15 Minute Meals Challenge!

"Please Take Care of My Refrigerator"

Oh my goodness, so the day before yesterday, I finally returned from my 2 week long trip to Korea. It was a bittersweet arrival since my joy for returning home was mixed with sadness at the fact of leaving my grandparents. As many of my good friends know, I go to Korea every summer in order to pay visit to my relatives and stay over at my grandparents' house. As usual, when I get back from Korea, I always come back with a) loads of presents, b) flawless skin (there's something in the air about Korea that fixes my breakouts), and c) atleast 5 more pounds cause the food is amazing there. I will definitely be making a post sometime soon about some of the food I ate in Korea, and how I spent my days exploring Seoul and Incheon. Speaking of food, in this post, I'm going to be talking about 15 minute meals for all you people need something to eat, fast. While in Korea, one of the shows I watched on TV when I had time was "Please Take Care of My Refrigerator", a cooking variety program where celebrities bring in their fridges (literally) and chefs have  a cooking competition using only the ingredients available in the fridge and/or pantry staples (i.e. oils, flour) to cook a meal in fifteen minutes based on what kind of food the celebrity feels like eating. Sometimes the fridge only holds a couple beer cans and instant noodles, and the chefs actually conjure something out of it. Sounds pretty challenging, no? Even so, these chefs kill it on the show and make some amazing dishes. It is so cool to see what kind of concoctions the chefs can come up with in such a short time span. For me, it usually takes me at least an hour for me to make a meal I am satisfied with. I mean, boiling water itself takes atleast 10 minutes for me. So, I don't know how they do it, but the chefs manage to make some delicious looking food with a minimal amount of food in an even more minimal amount of time. Amazed and challenged, I decided to try out this for myself. However, knowing 15 minutes is far too short of time for me unless I was planning on making something simple like an omelette, I decided to give myself 30 minutes to prepare lunch for my mom and I today. The menu?

Gyeranmari - Rolled Omelette Dish

Sautéed Green Beans

Rice

Kimchi

PC: A Korean Girl Eats

PC: Kirbie's Cravings

A very simple yet definitely satisfying meal. Now, Kimchi is a staple in nearly every Korean house, and was already made when I decided to put it on the menu. So, I shall count it as a pantry staple and move along. On another note, the rice was prepared earlier in the morning, but with a rice cooker, cooking rice takes at most 25 minutes so I believe that passes. Therefore, I technically only had to cook two dishes but let me tell ya, they took up all 30 minutes. So, for Gyeranmari, I learned from my grandma so I don't use a recipe but if you would like to learn. Please check out the recipe from Maangchi. Unlike Maangchi, I usually don't put sugar or onion, and instead insert a slice of cheddar cheese in the folds when rolling. However, the filling can nearly be anything; some other common roll fill ins include sesame leaves, seaweed, spam, and carrots. For the Sautéed Green Beans, I used the recipe from Food Network. My mom and I first tried this dish at a famous Dim Sum place called Din Tai Fung. Simple yet savory, this dish was an instant favorite and we order it every time we go there. However, in order to save money and give it a shot at home, I looked up several recipes in order to recreate this amazing dish. Most recipes suggest using oyster sauce but unfortunately, we didn't have that option at home so the Food Network recipe was perfect for us to use. Plus, according to the recipe, it would take 20 minutes to finish preparing and cooking.

When timing the process of preparing and cooking the gyeranmari, it only took 8 minutes. I first  heated the pan, whipped the eggs, put in a pinch of salt and pepper, poured it into the pan, and when it was firmer, I started rolling it up. At the last fold, I inserted a slice of cheese which melted beautifully by the time I sliced them up and put them on the plate. I wasn't surprised at how quickly that dish was done because it is something I prepare often. On the other hand, the Sautéed Green Beans took a whopping 30 minutes. I first started boiling salted water, and meanwhile washed the green beans, garlic, and ginger. This probably took me about four minutes. Then I chopped them all into small pieces. I boiled the green beans for three minutes until they were bright green, and then drained them in a colander. What messed things up was that my water was not "ice cold". Since I didn't have ice, I improvised with frozen strawberries which made a mess of things cause the strawberries defrosted immediately in the room temperature water. But atleast it was colder than before. When preparing this dish, make sure to prepare ice cold water before you start! I think that is what keeps the green beans nice and crunchy. While the green beans were boiling, I had stirred in the chopped garlic, ginger, and homemade red chile pepper that my mom specially infused with "Mae-sil" Extract (an Asian plum) into the sesame oil covered wok. (We did not have shallots in our fridge) When the garlics got nice and crisp, I threw in the green beans and stirred until the beans looked as though they were well-coated and caramelized. After, I poured in some soy sauce. Different from the recipe, I also added in a pinch of sugar for a sweet and tangy approach. Once the green beans looked crispy, I neatly arranged them in a bowl. Although I believe the dish is supposed to be served hot, I have noticed that my mom and I like it cold so I put it in the fridge with the remaining minutes. When the timer was over, I took it out of the bowl and served it with the rest of the dishes. 

The result? Nailed it! While it didn't taste like the green beans from Din Tai Fung, it sure came close. The green bean was still a little too warm and soft for my preference, but it was still noticeably crunchy, and carried this wonderful sweet and spicy flavor that I was aiming for. The garlic was especially good since it carried so many different flavors after being sautéed for so long in the wok. My mom loved it, but then again, she's my mom. We finished the entire bowl of beans quickly; my while my younger brother didn't touch the beans, he especially like the gyeranmari. The meal was a simple success, and we all finished the meal feeling satisfied. It definitely wasn't as quick or as amazing as the chef's on the show, but I'm glad to see that I don't need to have the best of best ingredients or hours to spend to create a delicious meal. Next time, I'll definitely try to hit the 15 minute mark!

