Adios, 2008.

In less than 12 hours, 2008 will be officially over.  I don't feel any different about myself than I did in 2007, so it's not like I went through this drastic emotional roller coaster ride. Yet something inside me feels like I've moved on from something significantly, like I matured in some aspect. All of this doesn't make sense, I know, but when do feelings truly make sense to someone? As much as I am the same person I was before, in many ways I've changed in some aspects.

Yes, I am still that quirky, football-loving fashionista and food enthusiast. I don't think that will ever change. But parts of me did change. Like the fact that I can't rely on anyone but myself for things now. I feel like there's no one for me to turn to, so I must face the facts of life and move on. I can't make everyone happy in my life, whether it be my parents or my friends, but I feel like as long as I can make myself happy, it's fine. I'm so used to trying to be a people pleaser, that I forget what I truly wish for. And this might sound selfish (at least this is what my parents tell me all the time), but I feel like as I grow up, I need to be more self-sufficient. And perhaps this year was the year that I finally came to realize that.

My self-esteem (or lack thereof) needs some work, I know. Everyone tells me this. Even strangers that I have only known for like a minute. It's not the greatest thing to live by, but it's as if I just can't control it. Perhaps I've been eating up all the crap my parents have said about me, and never realized that maybe they were saying all those things to make themselves feel better, not to help me. It truly sucks that my relationship with my parents have been on the rocks a lot, but I don't feel like it will get any better next year. They are who they are, and the same can be said about me. I'll just have to move on from that. I will try to be more confident, and believe in myself more. Maybe people are on to something when they say that confidence makes life easier to live.

Getting my first job this year made me slightly more independent. I have my own money to spend, and don't have to ask my parents for money to go shopping and whatnot. It's a nice feeling to not have to rely on them for my little things, and it gives me a sense of satisfaction knowing that I bought all my things with my own hard-earned money. 

My first year at C.B. South was, to me personally, an academic disaster. I didn't fail my classes, or get detentions, or anything to that effect. But I know that I can do better. I slacked off, got lazy, didn't do much, and it reflected in my grades. I kind of regret it looking back. But I learned from last school year, and now I'm doing a little better junior year. Which is fortunate, for this is probably the most important year ever in my academic career. As the new year comes along, I will be more determined to get As and get my work done.

Sure, there were the little pleasures, such as discovering Juanes, Spain winning the Euro Cup, Coldplay's new album, and President-elect Barack Obama. Those things make me reflect on the year and smile, despite the terrible emotional problems I had to deal with. And I am so grateful for them, I really am. And I can't wait to explore new realms of culture in 2009.

So, in conclusion, my 2008 can be summed up with: procrastination and self-depreciating. Therefore resulting in a slightly personally lackluster year. What's in store for me in 2009? Completing junior year, spending a big chunk of my summer in France, learning new things, a new president of the United States, and another half of a football season. Usually I am scared of a new year rolling in, but this year is an exception. Although I have loads of homework to finish before I get back to school, I am looking forward to the new year and what it has to offer. It's great to have a chance of start over, to right all the wrongs of the past. And try to be a happier, more successful person.

Bring on the new year. A new Jenn is back in town.

New Years Resolutions

It's that time of year to make unrealistic goals for the next 365 days that I will never achieve!

• Keep my room organized and stop leaving my clothes lying around.

• Do all my homework on time. And actually study. So in conclusion, STOP PROCRASTINATING. If I truly want to have higher than a 4.0 this year, I better work my bum off.

• Meet up with my counselor often to discuss college and scholarships. Better now than later!

• Find more outlets for writing. Hopefully my blog at Bigsoccer will pay off.

• Continue with my short stories. If I must need some romance in my life, then I'll gladly have it in my stories.

• Learn French. Perhaps take classes at Bucks. How will I meet a cute French boy if I don't know the language of Romance? [/sarcasm]

• Spend money wisely. (That means stop buying those damn Milano cookies every week) Can't spend the summer in France with pocket change.

• Try out some new cake recipes. And expand my pasta knowledge.

• Find time to read more. Hopefully I'll be able to read Fever Pitch soon.

• Attempt to exercise. Don't even have to really do it, as long as I attempt it.

• Put my travel book to good use by visiting London. Bonus points if I ever see Emirates Stadium.

• Use my facial mask every week, not just every semester.

• Work on my self-confidence and start to believe in myself. (Longshot, I know). If I want to succeed, I need to believe that I can.

In the words of Barack Obama, Yes We I can.

Thoughts of a Slightly Culture-Shocked Traveling Girl.

To say the least, the south is a lot different than home up in the northeast. I have been here for almost a week, and I still cannot believe that it is late December. It certainly doesn't feel like it here. The houses look a lot different as well. The more I stay here, the more differences I notice and it makes me feel even more isolated than before.

