Quiet Like Horses

Weekend Plans: Guerneville Bachelorette Party

noreply@blogger.com (Sobrina Tung) — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Do you have any fun plans this weekend? I'm headed up to the Russian River with some friends for a bachelorette party. We're renting a house in Guerneville—I've never been but it looks so charming!—which has a hot tub and a big kitchen for cooking, chatting, and drinking wine. We're also planning to hit up the nearby Korbel Champagne Cellars which is supposed to have a beautiful garden. It's going to be lots of fun. Have a good weekend, friends!

p.s. Sorry for the sporadic posting this week. My whole schedule's been a bit off lately, but I promise I'll be back on track next week.

(images via TripAdvisor, Russian River Getaways, Sunset, and Shopping Blog)

Do or don't: Tortoise accessories

noreply@blogger.com (Sobrina Tung) — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 09:30:00 +0000

The other week I saw two ladies wearing the cutest tortoise watches. I finally asked the second one where she got hers and found out it's by Michael Kors (of course—his men's-inspired watches are so beautiful!) Tortoise is a classic, don't you think? They make these Ray-Ban sunglasses look timeless. I just ordered a pair for summer because I'm convinced they look good on everyone, guys and girls alike.

Balloons in bed

noreply@blogger.com (Sobrina Tung) — Wed, 30 May 2012 11:00:00 +0000

I like jumping out of bed in the morning to start my day, so breakfast in bed has never appealed to me much. But balloons in bed. Now, that's my kind of surprise. I've always wanted to give someone a whole bunch of balloons and figured surprising Sophie with a rainbow assortment while she was still asleep would be really fun. I think they were as much fun for me to give as they were for her to wake up to because they're so cheery! When you lay back in bed, it feels like you're in a balloon forest.

Later we moved them into the hallway so we could move around easier while getting ready in the room. Aren't they pretty?

Weeklies 5/20-5/28

noreply@blogger.com (Sobrina Tung) — Wed, 30 May 2012 05:39:00 +0000

This Memorial Day weekend was one of the longest I've ever had (a full 5 days!) and was filled with lots of adventures. For Sophie's birthday, I got her a leopard print red velvet cake which was super moist and delicious and totally matched the leopard print heels she wore that night :)

{Strawberry margarita jello shots: sweet and refreshing and a fun party trick}

{romantic ivy on the brick buildings at SJSU}

{corn on the grill at an exceptionally windy Berkeley BBQ}

{leaving the house at 5:15 to watch the sunrise in Santa Cruz: painful, but worth it}

{polenta and poached eggs at Kelly's post 6 a.m. walk}

The best $20 you'll ever spend

noreply@blogger.com (Sobrina Tung) — Fri, 25 May 2012 09:30:00 +0000

When I was in Cambodia last year, I had the best massage of my life. It lasted an hour, loosened every knot in my body, and cost just $4! (By my calculations, that would buy you a two-minute massage at most places here). I was totally spoiled by the experience, so when I came back home I just couldn't bring myself to pay normal massage prices of $100+. But then I discovered $20 foot spas...

Contrary to being called a foot spa, they actually massage your whole body! For an hour! Since I carry all my stress and tension in my shoulders, I was always super curious about checking one out, but no one ever wanted to go with me. (More often than not people would roll their eyes and make a joke about it being that kind of massage place). My friend Lauren and I finally went this past weekend so now I can officially lay all those jokes to rest because it was EXCELLENT.

When you first get there, you'll see all the front windows blacked out (you could see how people would think there's funny business going on), but once you're inside you see they do that to keep the room nice and dark. Everyone sits in one big room with a few rows of comfy stuffed chairs in it, and there's calming music playing in the background. You keep all your clothes on but take off your socks and shoes. (I made sure to wear stretchy, loose clothes).

The masseuse starts by massaging your scalp--this was Lauren's favorite because she said it reminded her of the massage she gets when they wash her hair at the salon--and then they do your face. At first it kinda freaked me out, but they massage the pressure points around your temples and in between your eyebrows so it felt really relaxing. Next, they massage your hands, arms, legs, and feet. I was so relaxed, I almost fell asleep! Then you flip over onto your stomach, and they massage your entire back side.

