have a good weekend!

Look at those eyes. My niece is begging to be spoiled rotten. 

What are you guys up to this weekend? I'm shooting a wedding today and tomorrow, and planning to go apple picking and wine tasting on Sunday. Oh, and finishing the weekend with the season premiere of Dexter. Who's excited?

what to do?

It's gonna be a gray and rainy day here in NYC. What should I do? Go to a movie? (I still haven't seen The Help). Get some Thai noodle soup? Or stay in bed and watch movies?

(Photo was taken on a rainy day in Krabi, Thailand).

Update: We decided on options B and C. We went and got Senleg Tom Yum noodle soup at Sripraphai, the best (and my favorite) Thai restaurant in NYC. Afterwards, we picked up some Cheap Red Wine (love the label), came home, and watched It's Kinda A Funny Story from Netflix. The movie was just kinda OK. My boyfriend described it as, "It's like somebody shit in the cupcake mix," and said, "Let's put it in the mail so that it never comes back." He should be a movie critic.

wedding hair

I'm usually terrible with my hair and typically wear it down, but by the end of the night it always ends up in a sloppy bun. Same old same old. I wanted to do something different for the wedding this past weekend and decided to try out this DIY wedding hair tutorial. My pictures aren't so great (since I was alone in my room) but I assure you I got so many compliments on my hair that night. The best part is that it's quite easy to do.

My boyfriend was laughing at me because I hadn't looked in the mirror yet and forgot to pin the ends back in this photo (below). This will be a 'do for another day. Japanimation convention perhaps? : )

wisconsin weekend

My boyfriend and I flew to Green Bay, Wisconsin last Thursday for a rehearsal dinner followed by the wedding on Friday. It was my first time there and while we didn't have much time to explore the area, we had a blast. Apparently we saw all that we had to see in Green Bay at the famed Lambeau Field (home of the Green Bay Packers). The stadium of the publicly owned team was the pride of the town. Everyone there wanted to talk football but all I really cared about was how I could get more cheese curds into my belly. I ordered everything with cheddar for 3 days straight. 

(Oh, and we had a fantastic time at the wedding).

Here are the very few photos I took from the weekend.

cute USB hub

Yet another steal from Bangkok- I got this adorable penguin USB hub for $8. Now I could have my printer, external hard drive, flash drive, and card reader plugged in all at once. Hooray for productivity! 

Happy Birthday, Brother!

Just wanted to wish my big brother a very happy birthday. He's an incredible person who I continue to look up to and love, regardless of his smelly butt. 

and we're off again!

My boyfriend and I are flying to Wisconsin today for his cousin's wedding this weekend. He's the best man so now it's his turn to stay up in the hotel writing his speech while I come up with different variations of inappropriate things to say. (He did this to me 3 weeks ago while I was writing my MOH speech). I'm so excited to drink, dance, and eat lots of cheese!

(I bought this luggage tag in Thailand for $1.50)!

at risk books

This image from Random House made me chuckle. I had to post this for my best friend who detests the show and refuses to watch. I respect her standards and ability to not get sucked in to watching train wrecks. 

I have not been as strong.

little babies

My sister sent me this photo of my niece and nephew during bath time. Isn't it precious? I can't believe how much they look alike.

weekend update

I had busy weekend- Mum was heading back to Thailand so we drove to Jersey to join her for dinner (crabs and lobster, yum!) and say bye. Friday night, we hung out with friends, catching up over ice cream cake, wine, and vodka. My BFF and I shot a beautiful (and breezy!) beach wedding on Saturday in Long Branch, NJ. (We saw actor Chazz Palminteri at the hotel). Then went on to have a very productive work meeting at a local dive over sweet tea vodka on the rocks.

On Sunday, I took a train to Secaucus where my boyfriend scooped me up and headed over to Piermont, NY to spend the day exploring the town. It was my first time there and I absolutely fell in love with it. We got some ice cream (cake batter with sprinkles) and walked along the Hudson, enjoying the fall weather. We were admiring the beautiful homes there and imagined how wonderful it would be to move there. I already made up my routine there from the cute coffee shop where I would write, the yoga studio where I would finally work out, the quant library where I would owe tons in late fees, and the scenic route where I would bike everyday. Doesn't that sound perfect?

heart shaped eggs

These heart shaped eggs don't taste any different but they just made me so happy. Throw in some hotdogs, french fries, pineapples, croissant, and coffee and it's a guaranteed good day. One of things I love about being on holiday is that there's always time for a leisurely breakfast.

PS. Have a great weekend!

blingy souvenirs

I picked up these awesome rings (owl, bicycle) and bracelet (deer) on the last day of my trip. I usually prefer silver but I fell in love instantly with the brassy bling.

broke-ass wedding gift

What happens when you are getting married and you have a little sister who is perpetually poor? You get marshmallows as a wedding gift.

