Tuesday, October 30, 2012

My Adventure to: Downtown LA & Chinatown!

Is there a place that you feel really familiar to?  A place that brings back childhood memories once you go back there?  

For me, one of the places that brings back memories is China Town!  The one that is located right next to downtown LA!  =)  haha, although I didn't live close to China Town as a child, my parents for some reason always brought me there!  The very first Dental Office that I ever visited in the U.S. was actually located in China Town!  I think that's why I always have nostalgic feeling whenever I go there!  haha.  I remember my mom always buying me ice-cream whenever I finished visiting the dentist.  Ice-cream was always my reward for being so brave and all! =)  And cause...well...  It's the only thing I could eat whenever I had my teeth pulled out.  I guess because Ice-cream was so cold, it helped de-swollen my new injury!  haha yah totally just made up a word!  "DE-Swollen".  

Anyway, my family and I decided to visit China Town again today!  My mom needed to buy some necessities, and of course I went with her!  China Town always has some really good deals!  It really reminds me of night-markets in Asia, cause of how the little shops are laid out, and how bargaining is allowed!  =)  haha I don't bargain..cause I'm too shy to, but it sounds like fun!  Anyway, here's a picture of me on my way there!  

Me rocking my new circle framed sun-glasses! =) I absolutely love love love them! =)  



As I was on my way to China Town, I took some pictures of the beautiful glass window buildings!  A year back ago, I was learning about trends and fashion, and I was able to learn about how glass window architecture became popular, and it was really fascinating!  =)  These buildings look so new and pretty, but they're actually a lot older than me!  


 Visited Down Town LA!  =)  I remember always seeing this building whenever I went to school in the past!  I was always fascinated with how the images ended up on the building!  I used to think that the images were a huge wall paper!  But..I'm pretty sure I was wrong.  I actually think people physically paint images on the wall, which is crazy, and extremely talented if it's true!!!  



Have you guys ever been to the Original Pantry Cafe?  Whenever I pass by this restaurant in the morning, I always see a lot of people lined up to go in!  My dad told me that this restaurant is actually really famous, and highly recommended or something like that!  Gotta try it one day!  


LOL, as I entered China Town, I was welcomed by two gold dragons! =)  Did you know that at certain times of the day, they actually blow out smoke!!? 


I felt very welcomed! =)  haha this parking lot sign welcomes me to China Town! =)  Wonder if this is a business strategy!  But no..didn't end up parking there!  

My brother and I loved going to this store when we were little!  Don't remember why, but yeah!  haha probably for the toys?  I'm sure I went to accompany him though..cause there doesn't seem to be any toys that I would have liked as a kid!  

Entrance of the outdoor shopping center??? Not sure what it's called!  But it was pretty awesome!  There was so much stuff!  

This store had tons of keychains and necklaces that were pretty cheap!  haha the fake fox tails really stood out to me!  I personally prefer ones that aren't all dyed and decorated out, but I guess they're kinda cute?.. too bad I'm not into that trend!  


LOTS of nail polish!  Very affordable!  They were only $1 each, and they were actually brands that can be found at my local mall!  Like Santee!  Nail Polish can be so expensive these days!  

Lots of shoes!  The woman working at the shoe store actually told me that we can discuss the price to my liking!  Super nice of her!  But I didn't need shoes, so I didn't end up buying any!  


$5 Baby turtles for sale!  They are so cute!  But sad too say...it's actually illegal selling turtles that are this small, cause they may carry Salmonella, which is a bacteria that causes Salmonellosis!  Salmonellosis is a horrible life-threatening disease that we can get from reptiles!  So always remember to wash your hands whenever you touch your turtles guys!  




This is the last store that I visited before I left!  It has a massive amount of bags!  I'm not sure how much the bags cost, but I'm sure they're very affordable!  The brown bag with a cheetah print bow was actually pretty cute! =)  

The day went by so fast!  I didn't end up buying much, but it was definitely a good feeling being able to visit one of my childhood most-visited locations!  The only part I didn't enjoy was the rude customer service there...  My mom and I went to buy some sugar cane juice, and the guy who was making it accidentally splashed some all over my mom, and didn't even say sorry!  He just looked at her, smiled and continued making the juice!  What the Heck right?  Grr...=(  I should have said something..so I'm kinda disappointed in myself for not doing so.  

Nevertheless, the trip was pretty fun!  Have you guys been there before?  If so, then hope you guys had a good experience, without anyone being rude! =( lol

-Wing <3













Sunday, October 28, 2012

I'm Back & Re-charged! + OOTD!

I'm back! =)  

lol, I've been taking a little break from blogging lately, but I'm finally back!  I don't know, I mean...I'm sure many people would understand how writers sometimes just need to take a break from writing, and just explore life for inspiration!  I guess that was the case for me, haha and yah, I definitely feel recharged, and am ready to blog again.  

