Fa(shion) la la la la

♪Deck the halls with boughs of holly, fa la la la la la la!♪

Okay I know I'm a little too excited (as I'm typing this I'm belting out the carol at the top of my voice), but CHRISTMAS IS COMING! Which means that beautiful decorated houses are coming, warm sugar cookies are coming, turkeys are coming, and gifts are coming! Most important of all, family gatherings are coming!

In the jolly times of seeing family and friends, who doesn't want to be dressed festively and nicely? Here are a few tips that I have for this year's Christmastime dress code:

1. the basics

Some beautiful dresses that are not just Christmassy - you can wear all year round!

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These two pretty numbers from Free People are a little on the pricey side, but oh well, you can always ask for them as Christmas presents... The lace detail on the red dress  is just gorgeous - so delicate, so feminine, but the color red is at the same time very racy and bold. The white dress, in my opinion, is more made for those who like to sleep in during the holidays. The cleanliness and casualness of it matched with bed-mussed hair cannot be cuter. Slip on a pair of fuzzy socks and sip away all the peppermint hot chocolate!

2. the layers

When it's a little colder in the house, or when you are going out, throw some layers over your dress to dress it up more! 

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The white dress would go really well with the navy sweater with jeweled detail or the cozy red cardi; the red dress paired with the varsity-jacket lookalike cardi would add to its boldness in design and at the same time balance it out with some quieter colors.

3. the accessories

Last but not least, the accessories are what really bring out an outfit by adding that perfect final touch to the outfit. Here are some eye-catching accessories that will also keep you warm!

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The embellished headwrap goes well with casual wavy hair or cute boyish short hair; wear it with the red dress and varsity cardi. the off white eternity scarf, well, it's just so comfy; wear it with the white dress and either the navy sweater or the red cardi.

Happy holidays! I hope you guys rock whatever you wear this holiday season!

xx

Vanessa :]

Between hope and fear: Catching Fire (2013)

Title: Catching Fire
Language: English
Year: 2013
Director: Francis Lawrence
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutchinson, Liam Hemsworth
My Rating: 5/5

"Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark become targets of the Capitol after their victory in the 74th Hunger Games sparks a rebellion in the Districts of Panem.” --imdb

Went to see this film last night after my last class of the fall quarter. And can I just say - I was blown away.

As a die-hard fan of the Hunger Games books,  I give kudos to the director for a successful book-to-film adaptation. Just like there are imperfections in even the best works of literature, the book Catching Fire is not flawless. And this is where the film succeeds - it leaves out the flaws and fill their places with something suspenseful, moving, and powerful. It really deals well with the themes of hope and fear, as it serves as the transitional piece between the first film (fear) and the third and last one (hope).

A few things I especially LOVED:
- the arena
the clock setup in the book was impressive enough, but the movie! the movie! In the movie the arena is set up so cleverly and visually beautiful, and let me just give you one small spoiler - there is a trick to do with the cornucopia. Yes, be expectant.
- Mags
The sacrifice. Need I say more?
- the victory tour (okay I'm sorry I'm not going in chronological order)
I cried so much during that part of the movie. Jennifer Lawrence did a superb job of portraying the fear and anger of Katniss and the districts people. It is extremely believable, personable, and touching.
- Effie
It is not only her bazillion beautiful costumes that are breathtaking in this film, but also the emotions that she lacked/was not supposed to have in the first film that struck me. Effie is so human in this film, which is all the more touching.

These are just a few things out of the many that I absolutely loved about this movie. If I get time I'll write a longer post about the parallels between this film and our society today, because there are plenty!

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To conclude - go see the movie, people! It is gripping, it is intense, it will make you laugh as much as it will make you cry.
May the odds be ever in your favor,
Vanessa :]

ambient

Hello friends! I just realized how long I haven't shared music on here with everyone. So, here ya go, something I've been obsessed with lately (Not holiday music?!?! Surprising, I know.)

