meng

thank god for the night, when we can dream ourselves into another time

(@ LACMA)

Terraced Rice Fields in Bali

I stitched together my rice field pictures from Bali, one of my favorite sights on the trip. I really love rice fields-- they are so perfectly lush, tender, and calming.

I used Microsoft ICE (Image Composite Editor) for the first time, and it was so easy! Free to download from here.

I'm finally making some headway into my pictures by tackling the smaller albums first.



Wow, it's December.

before the conscious life

Small girl on streets of Shanghai

Random picture shot outside Tian Zhi Fang that I just find particularly endearing.

Contemporary Sculpture in Beijing

Started going through my pictures from the trip. Here are some I wanted to share from our time in Beijing, the 798 Arts District to be exact. I want to blog more about this place and the fact that there's a great contemporary art scene in Beijing, China at all, but first here are some cool sculptures. I like how it at once pulls from traditional themes and comic book styling (Jim Lee-esque?) .

Save the Great White... Coat

So it goes:

I have a white wool coat that I really like.

I noticed that it still looked a little dirty after taking it to get dry cleaned.

I googled "how to clean white wool coat."

Following a path of pages, I found my answer: preemption. With Scotchguard! Pow!

http://www.ehow.com/how_5121045_waterproof-coat.html
http://www.epinions.com/content_103703809668

I am Excited to do this for all my light colored outwear from now on.

Sharing is caring.

Beijing

Sept 13-20



Dont plan to blog each day of this trip, but I will try to do at least one per city. 10/17 update: major blogging fail. Beijing is my only complete one so far. My tendency to write overly long posts prevents me from even getting started haha.

Assorted Beijing thoughts:

Forbidden city is huge and pretty much requires a day's energy to do. Going up Jingshan park next door is well worth it for the 360 views over Beijing, including all of the forbidden city.

There is sooo much to see in Beijing, and it takes many days, partly because so many of the places are just HUGE-- forbidden city, summer palace, temple of heaven, beihai park, etc. Their size is also surprising considering how crowded Beijing is and how they're basically all in the city center.

Beijing itself is huge. We coined a new term, a Beijing Block. Maps are deceptive.

Beijing has developed super cool artsy districts since I was last here. 798 (in converted warehouses and factories) and nanluoguxiang (in the hutongs aka old Beijing allyways) are recommended.

I'm spoiled by MPK Chinese food, making it hard to be blown away by the food here, other than the prices. 50 cent 22 oz beers, I can do.

That said, I love Peking Duck! And jian Bing, these egg pancake things.

I had Peking duck at a well regarded place called Da Dong. First of all their menu is a thick bible of food, consisting of professional pictures of every single dish and takes like 25 minutes to go through. Also there were all these banners everywhere saying Chef Dongs Sea Cucumber with a huge picture of said sea cucumber next to it. Google sea cucumber to see why this is humorous.

A lot less spitting and some semblance of line forming, compared to 2004. Driving also seems more orderly.

I really like my hotel, Hotel Kapok. Good location rogjt next to the forbidden city and value for money, even if taxis can't find it for the life of them.

I went down a super sketchy toboggan slide at the great wall and it was actually AWESOME. It would never fly in the states of anywhere concerned about legal liability. I love it.

I'm glad I chose to go to Mutianyu section of the wall. It was beautiful and not crowded at all.

Jeans with exaggerated creases and bleach spots are still very in here. The ones at the ankles are particularly curious. Girls walk around the city in high heels.





I see a lot more little boys than little girls

The dancing women in the parks/streets are awesome.

Split baby pants have not gone out of style. Neither has babies peeing in the middle of the street.

A lot of the police/guards here look super young, like 13-15 years old.

Surprised that the banks are open on Sundays. But then again why shouldn't they be?

It can be hard to catch a cab, something I dont remember from last time.

