Half the Air in a Given Space

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How much fun does this installation by British artist Martin Creed look?

Doesn't it remind you of the good old days when you used to flop around in ball pits?

 (FYI, it actually took me a long time to find the English word for those play pens filled with balls. I kept searching for 'bor bor ci' haha)

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Boy meets girl

Who said pocket squares were restricted to guys? 

It's ingenious really. The perfect play of boy meets girl. Just that extra tomboy-ish oomph to elevate your outfit from blah to AHH :) Guess I've found my inspiration for the weekend!

Source: Madewell

Also, I don't think they could have found anyone cooler than Solange Knowles as the face this season. Well done Madewell, well done.

We're past the hump day, boys and girls. Enjoy the rest of the week!

xx

What made you smile today?

Source: 40Licks

These stupid little gifs made me smile today. I really have no idea why I find them so entertaining. But I can't seem to look away. (Or maybe I've just turned into some big fat loser who now derives joy from stupid gifs... hah!)

But the point of this post is - what made YOU smile today? 

Source: 40Licks

Swiss cheese

Man... I've forgotten how good it is to have some down time alone. And man, does it feel good to be blogging again. 

So here's a short picture post of one of my favorite pink kimono-esque top I picked up from the amazing sales in Paris this summer (literally everything was 50% off!!!!). It's light, breezy, powder pink and has these holes punched in on the sleeves (like swiss cheese!).

I wore it knotted here for a more casual feel but I've also worn it unbuttoned as a cardigan or tucked into a pencil skirt for a more put together look. Versatility at its best!

(Oh yea, I'm also in loooooooove with this bright pink plastic watch I bought from Swatch this summer. Reminded me of the good old days when I got a new Flik Flak watch for my birthday each year.)

Sea of Pink

And sometimes you come across a photograph like this and everything else in the world just seems so trivial. #takemetherenow

Pink flamingos, Lake Bogoria, Kenya
Martin Harvey

Mussels and fries

Currently in: Bruges, Belgium

Eating: Mussels and fries

Fun fact: the Flemish way of eating moules frites is actually with your hands. Take an empty mussel shell and use it like a pair of chopsticks to pick out the meat of the next mussel. And to drink the soup? Simply break the mussel shell into two halves and use one half as a spoon. 

It is a hundred times more satisfying than eating with utensils - I promise!

Traveling Thursdays -- Cinque Terre

One word -- surreal.

Cinque Terre, located on the Mediterranean coast of northwestern Italy is about an hour and a half drive away from Pisa. And I cannot stress how highly (HIGHLY!) I recommend this place, especially if you have a car and are doing a tour around Florence and the Tuscan countryside.  It was a perfect detox from the heat, walking, sightseeing from the mainland. Don't get me wrong, I loved learning about the history and art of the great Roman empire but sometimes your brain just wants to wander and be nothing but mush for a little while.

Cinque Terre literally means five villages--consisting of Monterosso, Venazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore.  Unfortunately, we only scheduled to spend a half day here and thus only got a chance to explore two of the five. I suggest spending at least a full day and night here to fully enjoy what it has to offer.

The GPS took us to the largest village, Riomaggiore. The drive down to the village was breathtaking -- a winding road right off the cliff. I don't think I've seen such a vast blue expanse in my life; it made my head spin.

Once we arrived, we learned that the only way to travel between villages is either on foot, by bus or train. Private cars are not allowed. Each village is rather isolated and I guess the terrain really doesn't allow for much transportation between each village.

I recommend you do the walk between Riomaggiore and Manarola. That's where you'll find the lover's seat and the lover's lock (basically a wire net where lovers chain tiny lockets onto). Slightly too cliche for me, but hey, what's a tourist destination without some cheese!

Lastly, if you're going in the summer, bring a swim suit! That was definitely the biggest regret of my trip. Just look at how clear the water is!!

Until next time, Cinque Terre!

xx

Monday Munchies -- Macarons

When in Rome, do as the Romans do. 

Or I guess in this case, when in Paris, do as the Parisians do. 

And what's more (wanna-be) Parisian than macarons?

And so I decided to take a macaron baking class at Cook'n with Class last weekend avec le professeure le plus energique et adorable. Seriously, if you're going to take the class, ask for Chef Constance, she's the best! You can also check out her blog ici.

We made three different types of macarons -- salted caramel, rose and white chocolate ganache, and raspberry jam and pistachio. My favorite was definitely the salted caramel -- it hit that perfect balance between sweet and savory. (Still have yet to find out what's up with this recent craze with sweet/salty pairings) 

Ok, no more talking. Here's a brief pictorial explanation of the process: 

(1) The main ingredients: almond flour, sugar and strained egg whites

(2) Almond flour -- sifted twice

(3) Whipping the sugar and water syrup into the egg whites

(4) Macaronage -- when the mixture is shiny and falls like a ribbon (aka READY TO BE PIPED AND BAKED!)

(5) Piping (Woops... so I totally messed up here and made them look like little pink poops haha)

To prevent this from happening, simply hold the piping down

Avant...

Et apres!

Key takeaways -- 

1) All macaron shells taste the same (regardless of color) and are made from the same batter! 

Change the flavors by changing the inside. 

2) Macarons hate humidity 

3) Oven must be kept ajar to ensure ventilation. 

Alright, that's all for today!

Fashion Fridays - Monochrome in Paris

Dress: Mango
Jacket: Teddy
Sunglasses: Ray-Ban
Necklace: Bauble BarClutch: Marc by Marc Jacobs

LBD? Really?! That's way too easy... 

