Catty Center

More Animal Sketch - Norwegian Forest Cat

2018-02-13T18:37:00.000-06:00

Animal Sketches

2018-01-28T00:00:00.002-06:00

I don't have a pet but always wanted one.

If I ever get a cat I want one like this!

I always wanted a Siberian Husky!

Drawings - More PAW Patrol

2018-01-27T23:19:00.002-06:00

Sweetie

Tracker: I'm all ears!

Chase (Spy): Spy Chase is on the case!

Drawing - Paw Patrol

2017-12-26T00:29:00.000-06:00

Marshall: I'm all fired up!!

Drawing - for a friend

2017-12-22T21:48:00.000-06:00

Quick drawing for a friend who loves giraffe

Drawing - Paw Patrol

2017-12-22T21:44:00.002-06:00

Skye: This pup's gotta fly!

My new favorite mask - tarte Tight & Bright Clay Multi-Mask

2017-07-04T00:43:00.002-05:00

I absolutely love this new mask! Had been eyeing this for quite a while & tried to wait for it...wait for it...and I just had to get it! Reviews were good and their ingredients are always decent so I took advantage of my recent Sephora discount and bought it.

Here's the product description:

Get a custom at-home facial with two targeted formulas that work in total harmony to treat your skin’s specific troubles zone by zone. Both formulas feature tarte’s iconic Amazonian clay to restore a gentle skin balance.

Purple Detoxifying & Purifying Exfoliating Mask is perfect for the oily T-zone, this shine control mask helps tighten pores and detox your skin from the day’s pollutants. Amazonian clay works as a natural purifier to treat blemishes and blackheads. Gentle micro-exfoliants polish away dead skin cells to treat flakes and uneven skin tone without over drying.

Gold Hydrating & Firming Gel Mask is ideal for dry or delicate areas like the cheeks and under the eyes. This hydrating and brightening treatment also helps calm redness and inflammation. Amazonian clay boosts clarity and circulation, while hyaluronic acid restores your skin’s natural moisture balance for a supple, soft, and energized look.

Suggested Usage:
-Apply the purple clay mask wherever you want to tighten pores and minimize shine
-Apply the gold gel mask wherever you want to hydrate and brighten dry or dull areas.

To apply each mask:
-Apply to clean, dry skin and leave on for 10 to 20 minutes.
-Rinse well to remove.

It is a great product but doesn't really have the best instruction. I guess tarte wanted to make "multi-masking" a selling point, but I'd rather not put 2 masks on at the same time. I actually like them separately because the purple/lavender part is a great for exfoliation. I would put them onto my nose, forehead and cheeks, wait until the product is dried (much quicker than the recommended 10-20 mins) then add a bit of warm water to exfoliate using circular motions. Not sure why the instructions did not suggest that neither.

Then apply the gold part onto your face. I'd definitely want my full face to get the benefits of hydration and firming so that's why I'd use them separately. Again, wash off the mask once it's dried and don't just wait 10-20 mins like the instruction said...you don't want it to dry out your skin. Rinse with warm water. On my first use I got clearer pores, smoother and
firmer skin! Love it! tarte does not disappoint again!

Spring Run! Sunday 11K + Ft Tryon Park nature walk

2017-04-30T23:35:00.000-05:00

After a warm, sunny Saturday, Sunday was rather gloomy - cool and cloudy. But it was a perfect day for a long run!
This time I decided to go a bit further up north and to check out Fort Tryon Park and the Inwood neighborhood. I have never been to the northernmost tip of Manhattan so I thought why not?

So I did my 10k up north to GWB, ran up the hilly ramp and took the pedestrian bridge to cross the Henry Hudson Parkway to the street level. And walked up Cabrini boulevard towards Fort Tryon Park.

Fort Tyron Park is the ancillary site of the American Revolutionary War Battle of Fort Washington. The park is at an elevated level of Manhattan and situated between NJ and the Bronx, and provides many nature walking trails that allows you stroll while enjoying the scenes of Hudson River, NJ cliffs, and even the Bronx.

At the north side of the park, there's The Cloister, a branch of the Metropolitan Museum, for the medieval arts exhibit.

