Allergies

Home, Queens, NYC.

Today's post is going to be a bit rampant, because I've been so frustrated and annoyed with my body, and the way Spring has been affecting it.

Although I'm glad it's finally gotten warmer, what I'm not okay with are these allergies. It's inevitable, and it comes every year, but they seriously need to stop. The sunlight feels great sometimes, and I love all of these flowers that are blooming, but I can't enjoy them because I'm too busy trying to breathe while both nostrils are not cooperating with me.

If you saw my video in my last post, you heard how terrible my sniffling has become. Sometimes, I wake up with slightly red eyes, because I end up rubbing them as soon as I wake up. Springtime and its impending allergies, are like your relationship with your family. Majority of the time it's a love-hate one, and you have your good days, and your terrible days when you just hate everybody on this planet. But at the end of the season, you still get your beautiful springtime flowers.

These past few days, I've had to battle headaches and migraines, while already trying to cope with my stupid allergies. But, I still had important things I needed to do, so I had to rough it out and get all my errands done. In the last 30 hours, I've taken many a Tylenol (it says to take two every 6 hours while symptoms are still there), and a 24-hour allergy pill. I need to get it together, and Spring needs to leave and take all of its allergies along with it.

Bye, Felicia.

Photo by Kyle.

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Spring Cleaning - Part II

Home, Queens, NYC.

I've finally moved all of my things into the living room, and opened the blinds to let all of the natural light come through. It was a lot of work moving furniture around, and getting it to where it is right now, but it's coming together. Currently, I'm in the process of sorting through my things, cleaning up, and deciding what to keep, what to throw, and what to give away. It was kind of a reminder of how my style has progressed throughout the years, and remembering why I bought all of the things I did at the time.

It's a challenge, trying to clear up as much as possible up to the bare minimum. I'm trying to ease into minimalism, and realize that we actually don't need an over-abundance of things to live. We gradually accumulate all of these things because we feel like we have to have them, or that we need them, and finally, we're left with this weird build-up of stuff that we now have to sort through. Every time I look at what I have now, it's another opportunity to break it down even more.

Sometimes we need to be satisfied with having less, because then we can appreciate whenever we're blessed with more. It actually feels nice, and oddly peaceful being in this state. Working hard for something is great, but don't do it for a petty reason.

Photo by Kyle.
Product details on Instagram (@cafechild).

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Riding the Wave

Sanctuary T, Lower Manhattan, NYC.

My goodness, what a past few days it has been, and I really have no idea where to start. For those of you who follow me on Instagram (@cafechild), I posted a very "feels" type caption under this exact same photo talking about how I was "crying so much, but out of joy."

So, this past weekend, I got a chance to have brunch with some amazing people, and have a casual hangout to just talk and get to know eachother, for those of us who were meeting for the first time. Later on, we all parted different ways, and I was able to have a more intimate time with one or two of them. From there my emotions started to get the best of me, because in that intimate time, it felt like I was spending time with family, being fully transparent, and not being judged for the person that I am, in all my brokenness and my quirks.

Recently, I've been coming to terms with this new season of life that I'm entering into, and I'm no longer in that cocoon anymore. It may be uncomfortable, but it's been time to get out of the comfort of that shell. It all sounds a bit vague right now, but it'll be clearer later on when things are more fleshed out. And until then, I hope you all can continue to support me, and keep me in your prayers. Riding the wave of life, and trying to figure things out at the same time, is not always so easy. But here's to an interesting ride ahead.

Photo by Kyle.

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Spring Cleaning - Part I

Home, Queens, NYC.

The weather has been fluctuating a lot lately, and my goodness, I'm sure we're all really tired of it. Mother nature needs to stop being so indecisive. But, in lieu of this changing season, and in hopes of it getting warmer, I've started doing some ritual spring cleaning.

I normally am a pretty organized person, so I don't find that I actually need to clean any of my things that much, but I've decided that it's time for me to create my own space and let my younger sister have her own room. That means, moving out of our shared bedroom, and taking up majority of the living room area. We don't have a working television, so if anyone is ever in the living room, it's just to use a computer.

It's an exciting change that I'm looking forward to, because I really want to be able to invite more people over, and have conversations over coffee or tea, in my own space. I usually never invite people over, because I didn't ever have my own personal space to let people be at here. So, being able to move things around and create my own area will really make a difference for me.

Soon, I'll be able to invite some of you over for brunch, or just to talk over drinks, and it'll be great. I'll keep you guys updated during this process!

Photo by Kyle.

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Vulnerable

Greecologies, Little Italy, NYC.

