Day 1 Mexico

My Mexico journey started with a new adventure I have never taken before.  Nathan and I left together from the San Bernardino airport on his dad’s 4 seater airplane.  I was expecting the ride to be quite scary.  When I sat in the back, there was room for two and enough height that I didn’t feel claustrophobic.   Furthermore, since we were below the clouds it was really cool to see everything from up top.  I saw the Loma Linda pagoda and my neighborhood as well.  It was pretty cool to see the border too.  There was no great difference on either side of the border.  The flight was slightly bumpy but I did not get nauseous and I enjoyed the ride.  Maybe I was better prepared after watching Batman from the 4^th row. 

 

Nathan and I were picked up by Sandy, a local volunteer from Yugo Ministries, the organization we are building through.  Before we joined the group to build, we ate at a amazing taco stand that had fresh grilled meat, homemade tortillas and grilled green onions to complement our dishes.  Yummy!

 

When I got to the building sight, I was impressed with how much the group had already built.  Most of the house was put together, and they were in the process of building the window frames and mudding the house.  Everyone was covered with plaster and sweat on their clothes and hair.  The family we are building for was joining on the grounds getting their hands dirty as well.  The mother and her boys were building benches with some scrap wood pieces. I couldn’t believe how good she is with the tools and how strong she is.  The woman is half my size and her face is worn with stories of hardship and struggle.  I’m sure that raising 6 children isn’t the easiest thing for her at the age of 35.  Furthermore, I couldn’t believe how adaptive and independent her children were.  The infant and toddler both knew how to entertain themselves and walk around without their mom right by their side.  Both of them were covered by dirt from head to toe and literally rolling on the ground.  They were adorable and it was rewarding for me when I got them to open up and smile, talk and laugh.  My first challenge was accomplished so I moved into the house to learn the basics of mudding.

 

I have only been here for a day, and I have been tremendously blessed by the sacrifice I have witnessed.  The sacrifices of our own team members, the sacrifices of the local missionaries, the sacrifice of the mother of the family, and witnessing poverty not only on the streets, but on the faces of the children got to my heart.  I feel vulnerable being involved in a mission building project that is not my element.  I feel vulnerable but I am so grateful to able to soak up and be empowered by God’s love. 

 

as i turned 27, i was lingering on the thought that i am getting older and i should act more mature. since my b-day is in the summer, i never had school (other than dental school), i was bummed that i had to work on my b-day. i could have chose to get the day off, but i am planning to take time off for a mission trip so i was trying to limit my days off.

after a week of 12 hr work days, i was even more bummed to start my b-day at 7am. luckily the day went quickly, i got a beautiful flower arrangement from my husband and an awesome cake from my office and before i knew it was time to go home. when i was going to walk out, i found my husband at the door. he said he came by to say hello. i thought nothing of it because my husband comes to visit once in awhile on the way to an errand or church. we went into our separate cars, and i noticed some mess on the passenger seat. i didn't remember seeing the stuff their earlier. so i grabbed it to see what it was and i found a letter from isaac explaining that he had planned a progressive birthday surprise. there were four envelopes with addresses and times and i was to correspond to each location and time to open the envelope. i started to cry because i was moved by the thoughtfulness that my husband took time to present his gift. each envelope also had a letter written and the day ended with a beautiful dinner with friends at mission inn. actually the b-day weekend continued with parties on sat & sun with more friends...

i just wanted to announce to the world that i have the best & most thoughtful husband in the world. it was like the sweetest thing isaac had done for my b-day and i will never forget it.

* thanks to all my lfriends that came out to celebrate and i appreciate all the cards, gifts, and giftcards!!! love ya lots

my b-day wish

every year i try to be the humble person and ask all of you not to get me a present or to donate money for a worthy cause. however, since my friends are too nice and don't meet that request, always get me a present, i thought i can help to make it easier this year. furthermore, couple of you have already asked me what i want so here it is.

i really would appreciate giftcards at:
1. victoria secret (i really love the angels memory foam collection!!)
2. sephora (i need perfume, eyeshadow, foundation, etc)
3. starbucks (i need this to survive at work)

love you girls!

