how to: color meditation

Our world is so busy! Unless you’re a very sheltered trust fund baby who has it all laid out for you, you’ve been served a heaping dollop of stress. Actually, maybe they have stress too - what galas to attend or Louboutins to buy, something like that.

Anyways, we all need ways to combat stress, in a low-cost, little commitment needed way: introducing color meditations. 

Don't worry

Before you click out of this post, because you’re “not at artist”, don’t worry, it’s all abstract, so you can pass off whatever doodles you make as “true art”, if that’s what you want.

Now, find a comfy spot, and take a deep breath. Press play.

You’re back? Good! How was it? Hopefully you’ll feel relaxed and loose, if not, continue to acknowledge the thoughts of your monkey mind, then put them away. You can get back to them when you’re done.

Take your watercolors (or your markers or pencil crayons) and your paper, and just paint what comes to mind. Keep your breathing even and deep. Put on whatever music calms you (I’ve found Spotify’s Focus playlists work well), or sit outside and listen to the sounds. 

A list to start off
If that sounds vague and unhelpful, here’s a list to get you started. Deviation is lovely, and encouraged!

Pick a color you gravitate towards. Paint it over and over.

Take a shape that sticks out in your head, and make something off it.

What comes to mind when you hear the word “infinite”?

Create your happy place. What does it look like? What colors are in it?

Organize your colors by an order that make sense.

Whenever you’re ready, start wrapping things up. Clean off your brushes, turn off your music, and return to the real world. 

Welcome back. 

How was this for you (if you tried it)? What are you planning to do with your meditations? Do you like these kinds of posts?

xx,
Angelina

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the best part about being alone

Spiders. Clowns. Serial killers. None of those scared me as much as being alone. It’s a touch ironic, as I am an only child, so much of my time is unavoidably spent alone.

The roots of being alone
But that’s not the kind of alone I’d go to great lengths to avoid. It’s the alone at lunch, alone when the teacher says “Pair up!”, the alone of being the 3rd person on the sidewalk.

When I was younger, I’d “settle” for people I didn’t genuinely like, just to avoid being seen as a loner, someone who was incapable of making friends.

Why was this instinct so conditioned into me? Why did being seen alone by my peers sound like such a cruel and unusual punishment? I still can’t figure it out, that hasn’t changed.

What has changed, are my feelings about doing things on my own, and being seen alone. I enjoy it more, and it’s something I look forward to after a grueling, long week.

When else am I going to be able to stop and smell the roses? To stop and appreciate the view for just the right amount of time? To sit in my room, in a comfy shirt and no bra?

Wearing: Forever 21 Tan Top (similar), PacSun Bullhead Denim boyfriend jeans (similar), Vans Classic Slipons, Nordstrom Rack stone bracelet (similar)

The benefits
Actually, I digress. The things I look forward to doing on my own are entirely possible to do with someone as well. The right person and not just anyone, of course. It’s just something I haven’t found the perfect fit for yet, in our society that is always looking to the next 6 seconds, the next photo, eternally scrolling.

The other day, I had an itch to do something. None of the usual suspects were available, so I decided to go ahead at it alone. And I enjoyed myself, maybe even more so than if I had someone with me.

When you’re alone, all the little things pop out. It’s like someone’s turned up with clarity, the saturation, the brightness. You watch strangers, and mark out small quirks, spinning out a story. You can turn inward, and reflect on happenings. There’s no need to fill space with conversation.

It's something we should all try at one point. So this week, grab a bite to eat alone, and don't stay glued to your phone the whole meal. Sit at the park with a book and a drink. Or for the more daring, see a movie by yourself.

See where it takes you!

Do you like being alone or with others more? What's the best thing to do alone? With someone else?

xx
Angelina

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12 gratitudes with sammydress

July has been really, really good so far. Not sure whether I've been cashing out my good karma, or something about my horoscope, but it's just been one great thing after the other!

I thought I'd repay the universe by sharing what those have been:

1 | I spent a lovely day in San Francisco with some friends I hadn't seen in a while. We found an adorable, although expensive, coffee shop to sit in for a while.

2 | Read Me Before You by Jojo Moyes. Cried a lot. Watched the movie. Cried even more.

3 | Halfway to hitting my goal of clearing out 80% of my closet. Sold a couple of bundles to some sweet girls!

4 | Scored very well on an Art History exam - validating the hundreds of flashcards I made.

Wearing: V Neck Floral Maxi Dress c/o Sammydress, Converse High Tops in Optic White

5 | Finally received my license! My examiner was the kindest and most understanding person; we chatted the whole time about dogs, and she really calmed me down.

6 | Stumbled upon some really cute clothes on sale - snagged them immediately of course!

7 | Was able to find $10 parking for Carmen at the SF Opera. Ended up being late though, and had to stand in the back for the first two acts - 85 minutes in heels!

9 | Found a local ceramics class for affordable classes, planning on making some cute vases!

10 | Started listening to podcasts while at the gym, especially Serial and 99% Invisible.

11 | Took advantage of Spotify's $.99 Premium trial. No regrets and no scary commercials to startle me while I'm showering!

