Crafty Liang

CRAFTY RELAUNCH - Coming Soon

noreply@blogger.com (Liang) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 06:01:00 +0000

What do you do when shit doesn’t work?? You make it work.

CRAFTYLIANG. WILL TEACH YOU TO BE CRAFTY. RELAUNCHING SOON.

Halloween 2011 - Samurai Princess?

noreply@blogger.com (Liang) — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Some last minute Halloween planning (or lack thereof) lead me to borrow a piece from my friend Danny Nguyen, who just so happens to be a fashion designer. His Japanese inspired pieces from his S/S 2010 line were perfect. With an undeniable dexterity to create stage ready pieces, this dress was more than suitable for the occasion.

Although I had no clue what I'd call my "costume," I felt there was an appropriate mix of girly geisha crossed over with the daunting samurai, with a frilly flower blossom pattern and a leather waist belt reminiscent of samurai armor - I dubbed myself a "Samurai Princess." All I was missing was a sword.

Brasserie Max & Julie

noreply@blogger.com (Liang) — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 15:30:00 +0000

Brian and I went to Brasserie Max & Julie in Houston a while back for brunch. I ordered a waffle with duck confit and wild mushrooms and he got the steak tartare. For dessert, we had an ice cream filled crepe with fresh fruit. I would say that the dessert crepe definitely was not their strong suit (nothing special, just a crepe filled with vanilla ice cream and topped with chocolate syrup). The duck & wild mushroom waffle was pretty good and very rich in flavor, but got increasingly salty with each bite, making it difficult to finish. The steak tartare, however, was excellent.

I'd recommend this restaurant for a brunch date. It's a very cute spot located in Midtown Houston right on Montrose.

Onset of Fall

noreply@blogger.com (Liang) — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 03:32:00 +0000

Forever 21 outfit; Zara shoes

A very much welcomed chill has taken over Austin this week, and I couldn't be happier about it. My hangers full of coats and sweaters have finally started to get some use within my clothing rotation. I've also adopted a newfound adoration for the color brown. It's as if I just discovered how flexible and classy brown can be, while being low-key at the same time.

Work has kept me plenty busy over the last few weeks. I'll be attending two conferences next week. Nothing interesting enough to share, but if you're in the hotel or real estate industry in Texas, you just might just see me.

Danny Nguyen Couture Fall/Winter 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Liang) — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 04:21:00 +0000

A couple of weekends ago, I had the pleasure of attending Danny Nguyen's Fall/Winter 2011 show. Danny is an up-and-coming designer based in Houston with a flair for grandeur mixed in with with a bit of scandalously clad designs. I've known Danny since high school (he hasn't changed one bit) and it's been amazing to watch his growth from his early days in dressmaking to his gorgeously ornate designs now. Below are a few of my favorite picks from his F/W 2011 collection. Congrats on a fabulous show and thanks for the awesome front row & center seats!

Congrats again to Danny for the fabulous show. The theme of this collection was The Caribbean, albeit not the sunny paradise one may think of. Instead, it focuses more on the destructive nature of the dark seas, and pulls from the darker elements.

Keeping in theme, the host of the show was none other than Captain Jack Sparrow.

The designer himself, Danny Nguyen.

Post-show dinner at Philippe in Houston.

Beef tartare with quail egg yolk, capers, onions; some sort of fish and mashed potato thing (the menu changed and I have no idea what it was called, ha - but this was by far my favorite dish of the night); my darling clementine: roasted duck magret, crispy duck confit ravioli, carrot flan, asparagus, clementine-Cognac sauce; burgundy beef cheeks, pearl onion, bacon + mushrooms with macaroni + cheese.

H&M dress; Christian Louboutin shoes

Black & Gold

noreply@blogger.com (Liang) — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 03:27:00 +0000

Forever 21 tank; Zara skirt; H&M flats

An old outfit post. Expect lots of updates soon. I am completely backlogged with content. Regularity really doesn't seem to be my thing.

