san francisco

A Day At Pixar Studios!

Musings, Travel

screen-shot-2017-07-31-at-11-37-40-pm.pngAaahhhhhhhhh!  Where to even begin?!  For many Disney fans, Pixar Studios is a supplemental, but oh so necessary part of the Disney company and experience.  It’s like adding avocado to your BLT.  Pixar just makes Disney THAT. MUCH. BETTER.  Omg, Pixar is an avocado. No wonder everyone loves it!😆  So when I got the chance to visit the Pixar campus with some friends, I was ecstatic.

DSC07228We visited on a Sunday, which was actually really nice because it was completely empty and quiet.  We could take a million photos with no one in the background! 🤗  An added bonus was the warm weather!  If you ever visited or lived in the Bay Area during the summer, then you know that warm days during the “summer” months are like Pixar easter eggs — you only get them once in a while.😉  Cloudless skies meant I could wear a blue dress for my Guido disneybound without hesitation.  I would’ve worn the dress anyways since Chelsea and I planned on being twinsies together, but great weather just made it that much better.  P.S. Loved Cars 3!  See it if you can!

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Luigi and Guido disneybouds!

Aside from the multiple Pixar statues that greet you at the entrance, there’s also a trophy case filled with all the awards Pixar has won.  Oscar…oscar…beaten up Woody?  In the far corner, a well-loved Woody, all dirty and missing his boot, was set next to a letter from Disney World’s Magic Kingdom.  The cast member explained how a 6 year old boy was given a new Woody doll and rather than throw the old one away, the boy left it at the park’s City Hall so his old Woody could have a great new home and “spend infinity and beyond with Buzz Lightyear.”  I’m sorry, I would go on but it seems I’m on the verge of crying.😩

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Of course, there was tons of concept art throughout the building. When we visited, most of the art was for Finding Dory and Cars 3.  We saw everything from pencil sketches to clay models.  Unfortunately, all of this amazing concept art was in a “no photo” zone, so I don’t have any pictures. Sorry!😭 But trust me when I say, it was so cool to see all the different stages of the animation process.  And I guess Pixar made up for it with huge posters and statues that scream “instagram photo op.”😏

And Pixar being Pixar, they also scattered lots of magic throughout the rest of the property.  Halfway through our visit, I headed for the bathroom.  And when I reached the door, instead of the usual female silhouette logo, I spotted a familiar curvy, mom-bob, above-the-knee boot wearing superhero!  She was incredible.😉  But my favorite surprises were the characters that were embedded into the floors!  So while walking around, you could randomly run into some of your favorite characters!

And of course, the pièce de résistance…Luxo Jr. and the Luxo ball!  Erika slayed it and actually disneybounded as the Luxo ball, but by complete accident, we all ended up wearing similar style dresses all in yellow and blue.😳  And guess what, our separate disneybounds then became a singular one.  We. Were. The Luxo ball.  If that isn’t the definition of serendipty, then I don’t know what else is!

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We are Luxo ball.

I still can’t believe such an amazing company is just across the bridge from me.  A company that not only seeks out talent and creativity, but also encourages personal storytelling, is just so endearing and heartwarming.  And call me a snooty San Francisco native, but I like to think that Pixar employees are often inspired by the Bay Area and somehow weave that into their stories.  Case in point, Inside Out.  Ultimately, I just love the idea that employees of a huge storytelling company that millions of people know, are creating these stories in an area that is tremendously liberal and diverse.  And I like to think that San Francisco’s liberal values make their way into Pixar’s stories; ultimately passing those values along to millions of people.  But that just might be a snooty San Franciscan’s wishful thinking.  But hey, one can dream!😊

ABW

 

Styling the Beastie: Denim on Denim

Disney Style, Style

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So my whole plan to post different outfits with the Beastie leading up to the release of Beauty and the Beast was pretty much a BUST.  Total failure on my part.  I’ve been sitting on the draft for this post for a month now.😑  But that’s how life goes.  Once in a while, things suddenly get crazy or busy and things like this fall to the wayside.  However, I did see the movie when it was released and will write up a separate post about it soon!

Anyways, last month I took advantage of the crisp spring weather and stopped by the Golden Gate bridge.  If you’re ever visiting San Francisco, I would recommend going to Crissy Fields out by Fort Point.  Bring a picnic blanket, pack a basket full of cheese and wine, and then bike out to the fields.  Hopefully, it’s warm enough that you can sit out, people watch, listen to the ocean waves…and if you’re lucky, encounter some playful pups out with their owners!😉

But I love this outfit for just that kind of outing.  And wearing denim on denim means you can be ready for anything.  Relaxed fit jeans lets you roll around in the grass or hop on a bike with ease.  Bring a denim jacket just in case the bay winds pick up.  Or throw it on the grass if you want to lay out to enjoy those few precious minutes of “hot” sunny weather.  Mules are easy to kick off if you have the sudden urge to dip your toes into the freezing bay water.  And of course, the Beastie is room-y enough to carry that extra roll of sourdough bread.🍞

dsc06350Jeans: Canyon River Blues, Jacket, Shirt: Homecoming Honolulu, Shoes: Zou Xou, Bag: Danielle Nicole, Pin: Disney Style

Hope you’re not getting sick of the Beastie because there’s going to be at least one more post with him.  A movie write up on Beauty and the Beast is just around the corner!

