One of my favorite hobbies is skateboarding. I hardly get to go out cruising anymore, but back in my final year at UCLA, I sure did live it up. I’m partial to longboards because you can glide along much easier. In particular, I love the Loaded brand for their super flexible bamboo boards. It is so liberating to go down a street, sidewalk, or boardwalk with a gentle breeze caressing my face and the sun smiling down upon me. It’s also a very rewarding feeling when people gape at me and my awesome board, marveling that a girl just skated by them. I guess not many women decide to learn how to skate, so I feel somewhat accomplished that I can. Plus, it’s improved my balance immensely! 😛 There’s a great freedom in skateboarding that I just don’t feel with anything else and I love it.
365great Day 293: skateboarding
Photo A Day Challenge December 2013
I may not be ready for 2014, but it’s here, so I’ll just take a quick look back at the last month’s photo a day shots to take me back to 2013… I liked playing with different interpretations for #light. To kick off this year, I’ll go with a more abstract theme of moment(s). It should offer a lot of flexibility!
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- Enjoying the warm SoCal afternoon together. {Mayfair filter} #catsofinstagram #sunrays 12.1.13
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- I <3 Malibu. {Lo-Fi filter} 12.2.13
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- Ready for takeoff on the red eye. {Kelvin filter} 12.3.13
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- Early morning in NoVa and it’s off to work. {Rise filter} 12.4.13
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- Brake lights and raindrops. {X-Pro II filter} 12.5.13
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- Shadows of raindrops on the windshield. {Hefe filter} 12.6.13
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- Rainbow in the clouds! {#nofilter} 12.7.13
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- My, that’s a large flame! Trying the evergreen oil lamp I made from Homegrown Collective’s Nov box. LOVE {Kelvin filter} 12.8.13
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- All glossed over. #icybeauty {#nofilter} 12.9.13
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- Taking break from my run, inspired by @ninjastopher. {Amaro filter} 12.10.13
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- Suddenly the rooms glowed orange and I had to see what was causing it… {#nofilter} 12.11.13
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- Festive lights setting the mood. {Kelvin filter} 12.12.13
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- Those two window washers flew back and forth along the building like it was nothing! {Mayfair filter} 12.13.13
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- Hiding from the light of the day. {Amaro filter} 12.14.13
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- Hello pretty moon. {#nofilter} 12.15.13
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- Burning the midnight oil, as they say. {Willow filter} 12.16.13
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- Remind me that in the darkness, there is light. {Nashville filter} 12.17.13
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- Smattering of snow, what a surprise! {Hudson filter} 12.18.13
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- My car lights up when I get near and I love it. It’s like she’s saying “welcome home” 😛 {Earlybird filter} 12.19.13
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- Lit up pretty. {Hefe filter} 12.20.13
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- Ah, gloriously warm day allowed me to enjoy my new porch ever so briefly. {#nofilter} 12.21.13
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- Glowing in the spotlight. {Lo-Fi filter} 12.22.13
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- I never get sick of the beauty outside my window. {#nofilter} 12.23.13
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- Getting festive for the early morning travelers. {Kelvin filter} 12.24.13
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- Oh how she lights up my life with love and adoration. {Sierra filter} 12.25.13
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- Got my ring cleaned and I’d forgotten how shiny it can be! {Sierra filter} 12.26.13
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- Can’t wait to dig in to this fluffy marshmallow topping. {Sierra filter} 12.27.13
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- Through the tunnel. {Brannan filter} 12.28.13
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- Do you still have your lights up? {Hefe filter} 12.29.13
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- A birthday filled with tasty treats. 🙂 {Hefe filter} 12.30.13
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- The most recognizable symbol of the new year. {#nofilter} 12.31.13
365great Day 292: entertainment
Sometimes it’s nice to just sit back and be entertained. Whether it’s a TV show, live performance, or otherwise, all you have to do is enjoy. I don’t often partake in these things, but every now and then I want something rather mindless to occupy my time. That’s exactly what I’ve been doing in the hours leading up to the new year – just chilling out letting the TV shows fill my time and living room. I’d gotten worn out from all the reading and typing I was doing online, but didn’t quite want to sit around in silence. It’s been soothing to experience and exactly what I needed. For those times when you want to consume media, it’s great to let the entertainment take over.
