All posts in: Refinery29

22 May 2020

Blog Roundup

Before this year, I didn’t know that May was Asian and Pacific Islander American Heritage month. While it has been a slow journey for me to become more acquainted with my culture and history, I know now I can appreciate this much more at my age. I think some of this has to do with the environment I grew up in and not having that kind of community until after graduating college and starting my career. Without even knowing how special this month was, we got into Korean drama all on our own and started to read and watch pieces that were all tied to the celebration of this month. By no means do I think that means I’ve done all the work that there is, but I’m excited to continue educating myself. I’ve really been enjoying this and have shared a majority of them here with you all!

  • Studio Ghibli Producer is Giving Free Drawing Lessons Online [High Snobiety]
  • Trump’s Refusal to cover up actually reveals his greatest fears [The Cut]
  • 11 Phrases People Love to Hear [The Ladders]
  • Forget Productivity: Let ‘Wuliao’ Be Your Quarantine Philosophy [Refinery29]
  • How to Make Pancake Cereal – TikTok’s Latest Food Trend [Hypebae]
  • MSG is a Valuable Kitchen Staple, If You Know How To Use It [The Takeout]
  • Where New Yorkers Moved to Escape Coronavirus [New York Times]
  • It Is Scientifically Proven That Flowers Make You Feel Better [Vogue]
  • The Ultimate Guide to Instant Noodles [Eater]
  • The Childhood Sweethearts Who Eloped to the Mountains [The Cut]
  • What K-Pop’s Beautiful Men Can Teach Us About Masculinity [Refinery29]
  • How Street Culture Shaped Asian-American Identity [High Snobiety]
  • Jay Park on K-Pop and Cultural Appropriation [VICE]

14 May 2020

Blog Roundup

  • Alison Roman and Chrissy Teigen’s Feud Is About More Than Selling Out [Vox]
  • Protesters Inadvertently Prove They Can Work Out Anywhere [The Cut]
  • I Am 35 and Running Faster Than I Ever Thought Possible [New York Times]
  • Pedestrian Etiquette Guide for SF During the Pandemic [Curbed]
  • The Rise and Fall of TOMS
  • If you’re ordering pizza, make sure it’s not coming from Chuck E. Cheese [Food&Wine]
  • For Asians, Treating Our Mental Health Issues Feels Like Having to Pick a Side [Refinery29]
  • 17 Infuriating TV Moments That Should Have Never Happened [Buzzfeed]
  • The Hottest Thing A Man Can Do [The Cut]
  • Inside Masa’s $800 Takeout Sushi Box [Eater]
  • Center Stage Turns 20: [Entertainment Weekly]
  • Welcome to the Summer of Maude Apatow [WhoWhatWear]
  • Berkeley Will Fully Close Its Streets to Create Giant Outdoor Dining Rooms [SF Eater]
02 May 2020

Blog Roundup

  • Photos: Scenes of a New Normal in San Francisco [The Bold Italic]
  • Top E.R. Doctor Who Treated Virus Patients Dies by Suicide [New York Times]
  • Mexican Wrestlers Sew Luche Libre Face Masks to Help Fight Against Coronavirus [Hypebeast]
  • 10 Remote Homes [dezeen]
  • 19 Outrageous Dennis Rodman Stories [Vulture]
  • Restaurants After COVID [Slate]
  • The Spaces Between Us [The Cut]
  • Taco Bell Celebrates Cinco de Mayo w/ At Home Taco Bar Kits [Hypebeast]
  • How to Make Your Groceries Last Longer
  • How Normal People Does Sex So Good [Vulture]
  • 87 Cloths Masks To Shop Now [Vogue]
  • The New Rules of Chivalry [Valet Mag]
  • Love in the Shape of Cut Fruit [Refinery29]
28 Apr 2020

Instagram Will Host A Virtual Graduation

As time went on and more events started getting cancelled, one of the things that I couldn’t stop thinking about was what this year meant for graduating seniors. Now looking back, I know that prom was the most hyped up event of my life. However, both graduations – high school and undergrad were moments I’ll always remember. They were monumental chapter closings. Yes, you can still have that moment without the physical graduation itself, but as silly as it is to wear the gown and the stupid hat, everyone still wants to do it.