Lazy Sunday Brunch at Perla's

noreply@blogger.com (Liang) — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 04:23:00 +0000

Sundays are bittersweet. It's still the weekend, but it's the last few hours of it and inevitably Monday will roll around where we all must return to work or school. The one part I do look forward to most on Sundays is brunch. Waffles? French toast? Eggs Benedict? Omlettes? YES, PLEASE. I've always heard great things about Perla's brunch and took the chance to find out. We ordered the lobster roll, which almost made me shed a tear at how delicious it was. We also got the brioche french toast, which comes topped with a scoop of coconut sorbet and toasted coconut. It. Was. Delicious.

As if I didn't already stuff myself silly, we were right next to a crepe truck (which was also next to an animal adoption truck) and I would not be me if I said no to crepes. So I got the mango and sticky rice crepe from Crepes Mille. It was only okay. Not as good as the real thing at Thai restaurants, namely because it lacked the signature coconut milk (I seem to be on a coconut kick). And speaking of coconut, I have recently discovered the most delicious coconut cream pie in Austin and possibly the planet--AND I DON'T EVEN LIKE PIE! You can find it at Woodland on South Congress in Austin. It's terribly good. So terribly good that no matter how full I am from dinner, I can't say no. Please don't cheat yourself out on life by missing this slice of heaven. You must get it. Must.

Tekken Blood Vengeance - Review

noreply@blogger.com (Liang) — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 04:59:00 +0000

Um... it's a little embarrassing to admit, but I really enjoyed this movie. A lot. More than a lot. I walked in with zero expectations. I walked out of the theater giggling because I liked it so much. And I'm not even sure why.

Yesterday I attended the Tekken Blood Vengeance 3D one night movie premiere. I've been a fan of the franchise for over ten years now, so when I heard about the movie, I knew I had to see it. Two-thirds through the movie, I needed to pee - really bad. But I held it in because I was so entranced. Yes, I was that into it. So for 30 minutes I practiced clutching my uh, bladder muscles, as I glared on in pure fangirl joy.

Video game movies and others in that genre usually spell ~~bad~~ terrible. I tend to walk away feeling like it wasted my time (I'm looking at you Yu-Gi-Oh! The Movie: The Pyramid of Light, which had zero relevance to anything). Admittedly, Tekken Blood Vengeance had its plot holes as well (Shin Kamiya was rather useless, other than as eye candy) and the 3D felt unnecessary. What I did appreciate about Tekken Blood Vengeance was that it helped flush out some of the characters in ways that the game could not, and I couldn't help but smile every time I recognized a fighting stance or move. Sigh. I know, this is probably one of the most ridiculous confessions I have ever made.

Anyways, I thought I'd write a review to justify my pure adoration for this movie amongst all the negative reviews its gotten. Three paragraphs later and I still don't have a solid reason. A number of hardcore fans of Tekken have voiced their dissatisfaction with the movie, namely because of its shortage of fighting scenes and a lack of full character coverage and for being non-canon. If you haven't seen it and you can't decide if you should...

How to know if you should watch Tekken Blood Vengeance:

1) You are a fan of Tekken. Obviously.
2) You are not a hardcore fan of Tekken.
3) You have no expectations for this movie. It appears the consensus is that if you walk in with high expectations, you will likely find yourself disappointed.
4) You like eye candy. CG'd eye candy. There are multiple shower scenes. Seriously.

At the end of the day, I love this movie for what it is: a 90 minute visual hailstorm of one of my favorite video games of all time. It was funny, beautifully created and it thrilled my inner child like no other to watch something I've loved so long on the big screen for—well, 90 minutes straight.

I graduated!

noreply@blogger.com (Liang) — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 05:59:00 +0000

This past May, I graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a double major in Advertising and Journalism (concentration in Photojournalism), and a Business Foundations Certificate.

To celebrate, I got a haircut.

I don't break walls, I eat them.

So early in the morning...

noreply@blogger.com (Liang) — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 05:38:00 +0000

shirt, skirt: forever21 | shoes: h&m | watch: tko

The last few months kind of rolled by and I haven't found the time to breathe, post, or write. My passions were tugging left and right into grey areas, and I've finally aligned myself to this one again. I love blogging because I have a public platform to display whatever it is I want. One person might read it, maybe ten, maybe hundreds. But it's there for the world to see. I like that notion.

