All posts in: San Francisco

05 Dec 2020

Scenes From Quarantine

Around the Neighborhood

As San Francisco braces for our second shelter-in-place designed to be similar to what we experienced mid-March, I thought now might be a good time to revisit what that time looked like in photos. After landing back in San Francisco from Thailand, Angel and I didn’t know what to expect. Even with all the information we had, nothing could have prepared us for what to expect. Due to my jet lag and landing on a Friday evening, I didn’t sleep. Coming back home to a bare fridge that I had cleaned out right before traveling and a smaller supply of toilet paper was enough to concern me. That first day being back in my neighborhood was a trip. Why did it look like chaos at the Trader Joes, but yet people were brunching like it was a normal Saturday?

I ran my errands like I did on a normal weekend day, but with a little more sense of urgency than usual. Somehow I apparently thought creating a bouquet of flowers were “essential” before shelter in place and this was the last one I purchased back in March from my local florist.

Restaurants, cafes and coffee shops all remained open, but it was clear from the set up that you weren’t welcome to stay.

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29 Nov 2020

Holiday Gift Guide 2020

[Ohom Kopi Mug and Warmer Set] – $75

When it comes to Christmas shopping, Kevin and I are no strangers to waiting until the last minute to shop for my parents. Instead of shipping things directly to our parents’ home (to avoid spoilers obviously) we wait until we’re back in Seattle to do all of our shopping. Most times, it can be what you expect it to be: hectic and chaotic. Other times, it gives us an excuse to leave the house and visit some of our favorite local spots while we’re out.

This year, we won’t be returning home for Christmas. Instead my parents will receive their presents unwrapped, but boxed from USPS. It’s not the holiday we hoped for, but we’ll make this sacrifice for the safety of those we love. In previous years, you’d be getting this holiday guide from me the week before Christmas. Since I had some time off this week from Thanksgiving, I decided to get a head start. You all may need it since you might also be doing some shipping of your own!

I didn’t intend for the theme to be so focused on home life, but after the year we’ve had and what 2021 may look like, this seems fitting. Moreover, festivals and celebrations are all about cheerfulness and colorfulness, one way of achieving it could be through decorating the home with some beautiful lights and lamps like the ones available at thelamplife. When the home looks bright, our mood brightens up instantly. This is the reason this time, I have focused on the gifts that can make your home a little more “home-y” and you more comfortable. In addition to getting this guide earlier than usual, you’re also getting MORE because nothing is sold out yet.

[Ortofon Orbit Special Walnut Turntable with Built-In Pre Amp] – $549

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18 Oct 2020

This Weekend:

Usually we start these posts on Friday or earlier in the weekend, but today’s post will actually cover all the things I’ve already done.

What We Watched: BLACKPINK – Light Up the Sky

When we learned that Netflix would play host to the BLACKPINK documentary we were thrilled! I actually watched this the day after it premiered and before the weekend hit because I couldn’t wait any longer. It surpassed every expectation I had for the documentary. If there was one thing I wish were different, it would be that it were longer than just 79 minutes. The documentary itself felt like it flew by and while director, Caroline Suh did a phenomenal job of capturing the four individual personalities of the girls, there was more that I wanted to see. This was, however, the first documentary I watched that covered the trainee process for South Korean entertainment companies. A documentary on that subject alone would also interest me. So far, Light Up the Sky is sitting at 100% on Rotten Tomatoes.

What We’re Listening To: Seori

During a K-Drama I watched this week, I had heard Seori’s Fairytale for the first time during a dance sequence. It was a refreshing sound to hear after weeks of K-pop after K-Pop after K-pop. We went down a short rabbit hole of her discography, but are really enjoying it so far!

What We’re Wearing: [Free People Cloud Nine Mini Dress] – $78

Technically, we don’t have this in our possession yet, but it’s on the way! The pandemic has showed me that a lot of the pieces I own are better suited for going out or being a part of an overall look. Not all of it is comfortable and in general, not all clothes have to be. However, since I am spending most of my days at home, comfort is something I’d rather optimize for. At home, nobody cares what label you’re wearing or how much it costs. These things don’t matter that much in the real world anyway, but it is something we think about. I think if I had seen this dress at the store, I would categorize it only as lounge wear and therefore not serve me much purpose. Now that my environment has changed, it’s perfect.

