Posts Tagged ‘pictures’

Graze snacks (next two boxes)

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions，Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
09 July 2013
0

You can learn more about the background of Graze in my first post about the boxes I received. As I post more reviews up, you can find them under the graze tag.

Graze is $5 per delivery (you choose the frequency of deliveries) and comes with four pre-proportioned, nutritionally-balanced snacks. Choose from the regular nibblebox or the low calorie caloriecounterbox with a default frequency of every 2 or 4 weeks. You can always increase or decrease the weeks between deliveries to fit your needs, thereby effectively “skipping” weeks as you please. They offer a referral code and link program that gives your referral their 1st and 5th boxes free and earns you $1 off your next box (or you can choose to donate it).

my third graze box with cracking black peppercorn, honeycomb flapjack, garden of eden, and bonnie wee oatbakes

My third Graze box with nutritional info.

graze cracking black peppercorn collageAs soon as I saw the Cracking Black Peppercorn, I had to dive in with them. I loved the crispness and the slight kick from the pepper. The shape and size of these crackers makes it easy to chomp down and I easily could have eaten much, much more. Verdict: LOVE.

I totally forgot to take an individual photo of the Honeycomb Flapjacks. I was disappointed in getting so many flapjacks right off the bat, so I haven’t even tried these yet. Just looking at them makes me feel fuller. They seem very dense and I doubt I could eat more than a bite or two. Verdict: TRASH.

graze garden of edenGarden of Eden was a nice blend of apple, strawberry, and blackcurrant. The varying levels of sweetness were nice and the different chewiness was a good mix too, ranging from sticky to soft. I don’t always want a sweet snack like this, but when I want a fruity mix this is one I quite enjoy. Verdict: LIKE.

graze bonnie wee oatbakesAt first glance, the Bonnie Wee Oatbakes didn’t look that appetizing. However, once I actually got to tasting them, I was surprised that they were pretty good! The oatbakes on their own would probably be too bland for me, but the caramelized onion marmalade they included was an excellent dip to use with the oatbakes. Pairing a mostly tasteless cracker with a strongly flavored dip resulted in a harmonious combo! I also liked that the oatbakes weren’t too hard. Verdict: TRY (since I don’t think I’d want it frequently enough for it to be rated a like).

my fourth graze box with sweet goan curry crackers, hickory smoked nuts & seeds, summer berry flapjack, and hot cross yum

My fourth Graze box with nutritional info.

graze sweet goan curry crackersOnce again, I was happy to see more rice crackers. The Sweet Goan Curry Crackers are sweeter than the black peppercorn ones I love so much, but they are tasty in their own right, with the fragrance of curry. I like the My Thai and Cracking Black Peppercorn more, but these still get a verdict: LOVE.

graze hickory smoked nuts & seedsHickory Smoked Nuts & Seeds were pretty boring to me since I don’t really like nuts or seeds. This combination was meh to me – I mean, it’s a good mix but it is inherently filled with food I’m not excited about. I didn’t even eat it all. Since then, they’ve actually taken this off their menu of options; perhaps most people felt the same as me. Verdict: TRASH.

graze summer berry flapjackOf all the flapjack flavors I got, Summer Berry Flapjack looks most promising, though I’m afraid I’d find it too sweet. So, yet again I’ve let it sit around and don’t want to open it since I know I wouldn’t finish it. Verdict: TRASH (but I might change to like after trying it, if it tastes anything like I imagine).

graze hot cross yumFinally, there’s Hot Cross Yum, which includes cinnamon almonds, raisins, and “sponge pieces.” The raisins are orange-infused, which is pretty cool. I guess I would call the sponge pieces cookies – they’re rather porous but still crisp. The combination of all these was interesting, but not amazing so I giving it a verdict: TRY.