Keeping in Touch with the Close Ones

The Love Letter by:François Martin-Kavel

One of my greatest qualities is my great sense of independence. Because of this aspect of my personality, I tend to spread my wings and just fly off without hesitation (sometimes quite literally) or notice. In fact, my first year of college, I decided to spontaneously go to Barcelona by myself during Spring Break. Many of my friends were shocked that a) I was going alone and b) I will be traveling alone in a foreign country. I didn't realize exactly how uncommon this 'ability' was until this year; several of my good friends started leaving CA in June to study abroad, and confided in me how nervous they were for traveling alone. Not only was their nervousness stemmed from the fact that they were going there by themselves, but also the fact that they were going to miss home and their friends and their families. To be honest, homesickness is not a familiar feeling. Perhaps this is something I should be concerned with... is it because I'm not happy with life home? Is it because I spend too little time with my family or friends to be affected? Is it because I spent so much time traveling? God knows. All I know is, when I'm alone, I am perfectly content. (Perhaps, too content.)
Whether it be in another country in a small cafe surrounded by people speaking different tongues or in the comfort of the blankets in my bed, there is no sense of emptiness when my space is void of people. I find my own solace quite satisfying, and can honestly spend hours alone as long as I have a good book to read, something to munch on, or anything remotely entertaining. Company usually doesn't necessarily have to be a person, no matter how close that person is to me. Don't get me wrong. I don't hate surrounding myself with people. Nor is it a chore. I love it when people invite me out to things, and I love meeting new people... It's just that unlike some people who constantly need someone around them (and this is not at all something negative), I get along fine off in the world solo. Now this is fantastic because I never get the dreadful feeling of homesickness when I'm away from home nor do I vie for someone's attention constantly.
However, my natural sense of independence and comfort in solitude also unintentionally tends to cut people out of my life. It doesn't help that I suck at checking my phone. Honestly, when it isn't work related or family, I barely touch my phone nor do I respond immediately. Sometimes, I slack on purpose and most often, I'm too busy doing something else to check my phone. When I hang out with someone, I never look at my phone. Perhaps never is too far fetched, but unless I'm taking a picture of the people in front of me or snap-chatting where I am, I would never pause in the middle of a conversation to text someone (unless maybe, it's my family). I simply choose to dedicate my entire time to the person in front of me. When I'm home, I'm often on my laptop instead of my phone which also causes me to check my phone waaaay later. As rare as it is for me to respond promptly, it is even rarer for me to initiate contact. Like I mentioned, I am perfectly comfortable being alone and thus rarely make a great effort to contact someone just for conversational purposes. I also prefer not to hold a conversation through text, and even less phone. There is something just so detached about texting that I don't like, and phone calls inhibit my mobility which irks me. So, when I'm off at in school in New York, there is a long hiatus of conversation between me and my friends back home. Besides the occasional snapchats, rare facetimes, and brief texts when we see something interesting, a conversation never really flourishes via electronics.
 Thankfully, this in no way inhibits our friendship, and whenever I come back home, we pick up our friendship very easily. Aeia lovingly dubbed this "low maintenance friendships" and I completely dig it. Even so, as easy as it was to work around things this way, I definitely want to invest more time in keeping up with my friends while away. As fun as it is to get a short version of how "Harry" met "Sally", I would love to have been there in some way when the action was going on. It would also save me lots of "Who's so and so?" and "Ooh, when was this?" kind of questions. I want to stay a part of my friends' lives while I'm away.
Funnily, just as how odd it is for me to not enjoy or partake in texting, oddly enough, my friends and I find great joy corresponding via letters. In high school, I used to write letters to my friends all the time (especially Phoebe) and still have a huge box full of them in my room. Last year, Phoebe and I had lots of fun sending each other snail mail, and it was far more exciting and fun opening my mailbox and receiving a cutely decorated letter rather than some boring ol' text. As someone who prefers not to use the phone to keep in contact, I find letters a far more sentimental and meaningful form of conversation. This year, I'm hoping to exchange letters with more friends and also take the time to simply ask how their day was and what not. Or, another great way to just keep in touch is to simply message the person if you saw anything that reminds me of them. I especially love tagging my friends in Buzzfeed quizzes or interesting articles. It's a great way to start a conversation rather than the typical "omg, I miss you. How are you? When are you coming back?" kind of messages that usually end after "We need to hang out!". There's honestly no better way to show someone you care than by pointing out the little details that make them special.
On the contrary to my situation, I feel as though for most people, they spend very little time trying to connect with their family members. Caught in the hustle and bustle of life, it seems that most people tend to ignore the voice mail that their mother left them or get irritated when they see that their parents are texting them way more than necessary.While my mom and I actually do keep in touch daily, it doesn't really fly that way with the rest of my family. My dad, like me, is also not not keen on using communication devices and texts and calls even less than I do. So imagine how little we converse when I'm away... same for my brothers. I barely keep in touch with them and our way of communication is probably liking each other's photographs once in a while. Honestly, during the school year, it doesn't really matter much but when I think about it now, I think it's really important to maintain a consistent presence in our family's lives. If I don't talk to my siblings or my dad that much because I'm busy with school, I can't imagine how little we will know each way in the future when I have a job and my own family to look after. Since we have the access to devices that provide easier communication, I will definitely make more of an effort this year to keep in touch with them and let them know I'm alive and that I hope they're alive too, hah.
 Some relatives we might even think less about are our grandparents. When my grandma would call me, I would often not call her back until hours later because I'm in class or I'm babysitting and then I would forget and call back 3 days later. Every summer, when I visit Korea, my grandpa would ask me to kakaotalk (a messaging app) him weekly and send him pictures. I would always promise yes and do my best to keep it but would often forget about it and only remember when he sends me a message saying that he misses me and to send him pictures. It really is difficult to maintain a connection with your grandparents when there's so much you're doing at the moment, but it really does mean the world to them when you take a few minutes out of your day to send a text or phone them. I recently taught my grandma how to use Kakaotalk and she literally cried when I told her that she can use it to chat with my uncle (her son) who is stationed in Afghanistan. Whenever she receives a message from him, she is beaming and full of excitement because she can finally talk to her son without worrying about international phone fare or disturbing him.
If they live relatively close by, why not take the time to pay a visit? It doesn't have to be only on holidays that you get to see them! I spent the past two days at her house for old time's sake (I used to sleep over at her place all the time as a kid), and she was delighted with that. Thankfully, I live 20 minutes away from my grandparents so I get to see them more often than not, but just the fact that I stayed over for 2 days really made them super happy. My grandparents often says that the house feels more vibrant when I'm over. And this is not just my effect. Literally, all you grandchildren have this wonderful ability. When you're around, I'm sure your grandparents will also feel far more cheerful and excited simply because they love having you over. If you dread going over because there's nothing to do, bring a good book, your phone, or whatever else you need to entertain you when they're doing their own thing. Whenever I go to my grandparents' house, I always bring a book or sometimes a DVD. When I'm not chatting with them or picking fruits from their garden, it's tons of fun to just watch movies with them or teach them how to use smart phones and iPads. You can always teach old dogs new tricks. It's all about patience and ability. Your grandparents hold so much story and life and if you take the time to unravel their past, you will find them great company. If there is a language barrier, either take the time to learn the language or find something to do that doesn't require language at all. Don't just assume that all old people are immobile and take them for a nice walk. Play music for them, go swimming, take them to a museum--there's just so many ways to keep them company. They are people with personalities and I think it's important to get to know them a little better. I absolutely love spending time with my grandparents and find them hilarious, brilliant, and super interesting. This admiration didn't just come from the fact that I'm their grand daughter, but because I took the time to get to know them better. I appreciate my grandma's amazing cooking, my grandpa's handiwork (he made my dog the most adorable dog house), their gorgeous garden (they have grapes, potatoes, lemons, lettuce, tomatoes, and more), their diligence, their fashion sense (my grandma is such a diva), and their love. I think it's important to recognize the love they have for you and bask in their presence and let them bask in your's every once in a while. They can provide you with wisdom and care gained from time and experience, and you can give them the energy and modernity you hold with your youth. Grandparents' love seems to be one of the most underrated forms of love, but I find it necessary to recognize the strength of that love. As adults, we tend to slowly drift apart from grandparents due to so many new relationships and work; however, I believe keeping in contact with your grandparents should be a gift rather than a burden. For me, grandparents are friends, family, supporters, and a connection to my culture. They teach me things neither parents or books can teach you, and provide me with love and a sense of security that is one of a kind. Thus, I believe it's only right for me to take a few minutes from a day to say "I love you" and "hope you're doing well"; I hope you take the time to do the same too!

