Self-Portrait

Our last project was a collage of patterns that make up the shading of a self-portrait. If you click the image below, you can see the detailed patterns of each grid. Does it look like me?

– eLu

Health-Conscious

FOUR MORE DAYS OF SCHOOl.
I can’t freaking wait for high school to be over, but I think we all over-idealize college. Yes, there’s the independence and the great amount of parties and fun, but there’s also that massive pile of work, especially for those who have chosen careers in more challenging fields. Still, high school is dreadful… and I’m almost sure I’ll be saying the same near the end of college.

I need to take better care of my body in college… and for the rest of my life. Now, I stuff my face with junk food: hot cheetos, crackers, instant noodles, burgers, cookies, pizza, popcorn, fried food, etc. I rarely eat a proper meal on weekdays — egg tarts for breakfast, corn nuts and chips for snacks, a cookie and chips for lunch, hot cheetos for dinner, instant noodles for a late night snack. A lot of the time, I have soybeans for lunch and some form of a vegetarian food product for dinner (vermicelli, tofu, bean curd noodles, etc), but that’s not enough. I know this lifestyle is unhealthy, especially since I refuse to exercise, but it’s hard to control myself. GUILTY PLEASURES, INDEED. It’s no surprise that my health has been deteriorating, and my weight has gone soaring to the sky.

I vow to take better care of my body from now on. Among many different things, my Uncle is my greatest motivation. He takes great care of his body with a healthy exercise and diet (with an occasional high-cholesterol, low-protein, high-caloried meal since he’s a food-lover), and he doesn’t appear to have aged in years! Whenever he visits us, I become more and more health-conscious. I’ve been eating a lot more fruits, a lot less junk food, and a lot more vegetables. Of course, it’s difficult pursuing a healthy lifestyle with a junk food addict as a mother, but I’m taking it one step at a time!

– eLu

[edit 06/02/08] Mr. Kregear played a slideshow of all our Biotech pictures today. Although many of the pictures were taken only seven or eight months ago, we all look so different in them. Wendy and I look so young and skinny! Oh, and CONGRATULATIONS to Wendy Dang, who finally got accepted to USF’s nursing program (the school lost her application and only accepted her now). Since she’s already set for UCIrvine, she can’t study hard and party hard with me in USF. NOOO, I guess it just wasn’t meant to be.

ASDF;LKJ - Part II

I want a grey vest. My legs are sore. I just ate A LOT. There are seven days left of high school. I’m really tired. So Hot is better than Tell Me and Irony. I’m craving pizza. Oh, and YOU suck.

– eLu

Arabian Nights

Thanks for everything, Love!

– eLu

Oil Painting

I really like oil painting! For once, I didn’t rush to finish this project the night before it’s due. Although there is room for improvement, I really like the results.

– eLu

Lame

Seriously, guys… SERIOUSLY? This is ridiculous.

Strawberry Shortcake

Mmm, Strawberry Shortcake has quickly and somewhat ruthlessly fought its way to become one of my few favorite baked goods, taking a stand beside Boston Cream Pie, Shortbread Cookies, Mexican Wedding Cookies, and Palmiers. The recipe I found was extremely easy to follow, and it resulted in mouth-watering whipped cream and strawberry syrup sandwiched between golden mounds of shortcake. I only wish my friends could have tasted the shortcakes fresh out of the oven, warm and crispy (because of the brown sugar topping)… But hey, that only gives me another excuse to bake strawberry shortcakes again soon! Find the recipe for my Strawberry Shortcake and Mexican Wedding Cookies at Confessions from the Cookie Jar!

– eLu

Freaking Gorgeous

Dolce & Gabbana Organza Gown… Spring 2008

– eLu

Soft Pastels

I finished this project a little more than a week ago. I didn’t get a good grade on it, but I’m glad I don’t have to continue working on it. Soft pastels are so messy. Three of my white long-sleeved shirts are ruined because of this project.