Deep Love from Indiratjokorda on 8tracks Radio.

Happy Music Monday!

xx

Vanessa :]

Clothing and Self-representation

So today I am here with some questions I have yet to find the answers to.

All throughout boarding school, and now as a freshman in college, part of living in a dorm for me means sharing stuff with your dorm mates and friends. As a girl, a lot of this sharing comes in the form of clothes, shoes, and accessories. 

Therein arises the questions then: by borrowing our friends/dorm mates' clothing, we appropriate/accept them as part of our self-representations, but are these representations really ours? Do we own them? Do we own these images of ourselves? We certainly do not own these clothing items, but by wearing them, can we call them "our style," so to speak?

Do we own our own image? If not, who does?

xx

Vanessa :]

Top Ten Tuesday: quick hunger fixes (Part III)

***click here for Part I and here for part II***

Finding myself writing about food late at night once again should be argument enough that this is going to be a good post. And yes, I promise it will be good.

7. Apple slices and cheese

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Many of you probably have heard of or have had grapes with cheese, but how many of you knew apple slices go just as well with cheese? The crispy sweetness and slight juiciness of apples complement the harder texture and more pungent taste of cheese extremely well. 

And if you're feeling fancier, I dare you to try an apple grilled cheese.

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8. Strawberries and Nutella

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Living in a dorm means that you gotta love all things to do with dips. Be it salsa, Nutella, or hummus, everything dipped is just easy to fix and usually super yummy to eat. This strawberries and Nutella combination should be pretty self-explanatory. But the taste! Yum. It'll surprise you for sure.

9. hummus and chips

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What did I say about dips again? Yummmm. What's better is that these two things in this quick hunger fix are pretty easy to find in grocery stores or school stores all over campus!

10. Microwave scrambled eggs

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Got eggs? Craving scrambled eggs but ran out of meals in your meal plan? No problem! All you need is a microwavable bowl or plate that is not too shallow and however many eggs you want (preferably two or three). Crack the eggs and pour them in, add a little bit of salt, and whisk them until everything is combined. Since every microwave is different, I'll just tell you what I like to do, and you can test it out on your microwave to see if it works: I put it in for one minute on high, and it'll come out just right. This recipe is perfect for brunches, complete with microwave toast and perhaps some chunky peanut butter :D

Happy eating!

xx

Vanessa :]

Top Ten Tuesday: quick hunger fixes (Part II)

***Click here for Part I***

Yay! More yummy food! As I'm writing this late at night, my stomach is starting to protest... might actually get myself to the kitchenette in my dorm and fix myself one of these options later.

4. root beer float

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This amazing drink/dessert combination is SUPER DUPER easy to make - just pour root beer into a glass and dump in a scoop (or two) vanilla ice cream and you're all set for deliciousness!

5. cookie dough dip

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This is assured to fix your cravings for sweet and rich things. Dole out frozen cookie dough into a container and let it sit until the dough turns soft but still cold-ish. And then - dip animal crackers, Oreos, Saltines, whatever you feel like munching on really, into it and enjoy! 

This is great for when you have friends over to hang out or when you're pulling an all-nigher and just need some sugar.

6. Nutella & banana sandwich

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Just looking at this picture makes my mouth water, no joke! This heavenly delicacy takes only about three minutes to make, and it can be easily done either in the cafeteria or in your dorm. Just toast one or two slices of bread and slather on Nutella generously. Then add banana slices on top, and you're all set for this crunchy, thick and chocolaty treat! Great for breakfast or an energy boost snack.

Hungry yet? Try your hand at some of these!

xx

Vanessa :]

Top Ten Tuesday: quick hunger fixes (Part I)

Now that I've been living in a dorm and going to classes and parties and football games and late-night Cheesie's runs (Cheesie's is this amazing grilled cheese place in town) for a while, I feel legit to declare myself as a college student. As most of you college kids out there would agree, I think food is a very important aspect of college life. I know that personally I can't focus on anything on an empty stomach, or after an unsatisfying meal (which could happen in the cafeteria sometimes..).

