I had horrible mood swings yesterday. Poor D had to take the brunt of dealing with a girl who had a terrible case of the deadly cabin fever and PMS combo. So today, D suggested I get out of the house. I agreed with no contention and started the day with a cold shower and Chet Baker playing in the background. Before I knew it, it was already lunch. I opted to head out after lunch instead. But alas, I am still here and now contemplating on just staying in for the rest of the day. Something about jazz playing that put me at ease and perfectly content to stay in a house full of good vibes.
It's a good day today.
Anyway, want to know what I had for lunch?
Not exactly an appetizing picture, I know. But it sure was G-Double O-D, goooood.
Here's D being a good boy and eating what I cooked for him.
Tuna spaghetti, yum!
PS D and I opted to eat at the dining table as opposed to eating in front of the TV. We even used place mats! A true rarity. I feel like we accomplished something today. Ha!
As I've mentioned before, I have a problem with finishing rolls of film. It takes me forever to get them developed that I sometimes forget about them.
Case in Point: I recently developed a roll film and was pleasantly surprised to see shots I took of D and I's trip to Koh Phangan in April 2009 -- Yup, a year later I finally develop the roll. Geezus.
In any case, here are some of the shots I took. These were taken with Lucy, my Colorsplash.
D and I look at these photos fondly. We were 10 lbs. thinner when these were taken! Ah, those were the days...
My friend Mimi is probably one of the most business-minded people I know. Back in college, she started a handbag business, initially selling to friends and other students in school. She joined bazaars and later on, had her own store at a mall. Now, Mimi has brought her handbag business to a broader audience by establishing MIXMI Bags.
MIXMI Bags don't just have your run-of-the-mill handbags, they're colorful and highly customizable. MIXMI also have make-up pouch bags, checkbook wallets, laptop bags, passport holders, shoes and even apparel!
I personally love this bag organizer. Perfect for neat freaks like me!
And did I say it comes in different colors?
Colorful laptop bags
I need one of these!
I'd like to spruce up my boring notebooks with this notebook cover!
Mimi and her handbags have definitely gone a long way. Truly an inspiration for aspiring entrepreneurs!
I came across this post on Apartment Therapy and thought, "what a cool idea!"
BEHOLD: Repurposed Drawers!
I've seen drawers being sold at flea markets here, and I always wondered why they would sell them separately. This just answered that question and I'm convinced that this is definitely an awesome project for thrift store finds. It allows you to be creative in thinking of ways to re-use these abandoned drawers and what's more, it's eco-friendly!
Everyone knows I am big fan of Ikea. But now, I'm a bigger fan of Ikea Hacker! Ikea Hacker is a blog that is solely dedicated to bring its viewers ideas of how people have put their own creative twist to items bought from Ikea.
In my trip to Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam last year, I visited the Saigon Central Post Office and quickly fell in love with the old-world feel of the place.
I loved the glorious high ceilings, its Gothic architectural style, its arched windows with intricate capstones, the huge maps of Vietnam seen on both sides of the main entrance, and the tiles! Oh, the tiles!
These are just some of the pictures I took.
I took so many!
Fascinated with the beauty of these patchwork tiles, I swore to myself that I'll have them in my future house.
The other day, D and I caught Graham Hill talk about why he is a weekday vegetarian on TED Talks. After watching him explain the benefits of the weekday veg program, we were sold. But since I'm not really big on vegetables and will probably need a bit of time to get used to the idea, we thought we'll settle with being weekday pescatarians instead.
So earlier this week, D and I have embarked on a mission to not eat anything that walks on land and stick to greens and fish instead. But ONLY on weekdays.
Anyway, here's the video I'm talking about. Watch it, think about it, and be converted.
Lately, I've been sporting bandanas and head scarves to hide my hair. I've let my hair grow long because of sheer laziness. I haven't had hair this long for 8 years, and quite frankly, I just don't know what to do with it anymore. I've tried pixie cut, bob cut, fringe, bangs, highlights, hair rebonding. What else is there? Ok, so I haven't tried curls. But I posed that question to my Dad when I was in grade school, and he vehemently opposed the idea.
But now I am seriously thinking, why the hell not? So after much thought and research, I've decided to try this 'do:
I've lived in a tropical country all my life. The only season I've dressed up for is summer. But these days, I am obsessively daydreaming of a colder climate and has consequently been busying myself browsing through winter looks:
My girl crush, Alessandra Colombo, looking cute in her ensemble.
Love the oversized beanie on this girl.
Thick coats are essential to battle the New York cold.
Right now, I want to drown in layers of clothing and cozy up in a fireplace with a hot cup of coco in my hands instead of being drenched in sweat despite wearing the thinnest tank top I could find in my closet! Ugh.
Today brings a glimmer of hope to Thailand as hundreds gathered at the Rama VI Monument in front of Lumpini Park to meet and start cleaning the city after weeks of protests. Thais and foreigners alike volunteered for the clean up, armed with brooms and brushes to physically and symbolically reclaim the city.
I salute everyone who participated today. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to join in the fun. But it looks like there's more work to be done and the cleaning efforts will continue all week. So I still have a chance to do my part, and so do you!
Check out more pictures of the clean up here. For more info on the clean up efforts, visit bkkunite.
