Vietnam
I don’t think i can describe in words the kind of trip or experience i had in vietnam. I know that it changed me: how i look at things, understand my parents, more appreciative of everything I have, and realization good of a cook mom is (and that i need to learn!). This was my first major trip to another country and it meant so much to go with family.
some of my favorite pictures:
preflight check
In the 8 hours leading up to my departure, on a trip that will be the longest, most exciting, most international of my travels, and probably the most personal experience of my life; I do have some anxiety. Don’t get scammed, don’t lose anything, hope for no delays or lost luggage, don’t get lost, don’t get sick, I hope i didn’t select terrible hotels. These anxieties are flattened against the wall in comparison to: take a lot of pictures but don’t take too many that you aren’t really “there”, eat/try everything (as lonely planet says it’ll be a gastronomic explosion, which really does not sound that appetizing at all), get to know my relatives and family, speak the language, don’t get embarrassed by fumbling the language, shop but don’t just shop the whole trip, relax and also do a lot of things. These are all extremes where I hope to find some good place in the middle. This is an adventure I can’t wait for, though I can’t decrease the levels of jitteriness about it. I think I just have to get there.
Breathe, phew…
Zee Avi @ The Troubadour
Zee Avi performed at the Troubadour on 2/28, obvious facts: she’s small but somehow has this oozing voice which comes out with what seems like little effort at all, she’s from Malaysia and says los angeles with a soft “g”, her music has soul, bits of jazz, and playfulness (there were some leg kicks, tap steps, and at one point she was making a beat on a jug). Her personality really comes out when she’s playing her guitar. When I saw her interviews she always seemed so… mellow. So, Reporters: quit asking her how she got discovered on youtube. Ask her how she writes her songs/lyrics and then get to the music. Memorable moments: the audience helping her tune her uke before playing Kantoi and for her encore performance she sang Morrissey’s First of the Gang to Die… frighteningly felt the words.
A Zee Avi clip just to show she sounds just as good or maybe even better than in the studio! I know, it’s blue and choppy, camera was on night capture, there was very low lighting at the Troubadour.
clare vivier messenger
I literally have been waiting over 3 weeks for this bag to arrive. Clare Vivier is a great hand bag designer located in Los Angeles. All of her bags are made locally and she responsibly uses all parts of the hide. She also uses remnants from manufacturers to produce cute, useful clutches.
First glance: rich, deep navy coloring. The bag is soft to the touch and very malleable. Somehow she’s made the bag size, shoulder strap, and arm loops with perfect proportions for me, though i’ve also read she can do custom straps, just give her the measurements. The bag is SUPER light. After removing all the items from my Coach work tote and putting it in my new bag, it still didn’t weigh much. Then, for kicks, I put my DSLR and the messenger still carried the weight well.
Overall, it’s the everyday bag that I was looking for. Not too formal, not too casual, decent capacity (for times when I might want to hold 3 cameras), multiple options for carrying (shoulder/arm), and most importantly: a simple and clean design. Je dois attendre beaucoup de temps, mais j’adore mon sac, et ca en vaut la peine.
Looks more gray than navy, but it’s the incandescent lighting
