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ghent belgium skyline
Lydia C
  • January 27, 2021

Society & CultureBelgium First Impressions – Beyond Fries, Waffles, Beer and Chocolate

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Never in my life would I have imagined that I would end up spending a chunk of time…
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Lydia C

About
Recent Posts
  • My Experience with a Craigslist Housing Scam
  • A day in San Francisco: Little Saigon, Civic Center, the Asian Art Museum & “Drive My Car” film
  • To Blog Or Not To Blog? What’s holding me back?
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  • I turned 27 – A reflection
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thoughtfulwanders

Feb 2022 - visiting the Asian Art Museum in San Fr Feb 2022 - visiting the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco. The light immersion exhibit was called “teamLab: continuity” and was a temporary exhibition. Also got to see Chanel Miller’s mural of “I was, I am, I will be”. Overall, def highly recommend the Asian Art Museum to visit in SF for it’s permanent exhibitions showcasing historical art from all over Asia. The museum also hosts regular exhibitions and events regarding Asian and Asian American topics 🤓🌏
The iPhone 13 Pro is supposed to have a really goo The iPhone 13 Pro is supposed to have a really good camera but I quickly learned that because there are 3 lenses, the default settings made photos actually fuzzier and lower quality sometimes. Also by default, the nightshift mode would toggle on and I didn’t like how the photos looked. So I finally did some googling and changed some of the default settings to make my phone camera work for ME. I hope this means taking more photos I like and taking advantage of the (expensive) phone camera. Also writing this is holding myself accountable to make the effort to learn the tech behind photo-taking instead of being willfully ignorant about it because I find learning it all so overwhelming. Ok anyways here are 3 pics from recent days I liked - edited a bit. The second pic is of a storm and it was SO COOL IRL but dang I couldn’t capture it via phone properly 😭
a really random photo dump from a weekend walking a really random photo dump from a weekend walking around Astoria & Flushing on a rainy saturday & sunny sunday ☀️🌧
Some pics from BTS concert Day 1 in Las Vegas. Hon Some pics from BTS concert Day 1 in Las Vegas. Honestly never thought I’d get to see them IRL so it was quite a surreal experience. Found it impressive that they are so…consistent (?) for lack of a better term. Fans (ARMY) spend most of the time watching BTS music, interviews, shows on Youtube or online and to get to see that they are the same way in person was pretty cool. Of course also recognizing all the $$$ and performance behind creating a cohesive brand and image while admiring the band/members/their hard work. Other highlights include trying to spot other ARMY in Las Vegas purely based on fashion style and whether they were masked (compared to Vegas’ regular crowd), taking the time to dress up for the show, joining a relatively short merch line and successfully buying merch (!!), and ofc getting to see the boys in person! (albeit still far away ish haha, the last photos are 9x zoom) Beyond those highlights, there was also a lot of navigating huge crowds, traffic, surging prices in Vegas, and the sensory overload everywhere constantly. All in all though - glad I got to see them with wonderful people 💜 and get a taste of witnessing the fan base and being part of it IRL. (People make hilarious signs for the concert 😆), and of course… Seeing the boys put on an amazing show!