November Favorites 2013
Well gosh, I better get my Nov favorites up before it’s time for the December ones!
1. fall colors – This was the month of gorgeous colors. Fall beauty was everywhere to be found and I loved it. It’s one of the things about having real seasons that I was looking forward to. I don’t know if it was the richness of the leaves, but I swear even the sky was more pigmented.
2. touchscreen laptop – I’ve been using my new ASUS laptop and now I’m used to having a touchscreen laptop. It’s a lot easier than trying to navigate the touchpad. It’s very convenient just to tap on what I’m looking at. Too bad not all my devices are like that – I’ve found I try to tap all other laptops now too, lol. It’s hard to remember when I’m using other laptops that they don’t have touchscreens. Hopefully everything will just have that in the future so I don’t have to keep track.
3. yoga – I’ve been going to yoga again and picking up my practice, which is wonderful. I like that I can choose from a range of levels depending on what I’m feeling. I’ve tried everything from Hatha Yoga for all levels to Power Yoga with some meditation thrown in too. I look forward to continuing with my practice and getting strong enough to do a handstand one day!
4. going home – It was so nice to return home for Thanksgiving and be reunited with my parents, cousin, and cats. It was the first time I’d been back since starting work out east and it was a welcome break. We also got a chance to get together my family and Panda’s!
5. Bruins football – UCLA’s program has finally been doing better and it was so thrilling to watch our team beat USC in our football showdown this year. Our crosstown rivalry is going strong and with the liberty bell securely in our possession, we can proudly say that we run LA. 😉
6. fun hair styles – For a long time, I’d just let my hair fall however it wanted. It’s the easiest to do and requires absolute minimal effort. I started to play around with some hair styles more recently, particularly a side braid, French braids, or a bun. I want to try a braid that wraps around my head, but I’m not quite sure how to end it so I’ll have to test it out.
7. revisiting New York (and the city) – After over a decade, I finally got a chance to return to one of my childhood homes. It was so nice to be able to share that with Panda so he can see some of what used to be my life. It also became an opportunity to explore parts of NYC that I’m not that familiar with. It’s the first time I’d been back to any of my old stomping grounds other than a brief visit to Penn State many years ago. I’ve never returned to my homes in Kansas and Missouri, but I sure do plan on it!
8. long sleeve v-necks – I find these to be so perfect to wear. They’re comfortable, warm, and flattering. I can wear them under another shirt or alone and throw on a jacket for extra warmth. I even use it during yoga if it’s an extra chilly night. It’s easy to dress them up or down and if I don’t want my neck so exposed, I just throw on a scarf. Simple, the way I like it.
9. pumpkin flavored – I almost never get pumpkin flavored stuff, but somehow I ended up trying a few this month and they were quite good! This was a pumpkin souffle I got at a happy hour. Very yummy. I also had pumpkin spice caramels and a pumpkin creme brulee snack. Maybe I should try more pumpkin things since I really enjoyed those foods.
What about you? What did you find yourself gravitating towards in November?
365great Day 291: latte art
Between the latte art I got today and the designs I’ve had at Urth Caffe, there have been many a drink that I almost didn’t want to consume so I wouldn’t ruin the cuteness. It’s so much fun when the food you get looks so good you aren’t even sure you should chow down. But of course, you bought them not just to look at, so taking pictures before you dig in is the best way to commemorate them. I had my first 3D art design today, which I enjoyed immensely. The 2D ones are still fabulous too and I’ll continue to get both whenever I get a chance. It makes the experience that much more memorable and noteworthy. I always like to enjoy my food and what better way than to appreciate the taste AND the visual appeal? That makes it great on so many levels.
28 going on 30s
Was it really my birthday today? It feels so surreal. At times I marvel that I’m now 28 though (more recently) sometimes I kind of am ready to just be in my 30s already. I guess I should enjoy the next two years before that big 3-0 hits for real and I can’t go back to these crazy 20s. 😉
I started off my day much like I ended my night yesterday: with Missy sleeping on my chest. 🙂
Once I got up, I went to get Panda and he took us to this dim sum place with MASSIVE lobsters (no, we did not eat any). Note the normal lobsters in the tank next to it.
