That's a Wrap!

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If Found, Please Return to the Beast's Castle

Did anybody watch the new Beauty and the Beast movie? If you haven't seen it yet, go watch it and then return to this post.

**Spoilers ahead.**

For somebody who hasn't stepped foot into the movie theaters in a while, I shaved some time in my weekend schedule to go see it. Going in, I tried not to set my expectations too high despite all of the hype surrounding it. To my delight, I was quite satisfied with the live-action adaptation of the animated feature.

Disney did a wonderful job of making not so likable characters, LeFou and Gaston, quite likable. Josh Gad and Luke Evans had such great onscreen chemistry and really made their characters quite believable. The comedy bit between the two was so entertaining. I'd rewatch the move again to watch their scenes. Josh Gad is seriously my favorite character in the entire movie, and I think he made the perfect LeFou.

Emma Watson did a wonderful job portraying Belle. I got emotional when she and the Beast transported back to Paris. I could feel the sorrow of her character as she revisited her childhood home. It was a powerful scene to learn about her past and feel the feelings that she felt. Opposite of Emma Watson, Dan Stevens played a great Beast. His tone of voice and mannerisms were on point to the character of the Beast. The special effects team really nailed the look of the Beast. He was oddly handsome? Just me? Okay.

Anyways...

Emma Thompson made a terrific Mrs. Potts. I loved both her speaking and singing voice. That casting was so perfect. She was Mrs. Potts. Nathan Mack made an adorable chip. The enthusiasm in his voice really made his character come alive. Ian McKellen as Cogsworth and Ewan McGregor as Lumiere were good. I wish there was a little bit more comedy and banter between them. I felt that the relationship with LeFou and Gaston were played out a little bit better though. Kevin Kline as a believable Maurice who seemed more socially aware of everything as opposed to his aloof animated counterpart. I liked this live-action portrayal a lot better. Hattie Morahan as the Enchantress was mesmorizing, and her role was a lot more involved in this version of the film than the animated feature. I liked the way that Disney used her character as a thread to tie all of the parts of the movie together from beginning to end.

Overall, I would give this movie 4.5 stars. I really enjoyed it, and will probably watch it again at some point. I docked off half of a star because I wasn't wild about some of the new songs. I'm slightly bias to original features, so new material takes a little bit of time to adjust. All in all, great movie, and I'm looking forward to Aladdin and Mulan coming soon.

Did you watch the movie? I would love to hear some of your thoughts! Feel free to Tweet or Instagram me @Tran_gerine.

Until next time,

Melissa

March Madness

This month has just started, but it feels everything has been moving at 100 mph. This upcoming week is going to be handful with work, projects, and events. For once, I wish time would slow down. This week alone, we celebrated 3 birthdays in my family, which is nuts. I've never had so much cake and ice cream in my life...haha. I definitely do not want to see another cake for a while!

Lulu's French Doors Ivory and Blue Floral Print Wrap Maxi Dress

It's been two weeks since I had surgery on my back. Lately, I've been feeling a little bit more mobile. Gradually, it's becoming easier to sleep at night, which is a plus. What I miss the most is running. I love getting my heart pumping and running to music. It helps me to clear my mind, and it puts me in a better mood. For now, I've been doing a lot of walking, which is alright for the time being.

Due to my limited mobility, I've been wearing a lot of button up shirts, zip up dresses, and wrap dresses like this Lulus French Doors Maxi. I actually don't mind it, as it has made getting dressed a piece of cake. Lately, I've been really into blue and while tile design, which is why I was so drawn to this dress. It's a light, comfy, and doesn't wrinkle, which makes it that much more lovable. If you're looking for a spring or Easter dress, I would highly recommend this one. The price point isn't so bad either.

Good news! Yesterday, I got my sutures removed, and my doctor said that I've been making good progress. My surgical wound is healing nicely, and I've been granted to start working out (light exercises) again beginning next week. Only a few more weeks to go, and I should be back up to speed with everything. Next month will be pretty busy, so this is very good news in my book!

