Thank you Decoy for sponsoring this post. Complete your own tablescapes with Decoy this holiday season.

November is here and you know what that means... Thanksgiving and the Holidays are right around the corner and 'tis the season for gathering! Whether you are celebrating Thanksgiving with family or getting together with friends, popping open a bottle of Decoy wine (or two) is the perfect way to get the soiree started. As part of the Duckhorn Porfolio of wines, Decoy is classic, elevated and tasteful. My two favorites are the Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir, both of which compliments nicely with my favorite cheese plate with truffle brie, sharp cheddar, fresh berries, black mission figs, proscuitto and salami. If you prefer white, the bright and aromatic Sauvignon Blanc is refreshing on the palate with a sweet yet subtle undercurrent of lemon, lime, honeydew and nectarine. If you are a Pinot lover (Pinot is my go-to red wine of choice), you would enjoy the Decoy Pinot Noir with classic aromas of ripe strawberry, cherry and plum, along with subtle hints of cola and clove. Whatever the occasion might be, there is something for everyone!

In previous years, I had always celebrated Thanksgiving with family or a group of friends and as much as I love cooking (I cook at least 3 times a week!) I have never actually made a Turkey! This year, however, I am going to do it!!! First time for everything, right? My boyfriend and I are keeping it low-key and doing Thanksgiving with just the two of us (well, and the pups). Turkey-cooking seems to be some sort of rocket science and the outcome heavily depends on the proper prep work, precise timing and perfect temperature. But hey! If it doesn't turn out as good as I hope, at least we will have some good Decoy wine right? :)

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Celebrate with Decoy

November 5, 2018

Thank you Decoy for sponsoring this post. Complete your own tablescapes with Decoy this holiday season.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

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Once in awhile I enjoy going to a restaurant and let the chef curates the menu for me. When that happens, I am often utterly surprised because the dishes aren't what I would typically pick but end up loving. This is exactly the case when I had brunch at Hayden last Sunday. We started off with some refreshing bubblies (love that Hayden also has a wine shop) and then tried the following: Smoked trout dip, heirloom tomatoes (so fresh), Japanese farmhouse bowl (amazing blend of textures with brown rice, shiitake mushroom, cucumber, sprouts and soft egg), waffle points with trout roe and creme fraiche, Nueske's bacon (if bacon had a king, this would be it), and buckwheat waffles with dates and miso-maple butter. And of course, don't forget the latte and matcha latte! What a great space and amazing food! Thank you Chef Ari for taking us through a delectable mix of sweet and savory with fresh and unexpected ingredients!

Hayden at Platform, Culver City

October 18, 2018

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Ok, I admit it. I am totally guilty of seeing a restaurant on Instagram and wanting to check it out solely because of how cute the decor is. I mean, just look at this one corner of Testa with the floral wallpaper, the wood paneling, the shag rug, the round mirror... They were all screaming my name! I was definitely distracted with taking photos before finally sitting down to enjoy dinner. But once I did all I could think about was how incredibly fresh and tasty everything was. We started off with soft shell crab with spicy eggs. Usually I am not too crazy about soft shell crab but this was fried to perfection and well seasoned! Then we also had grilled king prawns and baby gem salad for appetizers. And for entree, we had braised pork papardelle and flank steaks. This was one of the best meal I've had in a while! If you ever find yourself in DTLA, I highly recommend checking our Testa! Great spot, great staff, amazing food and drinks!

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Testa, DTLA

September 24, 2018

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I grew up feeling very uncomfortable in my own skin where I thought I was too short and my chest was too small, starting at a very young age. And it certainly did not help that I was raised in the Asian culture where encouragement usually comes in the form of harsh criticism. Although things have evolved a great deal, body image and bullying continue to be an issue in today's society. Not going to lie, I once thought about getting implants (luckily that thought lasted for a day) and it took me a long time to finally feel comfortable and confident in my own skin. To celebrate this personal milestone, I teamed up with Natori to uplift women while encouraging body positivity and diversity. Natori is luxuriously crafted in its own unique way and there is something suitable for every size and shape. My two favorites are the Feather Bra in caramel and the Flora Bra in black/light mocha. The delicate lace detail is so beautiful and they fit like a dream. Feeling confident is all about embracing who you are... So just do you, be you and feel awesome about the amazing person that you are!

* Thank you to Natori for kindly sponsoring this post. All opinions are 100% honest & completely my own.

In My Skin with Natori

September 7, 2018

* Thank you to Natori for kindly sponsoring this post. All opinions are 100% honest & completely my own.

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Yesterday I showed you how I wore my Lucky Brand Bella Jeans strolling through the Venice Canals, today I am sharing my second look with you! Besides soaking up the sun and taking in all the ocean breeze on the west side, another favorite thing I enjoy doing around LA is checking out all the museums and galleries this city has to offer.

I transformed my casual look with the Bella Jeans into a dressier look with a mustard floral blouse, a classic leather jacket (yes LA is still very hot but leather jacket just makes the most perfect accessory) and heels. For some reason, no matter how many times I have been to LACMA, I never get tired of Urban Light (the sculpture of all the lamp posts). It is simply iconic and picturesque, much like these Belle Jeans! Seriously, they are perfectly high waisted and fit like a dream!

Don't forget to check out my feature over on the Lucky Insider Blog!