So to give a little context - No Relation is a reservation-only sushi counter that’s hidden in the back of Shore Leave. I’ll let you read their own description of themselves below

Tucked away down a narrow hallway at the back of Shore Leave, No Relation is a nine-seat, secret sushi restaurant nestled within the newly opened neighborhood tiki bar from the team at Bar Mezzana. Chef Colin Lynch leads the inventive omakase menu, where Japanese technique and his creative interpretation of a sushi-ya are presented each evening over approximately 14 courses. 

Essentially, the way it works is you have to buy tickets for the night you want to go, there’s 2-seatings a night and all you have to worry about when you get there is what to drink, if anything and tip!

For those that haven’t ordered.eaten.fallen in love with Omakase before, it’s essentially entrusting your meal with the chef and it translates to “I’ll leave it up to you” or entrust in Japanese. Us Westerners have adopted it to mean a tasting menu at sushi restaurants but on my trip to Japan you can pretty much get Omakase & Kaiseki dining at a multitude of different type of restaurants. 

You’re paying for the chefs knowledge and respect for both the ingredients (seasonality, care, preparation etc.) and for you (gauging your reaction to certain dishes). They are in charge of creating the menu using the finest ingredients available to them, and traditionally they should be gauging your reaction and adjusting the menu, presentation, portion for each person they’re serving. 

Another thing to note is that often times, it’s standard to keep eating until you’re almost uncomfortably full, only then will you receive the bill.

Now onto the food - I’ll leave the menu here so you can follow along!

Korean Fluke
house ume & shiso

I’m not a huge fan of raw fluke, but this pairing was light and refreshing. Definitely a great way to start the meal.

Kinmedai
lemon oil & sansho salt

The acidity of the lemon oil definitely helped balance the fish. I first was exposed to this in Japan a couple years ago.

Ocean Trout
flavors of thailand

The flavors of coconut definitely helped balance this fish out, and it actually ended up being one of my favorites!

Shima Aji
aji amarillo, maui onion, uni

Okay so this is one of my favorite fishes, and I ate it without taking a picture - oops. This is also called Jack Mackerel, it’s closely related to Aji, but it’s a bit lighter in flavor, still fatty - just like I’m tryna make my bank account.

Aji Sashimi
cucumber, sesame , dashi

The cucumber was a really nice refreshing bite, and the dashi helped pull in all the fatty essence of the fish - so that we could move on to the next set. Well done.

Overall I don’t think I would give it another go, unless the menu was a lot different than what I had the last time. Reason being is because I honestly thought there was too much wasabi on some of the pieces for my liking, the rice didn’t bother me as much as some folks though. They use a different style when preparing the rice, so I was excited to try it - they flavor it was junta vinegar. When I went they had only been serving people for a little under a month I believe so I’m sure they have their stuff down pat by now. 

Definitely add this place to your list though!

Finally had the chance to show off some heat, and help some friends out who were in town shooting for this campaign. Shoutout Blake and Samson for including me, check out their stuff!

Getting over a relationship is fucking hard. It doesn’t matter if it ended poorly, amicably or ::insert any other unfortunate reason here:: - either way it’s difficult. It’s especially difficult when we live in a world filled with (anti-social) social media and essentially have to put on a front that everything’s chill, all.of.the.time.

And I’m not talking just about romantic relationships. I’m talking friendships, people you used to run into that might not live here anymore, or family members that may have moved away.

And it only gets tougher as you get older, because life starts to get in the way. People’s priorities shift, and that’s okay. But when it’s not, is when the effort that both parties need to put into said relationship becomes overwhelmingly unbalanced, and that urge to want to continue as a unit fades. Those are the moments that we should really be paying attention to, not the other trivial shit that gets in the way like “you didn’t text me back” or flaking on plans for the twelfth time.

It’s when you suddenly stop wanting to text them or invite them into your life that then poses an issue.

So this is where I’m at now, take it or leave it.

blazer | f21
champion remix shirt | frankie collective
jeans | american apparel
af1s | nike

photos by boy malakhai >>

some of my cllctv.us brethren and i did a photoshoot together - all blackeverything is a lifestyle.

top | hm
culottes | uniqlo
sneakers | adidas

These are all questions I ask myself regularly. If I’m being honest – which I strive to always be with you guys – I don’t know what I’m doing right now. I don’t know if higher higher education is even for me, but I know I need to give it a go and find out.

Before I left for Japan I “studied” – who are we kidding, I didn’t study. I bought the books and stared at them until about a week before my scheduled exam, skimmed through the chapters and prayed for the best. The test environment was not what I expected at all. Everything was done on a computer, which I’m usually fine with but call me old-school I need paper, something tactile, in those settings to help me push through. The gentleman assigned to sit next to me felt the need to type as if he had 3 pound weights on each of his fingers, and breathed as if there wasn’t enough oxygen in the room.