– eLu

Senior Drivers

You know what pisses me off? A lot of little things piss me off. You know what REALLY pisses me off?

People who shake their feet and legs while sitting piss me off. Not SWAY, but SHAKE, JIGGLE… Whatever you call it. Clothes that shrink in the wash piss me off. People who chew with their mouths open and make a sound piss me off. Extreme BASS from neighboring cars piss me off. People who walk slowly and block everyone else behind them piss me off. Bad breath pisses me off. People who look through my stuff or take my food without asking piss me off. And Old drivers piss me off.

Oh yes. Old drivers REALLY piss me off. People always complain about dangerous young drivers, but what about dangerous OLD drivers? Despite how some seniors are cute and impressive for driving at such old ages, they are a threat to themselves and to other drivers. I have overlooked old women driving slower than 25 MPH in a 40 MPH zone, knowing that they probably only want to be safe, but the two senior drivers I encountered today really changed my view towards old drivers. As I was somewhat understanding before, now I am opposed to their driving.

I was in a crowded parking lot, with one car in front of me and one car behind me. To my left were the backs of several parked cars, one of which two old ladies climbed into. Without looking at the obvious cars behind them, the driver started backing out of the parking space. As the side of my car was probably 4 feet away from the back of her car, I pressed the horn lightly to remind her that my car was behind hers. She kept backing out. I pressed the horn again, twice. She kept backing out. I pressed the horn harder this time… And again, even louder. She kept backing out. Now she was less than two feet away from me. There was no time or space to drive forward or backward to avoid her hitting me, and I wasn’t close enough to bang her window. She kept baking out slowly and I kept pressing the horn. I even screamed out, loudly and quickly, “EXCUSE ME! STOP! WATCH OUT!” She didn’t stop until a man walking through the parking lot finally ran to tap on her window. The back of her car was less than a foot away from the door to my left. With one long slide back, she would have hit my car. I didn’t want to be rude, but I was appalled at her actions. I looked at her through her side mirror and gave her a dirty “HOW THE HELL DO YOU HAVE A LICENSE, WATCH WHERE YOU’RE GOING” look. I was in the car behind her when she stepped into her car, and I hadn’t moved my car during the entire 2 minutes she was starting up her engine and backing out. MY GOODNESS… Stupid driver, indeed.

Yes, this is the kind of situation that increases my frustration and opposition towards old drivers. The driver I came across today was either deaf, blind (no, this is not an attack towards the handicapped), an amnesiac who forgets things every 5 seconds, or just plain stupid. Either way, it seemed to have resulted from her old age. I’d like to sympathize towards the old, but I don’t see how I can in situations like these.

– eLu

Cute

(from left to right: Soundgirl Pia Jumper, TokiDoki Mummy Tee)

– eLu

EIGHTEEN

THANKS for a wondeful birthday! Although we didn’t get to go jumping (sorry, my mistake), we still had a great time! Or… I did, at least!

I’m 18! YESSSS!

– eLu

Four Months and a Day

I think we’re all ready to get out of high school and experience the world of dorm parties, night classes, and most importantly, independence. The remaining month of school seems pointless and dreadful… What a drag. SAN FRANCISCO, HERE I COME! Well… In four months and a day, that is.

Oh, and Dirty Potato Chips are the bomb diggity.

– eLu

Gemma Ward

Gemma Ward is gorgeous.

– eLu

Polyvore

Yeah, Polyvore is a wonderful waste of time.

(from left to right, top to bottom: Black & White, Relaxing Day on the Beach, Summer/Spring Shopping, Safari Chic, Lighter Feel, Rainy Day, Boho Chic, Breakfast at Tiffany’s Inspired Dinner Party)

– eLu

Romaine Lettuce

I was chopping up some lettuce to pack a healthy lunch for tomorrow when I realized that, as weird as this may sound, romaine lettuce is beautiful.