What We’re Eating: Beretta

Since Beretta entered the neighborhood, I have been spoiled by their pizza. Their Margherita with Burrata is one of my favorite things to order in the city. While the weather is nice, my friends and I took advantage by dining out at the restaurant’s pop up on Divis. We ordered both the Margherita with Burrata Pizza and Prosciutto Pizza with Crab Arancini and Eggplant Caponatina. If you’re looking for a refreshing cocktail, I also recommend the Diablo!

29 Aug 2020

A Love Letter to Our Neighborhood

In recent weeks, it hasn’t been easy to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Remember when our biggest concern at the start of all this was how we were going to get through the pandemic? Since then, we have had to deal with the politics of wearing a mask, Black Lives Matter, California’s fires, and the upcoming election. It’s frustrating for me to see now how many of these things could be avoided, but sometimes we, as people, are the problem. I could, and I have, gone down this rabbit hole of being in a constant state of frustration.

Today though, I want to share some scenes from the constant in my life that bring me a little bit of joy. This period of time isn’t easy for anyone. I may smile, laugh and dance through a lot of it, but I also struggle through my feelings alone. My neighborhood has begun to open over time and on the rare occasion that I go out, I always try to check in with our small businesses. After all, when this is all over, I want them to still be here. With the ongoing and the pandemic, I know going out only depends on one’s comfort level so do what feels right, but support when you can.

Nothing is stopping me from being able to take these urban walks now, but it took a state of pandemic to truly appreciate what I had so close to me.

28 Aug 2020

This Weekend:

What We’re Watching: Descendants of the Sun

It has been a couple of weeks since we wrapped up our last K-drama, It’s Okay to Not Be Okay, and I’ve enjoyed the break. But Descendants of the Sun has been on my list for awhile. Since all of my regular shows airing have all wrapped up, I’ve got some space in the evenings to start something new. I also want to see if I can finish a drama before the one I’m anticipating arrives! Park Bo Gum and Park So Dam’s Record of Youth hits Netflix September 7th and we cannot wait!

What We’re Listening To: Bearbot

I worked with Bearbot back in 2012 and I’m probably long overdue for a catchup, but through Instagram I discovered that she was releasing mixes every Friday. It has been awhile since we returned to SoundCloud, but for a period of time, these mixes were all that I was listening to. I’m excited to jump back into it and see what she’s creating. Here is the one I’m listening to [tonight!]

[The Drop Women’s Sarah High-Waist Double Pleated Wide Leg Pant] – $49.90

Since our first Amazon clothing purchase (the half-zip) was such a hit, I decided to test my luck again. I haven’t actually tried these on yet since they arrived, mostly because the gloom, smoke weather has made me not want to. Here’s hoping that the sun comes out and we can pair these with a fun basic top. I’m usually never a pants wearer, but as we gear up for fall, I want to be comfortable and for work meetings, dresses aren’t always the most functional.

What We’re Eating: Bread N’ Chu

For most of shelter-in-place, Bread N’ Chu has been closed, but they recently opened up and I saw a window of opportunity. I’ve been dying to try their sandwiches with Japanese milk bread before COVID times. Tomorrow, we’re going wild by buying two sandwiches so that I can savor them for lunch and dinner!

25 Jul 2020

This Weekend:

What We’re Watching: The Kissing Booth 2

To All the Boys is still my favorite Netflix rom-com series, but fine, we’ll give into this. After The Kissing Booth premiered and was incredibly successful, I decided months later that it was time for me to see what it was about. It wasn’t exactly what I had predicted, but in a good way. The characters were likable and I really did feel like I was rooting for them. In the sequel, it was thrilling to see Elle struggle in a different way. Noah is kind of a bad boyfriend? And we like the dynamics of the new characters that join the film. What you don’t see from the trailer is that they spend a significant amount of time in another location and the film revolves a lot around this plot. We’re a fan when trailers don’t reveal the entire movie.

