Tip of the Week - smelly stuff

Have shoes that stink? A bag? Garbage that just follows you around your house?

Do you drink tea or coffee? If yes, then save those teabags and coffee grounds! The caffeine in both of these substances absorbs odors (just don't smell the teabags after you've put them in your shoes--gross!).

All you have to do is save up a few teabags, keep them on a plate or in a cup to dry, and then place them in your shoes overnight or even up to a week. Here's the thing, though. Tea doesn't have as much caffeine as coffee and also--usually--doesn't have as strong a smell. If using teabags, they soak up their capacity for smelly odors quickly which means you have to replace them often and use more of them. 

So, obviously, the opposite of that is that coffee absorbs more and leaves a fragrant coffee smell in your shoes. For the garbage, all you have to do is save up your coffee grounds in a separate container and occasionally sprinkle your garbage bin with it. For your shoes, bags, or other "use-ables", place two or three heaping spoonfuls of coffee grounds into a small coffee filter (the filters that are usually used for single servings or for two cups). Pour it into the flat middle, and then fold the frilly edge to meet the base of the filter. Fold the other edge to the end so that you now have a rectangle. Take the open ends (your filter should now be long with the coffee in the middle, and two sides will be open) and fold the filter in half so that the ends meet. Fold the tip of the ends about a centimeter, and then fold again. Staple. It should kind of look like a teabag. Stuff into your shoes or anything smelly! 

Trending Thursdays - what IS up?

The sky is up and the sky is beautiful today.

Here's the thing. I've been looking at "what's trending" and "what's popular" but all I get are (a) videos or (b) celebrities. Or BuzzFeed lists. So I'm just going to look up things that I find cool that I don't know enough about.

Today's topic, thrift stores.

I was out with a friend today. We had lunch and just chatted for about two hours. When things get long like that I tend to get a bit awkward or antsy... So I usually look around and such, but he didn't seem to mind at all! I actually think we're both like that.

We caught up, but he did tell me he had an appointment around three. This is another friend who didn't know I had an instant camera so I took a picture of him in front of a mural that's by the building he needed to go to. It turned out really well (in total I have only two polaroid pictures that came out well, not including that one) and then we went our separate ways.

Well, right beside this mural was a local thrift store. I hadn't been in there in ages, so I dropped in really quick to check out the books. This was my find.

I found a violin jar and a book about conspiracies! The thing about thrift stores is that they are so hit-and-miss. It is a real life example, like garage sales, that one man's junk is another man's treasure. To you, these things may not be interesting or may not have a use, but to me, they're perfect.

You see, I've been looking for a cool, cheap glass jar for a while. I fold little paper stars and straw stars and put them into all sorts of glass containers. Some of them are little jars with corks, some are star-shaped, another shaped like a bear. I have some that are actually uniquely shape wine bottles that I washed out and removed the stickers from. But I've filled them all up. I've been folding stars since I was eight, maybe younger, and over the years I've probably made over five thousand stars. I love string instruments, especially violins, so this violin-shaped glass jar that cost one dollar just made my day.

(The next is the book about conspiracies. I can't explain that. I just have an interest.)

I got to thinking how a few years back, thrift stores became this big thing. Like, with the arrival of "hipsters" came the demand for used books and thrift stores. Old fashioned, vintage items came back in to style (were they really out?) and all of a sudden, young people were going to libraries and thrift stores more than before. Has that stopped? Or did it even really begin? Was it maybe that teenagers were always going to libraries and thrift stores, but now they had a name and a presence?

I don't know. What I do know, though, is thrift stores weren't created the day hipsters demanded them. They've been here a long time, and I don't know much about them.

Thrift stores are also known as charity shops, and generally what happens--and what people know about--is that used items are donated to the store manned by volunteers, and then sold at very low prices. The profit these stores receives goes to their stated charity, like the Red Cross, Salvation Army, or funding for patients of a local hospital.

(info via Wikipedia) The first few thrift stores began during World War I. It started as more of a bazaar or fundraiser of sorts as one of the earliest thrift stores, Wolverhampton Society for the Blind, began selling items made by blind people to raise money for the society. It wasn't until World War II that thrift stores really became popular as Red Cross opened over 350 of these such stores.

