pick a card, any card

Give someone a Moo card and you are bound to get a compliment. Be it the high quality, the smooth texture, or the many designs to choose from - they make an impression. I began using Moo in 2009 for my accessories shop after falling in love with their Mini cards. Since then I've called on Moo for holiday postcards, stickers, and most recently, The Pond Market collateral. I had been itching to get new business cards for my creative services so when Dan from Moo USA contacted me about designing my own for keeps I jumped at the opportunity! I love that with you can upload your own designs and have each card feature a different one. With that in mind I played with a few new patterns using my blog's color scheme and I'm really happy with how they turned out. So happy that I'm now itching to re-design my entire blog! I want to keep the colors but I feel like it's time for a re-fresh, especially since the launch of my print shop will be happening very very soon (!!!). I've been mulling over the idea of selling my photography for about a year now and it finally feels like the right time to go for it (that "Photography - coming soon" sidebar button that's been there since February? yeah...). New business cards have a way of making things feel extra official, exciting, and possible, don't they? :)

cultural bits

I was lucky to be able to catch up with a lot of friends in LA but one of the hardest parts of catching up was answering the question "so, how is living in Malaysia?".  Though most of my friends keep up to date with my blog I realize that I haven't been sharing as much of the everyday moments and things that really make up the collective experience of living here. "Where do I even start?" I'd ask myself. On the surface level it appears to be like any other city (fancy skyscrapers, high-end shopping, trendy bars and restaurants) but how do I describe the nuances that make my walk to the grocery store that much different that it was in London or LA? And what about what happens inside of the grocery store? How do I give examples of things without making KL sound like a completely strange foreign place while acknowledging the fact that it is a thriving city straddled between old customs and modern western ways?

I found myself answering with surprising optimism that I LOVE it. I've realized that yes, it would be easier to live in a more mature city like Singapore but KL is rad. It feels like it's five to ten years away from being like other major cities and we have a front row seat to the action. Construction is everywhere, locals seem to be hungry for new and exciting retail and dining experiences, and the tourism board is on overdrive - with good reason, too. Just like London is to Europe, KL is the perfect launch pad to the rest of South East Asia, Asia, and Australia. Malaysia may not have it all (yet) but what it does have is worth celebrating: heritage cities, modern cities, jungles, beaches, unique street-food, colorful religious festivals, and best of all, friendly people. I encountered more openly friendly strangers in the first three weeks here than I did in a year in London if that tells ya anything.

As for the little details? The ones that aren't so great are made easier by the details that I have fallen for: the giant rainforest trees spared by new constructions, the black and white striped curbs on the roads that make me feel like I'm in a race car game, and the dangerously delicious baked goods that are hot and fresh anytime of the day (in the mall bakeries, of course ;).

I don't recall if I managed to recite all of the above to my friends in response to their question but I did give them a few fish out of water type stories. I want to share those with you, too, so moving forward I will offer up some "cultural bits" so you can gain a little more insight as to how different (or not) living here can be.

Oh and the photo? They're Chinese Mooncakes in celebration of the Mid-Autumn Festival. I initially had a totally different direction for this post but naturally I went off on a tangent so now the image is kinda random. Oh well, c'est la vie!

reverse culture shock

Have you ever had the once familiar feel totally strange or new? It's my third visit back and with each trip I find that I see things in a different light and am thrown for a loop in the most ordinary situations. When visiting from London I remember thinking that the American (and more specifically, LA) accent sounded so loud and informal compared to the English tones I'd become accustomed to. I mixed words like "lift" for elevator, and stumbled to find the American versions before I got the inevitable perplexed look from locals (still kinda do). Most memorable was feeling severely irritated by servers at restaurants who brought the bill before it was asked for and just like that, dinner was over - all 45 minutes of it. Can't the people just hang???

