2017 IN REVIEW

Been sitting in my childhood bedroom reflecting on the year and I decided to pull together a little highlights reel of moments to remember. This post got really long…apologies in advance. All the posts in the last year are linked here as well, if you are bored or are curious to see more!

Happy New Year!

JANUARY

January is the month I was introduced to hot cheeto french fries at a Korean bar, was addicted to “sandisfying” kinetic sand, got Wag certified (yet, a year later I have not walked one dog), Zach ran his first Disney half marathon, getting addicted to Gillian Anderson in The Fall, hosting Zach’s cousins from Utah, ostrich farm love, and a trip to Utah for the Sundance Film Festival.

My mom knit me this mustard beanie for Christmas 2016 further fueling my love for mustard.

Kinetic sand

Atmospheric rainy Getty time of year

I was really into the Wag hustle for the New Year. Wag is a dog walking app, like uber for dog walkers. So I became certified, this pic was when I took my dogs to test different harnesses on them because that’s one of the elements of the test. I still have not walked a dog, because…surprise. Turns out when I work is when most people want a dog walk.

At Disneyland after Zach’s first half marathon—we celebrated with our first journey to the Cove Bar. I got a drink with a light up ice cube.

A Day in my Life: January 17, 2017: Day off of work? Escape the city with your friends. Add in some free wine tasting, some steaks, fries, and a visit to Ostrichland.

Sharing the delights of Los Angeles with Zach’s cousins from Utah.

Stella Gibson gets a mention because boyo this character started my Gillian Anderson crush and sent me on an X-Files journey.

Selina took us to the Magic Castle in LA, we spent the night being dazzled by magic shows and tricks from our host Bryan. I screamed a lot. I loooove magic.

Ending the month with 9 films at Sundance! You can read my not-professional reviews of movies that may have trickled out since I posted this.

FEBRUARY

The month started on the slopes in Park City, Utah. I’m still learning to ski, one day at a time…I also learned to embrace my Hufflepuffness at the Harry Potter world. It was also asian mamas first art show, a very special day. Spent Valentine’s Day at a garlic restaurant and even found Neko Atsume plushies. The month ended with a roadtrip with Kiki, Anders and Zach to Utah.

Perks of being at the top of the mountain. So beautiful! The views from skiing in Utah.

Went to a 2 Dope Queens show with Mandy and Kiki, special guest Carrie Brownstein!

Took a day trip to San Diego with Tristan, Justin, Kiki, Ders and Zach and spent the day at the anthropology museum and most importantly, at a dog park slash biergarten that was life-changing. So cute!

This was one of those moments that was simple (a little pricey heh) but such a warm gesture I wanted to include. I had a really long, bad day at work and Zach ordered a delivery sushi box and it was just so surprising and touching I had to include it.

Any other Hufflepuffs out there? Do you value hard work, dedication, patience, loyalty, and fair play? You might be one too…

work by amwa, I documented the evening, you can see on amwa site here.

The wonderful Stinking Rose, garlic everything.

Played hide-a-Xerxes.

I spent early 2017 binge watching old America’s Next Top Model seasons on Hulu so I just wanted to include this to never forget how I wasted so much of my life ahah.

11 hour road trip to Utah to show Kiki and Ders around. Kiki and Ders hit the slopes for the first time, and we cook, made cocktails, and enjoy the snow.

Oh, and one night in Vegas. We stayed at the medieval themed castle.

First visit to the Neon Museum in Las Vegas!

 

MARCH

March started with a long-awaited journey to see my high school friends up in Tahoe. Gabby and I ventured out there, stayed with Rachel, and we all hit the slopes (I forgot I skiied so much in 2017!) for a day. We got caught in a horrible storm that made us miss flights, but hey…it happens. I also took my little cousins to California Adventure for the first time, and Alex my little bro came to visit me. My mom had surgery for a broken arm, so I went home to help her recover. Notably, I downloaded and beat Pokemon Snap this month too.

The month started in San Francisco, visiting the new SFMOMA and enjoying the city with Kristen and Gabby (and Zach).

It was nice to see a lot of friends from South Pas who have all slowly migrated up to the Bay Area over the years. (We also got trapped in an unfortunate 11 hour car ride through a storm and missed a flight, but it was worth it in the end).

Had the joy to watch my little cousins experience California Adventure for the first time.

Alex visits and we manage to squeeze the blow up mattress (one that we ended up returning because it had a leak…sorry Alex) in the living room.

Alex eating these Blue Star donuts is the origin of “so good” (said in a low Alex-style voice), his brilliant critique of every donut in a super endearing enthusiastic way was “so good.” It flowed out of him like a poem.

Saw Raw with Kiki in a room with about 3 other people.

Pi Day, invited to our building’s pie event and it was very cute.