So today I'm here to start a new Top Ten Tuesday topic: food!!! Yayyyy :D 

And I'm not just talking about any food, I'm talking about easy-to-make snacks or DIYs that you could create in the cafeteria that are sure to leave your tastebuds content.

Without further ado:

1. EXTRA CHEESY Easy mac n' cheese

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Throughout the weeks, I've started to discover that microwave mac n' cheese is a college/dorm life essential. Late night hunger pangs while rushing through an essay that's due at midnight? No problem - pop one of these plastic bowls into the microwave and you'll have deliciousness in three minutes! My personal favorite is the Kraft brand mac n' cheese, those pretty little blue bowls with mouthwatering pictures of mac n' cheese on top. 

How I usually make it is the EXTRA CHEESY way - where the instructions tell you to put water, I put milk. But NOTE THAT you shouldn't fill up to the line that's meant for water. Pour in enough milk so that it's just below the line. That should be good. Otherwise microwave catastrophes might ensue...

2. Chai Milk Tea

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So I got these packets of chai tea (the bagged kind) from Whole Foods the other day... and it turns out they come out clear, just like green tea. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE MILKY YUMMINESS that I'm used to call chai tea?!?

In order to solve this problem, after making tea the regular way (heating up water and seeping the tea bag for 3-5 minutes), I pour a little milk in and add honey. The reason why I added honey is because I think it's healthier than plain sugar yet gives the same sweetness that's essential to a good cup of chai. After discovering this way of making chai, I've been addicted to this drink. The cold weather helped further solidify this addiction, let's just leave it like that.

3. Sliced Coconut

No, you did not hear wrong. I did say sliced coconut. I took the picture above while dying in its deliciousness last night. So before this I never knew they existed in this form - small, peeled slices that you can eat whole. The white part is harder than I thought, and very fiber-y, but it makes a good chew, and leaves a slight sweet, creamy taste on your tongue that I swear is magical. Try it.

Happy eating and foodie-ing!

xx

Vanessa :]

Fashion Friday: Sweater Weather

[Takes a deep breath] fall is finally here! Finally finally finally - the air is crisp in the morning, the ground is dotted with red and yellow, coffee shops start to become crowded, pumpkins are laid out in front of houses and restaurants... in short, the perfect time of year! AKA the perfect sweater weather :) (Pun intended - love love love that song.)

Anyway, seems to me that fall is the perfect weather to wear sweaters + jeans + boots. So, without further ado:

1. Simple is good.

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This grayish beige cable sweater from American Eagle Outfitters is so simple, yet it has this undeniable appeal to me, because I can literally pair it with anything and look good. For those of you who like to go crazy with patterns and colors, keep in mind that sometimes simple is good.

2. That snug fit

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This cozy cardigan from Urban Outfitters offers everything amazing about sweaters: warm, comfy, casual. Pair it with patterned or colorful pants for a street chic look, or wear it over a dress to be girly and cute!

3. feminine and comfy two-in-one

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Another great item from Urban Outfitters - who said femininity and comfiness can't go together?

4. La classique

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Last but not least, the classic. You could never go wrong with this elegant color combination style from J Crew.

Wear sweaters and happy fall!

xx

Vanessa :]

On mistakes

Last Saturday I received the extremely sad news of my high school cross country coach's passing. He took his own life after making a terrible mistake that I'm not going to talk about here. Despite the shock and the grief, what bothered me the most is how my school dealt with it. The administration has not talked about his passing properly, and my coach's death won't be celebrated by any teams or student organizations because of the mistake he made. 

This whole incident just got me thinking - how significant is one mistake, exactly? Of course, I know the answer sort of depends on how big the mistake is, but still, is any mistake big enough for someone's death to be overlooked? 

