Country Livin'

Hey all,

Long time no see! :) I am back from a short blogging hiatus. I was super busy with work, and I put my blogging aside. But, I have decided to pick it up once again and with more frequency!

I am on my last week of summer vacation, and I am trying to soak up the last rays of sunlight before returning to grueling grad shcool. This past weekend, my boyfriend and I decided to go to the New Town and Country Stables on the windward side of Oahu. I love love love horses, and I was very excited to see many beautiful ones. And boy did I see them! This past weekend, there was an all-women's competition taking place there. I don't know what the event was called, but it was similar to cow/cattle herding. It was quite fun to watch, and I got to wear a cowboy hat! It was my own hat, but I usually don't have many chances to wear it so I was thrilled.

I have decided to include pictures of myself wearing the cowboy hat. As I said, I was excited.

LOL.

Cat whiskers included. I'm a dog fan, but I think the cat add-ons are cute.

Anyway, hope you are having a great week! Speak to you all soon! 

Kisses,

Cass xx

Collector's Show- July 2013

Hi all,

I love to go to collector's shows! I don't know if you have them in your area, but they basically are shows were you can go vintage shopping! A lot of people collect amazing things, including postcards, dining sets, hats, jewelry, telephones, etc. In the collector's shows that I have gone to, I have seen things from the 1900s. In fact, in the most recent collector's show I attended, I saw postcards dating back to the early 1900s; I couldn't believe I was holding a real postcard (with WRITING) that was over a century old! Incredible.

I love to buy refurbished vintage items and vintage items as is. Some of them may not be in the best shape, but others clearly have been kept safe from the elements. The items in best shape, of course, cost much more. This time, I bought a couple dishes and a vintage Snoopy figurine for my boyfriend from a toy collector who collected little Snoopys! My boyfriend also got me an original Ewok stuffed animal. SO CUTE.

Here are a couple of pictures that I took :)

The Ewok that my bf got me :) I love it so much!

A collection of Snoopys and other Peanuts characters. This was not the same toy collector I bought my bf's stuff from. I found one perfect for him from another guy.

A gorgeous dining set. I don't have room for this (YET), but I wanted to buy this so badly. Look at those blue flowers *I die*

Going to this show was a blast for me and I only spent around $20 for everything! I wanted to buy so many other things, but I stopped myself (I didn't want to spend too much money). Let me know in the comments below if you have ever been to a collector's show and what vintage things you love to buy!

Kisses,
Cassie xx

Cafe Bliss

Hey all,

So I wanted to share with you a few photos from a cafe that I visited recently. It's called Fresh Cafe, and it is located in Honolulu, Hawaii. The vibe is pretty cool, and there were few people inside. Which means less noise and more relaxing atmosphere.

This cafe was quite artsy. There was a mural in the parking lot and on the building. I enjoyed the vibe of the building's surroundings and was pleasantly entertained even before I entered the cafe. In addition to being a cafe, the place also holds events! There's ZUMBA, yoga, and art & flea (an event that includes music, art, and vintage shopping). Cool cool COOL.

For reviews of the cafe itself, click HERE
For the cafe's website, click HERE

Here are a few photos from my time spent there:

A typical table inside. Minimalist and industrial with a pop of green!

The fabric colored bike stand outside the cafe. Cute <3 p="">

The art on the wall. Cuute. It made me crave breakfast food and sushi. At the same time. LOL.

Hope you all get to visit this cafe soon! It's so worth it!

Love,

Cass xx

INFORMED CITIZEN!

Hi all,

So, I went to my first real rally yesterday down in Waikiki. As a member of Aikea, an organization dedicated to fighting for the rights of working people and bringing greater awareness to social issues, I was proud to march in Waikiki to fight for my community. I don't want this post to be too much about the activism but more about my experience, since this is the first time I am writing about my participation in Aikea. 

It was an incredibly exhilarating experience, and I now know how it feels to LITERALLY stand up for your beliefs. It is one of the most exposing and vulnerable yet empowering things I have ever done. I literally stood on a sidewalk, held a sign almost as tall as me, and chanted for about an hour to fight for something I believe in. That was priceless, and I am addicted. I would gladly do it again...but in probably slightly better footwear (I was wearing slippers aka flip-flops). I would also bring a bottle (or two) of water. Lol.

Well, without further delay, here are snapshots of the day :):

 This was the sign I was holding. Pretty awesome. It was also HUGE.

The group of people in front of me. The crowd extended almost an entire city block in Waikiki. And we were grouped together. If we stood side by side, we would have reached MUCH farther.

