Posts Tagged ‘pictures’

365great Day 172: afternoon tea

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365great challenge day 172: afternoon teaThis is a British tradition that I wish I could partake in more often! I love drinking tea and eating small snacks. I’ve only had afternoon tea a few times and each has been wonderfully enjoyable. Part of it has to do with the fact that you’re taking a break in the afternoon; there’s something very serene about stopping to sip tea at that time. I think we often get carried away with the fast pace of life and taking time to slow down and savor the afternoon is a beautiful thing. Plus, I’m a big fan of snacking and the treats associated with tea time are all fabulous. Of course the best part is probably still the tea, all steaming and fragrant. I love a fresh brew of loose leaf tea. Nom! Tea time is great not only for the pick-me-up but getting us to take a moment to truly enjoy our day.

Getting optimal sleep

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After staying at so many hotels on the UK trip, I’ve learned quite a bit about what I like when it comes to my sleeping arrangement. I’ve also been noticing I need more sleep while traveling – at home I’d settled into a routine of about 6 hours, but when on the go I could sleep on for 8-10 hours if I didn’t have to get up. It makes sense since I spent so much of my day on my feet, walking for hours on end.

So what’s the best thing to come back to after a long, tiring day? Well, a cozy and warm bed. The weather is nothing like the California heat my body has gotten accustomed to and even the winter is Virginia was pretty mild so my body tends to be cold (especially with some of that crazy wind in Edinburgh!). Thankfully, the coldest place had the warmest blanket – a down comforter that kept me nice and toasty. I definitely want to get one of those for my own bed sometime! However, when I’m that snug, it’s sooo hard to get out of bed so perhaps that isn’t the best idea…

sleeping with cat resting in crook of arm and head resting on chest

I love snuggling with Missy.

Back in college I got an amazing body pillow and between that, the down comforter I was using as a mattress topper, and my cozy blanket, I couldn’t drag myself out of bed for a week. Now that’s the sort of sleep I like best. I enjoy being in a super cush environment surrounded by soft blankets and pillows. That might be why I love having my cat sleep with me – she’s so soft and warm! Plus, she purrs and that is very soothing – great for lulling me to sleep. 🙂

In high school and college I could sleep like there was no tomorrow. I’d easily stay in bed until the early afternoon and then saunter out around 1 or 2. Now that I’ve been getting enough sleep at night, with no more all-nighters to pull, I’ve discovered that 6 hours of sleep is the magic number. I wonder if it’s also partly due to changes from aging? I mean, older people do seem to sleep less, it seems. Still, that might not be accurate since Panda manages to sleep a good 10-12 hours on the weekend if he gets the chance. It’s funny how different our bodies are. I can operate perfectly fine on almost half the sleep that he needs!

What I’ve learned and relearned over the years is that if you wear yourself out during the day, you crash hard and fast at night. I sort of miss those days when I was too busy to stop and treasured my precious little sleep. I don’t enjoy my sleep nearly as much now and if I do get really deep sleep I tend to dream, which doesn’t give me as restful sleep. Ah, the intricacies of trying to find the optimal zone of getting enough restful sleep… it’s all so complex!

Are you the same and don’t need much sleep or could you win a sleeping contest?

365great Day 171: vitality

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365great challenge day 171: vitalityWhile traveling through the UK, Panda and I often found ourselves with a bit of a challenging task getting around. We’d only resort to taxis if there was no other way, so that meant a lot of walking to get from hotels to stations with our luggage. For the most part we did a good job, getting hotels very close to a station, but with Edinburgh we got a bit confused and accidentally booked a train ticket into Waverly Station, but a hotel near Haymarket. Upon arrival, we had a choice: walk the 1.2 miles or get train tickets for the next station over. At first I figured we’d just get tickets but Panda got ambitious and decided we should walk it. After all, we’re now pros at walking extensively throughout these cities – what’s another mile? And so we braved the fierce wind and chilly night to make it to our hotel. It feels invigorating to be able to do things like this and not have to worry about poor health or physical ailments or just plain weakness getting in the way. I treasure the health we have now and the strength and endurance our bodies are capable of. As we age, I’m sure we’ll be more and more spoiled by services like cab drives and bell hops. Until then, I love that we can do these things and not even be out of breath.  What a great feeling!

