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14 May 2021

This Weekend:

I always pull up the last time I wrote this post so as to not have any duplicates, but was surprised that the last time I told you about my weekend was February! Admittedly, we’ve been pretty absent with Yow Yow! in recent months. Between getting vaccinated, socializing more, working later and returning to some normal parts of life, it gets hard to juggle. That being said, Yow Yow! has always been my first love. And for pieces that I’m more passionate about, it doesn’t make sense for them to live on Instagram or TikTok.

The good news is that we’re getting our second dose this weekend so I’m anticipating that I’ll be out of commission for most of it. I’ll either be well enough to be productive in writing or too sick and only consumed by my television, we’ll see! Since we haven’t gotten the dose yet, I’m getting a head start by writing this post:

What We’re Watching: Navillera

I started this show around the same time I was finishing Vincenzo and had heard great things about it. It’s the first K-drama that I’m watching that has less than 16 episodes in the series. It’s a slower pace of a series than I’m used to, but lovely at the same time. I’m into the budding friendship that blossoms between a young troubled dancer and the man who lived a life never getting to pursue his dream of being a dancer. Since I’ll be resting all weekend, it’s the perfect time to binge watch the rest of the series.

What We’re Listening To: ENHYPEN – BORDER : CARNIVAL

For our second dose, Kevin and I are taking a road trip to Sacramento and while he can expect a BTS playlist of some sort, I like to mix it up by bringing in the rest of the family. ENHYPEN is a group under Big Hit that I’m new to, but enjoying all the same! Their latest drop – BORDER : CARNIVAL has a somewhat punky edge to it that intrigues me.

What We’re Wearing: [Oak + Fort T-Shirt Dress] – $38

An impromptu shopping trip led me to Oak + Fort’s Hayes Valley Boutique last weekend where I spotted this dress and a few others. I’ve always been on the fence with t-shirt dresses or rather pieces that are shapeless. While they may not do much for my figure, they are the comfiest and easiest pieces to style. As good as form fitting looks, it doesn’t always feel great when you’re wearing it. This t-shirt dress came at such an affordable price and felt like a blank canvas that I could do a lot with. Even though you can’t see it, it comes with pockets and a slit on one side.

What We’re Eating: Revolution Winery & Kitchen

Since we don’t spend much time in Sacramento, it’s a good opportunity for us to explore a few spots particularly in the food and coffee realm. We’ll be with a local tomorrow so I’m excited for their recommendations!

20 Jan 2021

Hot Pink Teeter-Totters at the US-Mexico Border Win Beazley Design of the Year

As we end today, I am glad I never have to hear about “building the wall.” For years, this topic brought us both sadness and pain. As a country that has strong values in building bridges and bringing people together, the wall couldn’t have been more divisive.

Two Oakland based artists, [Ronald Rael and Virginia San Fratello] came together to bring their playful idea to the border. In July 2019 at the border of El Paso, Texas and Ciudad Juárez, three pink teeter-totters were installed to connect both sides. While the installation seemed timely given the tension brought on by the administration, the project itself had been a decade in the making. Though the teeter-totters were used for only an hour, it left a lasting impression. Known for being used by children, you can see in the photo that it is being used by both children and adults. The message that this symbolizes is the unity between children and adults and that both countries can work together to physically lift each other up.

When asked about the administration separating families at the border, Rael shared this re: the proejct:

The teeter-totters represented the kind of balance necessary for any two people, two nations, to achieve equality, with the understanding that the actions on one side have direct consequences on the other. The teeter-totter is the physical manifestation of the Golden Rule—treat others as you would like others to treat you—a maxim that is shared by all cultures and religions. To experience joy on a teeter-totter, you must allow the other person to experience joy as well.

This highly prestigious award was given to the two artists from London’s Design Museum.

[Source]

02 Jan 2021

How A Rug Filled A Void

[5′ x 8′ Athena Shag Rug] $298 – $149

When I moved into my San Francisco apartment, I was obsessed with my hardwood floors. Three different apartments on my own later, the move to hardwood made me feel like I was aging into a real adult. After years of living here, I thought that appeal might wear off and someday I would upgrade to getting a rug. However, in reality, a rug felt like an unnecessary purchase as I’ll have to take extra care of it; even with the help of professional cleaning services similar to this Carpet Steam Cleaning Melbourne, it felt like extra work. Did I really want to be covering my hardwood floors with something else? I want them exposed and for everyone to see them! Could I use this money towards something else I needed that wasn’t purely “decorative?”