After our meal, we explored a fun Japanese store. These earmuffs are fun but too cutesy for me. I got a hedgehog microfiber glove instead, lol.
As we sat looking for a tea place we’d heard of, I was amused by how Panda’s pant leg rode up and he had a random thread on his socks. Silly boy.
We found the place with 3D latte art!
Such adorable designs! I got that marsh-minion for free just for checking in on Yelp.
As I drank my drink, the bear slowly drifted away into oblivion (or my stomach, as it were).
The next stop was Frances Bakery for deeelicious cronuts.
I was so excited I totally over-ordered!
Nom nom nom… couldn’t wait to enjoy the goodness.
Then it was off to Glendale Galleria, where we wandered around the stores and I entertained myself trying on these crazy heels.
What do you think of making this necklace a headdress?
L’Occitane had a free hand massage offer so I got treated to it.
For dinner, we went kind of overboard and ordered 5 things, not thinking the portions would be ENORMOUS. Sooo many leftovers!
We stopped for boba and then went to our respective homes. I arrived to find Missy ready for my attention.
As my mom and I chatted in the kitchen, Missy lay claim to the cronuts. Or maybe she just likes the box. 😉
And now I’m comfortably in bed snuggling with Missy. I think she’s pleased I finally went to bed… she’d been waiting over an hour for me!
365great Day 290: shooting ranges
Playing around with guns in a controlled environment is really fun. I love trying out pistols, revolvers, and rifles. They’re powerful enough that you get a thrill, but not so crazy that they’re intimidating, like a semi-automatic. You can make a contest out of it with your friends, seeing who has the best aim, and you can blow off some steam while you’re at it. It’s pretty rewarding when you actually get some great shots off and nobody needs to get hurt. I don’t think I could ever shoot at a living creature, unless my own livelihood depended on it (but maybe not even then). I much prefer the safety of a shooting range, whether indoors or out in the middle of nowhere. I’ve tried shooting at clay pigeons before (those bright orange discs) and I’m not very good, so I think I’ll stick with immobile targets. I mean, it feels great when I can actually get a bullseye so why set myself up for failure with a flying target?
Escape Monthly December: Italy Box Review
To round off the year, Escape Monthly offered their very first international theme of Italy!
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 don’t know what I might have expected in this box, since all I can think of when I think of Italy is delicious mushroom pizza. Of course that’s not something you can readily pack into a box, so of course what we got were snacks and some skincare items. They’re all totally appropriate for Italy, though I do wish they could have snuck some pasta in too. I would have loved another beauty tool or some sort of trinket from the region to top it all off.
Here’s what came in the box:
Moon Handbooks guide to Living Abroad in Italy – This is exactly the sort of thing I’d put in a care package for someone planning on studying abroad in Italy. Of course, I don’t know anyone at the moment, but I’m sure it will be a great way to learn more about the country and see what other areas I might want to explore. I’ve been to Rome, Vatican City, Venice, and (briefly) Pisa. I’ve got Florence, Milan, and Naples on my radar… who knows what else I might learn about that I must go see next time!
iSiciliami Passione Pasticcera Riccio al Cacao cookies – I think these are a great selection – a very Italianesque cookie that I’ve actually never heard of. So here I am learning something new about the country and getting to try wonderful treats that were actually made over there. Unfortunately I didn’t get to try them before having to leave, so I’m excited to get back and try them soon. I’ve heard fantastic reviews on them so far and I’m always a fan of a good cookie.
Rigoni di Asiago Nocciolata hazelnut spread – Now I’m not quite sure how/when to use this spread, but it does sound delicious. I love that it’s organic and it’s from a family business based in Italy. Treats like these definitely fit with the theme. I would have loved if they included some cookies/crackers/bread that this could be spread on. I’ll have to try it on some toast or maybe even a bagel, though I hardly ever eat those so I might just eat this straight from the jar. 😛
Skin&Co Roma Truffle Body Milk – What an adorable lotion! I love the look and feel of it – perfect for keeping at your desk to use when you’re feeling a bit dry. Using truffles is so very European of them and makes their line seem quite luxurious. I loved looking into the story of how the line got started generations ago and why having truffles in the products is good (antioxidants helping to reduce free radical damage). I hear it smells great too, which I shall have to confirm when I get my hands on it again.
