[TBT] My Sneakers

This will be the last post from the Monkey Whimsy archives for Throwback Thursday.

It's been wonderful sharing these old posts with you, I hope you've enjoyed them!

The entry below is one of my absolute favorites.

Because it's about my One True Love.

Shoes.

Sneakers, to be precise.

They're my spirit animal.

If sneakers were animals.

Recently, I had to throw out the pair that inspired this post.

That was heartbreaking.

I wore those babies until they were holey on the bottom.

That seems to be a trend with me.

Good thing I still have the opposite pair left.

I hope they last forever and that we live happily ever after.

A girl can dream, right?

Monday, September 16, 2013
My Sneakers

These are my shoes.

I bought two pairs of Adidas last year and switched the right foot.

Or, was it the left foot?

I was hoping to get a purple and yellow combination going but no such luck.

People often stop me and ask if my sneakers came like that or if I made them that way.

Now you know.

I often get stared at on the subway.

I'm never sure if it's my sneakers or something else.

Which is why I always make sure to have a piece of vegetable lodged between my teeth.

Sometimes, I'll match my socks to my sneakers instead of to each other.

Who says you have to wear matching socks?

Or match anything at all?

[TBT] Trip to Taiwan & Vietnam

I have such nostalgia for Asia right now.

The desire to travel is STRONG.

Good thing today is Throwback Thursday and we can take another trip down memory lane!

Warning: Today's post from the Monkey Whimsy archives contains explicit pictures so please stop here if you would prefer not seeing any graphic images.

Thursday, August 23, 2012
Trip to Taiwan & Vietnam

I was looking through pictures I took last December of my trip to Asia and realized I never shared some of the more interesting sights I saw while there.

Let me share with you some of these gems.

While in a temple in Vietnam, my sister and I were browsing through the gift shop when I spotted this book:

We, being awesomely mature late-20-year-olds, couldn't stop giggling.

Remember this photo?

My sister was yelling at me.

She said she needed to show me something.

I thought it was going to be something profound.
Something life-changing.
Or both.

This is what my sister had to show me:

Is this something profoundly life-changing?

Or life-changingly profound?

We were at Thanh Chuong Viet Palace near Hanoi.

This statue was located in an area of the grounds that most people would probably never venture to. My sister found it because she has this tendency to keep going and going until she can't anymore. I have this annoying habit of trying every single door in sight until I'm blocked by a locked one. We make great houseguests.

I have to say though, nothing beats what I found in Taiwan.

My aunt and uncle and two cousins took me to Jiǔfèn where there's lots of yummy food and cute little shops.

While browsing through one of the gift shops stocked with children's toys, I picked up this keychain thinking it was a metal puzzle for children:

It was not a puzzle piece.

It was also not a children's toy.

However, these keychains could come in handy for those conversations about the birds and the bees. That must be why it was stocked in a children's toy store. Nothing beats visual aids.

I regret not getting one.

[TBT] My Mama Hearts Chipotle. Hardcore.

This throwback post would be more appropriate if it was in March but my heart smiled inside when I read it again so I'm sharing it with you all today.

I love my mama.

Tuesday, March 6, 2012
My Mama Hearts Chipotle. Hardcore.

Today is my mama's birthday.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM!!!

We celebrated it over the weekend.

But first, let me tell you how we celebrated it last year:

Me: Where do you want to go for your birthday dinner, Mom?
Mom: Chipotle.
Me: Mom, that's like going to McDonald's, we can't do that for your birthday. Don't you want to go somewhere fancy?
Mom: But I really like Chipotle.

And so we went to Chipotle to celebrate. And my mama was happy.

This year, we celebrated it like this:

Me: Mom, what do you want to do?
Mom: Let's go to Ikea.
Me: Um, why?
Mom: I want to buy a mirror.
Me: You want to go all the way to Ikea for that?

(Ikea is a 40 minute drive from my mom's house. Target and Home Depot are both less than 10 minutes away and I'm sure both of those places have mirrors.)

Mom: How much was the mirror you wanted at Ikea the last time we were there?
Me: Mom, that was months and months ago, I don't remember.
Mom: You want to come over so we can go to Ikea?
Me: Okay, fine.

So we head to Ikea and after we're done mirror-buying at Ikea, this is what happens:

Mom: So, what do you want to eat for dinner?
Me: Anything you want, it's your birthday.
Mom: Want to go to that place across the street from Ikea?
Me: You mean Chipotle, don't you? You want to go to Chipotle, don't you?

And my mom smiles sheepishly in response.

Oh, Chipotle, you have stolen my mom's foodie heart.

