Exhaling Life

I encountered it at Trader Joe's and was immediately curious. What is it? Is it like shrimp? Is it like lobster? You know me with curiosity. A bag of Trader Joe's langostino tails made its way to my freezer. Curiosity always wins. According to Google AI, langostino in Spanish means little lobster but it is not the same species as the lobster.  They are actually considered prawns. So, there you have it. I was, however, left with what to cook with it. Unfamiliar with the ingredient, I thought about a safe dish to test out langostino tails and remembered a pack of frozen gnocchi I had picked up at the Hollywood Farmers' Market. I was hesitant to buy them because of their size. I prefer small gnocchi to larger ones, and these gnocchi were gigantic in my world. I was told to keep them frozen until they were about to enter the boiling water and thus I couldn't cut them to a smaller size. It is hard to get good gnocchi, so I threw caution to the wind and grabbed a pack. Armed ...

The word, culling, has been on my mind for several years now. Culling typically refers to how wildlife controls the population. In the broader definition, it is to select from a group, to reduce or control the size of (something, such as a herd) by removal (as by hunting or slaughter) of especially weak or sick individuals. The second definition by Merriam-Webster, to reduce or control the size of by removal of especially weak individuals, reminds me of MAGA's agenda and President Trump's Executive Orders on unlawful entry and unlawful residency, more commonly referred to as illegal immigrants. To pay for the culling, Congress is considering making cuts in Medicare and Medicaid programs. Is that to cull the poor and sick? There is a very clear option of taxing employers who sponsor H1B visas. Thousands of companies sponsor foreign employees because they claim that the knowledge and skills required for the jobs cannot be found among American citizens and Permanent Residents (gre...

There is unexplained serenity, a sense of haute while being unforgiving, among white dresses. From feminine to strikingly sexy, twelve white dresses have been mindfully curated with effortless and timeless on my mind: [01] Line & Dot Bendetta Maxi Dress [02] Aje Mariel Trapeze Midi Dress [03] Faithfull The Brand Aya String Midi Dress [04] Black Halo Kacie 2 Piece Maxi Dress [05] Sir. Tamara Knot Mini Dress [06] STAUD Jessica Knit Dress [07] Black Halo Madeline Sheath Dress [08] Black Halo Juma Two Piece Dress [09] Dur Doux Cruz Mini Dress [10] Proenza Schouler Cora Dress in Pleated Crepe Chiffon [11] Hill House Home Fleur Midi Dress [12] The Lulo Project Lilies Dress ps: While all items are curated by me, I receive commission from retailers on purchased items.

I have lived in Los Angeles for more than four decades now. I slept in a van the night following the 1994  Northridge earthquake, which killed 57, injured more than 9,000, and caused over $13 billion in property damages. Some have published economic losses as high as $50 billion. I was no different than many Angelenos. Wildfires and mudslides in our coastal and hillside neighborhoods were inconvenient with indifference. We saw it as a consequence of living with gorgeous views. Wildfires and mudslides must've not been much of a concern for those who bought and resided in high-risk communities. To claim that it was would be obtuse, especially for those who owned properties without homeowner's insurance. That is like driving a car without insurance, even if the state lawfully allowed drivers to drive without insurance.  View of Los Angeles from Runyon Canyon  before the fires. I live among Progressives, you know people who claim to care about the environment, inclusiveness, ...

Last summer, I did a dreadful thing. Never say never. Since I had said that I would never do it, it was inevitable that it happened. I went on a diet. It sounds awful, doesn't it? My goal was and remains to lose 40 pounds. I lost nearly 20 pounds in about two months and gained 5 back. The diet was paused, but I've maintained the loss of 15 pounds. Since I don't exercise, my diet plan was all about causing a calorie deficit and I couldn't have done it without the stinking konjac noodles. They stink. I tried different brands and differently processed konjac noodles, and they all smelled very fishy. Just so that we are on the same page, konjac is a root vegetable that naturally emits a fishy odor. Fortunately, a good wash under cold running water and lemon juice easily removes the fishy stench thus making it a great diet food with only 10 calories per serving. While I tried several recipes using konjac noodles, the Tsuyu Konjac Bowl shared here hit the mark in taste and te...

Kicking off 2025's first LookBook with these two words on my mind, timeless statement, after completing the year of change... To be the change rather than expecting it. 2024 was far, very far from perfect. It was filled with disappointments, frustrations, and anxiety. Hopelessness followed after anguish, leading to my infamous dark days at times.  I've been introspecting about me, my life, particularly with the question of who I am. I didn't have one of those "when I grow up" hopes because I lived in survival mode and wanted to escape most of my childhood. I lived aimlessly, seeking to hide flaws far from perfection. It took restless years and another trauma for me to see that those weren't my flaws, but rather wounds left by the cruelty of others. It has been many moons since I realized that perfection is serenity and contentment, at least for me. Each of us has an individual definition of a perfect life, and each of us is responsible for our perfection. No o...