Photo A Day Challenge August 2013

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Alright, so I did my #monthoffood personal photo challenge and found that my habits are on the greasy side, with a sprinkling of fruits and veggies. Not the best but boy is it yummy. 😉 For September I’ve decided to do a theme of #upandout where I focus more on what I see and encounter when I look up and/or out. Catch you next month when it’s all done! And here is a look at the food I ate throughout August:

365great Day 170: Treatsie

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365great challenge day 170: treatsieI’ve been subscribed to Treatsie for a few months now and I’ve been enjoying the sweets they send. I love how you get to dabble in a bunch of delicious treats to find what most appeals to you. I’ve tried some really tasty stuff that I definitely plan on repurchasing and their site makes it super easy! After all, part of the point of these subscription services is to introduce you to new products and brands that you’ll fall in love with and become a loyal customer of, right? I enjoy how Treatsie consolidated the shopping experience for the products featured in their boxes, so you don’t have to hunt down each company’s website or locate them in a nearby store (if available). I can just order directly from their site without all that hassle. So kudos to them for first making it easier to discover artisan confections and then making it so simple to purchase any of them! Making things easier is always a great idea.

[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!]

The forgotten city of York

laelene Posted in general blog, photo blog,Tags: , , , , , ,
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When I told people I was studying abroad in York back in the day, they said, “Cool, New York!” *cringe* It was a common encounter with my American friends and one that baffled me – I mean, I just told you I’m studying abroad… which means out of the country. Somehow that didn’t click with them and as soon as they heard York, they automatically added the “new” part. It’s kind of like when they first try to spell my last name and even though I say “Q with no U,” their brains sort of filter out that fact and continue on with “Quin” as if I’d never said a thing.

People don’t seem to be aware of (or care) what New York was named after. In fact, many don’t even realize its namesake is over in the UK. I guess they’re just not curious about how New York (or New Jersey or New Hampshire for that matter) got its name. It’s kind of sad because York has gotten rather overshadowed by its far more famous counterpart. Granted, it’s nowhere near as large or populous, but it has a charm all its own. So today I’d like to share with you what the original city of York is like…

welcome to york large map in town

Welcome to York!

toffs green street in york with black fence on one side and red brick buildings ahead

Here you will find a picturesque town with many quiet streets.

clifford street in york with york dungeon entrance and lots of red buildings

The busier streets contain many attractions like the York Dungeon.

overlooking part of river ouse in york from street bridge

The River Ouse makes it way through the town and offers fun boat rides. Watch out for when it floods!

view of clifford's tower from side with staircase

One of the more distinct landmarks is Clifford’s Tower, high atop its own hill.

view of merry-go-round and york castle museum from clifford's tower

Clifford’s Tower offers great views of the town!

clock tower of all saints pavement parish in york

You’ll find very historical spots here and beautiful old architecture.

view of york minster from side

York Minster is a major attraction and the largest building around! Check out their evensong generally at 5.15pm.

mansion house at st. helen's square in york in plaza with flowers

There are some plazas where you’ll find beautiful flowers and space to sit.

university of york vistior welcome centre

Over to the southeast, you’ll find the University of York (where I spent my year abroad!).

view of university of york lake and department of mathematics building

The campus is quite nice and always improving!

standing outside browns bakery of heslington where they specialize in quality sandwiches

On the far end of campus is a teeny town called Heslington, where you’ll find this awesome deli/sandwich shop. Go try their food!