Now, especially with this kind of economy and with the pop culture trend of "being hipster", thrift stores are popular in entirely different sense. So popular, in fact, that there are even tutorials teaching you how to shop when you're there! Here are some tips I found:

-look for something specific. Think about online shopping and how sometimes that can be difficult because you can't "see" everything. In stores, there are a limited amount of items in a enclosed space. Online, there could be an endless amount of things--if you just follow a subject, you could be searching for hours! When you have something in mind, even roughly, online shopping becomes incredibly convenient. The same applies to thrift store shopping. Sometimes, because it's a second hand store, you may have a negative impression of a certain colour or style of clothing before really looking at it--or maybe a too positive one. Sammy Davis suggests taking pictures of certain items of clothing you already own so that you can find something to match it.

-Get Rich Slowly suggests to ignore your prejudices. Don't assume that second hand items are dirty or only there because they are "garbage". Also don't assume, though, that all things at thrift stores are vintage and hipster

-They also suggest using thrift stores as a way to diversify your wardrobe or to decorate your living area in ways you never thought of before. You can buy colours, designs, or just things you wouldn't normally pay for to experiment for cheap.

-and a lot of different sites suggested looking for familiar brands. Don't be afraid to try out new brands, but it's always a steal when you see cardigans--if you're a cardigan lover--of your favourite brands.

DIY Tuesdays - of panda macarons and 3 ingredient chocolate banana cake

Last Thursday, I attempted to make lemon macarons with Erika. Sunday, I successfully made panda macarons--can I get a hollaaaaaa?

The recipe is from Ochikeron on YouTube--it did help a little that I could see each step before acting them out myself. Plus, I legitimately think that this recipe is ten times simpler, partly because there are less ingredients and partly because I managed to make them by myself. Since this recipe comes with step by step instructions, I'm just going to post little tid-bits on the side... 'Cause I made a lot of mistakes along the way.

Panda Macarons:

Necessary Equipment:
electric mixer
pastry bag with a 3/8-inch round tip

Ingredients:
((Macaron Shells))
55g (2oz.) egg whites
50g (1.8oz.) granulated sugar
60g (2.1oz.) ground almonds (without skin)
80g (2.8oz.) powdered sugar (confectioner's sugar)
((Buttercream Filling))
2 egg yolks
40g (1.4oz.) granulated sugar
100g (3.5oz.) unsalted butter *room temperature
vanilla extract
((Decoration))
brown and pink chocolate pens

Directions:
((Macaron Shells))
1. To draw panda face, you want to make large macarons. So, draw about an inch and a half wide circles (leaving about 2 inches between) on a piece of paper. To make perfect uniform circles, you wanted to place it under the parchment paper to trace. You can search for the template online.
2. Measure the egg whites in a large bowl, and keep in the fridge (to make them easier to whip). Sift in ground almonds and powdered sugar in a large bowl, then keep in the fridge (to let them stay dry).
3. Meringue: Whip egg whites with an electric mixer until foamy. Gradually add granulated sugar 1/3 at a time, then continue to whip until stiff glossy peaks form when you lift the beaters. 
4. Add the meringue into the dry ingredients, and mix with a silicone spatula until just incorporated.
5. Macaronnage: Punch down the spatula into the batter, then scrape batter from the sides to the center, and punch again. Repeat this for 10 or more times (depending on your arm strength) until the batter slowly and continuously drips back into the bowl like a ribbon when you scoop it up with the spatula.
6. Line baking sheets with parchment paper, place the template under the parchment paper. Fit a pastry bag with a 3/8-inch round tip, and fill with batter. Pipe out the batter in the circles (the batter will spread a little, so keep it smaller). Tap bottom of each baking sheet (or slam on the counter) to release any air bubbles in macarons.
7. Let stand at room temperature until dry, and a skin forms on the tops,　for about 30 minutes or more. Make sure the batter will not stick to your finger.
8. Preheat the oven to 150C (302F). Bake for 14-15 minutes. Let the macarons cool completely on the baking sheet.
((Buttercream Filling))
1. Beat the egg yolks and sugar until they turn a lemon-yellow color and thick.
2. Add the butter and mix well. Then add vanilla extract to taste.
3. Pour the buttercream into a pastry bag.
((Decoration))
1. Pipe about 1 teaspoon buttercream on to the middle of one shell, then gently place another shell on top.
2. Set the chocolate pens in a cup of hot water for a few minutes. Cut the tip of the chocolate pens and draw panda faces on the macarons.

