⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖ JULY ⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖
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Welcome to my first ever digicam diary entry!
❥ Introduction 👋
❥ Moving 📦
❥ Fairhaven 📚
❥ Squalicum Beach 🌊
❥ Puppy Adventures 🐾
❥ Skincare 🧴
❥ Lazy Vegan Recipes 🍴
❥ Book of the Month (E-Reader) 📖
❥ In Progress
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Hello! You can call me May :) I moved to Bellingham, Washington from Southern California last August for a number of reasons, mostly to find an environment that better suited my lifestyle. I have a 1 year old Pomeranian named Maru. She is my world! Right now, I do freelance and side work, like social media management and independent travel agent services.
I love thrifting old CCD sensor digicams and snapping pics of my adventures. Carrying around a compact point and shoot camera and mass posting unedited photos is very nostalgic. I thought I’d compile photos and add written entries for fun. It would be nice to look back on in the future, so I hope I will stay consistent. I was heavily inspired by the Kjellbergs! They started a monthly newsletter. It made me want to document my life more.
If you’re curious about my fresh start at 30-years old, stick around. I see the world with child-like wonder and get excited over small things. I appreciate openness and raw thoughts and feelings. We are not perfect beings. We are humans. It is part of what makes life interesting.
This month, I took pictures with my 2009 Panasonic Lumix Leica DMC-ZS1 camera. I thrifted it at Aladdin’s in Downtown Bellingham. I will keep most of the photos unedited in case you are interested in this camera! For this blog, only the last few pics were taken with my phone.
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⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪ Moving Day⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪
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We moved into a new studio in a walkable area. The high ceilings make it feel a lot more spacious. Our studio checks off my list: vinyl floors, washer/dryer, and a dishwasher. Maru loves hanging out on the balcony, rain or shine. The complex has a small fitness and recreation room as well. We settled pretty quickly and are loving it so much! More photos to come as I decorate this space ~
⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪ Historic Fairhaven⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪
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I had a wonderful date with my friend, “E” at the beautiful Fairhaven neighborhood. Fairhaven is technically part of Bellingham, but it feels like it should be its own lil town. We started off with brunch at Avenue Bread. I got the breakfast sandwhich “Tofuenue” which I really liked! It has a bit of a kick to it, which I did not expect.
Eclipse Bookstore is nearby! This place is a gem. E is into world building games, and needed to do some research and possibly find inspiration for her characters. I, on the other hand, enjoyed looking for vintage books, especially hardcover.
We spent forever in here. You can probably see why! There is also a downstairs area. The owner was actually busy displaying books outside the shop to make room inside. Please visit this place if you are an avid reader. You will love it.
I did not pick anything up, but there were a lot of interesting finds (such as the book pictured below). E found a book about the Silk Roads, which aligned with her fantasy world perfectly! How Fun!
E was telling me about this “hidden” indoor shopping center. She was eating at an Italian place and accidentally stumbled upon it. It really is hidden (later, I found out even my friends who grew up in Bellingham did not know about this place). We came in the evening and a lot of stores were already closed. It was still fun to spiral around the stairs and floors. A few boutique shops and art studios were open.
I wonder what this place used to be? It’s giving old hotel vibes.
I saw mostly art studios and tattoo shops through our quick walk around! I’ll have to drop by in the morning next time to see what else this place has to offer.
We popped into a plant store, Babygreens. I adore this place. When I first came to Bellingham, I got a plant from here, a hanging ivy. A year later, the plant is still alive and well. I am currently on the lookout for a small fern and very large plan to act as a divider.
We stopped at a random rug store. E remembered that I was looking for some rugs for my new place. WOAH this store is like a museum. I felt like I was transported elsewhere. Also… the rugs were way out of my budget… after my Europe trip, I appreciate high quality rugs and textiles a lot more *sigh* One can dream! It would definitely last forever and be worthy of being family heirloom (or roll me up in it when I die lol jk jk).
Look at the size of these rugs! E for scale lol
Look, it’s me!
We checked out the Fairhaven Station and Ferry Terminal. There was a wedding going on inside the terminal (aww)! There is a nice souvenir shop and restaurant inside the terminal too. I have had friends say the train ride from here to Seattle is a nice ride. The only challenge is that it has a limited departure (I think twice a day). I actually love trains. I would like to ride the scenic train that goes along the coast. It travels to Oregon and even California!
Lastly, the beach! I did not know this was here. It was so calm and relaxing. I saw a person nearby with a big sun hat, foldable chair, and e-reader. GOALS!!! It inspired me to do the same.
We saw a big group of people stomping on the sand. E asked one of them what was going on. A person told us they were clam stomping. Before we could ask what does that mean, the person stepped on a hole near E and suddenly a string of water came out like a small geyser! E was soaked.
We spent some time stomping on clam holes and giggling like kids. Because, why not?
⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪ Thrifting⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪
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I went thrifting with another friend, “A,” but I didn’t take any photos. We did pick up “plant cousins” lol
I whispered to my plant “you better say goodbye to your cousin because you’ll never see him again.”
