Weekend Recap: Momma's Birthday!

27 July 2015

weekend recap

Weekend Recap: Momma's Birthday!

This past weekend was definitely an interesting one! Not only was it extremely hot, to the point where I actually did not want to leave my nice cool home, but the momma bear has officially turned 55 years old! It kinda makes me sad, seeing my mom get older and older... it makes you realize that its good to spend as much time as you can with your parents. That is why, this past weekend, my family and I went out of our way to just make her feel special! 

Saturday was her birthday - so, we decided to take her to Mandarin buffet! She absolutely loves anything buffet, she thinks its the best way to get your money's worth. Plus, we knew that she wanted that photo the Mandarin staff takes when "surprising" the birthday guest with a cake/cupcake. That was fun, and absolutely just great to spend time with the family - just the 4 of us. 

That night however, my mom wanted to stay in at home instead of going out. Because she will be leaving for a vacation trip in just a few days, she decided that she should really finish up her packing. And, she allowed me to spend the night at Jay's brother's 26th birthday BBQ. I kind of felt bad, like my mom was testing me to see if I would really leave, but she assured me that she was okay with it. That BBQ... well, if I am being honest here, I would have rather stayed home with my mom. I did not enjoy myself... well, for the most part. 

Sunday, again we decided to take her out to Chako - a Korean grill house where you, believe it or not, cook or own meat! I thought it was a great experience overall! It is definitely something I would love to come back to with friends. Afterwards, we went shopping at a Premium Outlet Mall. They had high end stores - like Kate Spade, Michael Kors, Coach, etc - in the mall... for an OUTLET price. It was fun. We shopped till I literally dropped into a bench on the side. 

We came home, and it was just low-key great. Spent the rest of the night indoors. I really have to say, quality time with my parents trumps all. Happy 55th mother dearest <3 div="">

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Silent Sunday #60

26 July 2015

silent sunday

Silent Sunday #60

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Silent Sunday #59

19 July 2015

silent sunday

Silent Sunday #59

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Typography Creation! | #AnInspiredSeason

14 July 2015

An Inspired Season

Typography Creation! | #AnInspiredSeason

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Hello, hello! Today is the fourth day of the #AnInspiredSeason hosted by both the lovely Bailey and Katie! Today's prompt is: Pick a verse for your season and create something based on it (a blog post, a painting, a poem, anything you're inspired to make)!

As mentioned in my previous posts, I am describing my "season" as a mist. If you don't quite understand why, it is because I feel confused. Confused about where I will and should be in my near future. I am soon graduating from university, and I literally have no plans afterwards. I don't know if I am even certain about going into certain career, or completely do a 360 and go into a different career direction. Beside being confused with that, I am confused about everything about me. So, like the mist, whether you are driving or walking, it is hard to sometimes see what is in front of you. That is exactly how I feel. I don't know what is to come. 

But, like how at the end of the tunnel there is light.. I truly believe that a clearer day is to come after a mist. I can only hope the same will shortly happen for me! 

For today's, I decided to create a mini typography to remind myself of the good that is in store for me. Hopefully, this will inspire you as well to stay in the positive! 

P.S. I made this really fast, and I know it isn't the best; but this is something I wanted to do. So, I already know I need to do more typography practice! But the point is to just don't give up! :) 

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Weekend Recap: Brown Fam Jam

13 July 2015

family

Weekend Recap: Brown Fam Jam

In case you don't already know, I am half Sri Lankan. So, as a fellow (half) brown girl, I do have my fair share of attending a lot of the typical, of what we call, "brown fam jams". They are usually fun, depending on the event. Like, I personally like attending weddings! I just think everything, and everyone is just absolutely beautiful.

This past weekend my cousin and his very beautiful wife celebrated their first son's first birthday. In our culture, you do big parties for a son's first birthday, first communion, the occasional confirmation, and later a wedding. For the daughters, you do big parties for when you become a woman - basically a puberty party letting everyone know you are a "big girl". Crazy, I know.

Back to the recap of this post, my cousin, sister and I decided to go shopping the day before the party. Which is usually a big no-no, especially if you were to wear a sari... blouses just does not take a day to make. So on the search for buying sari's and punjavi's, somehow we successfully completed our shopping within 5 hours. AND we ate. Yay us!

Saturday was such a mission, for me. I had word in the morning and I actually asked if I was able to leave early. Thankfully I was, because the stress of getting to my cousins place to get ready was just a mess. My hair was not to my liking, and the underskirt for my sari was just way too tight. But, that all didn't seem to matter when we arrived and just had fun with one another and our other cousins.

Overall, the night was great! I personally had fun being with family. But, after a long morning at work, and a long night at a loud party with full-of-energy cousins, I was just exhausted by the end of the night. I personally wish I took more photos of the cousin on my phone. Because now I am just waiting for them to send me the photos of us in groups...

On the Sunday, my cousin and I decided to just have a chill day and hung out with the hubbies. We went to Kelsey's and ate wings and the guys drank beer. We chilled for a bit afterwards just talking about everything, and putting each other on blast. It was an honestly great way to end the weekend with those I actually enjoy spending time with! 