I'm still doing my photography thing. Launching two new portfolios soon (but never soon enough) as well as working full-time now post graduation as a Social Media Associate for a social media management company. It's a start-up with a very start-up type environment, which gives me lots of room to stretch my mind muscles to be creative, make things work and grow. Life is a routine I'm settling into and trying to break at the same time. Currently addicted to this song: "Main Street" by Late Night Alumni.

*Many a thanks to my roommate Ari Morales for taking these photos!

An Update on Life: Running from a raging cheetah

noreply@blogger.com (Liang) — Sun, 08 May 2011 23:44:00 +0000

The past few weeks have been a blur. Like a cheetah running behind you and all you're trying to do is not get eaten. And then at some pivotal moment in life years from now, you could potentially win a million dollars on a game show if you could recall how many spots the cheetah had. "Impossible!" you say, "It was far too hectic and dangerous for me to just casually lay about and count the spots on the cheetah. I would've DIED AND BEEN EATEN."

Yep, that's how the past few weeks have felt like and how I perceive I'll feel about it in the future. Like a blur I was trying to escape from, but later wish I could've remembered it better and enjoyed it more -- but it really would just be a meaningless wish because I would've gotten EATEN if I slowed down.

But that's not to say I didn't take a few moments for myself over the past few weeks. One of them was a recent development where myself and a couple of photographer friends get together and have a goofy fun time over food.

Last Tuesday, we went to Hopdoddy's for burgers on South Congress and had a photo walk and ice cream afterwards.

The Goodnight Burger, which I devoured.

PATTY CAKE!

All photos with me in it taken by Ari Morales. All other photos taken by me and all are edited by me. No cheetahs were harmed nor any small Asian girls during the posting of this blog post.

Why my blog is crap

noreply@blogger.com (Liang) — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 18:10:00 +0000

My blog sucks. Here's why:

1. I don't update enough
Well, this is obvious. I update like twice a month. It's really sad. The problem is I don't think I have anything interesting to say! I'd rather not bore people with random babbles about absolutely nothing just to fill up space. On the other hand, not filling it at all = this blog sucks.

2. There is no real content
So I throw up some cutesy photos every once in a while, and then what? There's no real content on this page, it's all fluff and that brings up my next reason...

3. This blog is censored
Yes, this blog is mad censored. No one is forcing me, but I censor the crap out of myself. Why? Because I fear my "future employer" will find it and disapprove of my colorful personality should I choose to display it.

Schools, HR staff, working professionals, et al -- ALL throw this threat down students' throats these days. "What you post on the internet is permanent." "Don't post anything online that you wouldn't want your grandma/mom/future kids to see." Taking all of this into consideration, I've completely shut myself up and filled this space up with perfectly good and likeable things. I mean, when you come here and read this space, I seem like a perfectly normal, fun-loving, likeable girl right?

No bitchyness (no one wants to hire a ranting brat), no crude jokes (must be politically correct in office spaces), no scandalous photos (not that those even possibly exist), and worst of all, nothing that shows any personality in me. BUT THIS BLOG IS ABOUT ME!! WHY IS IT NOTHING LIKE ME?????

4. I'm writing to please others
In relation to above reason, I am pleasing others rather than myself. The conundrum is I also thrive on comments. It's nice when someone takes the time to pat you on the back and throw you a little nibble known as a "comment" to show that they spent time to read your post, and actually took the time to tell you their opinion on something that took you quite some time to produce.

So I started noticing that the more pictures I posted, the more comments I usually got (I guess because it's easier to skim and easy to throw up a comment like "Nice pics" rather than something of more time, thought and substance). However, on the posts that I ventured out to be slightly more "edgy" and honest (where I talk about insecurities, fears, whatever) -- NO ONE COMMENTS. WHY??

It got to be discouraging. Maybe my worries just aren't relateable. Maybe I shall be FOREVER ALONE with my gripes about life. Maybe people just don't care. Or maybe people feel awkward to say something about a personal topic when they don't know the person that well. Eitherway, it got to feel kind of pointless even posting these musings to the public if no one wanted to see it.

