blog

Feb 5 3:07 am

Today I want to share some photos I took while visiting the city of Hue in central Vietnam. I (seemingly) completely bricked my camera on new years eve, but maybe it was just my drunken fumbling because I discovered a couple of days ago that it in fact is still marginally usable (pretty much can just press the shutter button, but hey, what else do you need?). Anyway, I didn't know this on my trip. So these are just from my phone.

Speaking of phones, I've done a pretty shit job on resolutions so far this year. After the aforementioned new years eve shenanigans (probably my first and last time going out in public on the night itself) I obviously got immediately terribly sick and my screen time surged. Since then I'm still really struggling to limit screen time but I have higher hopes this month.

Foolishly, I guess, another resolution of mine was to "have a better time at work", for which I was karmically punished for so blatantly asking the universe. After a couple of big mistakes at the beginning of the year, I can't help but feel more pressure during a busy time of year. I'm now trapped in a cycle of avoiding, letting work pile up, and then becoming completely overwhelmed and freaked out. Regardless, I'm not paid enough to think about work so much in my off hours so I might have to subject myself to interviews again soon (gag).

I also don't think I've particularly exemplified my theme of the year ("thrifty") yet. To cope with my recent work stress I've developed a fascination with booking hotel rooms nearby- for sport, kind of? I don't think it's a completely unusual weekend activity (is this what staycation means?) but I find it kind of alien because I've only ever considered hotel rooms in an extremely pragmatic way for transient, usually kind of stressful (looming airport dread) way. But I've also my whole life gotten a little thrill out of the hotel experience, partially because of the transient, out-of-time-and-space feeling itself but also the Eloise in the Plaza, let's be bad, indulgent excitement of ordering room service or raiding the mini bar. And almost every great movie of the last 100 years has a hotel bar scene, whether it's lonely and sad or seductive and mysterious. Hotels just as a concept are almost kind of dated and the best ones feel especially dated- hello bathroom business phone.

And despite being a completely unnecessary expenditure, I've come to the conclusion that it's thrifty, too. I just load up on 5 or 6 plates of continental breakfast.

I have managed to read more this year already, finishing 5 books this month. I've been thrifty again by purchasing Infinite Jest, which I may well be reading for the rest of my life, but seriously probably at least 6 months. That's a good value!

Anyway, here's a picture of the moon tonight, reflecting on the water. I've spent a lot of time looking at the moon but I haven't seen it quite like this reflecting on so much of the ocean. The best moon I've ever seen was in college, where by some miracle of perspective it looked like the moon, huge, was right next to the earth, bigger than a building, about to swallow us up. We spent a good hour or two trying to find the right spot to see it again but it only lasted a few seconds.

reading: infinite jest/reading the first few pages of a bunch of other books that i can't decide on

watching: mad men season 2

listening: violator - depeche mode

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12/27 9:49 PM

After a lot of brainstorming and soul searching, I finally came up with a theme for 2026......

*drumroll*

....

THRIFTY!

Yeah, it's a but more abstract as a theme compared to Rococo. But it's not necessarily about coupon clipping, it's more of the creative, clever, DIY lifestyle of a THRIFTY gal. Where rococo was opulent, flamboyant, and naive, thrifty is crafty, thoughtful, and self assured.

Of course, it's also a literal directive. I DO wanna save some money this year. Replacing indulgent imported snacks with cheap little treats. Shopping more at the thrift(y) store than the mall. Simple but effective drugstore products. I really want to reduce my expenses on things that are overpriced, like unnecessary subscriptions, blind boxes or new skincare steps. you can't keep pulling things over on me!! I'm thrifty now!

Although it's way more prescriptive/actionable than rococo, I immediately encountered my first roadblock. What is "thrifty music" or "thrifty film"?

I've decided that the music that best translates the thrifty spirit is female singer songwriters. My 2026 playlist includes many such artists with beloved singles whose full albums I've never taken the time to listen to. Alanis Morisette, Lisa Loeb, Tracy Chapman, Lily Allen, Macy Grey, Michelle Branch, Natalie Merchant. The ladies are doing it for themselves, etc etc. Even more important is the mode of consumption. The rising cost of intangible music subscriptions (also maybe full of fake AI music?!) is sooo 2025. Mp3s are my path forward this year.

In terms of fashion, I'm picturing statement jewelry- chunky necklaces & bangles, bold glasses, big boho bags. Knitwear, layers. It's hopefully not a buy-heavy year but the hunting for a perfect little addition is exactly the thrifty ideology.

I'm turning up the arch on my eyebrows and drawing them to look PISSED OFF and sexy. I've moved the front of the brows- which I usually start a little higher for a cute, innocent look- like a full centimeter or two lower for my confident PO'd look.

Also the mascot for thrifty 2026 is monokuro boo. This one just feels right.

Watching: weeds (just started season 2)

Reading: in between books!

