La Tour Eiffel. What a breathtaking sight. It’s funny that this giant metal structure could be so strikingly beautiful. Climbing up it is even more awesome and I wish I could go sip tea atop the Eiffel Tower every day. When I finally got a chance to go to Paris, I made sure to go to the Eiffel Tower a few times. Yes, once just wasn’t enough. Ever since I decided to take French in middle school, I’ve wanted to go to Paris. And there I was, at my personal mecca and I loved it. I could stare at it for days, admiring how it shines in the day and lights up at night. If you ever find yourself in Paris, be sure to take the stairs up this unique structure. It’s a much better experience that way and the view is great up there.
Posts Tagged ‘pictures’
365great Day 280: Eiffel Tower
laelene Posted in 365great，Tags: 365great, eiffel tower, experiences, france, paris, pictures, travel
19
December
2013
0
365great Day 279: swans
laelene Posted in 365great，Tags: 365great, animals, birds, geneva, lakes, pictures, swans, switzerland, travel
18
December
2013
The closest I ever came to swans was in Lake Geneva, as I waded in those beautiful crisp waters and they peacefully swam around. I saw one brave woman swimming there and the swans were totally cool with her going by. These creatures are magnificent and have such an elegant look with those curved necks. While most people think of the white ones when they envision swans, the black ones are pretty gorgeous too. It’s also fascinating how they transform from these ugly little gray fluffy balls into these amazing white birds. The way they blossom into adulthood is transformational. Being able to spend time in such a serene environment amongst them was really great.
365great Day 278: fish spas
laelene Posted in 365great，Tags: 365great, animals, beauty, experiences, fish, pictures, spas, thailand, travel
17
December
2013
When I was traveling in Thailand, I found a fish spa to go try. I’d started to hear of them while working in Singapore, but they were generally too pricey for my taste. Then I found this one at their night market and I just had to give it a go. These little fish nibble at your skin and eat the dead skin cells. It’s a bizarre experience, all those little mouths pecking at you. At first it was very ticklish and I had to take my feet out a few times from the over-sensitivity. Once I got used to it, it was a hoot. These spas are supposed to leave your skin softer since the dead skin cells are removed. I certainly felt like my feet were softer, but that could have just been from soaking in the water. Either way, it was a really fun time – odd, but great and I think everyone should at least try it once.
365great Day 277: Lumi Inkodye
16
December
2013
I got this cool set of Inkodye way back in the fall of last year, after Lumi’s Kickstarter ended and they produced the first batches of their product for backers. I’ve held on to it ever since, waiting for just the right things to try to dye. I’m still looking for a shirt or something, but in the mean time I came across the very same dye being sent out in a subscription box! Brandy of MommySplurge shared her cool creation and it’s adorable. Now I really need to get my act together and finally put my dye to use. What an amazing this concept is – turning the idea of a darkroom on its head and actually using the sun to set your dye rather than hiding from it! I’ve got to do something when I’m back in LA and I’ll definitely show you what happens. It’s gonna be great. 🙂
Inspirational
laelene Posted in general blog，Tags: aadp, asian american, bone marrow, cancer, donors, janet liang, pictures, poems
16
December
2013
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
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
15
December
2013
Most 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: be a bombshell, beauty, boxes, demeter, eye shadow, eyeshadow, j.cat, lip pencil, makeup, nail color, nail lacquer, nail polish, nicka k new york, perfume oil, pictures, pop beauty, products, reviews, roll-on, skincare, subscriptions, the one stick
15
December
2013
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.
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 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 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 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 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 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
14
December
2013
You 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: aegina, europe, george, greece, greeks, islands, pictures, stories, storytelling, tea, travel
14
December
2013
A most gracious host.
That’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.
Our shadows from atop the moped!
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
13
December
2013
My 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!