12 | Am still interacting and talking with lovely people through the blog <3

Sammydress Review
I've already worked with Sammydress in the past, but this time, the quality of the clothing seemed better! It fits as pictured on the model, and though the seams weren't perfect, they don't seem in danger of falling apart either. The fit and shape remind me of something from Revolve.

Shipping as usual, is a bit slow, but the items arrived in decent shape. The website is easy to navigate, though the wide variety of images can create a bit of an illegitimate feel.

Customer service was manageable, sometimes a bit difficult to explain throughly.

Until next time (with a break from sponsored material ;))

What's been good in your life lately? How do you feel about sponsored content? What's your favorite brand to work with/in general?

xx
Angelina

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"the purge" + dezzal review

It's July - isn't that crazy? It seems like January was just yesterday, something I've heard many bloggers relate to. We're more than halfway through 2016, and it's time to clean out anything unnecessary.

This morning, I was clearing out all my inboxes (I'm not the only one who has 4 emails right?), and came across this article by The Cut. Like everyone else on the internet, I'd heard lots about the KonMari method, and tried it out a bit. It was about as much work as it sounds like, and didn't work for me.

This article, on the other hand, was the direct opposite of what the KonMari method is based off of. It's worth a read - short, but funny - but basically, you use adrenaline and rage to clean everything out. I dialed back on the rage a bit, though the quick burst of cleaning was more suited to my personality and work habits.

Yelling "Purge or be purged" at your roommates sounds pretty fun though.

Wearing: Reelop Shoulder Cutout Maxi Dress c/o Dezzal, Converse High Tops in Optic White

Some things I got rid of:

Clothes So, so, so many clothes. With half the year over, it's easier to point out things I haven't worn enough this year, if at all, and let them go to a new home. I find it harder to do in the beginning of the year, because then the excuse of "maybe I'll wear it this year" pops up. I regularly rotate my closet though, so it's much easier for me to get rid of things than most people. Plus, I need the money to shop more ;-)

Books I don't read, especially textbooks or anything school related. Those are expensive, and I'm sure they'd do someone else much better. On a related note, any school papers from the past years too! I always like to reuse them if they're blank on one side.

Beauty samples. My whole countertop is full of beauty samples, and I can't keep up with them every month! You could give them away to friends, use them as freebies if you sell clothes/handmade things, or sell them at a discount if they're unused.

Receipts/train tickets/brochures/papers in general. I was cleaning out my closet, and found a receipt for a top I'd already sold from 2 years ago! The ink was already faded and there was no way I would be returning the top, so obviously I tossed it. I like saving some travel mementos, but those go in an organized journal instead!

People that don't make me feel good about myself. Jim Rohn knows what he's talking about when he says, "You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with". If they don't make you feel happy and energized, why bother hanging out with them? It's easier said than done, and I'm still in the process of figuring things out myself, but distancing myself is helpful for my mood and self-esteem.


Dezzal Review
Thank you to the Dezzal team for sending me clothes to review! They had a great selection, and the clothes seemed a lot more wearable than some Asian websites.

I liked how easy the website is to navigate, and the photos were higher quality as well. The package arrived in 8 days, and each item was in an individual sealed package.

However, I found the quality of the clothes to be incongruous with the price range. This dress was quite voluminous, and I altered it to decrease the amount of fabric (so I didn't look like a cross between a giant carrot and the Russian lady in the Nutcracker). The pleating as well as some of the stitches on the inside were uneven, and the fabric was much too heavy to move around comfortably.

It does make for great photos though - which can be deceiving!

xx
Angelina

p.s. happy Fourth!

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spring break: santorini + mykonos

Though it's been more than 2 months since I returned from the Mediterranean, I never get tired of looking at pictures, or planning what I'll be doing next time.

I visited Santorini and Mykonos, as well as Cairo and Istanbul!

A sweet cat near the windmills in Mykonos; walking through Mykonos Town.

Thoughts + impressions

• Greece is very tourist friendly, especially in comparison to Egypt. Not in terms of people, as I found locals who were very interested to talk to us in both countries, but in ease of navigation and how many people spoke English. 
• Both islands are navigable without a tour guide, and the locals are used to giving recommendations.
• People are taking pictures everywhere! It's definitely a bloggers' heaven, as everyone is used to it, and you'll be comfortable if it's your first time shooting in public. Still important to relax a bit though!
• Santorini is quite the leg workout! Especially on the caldera side, it was all steps and our luggage would've been impossible to transport if we hadn't had our Airbnb hosts helping.

Watching the sunset in Oia, apparently world famous!

Must know

• Stay on the caldera side of Santorini, if possible. It's more expensive, but worth it. We saved some money by looking on AirBnb!
• In Oia, there aren't street numbers or names for any of the stores. We met our AirBnb host by the bus stop (there's only one), and they led us there.
• Even shoulder season is crowded! We went in April, and Santorini was still packed. I can't imagine trying to do anything in the summer. On the other hand, Mykonos was a bit too quiet; it doesn't start to fill up until after Orthodox Easter.
• Mykonos is known for partying and bars, and is also apparently very gay friendly - as a cab driver in Athens told us!