The other day, I made my Mom's spicy tuna spaghetti. The recipe usually calls for green bell peppers. But because I don't have them at my disposal (and was lazy to get some from the grocery), I thought of being resourceful and experiment on using sweet corn kernels instead.
It turned out ok, I guess. A tad bit weird. But at the very least, it was edible. Thankfully, D (bless his heart) eats whatever I cook - well, with the exception of canned meat (READ: Spam).
If there's one thing I miss from home, it's home-cooked meals. My Mom is an excellent cook. She can make anything she puts her heart to, and they always turn out real good. I want to follow suit. I really want to cook more. D and I always order take out or just eat out. In Thailand, it's cheaper to just order take out than cook food yourself, especially when you're only cooking for 1-2 people. But I want to break away from that habit. I want to develop my culinary skillz, be a master of ze kitchen!
Marysol of She Eats Bears inspires me to do just that. My mouth waters when I read her blog.
But I figured with my limited culinary experience maybe I should start with a simple sandwich first - like this mouthwatering Aged Cheddar and Apple Melt.
Today, D and I finally went out after days what felt like a month of staying in at home. The violent clash between the military and the protesters left us with no choice but to succumb to hibernation. As you can imagine, the cabin fever hit an all time high.
Man, was I happy to be out or what. I savored every breath of (not-so) fresh air! I smiled at random people I saw on the street! I was extra friendly to the person behind the counter who was taking my order! I turned into one of those annoying cheerful people I secretly can't stand. But lack of human contact (and by that I mean, contact with people other than D and the man who owns the mini mart in our apartment) does that to you so I have an excuse.
ANYWAY.
Here's a couple of candid shots that D took of me at the cafe as I was geeking out on my laptop.
Just look at those dueling eyebrows. I'm not even aware I'm doing it.
When I was growing up, my mom would always iron the crease of my brows when she caught me doing it while watching TV, reading a book, or just fixing my gaze on one object.
I wish I had a nook like this in our apartment. I can imagine myself spending lazy afternoons in this cozy little space reading books, eating a bowl of yoghurt and muesli, or just lying down with my legs propped up and daydreaming.
I'm still on the lookout for the perfect white dress for D and I's BBQ party next year. I'm not a fan of puffy dresses plagued by excessive beading and yards of fabric. I just want a simple white dress that spells effortless elegance.
Today, I set my sights on BCBG because they make reasonably priced pretty dresses that won't amount to a down payment for a car or a house. Here are BCBG dresses that have caught my fancy:
I welcome the idea of wearing a short dress because the setting we have in mind allows it.
This one appeals to me only because I find the open-back detail of the dress interesting.
Also, the pleated crisscross detail at the bodice adds a nice touch.
Meet the Loftbox 101, a seemingly futuristic-looking ottoman designed by Rainer Graff. The Loftbox 101 unfolds into two couches, a coffee table and a monitor for watching movies to entertain your guests.
For our first year anniversary, I gave D a ukulele. He's been in love with that toy since the day he received it and has been committed to becoming a kick ass ukulele player.
In his quest to find video tutorials on how to play this awesome teeny tiny instrument, he came across The Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra, a group of talented ukulele players from Wellington, New Zealand. Bret McKenzie of the infamous Flight of the Conchords is one of the founding members of the orchestra.
Needless to say, D has since then been an avid fan of the WIUO and has admired their performances on youtube.
Here are some of the covers they've done that we love:
WIUO's cover of Hey Ya by Andre 3000
WIUO's cover of The Bucket by Kings of Leon:
And last but certainly not the least (and my personal favorite), WIUO's cover of Africa by Toto:
I'll have you know that in just 3 months of playing, D has already mastered playing a number of songs including Radiohead's Creep, Mammas and the Pappas' Dream a Little Dream, Zee Avi's You and Me, and The Flaming Lips' Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Pt. 1.
So Bangkok peeps, if you're interested in forming a Bangkok Ukulele Orchestra, you know who to call!
In case you haven't heard, Bangkok has turned into an urban war zone. The ongoing political unrest has made a turn for the worse with Bangkok streets plagued by gun fires, bomb explosions, vehicles set on fire, barricades, and streets on lock down. I try not to think of how bad the situation is and how this will affect Thailand's progressive economy because it just makes me sad. I love Thailand and it pains me to see what it has come to. I just really hope that peace will be restored sooner than later.
Like most Bangkok residents, D and I have opted to stay home and keep safe. On the bright side, we've been enjoying lazy days spent lounging by the pool, reading books, watching movies in the comfort of our own couch, and indulging in long afternoon naps.
D has also spent most of his free time practicing playing the guitar and ukulele. Here's a picture of him I took (using Lucy, my Colorsplash) a couple of months back.
He looks really adorable when he plays the guitar.
I'm not a big fan of overly done weddings that amount to nothing but an overpriced and impersonal occasion, stripping the ceremony of its real significance. That's why I find weddings like this DIY Wedding in Michigan, photographed by Amy Carroll that I chanced upon at Once Wed, refreshing. I couldn't help but fall for its sheer simplicity.
A personalized ceremony, DIY decorations and favors with help from family and friends, and comfort food served at the reception. That's how you throw a wedding. And how about the bride's dress? A steal for $55, marked down from $800! Brilliant! I cant stop gushing about it. I just hope that my wedding will be as perfect as this one!
Want to see more pictures of my definition of a perfect wedding? Click here and here.
