Summer Favorites

And some life updates...

It's been over a month since my last post and the start of my summer "vacation." The concept of vacation now consists of indefinite, episodic moments that March and June have melded into one solid block of dementia hyphenated by seasonal allergies. Honestly, I don't remember much (or any) personal event from the beginning of quarantine.

In the past, free time was planned and fixated. Free time was true freedom. Free time was taking a plane somewhere and not having to worry about drinking consequences. Around this time last year, I was taking about two months off to go to Japan and South East Asia. Though I almost choked myself with the humidity, it was fantastic.

However, when given a lot of free time, I often get anxious. I had an existential crisis from not-doing-anything-productive, a partial depression about the future outlook, even felt embarrassed about the US failure to contain the pandemic, disappointed about the systemic inequality and racism that much pervaded American way of life. I regretted the precious free time that I could have spent elsewhere but physically could not, or places in New York City that I should have explored in my first semester (instead of studying). Maybe the impression was colluded by the fact that I was living in a small New York apartment with pretty much no sunlight, which might have felt like a jail cell. But during such turbulence, I decided to take two online Biostatistics Bootcamps solely because as a kid brought up with an inability to accept failures and a self-inflated idea of endless opportunities, I will rise to the challenge :).

Another big trunk of time was spent on planning my new apartment. Speaking of which, as of today, I have been in my new home for almost 3 weeks. It was a drastic change: most of the apartment, including the bedroom, is East-facing (just like my Boston apartment), and positioned on the middle floor that captures the vast greenery in front of us. I gotta admit, if karma is an actual thing, then living with my most recent roommate was worth the suffering. So I no longer live with stranger roommates i.e. having to separate kitchen space, or making a Cleaning Schedule on Google sheet. That episode of my life- my early twenties-was a matter-of-fact experience. I now walk into my late twenties having shared a bunk bed and survived bad roommates and a Trump presidency, not sure which is worse. I think the timing is apt and the location prime. I will dedicate a post (and possibly a video), as a memory, to capture all the changes I have made to this apartment and the planning undertaken (including a floor plan, a PowerPoint presentation, and an expense spreadsheet because your girl is loca :D).

During my mini-sabbatical, I researched sustainable kitchen gadgets, space-saving home decors, and affordable design furniture for my new apartment, and also munched a bunch of snacks, made a bunch of dishes, and worked out a bunch to burn those calories off. So I began noting down a list of things I tried and appreciated, summarized into posts called Monthly Favorites that I share with you today. The list are small items that I wish I knew sooner, I wish someone has told me about, and I wish they bring you little joys amid the mundanity of life as they to me.

July Favorites

Favorite Desserts

Le Fermière Yogurt ($2.99)

Remember the homemade yogurt your mom used to make when you were a kid? This is it!

La Fermière is a family-owned French company that specializes in dessert-like yogurt. Their yogurts are super creamy, thick and not too tangy (the perfect consistency). The photo also happened to show my favorite flavors: Pressed Lemon, Orange Blossom Honey, and Vanilla Bean. There are also Mango Passionfruit, Peach Apricot, Pineapple Coconut, Apple Kiwi, Blueberry and Raspberry, and of course, Plain. If I have to pick 1 favorite, it would be the Orange Blossom Honey (so so good!!!)

Bonus point: They come in these colorful, high-quality terracotta pots, which can be reused to make candles, homemade chia pudding, or even yogurt. They also have special print editions for Valentines, Fourth of July, etc... Whether they are worth the $2.99 price tag, it would be up to you to try it! Currently available at Morton Williams.

Favorite Sustainable Gadget

Material reBoard Cutting Board ($35)

I have heard of Material Kitchen for a while, a direct-to-consumer kitchenware startup popping along with names like Misen, Madein, or Equal Parts. Several years ago, quality pots and pans were crazy expensive in the States, and there were not many options for them. Now, these companies offer online customers (mostly millennials) premium choices for affordable prices with clean design and streamlined catalog.

I was curious about these Material cutting boards after watching Allison Roman, the famed but likable Youtube personality who's got style, humor and charms (and Material's kitchenware). In short, after ~2 months of using them, I agree that these cutting boards do not stain. They also rarely bear cutting marks like other average plastic cutting boards. They're also sustainable, made of 75% recycled plastic scrapes and 25% sugarcane (replacing petroleum) for structure. Sturdy and lightweight, they come in four different colors that are both chic and stain-proof, and are dishwasher-safe! I love them, I want more colors and I will gladly gift these to my friends. This is probably one of my best buys in 2020.

Favorite Workout App

Alo Moves ($20/month)

If you would like to try yoga, love yoga, or are a pro yogi, you would seriously love this app! The app is organized into 4 areas of training: Yoga, Fitness, Mindfulness and Skills and designed for all levels of practice. From full-hour yoga classes, 30 minutes core sculpt, to journey to handstand, they offer a wide range of training needs. I got to admit that these classes are quite hard! It's not those barely-touching-the-surface Youtube classes or 30-person classes that I have done before.

Some of my favorite instructors are Ashley Galvin (featured below) and Patrick Beach. They give off that serious but committed attitude that very much suits me (I like tough trainers). The sore was too real! Would likely recommend Alo Moves to you, my active friends!

Core Sculpt with Ashley Galvin (Photo: Alo Moves)

Favorite Home-organizing Item

Yamazaki Adjustable Umbrella Stand ($30)

Yamazaki Home is a Japanese company that specializes in sleek space-saving home goods. The catalog offers a large range of affordable everyday-use items. I have several products from Yamazaki, but my favorite is this adjustable umbrella stand. It's a clean vertical design, and now my umbrellas won't tilt all over the place anymore.

If you're a coffee drinker, I would also recommend this wood accent coffee filter case and the Pour-over dripper stand. Affordable, space-saving, and not IKEA!

Favorite Tea

Kukicha/Karigane ($4-$90)

Kukicha is a Japanese tea blend made of stems, twigs and stalks (no tea leaves). Comes in vibrant green that reminds of sencha, kukicha has a unique aroma with nutty and sweet taste (definitely sweet!). The flavor is mild to me, but I also like that it doesn't give a tannin aftertaste (like when you drink red wine/concentrated tea), which is perfect as an early morning/late evening cup.

Karigane is a type of kukicha derived from the production of gyokuro (a type of green tea but grown in shade instead of full sun like sencha). I bought my Karigane in Kyoto, but a very good blend of kukicha in the US is from MEM Tea (shown below). Kukichas are steeped in <176 °F for 1-3 minutes depending on the type.

Best Find of the Month

For Novice Urban Gardeners: Blossom App ($12.99/year)

Okay very random, but I just found this app as of yesterday. It's the Wikipedia of plants I'm telling you. It gives instructions on how to care for each plant (potting, soil, pH, light, propagating...) and reminds you to water and fertilize them (very needed in the summer). My plants all have different dietary needs (sunlight + water) and habits/preferences (humidity + pH), so I think it's a good addition to your houseplant practice. The only con is that this app is not free (like most good apps these days)!