Bohemian at Home

As the weather cools and I recently dig out my maxi dresses, I have been wearing my plain, soft and flow-y maxi dresses around the house.
No, I don't wear them all year round, this is just a part of my start-of-autumn madness.
I have been wearing them so often these days that my mum can't help but asked me a question, 'are you becoming a bohemian?'

I didn't expect my mum asking this. But before I even think carefully to answer with a yes or no, I heard my own response, 'I wish, but I'm just a bohemian at home.'
Being a wild child at heart, the idea of being an urban bourgeoisie bohemian is truly tempting.
Yea, 'god knows what an urban bourgeoisie bohemian is!' I can hear that.
I invented that word to represent my ideal bohemianism.
My ideal bohemian is carefree, unconventional, artistic, spontaneous, unearthly and sees love (any type of love) bigger than anything.
But no casual sex, no voluntary poverty and most definitely no lack of concern for personal hygiene.

Soon after my mum's comment on my loungewear, I came across a bohemian style collection which I showed to her and said, 'now THAT'S what I call a bohemian at home!'

So, here it is, Novella Royale's 2012 Fall lookbook.
Not a big fan of floral prints because it's too cute and girly for me, but I adore soft and delicate lace!

 Soft chiffon tops

Crotchet lace top

 Drooling over this pair of lace pants! I WANT IT!

Oh, I want it!

Not a big fan of floral prints because it's too cute and girly for me, but I adore soft and delicate lace!
Dear readers, what do you wear at home?
Have you ever imagine living like a carefree bohemian?

Love,
N

Typhoon

This might sound crazy: I want to feel the typhoon right now.
The typhoon (signal no. 10) which is making houses shake and making people worry about whether glass will break.
I want to feel powerless and in awe when I look at the dark, heavy clouds that blanket the city.
I want to feel it physically--the power of nature.
I have the urge of hearing winds roar and get soaked wet from the non-stop heavy rain.

At the same time, I'm in this place with almost perfect weather--sunny, warm and bright, with clear sky.
The ironic thing is I'm having this level-10 typhoon or storm in my head.
Thoughts are getting louder and louder and racing in my head that I just wanna scream out equally loud.
But I just can't.
I don't even have the power to scream out loud.
I got so blown away by my own thoughts that I'm totally speechless.
I don't even know what I'm writing now, because I don't even know what I'm thinking.

Whenever there is bad weather, the advice is always gonna be: Stay safe.
Stay in somewhere safe and sheltered so you won't be hurt.
I guess it applies to this storm in my head too, I should just stay in somewhere safe, secure and take no risk.
Well, it is gonna go, what I feel and how I feel now.

We can never avoid storms, but positivity is our own sunshine. :)

Love,
N

My Heart & Mind

Feeling terribly sorry for not being able to be at home in this difficult time.
I know they'd understand, I know they'd want me to be here, learning and doing what I am interested in.
Yet, I feel like I'm such an un-caring and self-centered person.

Going to take Greyhound bus to San Francisco tomorrow early in the morning, but couldn't care less about packing now.
I could only send them my love and support from thousands miles away.
I wish they could understand how much I miss them and want to be with them right now.
This urge is so strong that the only words to put it is that my heart and mind are back at home with them, leaving my body here in the US.

Do you know how it feels?

I wish I could be home now...
If only I could be home now...

Do you know how it feels? :'(

Dear readers,
Not all families have the habit of saying 'I love you' to each other or giving hugs, and I'm not saying that those are the only ways to show love.
But please show each other some love, starting from your family.
Just do small little things like calling your parents just to say hi, making breakfast, writing little notes, etc.
It's all the small things that count, isn't it?
Love those who deserve your love.
Leave no regrets :)

Love,
N

Guacamole, Galaxy Note and My Adorable Family

Last day of my holiday, but the start of something new: Parents working at home.
It's like every day is a holiday or a Sunday, because they are always here at home now.
It feels a bit awkward that my parents are always at home, but in a good way.

Even though we have a study room, we all prefer to work in the dining room, next to our open kitchen.
I am working on my final year project, a.k.a. 'my baby'.
My brother is doing his homework (at the last minute!) at the other end of the table.
My books and documents are on the other dining table.
My parents are in front of their desktops and laptops.

It feels awesome that we are all in the same area but each of us has plenty space (physically and psychologically) to focus on our own work.
I would describe such an experience as a 'comfortable silence'.

Then my dad pan-fried shrimps and made coffee (which my mum and I don't drink at all).
As we're all in the open kitchen and dining area, I got distracted by the aroma and the food itself.
Suddenly remembering that we have avocados, I made guacamole (the Mexican avocado dip).

This is my very first attempt to make guacamole!
I just 'improvised' and didn't even bother to find a recipe.
(Because my mum has been nagging me about the 3 ripe avocados...)
I don't know if this is really how guacamole is made.
Whatever, as long as the final product tastes good. And it does.

How I Made My Guacamole:
1) Chop 1 peeled tomato and 2 shallots into fine dices.
2) Mash 3 avocados into a paste. (Personal preference: I like to keep a bit of texture)
3) Add 2 or 3 teaspoons lemon juice to flavor and prevent the avocados from browning.
4) Season with pinches of salt and pepper.
Voila!

And because of the guacamole I made, mum couldn't help but heated up tortilla wraps.
(She has a HUGE obsession over tortilla wraps, pita bread and kebab.
And blame it on the genes, I share similar tastes.)
So our afternoon snack is shrimps in tortilla wraps with guacamole.
Gosh, now that my parents are always home, how could I possibly lose weight?!

