The Apple of my eye goes with my Chrome backbone

Within five days, I made two huge electronic purchases. I got an iPhone 5s and a 720 chromebook. And I would make the exact purchases again.

I'm not one of those people who is Apple-centric. Obviously. Nothing against Apple, I think they have beautiful machines that work exceedingly well. I also think you pay alot for the Apple name. I would say 85% of my family and friends have Macs. The only reason I got my first iPhone was because I had AT&T service which had the exclusive rights to the iPhone 1. I loved my iPhone 1. I remember the day I got it: my cousin was an Apple employee at the time and used his discount to buy my sister and me our iPhones. This is when you could activate your phone at home which you cannot do now. He drove to SoCal for Thanksgiving and delivered us our phones. Everyone was jealous, but they were not cheap (even with the discount, they were almost $400 each). Somehow, I managed to wait 3 years for an iPhone 4 which I traded in for a iPhone 5s. I got the iPhone 5s on Black Friday which means the Thanksgiving tradition of getting a new phone continues. Due to my lack of Apple products, the change in the size of charging pins isn't a big deal to me.

One more thing about Apple products: I received a first generation ipod Nano for my birthday back in the day. It worked well and was the determining factor in my decision to get an iPhone. There was a lawsuit regarding the first generation nano (I don't remember the details), but I do remember filling out at form and getting $25 from Apple in the mail. I eventually gave the nano to my mom to use when I got an iPhone. In 2011, there was a 1st generation nano recall due to the potential of the battery failing and becoming incendiary. So I shipped off my 1st generation nano (by this time, my mom had an iPod touch) and received a brand new nano in the mail. I gave this nano to my sister who uses it when she runs. Now you know why I call my ipod nano the gift that keep on giving.

If you include my new chromebook, I've only owned three laptops in my entire life. Well, I did own one desktop at one point. My lack of laptops is mostly a reflection of the theory that the longer I wait, a better laptop can be mine. This type of thinking also applied to the time frames between my iPhones. I wouldn't say I'm a patient person, but I wouldn't say I am impatient person. Mostly it just shows I will put effort into things that I know will pay off. One of my very first posts for this blog was about my first two laptops. I still use my Fujitsu (it is my computer with iTunes so I used it to initiate my stored settings onto my iPhone 5S), but my netbook had been dying since the summer. I was kinda in denial about it, but when I couldn't even turn it on the Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend...it was time to get a new laptop. Luckily, the very next day was Cyber Monday.

Even though I had been in denial about my netbook dying, I had done some research on laptops. I didn't want to get a MacBook. I didn't need one for work or fun and honestly, I might be too late in the game. I wasn't that impressed with Windows 8 which is touchscreen. What I really wanted was a replacement for my netbook with a camera because I needed to do google hangouts with friends in far off places. I had seen the chromebook commericals and knew the chromebook started at $199. So on Cyber Monday, I immersed myself in finding everything I could about chromebooks. The third generation of chromebooks was just released in mid-November. They come with a solid-state drive (it starts in 7 seconds), an 8.5 hour battery (battery life is the ultimate dealbreaker for me), and an HD camera. However, one of the caveats of a chromebook is you cannot add software to it. Any type of software. It comes with chrome software installed (which instantly updates itself) and all the google apps. Since I use google apps for work, the limitations of a chromebook were not deterring to me. One of the biggest deals Google makes about the Chrome software is that it is virus-free.  So far, it has been impenetrable to all viruses. Of course to me, that means one day all chrome software will crash due to a huge virus infection. But perhaps that day is far away instead of being tomorrow. Or maybe I underestimate the mental power behind chrome. The 720 Acer 2G model is only $199 and despite my best efforts, was completely sold out everywhere on Cyber Monday. Luckily, I was able to pick one up at Best Buy two days later. And it really is one of the best purchases I've made.

Last night, I was watching Almost Human in real time (a good show, brought to you by J.J. Abrams whom I recently wrote about in this blog) and saw commercials for the iPhone 5s and chromebook. The iPhone 5s commercial was so heart-warming.

The chromebook commercial I can't find on youtube. I can only describe it as cute. It also made me think about the irony of my electronic purchases. Not many people would buy her 3rd iPhone and a chromebook within a week of each other. As a person who did just that, I would say I'm a person who knows what she wants who simply chooses the best of both worlds. And I would definitely do it again.

2013 Beauty Roundup

My year of Birchbox ended on a whimper. I really didn't like anything in my last box, so this post will not be limited to Birchbox beauty items. I would like to say I enjoyed my year of Birchbox, but not enough to continue beyond the year. I guess that is the problem with Birchbox: if they are doing their job well, you'll probably find what you need with a year long subscription or if not, you will be extremely disappointed with the service. They do amazing things like give away free beauty boxes (remember my Nuance box?) and they have really good gift with purchases. I was lucky enough to get a free Gorjana necklace with a $50 purchase. If you follow them on Facebook/Twitter, Birchbox has really great tutorials about how to do hair, apply makeup, and other beauty advice. Right now, any order of $25 or more has free shipping. And you know how I feel about free shipping. I actually just put in a Birchbox order (to use up the last of my points!) for Caudalie Divine Oil and Benefit Ultra Plush Lip Gloss in Sugarbomb which I described in my previous Birchbox post.

So continuing the 2013 Beauty Roundup, here are some of my favorite beauty items which I discovered this past year.

Indie Lee Blemish Lotion I have oily skin which is great/annoying. I have a youthful appearance yet still get breakouts. Most products for breakouts do not work on my skin and these days my breakouts do tend to scar. I read about Indie Lee's Blemish Lotion a couple months ago and was intrigued. As a cancer survivor, Indie Lee adheres to natural products in her entire beauty line. The ingredients to the Blemish Lotion are super simple. It doesn't work perfectly on my skin (I probably need a higher sulfur concentration), but it does work the best. The solution is bright pink, so I would suggest using it overnight unless you work from home. Also if you do order this, order it directly from Dermstore.com instead of Amazon. You will received it faster.

Dickinson's Witch Hazel wipes Since I have oily skin which can be problematic, I've always been drawn to people who have amazing skin. I am truly obsessed with Scott Foley's skin on Scandal (full disclosure: I was always Team Noel) and always comment "He has aged well." Honestly, it is super distracting. I'm obviously Team Jake. Okay, back to the topic. Another person whose skin I've always admired is Drew Barrymore's. Doesn't she always look...luminous? So you can imagine my surprise to learn she uses a product which costs $7.50! I use the wipes once or twice a week and they are great.

Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration Lotion Sunscreen SPF 50 Living in SoCal, I buy alot of sunblock. Right now, I have 5 different types under my sink (I just checked). But the Hawaiian Lotion sunblock is my favorite. It hydrates your skin and protects well. I wouldn't use it on my face (it is quite oily), but it really is my multi-purpose sunblock.

Bath and Body Works Aromatherapy (Eucalyptus Spearmint and Lavender Chamomile) I only mention these two items because I was at Bath and Body Works today buying Christmas presents due to the buy 3, get 3 free sale. When I am stressed out, the only thing that helps me relax is aromatherapy. I would use the Eucalyptus Spearmint scent during the day and the Lavender Chamomile scent in the evenings. I'm not sure how it works (I've done the research) and maybe at this point, it is just a placebo effect on me, but it does help me. I'm a big supporter of aromatherapy and have given the scents out to various stressed out friends. Some friends now swear by aromatherapy too. If I had a big enough sample population, I would do my own research. However, I'm just glad Bath and Body works was having a buy 3, get 3 free sale.

Water. Yeah, yeah we all know we should drink 8 glasses of water a day. But my godbrother recently experienced kidney stones, so let's all try not to know what he went through these past couple of days. Water is the best thing for anyone's beauty regimen. One of my friends sets an alarm on the hour, for every hour he is at work. So when the alarm beeps, he knows he should get up and get another glass of water. Or finish the rest of the previous hour's water, so he can get more. I haven't adopted his water schedule (I can only think how many times I would go to the bathroom), but I do try to drink more water. Really, it can only be good thing.

So who knows what 2014 will bring? I'm looking forward to a year of amazing skin, a beautiful smoky eye application (you really do need 4 different brushes), and a perfect beauty routine. Well, one can always hope :)

J.J Abrams understands the other half

One of the reasons (and perhaps the only reason) I am intrigued with J.J. Abrams helming Star Wars is the fact he writes strong female characters. If you like Star Wars, you have read the books or at least the Wiki about what happens in Star Wars mythology post Return of the Jedi. Without spoiling too much, it is Leia who ends up saving the universe. Who knows if the plot of the new Star Wars movie will follow the established plotlines, but with J.J. Abrams in charge it does give me A New Hope (yeah, sometimes I can't help myself).