While the temperature has been relatively pleasant and consistent, the sky conditions have changed drastically from day to day... Thick brown smog when we got in, bright clear blue skies the next day, followed by grey smog and totally overcast days.

I watched the national parade in HK and marveled at the beautiful weather--such luck! Later met a girl who was in BJ at the time who has a conspiracy theory on this, as she swears the sky was grey that day in her area :P. Everyone loves a conspiracy theory.

The Olympic park is nice. The Olympics really changed Beijing and China in many ways.

Personal freedoms: Day to day life seems like anywhere else, including the states. Its not like everyone is living under oppression all the time, which I feel like is the impression a lot of people have. At the same time, you try to login to Facebook and Twitter and Blogger and realize you can't.

We watched a movie about the civil war in China where Mao unified China and the Communist party gained control. It was a big deal, ads everywhere and almost every Chinese celeb had some Cameo in it. It was surprisigly well filmed and relatively fair. Well, based on my limited understanding of things anyway. The story ended pre-cultural revolution.

Trinkets for sale:



Chinese people seem to generally like Obama, except / until he allowed the tire tariffs.



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Bar trip is here! + Peru favorite

My official bar trip starts now! Waiting at SFO for our flight to Beijing. I pray to all gods out there that we don't get quarantined. I'm crazy excited for this trip... 6 weeks through China and SE Asia. A last hurrah of sorts.

I wanted to post some of my favorite pics from Peru. I never finished posting the last few Peru blogs. This will make up for it.


































































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MC's Travel Packing Tips

Just some thoughts I wanted to put together from my experience in packing for travel, since I realize I inadvertently write this blog mostly for strangers who find it through Google. I started packing for my ~7 week trip to Asia and thought it would be nice to share.


This post is largely targeted at girls/women who want to efficiently straddle being put together but still rugged enough. I just don't think it's necessary to always look scrubby/touristy just because you are traveling. So this is not for you rugged backpackers. On the other hand this post is not meant for travelers who are going first-class all the way and have no limit to their packing needs.

When I travel for long periods of time, I often need to pack for both nice occasions as well as outdoorsy excursions. Sometimes during the same trip I can be staying at 4 or 5 star hotels as well as grubby hostels. Generally I like to blend in wherever I am, appearance wise. Since I also do everything I can to be able to carry-on my luggage, this becomes a semi challenging game of packing.

Always pack earplugs. Why depend on neighbors/construction/traffic/babies etc to be quiet when you can depend on yourself to bring earplugs? They have saved my sanity and sleep many times :)

Carry-on tactic: One roller suitcase, one medium duffle bag that will hold your purse. Being an efficient packer means everything in your luggage is pretty crucial. I don't trust airlines and try to carry-on as much as possible. Most airlines will permit you one carry on and one "personal item," ie a purse. Since a Personal Item is open to interpretation, I always count a medium sized duffle bag as mine. The duffle bag must be able to fit your purse as you walk through the gate, which is why I recommend a small-medium purse (below).

Liquids tip: If you are traveling for a long time and must bring liquids over 3 oz, pack all such liquids into a small yet durable bag and check-in ONLY this bag.


Suitcases with four wheels that turn 360 degrees. This is almost like going from a regular phone to an iPhone. It's that good. So much easier to push around, especially for us girls. (I know there's an LV suitcase pictured above, but I do NOT recommend that. It's like hello please rob me! Plus its wheels do not spin.)

Samsonite Spinner

1 Cross-body [p]leather purse + 1 clutch wallet. I think a small-medium cross body purse (approx 8x10 in) is the most practical travel purse that still looks good (compared to a backpack)... even better if the strap is adjustable. Your hands are free, and you can wear it on one shoulder for a nicer look. You should always keep it in front of you or at least on your side to deter pick-pocketers. I like nice-looking fake leather because I don't have to worry about scruffing it up, but it still looks relatively nice and is easy to clean.