I will admit, I might not be as culturally connected with my heritage than I should be. I know that my family is ashamed of me because of it, as well as other Vietnamese people who have encountered me. I don't like Fish Sauce, or Vietnamese music or the lifestyle. To other Viets this sound like blasphemy, but I cannot control the person that I become. I know I'm different, I've always been different. But as I mature I notice that I'm more a 'twinkie' than ever before. And coming down here, I realize to a great extent how different I am than other Vietnamese. The Vietnamese community here is IMMENSE, tenfold of how it is back home. And it's something that is hard for me to get used to. It makes me feel slightly insecure and not sure about who I am. The stores, the huge population, it's so much more 'Asian' than at home. And it's a huge difference to me.

I do miss home. I miss the pine trees, the ice, the houses that look all the same, the cold wind, the lack of sales tax on clothes, the comfort of having hot coffee with a good book. It's the little things that makes me enjoy home, even if it is the most boring place in the world. As much as the weather is nice here, I cannot see myself ever settling down in a warm climate. I love having four seasons, and the south can only be a mere vacation spot for me.

I'm an east coast girl at heart.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas everybody! Hope everyone is had a fun time. I had lots of goodies hear in Houston, and I will probably get some more presents when I go back home!

Things I got so far:

• Macbook (duh)

• J.Crew pom pom ballet flats in 'punch'

• Fever Pitch by Nick Hornby

• Eyewitness London Travel Book

• 30 Rock seasons 1 and 2 on DVD

• Yellow and purple polka dot toiletries case

• A necklace and hair accessories

And what I bought for myself (from Zara):

• Pink bow leather gloves

• Brown baby doll sweater

I got a lot of the things I wanted and more, which I am so grateful for. But I'm even more grateful to be spending time with family that I rarely spend time with. It's great to reconnect with a cousin that I never had a real conversation with before. After all this time, this is our first time really talking, and it's so nice. Life in Houston is definitely different, it's such a shock to not have to put on layers upon layers before going outside. Or not seeing pine trees, but rather some palm trees. Not to mention the vastness of Chinatown. Anyways, this is my first Christmas in Texas, and it's an experience that I'm never going to forget. 

Today my family will be driving over to Louisiana, so maybe I'll update later on tonight. 

Don't eat too many pies!

Football Rant from a Bitter Gooner: Liverpoo* and That Stupid Ref.

So this morning I woke up extra early, attending an earlier mass so that I could watch the Arsenal vs. Liverpool match of epic proportions.

Let's just say, the Liverpool 12th man is at it again.

Meaning, Arsenal had a nice handful of calls, while Liverpool foul left and right getting away with ease. Deja vu, anyone? Oh, that's right, this happens EVERY SINGLE TIME we play against the scouse. Or have Howard Webb reffing the game for that matter.

First half the Gunners were reminescent of their old selves; beautiful passing, playing with an amazing spark and fire. I was so proud and at the edge of my seat. It was highlighted with a splendid goal by my Flying Dutchman Robin van Persie, with a nice assist my Samir Nasri. The goal was no less than gorgeous, with the signature Robin Rocket Speed, Pepe Reina had no chance of saving that ball.

On and on the match went, with Ade and Cesc playing significantly well. I almost had a tear in my eye. Could it be? Noooo....

Well, as the saying goes, The Lord giveth, the Lord taketh away.

Robbie Keane scored a goal in hte 42 minute, with our defense looking as horrible as it usually does. Cesc has a knee ligament injury from a tackle by Xabi Alonso (I'd love this other La Selección any other day, just not today), and will be out for about 2-3 weeks. But God knows how long that is in Arsenal time. And Adebayor will not be playing in the match against Aston Villa because of the penalty ban. Sooo our sole playmaker and captain and our striker who we could rely on for goals will be out against a team that is now currently in third place.

We are screwed.

So as this match reached the 90th minute, my disdain for Liverpool has grown even more immense. And Howard Webb will always be a twat.

Arsenal are still at 5th. Nothing changed, still the same ole' Arsenal. I tried watching the Villareal vs. Barca match to calm my nerves, but it only helped a little.

'Til next match, boys.

* that was not a typo; they really are poo.



Almost to Holiday Break....

....and I still have quite a handful of things to do. And too much on my mind. Of course, that is always a time to update my blog with my usual quirks to amuse you with. Let's call it a little present from me to you. After all, it is the holidays.