It's definitely not a fancy retreat or spa oasis, but when the hour was up, we both felt amazing--loose, light, and totally relaxed. All I could think was Why didn't I come here sooner?

Are you a fan of massages? Have you been to a foot spa before or would you go?

(image via Little Snob Thing)

My secret for soft, smooth, sandal-ready feet

noreply@blogger.com (Sobrina Tung) — Thu, 24 May 2012 09:30:00 +0000

Brace yourself—it's one of those "As Seen on TV" products and you're going to think I'm crazy, but it really works! Are you ready? Here's my big secret for baby-smooth feet...

It's Heel Tastic! It's made a huge, huge difference on my feet, especially my heels which used to be so dry and cracked I'd never want to be barefoot around people. I'd tried regular lotions, buffing wands, scrubs, feet ointments—and none of it ever worked. Now I just smooth this on my feet before bed, rub it in, and the next day my feet look and feel brand new.

p.s. Some negative reviews on Amazon complained that you have to use this every day or else it doesn't work which, as Alan pointed out, is kinda like saying you put lotion on your hands two weeks ago and now they're dry again. Ha ha.

French cooking at home

noreply@blogger.com (Sobrina Tung) — Wed, 23 May 2012 09:30:00 +0000

This weekend, our friend Roy came over to cook us a fancy dinner. Roy's our friend who's in French culinary school and who told me enrolled simply because he loves food. Isn't that the best reason? :) He fixed up a really great fish dish called poisson en papillote served over a mushroom duxelles and tomato fondue with a side of rice pilaf. I had no idea what any of it was, so it was fun hanging out in the kitchen watching him cook.

The fish was a striped sea bass which he brought over whole and filleted himself. I was so impressed.

Roy says French cooking is all about being precise and meticulous. And it's true—to prepare the veggies for the rice pilaf, he first cut the carrots and zucchini into large symmetrical rectangles, then cut that into large strips, then julienned each of those strips and then cut each one of those into tiny rectangles. Can you imagine having to cut all your vegetables like that? One of the chefs at Roy's school says the hardest thing you have to overcome in your cooking career is overcoming your inner laziness.

When chopping, Roy says you should always place your hand right next to the knife so your hand looks like a claw with your thumb and pinky fingers pulled back. This way you'll always know where your hand is at all times.

An interesting thing about French cooking that Roy says is a big misconception is that there's tons of butter in everything when really there's a lot of variety. For example, he described the fish dish he was making for us as "healthy + flavor = WTF" which really had me curious.

The savory, garlicky tomato fondue was my favorite part.

Everything cooked in a parchment-paper pouch which reminded me of a calzone.

The fish cooked super quick (it was in the oven for just 7 minutes!) and when we cut open the parchment paper, the fish was perfectly tender and flaky. Each bite of fish was complemented perfectly by the mushrooms and tomatoes and those meticulously julienned veggies. Definitely healthy + flavor = WTF.

Borrowed from the boys

noreply@blogger.com (Sobrina Tung) — Tue, 22 May 2012 09:30:00 +0000

When Jenna Lyons describes her personal style, she says, "There is always something borrowed from the boys and something borrowed from grandma." Isn't that a brilliant style philosophy? You would never look too prim and proper, and you'd always be comfortable. I love the idea of mixing slouchy boyfriend jeans with something feminine, like a pair of sleek heels and a bright silk top.