It really was a great weekend! I cannot wait to be spending more with the cousins before the school year in September starts!

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Book Review: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

10 July 2015

book review

Book Review: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Can't you tell I'm doing a John Green book marathon? I actually read this book right after I finished reading Paper Towns and blogged about it (my Paper Town summary HERE). So, it has been a month since I finished reading it, but I thought it would be better to space out my book reviews, since I usually don't have this much time to read books while in school. To me, this makes sense... Anyways, to the book review..  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Summary

According to Goodreads:

Despite the timor-shrinking medical miracle that has brought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's is about to be completely rewritten.

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My Thoughts

Let me be completely honest here; never have I ever laugh or cried this much from reading a book. The Fault in Our Stars was just perfect - presenting a romantic love story between Augustus Waters and Hazel Grace, in the most realistic way possible. John Green did an amazing job with this one. 

Hazel

I loved her. I loved everything about her. She is completely the most down to earth character I've read, and I wish I had a friend with her sense of humour and her no bullshit attitude. I loved sitting down and reading what she was thinking about. She wasn't a boring character, nor an annoying character. I loved her! 

Augustus 

He was just... the perfect guy in the most unexpected way. His sense of humour is definitely one I've never come across in real life; and every move he makes, is just meaningful, if not for himself, then for others. I wouldn't mind having a friend like him - he was so great with Isaac. (Side note: I loved their friendship!) 

Augustus and Hazel... wow. What a love story they have. From the beginning, I was emotionally invested in their story. I was basically like their third-wheel best friend who is always there at their dates, not ruining their date or anything, but just admiring their cuteness.  However, their love story honestly is so much more than a love story, their story demonstrates that people who are sick, can/will also have the privilege of experiencing falling in love. And these two, remain in love until the very end.

I really enjoyed this book. I fell in love with Augustus and Hazel, I fell in love with both sets of parents (who were all just hilarious), and of course I fell in love with Isaac. Every character, was just so perfect. So over, I fell in love with this book.

It is a beautiful story that really did touch my heart, and honestly, I am thankful to John Green for having this much of an impact. The Fault in Our Stars definitely send out an nonprejudicial message of love.  

Favourite Quotes:

• "Maybe our okay will be our always" 
• “Oh, I wouldn't mind, Hazel Grace. It would be a privilege to have my heart broken by you.” 
• "As he read, I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, and then all at once."
• “I'm in love with you," he said quietly.
  
  "Augustus," I said.
  
  "I am," he said. He was staring at me, and I could see the corners of his eyes crinkling. "I'm in love with you, and I'm not in the business of denying myself the simple pleasure of saying true things. I'm in love with you, and I know that love is just a shout into the void, and that oblivion is inevitable, and that we're all doomed and that there will come a day when all our labor has been returned to dust, and I know the sun will swallow the only earth we'll ever have, and I am in love with you.” 
• “There are infinite numbers between 0 and 1. There's .1 and .12 and .112 and an infinite collection of others. Of course, there is a bigger infinite set of numbers between 0 and 2, or between 0 and a million. Some infinities are bigger than other infinities. A writer we used to like taught us that. There are days, many of them, when I resent the size of my unbounded set. I want more numbers than I'm likely to get, and God, I want more numbers for Augustus Waters than he got. But, Gus, my love, I cannot tell you how thankful I am for our little infinity. I wouldn't trade it for the world. You gave me a forever within the numbered days, and I'm grateful.” 
• "Some infinities are bigger than other infinities."
• "You don't get to choose if you get hurt in this world...but you do have some say in who hurts you. I like my choices.” 

My Rating:  5/5 
I fell in love with this book.

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A Bucket List For My Season | #AnInspiredSeason

09 July 2015

An Inspired Season

A Bucket List For My Season | #AnInspiredSeason

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Hey again, today is the third day of the #AnInspiredSeason hosted by both the lovely Bailey and Katie! And, as briefly noted in my very descriptive title, today's prompt: write a bucket list that's FOR your current season (focusing on things you can do and what to do in the very near future, rather than dreams for what you hope is ahead). 

As mentioned in my latest blog post for this series, I feel like I am in the season of mist. So, below is the bucket list I've created to share with you what I will be doing in order to get out of the mist to have some clarity in my life, especially the future.

#AnInspiredSeason Bucket List

• Go to more outdoor events (i.e., Pan-am games possibly?; Rib fests)
• Do more good without expecting anything in return 
• Spend more quality time with the family 
• Get an internship
• Volunteer in a hospital 
• Ask more questions (especially on things I am confused about) 
• Go on a weekend trip with friends 
• Buy a desert cook book and cook every recipe! 
• Dye my hair a completely different colour (I'm thinking red..)
• Graduate from university 
• Travel to somewhere hot:  Cuba, Jamaica!
• Learn Sign Language (this has something to do with a possible career!) 