California Queen: Wayfarer's Chapel, Abalone Cove, & Redondo Beach

Sooooo, Amanda, one of my close friends sent me a link from buzzfeed featuring some GORGEOUS places in the LA vicinity. Looking at the article, I was pleased to say that I've been to a good number of them, but far more excited to see all the places I've yet been! Sooo, after looking through the article, I just had to hit up some good friends for some adventure! So, this past Saturday, I am happy to say I visited Wayfarer's Chapel with Grace! It was about a 30 minute drive from where I lived, and the area around the chapel is so pretty! The drive was really fun because we got to cross a bridge, and the roads were so hilly I felt like I was back in San Francisco. Plus, the view just getting the to chapel was so nice. Just imagine blasting your favorite music, feeling the wind in your hair, smelling the salt of the sea, and admiring the ocean view right by you. There was also some seriously pretty flowers lining the streets so I felt like I was in a Studio Ghibli movie! The chapel itself is STUNNING. I mean, I already had high expectations just looking at the pictures on buzzfeed, but goodness gracious, Lloyd Wright did a great job designing the building. It's basically a glass building held together by wood, and it's surrounded by lush greenery so it's as though you're in a green house. Located right by the Pacific Ocean, you get a great view of the Abalone Cove (which is also on the list)! There's also a really pretty small garden right by the church where you can stroll around and take pictures. If you plan on going to the chapel, I recommend going there between 10-5 because that's when the Visitor's center is open! When Grace and I went at around 6, there was a wedding going on inside the Chapel so we couldn't go inside. I doubt they would hold weddings during visiting hours, so I think it'll be far safer to go between 10 to 5 if you want to check out the interior. For more information: Wayfarers Chapel

The backside of the Chapel!

Trees!

Grace and I!

The fountain! Doesn't it look like fairies would hang out here? 

The view!

Close up of the church! 

On the Road!

 If you want to visit Abalone Cove as well, it is open from 12 to 4... so if I were planning the trip, I would suggest going to the chapel at 11 and then head over to Abalone Cove around 12 to look at the tides and admire the sea creatures! There are tons of fascinating little critters around, and it just a gorgeous place to hang out. I would definitely recommend bringing a towel, and wearing close toed shoes so that your feet don't hit rocks or anything like that! There's also areas near the cove where you can hike so it's far easier to do that wearing sneakers rather than sandals. Last time I went with Grace, I got to see Sea Urchins, Star Fishes, little crabs, and teensy fishes! So exciting! There's apparently sea cucumbers that can be spotted there, too! Ooh, and I can't forget the seal that we saw sunbathing on a rock! Oooh, and there was a really pretty cave where I swear mermaids lived. In fact, I jumped into the water because I was so tempted to hang out with them, haha. If you are gutsy enough to jump into the water, please be aware that this is the ocean and the waves move quite rapidly. So be careful and try to swim away from the rocks as well as not float off into the great horizon. Also, climbing out of the water after is really hard if you're not wearing anything beyond a bikini. Soooo, have someone there who can pull you out if needs be or be prepared to have lots of little scratches. Or, you can also wear a wet suit that will protect your skin. Thankfully, there were tons of guys there just jumping in and out who helped me out so I was out of the water with relatively few scratches. I have no regrets, though. The water was so refreshing and soooo pretty. As a mermaid, Abalone Cove was pure perfection. For more information: Abalone Cove

Unfortunately, the day we went to Wayfarer's Chapel, Abalone Cove was already closed... So instead, we headed over to Redondo Beach which is only a 20 minute drive from the Chapel! It was my first time there and I really enjoyed it. It seems to be a popular fishing spot because there were tons of families on the wharf with fishing poles, and it was so exciting to see that glimmer of silver whenever someone caught something! It was a really busy place, and there were tons of people just hanging out. It probably has to do with the fact that the pier at Redondo Beach is packed with yummy eateries! After a long day of hiking and swimming at Abalone Cove, Redondo Beach's pier is the perfect place to unwind and grab loads of yummy seafood. The parking at Redondo beach is 2 dollars per hour. We stayed for 3 hours which was perfect to stroll around the pier, grab some bubble tea and ice cream, and eat dinner at a really popular place (aka long lines!). For more information: Redondo Pier

