elite straightener

i'd like to let you in on a secret about me. i grew up with my sister calling me crazy lady because i always had a frizzy fro. yes, all very stylish. but my hair could have been mistaken for horse hair.

over the years, i've learned to manage and embrace my unruly hair texture. the coolest thing about it though is that if i use products, i get a natural wave that is fun to wear during the summer. but i really don't like having alot of products in my hair. it feels too sticky.

a straightener is a must-have in my life - i use one everyday for my bangs, even if i end up curling my hair. having used my HAI straightener for the past 4 years with a lot of great hair days, i was a bit reluctant to switch when misikko.com sent me a new hana elite straightener. to my surprise, i ended up loving it. it took me a few times to get used to the new straightener. however, once i got the hang of it, it is now my go-to straightener.

so let's talk about the design:

it's sleek and fits great in my hands. i hate straighteners that have really bulky handles - i had a one in college that weighed like 10 pounds! the hana elite is pretty lightweight and glides easily through my hair.
i like the plates inside - it looks like there are micro glitters that remind me of essie's "over the top" nail polish. pretty!

now let's talk about functionality:

it took me awhile to figure out the right setting for my hair. unfortunately i had to bring it to the highest heat setting - 450 degrees to get the right results. i haven't used it long enough to see whether it will fry my hair, but i certainly hope not. i always make sure to spray heat protectant prior to using any hot tools, so hopefully i will be okay in that department. 

the straightener helped me achieve great results - i still had some bounce in my hair and best of all - no frizz! the straightness of my hair didn't give me that flat stick straight hair that past straighteners gave me. i'm not sure if that is due to the wrong setting in the past or not, but this was on the highest level, so this defeats that argument. 

i recommend this hair straightener to anyone who is in the market for one. while the price is a bit steep at $240, compared to other reliable brands on the market, i think it is still worth it. my beloved HAI straightener was about $120, but i don't think it worked quite as well. so i guess you get what you pay for. 

have you tried this straightener? let me know what your thoughts!

momofuku & the ginger scallion sauce

i recently discovered the momofuku cookbook by David Chang and am totally inspired to make every recipe from this culinary masterpiece. he combines elements of vietnamese and korean food, sometimes in the same dish. this book speaks to me.

one of my first and most favorite recipes thus far is the ginger scallion sauce/noodles, which is surprising since i grew up hating green onions. my parents garnished every single dish on the dinner table with them, which i thought was completely unnecessary. i was one of those kids that picked those "greens" off my plate. and to this day, i still do. however, it was a pleasant surprise to taste the variety of flavors come together in such an exquisite way, mainly due to the star of the dish, its namesake, the scallions.

*the sauce did require a bit of tweaking. (i found the original recipe here to be a bit bland, so i added more vinegar, soy sauce, and an extra pinch of salt).

have you ever tried the real momofuku sauce in the new york restaurant? tell me about your experience! i'm dying to try his food!! :)

a long weekend

i hope you all had a relaxing and enjoyable weekend. 

it's amazing how i've lived in the bay area my whole life, and yesterday was the first time that i had the chance to explore the charming little town of sausalito. it's located just north of san francisco, the first town after the golden gate bridge. there was so much to do there - we walked right along the ocean's edge, see sailboats go by, people watch by the window in this cute little cafe - with an amazing view of city across the bay, to boot! 

as much as i want to leave the bay area to live in and explore new places, it's nice to know that there are still pockets of towns i have yet to discover around me. 

photos courtesy of fotomokio

spam musubi

spam has this weird stigma around it where people are completely grossed out just by the slightest mention of it. the thought of eating meat out of a can be gross, but when you have a spam musubi, that stigma will disappear. at least for me it does. spam musubi is a staple in hawaii and i can understand why. it is delicious and completely addicting. i wonder if it is the saltiness of the spam mixed with the hint of sweetness from the rice and seaweed that keeps me coming back for more?

have you ever tried a spam musubi? what did you think of them? if you haven't ever had them, give them a try and let me know your thoughts!  enjoy. :)

cantaloupe and proscuitto skewer

on a hot day, all i can think to eat (or drink) is something cool and refreshing. cantaloupe and proscuitto is a must on those days. the best thing about treat is that it also gives me the perfect combination of salty and sweet.

i'm starting to learn the new skill of food photography. i've always been the point and shoot with my pocket camera kind of gal, so learning all the doo-dads of the dslr is a bit overwhelming for me. hopefully i will figure out what i need to adjust and the technicalities of it all soon so i can enjoy the act of taking a beautiful photograph a little more! 

many of you have amazing photos, how did you learn how to take the pictures?