A huge beautiful tree in front of our apartment was dying so the city came and cut it down…so sad. But the light in our kitchen never looked better!

Whitney Biennial in New York, we went out for a few days to see Zach’s family.

Kinokuniya Book shop in New York! Found myself.

Alyssa texted me when we were in New York saying, “Hey I’m here too!” It was nice to get a drink with her and her boyf.

And of course I got to see and spend time with my lovely Iris in her studio.

Day of Service at work, this year I went outside and weeded a lot of invasive mustard in the Santa Monica mountains.

Who could forget this adorable moment with both cats being the most cat you’ve ever seen.

Worked on shooting my Great Uncle Mo’s photography and war items that he collected over the years. I love his scrapbook so much.

Sneaking in this baby Sarah pic, I went through a bunch of old family photos so had to sneak this baby in.

Grandma and Grandpa

APRIL

My retainer goes missing…was it a dog? A ghost? I still haven’t found it to this day. In April my parents took me and Zach on a cruise to Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico! Kiki leaves for the Philippines for three weeks (notable in my life where I see her every few days at LEAST). I get to see my little six-year-old cousin ball it up in a basketball tournament. And I turn 27 *ahhh*.

I organized the eggs for our family Easter gathering. The chicken ones are so so cute. Shoutout to my mom for picking those up.

Gabby had an insane Dave and Busters streak and won like 5 items in one night.

I asked to keep my mouth mold after visiting to be refit for a new retainer at the dentist.

New baby in the family! She was supposed to share my birthday but came early.

My parents going back and forth about what color to repaint the outside of the house, and if my dad is going to do it or somebody else will.

Made it on board to our family cruise to the Mexican Riviera. I still have some leftover coffees from the last cruise we did to Alaska.

Embraced my Leia for cruise fashion purposes.

There was so much beauty in Mexico, I really would love to return and explore more of the cities and other coast. I have some travel photography posts from Mazatlan and Cabo, check them out! A favorite memory was walking and stumbling across the only microbrewery in Mazatlan, chatting with the brew master and just enjoying some quiet casual time in the city.

Guess who won trivia!

Happy Easter! Was happy to finally get to put out all the candy eggs for the kids to find.

So hyped for the Dungeons and Dragons crew to start a new campaign!

Tristy and I crashed college night at work and took cute photos in the photobooth.

Had the most beautiful and amazing sushi dinner for my birthday *wah* where I literally teared up more than once everything was so delicious and special.

Caught the Main Street Electrical Parade reboot at Disneyland in the last few months of its run. It was around when we were little kids, so it was such a flashback to enjoy again this year.

Celebrated with friends at Kevin’s brewery, Progress Brewing in South El Monte. I appreciate all the time spent with friends this year.

MAY

I finally purchased a griddle, my beloved Zojirushi grill and I can’t believe how long it took for me to finally buy it. I used the grill…a LOT this month. A work milestone for me was a work trip to shoot an interview for a web project, it was to Texas but it was special to be trusted enough to take it on. In mid-May, Kiki returns from her trip to the Philippines and we hike a lot inspiring a nice eczema flare on my cheeks. I also learned to cook a beginner version of a few Korean dishes.

Got into doodling axolotls

We visited Facebook’s office for work and found a conference room called The Getty!

I’ve got an entirely documented day about our first test drive with the grill and I am very enthusiastic the entire time.

Dungeons and Dragons crew takes the grill out for a spin.

Made it to El Paso, Texas with all my filming gear! Worked on interviewing artist Zeke Pena about his practice, but also about a recent project he worked on with the Getty. Check out the final piece here!

Parents took me on a day outing to San Pedro to walk around some historic park/forts and check out the sunken city.

Got to see Colee and we visited Amoeba Records where I scored some great used X-Files DVDs.

May was also the month that sleepywaldo.blog was born and I offically migrated off of livejournal to wordpress (shoutout to you if you came over here from LJ!)

Just a pause to say that every month I love Los Angeles a little more. LA is the onion of US cities for sure, so I understand that there is definitely some LA hate out there.

I got really into running/walking up these stairs and would try to go once or twice a week. That didn’t last the rest of the year…

Cooking at home.

Tristan turned us onto Boomtown Brewery in Downtown and it’s not bad! Happy Birthday, Tristy!!!!

Rooftop movie club showing of ET—my first viewing as a full person. I used to be afraid of the vhs box so this was a big step.

Turned into a picnic tablecloth

Natural history museum visit

JUNE

Summer is here! Zach and I visit Knott’s Berry Farm to kick off the summer fun. Father’s Day celebrations include swimming and grilling and hanging with family. Dogsitting Bea, a very happy doggo belonging to a colleague at the Getty. We also managed to get to the beach and hang out there all day!