5. It's not really valuable
What the heck is the point of visiting my blog anyways? I know a lot of people say they write their blog "for themselves." I'll be honest and tell you that's not why I'm here. I'm here because I want people to read and see my stuff. If it was for me and me alone, I'd keep a private journal (which I do, for those really melodramatic moments in my life). This place exists on the internet and even has a custom domain because I want people to read it!! Maybe it's an egotistical sense of self-importance where I feel like people should care about what I have to say, but I have to be honest with myself and admit this blog sucks because there is absolutely no value behind it. There's no reason to read it, really, unless you're just obsessed with me.

I had an epiphany that if I really want people to read my blog, I have to change the aforementioned five things that are murdering it right now.

Why five? I could've probably condensed it to three, or expanded and added on to it to eight or ten, but I like the way the number "5" looks all big and bold, so I went with five. Five is a pretty number.

Anyways, it would be nice if you commented. I mean, you don't HAVE to. But you'd be invalidating everything I said above. And that would make me sad.

= SAD

On an ironic and self-suicidal note, I am publishing this blog post as I am beginning my job search. This blog is indexed by Google and shouldn't really be hard to find as I link to it on my Twitter and LinkedIn too. But my hope is that either a) they won't dig so deep, or b) whatever place I work for will ideally value my honesty and ability to self-analyze and critique and view that as admirable! Or c) I will become independently wealthy within the next month.

instagr.am [liangs]

noreply@blogger.com (Liang) — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 03:54:00 +0000

instagr.am

Does anyone else use instagram? It's like a visual twitter. Follow me! Username: liangs

I'm usually pretty opposed to using trendy filters on photos, but I do admit, this adds instant prettiness to otherwise sometimes drab iPhone photos.

This was taken during an hour long drive that should've taken only 15 minutes due to crazy traffic in Austin. I missed a beautiful sunset.

Japanese school girl vibes

noreply@blogger.com (Liang) — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 03:22:00 +0000

I have to say, my style as of late has floated off into a world of its own. I now wear only about 15% of my entire closet on rotation and on repeat. Currently, it consists of a mix of Japanese school girl uniform elements combined with menswear. Thigh high socks, stockings, neckties, boxy cardigans and button downs are finding their way to me, with the occasional hoodie tossed into the mix to keep out the cold.

Photoshoot with Khanh Nguyen

noreply@blogger.com (Liang) — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 00:39:00 +0000

It was a frigid December afternoon when Khanh called me up to do a photoshoot.

I thought, "You're crazy!" and quickly packed my bags to go.

Here are the results. Taken in downtown Houston by Khanh Nguyen. (His website seems to be down at the moment, but you can reach him at khanhngfoto [at] gmail [dot] com)

Looks like it'll be a cold and somewhat lonely Chinese New Years this weekend. Mother is making an unexpected trip out of the country and I'll be in Austin all by my lonesome, trying to keep warm. I should probably clean my apartment.

Yes, it's happening.

noreply@blogger.com (Liang) — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 00:30:00 +0000

Sigh, I am indeed getting one year older. I know I have no right to complain about this as old age, but really, who wants to be 23?? Who wants to be anything other than 21?! I know, maturity and wisdom come with old age blah blah -- but youth is ever fading. So many people try and grasp onto it for as long as they can. Old women invest hundreds if not thousands in beauty products and surgery to retain their youth, or get a cheap imitation of it. SCREW GETTING OLDER!!!

As a constant defiance against aging, one of my favorite past times is to try and look as young as possible in photographs.

Case in point:

I think #1 makes me look extremely young and therefore I like that one the best. Could I pass for 8?? (PS - this is an excellent way to scare off guys)

So in true birthday-celebrating form, I decided to make a wishlist:

1) Ps (Photohsop) salt & pepper shakers. Because I would like to think of Photoshop while I'm eating.
2) Lego iPhone case. DO I EVEN NEED TO EXPLAIN THIS?? Think of all the crazy I could be building on the back of my phone! (Yes, crazy as a noun, not an adjective.)
3) Photo hanger paper clip. I like things that are things created out of other things to become new thingies. Plus they're cute. And I like pictures.
4) Bowties. I think they look charming and I would like to look charming.
5) Jeffrey Campbell 99 wedges in black or black suede. I'm a small girl who likes to be tall at times.
6) Thigh high socks. I've been having an obsession with them lately. Will take more. In all colors.

