cat, tat and travel plans

Dun dun dun....it's finally looming on the horizon...t w e n t y f i v e . . .


OOOooooOOooOOooOohhhhhhh.....

*shivers* not that I feel old or anything. I just feel like I haven't really been doing much. I haven't traveled out of the state in over two years and I haven't traveled out of the country in--oh em gee...it's been seven years.....extremely unacceptable. I am a free-spirit and I demand that I go abroad, right away! I forgot to add an important resolution to my New Years Resolutions list...to TRAVEL. I think I'm going to have to do so in order to make up for the past 7 years of inexcusability. I mean, come on... no offense to the folks in Las Cruces, New Mexico--you were all very nice and friendly people--but I'm pretty sure I've had better places to travel to during my college years (although, to be fair, you folks had some killer chip and salsa. Oh, and the whole deserted in the desert thing was kinda cool for the week that I was there).


But I digress.


My point is, I'm getting a major case of island fever and it's high-time I worked it out of me. Whereas my HUGE goal of 2010 was to run a marathon, my very reasonable ambition of 2011 is to travel to seven different places, outside of the United States of America. Here's how it will work:

1. Provinces count:  I am allowed to go from one region to the next so long as it take mass transit (train, plane, boat or bus) to do so since it would be the equivalence of going from state to state.

2. It must fall within my vacation time: I am allotted a total of 17 vacation days (includes sick days). This means (with the exception of holidays), I will receive about three weeks total.

3. If I decide to travel on my own, I cannot go to a country where internet, communication and female-rights are restricted severely (mainly because my sass would most likely land me in prison).

4.  I have to have a legitimate reason to go to this country. I cannot simply go just to go. I will come up with a Where's Waldo-eque hunt for specific things that I must either do, look for or receive while I travel abroad.

  Wow...I feel much better just planning a trip. I'm not sure if it'll be something that I do on my on or if others want to join me. I just know that recently, I've become very depressed and moody (sorry, Babe) about my situation and have come to the conclusion that it's time that I take matters in to my own hands and shake it.

  In the meantime, here are a few pictures for your enjoyment:

"huh?"

"..."

"overit."

I know, right?

"Color inside the lines"

Circle of Life.

While I was out jogging.

Food porn for Paige. Sweet potato puffs.

I heart photo apps

  I decided that you should know something about me...I am obsessed with photo apps on my iphone. So far my top 3 are:

1. Photobooth
2. Hipstamatic
3. 8mm (video....Oooh...)

  I think that Hipstamatic would be #1 if the app allowed the camera to face me so that I could take pictures with friends and not just of them. But don't get me wrong--Photobooth is magical in itself. With the ability to take pictures in b+w, sepia, antique (my fav) or color as well at being able to set the film to glossy or matte, this app definitely makes you feel like you're taking pictures in a real booth. AND now it prints!

   ....Yes, if you haven't noticed....I'm a real fan who will blatantly sell this product to my readers. It's just that awesome. The last app was one that I happened to stumble upon in the app store the other day while I was waiting for Brent to finish changing his outfit (or something like that). Anyway, I was intrigued and felt the need to download it. The result? Oh. Em. Gee, people. It was fantastic. I can not video in vintage! How cool is that??? Yeah.  And not to mention that I can customize the settings to 70s (yellow tint) , sakura (pink tint), xpro (bluish), 1920 (b+w) and Siena (sepia) and the best part...yes, the lens toggles back and forth from front to back meaning I can be part of the fun too! I have to film something and show you what I mean soon but for now, here are some of my recent pics...enjoy!

Papi kisses

Papi kisses pt. 2 via "Camera+" (another app...that I'm not sure if I like or not)

Brent and I went to the 24-VII Danceforce show this weekend at Pakiku Theatre (in Kaneohe). The show was called "Foreverland" Live 2 (the music and singing was all live). As we gathered up for the concert, we realized that it was a reunion of a lot of the 24-VII alumni (including Brent). Most have been able to incorporate dance into their careers. From L to R: Lance, Pili (married to Chris), Calvin, Sabrina, Chris, Sean, Allan, Brent.

Brent and the twins, Tamara (L) and Tiara (R). They've been he kids from when they first started dancing and now they're 16! I also knew them since they were about 9...they used to be the dance team's mascots!

Vicki's birthday party! Her party favors were a shot glass necklace and a candy-shaped bag full of pertty m&ms!

Me + Vicki!

Me + Brent: take 1

Me + Brent: take 2

Me + Brent: take 3...my favorite is the last frame <3

Vicki's party theme was hello kitty and animal print.

"Lattern" by Brent. Vicki's party was at Ichiriki Loft...pretty cool looking place. It was my first time upstairs. As you know, Brent and I frequent the main restaurant a lot.

"Sascha in the dark" by Brent...Hipstamtic fail.

"Diva" by Brent. Me: "No more pictures...!" Brent: "Uggghhh....again!"

"Just look at the camera!" by Brent.

"Nabe" by me.

Yum! By this time, I'm a little over the Hipstamatic vibe shots.

...or so I thought until I saw the cupcakes by Frosted Hawaii (same company that did my momma's cupcakes). they were red velvet and delicious.