Day Five in Italy

Saturday was our last day in Cinque Terre. We had a massage schedule as part of our Sabbath experience. We checked out and went to the town #4 to get our massage. Our masseuse was an English lady who moved to Italy and ended up starting a family. We did a little walking on the trail and enjoyed a stroll on the harbor. For lunch we enjoyed the best minestrone soup ever at Capotola. We had best and only shopping done in Vernazza. We found local products such as pesto, olives, olive oil, jams and soaps. Then Grace lost her wallet on the way somehow and Isaac was so sweet on his way of handling this matter. Our trip cost a little more than we expected due to this unfortunate experience. Isaac was also generous to replace Grace's lost wallet (her first real wallet from 5th grade) with a purple Prada wallet from the flagship store in Milan.
We found a direct train from Cinque Terre to Milan. We arrived and checked into our Hotel Florida. It was a clean and comfortable hotel a block from the Milan Central Station. We had a little ordeal trying to get our room because we arrived a day early. Online we had noticed many rooms but the hotel stated they had none. So we found free wifi at another hotel and booked a room at Hotel Florida. We went back and got the room and checked in. For dinner we went to a thai/Chinese: Shangai la restaurant that was recommended in Fodor’s Milan book. Their portions were tiny so we had to order like 5 dishes and pay over $80. ouch. It was a very expensive day we spent.

day four: Cinque Terre

We journeyed to cinque terre on Friday. We left Bellagio on the 6:40am ferry and made our way to Varenna to catch the train to Milan. On the train, we met a wonderful gentleman that was our on board friend, concierge, and caretaker. We actually never even got his name. We chatted about travel, work, family, and lots about Italy. Once we got to Milan, he was our defender from urban outdoorsman. He went with Grace downstairs at the train station to ensure that we purchased the correct tickets with the best connections. After boarding our train we separated to our respective seats but he came and found us to ensure we got off at the right station to make our next connection.
It poured rain during a thunderstorm as we entered into Cinque Terre. As we exited the station we found a small bakery and enjoyed the most tasteful foccacia bread while waiting for our room agent. We waited for our room while trying another regional specialty; anchovies, olive oil, salt, and lemon juice. Grace enjoyed the appetizer while Isaac only had a taste.
After our little snack we were allowed to finally make our journey up to the heavens. We winded through cobblestone side streets and little alleyways with a million steps. Then we approached the old lookout tower and ascended up through the tower. As soon as we reach the top of the stairs our apartment was right there. The view was a majestic although we cannot say the same for our bed or the cleanliness of the bathroom.
As we ascended into the heavens to reach our room the rain began to lift and the sky cleared allowing the sun the beam through. Cinque terre is an area tof 5 fishing villages that are connected hills of farmland. The villages are filled with faded pastel homes with bright primary color doors, crabbing baskets & boats blanketing the uneven cobblestone streets. The smell of salty foccacia and anchovies make your tastebuds water. As you walk through these villages you feel free as the laundry swinging against the Liguariuan wind. From Manarola, we strolled through the via dell’ amore that connected to the next village Riomaggiore. The views along the trail were breathtaking. The crystal clear aqua waves crashing violently against slate stones have caused layers of texture and patterns on the rocks. There’s a section of the trail where there is a tunnel of writing and locks of lovers. We took lots and lots of pictures. We did this path three times! In the evening we visited another town, Monterosso, the resort of the five fishing villages, making three for the day and were able to capture from great pictures as the sun went down.

Third day in Italy

Thursday was our first real taste of italy day as we were heading off for a cooking class to learn how to make our own pasta and sauce from an Italian chef. We were left Bellagio again via ferry and this time we went to another picturesque town, Varenna which is about a 15-20 minute ferry ride. The town is the most beautiful lakeside town because the town is bursting with flowers and the layout of the homes and stores has perfect colors and textures of stone. There are less hotel signs and tour souvenir shops. From the moment the ferry lands, you walk through a fairytale land. There is less hotel signs and stores than Bellagio. We arrived at the town square to find that our chef for our cooking class was involved in an accident so we were not able to have our cooking class. But we made the best of it. The local café barista was our informative guide. He shared the ins and outs of Varenna.
After the best cup of cappuccino, we attended Mass at the local cathedral which is something that Isaac wanted to do. Isaac-There is special meaning for me to be able to worship with such ceremony and tradition. Even though I don’t speak Italian or Latin, it was a spiritual experience for me. Grace even participated in the Eucharist, she was more appropriately dressed than Isaac who was in his usual (shorts and chacos). Grace-I tried to use my hands and the priest moved his hand in my mouth. This was an interesting experience. The bread tasted like watered down glue stick. The cathedral had a beautiful bell tower and clock. Adjacent to the cathedral had a really cool sundial.
After Mass we took a short walk over to Villa Montesario and gardens. This garden looked amazing against the turquoise waters of the lake. Grace really enjoyed the view of Villa Cipressi from Villa Montesario and also there was so much green ivy that made everything looked luxurious. There was a civic engineering conference at the villa when we were visiting. What a place to have a conference! We ate lunch at a delightful waterfront crepe café, Nilus Bar, (recommended in Rick Steve’s Italy 2008) that had wonderful view of the lake. The nutella banana crepe was absolutely delicious.
After resting about half an hour in Bellagio, we left on ferry to the reason why Grace wanted to visit Lake Como. Villa Balbinello in Lenno is where star wars and james bond were shot. From Lenno, we paid more money 12 eu for a 5 min. water taxi to the villa. The villa’s entrance had a beautiful black iron gate with lots of ivy. We had a tour of the villa inside where the last resident was the 1st Italian to explore the north pole and mt. everest. Though it rained this afternoon, it was so romantic to set eyes on this villa. The outiside of this building really is something, my dream house!
For dinner, we had Trattoria San Giacomo, for local fresh fish, pasta, caprese, and the best tiramisu.

