Take a moment to ♥ yourself

I blog by mood. I still have stuff I haven't blog dated back in 2009 that I wanted to write about but not in the mood. So for this post I wanted to write about my conversation I had with my friend. On a long car ride to the event she taught me to love yourself. Insecure and self esteem really hits everyone and believe me it hits me just as much. Sometimes I find myself to be the ugliest, fattest, worst personality, and unwanted person in the world. With just a simple comment by someone will emotionally struck me hard. I was feeling rather emotionally dysfunctional at that moment but she suddenly made me feel like I was the most important person I should care for in the world. To be selfish, to adore yourself, to look at yourself in the mirror and say you are the sexiest girl alive... Yay she said something like that along those lines. HAHA. I have to thank Bea Lamar for making me feel sexy and beautiful again. I love hanging out with her, she has such a fun and soulful personality. People like you make me become who I am. My identity is still a mystery. We need to hangout again friend.

Last month I went to Bea's photography display event.

Some of Bea's artwork are rather sensual and nudity involve so be warned!

Her artwork was displayed at Nikki's bar in Venice where people can appreciate and enjoy her photography while having a good time.

I was feeling rather daring that day and did dramatic eyes and red lipstick. creepy? I think I look like Mulan...


The first picture looks like I'm flipping you off, but really I'm not. I was simply throwing two peace signs! My also another daring outfits... Just throwing shit together.

Teezal and Bea, their so much fun!

When all three of us come together we go ballistic! Can't stop talking.

I like this one.

After much partying at Nikki's bar, Teezal and I wander off and we met this New Yorker guy and somehow we got invited to the hostel in Venice. So crazy!?!?! No, it's because Teezal needed to use the girl's room. HAHA. Shit, I don't remember this guy's name but somehow we got into deep conversation about something. He was so down to earth and COOL looking. I don't think I'll meet him again, but I got picture of him. =)

this was the deep conversation I was talking about. we do throw downs and hand gestures... serious business LOL.

I like to leave my blog open for writing about anything instead of sticking to one topic. It's just more interesting that way.

Syphon Coffee Addiction

Hidden in the city of San Gabriel, there is a little coffee shop that is quite enchanting. With little knick knacks of random decorations hung and placed all around the shop, its almost like visiting your favorite grandma in a cute cottage home. This is where Ginger get his daily dosage of coffee addiction and I seldom come as well. I really enjoy the environment and vibe this place has. Local hangout place for all ages who loves coffee or even freshly squeeze fruit juice. Locals sip their coffee with the morning newspaper, regulars would stay for hours to work on their term paper. Fresh Roast really makes you feel at home.

pictures taken from Yelp

Even an hour before he has to go to a banquet he decides to call me up and ask if I like to join him with a cup of coffee. Ginger looking all POSH! Like his cousin said he's the missing F4! LOL!

Somehow I find myself taking a bazillion pictures of him and he only takes one of me. Yet I can't complain he takes really good pictures. =] I felt pretty tired that day, no make up or hair. A beanie really helps when your hair looks like a Halloween drag queen. We sat here patiently waiting for our coffee, doing a little chick chat, and camwhoring.

Ginger sports Hello Kitty! I helped him picked it out since he needed some GLAM in his phone.

The main attraction is this science experiment, aka syphon coffee or vacuum coffee maker. This is quite unusual for me as well, but since Ginger has been raving about syphon coffee to me day in and day out I had to go and experience this myself. It amazes me how this device works and how it can brew coffee using this upside down vacuum concept. I had the Columbian bean and he had the Ethiopian bean coffee. It was quite nice to have two different beans in syphons so we can compare the two beans a like. Ginger can drink it straight black coffee since he's been slowly weeing off on sugar and milk. But I still needed to add a little bit of milk and sugar in mine, since I'm not a hardcore drinker like him. I still openly tried both coffee without milk and sugar to its raw form and I could really taste the difference! These coffee are not your regular cup of joe so they can cost a little pricey but well worth a try!

About:

Syphon brews coffee using two chambers where vapor pressure and vacuum produce coffee which is clean, crisp, rich, and smooth compared to other brewing methods. This type of coffee maker is also known as vac pot, siphon or syphon coffee maker, and was invented by Loeff of Berlin in the 1830s. These devices have since been used for more than a century in many parts of the world. Design and composition of the vacuum coffee maker varies. Taken by Wiki

Workings:

The principle of a vacuum coffee maker is to heat water in the lower vessel of the brewer until expansion forces the contents through a narrow tube into an upper vessel containing coffee grounds. When the lower vessel has more or less emptied itself and enough time has elapsed, the heat is removed and the resulting vacuum will draw the brewed coffee through a strainer back into the lower chamber from which it can be decanted. The device must usually be taken apart to pour out the coffee. Taken by Wiki

Feast! Like I said, this is not your regular cup of joe. The caffeine in this is insane. After sipping on this for 10 minutes my heart was pumping and I felt so energized and uplifted. Mainly I went on a coffee high feeling content. I never thought coffee can make you feel that way but I love it. After finishing up my cup of joe, I try to drink water.... and it tasted SWEET! Funny how it changes my taste buds. Gahhh! I just hope I won't become an regular here. I already have too many addictions in my life.