When my mama says "Let's go to Ikea," it's really code for "I want to eat Chipotle."

[TBT] December Vacation

This time of year always makes me want to travel.

There's something about the waning daylight and the dreariness of the weather that makes me want to get away to the other side of the world.

Sadly, I don't think travelling will be on my horizon anytime soon.

Sigh.

So, for Throwback Thursday, here's a post from the Monkey Whimsy archives about my last trip to Asia.

Almost four years ago.

YIKES.

I need to go back soon.

How about you? Where would you like to travel to? Or, what do you dislike about this time of the year?

Friday, January 13, 2012
December Vacation

I spent a huge chunk of December in Asia.

I wasn't ready to go.

Because I felt like I was leaving behind things undone.

But I needed to go.

So I went.

And when I got there.

I didn't want to leave.

There was this:

versus this:

And this:

Making me feel like this:

(That's not me. That's my sister. But you get the idea.)

I did a lot of this:

And it looks like my sister did too:

But there was also a feeling of this:

Again, a feeling of this:

Which made all the difference.

I'm glad we had this conversation.

[TBT] Hippo gets a visitor

It's been a really busy week for me this week and I haven't had any time to draw or post recipes.

Sigh.

I can't believe I broke my streak of posting regularly!

Makes me sad.

So, here's a quickie from the Monkey Whimsy archives for Throwback Thursday.

Hopefully, I'll be able to work on some posts this weekend and be a real blogger.

If you guys read my first TBT post, then you're familiar with Hippo. Today's post is the second part of Hippo's Photo Story.

Hippo started out as a thank you to a friend but it turned into something so much more.

I started receiving emails and comments from people, telling me that I should be a children's book author. Little did they know that that is my secret dream.

One of them anyway.

And, not so secret anymore, now that I've blabbed to the internet.

How about you?

Do you have secret dreams?

Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Hippo gets a visitor

Look who came to visit a few weeks ago.

Permanently.

A Family Portrait: Uncle Chef and Hippo.

Uncle Chef made himself right at home.

In the pantry.

Right next to the big box of cocoa.

I think I like him already.

One night, last week, Uncle Chef decided he wanted to bake some cookies.

So, while Hippo and I sat on the couch and ate a pint of ice cream, Uncle Chef went on the computer and found a recipe for Peanut Butter Cookies from 101 Cookbooks.

Luckily, I had all the ingredients so Uncle Chef didn't have to go to the grocery store.

After digging all the baking supplies out of my pantry, Uncle Chef got started.

Uncle Chef likes butter. Something he and I have in common.

Instead of following the recipe and using olive oil, Uncle Chef decided butter would be the better choice.

Also, we had no olive oil.

That made the decision much easier to make.

Then Hippo decided he wanted in on the action, too.

There was just one problem.

Hippo is a little bit vertically challenged.

But when there is a will, there is a way.

I don't think Uncle Chef liked Hippo's solution though.

That's okay because Hippo has more than one way of getting over his obstacles.

Butter. Yum.

I pretty much think a stick of butter is dessert but

Uncle Chef slapped my hand away. He's the boss.

We added some maple syrup, vanilla extract, peanut butter...

...and Hippo got a little too excited. He almost fell into the batter.

But I rescued him.

As usual.

Uncle Chef took a long time mixing the ingredients together.

It must be hard to stir that batter without opposable thumbs.

I didn't offer my help.

Hippo did offer his assistance though.

But then, he almost fell in again.

That's when Uncle Chef banished Hippo away from the batter.

And Hippo was sad.

You know what that means, right?

Trouble.

What kind of trouble?

See this photo?

Wonder why we don't have photos showing the addition of flour, baking soda, and salt?

Because Hippo decided to take over the picture-taking.

I was convinced he could do it.

And he did.

There was just one hiccup to the idea.

The pictures?

They were OF HIMSELF.

Not of the cookie-making process.

I took back my camera.

Cookie dough on a cookie sheet about to be cookied. Yummmmmmmmm.

And then it was time to clean up. But, Hippo was nowhere to be found.

Uncle Chef, do you know where Hippo is?

Nevermind, I found him.

That was fast work, Hippo.

That means you get to do the dishes. Suds up!

The End

Thank you, James!

This post is for you.

[TBT] In which I realize I don't know how to spell my cousin's name

It was Rosh Hashanah earlier this week so I am throwing back to another post about the Jewish New Year.

Kind of.

Happy New Year, my Jewish friends!

Sunday, October 9, 2011
In which I realize I don't know how to spell my cousin's name

It was Rosh Hashanah about a week and a half ago, and my sister posted a video on her Facebook wall for her Jewish friends.

