Merge

I am merging my two blogs into one: http://passthestyleplate.blogspot.com/

Easier for me and easy for you.

Break Time

Brooklyn Bridge, 2005

I'm taking a break.

Breakfast at Tiffany's

Aw man! I wrote a review yesterday for Breakfast at Tiffany's on Amazon.com that I was planning on copying and pasting onto here, but I forgot to click "Publish my review." Silly me. It was a pretty darn good review too. Here's what I remember of my review from memory:

Breakfast at Tiffany's is a classic. While some may dismiss the film as an overrated romantic comedy, it reaches out to me on so many different levels. Audrey Hepburn's style is impeccable. In the beginning of the movie, she walks the New York streets in a fine Givenchy black dress. Throughout the movie, she is spotted wearing modern and fresh coats and dresses. Hepburn's costar, George Peppard, is easy on the eyes.

There is a depth to this film that touches the heart and tugs at the broken frailty of humanity. The somber music adds richness to the scenes, and it proves that this is not a typical romantic comedy. Hepburn plays a callgirl, and she refuses to recognize love when she finds it.

One of my favorite scenes is when Hepburn is in Tiffany & Co, and the salesman says that it gives him a "sense of solidarity and a continuity with the past" to know that Cracker Jacks still puts prizes in their snacks. It's lighthearted yet nostalgic at the same time.

I think that's what I wrote - it's close enough. :)

Uta Barth - Create a Feeling

Uta Barth is a wonderful photographer who tries to capture a certain mood. I like to think that we all try to capture a feeling in photographs. Here are some of Barth's works.




I admire how she takes the ordinary and makes it unique. Everyday images suddenly become new and fresh again.

My Uta Barth-inspired images:




(Grand Canyon)


(Coney Island)

(Singapore)

To the Beat

I tend to relate life experiences to my favorite music or film, and certain seasons remind me of particular songs. For example, warm weather instantly reminds me of Death Cab for Cutie. Here are my favorite music videos:







These are some Korean MVs. Wonder Girls and SNSD are very big in Korea.

Like the Sea

Photo shoot with my friend. :)

Awake, O Sleeper
Rise from the dead
And Christ will shine on you

-Ephesians 5:14

Challenge Yourself

Good afternoon! The weather is so nice; I want to go to the beach. But I spent today at the 'brary catching up on my homework. Mom said that I needed to get a B. (Hi, Mom!) I was a good student today. :)

I have new goals to challenge myself and get out of a rut. I enrolled in a Try-Athalon, and I have until March 22 to complete 2.4 miles of swimming, 112 miles of biking, and 26.2 miles of running/walking. I have completed less than 10%, but I have done more than my usual work-out routine. So all is looking well.

Swimming is the hardest part because I'm naturally inclined to sink. But taking up yoga has helped me maintain composure and posture. Yoga is a cure-all. My back rarely hurts, and if it does then I recover in one or two days (normally I would be in pain for a week). I am also able to listen to my body more. If I feel pain in my knees, then I know that I need to slow down my routine.

I can breathe a little lighter in love. Running used to be my first love. I love the adrenaline rush. However, I am finding other sports that seem to bring me joy. What activity challenges you?

Since I rarely take photos, I decided to make a blog for my active lifestyle adventures!
http://gohappyheart.blogspot.com/

The Traveling Pal

In one of my favorite movies, Amelie, the main character tries to help out her father. He is a natural homebody, but he has always wanted to travel. So Amelie sets out to tamper with his gnome. She asks her friend, a traveling tour agent, to get Polaroids of the gnome in different parts of the world. Finally her efforts bore fruit; the father sets out to see the world. How exciting!

So in the summer of 2008, I took a small teddy bear with me to Cambodia and I took pictures with it. I completely forgot about this project until I was looking through my old photos. I don't remember to whom it belonged to. Now I'm curious.

No, this is not a food blog

A former ambassador to South Korea, Donald Greg, came to speak at my school. It was a very interesting speech. At the beginning, he encouraged us to go into public service. He stated that "pertinence is more important than affluence." Make a difference rather than be concerned about wealth and fame.

Greg later explained how the U.S. has been working to build better relations with North Korea through the transfer of technology. He was a very eloquent speaker and gave a lot of helpful insight.

Afterwards, we got treated to free Kogi tacos! A truck actually came by to distribute them. They were delicious. I tried the short ribs, spicy pork, and chicken - satisfyingly filling. I love the sauce and the fresh veggies.

Roadside Cravings

Why does food taste so good on the road?


This blog should be called my camera phone blog since I seem to take pictures mostly with my phone.

Pretty Powerful

I realized that I don't take a lot of photos, but I like to share interesting media.

From the NY Times, a photo of a Khmer mother holding her child who is suffering from malaria.

Photo credits: Adam Nade

Avatar and the Middle East

Avatar was a really good movie; it hit a lot of cultural and environmental issues. I just watched a clip in the LA Times of Palestinian activists protesting, and some of them were dressed up as the Na'vi people to draw comparison between their situations.



It's just amazing when life imitates art. I'm adding one more thing on my wish list: learn more about the Middle Eastern history and current situation. I have limited knowledge in this area. I read Khaled Hosseini's Kite Runner which takes place in Afghanistan. Does this count?