Excerpt from blog post today that I am proud of 💫“To critique and feel shame for my own desire to write and make art, I realize, is exhibited from low self-esteem and a trauma response to not having a childhood where I was encouraged to play and have a creative outlet centered around myself. Through years of processing and working on my healing, it is not uncommon for Asian immigrant girls to be raised this way, especially the oldest child. There are cultural and gender dynamics to this but essentially from a young age immigrant children are told to keep quiet and their head down, to not fuss or make trouble. For girls, they are told to read and prioritize everyone else’s emotions (especially mens) except their own because that’s what a “girl” or “woman” should do. So in a way since I was not really taught to prioritize myself or cultivate my own sense of identity but instead to please everyone else around me, of course doing something that gives me joy and prioritizes myself feels…shameful! I have often struggled with “what gives me a right to do this? to do something that I enjoy so much? To center on my own life and experience?” To ask for permission, and waiting for someone to tell me that it’s okay I go for it. I’m still learning to resist the shame. To know that I have a right to self-expression and prioritizing myself. It gives me a sense of purpose to know that each time I write and make art, I am resisting the forces that are trying to keep me in submission and silent. I refuse silence, I have a voice and I want to share it with the world.” (full post up thoughtfulwanders.com)
Some snaps from visiting Alcatraz. Started with fi Some snaps from visiting Alcatraz. Started with finishing some fries at the dock with a calm but silently begging seagull watching us eat (did not feed. do not feed wildlife!). The self-guided audio tour within the building was interesting and well-done. Learned a bit about the history of Alcatraz as a federal prison and got to learn stories about a few people who were there. The audio tour was cool because it would tell you which way to walk and what cells to look at (the cells were furnished according to the story they were telling). Def an educational experience! I appreciated that there was an interactive exhibition at the end of the tour on mass incarceration in the US today to educate about the prison industrial complex. This experience got me thinking more about how tours/museums/storytelling have the potential to encourage critical thinking and educate the masses. Does it always work? Idk, probably not. What I can say though is I did walk away having learned some concrete stories about real individuals (and their names) who were incarcerated on this island decades ago. Some things that stood out…1) why people ended up imprisoned (rough because people ended up imprisoned for starkly different reasons…from being a murderer to robbing a few dollars to being anti-war/anti-govt 😢) and 2) escape attempts (brutal because escaping the island is near impossible due to the harsh water/currents so even if people made it out of the prison they wouldn’t make it off the island 😢) would recommend visiting as an educational experience. they managed to balance self critique as an ex-prison while still being palatable to a mainstream audience.
Snaps from some meals eaten in LA in the last 2 we Snaps from some meals eaten in LA in the last 2 weeks. (sometimes I remember to take pics of the food I pay money to eat) 1 - YUP DDUK LA (ktown, went twice. so fun to eat! enjoyed pairing with Banana milk and Yocool. Got the YUP O for more fish cake than rice cake) 2 - Oakobing (ktown) 3 - Han Bat Shul Lung Tang (ktown, hearty homey no frills oxtail soup) 4 - In N Out (various locations, can never get tired of it but also never say never) 5 - Kobawoo House (ktown, first time trying bossam. so good!) 6 - Kang Ho Dong Baekjong (ktown, best Kbbq I’ve had in a long time. Also enjoyed the outdoor seating) 7 - World Seafood Restaurant (alhambra, tasty dim sum)
Had so much fun commissioning @insomn.ink for this Had so much fun commissioning @insomn.ink for this piece of @lsamhong and I! I would be down to look like this in an anime 🤪 (speaking as someone who does not watch any 😬). Thank you @insomn.ink for drawing this piece it was so cool to see how you drew us in your style. Anyways, if anyone else is interested make sure to check out her IG page and DM for commission work 😉. Swipe for pics of @lsamhong and I having a nice dinner in Brussels. Side note: I’ve been wearing the same “nice” shirt in the last year at all my nice dinners because I’ve been traveling and don’t own many “nice shirts” Lol! Literally picked it up for 2 bucks at a Taiwanese flea market. The neck scarf really does it. Glad I got to memorialize this shirt in art form 💕
Same person, same year, diff vibes?? It is 4:30am Same person, same year, diff vibes?? It is 4:30am Jan 1st and I am revenge bedtime procrastinating despite it not being a work day yesterday (also am a night 🦉). 2021 was a year of nomadic living. I moved around, observed, absorbed, learned, unlearned. I don’t want to let the year go because there is still so much I have yet to process and share. I love processing and I love sharing, but in 2021 I struggled to find a balance between living & consuming with introspecting & creating. My one commitment to 2022 that I am speaking aloud on social media is that I am going to KEEP WRITING & MAKING ART! Hoping for a year of less inhibition, less overthinking, and more following my creative gut and speaking my mind. More words, visuals & experimentation to come. (Saying this to hold myself accountable) how i plan to show up: @thoughtfulwandersblog - share personal updates & writing @thoughtfulwanders - mixed media art & videos on life (still in deep experimentation phase) Cheers & Happy New Year 🥳