I saw it and immediately thought it'd be a fun way of wishing my cousin-in-law a Happy Rosh Hashanah.

But then I realized I didn't have his email so I was going to post the video on Facebook and tag both of my cousins.

But then I realized I wasn't friends with him on Facebook so I was going to search for him and friend him.

But then I realized I didn't know his last name so I was going to ask my cousin what her husband's last name was.

But then I realized I didn't know how my cousin-in-law spelled his first name. There are two possible variants and I could not for the life of me remember which way it was written on the wedding invitation.

So then, I emailed my sister to ask about it and well, I don't know why I thought she would know because my sister can't read English.

So then, I'm like CRAP, I'm such a bad cousin, I don't even know how to spell my own cousin's name AND I don't know his last name. GREAT.

So then I'm like, now I really have to send him this video to show that I care and I'm thinking up ways to do it without letting on that I'm a turdball when...................Rosh Hashanah passes me by.

I fail.

Sorry cousin dude. I tried. It's the thought that counts, right?

Except you don't even know I had the thought.

Unless you read this post.

Happy Belated Rosh Hashanah.

Except now it's Yom Kippur.

Boy, I'm really behind.

[TBT] How to pick up a girl, Tip #3

Today's TBT post is very apropos since I was reminded just last night of how much I hate walking by myself in NYC sometimes because of the street harassment.

I got proposed to last night as I was walking home and my answer was to walk quickly away.

I'm only brave against street harassers during the day.

The below happened one day as I was leaving dance class and incidents like this used to happen to me fairly often. Thank goodness the frequency has died down and I hope it stays that way.

Friday, September 30, 2011
How to pick up a girl, Tip #3

Sometimes I forget I'm Asian.

Until I'm reminded again, when a guy comes up to me and says Konnichiwa.

And then I'm like, Wrong country, Asshole.

And then he's like, You're not Japanese?

And then I'm like, No.

And then he's like, Korean? Annyeonghaseyo.

And then I'm like, What?

And then he's like, NO WAY, YOU'RE NOT KOREAN?

(Like that's the most shocking thing in the world. You were wrong the first time, Buddy. Please, let's continue playing this Guess My Race game 'cause it's sooooooo much fun. Stop keeping me in suspense here. I need to know what race I am!)

And then I shake my head No and start to walk away, which is what I should've done in the first place when he said hello. In Japanese.

At which point, he starts shouting behind me, Neih Hou, I got it! You're Chinese! You gotta be Chinese!

Close, Buddy, real close.
But it's too late.
Three strikes and you're out.

And, Really? Do you Really want to date a girl who uses Like in every sentence she says?

The next time this happens, I think I'm going to respond with Hell-No Whitebread. Or, Hell-No Blackbread. Or, Hell-No Brownbread. Or, ... You get the picture.

Disclaimer: This doesn't mean that I mind talking about my race/culture/heritage whilst in a conversation. If you have a question, if you're curious about something, ask.

I welcome that.

Just don't do this to me when I'm walking down the street. Or as the first thing you say to me when I meet you. 'Cause it makes me want to slap you. Really hard.

---

I was a little livid after this encounter happened and it still makes me angry every time something like this occurs but at least, a reader at the time thought my rant was funny.

I'll take my positives any way I can get them.

How about you? Have you ever been harassed on the street? How do you handle it?

[TBT] How to Pick Up a Girl, Tip #2

It's Throwback Thursday today and that means another old post from Monkey Whimsy. Thank you for allowing me to indulge in my nostalgic whims.

Tuesday, August 30, 2011
How to Pick Up a Girl, Tip #2

Boys, you should wear your pants so low that your buttocks stick out over the waistband of your pants.

So that when you bend over, your moon crack is laid bare for all the world to see.

Because you know, girls love a great ass.

[TBT] Things that remind me of my childhood

Continuing my nostalgic run of old blog posts for TBT, today I share with you a post from my "childhood."

Sunday, August 21, 2011
Things that remind me of my childhood

Racing my cart-sitting sister pell-mell down the aisles of Ikea + causing patrons to turn their heads at the ruckus.

Oh wait, that was yesterday.

Here sits the lazy-butt that is my sister.

The flip-flop wearing feet belong to my momz. I'm surprised she didn't yell at us when I barreled down the aisles with my sister. There was one little boy who was watching what we were doing (we're such good models of decorum for the younger generation) and tried to create a human blockade with his body. I brake-pedaled with my sneakered feet in time to miss him and slide across the floor and almost ram my sister into some Ikea products. Good times.