LA Traffic

Taken on a rainy Saturday morning in Marina del Rey.

We need a sign to remind us: sharing is caring. Have a wonderful weekend.

Drought of Tears

What a loaded weekend, and it's not even over. I've been dealing with a loss of a friend, the regular hustle and bustle of college, and other minute details. But everything seems small compared to the world's needs.

Photograph by Ruth Fremson for the New York Times.

According to Marc Lacey, most of the people in Haiti are devastated beyond tears. Lacey stated, "This is a country, if ever there was one, that needs to sob and bawl and soak the damaged earth with tears." The people of Haiti suffered from hunger and poverty before the tragic earthquake, and now this is just one more blow. They have become so hardened into survival mode that it is difficult to show their emotions.

"In calamity, the effort to survive can steal the will to stop and cry. "

Please keep Haiti in our thoughts and prayers.

Monkey Bars and Hearts

The children in Ecuador are so energetic; they are just like the children in America. They love taking photos and being in them. They enjoy arts and crafts and playing sports.

This girl was so adorable with her curls. She reminded me of Corinne Bailey Rae. She was working on a picture frame so meticulously.


These girls were super gymnasts especially the girl on the right. She would climb the pole and hang there like a monkey.


I'm glad I went to this center in downtown. I missed out on a group trip to the various centers due to altitude sickness. Quito is 9,000 feet above sea level! So to come here and play with the children was a lot of fun. Don't tell them you're ticklish or they will tickle you and chase you around for hours! I was out of breath by the end of recess.

Guadalupe

At the center in Ecuador, there were interesting artwork. This one piece was on Our Lady of Guadalupe. The little pieces of mosaic tiles formed a wonderful depiction of Virgin Mary. In my head, I instantly thought of Gustav Klimt's painting "Three Ages of Women." I didn't know the title until recently, but the image of the young mother bending her neck to be closer with child is one of my favorite art pieces.

Our Lady of Guadalupe:


Gustav Klimt: Three Ages of Women


I wonder if either artists were inspired by the other...

Photo credit: www.iklimt.com

God Put a Smile Upon Your Face

Hola! I should start on my homework. So much to do after just two days of school.

I wanted to share with you a photo of a drawing by one of the children in Ecuador.


Jesus and his disciples are enjoying bread and wine. When I found this drawing, I felt like I discovered a treasure. I did not meet the artist; I just know his name, Oscar. I was at Le Marin one day playing with the children. A few girls were chasing after me, and I found some recluse in the biblioteca. I sat down to watch one of the full-time volunteers tutor the girls, and I found this notebook underneath the table. In it were some of the most amazing depictions of Jesus. There was one where Jesus was carrying the cross and Simon helped him. Oscar really knew his stuff. I only took one photo to respect the student's privacy. Throughout my trip, I was amazed to see bits and pieces of references to Jesus everywhere I went.

Will update more later.

Try Sleeping With a Broken Heart

I love Alicia Keys. She has a strong voice and a strong heart. It definitely shows through her music. In this music video, Keys plays a superhero. Awesome!

Alternative Breaks

I recently came back from an Alternative Breaks trip (AB) to Ecuador. The best part of Ecuador was being surrounded by nature. I was volunteering in the capital, Quito, which is filled with smog. But once I stepped outside into the mountains for a hike or into the hills to visit families' homes, the view is breath-taking.

Above is a photo of the metro station. The AB group would take the bus to go the Le Marin center to shadow the full-time volunteers. I love how futuristic the station looks.

And I took this one during a two-day trip to Banos. This a touristy town with great food for "gringos." There's also a lot of adventurous activities you can do such as hiking, biking, and zip lining.

I love AB trips. They make my undergraduate experience complete.

Oh, just in case you were wondering what camera I used (which I highly doubt you care), I brought along my Canon SD600. It's small and lightweight, and I didn't have to worry about sacrificing the quality of the photos.

I will upload some more photos from my volunteer trip. I would like to digest my experience first and absorb the wonderful emotions I have encountered and the beautiful people I have met on this trip.

San Diego

Stay breezy, surf city. One day I will learn how to surf. I took this photo with my handy dandy cell phone. I love how I can capture a moment even when I am least prepared. Unfortunately I left my camera in the car, but I just wanted to capture the vibrant moth growing.


"A rolling stone gathers no moth."

Jet-Setter Lifestyle

There's something about movies involving jet-setters that is appealing. The movie, Up in the Air, illustrates the interesting world of Ryan Bingham, played by George Clooney, as an avid flier. The smell of recycled air, the relative calm amidst the crowd, and concierge service...

This movie reminded me of one of my favorite films, Elizabethtown. Kirsten Dunst plays the character of a stewardist, Claire Colburn. Claire is care-free and really good at reading people. I love the scene where Claire is sitting with Drew Baylor, played by Orlando Bloom. You can almost taste of fresh dew from the morning air. It's very relaxing.


I could quote several quotes from this film. My favorite is when Claire tells Drew, "You failed, you failed, you failed. So what? You think I care about that? You want to be really great? Then have the courage to fail big and stick around. And make them wonder why you're still smiling."

I watch this movie when I'm feeling down. I usually skip over the boring parts, but there are some epic scenes.


Photo credits: www.imdb.com,
www.elizabethtown.com