Thank you.

-Liang

P.S. In case you missed it, this post was written with an overcast of sarcasm. But only just a drizzle.

Your dream job is waiting for you!

noreply@blogger.com (Liang) — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 02:15:00 +0000

Oh really? I didn't realize browsing the Internet all day long while eating foie gras nigiri and practicing wizardry was a profession.

I started writing the sarcastic statement above after receiving a spam email proclaiming my dream job was just lounging about somewhere, waiting for me to seize it (so long as I signed up for this website and paid a certain fee to ensure I would get a chance to realize what it is).

But as hard as I tried at being pessimistic, I realized it was actually quite difficult to list things that couldn't be a real profession, or was something that someone wasn't already doing and making a living.

Things that sound ideal which come to mind include: eating for a living (Food Network contest judges), traveling the world and eating (Anthony Bourdain), doing absolutely nothing (Kim Kardashian -- except, well... did everyone forget HOW she became famous??).

Somehow, somewhere, someone has figured out how to make money from doing something. And as nice as those aforementioned things may be to actually make a living off of, I don't think I would be satisfied. The problem herein lies within me being completely indecisive about what I want to do. I did realize as of late, however, that worrying about whether it's actually viable is just an unnecessary hinderance. There's always a way to make a living.

What we need to survive is actually pretty minimal, if you can bear living modestly.

I'm looking for the only thing that I love doing so much that I could never put it down. It's a breath of fresh air when I meet someone who is so passionate about what they do, I can't differentiate the line between when they're working, and when they're just doing it for fun.

I want to find my one thing.

The biggest part holding me back is well, me. There have been plenty of dreams I've discarded that I'm much too ashamed to admit -- and I've tried to make amends to myself by at least pursuing a career where I had creative freedom. Ultimately, your unhappiness will catch up to you as you realize your heart's just not into it. I think this past year has been my point of realization.

I keep thinking that maybe the more I pursue whatever it is I'm doing, the more I'll get into it, and be better at it.

No, I'm only more unhappy.

It's been a strange week of introspection as I analyze the impending stress and possible doom that comes with my approaching graduation.

Maybe it's not too late to change directions.

2010 Travel Recap

noreply@blogger.com (Liang) — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 01:44:00 +0000

One of my resolutions for 2011 was to start blogging again.

Two weeks into the year and I hadn't budged one bit. Tired of mentally kicking myself in the butt, I decided to update. So voila! And I made a new banner for 2011. It's a little bit more "me" as one of my friends described it. Less sterile, more fun. Whoop!

2010

Overall, last year was a big gust of down and ups. And with only one semester of schooling left, I am having to think about the full spectrum of adulthood including career, finances and living situations.

In 2011, I would like to travel more than I did in 2010. I have no idea how I afforded to do so or how I'll afford to do it again, but here's a recap:

Shortly after returning from Singapore in December 2009, I went to:

March - New York City

April - Dallas

May - Chicago

July - New York City (2)

October - Chicago (2)

December - New York City (3!!!)

December - Las Vegas

Look at my hair growth in these photos... yeaaaaaah!!

So far lined up for 2011 includes a February trip to NYC (surprise, surprise) and an Asia trip later this year post-graduation. Not sure where I'll fit the other cities in here but definitely aching to visit the West coast and possibly some beaches! (Only downside is I can't swim, fml. Let's hope I don't drown).

Anyways, I've got a lot of catching up to do as far as blogging goes for those last three trips I took, amongst other miscellaneous things I wanted to blog about and then just sat around and did nothing (and played World of Warcraft) instead.

Be back soon.

NYC x JULY x DAY 5

noreply@blogger.com (Liang) — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 16:22:00 +0000

Our fifth and last day in NYC started with lunch at the highly acclaimed Le Bernardin. Awarded the Michelin Guide's coveted 3-stars, chosen as a top pick from Zagat and ranked number 11 best restaurant in the world by Restaurant magazine -- this was a meal not to be forgotten.