 

Styling the Beastie: Layers and Boots

Disney Style, Musings, Style

dsc06104The countdown has begun!  Disney’s live action Beauty and the Beast will be in theaters in next month and I’m excited to finally see Emma Watson don those iconic Belle outfits.

To celebrate the film’s release, a lot of brands have been producing tons of Beauty and the Beast merch, including Danielle Nicole Handbags.  Early last year, I picked up their Beast clutch, BUT when a friend told me about the Beast backpack they released a couple months ago, all reasoning went out the window.  So yes, now I have 2 Beast bags in my closet.😅

And I’m not gonna lie, a good number of times, I buy these quirky, yet amazing bags and then just set it on a shelf to admire it for days without ever really using it. So this is going to be just like trying to get back to the gym post holiday season😪…I’m going to document different outfits in order to keep myself accountable.😌  Sounds like a solid plan, right?👍🏼  On to the outfit!

dsc06077Beastie: Danielle Nicole, Dress: Free People, Denim jacket: Gap, Top: American Apparel, Boots: souvenir from Stockholm, Sunglasses: Quay, Watch: Michael Kors

The Beastie (oh, that’s my nickname for him btw) is surprisingly roomie. I could fit my camera, fat wallet, 2 phones, and car keys in there and still have room to spare. So when my sister asked me to help her take some photos around Japantown a couple weeks ago, it was the perfect carry-all bag. I wore it with an olive green dress that’s complimentary to Beastie’s tan colors and layered on a denim jacket, which if you look, closely picks up on his blue eyes.👀 It was also a little sprinkly in the city that day, so I wore some tan knee high boots that matched Beastie’s fringe.dsc06088

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Even if I didn’t need to bring my camera with me, this is still a perfect outfit for exploring Japantown. There are SO many places to eat or grab your favorite Asian snacks. One of my childhood favorites are Taiyaki red bean fishes! And there are a couple Asian beauty shops that I love perusing whenever I’m in the area. But most importantly, DAISO!! And look at that, you have a roomy backpack to bring back all those small trinkets and sundries that you didn’t really need, but kinda do at the same time.

Anyways, Japantown will always have a special place in my heart.  The community has pretty much been a part of my life in one way or another growing up. As toddlers, my siblings and I went to preschool there.  When we were tweeners, summer camp. And from the age of 5 to 18, I played in an Asian basketball league that was based out of Japantown’s Buddhist church.  It really felt like we grew up with the community.  I think I will always value and feel connected to the Japantown community.  And, to reiterate, they also have delicious snacks.

ABW

 

 

Rock the Dots

Disney Style, Food, Style

dsc05877Since January is usually a birthday month in my books😉, I always tend to forget that it’s also a very special month for one of the top fashion icons – Minnie Mouse!  Throughout the month of January, Disney fans everywhere are encouraged to #RockTheDots to show off their own #MinnieStyle and Disney Style.

Rock the dots also purposely coincides with National Polka Dot day.  So a couple weeks ago, I brought out my dots!  I’ve had this American Apparel dot blouse for a few years now and I love it to death.  It always adds the perfect amount of whimsy to any outfit.  But with my round Asian face and short stature, going full on whimsy can tend to make me look a little tooo doll-ish.  And if you haven’t guessed already, I ain’t always a doll.😏

So I paired my shirt with sleeker items like a polished faux suede moto jacket and slick skinny jeans with a distressed knee, which helps give the whole look a little extra edge.  And to really #RockTheDots, I paired my dotted shirt with studded dot ballet flats.  Another great example of something sweet, yet polished with some edge.  And of course, I had to top it all off with my favorite Mickey bag.🐭

dsc05888Shirt: American Apparel, Jacket: Kohl’s LC Lauren Conrad, Jeans: Carmar, Shoes: Sam Edelman, Bag: Disney x Coach, Watch: Micheal Kors, Sunglasses: Quay

