Category Archives: General

Designer Erin Jang made this stop-motion video for the May iPad issue of Martha Stewart Living. Creative people amaze me.

Busy, busy week (as usual, I guess). Though lots of things are keeping me happy. Like food (instant ramen, poke and Grilled Cheese Night!), home decor daydreaming (it’s becoming an illness), the warm sunshine, and this video of Jake Shimabukuro playing “Bohemian Rhapsody” on the ukelele. Have a lovely weekend, friends!

I was lucky enough to be one of the bloggers—er, “brand ambassadors” (fancy!)—invited to Seattle this past weekend to check out the Nintendo 3DS, the new handheld gaming device that’s blowing minds everywhere because of its 3D effects. When I first heard about the thing, I was like, oh, that’s kind of cool, but am I really gonna whip out a pair of clunky red- and blue-lensed glasses while sitting on airplane or waiting in line at the DMV? Because that’s pretty nerdy. And people would judge.

But GET THIS. With the Nintendo 3DS, you don’t need glasses! [I'll pause as you scoop your jaw off the floor.] As you play the games, things just sort of pop out at you like in 3D movies. Okay, it’s not entirely like Captain EO, but it’s still a trip. The most common first response: “Whoa.”

So we all got to test out several games, and they’re all really neat. I liked Nintendogs & Cats, since I’m five, apparently. It’s like the Tamagotchi of the future where you get your very own puppy and/or kitty to feed and bathe and walk and pet. It’s perfect for people like me who are allergic to real thing (and who hate to clean up real poop). Of course, I’d only play the game in private because I wouldn’t want to be caught petting and snuggling a 3.5-inch screen. People would judge.

Here I am getting my picture taken. The system makes your Mii from your photo. Crazy, I know. Though you can adjust your Mii completely recreate it to make it more accurate prettier. Photo from Doni’s flickr.

Anyway, THIS is what I want to show you, friends. The Nintendo 3DS can do weird, random, ridiculously fun stuff like this.

Oh, hi. These are just some of my new Nintendo friends CHILLIN ON MY MACBOOK PRO. I’d try to explain it, but I just can’t explain it.

Here’s my Mii hanging out with me as I blog. No big deal.

The Nintendo 3DS takes 3D photos of regular stuff, too. I’d never seen a 3D camera before and when I got home, my family and I had way too much fun playing with it, yelling, “Hold out the wine glass! Now take a picture! Oh my gosh, it’s in 3D!!” So entertaining.

Jamie, Doni, Nora, Katelin, Rachel and me. Photo, again, from Doni’s flickr.

The entire trip was such a blast (they wined and dined us, y’all), and I’m so happy to have been in the company of such amazing women (and a few dudes). Thank you, Nintendo!

Disclosure: The trip was sponsored by Nintendo and Brand About Town, though the views expressed are my own.

Not trying to downplay the disaster in Japan whatsoever—just wanted to feature some of the super creative fundraising efforts out there. Buy something cute and help a tremendously critical cause. Win, mega win.

25% of all Ban.do Heart sales will go to relief efforts.

100% of proceeds from this “Remember” print by DESIGNTWENTYSIX will go to the American Red Cross Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami Relief Fund.

100% of proceeds from the Kate Spade Support Japan Tote will go to relief efforts. The bag is already sold out online (darn!), but available in select stores.

I don’t think any of us can fathom what’s going on in Japan right now. For now, I won’t even try to. I’ll simply say a prayer for the country and be thankful for the life I have, which is so fragile.

I’d also like to join Utterly Engaged and Ever Ours in a Bloggers Day of Silence—happening this Friday—in honor of the victims of the Japan earthquake and tsunami. The day is part of a project called For Japan With Love, which is raising funds for ShelterBox, an amazing group that equips disaster-stricken families with life-saving supplies. Please consider donating. (They’ve already raised over $10,000 in a couple days! Outstanding.)

Japan, my heart reaches out to you.

New York Magazine has the best headline of the day: “Here Is a Video of Otters Eating Heart-Shaped Treats.”

It’s been a long week. Heck, it’s been a long year. This is pretty much all I can wrap my head around at this point.

Matt got me us an early Valentine’s Day gift: XBox 360 + Kinect with Dance Central! Have you guys played it yet? It’s so freakin’ fun. Matt can attest, I’m an embarrassing dancer in real life, but somehow, I’m like, good at this. While busting out my moves to “Soulja Boy” and “Poker Face,” the TV says things like “Flawless!” and “Nice!” Watch out,  Britney.

Here’s a video of a girl dancing on the hard level of “Satisfaction.” She’s my hero.

Kitty Halftime Show!

The Black Eyed Peas have nothing on these cuties.

Yep, it’s true. In just a few months, we’ll be moving out of our little Culver City apartment with zero kitchen counter space and a shower faucet that won’t stop dripping to a house, a glorious house, near the coast in Palos Verdes (an LA suburb). It’s actually the house that Matt grew up in—long story short, it is a house, a house with—get this—five (five!) bedrooms, a massive backyard and an ocean view from one of the windows upstairs. It’s at once exciting and overwhelming and absurd. (By the way, what the heck do we do with FIVE bedrooms? As of now, we only have enough Ikea furniture to fill half a living room. White girl problems, I tell ya.)

I feel a little weird and insecure making this announcement. It’s a rather lavish living situation for a young(ish) couple like us, plus Matt keeps reminding me that I’m “so not PV.” But it is what it is and what it is is flipping incredible. We are blessed.

Before we move out, we really want to live up our last few months in super-fun LA (we’re gonna miss our area so much!), and I also want to show you what we’ve done to this apartment because while it’s not much, it’s kind of cute!

That’s my announcement. Life is weird.

Photo is of the view from the drive to our OMGNEWHOUSE! though I didn’t take it.