{I'm wearing this Madewell striped top, these Madewell boyfriend jeans, Zara heels, J.Crew belt (similar here), and Anthropologie bracelets}

Weeklies 5/13-5/19

noreply@blogger.com (Sobrina Tung) — Mon, 21 May 2012 09:30:00 +0000

{peony in a bubble vase}

Later this week my sister Sophie and my college roommate Sue will be visiting from out of town and staying with me for a few days. Sophie turns 21 on Friday, so I'm taking Thursday and Friday off to hang with her and do all of her favorite things. To prepare for my house guests, I've been cleaning like mad and stocking up the kitchen. I can't wait to see them. :)

{stocking the fridge with Izzes — did you know they make a watermelon flavor?! I had to try it.}

{a stash of the fruit roll-ups I remember Sue was obsessed with (to help her feel right at home)}

{neon inspiration for working out and keeping organized}

{my grandma's rad set of vintage luggage}

Alan's 3-Year Milestone

noreply@blogger.com (Sobrina Tung) — Fri, 18 May 2012 06:57:00 +0000

Last Friday I went with Alan to one of his regularly scheduled oncologist appointments. They're just meant to be check-ups, but the fear that the oncologist might find a lump or something somewhere always freaks him out. This time, though, it was all good news. She reminded us that it's been three years since his cancer diagnosis which is great! Hitting the three-year milestone means the chance of recurrence drastically drops. I almost cried. I always knew that the five-year mark was a big deal, but not about three, so it was a sweet surprise. She thinks we should celebrate, which I wholeheartedly agree with, so this weekend I'll be researching destinations for a long weekend trip (or maybe even Hawaii!) Have a wonderful weekend, my friends, and be sure to take some time to share some love. Haha, cheesy, but true!

Swimsuits: one piece or two?

noreply@blogger.com (Sobrina Tung) — Thu, 17 May 2012 09:30:00 +0000

Now that I have my summer goal set, I started looking for a new swimsuit and I realized I haven't worn a one piece in ages. I always think there'll be time to wear one pieces later in life, but I'm finding so many cute ones this season, I might change my mind. They'd be nice, too, for when you want to indulge on a little extra potato salad at pool parties. ;) Which style is your favorite?

(Swimsuits from top to bottom: coral bandeau bikini, green smocked halter, crossover swimsuit, cut-outs bikini, green striped/floral bikini, orange polka dot swimsuit)

What do you want to do this summer?

noreply@blogger.com (Sobrina Tung) — Wed, 16 May 2012 09:30:00 +0000

Summer is about a month away, and in honor of those gloriously long and lazy days, I normally don't set any specific goals or take myself too seriously. But this year, I made one: to learn how to swim better. It's not to say that I haven't tried—in high school I was on the swim team for approximately... 3 days. Ha ha. I hate to admite it, but I think I have just a little bit of ImGonnaDrownandNoonesGonnaSee phobia. Alan's an excellent swimmer, and I've always been jealous of him floating effortlessly in the water while I wade in ankle deep or cling to the side of the pool. He's promised to help me this year, but only if I first learn how to "just relax" in the water. (Which seems to be so much easier said than done!)

What's on your summer to-do list? Are you a good swimmer, a bad one, or did you improve?

{images via pinterest here, here, here, here and here)

Scalloped Edges

noreply@blogger.com (Sobrina Tung) — Tue, 15 May 2012 09:30:00 +0000

I'm a sucker for a pretty scalloped edge. This top even has scalloped sleeves and is made of the most delicate lace. As I slipped it on it felt like I was snagging it in 50 different places, but once it was on it was just the thing for a hot afternoon. Nice and breezy.

{I'm wearing this lace top (now on sale!), J.Crew shorts, BC shoes, a Lulu Frost necklace, and an Anthropologie bag.}

Weeklies 5/6-5/12

noreply@blogger.com (Sobrina Tung) — Mon, 14 May 2012 09:30:00 +0000

{baubles from Anthropologie}

Did you have a nice weekend? I spent a lot of time with my family, and Alan and I took lots of long walks in the warm evening air (my favorite kind). We also did some cleaning around the duplex which helped me feel a little bit more sane, ha ha. Here are some snapshots from last week.