Overall, If you want to experience something beyond Starbucks. Go to Fresh Roast they will serve you the right kind of coffee without the green straws and the fake mocha double shot frappuccino stuff.

Man, frappuccino is not even a word in the dictionary... Starbucks made that up!

Taken from Yelp.

They will also serve you kitty lattes made by their cute and friendly staff. =]

No advertisement here, I just love your coffee shop. My 2 cents.

I hope Ginger won't get mad that I have expose his secret garden. =P

Indulge! Massive Food Junkie!

Been collecting alot of food pictures like to share...

Went with Ginger to eat at a highly YELP review place

No make up or hair style, looking pretty crabby...

We went to a place called Liang's Kitchen in Arcadia, they have several locations. This one was closes near my house. Tried their knife cut noodles beef soup.

This is their famous knife cut beef noodle soup. I have to admit it was really good! Except it was too oily and a little too salty. But very savory broth! I was most interested in their knife style noodle and it was darn good! I love the chewy texture of freshly made noodles!

Another recommendation was the Oxtail Soup. Since Ginger and I didn't have a huge appetite we ordered one entrée and soup. The soup was sweet and sour.... tomato base. I didn't quite catch the oxtail flavor, since the sweet and sour overtook the soup. So Meh.. don't like this one.

Some other random days, I went out with my Mommy to do some errands... I saw this fast food dim sum place and ordered a bunch of random delicacy that I most enjoy. The place was so cheap I thought I was stealing it! Located in San Gabriel Superstore. This place is truly a superstore has everything you need market,food court, mini boutiques, cosmetic store [Artland: beware those employees follow you because they think your stealing!] It's almost like Walmart except for Asians.

Something else caught my eye while walking through the market. I cannot tell you how happy I was finding this yogurt in the sight of LA. Because it is famous in Beijing!! If you look back on my previous post, picture #56 I also rave about how delicious this yogurt was. I got the to-go version of the yogurt and I think in U.S they only make it in to-go version. In my opinion, it is best kept in glass jar, I feel it loses the texture and flavor of the yogurt drink. Yet, I am happy I get to try it again and maybe more if I could find it in glass jar form.

A few weeks back remember it was freaking HOT HOT HOT 90 degrees everyday! Well to cool off I bought these Lychee Jelly things and FREEZE THEM! This stuff is so awesome frozen because it's almost like eating lychee ice cream. Healthy and delicious! My family loves these so much that it was gone within 3 days... I gotta buy more when it gets hot again.

I made first soy sauce chicken wing thing awhile back because I was craving to eat this! I can't really tell you what the recipe is because its a secret! LOL no really, I just don't remember what I put in. This dish was introduced by my friend from Hong Kong, Melanie. While she was visiting LA, we had a night that we were all cooking. Yep Mel, Ginger, and myself. We were really tired of eating American food ALL DAY and for a change we cooked something at home. Had so much fun cooking, sharing ideas and jokes that it was well worth the effort. So I learned this recipe from her. Will blog about her trip here soon...

Where theres meat, there is vegetables...

delicious...

Just recently Ginger and I went out again... more booze...

HIYE!!

I look so tired and hungry...

We went to this place called MACHI, it was recommend by one of his friend. It's a Taiwanese joint and bar.

Melon with preserve duck eggs, we didn't expect it to look like this. Not so tasty.

This was called Three cup, chicken, squid, and intestine. Seriously that is what is called, you can improvise all you want but this was so savory. It really compliments the beer with the sweet, salty, spicy flavors. Next time I go, I would prefer to order the squid and intestine together. Chicken didn't really fit in this recipe. I would definitely come here again since its close to my house and they have specials everyday. I think that day was buy one get one free beer Thursdays. Food is kind of pricey but they have a great environment and vibe.

We also ordered stinky tofu. In my opinion, it was not stinky enough so no good. I haven't had a real good stinky tofu in U.S. So check out this place MACHI

I went out with my mom and her friend to eat called Hop Li Seafood Resaturant I think it has been taken over by another name since I saw grand opening sign. We originally wanted to eat dim sum, but around 2pm they stop serving so we ordered lunch specials. This is stir fry long bean, yummy. I think their ingredients are fresh and they didn't use too much oil.

Their house special shrimp thing, not worth mentioning since it doesn't taste good. I guess this was for those American taste buds. It just looks appealing, don't let that fool you.

I was really craving to eat "Cherng Fun" white rice noodles. Very simple dish stir fry with soy and bean sprouts. I like... but so full! My kind of comfort greasy food.

I love love love seafood. Especially when chinese do the stir fry clams with bell peppers and onions topple over with black bean sauce. I enjoy this dish the most because the flavor is good and the clams were HUGE. Well okay their not huge but the clams were alot bigger than I normally see them at restaurants.

The other day I went to Downtown LA for an event. I stop by Woori Market for food. They have a couple food court and sushi there and I simply love this place. Cheap and delicious. I been wanting to try this Spicy Seafood there for a long time and while I was down there I tried it! So good! It was sweet and tangy, full of Korean spicy pepper sauce. This was a huge portion for me, since I was super hungry, I ate most of it.

Well that concludes my food blog. I hope I didn't get you guys all hungry or disgusted, either way.