretched

At night, I had to go visit our new place. Love it!

girl standing hunching in pain as back spasms

Yeah I got a bit ambitious and ended up pulling my back. Oops!

365great Day 273: beaches

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365great challenge day 273: beachesIt’s so much fun to go play at the beach. One of my favorites is this quiet little stretch in Malibu, where I used to go when I wanted a tranquil area. Once I saw some dolphins swimming by and it was magical. I went to visit it again back over Thanksgiving break and had sooo much fun! I mean, just look at the gleefulness with which I am frolicking and playing there. It was such a blast. Why didn’t I go to the beach more when I lived in LA? Ah, now that I’m in the bitter cold of winter in NoVa, I lament the time I could have spent enjoying those beaches. It’s so great to be able to go there and look out over the ocean, play in the sand, appreciate the environment.

Blue Apron November 5th Delivery review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , ,
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As I suspected, it took me a month to get around to posting up the meals from our second Blue Apron delivery! I’ll try to be more prompt with future food boxes. We’ve found our now-favorite dish (sweet & sour BBQ drumsticks) and got to try a really tasty salad and fun tacos. Another pleasing box that keeps Blue Apron as the front-runner in my mind. Still, I like what Hello Fresh offers at times and will still split my time between the two. Might even try Plated or another subscription!

Blue Apron is just under $60 per box and comes with 3 meals of 2 servings each. That’s $10 per meal serving! Boxes are sent weekly unless you choose to skip (which is very easy to do). After ordering a few times, they will offer free meals you can send to friends (but no referral program).

collage of blue apron sweet & sour bbq drumsticks recipe card

We started off with a fun meal!

collage of blue apron sweet & sour bbq drumsticks ingredients and meal being cooked

Cooking this one was pretty easy and it smelled great.

blue apron sweet & sour bbq drumsticks with snow pea, carrot, & celery salad finished product

YUM! We both LOVED this dish and would definitely make it again. It’s Panda’s fav so far.

collage of blue apron center-cut pork chops recipe card

Next up was a more adventurous taste for us. What’s kohlrabi anyway?

collage of blue apron center-cut pork chops ingredients and meal being cooked

I wasn’t sure what sort of flavor the salad would yield since there were a ton of strange ingredients.

blue apron center-cut pork chops with pan sauce & apple-kohlrabi slaw finished product

Turns out I happen to find apple-kohlrabi slaw deeelicious beyond expectation. The pork chops were meh.

collage of blue apron chili-dusted fish tacos recipe card

Finally, finishing up with a messier dish!

collage of blue apron chili-dusted fish tacos ingredients and meal being cooked

So colorful! Prettiest array so far.

blue apron chili-dusted fish tacos with pickled red cabbage, mango & avocado finished product

The corn tortillas were a bit dry and thick for us and the fish got lost in all the toppings (we went crazy with them, admittedly).

blue apron chili-dusted fish tacos with pickled red cabbage, mango & avocado finished product with toppings piled high

Lol! Couldn’t resist putting ALL the toppings on and smothering the tacos. I actually tried the mango for once. Decent!

365great Day 272: stair surfing

laelene Posted in 365great,Tags: , , , ,
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365great challenge day 272: stair surfingWhat fun it is to goof off. College is the perfect time to go a little crazy and try out some wacky things, like sliding down stairs on a mattress. I mean, when you’re moving in or out, why not have some fun with it? That’s exactly what my friends and I did one year, when we decided that the mattresses in our rooms could use a little excitement. We took turns throwing ourselves down the stairs atop this padding, having a grand old time. Between the bumpiness and the awkwardness, it was pretty hilarious. Stair surfing is not for the faint of heart but it’s a rewarding experience for those insane enough to throw themselves headfirst down the stairs. It also happens to make for some great entertainment. Don’t try this at home, folks.

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