{a lacquer tray helps keep the coffee table tidy}

{a surprise wrapped in a bow + this cake for my friend Lauren's birthday}

{dried lavender from a friend's garden — perfect for crumbling into jewelry bags for fragrant sachets. I love putting them under our pillows.}

{peachy flats for wide feet ;)}

The cutest ice block molds

noreply@blogger.com (Sobrina Tung) — Fri, 11 May 2012 17:30:00 +0000

These ice blocks would be a fun way to chill our drinks this weekend. I would have a pineapple orange spritzer, and Alan would have a Coke. :)

Shorts Weather

noreply@blogger.com (Sobrina Tung) — Fri, 11 May 2012 09:30:00 +0000

It's definitely getting to be shorts weather around here—this weekend's going to hit 88! After I saw these, I hunted high and low for a similar pair and was happy when I found these. But when they arrived they were super short. I couldn't pass up the stripes or the high waist, so I paired them with a classic cardigan for a boost of insta-modesty.

How to ask a girl to prom

noreply@blogger.com (Sobrina Tung) — Thu, 10 May 2012 09:30:00 +0000

My cousin Scott just went to his jr. prom with a girl he's had a crush on since freshmen year. To ask her, he got a block of ice, drilled a hole in it, and stuck a series of notes inside. When she pulled it out, the first note said "Now that we've broken the ice..." followed by "Will you go to prom with me!?" with each word strung together. Isn't that cute?

Do you remember how you were asked? Or were you the one who did the asking? I had to ask two boys! The first one ditched me a week before the dance because he "didn't want to lead me on." (He was convinced I was in love with him which was so far from the truth. Please. I only had eyes for my honors chem lab partner who was a bad boy with tattoos and who talked back to the teacher, but who, unfortunately, already had a girlfriend.) I ended up asking the class clown from French class instead.

(second image by oh hello friend, third image via artymiss)

Healthy fast food

noreply@blogger.com (Sobrina Tung) — Wed, 09 May 2012 09:30:00 +0000

Eating fast food always makes me feel a little guilty, but I re-discovered a favorite light menu item I wanted to share in case you, too, are trying to be a beach babe this summer (aren't we all?). Alan and I were stuck in the middle of nowhere at dinnertime recently with nothing but KFCs and Taco Bells on every block. Luckily Chipotle was also everywhere so I ordered the chicken salad with pinto beans, extra fajita veggies, tomato salsa, and a little bit of red tomatilla salsa. I know fast food is almost always a bad idea for beach babeliness, but wait! Hear me out for a second. It's basically grilled chicken, beans, and veggies which are good sources of lean protein, fiber, and micronutrients. It's become my fast food dinner of choice whenever we're too tired or lazy to cook after work.

What do you think? Is fast food all the same? What do you eat when your kitchen's not nearby?

(image by Trevor Pearson)

Monday workwear

noreply@blogger.com (Sobrina Tung) — Tue, 08 May 2012 09:30:00 +0000

I wear this skirt a lot, but it's still one of my favorites. If you've been contemplating whether or not to add a pleated skirt to your closet, my advice is to do it and here's why: you can dress it up or down and still wear it once a week and fool everyone. Yesterday I wore it dressed up with these strappy, feminine heels. And then for fun I threw on a plain white tee to add a bit of boyish charm.

{I'm wearing a pleated skirt from here, an Old Navy tee, an Anthropologie belt, a Lulu Frost necklace, and Zara heels}

p.s. Alan noticed the sun in my eyes and lent me his sunglasses. What a sweetheart.

Weeklies: 4/29-5/5

noreply@blogger.com (Sobrina Tung) — Mon, 07 May 2012 09:30:00 +0000

{Mani/pedi in Essie Hot Spot—ready for sandal season!}

My mom always said that the older you get, the faster life seems to flash by. Do you find that to be true?(Or is it just that time flies when you're having fun?) ;) My weeks are starting to blend together into one Super Week, so these weekly snapshot posts serve as a nice reminder of all the highlights.