The food there was really multicultural, and it was interesting to see that there were three different Korean seafood establishments there! Intrigued, we went to the place with the most people (sometimes, you gotta trust the crowd) called "Pacific Fish Center", and I felt like I was back in Korea. Packed with tons of Korean families with giant tanks filled with sea creatures near the window, I felt right at home. It was a really, really busy place. To the point that you have to pay in advance, get a number, and wait till they call you. We went around 8 PM, and our wait was probably about 15 to 20 minutes. The food was quite pricey which was understandable since their menu was based on sea food including lobster and sashimi, so Grace and I decided to split a large "Hot Fish Soup" which totaled out to be only $32! This was super filling and we couldn't finish the entire thing! In fact, the left over took up two styrofoam containers! So, if you're ordering for two, definitely get the small. The large is probably filling enough for 3 to 4 people. Based on what I was seeing inside the restaurant, it was clear that the crab was the most popular option. Families were eating crab by the plateful. My dad apparently went with his coworkers a couple months back and he told me the crab was fantastic. So, my family is currently planning a quick trip to Redondo Beach for a crab fest, woohoo! Yet, even with no crab, the "Hot Fish Soup" was a perfect meal. Super spicy and packed with fish, mushrooms, tofu, radish, and kimchi--it satisfied my empty stomach like no other. For those of you who never tried it, it kind of resembles the Thai dish, Tom Yung Soup. It was so bomb, and even the day after, it tasted fantastic. If you do take leftovers, instead of just microwaving it, make sure to heat it up via stove. It tastes far better that way and heats up everything thoroughly. The restaurant is a super chill environment. In fact, they don't even use silverware, everything is served on styrofoam bowls and with plastic utensils. What makes the environment feel super nice though is the fact that we're sitting right the beach. We were there during the evening and it was so chill to eat food that tastes like home, chat, and listen to the waves rolling right out the window. For more information: Pacific Fish Center and Restaurant

Redondo Beach Pier!

Candid of Grace and the food!

 All in all, we had a fantastic day exploring that area and I definitely recommend you visit!

Mermaid Music with Lana Del Rey

Lana Del Rey the Queen

Have I ever mentioned how obsessed I am with Lana Del Rey? I am obsessed. In fact, my college decision may or may not have been just slightly influenced by her. She is one of my favorite artists, and her music has accompanied me during my best and my worst. I met her music when I was a junior in high school, and was intrigued by the hype about her on tumblr. This was around the time "Born to Die" music video was released featuring her in her iconic white gown and her rose crown. Initially, I wasn't sold. There was something dull about it, and the song seemed far too dark for my taste. However, Senior year, I listened to "Diet Mtn Dew" on my friend's playlist and I loved it. I couldn't believe this was the same artist who sang such slow, sultry songs. I looked up her songs and I recognized her amazing ability to change the pitch of her voice drastically, and just make melodies that humans have never heard before. It's hard to describe her. She's a mermaid. A siren. An angel. A goddess. She's an artist. She can create such diverse sounds with her voice, and her music is full of melancholy, sultriness, pleasure, and otherworldliness. And just to mention, she is beyond gorgeous. With wavy locks that even mermaids will be jealous of, broody bedroom eyes, kissable lips, and the body of a Greek goddess, she's one beauty queen. I honestly don't know what genre to peg her under. I feel like the music she makes can only be described as "mermaid". She infuses many different kinds of musical vibes including swing, jazz, pop, (dare I say even) rap, psychedelic rock, indie, baroque pop with a healthy dose of dreaminess into the songs she creates. Literally, I call this genre "mermaid" on my playlists. (The only artist who I have given that honor as well is Florence and the Machine.) With a penchant for mentioning daddy (and we're not talking about her biological dad), cola, lolita references, California (Yes! California represent!), and pop culture references from the 50s and 60s, listening to her music is a surreal and unique experience that leaves you feeling like a seductive siren or a magical manic pixie princess. 
Not only is her music perfect to listen to while cruising down the PCH or just chilling in my best friend's room, honestly, her music is one of the greatest sources of comfort and company in my solitude or sadness. Just yesterday, I was feeling blue and listening to "Honeymoon", Lana Del Rey's latest release, kept me from losing my mind. Her voice is magnetic and soothing, and it's far more fun to fantasize what she means by this and that rather than focusing on what hurt me. More on "Honeymoon", I honestly didn't have high expectations for the song after reading the lyrics she posted on Instagram. It seemed pretentious in a way and very faux-artistic; the lines didn't add up to anything significant. (Why does she keep mentioning dark blue? What is honey dew?) It all seemed elusive, and the deeper meaning behind the lyrics (if there are any) were lost to me and seemingly only visible to her. Plus, a good portion of the song was just the words "honeymoon" repeated over and over again. I know that a lot of her songs are like this and I do enjoy them, but I never really realized how simple her lyrics could be until I actually took the time to read them over. My expectations didn't grow any higher when I listened to the teaser she posted on Instagram. But as usual, her songs usually hold a pleasant surprise where I fall under her spell. For "Honeymoon", that moment was right when she starts singing,
 "There are violets in your eyes, there are guns that blaze around you. There are roses in between my thighs and fire that surrounds you. It's no wonder every man in town had neither fought nor found you." 
Holy shit. That part is heavenly. Pure magic. This slow and sad song just completely metamorphosed into this wide ranging, gorgeous sounding work of art. I was stunned. I listened to that part on repeat. When listening to "Honeymoon", I highly recommend blasting it in your car or listening to it with your earphones, loud. That way, you can hear all the details far clearer and it truly matters. Without a doubt, Honeymoon will be listened on repeat for at least a week before I get tired of it.
 After listening to "Honeymoon", I just had to re-listen to all her songs I can get my hands on and let me tell you, she has made lots and lots of songs beyond the ones that she released into albums. Even as a huge fan, there are still many songs of hers that I have yet heard. I have noticed that the songs that feature in her album are more of the "seductive siren" vibe that really highlights longing, desire, romance, and mystery. Her more popular songs such as "Born to Die", "Video Games", "Blue Jeans" all have her singing in a very deep, haunting voice. However, the unreleased ones tend to have a far more playful vibe that suits the "magical manic pixie princess" side of her. My favorites would have to include "Teenage Wasteland (Prom Song Gone Wrong)", "Queen of Disaster", and "TV in Black and White". 
From the unreleased songs that I've been listening to, "Because of You" is currently my favorite song. There's a playful energy to the song, and something quite giddy and glamorous about it. This is one of those songs of her's where I feel like she's feeling nostalgic about her past love but in a happy way. As though she's looking back at these moments fondly and living in that moment. While her other songs that are nostalgic are brooding and sad, songs like "Because of You" and "Lucky Ones" really seem to reflect how much she enjoyed whatever she was in. I can totally picture her dancing at a club before noticing a man looking like a millionaire and approaching him all seductively and asking for his number "before she turns stupid" (she sounds so cute when she says this!). I can totally just see her rolling her body and staring at him playfully on top of a piano or like tossing her hair and grinning with this mischievous glint in her eye. Another song that I found relatively recently that I ADORE of her's is "Playing Dangerous". She is such a babe. Just listen to the lyrics. If I was the cop she was flirting with I'm sure I'd be wrapped around her fingers like a tangled yoyo. It's really seductive and she's more talking than singing... it's almost like a chant mixed with rap. Then of course when she sings, she sings like an angel. Just listen to it. In fact, I'll add the link right here. You know what, I'm going to add a nice little playlist for you as well. 
Since I feel like a lot of you who know Lana Del Rey are aware of songs I dub "sultry siren" because they are mostly in her released albums, I'm just going to recommend songs that have been unreleased or not as popular that hold the magical manic pixie princess vibe of her's that I appreciate. If you're completely new to Lana Del Rey and am still intrigued, I would say check out the more well known "Born to Die", "National Anthem", and "Ride". Ooh, and of course "Young and Beautiful". Some of her sultry siren songs that I'm super fond of are, "Black Beauty", "American", "Brooklyn Baby" and "Bel Air".