This time around I found some more delicious snacks that I really like, and continued learning the lesson that I should have been harsher with my original ratings of these since I’ve gotten too many that I don’t like enough. In fact, I just went through and trashed a bunch that don’t seem very appealing – I’ll change them back to try one by one, once I’ve tried all the other ones that look good.

365great Day 116: real Coke

laelene Posted in 365great，Tags: , , , , , ,
08 July 2013
0

Learn more about 365great here.
365great challenge day 116: real coke“Real” Coke, or Mexican Coke as it’s sometimes referred to, is a previously phased out formula for Coke that uses real sugar. When it was brought back a few years ago (in those classic, iconic glass bottles) it became known as Mexican Coke because that’s where it’s produced. Back in the earlier days of Coca Cola, this may or may not have been the case. They originally stopped producing them because it got too expensive to make the soda with real sugar. I’m glad they brought it back! I love it not only for the difference in taste, but also the experience of drinking from a glass bottle. Even the opening of the cap with a bottle opener is an extra step that makes me feel like I’m having a more authentic product. I swear even the carbonation bubbles are different – they’re a finer texture, like the bubbles are smaller. I find it great!

Those artsy folk

laelene Posted in general blog，Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
08 July 2013
2
collage of four different blogs with white backgrounds and bright colors

A few examples of those bright blogs with pretty pictures.

I’ve been following a lot of bloggers lately and they all seem to be so similar – happily married women enjoying life as a wife and mother, with loving husbands who may not get their blogging but support it, and a keen eye for design/fashion/beauty. They tend to have very nice, clean-cut, fresh-looking blogs with white backgrounds and cute, colorful themes/icons. Oh, and I don’t know if it’s just coincidence or what but they’re pretty much all Caucasian, with a few exceptions. More recently I also stumbled across a subset of these who are expats living and working abroad, usually with their spouse.

Then there’s me. I travel a good amount, but I’m not living abroad (unless you count China as my home base). I am not married nor do I have children, though I am engaged and will probably reach that stage in a few years. All of my blog themes of choice have been darker; I don’t think I ever had a white background. My space feels more “crowded” and less clean (much like my room). Generally there are some Asian-inspired elements as well. I’ve yet to see any other blog quite like mine and I’m not sure I’d ever want a blog just like those gals. On the other hand, I’m similar in that I’m also in a good relationship (but I’m only beginning to learn about all this domestic stuff – I don’t do home improvement projects or cook or do crafts like most of these ladies).

In a way, I’m jealous of these women. They’re so good at photography and portray things so beautifully, in ways I may never. But at the same time, I like being different. I like how my blog reflects my Asian heritage. I like that my look is more distinctive from all those others. I don’t mind that my pictures aren’t beautiful DSLR masterpieces (but I wouldn’t mind if they were!). I guess in not being so perfect, people can see that I’m just another person figuring her way through things. At least that’s what I hope! Maybe it just makes me seem less serious or more of an amateur. That may very well be true…

Whatever the case, I tried searching for Asian bloggers and came up with a few non-English ones or semi-famous Asian ones. What about Asian-Americans like myself, just the average Jane/Joe sharing random thoughts and experiences? If you know of any, please do share. I’m still trying to find bloggers who fit my own life experiences more and I’m coming up pretty empty. Not that I don’t enjoy reading the blogs of all the other ladies I’ve seen, but I want to find some that I am more similar to and can connect with more.

365great Day 115: thunderstorms

laelene Posted in 365great，Tags: , , , ,
07 July 2013
0

Learn more about 365great here.

365great challenge day 115: thunderstormsOh how I love a non-severe thunderstorm. I’m not exactly sure why, but ever since I was a kid, I loved when a thunderstorm darkened the sky. I’d sit by the window with my books around me as I snuggled in with a blanket and read to the pitter patter of the rain, the flashes of lightning, and that deep rolling thunder. Sometimes I’d get some hot water or hot chocolate to warm up with as well. When I got tired of reading, I’d stare out at the rain splashing on the leaves of the trees or the blades of grass. I’d look into the varying shades of gray of the storm cloud and get lost in my own thoughts. It was also a great time for me to write in my journal as well. Thunderstorms create a sort of meditative environment for me, which is great for capturing thoughts. I find them to be so great for finding peacefulness.