I lost 2 lbs. in three days late last week, gained 1 lb. over the weekend, and lost 2 lbs. again during the past few days… That’s a total of 3 lbs in one week! Although 3 lbs. is less than I hoped to lose by now, I’m still happy with the results. I haven’t been starving myself (except for the first two days), and I’ve been pigging out (more than I should but less than before), yet I’m still losing weight. I’m finally able to fit into more of my clothing! Once I lose 5 more lbs., I’ll be able to wear tank tops again!

– eLu

Fruity

I’ve written a post on fruits (when and how to choose them) on Confessions from the Cookie Jar. Check it out, and then buy yourself some healthy fruits!

– eLu

Let Me Fold That for You

I nearly lost my sanity over my last art project. I stayed up until 3 AM the night before it was due and refused to show anyone the finished product. It wasn’t until a couple of nights ago when Mr. Sierra published my grade that I gained enough confidence to show my work to others. As easy as it may look, the project was so difficult and tedious that I have temporarily lost my interest in studio art. I presume that other students feel the same way, as a large portion of the class did not finish the project.

To experience working with real studio art, we were assigned to draw, freehand, the object displayed in the front of the classroom and capture its different shades and texture. The objective was to make others believe that our drawings were actual three-dimensional, tangible objects. Mr. Sierra pinned a shirt onto a board and hung it in front of the classroom, five rows of large desks away from my seat in the farthest row. With my weak vision (I need new a glasses prescription) already causing me frustration and increasing my chance of growing white hairs, I grew even more aggravated that I couldn’t see any details or even the simplest shades from where I was sitting, even if I had perfect vision. My drawing turned out darker than it should have been and gave off the “fluffy” texture of wool. As I walk through the halls and hear viewers compliment the work of the greatest artists in my class, who have actually captured the look of a cotton blouse and succeeded in making viewers think that a real shirt lies before them, I feel ashamed and glad that mine was not posted for the entire school to see. However, since I have cooled down from the anger and frustration aroused from this project, I am somewhat proud to finally publish my drawing.

(poorly photoshopped black background to enhance focus on subject)

– eLu

August 23

I visited USF’s Admitted Students Program today, the third open house I’ve attended at the school, and one simple sentences sums up my excitement and admiration for the school: I CAN’T FREAKING WAIT TO MOVE IN ON AUGUST 23RD!

Reminder… 4+2=6!

Lawrence wanted me to post a birthday wishlist, so here it is! I tried to list the most inexpensive things I would be more than happy to receive. I’ll probably update this list a few more times in the next few weeks.

- Time Fades T-Shirt (Guys size S; Dark Grey) at Threadless.com
- Aerie Plaid Roll-Up PJ Pant (size XS; Green Combo) at AE.com
- Heritage Save the Whales Tee (size L) at Forever21.com
- Martha Stewart’s Cookies, cheapest at Costco
- Escape by Carolyn Jessop hardcover novel (paperback isn’t out until August)
- H&M Grey Cardigan (size 6 or L 8, not V-neck Cardigan… looks like the one in AE’s clearance section) with gift receipt
- Slim Mints Diet Mints at Amazon.com
- JUNO DVD
- Clear Umbrella with Colored Polka Dots at Target.com
- Toast Boy’s Kiss (1, not 2) Drama Series
- A Light Pink Hoodie (preferrably without zipper) with gift receipt

Okay… So I guess I’ll add to my list the expensive items (Lawrence wants me to) that no one should buy me because these are way too expensive and unnecessary.

- Inexpensive Sewing Machine
- Inexpensive USB Voice Recorder
- Inexpensive Food Dehydrator
- Inexpensive SLR Camera

[UPDATED 04/20/08]
- Ratatouille DVD 
- Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin
- Coach Barrett sneakers (size 7, Grey with Black Symbol), I don’t expect anyone to get this

[UPDATED 04/22/08]
- Jewel Box Necklace (Gold) at Urban Outfitters
- I’ll Fly Away Necklace at Urban Outfitters
- Ombre Linen Oblong Scarf (chartreuseolive, ivoryecru, or mauveplum) at Urban Outfitters
- Hydraulic Denim Bermuda Shorts (Grey, 3) at Charlotte Russe
- Straight Blue Jeans (3short but they’re sold out online) at PacSun
- 1 1/4 ” Hair Curler

– eLu

What’s Your Style?