Lana Del Rey as Magical Manic Pixie Princess:

1. Paris

2. Queen of Disaster

3. Teenage Wasteland

4. TV in Black and White

5. Lolita

6. Serial Killer

7. Diet Mountain Dew

Estelle's favorites (excluding songs mentioned in previous playlist):

1. Black Beauty

2. Bel Air

3. Brooklyn Baby

4. Money Power Glory

5. Without You

6.  This is what makes us Girls

7. American

Hope you all enjoy my recommendations~

Hopefully, her music left you feeling magical ^^

Thoughts on Porco Rosso

Porco Rosso (the boss)

Long time no see, readers! Soooo, today, I watched two fantastic movies. Them being Hayao Miyazaki's Porco Rosso and Jake Schreier's Paper Town a film adaptation of John Green's novel of the same title. Porco Rosso was a movie that was on my "must watch" list for the longest time; I finally got to see it when I lucked out and found it available at my local library! It's one of Miyazaki's older works and was released in 1992! Honestly, I find his old movies to be the real treasures from his long and illustrious career. My brother suggested that it might be because as time passed, people tend to get less creative no matter how brilliant you are. Makes sense, I suppose. Anyways, as expected, the movie was a gem. Packed with action, GORGEOUS art, strong female characters, amazing music, and a story that is innocent and fantastic, Porco Rosso quickly moved into one of my top five from Miyazaki's films.
For those who are new to Miyazaki films, I think Spirited Away is the best film to enter his world with. It was critically highly acclaimed and shows off his interests (strong female protagonists, magic, complex antagonists, protest for the environment) and thus giving a little taste of what most of his movies are like. For something more light hearted, I would recommend The Cat Returns (one of my favorites!), Kiki's Delivery Service, and Ponyo. For something a little more intense, I would recommend Princess Mononoke (my favorite!!), Nausicaa: The Valley of the Wind, and Castle in the Sky. His movies are such a surreal and gorgeous experience, and even though I was having the worst day, Porco Rosso had me giggling and entering a gorgeous world set in the Adriatic Sea. As usual, Miyazaki's works are often strange, childlike tales interwoven with some serious deeper meanings. The movie explores concepts like identity, politics, anti-war, independence, and feminism in an utterly delightful way. The story follows Marco (known as Porco Rosso throughout the movie), the protagonist, a sea plane pilot/bounty hunter who was cursed into looking like a pig (the specifics are never given). He spends his time stopping sea pirates or chilling in his hide out (a gorgeous hidden beach), until all the pirates that he stopped decides to pay him back for all the times he stopped them. They enlist the help of Donald Curtis, an arrogant and silly American Ace who agrees via contract. Porco Rosso's plane is heavily damaged after another scuffle the sea pirates, and when Curtis chases him down, the plane completely breaks down. Rosso goes to Milan to have his plane fixed where he meets Fio, the 17 year old grand daughter of Piccolo, his mechanic who engineers his plane. They quickly development a strong friendship (and dare I say romance?), and uses their strengths to right wrongs and gain back Porco's honor.
Now from here on is going to be some spoilers! Okay, can we just appreciate how bloody beautiful Miyazaki's art is?

Stunning. Just pure gorgeousness. I can't deal. When we were shown Gina's home/future hotel, I was blown away. It's pure paradise. A gorgeous home for a gorgeous gal. Okay, so Gina is such a babe.

Gina (the babe)

She is Porco's friend, three time widow, and the crush of every sea pilot back in the day. She is respected by both pirates and pilots alike just oozes glam, charm, sophistication, and beauty. We're introduced to her singing some stunning French song and how can someone not fall in love with her? She's one of the few characters that Miyazaki designed with obvious amount of make up with her signature sea foam colored eye shadow and plump pink lips. The only character with that much noticeable make up from the films I've seen of his is probably Lottie from Howl's Moving Castle. And Gina's voice. Oh Lord. Pure sex. So distinct. It was no other than Susan Egan the voice actress for the sultry Megara in Hercules and the amazing best friend Lin from Spirited Away. She is such a talented actress. I found Gina's role in the film to be very interesting. She is so respectable and loved by all but so alone! And we soon find out that it's because she's waiting for Porco Rosso's signs of affection. Porco Rosso clearly respects her. Admires her even. But I'm honestly not certain how he feels about her. Sure, there was that scene when he turned beet red when Curtis was trying to knock him out and explaining that Gina liked him... but his chemistry with Fio is so strong!! Before I get into his chemistry with Fio, lemme just tell you all what a bomb character she is. She's an extremely talented and hard working engineer. She won't bow down to sexist bullshit. She commands the respect of an entire fleet of seaplane pirates by discussing honor. She becomes friends with a woman who could've easily been pegged as her rival. She shows courage even when's nervous. She's bright eyed and bushy tailed and just an overall cheerful cutie.