365great Day 114: electric toothbrushes

laelene Posted in 365great，Tags: , , , , , , , ,
06 July 2013
0

Learn more about 365great here.

Oh, how technology makes our lives eas365great challenge day 114: electric toothbrusheser. With less effort, we can actually get our teeth cleaner than if we manually scrubbed those pearly whites ourselves. Battery-powered toothbrushes offer the extra boost in power that humans wouldn’t be able to pull off on our own, which can more effectively shake loose anything hiding between your teeth or gums and even rub off plaque buildup. Oftentimes, you don’t even have to move your brush back and forth anymore! A simple steady hand holding the bristles on your teeth, a press of a button to activate the vibrating motion, and the electric toothbrush takes care of the rest. Truly, a savior for all weak wrists and arms everywhere. So here’s to making oral hygiene easier than ever! Isn’t that great?

Seabuck Wonders Facial Cleanser & Cream review

laelene Posted in reviews，Tags: , , , , , , ,
06 July 2013
0

seabuck wonders facial cleanser and cream boxes

I mentioned my awesome win with these Seabuck Wonders products (Sea Buckthorn Exfoliating Facial Cleanser & Sea Buckthorn Facial Cream) a few weeks ago and I wanted to write a more in-depth review of them both. I’ve really enjoyed using them so far and I love how unique they are! Seabuck Wonders products are vegan and free of parabens, cruelty, dairy, wheat, and gluten.

seabuck wonders exfoliating facial cleanser bottle and sample dropFirst is the exfoliating facial cleanser, which has small beads in a yellowish clear mixture. It come with a pretty standard pump head and you barely need to press down to get enough to use. It was a challenge to get it to work at first – you might have to unscrew the cap and pump a few times like I did. The consistency is somewhat runny, if you can tell from the photograph. It has a light fruity sort of smell – not as sweet as strawberry or peach, but not fully citrusy like lemon or lime. I can’t quite place it, but it smells nice and soothing. All you need is a teeny tiny drop! That drop on my fingers is probably twice as much as I needed. I really like how this cleanser is slippery so it spread over your face well. As you massage, it will foam a wee bit, but probably not something you’d even notice so don’t expect to see bubbles. Everything glides so smoothly on your face that it takes a few extra splashes to wash it off. Personally, I enjoy that since I can feel exactly where it was and I know it covered my whole face. However, if you like more goopy and less slimy cleansers, you may not enjoy the tactile experience.

Would I buy this when I run out? Yes, probably (after I use up some of my other cleansers).

seabuck wonders facial cream bottle and sample dropThen there’s the facial cream, which is a milky yellow/orange hue. I love this little bottle, which has a super cool dispenser! Once again, a tiny little push gives you plenty of product to work with. The amount shown in the picture is probably double what’s needed for your face and neck. This one smells less sweet and has more of a citrus with some other element I can’t identify. I’d say it’s more masculine-smelling than the facial cleanser. It is very hydrating and absorbs well into the skin, but it not meant for controlling oil so you may need some shine control afterwards if you’re prone to oily skin. I don’t have wrinkles or visible sun damage, so I can’t speak to how the cream may help against those, but I’ve heard great things about sea buckthorn so I would definitely try this when I need help with wrinkles or sun damage.

Would I buy this when I run out? Probably not for awhile, since I have somewhat oily skin and I’m more interested in a moisturizer that controls oil. However, this could be great for the dry winter months.

365great Day 113: road trips

laelene Posted in 365great，Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
05 July 2013
0

Learn more about 365great here.