Rest the filled macarons for a day before eating them. You can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Firstly, when she talks about a template, take her seriously! My macarons were all weirdly shaped and oval at best, so it really does help to have a template! Then, because I think Japan is more humid than western Canada, I also didn't re-refrigerate the egg whites nor the almond-icing sugar mix. With the almond flour, dispose of anything that doesn't sift through! You don't want chunks of almond in your macarons, after all. 

Then, unless you are experienced with making macarons (in which case you are probably just laughing at this post), take her seriously when she describes the macaronnage. Actually count out how many times you've done it. I didn't and was trying to gauge by comparing it to cake batter; the macarons did not crack and actually came out pretty well, but they fluffed up a lot because I over-thinned it. What happened was I had a very thin, crunchy layer of macaron, and then a lot of air before a chewy and dense bottom. At least the "feet" did actually come out!

Definitely use parchment paper as it helps a lot when you are trying to get the macarons off of the baking sheet. They should stick a bit to the paper--macarons are chewy inside!--and it's just much easier to be able to hold the sheet up and peel the macaron off. Don't forget to tap it on the table because if any air bubble remain in the macaron, it will crack! 

My macarons only had to sit for about 15 minutes, but remember I also thinned it way too much. When I piped my mixture on the baking sheet, it spread like crazy (importance of counting!), and became very thin so it may have dried faster. I'm not too sure. What I do know is you can actually see a skin forming on top! It goes from being shiny--when you first pipe--to glossy.

 

BE CAREFUL WHEN YOU TAKE YOUR MACARONS OUT OF THE OVEN. I squished a perfect macaron shell with my thumb because I wasn't paying attention. 

Next, the buttercream icing is pretty straightforward. The only issue I had here was that my butter wasn't soft enough. I was able to cut through the butter easily, so I assumed it to be soft enough. What I ended up having was a lot of butter chunks and I wasn't able to mix it with a spatula. I beat it on medium with my mixer instead, but that just made little butter chunks. I ended up putting the mix in a small bowl and putting that into the microwave for ten seconds. After that, I used a spatula to flatten the bigger butter chunks, and then used one of the beaters from my electric mixer and just whisked quickly until the right consistency. It turned out really well! I then put it in a bag and refrigerated it (mostly because I had microwaved it I was scared of it being too runny). It was super easy to pipe and melted in your mouth.

Lastly, the chocolate pens. I can't buy chocolate pens where I live, so I dropped some dark chocolate chips into a Ziploc bag, tied off the end (like you would a piping bag), and placed it into a cup half full of hot water. every few minutes I took the bag out and "kneaded" it just to help it melt and see how far it's already melted. I repeated this until it was completely melted, and then cut a very small hole for piping.

old friends and organization

Every now and then I get these really vivid dreams which are kind of like a movie. Actually, a lot like a movie. I am seriously flying in the sky or inches away from an actor's face. Not in the romantic, I'm-about-to-kiss-them way, though. More like, once again, in a movie, where you are observing how they react, I suppose. Usually these dreams consist of warped past events and twisted versions of people I already know personally. Usually, they're not very nice. More often, I don't even remember any of it, I just get an overall feeling of the dream. That feeling, whatever it is, is usually uncomfortable and leaves a sour taste in my mouth.

So imagine my surprise, when last night, I have one of these vivid, movie dreams in which i actually remember bits and pieces, didn't know the people in it personally, and it didn't make me feel like punching someone in the face (preferably someone who was in the dream). This time, my dream had Ryan Reynolds, Emma Watson, and a collection of what I think must have been comic book background characters brought to life. I don't know why Ryan Reynolds, since I've never obsessed over him or anything (read that with absolutely NO sarcasm. I'm being serious), nor why Emma Watson since I haven't watched Harry Potter or anything with Emma in it in ages. 

Back to business, the content of my dream was basically X-men. Really. It was, like, mutants vs. humans, and Emma Watson was a mutant, but Ryan Reynolds wasn't--but for whatever reason he was trying to protect the mutants. I just re-watched X-men Origins: Wolverine last week, so I'm guessing that that's why Ryan Reynolds was calling himself Deadpool... Anyway, it was bizarre and involved some sort of plane in heavy turbulence nearly crashing, but Emma was trying to prevent it from crashing, but all these humans were blaming her for the turbulence, thus preventing her from concentrating, but Ryan was there to kick ass and calm things down so Emma could concentrate and--I don't know, man. Maybe I should become a filmmaker.