1. Okay, this could be the most random thing I've ever, EVER blogged about. I mean, who could have thought that I could put football and calculus together? But alas, I found a way. So in class the other day, we were finding antiderivatives of trigonometry functions (sorry if I lost you there), and as I was going to write the function cosecant (csc) I accidently wrote my little Spanish hubby's name (cesc). Either my mind was totally out of the classroom that day, or I just missed watching football that much. Or was it both? I don't even know. And why didn't I make that little mistake last year when I took pre-calc, which was when I initially started to learn this crap? I swear, my mind is something else. Anyways, that was a total *facepalm* moment, but at the end I couldn't help but laugh at myself for being such a dork to write his name instead of the reciprocal of sine. Worst Freudian slip ever? Perhaps, but it got me a good laugh at myself. And maybe, if you would like, you can laugh at that too. Sooth the ego.

2. I am using my Macbook for this post!! The first Mac post in the whole history of La Valse D'Jenn (which is two years worth of blogging with only 1/8 of the comments). How exciting! I always feel so spiffy using this thing, like those hip kids in the coffee shops on their laptops, writing a thesis or something of that matter.

3. I have not done any Christmas shopping yet. If anything, I'm just procrastinator at LIFE, not just school. That is probably a horrible life ethic to live by, but in the scheme of things it hasn't failed me yet. Does that mean that I need to seriously screw up in order to learn my lessons? Usually that is the case, but time usually has a way of leaving me, therefore I certainly have no time to do things. And on top of that, I have quite possibly eight dozen cookies to bake during this weekend (and possibly Monday), and of course, catching up on homework that I was too lazy to work on during the week. See? Like I said, procrastinator at LIFE.

4. I hope, with all my heart, that with this privilege of having a laptop at the comforts of my own desk in my room, I do not become a hermit from my family or life in general. Because my family doesn't believe in 'privacy', which I am a huge advocate of, I must say. This is where my ultimate weakness, time management, comes in. I don't know how I could be motivated to do the things around the house. I have thought of doing to-do lists, but sometimes I feel too lazy to write things down (go figure). Should I try it? Leaving sticky notes all over my room, or even virtual stickies on my Macbook (it's a great feature, by the way, so cool!) If you guys have any motivational tips, do tell. I mean, the only motivational tip I have is having a picture of NYC on my desk as I do homework, so everytime I look up in disappointment as I do homework, I have the picture to remind me of what I'm working for.

5. I have this obsession with Gap. Their classy, sophisticated clothes, those warm sweaters, just their whole aesthetic of the store gives me this warm and toasty feeling inside. And of course, those adorable ads with that plethora of celebrities. I fondly remember last year seeing a humungous Gap ad featuring John Krasinski and was overwhelmed with joy. This year's ads are just as adorable, including this uber cute music video of some celebs singing "Jingle Bells". I am so inspired to wear striped sweaters again, perhaps I'll sneak a sweater or two when I go shopping tomorrow.

6. I will be leaving for Houston, Texas for the Christmas break, from the 23rd to the 30th. I honestly don't know if my aunt has internet access at her house, so I'll try to blog once more before I leave!!

Dear Santa...

...all I really, truly, desperately, with all my heart, want for Christmas...


....is a shiny trophy.


I would ask for two, and maybe a new player in January, and a magical witch doctor to cure all injuries, but that would be too pushy.

Big Mac

...actually, not really. It's only 13 inches. But I'm finally getting that Macbook I've been dreaming up for Christmas! My mom just ordered it last night, and it shall be mine on Friday. No more irritating pop-up ads or sporadic window freezing!


Luckily, the one I wanted was white, which was (for some reason) much cheaper than the black style. Anyways, It's so darn pretty, and I need to get my external hard drive ready for its arrival!

Historical Stylings of Europe.

With my AP European History exam coming up on Tuesday, I should be studying my butt off to get a decent grade. But naturally, I was looking with admiration at the Spring 2009 Read-to-Wear lines. And coincidentally, Chanel and Miu Miu have taken inspiration from the European cultures of yesteryear for some fantastic looks for the upcoming seasons. Chanel totally nailed the Muscovite/Parisian mix perfectly, and those deep reds and golds make me swoon and the embellishments make Fabergé eggs envious, while Miuccia Prada captivated the ancient times with Roman-inspired art painted onto the loosly-cinched dresses. Both collections are basically to die for, and stunning as per usual. No disappointments, indeed.

Chanel Pre-Fall 09



Miu Miu Spring 09

[[photos from style.com]]

Now if only Lagerfeld can be my study buddy for this exam...

Warm Feet

My mom bought me these adorable little mary jane sock slippers from Target last month, but I've already worn them out to pieces! And with the cold really nipping at our bums lately, I think I should replace them with some nice slippers sometime soon. And these cute pom pom ballet slippers from J.Crew are probably the perfect replacements! They look real toasty, comfy, and it doesn't hurt that they are on sale!