Now I come by way of Malaysia where I'm learning to live with an entirely new set of norms. One of the first things I noticed upon arriving at LAX was that women were showing cleavage. Cleavage was everywhere. It's no big deal, they were wearing regular t-shirts and tanks tops but with Malaysia being a fairly modest country I really don't see that very much any more. I felt like a total boob gawker but it was a very obvious first impression/difference. At my hair salon I went to use the bathroom and in my effort to turn the lights on via the switches outside the room, I gave the rest of the place an impromptu light show..."oh, that's right, the light switches are on the inside of the restrooms here...silly me!". Then there's getting behind the wheel. My right leg cramped up yesterday from the tilt and push action of driving and when the time came to buy gas (or petrol) I felt like I was tampering with an explosive device. I used to do all of this stuff in my sleep, upside down, and with my hands tied for crying out loud!

Of course everything else is familiar, like favorite places and favorite people, but it's the little things that are proving to be quite comedic, humbling, or flat out fascinating in comparison. Have you ever experienced anything like this?

...

Hi guys how was your weekend? On Friday night we stayed out waaayyy past our bedtime (+/- ten shots and drinks each), slept most of the next day for obvious reasons, and then met with other friends for dinner and an impromptu durian tasting. Sunday was productive though as I had to prep for my flight to LA. I'm so sad to leave Joe but I also can't wait to see my other loves, including my mama who is flying out from Colombia! My poor brother in-law is going to have some serious estrogen-overload for a few weeks but it's a small price to pay for a much needed family reunion. I'll stock his fridge with lots of cold beer ;)

I can't wait to give them big hugs and kisses tomorrow...or today depending on the time you're reading this. Time travel is weird...

Blog ya later from the other side of the world!!!

at last

Remember my post about "owning" your title or whatever it is that you do? Well, I finally put together one of the things that makes being a freelance graphic designer and photographer a bit more legit in my book: a portfolio! It was such a satisfying and motivating experience to sort through what I have done and think about the work that I want to continue doing. It still has a lot of room to grow but it's a start. It's my start and I'm excited to share it with you.

Please check it out and do pass it along to any friends, family, and colleagues who might be interested in my work (word-of-mouth <3 is greatly appreciated!). Thank you for being a part of this new creative journey.

making a home

Thank you so much for the comments on yesterday's post - it feels great to feel fully settled in. I hope I haven't been too much of a debbie downer the past three months but I have, thanks for sticking by my side.

Moving ain't easy so what do you do when you have to start from scratch or with only a few pieces in tow? With two international moves under our belt I want to share some things I've learned that might help anyone who is moving to a new city or country for school, work, family, or in my case: amor ;)

It's tempting to think that you'll need everything but if you stay true to practicality and enjoyment then you will be okay. In other words, follow Mr. Morris's words and "... have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful".

Keeping that in mind, we moved to London with four duffel bags stuffed with linens and clothing, and shipped three medium size boxes full of kitchen utensils, office supplies, and a few art pieces and knick knacks that were personal to us. Just having a framed picture and a memento from the past offered an instant feeling of "home" ... even if said picture frame was displayed on the cardboard box it came in for nearly three months.

Here are some tips to consider for creating instant comfort and avoiding unnecessary expenses and wasted energy:

• Bring your own bed linens, towels, and pillows. Even if only one set of each to start out with - you'll need them immediately.

• Basic kitchen utensils plus a pot and pan for cooking a simple meal. I always feel more settled if I can scramble my own eggs and not have leave home to feed my morning hunger. These individual items can also add up to a large expense if bought new.

• Personal photos, art, and any tchotskes that are small but meaningful to you. Something that you can place on a counter or lean against a wall and smile at until you find a more permanent space for it.

• Office supplies - it's amazing how necessary a stapler or paper clips can be. Especially if you'll be filling out paper work for new local accounts and such. Having these along with pens, paper, envelopes, etc., saves so much time in having to locate the nearest stationary shop. Of course, you'll eventually find one (and other stores for other things) but the point is to make starting out as easy as possible.

• Movies and favorite TV shows downloaded to your computer while you arrange your internet and TV services. This is extremely helpful for morale on those nights when you're sitting in an empty room eating off of paper plates.

And most important, don't forget to pack your sense of adventure and sense of humor. It's a big test for what you can and can't live without but the good thing is that it's temporary and as long as there's a roof over your head and a pillow to rest on, all is truly well.

