Happpppppy Birthday Mummy, you are forever young and loads of fun!!
Okay, isn’t it ridiculous that I have the SAME expression of excitement after all these years??
Month: February 2014
Hearst Castle//San Simeon, Ca
Unfortunately for us our trip to Hearst Castle was met with rain. This didn’t deter us from enjoying our visit to this mansion on the hilltop. Taking pictures outside was a bit tricky because of the rain but I think it added to the mystique of it all.
Hearst Castle, a National Historic Landmark in California, is a mansion located near the community of San Simeon (about 250 miles from L.A.). It was designed by architect Julia Morgan for William Randolph Hearst—a newspaper magnate from 1919 until 1947. The mansion is really a sight and very impressive. The outside is truly breathtaking with its spectacular views. The insides are furnished with art from all over the world which span literally hundreds and thousands of years. However lovely and grand the art and furniture may be it can be a bit gaudy. We took the “upstairs tour” and it was really cool to see all the bedrooms. I was actually surprised how small Hearst’s room was and how claustrophobic I felt inside. Seriously the whole time I was there I was thinking to myself, “this is what Downton Abbey must be like, I wonder how many wild parties happened here”.
and who can forget the famous outdoor Neptune Pool and indoor Roman Pool! That indoor pool is really breathtakingly stunning. I guess once a year they let their employees/volunteers use these pools as a perk. How awesome is that?!
George Harrison
Solvang, Ca
Moments from Solvang, Ca.
A couple of weeks ago I went on a quick trip up north to celebrate my sister’s birthday. We decided to drive up the coast and head up to Monterey(stopping in Solvang and San Simeon along the way).
The last time I was in Solvang was yearrrrrrrs ago, when I was about 11. It took us about 3 hours to reach Solvang from LA and we got there a little after 1p. The weather was a bit dreary and it drizzled a bit on us. Now I don’t know if it was because of the weather or because it was low season but it was completely dead around town. Perhaps it’s a good thing it wasn’t swarmed with tourists but I found it a bit depressing. All the shops closed at 5p so there really wasn’t that much for us to do but just walk around. I did love all the pretty flowers decorated around town and we tried several bakeries before they closed for the day. I just wasn’t impressed with their baked goods. I’ve never been a fan of danishes anyway so nothing looked that interesting to me except for this cookie called a “Napoleon Hat”, part cookie with a marzipan filling, yum!
Napoleon Hat on the left and a raspberry cookie bar on the right.
We left Solvang by evening but right before we left I was racially attacked by a local. Like I mentioned there were a lot of pretty flowers all over the town and my mother had asked me to take a picture for her. As I was taking the picture a car pulls up next to me(I was right by the street) and a young guy in his early twenties started saying “ching chong ching, you take pic-chaa?!” Let me add too that he made squinty eyes at me and stuck his teeth out mocking me. I was completely shocked and disgusted. I don’t remember the last time I was insulted for being an Asian, I mean it has been a reallllly long time since this has happened. I just turned to him and said(calmly), “you know, I speak PERFECT english” to which shocked him. His car had caught the red light so he was stuck right next to me for about a minute and I knew he wanted to die, I just stared at him until the green light. What a moron.
Okay, I’m not going to say everyone that lives in Solvang is a racist but it just left a bad taste in my mouth. I haven’t been back in over 20 yrs and this is what I get? a dead town, lackluster food, a racist, and rude storeowners (I forgot to mention this lady at one of the bakeries chewed my mother’s head off when my mother innocently asked, “how come all the shops close at 5?” to which it was answered rudely, “we are ALL locals here, we have families to go home to!”). I mean really?? Goodbye Solvang, see you in another 20 years or never.
Arctic Monkeys
Arctic Monkeys won two Brit Awards, taking home Best British Group and Best British Album of the Year for AM. Wow, I still remember them being these pimply awkward youngsters playing in small venues. Oh how far you’ve come! You will always be one of my all time favorites, over-the-top pyrotechnics and all.
I’m still not tired of listening to “Do I Wanna Know?” and this stripped down version of it is fantastic.
Apparently a lot of people are covering this song like Miley Cyrus and CHVRCHES. I know it’s one of my faves on the album and maybe it’s the fact that I think most people can relate to the lyrics. I haven’t heard Miley’s take on it but I don’t mind CHVRCHES version. I think they did an awesome job at it, making it their own. Which version do you prefer?
Wants…
Happy ♥ Day!
I luuuuuv these murals about love and the complexities and rewards of relationships by Stephen Powers. Powers is a New York City artist who at one time wrote graffiti in Philadelphia and New York under the name ESPO (“Exterior Surface Painting Outreach”). These are a series of murals he did in different cities titled, “A Love Letter For You”.
Sadly, this is how I am spending my VDay:
Bat them lashes!
Sorry, I have no idea who created this cute illustration of lashes. I just happen to see it when I was looking for inspiration and had to share this!
My lashes are unfortunately not full. I started to use Urban Decay’s Lush Lash System after a friend of mine highly recommended it. Although it did make my lashes grow a lot longer I felt my lashes never became thick enough to my liking. After trying different types of countless mascaras I finally found some that gave me the volume I was looking for and that I can vouch for:
01. Laura Mercier (this realllly makes my lashes feel fuller)| 02. Lancome (I recommend the waterproof over the non. This also makes my lashes curl really well) | 03. Korres (for some reason this isn’t selling at Sephora anymore. I received a sample and it works wonderfully) | 04. Benefit (highly popular and every right so, it does as it says)
*All four mascaras also don’t make my lashes look all spidery (a look I hate) and doesn’t flake.
Voltaire No.6 