This lasted for four hours.

When I pressed submit on the final section, and impatiently awaited what I was sure was the lowest possible score you can receive, I thought to myself what’s the worst that can happen, I take it again?

Fast-forward to today and I’m two weeks away from taking my first Graduate school course at my alma matter. I’m both excited and anxious with a little bit of uncertainty mixed in for good measure.

Will this help me further my career along? What even is my career anymore? Is this going to be a worthwhile investment? Do I really need to be racking up more debt? I should pay off the one I have now first amirite?

Are they really going to teach me useful shit that I can actually benefit from?

These are all the questions that pop into my head on a regular basis.

swimwear | sommer swim, asos
cover up | f21

Processed with VSCO with a6 preset

Processed with VSCO with a6 preset

Processed with VSCO with a6 preset

shirt | anti diet diet club
glasses | harajuku
fishnets | amazon
sneakers | adidas

My girl LO is the fucking realest, everything you see below is because of her eye for design, photo and general aesthetic. She is a true champion in her craft, and needs to be recognized for all that she does. If you’re ever in the Boston area, please let her know.

her site | her instagram

jersey | a bathing ape
fishnets | amazon
sunnies & shorts | hm
sneakers | adidas

summer time is almost officially upon us, and it's finally starting to heat up here in Boston.
hit the beach for the first time this past weekend, and I couldn't have felt more at home.

what do yall do once summer hit?

I gotchu.

First, you need to figure out how many people you’re dealing with and if there are any dietary restrictions (although that shit is hard to guarantee).

Standard is about 2 ounces per person, 5 if you include it with bread.

Playing with textures, temperatures, and flavors is a great way to wow a crowd, and all you need is a stove, fridge and your judgment. A hard salami, maybe a pate or a smoked sausage.

Figuring out how far a personal is willing to go when it comes to dairy. Do they like things that are milder? Is bleu just okay? or is it the bluer the better? Something creamed/soft, maybe one traditional milk and one from another animal and either a blue or something else that’s funky. A crumble, and an aged add depth as well. Can’t go wrong with a couple different types of cheddars because they’re easy and delicious.

Be sure not to have garnishes become an afterthought! Acid. Sweetness. Crunch. Nuts are essential – pistachios, cashews, peanuts, wasabi peas. A good mustard to cut the fat. Pickles, can’t forget the pickles. I love to make my own especially when watermelons are available, pickled watermelon rind is unbelievable.

Lots of stuff comes pre-sliced. A good rule of thumb for salami is to slice it when it’s cold, the thickness of a quarter or so on the bias, and to serve it at room temperature.

I usually have bread on hand that I’ll drizzle some olive oil or spread some confit garlic on and toast. Be sure to keep some soft as well. Jams or preserves are cool if you're into that sorta thing.

Have EVOO, black pepper and salt, maybe some fruit/honey on deck just in case people want to use them in little pinch bowls – cuz we’re sort of adults now and we have weird cutlery and wares now.

Tell guests to bring booze/wine/beer/cider and to contribute to a group playlist or something and you’ve got a great night in! (or stop on your way out). Have plenty of utensils and accoutrement nearby for peeps to use, but at the end of the day, you want it to be interactive and fun because that's what food is all about!

Cheers

One of my favorite dishes to eat out is steamed sea bass with ginger and scallions.

Super simple, super delicious.

Prep 15 mins | Cook 12-15 mins | Total 30 mins | Yields 3-4 servings

Ingredients
Small-medium sized sea bass or snapper
2 bunches of scallions
Salt
1-2 in. knob of fresh ginger
1-2 tbs. Shaoxing wine
3-5 tbs. light soy sauce
4 tbs. vegetable oil

** If you've never scaled a fish, don't be scared! It's not hard, trust me.
All you need (if you don't have an official fish scaler) is a strong serrated knife and a dish towel. **

Slice 1 bunch of scallions into slivers for the garnish, and peel the ginger (save any scraps for the marinade. Feel free to chop the other bunch of scallions into 2-inch chunks.

Wash your fish and pat dry. Make a few cuts to the fish on each side. Rub the inside and outside with some salt and the wine. Take some of the ginger and scallions (2-inch pieces) and crush them with the back side of a knife, and place them inside the cavity of the fish. Let this marinate for about 15 minutes.

Drain any liquid from the fish, pat dry, and place over a bed of ginger/scallions (chunks) on a dish and steam for around 12 minutes/until just done.

When the fish is almost done cooking remove it from the steamer and transfer it to a dish, remove the ginger/scallions from the inside of the fish. Place the slivered scallions and some ginger over the top of the fish. Heat the oil in a wok (garlic is optional, but preferred) until it is nearly smoking. Pour the hot oil over the fish (everything should sizzle), and top with some soy sauce, serve asap! I love to eat this with rice.