Skincare Conundrum: Do You Get What You Paid For? Creme de La Mer vs NIVEA creme

2017-04-19T00:39:00.000-05:00

I'm a skincare junkie, I really like to try new skincare products and trends or even hypes - whether it's the new snail ingredients, splash mask, derma-rolling etc. Bring them on!

Recently years, I have grew more conscious and paid much more attention to the ingredients list on the products. There are a few reasons to this:
1- I'm tired of wasting money on products that won't work
2- There are really effective ingredients that shouldn't cost a fortune
3- Some of the products sold in luxury department stores actually contain ingredients that are harmful to the skin
4- Fragrance (synthetic) is one of the products that might damage and shut down the skin's collagen production - skin's natural healing process.

I've been better but I must confess, it is extremely hard to resist the temptation to make a purchase after seeing all the advertised benefits from various products that promise miracles no more dullness on the skin, erase all dark circles, instant brightening, reduce lines, stop aging, and even looking 10 years younger instantly. Nothing but a total transformation on the skin. Who doesn't want that? Read the reviews and you'll always find at least one lucky lady who hit the jackpot because she 'has tried everything but this is the only thing that works' her skin. Don't get me wrong, it is certainly possible that the product works so well on her. But the question is: will this finally be my turn?

Should you pay premium for products with the claimed benefits that you're looking for?

Sephora recently started carrying La Mer products. I was pretty excited. Going down the memory lane, I used to spend a fortune on department store brands in my earlier days and La Mer was one of them. I tried the signature Creme de La Mer, as well as The Cleansing Gel, The Exfoliator, The Eye Concentrate, The Regenerating Serum, The Treatment Lotion, and The Concentrate. (Notice how every product starts with 'The' like it is The one and only product in the category you'll ever need) My recollection was that I felt okay about the Creme-it kept the skin moisturized; the cleansing products were not the most effective; the Eye Concentrate smelt like sushi roll (seaweed + soy sauce); and The Concentrate made my skin very smooth. My skin did not look worse so I guess it was defying aging (But I was in my mid 20s at that time so collagen production was abundant too). However, for the hype that everybody was hoping to get from the products - the miracle broth that heals wounds and scars, neither the Creme nor the Concentrate was able to heal the small scar near my lips as they claimed.

I was debating getting it again, somehow I even tried to convince myself that maybe I would see more result now that I'm older, or maybe I should take advantage of the April VIB Rouge sale and give it a try again. What about the fragrance in the products? Who cares...

I decided to just do a few more research before making up my mind for the purchase. Thanks to the power of the internet, I searched for a substitute for The Creme, and NIVEA Creme come up. Yes you read that right, the NIVEA creme that you can buy from a pharmacy store for as low as $1 for the 1oz tin. Really? Yes, because the base ingredients between the two products are pretty much the same! (except the fermented seaweed aka the Miracle Broth). NIVEA (a century old German formula) does not need to be 'activated' by rubbing the products on your fingers until clear (or 20 seconds) like Creme de La Mer requires, but the texture supposed to be very similar.

Between all the comparisons and claims, I decided to try it out myself. I know it is jar packaging which means lights and air can shorten or deteriorate the life of the ingredients, and yes I'm aware that both products contains fragrance. I got the 6.8oz (a little bigger than I'd like but nothing smaller) NIVEA creme from a nearby pharmacy and started my little tests. I carefully opened the package seal to expose only a small amount of the jar, used a skincare spatula to scoop up products into a 0.5oz empty jar.

I tested on face and body. It was pretty easy to put it on the body and even though the consistency was thick, the cream spread out smoothly and absorbed quickly on the body. For face, it was a little hard to apply, so I got creative and borrowed the La Mer method: warm it up first by rubbing it. It did turn a bit lighter and I patted the creme lightly onto my face. It felt a little thick like I had jelly on the face. I left the NIVEA creme on overnight and the next morning I woke up to a pretty good sign: the lines on my face were a bit less visible! I don't think it was collagen production overnight (It takes a while to generate it) but the thick paste probably did the work (prevent further creasing). Now I'm really excited!