Second day in Italy

We hit the ground running in true Grace form starting at 6AM. Grace’s reasonings: we were wide awake, lost a day from sleeping and the weather was spectacular! We spent a few hours exploring the waterfront taking in the scenery and shooting beautiful pictures. With no one around and in awe of the beauty around us, our walk to Villa Melzi was heaven on earth. On the waterfront was a small café that had fresh pastries and coffee where the lady was so sweet. She allowed us to eat on credit as we were not able to exchange to the Euro yet.

The ferry system is quite developed and we were able to take the ferry across the lake to visit the beautiful Villa Colatta and gardens, which was once a wedding gift for the Princess Colatta. Some of the garden highlights were the green forest, a natural stream, blue hydrangeas, a cherub fountain with water lilies, and a tunnel of orange blossoms & jasmine.

We rode the ferry back to Bellagio after spending couple hours at Villa Carlotta and seeing the towns Termezzo & Carlotta. We ate at La Grotta, a pizzeria that Flavio recommended for the best pizza. It was really good pizza. After lunch we headed for the church to be picked up by our guide for horsebacking. He was 10 min. late and skeptical enough we were a little scared as he drove about 30 min. away from the lake. It was nice to see how the locals live and see the raw side of Bellagio. Flavio dropped us off at his house with a young boy and some horses that a plethora of flies around their heads. The young boy sagging his pants and cigarette in his mouth looked real professional. With no one else around and the horses being lazy, Grace wondered how safe was this going to be. We set out for horseback riding into the hills and countryside that was so memorable to the both of us. We enjoyed our time, BUTT we were sore.

The earlier walk in town, had markets that had beautiful heirloom tomatoes that we attempted to try on our own in our apartment with fresh homemade linguini from the market and tomato sauce, salad, and orange fanta (yummy). We never did that again. With jetlag, Grace fell asleep around 8pm.

First Day in Italy

We traveled from Ontario & NY to Atlanta to Milan, Italy on an overnight flight. Although we were delayed we did not have too many problems other than our airplane seat shade broken, seat rocking and seat light bulb going out. Along the way, we feasted on fresh apple bread, rice and gim (sea weed laver) provided by Brian and Esther (thanks!!) From the airport we were able to take the Malpensa Express train to the town of Como, Italy. It took about 2.5 hrs to the last station Como Nord because we had to wait one hour at a transfer stop and one hour at a stop that was miscalculated. From Como, we then embarked on a ferry to the little town of Bellagio on Como Lago (Lake Como). The ferry was a wonderful opportunity to see the various towns coloring the borders of the lake. From sunny weather to Como, a sprinkle in Lenno, to a storm in Bellagio, the weather definitely got quite fowl on us. Even with the rain, Bellagio was a beauty at first sight with luxurious villas decorated with elegant topiaries, columns, ivy with manicured gardens and with the calmness of the alps hugging the hazy lake. Due to its close proximity to Switzerland, you can definitely see the influence here compared to other areas in Italy. We checked into our apartment at Il Borgo, a small family run apartment rental only 50 meters away from the harbor. Flavio is a generous man who was our personal “concierge” while we acclimated to our new abode. We walked a lot of stairs on our trip!