I've been home for the past few days, left to my own devices and thoughts, and I thought that I'd try to be a little vulnerable with you all. It's nice having time away from people, but sometimes it's hard to shake this small sense of loneliness. There's this love-hate relationship with social media, especially when modern society loves being constantly connected and "plugged-in," but at the same time, you can't help but feel like you're missing out on so many things.

A lot of my close friends know that I really like being alone, but it doesn't mean that I want to be alone all of the time. The reality is that everyone has their own schedules and responsibilities they need to tend to, and it's difficult sometimes when you try your hardest to make time for others, when it doesn't seem like they do the same. But, I have to remind myself that it's alright. Life is a thing, and it happens, to all of us. As painful as it is sometimes, to just sit at home while you watch your friends have fun together, moments spent by yourself should be cherished.

On a day like this, the rain and the clouds will be with me, conversing with me through every droplet. The birds will sing songs that cut through the silence. And the natural light will let me know that springtime always comes in the end.

Photo by Vincent Crabeo (@alohacrabs).

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Cafes | Greecologies

Greecologies, Little Italy, NYC.

In my last post, I mentioned how I love when a cafe has nice open windows to let in the natural light, and this place has that, amongst other things.This cafe is in an area that houses a whole bunch of nice places, and although they don't have a huge, colourful sign that tells you where it is, it does not disappoint once you walk inside.

I think it's a place worth looking for.

See more photos and read more about my experience, after the jump!

Afternoons

Cafe la Cerra, Murray Hill, NYC.

It's finally starting to get warmer, which means a lot more afternoon light, iced drinks, and outdoor seating areas. Also, those are not my sunglasses, but I should get a pair real soon.

I absolutely love when a cafe has really open spaced windows, like this place, to let all the natural light in. It's not only great for photos, but also to just naturally take in the warmth of life that the sun gives off. As someone who prefers being indoors, these open spaced windows are great because the sunlight is not as intense as it would be if I were to stand outside. It's already mid-April, and summer is just around the corner, so I'm going to treasure this nice breezy weather while I can, and pray for cool summer nights.

I've been seeing flowers budding and blooming all over the place as I casually walk around the city, and I love it so much. Even the trees near my house are producing colour.

If you ever feel the weight of life coming back down again, step outside and get some fresh air. There's a lot out there, and new experiences to be had.

Photo by Kyle.

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Explore | The MET

The Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET), New York, NYC.

Recently I got a chance to revisit the MET, and I'm really glad I did. Although, the walk there was terrible (walking half of Central Park in heels is not so fun), the exhibits made up for it. The area where this photo was taken was really open and had nice spots to sit and recuperate, which is what my feet definitely needed.

Sometimes we're so focused on doing so many things, we don't get the chance to appreciate everything that's around us, and everything we have access to. Walking around an art museum not only helps me unwind, but it also reminds me that so many things have already happened on this earth, and so many things are going to happen in the future. It's kind of like we're all waiting in anticipation for what's to come; it's exciting, and frightening all at the same time.

Don't lose yourself in the process, lose yourself in the creative journey of finding yourself.

See more photos that I took while I was there, after the jump!

Insecurity

Brooklyn Waterfront, Williamsburg, NYC.

Hey everyone, it's been such a while, and I'm so sorry for that. But I've gotten a chance to settle myself, sit down, and write a new post.

Today I just want to put some of my current thoughts out there. I've gotten a chance to meet even more people this passed week, and I'm so grateful for them. These people are teaching me what it means to venture out, even if it's just simple conversations over coffee. There's life outside the walls of my own insecurity, and I feel myself climbing over that wall more and more as I put myself out there and simply talk to people.

This journey is always about the never-ending process of learning more about yourself, and about the people who are with you, and I'm definitely feeling that in this season.

I love you all so much, and appreciate you. Don't let anything bring you down, because it's all just a part of the process.

Photo by Kyle.
Model - @yngdew.

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#TheMeetupSpot

Spot Dessert Bar, St. Marks / East Village, NYC.

This past Sunday, there was another Instameet happening, and as much as I wanted to sit this one out, I couldn't pass up another chance to connect and network with other creatives. I was a tad late, but that didn't stop me.

We started our meetup at Spot Dessert Bar in St. Marks and spent around 2-3 hours there, just hanging out, taking photos, and talking. I knew just several people there from the previous meetups, so I didn't feel as on edge this time around, thank goodness.

When it came time for us to leave, we were on our way to walk towards the Williamsburg Bridge, and my goodness. From there, I did not prepare myself for what was to come.

See more photos and read more about my experience, after the jump!

Connecting

Third Rail Coffee, East Village, NYC.

Sometimes you need to sit down and just collect yourself.