It's been a while since I started enjoying photography, but I find myself enjoying it more than ever lately!  Perhaps a new hobby is about to start?  lol  Anyway, here are  two pictures that I look yesterday.   



My family and I visited Pomona yesterday.  And I happened to find this scenery very beautiful.  I didn't have my camera with me, so I used the camera that was on my phone instead.  The quality wasn't very good, but I just felt super lucky that I was able to capture this scenery.  I don't know about you, but it definitely isn't everyday that I get to see so many palm trees lined up one after another.  I found the view really pretty, and I just couldn't resist taking a picture.  The first picture above was probably taken at around 5 pm, and the second picture was taken at around 7 pm.  It's crazy how fast the sun sets during the fall, but I have to say, whether this view was taken during the day time, or at night, the result is equally as pretty!  

I've been having a lot of my mind lately, but this scenery was somehow able to bring a sense of calmness to me.  haha I guess that's what nature does. =)  

Anyway, moving on!  
Anyway, moving on to my Outfit of the Day!  I feel like it's been such a long time since I've put up an outfit of the day!  Well..it was technically my last post that I had posted about my outfit of the day, but regardless, it was probably a week ago since then!  


I find myself smiling so much more with my teeth showing lately.  I remember when I first got my braces, I would sometimes be a little afraid of showing my braces.  I don't know...I mean I guess I wasn't used to them, and just thought I looked worse with them. =(  But haha, it was probably this year that I began to truly except myself with braces.  I think it's adorable!  And hey,  it's probably once a life time that I actually get to wear braces, so I should show'em off while I can! =)  
(Probably taking them off by January 2013, very excited!


The sky was so beautiful that day! =) 


Here's a close up of my outfit!  For the top portion, I wore a Cropped Knit Sweater, with a black cardigan that I have owned for ages.  As for the bottom, I wore a pair of loose high waist shorts with a pair of pantyhose and a pair of my favorite wedges!  =)  It was cold yet sunny that day, so I wanted to wear something that expressed my inner love for fall, while at the same time being able to add in some brightness to my outfit!  This outfit was surprisingly comfortable! 


Once last picture of me and my outfit! =)  I look so tall!  At least I think so!!! 


Here's a close-up of the accessories I wore, minus my heart necklace!  I'm pretty sure I've worn this watch in most of my outfit of the days!  I love it so much, someone special gave it to me! =)  

-Wing <3












Monday, October 22, 2012

I think it's pretty much set!  It's been hot and cold, hot and cold lately... the temperature hasn't been very stable, but I actually think it's pretty much official that the Fall Season has officially (redundant) begun in California!  =)  I've really been loving my Forever21 Crochet top!  I've actually never owned a crochet top before, so I was very excited to finally wear it!  =)  haha yesterday, I decided to come up with a very sincere and preppy look!  haha nothing that exposes too much skin!  Since it actually felt like fall that day, I took advantage of the weather, and put on my fall clothes!  =)  

Outfit of the Day: 
SINCERELY YOURS 


Managed to take a rare snapshot when the sun 
suddenly appeared for literally less than a minute!  =)  

For the top portion of my outfit, I decided to pair my crochet sweater with a light blue color button-up!  I've been really loving the "POPPING YOUR COLLAR OUT OF YOUR SWEATER" type of look LOL, and was super glad that I finally got to try it out!  =)  I think it ended up looking quite nice!  The light blue & creme color really complimented each other!  As for jewelry, I decided to keep it simple, yet classy,  by accessorizing my look with a gold statement piece necklace.  No rings, no bracelets, just a statement necklace.  This look is all about dressing simple, yet still remaining fashionable!  =)  


As for the bottom of my outfit, I decided to wear a black pair of skinnies from Forever21 with a pair of black gold buckled knee high boots.  I purposely matched black with black, to help elongate my legs!  I know it doesn't really show in the picture (cause the camera is actually tilted higher, which makes my torso shorter than my upper body..lol), but matching your bottoms and shoes with the same color, actually helps create an illusion of longer legs! =)  


LOL, I'm not sure why, but this is actually my favorite picture out of the bunch! =)  

I didn't do anything to my hair, just kept it down.  I've never been a huge fan of hair accessories, but this time, I decided to wear a pink & teal bow, for a well-rounded preppy look, as well as for an additional pop of color!  =)  LOL I think I might actually start wearing head bands more often now!  I actually always really liked wearing headbands..but I don't know why..I just never did.  (I don't know..for some reason, I've always envisioned preppy, rich, and elegant girls wearing headbands....is that weird??? O_O...maybe I just watch too many dramas!)  