Our first meal was just around the corner from us at La Fontana a small mom and pop restaurant where Grace enjoyed gnocchi and Isaac had the lasagna which was the daily special, both were delicious. We explored the town a little, pursuing the shops and stopping by the local cathedral to say our prayers, but we were stopped short due to rain (forgot to pray for no rain… ☺. We both felt so jetlagged that we fell asleep around 6pm and woke up around 2am hungry but well rested. We ate more apple bread and played cards till 5am!

ohhhh---it feels good

before we head out to lake como, italy for our 1 yr anniversary, my husband gave me a surprise gift to open before he headed out to ny.  if you don't know by now, my husband's primary love language is giving gifts.  everyone who knows isaac knows he likes luxury and fancy smacy stuff.  so usually he surprises me with tiffanys or the ritz, that sort and i usually respond with why did you spend so much money?!!  however, my gift for my 1 yr anniversary belongs in a totally different category but i LOVE it soooo much.

okay-its obvious in the picture, what he got me.  BUT the awesome part is that its a travel size and it can roll into a pretty small roll.  i always have carried my therapeutic pillow everywhere previously, even camping to Zion but that is no more!  for the travelpillow is compact and feels so good.  isaac-this is so far one of the best $ you have spent on me.

water

i know some of you make fun of my film taste (ie: Isaac Kim), but for those who can appreciate it- my favorite film i've watched this year is water.  i rented this video from blockbuster last month.  water is about widows forced into poverty and their response in different ages as they adapt to their outcast identities.  the hindu custom requires a widow to marry their husband's brother, throw themselves on their dead husband's funeral pyre, or lead a life of self denial.  one of the characters is a 8 yr old widow, Chuyia, who doesn't understand her separation from her family, who doesn't realize the impact of her 50 yr husband's death and has to join ashram in the holy city of Varanasi.  all the widows are expected to shave their heads and live in self denial at the ashram.  they have no possessions and beg for money at the temples.   the images of poverty and prejudice in this film is very thought provoking.  i googled this information online right after watching the video.  i had found frustrating that though laws have passed to protect the widows, no one enforces these laws. 

furthermore, while i was out to dinner with friends last night.  one traveler of india told me that during her last visit she heard numerous stories about husbands burning their wives repeatedly on purpose.  talk about domestic violence!  supposedly men are taking advantage of the bridal dowry by destroying their wives to remarry and increase their monetary gains.  hence, the wives either die or are left as abandoned widows that no one cares about.  the travelers came back frustrated that social, economic and cultural justice seemed so distant in india.

  

crazy may

couple of you have mentioned that my blog has been quite idle and i agree. its been quite the hectic month. the first weekend of may was isaac's favorite challenge the 5k in downtown redlands. here's a picture from it:

thursday nights were watching the calimesa pigeons playing softball. they did awesome this year and i loved to cheer my hot husband on 1st base. 2nd weekend was mother's day where we visited northridge to celebrate with isaac's parents. we did our usual $20 massage at chinese foot reflexology every week. we have discovered the one in irvine vietnamese town was the best.

third weekend was a fun trip to zion national park. it was the last hurrah before the Chastains were to move back East. Isaac got to do his favorite thing in the world: hiking! we were happy to take mojo with us. he endured his long road trip pretty well.

last weekend was a celebration of graduations. it was really nice to have my mom visiting from san jose. actually the whole family was over at our place after paul's graduation to enjoy ice cream & guitar hero.

its june- time is flying even faster. weddings, planning mission trips, fundraisers for mission trip to Mexico, and our departure to italy is a couple of days away. we feel blessed to be busy, but we are sad we can't spend too much time with our family and friends. keep us in your prayers as we do a lot of traveling this summer.

cos

yesterday, I had the privilege to see one of the finest comedians: bill cosby! the pasadena civic auditorium holds the annual distinguished speakers series that includes famous people such as lisa ling, fergie duchess of york, the dalai lama, etc. the lecture series allows the speaker to talk about anything he or she wants.

with his freedom, bill was all over the place. he could not complete storytelling without going off from tangent to tangent. a comedian at heart, he couldn't resist to getting the crowd rolling with laughter and energy. the 70 something year old definitely holds a combination of calmness and wit that makes you sit on the edge of your seat to hear what he'll say next.

luckily to our friend, jessica who is a teacher at loma linda academy, we were able to get the $60 seats for free. thank you jessica for such a great and memorable experience!

the silver building

The first time I came to visit Walt Disney Concert Hall (WD) was to take my engagement pictures. I have been a fan of the modern architecture of this place. Last Sunday, I was finally able to go inside of the amazing building. Isaac and I had a date in LA (dinner, massage) and ended the evening with Midori playing at WD.

