putting the knit in shizknitz

I don’t think I ever had a chance to post about one of my favorite finds for my Europe trip - disposable underwear!  Onederwear was one of those brilliant buys and one of the must-have items I recommend for those on a long journey.  They have several different kinds - bikini, brief and thongs which gives you your typical underwear choices so you can pick the one closest to what you usually wear.  I took with me 3 packs, which was 15 pairs of underwear for 6 weeks.  Let me explain.

The packs arrive already in ready-to-throw-in-your-pack form.  Each individual underwear is packaged in a small plastic bag, rolled tightly.  There are 5 pairs in a pack which are also packaged quite tightly.  I know my first concern was that disposable meant plastic, or diaper or uncomfortable feeling but its not that way at all!  They are made out of 100% cotton and because they are disposable, they are made a little thinner than your typical cotton underwear.  Here are the benefits:  1) they are more lightweight (less to carry!), 2) they are softer and very comfortable (no need to wash first) and 3) they dry quicker (you know, you wash in the shower with you, dry it on your bed and its good to go the next day).

No need to buy those expensive underwear at the sporting goods store for traveling (you know the one - its labeled something about 36 countries in 6 weeks on 2 pairs of underwear or something) just pack some of these bad boys and you’re good to go.  Mine on average has lasted 5 washings and if you need to toss one - since its one-derwear and disposable, there’s no guilt!

Oh, Bon Jovi.  Ever since the piano man from ”we’re on a cruuuuise!” I’ve been addicted to several of his songs.  I like to listen to them at odd times, like right now. 

So the Shiz World Tour ‘07 has come to an end, kind of.  The adventure continues, as the realization sets in that I must leave my beloved friends and apartment behind, as I now change my zip code to a 94— number (contrary to popular belief, this is not an attempt to stalk echeng in person) and the time has come to put back on the heels and makeup every weekday morning (and to”push the button”).  It felt good yesterday during a short sampling into the office - the moment I realized how much of a career-aholic I really am.  I loved my transient lifestyle this summer, but I’m ready to get this show on the road.  No worries that my backpack may get lonely - I have a list of places I want to go next year in between my rotations

On a side note, this is Day 16 of the worst sinus congestion - my only saving grace is that I can’t smell as well, which keeps my hunger subdued…

My baby pineapple! @ week 10!  I can soon start my post-MBA career growing and harvesting Pineapples!

To really guage how sick I am, Titos Tacos is always a good indicator.  Everytime I am sick, I usually head to Titos because that’s all I want to eat. 

1. I get in the “wrong” line (this is hard to explain, all you Titos fans know what I’m talking about)
2. I don’t eat more than 1 chip in the car
3. It takes me more than 7 min to eat my tostada (today it took me 30 min)
4. I have to put my taco down (today I put it down 5 times in-between bites)
5. I don’t polish off all the chips in the box

No worries friends, I’m still alive.

I started seeing this phrase on BananaRepublic.com.  Is it that they are making the sizes larger or are people just skinnier?  To add insult to injury for us short pudgy people, Gap began making their Ankle (A) length pants about 2 inches longer in the last year.  So now I get to continue feeling good that I’m a size 8 but crappy that I’m getting shorter in my old age.  Not to mention that I have to keep taking my pants in to get hemmed.  Or, perhaps people are just getting taller in general and thus Gap decided to make their short length longer….. hrmm, a trend toward taller and skinnier people.  I get it - perhaps I’m not in their target market anymore.

Yes, we all need one of these once in awhile.  Our new Korean neighbors seem like they cook a lot.  The smell of spicy seafood something is in the air.  T is off to Shanghai again, this time for 3 looooooooong weeks.  I also hate the fact that Titos gives me 50 cent pieces for change.

THANKS JENN!

Originally uploaded by Mashimia.

I came home from my weekend trip to Mammoth (more posts later) to find a very SWEET surprise from Jenn….

First things first. My Pineapple Plant has finally decided to reproduce. After many years of TLC, it is finally starting to sprout! Several years ago while visiting Hawaii, I learned that you can cut off the top of the pineapple (leave some meat on the bottom) and soak in water until the roots grow. You then plant it and wait. After several years of patience, it has finally started to grow!

Next up is my new love, Tano’s Hot Sauce Bag. I wish I had a link to take you to, but this bag has been discontinued and cannot be found anywhere (except for a green one on Ebay). I saw it yesterday at the mall, fell in love with it, but held back due to its price tag of $189. I then came home to do research to find how rare it is to find one… and ran back today to rescue it from the mall. They don’t sell their bags in the dept stores, so only small places seem to carry them. The leather is sooooffffttttt and the smell reminds me of the fine leather back in Buenos Aires.

The other day I visited the Skin and Bones exhibit at the MOCA downtown with my friend Arden. I had never been, and it really was a great exhibit to go to. Both being Cognitive Science majors with a love for fashion, we really knocked ourselves out. We then took a stroll down to the Grand Central Market to find some grub, and grub we did find. Huge tacos… the photo doesn’t do it justice.

The remainder of the day was just as fun - after picking up Hiroko for some Pinkberry (yes, my addiction has gotten a little out of hand) (oh, they reassured me that mochi would be in on Tuesday), we watched The Notebook and the Finale to Sex & The City back at my place before heading over to NoHo to drop Arden off. Hiroko and I decided to be a bit adventurous and stopped at an Argentine BBQ place in the Valley (LaLa’s). I was delighted to find that they carried Quilmes, and the meat was pretty good too although nothing compares to the meat you get in Argentina.

In the meantime, T has been shipped overseas back to Shanghai for a few weeks… and so now we’re on this reverse 16 hr schedule (midnight for him, I’m just waking up) which is quite strange.  I am, however, enjoying that I now get TWO flat pillows instead of ONE

Some gorgeous flowers to brighten my day

12 year old soup. It’s what’s for dinner. The expiry on the can said 95. Yes, we really ate it. Yes, we are still alive.

