Before we get started, I have two questions for y’all:
- How have you been liking these month-in-review posts? I’m worried they’re too long and that maybe I should consider doing some subtopics separately (i.e. do monthly books separately or monthly highlights separately or idk). Also if you have any other feedback for the blog, feel free to leave it in the comments below!
- What are your opinions on Instagram Stories vs. Snapchat Stories? I know that I prefer Snapchat because it feels more personal, whereas I’m too anal about Instagram to not curate my content on that platform (even Stories). It’s just all too stressful for me. Curious to hear your thoughts.
At the same time, I’ve been really thinking about getting into Youtube, but doing that plus live Stories is… too much time spent behind the lens for my caring. On the other hand, live video is the “thing,” so I feel like I need to keep on it, whether or not I get into Youtube. Ughh. Sometimes social media is annoying.
Books
I almost never buy books, but whilst traveling, I popped by some secondhand bookshops and just couldn’t resist! My book haul includes Algorithms to Live By by Brian Christian and Tom Griffiths, The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton, The Makioka Sisters by Jun’ichirō Tanizaki, and Christmas Stories by Charles Dickens. I also received a copy of Shiver Hitch by Linda Greenlaw. In other news, I want to read more poems. What are your favourite poetry collections?
Intimate Grammars: An Ethnography of Navajo Poetry by Anthony K. Webster | I decided to write my final paper for my Structure of Navajo class on this book.
Utopia for Realists by Rutger Bregman | DNF–I thought this book would be like SuperFreakonomics by Stephen J. Dubner and Steven Levitt, but it wasn’t quite. It was very statistical and felt like reading a history textbook, but the writing is frank and easily digestible.
Algorithms to Live By by Brian Christian and Tom Griffiths | ★★★★☆
Movies & TV Shows
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them | Found a copy and watched it with Molly! It was longer than it needed to be and the characters were flat and it was really cheesy, but it was good stress-relief.
Sabrina | Finally watched it. And of course I’ve already watched Breakfast at Tiffany’s and Roman Holiday.
Criminal Minds | The sound effects are so extra! Makes the show 928102741x scarier.
Empire | I really wish this was on Netflix. I’d get through it so much faster!
Music
Sooo Benjamin Francis Leftwich is gonna be in Beijing when I am, and I’m deciding whether or not to go to his concert! I’m not sure I’ll be able to find anyone to go with. This excitement is giving me the urge to buy all the band tees of all the artists I’ve seen live: George Ezra (x), Oh Wonder (x), Lauv (x), Gallant (x), James Vincent McMorrow (x), Khalid (x). (The hyperlink on the name is to the merch I want, and the hyperlink on the “x” is to the blog post I featured them in.)
The Black and White – The Band Camino · Love – Kendrick Lamar ft. Zacari · Penitent Love – Ben Zaidi · Birds – Louis Baker · 27 – Allan Rayman · Talk About You – MIKA · Doing It for the Money – Foster the People · Ínótt – Aron Can · Macarena – Damso · Dieu Ne Ment Jamais – Damso
Cafes/Eats
I have so many more photos of food, but I’m saving those for the west coast road trip blog posts, so look out for those then! You might have gotten a cheeky preview if you’ve been following along on Instagram.
Philly | Bonchon – soy garlic chicken, spicy chicken, ddeokbokki
San Francisco | Black Point Cafe – cream cheese bagel, maple honey latte · Mr. Holmes Bakehouse – matcha croissant · Boba Guys – matcha latte with tapioca, Hong Kong style bubble milk tea · Reveille Coffee Co – matcha latte · Plentea – thai tea bubble tea · Sightglass Coffee – latte
Seattle | Moon’s Kitchen – terriyaki bowl · Blank Space Cafe – toast box with green tea ice cream · Top Pot Doughnut – apple fritter, ovaltine doughnut, latte · Victrola Coffee Roasters – chai latte · Dahlia Bakery – triple coconut cream pie · Seattle Coffee Works – caramel macchiato
Portland | Voodoo Doughnut – Portland cream doughnut, s’mores doughnut (maybe. I forget what it was called) · Grassa – creste di gallo pasta · Coffeehouse Northwest – latte
Shopping Haul
Moorea Seal Karu cooper sunnies, red · Baleen u-shaped earrings, silver
Wishlist
Other-Wordly by Yee-Lum Mak · Quay Australia brooklyn sunnies, black/pink · Joanie Brunch Club Tee · Bershka oversized denim jacket · & Other Stories pleated metallic top, gold · Uniqlo short sleeve long bra dress, black ·Uniqlo broadcloth printed short sleeve shirt, navy · Uniqlo linen cotton checked short sleeve shirt, navy · Uniqlo linen cotton short sleeve shirt, blue · Free People on the run jumpsuit, greenery · Free People keep it simple mini dress, burnt orange · Abercrombie popover jacket, green · Lulu’s just like honey light blue floral print skater dress · Pacsun LA Hearts ribbed button-front one piece swimsuit
Happy Moments
When the fire alarm at 1:30AM brings Grace over to my apartment and we have green tea lattes, lemon tarts, and a good ol’ chat until 2:00AM.
When Starbucks messes up your order and you get a free additional drink.
Received my first hardcover book for review; check out Shiver Hitch by Linda Greenlaw! (usually I just receive e-galleys)
The Whirlpool Cabrio laundry machine. It’s so good omg. The beach house we stayed at in Portland had it. So nice to have clean clothes. Maybe I should have put this under “Wishlist” rather than “Happy Moments” haha.
Lately
Finished up junior year. Pranked friends at graduation. Photoshoot for Friend’s graduation. DIY goodies for garden parties. West coast road trip through San Francisco, Seattle, and Portland (click links to see iPhone snapshots if you missed them on the blog earlier this month). The full blog posts from the west coast road trip will be spread out throughout June (look out for them every Wednesday!). Meanwhile, I already have my travel vlogs up on my Youtube channel: Seattle, Portland. I also made one for San Francisco, but I didn’t like how it turned out, so I posted it unlisted heh… It’s all about the process, right?
I was up to a heck of a lot this month, but there doesn’t seem to be too much left to say here, because I’ve been posting to Instagram and Snapchat constantly, and I’ve also popped by the blog with travel updates throughout the month.
My brother is coming to visit me mid-June when he finishes school, we’ll hang out for a week in Philly, and then both of us will be flying home for the summer. I’ll be in Beijing and I’m not sure how the Internet situation will be (it was terrible when I was there over winter break, but maybe it’ll be better this time?), but I’ll try my best to keep y’all updated!
How was your month?
Photos of me by Julia.