As for my purse, I decided to keep with my everyday Steve Madden Tote Bag.  I love it so much!  It matches really well with both the creme and black color of the outfit, and also helps spice up the look with the bold snake print on the center!  



haha so yah!  That's basically my outfit of the day look! =) 

PURSE: STEVE MADDEN
SKINNY JEANS: FOREVER 21
CROCHET TOP: FOREVER 21
BLUE BUTTON-UP: TOMMY HILFIGER
BOOTS: BAMBOO

Photography By: LWK PHOTOGRAPHY

-Wing <3




1) My Current Fashion Obsession! - Japanese Nail Art!

It's actually not that current...it's actually been a while now...maybe mmmm.... a year and a half ago?  

lol  Anyway, let me come a little bit more clear.. I am obsessed with Japanese Nail Art.  

There was a time when I thought Japanese styled nails were way too dramatic for me...and that I'd probably never like it for myself.  haha well I guess things change, and now I actually find myself really wanting to try it out.  I think Japanese Nail Art is super adorable!  I've always been aware of rectangular shaped acrylics nails, but it was probably in college when I met a Japanese friend who always had her nails done, that first introduced me to rounded tip manicures.  Her nails were always so cutely and prettily designed with acrylic art and rhinestones, and I guess that's when I was truly introduced to Japanese Nail Art!  As of now, I'm still that not that into the super dramatic type of nails, but a little drama never hurts.  What is stopping me now is that...I don't know..I guess it's just not the time in my life where I should invest so much money on my nails... lol But we'll see, haha maybe some day I will get my nails done!  And when that happens, the first thing I'll do, is post a picture of it on my blog! =)     

Back to the point!   Rounded tip manicures are so popular in Japan nowadays, and is being acknowledged in America!  I've been obsessing with Japanese Nail Art, and I hope to one day get my nails done with that style!  =) Below are some manicures that I think are cute (but would never have for myself), or cute (and would love to have for myself!) =)  


japanese girl nails

Lol, this is an example of me thinking the nails are cute, but are too dramatic for me. 


Princess Hime Gyaru Nails Japanese Nail Art

Young Chic and Social: Gyaru Nails Spam Japanese Nail Art Photos   3D nails Japanese nail art fairy kei sweet lolita choco by Aya1gou, $18.50 More Japanese nails, just so you get the idea .

princess nails, gold and pink nails, japanese nail art, audrey kitching 

ALL IMAGES ABOVE ARE FROM PINSTREST.COM

  


   

  

ALL IMAGES ABOVE ARE FROM TUMBLR.COM

LOL, these are just a few of the many styles that I liked!  As you guys may be able to notice, the ones I chose are actually pretty consistent in color, and are not super duper complicated in style.  As I was scrolling down pintrest and tumblr, I found a lot of Japanese styled manicures that were super complicated (a crazy amount of colors, an inch and a half in nail length, gigantic nail props stuck to each nail, and haha stuff like that).  I don't think they look bad, it's just not my style.  I love things on the simpler end, with a little drama to spice the look up. =)  Hope I'll be able to post pictures of my own Japanese Nail Art on my blog one day! 

ANYWAY.... Here's a little glimpse of tomorrow's Outfit of the Day Post! =)  

PREVIEW OF TOMORROW'S OUTFIT OF THE DAY


-Wing <3















Saturday, October 20, 2012

The Serious Kiss -Let Go- & -Move On With Life-

The Serious Kiss...

I never really liked reading when I was little...well more like I just never liked reading ever!  I never understood how my friends were able to just sit there and read non-stop.  Or more like...I never understood how people had the patience to finish a book in a few hours/days, as  opposed to taking their time to finishing a book.  

Well..something interesting happened.  For those who have read my previous blog post...( http://sparklelouder.blogspot.com/2012/10/trouble-falling-asleep-outfit-of-day.html) -<<that's the link..I actually mentioned that I've been having some trouble sleeping lately, and started reading.  It's crazy...in the past..the best way of falling asleep for me, would be reading.  So I thought reading would be the best solution.  To my surprise, not only did that not happened, I actually found myself being super indulged in the book.  The book is title, The Serious Kiss, by Mary Hogan.  And there's a picture of the book below. =)  


My best friend from 9th grade actually gave me this book to read, when we were cleaning out our lockers near the end of the school year.  She asked me to read it, cause she said it was a good book.  I think both she and I knew that there was a minimal chance that I'd read it cause I absolutely hated reading.  haha but I guess it was worth a try. =)  At that time, we were 14..which means this book actually tied perfectly with me, cause the main character in the book was also 14.  This book talks about how Libby (the main character), and her best friend Nadine, whom both sets the goal to have their very first "serious kiss", by their 15th birthday.  And when they say "serious kiss", they mean one that is so serious that it in a way represents true love.  

