All posts in: Drink

11 Apr 2021

Blog Roundup

  • In A Role Reversal, Asian Americans Aim to Protect Their Parents From Hate [NY Times]
  • Michelin-Starred Ju-Ni Opens An Outdoor Omakase Counter [SF Eater]
  • 13 Sports Films You’ll Love Even If You Don’t Like Sports [Life Hacker]
  • Where to Stream the 2021 Oscar Films [W Magazine]
  • “We Already Belong”: A Conversation with R.O. Kwon [NPR]
  • America Ruined My Name For Me [The New Yorker]
  • After Working at Google, I’ll Never Let Myself Love A Job Again [NY Times]
  • These Are the 5 Deadliest National Parks [Outside]
  • How Do People Even Find Drug Dealers? [VICE]
  • Why the First Thing You Drink In the Morning Absolutely Shouldn’t Be Coffee [Well + Good]
  • The 10 Most Crowded Cities in America – and the 10 Least Crowded [Mental Floss]
  • The 26 Coolest Airbnbs in California [Green Wedding Shoes]

21 Jan 2021

A Matcha Maker At Home

In pandemic times, we’ve all had to make adjustments both big and small within our lives. Those of us who are used to buying a daily coffee (myself included) no longer find it safe to uphold those same habits. As a result, people are given two options really – learn to live without it or do it yourself at home. We’re not quite at the stage of making it ourselves yet, but in six months, maybe we will be!

[Cuzen Matcha] is giving people the chance to get their regular matcha fix at home with a new machine and it’s just as easy as one that makes coffee. In a traditional tea shop, making matcha involves grinding and adding in water by hand which all feels manual. However, this device automates a portion of this process making this even simpler and convenient for home.

Boasting a minimalist appearance, the innovative kitchen device features a compact ceramic mill that grinds tea leaves and dispenses them into a carafe, while a magnetic stirrer mixes water with the matcha powder to create the perfect cup of beverage.

If you’re a regular matcha consumer who could benefit from having a device like this, you can purchase one [here] for $369 USD. The machine also comes with three packets of tea leaves as well as a whisking cup to get you started.

[Source]

06 Dec 2020

Blog Roundup

  • 5 Ways to Elevate Your Lunchtime Sandwich [Men’s Health]
  • For My Asian Mom, Feeding Me “Everything” Was An Act of Love [Refinery29]
  • TikTok’s Top 10 Songs of the Year [Hypebeast]
  • How Tinned Fish Took Over the Internet [Refinery29]
  • 11 Minutes of Exercise A Day May Help Counter the Effects of Sitting [The New York Times]
  • The Bay Area Will Fully Lock Down on December 6 [Eater]
  • Around the World in 130 Chicken Soup Recipes [Atlas Obscura]
  • How to Make Hot Cocktails That Actually Taste Good [Thrillist]
  • Photographer Explores Asian American Identity in ‘Where We’re Really From’ [NPR]
  • Whether on the Street or in Museums, KAWS is Having an Effect on Popular Culture [The Study]
  • Warner Bros. to Release All 17 Movies in 2021 Lineup on HBO Max [Hypebae]
  • Radio Disney to go off the air in 2021 [FADER]
22 Nov 2020

Blog Roundup

  • Get Out of Thanksgiving With This Interactive COVID Risk Map [Lifehacker]
  • How Lorne Michaels Created Saturday Night Live [Far Out]
  • Curfews Will Do Almost Nothing to Stop the Spread of COVID [Curbed]
  • 10 Winter Cocktails to Warm You Up this Season [MyDomaine]
  • Second Life Podcast: Jenna Lyons (former President of J. Crew and now Founder of LoveSeen) [WhoWhatWear]
  • The Making of BTS’ “Dynamite” with David Stewart | Deconstructed
  • It doesn’t Matter If Trump Never Concedes, Twitter is Giving @POTUS to Biden [Gizmodo]
  • Why Even A Small Thanksgiving Is Dangerous [FiveThirtyEight]
  • Timelapse Videos Show How Much Our Houseplants Move in a Day [Moss and Fog]
  • People Are Waiting 12 Hours In Line For the First In-N-Out in Colorado [SFGATE]
  • A Pioneering Vietnamese-American Pop-Up Bows Out After A Stellar 9-Year Run [SF Eater]
  • Carine Roitfeld Has Some Thoughts on Emily in Paris [The Cut]

