a few of my favorite things around here...

so as i'm still settling in there has been this new feature that's come about... "my favorite things around here" it's only the second one but i sort of like it as an update and to share some cool photos, especially as my life here is unfolding. i'm still getting used to my new apartment and all of the decorating and making it "mine" is almost done! yay! but here are a few things (mostly all from my bedroom) that i'm loving! hope you enjoy :)

please meet Puffer, my puffin. this was one of the first little presents ammu gave me when we first started dating and he sent it to me on a monthaversary during the first few months of us dating :) puffins are my favorite animal! ever since, Puffer has come with me every where and has a little personality of his own. i love him and i'm sure he has plenty to say, himself ;)

i'm loving the amount of candles, tea lights, and little tchotchkes that are all over the apartment. just little things to lighten up the rooms and the little box on the right, ammu's mom gave it to me :) so a very special little addition to the apartment :) 

my Essie "go overboard" nails! it's been a while since i did my nails and although a spring color i think this is the perfect color for the cold, dreary, winter but also adds some color!

but i think my favorite thing of all are these feet right here; my boy's. being able to now see him just about every day has been amazing and something i've waited for for three and a half years, now. the little quiet moments of studying together, making dinner, and lunch dates between classes has been amazing and i don't know when this will all sink in but i'm so blessed and happy to finally have this with you, ammu <3 you're my best friend and my everything.

weekend challenge: doing something for myself

and now #3! all weekend i've been decorating and prepping my apartment and it's finally all unpacked and the decorating is gradually coming together. this is something that's definitely doing something for myself. i'm loving my apartment more and more and am excited to have the next chapter of my life here. :)

thought this was the perfect place for this piece and very appropriate for this time (please excuse the unmade bed, rarely like this...i swear!)

so my mantle is now another step closer to being done. i thought the black, white, and red theme was perfect (inspired by my piece from China) and it looks great so far. found the awesome red frame from Target for $1! that place is incredible! definitely going back for some other home decor stuff! (also need to print some new pics- one for the red frame!)

Laci's!

so going on with the weekend challenge... #1 is now complete! "try something new" the word "new" has been used over and over again this past week with my new apartment, city, and so on but last night ammu and i went to Laci's Tapas Bar.

it. was. amazing. and that is an understatement! the service was incredible...we even made jokes of wanting get to know the staff there better and we easily concluded that we'd like it to be our new "spot" here, in Syracuse. the tapas were also perfectly sized, were delectable, and were some of the best things i have ever tasted. boy and i shared the lobster ravioli, lamb chops with apple-mint chutney, and the garlic chicken flatbread. the items on the menu were so unique and perfect for anyone wanting to try any type of new food. i would 100% recommend Laci's and it was so funny that we literally stumbled upon them when looking up "food" on our iPhone map, so we also surprised ourselves.

the space was so, so cozy and great and i regret not bringing my camera to take and show you some pics!! but i promise we'll return soon, and when we do there'll be a photo-overload ;)

 *all photos from Laci's Tapas Bar website.

in my new apartment...

it's been crazy and busy adjusting to my new apartment and town of Syracuse. tons and tons of unpacking, getting ready for school, and so many errands that i have no idea what i would have done without my car! all in all i'm well and it's been amazing to finally have my boy nearby. i finally get to see him everyday, make him dinner, and sleep together every night. things that made me realize that 3+ years long distance was worth waiting for. i love you, boo.

it's been so irritating to have to unpack then organize then clean and all over again the other day (with school stuff and errands all day long)! i stay rest assured that it'll all be organized and ready soon and that i'll beginning grad school in just a few short days, now...i'm secretly terrified.

here are the three of my favorite things around here...

ONE. gulgula! a great, Guyanese (which boy and i both are) dessert! it's like a small doughnut, very yummy and right from home :) we both brought an assortment of Guyanese/home treats (milo being among them) and have been feasting on it all. it's a little sad to have this here in the beginning but a bit nice, too.

TWO. insomnia. cookies. 'nuff said. my boy brought them home for me today (2 amazing choco chip cookies! nom!) they're so soft, moist, gooey, and perfect. find the nearest near you and get there STAT. actually...wait they deliver!!!! they're so worth it and was the perfect ending to my day. *thank you, boy.

THREE. these pieces of art are the only two that are decorating this place right now. the piece on the left is created by one of my best friends who is a design major and so, so artsy and creative. this is perfect for us as we've had the dream to be in NYC, together some day being working young women! with the text "GO GET IT," i feel and see her love and encouragement everyday. Thank you SO much, love! and beside that is my name written in Chinese :) I got this when I was in Shanghai last year and it was incredible, a trip of a lifetime. (p.s./hint: this is probably a give away of my identity :|)

...of course two of the three of those are food. but i love food...especially the sweet-not-so-healthy-fattening ones :/ but those are always the best, aren't they?! anyways, more updates on my new life soon! by the way, have you noticed my new 50mm f/1.8 II camera lens?! i love it!!!!

a special christmas treat!

Since moving into my first apartment in Binghamton in August, my roommates and I started baking A LOT. Whether it was our general college over-eating, stress, loving sweets (obviously), we made tons of cakes, pies, cookies, pancake-cakes (yes you read that right), brownies and more.