After reading Lola’s post on Polyvore, I decided to finally give it a try (I’ve only heard of it before). I thought it would be fun to create ensembles based on my friends’ personal styles. I apologize in advance if any one of the following poeple thinks that a certain product shown is far from the outfits she usually wears. Click the photos for enlargements.

Emily Lu (ME!)
(Black and White)
When I’m not wearing hoodies or baggy t-shirts, I usually top a flowy dress or a babydoll top over a solid t-shirt in hopes of hiding my stomach. I love the combination of black and white with red, and I often wear my red BC Footwear flats with a Black top and straight-legged jeans.

Katrina Hoagland
(Bright Colors)
Katrina loves color! Most of the time she wears green and orange, or any bright color that would definitely stand out in a crowd. She has owned several pairs of Converse Chuck Taylors and always shops for bright shoelaces to add to her dull black sneakers.

Annie Lin
(Laced Tanks and V-necks)
Annie usually wears a laced tank top under a v-neck top. I’ve noticed that she owns v-necks of many different lengths, materials, and colors! She wears skinny flare jeans on top of Converse Chuck Taylors, and adds the finishing touch to her outfit with a scarf!

Amanda Lawrendra
(Hot Topic)
Amanda wears a lot of black… way more than I do. She loves Hot Topic and usually buys t-shirts that displays either a cute creature or a Hollywood figure (Johnny Depp, Rubert Grint, etc). She usually totes cute and colorful purses like those of LeSportsac or Harajuku Lovers.

Carole Yang
(Layers and Cardigans)
Like Katrina, Carole also loves color! She makes color combinations that I would never have considered wearing. Most importantly, she makes randomly matched colors look GOOD! She usually layers multiple different colored tank tops under a neutral colored cardigan. She loves skinny jeans and looks great in them.

Stacey Chen
(Cute Graphic T-shirts)
When Stacey’s not wearing a tunic or some kind of flowy top, she sports a really cute graphic t-shirt under a simple zip hoodie. Although her t-shirts are solid colored (other than the graphic), they’re full of color… She barely wears black or grey t-shirts. She also loves Keds slip-ons.

Wendy Dang
(Black and Gold)
Before Wendy began working at Hollister, where employees must wear colorful Hollister clothing, she put together ensembles that consisted of neutral colors. Her solid-colored tops are mostly worn under a coat or a cardigan. In fear that skinny jeans will exaggerate her curves, Wendy wears only skinny flare jeans. She also loves gold!

– eLu

Nothing Is Getting in My Way

Many people are surprised to hear that I’ve chosen to major in nursing, partly because I’ve never been much of a science student. I’ll be honest… Nursing is not my first choice, but it is definitely something I want to pursue. Since I was in first grade, my mom has encouraged me to become a nurse. I’ve even won second and third place in two different Chinese school essay contests on the topic “If I were…” … A NURSE! My mom surrendered and stopped trying to steer my life into that direction when I showed a greater interest in food and art. For years, I wanted to become an arichitect. I’d sneak a look at my Uncle’s blueprint drawings and design houses (inside and out) on graph paper in a childish blueprint format. Then, I wanted to be an interior designer, and then a pastry chef, and then a nutritionist. It wasn’t until my mom confiscated my personal savings on a claim that I spent too much money in those few months that I realized the importance of choosing a stable job that offers a high salary. I reconsidered becoming a nurse, ignoring the American mentality of following one’s dreams. Although I initially chose nursing for a stable career, I’ve become more interested in the subject, itself. A future in nursing HAS BECOME my dream.