Fio (the cutie)

 I mean, there's the whole attraction from the beginning kind of thing. And everyone constantly calls her cute and pretty. Porco also admires the guts she displays in front of the pirates and her skills as an engineer. Furthermore, when he sees her changing in the beach, he blushes. He also fights to keep her away from Curtis! (Of course, it may simply because he doesn't think Curtis deserves her) And he clearly becomes human because he is kissed by her. There's just so many signs!! However, just based on the age gap between Porco Rosso and Fio (Which is constantly brought up throughout the movie), I doubt that would be the case simply because I feel like Miyazaki wouldn't support that. Also, it's SO rare to see obvious romantic attraction in Miyazaki's film. Love is a major theme in his movies, but there's nothing romantic about the love he portrays in film--it's all very companionate. There's something delightfully childlike and innocent about the love he portrays on screen. The only objections (as in really apparent chemistry) I can find are probably Sophie and Howl's case and Sosuke and Ponyo's case (which was also pretty innocent--kinda like puppy love?). So, it was really difficult for me to arbitrarily establish Porco's relationship with Fio as something romantic just based on Miyazaki's other works and because there was also Gina in the picture. I'm also very reluctant to describe their relationship as a love triangle (between Porco, Gina, and Fio). The movie made it clear that Gina and Fio become very good friends, and I don't think Porco would be torn to choose between the two. Even as a known womanizer, I doubt he would want to wreck his relationship with either of the women by hurting the other or by choosing one over the other. Yet, the movie closes by suggesting that whether Gina's bet (someone will find her in the garden and fall in love with her) came true or not is their secret. Which means... if it is true, Porco fell in love with Gina. If not, who knows what his relationship is with either women post-canon. Honestly, it's hard not to linger upon the romantic relationships Porco Rosso may develop because the film did happen to end with an open ending specifically suggesting that Porco may or may not have fallen for Gina. It would be the safer choice to have Marco end up with Gina rather than Fio, but who knows? Apparently, Miyazaki was planning on making Porco Rosso 2 if his next few movies after Ponyo were a suggest. Unfortunately, it never happened... and it probably never will because Miyazaki retired. <cries> What is certain by the end of the film though is that Fio maintained her badass attitude, skill, and ambition because she becomes Piccolo's president, Gina is still the amazing, business savvy babe that brings all the pirates together, and Porco Rosso is back to becoming a human! At first, I thought him becoming human again is simply because of the kiss but after researching a bit, I am most happy with this idea! It was Gina's love and Fio's innocence that turned him back into a human. Her kiss carried the innocence that Porco Rosso thought humanity had lost. According to a press conference, Porco Rosso became a pig because he lost his faith in humanity after the war. Miyazaki stated that "When a man becomes middle-aged, he becomes a pig". Basically, because of all the emotional baggage he carried, he decided to stop becoming a human and transform into a pic. How bizarre. How very Miyazaki. Ooh, I love this bit, (I just copied and pasted it from this link), "The official story goes as follows: Captain Marco Pagot (named after an Italian animator, who is a friend of Miyazaki) was an ace pilot of the Italian Air Force during World War I. He quit the IFA since he saw fascism on the rise, and he wanted to fly following his own will. He became a bounty hunter, assuming the name "Porco Rosso". He crossed out his own face as a young man in the picture that Gina had hung on the wall of her restaurant, so that no one would know what he looked like as a human.
Miyazaki said that Porco once intended to marry Gina, but then World War I broke out, and Gina was living on an island which was Austrian territory. As a military officer, he could not bring himself to marry an enemy national. Torn between his loyalty to his home country and his love for Gina, he chose his country. But when he witnessed the deaths of his fellow pilots, including that of his best friend (Gina's husband), he started wondering about the meaning of his actions, and the meaning of flying and dying for his country. Unable to resolve the conflicts in his mind, he became a pig."
Man, leave it to Miyazaki to turn a children's movie into some deep movie about serious conflict and depth. Well, reading that snippets from that link really did explain a lot of the questions I had. With this explanation, I believe the reason why he didn't turn back into a human the first time Fio kissed him on the cheek. Thinking about it, Gina says don't break another girl's heart, and he doesn't by letting Fio go. Instead of pursuing his own interests in a pig-headed way (heh, a pun--by the way, tons of pig puns in the English dubbed version), he considers what is best for Fio. Perhaps the pureness of her intentions and the purity of his acceptance of that kiss is what made him turn back into human. Once again, Miyazaki suggests that love is the answer to the most difficult issues we can possibly encounter. Overall, I just felt like this movie was a very refreshing change. It has been a while since I saw traditional 2D animation, and I missed the sense of wonder I felt from Miyazaki's previous works. Honestly, I was pretty disappointed with movies starting from Ponyo. Although Ponyo and The Borrower Arrietty still had that magical element that makes his films unique, there was something missing that captured me like his previous works did. Porco Rosso contained a certain energy that kept me hooked on the screen, and had me rooting for the characters. As usual, the antagonists Miyazaki portrays are incredibly vibrant characters with more than just the typical antagonist traits of EVIL. They are daring, funny, charming, and thoroughly entertaining. I love the strength and the guts that the characters show. The humor. The personality. It really takes a genius to incorporate something as dark and intense as fascism into a children's movie without freaking out kids. Even when discussing such themes, the film maintained a good vibe and I really love how blatant Miyazaki's support for feminism is in this movie. I mean, a team of women working on a plane. A female engineer. A female hotel owner. I love it.
As per usual, in my film reviews I include a brief paragraph about my favorite scenes. Sooo, to cut to the chase, as mentioned earlier, I LOVED just looking at Gina's home. The setting shots were just gorgeous cutting from the lush garden to the patio. I also thoroughly appreciated the scene when Porco Rosso flashbacks to the time when he rose up to meet his dead comrades and there's that milky way and you're just left wondering, what is that? Are those birds? Is this like Spirited Away? Is it paper? Is it stars? No! It's planes! It's a milky way or a stream of clouds made of fighter planes. So gorgeous. The scene where Porco Rosso is eating spaghetti with all the female relatives was a gem as well! That prayer inclusion, that spaghetti (it looked so bomb), and of course, the entire scene where all those women were working! So great. Another favorite would have to be the scene where Fio is swimming in the bay after she confesses that she was so nervous. She's just so innocent and adorable and strong and brilliant and swimming after stripping down to her undies like it's no big deal just won me over. Oh and I can't forget those cute little girls when the pirate first attacks. They were so frigging cute!!!!! I died when they were like we are all part of the swim club and just dives out casually into the ocean. 
All in all, I give the movie an 8.5/10. It was fast. It was entertaining. It carried a significant meaning. It had gorgeous art. The music was fantastic (God bless Joe Hisaishi). It made me want to fly to Italy, dress like I'm in the 30s, and fly around islands. It was made by Miyazaki. Need I say more?