First of all, the inside of the concert hall was totally different from what I imagined. The interior floor and walls are all wood and looked more traditional than its contrasting outdoors. It reminded me of a ship interior. The seating arrangement encircles the stage which allows every seat to have a great view. We sat front middle to receive the best acoustics. The sound in that room resonates a crisp and limited reverb that preserves the original tone. Their Steinway piano sounds AMAZING in that room. Oh—its heavenly. (I can’t wait till my mom gives me my baby soon!)

My second critique is of Midori. All I knew of her was that she was a violin child prodigy in the 80s. When she walked in the room, I felt her attire and look was still stuck back in the 80s Laura Ashley collection. Her portifolio of mentorship and volunteering programs at USC explained the possibility of her modest presentation. To my surprise, Midori definitely has a style for playing her violin as well. Her robotic and stiff movements gave me & Isaac nausea. I know musicians like to follow their emotions, but her movements looked very unnatural like the Ahn trio. I did enjoy her playing very much, I just had to close my eyes so I wouldn’t get dizzy. The whole performance was just the violin and a piano accompaniment. They played 4 romantic pieces by Brahms, Beethoven and one other guy. She was definitely worth hearing and I hope to return back to the WD very soon.

Zinc cafe

With the craze of bakery cafes rising in la & favored by celebrities, Laguna is starting to pick up on the trend as well. (Did I mention before, I sat next to Posh Spice in LA at Jack & Jill Bakery?) Zinc is one of the local bakeries that attracts the beautiful Italians and laid back Laguaians. My favorite place to eat in Laguna for lunch is Zinc. The two building consists of a restaurant and the other building is the store that sells fine goods. The fine goods range from cheese, wine sodas, to go meals, and flowers. The restaurant has a large selection from sandwiches and pastas. My first time there, I had their vegetable lasagna that was so good, fresh, and not heavy or cheesy. I always get their soup of the day. The soups taste deliciously homemade and not from a can. The salads are simple and flavorful. I saw the person next to me order a vegetable sandwich that looked so good and that’s what I’m going to order next time.

After you order at the cashier, and pick up your food you have two options for sitting. Indoors is a little cramped, but you can enjoy their beautiful and elaborate flower arrangement by the cashier. I prefer the outdoor patio seating that is perfect for people watching and to enjoy the SUN.

Check out zinc cafe at www.zinccafe.com

biggest loser

isaac's family is having a contest the next 12 weeks. there is a $500 buy in for a chance to win $2500 of the biggest weight loss. the weight loss will be calculated by the biggest percentage off your weight.

its going to be harder for the heavier people like isaac and i, but we are ready for our healthy challenge. we ran and walked 2.5 miles today, but we had three meals. we'll have to increase our mileage soon. i have to develop a system somehow. definitely eat less and excercise to get my metabolism up. let me know if you had a diet that worked.

that $2500 is mine!

our twins!

on isaac's b-day, we doubled our joy with new pups! we rescued them from the very sad pound of san bernadino, where they put dogs to sleep if they don't have a home. we weren't planning to have pets, but it was a spontaneous act of goodness that surprised our family.

the puppies are brother & sister. their names are mojo & coco. they are a mix of german shepherd & lab. they are about 3-4 months old. they were surrendered by their owner the same day we got them with two other sibilings that are still at the pound. mojo is the calmer and protective brother. coco is very expressive about her emotions and has tons of energy. our puppies will keep our hands full, but we're excited getting to know them!

we have been super busy our first day, preparing for their arrival. we cleaned our garage & back yard to make their home safe. we put together a metal fence kennel for them to play in the garage. we shopped for their supplies. we got their shots & neutered at the vet. that's why they have cones on their necks to prevent them from licking their sutures.

mojo & coco had many visitors today. their gracious godmother kange, brought them their crate, water bowl and toys to play with. other visitors included: david, amy, lillian, john, brian, brian's friends, soojin, darren, mika, jamie and jessica. they want to thank the many visitors for the welcome & love.

Glory of Easter

For the first time in my life, the glory of Easter has been dramatically emphasized in my environment. Growing up in an Adventist home and Korean church, there was no typical celebration either to the Pagan Easter bunny or to the Cross of Jesus. I don't know if its the coincidence of being a pastor's wife or being in a different church community, but this season is more to remember than a marshmallow bunny.