Just a FEW members of our contingency at the Ilikai Hotel. We were protesting their plans to transition into condos. They are cutting TONS of jobs, and a lot of the protesters that day were literally fighting for their jobs in the hot sun.

To learn more about AIKEA:

http://www.aikeahawaii.org/

If anything, this rally showed me that I can put my views out there and be heard. We got a LOT of support that day from the drivers passing by! 

PS. "Aikea" is pidgin (Hawaii slang) for "I care."

Pasta Galore

Hi all,

I am typing to you with a burnt left thumb. Lol. Regardless, I wanted to share with you a GREAT new restaurant I discovered. Well, technically, my mother's friends discovered it. Anyway, this place is fantastic. 

For those of you from Hawaii or about to vacation to Hawaii, please visit Uncle Bo's in Kapahulu (I will write the full address at the end of this blogpost).

I went for a wonderful baby shower, and the restaurant gave us a "tasting menu" option (because we were a party of 10+ people). The option basically included salads, appetizers, entrees, and desserts for everyone at the table. Everyone got to share the LARGE menu items (family style). I left feeling SO full and completely satisfied. I only wish that the pace was slower, so that we could have savored the food and stretched out our stomachs a little more. Still, the food was excellent. It is a mixture of Asian and Italian. Fusion Perfecto!

I loved these two pasta entrees:

Grilled Peppered Chicken Pasta

Shrimp Pasta

The other entrees and appetizers were great as well. Anyway, I just wanted to share my wonderful experience! Hope you head down there soon! I completely and totally recommend it. The only thing is, parking may be a little difficult. There is a small private lot ($5/$6 flat rate, depending on the time of day). That gets full fast, so either go early or find street parking. Besides that, you are in for a wonderful treat.

559 Kapahulu Ave

Honolulu, HI 96815

(808) 735-8311

Price Range: $$ ($11-$30) 

http://www.unclebosrestaurant.com

Let me know: what are your favorite places to eat!

Kisses, 

Cass xx

Patriotic Cupcakes

Hey all!

I'm back with my cupcake recipe! Well, to be quite honest, it's not really a recipe. The cupcakes were made with the prepared store mix. Sad face. I didn't have enough time to whip up homemade cupcakes. But, I did individually (and painstakingly) dye separate batches of the cupcake batter to make the three layers. And of course, the frosting was homemade (as detailed in my previous post)!

So, without further delay, here's the recipe:
(source: http://oneordinaryday.wordpress.com/2009/06/26/celebrating-the-red-white-and-blue-with-cupcakes/)

Red, White, and Blue Cupcakes

1 box of white cake/cupcake mix  

Red Food Coloring

Blue Food Coloring

buttercream icing (recipe in previous blogpost)

red sprinkles

Directions:

Follow the directions on the box to mix the cake batter.  Divide equally into three bowls.  Leave one bowl white, and add colorings to the other bowls to get red and blue.  Layer the batters into your cupcake liners by the spoonful (I layered the red, white, and then the blue).  You can be neat with flat layers or just goop it in for a more swirly effect.  Follow the box’s instructions for cupcake baking time.

The cupcakes turned out great! Photos are below:

The completed cupcakes with the frosting and sprinkles.

An inside view of my layers (I went with a layered but still swirly effect!)

Step by step collage!

If you have any questions or comments, let me know! Also, if you make these, let me know how they turn out! Happy baking.

Kisses,

Cassie xx

Baking Time - Homemade Butter Cream Frosting (with Recipe)!

Hey all,

For Fourth of July, I have decided to make red, white, and blue cupcakes. I'm sure I will be posting the recipe for the cupcakes shortly, but I decided to make the frosting first. Normally, since I do not always have the time, I would just drop by a local grocery store and grab a jar of prepared frosting. BUT, I have decided to stick to more natural ingredients! 

The recipe for the buttercream frosting:

source: http://oneordinaryday.wordpress.com/2009/06/26/celebrating-the-red-white-and-blue-with-cupcakes/

1/2 c.  unsalted butter

4 1/2 c. confectioner's sugar 

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

5-6 tbsp. milk

I used REAL BUTTER, pure powdered cane sugar, pure vanilla extract, and organic 2% milk. I know that these ingredients can be a little pricey, so if you prefer to stick to the non-organic ingredients, I totally understand. :) Also, I suggest using real ALL-FAT butter. I am a little scared of whole milk, and I think it's a little TOO rich for me. BUT I think it would be great to use with frosting, since frosting is essentially all fat and sugar. :)

I will be posting a picture of my final product when I post a picture of the cupcakes. Until then, I will post a picture of my workspace. Baking is messy, but always fun! Don't you agree? 