365great challenge day 113: road tripsIt’s such a fun, exhilarating, even romantic concept, isn’t it? Road tripping is super popular with Americans, if only as a fantasy, but plenty do manage to do at least some small ones. Whether you’re driving 3 hours or 3 days, it can be quite the experience to pack up, hop in the car, and hit the open road. Panda and I made a little one for the 4th of July break, trekking up to Pennsylvania to check out Hershey and Gettysburg, with a stop in Harrisburg. It was fun to be alone in the car together, with plenty of time for conversation, sightseeing, and overall bonding. It reminded me of trips I took with my parents as a kid – I’d spend a lot of time reading or looking at the landscape passing by as my parents sang Chinese songs playing on the cassette. We’d make pit stops for gas and food and I’d snuggle in with a blanket and pillow. What fond memories! Road trips are great for that.

365great Day 112: butterflies

laelene Posted in 365great，Tags: , , , ,
04 July 2013
0

Learn more about 365great here.

365great challenge day 112: butterfliesButterflies are such interesting insects. The way they transform from crawling caterpillars to flitting butterflies is amazing. The way their tongue curls up when they’re not eating, then uncurls to reach deep into flowers for nectar is fascinating. The way they gently flutter their wings to fly about is captivating. They also represent so much to us – hope, rebirth, luck, and even that nervous or happy energy we get in our stomachs. Who doesn’t love observing these gorgeous creatures? They’re so delicate and fun to watch. I visited a butterfly house today and it was great!

Job history: college summers edition

laelene Posted in general blog，Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
04 July 2013
1

If you missed the first two parts of this series, you can go read about the jobs I had in high school and the jobs I had during my college school terms.

I was one of the students who didn’t take summer school, but used that as a chance to land internships and try to figure out my career path. Even though I double majored, I carefully planned my classes from the very first quarter so I wouldn’t need summer school. I did end up taking an extra quarter, but that was because I didn’t realize that studying abroad limited how many classes I could take. Apparently they don’t take well to overly ambitious plans for education abroad programs, even if you are learning in your native language. But I digress. I certainly took advantage of those summers to try out some pretty diverse jobs!

As my first year of college was wrapping up, I had my eye on getting an internship. I tried a bunch of things, but everything was so competitive and very few companies would even look at a first year student. Ultimately, I was able to land an internship with a small film company about to film a low-budget movie. With all this entertainment industry influence around me in Los Angeles, I figured I should see if it was something I’d want to get into. I started off doing administrative work during pre-production. I looked through Craigslist to find housing for actors and I even found a dog to be in the movie. I helped book things and plan things and manage things. I also got to go out scouting a few times, driving around all parts of LA looking for that perfect spot for this and that scene.

filming messiah's castle scene of wristcutters with lots of extras

One of the scenes in the movie, in which I got pulled in to be an extra extra (har har).


Once we started filming, I took on even more, constantly managing the changing grips and electrics, getting second meals (a ton of fast food after a long day as we’re wrapping up for the day/night), wrangling extras, running lines with actors occasionally, and going around doing all that production assistants do. I enjoyed seeing all the behind-the-scenes stuff and running the operation was fitting for my skills. I learned a lot, met a lot of cool people, and even got to put my cat in the film – hence my credit as cat handler. I was probably in there somewhere as well, but only in scenes where you can’t even find me. Oh, and one time I found they’d used my car for a scene… we were very low budget. (The film’s title is Wristcutters: A Love Story, by the way – in case you want to watch it. :))

When it came time for my second summer internship, I wanted to explore a different industry. Since one of my majors was economics, I decided to see if I might want to pursue a career in finance. I landed an internship at Smith Barney with a duo who managed the financial portfolios of mostly aerospace employees. They’d carved out a niche for themselves so they could be one of the most knowledgeable in that area of expertise. Very smart! I spent my time there learning how to cold call, prepare financial portfolios, do financial research, and run a small portion of an office. They taught me how to read the financial portfolios, shared with me how they strategized, and being in that office space showed me what it was like to work in a big office high rise.

working at whole foods demoing food

The only picture I have from my food demoing days.