After my doctor's appointment, I celebrated the day with my sister and niece at our favorite place in L.A.,  The Original Los Angeles Flower Market. The spring flowers are beginning to roll in. We found lots of vibrant and happy blossoms and greenery, which we brought back to create a variety of floral arrangements for our homes. If there is one thing that I don't mind spending money on, it's flowers...and food. 

Speaking of food, I also finally got to eat at République this weekend, a modern French restaurant and bakery that I had been eyeing for a while. I really enjoyed their Almond Milk Caffe Latte and Kimchi Fried Rice. Their regular breakfast was quite delicious as well. 

The interior of the restaurant was simple, but beautiful. It was a fusion of both old world and contemporary architecture and decor. When I walked into the building, I could instantly feel the warmth of the space. The use of a neutral color palette as well as ample natural lighting made the space inviting and and intriguing. 

Interestingly enough, the building was originally built in 1928 by Charlie Chaplin and designed by architect Roy Sheldon Price. It's initial purpose was to be utilized as an office and mixed use space. Now as a restaurant and bakery, it provides a delightful meeting ground for foodies and food connoisseurs to gather for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. 

Overall, I had a delightful weekend. With good news, beautiful flowers, and tasty eats, what's not to like? If you happen to be visiting L.A., I would highly recommend the Los Angeles Flower Market and République. Make sure you arrive early, as both locations are quite popular on the weekends. If you have any questions, please feel free to message me or twee me via @Tran_gerine. If you'd like to check out my day-to-day shenanigans, you are more than welcome to connect with me via Instagram @Tran_gerine.

Until next time,

Melissa

Balance.

My temporary and limited physical mobility right now has made me realize a few things. First of all, I realized that the physical process of healing comes from self-love and having a positive attitude. Ever since I adopted this mantra, I have noticed a significant difference in the wound in my back. My stitches are healing a lot faster than I had expected, and the inflammation is gone. Secondly, I realized that self-care goes beyond working out and eating healthy. It is important to take care of one's mental health as well. Taking small walking breaks throughout the day are super important to destress and free one's mind of cluttered thoughts. Personally, I've been trying to reintroduce more short breaks into my schedule, as I've been a huge offender of sitting at my desk straight through the workday.

With that said, I've been slowly trying to integrate more personal time in-between work and studying to read (I just started The Circle), catch up with family and friends, teach myself some new technical skills, and check out new fashion.

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In trying to make more time for myself, I've been slowly returning to my first love, fashion. I have to say, I am in love with this black English Factory dress from Hello Holiday. I dig the Stevie Nicks vibe and the luscious bell sleeves. The fabric is soft and flowy, and the silhouette is perfect. I had long been eyeing this dress for my birthday, and I finally made the decision to purchase it. Overall, I feel really good about this purchase, because it was not an impulse buy. I love it because it is a quality dress that I can re-wear again and again, which makes me very happy. 

The take away message from today is balance. Because we all need it. Regular self check-ins are important to make sure that you're happy, healthy, and well. Ask yourself what truly makes you happy and pursue it. Life is too short to keep heading down the narrow path. Here's to living a full and blissful life!

xo

Melissa

Shenanigans and Malarkey

Adventure. A term that I have long identified with since my childhood. It wasn't until last year that I finally had the opportunity to travel abroad for the first time. Due to my busy schedule, it has taken me quite a while to write this post, but I am happy to finally be sharing this experience with you all.

Last May, I attended a company retreat to Ireland. It was incredible to fly across the Atlantic for the with my teammates, drive past the lush Irish countryside, explore the historical sites, and to be among the humble company of the locals. 

During our first evening in Dublin, we witnessed a gorgeous sunset, which would help to set the precedent for the rest of the trip.