And that’s the York that I know and love. There is plenty more to see and do, which I will try to highlight another time, but you can see it’s got a character far different from the big city lights that people mistakenly envisioned (thinking NYC) when I said I was studying there. I’m happy that I got to share this place with Panda and I hope to continue coming back over the years.

365great Day 169: trains

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365great challenge day 169: trainsI’ve always enjoyed traveling on trains. In my childhood, I’d go back to China each summer and ride a 12-hour train to get from Beijing to Shenyang. Oftentimes it’d be the overnight one, where we got fun bunk beds. I loved being on the top one because it was do high up and since I was small I fit easily. There wasn’t enough room to sit up properly since it was just meant for the sleeping portion of your trip. If you wanted to sit you could use the bottom bunk if the person let you, or stand around the aisles and snag a seat. They gave out these fabulous 3D puzzle keychains that I couldn’t get enough of. I trained myself to be able to put it back together with my eyes closed! During the day, I really like how the landscapes pass by and you really get a feel for the countryside. Plus, it’s nice to be able to get up as you please. For the most part the price is also great if you’re willing to spend some more time on the road. The best part? No tedious security checks!

Treatsie August review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
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The sweetest box out there has made its way to my doorstep, in my suitcase, and now to my tummy! Here’s what came in my latest Treatsie box:

treatsie box artisan candy subscription

The Treatsie box. So nice for repurposing!

treatsie august box first look

First look at the August box.

treatsie august box contents with chocolate bar, caramels, and lollipops

Treatsie is $15 per box and comes with artisan candy from 3 brands. That usually means 5 or 6 different flavors of treats. Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. They offer a referral link program.

treatsie august box with this charming candy blackberry + hibiscus and watermelon~basil lollipopsThis Charming Candy blackberry + hibiscus and watermelon~basil lollipops: What cool flavors! I really like how they use some more unique pairings that you wouldn’t typically find in a candy. I tried the watermelon basil and it reminds me of a watermelon basil lemonade I had at a Gogobot event. The flavor is a wonderful blend of sweet and refreshing, perfect for the summer months! I’m really looking forward to the blackberry hibiscus as well, which I think will be a nice sweet and slightly tart taste. Super cute candies for slowing down with. I can definitely relax with one of these and take a few minutes to stop what I’m doing.

treatsie august box with seattle chocolates birthday cake batter milk chocolate truffle barSeattle Chocolates Birthday Cake Batter milk chocolate truffle bar: I’ve seen these around and planned on trying them at some point, so this is perfect! Apparently you could get one of three flavors and I’m pretty happy with this one. I wouldn’t have minded the S’mores flavor either! There’s a layer of confetti cake mix in the center of this chocolate bar, giving it some grittiness and a crunch. The chocolate is rich and creamy and the bar as a whole is super sweet. Just a small piece at a time will satisfy that sweet tooth!

treatsie august box with slade grove creative gourmet watermelon infused and vanilla latte caramelsSlade Grove Creative Gourmet Watermelon Infused & Vanilla Latte caramels: Wow, just when I thought I’d seen some pretty creative caramel flavors (like coconut milk caramels), I’m proven wrong. I never would have thought to include watermelon flavoring in a caramel! It’s pretty cool – kind of like eating a caramel AND watermelon taffy in one. The vanilla latte is a strong flavor and in not a coffee fan so I’m passing this on to someone else.

Did you get this box too? What did you think?

[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 168: scarves

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365great challenge day 168: scarvesI never fully appreciated the usefulness of scarves until more recently. I didn’t really start wearing scarves until I studied abroad in England. There, the brisk air made it almost necessary to step out with something wrapped around my neck. Still, I stopped wearing them once I returned stateside. Now that I’m going to be back in an office that is quite chilly, I think I’ll be breaking out the scarves again. What a perfect way to keep warm without putting on a full blown parka and looking insane in the hot months. Plus, I can wrap it around my shoulders like a shawl if I want to feel like I’m wearing a jacket without actually wearing one. I can even use it as a light blanket on my legs if they get cold! A scarf can be so versatile without really weighing you down. And with all the different materials they’re made of, the sizes and shapes, as well as the colors and patterns, you’re bound to find something you like! Isn’t that great?