And then I thought how sad it would have been if plants could feel complex emotions. They could have been two plants anxiously waiting to find a home, excited to be bought together (thinking they were lucky to stay together), only to be separated forever in the end ;____; I’d watch that drama…
⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪ Squalicum Beach⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪
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Today, my friend “A” offered to show me Squalicum Beach. We walked quite a distance, stopping at cafes, the Bellingham Technical College, and Squalicum Dog Park. Squalicum Beach is also off-leash friendly for dogs! Maru LOVED it and was covered in mud at the end. It is okay with me, she is a dog after all :) it warmed my heart seeing her run around the water and relax in the sand. My tiny muddy lil pup.
⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪ Playtime with Maru ⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪
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I make it a point to take my dog outside everyday. We go on mini adventures all the time! It is good for her and me! Not sure how we will do it when summer is over. Here are some random photos that I took.
⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪ Skincare ⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪
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I have been using Ordinary’s AHA + BHA Peeling Solution for maybe two years now. I love it! I tend to forget until I have a big event coming up. It definitely gives me smooth glass skin. I am making more of an effort to use it regularly, about once a week. I put a thin layer on 10 minutes before I shower. There’s no constant peeling after. It just washes off and leaves smooth clear skin. Some people mention stinging. I suggest putting some sort of (preferably cheap since you will be washing it off soon) hydrating oil on first or lessen the time it is on your face. I am testing the Hyaluronic acid. I think it is a smart combo as it feels refreshing after the peeling face mask. These two are for exfoliating and hydrating/plumping.
⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪ Lazy Meals ⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪
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Let’s be realistic… most of us are busy, unmotivated, or tired. I might not make gourmet meals, but it is cheaper and healthier than eating out! And best of all, quick and easy to make!
Air Fried Tofu
I cut up extra from tofu (you can get it pre-cut too).
Mix soy sauce, sesame oil, spices (I used garlic powder, sugar, and pepper).
If you have corn starch, it adds extra crunch.
For my Air fryer, 390 degrees for 10 minutes is perfect!
You can eat this with rice or noodles. But I was eating it like chicken nuggets that day.
Lemon Garlic Pepper Pasta
I used a mini Dash rice cooker.
I eyeball the pasta (small pasta works better).
Add a pinch of salt and fill the cooker with enough water to skim the top of the pasta.
About halfway through the cook time (for my rice cooker, it takes 10 min to fully cook), I pour a bit of olive oil and mix the pasta so that it doesn’t stick. Then, add parsley, sliced (vegan) sausage, pepper, and lemon juice. Don’t forget a bit of sugar (you could try swapping it with agave/other sweetener). My momma adds sugar to everything. I add fresh greens last.
Kraft Vegan Mac n Cheese
This is my current obsession. It makes me feel like a kid again!
I cooked the pasta the same way as the previous recipe… in a rice cooker. I stir halfway. After, I add butter and (soy or oat) milk, then I add the cheese powder. Super easy and I think it is yummy and nostalgic :)
⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪ Book of the Month / Kindle Review ⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪
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I just got a Kindle. If you do not want to support Amazon, you can get it secondhand. I also synced my Kindle with the Library app “Libby” so I do not need to buy books and I am supporting my local library!
I love it! The screen is cool. I read that there is actual ink-like particles. Certain actions push the “ink” up onto the screen. That is how the “screensaver” stays on for so long. There’s twos other popular e-readers: Kobo and Boox. If I had more money, I would have gotten Boox.
I LOVE physical books. Nothing beats the tangible experience of holding and turning the pages of a book. But moving into a smaller space means downsizing as much as I can. The kindle screen is pretty close to being paper-like. If I get into my book, I don’t think much about it.
My favorite read of the month is “Diary of a Void” by Emi Yagi.
I like books that feel more realistic and romanticizes everyday life.
This book has a fun twist, as the main character fakes being pregnant to get out of Japan’s crazy work-life expectations. She goes as far as “giving birth.” While the plot is silly, it does make you think about societal norms, especially for women. You start to get to know some side characters and anticipate their next meeting. You wonder what you would do in that situation. There might be some things that surprise you, like “oh I didn’t think about that.” Sometimes, I felt like I was a friend eavesdropping on some interesting interactions between the main character and her co-workers. As if I was in on what is going on with the main character and trying to keep a straight face as our co-workers ask about the child’s gender or possible names. All in all, this is a fun quick read. you’ll get some insight on mental health and childbearing in Japan as well.
⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪ In Progress⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪
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Brushing up on my Japanese: it’s amazing how badly I’ve regressed after not using it for almost two years.
More income: when I get back from Japan, I’d like to get a part-time job. IN WHAT, I don’t know!
Taking more classes: I took a sewing class and loved it! I’d like to take classes on pottery, painting, martial arts, dance, etc. I have a lot of interests.
Trying to decorate my balcony and walls.
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Thanks for reading!!
See you soon with an August reflection ~
May & Maru
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