Back at UCLA, I attended the most bonfires of my life – during Beat ‘SC Week as we pumped up school spirit for the UCLA vs. USC football game, at retreats with my fraternity (AKPsi), and on random outings with friends when we met up at Dockweiler Beach. There’s something special about gathering around a giant flame, letting it heat one side of your body until you felt like it was going to singe. For the smaller bonfires, you can toast marshmallows and make s’mores. For the larger ones, you can marvel at the height of the flame and join in on a crowd mentality as hundreds of people pack in. Bonfires are such a fun activity to participate in, no matter the scale; it could be as intimate as personal time alone or as lively as participating in a group. Either way, it’s a great way to enjoy a night.
Posts Tagged ‘pictures’
365great Day 269: bonfires
UK Vacation Day 7 Recap
On day 7 of our grand UK adventure, Panda and I explored the streets of Edinburgh and found a bunch of museums. The morning started off with a silly moment, when Panda got my ring stuck on his finger… and we thought he might have to wear it around all day for me. 😛 I got a delicious treat at a cute bakehouse, we swung by the cafe where Harry Potter was written, and of course went to check out the castle (getting a few items in the gift shop but not actually going in). Along the way, we came across two Chinese ladies asking for directions and I regretted not helping. We wanted to also check out this place called The Mound, but I think they were closed so we skipped it. For dinner, we got Pizza Express and I discovered my new favorite pizza. Later at night we got hungry again so we went out to a Chinese place where they were very interested in chatting us up. I guess Chinese-Americans don’t come around that often.
[Don’t forget about Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, and Day 6 recaps.]
We started the day off right with a hearty breakfast British style.
I’ve never seen a salt and pepper shaker as one unit! I want.
Off to the bustling Princes Street. There’s just a bit of blue sky out there.
So bright and cheery against the other dull colors.
Classic building in these parts.
Caught me chillin’ on these cute roads.
We found the world’s end!
We arrive at the Museum of Edinburgh to find we were there on exactly the 500th anniversary of the Flodden Campaign.
What a cool staircase.
Hehe, I was amused by the midget next to the giant.
Those shoes do NOT look comfy.
Ambulances here use blue and neon yellow.
Stumbled upon Mimi’s Bakehouse, where I could hardly choose just one thing to try!
Such a fun light frame.
I decided to opt for the Malteser bar. Yummy yummy.
We made a quick stop at the Museum of Childhood. Strollers used to be so much simpler.
I’ve never heard to this shoot the moon game and I haven’t a clue how it works.
Next up was the grandest museum of all: the Museum of Scotland! Gorgeous room.
Weighing in against animals, I am right around the same as a giant anteater. Fun fact: Panda and I are almost exactly the same weight – sometimes 2 lbs off but often identical.
This is the only breed of cat in the world that can climb down trees, thanks to claws that go the other direction! If only household cats could get those claws…
I spent all this effort sending a Morse code message to Panda only to discover he wasn’t paying attention! Men.
So perfect for me! My feet and back get sore easily, so I happily grabbed a seat to rest on.
The fun little cafe with a view of Edinburgh Castle in the back, where JK Rowling did much of her earlier writing.
Apparently this place inspires plenty of writers!
We can just make out the ocean out there. So cool! I wish we could have gone to visit but it’s far.
Up, up, up to the Ednburgh Castle.
There was some sort of event there and they were taking down the bleachers they’d set up.
Spectacular place to live. We decided not to go into the castle but just enjoy the views and shop.
Such cute soaps! I recorded the brand so I can remember to get these one day…
Not quite what we imagined when we order dough balls, but they were good!
Panda go La Reine and I go the Pomodoro Pesto in the back – FAB. I love thin crust, fresh tomatoes, mushroom, and pesto.
What a beautiful place Edinburgh is. So much greenery!
Such a quaint path down into the Princes Street Gardens.
Such a beautiful burst of color against the drab.
Seeing this inspired me to get one back when I was stateside!
Time to consider changing your priorities along with it?
Panda always loves his Singapore noodles.
365great Day 268: Aerie
I’m getting to be quite the fan of Aerie. Awhile ago, I shared how I got free & practically free underwear from them and then today I managed to score a bra for just over $5! Now that’s a steal. Granted, $10 of that was from Wrapp (to be coming on another 365great day), but still, I’m very pleased. They always have really cute clothes and undergarments and when I wait for just the right time, I can snag them at fantastic bargains. I’ve got my eye on a bunch of clothes that I’d like to get there eventually… like maybe later this month when they have their $10 off $30 promo! I can’t wait – it’s gonna be great. 🙂
Homegrown Collective November 2013 review
As always, it was such a pleasant surprise when the Homegrown Collective box arrived! This time there are two projects, one that is perfectly seasonal and one that is a more involved food project. I’ve already done the first one and I’ll need to find a blender to try out the other.
The Homegrown Collective GREENBOX is $39 per box + $9 shipping (or as discounted as $429 for an entire year, with options in between) and comes with fun and easy projects to live a more sustainable lifestyle. Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. They offer a referral program you can apply to join.
Hehe, it was really cute how they let one of the evergreen cuttings poke out.
Project #1, evergreen oil lamp: What an adorable idea! I love that this oil lamp makes use of very seasonally-appropriate items that totally remind me of winter. You also have the freedom to throw in whatever you might have in your yard or neighborhood to make it even more personalized. I think it’s fantastic and so simple yet creative. I can get more paraffin oil and keep on changing the look of this lamp throughout the months as I find random plants I can use!