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My Season in Pictures | #AnInspiredSeason

07 July 2015

An Inspired Season

My Season in Pictures | #AnInspiredSeason

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Before I continue with this post, I think it is important for me to clarify that this post will not consist of pictures of my summer thus far; I know such a misleading title. However, this title is actually the prompt for the second day of the #AnInspiredSeason hosted by both the lovely Bailey and Katie! And, as noted by the title of this post, today's prompt: Describe your current season in pictures! 

As I clearly forgot to mention and explain the season I am currently in on the first an inspired season post (click HERE to view that), I'd thought I quickly explain my season. 

I am in a mist season. Like the misty weather, I the drizzle's in my life blurs and distorts my vision... my vision of who and what I want to do after I finish school. I keep going back at forth of the idea of going for my masters in psychology or just graduate university and enrol into a 2 year program to become a nurse. On the opposite side of all of that, I'm looking into careers I've never seen myself ever doing.. like paralegal? banking? oh, and other medical work like x-ray, or sonogram. Like I'm completely over the the spectrum. 

Despite my confusion, I won't be letting the mist prevent me from seeing clearly, and most defiantly won't let it bring me down! I am currently in my 4th year of university, and that I am ever so grateful for. I have a part-time job in retail, so I am at least brining some cash to spend on food. And I have people in my life who are really supportive. So, like the mist, there is always something to look forward to afterwards; and that's all I can hope and be patient for! 

So, although I am in the season of the mist, I am sharing photos of the positive I will be hoping to see after this mist-y weather passes! 

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Y'all Make Me Nervous..

06 July 2015

personal

Y'all Make Me Nervous..

this photo has nothing to do with this post.. but, watermelons! 

Just the other day, I decided to participate in Helene's July Instagram Challenge #31PhotosInBetween! I actually linked you back to her original post if you have yet to hear about this challenge and wanted to participant. Anyways, back to the point of this blog post.. 

As I was going through most of photos tagged with the hashtag, I found myself stalking over to the original posters instagram page, and instead of going through their pictures, I end up on their blog. It's definitely an interesting way of finding new blogs to follow; plus, its a great way to waste a lot of time. But, I'm not complaining. 

Reading through people's blog got me thinking... I'm pretty sure there are others doing the same thing and somehow ending up on my blog. And, it scares me! Helene has a lot of followers... and when I say a lot, I literally mean a lot because, we as followers, seem to be very loyal and just do anything she throws at us! (I say this in a good way of course!) With that, she is also friendly and has a lot of other big blogger friends by her side.. 

I couldn't imagine any of them viewing on my picture on instagram, then happen to click on my insta name that just happen to have my blog URL in the description bringing them to the home page of my blog. But, then again.. it could happen, and very much may have already happened! 

Now, I'm just wondering how I appear myself to new viewers.. Am I boring? Am I too personal? Am I too random? Do I try hard to be funny? It really is an entirely new side of me to share everything I know and feel with complete strangers. And, with through this challenge, this is the first time I'm thinking about how other bloggers view my blog. It is definitely scary, yet exciting at the same time... 

Does that make sense? 

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Date Night: Spring Rolls

03 July 2015

food

Date Night: Spring Rolls

This past weekend, Jay and I spontaneously decided we needed to go out. I personally think it was because we both had a long shift, 8am-4pm at our work, and we were both just tired and cranky and hungry. I know that the last time I ate earlier that day was actually during my lunch break.. which was at 11am. Any who.. the point was that we were really hungry and we wanted to eat a lot. And, instead of going to a restaurant and buying appetizers AND main dish AND desert, which of course accumulates, why not just go to a buffet? 

That's what we did. We went to this very popular place called Spring Rolls; and it was just amazing. The set up was similar to other buffet's my family and I usually go to - it was a restaurant style, but because it was a buffet, you can order as much as you wanted! And, that's what we did. 

THE GOOD: The food was amazing. They had a lot of choice, ranging from sushi/sashimi, to stead and rack of lamb. I loved the interior decor; the lightning and style of the entire place just seemed so elegant, yet a night club at the same time. It was just a perfect mixture. Also, the plating was just beautiful!

THE BAD: Service was a bit slow. When we arrived there, we found ourselves waiting 10 minutes just to order drinks. Then, followed by 5 minutes to receive the drinks, and actually order our first round of food. 10 minutes to receive the first plate, which is understandable... but, we found ourselves missing half of the items we ordered. When we were done eating our first round, again we pretty much waited 15 minutes until our waited reappeared. It took 5 minutes to get the rice we ordered, then 10-15 minutes until the rest of our order started coming in. Again, we were missing a few of our orders. We then waited 15 minutes for our waiter to look at us to order desert. We decided to just get the bill and leave. We were there for a total of 2 hours.. and that was mostly because of all the waiting we had to endure. 

Besides the bad, like I said, the food was delicious. Although, now that I think about it, I kind of wished they gave more options for sauce on some of the entrees. I found that a lot of the entrees had this type of coconut sauce that I was just not feeling... to me, it had a beginning taste of nuts, which I personally do not like. But, that's just our opinion...

Have you been to a restaurant style buffet before? How did you like it? Let me know :) 

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