Life

21 Jul 2019

Sunday Farmer’s Market

I hit the jackpot when I found my home in San Francisco! Having loved my spot in Capitol Hill back in Seattle, I wanted a neighborhood that would remind me of exactly that. You can’t be too picky in a place like SF though. Between high rent costs, expectations, and a long lists of needs and wants, something has got to give! I wouldn’t say that it’s identical to Capitol Hill, but we got pretty close. For the last two years, I’ve grown quite comfortable with my routine of my weekend coffee, a quick trip to the local grocery, picking up breakfast and sometimes flowers.

I’m not a regular at the farmer’s market, but I do like to stop by every now and then. And I’m not [The Mill’s] biggest fan, but I like the way they make my coffee. Never a toast enthusiast, myself, I only stop by when I’ve got guests in town because seeing an $8 avocado toast is an experience in itself.

Top – Abercrombie / Vest – Uniqlo / Denim – Levi’s / Purse – Vince Camuto

Culture

20 Jul 2019

A Pop Up Bar In A National Park

A couple years ago when I randomly by chance won a piece of Herschel luggage through a local boutique, my entire perspective on luck and giveaways changed. It may have taken me 27 years to “win” something, but in some crazy way, I thought my odds had increased. Going forward, I started to think that all was possible and that I’d have this continued luck again. I signed up for more giveaways. Lexi happens to be my designated friend when it comes to Instagram giveaway posts where tagging a friend is required. Don’t worry; I’m hers too!

The downside to all of this is that I receive 10x the amount of emails from brands than I ever did before. I’m still trying to find a block of time I set aside for myself to unsubscribe to all of these. I’ve learned to prioritize certain giveaways and opportunities. Every once in a while though, there’s one that is worth sharing.

Full disclosure: this event happened today, but I’m looking forward to seeing if anyone actually won it! In one of the most innovative contests I’ve heard of, Busch Beer has created a pop up bar within a national park somewhere in the country. There are 154 national parks in case you were wondering like I was. The winner that finds it will receive free Busch Light beer for life. There are a few runner up prizes too, but honestly they don’t compare.

In other facts you should know, Busch actually works with the National Forest Foundation and has committed to planting 100 trees for every person that finds the pop up. If any of you read about this winner before I do, I expect that you’ll inform me.

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Life

20 Jul 2019

Sunday Words

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Style

20 Jul 2019

Chokers 4ever

Turtleneck + Dress – Aritzia / Choker – Urban Outfitters

There’s nothing more satisfying than when you can put together an outfit with your favorite pieces. In the last year, my sheer black turtleneck and slip dress from Aritzia have been on regular rotation. I never dreamed of pairing the two together, but in a very seamless way, it worked. The turtleneck allowed the slip dress to act as a skirt and the dress made this a slightly elevated look. It was perfect for everyday wear like going to work, but if I had evening plans, I didn’t have to think about a second outfit.

Typically, that’s what my schedule is like. I’m at work for a full day and by the end of it, I’ll catch up with friends over a happy hour or dinner or head to an event. That’s why it’s the most sensible thing when you have an outfit that can be versatile. As a recruiter, I try to be mindful of when my candidates are visiting the office and to make sure that I’m not in just jeans and a sweatshirt. For the record, in my work environment, that’s completely acceptable. It’s just not my preferred look to begin with. The choker is sometimes a hit or miss! Personally, I love it, but I know a few folks that would be okay with me closing the chapter on this trend.

Culture

20 Jul 2019

HBO Taps Gossip Girl For Reboot

Does your facial expression look like Serena’s after reading the headline? Hear me out. In this day and age, I haven’t found a reboot that I have actually loved. 90210 was a bust and I can’t remember any that followed. I loved the Gossip Girl book series before there was even a television series. While the ending of the show wrapped up a bit too quickly and sloppily, watching the series was a college tradition for me. Every Monday, my floor mates and I would gather to watch it together and it was an entire thing.

Last year when I was on a work spree, I missed the show so much that I started it from the beginning all over again. A reboot may be questionable, but I happen to favor many HBO series. After they all, they are the ones who brought us Girls, Big Little Lies, and the latest Euphoria. It’s unclear yet if any of the previous actors and actresses will return. I won’t hold my breath for that. However, Joshua Safran, Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, the former producers of the show will be.

What do you say? Can we give this another go?

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Music

20 Jul 2019

Song of the Day

Duck House – Blue Hour

Life

14 Jul 2019

Sunday Words

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Life

13 Jul 2019

An Orange County Thanksgiving

It’s a little bit strange to be writing a Thanksgiving recap post when you’re in the middle of summer and thinking about buying your flights for your next Thanksgiving. Since I moved to California, I’ve spent every Thanksgiving in Orange County except for my first. This year, Kevin got to join me! It meant that we could rent a car and do a little bit more exploring. I’ve always had family in this area, but my perception of Orange County has been through their eyes. I quite enjoyed venturing out a little bit, but also frequenting some favorite spots like my favorite Vietnamese restaurant and South Coast Plaza.

For the gram, we checked out Noguchi Gardens in the middle of a business complex. It jumped on my radar when I had noticed some wedding photography there and I just had to see it in person. The Anaheim Packing District was also a huge hit for me. Lately, I’ve been a fan of food halls in other cities because you just get to sample so much variety in local flavor.

Pacifica’s Taco Bell Is Officially Remodeled

On a recent outing to Half Moon Bay, Kevin’s only wish was a trip to the Taco Bell Cantina on the ride home. To our dismay, when we arrived it was completely fenced up for remodeling. As of today, the remodel is done and the restaurant is back open for business! Though I haven’t been here personally, I’m pretty sure it’s the nicest Taco Bell to ever exist. Not only is it beachside, but it’s one of the few Taco Bells that serves alcohol – a rare commodity. How can you not have your nachos with a cold beer or a glass of wine though?

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Design

13 Jul 2019

Joseph Lee’s Abstract Portraits

Having grown up with an artistic parent, I am naturally drawn to different interpretations of art. [Colossal] is one of my favorite blogs because of how they are always highlighting different artists. I’ve never seen the same thing twice here and it’s an outlet for me to be able to share on Yow Yow! as well. Based out of LA, Joseph Lee creates portraits using different strokes, colors, and amounts of oil paint. Collectively, they all add up to a portrait, but the level of strokes bring about a certain kind of texture and depth.

Lee began painting as a way to channel his creativity after a failed acting audition. “After working on a long project, I needed to protect my energy and be selfish with my time,” he told Shape/Shift Report. “I don’t have any formal artistic training and coming from a theater background, human behavior and emotions were the closest references I had to paint.”

For more of his work, visit his Instagram [here]