"25" via Best Camera (not in my top 3 but still kinda good for tweaking a normal pic). Happy birthday, Vicki!

"Glow in the dark VIP" at Oceans.

Vicki's VIP treatment...Kettle One Vodka with cranberry!

Random stuff

I went to lunch yesterday with Ken and friends (Seychelle and Makke tagged along). We went to Pho 777 because it was a raining and miserable day and it called for pho.

I saw this in a magazine at work. At first I thought it was an artistic take on the "Fruit of the Loom" Apple guy but upon closer inspection, I realized that it was in fact, three people in an awkward totem pole. I laughed for three minutes.

I got my nails did yesterday. Lucky for me I have an awesomely handsome bf who's willing to driving out of his way to come pick me up and take me home...now that's love :)

Princess Vicki getting her set done by Anri (L) and Mari-chan (R).

My birthday nails...oh la-la!

2011

More Papi love ♥

My boat obsession satisfied. The Golden Princess

Salena on her scooter.

Oh yeah, and my momma's fabulous sweet potato bundles of deliciousness.

My oh my, sweet potato pie~! Oh, and happy 2011.

  Hi!!!!! I missed you. HAPPY 2011~! あけましておめでとうございます〜！ I'm sorry but for a while there, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo series have my complete and undivided attention. I'm just warning you now, I might go M.I.A. again after this because I'm still working on the last book of the trilogy. If you haven't read it, do it.  It's like Da Vinci Code + Sherlock Holmes + CSI + IKEA (as in the Swedish interior deco heaven) with some major Freudian slants. It's awesome. I could go on and on and on about the series but I'd rather start a blogger book club and then discuss so....go buy them and then we'll discuss, dahling. I'm stalling on finishing the books too fast because after I read them and watch the movies....I'll feel empty inside and it scares me just a little bit. Maybe I'll rebound with Harry Potter again.

  Anyway, besides my major plug for Stieg Larsson (the author) and his legacy (the author died shortly after finishing the series...he never got to see how successful they were),  I've been doing great. My other obsession has been sweet potato pie. I usually crave it right around Thanksgiving (because my mom made the bestest sweet potato pie ever in all history once and it's haunted me forever in a delightful way since then). A co-worker baked some and was nice enough to give me a slice (perhaps my not-too-subtle hungry-girl eyes were a hint for him to put it down and slowly walk away). But that had only whet my appetite for more. And then it happened. The other day, my mom baked her sweet potato pie--with a twist. It was in puff pastry. And she flavored it with a pinch of salt and maple syrup....sooooo deeeeeeelishhhhh..ousssss.... Now I'm going to have dreams about this pie forever. Just thinking about makes my mouth water and I literally just finish eating a piece! I

  For Christmas I got Brent and sweater and shoes (I know! My Filipino and Korean friends gave me grief about it too but I couldn't help it...shoes makes him so happy). My momma, Junior and Salena flew off to Disneyland for the week between Christmas and New Years (they came back on 1/1/11) so I spent a lot of time with Brent and his family. On New Years eve, I went to Brent's family's newly renovated house (not quite done, but almost there). It was really nice. I'm excited to see the final results.

  I realized that I didn't do a New Year's Resolution list last year so this year, I'd decided to make one:
-Be more organized (in my room)
-Get back in to dance
-Perform on stage more than once.
-Do at least 11 things that are out of my comfort zone.
-Blog more

  I'd like to do a photographic year-in-review ala Sasch,  but unfortunately A) I'm way too lazy and B) there are wayyyyyy too many pictures for me to sift through to create the perfect recap album. So instead, I'll do an extensive recap of Christmas, New Years and recent stuff...enjoy!

Salena and Mini Me (aka Lisa)at their first dance recital.

Brent and Angry Birds

Our first time at Soul @ Kaimuki...I had the gumbo and brent had a smothered chicken....it was pretty delicious. Especially the cornbread.

Waterfalls and clouds by the H3

We eat at Pah Ke's in Kaneohe.

Salena's leter to Santa. Translation: I want a "changing time baby" with all of the accessories too..Note to potential parents, aunties and uncles...DON'T buy the little girl in your life this creepy pooping, moving plastic doll...it scares me.

French Coffee (decaf) with Vicki at GEN cafe in Waikiki.

Neopolitan pasta.

Holiday nails by Anri at Salon Cherie!

First time at Mr. Ojisan...

This picture of my wafu steak makes me drool every time I see it.

More waterfalls.

We were driving in the clouds.

And then it poured so hard, the rain made Brent's neighbor hood look like a mosaic painting.

My secret resolution came true this year...Brent smiles for me and my camera :D

Papi love.

Christmas lights: extreme edition series...

That's a canoe coming out of the garage, by the way.

These we synchronized with music. Yes, the speakers were facing the general public. Yes, it was all Christmas tunes.

I try the Clam Linguini in white sauce ( I usually do tomato) at CPK.

Harada and Brent's bonding time...

Back to Papi...

New Year's Eve at Brent's.

We played many games of Hanafuda.

Brent did some fireworks.

Happy New Year!