Kisses,

Cassie xxx 

Weekend Adventures

Hello Fellow Bloggers,

I decided to share my weekend with you all. I love summer weekends full of sunshine, and this one was exceptional! I work A LOT, so I have not had an actual weekend for a couple of weeks now. I was so excited to sleep in and not be awakened by the sound of an extremely annoying alarm clock. So, folks, welcome to my weekend :)

Friday night stared off with a cheap, YUMMY lasagna. My parents and I settled on Italian fast-food. My mother got the same dish, and my dad got the broccoli and cheese stromboli. We all were quite delighted. I have always loved Sbarro lasagna ever since I was a kid! What are your Sbarro faves? The baked ziti with meatballs is my other fave there...I had such a hard time deciding which dish to get. Lol.

My boyfriend and I then decided to go to Wendy's with our friend! We got frosties and fries. I LOVE my splurge meals (I don't always eat this way). So when I have them, I go ALL OUT. I got the vanilla frosty...in which I proceeded to dip my salty fries. Sweet, salty, and flavorful goodness. Our trio closed down the Wendy's, and after my splurge, it was time for sleep.☾

☼ In the morning, after my daily coffee guzzling ritual, my boyfriend decided to take me to the Hoomaluhia Botanical Gardens in Kaneohe, HI (we live in HI). The grass was so green and the sun was so bright; it was nature in one of its most perfect states ❀ ✿ We took a trail there that was obviously overgrown, but sadly, the path lead nowhere. I was hoping to find something mysterious and discover a treasure. My dreams remained dreams.

Still, the morning ended on a happy note. We shared a wonderful summer day in the sun. We just forgot our bread so that we could feed the ducks. Oh well, there's always next time! 

Let me know what you did on your weekend! :)♡

Kisses,

Cassie xx

NEW YOUTUBE VIDEO UP!

So, I have started doing youtube videos, and I just wanted to tell you all! My first video is just a "What's In My Makeup Bag?" video, and I just sit and tell you all the makeup I am currently carrying with me everyday. I also share the products that I am loving and that I have not been satisfied with. 

Check it out: http://youtu.be/K6IocvdMdIU

Thanks guys and talk to you soon!

Kisses,
Cassie xx

Japanese Snacks!

(Please excuse my no-makeup face)

So, I was debating on what to write about in my first blog post.  I decided that I would talk about some new snacks I bought at Marukai, a Japanese grocery store in Hawaii.

I am in LOVE with Japanese food and snacks. One could say obsessed, but that's a strong word. I often frequent Marukai (or Nijiya, another Japanese grocery store located in Hawaii) for new snacks and ingredients for recipes.

The snacks I recently purchased were:

Yuki No Yado Rice Crackers (aka Senbei)

Calbee Vege-Taberu Assari Salad Aji (Veggie-Flavored Wheat Crackers)

The Baked Rice Crackers are a childhood favorite of mine. I used to eat them after swimming class or just while lying around (I was a fat child).  The veggie flavored wheat crackers were recommended by my boyfriend. I LOVE them. They taste just like veggie chips, and the WHOLE bag is only ~20g carbs. I have to warn any prospective buyers...Japanese snacks are usually airy and are not too dense. They leave you feeling satisfied (not stuffed), and I find that they are less caloric and fat-leaden than American snacks. Still, eat them in moderation (something I have a hard time with). I have attached below the nutritional info/ingredient list for the snacks.

I love my new snacks. To get them yourself, I have left links for the products. Happy snacking and let me know what you think about these two! Also, if you have any Japanese snack favorites, let me know in the comments below!

Baked Rice Crackers: 
http://www.marukaiestore.com/p-608-sanko-yuki-no-yado-rice-crackers-59oz.aspx
Veggie Crackers: 
http://www.veryasia.com/salad-vegetable-chips-crackers-calbee.html

Kisses,
Cass

Hey all,

I decided to start writing on this blog again, and I just wanted to say a quick hello to everyone who decides to visit my site!

The blog will be a mashup of reviews, OOTDs, OOTNs, daily pictures, life events, and other random musings of mine. Hope you'll enjoy! Let me know your thoughts too, by commenting on my posts! Just keep it positive and constructive, ok? 

Kisses,
Cass

My face.