I wouldn’t be alive for one, but they’re always there for me. I know I can count on them, day or night, if I called, they would be there. I have so much history here, a lotttt of firsts, but definitely not any lasts.

Every time I visit the city, yes New York – it’s only ever New York when you say the city, I picture myself there. Sometimes it fits, sometimes it’s too much all at once, yet somehow never enough. That feeling you get when you start a show and the pilot draws you in, and you have to wait and wait until the next week to get an update on how everything is gunna play out. That’s how I feel sometimes.

hat | aritzia
white tee + jeans | uniqlo
leather | club moncaco
cardigan | hm
choker | shoelace
trigenic flex | clarks

Yes, they smell, and can be scary at times. But there are plenty of great uses for them that taste delicious.

First off, the cheeks are incredible, and I know if might seem weird but don’t knock the eyes unless you’ve tried them.

One of the easiest things you can make with fish heads is soup/stalk. All you need are fish heads, the holy trinity (carrots, onions, celery), preferred spices, and whatever else you want to throw in. it’s straight forward, all you have to do is put all of the above in a pot with cold water, boil it for a few hours, discard the solids and you’re done!

Another great dish that takes little to no effort is just to broil the fish heads with ginger and scallions and to eat the meat (o:3 – you can use the bones for stalk if you’re feeling ambitious.

I’m telling you, they’re not as scary as they let on.

I find myself guilty of texting.scrollingbrowsing while being in the company of others, I'm not gunna lie to you. I've been called out and I've done some calling out as well.

There's always a time and place to be on your cell phone. 
There are also times where you probably just put that shit away, too.

I know this goes hand in hand, in the literal sense that it's so easy, in fact too easy to stay connected. We have chargers in our cars, at work, pocket battery packs, why? So we can make sure our phone stays charged so we can miss out on physical human contact with each other instead. It's absurd, but we all do it.

The chances that you're probably reading this on your cell phone are pretty high, and we've come to terms as a society that this behavior is alright.

I've let some of my food get cold before eating it to snap a picture, guilty as charged. I've also been that girl taking photos in a dimly lit spot just to get the perfect photo that I'll probably look at once or twice (while editing it) and never again - and for what? 

We live on our phones. Or do we live for our phones?

Next time you're out with your friends, keep your phone tucked away and look up, look around, engage. Try going a full dinner.nightday without being on your phone except to answer calls (because if it truly is important, they will call.), and take note in the differences you experience.

I logged how many times a day I check my phone, and for what purpose - you'd be amazed at the stupid reasons why we do this shit.

We can all start small, maybe it goes from habitually checking social media or emails when we're waiting to carving out specific time slots in our day for that.

Instead of letting our phones control us, resist the urge to check your phone every time you get a notification from one of the 834971565 apps you have, and just let it be. 

The devices were designed to connect us, as people, not as pixels.

just some words for thought.

Why? They’re extremely utilitarian and can dress up or down an outfit.

I love the truly no-iron ones – moms put me on. They’re great for those days where you have nothing to wear but want to look put together. Trust me, no one is going to know that you rolled out of bed, may or may not have showered and forgot to put deodorant on if you have a white button down on, truuusst.

A great white button down, unbuttoned, can double as a cover-up. You can tire it around your waist for a more laid back look, or tuck it into a midi skirt.

No-iron/wrinkle free – invest if a few of these and don’t look back.

button down (no-iron) | ralph lauren
jeans | uniqlo
blazer | f21
"choker" | necklace doubled
boots | clarks

Growing up a sneakerhead I’ve come to terms with the fact that there’s just a certain amount of my money that’s going to go towards the culture lol. You can’t help it man.

Nike celebrated their 30th year anniversary of the Air Max.

And Bodega afforded us all the chance to take a glimpse at their new concept space –  SERIES.

This is their new space where art, design, sport, fashion, and culture will meet.

While the doors don’t officially open until tomorrow for the adidas x Alexander Wang collection, let’s take a look at the space and the day now!

This is a life lesson that my dad instilled in me since I was young.

Take care of your mother

He would say, because she takes care of us. Growing up my mom was like a superhero, always looking out for others, keeping things on an even keel despite having to juggle so many tasks and responsibilities.

When I was little she would take me to work with her at the restaurant. We had a couple of places in Harvard Square, and she would bring me with her pretty much every day that I wasn’t in school – I grew up there.

I got to see firsthand what customer service is all about, how to treat people with respect and kindness, and how to have everyone like you.

All my friends that have ever met my mom, in any capacity, always comment on how sweet.nice.insert positive adjective here. My mom is the most good-natured and kindhearted person I have ever met. She always knows what you need before you need it, checks in with you to make sure you’re okay, and seems to need little to no sleep to function.

