Starlight, Star Bright

Hello all,

Today I took the time to stand on my balcony (with a glass of cold vermouth, of course) to watch the sunset. I had gotten home just in time, after a long day at work, to enjoy one of life's most beautiful everyday occurrences. It seemed to me worthwhile and something necessary today.

As I put on some music in the background and let the orange rays engulf the world around, I felt suddenly melancholy and euphoric simultaneously.  It was as if a rush of emotions came at me, all at once. So much has happened to me within the past week, and I guess I really don't know how to emotionally process all of it. The melancholy is probably a result of all that I have realized that I lost, and the euphoria is the excitement and extreme bliss at the thought of all that I could gain. I have always been one for adventure, even if not necessarily physical. What I mean is, I often love uncertainty. It scares me yet excites me. I find predictability wonderful too, but riding life's adventures freely makes me the most happy.

Anyway, as the sun set and the stars began to shine more brightly, I found myself gazing higher and higher into the night sky. I found myself staring at one of the brightest stars and wondering who else was looking at it too. I find it so wonderful and fascinating that us humans can be bound by something so distant. I was probably not the only person looking at that same star tonight, and even though I may never meet those others staring at the same star, we shared a moment in time. No matter how different we may be, we shared an experience somehow. I think anyway.

I also had the inevitable last thoughts. No, not those of "the end" but those of moving forward. I will be leaving my apartment at the end of the month, and I will no longer see the stars from the same angle. I have grown to love my apartment over the last 3+ years, but I am so excited to get my own place and start a new chapter of my life. I think it will be an amazing time to grow and learn. I am also someone who values her space, so I'm so excited! Still, I will miss this home. Of course, I am still planning on living on the same island and in the same city, so I won't be moving that far :P

I will leave you now with a photo I took this evening, right as the sun was leaving as.

Hope you all have a wonderful day/evening/afternoon, wherever you are. xx

The Beauty of Hawaii

Hello lovelies!

As some of you may know, I live in Honolulu, Hawaii on the island of Oahu. I have been to many other states in the U.S., and I also lived in Massachusetts for a while during my college years. I love the mainland U.S., and I miss it a lot; however, Hawaii is one of the most beautiful places on earth, and I am so lucky to be able to call it my home. For those who decide to visit our wonderful paradise, please take the time to venture outside of Waikiki at least once. Waikiki is only a small part of Hawaii, and it is commercial Hawaii. I'll admit that it is quite fun, and I do enjoy going there once in a while. Still, it's not real Hawaii to me. Hawaii is the quiet of the windward side and the delicious and cheap local treats at hole-in-the-wall restaurants and the adorable "aunties" and "uncles" that you meet everyday. Hawaii is more than just hula girl bobble-heads and Waikiki; the true beauty of Hawaii, to me, lies in the people and the land outside of the glitzy strip. Head outside of that bubble and you will be amazed.

I also recommend traveling to the outer islands! Life there is different from Oahu. Each island has its own personality; my personal favorite, so far, is Molokai. You can actually s e e the stars, and they are magical. I went on a school trip there, and it was one of the most amazing trips I have ever taken. Wherever you choose to visit, always remember to step outside of the tourist traps and go on an adventure! I know it's hard sometimes, esp in foreign countries. BUT DO IT. You will learn the most, grow the most, and have so many amazing stories to take back home with you.

I hope you come to visit us in Hawaii one day! We are definitely a unique place in the world, and I invite you to discover all the beauty that my home has to offer! I want to leave you with pictures of last night's sunset in Honolulu. The sunsets this summer have been i n s a n e.

Aloha,

Cassie

Daily Favorites

Hello lovelies!

Hope you all wonderful Tuesdays! I stayed up late to make sure I could complete my final problem set of the day AND write this blog :) Of course, I had some coffee to help me with this task. Haha. Today, I went to an amazing Zumba class at the UFC Gym here in Honolulu. The class is taught by an AMAZING instructor. Her name is Amber, and you can check out her instagram here. She is amazingly fit and so motivating. Zumba, especially high intensity Zumba, is definitely a challenge. Today, I sprinted, tuck jumped, salsa-ed, and shook my booty. All in one class. If you like dancing and appreciate a good challenge, check out a Zumba class in your city!
Anyway, without further adieu, my favorites!

Favorite Quote:

Currently, I am studying for the bar exam. It has been a mentally and physically taxing journey. I wake up each morning, ready to do at least 150+ questions and also read the explanations to the questions I answered incorrectly.  Still, I have a goal to reach, and I won't give up! This quote relates so much to my life right now, and I appreciate Ms. Edwards' encouraging words (posted previously by another blogger). I hope this quote inspires you to continue on your journeys, however hard they may. The end results are worth it! Just adjust your sails and continue! 

Favorite Makeup Look:

I love Ashley Benson's smokey eye look. I think this is her signature, and she looks amazing in it! I want to recreate this tomorrow for my GNO! I think her flushed cheeks and sweet pink lips perfectly balance her va-va-voom eyes. Thank you, POPSUGAR, for posting my #GNO makeup inspiration.

Favorite Workout:

I love this workout that I found on Pinterest. It looks challenging but doable. I can't wait to do this tomorrow! (Look at that lunge hold...OMG) 

Favorite Recipe:

One thing you need to know about me: I L O V E tots. Like, love. Unfortunately for me, I do not have a fast metabolism, and tots go straight to my butt and thighs. Boo. So, when I found this recipe, I got so excited. I love zucchini, and this is such a great alternative to deep-fried potato tots. The zucchini is baked, and there is c h e e s e. I need to try this ASAP, and I hope you give it a try too!

