the beach

I have this fantasy of returning to Maui. I had a highly-anticipated holiday there a few years ago, but from Day One was stricken with terrible food poisoning. But despite that, I have this peaceful memory of sitting on a private beach, my toes dug deep into the sand, the sun warming my legs and arms, and…

god of wine, arts and gucci

I have this thing for...beautiful handbags. A beautiful handbag makes me feel like a style star. Like my style truly expresses what's in my heart. It makes me want to wear my best outfit and go outside and seize the day. Gucci's Dionysus mini shoulder bag with black suede and antique silver hardware is just too cool…

mexican meal

I love Mexican food. Like a lot. Chimichungas, tacos, quesadillas, fajitas, enchiladas... Muy bueno. My go-to Mexican meal would be chicken mole enchiladas with a side of rice and beans. And for dessert? Sign me up for mini churros or sopaipillas with vanilla bean ice cream. Are you drooling yet?

journalling

I've been journalling since I was a teenager. Back then, I did it all long-hand. I would pick up gorgeous blank books from Barnes & Noble and waste no time scribbling my memories and innermost thoughts. Today, I journal using the Day One app. I've been using it for years. It's made it so easy…

pretty nails

Before anxiety wreaked havoc on my life, I used to go to the nail salon all the time. I loved getting professional manicures. I loved how glossy and fun my nails would look after, and how put-together and cool I felt. When I stopped getting my nails done and did them myself, I didn't get…

wild

One of my all-time favorite songs is "Wild" by Beach House. There's something so calming yet celebratory about it. It comforts me and makes me feel less alone. It's simple and beautiful. I listen to it all the time -- when I'm happy, when I'm sad, when I'm anxious. And it never fails to bring…

compassionate listening

Vietnamese Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh is a delightful, inspiring soul, and I really enjoy watching his 2012 interview with Oprah. (You can also read the interview here.) He makes mindfulness accessible through his simple, poignant teachings. But more than that, his teachings are a philosophy about making the most of life -- right here,…

the korean experience

So far, two of my favorite reads this year are Min Jin Lee's Pachinko and Nicola Yoon's The Sun is Also a Star. Lee's novel is a gorgeous historical epic that follows a Korean family make their life in Japan during the latter's occupation of their home country. It's a sweeping page-turner that's fascinating and…

positive mental attitude

I love the Aura app. It's so easy to use and it's actually useful. I set it up so that I'm reminded to do my daily three-minute meditation after I brush my teeth. There's also a little gratitude notebook where I write five things I'm grateful for. I already journal about gratitude longhand, but it's…

poached eggs

I'm obsessed with poached eggs. Serve them for breakfast any fine day of the week and you basically reduce me Bill Murray eating fried chicken in What About Bob? For a long time, I was intimidated by the idea of poaching eggs, but it's actually very easy. Boil some water and add a bit of…