They also come in various striped prints and in uber-soft cashmere, but I think I'd totally be satisfied with one of the solid print ones in 'punch'. These slippers are perfect for lounging around the house with a nice cup of hot chocolate.

I'll buy you flowers, I'll pour you wine...

Girls Aloud's new music video for "The Loving Kind" premiered today, and I must say I quite like it! It's kind of Sexy! No No No-esque, and Nadine and Nicola look especially gorge in this! ^____^

Enjoy this satisfying pop tune!

--Jenn

When lack of inspiration equates to procrastination.

Hello lovely readers (if you are out there? I finally update to your request yet I don't see any comments!)! It has been an exhausting Tuesday, and while we are nearing the week hump, it's really exhausting nowadays. To get my mind off the young gunner's eminent defeat against Burnley in the Carling Cup, I will amuse you with my own amusings during the past few hours.

1. I finally ordered these boots. I caved in when I looked at the available sizes, and realized that they were practically selling like hot cakes, and there were only a few sizes left! Luckily my size was still available, so I quickly ordered it before they were to be gone. I'm still a little jittery at paying over $100 for something, but rest assured I'll get over it one day. Man, I need to get used to this internet shopping thing.

2. Today I had Simon and Garfunkel's 'Sound of Silence' stuck in my head all day. How my mind dreamt up this song of the day, I don't know. But I caught myself humming it a couple of times today. I can't really blame myself, it's a fantastic, chilling, and beautiful song. It makes me tempted to watch my The Graduate DVD that I got for my film class essay.

3. With the crisp cold practically freezing our bums off lately, I've been treating myself to some nice cafe au lait and lemon tea as of late. Plus, I've been getting no sleep because of my off sleeping schedule, so a nice cuppa in the morning is a nice invigoration to keep those eyelids open.


4. I've searched high and low for Fever Pitch by Nick Hornby, and I just can't seem to find it anywhere here. I could order it from amazon, but I'm not very fond of spending for shipping these days. Borders has practically all of the Nick Hornby books available, bar this one. This is, with the exception of the laptop, on top of my little Christmas wish list. The inner Gooner in me needs this book, so if anyone sees it anywhere please do tell me! :]


5. I've been lacking creativity lately, and can't seem to find ideas for the postcards to send to Coldplay!! Ugh when will inspiration finally hit me...

As if I didn't already have enough shoes.

For a while now, I have had an ideal pair of winter boots that I have wanted. How I dreamt up this design, God knows. But it was so incredibly difficult to find a decent pair of the perfect color and structure.

And so, just yesterday, I found them.

The perfect cognac color, the perfect round toe, the perfect height and structure.

Problem solved right? Not.

The one thing holding me back from instantly clicking 'add to cart' is the price. At $160, they might be a decent amount for a pair of authentic leather boots. However, since I'm a kid who doesn't like to splash some cash that easily, it's not so much a bargain. I mean, it is on sale, but even so, I would still like a cheaper price. So what am I to do? I'd like to bite my tongue and just buy them, but it would leave a dent in my bank balance. I suppose I'll wait it out and see if my mom can get some sort of discount on them. But for now, I'll just admire from afar.

As I continued my internet window shopping, I found another pair of shoes of my liking. This time, it came in the form of adorable flats.

Who can resist the big bow embellishments? They are so adorable! Although I'd save over 60% off on them, they are still $104. This is not quite a bargain either, but oh how pretty they are! Why must my heart be torn between two pairs of expensive shoes...

Happy Turkey Day!

I want to wish all Americans a happy and splendid Thanksgiving!! And to my friends in other parts of the world, have a happy day as well! ^____^

I started Thanksgiving cooking a little early, for I baked a butternut squash and apple gratin last night that will be a side for tonight's dinner. I figured I'd give my mom a little helping hand, since she'll be working on the turkey all day today!



I woke up rather late this morning, but still got to enjoy some of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (though I missed the Rick Astley performance...grrrrrrr.....I'll youtube it later tonight...) while sipping a giant mug of cafe au lait. I love watching the giant balloons and humming to the marching bands that go through Broadway. *sigh* Oh how I wish I was there...watching from my penthouse suite! I guess a girl can dream...

I'll be having my Thanksgiving dinner at my cousin's house in Princeton. Initially, it was supposed to be at my house, but some plans have changed and we'll be having it in Jersey instead. I don't mind, I won't have to clean up the house. :P But I'm rather excited for tonight. In fact, I don't plan on eating anything today so I'll have room for all the delicious food I'll have tonight! I'm sure the coffee can last me a few hours, no?