As you can tell by the photo above we've moved to KL with a few more items. It was easier to do that this time around since we knew what our apartment looked like and could justify the freight shipping based on what it would cost to buy them all over again. We lived somewhat sparingly in London but now we're ready to go the distance, even if we have to pack it all up again (or leave it) in a year or two. We've gotta love it and enjoy it right now - home sweet home.

Do you have any items that instantly make you feel at home whether moving across town or across the globe?

a simple i do

I was sorting through my photo library when I stopped on this one of Joe and I in Palm Springs just before moving to London. It was one of our last So Cal hurrahs and I remember feeling so happy and at peace that weekend. From then on it was going to be just him and I and as difficult as it was to think of the things and people I was leaving behind, I knew that being anywhere with him was going to be home.

Now that we're settled into our new and second home, Joe and I can start thinking about where and how we want to get married. There hasn't been much time to think about details since he popped the question in February but the good thing is that there really won't be any details to think about. Why? Because we're keeping it simple.

In a world where the average wedding costs $27,000 and takes tons of energy and time to plan, we're going to opt for something more our style. I'm still amazed that there's anything to opt for since up until February I was convinced that we would never get married, at least in the technical sense. In every other sense of the word, we already were (and are). We share a home, share finances, share the same values, goals, hopes, and dreams, and most important we have a life-long commitment to each other. Getting married was something we spoke of should we one day want to do something symbolic or need to for legal purposes, it was never a goal for our relationship, a dealmaker or breaker. All we wanted was to be together and that's precisely what we were doing. In my mind I had officially said "I do" when I agreed to move to London with him.

I'm sharing this because in the blog world my way of thinking is not the norm and I want to offer a different perspective. I may be committing blog suicide by writing this but hey, it's my blog and it's my day! Like how I threw that classic Bridezilla in there? Yeah, those words will never actually come out of my mouth because it is just one day. We''ll still be the same people, we'll still feel the same way, and life will go on as usual.

The interesting thing is that I do drool over beautifully made wedding dresses and I do find inspiration in creative reception stylings. But, for some reason when it comes to me, to us, I just can't get into it…not like I used to. Before meeting Joe I fantasized about my dream wedding - the dress, the cake, the fireworks - yes, literal light up the sky fireworks. As little girls we're practically bred to want BIG on our wedding day, anything less is not worthy of our princess status. Well, I got a little older and realized that I had been dreaming about the wrong thing. Instead of dreaming about a healthy and loving relationship and a lifelong partner, I was planning an elaborate prom night with a faceless groom. My priority was on looking like a Hollywood starlet and partying like a rock star. Nothing wrong with either of those things  (I like both very much) but once I met the guy, the right life partner for me, all of a sudden the BIG one day event, and all of the expenses and energy that go along with creating it, didn't seem all that important to me.

As soon as we got engaged I knew that I was going to have to be quick in setting the expectations from my friends and family. I felt like I was expected to come out screaming "I'M GETTING MARRIED!", have a glow about me, and frantically start scouting locations and picking out linens. Remember that episode of Sex And The City when Miranda finds out that she's having a boy and everyone expects her to be all like "OMG I'm having a boy, YAY!" but she's actually really chill about the whole thing? That's how I felt. After the initial shock and dose of euphoria I felt totally normal and calm, I actually coded my blog that night (yep, very sexy). Nothing was different other than the fact that I had a gorgeous diamond ring on my finger. The man I love was still by my side as always, the man who made a grand gesture by giving me something pretty and symbolic of our time together - past, present, and future. I can't wait to say our vows and add that experience this chapter of our lives, however and wherever we choose to do it. And while it will be a very special day, the date that really counts in my book is the day that we met. That is what changed our lives, everything after that is just part of our story.

morning pages

Before moving to London last year I was all sorts of crazy. Not crazy crazy but there was A LOT going on between leaving my job, packing, and saying goodbyes. I didn't know what I was going to do professionaly but I knew that I wanted to put my creativity to use outside of a nine to five job. Looking for some inspiration and direction I borrowed a copy of The Artist's Way from a friend and began my own little quest for living a more creative life. I didn't get to finish the book before moving but I did take one major thing from it: morning pages. Morning pages is the exercise of taking time every morning to put pen to paper for three entire pages. You can write more but you cannot write any less. It's your brain drain space to write whatever is on your mind be it dreams from the night before, the day's to-do lists, life goals, worries, troubles, anything! And if you're drawing a blank and have nothing to write, well then you literally write "I have nothing to write" and after a few sentences of that your mind will wander onto something else and voila - you'll have something to write.