On My Mind, episode 10

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Linking up for Thursday Thoughts with Jennifer of Ramblings of a Suburban Mom!

cat sitting on shelf in pantry among various food products

Hehe, how fun it is to find a cat in my pantry.


a. ~I miss having cats around. It was really nice to have Missy and Molly at home and I’ve been thinking about when I could possibly bring Missy out east with me. I’m afraid Molly might flip out if we moved her so it’s probably best for her to stay put. At some point if it seems like I’ll be home constantly, I definitely want to consider moving Missy and even getting her a friend. I’ll have to see how this job pans out – while it looks like I will be working out of the Reston office for the most part, there is still the slight possibility there might be some travel involved. If that’s the case it would be too much trouble to find care for the cat(s) while both Panda and I are gone for work. I also want to wait until we move to the condo so I can minimize the number of moves the cat would make. I’m really looking forward to the day I get my kitty back!

b. ~My visit home was too brief. I felt like I just got back and got some stuff done and it was already time to pack up and head out. I guess that’s how it will be now when I return home to my parents’ place. I arranged to meet with my former coworkers down in El Segundo and got a chance to see how much the company has changed. They’ve hired a ton of new kids (mostly fresh college grads) and seem to be constantly changing the seating arrangements of different departments. Some of the old business focuses have died as new ones picked up and overall they’re expanding quite well. A few people have left and they now have a New York office open as well. Oh, and there are quite a few girls now! Pretty amazing since I’m used to being either the only female or one of just two or three.

c. ~I got a chance to visit a friend in the Little Tokyo area of downtown and had a wonderful time out there. It’s a great place to live if you want easy access to that region, which has a ton of delicious food. We had udon at a place where you can watch the noodles being made and then stopped by a tea room where I got two baggies of tea. I was also introduced to this thing called a cronut, which is a cross between a croissant and a donut. You get the light fluffy layers of a croissant in a donut shape, fried and covered in sugar granules. They offer a couple of different flavors, with the sauce/jelly/custard not just topping the cronut but also piped inside. It’s pretty fabulous and I’m going to have to eat a lot more. I could definitely get used to that sort of living, though I don’t like being so crowded in to one giant building when it comes to my living situation. It is really nice to be able to go to high traffic areas like that and not have to worry about parking though!

chef at japanese restaurant chopping line of udon noodles

Chopping up a line of udon noodles!

bags of loose leaf tea bought from chado tea

Treated myself to two of the loose leaf teas sold at Chado.

collage of cronuts croiisant and donut cross

I got the blueberry flavor. Yuuum!

d. ~I’ve done too much walking in shoes not meant for long distance. I really need to get around to buying a pair of sneakers! Ideally I’d get those Nike FlyKnit ones, but I don’t need something so high performance. What’s most important is a pair of shoes that my feet won’t hurt in. Even though my flats have padding, it’s not enough to keep my feet from throbbing after wandering the streets for miles. I’ll have to go try out these shoes to see if they soles are comfortable enough for walking and walking and walking in. While I’m open to other options, I would really fancy getting a pair of these! Might actually motivate me to go running now and then. 🙂

american eagle skinny jeans in plastic packaginge. ~I bought some American Eagle jeans (and a pair of slacks) at a steal and I’ve been enjoying having more than one pair of skinny jeans. In fact, I’m probably going to be on the lookout for a few more. For the longest time I always got jeans with flair legs because I thought my calves were too big for the skinny jeans. This might have been true in past years, but lately I’ve slimmed down and have normal legs now. So, my newest thing will be skinny jeans! I have a dark blue pair and now this lighter blue pair with ripped knees. I’ll need some more shades of blue in various styles and maybe a black pair as well.

Alright, that’s it from me for today. What’s on your mind these days?

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