Kinsale was a quaint and colorful town filled with an eclectic array of restaurant and stores. I was particularly fond of their use of color blocking and their narrow and winding streets filled with delightful shops. I really wanted to go into the bookshop shown below, but unfortunately, many of the shops had closed by the time we arrived. Overall, I had a delightful experience in Kinsale. The seafood at Fishy Fishy was fantastic, and their harbor view was very peaceful.

The Rock of Cashel was a gorgeous and rustic site to witness. The vastness of the fortress was amazing to take in, and the aged mossy walls contributed to the old world vibe. Since it was sprinkling that day, the crowds were fairly light. 

There were moments of my solo exploration of the Rock of Cashel where I was a little bit uneasy, particularly the cemetery. My GoPro decided to malfunction as I recorded my walk, not once but twice, which was enough to get me in and out of there in a jiffy. 

The Ring of Kerry was one of the biggest highlights on the trip. Although the 3-4 hour drive was physically taxing, the views were definitely breathtaking. It was the best scenic road trip I have taken thus far, offering sights of the gorgeous coastal landscapes and small villages. 

Killarney was my favorite place to stay during the trip. Our room had the best view of the lake, which made waking up early worthwhile. It was a very surreal experience to stand on our bedroom balcony and witness this scenery. So breathtaking.

Two words for you: Star Wars. I couldn't help but get excited when we visited Dingle. Apparently, the cast of Star Wars Episode VIII was shooting their during our stay. There were signs in every shop welcoming the cast and crew, which was so endearing. While we didn't stay there for long, I enjoyed their pub culture and their variety of ice cream.

Hiking up to the Cliffs of Moher was both exciting but terrifying at the same time. The rain was coming down hard that day. I was unprepared that day, and hiked in my oxfords. Really bad idea. While I made it pretty far up the cliffs, I could not join my teammates to the very peak of the cliffs as it was extremely muddy and difficult to walk on the incline. Regardless, it was an unforgettable experience.

Ennistymon was probably the most memorable part of the trip. While the hotel that we stayed at was something straight out of The Shining, the town itself was very lovely. The local speakeasy type pubs were very warm and friendly, and the scenery was so beautiful. There was a waterfall close by, which was both magnificent and exciting. 

A few of us went on a mini adventure to check out the nearby scenery in the rain which was scary and exhilarating at the same time. When we returned to the hotel, we were greeted with the utmost hospitality. It was probably the best guest service we received on the entire trip in my opinion. I would give stars for the service, and probably one star for the creepy hotel room and vibe.

Last but not least, we visited The Burren, a unique landscape of bedrock, located in the region of County Clare. Pictured below is the Poulnabrone Dolmen, a portal tomb. I enjoyed this tour the most because it was self-guided. The plant life surrounding the rocks were incredible. It was interesting to see the plants growing in all sorts of crevices in-between the rocks.

In exploring the landscape, I noticed that the rocks for the most part were smooth and level, which made it easy to walk around. The landscape itself was unusual, but nonetheless, beautiful. I wouldn't mind coming back here again one day, because it was so unique.

All in all, I had a wonderful time visiting Ireland. I can see myself coming back here one day on my own and exploring the country further. Personally, I felt that visiting Ireland was a great introduction to Europe. The familiarity of the English language and slight similarities in certain American and Irish customs definitely helped me with my travel anxiety. 

Looking ahead, I am excited to be returning to Europe in a few months. With my trip rapidly approaching, I'm currently busy finalizing my plans. I think that it is just as important to enjoy the period of the planning a trip as it is to enjoy the trip itself. What are your thoughts?

Until then, happy traveling my friends!

xo

Melissa

Happy New Year!

I hope everyone had a lovely holiday. So far, I think the year is off to a very good start. I've been a lot more energetic and optimistic lately, and my mood has definitely improved. Despite being busy, my productivity has increased and I'm looking forward to improving myself further this year. 

For starters, I've reorganized my home and work space, filled out my calendars, made more time for studying (for grad school), reading, podcasts, and working out. So far, things have been great! I'm having a good time and learning new things daily. 

