the fire.

"You came to celebrate,
I came to celebrate,
I hate losing.

I refuse to make
the same mistakes."

- The Roots ft. John Legend

There’s something in your heart,
and its in your eyes
It’s the fire, inside you
Let it burn

we stomped.

had a grand ole time grape picking and stomping with my girls at the messina hof winery in bryan, tx. i was long overdue for a estrogen packed weekend. it's so difficult nowadays to get such a huge group of my dynamic friends together for organized alcoholic debauchery...it was so funny how the owner kept calling us the yaya sisters....so glad my sister had the time and patience to coordinate with everyone. thatsah goodah! oh yeah...i highly recommend Messina Hof's Mama Maria Rose Wine for a sweet wine.

burst my bubble.

Melvin Sokolsky's spread circa 1963 in Harper's Bazaar called "The Bubble Series," depicting models in fancy clothes floating above the Seine River. The bubble creates the feeling that the women are untouchable and in an entirely different league to all the regular schmucks. Some kind of ethereal, glamorous league. Why can't I go through life just floating in a bubble without a care in the world? or do I?

violent concept.

And I wrote two hundred letters

I won't ever send
Somehow it is cut so much
Deeper then they seem
You'd rather cover up
I'd rather let them be
So let me be
And I'll set you free

- maroon 5

Maroon 5's new "Misery" video is a gleefully over-the-top affair, full of cartoonish, wanton violence, nifty stunt work and special effects, and a whole lot of good-natured wink-wink-ery. Adam Levine is supremely handsome and cocksure. Turns out, he's indestructible ... though many are out to injure him, and no matter how many messes he makes, it's the other guys who ultimately end up getting hurt, and, really, no one notices when they do.

Of course, to hear Levine tell it, the video is also about "the sexual energy between two people," and maybe it is, but I'd prefer to give Levine, a bit of credit for poking fun at archetypes, for being smart and even a bit understated. There's just something so hot about throwing a guy against a wall and planting a kiss on him. mmmhmm!!

tickle me bold.

One of the few important questions always comes to mind when I go out to meet up the girls for a drink or even go on the prowl: "what statement do i want to make?" Oftentimes, the answer's sexy, smart, and bold. Print dresses is a way that can make that fashion statement.

I especially love the Jackson Pollack inspired dresses. Abstract Expressionism are one of my fav art movements. As for the shoes, Espadrilles are a must this season and these Lauren by Ralph Lauren espadrilles are perfect with a towering high wedge heel. These will look great with jeans, dresses and shorts. Marc by Marc Jacobs purse too!

what are you fighting for.

So you think I'm alone?
But being alone's the only way to be
When you step outside
You spend life fighting for your sanity

This is a cold war
You better know what you're fighting for
This is a cold war
Do you know what you're fighting for?

- janelle monae

oh, ryan.

voltron girl.

Awwwz yeaah...this is one kick-ass Voltron girl! If I had a daughter..I can assure you that she will be one of those girls who can sport a costume like this and put little boys to shame. That's right...no kid of mine will ever wear a fufu princess costume or play the damsel in distress. I applaud the parents who went to great lengths to make this Voltron costume for a girl - no less. Cartoons nowadays aren't like how they used to be when I was a kid growing up in the 80's.

wishful shopping.

"Know first who you are; and then adorn
yourself accordingly." - Euripides

modern slavery.

Human Trafficking is modern day slavery. It comes in many forms. Forced prostitution, bonded debt labor, child soldiers, domestic servitude. Can’t believe it’s still around? Actually, it’s bigger today than ever before. “A woman or child sold into prostitution can earn up to $150,000 annually for a crime boss,” according to a 2003 report by Melvin Levitsky titled Transnational Criminal Networks and International Security. No wonder the crime is so prevalent and attractive to criminals that it earns $10-12 Billion dollars a year!

Ever since I started working at non-profit it has definitely opened my eyes to issues that affect more and more women. One of them being Human Trafficking. I always heard and saw on the media of women being sold into slavery, but I never really got to meet anyone or help anyone until now through immigration processing. Shit. It's something I would never want anyone to endure. I just wish there was something more that I could do. How can people be so sick and twisted to force a child into prostitution?

erase me.

It's like I'm her new nightmare, she ain't escaping
It makes me feel a bit complete, yeah
Knowing someone you love don't
feel the same way about ya
Memories they soon delete, hmmm

- kid cudi ft. kanye west

happy 4th of july.

