Happy 2013: Restart!

I can't believe my last post was already more than seven months ago (not to mention a date ending in 2012...) It's another new year so let's try this again!

A Few Highlights of 2012: 

• Finally finished most of the furnishing and decorating of our new home and hosted a housewarming party
• Four weddings! That's a record for us so far! Two were destination weddings, one in Portland Oregon and another in Oahu Hawaii! Wonderful memories~ 
• Celebrating our 1st wedding anniversary and my 25th birthday with a wonderful weekend trip to San Luis Obispo
• Starting a new job
• Iphone 5: my first "real" smartphone. Although it was bittersweet to part with my pink french (it was an unlocked international phone) Samsung...
• Getting my first dslr camera and taking a photography class 
• Celebrating Will's 30th 
• Taking regular dance classes again. It took me so long to find a studio that I liked after college. Now I dance weekly again and it feels great! 
• Got our first "real" Christmas tree (this was our mini tree last year, haha definitely a step-up this year!)

Hopes for 2013: 

• Write more
• Cook more special meals for my husband
• Learn to make more Chinese food
• Bake more desserts (to share with others!)
• Travel to Europe 
• Take lots of photos of beautiful places and delicious food
• Actually follow-through with a craft project/ pinterest idea
• Send out Christmas cards (kind of missed the boat last year...)
• Have more flowers in the house (last year was sort of a disaster for all our our houseplants)

Most importantly, I pray that I will grow in my walk with God and fall more in love with Jesus. My key verse for this year is 1 John 4: 10-12

"This is love: not that we loved God, but he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another God lives in us and his love is made complete in us"

My prayer is that my life will be filled more with God's love, rather than my own, and that I can love my husband, family, and friends with God's love. 

New York City Adventures

How time has flew by! A whirlwind trip to New York, one wedding, and nearly a month of being sick later...it's already May! Nearly a month-and-a-half has gone by since our trip to NYC but I am still looking back on the pictures from the trip and reminiscing... Can't wait for another chance to visit again! (when I am not sick)

Some highlights:
We visited this Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao on the night we flew in. Turned out to be one of my favorite restaurants the whole trip! Definitely up to par with Ding Tai Feng in LA, but had a homier feel, no line, and generous portions.

Delicious side dishes! 

Huge bowl of noodle soup for $5

There was nothing "xiao" (small) about these soup dumplings...they were huge! 

On our first full day in New York I was probably the sickest... But in the midst of body aches, a viral infection, and a painful open blister somehow we actually managed to visit the Natural History Museum, 9/11 Memorial, and Times Square. 

I thought this turtle fossil at the Natural History Museum was amazing...it's giant! Especially compared to our pet turtle at home (Dowser is about the size of this guy's nose) 

The fountain at the base of where one of the twin towers once stood

Of course we had to get a shot like this in Times Square! 

The second day we took a food tour of Chelsea Market and the meat packing district. We stopped eight boutique food shops and restaurants for tastings. 

A red velvet cupcake from Eleni's Bakery: the Tiffany's of cookies 

Will enjoying a lobster bisque at Lobster Place 

One of our favorites from the food tour was actually these unassuming-looking preserves from Sara Beth's. It was pretty cool that we got to meet her too! (she happened to be in the bakery at the time) 

We took a stroll along the High Line park

After the food tour we stopped by Greenwich village and found the Friend's building 

In the evening we went to see Godspell at Circle in the Square theater. I absolutely loved it-- the music, set, and story were all fantastic. It was a really fun way to present the stories and parables found in the gospel of Matthew. The theater was super cozy and the stage (360 degrees) was so unique-- there really wasn't a bad seat in the house. 

Partying it up on the stage during intermission 

On our last full day in New York we had brunch at Landmarc and then visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Afterwards, we headed to the Jersey side to visit some friends and a great view of the Manhattan skyline. 

The best man-- also our chauffeur, host, and tour guide during this trip. I guess best man duties don't end after the wedding…. Thanks Kevin! 

We'll be doing lots of traveling this year...Can't wait for our next trip to Portland coming up in June!

Inspiration: Ferris Wheel

I find there is just something really beautiful and fun about ferris wheels. They are colorful, summery, romantic, and whimsical. Last year i started a painting of a ferris wheel that Will sketched for me- it has remained half-completed for months and months and Will has kept bugging me to finish it. Perhaps I just need a little inspiration...

via thegringhamowl

via pinterest

Classic~ via pinterest 

candy ferris wheel! via pinterest

wire ferris wheel via homedecorators~ love! 

Will and I at the Ferris Wheel on Santa Monica Pier

via carolly photography

Bright Idea for Wedding Cards!

I spotted this absolutely fantastic idea for our wedding cards: a DIY wedding card mini-album! I loved all of our thoughtful handwritten cards we received from our wedding and this is such a creative way to keep them all neat and organized. Right now, we are still stashing all of our wedding cards in the card box we used at our wedding (a wooden antique-looking little chest) but this is such a great idea to transform them into a keepsake! Definitely a project I will be working on soon.

via somethingturqoise and studio11

Happy Love Day!

I am so lucky to be able to spend this day with my forever valentine, my husband!

I am so blessed! 

The Artist and The Ebell on the big screen!

Can you believe it? I haven't seen a movie in theaters for over a year. With netflicks and itunes at our fingertips, Will and I always ended up deciding to stay in for movies-- but last night we finally dragged outselves off the comforts of our couch and ventured out to the movies-- and for a great one! We saw The Artist and absolutely loved it! We were not quite sure what to expect since we had never seen a silent black-and-white film in theaters before; but the talented actors, fantastic music, and clever yet moving story really captured my heart. And the icing on top was seeing The Ebell, where we held our wedding reception last September, in several scenes in the movie!

We first recognized The Ebell in the auction scene; the art salon where we held our cocktail hour served as the auction house. Then, there was a scene of Valentino running down the iconic grand staircase of the Ebell Lounge, where Will and I made our grand entrace into our reception! We also spotted the Ebell in scenes of Peppy Miller's house, a courtyard garden, and the hospital. It was so cool and perfect for the movie because

It was so cool and perfect for the movie because the Ebell dates right back to late 1920's Los Angeles, when the movie is set-- and it has stayed pretty much the same since then...

 

circa 1929

today

The Ebell was such a memorable venue for our wedding and will always hold a special place in my heart.

A Pair of Toms

I am actually considering getting a pair of TOMS. To be honest, Toms were never really my style and the first time I saw them, I thought they looked like Chinese peasant shoes….like these on Mulan~ 

My go-to casual flats have always been a pair of black steve maddens but quite sadly, they are just about worn through. So, I have been on the search for another pair of casual, comfortable flats that I can wear to work (lab shoes…meaning completely closed, not open at the top like most flats). I spotted this adorable pair of crochet Toms at Nordstroms: 

So cute! I started browsing and actually found quite a few pairs that caught my eye. I think there will be a pair of "sock-shoes" in my near future… but which one? 

love the pink sole! 

such a pretty mint color~ 

Nordstrom also exclusively carries these cozy-looking fleece lined Toms. These could be my uggs for springtime! 

Of course the best thing about Toms is their One for One program that gives a pair of new shoes to a child in need for every pair of Toms that is sold. I was reminded of my father telling me about one of his trips to China back in the early 80s. He visited a remote rural village in China that was very poor with no paved roads and the children did not have any shoes. He said he left the village with only the clothes on his back...he gave all of his luggage, extra clothes, and shoes to the children and villagers. That's why I think its so wonderful that Toms are giving shoes to children!