While living in Hong Kong from 2010-2012, I traveled to many different countries around Southeast Asia and wrote about a few of them in my then-blog, Ashley’s HK Experience. As a new travel piece to this blog, I’m reposting my piece on a trip to Sri Lanka that my friend Jamie and I took in January 2012.
Thank Buddha (and, believe me, I saw a lot of them this past week-in parks, downtown, in the middle of farmland, etc.) the sun was out when I arrived back in Hong Kong today. After a week in Sri Lanka with its sunny and 27˚C weather every day, I wasn’t sure the smog and chilly January air would have enticed me back to HK. But it wasn’t just the gorgeous weather or the fact that I could actually see the sun that made my seven-day journey through this serene island country a fantastic getaway.
As many of us transients know and live (or is it love?), Hong Kong is the place to party. With constant happy hours and free ladies’ nights, most of us can’t resist the urge to sip a chocolate martini or guzzle a Pure Blonde most days of the week. But, if you want a break from the liver damage, don’t choose Boracay for your next beach vacation; instead choose the chill Sri Lanka with its beaches, stunning drives through the mountains and cultural sites to drink in.
On July 2, 2016, my cousin, Caitlyn, married her best friend, Mike. I had the honor of being the maid of honor; below is the speech I wrote. It’s also the first in a series of love stories I’d like to transcribe.
I have known Caitlyn her entire life. I remember seeing her open her eyes in her first days of life. We’ve taken vacations together, sobbed in each other’s arms after our grandmother passed away last year, drank too much cheap beer at each other’s colleges, made hundreds of dozens of Christmas cookies in my mom’s kitchen, and played fake instruments with my brother for a made-up band on multiple occasions.
Quite a while ago, I had this idea to write couples’ love stories – their stories of meeting and falling in love. I wanted to write stories about couples who had a strong bond, a solid relationship, and were still truly in love. When my cousin Caitlyn asked me to be her maid of honor, I knew that their love story would be my first. I emailed each of them separately and secretly, asking them a multitude of questions about their relationship. Today, I present to you, the love story of Caitlyn and Mike:
Restaurant for Two: a feature where I bring a friend to a restaurant and we write a review together. My friend, Janelle, and I drove west to check out this new BBQ joint.
In the far western Chicago neighborhood of Dunning sits a new barbecue restaurant called Lone Star BBQ Bar. Deemed one of the top safest neighborhoods in the city, Dunning is more Oak Park than downtown Chicago. Lone Star is beautifully renovated with wood panelling, a long bar and a large outdoor patio. It is a shining gem amongst the older, sagging nearby stores.
Best of all, the quality and taste of the food meets the new appearance. Lone Star is known for their smoked meats which isn’t surprising seeing as their smoker was made in the heart of BBQ country: Texas. The menu is filled with every sort of smoked meat: baby back ribs, brisket, pulled pork, chicken wings, and hot links. Order the BBQ Sampler Platter to try a bit of all of this yumminess. Continue reading Restaurant for Two: Lone Star BBQ Bar→
While living in Hong Kong from 2010-2012, I traveled to many different countries around Southeast Asia and wrote about a few of them in my then-blog, Ashley’s HK Experience. I’m reposting my piece on a trip to Zhu Hai, China that my friend Karen and I took in September 2011 to my new blog as a travel piece.
Once upon a time there were 2 American girls who lived in Hong Kong, hoping to see the world and wanting an adventure. They both were addicted to online coupon deals and couldn’t resist the promise of fun with a package to China and Macau. Little did they know that the big, bad China would be there every step of the way, fooling them, not talking to them, making them eat with chopsticks, and peeing in toilets in the ground.
Saturday began like any other Saturday, with TV shows and lying about until the time came when the ferry to China was to depart. The ferry was clean, but nobody looked like these 2 American girls or spoke their language. The girls laughed out loud, but secretly hoped that at least 1 toilet in the next 2 days would have toilet paper and wouldn’t require them to squat to the floor on their haunches. Their wish certainly didn’t start off very well with the ferry bathrooms being a squatter with no toilet paper; the boat swelled and swayed and the girls wore flip flops, a piss poor combination for squatting toilets! Continue reading Zhu Hai: The Fairytale China Experience→
On my first-ever 15-hour plane ride to Asia, I met my first soulmate. Like a slow motion scene in a movie, I turned around in my tiny seat and saw him, my heart beating fast. “Who is THAT?” I sputtered to my seat mate. It sounds crazy, but when I saw him it was like time stood still. I knew that I was meant to be with him. There was this spark with a man I had never met before. I’d only just found out his name 10 seconds after gazing upon his face. He was my soulmate.
At the time, I thought he was my one and only soulmate. We dated for two years before it came crashing down in true we-just-got-out-of-college-and-don’t-know-how-to-date-in-the-real-world fashion. But that first feeling was real.
Soulmate: a person with whom one has a strong affinity, shared values and tastes, and often a romantic bond. (dictionary.com)
A friend recently told me that I didn’t “look happy.” And we’re not talking about resting bitch face here; we’re talking about the fact that I physically didn’t look happy. He lectured me on how the only way that I’ll ever attract a man is by looking happy: “Do things that make you happy and don’t worry so much. Be busy with life. Not consumed with the idea that you must find a mate. You’ll never find a guy if you’re pre-occupied with it. Just be happy and it’ll show. That’s what’s attractive.”
At first, I was annoyed that he was telling me what to do. I am happy, I countered. I do the things I want to do all the time…brunch with girlfriends, volunteering, traveling, spending time with family, yoga, I have a writing schedule, and the list goes on.
“So if you are happy, why don’t you look happy?” he queried.
New City Life Adventure 