I bought a dress the other day that I plan on wearing for tonight's dinner. I can't bring myself to be too casual for big dinners like these, and it's always more festive when everyone looks nice. I actually saw the dress in H&M a week ago, but my conscious told me to not buy it. Needless to say my conscious changed its mind over the course of a few days and I finally bought it! I don't regret it, even though I have been spending quite an amount of money on clothes. It was love at first sight, and I absolutely adore the fit and the structure of the dress. It's very 'Herve Leger' if you ask me, or even Roland Mouret-esque, like the famous moon dress Victoria Beckham wore upon coming to America. Anyways, it's adorable and I can't wait to put it on! Though I think I'll have to loosen the belt buckle a little as I begin to eat tonight...

I have rather odd lighting in my room, so if you are asking it's a purpley/wine color...

Thanksgiving is not just about the scrumptious food that could possibly be the reason behind America's enlarged guts, but also but being appreciative of what life gives to us. Despite going through a few rough patches in my life, I know that underneath it all I have a lot more to love and be thankful for than dislike. Whether it be the bigger picture appreciations or the little pleasures life contains, I know that I have a lot to love and be happy for:

♥ Having a house over my head that I can return to
♥ My family, although they can be the biggest pain in the arse and ruin my happiness sometimes
♥ Friends who, although sometimes don't understand me, stick around anyways and make me feel a little worthwhile.
♥ My job; sure I have to deal with the rudest of people, but I love putting a smile on some of the customers' faces with my sincerity!! And the money doesn't hurt either.
♥ Going to a school that gives me a lot of opportunities to achieve what I want and be successful. I know a lot of kids don't really have that, and even though the workload can be huge and tedious, I know deep down it'll be worth it one day.
♥ Living in a nieghborhood where I don't have to watch my back and make sure no one is going to shoot me. Sounds a little wonky, but with Philadelphia being the #1 homicidal city in America, I'm lucky that I'm away from those messes.
♥ Knowing that there are people from all around the world who care for me and are so nice, and gives me some hope for humanity.
♥ Books and how they open up my mind and make me happy. And Borders for being my books supplier.
♥ How music changed my life for the better; I would not be the same person I am now had I not found Coldplay.
♥ Coldplay themselves. Those guys are the greatest, and I wish that more people took to their example.
♥ Fashion; from H&M to Galliano haute couture. It's a great way for me to express myself and my creativity.
♥ Freedom of speech. As a writer, I am completely grateful for this right, and I hope that one day the whole world will get this right as well.
♥ Movies that are so heartwarming and touching, or just plain entertaining. Whenever I am in a horrible mood, I know that I can pop a DVD in and smile.
♥ The internet. There are many reasons behind this, but I'll say that it is hugely important to me, hehe.
♥ The art of cooking. It's another outlet for my creativity, plus it's always a lot of fun to experiment with different recipes and make others happy with my cooking.
♥ Football. The beautiful sport, the sport that keeps me going as I watch with happiness. Whether it's watching my club or a world tournament, it never ceases to put a smile on my face.
♥ Arsenal FC. The greatest club the world has ever seen! The reason I wake up early on weekends, the reason I sometimes skip after school activities. The reason why there is hope for 'sexy football!'
♥ The world. Although there is so much bad in the world, from terrorism to global warming, the world has so much to offer. I am thankful for the beauty that it contains, that I can explore a place so magical and breathtaking in just a plane ride away.

That's just the beginning! I have loads more that I am happy for, but I'll leave it at that. I hope everyone acknowledges all the things that they are thankful for, and live life with happiness!

Computer Love

I know I promised a blog post over a month ago, but life has been handing me nice balls of crap lately, and the blog was, to my disappointment, the last thing on my mind. But now that I'm on Thanksgiving vacation, I'll surely be keeping you all updated with things in my life!!

For a while I've told my parents that I'll wait out for a laptop when I start university, but with school practically taking over my life, the thought of getting one right now is not bad at all. Both my brother and I need the computer quite often for school, and sharing a cranky, woeful desktop computer is not easy. The snail's pace and bombardment of annoying ads doesn't help either. Luckily, my mom can get discounts from Dell and Apple from work. So now I'm stuck with a dilemma....Dell or Apple?

Apple is known for their efficient, hi-tech gadgets, but along with their high-end quality comes a high end price. With come research and playing around, my ideal 13-inch Macbook would be around $1400....and possibly more for other softwares. Eeeek, and I don't even know if my mom's discount is even that big. But it's so pretty...


My choice for a Dell laptop would be the Inspiron 13, which rounded up at around $1300, with all my choices of fixings included. It would turn out cheaper than the Macbook, but I wouldn't know if it had the same quality of work as a Mac. Oh, choices. And also, I could pick a nice color to suit my personality. I was thinking the green or the yellow.


So what's a girl to do? Both are exceptional laptops, but I can't decide. I've talked with my mom about it and she says it's all up to me. Aren't parents the ones that usually make these choices for their kids? I should make my decision soon, for I can feel the computer lagging as I type this post!