{sweets, candy, & goodies: the cutest candy jars spotted at Icing on the Cake}

{yellow stripes}

{Food Truck Day! Five different trucks came to work for lunch on Friday, including an ice cream truck. I had a triple scoop of young coconut, pralines and caramel, and mango ice cream on a waffle cone. Super good and super ridiculous.}

{Shrimp banh mi from the Big Shrimp'n truck}

{pretty butter dish for making weekend toast even more delightful}

Friday Flicks: Castaway on the Moon

noreply@blogger.com (Sobrina Tung) — Fri, 04 May 2012 09:30:00 +0000

This weekend, if you're in the mood to watch something quirky and sweet, I'd highly recommend Castaway on the Moon (an older movie from 2010 available on Netflix Watch Instantly). It's a Korean film about a heartbroken man whose failed suicide attempt lands him on a deserted island just outside of the city. He starts living there in the wilderness making friends with inanimate objects. Meanwhile, over in the city, a woman who locks herself in her room day and night and who sleeps in her closet starts watching him from afar via her telephoto lens. They're both so odd, you can't help but fall in love with them. This movie reminded me of a mix between Amelie and Cast Away (though I never saw Cast Away but I can imagine the similarities, ha ha). If you watch it or have seen it already, let me know if you enjoyed it!

(Images via crazyaboutfilm, if by japan, movie carpet, sound on sight)

Feeling ready

noreply@blogger.com (Sobrina Tung) — Thu, 03 May 2012 07:00:00 +0000

This might make me sound a little crazy, but last year when I was in Cambodia...

I had a wedding dress made! We were all visiting a tailor anyway to have a few things made (work pants, blouses, things like that) and so I brought in a picture of this one dress I had had my eye on for forever. We went to the market to buy fabric and in the end the whole dress (fabric + the seamstress' time) ended up costing a total of $75! It was a crazy deal for a wedding dress, and she did an amazing job.

I've talked about my feelings on getting married before—specifically that Alan and I'd eventually get married when the time feels right—but it was only really recently that something clicked inside of me and all of a sudden I found myself feeling completely ready! It's odd to feel this way after feeling like I could care less for so long, but exciting at the same time. We still have quite a ways to go before we actually get married, but I just thought I'd share how I've been feeling :).There's a glimpse of the dress below, and—because I just couldn't help it—here's our reserved wedding domain name.

Sea Captain Blazer

noreply@blogger.com (Sobrina Tung) — Wed, 02 May 2012 09:30:00 +0000

I have always wanted a navy blue blazer with gold buttons on it. They look so crisp and voyage-ready. This one fits really well and has a fun asymmetrical cut (rounded in the front and longer in the back, like a refined mullet, if you will). The striped lining is such a cute detail. Since I doubled up on the sea captain look up top, I decided to wear something super feminine on the bottom, like these bright pink pants. I wore this outfit last week when my company hosted Bring Your Kids To Work Day, below, which was a good excuse to wear party hats and play games all day.

Our new bed

noreply@blogger.com (Sobrina Tung) — Tue, 01 May 2012 17:30:00 +0000

Our new bed is amazing. It's the Nyvoll from Ikea in light gray. It was a battle putting it together, but not sleeping on the floor makes it so worth it! The first few nights we slept in it I'd wake up and forget where I was (and then be pleasantly surprised when I'd remember Oh, that's right—we have a bed now!), and in a fun way, it still kinda feels like we're crashing in a hotel. Our striped duvet cover is from West Elm and our sheets are from PB Teen. Just a note on the sheets, they are such a steal! At first I thought it was a mistake that the queen sheets were just $30 while the full sheets were $79, but they're still there on the website :)

My favorite abbreviations

noreply@blogger.com (Sobrina Tung) — Tue, 01 May 2012 09:30:00 +0000

A lot of the times when I'm reading email at work, I'll notice people abbreviating words that are already short to begin with. Thx—short for thanks—is a biggie, and once I saw a CIO dude sign off on an email with TTFN (which I later found out was short for ta ta for now, haha!). Just when I think we're getting a little too abbreviation/acronym-happy, my cousin Nathalie will slip one of the above abbreviations into a conversation. They always make me think of food and crack me up every time. Do you use any of these?

(jelly image via just food now; crayfish image via spoonful)