Most people don't remember or haven't watched J.J. Abrams' Alias. It was a tv show on ABC with Jennifer Garner starring as Sydney Bristow who is a covert operative. Sydney then finds out she comes from a family of covert operatives. Her dad is spy, her mom was an undercover USSR spy who married her dad for cover but her dad truly loved her mom. There is a whole complicated mythology which is only fitting for the person behind Lost. I just realized why I probably didn't get into Lost: I was disappointed by the ending of Alias and basically refused to be sucked into another J.J. Abrams series. But Sydney Bristow is an amazing female character: complicated, can definitely kick-ass, devastated by betrayal yet always unyielding in her moral fortitude. If you are a fan of J.J. Abrams' Star Trek, one of the best things about his interpretation is the presence of Uhura. A background character is the original Star Trek, she is a main character who is heavily involved in the J.J. Abrams version. One of the main reasons the Star Trek reboot is great is because of the new Uhura.

A person who doesn't get the female psyche? Christopher Nolan. If you watched his Batman trilogy, the character of Rachel is pretty much a mess. And somehow he was able make Catwoman to be just a cat-burglar. His main saving grace is Christian Bale's interpretation of Batman. It is absolutely perfect. However, Batman needs his Catwoman and Nolan's interpretation fell far short.

Anyways, I've been looking for a Christmas present for my godson and apparently he is still too young for Lego Star Wars. So I guess he will be getting something else. However, I am excited to take him to Star Wars episode 7 (in 2015!! time will fly by) because I know J.J. Abrams will ensure the presence of strong female characters. The more think about it, the more excited I become. The countdown to a whole new Star Wars starts now.

Growing up in a military town

Sometimes it is hard to remember San Diego is a military town. There are beaches to distract you. Comic-Con comes once a year to create havoc. Let's not forget the incomparable San Diego Zoo and Sea World which if you grew up in San Diego were the best places for field trips. Though these days if you have a child under 5, you are more likely to visit Legoland than anything else in San Diego.

But there is a huge military presence in San Diego. Navy, Marines, Air Force, and Coast Guard all reside within San Diego County. The only one missing is Army, but there's a base a couple of hours away by car. My father wasn't in the military, but almost every single one of my friends' fathers was a military guy. My friends had to deal with deployment, missed birthdays, general lack of communication (i.e. internet didn't exist), and watching me interact with my dad. I know it wasn't easy.

So Veteran's Day and Memorial Day have a special meaning to any San Diegan, native or new. A big thank you to everyone who has served our country. May we honor your and your families' sacrifice with empathy and gratitude. Be safe and stay strong.

A Review of Allegiant, the Final Book in the Divergent Series

I wrote a post about the Divergent series a couple months ago. The final book of the series, Allegiant, was published on October 22nd. I finally finished the book and should give it a review since I already dedicated a post to the first two books of the series. This is difficult because I don't want to even think about the book I just finished.

The problem is I (along with many others) really dislike Allegiant. I actually bought the book on its release date, skimmed through it, figured out I would hate it, and then it took me 12 days to finish it. No spoilers here, but I agree with the majority of readers. The ending is contrived and what the author Veronica Roth thought she was doing wasn't what she actually accomplished. The amazing story of strength, perserverance, and love apparent in the first two books ended up being a convoluted mess. Mostly I'm just disappointed.

Now I have even more respect for The Hunger Games. It is marvelously written with a true understanding of the human condition. I mentioned in my Divergent and Insurgent post that Veronica Roth was too ambitious which is obviously true. She ended up changing the way Allegiant was written because she couldn't write the story she wanted. But I think that should have been the first clue the path she decided to take was not how the story should have evolved. Much has been written about Roth's youth and in Allegiant it is very apparent. However, I also understand her defense of Allegiant and appreciate the maturity she has shown in its discussion.

So I highly recommend The Hunger Games to anyone. As I've mentioned before, Catching Fire is my favorite of the series and and trailer does not disappoint.

It looks good! The Divergent Series is subpar in many ways, but I don't regret reading it. However with all things, it is hard to remember the good when the ending is so bad.

Venturing into Downtown Vegas for the first time

As a long time SoCal resident, I have been to Vegas many times. However, I have never gone to downtown Vegas. It is the original Vegas which is about a $20 cab ride from the Strip. I guess I have never ventured to downtown Vegas because I never had a reason to visit downtown Vegas. It makes sense it would take The Killers to bring me there.

The Killers are my favorite band. If I had to describe The Killers, I would say they are a glamourous rock band with super catchy music. Their shows are amazing. Some of my affinity for The Killers resides in the fact that I saw them very early in their career and liked them then. I used to love putting on The Killers while driving to Vegas. They really are a Vegas band: shiny, nonsensical, and always reliable for an amazing experience. I've always wanted to see The Killers in Vegas, but never had the chance. Then came Life is Beautiful.

The Life is Beautiful festival was very ambitious. First, it had an incredible lineup with The Killers, Imagine Dragons, Kings of Leon, Beck, and a reunited Jurassic 5 to mention a few names. The festival organizers brought together a culinary village sponsored by all the famous restaurants in Vegas. Each booth had various dishes which all had to be under $10. There was also a chef stage where musical acts would "cook" with chefs. Also at the festival was an Alchemy garden with all sorts of libations. As a festival, Life is Beautiful was a revelation.

Since the festival was in downtown Vegas, I convinced my sister we should stay in downtown Vegas. Just so we can could walk back to our hotel after the festival. We ended up staying at the Golden Nugget which I highly recommend if you are staying in downtown Vegas. The bathrooms were tiny, but the awesome pool makes up for that inconvenience. We even splurged and bought chairs at the adult only pool for Sunday so we could recover from Saturday. The bartender at the adult pool even had the tvs set to football games. The Chargers were on a bye, so I didn't have to be that person who had to watch her game and make everyone else watch it too. I simply watched  and cheered everyone else's game while poolside.

The Killers were the last band for the entire festival and they were amazing. I had already seen The Killers twice (of course I did) for this Battle Born tour, so this was the third time I had seen them under a year. But The Killers were in their hometown and they were so excited. It probably helped that they had been home for about two weeks before this show and were ready to do one last performance.  Brandon Flowers, the lead singer for The Killers, told stories about their songs. Mostly, they were thankful for their fans, demonstrated their appreciation by showering everyone with confetti, and ended the night with When you were young. 

However, I will end this post with my favorite Killers song, Mr. Brightside. Thanks to The Killers for validating my reasons for making you my top band. Viva Vegas!

My favorite places on 3rd Street

When I first moved to LA, I moved to West L.A. Unless you are familiar with L.A, you probably have not even heard of West L.A. It is the area just west of the 405 but east of Santa Monica. It is a pretty unremarkable area which has alot of conveniences. It is close to the 405 and 10 freeways which allows you to get around in L.A. No matter where you live in West L.A., you are guaranteed to be in a 5 miles radius of at least 2 Trader Joes. The rent is comparatively cheap with could definitely be worse parking. Mild weather (I know, it is weird to discuss differences in weather in L.A but if you live in L.A. you know there are disparate temperatures depending on where you live) since you don't get the marine layer or the 100 degree weather of the valley.

During my last year of grad school, my roommate bought a house. She offered to let me move in with her which was super nice. Mostly because as a minimalist in everything except my closet, I actually didn't own any furniture except my bed. Though I did own the TV and the wine bar (with alcohol!), so I really just had the essentials. Although, she had wanted to stay in the West L.A. area, my former roommate's dream house ended up being in Crestview which is a tiny neighborhood adjacent to Beverlywood. I hardly ever ventured east of the 405, but as a decisive yet adventurous person I said yes to moving with her.

Although Angelenos are mobile people, they don't really venture outside of their neighborhood unless out of necessity. The traffic is that bad and the convenience of your neighborhood usually just wins out. It was good for me to live in another part of L.A. and I grew to really love it. Just north of Crestview is 3rd street which became one of my favorite L.A. areas. It is filled with various eateries and shopping. If you don't mind walking a few blocks, you can park in a residential neighborhood and don't have to worry about metered parking.

So after enough preamble, here are some of my favorite things on 3rd street:

Little Next Door I always think I'll try a different brunch place, but I really adore Little Next Door. The food is scrumptious, the croissants amazing, and the decor is super cute. I've also come here for dinner and dinner is also very good. A true gem amongst the brunch scene.

Shopaholic sample sales I found this store while walking to Jones's on 3rd (which I'm not going to review but it is an LA institution). The salespeople are friendly but not overwhelming. The clothes are super cute and definitely my style. As important, the prices are extremely reasonable. One of their hallmarks is the massive dressing room in the back, so it is definitely not for the shy person. Just make sure you wear cute underwear before you go there.

Robata Jinya The best ramen in L.A. is at Daikokuya but Little Tokyo is really out of the way for everyone who doesn't live in Little Tokyo. Robata Jinya is a very close second. The ramen has sublime flavor and the noodles are perfect.