It's been awhile, and I've missed posting my "photo diary" entries. The passed few days after the Instameets, I've been meeting other Instagrammers and have been continuing the networking and such. People are so interesting and intriguing, how they all have their own stories, own habits, and even their own styles of taking photos. Socializing, and actively trying to meet with people, is not usually what I do, but I've been trying to do it more often, while balancing having my alone time at home.

Connecting with individuals, as an introvert, is such an important thing that a lot of people usually look passed. But we know when there's something there, and for myself, the desire to go deeper into that, rises.

As much as I am tired, I'm excited to meet other people and creatives who resonate with me. There's this mild adrenaline rush when things click between people, and that's what keeps me going and helps motivate me. Don't settle for people who just bring you and your creativity down.

Photo by Kyle.

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#WWIM11 - #BushwickMeet

Bushwick, Brooklyn, NYC.

Words cannot describe yesterday's emotional rollercoaster of a day. If you follow me on Instagram (@cafechild), you'll know what I'm talking about. I got to experience things I never thought I'd experience, and was thrust into situations where I had to get out of my comfort zone in order to grow as a person. Unlike the meetup on Saturday, I came to this one alone, and it was seriously so terrifying. But as the day progressed, it got immensely better and getting to Bushwick was worth all of the anxiety and fear from earlier on in the day.

Thank you so so much to @acupofkeen, @emptyreyes, and @canahtam for hosting such a wonderful meet with this community of creatives! If you're not already, follow them on Instagram because they're all wonderful people.

Hear more about my experience, and see more photos after the jump!

#WWIM11 - West Village

Chalait, West Village, NYC.

Today I woke up at an absurd time, for an app. But not just any app, the app that's been a major influence in social media, and the app that we're always on, majority of the day. And I woke up to meet and hang out with some people that are a part of this app's community.

Overtime, Instagram has become more than just a social media app to me. It's become this beautiful place where you get to grow as a person, not just by yourself, but with other people as well, as a community. It's become this personal space for me to go back to, to relive the great moments I've had whenever I'm feeling down, or to relearn things I've forgotten about within my captions. I've been meeting more people, and making valuable friendships I never thought I'd make, all because of this wonderful app.

The majority of this meetup consisted of walking around a bit of the West Village, exploring, taking photos, and sometimes pretending to be tourists, all while networking and just talking casually with eachother. It was almost as if distant relatives all gathered together, and got the opportunity to spend time together and reconnect. I also realized that this type of setting was a lot more intimate than usual InstaMeets. But it was a great preparation, especially since I'm going to another InstaMeet tomorrow as well, where I'm anticipating it to be full of people. Everywhere. As someone who has serious social anxiety, just the idea of it is scaring the living hell out of me. But at the end of the day, I have to remind myself that everyone has gathered for one sole reason: to connect, and to experience what this community is like.

If you aren't following me already, you can head over to @cafechild on Instagram and do so! And to see some more photos of the meetup, search the hashtag #WWIM11WestVillage! I hope to see some of you guys at tomorrow's meetup in Bushwick; come along if you can!

(WWIM11 - World Wide InstaMeet 11).

Photo by Kyle.

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Tired

Home, NYC.

It's been several days, but I'm still here. Just a bit tired is all.

I've started to realize more and more now, how easily fatigued I get. I'm so unfit, I can't even run one block without having to catch my breath. I always try to tell people to take care of themselves, but I think it's time that I start trying to take care of myself too.

Because I live in a city where you need to hustle all the time in order to survive, it gets overwhelming really easily. Sometimes I feel this heaviness of the pressure of wanting to make it, and wanting to get through and not be left behind. But in the end, you need to remember that life's not all about that. If you can't take care of yourself, how are you going to go out there and try to take on life, let alone trying to care for other people. It all starts with these realizations that you can't do it alone, and as much as you can try to take care of yourself, you need that community, whether it be small or big, to be there with you, taking on life together.

With that said, I'm going to have to re-hydrate, relax, and re-evaluate some things. If you're in this same season as me, join me and breathe in, and out. Everything's going to be fine.

Photo by Kyle.

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Anxiety

Cafe de Cupping, Flushing, NYC.

Thinking about your life and your future puts you in a really vulnerable place. But it's a place we have to go to sooner or later. Often when I'm just at home with nothing to do for the day, I end up thinking a lot, sometimes too much. I get anxious about my life decisions, or what I'm going to be doing later on. It makes me unnecessarily nervous, and frankly just freaks me out. Because at the end of the day, I don't really worry too much about things, but in the moment I start having an existential crisis.