In the most 2020 way, Instagram has decided to host a virtual graduation featuring Oprah as commencement speaker. On May 15, the virtual event will be a multi-hour live stream. In addition to Oprah, graduating seniors will hear from Olympic gymnast Simone Biles, comedian Awkwafina, and more. Miley Cyrus will also perform her song, “The Climb.” Classic.

It’s hard to know if graduating seniors will ever get the event they were supposed to have in these times. I want to celebrate knowing they’ll have something, but I hope they’ll also get the physical graduation ceremony at some point as well.

[Source]

07 Apr 2020

The Terrifying Danger of Wearing Makeup in North Korea | Refinery29

I recently binge watched Korea’s top rated drama series, “Crash Landing on You” and have since developed a fascination around Korean culture. Before this series, it was lost on me how different the north and south were. At a baseline, I knew that South Korea operated like any other city in Asia I had visited. North Korea, on the other hand restricted just about everything – two of which include things like cellphones and the internet. After watching the series, I came across this profile from Refinery29.

I’ve been following Refinery29 for years and what I love about them is that they can give you your weekly horoscopes and quick news bites. Occasionally, I’ll notice spelling errors in their articles and that confuses me. However, the most valuable part about their platform is the hard-hitting investigative journalism pieces and ones like above.

While in quarantine, I’m wearing less makeup than I ever would because I don’t need to be going outdoors. It didn’t occur to me just how much it is considered a luxury elsewhere. I buy less because it ends up costing me more, but that opportunity isn’t always readily available in other countries. In places like North Korea, it’s dangerous.

16 Feb 2020

Blog Roundup

  • Airbnb Renovates Its 650 Townsend Office with Functionality and Fun in Mind [Architectural Digest]
  • The Theme Song to “Succession” in Mario Paint [Twitter]
  • Closeness in the Age of Coronavirus [Refinery29]
  • Investigating Heterosexuality: Why Do Women Love Adam Driver? [Elle]
  • Can Weed Cure a Hangover? [VICE]
  • Why Are Roses So Fucking Expensive? [Mel Magazine]
  • Hayley Williams Performed at the Collina Strada Runway Show [Vogue]
  • Instagram Made It Easier to Delete Accounts You Follow [Refinery29]
  • Here’s Why You’re Drawn to Certain Beauty Product Packaging [Byrdie]
  • HQ Trivia is Shutting Down [Hypebeast]
photo | Emily Soto
  • To All The Girls He’s Loved Before – Welcome to Jordan Fisher’s Real-Life Rom-Com [The Cut]
  • The Talks: Bong Joon-Ho [The Talks] – this is one of my favorite websites
  • Lakeith Stanfield is Letting His Imagination Run Wild [Hypebeast]
  • Lara Jean Covey’s Fashion in P.S. I Still Love You as told by [Fashionista]
  • The Visualization of How Fast You Earn A Dollar [Digg]
  • 25 Things You Missed in Parasite
26 Jan 2020

Blog Roundup

  • Second Life podcast: Reese Witherspoon [WhoWhatWear]
  • Cheer Is Built On A Pyramid of Broken Bodies [The Atlantic]
  • Become An Early Riser [Valet Mag]
  • A Group of Furries Stopped A Domestic Violence Assault [CNN]
  • Album Covers That Tried to Look Sexy, But Failed Miserably [Sad and Useless]
  • A Nintendo Theme Park is Coming to Universal Orlando [Hypebeast]
  • ‘Mean Girls’ Musical Will Become a Movie [Hypebae]
  • Gary Janetti’s Instagram Account Will Be Made Into HBO Series [Refinery29]
  • Taylor Swift Will Discuss Her Experiences With An Eating Disorder in ‘Miss Americana’ [Fader]
  • 4 Steps to Get Your Budget Right in 2020 [The Every Girl]
  • Hipmunk Is Shutting Down [SFGate]
  • Insomnia Cookies Will Open Their First SF Location [Hoodline]
20 Dec 2019

