Thank You, Past

Hello lovelies,

I am going to my 5-year college reunion this summer, and I am incredibly excited. I have been looking forward to this since last year, and I just can't wait. I am now going alone, and although I wish I could have someone close to me accompany me on my trip down memory lane, I think I'll have an incredible amount of fun regardless.

I've been reminiscing moreso recently, and I have been remembering, so vividly, all of the emotions of my late teens and early 20s. Everything was confusing and frustrating and exciting and electrifying and new! I had moved to Massachusetts from Hawaii without visiting the state first. I had never lived without my parents, and I had no family around the area. AND I had only one other person from my high school who was going to be there. When I say new...I mean n e w.

Of course I was afraid and nervous. BUT the possibility of discovering and learning and growing outside of my little box was so much more intriguing and attractive and outweighed the fear that I had.  When I first landed, it was raining and dreary and I felt that there was nothing familiar at all about my new home.  The architecture was different, I saw no one that looked at all like myself, and I was so scared to talk to anyone. Then...I walked into my dorm and met my entrymates and exchanged a couple smiles. I met my roommate for the first time, we laughed, the sun came out, and my world changed.  My mother and father eventually left me, I gained my bearings, I met new people (including a new man, who is still a good friend to this day), and began to experience another side of me.  There were some many stumbles and many tears and a few fights with the ones I loved.  But through it all, I gained a new family and a sense of self.

Coming home from college, I found myself a little lost again; I knew how to navigate the east coast but I didn't know how to be as a 20-something in Hawaii.  For a few years, I felt lost and I intertwined my sense of self with another. Now, though, I have come to find myself, and I feel that I have made it full circle.  I now fully own and am myself, no matter where I choose reside. I have rediscovered that person I once was, and I finally feel like I am fully in control again. As a close friend of mine said, it doesn't matter what others think of you when you know who you are inside. Although reputation can matter in certain circumstances, at the end of the day, it is who you truly are to yourself that matters.

I am thankful to have had 4 years so far away from my home to truly self-discover. I was on my own to invent myself as I wished; virtually no ties existed there that tied me to my identity at home. I became anew, and I love that. I am so thankful for the aches, pains, and joys of my past. I wouldn't be here now if it wasn't for the sorrow and oblivion. I am so glad I let myself feel so deeply.

Love,
Cass xx

Independence Established

Dear lovelies,

It is official. I have a new apartment. I am going to sign the lease this week, and I am looking forward to this move so much. I don't know if I've ever been this excited before in my life. Ok, I probably have been, but still. I AM SO EXCITED.

Finding my own place and living on my own is going to be a challenge but a challenge that I willingly and most graciously accept. I feel like everything is falling into place as it should. I'm flying to an outer island for business and then flying in to move into my apartment in two weeks. I am looking forward to being immensely happy discovering the world as it presents itself to me. And how can I not be happy with a new apartment that has a pool and gazebo. :)

On a side note, I did some self-discovery within the past week or so. I found that I detest feeling even remotely caged; I would rather feel completely uncertain than feel caged by  a security that I do not completely want. In all experiences, I seek the freedom to be who I am. Feeling like a dulled-down version of myself is not an experience I enjoy. I am so excited to finally do what I want, when I want, and how I want. I'm not saying that my choices don't have consequences; what I am saying is that I am willing to face those consequences if those choices are completely my own. Live and let live, baby.  We only have one life to live, and to prevent ourselves from seeking something that would give us happiness/pleasure (as LONG as that something does not hurt another) would be unfortunate for our own sakes.

With that, I am going to start putting myself out there and trying new things!  I need to go to more gastropubs and bars and hikes and restaurants and cafes and beaches...etc etc. AND, I need to go to the art museum more, especially since I'll be living so close by.  I see wonderful strolls through art exhibits in my near future. I'll bring my journal and just immerse myself in art and, of course, have a coffee at the cafe. SO EXCITED. I used to have days to myself at my college and stroll through the countryside of Massachusetts. I think it's time I had those days back...just the strolls have to be in Hawaii now haha.

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Hope you all are getting what's yours and exploring the world! Don't let yourself be your own barrier! 

xx,

Cass

What Does It Mean to Be Happy?