It all started out with Isaac deciding to introduce me to Lent. He wasn't going to eat red meat for 40 days and challenged me to give up something. Since, I'm trying to lose weight, I said I will not eat white rice. Its unusual for Adventists to celebrate the "Catholic Lent." However, I thought it was neat to derive something positive out of something outside my circle. Then, Isaac had a Sabbath School lesson on Lent: the origin, significance in the past and present, etc. In this process, I had my initial moments of thinking about Christ's suffering and sacrifice.

At our Calimesa Church, the congregation was challenged to create an artform of what the cross means to them. This was another opportunity for me to focus on the cross and evaluate its personal significance.

Last Sunday, the young adults made a trip to Crystal Cathedral in Anaheim to watch "The Glory of Easter." This particular season's musical production was on the Life of Jesus. It was quite interesting to observe scenes that included live animals, opera singers, flying angels and laser action. This portrayal of the death & resurrection of Jesus was someone else's (the authors, the directors) interpretation & presentation. The visual presentation challenged me in some ways and continued my thought process.

Tonight on Good Friday, we worshiped with songs & readings that focused on the Last Supper, the Cross, and the Resurrection. I appreciated the simplicity of reading Scripture that allowed my own imagination to be more active rather than seeing an interpretation. The overall worship was very calm and serene that concluded with a candle lighting ceremony in the garden. I also appreciated that this program didn't try to overwhelm my emotions and concentrated on the positive qualities of the cross.

After all this, what does the cross mean to me? The cross is a symbol of love and hope. Through Christ's love, I am a new creation where all the ugliness is at the feet of the cross. I am melancholy when I initially think about what does the cross carries. The cross nailed all my crap: impatience, greed, arrogance, etc. Therefore, the cross itself is very dirty and filthy, but its more than that. Its soooooooooooooo gracious that God allows me to come just as I am and through His Resurrection invites me to engage with God & His plan. It is at the wondrous cross & open tomb that hope renews the life I live with purpose and peace.

Montage

if you want complete solitutde, i recommend visiting Montage Resort & Spa for the day. its only 1 & 1/2 hr drive from loma linda, and you feel like you are in a different country. the crystal blue waters against the dramatic cliffs, lift you into an ocean of peace. its defintely a quiter beach compare to other laguna hot spots. you can go for a walk either on the beach or watch the water from a sidewalk view. in the springtime, many of the lovely flowers are vibrantly blooming.

i spent my whole day at the spa. it was convenient to sit on a comfortable lounge chair that gave me a panoramic view of the ocean, had access to great food, and constant access to fiji water! so i sat basking in the sun, reading my journals and my mind when to ultimate relaxation mode. the spa treatments are quite pricey there. i could only afford a 60 min. pedicure, but it was worth the oceanfront view where i saw dolphins during my pedicure. then, i got to enjoy the steam rooms & hot tubs that were surrounded by beautiful lush garden and waterfountain. the decor was modern, casual, and clean. it felt different enough where i found my getaway for a day.

Isaac's b-day bash

We celebrated Isaac's 30th b-day this past Saturday. I definitely had my share of fun decorating and planning from Party plus where I got an awesome banner & cowboy frills. Canton Bistro was very accomodating and the hip place turned into an Asian & Western fusion. Everyone looked really cute decked out in their cowboy hat and boots. We had two dress up winners: Scott & T chosen by the greatest amount of chopsticks raised by the cowboys. Also, it was very thoughtful to have people fly out for this special occasion all the way from Rochester, N. Dakota, and Florida. It made Isaac feel extra special to have his family & close friends there. After our dinner at Canton Bistro, we ran around town in our crazy outfits trying to win a photo scavenger hunt. We stayed up playing cards & giggling that we looked so silly still in our cowboy outfits. I had a great time and I think Isaac said it was the best b-day party he's ever had. So I guess my goal was accomplished!

the blue light

on a daily basis, i usually use a blue light to restore composite fills on pt's teeth. last wednesday, i was exposed to use it quite differently. i was at the dermotologist and they recommended the blue light peel. the peel begins with applying a thin layer of 20% salicyic acid on your face. the stuff stings so bad! after 30 sec, you wash it off with water. orange eyeglassess are worn to protect your eyes. then you place you face on a machine 4 x 2 ft that exposes blue light to your face for 20 min.