Listening: alanis morisette - under rug swept

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11/14 6:28 am

I think I identified a bird the other day. This is a picture from my phone (no time to grab the camera). I'm pretty sure it's a black drongo based on the head shape and the long tail feathers, plus it's a very common bird in this area. It's pretty exciting for a first bird, I think.

There's lots of birds right outside our apartment but actually trying to look at them I realized that I was a little foolish for thinking I could try birding without binoculars. Human eyes are pretty bad. I guess I was thinking of seeing pigeons milling about on the street, but birds in trees are actually pretty damn far. Anyway, we'll have to go onna quest for binoculars soon, or else our sudden desire to become birdwatching will float away.

I also spotted this cat at our favorite bar a couple nights ago. He had to figure out how to eat with his cone on. I liked his energy but he didn't come over and say hi. The music was good, and the feeling was the same as it was the first time we came here almost 6 years ago, so it's probably the most consistent place and feeling I've experienced in recent history. The cats I meet have changed throughout the years though :(

When I order food late at night, I count the lizards on our apartment building. Last night I hit a new record of 10 lizards, all within one minute. That's a lizard less than every ten seconds, which is exciting in the moment but makes the rest of the day kind of a letdown. The food I'm ordering a lot is Lebanese food, which I actually want to order every day because it tastes so good. My favorites are their dolma and eggplant baladi.

Anyway, it's pouring outside and the light is coming in, so I need to head to sleep, or read, which I'm putting off again. I'm getting my paycheck tomorrow and I really wanna blow a bunch of it on makeup even though I keep running out of room for more lipsticks.

Watching: x files (season 4)

Reading: the fox wife

Listening: cocteau twins serpentskirt

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2025/09/12 friday 3:32 AM

today we visited this amazing italian restaurant polipo for the second time. isn't polipo an adorable name? we first ate there sunday night- which is when i got these pics. it's small but deceptively big inside with lots of tables. sunday night there were lots of big families, even a birthday dinner with candles. i'd probably describe it as bustling, the staff are really running around to check on everyone and carry really yummy smelling dishes by me so my mouth is watering the whole time. there's also lots of italian on the wall saying "grazie" and stuff from real-deal italians. and lots of soccer jerseys which feels very italian to me. anyway when we went on sunday we started with campari and limoncello sodas and homemade bread. i'm still getting used to this camera so i couldn't get any good pics of the bread, but it was really fresh with a nice char on it. then we got margherita pizza as our main dish and OMG

the pizza was SO GOOD! it was better than probably half the pizzas i tried when i was actually in italy. which were mostly hit or miss because i can't tell where is gonna have a good pizza when there's so many options. the sauce was really flavorful, with lots of garlic and i feel like high quality tomatoes. and there wasn't too much cheese which is my big pizza pet peeve! the best thing in italy was the plain sauce pizzas, which i forget the word for. then we had to get dessert, which seems like their specialty as they had a lot of options.

i felt awkward asking about the dessert menu even though i was memorizing it the whole time, but luckily the hostess (owner?) cheerily asked if we wanted any dessert and proceeded to explain everything. i still wanna try the tiramisu and pistachio brulee. i was too full of bread though so i got the pistachio gelato which WAS better than any gelato i had in italy, unequivocally.

we also tried the homemade limoncello with local lemons which was also the best limoncello i've ever had for sure. i think the owner (hostess?) made it herself with god knows how many lemons. it was definitely the highlight of the entire experience and she was really excited for us to try it. sooo good.

the owner/hostess was so friendly, and even though her voice is sweet and cheerful it's kind of booming, which makes it a more authentic italian experience i think. i was trying out my new digital camera taking pictures of all the food, so i wonder if she thought i was a food blogger or something. anyway, we came back today and she recognized us, it was so nice! she looked at me and said "pistachio gelato?", which is not a bad nickname. i forgot to bring the camera this time, so no pics. :( but we tried the seafood pasta that we were jealous of last time, with mussels, shrimp, squid, and thick homemade noodles. it was also, unsurprisingly, delicious, but the pizza is probably the best. on a weeknight there were mostly couples and it was quieter but still pretty full.

also i tripped on the stair leaving both times

i don't think i'll usually write this much, but i guess i just had a lot to say about this yummy food. i should probably be working, on which i am behind, or read, on which i am also behind. i'm 75% of the way through thomas pynchon's vineland, which i am enjoying and also assigned for the book club myself, so it's a little embarassing i'm lagging behind...but i think i just hate being beholden even if its by myself, lol. and i've been pretty busy. i wanted to visit the art museum tomorrow but here's huge thunder and lightning bursts coming from the window behind me so maybe i'll read when i wake up if it's raining. i read all day yesterday when it rained but then i kept falling asleep suddenly and taking little sneaky naps by accident- even though the book is really funny! i'm just a sleepy reader who hates being told to read, even though it's the only way i read.

reading: vineland - thomas pynchon

listening to: promise - sade (plus a thunderstorm!)

watching: poker face