Bag fetish like Mommy!

If you don't know this already, I adore my Kchan. I don't exactly spoil her rotten though my mom likes to protests otherwise. Most people who don't like cats; however, don't mind Kchan. A few that don't have any real fondness for felines really really like Kchan. I guess it's because even though she's a cat, she acts quite like a dog in some respects?

Early on, I reinforced good behavior in her. I don't let her scratch people or furniture (she has her specific carpets and scratching toys); I don't let her bite; I don't let her whine and get what she wants, unless she's politely reminding me to feed her before I leave for work!

What I noticed (which may or may not be true of all pets) is that Kchan resembles me in a lot of ways. She's mellow, likes to get her way but isn't too petulant when she doesn't, and she's definitely nice to you when she wants something... LOL. And she has a bit of a bag fetish...

Pretty in Pink & Linen Shorts

Thanks for all your kind words in the last post (when I was talking about doctors being humans too!), I really appreciate it! It's been a rather tough week or so as D has been off traveling the world again on business and he's had to stay longer than expected. The entire time we've been together, it's been one thing after another. I suppose all that we've been through has brought us closer, but I wish things could be easier and we could have some normalcy (he agrees frankly).

As with all couples, we have our issues but as I've grown older (and matured), I've learned to communicate how I feel. I try not to tell my boyfriend what to do, what to think, what to feel... he should want to do what he does for me because he wants to. That said, despite the difficulties, I'm glad he asked me for my number!

Cardigan :: Staring at Stars from Urban Outfitters

Top :: Sparkle & Fade from Urban Outfitters

Bottoms :: Free People

Shoes :: Free People

Bag :: Proenza Schouler

Doctors are Humans Too!

On my way to work, as I drive an average of about 60 miles round trip, I think about a lot of nothing and sometimes ideas of substance. I think about what I did wrong at work, what I can do better, about how I find myself frustrated at my patients and how they don't understand that I am not a robot --- I have feelings too like them because I'm human too.

Driving by industrial plants on the way to clinic.

Busy, busy weekend!

My boyfriend, D left again for another business trip this weekend and I was left to my own devices... where I caught up with an old guy friend, A on Saturday and had a lovely day of brunch and shopping on Sunday with S. My OOTDs were all various creations that you've already seen so this time I'll concentrate on FOOD (which I've sadly neglected!).

I'll start with Rattan, an Asian fusion restaurant and wine bar, where I feasted on a Kobe Beef Hot Dog! It was as good as A said it was going to be and definitely something I wouldn't mind having again. The meat was tasty without being too salty and was topped with a nice punch of onions and tomatoes on pretzel bread! 

lette macarons from LA

As you know, I'm dating D... and I guess with all that has happened in the several weeks we've been an item, I finally felt like his girlfriend when he brought me home a little something from LA. I had mentioned a time or two that what I miss most about NYC was being able to get macarons because they simply aren't available around where I live (at least the quality I'm used to). 

The macarons he brought back were really yummy. D surprised me by handing me a cute chartreuse gift box when I picked him up at the airport.  He was slightly bashful about it? Prefacing that he had gotten me these because they were supposedly the best in LA, but he didn't know how they'd compare to the ones I'd had in NYC.  Admittedly, I was a bit crabby because I'd had a trying weekend (and had just spent a small fortune to fly to my cousin's wedding at the end of June), so he's like "I'm going to open this and give you one and it'll make you feel better."

Ribbon tank & Kimono cardigan

This weekend has been pretty darn busy. I kicked start it by doing a 5k charity walk Saturday morning for NAMI (National Association for Mental Illness) where I raised $155. Then because it was hot and because I stupidly didn't drink enough water, I was dehydrated with a headache and pretty nauseated for several hours afterwards. I rested while waiting for S to finish up with all her volunteering commitments (I need to be more like her!) and originally she was going to meet up down where I live, but she finished so late and had had such a long day I drove to the Island to meet up with her instead. We ate dinner together and then went back to her condo for some girl talk!

That was the end of Saturday and I woke up extremely early on Sunday because I guess I'm just used to it. I had agreed to have beef noodle soup with W, a guy I had dated a while back but am still friends with. He recently moved into town and I had yet to hangout with him. We had a good time, caught up, and I got to see his new digs. His place is really nice and he seems quite settled in! Below is what I wore for lunch today and the top I wore the previous night with S. Still need to see A, a fellow co-res, for our "burger" time and then picking D up at the airport. What a busy, fun weekend!