According to AcneNet this is what blue light is:

Blue-light therapy. The FDA approved narrow-band, high-intensity blue-light therapy for treating acne. Now widely advertised, this is probably the best-known light therapy for acne treatment. Blue light works by killing the acne-causing bacteria, P. acnes, and is being used to treat inflammatory acne vulgaris that has not responded to other acne therapies. The blue-light products of today do not contain ultraviolet (UV) light, which was a staple of former light therapy used to treat acne. UV light can damage skin and is no longer used to treat acne.
Patients receive blue-light therapy in increments. Generally, eight sessions are given over a four-week period, and each session lasts about 15 minutes. Side effects tend to be mild and include temporary pigment changes, swelling of the treated areas, and dryness.

pretty cool huh?

post valentines

isaac & grace extended their love week in dallas, tx.

the moment we drove our rental car out of its garage we were welcomed by dried yellow flatlands. our early adventure started by waking up 4am so our first stop was to eat. we headed towards "bishops arts district", which was written to be an artisty boutique shopping with good restaurants. when we arrived friday morning, it was more like a ghost town. it took us awhile to find our restaurant which was the only place in the whole district that had people in it. "hatties" is glorified southern cooking in a modern and chic decor. the place was definitely the happening place. isaac's fried chicken tasted extra crispy with a light buttermilk batter. my mac-n-cheese with additional fancy cheese was two thumbs down.

after fulfilling our stomachs, we headed to adams mark hotel. once we were at the lobby, both of our jaws dropped because we never seen such a long line to check in and seen such a long line of cheerleaders. what a coincident to have a conference with the national cheerleader association. i'm sure it was going to be a heavenly experience for all the pathfinder boys and some girls. luckily a short little angel escorted us to the front of the line! also, i was pretty excited when my husband got us upgraded to the newly reinovated $500 rooms for free!

though i had planned my all day excursions of dallas sightseeing by myself, i was spontaneously led to one of afternoon seminars. a familiar friend was presenting a case study on church planting. to my surprise, what a huge inspiration it was to attend this case study called "london live." basically, he inspired us that if you find yourself unhappy or unsatisifed with your church, find a group of leaders and go start your own church. The presenter claims that though Adventist church has many insights of the Bible, we do not know how to love... Therefore, "doctrine can not change, but methodology must change." "PEOPLE HAVE LOST FAITH IN INSTITUTIONS, BUT HAVE FAITH IN PEOPLE AND COMMUNITY." "Truth is not a doctrine, truth is a person." there were many innovative and modern ways he was presenting his so called evangelistic crusades in the city titling, "the true sex and the city" and "how to be a player." i was so blessed by the genuine and sincerity of the speakers.

in between the meetings, i slept since i was sick and ate out because we hated the hotel food. three other restaurants we tried were: avanti's, a great restaurant in uptown for live jazz and late dining, asian mint for americanized thai, chinese, japanese in a popular zagat rated rest, and breadwinners cinnamon roll was too sweet for me.

sunday was a day to myself because isaac had "pastor meetings." i started my day in a real farmers market that had only produce to purchase. then i drove in circles to find the dallas aquarium. the aquarium was really neat because the spiral architecture allowed the viewer to begin with the top of the ecosystem: the rainforest, then to the flatlands and the marsh, to the bottom of the ocean. i was quite entertained staring at the crazy giant sea otter, australian sea horses, and grey manatees. the next spot was the dallas museum, which i didn't find interesting and was too boring after observing constant movement of interesting being at the aquarium. then, i found the 1st neiman marcus in the us closed which i could not check out! so i went to the beverly hills of dallas, highland park to shop. surprisingly most of the stores were closed their too. but i got to kill some time at the chain stores. i was bummed i couldn't find any boutiques to get my country boots and hat.

overall my dallas experience was positive because i loved the room i stayed in and the conference i attended made me feel proud to be an Adventist. however, the city itself is pretty unattractive and not as sexy as LA or NY.

the best cactus party ever...

okay, this one is for my regular subscribers who are curious what we did this past wednesday that i had off. as you know, isaac's grandparents have been in town the past month. they are leaving next week so we wanted to hang out once more before they left. (thanks to all the friends who have been understanding our limited hang out time!!)

we decided to go to huntington library on wednesday. it was a gorgeous sunny day to go walking. we first started with the glorified cactus section. everyone was ecstactic about all the various cacti. they literally squealed at every blossom and every texture of every plant. their enthusiasm definitely was contagious. i felt like i was at a cactus party!! i got all hyped up about them and i started going wild on my pictures. i never enjoyed looking at cactus that much in my whole entire life. i was so glad NOT to be working on a beautiful day as such.