Views of Oia.

What to do + where to go

• Sunset in Oia is a must! Try and grab a spot on the castle ruins if you can, but seats fill up fast. We had dinner during, and it was a great view.
• Fira and Oia Village are both great for shopping, though they have more of a touristy vibe. I didn't see any shops that felt very authentic.
• The Oia to Fira cliff walk is said to be worth it, especially at dusk or before sunset. I didn't get a chance to do this, but supportive shoes would be a must, especially as there are many steps and cobblestones.
• Our host also recommended Kamari Beach and Perivolos Beach, which are known for their black sand, but being from California, we weren't as interested.
• Dinner at Amoudi Bay was also suggested, though I couldn't make it down the steps because of a fever and headache. I believe you can go cliff jumping as well.
• Nearly all the restaurants we ate at were amazing! To be able to keep running in such a competitive environment, they would have to be, so it's hard to go wrong there.

Windmills of Mykonos - it was actually quite windy, and much colder than Santorini.

Mykonos Town on the left, and Oia Village on the left. Both were touristy and gorgeous for photos.

Of all the places I visited, Greece was the most picturesque and relaxing, Egypt the most shocking, and Istanbul the most stimulating. I can't wait to hop on the next plane somewhere!

xx

Angelina

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a word I hate

Lots of things drive me up the walls. Humble bragging, not saying "please" or "thank you", and backhanded compliments are some of them. But there is one word in particular that stands out:

"Sometime".

Where I hear it

It frequently comes up when making plans with others; "Yeah, I'd love to sometime". Okay, when is this, "sometime"? I understand using it as a polite way to decline, I'd do that as well. But I can't help but think that it shows a certain degree of indifference, like you haven't bothered to check your schedule, or are shelving in the back of your mind for a second choice.

Of course, taken out of context, my vendetta against the word seems a bit extreme.

Does it benefit you?
I believe that if you'd like to do something, whether it be seeing an old friend, finishing a project, or getting anything done really, tacking on the word "sometime" allows you to put it off even more.

Because when you don't assign a specific time frame to something, you can't hold yourself accountable for doing it. I said I was going to do my laundry sometime, and so what if I didn't do it today? Tomorrow still counts as sometime too.

Then, it can just drag on and on, where you start to reason with yourself, "Well, if I've made it this far without doing it, maybe it's not essential anyways."

But whatever it was, you wanted to do it for some reason! Things don't just stick in our heads just because; they benefit us or those we care about in some way. So really, you owe it to yourself or your close circle, to get on it.

What to do about it
Instead of saying sometime, assign a time frame. It doesn't have to be a date, but "next Friday", "when I get my paycheck", or even "before I retire" would work.

This summer, my list of "sometimes" includes: getting rid of 80% of the clothes I don't want, finishing my sketchbook, and regularly working out. I'm happy to say I've made progress on all of them!

What does your list of "sometimes" include? Do you find yourself using it to put things off as well? How do you avoid procrastination?

xx
Angelina

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life lately: back in the game

I'm finally out of school for the summer, and I'll be back on the blog weekly now! It's been a while, and I'm feeling a little bit rusty, but I'm looking forward to getting back in the routine.

I tend to shy away from writing posts about what I've been doing, because I'm never really sure whether people find my life all that interesting (sometimes I don't), but it has been a while:

Going: to the beach (-each)! We've had a heat wave the past week, and headed out the minute the last class ended. NorCal beaches are always a bit chilly in the water though, so we just tanned and took (lots) of photos.

Watching: a fashion show at Stanford! It wasn't as big as I had expected, but it was still fun to see. I was surprised at how fast the looks went by, especially since we'd gotten there earlier for seats.

Listening: BFD at Shoreline Amphitheater! It was my first music festival, and I absolutely loved it. It was sweltering and humid, but hearing the bands live and being able to feel the bass vibrating was amazing. My favorite was Lucius, and Finish Ticket also had great charisma and energy.

Doing: Being more fit! We took the dogs a couple times up to the mountains, and they loved it.

Seeing: The new exhibit, Living Digital Space and Future Parks, at the PACE Gallery in Menlo Park. We went on a weekend, so it was quite crowded and hot, but I enjoyed seeing the works. Crystal Universe and Flowers and People, Cannot be Controlled but Live Together are great for photo ops.

Trying: Lush! I went to the grand opening of the store at Stanford, and they gave out some free goodies! I've been working my way through Roots and H'Suan Wen Hua, and both are amazing (though pricey!)

Visiting: The Oscar de la Renta Retrospective at the de Young. I went almost the last weekend, and it was packed! I was glad that so many people were interested in fashion, but it also made it difficult to really appreciate his work. I also wish they had models, so you could see the fabrics in motion, rather than simply on mannequins.

Reading: Always Pack A Party Dress by Amanda Brooks. I can never get enough of fashion biographies, and have already reviewed and read a handful!

I've had a great time out there not worrying about driving traffic to the blog or coming up with new ideas to write about, but I'm excited to be back and creating more content. With that said, I'm still a bit dry on things I want to discuss, so let me know what you'd like!

xx
Angelina

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