Row 1: ESCOLAR - grilled hawaiin escolar, chilled young carrot, lime mousseline, miso sauce vierge. CALAMARI - sauteed calamari filled with sweet prawns and shiitake mushroom, mushroom froth-pistou sauce.
ROW 2: HIRAMASA - seared yellowtail kish fish, truffle risotto, spring vegetables, black truffle emulsion. CODFISH - sauteed codfish, leek and grape parfait, caramelized endives, green peppercorn mariniere.
ROW 3: HAZELNUT - gianduja cream, oregon hazelnuts, banana, honey, brown butter ice cream. FIG-BACON - caramelized mission fig, red wine caramel, hazelnut, goat cheese fondant, bacon ice cream.

I felt a bit silly lugging my giant camera into this world acclaimed and slightly pretentious restaurant, but I couldn't let this experience go undocumented (pulling out my iPhone to take photos probably wouldn't fly so well at a place like this). This was one of those places I almost wish I didn't eat at because now, anytime I order seafood at a restaurant, food snob tendencies will appear and I'm going to want to compare it to Le Bernardin.

Picked up these beautiful babies from Zara during my trip, on sale for only $35.

Took a stroll through Washington Square Park and visited Sundaes & Cones once more. Honeydew this time!

Noms. So good.

And if you haven't guessed by now, one dessert is never enough. Went to Pinkberry for the first time and chowed down some more!

And thus concludes my NYC trip! Flew out the next morning back to Houston with a suitcase that barely shut. Since a lot of people ask me how I manage to travel so much, I'm going to include a post on the logistical side of all my trips (budgeting, packing, etc.) for anyone interested. Newer stuff coming soon!

NYC x JULY x DAY 4

noreply@blogger.com (Liang) — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 22:53:00 +0000

Started the day off with brunch at Cafe Mogador, one of my favorite eateries in NYC. Then went on a dessert rampage (hit up 4 spots), leaving me feeling like death wrapped in sugar as I rolled around New York city with an achingly full belly and taste buds in ecstasy.

Momofuku's crack pie + cereal milk soft serve is the best combination money can buy in this world. Better than cookies & cream or peanut butter & jelly, for reals.

Afterwards, went to Sundaes & Cones (again!) since, well, hey, we were in the area. This time it was lychee that took my taste buds to its happy place. And although I was already stuffed beyond belief, I struggled to swallow the last few bites as I knew my days to eat this marvelous stuff was numbered.

This is my uncomfortably full face. I also get sloppy when I'm full; note the strap hanging out -_-

Took a stroll afterwards mostly to try and digest some food before gorging some more.

Went to Chikalicious for a three-course dessert. Yes, three courses! It's like having an appetizer for your dessert AND a dessert for your dessert. Probably my favorite place on earth, sigh. This was the amuse: watermelon sorbet in a jasmine gelee.

Main course: panna cotta, toasted almonds, and something else (I forgot).

Main course #2: Fromage blanc island "cheese cake." The term cheese cake should be applied lightly as this is a fluffier, lighter and more angelic cousin to your typical variation of cheesecake.

Petits fours to top off the "meal."

Afterwards, crossed the street to Chikalicious Dessert Club for more dessert lol. This was a chilled brioche bread pudding. Never had chilled bread pudding before and this was awesome!

I could not fit dinner in that night.

NYC x JULY x DAY 3

noreply@blogger.com (Liang) — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 20:08:00 +0000

Started off the day scouring the 5th Avenue area for food. Landed upon Papillon, a French bistro that happened to be serving brunch and my all time favorite: Brioche French toast. It was served with caramelized apples & maple syrup and can be described as mediocre at best. I suppose I've been spoiled by places like 24 Diner and Mulberry here in Austin, Texas that really know how to do French toast right.

Ham & Gruyère sandwich with fries, which tasted much better than my French toast did...

Had a ridiculously large portioned dinner at Carmine's. The plate probably served 4-6 and there was only two of us. Clearly, there was no room left for dessert afterwards but I more than made up for it the next day. Update coming soon!