Guess who's back!

Hey everyone! I apologize for not posting in over a month! School has been taking up all my time (as usual) and I can't help but wonder if you all can really care about my petty school problems or my rants about how Arsenal are doing in the EPL. But alas, more posts coming up soon I assure! :]

Until then, here's a song that has been stuck in my head all day:

New York, I Love You. I Really Do.

"New York I love you" Teaser
by Mollyryan

Having seen the first movie 'Paris, Je t'aime', I'm super excited to see the next movie, 'New York, I Love You', which takes place in one of my favorite cities of all time, New York City, respectively. Like the previous film, New York is an anthology collection, and this one consists of twelve various filmmakers each creating a five-minute short movie depicting the universal theme of love in all five New York boroughs. And just as the first one did, this boasts an all-star cast that made me die swooning upon first discovering. Including:

Shia LaBeouf
Blake Lively
Natalie Portman*
Hayden Christensen*
Christina Ricci
Orlando Bloom
Rachel Bilson
Kevin Bacon
Ethan Hawke
James Caan
Bradley Cooper
Julie Christie
Goran Visnjic

This movie of epic proportions is set to be released on February 13, 2009 (Right before Valentine's Day! How apropos). Though I'm not a fan of over-the-top romance or fake superficial hallmark holidays, I will definitely enrich my cold heart with some good-ole fashioned love stories from some of the greatest actors of today.

* My climax of 'squeeness' upon discovering this movie is because of Natalie and Hayden. It's kind of hard letting out this deep fangirlness out, but I've been a HUGE Natalie/Hayden shipper since Star Wars (Yes, go ahead. You can make fun now). Anyways, I'm hoping they'll be in a segment together? It'll be the first time they've been in the same production as each other since Star Wars ended about 3 years ago, so I'm very pumped for the potential of that! Alright, fangirling done.

"Shoot an apple off my head"

I apologize for the disappearance in the last few days. I went down to Ocean City, Maryland for a few days and enjoyed the nice beaches there. Weather was a little sketchy, but I couldn't complain. It was the first time in two years that I went to the beach and it was as pleasant as the last time. (By the way, the new Coldplay album is great to listen to while watching the waves crash into the shore...so lovely.)

And this is what I woke up to in the morning when I looked out my window. My bed was right next to the balcony and I got the most beautiful view of the early morning ocean. I woke up to 'Clocks' as I looked out to the sea, and the song made the scenery even more lovely.





Beautiful, huh? Because of rain I didn't see a gorgeous sunset...*sigh*

Expect a new post soon!

Bless Us, Saint Iker.

Today when I logged onto the internet I checked through my usual list of internet musts: Facebook, forums, etc. etc. And one site that I check quite frequently is Kickette, which is the ladies's football haven. I could do without the constant WAG posts, but who am I to say. Anyways, apparently some girls from a Livejournal community made a shirt that got my full undivided attention:


What? An Iker tshirt?! Impossible! But indeed, some great masterminds made an Iker Casillas tshirt depicting the keeper's true holiness. The shirt comes in a plethora of colors, and I am in need of a quirky football shirt. Not to mention, I know I will always be blessed with happiness when wearing San Iker on me.

"My Hunger Pangs Are Sticking Like Duct Tape"

As any girl would know, some times we just get those random, needy cravings for certain foods. Whether it be the cliché chocolate or indulgent cake, we have our moments. I am not sure if men get them as well, but I sure do have the strongest, dying cravings at times. It's as if I can't think straight and I feel like my whole stomach will turn inside out if I can't satisfy it. I know, it sounds bad. And it probably is, but the satisfaction of eating it makes it all the better, of course. And as I sit here typing this post, I can hear my stomach bellowing and groaning with hunger, though there is very little to eat at the moment besides some scant Chinese leftovers. Anyways, I have been having particular cravings to foods, and right now I could use some of these:

[[mmmm...steak....]]

I could really use a nice, juicy, medium-rare steak grilled to perfection, with the perfect blend of herbs along with it. I can just smell it right now as I think of it...although maybe that's just the hunger making me imagine vividly.

[[Pop!]]

The other day I had eaten a whole gigantic bowl of cherries-- just for the hell of it. And it was sweet and enjoyable, and we ran out after that. And I still want some more. It really is addictive. I just pop one in and before I know it...it's all gone.

[[Chocolaty goodness.]]

I have been deprived of Nutella for so long that, at this point, if I were to get a jar of it I'd just scoop it out and eat it with a spoon. And I'm usually extremely meticulous about saving Nutella, using it to spread on bread or crepes and such.