What We’re Listening To: Taylor Swift – Folklore

While I consider myself a fan now, I can’t say that I haven’t wavered in the past. We aren’t big enough fans to listen to her album the night it premieres though. I actually don’t know if there’s anyone that I would do that for. When new albums come out that I am generally excited about, I like to set aside time for it. It’s not the kind of album that I’d have in the background because I want to pay attention to the lyrics. Plus, sometimes we write reviews on here and I need to be able to construct my thoughts. From the poll that I did on my stories, many people seem to lean positively on it. I think we’ll save it for tomorrow!

What We’re Wearing: A White Blouse

Already labeled the closet staple of quarantine, the white blouse is one of my favorite versatile pieces. It has saved me for work days when I want to look put together on top, but comfy while wearing it with plain black leggings or cozy shorts. It’s funny to think that I almost left this behind in Seattle on my last visit because it has been the piece I run to regularly these days.

What We’re Eating: Queen’s SF

I’ve been doing a good job of cooking at home when I can and only reserving take out for special occasions or once a week. Tomorrow, Kevin and I are exploring another neighborhood in the city and one place I’ve been excited to try is Queen’s which serves hot meals that you can take away, but also doubles as a market. We’re likely going to be doing some shopping while we’re there and I’m excited to try a few of their dishes!

25 Jun 2020

Outside Lands 2021

It’s official, Outside Lands 2020 is cancelled. Attempting to build anticipation, the festival organizers have already released the lineup for 2021 and will begin selling tickets. With everyone going on, it’s unlikely that we’ll see any live musical events before the end of the year. It just means that we’ll have to take full advantage of the next year given all that we’ve endured. Readers, how are we feeling about this lineup? I’m not sure if it’s because I’ve been out of the loop, but I recognize very few of these acts. Lizzo was a major player in last year’s festival circuit, but I have been wanting to see Kehlani for years!

[Source]

06 Jun 2020

Morning Pastry Pop Up

In many neighborhoods of the city, you can tell when everyone is still sleeping in these early mornings. Not San Francisco’s Chinatown though. On this particular day, I dragged Kevin to a pop-up at Mister Jiu’s called [Grand Opening] which serves pastries and a couple entrees only once a month. This has been on my to-do-list for awhile and that Saturday I was ready to put my plan into execution. I completely forgot that it was also the morning of the parade and that parking would be limited. Frustrated and hangry, I’m relived that I instructed Kevin to show up 30 minutes before me so that we could snag a spot in line. I like to think that Kevin and I are those people that really enjoy waiting in line for limited edition things.

Ahead of the day they open, their Instagram account always shares a preview of what they’ll be offering. It’s enough to get you excited about the one item and curious about the rest. That day we picked up nearly one of each so that we could sample a bit of everything. Technically, we left this for our dessert because right after we picked up our box, we headed straight for dim sum.

It’s unclear when Grand Opening will resume again as restaurants themselves have to decide their own re-opening. This was one of the last photos I took before I left for Thailand and before shelter-in-place started. As the country begins to re-open, I’m left wondering how an event like this will shape the future and if we’ll ever return to life the way it was pre-covid.

06 Jun 2020

Blog Roundup

  • The 50 Most Influential Nike Dunks in History [High Snobiety]
  • Donald Trump, The Most Unmanly President [The Atlantic]
  • The Professional Whose Job It Is To Wear Your Clothes Before You Do [Fashionista]
  • Millions of Amy Coopers [The Cut]
  • When You Are Your Parents’ Retirement Fund [Refinery29]
  • Why Remote Work is So Hard — And How It Can Be Fixed [The New Yorker]
  • How Coronavirus Spreads Outdoors vs. Indoors [Vox]
  • adidas and AllBirds Are Joining Forces [Vogue]
  • Impulse Shopping Helping Americans Endure Coronavirus Lockdown [Study Finds]
  • In Quarantine, Cooking Is Our Love Language [The Cut]
  • An Influencer Responds to Backlash for a Black Lives Matter Protest Selfie [Dazed]
  • The Appeal of the TikTok Everyhouse [Curbed]
28 May 2020

In Case You Need A Reminder

This is actually a graphic designed by the [MTA] On another note, as of today, Mayor London Breed has announced that face coverings will now be required in San Francisco when outside the home and within 30 feet of people. And honestly, thank goodness because it’s not even that hard to be wearing a face mask when you’re walking yet people can’t seem to do it here anyways.

[Source]