Skin&Co Roma Truffle Body Gel – With claims of anti-aging effects and a super cool ingredient like truffle extract, this definitely has me intrigued. As mentioned already, the branding on this is pretty cool. And of course I gotta love that they’re a born and bred Italian company!
Perugina Baci chocolates – These were the bonus item this time around and really, who could say no to chocolate truffles? I just wish there were more of these! Since they’re individually wrapped, they are perfect to share with others (if you can resist eating them all yourself).
La Civetta extra virgin olive oil – Such a cute bottle of olive oil, which I can’t wait to break into the next time we cook. I’m curious what the green apple and almond flavor in it is like. Do most olive oils have other flavors infused like that? Have I just not noticed all this time? I can’t say that I really know much about olive oil so maybe it’s normal, but I think it’s really cool that they’ve got some other flavoring going on there.
Olio & Olive Castelvetrano olives – Ah yes, I should have known there would be olives. I’m personally not a fan, so I’ll be looking to give these away, but I do like that they came in a nice neat see-through package. I might look into seeing if I can make my own olive oil from them though… that’d be pretty cool to try!
Provence of Terni Umbria – I think this might have been added in as part of the Skin&Co set since that’s where the whole truffle thing got started for the brand, or maybe it’s just a coincidence and Umbria is a place I should be adding to my future destinations. Whatever the case, I look forward to learning more!
I really like how this box wasn’t just a hodge podge of things that vaguely remind you of Italy. It seems like they really took the time to pick out some fabulous Italian brands to showcase, which I really appreciate. I’ve definitely discovered a ton of new stuff! What do you think of this international Escape Monthly box? If you want to sign up, try one of these codes (not sure which ones are still active): PAMPERME or COLORADO for 20% off the lifetime of your subscription, ITALIANESCAPE for 20% off, GIFTESCAPE for 25% off.
January we’ll be getting a Colorado box! Panda just went there recently so I’ll be interested to hear what he thinks.
[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 289: reunions
Ok, I’m going to break a cardinal rule of mine and post a picture of others (I usually choose ones where you can’t tell who they are or I don’t post them at all – sorry PBs! Hope you don’t mind). I just got back from a mini reunion with my pledge bros for AKPsi and I wanted to share that. While it was only about a third of our class getting together, it was nice to at least see some familiar faces again after all this time. It’s been years since I’ve caught up with many of them and I feel so out of touch with their lives! Here we are 7 years later and so much has changed, yet they pretty much all look the same to me. That’s good, right? It’s nice to be able to reconnect with them briefly and revisit old memories. Oddly enough, we ended up eating at a place with great meaning for us completely unintentionally. What an appropriate setting for us to get together again. It’s great to see how they’re doing in their lives now and I hope to have more reunions for all those friends I’ve lost touch with.
UK Vacation Day 8 Recap
I can’t believe it’s been nearly four months since this trip and I’m still updating on it. Only two more to go after this one!
Day 8 was a chill day, with a late checkout and leisurely stroll from the hotel to the train station. We swung by the Co-operative, a grocery store, and the House of Fraser, a chain that reminds me of Macy’s. We wandered along the quiet of Rose Street and found ourselves some cookie tins commemorating Prince George at the train station. The train from Edinburgh to London took most of the day and once we were settled back, we got dinner at Nando’s. Since we got drink vouchers at the hotel, we stopped by the bar to get drinks (sodas) before calling it a night.
[Miss some? Read about Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6, and Day 7 recaps.]
I think the only time I eat breakfast is at hotels.
A random sighting in our way to the train station. Girl Scouts, anyone?
I love the small streets like these.
Onto the train and back down to London we go.
It’s so picturesque!
Excited to be back in London!
Which way to platform 9 3/4?
Looks rather futuristic in here.
Taking a pit stop to use the wifi before heading down to the tube.
Back at our hotel in Victoria!
We found this chicken place called Nando’s.
Grab some nuts while you wait.
They have all kinds of tasty sauces.
I opted to try their pita, mashed potatoes, and garlic bread. Delicious!
Panda got the grilled dark meat, rice, and garlic bread.
The newer double deckers look so sleek.