Since I'm not the victim of the mistake, I wouldn't know firsthand how great of a mistake it is, but I personally do not agree that any mistake can surpass the fact that someone has taken their own life. I think the school should give us a clearer answer and allow students to celebrate my coach's life.

What's your take?

xx

Vanessa :]

Music Monday: FALL in love

Hi y'all! I'm backkkkkk :D

Okay so quick update before I jump into today's music. Today marks the beginning of the third week of my life as a Northwestern student, and also the second week that I'm sick (yeah, really). I don't want to use it as an excuse for my lack of blogging, but being sick does suck a lot out of me...

Anywaysies, I'm getting better now (hopefully), and I'm back to share some music with y'all! At Northwestern, the temperature just dropped significantly over the weekend, and now leaves are on the ground, red and crispy, the air is chilly, the sky is high and clear... fall is in full swing. And *blushing a little* I'm falling in love.

So, to match the mood:

Fall in love from ness428 on 8tracks Radio.

Happy fall! Enjoy!
xx
Vanessa :]

Apologies for having been incommunicado

A big hello to all of you out there! I'm here to say sorry for the lack of blog posts in the past few weeks. An excuse that might suffice is that I had recently just started college, and orientation week was long and exhausting. Literally every minute of my time was planned by the nice people on my school's Welcome Week board, leaving me both happy and at the same time extremely tired at the end of the day. 

Today is my third day as a college student (aka going to slightly intimidating hundred-people lectures and trying not to procrastinate too much), and I could feel that things are starting to fall into a routine. As soon as I get all settled in, I promise I will be back with more stories to share and things to post! In the meantime, what can I say - thank you for your patience? But really, I do mean it. Thanks for waiting.

xx

Vanessa :]

Fall playlist, anyone?

I was just digging around in my 8tracks account, and found this easy-listening playlist that I mad last September. I think this could be a great playlist for this fall, too. So just R E L A X and enjoy the wonderful fall weather! :)

And I think the captions of the playlist perfectly describe how you should enjoy it - and life.
"Lay back, stare at the clouds, let sunlight dance on your lashes. Smile. Smile bigger. Smile so big your face hurts."

R E L A X from ness428 on 8tracks Radio.

xx

Vanessa :]

What do you want? Fall accessories?

A few rainy days later, the air is suddenly crisp, the wind chilly. The sky is high, the leaves are turning golden. My baggy sweaters and frilly scarves are dug up from the bottom of my dresser again.

It's time to shop for fall accessories.

Here are a few things I have my eyes on :)

1. Ecote Tasseled ID Card Holder

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This eccentric little gadget is sure to catch eyes, with its cute tassels and ocean-y colors clashing with the monotonic yellows and browns of fall weather.

2. Crystal Laurel Headband

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This delicate accessory is perfect for the girly girls, or for those who just want a feminine twist on their tomboy outfits.

3. Tights for Every Occasion in Wine

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How about a pair of warm-colored tights to dress up the cold weather? Pair these babies with a baggy sweater + cute skirt + leather boots = perfection

4. Heart On Your Sleeve Bracelet

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Okay, admit it, hearts never go out of style. Wear this to give your mood an extra boost, an extra reason to smile on a bad-weather day. Plus, isn't its name just the cutest - Heart on your sleeve? Who else is smitten? At least I am!

Happy fall/autumn!

xx

Vanessa :]

Question Wednesday: casual theme today :P

**Okay I'm posting in Beijing Time again. It's Wednesday morning here.**

Call me lazy, but today's question is going to be quite simple and casual, nothing to wrack your brain for. Bum bum bum... today's question is: why do we crave sweets?

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Personally I am have such a sweet tooth, and I've always wondered about why people like me have such cravings for this particular taste. The answer to the question is, not surprisingly, quite scientific, actually.

It's because we humans are primates - we evolved from animals who eat fruits from the trees.