NYC x JULY x DAY 2

noreply@blogger.com (Liang) — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 02:31:00 +0000

Had lunch at Jean-Georges Nougatine. Three courses of sumptuousness for only $26. Shrimp salad, tomato and avocado, champagne vinegar dressing.

Grilled beef tenderloin with spinach crepe.

Jean-Georges warm chocolate cake with vanilla bean ice cream.

Had the Okonomiyaki at Go Japanese Restaurant for dinner at St. Mark's Square with one of my girlfriends, Jessica. If you've never had it, it's sort of a Japanese pancake with seafood and noodles and it's ridiculously good, at least at this joint. Funny thing about Jessica and I, we're both from Houston but we never see each other in Houston. She was in Chicago when I was there, and then I met her in NYC, and prior to that the last time I saw her was in Austin.

Ended the night on the floor plopped in front of the laptop, webchatting away.

NYC x JULY x DAY 1

noreply@blogger.com (Liang) — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 08:44:00 +0000

Day 1 in NYC was actually supposed to be day 2, but Delta canceled the second leg of our flight from Atlanta to NYC until the next morning, so I had the misfortune of missing out on a whole evening of fun :[ Regardless, I still enjoyed the remainder of my trip.

Landed in Newark and took the bus to Manhattan. A tip to anyone visiting NYC, check all 3 airports near Manhattan (La Guardia, JFK and Newark) for the lowest plane ticket price. Also, taking public transportation via either train or bus will be MUCH more economical than taking a cab, so plan ahead!

First meal of the trip: Kati Rolls (99 MacDougal Street, New York, NY 10012)! According to their website, it's a "a spicy mixture of meat and vegetables rolled in Indian flat-bread." Quite yum in my book.

Next up was shopping in SoHo!

Stopped by kid robot, BAPE & Y-3.

Fell absolutely in love with these hipster frames at Selima Optique (59 Wooster St., New York, NY 10012). Unfortunately, they were over $400. This was absolutely one of the most fascinating eyeglass shops I've ever been to. They have quite an eclectic collection.

Ended the evening with a mini food tour of East Village, including: a banana, nutella & walnut crepe from Shade, a Whatchamacallit cupcake from Cake & Shake (yes, desserts first), ramen noodles at Ramen Setagaya, a shot of tequila at Continental Bar, a scoop of strawberry cheesecake ice cream from Sundaes & Cones, and Belgian frites from Pomme Frites complete with 3 types of dip.

CHLOE DAO x MISS CHINATOWN HOUSTON

noreply@blogger.com (Liang) — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 00:50:00 +0000

This year's Miss Chinatown Houston pageant featured a fashion show by season 2 Project Runway winner, Chloe Dao. Myself, along with some of the gorgeous previous title holders, modeled for the show in Chloe Dao's Spring 2010 collection.

Myself, Ailie, and Jessica.

Goofing off a bit while getting ready. Paul Mitchell School did our hair & make-up.

First look - gorgeous spring jewel tones!

Look number 2 - sea foam greens and blues make these dresses perfect for spring and summer. And long white gowns for the perfect summer wedding.

I loved how this dress had pockets! I don't usually carry much with me while going out, so I'd much rather slip my ID and a credit card in a discreet pocket sometimes than carrying a purse around.

Check out the rest of Chloe Dao's collection at www.lot8online.com. And if you're in Houston, you should definitely check out their store. There are numerous gorgeous evening gowns and cocktail dresses to suit almost every event. They also had an awesome sale going on when I was there a couple of weeks ago.

Lot 8
6127 Kirby Drive
Houston, TX 77005

And photo credits go to Ailie Chang, who I yanked these photos from off of Facebook :p

DISAPPEARING ACT x NEW HAIR

noreply@blogger.com (Liang) — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 19:38:00 +0000

The past four weeks have been a bit of a whirlwind. I was in NYC (again), moved from my central Austin apartment to a place further north to live alone for the very first time, was back and forth between Houston every single week, attended the Miss Chinatown Houston pageant, and oh -- changed my hair color.

Photos by the very wonderful Katherine Fan.

How has everyone's summer been? Do anything exciting??