Hello all,

Okay, I know the title of the blogpost is a little...abstract and is on the verge of being too obviously philosophical. Bear with me.

So, right now, I am lounging around with some cheap red wine that I just bought from Don Quijote, a grocery story by my work place. It's nothing special but still a nice finish to a long day.  Today was nothing too out of the ordinary, but I did get to meet a couple new faces at the coffee cart I usually frequent in the mornings. I didn't catch their names, but, as I was talking to the barista, they came up and casually started conversations. In the course of 10 minutes, one man revealed his possibly relentless need to discover more and I found out that a woman was familiar with where I went to college up in MA. Pretty awesome. I am finally opening up a lot more nowadays, and I am feeling more and more like the person I had grown to love many moons ago.

Anywho, as I sit here with my red wine, I remember the first time I had ever fully drank wine at all. It was in college (yes, I was a good little high school girl), and my friends and I planned a "Greek" symposium on a weekend night. We planned to drink wine, dress in togas (aka our bedsheets from our twin extra-long beds), and philosophize. So, someone bought us boxes of wine (FRANZIA), we dressed in our ridiculous garb, we gathered in a common room, and our young minds began to answer the philosophical question posed, which was..."WHAT IS HAPPINESS?" I was excited to partake in the event, and throughout the course of the evening, our somewhat intellectual discourse turned into laughter and fun. Unfortunately for me, I had just recovered from a breakup and my mumbling and pathetic answer, I believe, had something to do with reciprocal love. I woke up the next morning feeling physically awful and embarrassed at my answer. My friends, though, just laughed and smiled and offered me water. The years went on, and now I look back fondly.

What's funny is that, this morning, I engaged in a conversation with one of my favorite baristas about the concepts of love and happiness and equality.  Surprisingly, my answer now is not too different from what it was then.  I know that, for me, love is still a component of happiness...but not necessarily in the same way as I thought it to be back then.  Love for family, love for the world, love for a lover...all can make one happy. But to keep happy, I feel you need love for yourself. You need to love yourself and allow yourself to feel joy. And loving yourself means knowing yourself or at least knowing the nature of your being.

And with that...I leave with this gem.

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I hope you all love or are growing to love yourselves. And I hope you all realize how much each of you deserve that self-love.

xoxo,

Cassie

Recipe Feature - Classic Beef Meatballs & Spaghetti

Hello wonderful people!

Sorry I have neglected my blog, yet again. I need to be better about this lol. Anyway, as an apology, I have decided to share a recipe that was a recent hit with my family! It's a classic dish: spaghetti and meatballs! BUT this is one of the best meatball recipes I have ever tried. I modified a little here and there (modifications are in green), but I pretty much followed the instructions as is.

Classic Beef Meatballs (Source)

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 pounds 80 percent lean ground beef (I used 85% lean ground beef from whole foods)
• 1 cup ricotta cheese (I used part skim)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup dried breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano (or 1 teaspoon dried) (I used 1 tablespoon of italian seasoning)
• 2 teaspoons coarse salt
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon ground fennel
• 4 cups Classic Tomato Sauce (I made my own simple marinara; read below!)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Drizzle olive oil into a 9-by 13-inch baking dish; using your hand, evenly coat entire surface. Set aside. 
2. In a large bowl, use your hands to mix together beef, ricotta, eggs, breadcrumbs, parsley, oregano, salt, red-pepper flakes, and fennel until fully incorporated. Roll mixture into firmly packed 1 1/2-inch balls.
3. Place meatballs in prepared baking dish, taking care to line them up snugly so that they are touching one another in even rows vertically and horizontally to form a grid. Transfer baking dish to oven. Bake until meatballs are firm and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of a meatball reads 165 degrees. (I just baked them for about 16-18 minutes)
4. Meanwhile, heat Classic Tomato Sauce in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring frequently.
   * OR you can make a quick marinara if you have less time
   My Marinara Sauce
   32 oz  organic tomato sauce
   1/2 medium onion, chopped
   2-3 large garlic cloves, minced
   2 tablespoons olive oil
   1-2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
   pinch of salt and pepper
   - heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat.
   - saute the onions and garlic in the oil, until slightly browned.
   - pour in the tomato sauce and season with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
   - simmer for at least 15 minutes...and you're DONE!
5. Remove meatballs from oven and carefully drain excess grease from pan. Pour heated sauce over meatballs and return to oven; cook for 15 minutes more. Serve. (I served mine on a bed of angel hair pasta!)