RENT at Segerstrom Hall 

Today, I took small break from studying to go see the 20th anniversary musical production of RENT at Segerstrom Center for the Arts. My sister introduced me to RENT and broadway theater about nine years ago when she bought me a ticket to RENT as a graduation gift. It changed my life. 

Attending the show as a newly emerging young adult made me realize two things: my love for musical theater and my passion to work in the entertainment/creative arts industry. Looking back, neither passion has changed. I still love both things very much, and am very grateful for all of the opportunities that have come my way thus far. Seeing RENT today absolutely warmed my heart. If you haven't seen it already, I would highly encourage you to go see it. They'll be performing at Pantages Theatre in Hollywood soon! You can look up tickets here. 

Today's #OOTD (outfit of the day) was brought to you by Reformation. I've been obsessed with their clothes since they first launched. The sad thing is that I could never afford any of their pieces until now. Sheer luck would have it that I came across their sale section shortly after Christmas was over, and was able to purchase a few items from their collection.

So far, I really like their clothes. Every piece in their collection is chic, sexy, and sophisticated. Depending on your comfort level, each piece can be worn differently. For example, the Jasmine wrap dress that I wore today has the option to have a slide slit (aka show some leg) depending on how you wrap the skirt. For today's event, however, I decided not to go said route, and wrapped the skirt all the way across my waist for a more matinee feel. Overall, I'm very impressed by the quality of Reformation's fashion line, and I applaud their effort to create clothes using sustainable methods and materials.

Fun shot of the reflection of the building fr during intermission.

If you're interested in trying out Reformation, now is the time to take advantage of their sale. They've got some great pieces of there, so I would encourage you to check it out. Also, if you're local to Southern California, I also recommend that you go see RENT while you can. For those of you who cannot attend the musical, they also have a movie with the same title, although, I have mixed emotions about the movie.

Alright all, I will be taking a mini blogging hiatus for a bit to focus more on my studies. Thank you to everyone who has dropped in and shown so much support for my blog. I'll be back with more style and travel posts in a bit! While I'm on break, if you'd like to connect with me on my other social media channels, you can find me on Instagram or Twitter via @Tran_gerine. I love chatting with you guys! Until next time, happy styling!

xo

Melissa

All Aboard!

Happy holidays everyone!

I hope that you all will be spending some much needed time with your loved ones this weekend. Can you believe tomorrow is Christmas Eve? I can't believe how quickly time has flown by. It feels good to be able to finally be free to enjoy the holidays.

After work today, I had the pleasure of making my first visit to the Queen Mary. As a history fanatic and a long time fan of Titanic, it's always been one of my goals to visit the Queen Mary. 

Overall, I had a wonderful time, and learned a lot about the history of the ship. My favorite part of the  guided tour was visiting the living quarters of the ship, where many aspects of the rooms have been well preserved. I was really surprised to see four knobs in the shower, as they were used for both hot/cold salt water and hot/cold fresh water bathing respectively for first class travelers. 

In addition to the fascinating rooms, I really enjoyed the festive Christmas decor spread throughout the ship. Each of the Christmas trees pictured below have different themes, which I found very creative. Despite not having had much time to truly appreciate the holidays yet due to my busy schedule, I was finally starting to feel the holiday spirit sink in.

Being aboard the Queen Mary made me very optimistic about 2017. I'm so excited to be traveling abroad again so that I can immerse myself the in the sights and sounds of each respective location, and to be able to connect with the locals of each region. 

Olsen Blouse: Unique Vintage; Leggings (old): Target; Restricted Shoes Oxfords: Modcloth; Houndstooth Wrap (old): Modcloth

This will be my final blog post for 2016, as I will be taking some much needed time to enjoy the holiday with family and friends. I hope that you all will have a very Merry Christmas and a spectacular new year. Last but not least, I just want to thank you all so much for joining me on this style and travel journey this year. I appreciate all of the feedback you have given me, and will continue to push onto new frontiers. Until 2017, happy styling! Sending you all much love from (rainy) California! 

xo

Melissa