But sometimes (read: when you honestly couldn't give a rat's ass about dressing up, yet must look presentable) easy is what you need. This dress is my go to piece for days like that -- simple and oh-so-forgiving (even after one too many courses and a food baby on the way). It's even polka dotted and has pockets!

I paired it with a pseudo leather jacket (don't think I'll ever be badass enough to pull off a full on leather one), wayfarers and a mustache ring to tone down all the seriousness. 

Peek-a-boo! Have a wonderfully childish weekend!

xx

Happy Fourth of July!

Happy Fourth of July, kids! 

I don't consider myself American nor did I even remember what the date was today until my friend pointed out how festively I was dressed. I guess this is what happens after six years of schooling under the American system and four years of college in New York. Apparently, I also caught a valley girl accent and an overly happy attitude in addition to this subconscious American spirit. Hah!

But for all you Americans out there, enjoy a warm summer day of fireworks, poolside barbeques, and whatever else you guys do.

Top: H&M
Shorts: Cotton On
Shoes: Sperry
Backpack: Teeny leather store from Sienna, Italy

A reminder to self

I'm currently in Paris and instead of exploring the city, eating croissants at cafes, getting lost in museums ou practique mon francais, I've decided to take a little down time and sit alone at the apt. Too often I keep myself too busy--planning the next thing I need to do, the next person I need to see, the next thing I need to learn, the next experience I need to have. Sometimes I think I try too hard to live up to the YOLO ("you only live once") motto.

And too often, I forget to breathe. 

Photo Source

So here I am, hitting the pause button. 

(Ok fine I'm also procrastinating from doing things I need to get done before work/real life starts. *cue freak out* but that's another story, for another time)

Breathe in.

Pause.

Breathe out.

Think. 

Stop.

In.

And out.

I read this article on Inc. today that inspired me to reevaluate the person I am (and which also reminded me of an old blogpost I had written up several months ago but never got around to posting where I was inspired by a similar article). Here's a reminder to myself.

1) Be patient -- lose the temper. 
It gets you no where.

2) Quit procrastinating already. 
You'll feel so much more accomplished.

3) Be on time. 
Have respect for others, your plans and their time. 

4) Make a conscious decision to only surround yourself with people you love.

And learn to love with the same gusto and belief.

5) Work hard.
Go the extra mile. You're young with nothing but time and opportunities to seize.

6) Give up the need to criticize. 
Unless, of course, it's self directed.
---

And what about you?
Are you the person you want to be? 

Fashion Fridays: Textured Whites

Top: Zara
Pants: Boutique in Causeway Bay, HK
Belt: Topshop
Clutch: Chloe 

Lately I've been obsessed with this new top I got from Zara. With patterns and textures to provide an interesting looking point, small studs to amp up your inner rocker chic and a sheer white material to inject a hint of  ladylike romance, this is definitely my go to piece for this summer!

 I've been wearing it with literally everything--skinny jeans and a leather jacket for a more casual vibe, and for a slightly more formal occasion (as seen here), I've paired it with high-waisted pastel pink trousers cinched in with a thin leather belt for a slightly more preppy and put together look.

That's all for today. Happy Friday, boys and girls!

Traveling Thursdays -- Chefchaouen

A month ago I visited Morocco, a country that was a mishmash of Arabic and Spanish influences. We hit many places during our visit to that beautiful North African country, but Chefchaouen (located in the Northern part of Morocco) was hands down my favorite. It was a small village completely dipped in sky blue. I'll let the photos speak for itself.

Chefchaouen itself is tiny and we definitely were able to walk through the entire town in one short afternoon. We gave ourselves two nights and spent the second day cooling down at a nearby waterfall at Akchour (not that impressive if you ask me and definitely not worth the trip if you're short on time). 

We probably could have spent just one night at Chefchaouen, but the riad we lived at (Casa Perleta) was quaint, quiet and home-y (seriously it was all kinds of amazing, I highly recommend it!), it was nice to hit pause on our jam packed whirlwind of a trip. 

Monday Munchies -- Comfort foods

The best part about being at home is hands down the home cooked meals (well ok... not having to do your own laundry is nice too).  Coming home to pipping mounds of rice, wafts of sweet smelling soy sauce from freshly steamed fish and plates upon plates of stir fry.

Comfort and nostalgia. Sometimes that's really all you need.

Fashion Fridays: Sheer

[Top: J Crew, Skirt: Zara, Shoes: Aerosoles]

And to force myself to blog more regularly, here's a new weekly addition - Fashion Fridays, where hopefully you will be inspired to dress a little different over the weekend!  

First up is a dedication to the recent high-low skirt trend we've been seeing. I've paired mine with a sparkly tank and a multi chain black and gold cross necklace to give it just that little extra oomph. 

Trapping Parents

So I haven't done much of anything this past week but veg out in front of the TV and I must admit that it's been thoroughly glorious.  

I re-watched my favorite movie, The Parent Trap, for the billionth time tonight with my siblings. It's the perfect blend of mischief, warmth and whole hearted fun. It's one of those movies where even though I've watched it so many times that I have memorized the entire script, I still find myself smiling at Annie and Martin's little dance, and tearing up when the girls meet their respective parent for the first time. 

But perhaps it's a favorite because it brings back so many memories and emotions from my childhood. Maybe I just miss that.

(Images from IMDB)

And if you haven't seen it yet, GO GO GO NOW! I promise you won't regret it.

PS - Just how adorable was Lindsay back then? (Especially with that pseudo British accent!) Ahh, so much potential...