I read online that if you can apply some rosewater with a cotton on your face after putting on NIVEA creme, which can help getting rid of the thick layer and greasy feeling. I tried and it was okay. I think what would have worked better is to make the creme lighter, so I added a drop of Tarte Maracuja Oil (other face oil works too) onto the creme on my hand to make a light cream. It worked wonderfully and I was able to apply it onto my face with circular motion. Easy to apply and did not create a thick layer on the skin. I also tried adding the rosewater toner, it worked too but was a bit harder to mix them up evenly.

So I'm pretty happy with NIVEA creme and will continue to use this nightly before bedtime. I will add more updates as necessary. But I'm pretty happy that I found a much more affordable alternative before spending a good amount of money again.

Disclaimer: No compensation has been received in exchange for writing this article

Drawings

2017-02-06T22:00:00.000-06:00

Haven't been drawing for a very long time, at least not just random/quick drawing but a little more detailed sketches and coloring. With my daughter constantly asking me to draw her favorite Paw Patrol characters and other random objects on a notepad. I decided to turn this activities into a more serious one and really pick up on doing some serious sketches again. So here they are, still not as good as I wish, still quite a bit of flaws in the techniques. Oh well I guess I'm glad that I did not try to turn this hobby into a career or I'd really be a struggling artist.

Everest: Ice or Snow I'm Ready to Go!

Rubble: Rubble on the Double!

Winter Run!

2017-01-15T13:00:00.000-06:00

Chilly 7 miles!

Blind Date with a book

2017-01-02T17:00:00.000-06:00

Book Culture @ Columbus AveUWS

What makes this bookstore a local favorite. Too bad I am not a big fan of literature and fictions. Otherwise I would have tried my luck!

New Year's Day 10K

2017-01-01T12:00:00.000-06:00

Happy New Year!! Wishing everyone a healthy and successful year!

Jingle Bell Jog

2016-12-24T13:30:00.000-06:00

Happy Holidays!

Late Fall Weekend Long Run

2016-12-03T15:00:00.000-06:00

Race to Deliver: 4M Race

2016-11-20T09:30:00.000-06:00

I ran a 4M race today with colleagues to help raising funds and promote awareness for God's Love We Deliver (GLWD)! The orgniazation prepare and deliver nutritious meals to people who are sick and unable to prepare meals for themselves. For more information about GLWD, please visit their website.

It was a cold morning with temperature below 40F (4.4C), wind was pretty gusty and it felt like 32F. I had two layers and long sleeves all the way, but the temp was cold enough that my joint felt too cold to move. I could hardly wiggle my fingers when we were waiting to start.

I ran a decent first mile passing through the Cat Hill on the start. I was starting to feel a little warmer but my hands were still frozen cold. The second mile was pretty flat and steady. At the end of the 2nd mile I came across someone who dressed the same as me - our jacket, pants, and even ear warmer were the same colors. Usually it's quite easy to notice and remember the person who dresses like you, or running as the same pace as you. Needless to say she took notice of me as well.

Incidents like this in races usually leads to competition. Somehow she decided that I am her competition and she started racing with me. I knew this because I saw her passing me, falling back behind me, and passing me again repeatedly in the next 2 miles, literally from the initial encounter to the finish line. It was funny as the third mile was 3 rolling hills and we 'battled' through the hills one after another. We had different approach to ascends and descends so we exchanged lead a few times. Every single time when I passed her at a steady pace, I could see her passing me again within 10 seconds.

At 3.5 miles I was getting a little tired and her lead widened. Towards the end everyone started to speed up so I did my best to follow the pace as well. She looked around and saw me coming and she pushed through as well. My shoe laces were loose suddenly but I ignored it. (If it were earlier in the race I would have stopped). We sprinted the last 200-300 meters at almost 2'00" quicker than our race pace! She ended up beating me by about 2 seconds "at the finish line" (I have no idea what corral she was in and what time she crossed the starting line). I was "beat", but my results and pace were much better than I expected so I was happy.

The advantage of joining a race instead of practicing by yourself is all about motivation, whether it's keeping up with the people running next to you, or even starting a little healthy competition, it only helps pushing your physical and mental limits and letting you realize how much more you're capable of.

Finally I met up with colleagues and enjoyed a delicious brunch on the Upper East Side.