Although the nursing curriculum at USF seems difficult, I’m ready for the challenge! Still, I don’t want to become a simple registered nurse who helps treats the illnesses of bored and cranky patients, and runs daily routines like bed changes and bathroom assistance. Instead, I want my days to be filled with wrinkley, cute, bloody, tiny babies and their screaming mothers. Regardless of all the chaos involved in the delivery room, childbirth is almost always a joyful (and beautiful, really) experience. After I graduate from USF and receive my bachelors in nursing and pass my license test to become a registered nurse, I’m going to attend UCSF’s School of Nursing or NYU’s College of Nursing for their two-year programs to earn a masters degree in midwifery… And nothing is getting in my way!

Oh, and WELCOME TO THE WORLD, Joseph and Christopher Dries!

– eLu

SlimMints, Please

I’m flipping through drawers of folded clothes and accumulating a massive pile of clothes I can no longer fit. I have so many outfits that I had planned to wear after I lost some weight, but I’m growing farther away from being able to wear them. I’m disappointed in myself, as I let myself gain so much weight not only in my stomach, but also in my butt, legs, and arms. I haven’t been losing weight during the past few days, as I’d promised. I’ve taken a long break from my diet for Katrina’s birthday bash and for “family day,” and I’m running out of clothes to wear. It’s not easy finding clothes that cover up my stomach. I’m always obsessing over my weight and size, and I can only assume that others find it annoying… But bear with me, please. I have an abnormal stomach, and only those who have seen or felt it understand what I’m talking about. It resembles a step of staircase. Yes, my stomach looks like a staircase — like I said, you’d only understand if you see it. Even worse, it’s soft, and it jiggles and hangs over my pants. Attractive, yeah? I’m running out of babydoll tops, dresses, hoodies, and baggy shirts to cover up my stomach, and I’m having so much trouble sticking to my diet. I’m not kidding; I love eating probably more than most people in our school. I’m getting so frustrated! I’m starting my starvation diet again tomorrow (Green Tea, Carbonated Water, Mints). I think I’m disgusted by my body to the point where I can stay away from food (except one bite of food will result in bingeing and overeating) until I’ve lose some weight. Will someone please buy me SlimMints for my birthday? I would definitely appreciate it.

I’m not just making a big deal out of something small! You won’t understand until you see my stomach and watch it burst out of nearly all the clothes in my wardrobe… Right, Wendy? People don’t really notice my stomach “tongue” solely because I’ve learned how to cover it up; It’s actually very disgusting.

– eLu

Two Days in the Lives of Spoiled Rich Kids

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KATRINA (April 6th)! To this day, you’re one of my few best friends. You’re always there to help when I’m in serious trouble, and you don’t judge me for some of the stuff I do. Sometimes I get mad at you for your crazy and somewhat dangerous habits (Joseph, Gonzo, Eddy, etc), but you know you still rock! I hope you had an awesome-spoiled-rich-kids weekend! (This is a picture from 8th grade. We’re so cute!)

To celebrate Katrina’s 18th birthday, Katrina, Anastasia, and I rode a limo to Oceano Hotel and Spa right on the harbor at Half Moon Bay. It was amazing! The three of us were able to roll around the floors and jump from side to side of the limo meant for six people. We were even “yelled at” by our driver for sticking our heads out of the sunroof during a traffic light. The hotel was just as great as the limo: its grand opening was only two weeks ago! We spent the night in one of the villas, secluded from most other parts of the hotel. Our villa had two bedrooms (one master and one twin bedroom), two bathrooms (one with a shower and a bath in the master bedroom), a kitchen (including silverware, kitchen appliances, baking gadgets, pots, pans, plates, cups), a dining room, a living room (with a fireplace and a TV), and a balcony! Other than lying on the couch and flipping through the channels (only staying on one channel to watch NCIS and Final Destination 2), we baked brownies and visited a beach just across the street (which was covered by water in the morning). We probably each gained five lbs. from the trip, as our meals consisted of mexican food, smores, brownies, cheetos, and apple juice. OH, what a fun weekend! Happy birthday!