And then, as I contemplated life and dreams and just now, it occurred to me that I am living the moment of "when I grow up". I don't know if this scares anyone else, but, like, what do I do? I thought I knew my exact path, I thought I was mature, I feel like I'm doing what I'm supposed to--but this is the time where I get to choose who or what I want to be. I get to choose my life now; do whatever I want. It's terrifying. 

I could change my entire future with a small change in decision. Maybe I take a different course than planned, maybe I switch schools, maybe I move out. Either one of these decisions will not only shape my opinions for the future, but how I live and perceive life. One small change in my life now could change everything in the future. This blog could change everything, too. Who knows? I don't, and the unknown is pretty scary. 

So I feel like I should grasp everyday, you know? Do things and try new things. Finish all those projects I've got on Pinterest. One such project--not on Pinterest--is macarons. I believe I talked about this before. I was making them with my good friend Erika (her blog here), who is a better writer and iPhone photographer than myself (I've never actually compared photos from a digital camera with her, so hold judgement!). Therefore, you can blame her for my poor quality photos of our "macarons" (really just cookies) as she has not sent me the photos she took.

We decided last night to make lemon macarons (original recipe). Let's just say it did not go as planned. I'm going to blog about that particular experience in another post, just because (a) it deserves one, (b) it's going to be long, and (c) this one's pretty long itself!

Before I leave, however, I am contemplating doing one of those schedule things. Like a DIY Tuesday or like a trending Thursday or Food Friday or Mismatched monday or, you know. I don't know. Can I commit to this?

Macarons (sort of) and hilarity to come!

beauty pageant

So I've always been interested in weird. Not quite paranormal as depicted in movies--with human slaying ghosts and demons of blood--but unexplained mysteries type of weird. The pyramids. Friendly ghosts. X-men. Et cetera.

And, to be honest, sometimes you just need a pick me up. Something to make you confused, thoughtful, or happy; just to make you feel something that you're not currently feeling.

So, here are some...weird things!

Animals!

So, here are a bunch of super cute animals. But, while I was looking them up ("strange animals", "weird animals", "cutest animals") I also found this dog-, kangaroo-, tiger-like creature known as the Tasmanian Tiger. The size of it's mouth may be terrifyingly large, but other than that it looks to be such a cute creature! Unfortunately, it has been extinct for quite some time now! And, that's how I happened to come across this documentary of sorts in which a scientist tries to clone a Tasmanian Tiger. 

This is crazy stuff!

Baby Alpaca

Baby Dik Dik

Baby Tasmanian Devil

Bush Viper

Eastern Bongo

Fennec Fox

Gobi Jerboa

Jacobin Pigeons

Maned Wolf

Okapi

Piglet Squid

Pygmy Owl

Quokka

Silkie Chickens

Zebra Duiker

YouTube - Ochikeron

Do you ever, like, just have too many bananas?

Okay, so the story here is that my dad woke up before my mom and I to go buy groceries. Then, my mom and I went to the local Farmers' Market--but there were no veggies. So we went to the closest grocery store, saw that bananas were on sale for $2.99 for a bag (our's had 13), and thought 'score, fresh bananas at such a cheap price!'. Then the mayhem started, because apparently bananas were also on sale at the grocery store that my dad went to and now we have like thirty bananas basically ripe and about to rot.

But, we also have people coming over for dinner on Thursday and they happen to love dessert of any kind so...

WHY NOT MAKE BANANA DESSERT AND LET THEM TAKE IT HOME.

...was my initial idea. Here's the thing, though: I am Asian. I mean, that's not really important, it just means that most of the "western" cakes of my childhood were chiffon cakes or other cakes equally as light and fluffy. "Non-Asian" western cakes (hahaha, wut.) just seem really dense and dry too quickly for my liking. So I thought, we live in an age of convenient information. Let me exploit this... And I googled: "Asian banana cake".

The first thing that came up was this dessert called Tokyo Banana. And this Tokyo Banana recipe came in the form of a YouTube video by Ochikeron (specific video here). I watched the video out of curiosity--what the heck is a "Tokyo Banana"?--but her videos are so clean, cute, professional, and easy, that I couldn't help but look at, like...all of the rest shhhhh.

Seriously, though, her videos are really amazing--the food looks so delicious and cute, the recipes are so easy, and her utensils are amazing, I'm not gonna lie.

So, I didn't get many banana dessert recipes; but, I did learn a lot of cool dessert recipes and baking tips! I'm gonna count my wins, not my losses.