Many people don't know, but I struggle with social and general anxiety, quite a lot. In this particular situation, I've been comparing how my life is going to that of others who are fairly successful, or look like they "have it all together." I know as well as anyone that everybody has their own struggles, and not everyone's life is going to look or go the same. But, it's a human, natural response to look at your own life and wonder what you're doing.

I've been coming to the realization that this life I'm trying to pursue is really unconventional for someone my age, and this is just the beginning of the struggle. But it'll all be worth it in the end, because it gets better. Remember guys, don't let the pressure of life and society bring you down. If you don't love what you're doing, stop digging your own grave and start living.

Photo by Kyle.

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Siblings

Home, NYC.

Siblings are often a reflection of some part of you.

Being home often allows me to spend a lot more time with my younger sister, and although I don't show it too much, I really love that. When it comes to siblings, there are tons of pros and cons, and some outweigh the other. But no matter what, you both are somewhat a reflection of each other. There's some part of you that's in the other, and some part of the other that's in you. As much as I fight with her, I'll always unconditionally love her, and I'm learning to get to know the things that make up who she is, apart from being my sibling.

If you follow me on Instagram (@cafechild), you'll know that my sister made these oatmeal raisin cookies because we had the ingredients lying around. Little things like this, I've learned to appreciate and be proud of.

Never downplay what your relationship could be like with your siblings. If you see an opportunity to really get closer, or to start a nice conversation, go for it, because our siblings are often the ones that we spend most of our time around. Don't neglect your step/half-siblings either. You may have a lot more in common than you think. If you're related to me and you're reading this, I love you, and never forget that.

Photo by Kyle.

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Stay Hydrated

Home, NYC.

I've been going out consistently for a good amount of days, and today I finally got my time of rest. I love getting to stay home and be in my comfy, cozy space. I ordered some clothes online, and a few of them came in, which I was really excited about. For those of you who don't read Japanese, the shirt says "Stay Hydrated," with a water bottle next to it. It's very fitting for the warmer days, hopefully, to come. It's a simple reminder to be healthy and drink a lot of water everyday, because, as my mother always says, beauty is skin deep.

I hope you guys don't mind this really short post, because I'm going to use the rest of this day to relax and be my typical cat self. Have a great rest of the day, wherever you are right now, reader.

For more information about my outfit, check my Instagram @cafechild.

Photo by My Sister.

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Warmth

Iconic Cafe, Nolita, NYC

The warmth of the sun brings comfort that there's life.

I caught up with an old coworker and we discussed our dreams, future life goals, and such. Catch-ups like that remind me that everyone is in their own season, and in their own stage in life. Whatever any of us are going through, we can always remember that we're not alone, and that, just as the night comes, so will a new day.

The sun came out today, and it actually felt really nice to step out of my always dim house (I don't like really bright lights) and take in the vitamin d. Although it's sometimes too bright for me, sunlight re-instills in me that everyday is a new day, and it can either be full of life, or full of dullness; it's for us to decide.

At the same time, living in a culture where we hope that the next day is exciting, we also need our times of rest. Admittedly, I always catch myself having too long of a rest, but it makes it just that much more revitalizing when I actually do go out and have some quality time, whether by myself, or with one or two people.

Photo by Kyle. Poured by Keen Malasarte (@acupofkeen).

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Tedious

Home, NYC.

Sometimes, it's a tedious thing, but still very much therapeutic.

It's been awhile, but I've started to regularly clean my brushes again. I know that it's really disgusting, but I used to not clean them for months at at time. Evidently, a whole lot of bacteria build-up happens, so I'm trying to pull it together now.

The way that I think about cleaning my brushes is the same way I think about a lot of different things in life. Sometimes there are things that I just don't want to do, but when I actually go about it, I end up enjoying myself. It challenges us to take on the little things in life that we think won't really make a difference, but actually will in the long run.

Such is life and beauty, they go hand-in-hand.

Photo by Kyle.

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Venture

NYPPC, Port Washington, NYC.

It was an eventful, and also very tiring, day, seeing as how I came home around midnight.

Today's adventure kept me thinking about how much I'm starting to venture out of my comfortable zone, physically. The me a few years ago would think that leaving my borough so often is just crazy, but look at what's happened now. I've become more accustomed to having this desire of wanting to step out of my home and into places where the afternoon light hits like a halo. As much as I love sleep, there are some days when I want to actually leave my house, although not many.

It's a funny thing when I think about my wanderlust, and my love of beds and sleeping. Two polar opposites, yet still both are parts of me that I can't deny. Balance is always key.

On another note, Daylight Savings is today, and I'm not excited in the slightest. I don't even know why it's still a thing anymore, ugh.

(12:40 AM)

Photo by Kyle.

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