This was really fun to write and I will definitely post more thoughts on movies. With all the time I have this summer, movies were one of my favorite ways to spend time. I actually have a couple of movie reviews from tumblr I will paste over here for your enjoyment! Hope this review inspires you to watch Porco Rosso! I will post my thoughts on Paper Towns tomorrow!

Romantic Princess Pt. 1

The poorly made paper fan that I had folded up a couple of hours ago was utterly useless against the sweltering summer heat. Even under the shadowy embrace of my massive rainbow beach umbrella, the sun somehow still managed to remind me of its omnipotent presence. I tossed the paper fan aside and reached for my pen and a sheet of paper. 'I might as well make the most of my time here', I thought glumly. Twirling my pen absentmindedly, I racked my brain for a cute date idea. In this goddamn heat, if I had a boyfriend, all I'd want to do is stay inside and sit right besides the air conditioner all day. But that was a shit idea and definitely not worth anyone's dollar. Instead in neat cursive letters, I wrote, "Take the 2B bus to the Old Town ice cream factory! They have a small museum where you can learn about the history of ice cream, how they make their ice cream, and have a free taste test of all their different flavors! Tickets are only $5! On days over 92 degrees, they even offer a free carton of ice cream! The best part? Behind the the telephone booth inside is a speak easy that serve spiked affogattos and other yummy treats!", folded it up, and tossed it into the 'date' box. Michelle, my roommate, would not be happy about me writing this idea because the speak easy was one of her sacred study spots but beggars can't be choosers. 'There's one idea,' I mused. 'What else would be fun on a miserably hot day like this?' I fiddled with my pen racking my brain for ideas when a shadow leered over my desk. I hastily looked up to see two girls surveying the display on the table. With a wide smile, I said in a sing songy voice, "Hello! My name is Lucy, welcome to the Romantic Princess booth! How may I help you?" "Hi Lucy! We're just looking, thanks," said the brunette. "No problem! As you can see, there's 5 different boxes ranging from date ideas all the way down to proposal ideas! For a dollar, you can draw one idea from any of the boxes! I guarantee that each idea is original and extraordinary! If not, you get your money back!" The girls giggled, before taking a look at the boxes. I tapped my fingers on my thighs in anticipation. If they decide to buy an idea, that means I had made $17 in the past two hours.
 Unsurprisingly, even in this terrible weather, Fairway Park was packed with tourists, artists, performers, and random booths. Mine included. Ever since the movie "Fairway Park" was filmed here a couple years back, this park had become a huge attraction. What was once a community of street artists and local folks now became one of the top destinations to visit in LA. Thus, it wasn't surprising to see tourists taking pictures by the tree where Chris Evans proposed to Anne Hathaway or look through the many, many booths that sold "Fairway Park" merchandise while blasting the soundtrack from the movie on repeat. Thankfully, my little booth was far, far away from those booths. My little section was a 6 foot by 6 foot mat wedged between Shao Feng, an old man who played pretty tunes on the zither and Markus, a junior at UCSB who owns a high powered telescope where he'd charge $3 for a look through it. I tried it once and got to see Mars and a couple of stars which Markus gladly explained in great detail. Across the path from my booth was Sasha's where she sells cute bracelets from shells and stuff. This place was where I spent my Saturday and Sunday afternoons, hanging out with fellow street side self-employed people and mingling with tourists.
"Alright, we'll take two," said the brunette. She passed me two bucks and I grinned. "For sure! Have you decided which boxes?"
The girls looked at each other and giggled again. The brunette smiled mischievously before grabbing a sheet from the "foreplay" box. Her friend laughed and asked her to read it out loud.
"Cover your significant other's eyes for a taste test. From strawberry jam to jalapenos, let them have a taste and yearn for more! Of course, no treat is yummier than your lips!" The brunette smile coyly as she wrapped her arm around her friend's waist, "Huh, guess we ought to try that now."
Op! Her girlfriend blushed before reaching for the date idea. She smiled softly and showed it to the brunette who giggled. "Huh, this sounds fun. Wanna ditch our plan to go to the movies and head to Toys R Us?" She nodded with a smile before turning to me.
"This is a really cool idea! Thanks!"
I smiled back, "No problem! Have fun you two, and don't get caught!" They laughed jovially before sauntering off.

xx

After the two girls left, business got slow again and I was left silent and burning. Shao Feng's steady playing which is usually soothing was now an aggravating reminder of how slow time was passing and how the weather didn't seem to be getting any cooler soon. I sighed as I reached for my water bottle only to find out that it was empty. Damn it. "Shao Feng, watch my booth for me!" He gave me a nod before resuming his playing.

 Grabbing my purse and the water bottle, I stood up, straightened my shorts, and headed over to the trash can. After tossing the bottle, I noticed the snack vendor and felt my stomach growl. Two kids were eating ice cream and even though I'm not fond of mint n' chip, their's looked amazing. Fuck. Did I really want to use the 2 bucks I just attained. No. Yes. No. Yes. No. Even with my inner dilemma, my feet seemed to walk on it's own and I was standing in the line with three other kids. When it was my turn, I gave a pained smile to the vendor still debating if this was worth it. 'I waited in line for it. It would be rude to just walk out now.' I reached for my wallet and pulled out the two dollars. "Hi, can I have a crazy cone with strawberry ice cream, please?" He reached down to grab a cone and artfully twirled the ice cream till it sat perkily on the delicious chocolate covered cone. He then doused it in sprinkles before handing it to me.

"That will be four dollars," he said monotonously. 