That same summer is when I found a job to do on the side, since my internship only required 8 hours a week. I became a Product Demonstrator, going to various grocery stores in the LA area, setting up a little table, and giving out samples of food, drinks, and whatnot. My employer was a third party company that represented many brands, so I got to demonstrate everything from ice cream to health bars to tea. I mostly went to Whole Foods to share the products, but sometimes I got sent to other grocery stores as well. For one brand, we actually did our work in Costco! I was pretty good at this job since I love interacting with people and I always carefully read and memorized all the selling points of the product. I did this job on and off for about two years because it was so flexible and I enjoyed it a lot.

ucla live events wall collage of images from event pamplets

I didn’t think to take many pictures so this is all I have – the collage on the wall from programs for the various shows.


When I returned from my year abroad, I interned with UCLA Live! (apparently renamed the Center for the Art of Performance at UCLA), which organized live performing arts events affiliated with the university. I was to help with their marketing, which I figured would be a good way to explore my other major, which was in psychology. I did a fair share of warm calls and emails to help promote the upcoming lineup of events for the season. I also had some cold calling to do to try to increase the database of potential attendees. While I didn’t help with the marketing strategy much, I did learn about it and did what I could to push it along.

Finally, when it came to my last summer – the one after my fourth year – I decided that I wanted to do something for myself. Every summer before, I’d gone out and done an internship. It was probably expected that I’d do one more since I was coming back for a final term in the fall and it wasn’t quite time to secure a job yet, but I wanted something else. I was suddenly reminded of my dream to be an Orientation Counselor. Back when I attended orientation, I had such a good time and saw the counselors having such a fantastic time that I told myself I wanted to become one someday. I then kind of forgot about it as the years went on and I learned so much. But then, somehow the idea crept back into my mind (or maybe it was in my subconscious the whole time) and it was now or never. If I was ever to be an OC, it had to be that summer, so I went for it. I was pretty nervous when I went to pick up the notification letter from the office. It was just a tiny letter so I couldn’t tell if it was good news or bad. I was pretty thrilled when I read “Congratulations!”

group of students standing on janss steps at ucla with counselors telling stories

Part of the job was giving tours of the UCLA campus, where we shared many urban legends.


All of spring quarter, the orientation staff met twice a week to train. It was basically like taking another class, since it had quite a bit of homework and a big test at the end. We learned so much about the academic requirements for incoming freshmen vs. transfers, all the cool resources available to students, tons of students groups for so many interests, and just about every aspect of life at UCLA. Don’t worry, we had fun too! I made some great friends and even met Panda there. Serendipity brought us together! (More on that another day.) Once the summer started, it was intense fun and hard work. Session after session of students came and went, we helped them choose majors and pick classes, we took them on tours of campus, and we even performed some pretty amazing skits. On our days off, counselors had various bonding activities planned including a trip to Vegas, hanging out in the middle of the night to watch the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony, and just plain enjoying each others’ company. I had a fantastic time!

That wraps up everything I did while I was an undergrad at UCLA. Stay tuned for the “real world” job experience I’ve had so far!

What did you fill your college summers with?

365great Day 111: watermelon seeds

laelene Posted in 365great，Tags: , , , ,
03 July 2013
0

Learn more about 365great here.

365great challenge day 111: watermelon seedsI’m not generally into seeds or nuts, but when it comes to watermelon seeds, I can’t resist. They’re super salty and flavorful, which is exactly how I like my food. The cracking experience is fun – I get to perfect my technique (a straight crack down the middle takes skill) and it forces me to not eat too fast. Plus, since it’s so salty, your tongue and lips start to get sensitive after awhile, so it’s much harder (and rather painful) to push the limit. Of course mostly I love it for the taste itself: the salty exterior and the more mild interior. I could go through handfuls of the stuff before I need a break. They taste so great!

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