And since National Polka Dot day was on a Sunday, we of course had to go out for brunch.  So we stopped by The Palm House.  Got myself the spam and eggs benedict, which was much more filling than I was expecting it to be.  But the brown hash brown looking thing on the bottom…it’s actually a rice “hash brown” if you will.  Genius.  And the eggs… perfectly…poached.  Yolk splits that were food porn worthy.  And the spam wasn’t actual spam. Instead☝️, gourmet braised pork shoulder.  Yes, I may have had to wipe some drool off my face as I write this post.😛

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And aside from the food, the restaurant itself is adorable.  Is city beach house chic a decor term?  Lots of blue with palm green accents.  And if you’re sad about having to eat brunch instead of watching your favorite team play, fret not!  But come on, who actually says no to brunch?!  But if you insist on watching the game, there is a bar area with TVs and you can happily scarf down your jerk chicken tacos or huevos rancheros while watching people professionally tackle each other.  I, personally, prefer to enjoy a hot cup of tea.☕️

ABW

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San Francisco Women’s March

Musings, Style
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Go get yourself a copy of Bad Girls Throughout History STAT.

Around this time last year, I was in Hawaii frolicking around Aulani Disney Resort with close friends.  We were enjoying a nice meal and of course started talking about the potential election candidates.  I remember I started to cry because it was just unfathomable to me that people were even considering Trump.  After feeling defeated for the past few months, I knew that it was imperative, now more than ever, to do what I could to show my support.* Support for women and feminists.  Support for POC.  Support for LGBTQIA.  Support for choice. Support for the underserved.  Support for the underrepresented.

I’m not usually a rally kind of person.  The introvert in me always tries to figure out if there’s anything that I could do within my four cozy walls to use my voice instead of having to venture to the outside world.  Sometimes I think I’m a cold-blooded reptile since I get so cold so easily outside.  But today was quite the exception.  Earlier in the week I decided to attend the San Francisco Women’s March and meet up with some old co-workers from my non-profit days. Backstory: We all worked together at a non-profit Chinese American Historical museum in Chinatown (check it ➡️ CHSA).  I probably still would have gone to the march, but knowing that I was going to meet up with these amazing women made me that much more excited.  One of them even printed and laminated these perfect Leia rebellion posters.  I, of course, had to sport my “Rebel” Star Wars cap. 👌

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Poster design from Ladies Who Design.  Download it for free and donate to designer Hayley Gilmore!

I actually had to run off for my family’s Chinese New Year’s dinner that evening, so I really only got to stay for the speeches and saw bits of the march on my way out.  A great lineup of speakers and performers, but I choked up the most listening to San Francisco supervisor, Jane Kim.

“My name is Jane Kim…and I am a nasty woman.” ✊🏿✊🏾✊🏽✊🏼✊🏻   

She went on to explain how she hired an all female, all mothers, WOC legislative team at City Hall and how they’re “getting the job done!”  Are you crying tears of empowerment yet?  And then when she talked about how San Francisco is one of the cities pioneering for social change, I just couldn’t hold it in.  It makes me so proud to be a San Franciscan.

“We have a legacy of being bold.  We were one of the first cities to marry gay couples.  We are one of the first cities to provide single parent universal healthcare.  We are the first city to bring minimum wage to $15 an hour – and most of those workers are women. So let’s march.” – Jane Kim

img_1892My eggs, my choice.🍳🍳🍳 I like them over easy.😜

As mentioned, I pretty much had to make my way over to Chinatown after the speeches, but did get a chance to snap a few photos of the parade and some fun signs.  Apologizing now for the poor photo quality.  It was pretty gloomy.  And by the time the march started, it was raining and dark.  I’m sure the earth was upset that Trump and most, if not all, of his cabinet doesn’t believe in climate change. 😑

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Of course the city showed its support in lighting up City Hall with pink lights.  But I’m sure it’ll change back to blue and gold once the Warriors play again.  I’ll just have to be my own reminder to make my voice heard and support those who need it most.  And I urge you to help us fight.  Rebel against normalizing patriarchy, sexism, racism, homophobia, classism, ableism, and bullying.  Rebel against believing that you have no voice.  Rebel against silence.  And for everything that you’ve done so far, thank you. 💗

ABW

OOTD/N:womens-marchRebel hat, Mulan pin: Disney, Glasses: Warby Parker, Girls flag pin: Tuesday Bassen, Egg socks: ikspiari (Japan), Leather jacket: LF, Black skinny jeans: Sears

*UPDATE: I just realized that I did not point out the privilege I have for not feeling the need to go out and march until now.  More specifically, I did not participate in any Black Lives Matter marches or events. That just speaks to the privilege I hold. I was always an ally, re-posting and reading what I could.  But I never felt the need to march.  I never felt in danger because of my race or the language I speak.  I haven’t felt too threatened up until now.  Even though I am a POC, I am not as much a target as, for example, a black male.  And I just wanted to take this opportunity to acknowledge that.