18 Nov 2020

Blog Roundup

  • Millennials Grow Up, But American Girl is Forever [Fashionista]
  • The World’s 50 Best Bars of 2020 [Hypebeast]
  • How to Carve Out “Me Time” When Work Never Ends [Fast Company]
  • 25 Movies Endings That Never Fail to Make People Cry [Buzzfeed]
  • It’s Time to Tell Your Family You Aren’t Coming Home for the Holidays [The Cut]
  • Here Are 6 Things to Consider About Holiday Travel [Vox]
  • Every BTS Song Ranked in Order of Greatness [NME]
06 Nov 2020

Starbucks Holiday Drinks Are Back

Hello, it’s me, still trying to wrap my head around the fact that we are in full holiday season. I’ve spent more time in my home than I ever have in my life and this week I lived through four Tuesdays. While time was flying by this year, Starbucks has announced that the holidays have returned in their stores. As of today, all of your favorite sugary drinks and holiday-themed treats are back! There’s something for you to celebrate while you along with the rest of the world are awaiting the election results. I’ve bolded for you the ones I would normally order on rotation when I was going to Starbucks every day before heading to the office. Happy to share I’ve saved a great deal of money this year by not doing that.

Caramel Brulee Latte
Chestnut Praline Latte

Eggnog Latte
Hot Chocolate
Peppermint Hot Chocolate
Peppermint Mocha

Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew
Pumpkin Cream Nitro Cold Brew
Pumpkin Spice Latte
Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew
Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate
Salted Caramel Mocha
Toasted White Chocolate Mocha

12 Sep 2020

Portable Boba Straw

I have a friend who would love this as a gift! In an effort to be more sustainable, [Final] has created a reusable, collapsable boba straw that you can take with you on the go. Attaching itself to your keychain, you’ll have it ready for any last minute drop in to a boba shop. The straw comes in five different colors and is being sold for $12.95 USD [here]

[Source]

29 Aug 2020

A Collection Part 58

What are some little things that you do for yourself that bring you peace and calm? I think one of the reasons we’ve kept “A Collection” going for so long is because of how it makes me feel. I could look at pictures like these on an endless loop and never get tired of it. I’ve often wondered too, when creating these posts, what makes me decide that I’m done? Is it because I think 50-ish photos is enough for people to be enticed by it, but leave them wanting more? Maybe it’s because any more and I will feel sorry for it eating up the loading time for a visitor. There’s no rhyme or reason and each time we post it’s different. It is one of the series regulars that has no consistency or format. That could either really bother someone a lot or not, I don’t know.

Whatever the case, I hope it brings you some light into your life this weekend the way it did mine. Everyone please wear a mask, stay safe, be kind to each other, and check in with someone you haven’t spoken with in some time.

Read more “A Collection Part 58”
12 Jul 2020

This Weekend:

At this point, it doesn’t even feel like we’re in quarantine anymore unless it is by choice. And for the most part, that’s exactly what we’re doing. Parts of the country are re-opening up, but it hasn’t been successful. After several months of this, I generally feel like I’m doing okay so we stay indoors and limit ourselves to the deck attached to my apartment. I did, however, run a few more errands than I normally do this weekend which was a welcomed surprise because I love taking longer drives.

What We’re Watching: The Claudia Kishi Club

I binge watched Netflix’s revival of “The Babysitters Club” in two days and could not get enough of Claudia Kishi. She was my favorite character back then in the books and she’s even cooler in 2020. Growing up, I was a huge fan of the series and Claudia playing a young Japanese American girl with her creative flair resonated deeply with me. She was the opposite of the stereotype that we have all become familiar with and some of us needed her character to pave the way ourselves. Netflix’s “The Claudia Kishi Club” says it’s a documentary, but it’s only 17 minutes and we wish it were longer. The special features six Asian American creatives discussing what Claudia Kishi meant to them growing up and it’s the most heartwarming thing you’ll watch all weekend.

What We’re Listening To: JoJo – good to know (Acoustic)

Before I knew we were going to write this post this weekend, I already [shared] that I was listening to JoJo’s acoustic release of her “good to know” album. Two days later and we’ve still got this on repeat. I always love original albums, but there’s something about one that is stripped down that really tugs at the heart strings. We’re just so excited about her come back.