Instagram’s Week of News

photo credit | Sarah Johnson

It’s no secret to anyone that I spend most of my time on Instagram. Essentially, it’s an extension of Yow Yow! and this blog, but it’s the best way to keep in touch with my friends both near and far away. The platform has changed a lot in the last few years and while I don’t always agree with every decision in the moment, I understand the rationale behind it. Plus, Instagram gains millions of users every day so I could see why they want to make changes and accommodate new users. Although, even with so many new accounts, not everyone sees their follower count increase. Thankfully, Platypus reviewed Ingramer which is a bot that increases a follower count, ideal for those who want to increase their following. This week, was a big week for Instagram news, but they were little pieces so you might have missed it! We’ll providing a recap here:

Instagram Bans Vaping Ads [Hypebeast]

Influences and companies alike have been benefiting from Instagram as a platform. Earlier this week, I think a spokesperson from the team announced they wanted to make it easier for influencers to truly create a living for themselves through their own partnerships. One partnership that they’ll be cracking down on though is vaping. Given all of the recent news around JUUL, this shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. Nonetheless, one can look for and buy cheap vapes, and more, from various online dispensaries, and even local stores. There is no ban on buying and using these products, as of now, at least.

“Branded content that promotes goods such as vaping, tobacco products and weapons will not be allowed,” stated Instagram’s announcement. “Our advertising policies have long prohibited the advertisement of these products, and we will begin enforcement on this in the coming weeks.”

One thing that I didn’t notice until now is that JUUL actually removed their Instagram account back in November of 2018.

Instagram Will Start Using Artificial Intelligence To Combat Bullying [Refinery29]

While I enjoy Instagram, I am aware that the rise in cyber bullying has increased significantly in the last few years because of these apps. Cyber bullying is something that often goes unpunished and the anonymous nature of the internet makes many people believe that they can get away with abusive behavior. However, there are companies that offer Forensic Investigators who can help victims of cyber bullies build up evidence against them and prosecute them. That being said, many people blame social media platforms for the rise in bullying and believe they should do more to prevent it. In an effort to try and combat the cyber bullying, Instagram is giving what I call users a “second chance.” Powered by artificial intelligence, Instagram detects when a comment you’ve written may be harmful or offensive and gives you three options. You can delete the comment, re-word it, or leave it as is. However, just that warning, alone could cause someone to think twice and that’s the important part of this tool.

Use Multiple Photos In Your Stories With New “Layout” Feature [Hypebae]

I was literally scanning the app store just last week trying to see if there was an app that could do this! And all I can say is thank goodness that the developers have considered using app advertising to help promote their app because I was able to find the best one at the drop of a hat. It really did make my life so much easier. I just felt so relieved that Instagram were able to grant my wishes. Now with the menu tool under “Stories” you can layout your photos. This will be most commonly used for any series of shots you may be taking all at once or maybe “before” and “after” photos. For Layout, you can have it as a two-box template, three-box template, four-box template and six-box template. The feature, however, does not yet support videos.

18 Dec 2019

Promising Young Woman

Could this film have come at a more perfect time? In the last few years, women have been frustrated with men more than ever and Carey Mulligan’s character is channeling all of our energy. In the film, her character “Cassie” narrates “Every week, I go to a club. I act like I’m too drunk to stand. And every week a nice guy comes over to see if I’m okay.”

For some of us, we’re familiar with this scenario and we know exactly what could happen. It isn’t always a pretty sight, but shortly after this, we recognize that “Cassie” is going to be just fine and is in total control.

Not only is the trailer intriguing and catching our curiosity, but it’s packed with an incredible cast. If you’re sensing some parallels between this and say… “Killing Eve,” it’s because the film is written and directed by Emerald Fennel – an executive producer and writer for the television series.

“Promising Young Woman” hits theaters April 17, 2020!

[Source]