(Rocky Mountain Chocolates had these adorable Bride and Groom caramel apples but I couldn't afford to get both so I went with the equally cute mallows).

wicker lights

I said I wouldn't purchase any more home decor until I had a place on my own but I just couldn't resist these wicker string lights from JJ Market in Bangkok. I think string lights make any space feel cosier (dare I say magical?). And the best part? They were only $4. Yeah!

have a good weekend!

Well, I haven't really accomplished much this week, especially from being sick and not being fully adjusted yet. The cooler weather and the rain also didn't help much. I wanted to stay in bed, order takeout, and watch Breaking Bad forever and ever. The sun is finally out again today so I'm thinking a bike ride will be the remedy I need to get me out of this funk. Perhaps it'll cheer me up and help me fall in love with this city all over again. Enjoy your weekend!

(views from and of Gantry Park, LIC- one of my favorite places in the city).

celebrating love

I was hoping to share some photos from my trip to Thailand but I realised I had uploaded all of the pics to my boyfriend's computer. Perhaps I'll tell you about my brother's wedding this past weekend instead, though I didn't take many photos. I left it up to the lovely Kate Connolly to do so, so hopefully I could share those with you soon.

As I've said before, I had one day from returning from Thailand to pack and get back on the plane to North Carolina. We checked into a hotel in Downtown Raleigh and everything we needed from the reception to ceremony, and bars and restaurants were within walking distance. I've always loved staying in hotels ever since I was a kid and I must say, I didn't miss my cluttered bedroom.

They had a traditional Buddhist ceremony at the temple early Friday morning just with the immediate family and my aunties. As the maid of honor, Mum insisted that I wear a traditional Thai dress. After I tried the dress on I was no longer complaining. I was absolutely in love with it. I had to keep being reminded by my boyfriend that it wasn't my wedding.

I was feeling guilty over the summer for not being around and available to help out with the details of the wedding. I sure hope I was able to make up for it the morning of. So many small details go into a wedding that you forget about, until your cell phone is ringing non stop and 10 different people need your 2 hands. I was definitely sweating it. I have never been the responsible one in my family, the one people count on, and I just didn't want to disappoint as expected. My poor boyfriend, I had to delegate duties and had him running all over the place helping me out. He did it all with a smile and even had time to pour me a glass of champagne and tell me to calm down.

The entire ceremony and reception went off without a hitch and was absolutely beautiful. There wasn't a dry eye in the room. It was so small and intimate that I think everyone felt like they played a part in their day. I was definitely honored to to have had such a huge role. As maid of honor, I was told by friends (very last minute) that I needed to make a speech. I completely cracked under pressure and was up until 1 AM the night before the wedding trying to write something meaningful. I had a lot of help from my best friend who hears one every weekend, and my boyfriend who knows how to light  a fire under my ass when it need it. We stayed up drinking champagne and eating gummy bears and looking up some terrible wedding speeches and quotes online. I still hadn't written anything usable but we at least came up with a formula 'cause we all know I need some sort of structure to hold me down. After giving me all their advice and tips, they stressed the last part (*DON'T OFFEND) and went off to bed. 

Everyone says the best speeches are the ones that come from the heart and after watching them through their emotional ceremony, it came to me, and I scribbled feverishly during the cocktail hour. I am happy with what I came up with, though there will never be enough words to describe how much I love my brother and how much his happiness means to me. 

The rest of the day was for celebrating the happy couple and love and celebrate we did. (It's not a party without a photo booth!)

A good party always ends with me incapable of walking on my own.

Hello again!

I can't believe five weeks have gone by already. I thought I would have some time to update in between but I didn't have any free time to myself. I'm finally back in my apartment in Astoria. On our way back from Bangkok we had stops in Tokyo and Chicago. After we landed in NYC, we went straight to NJ to see my boyfriend's family. We had a day to catch up, do laundry, and then repack our bags for a trip to North Carolina. Yes, I was in 5 cities in 4 days. 

I always feel a little disoriented when I return. It's a mixture or jetlag and culture shock. On top of that I feel like so much has changed in such a short amount of time. New storefronts and eateries have popped up on my street, and even my apartment feels different with things being rearranged. I also always get the post holiday blues. You would think I'd come back refreshed after so much time away but I always feel a little down about having to go back to reality. You mean I can't just travel around the world attending weddings forever? 

I'm not sure where to begin with the holiday recap but I hope I can sort through the pics quickly, get organised, and get back to blogging. How was the rest of everyone's summer? Oh how I've missed you!