"Wait, what?" I gripped my two bucks tensely. That price was ridiculous. "I'm sorry," I began cordially, "just three days ago, it cost two dollars."

"Nope. It's four dollars. You must have heard wrong."

I stared at him, appalled, when realization kicked in. "Ohhh, you think I'm a tourist or something, right? Well, you're wrong. I work in the booth just one street down from here." I pointed to my booth on the other side of the street. I beamed at him before whispering conspiringly, "I know you over charge the tourists. All the locals know that the ice cream only costs 2 bucks."

He rolled his eyes. "If you don't have the money, you can't have the ice cream." God fucking damnit. I know he is lying. I've been to this store many, many times and it's always 2 bucks. What is this guy's problem? Is he new? Does he have a grudge against me? The 2 bucks in my hand were getting sweaty and crumpled as I gripped it harder and harder. I am about to die and all I want is that fucking ice cream cone in his hand. Why is he making this so hard?

"Look," I tried again, "I've been coming here forever. You can't just double the price out of nowhere!" 

"Look miss, unless you can pay for the ice cream, please get out of the line."

"Yeah!" I turned shocked to see five red, pissy faces staring back at me. "If you're not going to buy the ice cream, could you move so I can get some?" A little boy glared at me challengingly. 

What a fucking brat. "You know what you little brat, I'm trying to set the truth here! Why don't you mind your own bu--"Here, I got it," a tanned hand reached past my face and handed the money before passing the ice cream to me.

"Thank you," I said awkwardly as I turned to face the stranger. My eyes widened as I took in his appearance. Bless my stars, he was beautiful. With olive skin, close cropped dark hair, chiseled cheekbones, broad shoulders, and his toned calves--"Hey, if you could move out of the way. I'm trying to place some orders." I blinked. Quickly, I stepped aside and let him pass.

"Oh sorry. Thanks, again." I smiled sheepishly.

He gave me a quick glance and muttered a no problem. Even his voice sounded nice. I grinned before dazedly walking back to my booth. I stared at my half melted ice cream, before gingerly taking a lick. I blushed imagining that it was his lips. I'm going to preserve this ice cream cone forever. This has to be fate. It just has to be. When I reached my booth I was giggling manically. I grabbed my pen and paper and scribbled furiously. Inspiration was surrounding me. Could this be love?

Inspired by: http://fuckingconversations.tumblr.com/post/71945524861/karenfelloutofbedagain-theonewholovesbooks

Trailer Talk

Okay, for those of you who didn't know, one of my favorite things to do to is watch movie trailers. Yep. I can't get enough of those teasers that provide us with just enough information to let us determine whether it's worth watching or not. Well, yesterday, I was watching random trailers and decided to share with you just a couple of animated movies that I'm super excited about!
So far in the year of 2015, there were maybe two animated movies that really seemed to have sparked public interest, Inside Out and Home. Even as an avid fan of animated movies, I have chosen not watch Home and don't intend to watch Inside Out anytime soon. Personally, I find the plot to be unoriginal simply because I am familiar with two other short animated films that deal with similar concepts, one being a World War II propaganda created by Disney. The apathy towards the film is especially strong because I had high expectations for its next film because I have always been impressed with Pixar's ability to create stories that are so creative and unique. I mean, a house that flies to South America through balloons, a car that goes through some major character development, and a world powered by the screams of children... these are one of a kind ideas! Inside Out, not so much. Furthermore, I am not 100% sold on the idea that it is our emotions that manipulate (or should I use "motivate") our being. However, even with my hesitance, Inside Out is doing incredibly well in the box office placing up as the second highest grossing film from Pixar. With the release of Inside Out, it seems that companies are hurriedly trying to promote their own upcoming animated features. Trailers from different companies have been released nearly all at the same time! Unfortunately, a majority of the movies are to be released in 2016 rather than this year. I already have high hopes for 2016 simply because of Moana, but after seeing these trailers, I have added a couple more movies to my must watch list!

Anticipations:

The Little Prince (2015) is an animated feature adapted from the novel by Antoine De Saint-Exupery and words cannot express how excited I am to see this movie! This has been one of my favorite books since I first read it in elementary school, and the fact that it has been turned into a movie is so thrilling! A fusion of stop motion animation and CGI, the trailer hints at one stunning movie. The papery texture of the characters and the scenery when retelling the story of the little prince is exquisite and so delicate. It seems to capture De Saint-Exupery's drawings perfectly. Just based on this clip, the writers and the director seem to have done a really great job of retelling the story in a way that is more relatable to children today while still retaining the major themes of innocence, curiosity, knowledge, kindness, and love. PS the Fox's voice actor is James Franco. I am quite surprised he took on a project like this and I am eager to see how he plays the role of the wise fox.

The Secret Life of Pets (2016) is quite a new direction Illumination Entertainment is heading for and I am liking what I'm seeing in the trailer. Honestly, I find the bubbly yellow minions growing a little stale, and I am eager to see what Illumination Ent. has to bring after the movie flop, Hop. Dubbed as "the Toy Story but with pets", the movie will explore what goes on behind closed doors when it comes to our pets. Unlike most pet movies, this movie explores not only cats and dogs but fishes and birds too which was a small but noticeable difference that I appreciate. The ending of the trailer was hilarious, and there was a quaint charm to the entire trailer. I was especially drawn to the details put into each home. Whoever chose the color schemes and the furniture for each apartment did amazing because each felt so warm and homey. I can just picture myself with my dog in one of those pretty little places. I love the color scheme of the movie, and each character seems so unique; I can't wait to see how they will interact and create a story within the movie.
Zootopia (2016) was an unexpected addition to my list. When I first heard of this movie, I thought it would be another one of Disney's wildlife film like Whispers but lo and behold, it turned out to be an animated movie! There's some kind of charm to this trailer that made me watch it over and over again. Dare I say, it reminds me of Wes Anderson's Fantastic Mr. Fox; firstly, because the narrator is a fox and secondly, because he is a witty fox. Hah! I really like the voice actor for the fox. Turns out he's Jason Bateman... that name doesn't ring a bell for me, but this isn't his first time as a voice actor! He was also in Arthur and the Invisibles in 2006! Either way, he sold his character and I am digging it! The rabbit is also so cute... like The Secret Lie of Pets, this movie also hints at a story full of wild possibilities and I am anticipating a lot out of the movie!