First Catan game for Tristy and Amelia.

A lot of sweating and rollercoasters at Knott’s Berry Farm. Zach even managed to win this Squirtle (by beating a child oops).

The month I watched (and re-watched) The Handmaid’s Tale, probably one of my favorite shows of the year.

Hung out with my parents aboard the USS Iowa. I documented the full day here!

Another documented day, mostly photos of my little cousins being crazy and me living for it.

Bea!

Started trip planning for our Southeast Asia trip! Woooop!

Accidentally twinning with Kiki while celebrating her brother’s new baby at a baby shower!

Beach day!

Donated blood and feeling way too proud of myself. Missed a meeting at work beacuse of dizziness but still pleased overall.

Ahh, summer means free summer events at all your local museums, including concerts.

JULY

Friends and co-workers flee Los Angeles for summer vacations and some friends come to LA to visit. I get a much-needed haircut (thank you Angelica!). Alyssa comes to town and we get together at Hamburger Mary’s Drag brunch (Zach got his face licked), Marie comes through for some vegging at home, it gets so hot in LA that I have to sleep on the floor in the living room. We celebrate my mom’s birthday with a boat of Japanese food and the annual Hollywood Bowl picnic gathering happens. I take my East-coast cousins to Disneyland and visit the new Marciano Foundation space at a Masonic temple.

Mom and auntie take me to the casino at like 7am, but I get a chance to snuggle with Tubby the night before.

4th of July with family, starting wth a pancake breakfast and ending with s’mores and fireworks.

Three years in a row!

Trying to get my summer swim on, even better with dogs all around.

Got this piece of copper at the Rock and Mineral Show—it was dragged by a glacier creating the shiny parts!

Alyssa and Drag Brunch!

Haircut finally!

Peanut!

Had an Orange County day with friends where we started at the Orange County Museum of Art, went to the Anaheim Packing District, brewery and aquarium, and some time at the Castle mini golf place.

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Disney with even more little cousins.

Scum and Villany

Marciano Art Foundation

AUGUST

Spent the first week of August at SIGGRAPH, a computer science conference downtown. I also convinced Tristan to start Game of Thrones with me as his Game of Thrones guide (#TristyWatchesGoT). The second week of August Zach and I venture up to San Francisco to hang with Lauren at Outsidelands where I test one of the Fujifilm cameras. Alex visits and we go to the OC Zine Fest (and stop by the amwa table) and try the best trendy OC foods including a poke donut. The partial solar eclipse happens and I try Himalayan food at a local place. The month ends with a journey to the 626 Night Market with Kiki and Selina where I get a little heat sick but get to enjoy some grilled squid nonetheless.

Gems from the VR portion of the SIGGRAPH conference.

Trip planning amplifies! Check out all the SE Asia planning posts and travel posts here.

Documented an average LA weekend day where we made some shrimp tacos, had ramen with the D&D crew, and took the dogs out to the park.

Day out showing Ders’ family around and we caught a beautiful sunset in Santa Monica.

I documented Outsidelands Day 3 of the music festival with a rented Fujifilm X-Pro2, I was curious if I liked it enough to buy before my trip to Southeast Asia, and it was a great field test.

Natural History Museum with Alex + a stop by a brewery to grab a growler for a game night.

OC Zine Fest and amwa’s table, plus another trip to Anaheim Packing District to get the cutest boba cup and we eat a poke donut and spam fries.

ECLIPSE DAY!

Spent the night and day in San Clemente to hunt for seaglass and see Zach’s cousins from Utah.

626 Night Market—definitely going to go next year and bring more water for myself and more room in my stomach to eat even more.

SEPTEMBER

Zach and I decided last minute to go to a taping of Let’s Make a Deal (spoiler: we didn’t win). An outdoor screening of Harry Potter complete with themed food and drinks. I successfully purchased my new baby, the Fujifilm X-T2. A trip to Colorado to learn more about my family history (and attend a conference). Getty projects start to heat up and a Rachel and Stu visit from San Francisco so we can introduce Stu to Disneyland. Sufi experiences back problems (he’s okay now!) and we visit the LA County Fair to eat some fried food. In the last week of September, we head to Hawaii to celebrate Alex and Jilly’s wedding and begin the journey to Thailand.

Let’s Make a Deal! So much clapping and cheering for many hours.

Harry Potter screening at the Hollywood Forever cemetary.

Labor day! I documented this day that started with family, and ended with karaoke.

My new fujifilm!!!

The project I went to El Paso to do the interview for finally came out! A graphic novel about Graciela Iturbide.

Denver, Colorado. We traced the route of my grandma and her siblings—where they lived and grew up, the high schools they went to, and where the family farmed. The Louisville Museum even had their high school portraits! Pretty amazing.