So of course, this has extended well beyond my last semester in Binghamton. On Christmas Eve I made  Vegan Strawberry-Chocolate Brownies. It was the first time I ever made them, with my own special recipe and they were a hit!

the original recipe:
*the soy yogurt & strawberry puree serve as egg substitutes

what's needed:
2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1.5 cups all-purpose flour
6 oz soy strawberry yogurt
1/2 cup strawberry puree
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

1. preheat your oven to 350 degrees
2. mix all of the dry ingredients with a spoon in a large bowl
3. once mixed, add the oil and vanilla extract and mix well until a darker batter begins to form
4. add the yogurt and puree and mix well until all ingredients are mixed well
5. taste the batter! it's incredible and there's no risk of getting salmonella since there are no eggs!
6. in a 9" by 13"pan, grease and pour the batter into the pan, evenly
7. bake for 30 min (or longer) and do the usual tooth pick trick to make sure it's fully baked

if you'd like to use cookie cutters or just to cut them immediately:
8. let the brownies cool for about 30 minutes then put it in the fridge for about 20 mins
9. then take a fun, festive cookie cutter and cut the brownies and sprinkle some sprinkles, frosting, marshmallows anything you'd like to decorate!


happy baking, friends! xoxo

study jamz

this is the last week of my undergrad career....what?! i know, right?! well since it's the last week all of my final projects, papers, and tests are this week. which leads me to my amazing music that's keeping me motivated and going.

Lindsey Stirling is a new, special favorite. she's a violinist and dancer. being a former violinist it's inspiring and i really want to pick up my violin again soon.

below is my current 'study jam' Crystallize. hope you enjoy and i really, really hope i could see her on tour when she's in NY at the beginning of next year!!

gratitude, part II

things i'm thankful for around my (two) homes...

1/  the fact that i have two! i guess that's the perk of being in college. i have my apartment in binghamton that's all mine and full of my independence but i have my hometown home where i can always return to for those days i need home food and the love and comfort of where i grew up and soon i'll be moving into my very own vintage apartment in syracuse which i couldn't be more excited for

2/ cleaning endlessly. i guess living with friends you realize just how different everyone's habits are. my friends joke that i'm the "mom" of the apartment and clean up after everyone (which i really should stop doing) but i love cleaning and feeling like everywhere is clean and mine!

3/ my big comfy bedS! i'm lucky enough that i have two! and i love them both and love when i get to sleep in them. ahhhh

4/ returning to my family every time i'm in baldwin. there's really no place like home. whenever i'm getting sick of binghamton or overwhelmed with life...going home is the perfect thing for me. and boy the food is amazing. (thanks, mom!)

a typical night. homework, reading, chai latte, 

my favorite blue pen, lappy, and of course a pumpkin.

what about your home(s) are you thankful for?

click here to see part one

Smile!

i can't even begin to tell you how excited i am for the holiday season (although its basically already begun) so i found this cute little recipe on making gingerbread and snowman heads! so easy, colorful, and fun! i can't wait to make these with my friends and sissys! find the recipe and ways to decorate here.

{discovered on Bakerella}

The little things.

Being away from each other is one of the hardest things that's a part of our love and relationship. As I mentioned in our last post, sending each other little things once in a while always helps. But also, when you visit one another doing something special or bringing something special along really helps to reconnect and romance over something.

As I mentioned, "he" has written me letters often, so many times unexpectedly and when he has a surprise brewing I always bug him about it (not the best thing- a little advice there!) Also, when together making meals together, or for each other or buying a special snack you both enjoy. We love Smartfood White Cheddar Popcorn (a new favorite), Peanut M&M's, Gummy Bears, and Sour Patch Kids. They clearly don't always have to be the healthiest of food to share with each other. To be honest, I don't care for any of those things much when I'm without him.

We've done so many small, special things for each other whenever we visit. Whether it's as small as helping with laundry, making the bed, doing some chores to ease their burden OR special holidays, bringing breakfast, etc. Below are some photos we've taken of things we've done for each other. Enjoy!

The first photo was a breakfast that I brought from my dining hall in college while he was still asleep with cute little notes on instructions on what to do if he needed help or the "style" of the object. He loved it. He thought it was adorable and I'm pretty sure ate it all. We're a couple that takes care of each other. I worry about him (especially now that he's started med school) about eating all meals, healthily and properly. He, too, worries the same for me. It's important to give your partner that hand it helps calm your nerves about their eating and health but also they appreciate you and the thought.

The second photo is the sweetheart necklace that he gave me two years ago. I'm too spoiled. He gives me little unique items like this all the time. I love this necklace and wear it often that way or if not, I carry it around with me as it's something very special to me.

And finally, the most adorable surprise he's given me. My surprise "belated" Valentine's dinner. As a long-distance couple days/holidays like these are often spent apart. Recreate the day as best as you can for your partner. This is exactly what he did. He had me whisked away to get ready and doll up and when I was done, I went into his bedroom where he had a candlelit table with light jazz playing off of his iTunes (this generation..so cute!) And slowly, he served me our dinner and so special and warm. The thought, the love, and all of my favorite foods. It was one of my best nights with him. I'm so blessed and love him so much.


Try out things like this with your partner. It will help liven things and make things calmer and happier, especially during a stressful and difficult time like in college or grad school. It will make the BOTH of you very happy, relaxed, and relieved. You both deserve it, together. The little things.