Luisa Beccaria Fall 2008 Collection

As summer flies by, bring on the durable, warm fabrics of the fall. And one collection that stood out for me last Fashion Week was Luisa Beccaria's line, which showed at Milan in the designer's district shop. The collection altogether was reminiscent of candied sweets and frothy milkshakes, with their adorable shades of gentle pastels and sugary lace. Ruffles, tulle, satin, and candy buttons galore! To contrast the frilliness of the line, there are darker, more demure fabrics and satins for evening. And although it might seem on the verge of Lolita and what a little four year-old ballerina might don, when worn right these pieces I'm sure can be pulled off as crisp and sophisticated. If I might say myself, it's quite 'Blair Waldorf-ish' in the clean and classiness of it all. My personal favorites? A blush pink peacoat adorned with iridescent buttons, a bluish printed frock cinched at the waist with a belt, and a pinkish dress with some colored luster in the thread with a similar printed jacket and gigantic bow on the neck. In those cold, winter days, in these garments a girl can look like a sophisticated ice princess.

[[photos from style.com]]

Heartwarming Tunes, Some 80s-tastic Designs, and a Not-So Eventful Emirates Cup

Geez, it's been over a week since I've updated. And I was planning on a long-ass post on the Coldplay concert, but I never got to it. And so, I thought I might as well get everything I wanted to say in this one post, so I can just move on.

The concert was beyond amazing. It was...heaven. At least that's where I thought I was when I was at the Wachovia center. I didn't think that it was possible that I could love them even more. But this concert proved me otherwise. They played the classics as well as the new songs from the new album, and they even came into the audience to sing The Scientist and Will sang 'Death Will Never Conquer'. Over all, a breathtaking live performance the whole night and the audience was full of liveliness and sang along with such enthusiasm! I actually cried when I came home, because I couldn't believe it was over. Until next tour, boys!! I miss you all!

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So the latest Project Runway was at last, a normal PR challenge! The designers were to go around NYC and take pictures of inspiration to create a 'night out on the town' look. Very much so like a similar challenge from season two, but it's interesting to see what the newer designers have to offer. The winner?


Kenley's design! At first I wasn't so keen on her choice of fabric...for it seemed tacky. But the whole look together with the iridescent tulle and the fabric was surprisingly refreshing! I would have usually thought that this was too tacky and fromage for me, but it was quite a nice surprise. Sure, it had some vintage (erm, 80s) vibes, but it was a nice blast from the past and I absolutely adored the fabric/tulle hybrid of the skirt. The loser:


Emily's frumpy frock. I'll admit, it wasn't really as bad as Nina made it out to be (though that little drama queen likes to make nonsense out of everything these days...) but it was just so off and a little cha-cha Guadalajara queen for me. I would have rather have this design go home than Jennifer's because hers at least had a nice thought to it.

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So Arsenal did not perform as well as I expected them to during this season's Emirates Cup. It's fine to me, it's only a friendly little competition that they created themselves, but I like to think of all this pre-season jumbo as some sight into the incoming season. I won't even get into the whole Real Madrid conflict with Diaby/Snejider, but I do wish Wesley a nice and speedy recovery. Bring on the few other friendlies and then the new season!!!

[[photos from Bravotv.com and Arsenal.com]]

"Team Ugly Brown Dress"

Because of my lack of sleep, I fell asleep watching the new episode of Project Runway last night (Asleep?! During Runway?!? Impossible!!). I was so disappointed in myself, but I watched the rerun this morning, with no knowledge whatsoever of what had happened, therefore I was very much so on the edge of the sofa.

The episode began with Suede waking up and talking about 'Suede' again. (Go figure) This guy seriously needs to stop speaking in third person. It's getting a little 'psycho-narcissist' and downright annoying. And I'm not the only one complaining of his annoyance and tacky wardrobe, seems like the other designers are as well.

Moving on to the challenge, the designers had to design a cocktail dress using 'green' ( environmentally-friendly, not the actual color) fabrics. The designers got very excited, until they were informed that their MODELS would be picking out the fabrics needed for the design. Models. It's bound to be a disaster, no? Well, I guessed right. It was painful watching the models running around with no knowledge of coordinating colors...or even just colors whatsoever. Some models picked the same fabrics (including that ghastly brown that would lead to a painful bottom two) and hot pink jersey (jersey?!? for a COCKTAIL DRESS?!) Honestly, these girls had no idea what they were doing. And not only that, they didn't get enough fabric, which resulted in some horridly short minidresses. I could feel the designers's pain as they watched the models take out the fabrics out of the MOOD bags.