Then my parents got out for a walk.
When they came back, mom got her new Samsung Galaxy Note.
We always laugh at how 'technologically-disabled' my mum is.
So my dad decided to give her an 'upgrade'.
Now that my parents and my brother are all using touchscreen smart phones.
I became the only one who uses gadgets with buttons.
I became the 'IT-disabled' at home. (which is not true only true to a small extent)

Mom's new gadget brought us a lot of laughter and happiness, basically because my mum is still 'technologically-disabled', in a very funny way.
She yelled, 'I got email and I just checked it!'
Apparently she's proud of herself adapting to Android, which is so different from her usual Apple products.
The funny thing is the email itself, which says 'Welcome Back to Facebook!'
I guess a big part of her pride comes from FINALLY remembering the password for her facebook account.
We all laughed our heads off when she was there 'exploring the new world', with the assistance of my patient dad and young brother.

A lot of questions, screaming, and laughter.
I can't describe to you how adorable my family is and how blessed I feel. : )

Love,
N

Budding, Blooming, Blossoming

Flowers capture girls' hearts.
I don't know why, but they just do.

I have said this to R, my boyfriend: Don't buy me flowers, not even on valentine's day.

Yes, everybody can buy me flowers if they want to, JUST not him.
Reason? um...I said he could only buy me flowers when he proposes, if  he ever gonna do that.

I didn't find my 'flower rule' so ridiculously stupid, until now. (and I can't stop laughing at myself now!)
Well,  let's say I'm just being a woman.

Being a woman (adj/ v.)
Definitions:
1. Best excuse/ self-defense for females, applicable to everything and all situations
2. Acceptable when used as a complement for a woman's femininity/ while a man is flirting her/ they are just friends/ no chemistry at all

3. Use with Extreme Caution: Could be one of the worst things a man say to a woman
    Not suitable for use as a criticism between boyfriend-girlfriends/ husbands and wives, potentially disastrous outcome

Okay,enough for my 'urban dictionary' time, back to gardening.

So, the flowers at my place are finally blossoming, in this cold!
Perfect timing! Bright pink flowers add an extra dose of festiveness to my holiday!

The flowers are Camellia Japonica that we have planted for 3 years now, and another type of flower which I do not know of the name.

Camellia Japonica is also known as Rose of the Winter.

We got the pink ones at home. And this year, the bright pink blossoms are exceptionally gorgeous.
And it's such a pleasant surprise that the flowers have different hues or shades of pink.
The pink and red flowers just shout: 'Love is in the air!'

All photos are taken by me (not a professional), at my place, with a Canon G12.
Photos are au naturel; no color alteration or any sort of alteration is made.
Enough words, photo time!

Love,
N

Day 2: Home

Theme: Home. Both the place and the people to which my heart belongs
Photo: Taken on my way back from Tap Mun (or Grass Island, its official name)
One of the best dates I have ever had. Just sit there, under the sun, feel the breeze.
With such magnificent view, grassland, perfect sea view and the blue sky.
One of my favourite 'Back to Nature' local get-aways.
This picturehas a pink, purplish hue that  sort of reminds me of the sweetness, love and joy of the trip.
The exact feeling I have for home and the people I love.

2 more days until Christmas.
Many are leaving the city, going back to home towns, meeting spouses or families.
By 'many', it includes exchange students and couples in long-distance relationship.

If you know anyone staying in the dorm, they'll tell you about the change in atmosphere, because people are leaving.
Dorm life must be really memorable to those students coming from a different country, when they live with people from all the different countries, spending so much time as they are family members.
Farewells and goodbyes make them sad, which is understandable.

My friend said he doesn't like goodbye, because it means departure and disconnection with people he loves and cares.
Instead, he says 'hope to see you soon again' or 'good to see you again'.
I adore such positiveness in minor details of everyday life.
It kinda feels weird that I know I won't see some of my friends anymore, for the rest of my life.
I can't be certain, but it's just not likely for us to meet again.
This is probably why bidding adieu is so hard for everybody; especially when knowing that we won't meet again.

But I guess the melancholy won't stay for long.

After all, this place is not their home, not where their hearts or loved ones in.

It's just another stop in their courses of life.
Just a little journey to the 'Far East', as if this place is still a fishing village.
This is the place where they had the chances to live a different life; to be not like their usual selves, even for just 4 to 6 months.
To make mistakes, to be out of their minds.
Yet, with no price to pay because as soon as they leave the city, life is back to normal.

I have asked a few of my friends, what will they miss when they return to their country.

Some say the crazy chain-partying; pulling all-nighters for partying, going out every night. Some say dorm life.
The best one I've ever heard was: 'The people; it's the people who make the place wonderful and awesome.'
I was glad to receive such an answer.

People come and go.
Sometimes we have people coming into our lives and leave little, if any, mark.
But other times, people come into our lives and make unexpected changes to us, for better or for worse.
And memories last.

But no matter what, this is the place I call home.
This city. Not because of its competitiveness, its rank or its reputation.
But because this is my world, where my heart is, and where all my truly loved ones are.
And exactly because that this is my real life, I wanna make an apology here.

R, you are the person that makes me feel like I'm home when I'm around you.
That I can be off-guard completely, trust that I'm safe to be me when I'm with you.
That I know you are here for me.
You are right. If I were you, I have all the reasons to be jealous and upset.
I'm sorry that I let you down, made you felt like you are second-best, that someone else got my attention.
I'm sorry that I made you think my heart isn't with you and neglected.
I'm sorry that I made you think he and I have crossed the line, that we're more than good friends.
I'm sorry that I have let you down.
You are never second-best in my heart.

Love,
N