Mendocino Farms Everyone told me the sandwiches from Mendocino Farms were amazing. So when I tried one, I obviously thought I was going to be disappointed. However, all the accolades are deserved. It is literally just perfection. To add to their amazing-ness, they procure their own soda line. So I had one of the best ginger ales in my life to go along with one of the best sandwiches of my life.

There are a couple other cute clothing stores on 3rd street. None are as expensive as you would think considering their proximity to Beverly Hills and Melrose. I would suggest having brunch and then checking out the shops. Then you can reward yourself with a dessert. I'm partial to Georgetown Cupcake, but there is also Fonuts, Magnolia Bakery, Lady M Cake Boutique, or even Jones's on 3rd. Then again, now that I think about it perhaps you should start with a baked good/coffee, shop, and then eat dinner. Either way, you really can't go wrong on 3rd Street.

Being a child of the 90s

Sister: I can't believe they made another Romeo and Juliet movie!

Me: Yeah, everyone should just watch the Baz Luhrman version!

Me: It has Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes. And amazing music.

Sister: I know, silly people.

Me: Now I want to watch Romeo and Juliet. We own it right?

Sister: In VHS.

Me: Do we have a VCR?

Sister: Somewhere?

Me: Maybe I'll just listen to the soundtrack. I do have both of them.

Me: (Thinking) Do we have a CD player?

I will look back at today and think "That was a good day for football."

The great thing about fantasy football is if your football team is doing poorly, your fantasy football team can make you happy. Or vice versa. Of course that means the worst is when your fantasy football team and your football team are both terrible. Those are the worst of times. I know because I lived through them.

Right now everything in my football world is good. I'm presently second place in my fantasy football league. The Chargers won a nationally televised game last night. I know this to be a good day, so I'm trying not to think on the past or the future. I would just like to marinate in today's goodness.

This is, of course, pretty impossible for me to do. Fantasy football revolves on luck (injuries, whims of coaches, and not just Andrew Luck) and thinking you have control over anything is just silly. Actually being in second place means I'm low on my totem pole waiver wire. It was suggested to me last week that I pick up Keenan Allen. The main reason I didn't (beside the fact that I already had two wide receivers playing at that moment) is because I hesitate adding any Chargers to my fantasy football team. I like keeping the two entities separate. The exception is the Chargers kicker (Nick Novak) who I like having on my fantasy team because if the Chargers do not score on 3rd down near the endzone, I can't be too mad since Novak will get me 3 points on my fantasy team (though I'm still plenty irritated). I'm pretty sure I'll regret not adding Allen to my team because at least the Chargers would have helped my fantasy team while stagnating in their own division.

So why are the Chargers destined to fail? They are presently 3-3 which would make them contenders in every division except their own AFC West. The remaining two undefeated teams in the entire football league (The Denver Broncos and The Kansas City Chiefs) are also in the AFC West. Of course the Chargers are not mathematically eliminated, but it seems unlikely the Chargers will win the division or the wild card. I'm too pragmatic not to think of this.

However, I will enjoy today. Mostly because as a Chargers fan I deserve it and as a fantasy football player I know these days are rare. So yes, today is  a good day for football.

*This post honored two books from high school English: A Tale of Two Cities and One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich

My favorite things from a 12 month Birchbox subscription: Part One

I'm 10 months into my 12 month Birchbox subscription. I've received some great things, some not so great, and some "what is this?" confusion.  Let's concentrate on the positives! I've fallen in love with some items through my monthly Birchbox or the Birchbox website. Here are a few.

My favorite lipgloss: Benefit Ultra Plush lip gloss. There's a reason why this is so rated so well. It is a perfect lipgloss. A nice sheen without being too sticky. Easy to apply with just the right amount of color. I'm a big Buxom fan, but I will buy this lipgloss when my present supply runs out.

My favorite hand cream: Le Couvent des Minimes Gardener's Hand Healer. Another item that is highly rated. I'm a big proponent of the Neutrogena Hand Cream which has a gel consistency. However, the Neutrogena hand cream is more effective in cold weather than warm weather. For a moisturizing hand cream, the Le Couvent de Minimes Gardener's Hand Healer is truly amazing. The scent is lightly lemon, fresh without being overwhelming. It really is a hand butter which melts into the palms and the regular dermis of your skin. Unlike some other hand creams, any male would use this product.

My favorite hair product: Klorane Gentle Dry Shampoo. I'm not sure how I survived without this product, some things are just that life altering. My hair always looks amazing after using this dry shampoo. Besides absorbing oil, it somehow revives hair by adding volume and shine. I was a skeptic of the dry shampoo fad...but it is real and this product is the best. This remains the only item I've actually bought from Birchbox after sampling.

My favorite indulgence item: Caudalie Divine Oil. One of the biggest beauty misconceptions is the idea oils are bad for skin. Oils are the best thing for skin, as long as they do not clog your pores. I can't really describe this product except to say it really is divine. The scent is a faint mixture derived from 4 oils (grape, hibiscus, sesame, and argan) but truly uplifting. In addition to the oils, proprietary anti-oxidant polyphenols (which may give it anti-aging properties) are added. It is a dry oil (I don't really know what that means) but it does have a lightness to it and is readily absorbed into the skin. This is one of those products that you really need to experience in order to understand. Or maybe not, it is kinda expensive.

This is the first of at least two posts regarding items from Birchbox. I'm undecided about my favorite eye cream. I still haven't gotten through my Nuance box. Some of my favorite things from Birchbox which I have yet to describe were from the CEW Mass Appeal box. I also have two more Birchboxes to go! The year of Beauty is coming to an end, but I'm glad to have found products which I'll be incorporating into my everyday routine.

Being a San Diego Sports Fan

I watched the Chargers/Cowboys game last weekend with one of my oldest friends. We started talking about sports fandom. Specifically, kids' allegiances and whether or not kids' should have a choice on which teams they should support. Like most things in life, it is complicated.

I grew up in a sports obsessed family. The most important holiday in my family is not Thanksgiving or Christmas, it is Super Bowl Sunday. However, being a San Diego Sports Fan is tough. I wouldn't wish it on anyone who didn't grow up in San Diego (mostly because the nice weather off-sets the last minute losses the Chargers subject onto their fans), related to someone from San Diego (because that person is probably nice and you want to support him/her), or are a San Diego transplant from a place that actually has weather (transplants are partial to the Chargers and Padres out of solidarity). I appreciate anyone who becomes a Chargers or Padres fan out of choice because that choice was not made logically. The Chargers have never won a Super Bowl. The Padres have never won a World Series. Becoming a San Diego fan does not make sense.

I wouldn't encourage anyone, especially a child, to become a San Diego sports fan. There is a tremendous amount of heartache in being a Chargers and Padres fan. These days, I can only watch Chargers game with other Chargers fans. Sometimes I don't even like doing that and prefer to watch the game at home with the tv on mute. The only sounds are the vitrolic words that leave my mouth. I actually only cuss during Chargers games, they make me so mad! However, I do feel like being a Chargers/Padres fan is a badge of honor. I was in a Chargers bar in NYC two weeks ago and shared stories of where I was/what I was doing during horrible Chargers losses. Even when we were up against the Titans that week, I never felt we were going to win the game. It is a good thing because we ended up losing! After the game, I visited Eataly and drank amazing coffee. Afterwards, there was shopping in Soho. You know, that is probably why I have such an amazing wardrobe. I go shopping after a Chargers or Padres loss! Maybe that is a selling point to potential San Diego Sports fan: think of all the shopping you will be doing to drown out all the devastating losses.

Bringing Meditation into my life

I'm a huge fan of yoga. I started doing it through a work sponsored event over ten years ago and immediately experienced results. The physical assertion of a yoga practice creates a stronger body and may lead to health benefits. However, the aspect of yoga which really affected me is the mental component. Yoga allows calmness to overwhelm me through specific concentration. I always feel stronger after a yoga class, physically and mentally.

Everyone knows about meditation. How you perceive it is directly related to whomever you know who does a meditation practice. Personally, I never thought I needed meditation. I do yoga fairly regularly now and am grateful for the mental strength it gives me. However, a few people have recently asked me if I mediated. One was going to do a Oprah/Deepak Chopra 21 day meditation challenge in August. She, a person whom I once dragged to yoga and subsequently hated it, had done a similar meditation challenge earlier this year. She claimed it helped her immensely. The only reason this intrigued me was because she hated yoga. How is meditation really different from yoga? The obvious answer is the physical actions of yoga differ from the physical relaxation of meditation. Knowing my friend is an active person by nature, I was even more curious.

So I started to meditate. I used the Oprah and Deepak Chopra 21 day meditation challenge as a guide mostly because I started after August 5th. Well, I should say I tried to start meditating. The more I learned about meditation, the more I realized it is quite naive to do it without a teacher. Yet even without guidance, I felt myself, for a lack of a better word and believe me I thought it, enlightened. If yoga makes me calm, then meditation makes me purposeful. I really can't explain any other way.