A nice clutch wallet is ideal for double duty: daily practicality + going out/formal occasions. When you are going to a grubbier places, take a small, light, cheap wallet for your money. I use a cloth coin pouch that is about 3x5 inches and fits into an interior zippered compartment of my purse.

Pack in one family/tone of colors. If I am traveling for 10 days or less, I pack my outfits for each of those days (planning to wear pants at least twice, and having some flexibility with eg cardigans). If I am traveling for more than 10 days, I'll have to mix and match and so I try to have everything I pack match each other. This means packing neutral colors in warm or cool tones. Pick whichever matches your skin color better. I generally end up with mostly blacks, whites, greys, and taupes in warm tones. If you are someone who demands color, bring it in your jewelry since it takes up less room.

Don't bring expensive jewelry. I can't remember a time it was worth it to bring expensive jewelry but I can remember times where it was not worth it (ie I lost it). There are plenty of cheap expensive-looking jewelry that will do. E.g., CZ studs are good. Again plan them to match your clothes. Black tees can go from casual to formal with jewelry and a scarf.

Scarves/shawls are your friend. A black or taupe scarf is almost invaluable as a pair of crocs (see below). Inevitably you will be boarding a plane, which is cold. The place you are going might get cold at night. Scarves provide a lot of warmth for the amount of space it takes up, and if you bring one that is big enough it can double as a shawl for a more formal night out (thus making it unnecessary to bring nice cardigan/jacket). I think black and taupe are the easiest colors to pass off as cheap or expensive depending on what the occasion calls for.

Crocs. Packing shoes is a big issue for girls. I used to really hate Crocs. The classic ones are truly ugly looking things, unless they are on kids under 8 years old. But they actually have some cuter styles for girls, and I've found them to be invaluable when traveling for several reasons.

Crocs Prima (above) and Crocs Malindi (below)

Since they are rubber, they are easy to clean/wipe off everyday. Furthermore, they are pretty grippy so they can be used for casual hiking, walking in wet places, going to the pool, etc. Unless you have special shoe needs, they are comfortable enough to replace sneakers. Finally, the black ones are inconspicuous enough to wear to semi-nice places. Thus with one pair of shoes you can use it for casual, semi-formal, and active wear. And they are so malleable that they can squeeze into any overstuffed suitcase.

One pair of strappy heels. Unless you are certain that you won't be going anywhere nice, one pair of heels will be needed (more than one will not be practical). Strappy heels take up the least amount of space. Pick a color that will match the most of your nice clothes. Besides the go-to black, I think a light gold will go with the most things.

Skirts and dresses instead of shorts. I feel that in most places outside of the US, shorts look a bit weird on women. Skirts and dresses will keep you just as cool, but will be a much safer bet regardless of whether you are traveling to Europe, Asia, etc. They take relatively little space. In fact I love soft cotton dresses for traveling because they can be rolled up, dressed up or down, and is one whole minimal-effort outfit. Obviously bring a pair of shorts if some activity calls for it.

Double-duty clothing. As a related matter, look for clothes that can be dressed up or down. For example, dark wash jeans can be very versatile for casual or nighttime activities. Soft cottons tops, especially with some detail, can be casual and semi-formal. Same for cardigans compared to, say, a zip up hoodie. It's best to have only a few items that are purely casual (sporty T's) or purely dressy (silk tops), if at all.

Simplify your makeup and beauty regimen. There are plenty of all-in-one facial wash + toner + makeup remover + moisturizer products. I recently used these MD skincare travel wipes that were very easy. I am also in love with this compact Sephora makeup palette that has a mirror, eyeshadows and liners, lipgloss, and a blush. If warm tones work for you, ALL of the colors in this palette are usable, which I find is really rare. But note that you do need your own brushes.

Pack your liquids baggie on top. For easy access at those horrible airport security checkpoints.

Pack in some semblance of the order in which you will wear it. If you try to plan ahead you will avoid ruffling through your suitcase every night and having to repack the whole thing each time.