Project #2, almond chocolate milk: Ok, so I’m generally not a fan of almond milk, but I don’t think I’ve tried chocolate almond milk before. The main problem with this particular project is that I don’t have a blender, so I’m not sure how I could possibly make it right now. The good thing is that the move into the new condo is the perfect excuse to get a few items for the home, like a blender! I’ll have to keep these ingredients stored away for the time being, until I can try making my very own almond chocolate milk. I hope I like it!
At the back, you get to learn about almonds and the awesome clean burning oil lamp!d
Have you subscribed to The Homegrown Collective? I’m absolutely loving all the cool projects they come up with – I feel crafty without actually doing much! 😀
[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 267: tigers
I love felines of all kinds and my favorite of the large cats would have to be tigers. They have an air about them that is awe-inspiring and their strength yet grace is captivating. Their stripes are so fun and vibrant; it’s a unique pattern that no other big cats have. I got a chance to visit the Tiger Temple when I was in Thailand and it was such a special experience. When I approached the area where the adult cats were lounging, everything hushed and I carefully navigated through them with my guide. They didn’t seem to mind much that people were milling out and either let me touch them gently or didn’t even feel my hand stroking them. My favorite part was petting the baby tiger though – it was already quite big, with giant paws and far more strength than me. Yet, they still had an awkward, adorable quality about them. I absolutely loved being able to get so close to these creatures – what a great vacation stop!
Storytelling
I’ve had some pretty random and interesting experiences in my life. There are the moments when I had crazy encounters with strangers, the cool things I got to experience as a result of living in Los Angeles, and wonderful childhood memories. I’d like to share more of these, since a good story can be captivating, entertaining, and powerful. Perhaps I can hone my writing skills enough to write short stories!
Driving, driving, driving, til she needed to go.
This, in addition with Katana’s recent request that I read over some ideas she has for a book, make me want to share more of my life stories and grand adventures. I could share the times I took rides with strangers in foreign countries, the wacky times I spent with rich guys, the amazing things I got to do as a child, the fun experiences from college, and so much more… I just wish I could put together words as well as the writers I know (Autumnfall & Katana). Alas, I’ll do my best and hope to provide some worthwhile reads. Stay tuned!
365great Day 266: cha for tea
My all-time favorite boba place is cha for tea, both because they make their boba just to my taste and because they make tea flavors that I prefer. They also happen to be a great place to hang out and grab a snack (the crispy chicken is bomb!) or sip on your drink while playing games with your friends (Connect Four, anyone?). Ever since my friend took me there many years ago, I’ve dropped by whenever I’m in the San Gabriel Valley area. Over the years, the tea flavors I loved best slowly got phased out sadly, but I can still find plenty of drinks to delight me. Plus, I can never go wrong with their boba. It’s not too soft, not too hard and a delicious kind of sweet that’s not overwhelming. They’re a pretty popular spot with a lovely atmosphere and great drinks.
A sense of impermanence
Hello future home.
Ever since I moved here I haven’t quite felt settled. There’s not much space for me, I barely brought along any stuff, and I didn’t know anyone other than Panda. Now I’ve got a job and (soon) a condo, so I can finally feel like this place is my home. I don’t think of myself as a Virginian yet and I don’t know how long it will take, but if I stay long enough it’s bound to happen. Going back to LA for Thanksgiving was a chance for me to bring over more things and the upcoming move to the condo is a chance for me to claim some space of my own. I’m looking forward to making 2014 the year in which I get to embrace life out here.
For now, I still feel like an outsider. Everything is an adjustment – I’m not used to the weather, the change of pace in lifestyle, even the people… at times I wish I could just retreat back to my parents’ home in LA, lounge around, and not have to worry about being all grown up. So much seems so out of place in my life right now. It’s a feeling I can’t quite put my finger on – a little bit of melancholy, a little bit of confusion, a little bit of yearning. I’ve dived into songs to try to express feelings I can’t place, but I think I just need to write about it. I’ve pondered putting together a fictional story to try to capture my thoughts and funny enough, my best friend recently reached out to me about her own writing. Perhaps reading her stories will help me collect my ideas for mine.
It’ll be nice when I have the move to focus on, so I can shift my efforts to building my new life.
365great Day 265: wave boards
Wave boards are one of those cool things that require a very strange sort of physical motion. I’m told the motion you use is similar to surfing or snowboarding, but I’ve only ever gone straight and never tried to carve with those. I did carve with my skateboard a little bit, so I think I understand the feeling. But then again, I find it most effective to sort of wiggle my back foot back and forth to propel myself on these things. I’m not sure if that’s a technique that is part of wave boarding well. My friend Ninja here is super adept at things like these, so he picked up right away. My wave board has these awesome wheels that light up when you move, so we watching flashes of blue and red go off into the darkness. It’s one of those random toys that is novel for everyone when they first see it and most curious people will want to try it out for themselves. I’ve had many a fun bonding session with friends that way. It’s a great way to be entertained and challenged!
365great Day 264: Sprinkles Cupcakes
I don’t recall how exactly I found out about Sprinkles, but I do remember all the hype around it. I mean, who’s crazy enough to open a cupcake shop and sell that exclusively?? But hey, it turned out to be a hit and I happily lined up outside that teeny shop on Little Santa Monica Blvd. For me, it absolutely lived up to its reputation. The cupcakes were a generous size, fresh and moist, not too sweet, and just enough taste. I could hardly get enough! I’d go with friends whenever we got a chance to roam away from the UCLA campus. I still love those cupcakes, though I don’t go as much anymore and their size has shrunk. They did open up a cool cupcake dispensing ATM and an ice cream shop next door! Each day, there’s a special code to get a deal – it used to be a free cupcake, but now I think it’s BOGO. All kinds of goodness there. It’s a great place to try if you haven’t yet!