I recently read a GQ article about transcendental meditation. The article inspired me to try other types of meditation and to write this post. Meditating requires 2 sessions of 20 minutes every day. Some days, this also happens to the writer of the GQ article, meditation is easy and other days it is hard. Some days I completely forget to do it and other days I can't wait to meditate. I encourage everyone to try it because everyone should experience meditation. Overall, I'm glad to have started something that will only benefit me in this existence called life.

My Dillon Panthers

My fantasy football team name is Dillon Panthers. This is a tribute to Friday Night Lights, the tv series (I haven't watched the movie which lead to the tv series). Though I do like tv, I'm not into serious tv. This means I haven't watched The Wire, The Sopranos, Mad Men, or Breaking Bad. I know, I know...what can I say? I've never had HBO and for awhile, I didn't even have cable. I've seen every single episode of Sex and the City because I bought my sister the Sex and the City collector's edition for her birthday one year (her request). I eventually made it through the entire series.

The only reason I've seen Friday Night Lights is because my oldest friend became obsessed with it. She then got our other best friend (we've known her since second grade) into it and then it was just peer pressure. They encouraged me to watch it (all five seasons which just sounded like a huge time commitment) because I like football, it is well made, and the story-lines were superb. Also between the two of them, they had all five seasons.

Friday Night Lights is a tv series about football, but really about family. Every Friday night, the people of Dillon, Texas are bonded by football to become family. The core family is the Taylor family which is comprised of Coach Taylor, his wife Tami Taylor, and their daughters. The best part of Friday Night Lights is they took a risk with Coach Taylor and Mrs. Taylor as a couple with a strong marriage who genuinely care for each other. Everyone I know who has watched the series, admires the Taylors. Individually, the Taylors are strong. I often think all NFL coaches would be better if they tried to emulate Coach Taylor. Once I told a friend I was 90% sure I could coach better than Norv Turner just because I had watched every single episode of Friday Night Lights. I also know there is huge following of women who live by "wwttd" which stands for "what would Tami Taylor do" when faced with a huge decision. She is one of the strongest female characters ever written. The fact they are a married couple who lean on each other out of respect and love would make anyone envious if they weren't so admirable. The drama from the series mostly stems from the high school players who see football as glory, a way out of poverty, an alternative to a prison life, or even a replacement for the family they never really had.

With the end of Breaking Bad near, everyone has been talking about tv series that ended well. I can personally attest that Friday Night Lights has a pretty perfect ending. You will feel warm-hearted by the end. You may also want to move to Texas. So you won't be disappointed once you make it through all five seasons. Though season 2 is weird and cut short by the last writers' strike. Friday Night Lights changed the way I live my life. How could it not when the most pivotal words from the series  is Coach Taylor's favorite saying of "clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose!"

Rue La La has figured me out

Since I do like fashion, I subscribe to all sorts of fashion email lists. I don't open every one of them. However, there are pockets of time where I just want to look at pretty things. I've always enjoying the physical act of shopping: going into stores, walking around, browsing, searching for deals, and getting cute bags with your purchase. As I get older and perhaps becoming better at internet shopping, I am buying more things on-line. Sometimes, it is just easier. Sometimes, there are good sales. Sometimes, a shopping website knows you so well...rewarding them with a purchase just seems like the right thing to do.

Rue La La understands me, at the shopping version of me. I subscribed to Rue La La through a friend's link. If I bought something from Rue La La, she would have gotten a $10 credit. However, I never bought anything off the site. Rue La La has nice things, many times I have been tempted. I just never clicked the "complete order" tab. I'm not a person who "needs" things and I usually forget stuff I didn't buy. I do like a good deal and this is where Rue La La gets me. Instead of offering discount codes, Rue La La gives credit. It happened after I had subscribed to Rue La La emails for about 4 months without buying anything. I got a friendly email from the CEO of Rue La La who said he "noticed" I hadn't bought anything. He thought I would really like their company if I would give them a chance, and offered me a $30 credit. Basically free money I could spend on anything. How could I not spend free money? I ended up getting a BCBG purse which cost $30 and I only had to pay for shipping. Since one of my internet pet peeves is paying for shipping, what Rue La La does for shipping is kinda marvelous: you pay $9.95 once and everything you buy for the next month is shipped for free. Seriously, Rue La La just gets me. I didn't order anything else after buying the BCBG purse but the free shipping was very tempting.

This leads us to last week, where I got another email from the Rue La La CEO commenting on my lack of purchases. He wished I liked their company more (I do like their company!) and offered me a free $25 credit towards my next purchase. More free credit? Because I haven't bought anything? Well if you insist. So of course the last couple of days, I've been trolling the Rue La La site. I'll probably use the credit for something (I keep looking at shoes....) and will be completely happy with my purchase. Of course I will be tempted again by free shipping the month after I make my purchase.

So Rue La La has done enough to win my allegiance. I'm obviously not their ideal customer, but I do appreciate their attempts at trying to win me over. And it is working! At least well enough for me to write a glowing post about them.

Nothing like a mini-heat wave to make you anticipate fall

Last Friday, it was so hot...I didn't eat anything until dinner. The whole day I just consumed liquids. Water, juice, water, iced coffee, and more water. Presently the daytime is still warm (low to mid-80s), but definitely manageable. I'm back to normal eating though I did have ice cream for dinner.

Today is Labor Day which signals the end of summer. This means fall, my favorite fashion season, is upon us. I mean who doesn't like sweaters, tights, and boots! Then fall has my favorite hues. I would say about 70% of my wardrobe is composed of blue and grey. I'm getting excited just thinking about it. 

Of course fall brings back my favorite tv shows. What am I most excited about? New Girl (15 days away!), Scandal (Scott Foley is now a regular!), How I met your Mother (cautiously optimistic), and other shows I can't remember because it has been too long. 

Then there is football. All predictions suggest the Chargers will be terrible this year. I begrudgingly agree because there is no evidence to suggest otherwise. However, I'm hopeful they will at least be watchable. After enjoying the Super Bowl last year (a superb football game where two brothers coached against each other using an impressive amount of psychological warfare), it made everyone wish great football games could happen every week. That will never occur, but the possibility makes the return of football most welcome. 

Finally, I have a couple of trips planned. The first is going to Las Vegas for Life is Beautiful Festival. My favorite band is The Killers and I've always dreamed of seeing them in Las Vegas. Throw in Imagine Dragons (whose song Demons is currently my favorite song) and Capital Cities it becomes the perfect 2013 festival lineup. It may also be a grand foodie experience with its culinary village. The festival is in downtown Las Vegas which I've never experienced. This will probably be the best way to enjoy Fremont Street. My second trip will be to NYC to visit my oldest friend. We met in kindergarten and need to celebrate 30 years of being friends...one year late. I haven't bought that ticket yet, but I will definitely fly out to see her this fall. We'll toast 30 years of friendship over some wine and delicious food. Maybe even a cronut or two.

Jake Peavy moves further East

I didn't want to write this post. Mostly because then I'll have to remember when the Padres were above 0.500 and the Chargers were good despite Norv Turner. I didn't realize how much I took for granted those baseball and football teams until I had to suffer through some terrible seasons. There were dark years before the San Diego golden era of the late 2000's, so I thought at the time I was appreciating San Diego sports' success. Maybe bad sports seasons just require suffering whether or not you appreciated the good times.

However, Jake Peavy deserves this post. I was reminded of this last night when Yu Darvish struck out 14 batters. Peavy could go up to double digits for strike outs in his Padres days. I remember watching those K's go up whenever I watched his games on tv or live. It was thrilling yet surprising normal for him. Since Peavy spent the last couple of years in the AL, people may have forgotten Peavy was/is a good hitter. Whenever it was his turn to bat when he was Padre, nobody ever worried he was an automatic out. Those are the best baseball players: offensive threats who play their position well. Peavy initially turned down the first trade to the White Sox because he wanted to stay in NL, be able to hit, and maybe was in denial about not being Padre for his entire career. The denial only lasted so long when it became obvious the White Sox provided the best trade for the Padres. Then Peavy did the only thing he could do to help the Padres, he accepted the trade to Chicago.

When it came out earlier this week Peavy was going to be traded again, I hoped he could be traded to the Padres. Obviously I was the one in denial then. When I read he wanted to win a championship, I knew he wasn't returning to San Diego anytime soon. So off to Boston he went, to a team which still won't allow him to hit. I'll be rooting for the Red Sox to win the World Series. Maybe then will Peavy return to where he really belongs: west.