I've been amazed at how natural and motivating the exercise can feel. Even when I wake up on the wrong side of the bed and feel like it's going to be one of those days, all I have to do is write exactly that and respond to myself "snap out of it Ana Maria! " and you know what, I totally do. Creatively I start to draft "aha" moments without even realizing it. It's the best type of brainstorming because you give yourself permission to just sit and write whatever you want without any other motive. Kind of like those shower moments - just you and your thoughts, sans the soap.

Writing my morning pages is what led to opening The Pond Market, deciding to pursue graphic design and photography as freelance careers, and they have genuinely helped me adjust to two new homes. It's healthy to get things out, get them sorted, and for me, writing is the easiest way of doing that. No one but me sees the contents inside and I look forward to my one-on-one time in the mornings. If I skip a morning or two I definitely miss them but I know that they're there for me when I'm ready. It's a grown up version of "Dear Diary" but whereas before I was gossiping about my 4th grade crush Francis (he had the coolest hair) I am now sharing my thoughts in order to live my best life every day, in every little way that I can. Living with intention and action - that's the goal and morning pages are my way of making it happen. I'm completely in love with my latest notebook titled  "Lucky Notes". I bought it at a local stationary shop and it's too too perfect for the purpose. Have any of you read The Artist's Way or practice something similar to get your thoughts sorted?

today

I may not be there to celebrate with delicious BBQ, booze, and fireworks but you can bet that I'm thinking of the good ol' U S of A today. Distance has truly made the heart grow fonder and now more than ever am I thankful for that beautiful piece of land. America - you are rad. Happy 4th of July to all of you in the States and to my fellow expats scattered all over the world!

a PURSonal attempt

When we first got here there were three constant things that people would tell me:

1)  eat street hawker food - check 2)  go to the malls - quadruple check 3)  beware of purse snatchers - unfortunately, check

As of last week I can check off being a victim of a purse snatching attempt. I was walking home from the metro station, on the same two minute route that I always take, and on a very public and busy street, when two men on a speeding motorbike approached me. That's how they do it here, one guy drives while the other sits in the back and sees what he can get away with. It's a major problem here and whereas before it was common at night, it is now far too common to occur during broad daylight.

I've seen bikes on sidewalks before so I simply I thought that they were making a u-turn from the adjacent one-way street and I took steps to the side to get out of the way. But, within seconds, I felt and saw the guy sitting on the back pull my hand-purse, let go, and then speed away. I didn't realize what had happened until they were gone. I was in shock. Never in my life have I experienced a violation like that. Thankfully there were two women behind me who witnessed it and had it not been for their post-attempt company I don't think that I would have kept my calm the way I did. What was most troubling was how casual the encounter had been: the guy went for it but when he realized that I wasn't holding my bag loosely enough to snatch it easily, they continued on ... perhaps to the next victim. No big deal, just another afternoon and another drive-by.

Once at home I quickly locked the door behind me and started to process what had just happened. My mind started racing with questions like "how will I ever feel safe walking to the grocery store/metro/anything again?", "what if they had taken my bag, all of my things are in there!" or "why are we even living in a place where this sort of thing happens???"...

After a while I pulled myself together, thanking my lucky stars that it hadn't been worse. I've heard awful stories of women being dragged on the ground or getting their arm slit with a knife. I was unharmed and still had my possessions. I was one of the lucky ones.

I didn't leave the apartment until the weekend with Joe's company but now I'm feeling better and all the more wiser. Unless I'm taking a taxi door-to-door I shouldn't carry any unnecessary things, always use a cross body bag, keep phone and cards in my pockets, and don't wear anything so bright that makes me a quick target from afar. All very simple things but I absolutely hate that I even have to think about them. I hate that I have to be on guard walking down the street, clinching my bag. And I hate that I have to be mentally and physically prepared to react should anything happen (again).