First Cross-State Run

2016-11-12T13:00:00.000-06:00

Today marks my first time crossing a state border on foot! It's quite a nice experience. I took the trail and exited to the street level on 156th street, then run a good 1-2 miles uphill through the streets of Washington Heights. Then at 178th street, turn left and head down the block for the pedestrian ramp for the bridge. Then climb a steep ascend on the ramp onto the bridge. The bridge is only a little bit over 1 mile, although by cars you'll feel a lot longer with the queues to get on it and the heavy traffic when passing through it.

The middle of the bridge, or the NY-NJ border is a great place to take a break, enjoy the view, and snap a picture or two. You'll see the great Hudson River separately NY and NJ and the landscape of the two states.

Post Election Day

2016-11-09T09:58:00.000-06:00

The city is quiet. Awfully quiet. In a city that is home to millions of residents and commuters, this is extremely unusual and awkward. Morning commute is generally quiet but there are usually a few casual conversations and even some laughter here and there. But not today, everyone is looking down and seems to be in his/her own world. People are glued to the paper or articles on their phone, and their face displayed a bit of melancholy.

The subway platform was orderly and organized. Unlike the usual days, no one tried to aboard (or stuff themselves into) the crowded train when it arrives or selfishly bump into everyone trying to step off.

Just when everyone gets comfortable with this state, a little boy joined the pool of commuters and started singing his favorite nursery rhymes to break the silence.

"The wheels on the bus go round and round, round and round, round...The wheels on the bus go round and round, all around the town..."

He missed a few words and notes, but he obviously enjoyed it and had a good time. His little pure and innocent voice was angelic, but hurts when you realize that he is going to grow up in a continuing divided country.

First Half Marathon Race!

2016-10-02T17:11:00.004-05:00

I finished my first Half Marathon!

It was an impromptu decision. I was not trained for it. Even though I have done 13 miles during training (with many stops), I definitely didn't train regularly for endurance and strength. I just thought maybe I could finish it.

Then comes to the week of preparation. I thought I had built good mileage recent, but I started with bad foot pain from training too much (40+ miles in 7 days) and caught a flu on Tuesday with fever. Weather forecast was pointing to a very rainy day. I was worried about not making it at all, maybe too much that I couldn't even fall asleep the night before. But everything worked out somehow! My foot pain improved by midweek and I felt a lot better towards the weekend, and the sky cleared up!

On the race day, I woke up early to eat a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast. Got to the starting line and did some stretches. By 8am off I went!

I ran some easy miles, but my running app was telling me that I was running at a slightly faster pace than I anticipated for. I slowed down a bit and ignored all the faster pacers passing me. The rolling hills came between mile 3.5 to 4.5. I did ok. After the first loop I emptied a GU gel did not feel hurt at all. Then it comes the second loop - another round of rolling hills and endurance challenge. I was still catching breaths as my heart rate wasn't close to max at all, but my legs started to feel the pain - tiring out, ball of foot pain on the left came back, and the old ligament injury on the right resurfaced. My head started debating whether I should slow to a walk but my conscious mind refused. I told myself just one more round of rolling hills and do not regret after the race for not trying my best. I tried to look at the surrounding and landmark to ease my mind.

Mile 7 - this is also Mile 13, where I will be finishing, it's gonna be soon!

Mile 8 - MET museum, Guggenheim Museum...how gorgeous!

Mile 9 - take advantage of the downhill, get ready for the climb!

Mile 10 - I did the hilliest part already! Enjoy the greens and breathe!

Mile 11 - I can't believe I just finished all the uphills! Now eat another GU gel!

Mile 12 - Home stretch...this is it!

Mile 13 (.1) - Sprint to the finish line!!!

This is it! I finished!! I looked at my time and realized that I came in slightly under my goal time!!

Summer Exercise Series: The Last Summer Weekend Workout

2016-09-19T09:00:00.000-05:00

To celebrate the last summer weekend of 2016, I decided to go the distance!!

Sat: 10K pace & 3K recovery
Sun: Half marathon run (one long way, new scene and nice view!)

I had to make some stops and walking breaks as I'm still relatively new to 13m distance, even though I went 60 secs slower per mile.