Divergent, Insurgent, and the upcoming Allegiant

I started reading the Divergent series while poolside in Vegas. Vegas is another post or maybe a never post since it is Vegas. So why Divergent? A month ago, I finally got my The Hunger Games series back from my godbrother. I immediately re-read them, again, and again. So yes, I re-read them 3X. Obviously, the series is a fast read and I can be obsessive about knowing every single detail. After the third re-reading, I wished I could go back and start The Hunger Games trilogy without knowing anything. It is rare that I want to re-read books. The only other time it has happened to me is with the Harry Potter series. This of course says a lot about me. I like simplistic books whose deeper meanings are to be discovered. In lieu of reading Harry Potter over again, I researched some new book series. I had very narrow criteria: there will be no years long waiting for the book series' end (learned my lesson from Harry Potter), no love triangles (there is a reason why I don't read chick lit), and finally, most importantly, it must be well-reviewed. I vaguely remembered something about a movie named Divergent. I learned Divergent was based on a book also named Divergent. Within an hour, I had ordered Divergent and its sequel Insurgent from Amazon. The final book Allegiant will be published in October.

Divergent revolves around a  strong-willed 16 year old female living in a post-apocalyptic world. Sounds familiar? The world is divided into 5 factions: Abnegation, Dauntless, Erudite, Candor, and Amity. I will withhold describing each faction for the simple reason the author Veronica Roth also does not explicitly describe the factions: reading the books gives a better idea on the faction purpose/ideal than the definition of the word. Roth has stated she picked unfamiliar words for the faction names so that people would not be predisposed to think of a faction a certain way. The protagonist, Tris, is divergent suggesting she could belong to multiple factions. This uniqueness makes her death a certainty until a few people sacrifice their lives for her. Some die because of Tris's desire to live. To say more would require a lot of explanation and make this blog post way tooo long. There is a male, Four, whose fighting skills and love for Tris save her repeatedly. Insurgent brings the series long mystery out into the open. Allegiant is anxiously awaited by many and will probably not disappoint.

I feel confident Allegiant will be good because of the strength of Divergent and Insurgent. Unlike The Hunger Games series, whose bleakest book is the last book MockingJay, Divergent will probably be harshest book of the series. The deaths (yes, plural) experienced in Divergent are heart-breaking and the guilt destroys Tris for most of Insurgent. However, the big mystery reveal of Insurgent sets Allegiant up to be chaotic. Roth stated in ComicCon that Allegient will have points of view from Tris and Four (Divergent and Insurgent were from Tris's point of view) which is intriguing. Does Tris die? Does Four die? Why does everyone need to die????

In many ways, Divergent is subpar to The Hunger Games. There are some inconsistencies within the series and the editing could be sharper. However, I would say Divergent is more ambitious. This is Roth's first book series and it shows. A veteran writer would never attempt something with this magnitude. I'm excited to see what happens and will admit to being optimistic for a happy-ish ending. October can't come soon enough.

PEDs are everywhere, the age of denial is ending

I'm fairly obsessed with sports. That is probably an understatement. I relate to things in my life according to sporting events. Fall is football, summer is baseball, and the period between the two is known as dead time. Though hockey has become part of my sports watching schedule since the 2010 Olympics. The 2014 Olympics will only entrench hockey into my sports watching. I digress since this post is about the worst part of sports: PEDs (Performance Enhancing Drugs).

Yesterday, Ryan Braun accepted an MLB suspension for the rest of the season. He is in the prime of his career and has sort of/basically admitted to using PEDs to enhance his baseball performance. Other MLB suspensions are imminent. Braun is definitely not the first person to use PEDs and most certainly not the last. Recently, The Tour de France concluded to little fanfare. Cycling  has taken a hit in popularity due to the PEDs admission of Lance Armstrong. It is a sad thing because cyclists are athletes who abuse their bodies the most. The fact that most of them felt they needed to go a step further to even compete is really what this PEDs situation is all about.

I cannot even begin to comprehend how it must feel to be innately good at one thing. Then to watch your superiority pale in comparison to others. To decide what to do next rests on the strength of your character. I'm not saying if I was a supreme athlete, I wouldn't take PEDs. I'm simply just acknowledging it is an unfathomable decision. There is nothing brave about admitting the truth with your back against a wall. There is nothing admirable about accepting consequences while previously accepting millions of $$$. Obviously this does not only apply to sports.

It seems like the age of denial regarding PEDs is coming to an end. As a sports fan with wide open eyes, it is something I've been waiting for since the Sammy Sosa/Mark McGwire era. Though I have spent the time between that baseball season and now cheering on various sports games, I have always felt uneasy being obsessed with something where cheaters prospered. Maybe now, I will be able to fully enjoy watching sports. At least, that is my hope.

The ComicCon of it all

Since I grew up in San Diego, I basically grew up alongside ComicCon. I've gone only once, ~11 years ago. I bought tickets from a friend who has a booth every year. Mmm, I just realized he probably sells his extra tickets for huge profit these days. I used to be able to enter any "geek" conversation seamlessly. Now there is Doctor Who, Game of Thrones, The Hobbit, and a bunch of other things that completely elude me.

I have no idea when TV became a huge deal at the Con (which is what people who go to ComicCon call it). It must have started with Smallville (does anyone else remember the Superman TV series with Dean Cain and Teri Hatcher?) But it seems like every TV show has a panel at the Con. There is also a huge movie presence at the Con which I assume started with comic book movies. Spiderman 2 remains one of my favorite movies ever. Of course it is, Peter Parker underwent a genetic mutation! Since the Con has a huge following, it makes sense for everything entertainment wise to preview there since so people are in one place. Then that begets even more people to attend Con which leads to more things being showcased there. It is almost impossible to get tickets for Con these days unless you attended the previous year and are willing to buy the 5 day pass. The Con is soooo huge, they debate whether or not they should move it to a different city. Even though I don't go to ComicCon (even getting into downtown San Diego the weekend of ComicCon is a huge hassle), I can't imagine ComicCon not in San Diego. Some things just go with the other.

Now onto the most important ComicCon stuff: the costumes. Even though it is in the middle of summer, the weather in San Diego is in the mid-70s. This allows people to be comfortable and imaginative with costuming. The best costumes are always group costumes. And that is what ComicCon is really about: where friends get together and talk/obsess about their favorite things.

4th of July in San Diego

It came to my attention this past weekend, I've actually been out of the country at least 3X for 4th of July. The reasoning behind this fact is super simple: it is an extra vacation day. Also I can't remember when was the last time I spent 4th of July in San Diego. Although the war of independence was fought on the East Coast, San Diego is a military town. Independence Day is deeply felt throughout the city.

My family decided we would have a family reunion this 4th of July. This was super exciting for various reasons. We were going to rent a beach house in Mission Beach, San Diego. Family from NYC, Texas, and Hawaii would travel to San Diego. There would be bbq-ing, alcohol consumption, working on tans, and just hanging out. Since I don't see most of my family even at Christmas, I was looking forward to this.

And it was so much fun!! Too much food, mostly meat. Though if you surf fish, there was alot of good fishing to be done. The house came with two kitchens which turned out to be necessary. Mostly to store all the caught fish (freezer) and beer (fridge). My cousin from NYC bought Patron to make margaritas. We laughed at him and decided to do shots with the Patron. We talked about growing up in San Diego. A truly wonderful place to be young but the time frame was also idyllic. My family truly appreciated the effort everyone made to make this happen. Then we talked about doing the beach house again next year.

We watched about three different sets of fireworks on 4th of July. The best were from Sea World. The weather was perfect which I only mention because there was a scorching heat wave the previous week (some of us spent the entire week at the beach house...). The no alcohol law on the beach does make a difference. Everyone was just chill. I never really hung out in Mission Beach when I was younger (I was more of Pacific Beach gal), but from now I will always prefer Mission over PB. It will always remind me of family.

10 years ago, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix was released

When I read this tidbit, I knew exactly where I was 10 years ago: driving around Vegas trying to find  a Barnes and Noble to buy Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

I am not part of the target audience for Harry Potter. I'm not much of a fantasy person, but I do like science fiction. I've never read The Lord of the Kings and don't even remember if I saw the movies. I haven't watched or read Game of Thrones.The first Harry Potter was actually given to me by a boyfriend. He thought I would like it due to a conversation he had with another law student. The year was probably 2001. Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone sat in my room for months before I picked it up one night because I couldn't sleep. I read the entire book that night (it is a children's book). I bought the second, third, and fourth books of the series the very next day. So after furiously reading those four books, waiting for the 5th book was extraordinarily hard. I was a Harry Potter addict. J.K. Rowling weaves a meticulous story of magic, bravery, and the line between destiny and choice. The end of the fourth Harry Potter shows the return of the supreme evil into the wizarding world. This explains why, during a 2003 Vegas trip for my parents to watch Celine Dion, I ended up driving around Vegas suburbs trying to find the Barnes and Noble where I had reserved the Order of the Phoenix. I procured my copy and ended up reading most of the book that very night in our hotel room. To say I hate The Order of the Phoenix is probably an overstatement, but I believed it that very night 10 years ago. It remains my least favorite book of the Harry Potter series.