[edited 04/10/08] I erased the my paragraph about my financial aid package, but basically, I GOT A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY!

– eLu
 

What A Week

This week passed by extremely quickly (partly because we didn’t have school on Monday), and I’d say that it was somewhat productive.

On Tuesday, out of complete boredom, lack of homework assignments, and excitement for college, I began searching through the USF Course Catalog/Schedule for Fall 2008. I spent almost six hours searching through the catalog, researching over 20 professor reviews on RateMyProfessors.com, and planning my schedule for my first semester at USF. If I’m lucky, I’ll get all the classes and professors that I have chosen! Although my first semester schedule consists of two lab and lecture science classes (Human Anatomy and Microbiology), I CAN’T WAIT! We move in on August 23rd and begin classes on August 28th!

After school yesterday, I went shopping at four different locations (WestGate Mall, Valley Fair, Santana Row, and Great Mall) and found nothing I liked! I’m proud for having restrained myself from buying clothes for over a month. After school today, I walked around the mall for two hours and walked into over 15 stores in hopes of finding the perfect birthday present for Katrina. YES! I finally found something for her in a store that I never shop at, and once again, I didn’t find anything for myself. YES! This way, I actually save some money. My legs are sore now! I’m not weak; It’s actually very tiring.

I also updated the description for each entry in my daily outfits log, listing the brand of the clothes I’m wearing in each photo. It took well over 2 hours to add a description to a one-and-a-half years worth of daily weekday outfit photos. It also helped me realize that there are many outfits sitting in my closet, unworn (mostly because I’m too chubby to fit into them now)… Which brings me to the subject of my diet. Honestly, I haven’t really been following the rules my mom laid out for me. I haven’t been eating much after 5PM, but knowing that I’ll feel hungry in the evening, I stuff myself in the afternoon to the point where my stomach hurts from being stretched out so much. I haven’t been speed-walking or drinking more water either, but the diet has proved partly successful: I’ve stopped gaining weight, and I’m losing weight at the slow rate of 0.2 lbs. every two days. Hopefully, I’ll lose a few lbs. in a few weeks.

OH! I’ve discovered a method to heal a kanker sore.
1. Brush your teeth
2. Sprinkle salt on the kanker sore. It’ll hurt A LOT, but it definitely helps kills some bacteria.
3. Cover the kanker sore with Vaseline.
I know it sounds disgusting to put Vaseline on a kanker sore or any other part of your mouth, but it really worked for me. I put Vaseline on my lips every night, and I accidentally rubbed some onto my two-day-old kanker sore. I thought that maybe the Vaseline could clog the kanker sore and block out any new bacteria so I covered the sore with more Vaseline. When I woke up in the morning, my kanker sore was painless and completely gone! It is amazing how well this works. If you’re more determined to get rid of the pain of having a kanker sore than you are afraid of the pain the salt creates, DEFINITELY TRY THIS METHOD!

Now, off to baking Almond Crisps! This weekend is going to rock!

– eLu

Free People

I love Free People dresses! A few days ago, my mom bought me a Free People dress from Marshalls and now I wish I could spend hundreds of dollars on their clothing (they’re rather expensive). Not only does Free People have the pair of boots (like the Ukki and 80%20 pair I mentioned in my last post) that I want, but they also have dresses with loud patterns that look surprisingly wonderful. Their designs are just so unique and eccentric (somewhat bohemian)! Although the following few products don’t reflect my description of the loud patterns of Free People clothing, I think you’ll find them creative and refreshing.