And guess how the majority of fruits taste?

Sweet!

So that's why.

"For ever and one day": Just One Day

Title: Just One Day

Author: Gayle Forman

My Rating: 5/5

"A breathtaking journey toward self-discovery and true love, from the author of If I Stay

When sheltered American good girl Allyson "LuLu" Healey first meets laid-back Dutch actor Willem De Ruiter at an underground performance of Twelfth Night in England, there’s an undeniable spark. After just one day together, that spark bursts into a flame, or so it seems to Allyson, until the following morning, when she wakes up after a whirlwind day in Paris to discover that Willem has left. Over the next year, Allyson embarks on a journey to come to terms with the narrow confines of her life, and through Shakespeare, travel, and a quest for her almost-true-love, to break free of those confines." - Goodreads

I haven't given a book such a high rating since I can't even remember (okay maybe I do. I think it was The Fault In Our Stars, which moved me to tears no less than ten times). Just One Day, though, totally blew my mind.

Perfecto.

When I first started the book on a five-hour train ride to visit a friend, I didn't set the bars high. Some decent romance would do, I thought. Never did I expect to be so out of breath, moved, and yearning for more when I finished by the time the train pulled into the station.

It's funny, really, because the most appropriate place to read this book is probably when you're traveling, because a large part - or I should say the most important part - of the story happens on trains, planes, different places on a journey. Being on a train filled me with the kind of wanderlust that was just right for this book.

Allyson/Lulu and Willem's quick-sparked romance surprised and captivated me. Personally I'm never a big fan of insta-love! in YA books. But this one, oh how this one makes me swoon! Everything seems to click between the two of them, and the chemistry is undeniable, yet at the same time full of guessing games. In retrospect I think the time they spend with each other - one day - is what makes this love so believable. This one day that was given to them is full of uncertainty, curiosity, unasked questions and imperceptible answers, and that is why they feel brave enough to fall for each other, or more accurately, the image of each other. This kind of love cannot stand the test of time, but is enough to make Allyson, and the reader, think deeply about love. 

In Allyson's college course Shakespeare Out Loud, the students perform As You Like It. One of the lines struck me the most. It's in Act IV, when a jealous and desperate Rosalind asks the confused and smitten Orlando if he'd take Rosalind as his love. Then comes Orlando's reply, "For ever and one day."

Can one day be forever? Can forever be condensed into just one day?

The answer is, in my opinion, both yes and no. No because no promise could and should be made beyond the one day if all you ever came for is adventure; yes because the amazing things that can happen in one day will last a lifetime.

Lastly, a song that I think goes with the book quite well.

xx

Vanessa :]

Fashion Friday: summer nails!

Ten minutes ago I was painting my nails (a lilac color, if you must know), and inspiration hit - why didn't I ever do a Fashion Friday on nail polish before?

So, voila. :)

Just a few of my favorites this summer:

1. Stronger by Deborah Lippmann (created with Kelly Clarkson)

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This "tenacious vivacious violet" is totally perfect for toenails on a party night, or a carnival excursion!

2. Really Red by Essie

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The name says it all.

3. Dining al Frisco by OPI

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This cool-colored shade, from OPI's San Francesco collection, reminds me of Fisherman's Wharf, sourdough bread bowls, and all that's enjoyable and beautiful.

4. Mojito Madness by Essie

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Sick of the heat? How about a refreshing minty green nail color for a change of mood?

5. Mermaid's Kiss by Deborah Lippmann

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Fun and girly, this shade from Deborah Lippmann's Mermaid collection always make me think of romantic dinner dates on the beach boardwalk, or holding hands on crazy roller coaster rides at Six Flags.

Of the five shades above, which one is your favorite?

Happy summer!

xx

Vanessa :]

**side note: I think I'm publishing this post according to China time (where I'm at right now), so excuse me for the automatic "Thursday" on the date panel above the post