Why do I hate it? Well, everyone in The Order of the Phoenix is just depressing. Terrible, stupid people are in charge of the wizarding world in The Order of the Phoenix. Also my favorite character gets killed off. I actually can't think of a redeeming quality in The Order of the Phoenix. I even just googled the wiki page just to make sure. I haven't re-read it (even though I've re-read every other Harry Potter book at least 5X) because why would I subject myself to that?!?! Nevermind the fact I actually lent my copy to a friend and never bothered to get it back. My Harry Potter book collection is incomplete yet I kinda like it that way.

However, I almost bought The Order of Phoenix last weekend because I was buying the Divergent series (well, at least Divergent and Insurgent which are books 1 and 2). It seems a little weird to be hating the book so much after 10 years. Maybe I should re-read it and I needed to buy something to get free shipping from Amazon. In the end, I bought whiskey stones instead of The Order of the Phoenix. I guess I need the whiskey stones so I can drink whiskey while re-reading The Order of the Phoenix. At least this time, I'll be prepared.

Warby Parker

I've previously promoted Warby Parker on my Facebook page. Since Clark Kent is sporting Warby Parker frames in Man of Steel, it is appropriate I revisit the subject again.

Some background: my graduate research was on vision. Specifically on rhodopsin, the protein which senses black/white (essentially gray) vision. Rhodopsin is very sensitive to small amounts of light. This is the protein mammals use to see at night, i.e. when there is very little available light. Consequently this is why at night, everything is a gray hue. I could go on and on about our sense of sight :) It is an understatement to say vision is close to my heart.

Yet so is fashion. I am slightly near-sighted, so I require glasses to drive. My last pair of glasses I bought were Gucci frames mostly because I loved them and everything else I tried on paled in comparison. Let's just say I could buy 3 (maybe even 4) Warby Parker frames with the amount I paid for my Gucci frames 8 years ago. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

So what is Warby Parker? It is a company started by 4 friends who wanted to build a different type of business. They partnered up with factories who make designer frames and curated their own collection. Their glasses start at $95. If you are unable to visit a Warby Parker showroom, you can go to their website and request a home try-on kit. This is a free service they provide where a customer picks up to 5 frames they would like to try. Warby Parker will ship the frames for free and provide a return shipping label as well. The best part: for every frame sold, they provide a pair of glasses to someone in need. They are not the same pair of glasses a customer buys. Warby Parker partners with non-profits to provide this service.

As evidenced by Clark Kent in Man in Steel, Warby Parker frames are incredibly pleasing. I don't need a pair of glasses (I won't buy another pair until my Gucci ones are practically falling apart), but my sister did use the Warby Parker try-on at home service. It worked exactly as promised. I even tried on the frames and found a style I liked on myself. They now sell sunglasses. I tell everyone I know to try Warby Parker.

TOMS, the shoe company who gives a pair of shoes to someone in need for every pair of shoes sold, also has a vision program. TOMS sells sunglasses and for every pair sold, TOMS will provide  sight (in the form of eyeglasses, surgery, or medical treatment) to someone in need. I own 3 pairs of TOMS and thoroughly support their endeavor into vision philantrophy.

It should be noted that Warby Parker and TOMS are both for-profit companies. Not that they stand to makes billions due to their altruism. Just keep in mind both are companies with business plans that include doing good in our world.

Finally, please take care of your eyes! Wear hats in sunny California. Buy polarized sunglasses. Eat lots of carrots or anything with beta-carotene. We interact primarily by using our sense of vision. It is truly amazing to see.

Update on Summer 2013 movies

I've only watched two movies this summer: Star Trek Into Darkness and Before Midnight. I kinda missed the boat on Iron Man 3. Apparently Hangover 3 is a rambling mess. I should watch Fast and Furious 6 in the theatre, but I was too excited about Before Midnight. Man of Steel previews confirmed my membership to Team Bruce Wayne. When I really thought about movies I wanted to see this weekend (perhaps with my dad), I realized I would rather just watch Star Trek Into Darkness and Before Midnight again.

Star Trek Into Darkness did not disappoint. Something about the movie appeals to everyone. Whether it is hard core Star Trek fans, BBC Sherlock fans, summer blockbuster action fans...it has everything. It probably appeals most to people like me: a Star Wars fan who appreciates Star Trek and thinks Chris Pine is super cute. Some had problems with the end (there's a chase scene between Spock and "John Harrison"), but I enjoyed it because Spock wasn't in control of his emotions. In many ways, there doesn't need to be a third movie. A part of me hopes they don't make a 3rd movie yet I know I will feel short-changed if they don't. Complicated are my feelings about this (sorry, couldn't help myself).

Before Midnight is a marvel. What happens when you do end up with a true love? The final argument between Jesse and Celine in the hotel room (it was hard not to be distracted by a topless Celine) was so painfully real. These type of arguments are built on frustration, love, and have no answer. Yet you remain hopeful that together you may find an answer. Not just for Jesse and Celine, for everyone. I am grateful to Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy, and Richard Linklater for continuing this story. Thank you for sharing.

I recommend Star Trek Into Darkness and Before Midnight to anyone. Let me know if you need company to watch either, I'll totally come with.

I'm so excited...I got my Nuance box from Birchbox!

The day after I blogged about Nuance, I got an email from Birchbox asking if I would like to receive a free Nuance box. I replied, "Yes!!!" I was lucky enough to get a Nuance box yesterday.

There is body lotion, an anti-aging super cream, volumizing shampoo and conditioner, and a 3 in 1 eyeshadow/eyeliner/highlighter. I can't wait to try everything.

*Sidenote Birchbox sent me an email asking if I wanted a Nuance box based on my beauty profile. Apparently, they have previously done these type of product boxes. I probably won't get another one of these product boxes. However, I'm super glad to get this one!

Catching up with my favorite musical acts

Do you have a favorite band that you just wait until the next time they tour? I have a two: The Killers and Jimmy Eat World.

I remember the first time I saw The Killers. San Diego used to have an annual music festival called Street Scene (I miss Street Scene). The Killers were a starting act in 2004 and I remember walking into the venue listening to them. At Street Scene 2005, The Killers were headliners. Deservedly so, they had gotten so huge. Live, The Killers are one of the best bands I've experienced. (The worst, by far, is Coldplay. That's another post). They are energetic, always have great background videos, and I just love their songs. I've seen The Killers twice in the past 6 months. They played 91X Wrex the Halls where Brandon Flowers said they flew in from Vegas via Southwest after meeting at IHOP. The Killers, they are just like us! I saw them more recently last month in Anaheim. Brandon Flowers lead everyone in "Wish upon a Star" perhaps because he was feeling the Disney love. (Unrelated but supremely exciting sidenote: The Honda Center in Anaheim gives free parking to Hondas! There are limited spaces for free parking, but still how cool is that?!?)

This past weekend was Weenie Roast. It was also supposed to be 91Xfest as well but they changed the date of 91Xfest to accommodate Blink-182. The one band that was supposed to be playing 91Xfest and Weenie Roast? Jimmy Eat World. I actually don't know how many Jimmy Eat World concerts I've attended. Probably around 15 which seems like alot except I would go to another 15. Jimmy Eat World is amazing live. They are responsible for some of my favorite songs ever. Perhaps because their songs define a particular time of my life. Perhaps I just enjoy their endless optimistic bent. I'm selfish regarding Jimmy Eat World. When they rescheduled 91Xfest to have Blink-182, it was uncertain whether or not Jimmy Eat World could play the new date. So 91X hosted them on the original Xfest date with tickets for $9.91. Even though I was seeing Jimmy Eat World at Weenie Roast, I refused to sell my Jimmy Eat World tickets for the original 91Xfest date. This resulted in seeing Jimmy Eat World twice in 20 hours and it was awesome.

Some other musical acts I've followed over the years: Muse (an under-rated intellectual band) and Dashboard Confessional (I re-posted a blog entry about the last time I saw them live). A quick recap about the bands I saw at Weenie Roast. I loved Atlas Genius. They had great energy. I enjoyed Capital Cities who gave out big sunglasses. Vampire Weekend is really a hipster band. The Black Keyes are the original hipster band. I don't like Silversun Pickups as much as I thought I did. The Neighbourhood was underwhelming. The Stone Temple Pilots backed by Chester Bennington was a nice surprise. Overall it was a great musical weekend.

The Dashboard Confessional of my life

*Originally posted 7/29/2012


I'm really not an emo girl, neither is my sister. I honestly don't know why we ever went to our first dashboard concert 5- 6 years ago. It was at The Greek Theatre which is probably my favorite venue ever to watch a concert (The Hollywood Bowl is a close second). It is an intimiate theatre with superb aoustics and surrounding scenery (one feels that you are in forest). At one point at that very first Dashboard concert, Chris Carraba asked the audience who had been to a dashboard confessional concert before. I swear about 80% of the audience raised their hands. My sister and I were in the minority, but we soon joined the cult. Even though we have gone to more jimmy eat world concerts, my sister and I own more dashboard confessional concert items. I personally have dashboard confessional dice (why? I have no idea), a hoodie, and two canvas bags. I think Spiderman 2 is the best comic book movie ever though I have to admit my opinion may be skewed by the dashboard confessional song (Vindicated). So maybe I really am an emo girl.