I really enjoyed this recipe! The meatballs were incredibly tender and fully cooked through. I found that using the Italian seasoning (instead of oregano) was fine, esp if you have that on hand instead! I served mine with pasta, and it was perfect. I can't wait to make this again and maybe try a pork/beef combo? If any of you try this, let me know! 

Love,

Cassie

Inspirational Quote of the Day

Hello lovelies!

I just wanted to drop by my blog and quickly share some inspiration for today! I know that some of you may be going through some tough times in your life; I know I am. This bar exam has made me so incredibly stressed out that I have been getting nightmares! Just last night, I sat up straight in bed in the middle of the night! :(

Still, amidst incredible stress or doubt, it's always important to remember your inner strength and willpower. We all have a drive within us to reach our goals, and we should never forget how strong that drive is!

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Hope this post inspires you to believe in yourself more today! Now go out there and conquer the world! Whatever your goals may be, know that you can achieve them :)

Aloha,

Cassie

Photography Favorites - Friendship Feature

Hello lovelies!

This post is inspired by recent events! The last two evenings have been so much fun and a reprieve from all-day studying sessions. On Thursday, my besties and I tried out a new Mexican restaurant in Honolulu called Cocina. Their food was great, esp the papas fritas (Mexican-style french fries). We then went and got dessert at a popular local diner chain called Zippy's. We spent the night talking and laughing and reconnecting. Such a great evening, and it made my soul sing.

And last night, one of my really good friends and his sister had a house/apartment warming party. There was great food (ribs, pulled pork, sashimi, ravioli, cake, and MORE) and even b e t t e r company. We also laughed a lot, played video games, and just enjoyed our moments together. Such a perfect evening.

To celebrate my wonderful friends, I thought I would post some of my favorite friendship photos that I have come across! Hope you enjoy them, and hope you have a great weekend with loved ones!

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Aloha,
Cassie

"I honor the place within you in which the entire universe dwells. I honor the place within you, which is of Love, of Truth, of Light and of Peace. When you are in that place within you and I am in that place within me, WE ARE ONE"

Tea Feature: Harney & Sons Paris Tea

Hello lovelies!

I don't know about you, but I love a good cup of tea.  I also LOVE coffee, as I mentioned in a previous blog post, but I enjoy tea just as much! I like tea iced or hot, depending on the weather! I seem to mostly drink it hot though, probably because it is faster and easier to make (I know...I'm a lazy bum).

One of the teas I have been loving at the moment is the Harney & Sons PARIS tea. I l o v e this tea! According to the Harney & Sons website, the tea is a mixture of three different teas. The tea, when brewed, smells "like an Earl Grey with black currant and vanilla aromas and a hint of caramel." AMAZING, right? Although I am not enough of a tea connoisseur to pick up on all of that, I do find the aroma very enticing and pleasant. I love to smell this tea almost as much as I love to drink it! The tea, I have to mention, is caffeinated; some individuals are sensitive, so keep that in mind if you decide on purchasing it!

This is a photo I took of the tea (box) and my University of Hawaii mug. I got the tea as a present from one of my dear friends, but she told me that she got it at Williams-Sonoma if I needed more! I went to check, and they definitely have it in stock (at least in the store located in Ala Moana Center in Honolulu, Hawaii). You can also get it here (at the Harney & Sons official website). 

Another amazing thing is that the tea is not that pricey. On the website, a 20 sachet tin is only $8! Also, look at that box; isn't it gorgeous? The packaging is incredible, the name is irresistible, and the tea is delicious. You should, like, go get it. NOW.

Anywho, if you have a favorite tea, don't be shy and let me know in the comments below! I hope you are all having a great day, and I'll be back soon for my daily favorites!

Aloha,

Cassie

P.S. I was definitely not sponsored to write this. 

"I honor the place within you in which the entire universe dwells. I honor the place within you, which is of Love, of Truth, of Light and of Peace. When you are in that place within you and I am in that place within me, WE ARE ONE"