Cardigan :: Splendid

Top :: J.Crew (here)

Bottom :: Forever 21

Shoes :: Lucky Brand

Bag :: Proenza Schouler

Gauze Pink & Navy Pants to work

Sometimes even better than finding a guy that's dateable is finding a girl worth being close friends with. I find it tough to venture outside the "girls I lunch with" as M calls it (she's my bestest) since I've been with them for the past 9 years and they are my core hangout group, but I've recently moved and while I'm not far away... it's far enough to make it difficult to spend as much time with them as I used to in the past. But I started a new rotation at the beginning of the month and made a new girlfriend. She's pretty amazing and I just want to say I'm glad I met her.

Below is my "work" OOTD and I have to say that S, my new girlfriend, dresses super cute as well for work! I know I don't post much work-related outfits, but that's because they are kind of uninspired, but S is making me realize there's no reason not to dress cute all the time even when there are work limitations.

Cardigan :: Gap 

Top :: Gap

Bottom :: Joseph

Shoes :: Joie

Bag :: J.Crew

Lace, Mint, & Navy Shorts

One of the best things about warmer weather is that you get to bring your shorts back out. I wore this outfit a week or so ago, but never got the opportunity to blog about it because work and life just got in the way. I really liked how colorful this outfit was for me, with the navy blue shoes, the mint tank, and the taupe-gold lace top. Somehow, it all worked out. Don't you think?

Top :: Forever 21 (Lace) and J.Crew (Tank)

Bottom :: Custom-made (by my mom!)

Shoes :: Tory Burch 

Bag :: Proenza Schouler

A Moment of Candor

I have wanted for some time to talk more about myself in an open manner. I recently read Paper Tigers by Wesley Yang and it got me thinking about myself, my peers, and our parent's generation. According to my mother, I have not been the ideal Asian daughter because it is not filial to talk back and to do what you truly want to do in life. I have tried my hardest to do what would please her the most, to the point of sacrificing what I wanted to be in life, but there is a point you reach where you cannot be yourself and be who your mother wants you to be. The two cannot be reconciled and I have learned there is this important division between my generation (first born ABCs) and my mother's (recent immigrants).

To my mother, when my family and her friends say that I am "too American," it is something to be ashamed of; but I cannot change the influences in my life, of being in America and of being Asian. I am, and so are those like me, stuck in this no man's land of being Asian the way your parents are and being American like everyone around you.

Pretty Floral Dress & Peach Clutch

I have mentioned D, the guy I'm dating, in a few of my posts. I thought I'd relate a little more background into our relationship since my OOTD was for him. We met at a meetup (where people with similar interests will get together) and I had no intention of dating anyone at the time, especially after a fairly brutal breakup I had recently. But D asked for my number and I gave it to him; then he asked me to hangout and I was all for it.

I don't think either of us expected anything really to materialize, as our first 1-on-1 was not a date, but we had amazing chemistry and... we found each other mutually interesting. Fast forward several weeks, we've become rather close, and every step and progression has been so natural. Despite the difficulties, me being in residency and him having a work schedule more time-consuming than mine -- it's worked out as well as you could expect anything to work out.

For his last night in town before flying off on another business trip (this is the second time in our time together) where he'll be gone anywhere from 2-3 weeks, I decided to dress up for him in a strapless floral dress and pair it with my new PS1 pochette.

Cardigan :: Pins and Needle from Urban Outfitters

Dress ::  Forever 21

Shoes :: Ann Taylor

Bag :: Proenza Schouler

Proenza Schouler Love

I have had a bit of an obsession with Proenza Schouler of late. I have never really splurged on a bag as much as I have these past 2 months with a PS1 medium in Saddle and a Pochette in Peach suede. You guys are all familiar with my PS1 as it's a frequent guest star in my OOTD, but you've yet to see my Pochette because I've never really owned a clutch before and I'm not sure what/when to wear it!

But I have to say, I adore it!

Peach twill & lace tunic

Today I went to my grandmother's grave. It's a well-known and well-observed holiday honoring the deceased for my ethnic background (Chinese/Vietnamese). My family and I go every year during this time to bring my grandmother her favorite foods, light incense and pray for her well-being, and burn paper money and gold so that she has everything she needs in her afterlife.

The day was beautiful -- bright and sunny and a little on the warm side -- so I dressed appropriately with an OOTD that wouldn't cause me to sweat underneath the hot rays.

Top :: Forever 21 & A|X

Bottom :: Forever 21

Bag :: Proenza Schouler

Shoes :: Toms 

Accessories :: Forever 21