I know I can always call her at any time of day (granted she has her phone nearby) and she’ll answer.

If there’s something we want to eat or try, she’s my go-to.

She’s my #1 fan and best friend, she’s my mom, and I love her.

there are so many issues that I feel are being overlooked.unaddressed, at times it can be overwhelming. 

it's been a while since I shared anything that intimate, and to be honest, I'm not really sure why.
part of me has been keeping quiet because the thought of what others think about me, my life, my blog etc. has started to creep in more than I'm used to. For the first time in a long time, I started to let others opinions of shit that has nothing to with them, have an affect on me.

the whole reason I started this was to get away, from school, from work, from others opinions, and sometimes from myself - the self that I feel like I have to "put on" for others.

I vowed that this was the year that I come into my own. Sink or swim, fight or flight, do or don't.
This is the year that I start embracing the bests and the worsts, trying new things, saying yes and saying no - more.

Spending time with those that actually fucking matter, and less of it with those that only appear to. 

Life is forever fleeting, and there truly is no need to waste even a second if it's not on something truly spectacular.

So this post is to more about THIS and less about that.

tees | hype
shorts | i made them
kicks | leather converse all stars

The title of this is to commemorate bad & boujee while I still can, it's also to encourage you to eat hot pot at home whenever you can!

I'm sure you've seen shabu/hot pot somewhere by now, whether it's on instagram or online.

Shabu-shabu is the Japanese food-term for thinly sliced meat and vegetables cooked in a boiling liquid/broth.

Hot pot is by far (way) up on my list of things to eat on a regular basis.
It’s healthy, super easy to make, and great for crowds.
You’re probably asking yourself “where am I going to buy all this stuff?!”

Well of course amazon can be your BFF for this one, but if you have a local Asian supermarket nearby, then I would definitely check that out first!

Here’s the basics of what you’ll need to have your very own hot pot experience, at home (in your PJs).   

• Induction pad – to heat up everything
• Hot pot pot ::bad and boujee voice:: single bowl | split bowl – has to work with the induction pad
• All in one
• Metal tongs – for the raw meat/seafood
• Ladles
• Mini strainer – for noodles and things that float away
• Dipping bowls

Okay so now that we’ve got the basic kitchenware out of the way we can move on to some of the basic ingredients you’ll need to actually cook!

• Sliced/shaved meats : my favorites are beef (fatty) & pork, but you can get all sorts of things! Chicken, lamb, etc.
  I usually buy this pre-sliced and frozen at my local Asian supermarket, unless you have a slicer (v rare) it’s going to be pretty hard to slice it yourself. BUT if you must, just stick the meat in the freezer for about 20 minutes or so, that way you have something a bit more firm to work with.
   
• Seafood : salmon, tuna, squid, clams, mussels, fish sticks!
  a quick and easy way to get a great sampling is to pick up a sashimi platter at the market, that way you don’t have to be stuck with just one type of fish!
   
• Tofu : silken is a good standby, fried, bean threads (tofu skin), firm, etc.
  There are soo so many types of tofu out there definitely feel free to Google this.
   
• Vegetables : nappa cabbage, baby bok choy, watercress (yuck), spinach, daikon, corn, carrots, tomatoes, taro?, etc. essentially any vegetable that you like is going to be perfect
   
• Mushrooms : wood ear, shitake, enoki, king oyster, etc.
  again like tofu, there are so many different varieties, that’s why I separated them out on their own
   
• Fish/meat balls : Asian markets have an amazing assortment of these things, choose one of all and see what you like!
   
• ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO EAT, really.

Broth
Okay now this is where it’s handy to have a bowl with a divider, that way you can try different kinds.

For the base of any broth feel free to use any sort of stock that you have (no salt if possible) whether it’s store bought or homemadeisbetter.

If you’re feeling adventurous you can always pick up different flavorings either online or at your local Asian market (LAM). Some great ones out there that you’ll see on menus are – miso, Mongolian, herbal, Szechuan, Tom Yum, vegetable, pork

Sauce
This is arguably one of the most important parts of hot pot, to me anyway. Of course there are a few different ways you can customize your dipping sauce, below are some basic ingredients that I use to build off of.

• Chinese barbeque sauce, I use Bull Head
  (make sure you stir up the can every time, and store in a plastic bag)
• Soy sauce
• Sugar
• Scallions
• Garlic
• RHCP aka birds eye chili’s
• Feel free to add anything else! Oyster sauce, ginger, etc.

A few of my favorite places to go to when you don’t feel like cleaning are:

• Shabu Zen, my all-time favorite. I prefer the Chinatown location but Allston is the one with parking
• Van Shabu on Dorchester Ave. – all you can eat hot pot & sushi?!
• Kaze in Chinatown – great location and quality!

I’d love to see you guys try this out :)