As many of us experienced, the pandemic and staying at home influenced us all to think differently. This is the longest period of time that any of us have ever spent at home. Details that didn’t bother me before became an eye sore to look at every day. The biggest realization I had was that life before pandemic was me living in a place that didn’t feel like home. I had a pantry that was filled with cleaning supplies and a fridge and freezer that were 20% full.

As hopeful as I am for 2021, I know life at home isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. With Kevin’s help, we found this rug above. I wanted something in a neutral tone to match the rest of my living room furniture. And most importantly, it needed to feel soft and cozy to bring out the warmth in this space. What a difference living with this for a week has made! My living room actually feels warmer – temperature wise. While I typically sit on my couch, I have no problem getting comfortable on the rug if I so choose. Even in a week, I’m left wondering why it took me so long to make the leap. I’m now the biggest rug enthusiast you’ve ever met.

30 Dec 2020

The Cutest Workout Weights

If you think that these are ordinary plushies, think again! They are actually the cutest workout weights you’ve ever seen. Honestly, you would think by now I would’ve acquired weights at home, but I’m still using jars and cans of soup. These, however, might push me to get real ones and maybe these ones to be exact. Inspired by Rilakkuma and friends, Japanese sports company, Mizuno, has designed the most adorable weights at one pound each.

When you’re not using them, they can simply be used as home decor. To get a set of your own, you can buy them [here] retailing at $38 USD.

[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]
26 Apr 2020

Japan’s Windowless Church

Growing up, religion just wasn’t a part of my day-to-day life. Despite that, I ended up at a private Catholic college – one that required at least two theology courses to graduate. I remember hearing about that and feeling intimidated. How could someone with no prior knowledge of religion at all get through two full quarters of these classes? The other concern I had was wondering if this would feel forced on me. I’m happy to share that that wasn’t the outcome! And that included in my four years of college were three years of voluntary participation in working with our campus ministry. Because of the environment I was in and my network, this naturally ended up being a part of my college career.

And since then, I’ve spent some time marveling at the spaces for places of worship. I’ve lost count of how many times I visited the chapel on campus – many times for attending events, but other times just for finding peace and solace during a hectic class day. When traveling, I don’t always seek out these spaces, but if I happen to come across one of them, I try to capture these moments.

In what seems to be a non-traditional build, this church located in Shizuoka, Japan was made of wooden slats and without any windows. Sunlight streams in from the top through the open roof and creates various shadows throughout the day.

[Source]

01 Mar 2019

Jonas Brothers Comeback

Boy, can I be a tough critic when a new single comes out! At first listen, my thought was “It ain’t no ‘Burnin’ Up.” But then reality set in and I realized I’ve listened to this song on repeat for the entire day. It is, in fact, a very strong comeback from the brothers and in its very own unique way, it is a bop! I have no idea what the music video is about, but it doesn’t matter. The brothers featured their three wives/partners in it and it wasn’t weird in the slightest. It was actually quite endearing and we almost wanted more?

Who steals the show? Sophie, by miles. Priyanka does her same old schtick that we’ve seen in everything that she does with Nick now, but Sophie was the superstar here. Why? Because she’s a complete weirdo! Her top three moments:

  • Biting the bush
  • Pouring her champagne into her bath
  • Spitting her champagne into her bath

On another note, it’s also quite refreshing to see Danielle, Kevin’s wife! Their relationship has always been so sweet to me because they met organically while on a family vacation and she was a non-celebrity. Though it wasn’t popular, I thoroughly enjoyed their short-lived reality show.

We’ve been a longtime Nick Jonas fan, but the vocals award goes to Joe in “Sucker.” His part clearly stands out above the rest. This is a strong debut for a group that I thought would never return to music as a band, but it makes me excited for what’s to come. I’ve already agreed with one of my best friends that we are definitely headed to their tour. How powerful a single can be…