Last year dashboard confessional played at the House of Blues and had 3 opening bands. Who needs 3 opening bands? With the a House of Blues venue (where you have to stand the entire time) we had to get there early. We got through the bands and it was a good concert. At this point in our concert going lives, we know too much about Chris Carraba's personal history (the guy does like to talk between songs). He likes redheads (hello Mary Jane Watson!), he once dated a trucker (who broke his heart into pieces), and he now has tatoos covering both his arms. I feel (in the least creepy way possible) that I know him very well.

When I saw that Dashboard was playing 4 o'clock Fridays at Del Mar, I suggested to my sister that we should go. We don't go to as many concerts as we used to, but it was Dashboard. When the concert started, I realized I had missed Dashboard. He probably defines a good 10 years of my life.

So the concert...let's just say my sister and I decided that Chris (because we are on a first name basis) recently had his heart broken. He sang all of his older songs (the screaming infidelities album) which are the definition of emo. I didn't realize until last night the majority of his songs are depressing. The concert was probably the worst Dashboard concert I've been to (my sister suggested he should do coffeeshop concerts instead of outdoor venues), but you can tell that Chris  is just not in a good place. And that made me sad. It made me think that this might be the last Dashboard concert I'll probably ever attend if Chris isn't able to pull himself out.

So this post is a tribute blog. Thanks Dashboard for expressing your emotions so I could relate to mine. There was an entire week where I listened to Don't Wait on repeat.

And if I never go to another Dashboard Confessional concert (though I'm pulling for you Chris!), let me just say thank you for the best day of my life.

The art of coughing

I've been sick for the past two weeks. So pretty much since my last post.  I'm better now, but I still have a nagging cough. Actually, most of my sickness was an incessant cough. There are a couple of things I learned from all my coughing the past two weeks:

• I didn't realize until I couldn't how much I sing along to songs while I drive. 
• I am really disappointed all my coughing did not lead to amazing abs. Really disappointed.
• There is fine line between alcohol helping/hurting a coughing sickness. Too little does nothing, too much starts another coughing fit.
• I really only like ricola cough drops.
• Remember when you were young and being sick was whatever? Not anymore! I pretty much was a big louse the past two weeks. I'll be making up for it this weekend and though being sick is never fun...it is increasing unfun as one gets older. 

Luckily, being sick coincided with season finales and hockey playoffs. So I was entertained at least. I accomplished one "getting better" milestone two days ago by not waking up by coughing. Yay! Now onto complete wellness.

2013 is my fashion year

I tend to have a distinct fashion sensibility. It comes from 13 years of Catholic school dress code and the inability to wear whatever I wanted. I do believe my fashion style is an extension of my personality. I'm not even sure what my fashion style is. I like textures, structural cuts, and unusual designs with an overall SoCal vibe. SoCal modern?

I feel 2013 is my fashion year because everything I like is in style. It is great because there are so many things I can/shouldn't buy. Yet is also weird because I think everyone is dressing like me. Things that I love which are in style:

Lace. I love love lace. It is definitely a Catholic influence. These days there is alot of laser-cut lace but I've always favored the traditional lace.

 

I think it is the texture that has always drawn me to lace. Always interesting and unique. It is an extremely delicate fabric which means lots of care goes into washing lace. Over the years, I've stocked up on lace everything. Now there is lace everywhere!

The color mint.

I've always favored the color mint because it is the color of my favorite ice cream flavor: pistachio. I also like mint-flavored ice cream. I eventually learned the color of mint-colored pistachio is artificial. But I never stopped liking the color. As a mint-color aficionado, I can honestly say before this year there was a definite lack of mint anything. Now there is mint everything!

Color blocking. I'm not sure if I'm really into color blocking as much as I'm into "not matching." The best example of this is I hardly wear the same color nail polish on my fingers as my toes. I'm really behind the whole "mix prints" aesthetic though I have to admit it is a fine line between "elegant" and "clashing." My only advice is try to keep everything the same shade for mix prints. 

The high-low dress. You know the dresses that are around the knees in the front and hit the ground at the back. My love of these dresses goes back to things structural/architectural. I was in Australia when these first came into fashion again. Seeing these dresses always reminds me of Australia and makes me smile. However, I feel the high-low dress is very trendy. I only own one, but I wear it all the time. It is not made of lace.

So 2013 is my fashion year right? I know the answer the yes because my bank account tells me it is. But that's okay, I'm stocking up in all of my favorite things.

Beauty Finds: Wei Golden Root purifying mud mask

I have normal-oily skin which explains my youthful appearance. Being mistaken for a teenager can be alternating flattering and annoying. Now that I'm firmly in my mid-30s, mostly flattering. So I'm always on the lookout for different facial cleansers and masks. It is a fine line between cleansing and drying out one's skin especially as one gets older.

I received a Wei Golden Root purifying mud mask sample in a Birchbox. There was one pod (no brush, so I used my hands) which lasted me 3 masks. It smells lovely, a slight rose scent. The consistency is the perfect density which allows easy lathering yet solid enough to stay in place. It firms after 10 minutes. My skin was really nice post mask. It felt soft and smooth. 

(I know, a picture!!! :))

So what is Golden Root? Apparently it is a shrub found at high elevation (cold temperatures) and the Arctic (really cold temperatures). I couldn't find any chemical information about Golden root or the Wei Golden root mud mask. After using my entire Birchbox sample, I was very pleased with the results. It works really well. So well, that when I rated it a 4 out of 5 on its Birchbox page (you get points from Birchbox to rate products and those points can be converted to $$$ to buy items from Birchbox) and was filling out the questionnaire about the product...I realized I only had glowing things to write about the WEI Golden Root purifying mask. I really couldn't suggest any improvements. I then changed my 4 rating to a 5 rating. Perfection is hard to come by, especially in regards to beauty products, but this is darn close. 

Movie trailers: Catching Fire, Star Trek Into Darkness, and Man of Steel

Catching Fire is my favorite book of The Hunger Games trilogy. Despite what I wrote in an earlier post about not watching The Hunger Games movie (see previous post), I did watch it. Not by choice really: one of my friends had a movie gift card. She had already watched The Hunger Games (she probably enjoyed the trilogy as much as I did), thought I should watch the movie too, and pretty much dragged me to the theatre. The Hunger Games (movie) was....not bad. Apparently, my imagination is quite dark. Spoiler Alert: I imagined District 12 to be more slum-like. In the movie, District 12 is quite pretty. Idyllic. Everything in the movie moved slow and was quiet. Katniss (played by now Oscar winner Jennifer Lawrence) is portrayed as a strong-resilient teenager. In the book, Katniss is very angry at the world. She lashes out at everyone and everything. Katniss only loves her sister. Of course they would have to change her character slightly for the movie. You do need a likeable heroine for a movie. I just didn't realize how much I adored book Katniss.

Catching Fire (the book) is sort of a mystery. There are things happening that you don't understand at all until the very end. This is why it is a good book. You have to re-read it and re-read it to become aware of everything. However from the Catching Fire trailer (below) it is very apparent what exactly is going on. They made the movie for people who haven't read the book. They changed some things, but the overall theme of the book is the same. Totalitarian government trying to suppress the masses. Rebellion. Katniss still loves her sister though she may also love Gale and/or Peeta. A terrible tragic thing happens at the end (I've already spoiled so much), that I can only imagine it will be shocking to movie-goers. They will all have to read Mockingjay. A quick note about Mockingjay: one of the most depressing books I've ever read. While I've read Catching Fire at least 5X, I've only read Mockingjay twice. Hard to read, but an extremely realistic conclusion.

The Star Trek Into Darkness trailer is so awesome. 5 more weeks!

I have to admit, I'm not a big Superman fan and I don't know why. Mostly because you are either a Batman fan or a Superman fan. Or maybe it is really Bruce Wayne versus Clark Kent. I wasn't so excited for Man of Steel, but the trailer has completely changed my mind. Though the updated Superman suit is distracting. This Superman really does a number on your emotions. You really have to be non-human (pun intended) to not feel anything while watching the trailer.

Review of the Hunger Games Trilogy

*Originally posted on 1/6/2012


When I was thinking of books to read in Australia, I realized I'm not really a Chick Lit girl. But I was going to be on vacation, so I didn't want to read anything too heavy. I picked up a book about Operation Mincemeat http://www.amazon.com/Operation-Mincemeat-ebook/dp/B0036S49QE that I found at Costco. It is a great, easy read with some World War II history. I was torn about getting the Hunger Games series for two reasons: I wasn't sure I could read a story about children killing other children and I didn't want to cart around hardcover books (the other two books in the series, Catching Fire and MockingJay, are found only in hardcover in the US). When I researched paperback versions of Catching Fire and MockingJay, I found out the only market to have them was the British Market. This was perfect! I could buy The Hunger Games in the US, read it during the 14 hour plane ride, buy the British versions of Catching Fire and MockingJay in Australia and read those on the plane ride back. And that's pretty much what happened.

