november in pictures (nevermind that it's december)
this marks the last year of my 20s
and this is me on instagram (@nicomakes)

let's be frank, i've spent a long time brewing up this quilt and it's been awhile since my last post. summer has come to a close and i'm embarrassed to see autumn arrive with such little progress to show. but, i assure you that my delinquent hiatus from quilt making is not without reason! as it turns out, it's awfully difficult if not painstakingly frustrating when you can't lay out your quilt in a shoebox-sized apartment. know what i mean? let me clarify - our bathroom is so small you could "stay seated" and wash your hands in the sink at the same time. true story, but it is what it is. in any case, i postponed working on the quilt until i paid a visit to my parents home in sonoma where, much to my mother's dismay, i overtook their dining room for an entire weekend. hello gorgeous wooden floors and expansive square footage! hello my pretend studio with vaulted ceilings! don't mind if i do occasionally look up from my work to take in the rolling hillside vistas! what's that dad? an affogato for a late afternoon pick-me-up? yes please, i'll take two scoops of homemade vanilla ice cream in my espresso!

a weekend with my parents is so good, but i digress. the point: i got a lot done. so now the hand quilting begins...

the drive back from ojai last weekend yielded many impromptu stops along the way...

hearst castle, san simeon, ca
(bling central 1930s style)

dinner at il vecchio 

(where you can devour a delicious italian meal while gawking at ariele's incredible woodwork)

beach at carmel, ca
(cold + windy, but that sand is so clean + soft)

more pics from this day... varied terrain, don't you think?

i did some damage at esqueleto. but thankfully, my middle finger is now properly stacked. from top to bottom:

+  silver razor ring w/ black diamonds by t.kahres
+  two braids by katrina lapenne
+  rosegold band w/ black diamonds by lauren wolf (owner of esqueleto)
+  textured band by satomi kawakita

mike and i at the de young

is it me or does the blog world seem quiet these days? wonder if it's due to summer shenanigans or if blogs are becoming a thing of the past...

it was/is a thursday...



and i wore clogs



and i ate a 'banh mi'



then savoured a thumbprint cookie
while reading this article on my lunchbreak (via bigbangstudio)

my uniform most days

the east bay's temperate weather is both a blessing and a curse. you could comfortably wear the same outfit for the entire year but also find yourself bored stiff since the only break you get from wearing the same shirt day in and day out is when it gets laundered. that said, i think bay area folks agree that when it's warm, you've got to seize the opportunity to wear all of your dresses, shorts, tanks, etc. for you may go another year in the same shirt.

some barefoot cooking in celebration of independence day

missing saturday's day at agate beach in bolinas. tide pools galore.
this is me on instagram (@nicomakes)

my parents came back from new york with all kinds of chinese goodies that i grew up eating. as a kid, these treats didn't seem like anything special, but absence always makes the heart grow fonder. as in, my inability to find anything remotely close to these yummy chinese snacks and dishes has caused me to long for them dearly. in my opinion, east bay's chinatown has nothing on new york. above, "deung" made by my mom's aunt. deung consists of lapcheong (chinese sausage) and peanuts in sticky rice wrapped in a banana leaf. comfort food heaven.

have no idea what i'm talking about? don't worry - i can go so far as to haphazardly order dim sum in barely intelligible cantonese. but with this, maybe there's hope.