Do I really want to sit around in the humidity and hot muggy weather drinking beer and goofing around with my friends on Independence Day? Answer: Why the hell not?!! Can't wait until I get a cold brewsky in my little asian hands. I was never a big fan of beer until I started going to Saint Arnold's Brewery. Plus, hanging out with beer-drinking cousins and a pub fanatic sister are rubbing off on me. Yesterday, my eccentric friends and I went to Hubbell and Hudson, a fine market and bistro establisment, in the Woodlands and found myself in the midst of a Beer and Cheese Festival. It was great! FREE BEER TASTING!

Here's a beer that I thoroughly enjoyed during my beer adventure! Hoegaarden White Beer...maybe I like it because it has the word hoe in it (shrugs)...no, not really, but it was tasty going down the hatch. Thumbs up! Honorable mentions were Blanche de Brussels, Singha, Paulaner Oktoberfest, Xingu Black Beer, and Honey Moon Summer Ale.

it's OK to be single.

I hate explaining why I’m single. Please, riddle me this, why are you in a relationship? Does the answer “because I have support, someone to come home to, get lots of presents” sound that much better than “because I like freedom, being able to do whatever I want, go on lots of dates”?

When people ask me why I’m single, I usually let my ego answer. People always give you the schpeel, “but you’re so pretty! smart! funny! talented!” insert a million other adjectives. And yeah. I am fucking sexy, smart, good at what I do, really good at what I do on the side, fun, and well-raised. But if I am all-kinds-of-awesome, shouldn’t it technically mean that it would be harder to find someone just as awesome?

I hate when people say, “but he’s so nice!” Why do I have to settle for nice and smart when they get to enjoy the whole package? Why as a woman am I told that I MUST be everything, but settle for less?

Let’s pretend for a second that I am a university. I am a Tier 1 University. I have a beautiful campus, great academics, excellent athletics, a whole plethora of interesting activities, a great night life, affordable housing, etc. I am a kick-fucking-ass University. Tons of people apply to get in me. If I read through the first 30 applications and was like, “hmm, you’ve got OK grades… I see you’re not that great of an athlete. Aw, but look, you volunteer sometimes with kids. I guess you’re OK, sure, you’re in.”

No. Fuck. That. I am a kick-fucking-ass University and there are thousands of applications. Just because Mediocre applied, doesn’t mean he gets in. I am a great University, and I will accept only the best. That’s why I’m single, bitch.

i tell myself.

only exception.

Maybe I know somewhere deep in
my soul that love never lasts.
And we've got to find other ways
to make it alone or keep a straight face.
And I've always lived like this
keeping a comfortable, distance.

And up until now I swore to myself
that I'm content with loneliness,
'cause none of it was ever worth the risk.

- paramore

flower me.

peonies and hydrangeas make me happy!

brownie pillow cookies

Ingredients:

1 package brownie mix

1 cup butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs, plus 1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
12 oz. bag miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips

courtesy of bakerella.com

wishful shopping

Day and Night looks I wish I could have right now! Sophisticated, elegant, and sexy are three things I try to incorporate into my wardrobe. The key to a nice outfit is to be comfortable, simple and to choose the right accessories. Inspiration of how I dress and act is my mother. She is my true icon. I love you mommy! Thanks for all the sacrifices you had to make in order for me to live.

dear loner.

There’s been some hostility towards you and I do have my reasons. The smart ass remarks are just a natural quality of mine, but I can't help but wonder why you would do and say those things without knowing how they would affect me. Random texts to ask how I’m doing just makes me miss you. I think you would have saved me less confusion if you had just let whatever happened that night be a memory.

Even though whatever time we spent together was short-lived. I feel as if whatever we had was more than just lust because I actually care what happens to you. There was an instance where my mom caught me smiling when I was washing the dishes while I was thinking of you. Strange....I feel butterflies in my stomach whenever I’m around you, every time you kissed me my heart would race and when you held my hand it felt right.

Somehow you touched my heart and usually that’s not an easy task because I believe men are assholes or maybe I'm just a sucker for jerks and like a challenge. I really don’t know what your intentions were, at this point I don’t really care to know. I am a silly girl out there that actually liked you for who you are, laughed at your cheesy jokes and seen you grow up to be somewhat of a man from the first time that I met you. I know deep down inside that rugged exterior lays a good heart and you deserve someone just as caring to put up with all your quirks and flaws, as do I. There are a lot of things that I feel we see eye-to-eye like how we treat and value our family and friends and those are the real reasons behind why I like you. I wish it wasn’t so hard to see you or much less talk to you. If you truly believe that I’m much better off dating someone else then so be it. Just don't treat me like I'm a convenience of yours. I deserve better. Hopefully, I can still have you in my life whether it be friends or lovers.

Life is too short to dwell on the past.

yours truly,

one badass chick