Favorite Sunset/Personal Photo:

Lastly, I thought I would share a personal photo with you. I posted this on my Instagram account today, although the photo was of yesterday's sunset. I could not capture today's sunset; I was sweating my butt off in a Zumba class instead. Still, I hope you enjoy it! This is the sunset as seen from my balcony (in Honolulu, Hawaii). I love that the oranges were so vibrant. The sun was making such a dramatic exit. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

Goodnight my friends, and sweet dreams!

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"

Daily Favorites

Hello lovelies,

I hope you all had an amazing Friday! I know I did! My boyfriend and I celebrated his birthday today in Waikiki, since we are celebrating his REAL birthday with his friends tomorrow! We ate at a pretty good izakaya, which is like a bar that also serves good food! All the food is basically bar food, but Japanese bar food is amazing and is a dining experience in and of itself. Also, the bathroom was phenomenal. I'll probably be blogging about that tomorrow, so stay tuned! If I do decide to blog about the restaurant, I'll also provide a review of the restaurant, in case any of you are interested!

With no further adieu, here are my daily favorites!

Favorite Nature Photo:

(Source: http://r2--d2.tumblr.com/)

I love the colors in this photo! The red and orange in the sky contrast so beautifully with the blue-green water! How gorgeous!

Favorite Workout Find:

Source: pinterest.com

I know the print is hard to read, but the photos are self-explanatory I think! In case you really can't see the print, you do 3 sets of 10 reps for each arm and for each move! I need to work on my arm strength, and these movies are perfect for that. I am going to try to make it harder for myself by doing heavier weights though! 

EDIT 7/12/14: just did this. A LOT harder than I thought it would be! I did use heavier weights for some sets though. I am so glad though; I felt the burn! :)

Favorite Recipe of the Day:

(Source: http://www.yumsugar.com/Argentine-Steak-Recipe-Chimichurri-30778663)

In honor of the World Cup Finals, I decided to post a recipe of Argentinian Steak. This looks so delicious! Perfect for those who love to grill in the summer (who doesn't?). I am not necessarily rooting for Argentina, since my team (go USA!) has already been eliminated. I just thought this Argentinian recipe looked too good not to share! Click here to access the recipe!

Favorite Makeup Product and Tutorial:

(Source: http://harperandharley.com/2014/07/nars-illuminator-makeup)

This is such a gorgeous, fresh-faced look that I want to recreate! The model is wearing the Nars Illuminator in Hot Sand. I now want to run and get this ASAP! The blog entry also details how to apply the illuminator to achieve her look! Click here if you want more details on how to recreate this glowy look.

Favorite Outfit of the Day:

(Source: http://thechrisellefactor.com/2014/07/watercolored-lips/)

I adore Chriselle's outfit so much! That skirt is to D I E for! I love how feminine and girly and daring this look is. I want to recreate this look on my budget! Click here to check out her blog entry!

I hope you enjoyed my favorites, and talk to you all soon!

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"

It's been a long time...

Hey blog universe,

I haven't been on my blog for quite some time. My life has been so hectic, and I felt like I didn't have much to say! Which is crazy, because so much has happened in my life in the past few months. For starters, I am officially a law school graduate. I got my J.D., which means juris doctor (which literally translates into teacher of law)! I now have a professional doctorate degree!!! SAY WHAT?!

I still can't believe I have this degree and have accomplished this in my life. I feel like it was only yesterday that I was bumbling around my college town, searching for answers and trying to figure out my life. Don't get me wrong; four years at Williams were INCREDIBLE and I didn't even care that I was happy, free, confused, and lonely at the same time (hehehe). Years later, at 24 years of age, I have accomplished something for greater than myself. And I feel happy about that.

On a sad note, I am currently studying for the bar exam, the exam I HAVE to pass in order to become a practicing attorney in my state. I am studying everywhere and all the time (mostly). I study in coffee shops, on beds, on chairs, in grass, in the sun, in the rain, etc etc etc. I STUDY ALL THE TIME. It really sucks. I wanted to say that more artfully, but it just...sucks. Still, I know that I am lucky to be taking this exam.  To be given this opportunity to represent the underprivileged and those in need is more than I could ever dream of. If I pass this exam, I intend on being a progressive lawyer that tries her best to mend families and help them move forward in life. I refuse to be a lawyer in search of conflict to profit off of. I would never be able to get up in the morning and look at myself in the mirror; I also would never be a good example for my future children (if I ever have any).

Last but not least, I have started working out at a gym again. AND I am contemplating doing some hip-hop again too! I miss it too much, and doing zumba classes has given me choreography practice again! :) We'll see how that goes!

I plan on blogging more regularly and am planning to do weekly Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday posts! I might blog sometime in between if I find something inspirational to share with you all or if I have some news! Regardless of when I blog, I think this blog will give me a space to share my life! Thank you for reading, if you are! :)

Here are some photos of my week so far:

The sunlight shining through the trees at the Shangri-La (Doris Duke's Estate on Oahu, Hawaii) 7/9/14

The Pasta Special at the Pavilion Cafe (located in the Honolulu Museum of Art in Hawaii)

Do you see Mickey?

Sunshine in Honolulu, Hawaii

Such a cheeky sign, no?

Yummy UBE Ice cream from my favorite cafe in Hawaii! ChadLou's Kailua.

ChadLou's Kailua - Storefront

Basking in the sunlight.

Fire-y Sunset in Honolulu - 7/9/14.

Some adorable candles at a boutique in Kailua. I still have some candles in my apartment. BUT I vow that I will return to come claim you, cute pink candles!

Always,
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"