December 8 2021 / On Omicron in NYC- Here I was in December 8 2021 / On Omicron in NYC- Here I was in Times Square about to watch Hadestown original cast perform on Broadway. I was munching on a Cubano sandwich from Margon. Living in NYC for a few weeks had been fun and chill. They check for vaccination card and ID everywhere. It felt like pre-pandemic times! Getting to be in crowds; eating, shopping, drinking. At this point Omicron was on the news only in faraway places. It was bewildering to go through the following weekend, with a friend visiting, to do the usual things. Go out, explore, see the holiday markets, dine in at restaurants. After all, everyone indoors is fully vaxxed. We are back to normal! ! ! Not. After the weekend, I heard of positive results from people I had spent with, who were not just double vaxxed but also boosted. When I went to get tested, many others were lining up. I thought “eh hm must be a rare case”. Then news were popping up and many people I knew were exposed to someone who knew someone who tested positive. It was all happening so fast. Soon the New York Times was reporting on the surge of cases, the demand of Covid tests, and pushing for booster shots in NYC. The numbers were skyrocketing. My friends and I panic texted each other… It all happened so fast and suddenly it feels like we are farther away from returning to “normal” whatever that means. Now, being vaccinated does not mean a lower chance of infection. Sure, symptoms may be milder, but it is more contagious. The world doesn’t seem to be locking down in urgency. Now it feels like an ambiguous waiting limbo space where many of us are worried and anxious. To continue living the post-vax life? To retreat and isolate? To travel or not? I am constantly refreshing Covid update news throughout the day, low key anxious and anticipating what is to come. While recognizing governments and public health leaders are scrambling to figure what the next step is and that there is no one right answer. (cont. comments)
Did not realize until after taking the photo the c Did not realize until after taking the photo the cool alignment!
same, but different same, but different
i am a foodie and i realized ive barely posted pic i am a foodie and i realized ive barely posted pics of food on here. in nyc and loving ALL the diverse yum noms. here’s a selection of food that had decent photos taken of them before inhaled 😅 seriously nothing better than a nyc cheesy pizza slice🍕 when youre starving and cold. but also nothing better than some cheap chinatown eats 🥟😭 im seeking out more homey hearty foods 👀 pls do comment any of ur fave nyc foods if u see this and care to share🌃
Thanks @hannahsuanlin for taking these ☺️ (eve Thanks @hannahsuanlin for taking these ☺️ (even though it took u a couple attempts…)
🍁~adventure time~🍂 🍁~adventure time~🍂
early october yosemite fall vibes ~ early october yosemite fall vibes ~
Super grateful to have experienced SingleThread wi Super grateful to have experienced SingleThread with some dear friends, including @chiuzachary who is a chef at SingleThread! This dining experience was life-changing in the sense that it really showed me a whole new way to experience food. I had always found fine dining to be too over my head or not something I could ever understand. However, dining at SingleThread was a down to earth experience! Yes, a lot still went over my head but the essence of the meal was really a true appreciation for food and for the farm to table experience. The menu changes every season and a lot of the produce comes from their restaurant’s own local farm (which we got to visit the next day). The food not only tasted so good, but it also changed my view of food. Food is art! As many of the dishes got put in front of me, I found my own understanding of food evolving at the same time. It was surely an experience, a really great one ☺️ I am still salivating thinking about the food… 😬 I also have a lot more photography to share (at a later time) 💕 @quirkyrain07 @hannahsuanlin @wanchen_orange @cinthjiac
Turned 27 this past week! Swipe for hair journey f Turned 27 this past week! Swipe for hair journey from the last year 💇🏻‍♀️
mostly Monet & @leighellexson mostly Monet & @leighellexson
obligatory selfie w the new tote bag and it’s or obligatory selfie w the new tote bag and it’s origins (swipe for more of van gogh’s art)
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@thoughtfulwanders
Feb 2022 - visiting the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco. The light immersion exhibit was called “teamLab: continuity” and was a temporary exhibition. Also got to see Chanel Miller’s mural of “I was, I am, I will be”. Overall, def highly recommend the Asian Art Museum to visit in SF for it’s permanent exhibitions showcasing historical art from all over Asia. The museum also hosts regular exhibitions and events regarding Asian and Asian American topics 🤓🌏
Feb 2022 - visiting the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco. The light…
The iPhone 13 Pro is supposed to have a really good camera but I quickly learned that because there are 3 lenses, the default settings made photos actually fuzzier and lower quality sometimes. Also by default, the nightshift mode would toggle on and I didn’t like how the photos looked. So I finally did some googling and changed some of the default settings to make my phone camera work for ME. I hope this means taking more photos I like and taking advantage of the (expensive) phone camera.