Only The Hunger Games book is extensive about the Hunger Games (the actual event where children try to kill other children). The other two books revolve around a rebellion against the evil Capitol Entity that the female protagonist unknowingly instigates during the Hunger Games. It is remarkably relevant to the present day. How entitled people may not understand how entitled they are, how rebellion leaders may seek any means necessary to win, and the idea that humankind may never learn from history. The Hunger Games is set in the future, a post-apocalyptic future. And there's nothing about the author's (Suzanne Collins) view of the future world that I disagree with. Most importantly (to me), the series revolves around a young woman trying to save her family while realizing that she needs to be saved herself. Every teenage female should read this book. My only real critique is the book is in first person, a type of writing that I dislike. Then again, it is a young adult book.

I probably won't be watching the Hunger Games movies. My ideas/thoughts regarding the book don't need a Hollywood version, but I do hope the movie stays true to the books. It would be great disappointment if it didn't.

About that fight at Petco Park

If you haven't heard, there was huge brawl at Petco Park last week. Here's a grantland article with video of the fight and a breakdown of it. http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-triangle/post/_/id/58194/greinke-vs-quentin-the-official-breakdown

My thoughts with a Padres bias:

-I can't believe there was a fight at Petco Park. However, it does not surprise me at all the game was against The Dodgers.

-I haven't been to Dodger stadium in about 4 years. I've said I would never go back. Now I'm fairly certain I will never go back.

-Vin Scully is a really good baseball announcer. And that's with a Padres bias. The Padres announcers are pretty terrible. Sometimes when I used to watch in San Diego, I would watch without sound. It was that bad.  I actually prefer listening to games on the radio anyways. This fact completely ages me.

-Zach Greinke (Dodger pitcher) broke his collarbone and will out be 6-8 weeks. Carlos Quentin (Padre) was suspended 8 games for rushing the mound and breaking said collarbone. Jerry Hairston Jr. (former Padre, current Dodger) was suspended 1 game for reinstigating the ruckus. Matt Kemp (Dodger and former Rihanna boyfriend) was not suspended, but thrown out of the game since he was extremely vocal during the fight. Matt Kemp confronted Carlos Quentin after the game. They had to be separated by Clayton Richard (Padres pitcher) and security. I actually think Quentin should be suspended at least 10 games. If you watch the video of the fight, Quentin ran up to Greinke wanting to hurt him. Greinke is lucky to only have broken his collarbone. Probably because AJ Ellis (Dodger catcher) tackled Quentin to the ground. It is highly unlikely due to the batting situation, Greinke was trying to hit Quentin. So basically it was just violent stupidity on Quentin's end. There is no place for violent stupidity in any professional sport. Also there are 160 games in baseball. What's is 8 games? Basically, a week...in April.

The Padres and Dodgers meet again starting tomorrow. I have a feeling it will be anti-climatic because you know everything will be blown out of proportion. Either way, should be a fun series. I look forward to listening to it on the radio.

Beauty Finds: Nuance Salma Hayek

The purpose behind my beauty finds posts are to recommend products I've used and researched. Because why would I write a post about it? Un/fortunately (it depends on your own view) I hate wasting things. Whether it is food, clothes, beauty products, wine...I try really hard not to throw away anything. A recent example: I bought basil from Trader Joes to make green beans for Easter. Later that week, I made bruschetta, frittatas, and linguine. My adherence to living a non-wasteful life leads me to not go through beauty products quickly. So I haven't actually tried Nuance yet. I've decided to blog about it because I think it has the potential to be an amazing product line, it is readily accessible, and is fairly priced. http://www.cvs.com/shop/brand-shop/N/Nuance-Salma-Hayek/_/N-3qZ4lgha

Salma Hayek's grandmother was a trained cosmetologist (how cool is that?). She developed her beauty line in honor of her grandmother and it uses naturally found ingredients. Nuance can be found in any CVS. I've been intrigued by the line for awhile and have looked at it in my local CVS. Nuance does use ingredients beneficial for certain beauty aliments. It wasn't tested on animals (huge +) and some of the products come highly recommended by users. Nuance is also relatively cheap compared to other beauty products which as a consumable is very important. The best advertisement for Nuance is Salma Hayek herself whom has gorgeous skin and hair. Though it must be noted, she has probably been using Nuance in some form for most of her life.

I do plan on trying Nuance someday soon and writing a follow-up post. But if you are in a CVS, I encourage everyone to at least check it out. If you end up trying Nuance, do let me know what you think!

Because basketball is life in LA

I've always disliked basketball. It comes down to a few simple things: referees have way too much power over the game, it really isn't a team sport (superstars control everything), and there are too many points (I mean 100 points, why would I ever pay attention for 100 points!) It mostly boils down to the fact San Diego doesn't have a basketball team, so I didn't grow up watching it. But I like to think I would never like basketball. At least professional basketball.

Some of my best years of graduate school are the ones UCLA made it to the Final Four. I always needed a winter sport and college basketball (especially when the school you are attending has a great basketball legacy) is an amazing fit. The games are on campus (how easy is that?), there's a huge rivalry with USC (they are better at football, we are better in basketball), and there are basketball traditions/cheers that are super fun. It is hard not to be swept up into the madness. In a 4 year span, UCLA made it to the Final Four 3X. Just thinking about it makes me smile. I saw the very first collegiate game of Russell Westbrook. I will probably despise Joaquin Noah for the rest of my life. UCLA basketball has made a definite impression on me.

During most of my years at UCLA, the basketball team was lead by Ben Howland. He was a former coach at University of Pittsburgh known for coaching defense. He was a good coach, smart and always looking out for his kids. Probably the basketball version of Coach Taylor. Over the past 5 or so years, UCLA basketball hasn't been very good. There were rumors Howland was having trouble recruiting. The real story is much more complicated yet simple. He became feed up with the boosters and the politics of recruiting. This lead to California high school basketball stars to sign letters of intent to schools halfway/completely across the country. Not that there are a lot of California high school basketball stars, but homefield advantage should work in your favor. The boosters tried to throw Howland under the bus in 2012, but somehow he was able to fend them off for one more year. His second round loss in the NCAA tournament this year sealed his fate. It was inevitable yet still sad.

To me, UCLA basketball will always be associated with Coach Howland. They are inseparable in my mind. I hope he does well, I owe most of my happy UCLA memories to him.

Beauty Finds: theBalm Hot Mama

One of the reasons I wanted to do this blog was to share my BirchBox and Beauty Sage finds. This is the first beauty product I've fallen in love with: theBalm Hot Mama http://www.amazon.com/theBalm-Mamas-All-In-One-Beautiful-Peachy/dp/B000PHRIQM

I never wear blush. I think it is because I used to wear caked on blush during my childhood ballet performances. When I got theBalm Hot Mama in my very first BirchBox, I was disappointed. What was I going to do with blush? I did eventually read it was highly recommended. At my cousin's wedding last January, I was wearing a red dress and thought for the very first time in my life "Maybe I need to wear blush." So I used my theBalm Hot Mama sample and was shocked. It is blush and a highlighter due the gold flakes infused in the peachy blush. I could go on how the gold flakes use reflected light to enhance the contours of one's face...but let's just simply say with theBalm Hot Mama makes one look "softer." I felt ethereal with it on. In fact, sometimes I want to wear it just because I remember how it made me feel. Besides the obvious result of makeup making you look better, shouldn't it also make you feel amazing? I highly recommend theBalm Hot Mama.

A sidenote about BirchBox: I requested a year of BirchBox as my birthday present from my parents. I love samples and presents, so I'm always excited when I get mine. I highly recommend them for people who are too busy to find their own beauty products. I would say I've loved at least one sample every month and been  disappointed with one sample very month. You get a lot of perfume. Overall, I'm pretty happy with my BirchBox experience.

Things I loved this week

*Originally posted 3/9/2013


DVF loves Roxy  This is possibly my dream collaboration. I can't believe I hadn't heard about it before this week. The collection released on Thursday. I wish there were more cover ups, flip flops, and accessories. I want everything.

Joss Whedon's Much Ado about Nothing (trailer below). If I was going to South by Southwest, I would have camped out to watch two movies. Before Miidnight and Joss's Much Ado About Nothing. I adored the Kenneth Branagh version in high school (due to my theatre geek friends), but there is something about updated versions of Shakespeare. It shows the bard holds true to everyday modern life. My favorite part of the trailer and probably the movie? When they take shots! I also have a soft spot for Nathan Fillion who this week on twitter-verse answered random questions with funny light-hearted answers.

Lastly, I listened to P!nk's song "Just give me a reason" on repeat this week. I like fun. so I was due to like this song as well. What I like most about the song is probably how earnest it is. Perhaps due to the auto-tune era, but people just singing is a rare form these days.