Category Archives: Connecting4

Just the four kids.

Happy New Year x2

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Happy “Chinese” New Year everyone! Last night we celebrated our second new year… this year [does that make sense?] Our world lit up in an explosion of sparkly lights everywhere we looked at midnight last night. The booming started early in the afternoon and lasted until hours past 12:00 am. Following the Chinese tradition my family munched on dumplings at midnight to welcome the New Year and then we reverted to our usual traditions of toasting to God and His blessings this year. While watching the twinkling, colorful explosions [which by the way were being lit right outside out windows], Jessie, Maddie and I could hardly keep from bursting out in Katy Perri’s “Firework.” The year of the dragon (zodiac) has arrived and I am looking forward to the 365  wonderful days awaiting us.

春节快乐！

Mama What’s Cookin’? Carrot Cake Donuts

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I was craving something different for breakfast this morning, something other than Maddie’s crepes [which she makes almost “every” non-school morning– I mean I like crepes but they get kind of old after a while– no offense Maddie]… Anyway, I was super excited to start this exciting venture BUT to my disappointment the recipe I wanted to use called for an overnight stay in the fridge for the little blob of sticky dough. Well, I decided to make it anyway and after sticking the dough safely in the fridge. I mixed up a batch of fluffy white biscuits for breakfast.

P.S. We topped our donuts with scoops of vanilla ice cream, you can also top your donuts with a simple cream cheese icing or even dip them in glaze and sprinkles!

 

Henna

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When introduced to henna in my Middle school art class, I fell in love with the intricate designs, earthy smells, and natural brown, auburn and chestnut colored dyes. With the help of a steady hand and a lot of practice, I took a real interest in tattooing Henna.  Though I have come a long way from where I started in Middle School, I still have a lot to learn about the art of henna and I am eager to take any chance I have to practice.  On our vacation in Malaysia I got just that; I had more than enough time to tattoo all my sisters and my mom!  The pictures below are of Rachel’s African inspired henna.

About Henna:
Henna is a plant whose leaves can be dried, mashed and mixed with citrus juice to make a dye.  Unlike ink tattoos, henna wears off in about a week and is actually very good for your skin.  Traditionally it was used mostly at weddings, to decorate the bride and groom in West Asia and the Middle East.

 

I’m Lovin’… The Beach

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Starting school today, I am far away from the sand, sun, and waves at the beach and closer to the skyscrapers, textbooks, and bad traffic. I wanted to go back to those moments, relaxing poolside, thinking about life and tanning my worries away.

1. Fauna; in Langkawi, Malaysia there are many monkeys and other animals around. 2. Nautical Vehicles; sailboats and fishing boats traversed the waters in search for good wind or a good catch. 3. Flora; flowers grew everywhere on the island because of the tropical location and heavy rainfall. 4; Fruit Juices; every day offered a new freshly squeezed drink.

I’m Lovin’…Mexican Food!

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Sunday afternoon I visited a new Mexican Food Restaurant for lunch at a popular shopping centre called the Magnetic Center. This was a very special occasion because in Tianjin, Mexican food doesn’t exists. After examining the menu, I ordered the chicken quesadilla with cheddar cheese (which is also a rare item to find in China) and my mom ordered the Burrito Bowl with lime rice and cilantro. The food came out surprisingly fast and the taste testing began. I found that my quesadilla was quite tasty but Mom’s Burrito Bowl was a, something-you-can-make-at-home kind of dish. I was happy with my meal and although it was a bit pricy it was an overall good experience. An added bonus was that we (just Mom and I) were able to try it out before bringing the whole family of six there. With that said, this experience reminds me of all the amazing Mexican Food out there. I can’t wait until this summer when our family will get to visit family in America and -while we’re at it- devour some delicious “authentic” Mexican Food.


Sources:{(Mexican Food Jesus)(1:Etsy Mexican Style Dress),(3:Kennedy West),(4:Watercolor Painting-Cholula Hot Sauce)}

 

Hibiscus Days

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My semi-eventful day consisting of reading my Bible, searching endlessly for scholarships, editing pictures, making lunch for Mom and my sisters, and the completion of several other menial tasks contented me greatly. There’s a comforting, joyfulness in having a day to complete tasks that are waiting (in eager anticipation) to be checked off my to do list. I am trying to get back into the groove of “actually” getting things DONE now that we’re back at home…

Although back in the cold, wintery Tianjin I fondly remember the sunshine and flowers of our delightful vacation in Langkawi, Malaysia. I hope this beautiful white hibiscus flower brightens your Monday <and wets your appetite for our upcoming lookbook which will capture our tropical trip in its entirety>

 

 

I’m Lovin’… Sun Tanning

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I have just returned from a tropical island in Malaysia called Langkawi (check out our lookbook containing pictures of the trip- coming soon). I had so much fun swimming in our cabin side pool, eating traditional Malaysian food such as fried rice or Tosei a flat bread with a sour dough taste to it, and most of all relaxing in the hot sun so foreign to us here in Tianjin. It is not only always calming to lay in the sun with a good book but getting that bronze colored tone to your skin makes it a win-win situation. However, I personally had a problem trying to both protect my skin while enjoy the heat of the sun as well. Hence, I included some tanning tips for a balance between the two. I hope this post fills your wintery day with sunshine.  Enjoy!!

 

TIPS:
– Exfoliate skin before tanning
– Take a shower after tanning and apply lotion in order to prevent dry or peeling skin
– Don’t spend too much time in the sun at one time (set a time limit from 15-30 minutes)
– Always use sun tan lotion
– Wear sunglasses and hats to protect your face
– And for an unusual tip… avoid lemons and celery because they cause skin to become more sensitive to the sun.

 

Sources: {(found in moms basement), (beauty schooled), (miss matilda dreams)}


 

On The Streets: Art and Design

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Only a day after getting back from vacation, I am getting back into the art, design, and architecture world. Hong Kong is known for it’s many design exhibitions and conferences, and last semester I visted the Detour exhibition, which was focussed on recycling and the use of so called “useless” items. Today I attended the Fotanian Open Studios Exhibition, a kind of progressive exhibition where artists, designers, and architects open their studios to the public. Located in Fotan, Hong Kong; many artists have started to take over industrial buildings for their galleries and studios. This reminded me of countless other industrial areas that have been converted to art districts, such as the 798 Art District in Beijing (http://www.798art.org/ | http://www.798space.com/). Past the industrial elevators and corridors, there were many studios that I really enjoyed. Here are some pictures of my favorites, a good mix of architecture, design, and art.