The designers continued on with their work, and many were stuck and not confident with their ability to make it work. There was the stint of Stella babbling on about how she wants to make everything out of leather. Although I thought that it was right for Jerry to be eliminated in the last challenge, hers was just god awful. I personally just don't see her making it very far in this competition from what I've seen. Where is the innovation and creativity if garments must be made of animal skin? Why not expand a little further and create something out of your realm and try to 'wow' the judges? After all, they are going to get mighty bored of 'leather leather leather', especially that nitpicky Nina Garcia. If she's just going to complain that she can't use leather for ONE measly challenge, why on earth is she on Project Runway? I'm not a fan of Stella whatsoever, and she's starting to get on my nerves.

The next day the designers sent their creations down the runway for the panel of judges, which included the gorgeous, talent actress (and my idol) Natalie Portman. When I saw her come out I squealed with joy along with the other designers. Finally, a decent guest judge! I'm pleased to see her, and it was fitting that she would guest judge at this certain challenge, for she had just released her line of Vegan shoes with Te Casan. I never thought that a low-key star like her would appear in a rather popular reality-TV show, but apparently it's one her favorite shows! Something else we have in common besides being fans of Beirut...

Anyways, I'll cut some of the lullagag. The top three:

My personal favorite was Kenley's dress (Go figure). I thought it was so brilliantly chic and flattered the model perfectly, and the collar was very Victorian-esque yet edgy.


To my surprise, STELLA was in the top three with this number. Nina, why on earth do you like it? I personally thought that this dress was not top three material. To me, this dress was tacky and the shortness along with the sheen was just not 'classy'. The silhouette is lackluster, it could have been more subtle and not try to purposely scream 'hardcore leather lady'.


Please someone amuse me with why why why this won the challenge? Suede's cocktail dress was too sloppy, in my honest opinion. I don't understand how the judges liked this mess. The bust was just too much and it just looked altogether...very odd. Like he just ran some masking tape around her front. Ugh, it's atrocious.

Bottom Three:


Korto's dress had a lovely top bust, but those seams look like it is inside out. The model resembles a golden rocket, and not in a good way. In my opinion, probably the worst of the top three.

Perhaps the fault comes from the choice of color (dumb model), but the loops on the shoulder and the back are just overkill. I can understand that LeAnne wanted to approach this being more edgy and mod, but sometimes less is more if you do it correctly.


To my dismay, this is the dress that got Wesley sent home. Yes, the adorable, questionable-shorts-wearing guy with the cute smile.** He was one of my favorites and he is a talented designer, and it's not fair that the model's choice of fabric and lack of yardage got him sent home. Because really, the silhouette wasn't horrendous. It's the matter of the fabric, which did not compliment the shortness and luster of the dress. I couldn't believe my ears when Nina Garcia said that the shortness, shine, and something else (frankly I can't remember, I was still fuming over the decision) makes a 'cheap' dress. I'm sorry, Ms. Garcia, but Stella's was NOT very classy. Hell, half of the dresses were much shorter than Wesley's. I'll admit, the seams looked sloppy, but you can tell that he really put some detail and thought into it and tried his best., such as the bow at the top of the dress. The judges accused him of being too 'ambitious'. And being 'safe' is just fine, right guys? *Rolls eyes*

This was by far one of the most disappointing Project Runway episodes in a long time, if not ever. It's incredulous that such utter crap like Suede's dress gets higher acknowledgments than Kenley's, while Korto's oddball insideout jumbo is safe, while Wesley's is auf-ed. The problem of that dress was the seams, which is the result of the fabric. The shortness was the length of any minidress out there. I'm highly disappointed in the ridiculous judging so far, and I have a feeling that the show might be going downhill. It's sad that for a great show like Project Runway, it seems that drama and personality overkill win over true potential. I'm still mourning over Wesley's loss, and I do wish that he has a second chance at becoming a designer, for he deserves it.

**Yes, I do realize that he's gay. But don't stomp on my heterosexual Wesley dreams, alright? I already know that I have a tendency to fall for non-flamboyant gay guys (i.e. Daniel V. from season 2, among others I'm embarrassed to mention).

Cooking with Jenny Crocker: Crepes

Yes, a new segment. From now on, all food and cooking-related posts will be called 'Cooking with Jenny Crocker'. Not the most creative, but it gets to the point. So I was in such a French mood today that I decided that I would at least make some delicious French crepes. I remember last year I used to always make different variations of crepes, and it's ashame I haven't made that many this year. The recipe was quite easy, though I expected more batter out of the ingredients. Anyways, they turned out rather well, and I cut up some strawberries and whipped up my own whipping cream. To my disappointment we don't have any Nutella in our house at the moment, so I had to suffice with a dark chocolate sauce. The crepes still tasted delicious and enjoyable. A perfect dessert with a nice cup of herbal lemon tea and listening to the Amelie soundtrack. Ah, vive la France.