(from left to right, top to bottom: Canvas Zodiac Boot, Ivory Spanish Lace Dress, Mixed Morocco Tiered Top, Nordic Chiffon Dress, Waist Tie Hoodie, Grey Spanish Lace Dress)

– eLu

[edit 03/31/08] AH! A lot of the Free People tops and dresses looked familiar… Apparently, I saw them before (and really liked them) on the Urban outfitters website! I also found out that my mom already bought me a Free People top for Christmas (but I don’t really like it). COOL! I feel so behind… like I’m only now discovering something that has been popular for a long time.

80%20

I started off looking for a pair of boots that resembled these Ukki boots from YesStyle for a cheaper price and discovered 80%20. 80%20 products, designed by CeCe Chin, have been featured in TeenVogue, Nylon, and W Magazine! I found a pair of 80%20 boots (see below) at Urban Outfitters that are cute but more expensive than the Ukki boots. I searched for other 80%20 products and found a unique collection of shoes and bags. CeCe Chin’s bag designs are so different from the purses and clutches we usually see; they look like shoes! Maybe that’s why she’s labeled a “Sneakerista!”

(from left to right, top to bottom: Winnie Boots, Audrey Ballet Sneakers, Stevie Purse, Jodie Clutch Bags)

– eLu

ASDF;LKJ - Part I

I have natural double eyelids now! Lawrence is a slut. I finally wore my rainboots out today (for 5 minutes). Hot cheetos are the best. I can’t wait until high school is over! My kanker sore hurts. I can’t fit into 95% of my clothes. Next week is already April! I have a lot of homework but I’m too lazy to start. My grandma just burped. I like Tory Burch’s hairstyle in the latest InStyle magazine. My driveway says that somebody HEARTS me. I need a new glasses prescription. That’s all. Oh, and I want a SLR camera!

– eLu

Food and Exercise

I’m proud of myself and Wendy. After months of “WE HAVE TO GO TO THE GYM” and years of wasting my 24-hour fitness membership, we finally went and speed-walked a little over three miles in one hour. Until last night, I have never understood why magazines and dietitists advise people to work out with a friend. Whenever I went to the gym before (by myself or with my sister), I always took the easy way out, avoiding the treadmills and focusing on leg weights instead. Many times last night, I felt like giving up (I’m extremely lazy and I hate sweating), I looked over to Wendy and was encouraged to keep walking… only 40 minutes left! only 20 minutes left! only 5 minutes left! It was a lot easier to stay motivated, and I even considered RUNNING; everyone who knows me well knows that I DO NOT run. Although we ate immediately after we got home (she ate pasta and I ate an egg), I’m still proud that we finally took the initiative to lose weight! If it weren’t for Wendy, I would have stayed at home and slumped on the couch. YAY for Wendy!

I went to Great China (known for it’s Peking duck) with Anh two weeks ago. Because I was sick that day, I couldn’t taste most of the food and couldn’t write its restaurant review on Confessions from the Cookie Jar. Anh took the time to write a detailed review of the restaurant that surely did not fail to capture the essense of the traditional, yet eccentric, Chinese dishes. Definitely read her review and dine at the restaurant when you can!

Happy cooking, eating, and exercising!

– eLu

Spontaneous

Yesterday during lunch, my dad, sister, and I decided to take a quick and spontaneous trip up to Reno. We had to pick up my aunt from the airport and bring Jess’s friend back to UOP so we didn’t leave home until about 9:30. By the time we got to the hotel at around 2AM, the cafe that had always been open for 24 hours was closed (they close at 2AM now). We ended up enjoying a few deli sandwiches and an omlette from the foodcourt in our hotel room while trying the complimentary cheese platter. It was great bonding time for the three of us… I would not have chosen to spend the night any other way. We only stayed at Reno for a night and didn’t have much time to wander around, but I finally won my fifth spiderman (from the claw machines)! Although it was a tiring drive home, as we struggled to stay awake from lack of sleep the night before, I had a great time!

Pretty dresses…

(from left to right: Carolina Herrera dress from the Rare Bird collection, Paule Ka’s Poplin printed dress)

– eLu