Pack your essentials in the duffle. Sometimes you might have to check in your carry-on (e.g. on low budget airlines) or otherwise be separated from it (e.g. on a train). It makes obvious sense to pack your essentials in your duffle, so might as well do it from the get-go to avoid repacking. For me this usually means: a couple underwear, a pair of socks, one outfit (usually my most valuable one haha), toiletries bag, important papers and electronics. Yes this means all your eggs are in one basket, but it's difficult to avoid when travel compactly and is just more reason to be extra careful with your duffle (and actually somewhat advantageous because you can focus on one thing instead of several).

Pack only as much as you can personally carry. For obvious reasons. But not something people always keep in mind. Some places only have stairs and no nice gentlemen to help you out.

Pack plastic baggies for dirty garments. Or use bags you get from shopping. Either way it's to keep things separate and not stink up your clean clothes. I repack the dirty clothes on the bottom and try to separate the clean and dirty with something like a pair of jeans.

Pack to-go Febreeze and Downy wrinkle release. Okay not really necessary but really helpful. Wrinkles can also be taken out by sticking them in the bathroom while you take a hot shower. As a general obvious matter, don't pack things that will wrinkle easily. A Tide to-go marker is a good idea as well (see my past post on it here).



Laundry. So far I have not advised buying any dry-fit clothing. Besides dry-fit underwear, which I think is a great idea since you can wash them easily, I don't really like them. I think they're purely sporty looking. For laundry, bring a little bottle of liquid detergent for cleaning. Thin tops, esp those soft synthetic blends, can be nice and still dry overnight. Otherwise, I would recommend just taking any clothes you can't wash yourself to a local launderer (or your hotel if it's reasonably priced). Ask around for recommendations, or do some internet research. If you have packed ~10 outfits, this shouldn't get too pricey since you'll only have to do laundry every other week.

Err on the side of underpacking. Remember that most of the places you will likely be going will have almost anything you need available. If you are leaving with an already-stuffed suitcase, you won't have room for new purchases. Besides specific beauty products that you can't live without, don't worry about bringing everything you might possibly need.

I'll add more as I think of them. This turned out to be much longer than I expected.

Happy travels~~

~Intermission~

I'm back. I am kind of horrified by how ugly the past few posts have been edited (first time I've seen them on a computer). OCD alert.

Anyway Days 6-11 are on a backburner on my phone but I will upload them soon. What a great trip. But it's also nice to be back. Headed straight to two HK cafes for lunch and dinner :P

hanging out with the llamas at Machu Picchu
(kiiind of reminds me of Where the Wild Things Are)

Peru day 9: Cusco and Lima

10/17: started these but never got to writing it out. Will share the pics at least.






This place is called "sacshay huaman." it sounds like Sexy Woman and pretty much all tourist-related things will refer to it as that.



Look at these massive rocks. They are cute to fit perfectly into each other with little else holding them together. It's crazy.



Inca Cola, the soft drink sensation of Peru. Really impressive that it remains as popular if not more popular than Coca cola, which has taken over most other country's soft drink market. It takes like drinking juicy fruit gum.

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Day 8: Cusco

Spent the day exploring Cusco. Beautiful colonial architecture. I feel conflicted about gushing over anything colonial (like the French concession districts in Asia... etc...), but I can't deny that it's visually attractive. Cusco was the site of the capital of the Inca Empire, so there are ruins lying beneath some of the buildings as well as some preserved around the city.


It also has an artistic city culture, with plenty of galleries and people selling art on the street.


Of the major cities, I think this is the place to shop for souvenirs. But it turns out those little vendors along the tour routes in Colca have the best quality and price. I loved all the little embroidered pouches, headbands, and assorted trinkets.

Peru day 8: Cusco

Well I started these and inserted the pics but never finished. Might as well share the pics :)









Peruvian cuisine is SO good.



Quinoa crusted prawns.




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