What We’re Wearing: [Leith Ruched Body-Con Tank Dress] – $56 – $29.93

I’ve been having a lazy week lounging in leggings, but because yesterday was Saturday, we pulled on this latest dress that we purchased. Since I’m new to becoming a regular at online shopping, I never know how my purchases will turn out, but I’m glad that this was a perfect fit. Now looking back on it, I wish I had purchased this in several colors! It’s the perfect day to night dress and one that I know I would’ve loved wearing around the office. For now, we’ll just wear it around at home, but we’re okay with that.

What We’re Eating: Soondubu

Ever since Kevin and I discovered the Soft Tofu Kit at the Korean Market that we go to in Daly City, it has become our favorite thing to make! The kit itself just holds the tofu and the sauce, but all you have to do is add water and your favorite toppings and you’ve got a meal. My usual adds:

  • 1 tablespoon Sesame Oil
  • Oyster Sauce
  • Soy Sauce
  • Sugar
  • Bell Peppers
  • Peas
  • 2 eggs
  • Mushrooms
  • Green Onions
  • Black Pepper

Cook it all up and serve it over rice and it’s the perfect comfort meal.

What We’re Drinking: Yakult Soju

This is the easiest cocktail to make! Normally, I don’t drink by myself at home, but since we’re not going out to bars, I figured this could take the place of my happy hours. I was introduced to this combo at a bachelorette party earlier this year so ever since, I’ve just had it on hand in my fridge. All you have to do is mix soju with the Yakult yogurt drink. I’m told it’s even better if you add Sprite, but we have yet to try that!

03 Jul 2020

Five Favorite Pins: 4th of July

It feels a little bit strange to be celebrating the 4th this year doesn’t it? Our country is kind of in shambles and Americans love their freedom so much that they’re putting those around them at risk. Let’s not pretend that isn’t the truth here. Last year, I had a very quiet 4th of July. I was craving bbq and since I didn’t have a grill myself, Kevin and I got takeout from [4505] so that I could get a rack of ribs. It was a San Francisco summer day with fog and light rain. The last 4th of July experience I remember truly having is one with a BBQ though. We don’t have a party to attend to this year (and honestly, no one should really be doing this,) but if we were hosting, here are some things we’d whip up.

Cocktail

Every good BBQ needs to kick things off with a refreshing and cool drink. Cherry is one of my favorite flavors both in cocktails (my favorite is an Amaretto Sour) and in food. With a prep time of just 15 minutes, how could this be any easier? If you are throwing a party with your college friends then you can still enjoy these delicious drinks by either making is a mocktail or by using a fake ID maker to purchase your own drinks to make this perfect 4th of July cocktail! This cocktail is sure to be the talk of the party and will ensure that you and your friends or family have the best night ever!

[Ginger Beer Cherry Vodka Soda]

Appetizer

Technically, I was looking for a true appetizer for this next course, but we’re going to end up highlighting two kinds of salads. I don’t consider this one to be more traditional because it’s kind of a “little bite.” In the summertime, I’m always finding that my home is stocked with as much fruit as possible. During these months, you kind of have to take advantage of the fruits in season and switch up your Caprese.

[Peach Caprese Salad]

Salad

I am obsessed with any kind of variation of a corn salad in the summer. Not only is it light and refreshing, but it’s the perfect dish to accompany any meal. Corn happens to be my favorite type of vegetable so I’ll eat it on everything despite it being loaded with sugar.

[Mexican Corn Salad]

Entree

I went back and forth on what recipe I wanted to highlight for an entree. It was either going to be something a bit heartier or a form of kebabs. Kebabs were the epitome of a BBQ for me growing up and something we always had around 4th of July, but they are on the lighter side. I also liked them because it was easier to eat without leaving a mess on you. Instead we settled for a [Chipotle Lime Chicken], which I think compliments the rest of the recipes in this post.

Dessert

I know people like to get very festive with dessert around this holiday, but c’mon. Don’t you think a flag cake is a little predictable? If you’re going to do a flag cake, at least make it an ice box. However, if you choose to go with something else, we suggest the [Biscoff Cheesecake] It’s my favorite kind of cookie and cheesecake in itself is an All-American dessert, right?

However, you choose to spend your 4th, I hope it is restful and that you’re keeping yourself and others safe.