Anyway..when I first read this book..I felt kinda immature.  I felt like a 20 year old..reading a book that was for teens...but you know what?  I was wrong.  This book was awesome!  It brought me so much laughter, and I was reminded about a lot of things.  It's hard being an adult sometimes.  Adults are always faced with so much pressure...and because we're always faced with the harsh reality, we end up building a lot of negativity in us..that totally takes away the fun in life.  From the book, I really learned to -Let Go- & to -Move On With Life-.   And for some reason..I feel like the moral of the story is beneficial for a lot of people.  Instead of letting go of the negatives, we just end up holding onto grudges, and holding onto the negatives as opposed to focusing on the numerous of blessings that are brought into our lives.

I finally managed to finish the book yesterday night, and I found part of my 14 year old self in me again.  haha I felt less stressed out about what's going to happen in the future, cause honestly...no one can predict what can happen tomorrow.  Everyday comes as a surprise, and with the knowledge of that, I managed to let myself let loose and sleep with a smile on my face.  I feel like this book taught me a really valuable lesson, and I feel that it abides to others in this world as well.  Holding a grudge, or holding too hard onto something might end up bringing more stress and pain into one's life.  To be happy, we have to learn from the negatives, but also learn to let go and not let the negatives scar us for life.  Let go, relax, and be wiser in the future.  Focus less on the negatives, move on with life, and be grateful for all the blessing you have, even if it's a roof to live under.  

I really want to thank my friend for giving this book to me, and I'm so glad that I finally read it when I needed it the most. =)  It's crazy..I managed to finish this 250 page Chapter book in  a total of probably 3-4 hours, and I am so proud of it! =) LOL.  Anyway, best of luck to everyone!  

-Wing <3

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Trouble Falling Asleep + Outfit of the Day!

I don't know why, but lately I just haven't been able to fall asleep. =(  That's one of the worst things that could lead to a bad day...cause if I don't get enough sleep, I end up feeling tired the entire day, and my mood just isn't as positive and happy as it should be. =(  

Yah, it happened 3 nights straight...me not being able to fall asleep until the early A.Ms.  Sigh.  So much for sleeping before 12 a.m.  The thing is...during those 3 nights, I actually did get into bed before 12 a.m.  I was so proud of myself, but who would have guessed those 3 nights would end up being nights where I'd have the toughest time falling asleep.  I've been thinking about what might lead me to having trouble sleeping, and my best friend Christina mentioned that maybe it's because something different happened?  Meaning like maybe I'm sleeping differently, or perhaps something is shifted, or perhaps my environment somehow differed, so I'm not used to the change...and yadayadayada....LOL  I thought about it, and well...I did shift my bed like a foot closer to the window..so that might be why.  haha I think she might be right!  =)  Surprisingly I was actually able to fall asleep just fine yesterday, and OMGosh thank goodness I was able to sleep!  It's so unhealthy to sleep late...talk about not falling asleep until 4 a.m.!!  If it's not because I'm finally adapting to the shifting of my bed, then perhaps it's because my heart is finally at ease?  I've been having a lot going in my mind lately, and perhaps I felt more at ease yesterday night?  I honestly don't know, but I hope things will get better! =)  

Anyway, moving on to a new topic!!  

I've been cooking lately!  haha well...honestly..I feel like I'm cheating my way through cooking lol.  I'm basically cooking by a box?  haha does that even maker sense?  Anyways,  so I've been buying these box full of ingredients to cook.  Basically all I have to do is follow the instructions and wallah!, I have myself a nicely tasting meal! =)  I forgot to take a picture of the box...but basically this time it gave me the ingredients to make lasagna (well..more like they only gave me the uncooked lasagna & seasoning).  Of course it's not the traditional kinda, haha but who cares, it tasted good!  =)  I don't recommend on eating these type of meals too often though..because I don't think it's considered "healthy".  I mean it's definitely better than eating a hamburger from McDonald's though..but still! lol haha anyway, here's a picture of the end result! =)  Made dinner for my family!  



Okay...honestly...when I first looked at this picture, I felt soooo impressed...but now...LOL it looks more like macaroni than Lasagna!  Oh well!  Anyway, because my family and I are soooooo Asian, haha we decided to eat the lasagna with rice. =)  I can't go a day without rice, I'm serious!!  


MY OUTFIT OF THE DAY! =)  




This is actually my favorite picture out of the bunch! =)  Despite my head not looking proportional to my body, haha I actually think this picture of me is quite cute! =) LOL  I'm smiling with my teeth showing for once!!!  



Close-up of my outfit!!!  

Acid Washed Jean BUTTON UP: IRIS LOS ANGELOS
BROWN SATCHEL: FRANCOIS MAROT PARIS
SHORTS: SIDECCA 
SHOES: CONVERSE
WATCH: RELIC

Photography By: LWK PHOTOGRAPHY

-Wing <3