*Pennysaver: admission is free every first Thursday of the month, book one month in advance.

husband's influence

I think that it is really hot when my wife is actively involved in things that impact our society for better. You are looking at the very first ballot that Grace has filled out for an election. I am very proud of her. Although we did not vote for the same individual it was encouraging to know that she wants to become more active for Kingdom good in our world. I think that's the point of this post. No matter who you vote for, please vote...it is important that you become involved in the concerns of our times because our decisions impact real lives, in very real ways.
Isaac Kim

better than pinkberry

there has been quite a fro yo craze these days. whether its pinkberry, kiwiberry, or ohana, people will drive across towns and stand in lines for a healthy and popular dessert. because isaac is a fan, we usually go to pinkberry. however, when we were in northridge, we discovered RED MANGO!

i prefer Red Mango more than any of the other brands. First and most importantly, it tastes better. Like its competitors the flavors are original and green tea with fresh fruit toppings. Red Mango has a creamier taste with less calories and sugar content than pinkberry.

I have heard that Pinkberry stole the idea from the makers of Red Mango that was originally founded in South Korea. The sales clerk at Red Mango said he found a Youtube video that has the Pinkberry owner taking pictures in a Red Mango in Korea. I couldn't find it in you tube.

Pinkberry due to its lacking ingredients can not claim to be yogurt, but merely as a different name, "swirly goodness" or something like that. Therefore, Red Mango's yogurt contains healthy active cultures that are good for you.

I also like the richer colors displayed in the decor of Red Mango more than the Pinkberry. My toppings I got were strawberries and golden grahams. Delish! So go check out the locations on http://www.redmangousa.com/ and let me know what you think!

dysfunctional sells

in entertainment. this past weekend i watched the movie juno. its about a teenage pregnant girl who discovers love through the disappointment of a "perfect couple" who is suppose to adopt her baby. the movie reveals that whether you are from an obvious messed up family or superficially pretty family, we all have our issues.

I have discovered this is the storyline that usually touches my heart whether i can directly relate to it or not. the reality of the pain that occurs inside our homes is something we don't talk about. however, i love to be reminded by the media that everyone has their troubles whether their rich, poor, smart, dumb, pretty or ugly. it makes me feel normal.

other movies such as little miss sunshine and napolean dinamite portray this from a different angle, but also are just as dysfunctional. i realized my favorite tv show: brothers and sisters consists of the similar material. a beautiful family that lives in a beautiful home is so crazy inside their home. internal and external conflicts between siblings, parent and children and with their other halves. always when it comes down to it, they come together because they are family and love exists somewhere in the midst of their dysfunctional mess.

$19 ski lift ticket

yea- another wednesday i got to spend with my husband. i am so grateful that he sacrificed his precious day he was supposed to prepare for his sermon for me. So-if you are in the Loma Linda area, come to Calimesa Church for a challenging sermon about religion and politics this Saturday!

Most people who know me know that skiing is my favorite sport. I grew up spending every christmas break in Tahoe. In college, I would ditch school to ski 20-30 times a year. My passion in skiing left me with many adventures: tumbling like a snowball at Dodge Ridge, church ski trips with Amy, saved by three little boys from skiing into a stream at Northstar, many ski teachers like my jr. high teacher Mr. Nelson and my college bud Justin Dye.

For some unlucky reasons: my dad getting older and not enjoying skiing anymore, moving to southern california, meeting a man who doesn't ski often have limited my skiing experiences the past couple years. Therefore, I begged and cried to Isaac to take me skiing at least once this year. So he graciously offered to take me on my day off. Originally, we found on slickdeals that Jeep car dealerships were giving away free lift tickets to Snow Summit. Some dealerships might still offer this, but the Redlands dealership were out.

As we headed out for Big Bear, we fouund a smaller resort called Snow Valley that offered $19 lift tickets on Wednesday. Wow- what a deal, don't you think? Due to the avalanche recently, most of the lifts were closed, but I still was able to have fun for a couple hours. Hey- it was worth the $19 of fun.

grooving at a 90th b-day party

Have you ever been to a 90th b-day party? Well, I was fortunate to attend my grandma's party at the Oxford palace hotel in Los Angeles. Its always nice to see your family. However, unlike any family function we had previously had, it was our first get together with some fun action with the adults and children together. We had worship, sharing time, awesome slideshow, karoke and dancing. It was so cute to see the uncle and aunts slow dancing and see the younger cousins get their groove on. Even grandma had her own couple preformances! I really hope the postive interactions will continue to follow in the future.