What I saw when I came home from class tonight. The right side are my packages from Zappos. The left seems to be - banana delivery for my neighbor? This is the strangest thing I’ve seen yet.

I have to rave about my Zappos.com order. Two nights ago while procrastinating doing homework, I started glancing through my Rick Steeves’ book and became infatuated with ordering my shoes for my summer trip to Europe. I started looking at REI, Adventure 16 but then I thought of going to Zappos, an online shoe store that one of my old running buddies told me about. I wanted three pairs - my main shoe, a pair of flip flops for the shower and other wet events, and a pair of comfy heels for the cruise and dancing. I started shopping and lo and behold! I found my dream team - Keen Malibu (yeah, the irony), Croc Athens and Clark Aria.  Good lord, they shipped yesterday and were here today, FOR FREE.  FREE SHIPPING!  The shoes and boxes (I keep my shoes in their boxes) came in perfect condition (not the crap you get when you go to Macy’s and its half used/worn already), and after following the sizing on the website (they will advise you if they come larger or smaller than size) these are perfect!  They are all so uber comfortable, and if for whatever reason I decide I don’t want them, return shipping is free as well!  I haven’t been this giddy over shoes since I was a kid.  My grandma would send me these slip on shoes with cartoon characters on them from Japan and I would be so attached to them that there are pictures of me sleeping with them in bed (unused of course).  T might have to share some bed space tonight!

Currently listening to: Coldplay, Sparks
Mood: Somber

During my years at my old job, day after day, I would be reminded of the fact that nothing rarely surprised me anymore. People would say/do/be absolutely crazy and one day I turned around to find myself immune to it all - he did what? Nope, not surprised. Perhaps I had become jaded. Me, the forever optimist, had become jaded. Fast forward a few years and here I am, less than 4 months from graduation, again on the cusp of major life changes. Business school, like undergrad held more important life lessons than anything we learned on a powerpoint (oh wait, we used transparencies during my undergrad years). In more recent months, I have seen the inner strength and beauty of some of my classmates I hardly know. The ones I do know have not ceased to amaze me either - and like every wonderful experience in life, I will never be the same again. Lessons on life, the challenges in life (rich or poor), love, pursuit of happiness, or living in the moment. There is something so beautiful in every experience and lesson I have learned from these people who have touched my life, and probably in ways they don’t even remember or might not even understand. But that’s okay. I hope I’ve been able to return the favor to others.

After a crazy hectic year, the best way to celebrate new year’s eve was chill with friends, munchies, and watching movies off of a digital projector. I also got to try some type of Airborne drink - altho Ketel One was involved, I figure its still good for ya!

Before: After:

I’ve finally lost my mind. Maybe it was watching too many reruns of Sex & The City. I always get the craving for Sarah Jessica Parker curls. Being asian, I’m just not blessed with such hair curly goodness. Instead, I have to pay big bucks for it. I did some research on body waves and found something called digital perms. Its a lot easier on your hair and the curls are not that permanent (which is good for ADD’ers like myself). I love it… my current curls are not as tight as the After photos above and its easier to do. I get out of the shower, throw hair lotion on it and blow dry. This may be the solution to quick-go hair while backpacking in Europe.

Most of you know that I am devout to Bob, my hairdresser who I’ve been going to (and many of my friends) for the last several years.  I just got my haircut a few days before and wanted him to do the perm, but he didn’t have the time.  As usual, I wanted it done and I wanted it NOW, so I did some more research to find a Korean salon in Ktown through Citysearch.  Vogue Salon was your stereotypical Japanese salon, but Korean.  Like the reviews on Citysearch, everyone there was Korean, all the customers were my mom’s age, but no fear - Grace is awesome.  She was working on someone’s color (someone younger than I) which turned out really great and some of her other haircuts were turning out fabulous!  Don’t expect Beverly Hills type glitz, but it is definitely NOT BH type prices either!  Grace was great with getting me exactly what I wanted, in between humor about her daughter who attends UCLA.

Good lord. There’s nothing more heart wrenching than Korean Dramas. I haven’t had time to watch them (24 hrs for a complete story usually) but being on break, I’ve indulged in the Green Rose. I just watched the moment she saw him for the first time as the President of the Chinese company as the elevator door closed. Wow.

BTW his assistant that shows up when he returns to Korea, is HOT. Does anyone know what his name is?

I now have less than 24 hours until my last final in Bus Law. What’s on my mind? NATTO! This is probably the only thing T won’t eat out of my food repertoire Over the last few years I have had cravings for Natto… I have to pick some up everytime I’m at the Japanese markets. Yes, it tastes funny, it smells funny, it even has the funky stringy stuff. But damn. Its good. I compliment it with furikake and aji nori.

Okay back to securities law… ugh!

I’ve now officially been in LA for.. over 9 years now. It is so hard to believe, considering how fast it has gone. But now, I’m ready to go. Don’t know exactly how, but I do know approximately when, and its coming up really fast. I haven’t really been one for making lists lately, but I’m going to start one now - all of the things I haven’t done and want to do before leaving Los Angeles. Feel free to help me out with things I may have forgotten!

1. Visit the Hollywood sign
2. Hike/Camp Joshua Tree
3. Get toasted at the Dume Room in Malibu They closed yesterday!
4. Lakers Game
5. Lunch at the tearoom at the Huntington 12/27/06
6. Visit the Getty Villa
7. Take photos on the Pepperdine Campus
8. Actually use the boogie board sitting in my living room wrapped in plastic
9. Sushi at Nobu’s in Malibu
10.