Don’t know when I’ll be back again.
Farewell, LA(X). Til next time… (TBD)
Hey, at least I know it’ll be sometime in 2014! Still, it’s one big ambiguous question at this point.
Posts Tagged ‘pictures’
Leaving on a jet plane…
laelene Posted in photo blog，Tags: aerial, flying, lax, los angeles, pictures, planes, travel, views
06
January
2014
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365great Day 297: reflexology
laelene Posted in 365great，Tags: 365great, bargains, chinese, healing, massages, pictures, reflexoogy
05
January
2014
Ok, this was the only pic I was able to get of the reflexology massage place today. I know it doesn’t look like much of anything, but if you’re familiar with those shops, the super wide seat draped with towels at these places should be something you recognize. I love going to these places because they offer cheap massages and even though they bill it as a one hour foot massage, you actually get a full body massage (mostly through a towel and your clothes). What a bargain! They always love me too, since I’m one of the few Chinese people in the area and they’re thrilled I speak their native tongue. I personally love the feeling of getting a strong foot massage and it’s fascinating how the parts of the feet correspond to your organs. Whether you believe in that and want healing or just want to get a massage in, these places are cheap and great.
A blogger, an author, a poet, a writer
laelene Posted in general blog，Tags: authors, bloggers, blogging, books, friends, novels, pictures, poets, reading, stories, storytelling, writers, writing
05
January
2014
I want to write a novel. I’m not sure if I even have that much to write about, but I have some ideas I’ve been meaning to get down. I figure I’ll just start writing and see where it takes me. Maybe I’ll surprise myself with tens of thousands of words, or maybe I’ll get stuck after a few thousand. Whatever the case, a goal I have for the coming months is to get this going and eventually build up the courage to share it with some friends.
This kind of came about due to a confluence of events, including friends sharing their writing and my personal need for expression beyond blogging. There are some things I want to get down on paper, but in a “fiction influenced by experiences” kind of way. I could post bits of it here, but I also want to explore the possibility of a story line that runs far longer than a blog post would allow. If I find I’m not writing that much, I think I might post installments here, but let’s go big first. At the same time, I had two friends who shared the various prose they’ve written and it makes me want to join their ranks. In addition, after reading the Fifty Shades trilogy, I see hope that you don’t have to be a fantastic writer for people to want to read your work. So a growing need, possible mentors/role models, and examples of success make me feel encouraged to produce something.
I’ve thought of myself as a blogger for a few years now, and occasionally I consider myself a writer. When it comes to being an author or poet though, it’s new territory for me and I like exploring that. It’s been a fantastic way to connect with some friends in ways that I haven’t before (and somehow Joseph Gordon-Levitt keeps cropping up in conversations with writer friends – who is this guy?!). I can’t wait to have more conversations about our writing journeys as we all work to produce something to share. I also find reading to be a completely different experience now that I notice what I like and don’t like about each author’s style. I feel like a new world is opening up to me and I look forward to stepping in!
365great Day 296: boba
04
January
2014
I started drinking boba drinks sometime in junior year of high school, I think. There was a place at the food court in the mall that sold them and I remember going there to get black tea smoothies with boba. I loved how the iciness of the drink froze them up just so – so they were a little bit chewy, a little bit crunchy. They’re nice and sweet without being overwhelming and they add a fun element to your drink. I try to get them whenever I can and it’s always been a fun time to hang out with friends over boba drinks. Sometimes I go for the milk tea and sometimes I got for the fruity tea. I used to get a wonderfully light white tea but it’s no longer being offered. 🙁 Still, I love just about any boba drink, hot or cold, and I love how they provide a great way to spend time with friends.
365great Day 295: skinny jeans
03
January
2014
For the longest time, I didn’t get into skinny jeans. Then I got my token pair two or three years ago, which I didn’t wear all that often. Somehow I got to the point where I decided to get a bunch more in the past few months and now I’m almost always reaching for a pair. I had always thought that my calves were too thick for this style of jeans, so I generally got ones with flares. No need to worry about whether my legs would be too large for those! After many years, I tried one pair and found that either my calves had shrunk or they weren’t quite as big as I thought. Since then I think my legs have gotten more trim so I can actually pull off skinny jeans now. I really like them because I don’t have pant legs dragging on the ground (though they tend to leave my ankles more exposed and cold) and they fit easily into boots, which I need to wear a lot more of now that I’m in winter weather. It also helps that they make me feel great about my legs again, large as they may be.
Julep Starter Box review
laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions，Tags: beauty, boxes, julep, maven, nail polishes, pictures, products, reviews, serums, skincare, subscriptions
03
January
2014
I’ve been waiting around for a Julep starter box that I really liked and I finally came across one with a beauty item that I would love to try. A typical box includes two nail polish shades and one beauty item (one of their style profiles features all beauty items). Up until now, every time I checked, that bonus product was something I either already had or wasn’t interested in. But then I came across the most recent one, which included the Luxe Repair Skin Serum and I was sold. I mean, the first box is free (you pay $3.99 shipping) so that’s a pretty awesome deal.
I got this one right after the Naughty & Nice Mystery Box, so I’ve got to admit it looked small and sparse, but I still liked it! I’m not sure if I’d spend $20 for it though, so I’m probably going to be skipping many months of my Julep subscription (luckily you can skip every month so you’re never stuck with something you don’t like). The current starter boxes now include the Mighty Nail & Cuticle Serum as the beauty item, which I have, so I’m really glad I snagged this box while it was available!
Julep is just under $20 per box and comes with 2 nail polish colors and a beauty product, 3 nail polish colors, or 2 beauty products (depending on your style profile choice). They offer plenty of upgrade and add-on options too. Boxes are sent monthly unless you choose to skip (which is very easy to do). They offer a referral program that earns you points towards free boxes.
First look at the inside of the box.
I went for the Boho Glam style, so I got a cute card for that.
You also get a reusable baggie, which I’m guessing only comes the first time as a welcome gift!
The two colors for this style profile were Tatiana and Michelle.
And the product I was very happy to receive, the Luxe Repair Serum!
I’m excited to try all of these items, but haven’t yet. I’ve been really getting into serums lately, ever since I read about how they penetrate your skin deeper (thanks for that info Yuzen!). I like the idea that it gets into your layers of skin well below the surface. It feels so enriching and nourishing!
[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 294: childhood blankets
02
January
2014
This blanket has been with me ever since I can remember. Over the years, its pattern has faded and the stuffing is all out of place, but it is oh so soft and comforting. While I’ve tried a multitude of other blankets, they can never replace this one and I hope I have it forever. I remember snuggling up with it when I was sick, playing fortress with it when I wanted to escape into my own world, and falling asleep with it enveloping me. I’ve wondered about the girls on it many a time and come up with stories about what is going on in the scene. Whenever I am home with my parents, I use this blanket and just pile on whatever else on top when it’s not warm enough. I’ve loved the smell of it freshly laundered and buried my face in it to capture my tears and wrapped my cats in it like it was swaddling cloth. It may be worn and old, but that is exactly what makes it great, for it holds a power to make me feel cared for.
365great Day 293: skateboarding
laelene Posted in 365great，Tags: 365great, loaded boards, pictures, skateboarding, skateboards, skills, ucla
01
January
2014
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.
Photo A Day Challenge December 2013
laelene Posted in photo blog，Tags: photo a day, photo challenge, pictures
01
January
2014
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
laelene Posted in 365great，Tags: 365great, entertainment, pictures, television, tv
31
December
2013
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.