It's a shitty way to feel when you walk outside and unfortunately I can't see any obvious actions from the local government to prevent it. They post up signs to "be careful" but how about having some security on the streets so that it doesn't happen in the first place? I have yet to see ONE police officer since we've moved here. Coming from a place like London where even though it had its own problems with crime, there was at least the backup of CCTV everywhere and there was always a cop nearby. In LA, well...I never really worried about anything, even when I lived near Skid Row. There may have been a lot of crazy drug addicts but they were harmless to people outside of their circles. Here you have multiple problems with street crime focused on women: motorbike purse snatchings, parking lot assaults, and street junction thefts where men on motorbikes break car windows and steal purses from the passenger seats during a red light. I mean, really??? What's even more sad is that it's all so common that some people have an "it is what it is" reaction to it. Take this story for instance. A girl gets attacked (and cut up) at a mall parking lot and the management says it happens everywhere and that it's not serious. Excuse me??? It totally is serious! {Sigh} I should stop before I get really carried away as I think I've made my point.

The thing is, Malaysia is a beautiful country with beautiful people and things to offer but if it wants to be the tourist and industrial draw that it's trying to be then those in charge need to get these problems under control. Women need to feel safe. And personally, I need to hone a different set of street smarts and be brave. There's too much good here to let a few a-holes get to me.

fruit glorious fruit

We're back from a few days in Bangkok and while it's always nice to get away (for me at least, Joe was in business meetings), it stinks to come home to an empty fridge. I can't wait to go grocery shopping and make a pit stop at my new favorite fruit stand where they sell pre-cut pieces of almost everything in little baggies; papaya, watermelon, pineapple, dragon fruit, mango, and pomegranate seeds just to name a few. My selections usually run me about USD 4 and what I love most is that I save time by not having to cut them and I don't have to worry about rushing to consume them before they spoil. Now I'm really spoiled! When did I ever eat pomegranate seeds and watermelon like "yeah, whatever, no big deal"...? They were always either too expensive or too much of a hassle to buy whole. This is much better. Do you have a favorite fruit that you'd consume ridiculous amounts of if you could buy them more cheap and easy?

This snap is from our tasting at the Tropical Fruit farm in Penang. And yes, that is a little bug on the bottom left piece - welcome to the jungle.

{show & tell} collected

Okay so I did do one thing this weekend despite having a banged up foot: I finally organized my jewelry and by organize I mean I finally took the tape off of this hanging storage thing I keep it in. With every tape-rip and pull it was as if I was liberating each piece so that it could be enjoyed the way it was intend. I say this all the time but I really should wear my jewelry more often. I've been steadily growing my collection of wearable art for years finding them at flea markets, yard sales, charity shops, during travels, and even making them myself. Each one of them has a story or memory and feels extra special since it was found rather than picked off a shelf...it's how I like to shop and it's how I like to remember the places I have been.

Shortly after I took these photos I caught up with Sussie Bubble's fashion blog and then it hit me. The problem with having a collection of unique pieces (and plastering them all over my blog) is that I can end up sounding like the type of annoying world traveler she describes in a recent post:

"Oh this old thing?  I picked it up in a random market in Thailand when I went travelling around Asia" which vaguely translates to "You will never find this awesome thing I have on because I bought it in an obscure and far-flung place, which is my little secret..." 

After reading this I thought, oh geez, am I that type of person? I mean, I can recall a few sarcastic comments from friends back home whenever they'd ask about a piece and I'd say it was vintage but now add the new "world traveler" aspect of my life and it sounds even worse! What can I do though, it is what it is right? If I were re-modeling a house, going to school, training for a marathon, or making babies then I would be blogging about those things. These days I'm living as an expat who travels a lot and as Sussie puts it "the world is getting smaller". Collecting treasures from different places is bound to happen.

I think her post really hit home since I'm still in disbelief of where life has brought us (I'm sitting in a hotel room in Bangkok for crying out loud!). I don't ever want to take any of it for granted and I want to keep finding new treasures that excite and create conversation...even if it's at the risk of being labeled one of those types. Some things are too fun and beautiful to not share and at the end of the day, that's what this blog is all about - sharing the things I see, do, enjoy, and love, with you.  One day I'll have other things to blog about but for now, this is what's happening. Jewelry stash and all.