My last 3 miles was full of calf cramps but I'm glad that I could finish it!
The soreness wasn't as bad as I thought. Maybe the intense stretching and foam rolling were the reasons. I also focused on rolling my old injury and it did not act up at all the next day. The only pain was my stiff neck + headache. It could be due to the fact that I start carrying a drinking water bottle and my shoulder was too tensed up while holding it. Maybe it's time for a running belt?

Summer Exercise Series: Post long run recovery and short runs

2016-09-05T22:03:00.001-05:00

Even with lots of stretching and rolling, my legs are still a little sore today. But not as bad as I thought. So this morning I did more stretches and went out for short runs in the evening. Ran 1 mile on a good pace (20" faster than my 10K avg pace against strong headwind), then power walked 1 mile on 13'35". Ran 1 mile again on a faster pace (1'15" faster with tail wind). Finally my thighs and calves caved in with cramps, I had to walk the find mile slowly. Back to stretchs and rolling again!

I also tried GU gel packs and Nuun tablets. They seem to be great giving a quick energy boost. I'm going to take some more and see if my recovery time can be shortened.

Summer Exercise Series: Half Marathon

2016-09-04T17:28:00.000-05:00

I really have been slacking off big time in August. From the old injury bothering my right leg again, to following closely on the Olympics, to staying cool under the multiple heat waves, I really need to stop procrastinating.

Last 2 weeks I spent some time at the gym, but I am finally back out running on the road. With Hermine weakening and moving out further east, the threat of flooding is now less likely for NYC, tourists, bikers, runners and park strollers were jamming up the walking trail. (A rollerblader and a biker almost ran into me when both the biking and pedestrian paths narrowing). I have done 10K (6.2miles) and 7 miles but really haven't run distance much longer than that. But today I wanted to give it a try. I picked a path that I am familiar with, one that offers many alternatives (public transportation, reasonable distance for walking) in case I go cold turkey in the middle of the run.

The general recommendations for going longer distance is to go a little slower, 30-120 seconds slower than the racing pace (in miles). So I went a little slower. Didn't look at the running app and just ran at the pace which I could talk comfortably. The first 10K wasn't that bad. At the 12K mark I stopped a little longer for hydration and stretches. After 15K it was more of a mental push - body was telling me to give up. Perhaps I was too eager to finish it, I gradually started running at almost the racing pace until cramping started around 18K. I stopped for more stretches and moved on to finish the 21.1K (13.1mi)

To my surprised, my second 10K+1K time was almost as fast as my 10K racing record!

What a great run!

Summer Exercise Series: Saturday Workout

2016-07-30T15:06:00.002-05:00

Saturday Run @ Central Park: 3/4 Lower Loop + 2 Reservoir Loops
Cloudy and rainy run

Summer Exercise Series: Weekday Runs and Workouts

2016-07-22T13:14:00.000-05:00

This week is hot! We are getting heat waves and everyday the temp stay around 90s! (~32C)
Luckily I'm working from home this week, so I can go out for a quick run in the morning before the temp is too uncomfortable for running!

Monday: NOTHING (battling a headache, probably from dehydration or sudden temperature change in multiple occasions during the weekend)

Tuesday: Gym only. Ran 1M (1.6K) 100 weighted squats, 100 weighted lunges, 20 supported push-ups, 20 supported pull ups

Wednesday: Ran 3.4M (5.5K) 80F/26.7C

Thursday: Ran 3.1M (5K) 80F/26.7C

Friday: Ran 0.5M (1K), Biked 10M (16K)

Summer Exercise Series: Saturday Run + Sunday Short Run

2016-07-16T16:23:00.001-05:00

Saturday Run
GWB bound 7.5M/12K
Temp: Sunny 93F/34C!

On my way back I took a long walk. Passed by the Armory which brought back some memories from high school. The uptown area looks a lot different now.

Sunday Update: 5K Run! @ 90F/32C

I also walked a lot this weekend. So my total run this weekend:
Sat: 7.5M/12K Run; 2.7M Walk
Sun: 3.1M/5K Run; 3.2M Walk

Total Distance: 16.6M/26.7K!