The next week in Denver I attended a content strategy conference and had three days of intensive workshops. It was a great learning experience, very grateful to have been able to attend. I documented my last day in Denver here, a visit to the Clyfford Still Museum and the way home.

Pacfic Standard Time: Los Angeles/Latin America finally opens! Tristan and I hop some openings to see some of the exhibitions.

Back from Denver and happy to enjoy some homemade bbq with family.

Sweet Marie is back in town for a meal, always a highlight to have Marie back!

Stu’s first Disneyland experience and he walked away enjoying it (at least he didn’t admit otherwise).

Poor Sufi has a slipped disc.

LA County Fair—touching cows and eating hot cheeto pizza! I even won a stuffed cheese fair and square.

The trip is becoming real! Had to actually pack omg. I posted my 3 week packing list for monsoon season in Southeast Asia here if you’re curious what I fit in my bag.

Celebrated Kiki’s birthday with grilling and brownies.

And then I was lucky enough to be a groom’s person in Alex and Jilly’s wedding. We made our own haku lei and it was just a warm and happy occasion.

OCTOBER

We spent October 1 and 2 in the sky, flying from Hawaii to Bangkok (by way of Tokyo). We spent 20 days of the month traveling around Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia and it was such a memorable and incredible trip. I have so much to share! But so many photos to edit…I’m going through I promise! We got back to Los Angeles just in time to celebrate Halloween (I was a bat).

I’ve only edited the first day of Bangkok for now (19 more days to go!) and you can check out that post here.

Jetlagged but enjoying the fall festivities.

Was touching how many friends (3) wanted to hang out right when I returned.

Halloween festivities, another school picture party and wearing my bat costume to work. No shame!

NOVEMBER

Daylight savings is upon us and the days are shorter and the nights sadder. I celebrate my dad’s birthday (and my little cousin’s b-days too at the Bippity Boppity Boutique). I run my first ever 10K which I’m weirdly proud of, I trained and everything. Went on a farm retreat with amwa to nanum farms out in Lebec, California. Spent the month enjoying being home in Los Angeles, going out in the city and spending time in the apartment. Thanksgiving was lovely at home with family and Zach and I traveled up to the Bay Area for his high school friend’s wedding. And happy 5th anniversary to Zeen.

Matchy matchy with Tristan at work.

Tristan and I went out to the Fisher Museum at USC for the Pacific Standard Time Instagram swap.

We also got a chance to swing by the California African American Museum, which I’d never been to before!

Sweet little cousins, they waited to celebrate their birthday (by going to the boutique at Disneyland) for a few MONTHS so I could go with them. ❤

Happy Birthday, Dad!

Decadent cheeseboard with the D&D crew.

Getty at night

Happy to work in such a beautiful place.

Looking so normie in our running clothes…but we did it! (Actually Zach was more impressive, he ran a 10K and then the next day did the half marathon).

Enriching weekend with the amwa peeps.

Early sunsets but very beautiful ones this time of year!

Golden Kingdoms: Life and Luxury in the Ancient Americas

It’s Curry House x Gudetama crossover, all too delightful! Made me forget how much I love Japanese curry.

My great uncle Mo passed away in November—just wanted to remember him. He fought in the 442nd, the all Japanese batallion. He was also a sassy bachelor his whole life. He was passionate about collecting things and gave me an analog camera in high school when he learned I was interested in (one I later realized he saved the manual for, he also loved photography). Love you Uncle Mo.

Sufi in a bag, never forget

Caravaggios traveled to the Getty.

Preparing persimmions to be dried

Happy Thanksgiving!

DECEMBER

Time to get into the holiday spirits, celebrating the season with friends seeing as many Christmas trees around the city as possible. Celebrating Zach’s birthday with a weekend in Vegas staying at the Flamingo. Many holiday parties and work before heading out to Zach’s sister’s farm for a few days. Home for the holidays with my family and the annual trip to San Luis Obispo with family friends.

Getting in the holiday spirits with a night out on the metro around downtown.

Kiki joins the annual passholder crew

Hardest puzzle yet to finish out a year of puzzles.

Good posing boys

The fires 😦

A few of the many Zach birthday celebrations

North Carolina!

Merry Christmas!

Making mochi!

Wine country

Took my little cousins out to ramen and to wander in Little Tokyo, it was a really fun day and I hope it becomes a tradition!

It was wild to compile all the extra special things throughout the year, and a few things stand out: so happy and grateful to have a healthy family, healthy and happy friends, and the ability and privilege to travel and see new things but also get to go home and feel safe and loved. Thanks all for following me over to this new blog, I’m grateful hearing from you too. Happy New Year! May 2018 be healthy, successful, and happy for you and your loved ones.

Much love friends.