The iPhone 13 Pro is supposed to have a really good camera but I quickly…
a really random photo dump from a weekend walking around Astoria & Flushing on a rainy saturday & sunny sunday ☀️🌧
a really random photo dump from a weekend walking around Astoria &…
Some pics from BTS concert Day 1 in Las Vegas. Honestly never thought I’d get to see them IRL so it was quite a surreal experience. Found it impressive that they are so…consistent (?) for lack of a better term. Fans (ARMY) spend most of the time watching BTS music, interviews, shows on Youtube or online and to get to see that they are the same way in person was pretty cool.
Some pics from BTS concert Day 1 in Las Vegas. Honestly never thought…
Excerpt from blog post today that I am proud of 💫“To critique and feel shame for my own desire to write and make art, I realize, is exhibited from low self-esteem and a trauma response to not having a childhood where I was encouraged to play and have a creative outlet centered around myself. Through years of processing and working on my healing, it is not uncommon for Asian immigrant girls to be raised this way, especially the oldest child. There are cultural and gender dynamics to this but essentially from a young age immigrant children are told to keep quiet and their head down, to not fuss or make trouble. For girls, they are told to read and prioritize everyone else’s emotions (especially mens) except their own because that’s what a “girl” or “woman” should do.
Excerpt from blog post today that I am proud of 💫“To critique and feel…
Some snaps from visiting Alcatraz. Started with finishing some fries at the dock with a calm but silently begging seagull watching us eat (did not feed. do not feed wildlife!).
Some snaps from visiting Alcatraz. Started with finishing some fries at…
Snaps from some meals eaten in LA in the last 2 weeks. (sometimes I remember to take pics of the food I pay money to eat)
Snaps from some meals eaten in LA in the last 2 weeks. (sometimes I…
Had so much fun commissioning @insomn.ink for this piece of @lsamhong and I! I would be down to look like this in an anime 🤪 (speaking as someone who does not watch any 😬). Thank you @insomn.ink for drawing this piece it was so cool to see how you drew us in your style. Anyways, if anyone else is interested make sure to check out her IG page and DM for commission work 😉.
Had so much fun commissioning @insomn.ink for this piece of @lsamhong…
Same person, same year, diff vibes?? It is 4:30am Jan 1st and I am revenge bedtime procrastinating despite it not being a work day yesterday (also am a night 🦉).
Same person, same year, diff vibes?? It is 4:30am Jan 1st and I am…
December 8 2021 / On Omicron in NYC- Here I was in Times Square about to watch Hadestown original cast perform on Broadway. I was munching on a Cubano sandwich from Margon. Living in NYC for a few weeks had been fun and chill. They check for vaccination card and ID everywhere. It felt like pre-pandemic times! Getting to be in crowds; eating, shopping, drinking. At this point Omicron was on the news only in faraway places.
December 8 2021 / On Omicron in NYC- Here I was in Times Square about to…
Did not realize until after taking the photo the cool alignment!
Did not realize until after taking the photo the cool alignment!
same, but different
same, but different
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